Pointed Discussion

Black doesn't have that many legends that are incredibly strong and can make a difference in one turn. I mean, I'd choose Kuro, Pitlord, but other than that...

RATING: 2.5/5

this card is perfect for EDH. Especially when spliced onto something, it allows you to recur your commander, then once its exiled you just cast it again. Seems really good. constructed on the other hand... not so good. But i love it none the less.

Great for EDH, since you're probably running multi-colored anyway.

You can run with Saffi Eriskdotter.

If you spliced to play this and the legend dies, you get a second shot with Heartless Hidetsugu.

I don't think it'll work in EDH, because your Commander is in the Command Zone, not the graveyard. I've never played EDH before, so I might be wrong, but that's how it looks to me.

Like Corpse Dance and other one-turn revival, you can sac the creature before it's exiled. Quite easy with black.

Kagemaro, anyone? Repeated Mutilate is good in anyone's book, I'm sure.

@ Treima
Oh yeah, Black gets no good legendaries. Especially in this block.
Kokusho, the Evening Star? Sucks. Obviously.

Looks like there's some confusion with the EDH rules, so I'll try to help out.

Rule #12 on the EDH site says, "If a Commander would be put into a graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead."

What this means for this card is that if you have it in your hand or are hoping to have it, you can let your commander go to the graveyard instead before you cast this.

So, for a card and two mana, you can squeeze an extra attack or tap ability out of your commander. In some decks, I imagine that's easily worth the price. (Also, since it's an instant, I guess you could use it for blocking.)

Just be careful though. If it gets countered, your commander is going to stay in the graveyard until something changes that, and it's not normal in EDH to let your commander go to the graveyard, so your opponents are likely to suspect something if it does.

it's an instant, right? so perhaps i used compulsive research or thirst for knowledge to put it into my graveyard, or maybe archive trap myself.
i could then use this to revive emrakul with her graveyard trigger on the stack, right?
one swing should be enough.

This card has multiple nice advantages:
1) Splice on Arcane, so you can make use of it multiple times (splice always works nicely with Shoals)
2) the fact that it's an instant.
2a) Reanimator spells normally are all sorcery-speed. This one can be played in response to triggers that would make you shuffle the card into your library when they're put into a graveyard.
Which means: Emrakul, the Aeons Torn can kick some serious ass with this card.
2b) You cast this on your opponent's turn for a nice surprise.
3) it can be useful in EDH/Commander. As Gelzo said though, be careful with counterspells.
Other good choices besides Emrakul include:
(within the block:)
- Kokusho, the Evening Star (5/5 flyer and a huge drain effect upon death)
- Iname as One (generally far worse choice from the block, 8/8 without evasion and his cip won't work. But his death returns a spirit permanently)
- Patron of the Moon (5/4 flyer and can get lands into play if you have mana open)
. Patron of the Orochi (8/8 and can untap your green creatures and forstests before attacking. Useful outside of block-constructed with BG dual lands: Bayou, Overgrown Tomb)
- Sekki, Seasons' Guide (not useful by itself, but a win-con with Pandemonium, which also synergizes with other creatures you reanimate)

outside of Kamigawa:
- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre (when cast early even better than Progenitus because of the Vindicate-trigger)
- Bladewing the Risen (4/4 flyer and returns a dragon)
- Nicol Bolas (after emrakul likely the most powerful choice when Goryo's Vengeance is cast early: if you hit with this 7/7 flyer your opponent's hand is gone.)
- Progenitus (hitting for 10 damage that your opponent will most likely be unable to stop makes this a good choice in any part of the game.
- Elesh Norn (4/7 and provides a one-sided +2/+2 and -2/-2)
- Karador, Ghost Chieftain (3/4 and allows hardcasting a creature from the graveyard)
- Tariel, Reckoner of Souls (4/7 flyer that can reanimate a random creature from your opponent's graveyard)
- Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter (5/5 lifelinked flyer that gives you a sac outlet and with that the ability to pump him or torture your opponent's creatures)
- Phage the Untouchable (... hurr.)

If you run white, you can use Angelic Renewal to keep your fattie permanently (Saffi Eriksdotter also works if you add green, which could get a bit tricky. Second Sunrise works as well, but that one's not worth it unless you add more synergies for it maybe, since you'll have to cast it the turn you cast Goryo's Vengeance)

Lord of Tresserhorn.
Goryo's Vengeance.
Psychotic Fury.


Yeah, sure you could just hit something like Emrakul that'll kill in one turn anyways without the huge drawbacks of Tressorhorn and without needing the third card... But where'd be the fun in that?

Why does this card have a Splice cost? It's not like you're going to be Splicing it onto Through the Breach on turn 6 when you reanimate Griselbrand with this and then Splice Through the Breach to plop Emrakul, the Aeons Torn onto the battlefield. (Or on turn 7 when you then use Sundial of the Infinite to keep them both).

Progenitus is not actually a valid target for this card. Progenitus' graveyard recycle works different than the legendary Eldrazi's graveyard recycling effects. If you read Emrakul, the Aeons Torn's effect, it reads:

"When Emrakul is put into a graveyard from anywhere, its owner shuffles his or her graveyard into his or her library."

Thus, he is in the graveyard when his trigger activates, and can be responded to via Goryo's Vengeance. Progenitus' effect on the other hand, reads:

"If Progenitus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Progenitus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead."

Note the important word here: "instead". Instead of being put into the Graveyard, Progenitus is shuffled into the Library. At no point in the game is it ever possible for Progenitus to be in the Graveyard, for even a second.


Unrelated, some people seem to be misunderstanding the rules regarding the end of turn for this card. It exiles the card it revives at the end of turn, so no "upon death" effects activate. Sorry, but Kokusho, the Evening Star does not combo with this card unless you can get him killed before the end of turn (such as sacrificing him). Same for Saffi Eriksdotter.

picture if you would, in the dark world of Modern, one elected to go second, and after the draw discarding Griselbrand. on your second turn play a land, and discard Simian Spirit Guide, cast this. pay 7 life, exile 2 red cards to use fury of the horde. and repeat, and enjoy you're turn 2 win :p

Suddenly: Griselbrand!

shallow grave redux!

T1. Swamp, Dark Ritual, Entomb Nicol Bolas, Goryo's Vengeance, swing with Bolas.

Hue. (also works with shallow grave).