{"ops":[{"insert":"This is a toughness-matters reanimator deck built around "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Felothar the Steadfast"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Jaws of Defeat"},{"insert":".\n\nRather than relying entirely on combat, the deck turns defensive creatures into resources. Felothar sacrifices high-toughness creatures to draw cards, after which the deck returns them from the graveyard. Every creature reanimated while Jaws of Defeat is on the battlefield converts the difference between its power and toughness into direct life loss.\n\nBlink is included as a supporting theme rather than the deck’s primary strategy. Ghostway, Eerie Interlude, Touch the Spirit Realm and Flickering Hound protect important creatures, repeat useful enters abilities and generate additional Jaws triggers.\n\nIf Jaws is unavailable, Felothar, Doran, Bedrock Tortoise and Ghalta allow the Walls to win through toughness-based combat.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Game plan"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Early game"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Develop the mana base using efficient ramp and defensive creatures:\nArbor Adherent"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Axebane Guardian"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Great Forest Druid"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Overgrown Battlement"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sylvan Caryatid"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Wall of Roots"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Farseek"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Nature’s Lore"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Three Visits"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWall of Blossoms, Wall of Omens and Carven Caryatid replace themselves while establishing blockers and future sacrifice targets.\n\nThe deck generally wants an opening hand with three mana sources and at least one ramp, draw or graveyard-setup card.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Midgame"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Cast Felothar and begin turning expendable creatures into cards. A 0/4 creature sacrificed to Felothar draws four cards, while something like Tree of Perdition can draw thirteen.\n\nBuried Alive and Entomb prepare the graveyard for Reanimate, Victimize, Animate Dead or one of the mass-recursion spells. Moon-Blessed Cleric, Sterling Grove, Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor help locate Jaws of Defeat or another missing engine piece.\n\nAvoid casting Jaws too early unless it will generate immediate value or can be protected. It is usually better to establish a board or fill the graveyard first and then play Jaws immediately before a blink or reanimation effect.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Primary combo"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The main combo requires:\nJaws of Defeat on the battlefield"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Abdel Adrian, Gorion’s Ward in the graveyard"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Animate Dead"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"A high-toughness creature on the battlefield"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nCast Animate Dead and return Abdel Adrian. When Abdel enters, exile Animate Dead and at least one high-toughness creature you control.\n\nWhen Animate Dead leaves the battlefield, Abdel is sacrificed. Abdel leaving returns the exiled permanents, including Animate Dead and the high-toughness creature. Animate Dead then targets Abdel in the graveyard again.\n\nThe high-toughness creature repeatedly leaves and returns, triggering Jaws each time. Continue the loop until the opponents have lost the game. The loop can be stopped by choosing not to exile Animate Dead with Abdel.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Shirei recursion engine"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker returns creatures with power 1 or less that die under your control. Most of the deck’s Walls and mana creatures qualify.\n\nWith Felothar and Shirei available:\nPay three mana and tap Felothar."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sacrifice a high-toughness, low-power creature."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Draw cards equal to its toughness."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Shirei returns it at the beginning of the next end step."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Its enters ability and Jaws trigger again."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nDrumbellower allows Felothar to untap during every player’s untap step, while Staff of Domination can untap him manually. This turns the engine into repeatable card advantage and recurring Jaws damage.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Staff of Domination"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Staff of Domination is both a utility engine and a combo card.\n\nIf Arbor Adherent, Axebane Guardian or Overgrown Battlement can tap for at least five mana:\nTap the creature for five or more mana."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Pay three mana and tap Staff to untap the creature."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Pay one mana to untap Staff."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Repeat the process."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEach cycle produces at least one additional mana. Infinite mana can be used to draw the deck with Staff of Domination or repeatedly activate Blight Pile to drain the table.\n\nOutside the combo, Staff can untap Felothar, Tree of Perdition or one of the deck’s mana creatures.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Mass recursion"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck contains several ways to rebuild after sacrificing creatures or surviving a board wipe:\nAscend from Avernus"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Eerie Ultimatum"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Living Death"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Nethroi, Apex of Death"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Reunion of the House"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Will of the Abzan"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nNethroi and Reunion of the House are especially effective because most Walls have zero power. This allows them to return a disproportionately large number of creatures.\n\nWith Jaws on the battlefield, mass recursion becomes a win condition. Each returning creature creates a separate Jaws trigger, and those triggers can be divided among different opponents.\n\nDusk // Dawn provides additional recovery. Dawn returns most of the deck’s low-power creatures to hand, allowing the Walls to be rebuilt even when direct reanimation is unavailable.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Blink package"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Blink is primarily used for protection and additional enters triggers.\n\nGhostway and Eerie Interlude can save the creature board from removal while returning everything together for a large burst of Jaws damage. They also repeat the abilities of Wall of Blossoms, Wall of Omens, Carven Caryatid, Moon-Blessed Cleric and other utility creatures.\n\nTouch the Spirit Realm serves as removal when necessary, while its channel ability can protect or retrigger an important creature.\n\nFlickering Hound provides repeatable blink value whenever another creature is cast. It is particularly useful with creatures that draw cards, tutor or return permanents from the graveyard.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Other ways to win"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck is not entirely dependent on Jaws of Defeat.\nFelothar allows creatures to attack and deal damage using toughness."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Doran, Besieged by Time discounts high-toughness creatures and rewards attacking or blocking."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Bedrock Tortoise and Ghalta the Immovable provide additional toughness-based combat."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Akroma’s Will can turn a developed board into a lethal attack."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Staff of Domination can generate infinite mana with the defender-based mana creatures."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Blight Pile converts a large Wall board or infinite mana into direct life loss."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Tree of Perdition can drastically reduce an opponent’s life total."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nProtecting the engine"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The most important permanents are usually Jaws of Defeat, Felothar, Shirei and Staff of Domination.\n\nClever Concealment can phase out the entire engine, including noncreature permanents. Bilbo’s Gambit can stop removal, board wipes or opposing combo spells. Ghostway and Eerie Interlude protect the creature board while advancing the Jaws plan.\n\nThe deck rewards patience. It is often better to hold protection and wait one turn than expose Jaws without being able to trigger it immediately.\n\nBuild the Walls, sacrifice them for value, and then bring the entire fortress back from the dead.\n"}]}