Overview:

This Abzan (W/B/G) deck led by Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit and Sam, Loyal Attendant focuses on Food token generation, life gain synergies, and incremental value through artifact/creature sacrifice. The strategy leverages Sam's Food creation to trigger Frodo's Ring temptation for card draw while using token multipliers like Parallel Lives and Academy Manufactor to fuel drain effects from Agent of the Iron Throne, Mirkwood Bats, and Marionette Apprentice. While not running infinite combos, it aims to overwhelm through board presence and life-drain triggers.

Primer:

Core Strategy:

1. Token Engine Setup: Deploy Sam early to create Food tokens every combat. Use token doublers like Parallel Lives and Delney, Streetwise Lookout to amplify triggers from cards like Experimental Confectioner and Tireless Provisioner.
2. Life Gain Triggers: Maintain 3+ life gain per turn via Food activations and creatures like Prosperous Innkeeper to enable Frodo's Ring temptation for card advantage.
3. Drain Payoffs: Convert token generation/sacrifice into damage through Agent of the Iron Throne, Mirkwood Bats, and Nadier's Nightblade. Use The Battle of Bywater to clear blockers while creating more Food.
4. Protection/Recovery: Leverage Heroic Intervention, Teferi's Protection, and Clever Concealment to preserve key pieces. Recur threats with Cosmic Rebirth and Samwise Gamgee.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with Sam/Frodo + 1-2 token generators (e.g., Gilded Goose, Experimental Confectioner).
• Prioritize lands that enter untapped (e.g., Godless Shrine, Woodland Cemetery).
• Avoid hands without early token production or lifegain enablers.

Key Tips:

• Time Academy Manufactor after establishing basic Food generation to maximize value.
• Use Smothering Tithe to offset opponents' interaction attempts.
• Sacrifice Food tokens during opponents' turns with Deadly Dispute for instant-speed draws.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Hate Vulnerability: Key recursion (Samwise Gamgee, Cosmic Rebirth) folds to Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void
• Board Wipe Fragility: Lacks mass recursion - relies on Teferi's Protection/Heroic Intervention as only protection

Moderate

• Slow Stax Recovery: Winter Orb/Collector Ouphe cripples Food activation synergies
• Token Counter Weakness: Toxrill/Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite invalidates creature-based token strategies

Minor

• Limited Flying Defense: Relies on Boros Charm-like effects rather than reach/deathtouch
• Color Fixing Reliance: Multiple ETB-tapped duals slow early game

Most Important Cards:

• Academy Manufactor
• Parallel Lives
• Agent of the Iron Throne
• Mirkwood Bats
• Nadier's Nightblade
• Marionette Apprentice
• Smothering Tithe
• Tireless Provisioner
• Delney, Streetwise Lookout
• Samwise Gamgee

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10
Requires 3+ turns to establish engines; earliest drain kills around T8-10.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple protection spells and token redundancy, but key non-creature engines (Parallel Lives) lack recursion.

Consistency: 7/10
15+ token generators and 8+ card draw engines provide reliable setup despite limited tutors.

Interaction: 5/10
Spot removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy) and Sudden Spoiling, but lacks stack interaction beyond Boromir, Warden of the Tower.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a focused midrange strategy with strong synergy density but lacks cEDH-speed combos or stax locks. Its incremental damage model and vulnerability to common board wipes place it in optimized casual ranges.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.5