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Grixis Reanimator Best Shell Sideboard Guide

1 requestsStarted 6/10/2026, 10:12:00 AM
I'm trying to play grixis reanimator, what is the best performing shell and can we have a good sideboard guide for the current meta with match in and out?

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Here's a complete breakdown for you! This is a data-heavy response, so I'll be as structured as possible.


🧟 Grixis Reanimator — Best Shell & Sideboard Guide

Overall: 51.47% WR across 449 matches (last 30 days) | Meta share: 3.63%


📋 The Optimal Maindeck (106 decks sampled)

4-ofs (virtually universal):

  • Psychic Frog (100%) — 4x
  • Persist (100%) — 4x
  • Faithless Looting (100%) — 4x
  • Archon of Cruelty (100%) — ~4x
  • Abhorrent Oculus (100%) — ~4x
  • Fatal Push (100%) — ~4x
  • Unearth (100%) — ~3.75x
  • Emperor of Bones (100%) — ~3.7x
  • Thoughtseize (98%) — ~4x
  • Spell Pierce (95%) — ~2x

Near-universal utility (1-of lands):

  • Raucous Theater (100%) — 1x
  • Undercity Sewers (99%) — 1x

86% slot — flex 3-4 of:

  • Thought Scour — ~3.5x

Flex slots (~40%):

  • Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs — 1x
  • Thundering Falls — 1x

📦 The Stock Sideboard

CardAvg CopiesPresence
Consign to Memory3.2699%
Meltdown1.9798%
Mystical Dispute2.2495%
Damping Sphere1.8692%
Pyroclasm1.8191%
Vexing Bauble1.9679%
Surgical Extraction1.0679%
Harvester of Misery1.034%
Nihil Spellbomb1.1920%
Force of Despair2.1216%

⚔️ Sideboard Guide by Matchup


✅ vs. Boros Energy — 60.4% WR (29-19) — Favored

This is a great matchup. You outgrind them and Archon of Cruelty is backbreaking.

IN: 🔺 Pyroclasm ×2, Harvester of Misery ×1, Force of Despair ×2
OUT: 🔻 Spell Pierce ×2, Sink into Stupor ×1, Thundering Falls ×1, Thought Scour ×1


❌ vs. Affinity — 39.3% WR (11-17) — Unfavored

Artifacts come down fast. Meltdown is your best card here.

IN: 🔺 Meltdown ×2, Consign to Memory ×2, Vexing Bauble ×2
OUT: 🔻 Emperor of Bones ×2, Thoughtseize ×2, Spell Pierce ×2


➡️ vs. Prowess — 48.5% WR (16-17) — Even

Race is tight. Pyroclasm handles their early boards.

IN: 🔺 Pyroclasm ×2, Force of Despair ×2, Harvester of Misery ×1
OUT: 🔻 Thought Scour ×2, Sink into Stupor ×1, Thundering Falls ×1, Spell Pierce ×1


✅ vs. Goryo Reanimator — 73.7% WR (14-5) — Heavily Favored

Thoughtseize disrupts their specific combo lines and you just out-value them.

IN: 🔺 Surgical Extraction ×1, Consign to Memory ×2, Vexing Bauble ×1
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Fatal Push ×2


❌ vs. Broodscale — 34.2% WR (13-25) — Bad Matchup ⚠️

Your worst matchup in the meta. They combo faster and Damping Sphere is your lifeline.

IN: 🔺 Damping Sphere ×2, Consign to Memory ×3, Vexing Bauble ×2
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Fatal Push ×2, Harvester of Misery ×1, Thought Scour ×2


✅ vs. Tron — 57.1% WR (12-9) — Favored

Discard + speed beats them. Damping Sphere + Thoughtseize is a strong package.

IN: 🔺 Damping Sphere ×2, Consign to Memory ×1
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Fatal Push ×1


➡️ vs. Ruby Storm — 46.7% WR (7-8) — Roughly Even

Damping Sphere and Vexing Bauble are key hate pieces. Thoughtseize on their combo pieces.

IN: 🔺 Damping Sphere ×2, Vexing Bauble ×2, Consign to Memory ×2
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Harvester of Misery ×1, Fatal Push ×1, Thought Scour ×2


➡️ vs. Amulet Titan — 42.9% WR (6-8) — Slightly Unfavored

Speed race. Surgical Extraction on Amulet is high-value. Damping Sphere shuts off combo bounce lands.

IN: 🔺 Damping Sphere ×2, Surgical Extraction ×1, Consign to Memory ×1
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Fatal Push ×2


✅ vs. Azorius Control — 64.7% WR (11-6) — Favored

Great matchup. Mystical Dispute fights their countermagic. Your threats are resilient.

IN: 🔺 Mystical Dispute ×3, Consign to Memory ×2
OUT: 🔻 Fatal Push ×2, Pyroclasm ×2, Harvester of Misery ×1


➡️ vs. Living End — 45.5% WR (5-6) — Slightly Unfavored

Surgical Extraction on their cycling creatures or Living End itself is key.

IN: 🔺 Surgical Extraction ×1, Consign to Memory ×2, Vexing Bauble ×2
OUT: 🔻 Pyroclasm ×2, Fatal Push ×2, Thought Scour ×1


📊 Matchup Summary

MatchupWRVerdict
Goryo Reanimator73.7%💚 Great
Azorius Control64.7%💚 Favored
Boros Energy60.4%💚 Favored
Tron57.1%💚 Favored
Prowess48.5%🟡 Even
Ruby Storm46.7%🟡 Even
Living End45.5%🟡 Slight dog
Amulet Titan42.9%🔴 Unfavored
Affinity39.3%🔴 Bad
Broodscale34.2%🔴 Avoid

⚠️ Note: Sideboard in/out recommendations are data-informed from card presence patterns, not strategic theory. Actual counts may need tuning to your specific 75.


📚 Sources — Data from 50 tournaments (68% MTGO, 32% Melee):