Overview:

This Sultai graveyard synergy deck leverages Teval, the Balanced Scale to mill itself while generating Zombie tokens and recurring lands. The strategy focuses on incremental value through self-mill, reanimation, and land recursion, with multiple paths to victory through token swarms and reanimated threats. While lacking infinite combos, it can create overwhelming board states through synergistic card interactions.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to:

1. Mill itself aggressively using Teval's attack trigger, Sidisi, Brood Tyrant, Hermit Druid, and Hedron Crab
2. Generate Zombie tokens through graveyard exile effects like Teval's passive and Insidious Roots
3. Recur key creatures/lands via Muldrotha, the Gravetide, Conduit of Worlds, and Life from the Loam
4. Close games with token swarms or reanimated bombs like Avenger of Zendikar/Colossal Grave-Reaver

Key Lines:

• Turn 3 Hermit Druid → Turn 4 mill ~10 cards + create Zombies
• Buried Alive into Reanimate/Dread Return for instant threats
• Living Death as both board wipe and reanimation payoff
• World Shaper/Aftermath Analyst land recursion chains

Mulligan Priorities:

1. Early mill engines (Stitcher's Supplier, Hedron Crab)
2. Graveyard enablers (Tortured Existence, Phyrexian Reclamation)
3. Land drops (critical for The Gitrog Monster/Tireless Provisioner value)

Protection Tips:

• Use Sylvan Safekeeper to shield key creatures
• Hold Veil of Summer for crucial graveyard interactions
• Prioritize Bojuka Bog recursion against opposing graveyard decks

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void)
• Exile-based removal

Moderate:

• Board wipes (mitigated by recursion)
• Commander tax on Teval

Minor:

• Slow starts (needs 2-3 turns to set up)

Most Important Cards:

• Hermit Druid
• The Gitrog Monster
• Muldrotha, the Gravetide
• Living Death
• Conduit of Worlds
• Avenger of Zendikar
• World Shaper
• Buried Alive
• Life from the Loam
• Sidisi, Brood Tyrant

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Goldfish win ~T8-9 through incremental value
• No fast mana/tutors for immediate combos

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple graveyard recursion engines
• Vulnerable to targeted hate but can rebuild

Consistency: 7/10

• 10+ self-mill engines
• 5 recursion effects (Regrowth, Bala Ged Recovery)
• Limited tutors (only Buried Alive/Fiend Artisan)

Interaction: 6/10

• Assassin's Trophy, Counterspell, Drag to the Roots
• Lacks free interaction for critical turns

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Optimized Casual (5.0) and High-Power Casual (5.5) on the rubric. It outpaces precons with its synergistic engine but lacks:

• The speed of T6-7 combo finishes (6.0+ requirement)
• Robust stax/hate protection
• Redundant win conditions

While capable of overwhelming casual tables through value, it folds to dedicated graveyard hate common in higher power metas. The turn 8-10 win clock aligns with 5.0-5.5 expectations.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5