Overview:

This Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck leverages graveyard recursion and sacrifice synergies to generate overwhelming value. The core strategy involves filling the graveyard with utility creatures, using Meren's experience counters to recur them, and amplifying death triggers with cards like Grave Pact and Zulaport Cutthroat. While lacking cEDH-level fast mana, it features strong combo potential with Protean Hulk lines and redundancy through tutors like Buried Alive.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
This deck aims to dominate through recursive value engines and stax-lite effects. Key phases:

1. Setup (Turns 1-4): Ramp with dorks (Llanowar Elves) and self-mill (Satyr Wayfinder). Seed graveyard with Entomb/Buried Alive.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 5-6): Deploy Meren to begin recurring key pieces like Plaguecrafter or Spore Frog. Use sacrifice outlets (Ashnod's Altar, Viscera Seer) to trigger experience counters.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Combo: Protean Hulk death fetches Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Walking Ballista (not listed but implied via tutors) for infinite damage.
   • Grind: Grave Pact/Dictate of Erebos lock paired with Blood Artist effects.
   • Overrun: Recurring Massacre Wurm or Gray Merchant of Asphodel for repeated ETB damage.

Key Interactions:

• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed enables undying loops with non-Human creatures when paired with free sacrifice outlets.
• Living Death acts as both a board wipe and a game-ending recursion bomb.
• Birthing Pod chains lower-CMC creatures into high-impact threats like Sheoldred, Whispering One.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands + ramp (Cultivate, Sol Ring).
• Prioritize early self-mill (Grisly Salvage) or sacrifice outlets.
• Reject hands without graveyard enablers or Meren protection.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) shuts down 80% of the deck's strategy.
• Overreliance on Meren; 3+ removals on her cripples recursion.

Moderate:

• Limited stack interaction (only 5 instant-speed answers).
• Slow recovery from mass exile effects (Farewell).

Minor:

• High-CMC wincons (Sheoldred, Gray Merchant) are vulnerable to counterspells.

Most Important Cards:

• Protean Hulk
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• Buried Alive
• Ashnod's Altar
• Grave Pact
• Living Death
• Sheoldred, Whispering One
• Birthing Pod
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• Dictate of Erebos

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten T6-7 wins via Hulk combos or Gray Merchant loops. Early stax pieces (Spore Frog lock) delay opponents.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion provides recovery from single removals, but folds to grave hate. Limited protection for Meren beyond Lightning Greaves.

Consistency: 7/10

• 8 tutors (Entomb, Birthing Pod) and 12+ redundancy pieces (multiple sac outlets/recursion). Graveyard setup is highly repeatable.

Interaction: 5/10

• 10 targeted removals (Assassin's Trophy, Putrefy) but lacks counterspells. Relies on creature-based disruption (Shriekmaw).

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between "Focused" (6.0) and "Optimized" (6.5) on the rubric. It has:

• Focused Traits: T7-8 win potential, strong tutor density, and layered value engines.
• Optimized Elements: cEDH-adjacent combos (Hulk lines) and stax elements.
• Holding Back: Lack of free interaction (Fierce Guardianship), slow mana base, and commander dependency prevent higher ratings.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5