Overview:

This Dimir Zombie tribal deck leverages graveyard recursion and token generation as its core strategy, utilizing Gisa and Geralf to enable repeated casting of key Zombies from the graveyard. While lacking infinite combos, it creates overwhelming board states through zombie swarms, Gray Merchant of Asphodel life drain, and Lotleth Giant graveyard bursts. The deck operates at a midrange pace, balancing mill engines, recursion tools, and tribal synergies.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to fill its graveyard with Zombies via self-mill (Stitcher's Supplier, Crow of Dark Tidings) and reanimate them using the commander or mass recursion like Patriarch's Bidding. Key payoffs include Diregraf Captain drain effects, Army of the Damned token generation, and Rooftop Storm cost reduction. The primary win conditions are combat overruns with buffed Zombies (Cemetery Reaper, Diregraf Colossus) and life drain via Gray Merchant of Asphodel loops.

Key Lines:

1. Early Game: Mill/discard Zombies (Buried Alive, Vile Entomber) while establishing mana rocks.
2. Midgame: Recur high-impact Zombies like Grave Titan or Scourge of Nel Toth using the commander.
3. Endgame: Cast Living Death or Zombie Apocalypse for massive board swings, supported by anthem effects.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands and early mill/ramp (Dimir Signet, Stitcher's Supplier)
• Prioritize enablers over payoff cards in opening hands
• Avoid hands without black mana sources

Critical Synergies:

• Gravecrawler + Rooftop Storm enables free recasting from graveyard
• Undead Augur provides card draw from zombie deaths
• Necrotic Hex clears boards while generating 6 Zombies

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) completely disrupts the core strategy
• Limited protection for key enablers (only Dimir Charm as countermagic)

Moderate:

• Slow recovery from board wipes without graveyard access
• Minimal instant-speed interaction for combo interrupts

Minor:

• Mana base includes several tapped lands slowing early plays

Most Important Cards:

• Rooftop Storm
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• Gravecrawler
• Buried Alive
• Army of the Damned
• Diregraf Captain
• Cemetery Reaper
• Undead Alchemist
• Patriarch's Bidding
• Living Death

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Earliest impactful plays (T3 Buried Alive into T4 commander recursion)
• No fast mana beyond Sol Ring, relies on 4-5 turn setup

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple recursion engines (commander, Repository Skaab, Victimize)
• Vulnerable to graveyard exile but has alternative beatdown plans

Consistency: 6/10

• 5 tutors (Buried Alive, Vile Entomber, etc.) and strong card draw
• Redundant zombie lords and token generators

Interaction: 4/10

• Limited removal (Murder, Feed the Swarm)
• Only 3 counterspells (Dimir Charm, Sinister Sabotage, Overcharged Amalgam)

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between "Optimized Casual" (5.0) and "High-Power Casual" (5.5) on the rubric. It has focused zombie synergies and multiple win conditions but lacks:
1) Turn 8-10 infinite combos expected at 6.0+
2) Free interaction/protection
3) cEDH-level speed (goldfishes wins ~T9-11)
While stronger than precons due to recursion redundancy and tribal cohesion, it's outpaced by true combo decks.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5