Overview:

Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver leads a Zombie tribal deck focused on generating decayed tokens, sacrificing them for value, and leveraging Zombie synergies for combat wins or incremental drain effects. The deck utilizes token swarms, anthem effects, and graveyard recursion to maintain pressure but lacks infinite combos or fast mana for explosive turns.

Primer:

Core Strategy: This deck aims to flood the board with Zombie tokens via Wilhelt’s decayed token generation, sacrifice outlets like Fleshbag Marauder, and mass token producers like Army of the Damned. Key lords (Diregraf Captain, Liliana's Mastery) buff the swarm, while recursion (Zombie Apocalypse, Gravespawn Sovereign) ensures resilience. Wins are achieved through combat, drain effects (Undead Alchemist), or overwhelming token numbers.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Ensure 3+ lands (prioritize duals like Sunken Hollow).
• Seek early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) or token generators (Liliana's Devotee).
• Keep at least one payoff card (e.g., Liliana's Mastery, Open the Graves).

Key Tips:

• Sacrifice decayed tokens before combat to trigger Wilhelt’s draw.
• Use Rooftop Storm to cheat high-cost Zombies.
• Prioritize protecting key lords and recursion engines.

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into board wipes without recursion.
• Holding decayed tokens for blocking (they can’t block).

Weaknesses:

• Critical: Graveyard reliance (hosed by Rest in Peace).
• Moderate: Limited interaction for noncreature threats; slow recovery from mass exile.
• Minor: Vulnerability to flying without Eternal Skylord.

Most Important Cards:

• Rooftop Storm
• Army of the Damned
• Zombie Apocalypse
• Diregraf Captain
• Undead Alchemist
• Liliana's Mastery
• Open the Graves
• Gravespawn Sovereign
• Dread Summons
• Endless Ranks of the Dead

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Wins via combat around T8–10. High-cost finishers (e.g., 8-mana Army of the Damned) slow the clock.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursion (Crawl from the Cellar, Zombie Apocalypse) and token redundancy mitigate board wipes. Graveyard hate cripples the strategy.

Consistency: 6/10

• Moderate draw (Wilhelt’s ability, Distant Melody) and token generators provide steady value. Lacks tutors for key pieces like Rooftop Storm.

Interaction: 4/10

• Limited to spot removal (Go for the Throat, Pharika's Libation) and situational wipes (Crippling Fear). No counterspells or stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

The deck’s focus on synergistic Zombie swarms and recursion aligns with Optimized Casual (5.0) in the rubric, but slower win speed and interaction gaps place it closer to Focused Casual (4.5). It lacks the speed (T8–10) and combo density of higher tiers but outperforms precons with redundancy and synergy.

Power level: 4.0 – 4.5