I'll analyze Reanimator's performance with and without Archon of Cruelty over the last 2 months. Let me start by getting the relevant data.
I see this returned Standard Reanimator, but Archon of Cruelty is more commonly associated with Modern Reanimator. Let me check Modern format.
Let me search for Modern Reanimator variants that might include Archon of Cruelty:
Now let me analyze Modern Reanimator decks with and without Archon of Cruelty over the last 2 months (since 2025-07-06):
Let me also check what specific Reanimator archetypes are running Archon of Cruelty:
Now let me get sources to support this analysis:
Based on my analysis of Modern Reanimator decks over the last 2 months (since July 6, 2025), here's what the tournament data shows:
With Archon of Cruelty:
Without Archon of Cruelty:
• Minimal Performance Difference: Reanimator decks with Archon of Cruelty performed only marginally better (+0.8% winrate)
• Archon is the Standard: 53.5% of Reanimator entries included Archon of Cruelty
• Grixis Dominance: 130 of 136 Archon-playing entries were Grixis Reanimator (95.6%)
• Consistent Inclusion: When played, Archon of Cruelty averages exactly 4.0 copies per deck
The data suggests there's no significant performance advantage to including Archon of Cruelty in Reanimator decks. The 0.8% winrate difference is within statistical noise. The choice appears to be more about meta positioning and personal preference rather than raw power level.
Sources:
Data from Modern tournaments between July 6 - September 6, 2025. Based on 254 total Reanimator entries across MTGO events. Example tournament: Modern Challenge 32