Overview:

This Orzhov aristocrats deck leverages Liesa, Forgotten Archangel as a resilient engine for recurring sacrifice fodder while draining opponents through death triggers. The primary strategy revolves around sacrificing creatures repeatedly to cards like Viscera Seer and Fanatical Devotion while amplifying damage via Agent of the Iron Throne, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Syr Konrad, the Grim. Liesa enables the core loop by returning sacrificed creatures to hand, but the deck can function without her through secondary recursion like Karmic Guide and token generators like Requiem Angel. Win conditions focus on incremental life drain, with potential explosive turns from Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Massacre Girl-enabled mass deaths.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Orzhov Signet), early sacrifice outlets (Viscera Seer, High Market), and death payoffs (Cruel Celebrant, Bastion of Remembrance). Use Fleshbag Marauder effects to disrupt opponents.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 5-7): Cast Liesa to enable recursion loops. Sacrifice value creatures (Solemn Simulacrum, Plaguecrafter) for triggers, returning them to hand with Liesa. Flood the board with tokens via Hidden Stockpile or Xathrid Necromancer.
3. Win Execution (Turns 8+):
   • Drain: Multiply death triggers with mass sacrifices (e.g., Bankrupt in Blood with multiple payoffs).
   • Burst: Recur Gray Merchant of Asphodel or pair Syr Konrad, the Grim with Kami of False Hope for repeated prevention/damage.
   • Wipe Synergy: Cast Deadly Tempest/Kaya's Wrath with drain enablers for game-ending life swings.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one early sacrifice outlet (Viscera Seer, Vampiric Rites), and one payoff (Zulaport Cutthroat, Agent of the Iron Throne).
• Prioritize hands with ramp (Sol Ring, Burnished Hart) or card draw (Grim Haruspex, Sign in Blood).
• Avoid hands lacking sacrifice synergy or exceeding 4 CMC average.

Key Tips:

• Recursion Loops: Pair Liesa with Fleshbag Marauder effects for repeated forced sacrifices.
• Protection: Use Alseid of Life's Bounty to shield Liesa or key payoffs from removal.
• Timing: Cast board wipes after establishing death triggers. Hold Selfless Squire for combat-based threats.
• Pitfall Avoidance: Don't overextend into board wipes without Ascend from Avernus or Karmic Guide backup.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples Liesa's recursion, Syr Konrad triggers, and reanimation spells.
• Board wipes devastate the creature-dependent engine with limited recovery outside Liesa.
• Anti-sacrifice effects (Tajuru Preserver, Sigarda, Host of Herons) nullify the primary game plan.

Moderate

• Enchantment removal disrupts key payoffs like Agent of the Iron Throne and Bastion of Remembrance.
• Slow setup due to minimal fast mana; vulnerable to early aggression.
• Limited stack interaction struggles against combo decks.

Minor

• Commander tax strains mana if Liesa is repeatedly removed.
• Life-gain strategies can outpace incremental drain.

Most Important Cards:

• Agent of the Iron Throne (Primary drain engine)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Scalable damage amplifier and win condition)
• Viscera Seer (Free, repeatable sacrifice outlet)
• Zulaport Cutthroat (Core death-trigger payoff)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Burst life-drain finisher)
• Karmic Guide (Recursion redundancy for key creatures)
• Fleshbag Marauder (Forced sacrifice enabler)
• Ascend from Avernus (Mass reanimation for recovery)
• Bastion of Remembrance (Token generation + drain)
• Cruel Celebrant (Redundant drain effect)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10

• Wins typically occur T9-11 through incremental drain or Gray Merchant bursts. Fastest potential is T7-8 with perfect draws but lacks efficient combos.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Liesa, Karmic Guide) and card draw (Morbid Opportunist, Bankrupt in Blood) aid recovery, but heavy reliance on creatures and graveyard creates vulnerability.

Consistency: 5/10

• Multiple redundant payoffs and sacrifice outlets provide stability, but limited tutors (only Profane Tutor) hinder assembling key combos.

Interaction: 6/10

• Strong targeted removal (Mortify, Despark, Shriekmaw) and board wipes (Cleansing Nova, Kaya's Wrath), but minimal counterspells and slow stax (Deafening Silence) reduce versatility.

Rating Justification:

The deck executes a focused aristocrats strategy with moderate resilience and interaction, but its T9-11 win speed and vulnerability to graveyard hate place it in the Casual/Focused Casual tier. It lacks the fast mana, tutors, or compact combos needed for higher optimization.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0