Overview:

This Grixis Zombie tribal deck leverages graveyard recursion and sacrifice synergies to overwhelm opponents with token generation, attrition damage, and combo finishes. Tormod serves as the engine, creating Zombie tokens whenever cards leave the graveyard (via casting, discarding, milling, or exile), while Kraum provides crucial card draw in multiplayer. The deck wins through aristocrat-style life drain, combat swarms, and infinite loops enabled by key pieces like Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Putrid Goblin + a free sac outlet.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup & Graveyard Filling (Turns 1-4): Deploy early self-mill (Stitcher's Supplier, Faithless Looting, Frantic Search) and recursion engines (Tortured Existence, Gisa and Geralf). Cast low-cost Zombies (Gravecrawler, Carrion Feeder) or mana rocks. Prioritize establishing Tormod, the Desecrator for token generation.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 3-6): Utilize sacrifice outlets (Carrion Feeder, Phyrexian Altar, Plague Belcher) to trigger death effects (Undead Augur, Diregraf Captain, Vengeful Dead). Recur key pieces from the graveyard (Gravecrawler, Reanimate, Animate Dead). Cast value engines like Graveborn Muse or Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 5-8):
   • Aristocrats Drain: Leverage numerous Zombie deaths with Diregraf Captain, Vengeful Dead, Plague Belcher, or Gray Merchant of Asphodel to drain opponents.
   • Infinite Combos: Assemble:
     • Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Putrid Goblin + Free Sac Outlet (Carrion Feeder, Phyrexian Altar) = Infinite death/ETB triggers.
     • Rooftop Storm + Gravecrawler + Sac Outlet + Diregraf Captain/Vengeful Dead = Infinite casts/deaths/drain.
   • Combat Overrun: Generate a wide board of Zombie tokens (via Tormod, Headless Rider, Wilhelt) and finish with Gray Merchant or lords like Diregraf Captain.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands and early plays (mana rock, Stitcher's Supplier, Gravecrawler, Faithless Looting).
• Prioritize hands containing Tormod, a graveyard filler (Stitcher's Supplier, Entomb), or a key engine (Tortured Existence, Phyrexian Altar).
• Look for interaction (Counterspell, Toxic Deluge) if facing aggressive metas.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays, graveyard interaction, or sufficient colored sources.

Key Tips:

• Graveyard is a Resource: Use Entomb, Vile Entomber, and self-mill to put key creatures (Mikaeus, Gary, combo pieces) into the graveyard for efficient reanimation.
• Protect Combos: Deploy Mikaeus/Rooftop Storm only when you have protection (Swan Song, Counterspell, Deadly Rollick) or can win immediately. Overcharged Amalgam exploits creatures to counter threats.
• Leverage Sacrifice: Use forced-sacrifice effects (Fleshbag Marauder, Accursed Marauder) proactively to disrupt opponents and trigger your own death payoffs. Phyrexian Altar turns deaths into mana.
• Recursion Loops: Tortured Existence + Gravecrawler/Stitcher's Supplier provides endless value and fuels Tormod. Unholy Grotto retrieves key Zombies to hand.
• Draw Power: Kraum triggers and cards like Graveborn Muse, Undead Augur, Mystic Remora, and Frantic Search are vital for maintaining momentum. Manage life loss carefully.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void, or Bojuka Bog cripple recursion, combo potential, and Tormod triggers. The deck lacks reliable enchantment removal in blue/red.
• Combo Disruption: Targeted removal on Mikaeus, Rooftop Storm, or sac outlets breaks infinite loops. The deck has limited ways to protect these once resolved.
• Board Wipes: Mass removal (especially exile-based like Farewell) devastates the board state and graveyard simultaneously. Recovery can be slow without setup engines.

Moderate

• Anti-Token Effects: Torpor Orb shuts off ETB death triggers (Fleshbag, Gray Merchant) and exploit abilities. Cursed Totem stops Carrion Feeder/Phyrexian Altar activations.
• Fast Combo Decks: The deck's setup can be slower than dedicated combo decks, struggling to interact meaningfully before T5-6 against T4-5 wins.
• Stack Interaction: Heavy countermagic can disrupt key sorceries (Rooftop Storm, Zombie Apocalypse) and reanimation spells.

Minor

• Life Total Pressure: Cards like Graveborn Muse, Noxious Ghoul, and Gray Merchant can drain your life quickly if not managed.
• Mana-Intensive Spells: High-cost cards like Zombie Apocalypse or Liliana, Dreadhorde General can be awkward without sufficient ramp.

Most Important Cards:

• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (Core combo piece enabling undying/infinite loops)
• Phyrexian Altar (Infinite mana/combo enabler, sac outlet, fuels Tormod)
• Tormod, the Desecrator (Primary token generator, deck engine)
• Rooftop Storm (Enables free Zombie casting and infinite Gravecrawler loops)
• Entomb (Tutors any creature directly to graveyard for reanimation)
• Gravecrawler (Recursive threat, combo piece with Rooftop Storm/Altar)
• Diregraf Captain (Key aristocrat damage source, lord effect)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Massive life swing finisher)
• Tortured Existence (Recursion engine, fuels Tormod)
• Putrid Goblin (Essential combo piece with Mikaeus)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins with perfect hands (e.g., Entomb -> Reanimate Mikaeus + Putrid Goblin + Sac Outlet), but typically aims for T6-8 wins via combat drain or slower combo assembly.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has recursion (reanimation, TortEx, Unholy Grotto) and counterspells to protect key plays, but heavily reliant on the graveyard and vulnerable to specific, common hate cards. Recovery from wipes requires setup.

Consistency: 7/10

• High density of tutors (Entomb, Vile Entomber, Sidisi), self-mill, and card draw (Kraum, Undead Augur, Graveborn Muse) ensures reliable access to combo pieces and engine components.

Interaction: 6/10

• Runs efficient targeted removal (Terminate, Deadly Rollick, Feed the Swarm), counterspells (Counterspell, Swan Song, Delay), and board wipes (Toxic Deluge). Lacks stack interaction for non-creature spells beyond counters and limited ability to handle resolved enchantments.

Rating Justification:

The deck possesses strong consistency and a fast potential win turn (T4-5) via its combos, placing it above optimized casual tiers. However, its critical vulnerability to graveyard hate and reliance on resolving key, vulnerable permanents without robust protection limits its resilience against disruption, preventing it from reaching high-power competitive levels.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5