Overview:

This Karador, Ghost Chieftain deck leverages graveyard recursion and creature-based synergies to generate overwhelming value and combo potential. The strategy focuses on self-milling, reanimating key creatures, and assembling infinite loops using ETB/death triggers. With efficient tutors and recursion, the deck aims to dominate through stax elements, creature-based combos, and resilient threats.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck uses Karador's cost reduction and graveyard-casting ability to fuel recursive value engines. Key lines include:

• Graveyard Setup: Hermit Druid, Survival of the Fittest, and Buried Alive stock the yard with combo pieces like Karmic Guide, Loyal Retainers, and Kokusho, the Evening Star.
• Infinite Combos: Phyrexian Altar + Karmic Guide + Loyal Retainers loops to generate infinite death/ETB triggers (e.g., draining with Corpse Knight or Poison-Tip Archer).
• Stax Control: Archon of Emeria, Deafening Silence, and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben slow opponents while the deck rebuilds from the graveyard.
• Mass Reanimation: Eerie Ultimatum and Emeria Shepherd recover from wipes, while Vivien on the Hunt and Birthing Pod tutor key creatures.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Ensure 2-3 lands with green/black sources.
• Prioritize early ramp (e.g., Birds of Paradise, Elvish Mystic) or self-mill enablers (Hermit Druid).
• Keep at least one recursion tool (Survival of the Fittest, Entomb) or combo piece.

Key Tips:

• Sacrifice outlets like Phyrexian Altar and Phyrexian Tower are critical for combo execution and dodging exile.
• Use Force of Vigor and Assassin's Trophy to clear graveyard hate like Rest in Peace.
• Teferi's Protection and Veil of Summer protect during critical turns.

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into board wipes without recursion backup.
• Holding combo pieces without protection against instant-speed interaction.

Weaknesses:

• Critical: Graveyard hate (e.g., Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples the deck’s engine.
• Moderate: Relies on fragile creature-based combos; lacks counterspell protection beyond Veil of Summer.
• Minor: Mana base vulnerable to Blood Moon effects (mitigated by basics and fetchlands).

Most Important Cards:

• Survival of the Fittest
• Phyrexian Altar
• Entomb
• Hermit Druid
• Karmic Guide
• Loyal Retainers
• Buried Alive
• Fiend Artisan
• Finale of Devastation
• Force of Vigor

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can assemble T5-6 infinite combos with optimal draws (e.g., T1 Entomb + T2 Reanimate effect). Stax locks (Archon of Emeria + Thalia) slow opponents by T3-4.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursion engines (Volrath's Stronghold, Emeria Shepherd) mitigate removal, but graveyard exiling is catastrophic. Limited counterspell protection.

Consistency: 8/10

• 10+ tutors (Survival of the Fittest, Birthing Pod, Fiend Artisan) and redundancy in combo/reanimation effects ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy) and stax elements disrupt opponents. Lacks free counterspells for combo protection.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at the high end of optimized casual play (5.5–6.5 rubric range) with cEDH-adjacent combo potential but slower resilience against hate. Its T5-7 deterministic wins via creature loops and stax locks align with "Focused" (6.0) to "Optimized" (6.5) tiers. However, reliance on graveyard mechanics and vulnerability to common hate keep it below true cEDH viability.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5