Overview:

This Golgari deck leverages Rendmaw, Creaking Nest as a central engine, focusing on artifact synergy, token generation, and aristocrats payoffs. Rendmaw creates goaded Bird tokens whenever it enters or when you cast multi-type cards (e.g., artifact creatures, enchantment creatures), flooding the board while forcing opponents to attack each other. The deck wins through attrition using death triggers (Blood Artist, Poison-Tip Archer), overwhelming token armies (Coat of Arms, Ezuri's Predation), and leveraging goaded tokens for defense/punishment (Revenge of Ravens, Bastion of Remembrance). Rendmaw is essential for token generation and enabling multi-type synergies, but its 5 CMC and vulnerability to removal are significant liabilities. The deck lacks efficient protection, making the strategy fragile if Rendmaw is repeatedly removed.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Rampant Growth) and value artifacts/enchantments (Idol of Oblivion, Evolutionary Leap). Cast low-CMC multi-type cards (e.g., Haywire Mite, Essence Warden) to potentially trigger Rendmaw early if cast after commander.
2. Deploy Rendmaw & Generate Tokens (Turns 4-6): Cast Rendmaw to create 4 goaded Birds. Focus on casting spells with multiple types (Artifact Creatures like Myr Retriever, Enchantment Creatures like Gloomshrieker) to trigger Rendmaw repeatedly. Use Ashnod's Altar to sacrifice tokens for mana or Dockside Chef/Evolutionary Leap for card advantage.
3. Establish Engines & Control (Turns 5-8): Deploy aristocrat payoffs (Bastion of Remembrance, Moldervine Reclamation, Falkenrath Noble) and token amplifiers (Coat of Arms). Use removal (Assassin's Trophy, Toxic Deluge, Drag to the Roots) and defensive tools (Arachnogenesis, Revenge of Ravens) to survive combat and disrupt opponents. Recur key pieces with Gloomshrieker, Shigeki, Jukai Visionary, or Whip of Erebos.
4. Win Condition Execution (Turns 7+):
   • Aristocrats: Drain opponents with death triggers from Blood Artist, Falkenrath Noble, Bastion, and Poison-Tip Archer, fueled by sacrificing tokens or creatures.
   • Combat Overrun: Swing with a massive token army boosted by Coat of Arms or Demolisher Spawn (if Delirium active). Use Suspicious Bookcase for evasion.
   • Punishment: Leverage opponents' forced attacks with Revenge of Ravens, Massacre Wurm, or Wing Storm against flying-heavy boards.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands (including at least 1 untapped B/G source) and 1-2 ramp pieces (e.g., Sol Ring, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Arcane Signet).
• Prioritize hands containing an early multi-type card (e.g., Haywire Mite, Essence Warden, Sanctum Weaver) or a value engine (Idol of Oblivion, Moldervine Reclamation).
• Look for interaction (Beast Within, Assassin's Trophy) or protection (Eldritch Immunity) if available.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp, Rendmaw enablers, or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Multi-Type Spells: Cast artifact/enchantment creatures after Rendmaw is on the battlefield to maximize token generation. Prioritize cards like Enduring Vitality or Grist, the Hunger Tide for multiple types.
• Sacrifice & Recur: Use Ashnod's Altar to fuel big spells or activate Treasure Vault. Sacrifice tokens to Dockside Chef or Evolutionary Leap for cards. Recur key pieces with Myr Retriever, Junk Diver, or Scrap Trawler.
• Defend & Punish: Use goaded Birds defensively. Arachnogenesis and Revenge of Ravens punish attacks. Culling Ritual can reset low-CMC boards while fueling mana.
• Leverage Delirium: Drag to the Roots and Demolisher Spawn become potent with Delirium. Use self-mill (Millikin, Grist) and sacrifice to enable this quickly.
• Protect Rendmaw: Cast Rendmaw only when you can immediately benefit or have protection (Eldritch Immunity). Be prepared to recast it multiple times.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Reliance: Rendmaw is essential for consistent token generation. Repeated removal (especially exile) cripples the deck's engine and slows it drastically. Lacks reliable protection/recursion for commander.
• Board Wipe Vulnerability: Mass removal (e.g., Blasphemous Act, Damnation) devastates the token-based strategy and key creatures. Recovery is slow outside limited recursion (Whip, Shigeki).
• Artifact/Enchantment Hate: Cards like Bane of Progress, Austere Command, or Collector Ouphe destroy critical artifacts/enchantments (Altar, Idol, Coat, Bastion) with minimal recovery options.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void shuts down recursion (Gloomshrieker, Whip, Shigeki, Demolisher Spawn Delirium) and Grist's ultimate.
• Stax Effects: Torpor Orb nullifies ETB triggers (Solemn, Noxious Gearhulk, Gloomshrieker). Cursed Totem/Linvala disable mana dorks and Altar/Chef activations.
• Mana Base Fragility: Relies heavily on artifact lands (Vault, Tree, Citadel) vulnerable to Vandalblast/Shattering Spree. Many lands enter tapped, slowing early development.

Minor

• Limited Stack Interaction: Minimal counterspells or instant-speed interaction beyond removal. Struggles against non-creature combo or uncounterable spells.
• High Average CMC: Several key cards cost 5+ mana, leading to potential clunkiness if ramp is disrupted.

Most Important Cards:

• Ashnod's Altar (Sac outlet for mana, enables combos/recursion)
• Bastion of Remembrance (Aristocrat payoff, life drain/gain)
• Moldervine Reclamation (Card draw engine on creature death)
• Coat of Arms (Token army finisher)
• Rendmaw, Creaking Nest (Core engine, token generation)
• Blood Artist (Key aristocrat damage/lifegain)
• Idol of Oblivion (Card draw fueled by tokens)
• Toxic Deluge (Primary board wipe, essential for survival)
• Grist, the Hunger Tide (Token generation, removal, potential finisher)
• Assassin's Trophy (Versatile, efficient removal)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• The deck aims to win via combat/aristocrats around turns 9-11 in ideal scenarios. While Rendmaw enables early tokens, the win conditions (Coat, Massacre Wurm, draining engines) require significant setup and high mana investment.

Resilience: 4/10

• Vulnerable to commander removal and board wipes with limited protection/recursion. Recovers slowly due to reliance on specific engines. Some recursion exists (Gloomshrieker, Whip, Shigeki) but is inefficient against repeated disruption.

Consistency: 6/10

• Good card draw (Moldervine, Idol, Night's Whisper) and token generation via Rendmaw provide resources. However, lacks tutors for key pieces (Altar, Bastion) and relies heavily on commander access.

Interaction: 7/10

• Runs efficient targeted removal (Assassin's Trophy, Beast Within, Eyeblight's Ending, Drag to the Roots) and strong board wipes (Toxic Deluge, Culling Ritual, Ezuri's Predation). Lacks countermagic but has solid defensive tools (Arachnogenesis, Revenge of Ravens).

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a Casual/Focused Casual level, leveraging Rendmaw's token generation for combat and aristocrat wins typically around T9-11. Its decent interaction and draw are offset by critical vulnerabilities to commander removal and board wipes, low resilience, and lack of fast combos or protection. It sits above precons due to synergy but lacks the speed and robustness for higher tiers.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5