Overview:

This Golgari Elf tribal deck leverages Lathril, Blade of the Elves as a central engine and win condition, focusing on rapid elf generation, explosive mana acceleration, and multiple avenues to victory. The primary strategy involves deploying numerous Elves quickly using efficient mana dorks and lords, enabling Lathril to generate tokens on combat damage and eventually activate her life-drain ability. The deck supplements this with potent combo finishes (Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Umbral Mantle/Staff of Domination), overwhelming combat payoffs (Craterhoof Behemoth, Triumph of the Hordes), and powerful X-spells (Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate). Lathril acts as both a token generator and a finisher, synergizing perfectly with the tribal theme. While powerful without her, her presence significantly amplifies the deck's threat level and consistency.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Ramp & Setup (Turns 1-3): Prioritize deploying 1-mana Elves (Elvish Mystic, Fyndhorn Elves, Deathrite Shaman, Elves of Deep Shadow) and fast mana (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet). Follow up with key lords/accelerators like Elvish Archdruid, Priest of Titania, Marwyn, the Nurturer, or Imperious Perfect. Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Worldly Tutor, Green Sun's Zenith) early to find critical pieces like Gaea's Cradle or Selvala, Heart of the Wilds.
2. Board Development & Value (Turns 3-5): Flood the board with Elf tokens via Lathril's combat damage trigger, Elvish Warmaster, Imperious Perfect, or Wolverine Riders. Deploy card draw engines like Beast Whisperer, Toski, Bearer of Secrets, Ohran Frostfang, or Sylvan Library to refill. Cast Lathril as soon as she can reliably connect (often turn 3-4). Utilize The Great Henge for massive value if board state allows.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 4-7):
   • Combat: Overrun opponents with a massive Elf army boosted by Craterhoof Behemoth, Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Triumph of the Hordes (Infect), or Tyvar the Bellicose. Lathril's life-drain ability (tap 10 untapped Elves) is also a primary wincon.
   • Combo: Generate infinite mana using:
     • Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Umbral Mantle/Staff of Domination + an Elf with power 3+ (e.g., boosted Marwyn, the Nurturer or Elvish Archdruid). Use infinite mana to cast Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, draw the deck with Staff of Domination/The Great Henge, or activate Ezuri/Lathril infinitely.
     • Priest of Titania/Elvish Archdruid + Umbral Mantle/Staff of Domination + sufficient Elves (often requires 4+ other Elves).
   • Life Drain: Leverage Shaman of the Pack or Elderfang Venom for significant life loss alongside the primary strategies.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including a green source) and at least 1-2 early plays (1-mana Elf dork, Sol Ring).
• Prioritize hands containing key accelerators (Priest of Titania, Elvish Archdruid, Gaea's Cradle if possible) or tutors (Demonic Tutor, Green Sun's Zenith).
• Hands with Lathril and a way to ensure she connects early (e.g., Maze of Ith for untap, Sylvan Safekeeper for protection) are strong.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays, lands, or clear paths to developing a threatening board by turn 3-4.

Key Tips:

• Protect Key Pieces: Use Sylvan Safekeeper, Heroic Intervention, Tyvar's Stand, Veil of Summer, and Allosaurus Shepherd to shield Lathril, Selvala, Archdruid, Priest, or Craterhoof from removal. Temur Sabertooth protects key Elves and rebuys ETBs.
• Maximize Mana: Exploit Gaea's Cradle, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, Priest of Titania, Elvish Archdruid, and Selvala, Heart of the Wilds for explosive turns. Wirewood Lodge untaps key mana Elves. Circle of Dreams Druid and Wirewood Channeler scale with your board.
• Leverage Card Advantage: Toski, Bearer of Secrets and Ohran Frostfang turn every attacking Elf into card draw. Beast Whisperer and The Great Henge reward casting creatures. Sylvan Library provides selection. Sacrifice fodder to Yawgmoth, Thran Physician or Diabolic Intent for value.
• Tutor Wisely: Prioritize finding missing combo pieces, Gaea's Cradle, Craterhoof Behemoth, or protection based on the game state and perceived threats. Survival of the Fittest enables constant creature filtering.
• Know Your Wincons: Don't overextend into board wipes if you have a combo in hand. Conversely, commit heavily if you can force a combat or Lathril activation win. Opposition Agent can cripple opponents searching.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Mass removal (Wrath of God, Damnation, Toxic Deluge) devastates the go-wide strategy and mana base reliant on creatures. Recovery is possible but slow without key draw engines.
• Anti-Ability Stax: Cursed Totem and Linvala, Keeper of Silence completely shut down mana dorks, Selvala, Priest, Archdruid, Marwyn, Staff, Umbral Mantle, and Yawgmoth, crippling the deck.
• Torpor Orb Effects: Torpor Orb nullifies crucial ETB triggers from Craterhoof, Shaman of the Pack, Regal Force, Eternal Witness (not present but similar), Reclamation Sage, and Beast Whisperer.

Moderate

• Targeted Removal on Key Engines: Removing Priest of Titania, Elvish Archdruid, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, Gaea's Cradle, or The Great Henge significantly slows mana generation and card advantage.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void disrupts Deathrite Shaman, Eternal Witness (not present but common), and potentially Finale of Devastation/Regal Force if milled.
• Rule of Law Effects: Archon of Emeria, Deafening Silence limit the deck's ability to deploy multiple threats/tokens per turn and execute combo lines efficiently.

Minor

• Flying Threats: Can be problematic if the deck lacks sufficient reach/deathtouch (though Ohran Frostfang, Tyvar the Bellicose, Ezuri, Renegade Leader help mitigate).
• Land Destruction: Targeted land destruction hitting Gaea's Cradle or Nykthos hurts, but the deck has many other mana sources and tutors to find replacements.

Most Important Cards:

• Selvala, Heart of the Wilds (Primary combo enabler, explosive ramp)
• Priest of Titania (Explosive mana ramp, combo enabler)
• Gaea's Cradle (Explosive mana ramp, enables early wins)
• Craterhoof Behemoth (Primary combat finisher)
• Lathril, Blade of the Elves (Token generation, primary wincon, deck synergy)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds any answer, wincon, or engine)
• The Great Henge (Massive value engine: card draw, counters, lifegain, ramp)
• Umbral Mantle (Key combo piece with Selvala/Priest/Archdruid)
• Green Sun's Zenith (Tutor for any green creature at instant speed)
• Elvish Archdruid (Lord, explosive mana ramp, combo enabler)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of explosive T3-4 wins with perfect hands (e.g., T1 dork, T2 Priest/Selvala + Mantle/Staff, T3 infinite mana + win) and consistently threatens wins or overwhelming boards by T5-6 via combat or combo.

Resilience: 6/10

• Features strong protection (Heroic Intervention, Veil, Safekeeper, Tyvar's Stand, Allosaurus Shepherd), recursion (Temur Sabertooth), and tutors for answers. However, heavy reliance on creatures and specific engines makes it vulnerable to well-timed wipes and stax, requiring careful play to mitigate.

Consistency: 8/10

• Exceptional density of mana dorks (12+), powerful tutors (10+ including Demonic, Vampiric, Worldly, GSZ, Survival, Imperial Seal), and potent card draw engines ensure reliable access to key pieces and multiple paths to victory.

Interaction: 7/10

• Runs efficient targeted removal (Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Nature's Claim, Return to Nature, Worthy Cost), board control (Deadly Rollick, Force of Vigor), hand disruption (Opposition Agent), and stack protection (Veil of Summer, Allosaurus Shepherd). Lacks countermagic but covers most permanent types effectively.

Rating Justification:

This deck achieves exceptional speed (T3-4 potential, T5-6 consistent threat) through explosive mana and efficient tutors/combo lines, placing it firmly in the competitive-focused tier. Its high consistency and solid interaction support this speed, but vulnerabilities to board wipes and specific stax prevent it from reaching the highest cEDH tiers, capping its resilience.

Power level: 7.5 - 8.0