Overview

Dimir Reanimator is the premier U/B value-control deck in current Standard, and it has quietly become one of the most consistent performers on the MTGO Challenge circuit — posting Top 8 finishes in nearly every event over the past two weeks. It plays like a control deck on the front end and a reanimator deck on the back end: grind the game down with removal, sweepers, and discard, then bury the opponent under recursive threats powered by The Soul Stone, Superior Spider-Man, and the flexible elemental Deceit.

Arena flag: a strong Bo1/Bo3 ladder choice — its removal density and sweepers prey on the aggressive Izzet and Selesnya decks that dominate ranked queues right now.

Decklist (60 Main / 15 Sideboard)

4 Deceit
4 Superior Spider-Man
3 Emeritus of Ideation
1 Qarsi Revenant
2 Quantum Riddler
4 Requiting Hex
2 Bitter Triumph
1 Shoot the Sheriff
2 Day of Black Sun
2 Deadly Cover-Up
3 Duress
1 Intimidation Tactics
1 Strategic Betrayal
1 The Soul Stone
4 Winternight Stories
6 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
4 Gloomlake Verge
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Restless Reef
2 Undercity Sewers
2 Multiversal Passage
1 Agna Qel'a

Sideboard
2 Deathmark
2 Flashfreeze
2 Intimidation Tactics
2 Qarsi Revenant
1 Duress
1 Ghost Vacuum
1 Myojin of Night's Reach
1 Nowhere to Run
1 Quantum Riddler
1 Spell Snare
1 Strategic Betrayal

Strategy Guide

Early (turns 1-3). You are the control deck against aggro and the disruptive deck against control. Lead on Duress and Intimidation Tactics versus combo/control; against creatures, hold up Requiting Hex (kills anything mana value 2 or less for one mana) and Bitter Triumph.

Mid (turns 4-6). Day of Black Sun and Deadly Cover-Up reset the board; Winternight Stories refills and can be recast with harmonize. Land The Soul Stone — once harnessed it returns a creature every upkeep.

Late (turns 7+). Superior Spider-Man copies the best creature in any graveyard, and Emeritus of Ideation snowballs your stocked yard into an overwhelming advantage.

Win Conditions & Combos

  • The Soul Stone engine — reanimate a creature every upkeep; combine with a sweeper for one-sided value.
  • Superior Spider-Man toolbox — enters as a copy of any graveyard creature.
  • Deceit’s split modes — UU to bounce, BB to force discard.
  • Recursive grind — Winternight Stories + Qarsi Revenant + The Soul Stone keep the gas flowing.

Sideboard Guide

vs Izzet Prowess / Aggro: +2 Deathmark, +1 Nowhere to Run, +2 Qarsi Revenant; -3 Duress, -1 Strategic Betrayal, -1 Intimidation Tactics.

vs Control / 4c / Jeskai: +1 Duress, +2 Intimidation Tactics, +1 Quantum Riddler, +1 Strategic Betrayal; -2 Day of Black Sun, -2 Deadly Cover-Up, -1 Shoot the Sheriff.

vs Mirror / Reanimator: +1 Ghost Vacuum, +1 Myojin of Night’s Reach, +2 Intimidation Tactics; -2 Day of Black Sun, -1 Shoot the Sheriff, -1 Requiting Hex.

vs Ramp: +2 Flashfreeze, +1 Spell Snare, +1 Duress; -2 Day of Black Sun, -1 Shoot the Sheriff, -1 Requiting Hex.

Budget Notes

Premium build runs roughly $610-650 tabletop. Cost is concentrated in The Soul Stone (~$88), Quantum Riddler (~$32 ea), and the Watery Grave / Cavern of Souls manabase. Budget swaps: The Soul Stone → extra Qarsi Revenant + Ghost Vacuum; Quantum Riddler → Emeritus / Winternight Stories; Cavern of Souls → Undercity Sewers + Swamp. A budget version lands around $180-220 and keeps the grind plan intact.

TikTok / Shorts Script (45-60s)

Hook: “This Dimir deck makes card disadvantage impossible — your graveyard IS your hand.” Then: Deceit (two modes) → Day of Black Sun (wrath) → The Soul Stone (reanimate every upkeep) → Superior Spider-Man (steal their bomb) → Emeritus of Ideation (finisher). CTA: “Full list + budget build on Mana Riot Games — links in bio!”

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