Overview:

This Reaper King deck focuses on leveraging Scarecrow typal synergies and Changeling creatures to repeatedly trigger destruction effects via the commander's ability. The strategy combines incremental value from ETB triggers with flicker effects to control the board while building toward combat victories. While it demonstrates focused tribal synergy and interaction, its reliance on a high-cost commander and moderate speed place it in the optimized casual range.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
The deck aims to dominate through persistent permanent removal via Reaper King's triggered ability, amplified by Changeling creatures and flicker effects. Key phases:

1. Setup: Ramp into Reaper King using 5-color mana sources (Chromatic Lantern, Timeless Lotus).
2. Control Engine: Deploy Changelings/Scarecrows (Universal Automaton, Metallic Mimic) to destroy key threats, supported by flicker spells (Eerie Interlude, Conjurer's Closet) for repeat triggers.
3. Value Amplification: Double triggers with Panharmonicon/Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines and draw via Kindred Discovery.
4. Wincons: Overwhelm with buffed Scarecrows or Helm of the Host clones after establishing board control.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands including color fixers.
• Prioritize early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) or low-cost Changelings.
• Avoid hands without Scarecrow enablers or excessive high-cost cards.

Key Tips:

• Use Maskwood Nexus to make every creature trigger Reaper King.
• Time flicker effects to dodge removal and reset critical ETBs.
• Roaming Throne naming Scarecrow doubles all tribal triggers.

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending before establishing protection.
• Casting Reaper King without backup interaction.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Commander-dependent strategy folds to repeated removal (3+ kills).
• No infinite combos or deterministic win conditions.

Moderate:

• Slow recovery from board wipes despite flicker protection.
• Limited tutor density for key pieces like Maskwood Nexus.

Minor:

• Mana base vulnerable to Blood Moon effects.

Most Important Cards:

• Maskwood Nexus
• Panharmonicon
• Kindred Discovery
• Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
• Smothering Tithe
• Rhystic Study
• Demonic Tutor
• Roaming Throne
• Helm of the Host
• Cyclonic Rift

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Goldfish wins around T9-10 via combat. No fast mana or cheats for Reaper King.

Resilience: 6/10

• Flicker effects protect creatures, but commander tax cripples late-game. Moderate counterspell/removal suite.

Consistency: 6/10

• 7 tutors/enablers (Herald's Horn, Realmwalker), but key pieces lack redundancy.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient removal (Swords, Path) and Cyclonic Rift, but lacks free counterspells.

Rating Justification:

This deck outperforms precon-level decks (4.0) through synergistic removal and card advantage but lacks the speed (T8-10 wins) and redundancy of optimized lists (6.0). Its board control approach aligns with 5.0 ("Optimized Casual") in the rubric, though it struggles against faster combo decks.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0