Daily Deck Tech from Capenna: Dimir Reanimator Control

Every workday while the Streets of Capenna are new, Insight takes a quick look at another deck featuring the fresh cards! Sometimes, the simplest route is the best one to take, and here's a rare example from Modern. One straightforward plan, just two colors, mainly four-ofs, and no nonsense.

At first glance, Tainted Indulgence looks like a strictly worse Faithful Mending. It doesn't have flashback, nor does it give life. But you'll find it has its own uses. For instance, discarding two cards is a bit too much at times. Sometimes you just want to discard one card, if not zero. Playing a Reanimator deck, sometimes you want to discard Archon of Cruelty only, then steal the game.

That's the premise of the most recent Dimir list making the rounds on Magic Online. It takes the most minimalistic Reanimator package and repackages it into what's basically a control deck. The deck can reanimate an Archon on turn three—or even turn two if you consider Consider (and Thoughtseize)—but doesn't rely on it. With eight hard counterspells as well as four each of the best a single black mana buys in discard and removal, its first focus is on disrupting the opponent. Between Snapcaster Mage, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Shark Typhoon, and Hall of Storm Giants the deck can absolutely win a game without Archon too.

Consider, Archmage's Charm, Memory Deluge, and, of course, Tainted Indulgence all also help run through the library, either in search of answers or to facilitate the reanimation or both. Given how this is still a control deck, this flexibility is key, and the Indulgence shines in particular. When a game goes long, you simply use it to draw two cards. If you draw into an Archon, you can even delve with Murderous Cut so that Indulgence again manages to discard it.

Some control decks only seek to control the game without offering a strong plan themselves. However, that doesn't play to Dimir's strengths, with its abundance of one-for-one trades. What makes this one interesting is that it's a graveyard deck that does not instantly fold to graveyard hate. One pilot already managed to post a 5-0 result with it, inspiring another to take it to a decent Challenge finish.

---

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, not of Cardmarket.

---

---