Overview:

This mono-black deck leverages Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor as a card-draw engine and late-game finisher, built around evasive creatures (shadow, unblockable, skulk) to trigger Gix's draw ability. The primary strategy involves deploying low-cost evasive threats early (e.g., Changeling Outcast, Tormented Soul), using Gix to refill hands, and closing games via life-drain synergies (e.g., Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse), big mana payoffs (Peer into the Abyss, Gray Merchant of Asphodel), or Gix's exile ability. Secondary themes include life payment (K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth, Font of Agonies), reanimation (Whip of Erebos, Reanimate), and treachery (Dauthi Voidwalker, Tinybones, the Pickpocket). Gix is essential for card advantage but vulnerable to removal; the deck can function without him using alternative draw engines like Phyrexian Arena.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy evasive 1-drops (e.g., Vampire Cutthroat, Changeling Outcast), ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet), or disruption (Deep-Cavern Bat). Prioritize establishing Gix protection (Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots).
2. Mid-Game Value (Turns 4-6): Cast Gix, attack with evasive creatures to draw cards. Leverage life-pay engines (K'rrik, Font of Agonies) for cost reduction/removal. Recur threats (Whip of Erebos, Reanimate) or deploy key pieces like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse/Crypt Ghast.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 6+):
   • Life Drain: Amplify damage via Bloodletter of Aclazotz or Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose with evasive attackers or Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
   • Big Mana: Use Cabal Coffers/Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx for Peer into the Abyss (drawing half your library) or Bolas's Citadel (free spells).
   • Commander Finish: Activate Gix's exile ability (discard X cards) to cast high-impact spells for free.
   • Reanimation: Cheat out Phyrexian Obliterator or Wurmcoil Engine early.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 1-2 evasive creatures, 2-3 lands, and ramp/protection.
• Prioritize Gix enablers (e.g., Changeling Outcast) or key engines (K'rrik, Phyrexian Arena).
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or with only high-CMC cards.

Key Tips:

• Protect Gix: Equip Lightning Greaves before casting him. Use Malakir Rebirth for recursion.
• Maximize Draw: Attack multiple opponents with evasive creatures to draw 2+ cards per turn via Gix.
• Life Management: Balance life payments (Ad Nauseam, K'rrik) with lifelink creatures. Font of Agonies provides repeatable removal.
• Tutor Wisely: Vampiric Tutor/Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire fetch win-cons (Peer into the Abyss, Gray Merchant) or answers (Toxic Deluge).
• Exploit Death Triggers: Black Market/Spymaster's Vault scale with creature deaths.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void cripples reanimation (Whip of Erebos, Reanimate) and Gray Merchant synergy.
• Flying Blockers: Struggles against decks with flying chump blockers (e.g., spirits, faeries), negating evasive attackers.
• Anti-Life Loss: Platinum Angel/Lich's Mastery nullifies primary win condition.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Damnation/Farewell forces slow recovery; limited mass recursion.
• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Destroys key engines (Bolas's Citadel, Phyrexian Arena).
• Tax Effects: Sphere of Resistance/Thalia, Guardian of Thraben delay evasive creature deployment.

Minor

• Hand Disruption: Thoughtseize can remove combo pieces, but deck has redundancy.
• Land Destruction: Nonbasic lands (Cabal Coffers, Nykthos) are vulnerable but replaceable.

Most Important Cards:

• K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth (Life-pay enabler, cost reduction)
• Peer into the Abyss (Primary win condition, draws half library)
• Cabal Coffers (Explosive mana for big spells)
• Sheoldred, the Apocalypse (Passive life drain, card advantage)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Life-swing finisher)
• Changeling Outcast (Unblockable Gix trigger)
• Vampiric Tutor (Finds key win-cons/interaction)
• Phyrexian Arena (Consistent card draw)
• Toxic Deluge (Board wipe, handles indestructible)
• Dauthi Voidwalker (Disruption, potential theft)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via life drain or Peer into the Abyss by turns 7-8 with ideal ramp, but relies on combat damage for early pressure.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Whip of Erebos, Malakir Rebirth) and protection (boots/greaves) offer recovery, but heavily commander-reliant for card draw; folds to graveyard hate.

Consistency: 6/10

• Tutors (Vampiric Tutor, Varragoth) and card draw (Gix, Phyrexian Arena) find key pieces, but limited redundancy for evasive creatures.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Dismember, Infernal Grasp, Feed the Swarm) handles threats; lacks counterspells but has hand disruption (Deep-Cavern Bat).

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a focused casual level, leveraging evasive combat for card advantage and closing with potent life-drain/big-mana payoffs by turns 8-10. Its resilience is hampered by Gix dependency and graveyard vulnerability, preventing higher optimization.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5