Overview:

This Karador, Ghost Chieftain deck leverages graveyard recursion and stax elements to grind opponents down while assembling value-based win conditions. The strategy focuses on filling the graveyard with key creatures via Hermit Druid, Entomb, and Buried Alive, then recurring them with Karador's ability and reanimation spells. Stax pieces like Deafening Silence, Archon of Emeria, and Grand Abolisher disrupt opponents while the deck builds overwhelming board presence through recursive threats like Karmic Guide and Ashen Rider. Win conditions include incremental drain effects (Corpse Knight), combat overruns (Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite), and late-game bombs like The Great Henge.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
This deck aims to establish early graveyard synergy using self-mill and tutors, then deploy stax effects to slow opponents while recurring value engines. Key phases:

1. Graveyard Setup: Use Hermit Druid, Survival of the Fittest, and fetchlands to stock the graveyard with utility creatures and reanimation targets.
2. Stax Deployment: Play Thalia, Guardian of Thraben or Blind Obedience to delay opponents while rebuilding boards after wipes.
3. Value Loops: Recur creatures like Fiend Artisan and Dauthi Voidwalker for incremental advantage.
4. Closing the Game: Overwhelm with Elesh Norn pump, drain via Poison-Tip Archer, or cast Eerie Ultimatum for a massive recursion swing.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands and 1-2 enablers (e.g., Elvish Mystic + Survival of the Fittest).
• Prioritize early graveyard fillers (Hermit Druid) or stax pieces (Grand Abolisher).
• Avoid hands without green mana sources or graveyard interaction.

Key Tips:

• Use Volrath's Stronghold to recur key creatures like Dauthi Voidwalker.
• Phyrexian Altar enables sacrifice loops with Luminous Broodmoth for repeated ETB triggers.
• Save Teferi's Protection for board wipes or lethal combat steps.

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into mass exile effects without Dauthi Voidwalker protection.
• Casting Karador too early without sufficient graveyard fuel.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) instantly cripples the strategy.
• Reliance on creature-based engines vulnerable to Farewell or Merciless Eviction.

Moderate:

• Slow recovery if key tutors/enablers are countered early.
• Limited instant-speed interaction for noncreature combos.

Minor:

• Some tapped lands slightly delay early plays.

Most Important Cards:

• Survival of the Fittest
• Hermit Druid
• Phyrexian Altar
• Grand Abolisher
• Dauthi Voidwalker
• Entomb
• Buried Alive
• Karmic Guide
• The Great Henge
• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can deploy stax locks by T4-5 and assemble value engines by T6-7, but lacks T3-4 infinite combos.

Resilience: 7/10

• Redundant recursion (Loyal Retainers, Necromancy) and protection (Flawless Maneuver) mitigate removal, but folds to resolved graveyard hate.

Consistency: 8/10

• 12+ tutors/entomb effects and recursive creatures ensure reliable access to key pieces.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy) and stax, but lacks free counterspells for combo protection.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between "Focused" (6.0) and "Focused Competitive" (7.0) on the rubric. It consistently threatens T6-8 wins through layered stax and recursion but lacks the speed (T5-6) and interaction density of true cEDH builds. Its ability to lock opponents with Archon of Emeria + Grand Abolisher and grind with recursive threats aligns with high-power casual (6.5) benchmarks.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5