Overview:

This Esper Zombie token deck leverages discard synergies and recursive value to overwhelm opponents. Commander Hashaton, Scarab's Fist serves as the primary token engine, converting discarded creatures into 4/4 Zombies. The deck supplements this with Zombie tribal payoffs, token doublers like Kambal, Profiteering Mayor, and potent reanimation targets. While Hashaton enables explosive turns when paired with loot effects, the strategy has significant redundancy through cards like The Scarab God and Ratadrabik of Urborg, reducing commander dependency.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy looters (Ledger Shredder, Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator, Ghostly Pilferer) or ramp (Sol Ring, Fellwar Stone). Prioritize fixing mana for Hashaton's {U} activation cost.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 3-5): Cast Hashaton and begin discarding creatures via looters, Frantic Search, or Chart a Course. Use Training Grounds to reduce activation cost. Create 4/4 Zombie tokens.
3. Amplification (Turns 4-7): Deploy Zombie lords (Gleaming Overseer, Aven Wind Guide, Zombie Master) or token doublers (Kambal, Profiteering Mayor, Renewed Solidarity). Reanimate bombs (Archon of Cruelty, Grave Titan) with Victimize or Living Death.
4. Win Conditions (Turns 6-8):
   • Combat: Overrun with boosted Zombies using evasion (flying from Archetype of Imagination, menace from Gleaming Overseer).
   • Combo: Intruder Alarm + token generators (e.g., Grave Titan) creates infinite ETB/death triggers with Ashnod's Altar. Triskelion + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed deals infinite damage.
   • Value Grind: Leverage The Scarab God or Ratadrabik of Urborg for recurring threats and inevitability.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including color fixing) and at least one:
  • Looter/discard outlet (Ledger Shredder, Key to the City)
  • Ramp artifact (Sol Ring, Talisman of Dominance)
  • Early interaction/protection (Flawless Maneuver, Boromir, Warden of the Tower)
• Prioritize hands enabling T3 Hashaton. Avoid slow hands lacking discard outlets or ramp.

Key Tips:

• Discard Sequencing: Pitch high-impact creatures (Archfiend of Ifnir, Phyrexian Obliterator) for tokens. Use Insatiable Avarice to set up discards.
• Protect Engines: Flawless Maneuver/Boromir shield your board. Notion Thief punishes opponents' draw.
• Maximize Triggers: Intruder Alarm untaps looters for multiple activations. Ashnod's Altar sacrifices tokens for mana to fuel more activations.
• Graveyard Management: Living Death is a win condition if stocked properly. Use Macabre Waltz/Crawl from the Cellar for recursion.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Hour of Reckoning is the only wipe protection. Recovering from mass removal is slow without The Great Henge-style draw.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void cripple reanimation, discard payoffs, and Living Death.
• Anti-Token Effects: Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite/Cursed Totem shut down token generation and activated abilities.

Moderate

• Commander Tax: Hashaton’s {2}{U} activation becomes prohibitive if removed repeatedly.
• Discard Outlet Reliance: Without looters, the deck struggles to enable Hashaton or fill the graveyard.
• Combo Fragility: Key combo pieces (Intruder Alarm, Mikaeus) have no redundancy and are vulnerable.

Minor

• Mana Base: Tapped lands (e.g., Arcane Sanctum, Temple of Deceit) slow early development.
• Limited Stack Interaction: Few counterspells make resolving key sorceries/enchantments risky.

Most Important Cards:

• Training Grounds (Reduces Hashaton’s activation cost to {U}, enabling multiple tokens per turn)
• Intruder Alarm (Enables infinite combos with token generators and untaps looters)
• The Scarab God (Recursive threat, zombie synergy, and alternate token engine)
• Ratadrabik of Urborg (Creates token copies of legendary creatures, doubling value)
• Kambal, Profiteering Mayor (Doubles tokens and drains opponents)
• Ashnod's Altar (Mana acceleration and combo piece)
• Archfiend of Ifnir (Board control via discard triggers)
• Vampiric Tutor (Finds key pieces like Intruder Alarm or protection)
• Living Death (Mass reanimation win condition)
• Grave Titan (Token generation and combo piece with Intruder Alarm)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via combat or combos by T7-8, accelerated by explosive discard turns with Hashaton + looters. Lacks fast mana for earlier consistency.

Resilience: 5/10

• Some protection (Flawless Maneuver, Boromir) and recursion (The Scarab God, Reya Dawnbringer), but heavily reliant on board presence. Weak to sweepers and grave hate.

Consistency: 7/10

• 10+ looters/discard outlets ensure engine access. Tutors (Vampiric Tutor, Insatiable Avarice) find combo pieces, but limited redundancy for key non-creatures.

Interaction: 6/10

• Targeted removal (Anguished Unmaking, Generous Gift, Deadly Rollick) and stax (Notion Thief, Boromir) are present but lacks counterspells for stack protection.

Rating Justification:

The deck demonstrates focused speed (T7-8 wins) through synergistic discard engines and combo potential but is held back by moderate resilience against disruption and reliance on combat for primary wins. Its power aligns with optimized casual decks that threaten wins by T8 but lack cEDH consistency/protection.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5