I was reading the article over at mtg and this combo caug...

[centroles]

I was reading the article over at mtg and this combo caught my eye...
 

Quote The “Angry Hermit” decks that have emerged are just blisteringly fast. Either Mox Diamond or Chrome Mox allows players to play Hermit Druid on turn 1 and these decks tend not to have any basic land in them at all so one activation of the Druid dumps an entire deck into the graveyard where any number of cheap reanimation spells can bring a Sutured Ghoul into play (with Dragon Breath also hoping out to enchant it and give it haste). That’s way too easy of a turn 2 kill so we knew we had to break it up. In theory we could ban all of the cheap reanimation spells. After all, cards that put other cards into play “for free” (like Tinker) are something we now realize we need to be more careful with. However, there are so many cheap reanimation spells (Reanimate, Exhume, Life/Death, etc.) that we felt it would be better to attack the Hermit. We already walked halfway down this road when we chose to ban Entomb after worlds – we figured there was only one card that did what Entomb does as cheaply as Entomb does it so we could get away with banning it while leaving the reanimation spells around. Well, it turns out that Hermit Druid is also a cheap, easy, efficient way to get reanimation targets into the graveyard. Fair enough … now we’ve taken that one away too. We actually think Reanimation decks are kind of cool. Our attitude toward them is similar to our attitude toward mono-brown decks: we didn’t want to kill them completely, we just wanted to slow them down enough that they would be fair.

I don't know why but I've never heard of or played against this combo. Yes it is slower than Dragon assuming you have Bazaar. But without Bazaar (Budget Dragon), the deck can be fairly inconsistent. Splashing in Hermit Druid works as an alternate win conditon for Budget Dragon decks. There are after all 12 reanimation spells to choose from. The hard part is getting both Dragon and Laquatis in the graveyard. Hermit Druid can do this with ease (an alternate if you don't top deck Buried Alive or a tutor essentially). Plus it offers up a secondary combo that is immune to some of the dragon hate out there. Elvish Spirit Guide could play a key component in the mana acceleration along with a lone chrome mox, lotus petal and multiple dark rituals. Green/Black brings in Pernicious Deeds as well which are invaluable in hurting workshop based decks.

I'm just throwing the idea out there as I won't have time to try this out or playtest it for a while. But do you think such a splash would help make Budget Dragon more consistent?

[BreathWeapon]

I think your on to something, this should be awesome. I liked Angry Hermit to begin with as Budget Combo, this just sounds like pure gravey to me.

[centroles]

Thanks, do you have any ideas you would like to toss into the build.

I so want to get to work on a build but I have more important things to do for the next few days.

[bebe]

Dicemanx and I tested Budget Dragon with Druid. In fract it was his initial choice for budget and we posted a list long ago in the Vintage forum under budget decks.  It is good but really if you are using Druid you might as well use the Ghoul combo ( you have this list already). Dragon is no faster. I also prefer Reanimate to costlier spells. We do not use Chrome Mox and Mox Diamond as much as we use Rits and EsG, BTW. Ghoul is quite capable of going off turn two.

I have also tested the Survival/Dragon and although a bit slower it is more flexible and reliable. It can get a Survival out first turn as well but generally does not combo before turn three or four. However it can survive the first turns better as it is really a tool box build.

What green really adds to both builds is EsG, Xantid Swarm and Sylvan Safekeeper which protects the Druid and ensures the combos go off. Pernicious Deed is solely used in the side.

[BreathWeapon]

The fact that Sutured Ghoul requires an attack phase and Dragon doesn't seems rather pertinant to me.

Bebe, do you have that old deck list sitting around? I hate starting from scratch

[bebe]

Dragon's Breath gives it haste though so it really is as fast. So it really is not that pertinent.

Search around for dicemanx's list. I've actually deleted the file by mistake.  Or PM the man. He really is the dragon expert.

[BreathWeapon]

I found the Angry Hermit threat in Vintage with all sorts of goodies. Might be wroth testing in general for budget builds of various combo decks. Something with Spoils could be very fast if the combo pieces are hella redundant. Dunno, after kicking the list around it only went off turn 3 consistantly, and my budget dragon can already do that with more disruption it seems. Back to the drawing board.

[centroles]

I have the decklist up in my thread here. I think it's like the fourth deck down.

I completely forgot about that decklist actually bebe as I never got around to testing it out. But now that I look at it, it really does look quite good. Thanks for sending it to me.

BEBE,
The main issue I have with it is that it only has six reanimate spells, exhume and reanimate. I would think adding a couple more (exhume or dance of the dead or whatever) would add to the consistency with which you combo out. Dragon usually plays with up to 11 reanimate spells just to make sure it gets them in it's opening hand consistently and doesn't get shut down with a FoW to the only reanimate spell it has in it's hand so I think this deck should probably try and make room for atleast nine or so. Otherwise, it seems like it would just die to a counter or swords or something.

Also, how often do you combo out and how early? Does it consistently (as in every single time) combo off by turn three or earlier if left undisrupted? Because that's the only way it has a shot of comboing off early enough in an environment filled with stax and it's variants, dragon, mask, graveyard hate and counterspells galore.

Also do you find that this deck is strictly inferior to monoblack dragon or does it have any advantages you can think of?

[bebe]

Just to quickly explain how the deck functions ...  

turn one
1) Play your Druid ( first turn or tutor for it) If you are luvcky use Buried Alive and tutor for a reanimate spell.
turn two
1) Activate Druid or reanimate Ghoul ( if you used b. alive)
2) You have a Krosan Reclamation in the graveyard to get your Reanimate spell if necessary.  
3) You have Cabal Therapy in the graveyard to use on your Druid.

As a sidenote, I replaced a Buried Alive with a Gigapede because b. alive is usually not as consistent a kill. Gigapede, V. Force and Spiritmonger allow me to play a foirmidab;le threat from my hand if my opponent has a lot of graveyard hate. Xantid Swarm and Sylvan Safekeeper can be used if you want to wait an extra turn - against control and spot removal this is advisable and workable. I'm not going to write a primer on the deck. i simply presented it as a viable approach to budget combo.

You will have a reanimate spell. you will have a chance to remove a FoW or StP. Can the deck be disrupted? Of course. So can Dragon. Any budget build that reanimates without Bazaars is going to be one turn slower on average.