In Magic: The Gathering, Dimir Reanimator decks leverage the graveyard to bring powerful creatures back onto the battlefield, often ahead of their natural curve. Selecting the best reanimation targets is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of this strategy. This article explores top creatures that provide immediate impact and synergy within Dimir Reanimator archetypes.
Understanding Dimir Reanimator
Dimir Reanimator decks utilize blue and black spells to discard or mill large creatures into the graveyard, then employ reanimation spells to bring them back into play. The goal is to cheat out high-cost, high-impact creatures early in the game, overwhelming opponents before they can establish their defenses.
Top Reanimation Targets
1. Atraxa, Grand Unifier
Atraxa, Grand Unifier is a formidable creature that, upon entering the battlefield, allows you to reveal the top ten cards of your library and put one card of each card type into your hand. This ability provides significant card advantage, making Atraxa a prime target for reanimation in Dimir decks.
2. Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Jin-Gitaxias offers a substantial advantage by allowing you to draw seven cards at the end of your turn and forcing opponents to discard their hands during their end steps. This can quickly deplete your opponents’ resources while replenishing your own, making it a powerful reanimation target.
3. Sheoldred, Whispering One
Sheoldred provides continuous value by reanimating a creature from your graveyard at the beginning of your upkeep and forcing opponents to sacrifice a creature during their upkeep. This dual effect can swing the board state in your favor over time.
4. Razaketh, the Foulblooded
Razaketh allows you to pay two life and sacrifice another creature to search your library for any card, providing powerful tutoring capabilities. In a deck designed to generate expendable creatures, Razaketh can quickly assemble combo pieces or answers to threats.
5. Consecrated Sphinx
While not as immediately game-ending, Consecrated Sphinx offers immense card draw potential by allowing you to draw two cards whenever an opponent draws a card. This can quickly fill your hand with answers and threats, maintaining pressure on your opponents.
Synergistic Considerations
When selecting reanimation targets, consider the following factors:
- Immediate Impact: Creatures with enter-the-battlefield (ETB) effects or abilities that trigger at the beginning of your upkeep can provide immediate value.
- Resilience: Targets with built-in protection or the ability to recur themselves can sustain your board presence.
- Synergy with Deck Strategy: Ensure the reanimated creature aligns with your deck’s overall game plan, whether it’s control, combo, or aggro.
FAQ
1. What makes a creature a good reanimation target in Dimir decks?
A good reanimation target offers immediate impact through powerful ETB effects, game-altering abilities, or significant board presence that can shift the game’s momentum in your favor.
2. How do I get these creatures into the graveyard efficiently?
Utilize spells like Entomb, Buried Alive, or looting effects such as Faithless Looting to place desired creatures into your graveyard for reanimation.
3. Are there budget-friendly reanimation targets for Dimir decks?
Yes, creatures like Kederekt Leviathan and Flayer of the Hatebound offer impactful abilities and are more affordable options for reanimation strategies.
4. How can I protect my reanimated creatures from removal?
Incorporate counterspells, hexproof-granting equipment, or creatures with built-in protection to safeguard your reanimated threats from removal spells.
5. Can I reanimate creatures from my opponent’s graveyard?
Yes, spells like Animate Dead and Reanimate allow you to target creatures in any graveyard, providing flexibility to utilize opponents’ threats against them.
Selecting the best reanimation targets for your Dimir Reanimator deck involves balancing immediate impact, synergy with your strategy, and resilience. By carefully choosing creatures that offer significant advantages upon reanimation, you can create a formidable deck capable of overwhelming opponents through powerful and timely plays.
