Overview:

This Esper deck leverages Hashaton, Scarab's Fist to generate 4/4 Zombie tokens through discard synergies while utilizing reanimation and value engines to overwhelm opponents. Key strategies include mass discard (e.g., Windfall, Jace's Archivist), reanimating high-impact threats (Archon of Cruelty, Sheoldred, Whispering One), and stax-lite effects (Blind Obedience, Rhystic Study). The deck combines Zombie tribal elements with graveyard recursion and powerful card advantage engines.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
This deck aims to discard creatures (e.g., via Bone Miser, Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator) to fuel Hashaton’s token generation while reanimating bombs like Toxrill, the Corrosive or Archon of Cruelty. Secondary win conditions include stax locks (Smothering Tithe + Hullbreaker Horror) and infinite combos (Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Walking Ballista).

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with discard outlets (Geier Reach Sanitarium, Windfall) or reanimation spells (Reanimate, Animate Dead).
• Prioritize mana fixing (fetch lands, Sol Ring) to enable early plays.
• Avoid hands lacking graveyard setup or interaction.

Key Tips:

• Use Demonic Tutor/Vampiric Tutor to fetch Bone Miser for discard value or Unburial Rites for recursion.
• Time mass discard (Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur) after setting up reanimation.
• Protect key pieces with Fierce Guardianship and Teferi's Protection.

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into board wipes without Teferi's Protection.
• Casting Rooftop Storm without sufficient Zombie density.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) shuts down reanimation and Hashaton synergy.
• Relies on fragile combo pieces (Mikaeus + Ballista) with limited redundancy.

Moderate:

• Slow setup against fast aggro.
• Limited answers to artifact/enchantment spam.

Minor:

• Mana base handles color fixing well but has some tapped lands.

Most Important Cards:

• Bone Miser
• Demonic Tutor
• Vampiric Tutor
• Smothering Tithe
• Rhystic Study
• Windfall
• Reanimate
• Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
• Consecrated Sphinx
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can reanimate threats by T3-4 (e.g., Reanimate on Archon of Cruelty) but lacks fast mana beyond Sol Ring/Mana Vault.

Resilience: 5/10

• Vulnerable to graveyard hate but has recursion (Sevinne's Reclamation, Unburial Rites) and protection (Fierce Guardianship).

Consistency: 7/10

• 8+ tutors (e.g., Beseech the Mirror, Demonic Tutor) and strong draw engines (Rhystic Study, Consecrated Sphinx).

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Swords to Plowshares, Deadly Rollick) and counterspells (Fierce Guardianship), but limited stax beyond Blind Obedience.

Rating Justification:

The deck sits between "Optimized" (rubric 6.5) and "Focused Competitive" (7.0). It has cEDH staples (free counters, tutors) but lacks the speed (T5-6 wins vs. T3-4) and redundancy of top-tier lists. Graveyard reliance and moderate resilience cap its ceiling.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0