Reanimago

Reanimago is a Air/Fire combo-control homebrew that focuses around the card [[Raise Dead]]. The core concept is straightforward: put nasty monsters in the graveyard and try to reanimate them. Piloting the deck requires flexibility, as your opening hand dictates whether the game will be played offensively or defensively.

For example, the fastest offensive start I have gotten (in real games) is a T2 [[Adtonitum]] through the following sequence:

T1 [[Lone Tower]] -> [[Sisters of Avalon]] discarding [[Adtonitum]]

T2 [[Boneyard]] reanimating [[Adtonitum]]

Some games, however, you just don't get the right composition of Discard, Fatty, and Reanimate. The rest of the deck is a control shell meant to go long without the typical use of Divine Healing.

Avatar

Archimago's ability is crucial to this deck's plan, allowing repeated use of spells and the sculpting of a winning late-game "hand". Getting your [[Char Omphalos]] or [[Morgana Le Fay]] destroyed hurts a lot less when you can recast some of the cards. With the advent of Gothic and the increase in graveyard hate I have to judge my opponent's deck. Some games I opt for a "use it or lose it" mentality, and others I let the graveyard build up for late game card advantage. [[Arcane Barrage]] in particular is fun to play back the next turn for big swings of life total.

Card Categories

Discard Outlets

In order to function properly, Reanimago needs nasty creatures in the graveyard. This is usually accomplished via [[Seasoned Sellsword]] and [[Sisters of Avalon]]. Other ways include [[Dreadwing]], [[Chorus of Condemnation]], and baiting your opponents into attacking your undefended [[Wizard's Den]].

[[Recurring Specter]] and [[Hexham Haunts]] are fine targets to discard, too, if a better option isn't available.

Reanimation

[[Raise Dead]] is the crux of the deck, and it works a little weird. It looks at every creature in both cemeteries, and you get one of them randomly. When you summon it you can choose *any* site to cast it on. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and get your opponent's Land Surveyor and that sucks, but there are ways of ensuring the odds are slanted in your favor.

[[Boneyard]] is a rare treat that is almost always in your favor, especially at the earliest turns of a game. The only monster you have to really think about is an early [[Infernal Legion]], as positioning the sites so it can attack your opponent and not clobber you can be difficult. Gothic gave the deck a second functional copy of Boneyard in [[Orpheus' Crossing]].

[[Kythera Mechanism]] throws gasoline on the fire. With the mechanism out you can surgically strike with [[Lightning Bolt]] and, more importantly, you get to select which creature to reanimate with [[Raise Dead]]. It also lets you pick targets for [[Adtonitum]] and generally mess with your opponent's things, like [[Headless Haunt]]. This should be kept in the hand until you are ready to strike with it.

Graveyard Filtering

Most times you won't have a [[Kythera Mechanism]] to let you pick what you raise. [[Funeral Pyre]], [[Clairvoyant]], and [[Redmane Hyena]] all work toward "pruning" the graveyard to slant the odds in your favor.

Support

The rest of the deck is a control shell meant to stymy your opponent's threats and build up your cemetery. Some specific cards/interactions:

[[Highland Princess]] usually gets [[Ring of Morrigan]] or [[Kythera Mechanism]], depending on the needs at the time. In some situations, though, Princess can grab a Mix to boost out an early threat.
[[Infiltrate]] is a 2-for-1 that cools the heat on an opponent's threat and increases the threat on them. I usually position the stealthy monster on top of the opponent's avatar and let it hang out there for many turns, as they can be an excellent finisher.
[[Pact with the Devil]] can be cast from the cemetery with Archimago at Death's Door without any penalty
[[Lightning Bolt]] / [[Magic Missiles]] / [[Minor Explosion]] are your bread and butter. Use them to check early threats and chip away at the opponent's life total.
[[Char Omphalos]] on-curve is devastating card advantage and a lose-lose situation for the opponent. I like to put it front and center to take a disenchant instead of my mechanism or ring.

Reanimago

@Jackal