Overview:

This Grixis deck helmed by Sauron, the Dark Lord combines Orc amass synergies, Wraith tribal mechanics, and Ring temptation value. The primary strategy focuses on generating massive Army tokens through amass effects (Nazgûl, Warg Rider, March from the Black Gate), amplified by counter doublers like Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain and resilience tools like The Ozolith. Secondary win conditions include Wraith tribal payoffs (Lord of the Nazgûl), reanimation targets (Sauron, Lord of the Rings), and explosive combat turns with Assault on Osgiliath. Sauron serves as both an amass engine and card advantage powerhouse, leveraging Ring temptations to refill hands after aggressive Army swings.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) and land-based ramp (Cabal Coffers + Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth).
   • Cast early amass enablers like Dreadhorde Invasion or Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant.
   • Protect key pieces with Mithril Coat or Lightning Greaves.

2. Midgame Value (Turns 4-6):

   • Cast Sauron to trigger consistent amass on opponents' spells.
   • Use tribal synergies: Arcane Adaptation/Maskwood Nexus to make all creatures Wraiths/Orcs.
   • Amplify Army tokens with Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain and The Ozolith.

3. Win Condition Execution:

   • Combat Overkill: Swing with massive Army tokens enhanced by Assault on Osgiliath (double strike) or Orcish Siegemaster (trample).
   • Wraith Tribal: Activate Lord of the Nazgûl's 9/9 buff with 9+ Wraiths.
   • Reanimation: Cheat out Sauron, Lord of the Rings or Grishnákh, Brash Instigator for board control.
   • Burn Finishers: Chandra's Ignition on a massive creature.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands, including color-fixing (fetch lands, Command Tower).
• Prioritize early ramp (Sol Ring, Talismans) or enablers (Dreadhorde Invasion, March from the Black Gate).
• Ensure access to at least one protection piece (Greaves, Saruman's Trickery).

Key Tips:

• Use The One Ring's protection phase to safely develop your board.
• Ringsight tutors for any colored card when Sauron is out.
• Summons of Saruman doubles as mill-fueled spell recursion.
• Phyrexian Tower sacrifices Army tokens for mana while preserving counters via The Ozolith.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Army Token Vulnerability: Lacks mass token protection; a single Toxic Deluge or Cyclonic Rift resets the primary win condition.
• Stax Weakness: Cursed Totem nullifies activated abilities from Mauhúr, Ozolith, and mana dorks.

Moderate

• Graveyard Reliance: Key reanimation targets (Sauron, Lord of the Rings) and Takenuma, Abandoned Mire are foiled by Rest in Peace.
• Slow Setup: Minimal fast mana beyond Sol Ring/Dark Ritual delays critical T4-5 plays.

Minor

• Life Loss: Dreadhorde Invasion, Feed the Swarm, and shocklands strain life totals against aggressive decks.
• Artifact Dependency: Key engines (The Ozolith, Maskwood Nexus) are vulnerable to Vandalblast.

Most Important Cards:

• Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain (Amass multiplier)
• The Ozolith (Counter preservation)
• Lord of the Nazgûl (Wraith finisher)
• Assault on Osgiliath (Combat burst)
• Maskwood Nexus/Arcane Adaptation (Tribal synergy enablers)
• Cabal Coffers + Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (Mana scaling)
• The One Ring (Card advantage/protection)
• Grim Tutor/Diabolic Intent (Tutoring)
• Sauron, Lord of the Rings (Reanimation bomb)
• Saruman, the White Hand (Noncreature spell payoff)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten lethal via combat or Lord of the Nazgûl by T7-8, but lacks T4-5 "oops I win" combos.

Resilience: 5/10

• Moderate recursion (Reanimate, Takenuma) and counter preservation (Ozolith), but over-reliant on fragile tokens.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong tutor density (9+ tutors) and card draw from Sauron/The One Ring ensure key pieces are found.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Deadly Rollick, Chaos Warp) and counterspells (Mana Drain), but light on stax/stack control.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a synergistic midrange build with explosive combat potential but lacks the speed and redundancy of top-tier combos. Its T7-8 win benchmark and vulnerability to common disruption place it in optimized casual tiers, while its tutor density and mana base elevate it above precons.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0