Overview:

This Sultai graveyard/delve deck helmed by Teval, Arbiter of Virtue leverages self-mill and cost reduction to cheat out massive threats like Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and Emrakul, the Promised End. The commander's global delve effect turbocharges all spells by exiling the stocked graveyard, while life-loss mitigation via Essence Warden, The Meathook Massacre, and storm-based Weather the Storm offsets Teval's downside. Secondary commanders like Muldrotha, the Gravetide and Sidisi, Brood Tyrant provide graveyard recursion redundancy. Win conditions oscillate between reanimated Eldrazi annihilation, Aetherflux Reservoir storm lines, and Villainous Wealth value theft.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Graveyard Setup (T1-4): Deploy enablers like Hermit Druid, Mesmeric Orb, and Golgari Grave-Troll to mill aggressively. Use Life from the Loam and Frantic Search to cycle resources.
2. Delve Payoffs (T3-6): Cast discounted bombs like Omniscience, Breach the Multiverse, or Eldrazi using Teval's cost reduction. Reanimate key threats milled early.
3. Combo/Lock (T5-8): Activate Aetherflux Reservoir with storm triggers from Brain Freeze/Weather the Storm or deploy Portal to Phyrexia for recurring board control. Use Finale of Devastation (X=10+) as a finisher.
4. Recovery: Recur key pieces with Muldrotha, the Gravetide, Living Death, or channel lands like Takenuma, Abandoned Mire.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including BUG sources.
• Prioritize early mill engines (Hermit Druid, Deranged Assistant) or ramp (Sol Ring, Talismans).
• Ensure at least one graveyard recursion tool (Life from the Loam, Timeless Witness).
• Avoid hands lacking graveyard setup or color fixing.

Key Tips:

• Sequence life-loss mitigation carefully: Cast Weather the Storm post-delve to offset Teval's penalty.
• Use Platinum Emperion to lock life total when going all-in on delve.
• Fight Rigging synergizes with Teval's 6 power to cheat in exiled cards.
• Boseiju, Who Endures and Otawara, Soaring City handle key stax pieces pre-combo.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples delve fuel and recursion.
• Life total volatility: Insufficient life-gain draws can lead to self-elimination via Teval's triggers.
• Minimal stack interaction leaves combos vulnerable to counterspells.

Moderate

• Board wipes reset delve-fueled board presence.
• Drannith Magistrate/Containment Priest disrupts reanimation lines.
• High dependency on Teval: 5 CMC makes recasting costly after removal.

Minor

• Limited artifact/enchantment removal beyond channel lands.
• Eldrazi titans' shuffle effects can disrupt graveyard synergy.

Most Important Cards:

• Teval, Arbiter of Virtue (Global delve enabler)
• Hermit Druid (Turbo mill engine)
• Aetherflux Reservoir (Storm/combo finisher)
• Omniscience (Free spell cascade)
• Living Death (Mass reanimation)
• Muldrotha, the Gravetide (Graveyard recursion)
• Finale of Devastation (Tutor + Overrun)
• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger (Annihilator threat)
• Villainous Wealth (Value theft)
• The Meathook Massacre (Life swing control)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10
Capable of T5-7 wins via delve-fueled Eldrazi or storm combos, but requires substantial graveyard setup.

Resilience: 5/10
Graveyard reliance and commander dependency create fragility, though recursion tools provide partial recovery.

Consistency: 6/10
Strong mill/draw engines but lacks redundant delve enablers beyond Teval.

Interaction: 4/10
Limited to targeted removal via channel lands and Primal Might; minimal counterspells.

Rating Justification:

The deck's T5-7 win potential via delve/storm aligns with Focused tiers, but its graveyard fragility and life-total volatility cap its ceiling. While faster than casual builds, it lacks the interaction density and redundancy of optimized lists.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5