Overview:

This mono-black Demon tribal/reanimator deck leverages Ardyn, the Usurper to cheat powerful Demons onto the battlefield by exiling creatures from graveyards and creating enhanced 5/5 Demon copies. The strategy combines traditional big-mana black ramp (Cabal Coffers, Crypt Ghast) with extensive reanimation packages (Animate Dead, Reanimate, Chainer, Dementia Master) and Demon-specific synergies. Primary win conditions include Liliana's Contract, overwhelming Demon combat, Torment of Hailfire, and graveyard-fueled value engines like Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Archfiend of Despair. Ardyn acts as both a value engine and token generator, enabling explosive turns but relying heavily on graveyard setup.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Dark Ritual, Culling the Weak) and graveyard filling (Entomb, Buried Alive). Mulligan for lands/ramp + setup pieces. Use cheap interaction (Snuff Out, Imp's Mischief) defensively.
2. Mid-Game Engine (Turns 4-6): Deploy Ardyn or reanimation spells (Reanimate, Animate Dead) to cheat Demons. Activate Ardyn's Starscourge ability each turn to generate token Demons. Tutor key pieces with Blood Speaker, Rune-Scarred Demon, or Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire. Leverage cost reducers (Heartless Summoning, Urza's Incubator) to cast Demons.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 6+):
   • Liliana's Contract: Assemble 4+ unique Demons for instant win.
   • Combat: Overwhelm with flying Demons enhanced by Ardyn's menace/lifelink. Use Pathbreaker Ibex-like effects (e.g., Unnatural Growth absent, but large stats suffice).
   • Torment of Hailfire: Amplify with Cabal Coffers/Bubbling Muck for lethal.
   • Value Grind: Drain with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Archfiend of Despair, or K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth + card draw.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands + at least one: ramp (Sol Ring/Dark Ritual), graveyard setup (Entomb/Buried Alive), or early reanimation (Reanimate).
• Prioritize hands containing Cabal Coffers + tutors (Expedition Map) or Heartless Summoning against slower pods.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp or with only high-CMC Demons.

Key Tips:

• Graveyard Management: Use Doom Whisperer and Entomb to fuel Ardyn/reanimation. Victimize sacrifices token Demons for value.
• Protect Ardyn: Ardyn is vital for token generation. Deploy Swiftfoot Boots equivalents (absent here) or use timing (cast Ardyn post-wipe).
• Leverage Life as Resource: K'rrik, Bolas's Citadel, and Necropotence-like effects (e.g., The One Ring absent) enable explosive plays.
• Combo Awareness: Mindcrank + Bloodgift Demon/life loss effects can mill opponents out.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Reliance: Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void cripples Ardyn, reanimation, and fuel for Crypt of Agadeem/Chainer.
• Board Wipe Vulnerability: Lacks mass recursion; Rise of the Dark Realms is slow. Rebuilding after wipes is resource-intensive.
• Commander-Centric: Ardyn removal stalls the primary token engine; limited protection.

Moderate

• Mana Base Fragility: Cabal Coffers/Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth are irreplaceable ramp; land destruction (Strip Mine) cripples the deck.
• Limited Stack Interaction: Minimal counterspells; relies on Imp's Mischief/Sudden Spoiling for disruption.
• High CMC: Average mana cost is high; stax (Thalia, Guardian of Thraben) or tax effects slow the deck significantly.

Minor

• Life Loss Risks: K'rrik and citadels can put you in range of burst damage.
• Artifact/Enchantment Weakness: Key pieces (Heartless Summoning, Liliana's Contract) are vulnerable to removal.

Most Important Cards:

• Cabal Coffers (Primary mana amplification)
• Liliana's Contract (Alternate win condition)
• Torment of Hailfire (Scalable finisher)
• Chainer, Dementia Master (Recursive reanimation)
• Blood Speaker (Demon tutor recursion)
• Buried Alive (Graveyard setup)
• K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth (Mana cheating/life synergy)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Life swing/win condition)
• Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (Mana base enabler)
• Archfiend of Despair (Passive life loss/damage amplifier)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of T6-7 wins via reanimation/ramp into Torment of Hailfire or Liliana's Contract, but inconsistent early explosive starts.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recovers slowly from wipes/graveyard hate; lacks protection for Ardyn/key pieces. Some recursion (Patriarch's Bidding) exists but is situational.

Consistency: 7/10

• High density of tutors (Demonic Counsel, Rune-Scarred Demon, Varragoth) and card draw (Harvester of Souls, Phyrexian Arena) ensures access to core pieces.

Interaction: 4/10

• Targeted removal (Snuff Out, Toxic Deluge) is efficient but lacks breadth. Minimal stack interaction beyond Imp's Mischief.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates strong consistency and late-game power with high-impact Demons and combo finishes, typically threatening wins around T7-8. However, its vulnerability to graveyard hate, reliance on Ardyn, and moderate resilience against disruption cap its ceiling. It aligns with the "Focused" tier (T7-8 wins) but lacks the speed/protection for higher optimization.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5