Discussion Forum

Recurring Nightmare seems very bad in a reanimator style deck especially this one. I would play 1 at most since you want it only mid game or so as a kind of engine. You must realize that the best way to stop a deck like this is you counter those cards that get your creatures in the graveyard. Spell Pierce alone stops 8 of the 12 ways you can get creatures in the graveyard. You might argue that spell pierce is not played in casual games but if you play a deck like that, which is a combo deck I'll play spell pierce and daze and such to slow you down while I beat your face in with fast creatures.

Once you resolve one of those fatties the game will probably be over anyway so the recurring nightmare plan is just cute/win more but not very effective.

Have you concidered playing Oona's Prowler as discard outlet? It's very good (and cheap money wise).

I would also concider playing some dredge cards to fill your graveyard with creatures as an additional way to get creatures in the yard.


I too love Recurring Nightmare, it's an awesome card but I play a completly different style of deck when I play it.

I would probably brew something :manag::manab: when playing it with

Sakura-Tribe Elder
Solemn Simulacrum
Acidic Slime
Reveillark
Wood Elves
Recurring Nightmare
Grave Pact

and a few fatties but not many, probably something broken like Avenger of Zendikar. Basically this deck style ramps you into your big creatures instead of cheating them in which is a far more stable mechanic. Then Recurring Nightmare can become a toolbox. Grave Pact gets rid of enemy creatures while you gain an absurt advantage destroying land with acidic slime etc...

You can mix this play style with the dredge mechanic and or with a discard outlet (for instance Zombie Infestation or the new Grisly Salvage) to go reanimator style. But your Sakura's and Solemn Simulacrums will provide you with blockers and a way more stable build.

Yeah; I've been running a revamped version of this and it's still too slow. I think I'm going to re-tweak again. I'm thinking 1 or 2 Recurring Nightmares and the rest more standard reanimate spells.

I like having them to run things like, Angel of Despair, Eternal Witness and the two spirit dragons (Kokusho and Yosei).

I probably won't ditch those four creatures; and the deck is built around Jin-Gitaxias. (I ran a proxy deck without him and realized he was why I loved the deck so much).

I am kind of curious as to the benefits of Oona's Prowler over Putrid Imp? Or are you suggesting I run both?

I have cut the deck to 60-62 cards.

There are a group of creatures I'm hard pressed to cut but I do prefer re-animator; I like cheating in Jin turns 1-3.

I'll definitely take your advice while I re-think the layout. I've headr of dredge but don't know much about it.

I'm going back to U/B for sure; I have considered G to run Greater Good or maybe just Altar of Dementia; let me sack prior to living death and use my dragons more effectively.

Still a lot of tinkering to do; I'll probably use this thread as I go. Thanks for the advice.

Note: I have been looking at some Jin-Gitaxias focused re-animator decks to get some ideas. I don't want to directly copy anyone obviously, but it helps to see what some people have done. I need to find a balance between what I like/want vs. what works.

I was suggesting you play both creatures but it's mostly a meta decision. In tournament play people play spell pierce and daze and force of will. Daze you can play around, and if your enablers are creatures you don't have to worry about spell pierce. But like I said, you are probably a casual player so you need to make this decision based on what your playgroup plays in terms of hate.

UB is the only to go in my opinion, simply because of Careful Study which is really good in this type of deck. Also because it allows you to run various counterspells but then it becomes expensive (force of will and flusterstorm).

dredge is a mechanic that allows you to: when you would draw a card return a card with dredge from your graveyard to your hand instead and pay the dredge cost. The dredge cost varies from card to card but always involves putting X cards from your library in the graveyard. For instance Stinkweed Imp

You're right; I still have a lot to tweak in the deck.

Based on your (and others) comments, and a review of some similar decks I've decided to go ahead with my plan to build 2 but make the play style a bit more varied then before.

I've decided to run Jin-Gitaxias in a B/U deck; a few counter spells (Spell Pierce, Force Spike, Mental Misstep...no Force of Wills), and some draw cards like Brainstorm, Careful Study among a few other spells. This will be my fast control deck. That and some big @SS creatures with CIP and LP/Die effects.

The other will be a B/G with based on more mana ramp, defensive creatures and some search spells/creatures like Fauna Shaman, and probably some you suggested.

Both decks will probably run 1-2 Recurring Nightmare for utility purposes if I still need to make some plays late game. Once I have them planned out I'll update my decks and see what people think.

I appreciate all the advice, cheers.

Going blue black; Besides careful study, what cards would you recommend? I was thinking Buried Alive, but then I want to run Dark Ritual, and that takes away 4 slots in the deck that could be used for animate spells or counters. Maybe run a small number of Buried Alive (1-2) to cast turn 3 or 4 once Jin-Gitaxias is out?