Overview:

Edgar Markov vampire tribal focuses on swarming the board with vampire tokens via the commander's eminence ability, then buffing them with +1/+1 counters and anthem effects. Secondary lifegain/drain synergies provide alternative win paths. The deck operates as a midrange go-wide strategy with moderate interaction but lacks infinite combos or high-speed mana acceleration.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to flood the board with vampire tokens via Edgar Markov's eminence ability while casting cost-reduced vampires. Key anthem effects like Legion Lieutenant and Cathars' Crusade scale the swarm into lethal combat threats. Lifedrain payoffs like Sanguine Bond and Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose provide alternative win conditions. Critical mass is achieved through tribal synergy cards like Vanquisher's Banner and Herald's Horn.

Mulligan Priorities:

• 3 lands (prioritize untapped sources)
• Early vampires (1-3 CMC) or token generators
• At least 1 anthem effect or card draw engine Avoid hands without early creatures or excessive tapped lands.

Key Tips:

• Prioritize vampire spells over noncreature synergy to maximize token generation
• Use Bolas's Citadel to chain vampire spells from the topdeck
• Sacrifice tokens to Deadly Dispute/Costly Plunder for card advantage
• Activate Clavileño, First of the Blessed on expendable vampires to create flying demons

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into board wipes without Bastion of Remembrance/Blood Artist
• Holding removal for minor threats instead of preserving for combo pieces
• Casting Edgar Markov too early without protection

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Heavy reliance on board presence (weak to mass removal)
• No infinite combos for quick wins

Moderate:

• Slow recovery from stax effects like Cursed Totem
• Limited instant-speed interaction

Minor:

• Tapped lands slow early development
• Life-drain wincons require setup

Most Important Cards:

• Vanquisher's Banner
• Cathars' Crusade
• Sanguine Bond
• Herald's Horn
• Legion Lieutenant
• Bolas's Citadel
• Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
• Edgar, Charmed Groom
• Clavileño, First of the Blessed
• Mirkwood Bats

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can establish lethal board states by T8-9 through incremental token generation. No T4-5 explosive starts.

Resilience: 6/10
Recovers moderately from single wipes via eminence tokens and Blood Artist effects. Struggles against repeated removal.

Consistency: 7/10
Strong tribal synergy and 30+ vampires ensure reliable token generation. Limited tutors reduce combo potential.

Interaction: 5/10
10 targeted removals and 3 board wipes provide baseline answers. Lacks counterspells and stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck exceeds precon-level consistency with its tribal engine but lacks the fast mana, free interaction, and combo finishers of optimized lists. It reliably threatens combat wins around T8-10 and carries minor stax resistance, aligning with 5.0 ("Optimized Casual") on the rubric. The absence of infinite combos and reliance on creature-based strategies prevent it from reaching higher tiers.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0