Overview:

This Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck is a highly synergistic Golgari aristocrats/reanimator build focused on sacrificing creatures to generate value, accumulate experience counters, and recur key threats from the graveyard. Meren serves as the engine, enabling consistent reanimation of low-to-mid-cost creatures during each end step. The deck wins primarily through efficient infinite combos involving Protean Hulk, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, and Walking Ballista, supported by potent value engines like Syr Konrad, the Grim and Zulaport Cutthroat. Secondary win conditions include overwhelming board states with recurring threats like Sheoldred, Whispering One and Archon of Cruelty, or draining opponents via aristocrat effects.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana dorks (Llanowar Elves, Deathrite Shaman), sacrifice outlets (Viscera Seer, Carrion Feeder), or value pieces (Bitterblossom, Ophiomancer). Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Entomb, Buried Alive) to assemble combo pieces or key engines in the graveyard/hand.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 3-5): Cast Meren. Sacrifice creatures to outlets/altars (Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Tower) to trigger death effects (draw, damage, experience counters). Recur critical pieces like Protean Hulk, Eternal Witness, or Spore Frog with Meren's end-step trigger.
3. Combo Execution (Turns 4-6):
   • Hulk Line: Sacrifice Protean Hulk to fetch Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Walking Ballista. Ballista dies (0 counters), returns with Undying (+1/+1 counter), removes counter to ping, repeat infinitely.
   • Mikeaus + Triskelion: Similar infinite damage loop (if Triskelion is present).
   • Altar Loops: Use Ashnod's Altar/Phyrexian Tower with Gravecrawler + Zulaport Cutthroat/Blood Artist (requires a zombie).
4. Grind/Backup: Leverage Syr Konrad, the Grim with mass mill/reanimation (Living Death, Culling Ritual) or Braids, Arisen Nightmare for incremental damage and disruption. Recur Archon of Cruelty/Sheoldred for oppressive value.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including untapped sources), an early play (dork/sac outlet/value engine), and a tutor or card draw.
• Prioritize hands containing Meren enablers (Skullclamp, Viscera Seer) or combo pieces (Protean Hulk, Mikaeus).
• Avoid hands lacking early plays, sacrifice outlets, or graveyard setup.

Key Tips:

• Protect Meren: Use Sylvan Safekeeper or Journey to Eternity to safeguard her from removal.
• Sequence Sacrifices: Stack death triggers (e.g., sacrifice to Viscera Seer before Zulaport Cutthroat resolves to scry first).
• Leverage Experience: Prioritize recurring low-CMC creatures (e.g., Spore Frog for fog locks) early to rapidly increase counters.
• Tutor Wisely: Buried Alive/Entomb for combo finishers or Protean Hulk + protection. Diabolic Intent sacrifices tokens for critical searches.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) permanently exiles key resources, crippling Meren and reanimation.
• Torpor Orb/Hushbringer nullifies ETB triggers (Ravenous Chupacabra, Eternal Witness, Protean Hulk).
• Instant-speed removal disrupting sacrifice loops (e.g., killing Walking Ballista in response to undying trigger).

Moderate

• Anti-sacrifice effects (Tajuru Preserver, Sigarda, Host of Herons) hinder aristocrat payoffs and combo setup.
• Containment Priest/Dauthi Voidwalker blocks reanimation.
• Heavy artifact/enchantment removal targeting altars (Ashnod's Altar) or engines (Birthing Pod).

Minor

• Fast aggro decks can pressure life total before combos assemble.
• Limited stack interaction makes countermagic-heavy metas challenging.

Most Important Cards:

• Protean Hulk (Primary combo tutor)
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (Combo enabler with undying)
• Walking Ballista (Infinite damage payoff)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Value engine/alternate wincon)
• Ashnod's Altar (Mana generation/sac outlet)
• Demonic Tutor (Consistent combo/search)
• Entomb/Buried Alive (Graveyard setup)
• Viscera Seer (Free sac outlet/scry)
• Eternal Witness (Recursion for key spells)
• Sheoldred, Whispering One (Recurring threat/oppression)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Consistently threatens T4-5 wins via Hulk/Mikaeus/Ballista combo with optimal ramp/tutors. Fast mana (Ancient Tomb, Sol Ring) enables explosive starts.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple recursion engines (Meren, Eternal Witness, Living Death) and protection (Sylvan Safekeeper) mitigate disruption, but heavily reliant on graveyard, making it vulnerable to targeted hate.

Consistency: 8/10

• Extensive tutors (Demonic Tutor, Diabolic Intent, Fauna Shaman, Entomb) and card draw (Necropotence, Grim Haruspex) ensure reliable access to combo pieces or value engines.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Ravenous Chupacabra), board wipes (Toxic Deluge), and sacrifice effects (Plaguecrafter) handle threats, but lacks countermagic for stack battles.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a high-power level, leveraging efficient tutors, fast mana, and a compact T4-5 win combo to threaten early victories. Its resilience via recursion is notable but offset by critical vulnerability to graveyard hate, preventing cEDH viability. Speed aligns with T4-5 win/lock benchmarks, placing it in the High-Power tier.

Power level: 8.0 - 8.5