Overview:

This mono-black deck leverages Ardyn, the Usurper as a central engine for a Demon tribal strategy focused on life manipulation, discard, and token-based value. Ardyn enables graveyard theft to create powerful 5/5 Demon tokens (retaining abilities) while granting all Demons menace, lifelink, and haste. The primary win condition is assembling four differently named Demons to activate Liliana's Contract. Secondary paths include overwhelming life loss via cards like Bloodletter of Aclazotz, Torment of Hailfire, and combat damage from large Demons. Ardyn is essential for enabling tokens, amplifying Demon threats, and providing consistent value; however, his high CMC (7) and reliance on graveyards make the strategy vulnerable to removal and hate.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Jet Medallion, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Crypt Ghast) and disruption (Arterial Flow, Syphon Mind, Bloodhusk Ritualist). Cast value Demons like Indulgent Tormentor or Demon of Wailing Agonies if possible. Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Grim Tutor) to find key pieces like K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth or Bloodletter of Aclazotz.
2. Deploy Commander/Engine (Turns 5-7): Cast Ardyn, the Usurper. Immediately use his Starscourge ability to exile a high-value creature from any graveyard, creating a 5/5 Demon token copy. Protect Ardyn with boots (Blade of the Oni) or leverage his token generation before potential removal. Activate K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth to cheat mana costs via life payment.
3. Board Development & Value (Turns 6-8): Deploy high-impact Demons (Archfiend of Despair, Lord of the Void, Rune-Scarred Demon, Junji, the Midnight Sky) utilizing cost reducers (Jet Medallion, Bontu's Monument, Ancient Cellarspawn). Leverage Ardyn's ability each combat to generate more tokens. Draw cards via Erebos, God of the Dead, Stinging Study, or Sheoldred // The True Scriptures.
4. Win Condition Execution (Turns 7-10):
   • Liliana's Contract: Assemble 4+ differently named Demons (including tokens) to win at upkeep. Tutors and card draw are critical.
   • Life Loss Amplification: Activate Bloodletter of Aclazotz and cast Torment of Hailfire (X=10+), Bad Deal, or Capital Punishment. Archfiend of Despair doubles life loss during end steps.
   • Combat: Swing with large, hasty, lifelinking Demons enabled by Ardyn. Phyrexian Obliterator and Lord of the Void provide significant pressure.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Essential: 3-4 lands (including Cabal Coffers/Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx if possible) + early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Dark Ritual).
• High Priority: Early disruption (Arterial Flow, Bloodhusk Ritualist) or a tutor (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor).
• Good Keeps: Hands with a cost-reducer (Jet Medallion, Bontu's Monument) or a value Demon (Indulgent Tormentor, Demon of Wailing Agonies).
• Avoid: Hands lacking ramp, lands, or early plays; hands clogged with only 6+ CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Ardyn: Prioritize exiling creatures with powerful ETB/death triggers or static abilities (e.g., Archfiend of Despair, Junji, the Midnight Sky) for maximum token impact. Use discard effects proactively to fill graveyards.
• Leverage Life as a Resource: K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth is paramount for accelerating the game. Pair with Angel of Suffering to mitigate life loss or Tivash, Gloom Summoner to convert life gain into Demon tokens. Bolas's Citadel offers explosive turns but requires careful life management.
• Protect Key Engines: Ardyn, K'rrik, and Bloodletter are critical. Use Blade of the Oni, Withering Boon, or timing (casting after opponents tap out) for protection. Recur key pieces with Will of the Abzan or Return from Extinction.
• Sequence Discard & Removal: Time mass discard (Bad Deal, Capital Punishment) after opponents refill hands. Use targeted removal (Murder, Fell the Profane, Szat's Will) strategically to enable Ardyn's token creation.
• Utilize Asymmetrical Effects: Archfiend of Depravity, Plague Drone, and Grievous Wound severely hinder opponents' life gain and creature strategies while minimally affecting your Demon-focused board.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Extreme Vulnerability to Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void, or Bojuka Bog cripple Ardyn's token generation and disrupt recursion (Will of the Abzan, Junji).
• Heavy Reliance on Commander: Ardyn's high CMC (7) makes him difficult to recast multiple times. Removal or counterspells significantly delay the core engine. Lacks robust protection beyond boots.
• Susceptibility to Board Wipes: Damnation is the only wipe in the deck. Opposing wipes devastate the Demon-heavy board state, and recovery is slow without mass reanimation.

Moderate

• Limited Card Draw: Relies heavily on situational draw (Erebos, Stinging Study, Syphon Mind) and tutors. Can stall if engines are disrupted.
• Vulnerable to Anti-Tribal: Crippling Fear or Extinction naming "Demon" is devastating. Lacks tribal protection like Cavern of Souls.
• Slow Mana Development: Despite some ramp, the high curve and lack of fast mana beyond rituals make early plays inconsistent. Cabal Coffers/Nykthos are vulnerable to land destruction.

Minor

• Life Total Volatility: K'rrik and Citadel can lower life dangerously fast against aggressive decks, making the player an easier target.
• Limited Stack Interaction: Only Withering Boon counters spells. Struggles against non-creature combos or resolved enchantments.

Most Important Cards:

• K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth (Mana cheat engine, enables explosive turns)
• Bloodletter of Aclazotz (Primary life-loss amplifier, doubles all opponent life loss during your turn)
• Liliana's Contract (Primary win condition - requires 4 unique Demons)
• Ardyn, the Usurper (Commander, token generator, Demon enabler)
• Torment of Hailfire (Scalable finisher, synergizes with Bloodletter)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds any critical piece)
• Archfiend of Despair (Doubles life loss, prevents life gain)
• Cabal Coffers (Essential mana scaling)
• Sol Ring (Critical early ramp)
• Vampiric Tutor (Sets up next draw efficiently)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of threatening wins via Liliana's Contract or Torment of Hailfire around turns 7-9 in ideal scenarios, but high average CMC and reliance on setup slow it down significantly.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has some recursion (Will of the Abzan, Junji) and protection (Blade of the Oni, Withering Boon), but heavily reliant on the commander and graveyard, making it fragile against targeted hate and removal. Recovery from wipes is slow.

Consistency: 7/10

• Numerous high-quality tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Grim Tutor, Rune-Scarred Demon) reliably find key pieces. Functional redundancy exists in life-loss effects and Demons, though Liliana's Contract requires specific setup.

Interaction: 6/10

• Features targeted removal (Murder, Fell the Profane, Szat's Will, Damnation), discard, and a counterspell (Withering Boon). Focused on creatures/permanents; lacks broad stack interaction or artifact/enchantment removal.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused power with potent win conditions (Liliana's Contract, amplified life loss) and strong tutors, but its high mana curve, commander dependency, and critical vulnerability to graveyard hate limit its speed and resilience. It operates effectively in the T7-9 range, placing it solidly in the Focused tier (6.0), though its fragility prevents higher optimization.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5