Overview:

This Grixis deck leverages Kefka, Court Mage as a discard engine and value generator, transforming into Kefka, Ruler of Ruin for card advantage. The primary strategy revolves around forced discard synergies with payoffs like Liliana's Caress, Megrim, and Waste Not, supplemented by reanimation (Reanimate, Animate Dead) of high-impact threats like Archon of Cruelty and Lord Xander, the Collector. Secondary win conditions include Laboratory Maniac/Triskaidekaphile hand-size victories and Psychosis Crawler burn. Kefka enables the core strategy by providing consistent discard triggers and card draw, though the deck can function without him using its extensive redundancy in discard effects.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Talismans), discard payoffs (Waste Not, Liliana's Caress), or value engines (Phyrexian Arena, Geth's Grimoire). Use looting effects (Faithless Looting, Windfall) to fill graveyards.
2. Commander Deployment/Discard Pressure (Turns 4-6): Cast Kefka to force discards and draw cards. Leverage Harmonic Prodigy to double his triggers. Reanimate key threats (Archon of Cruelty, Lord Xander) or deploy Tergrid, God of Fright to steal discarded permanents.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 6-8):
   • Discard Burn: Amplify discard damage with Megrim, Liliana's Caress, and Fell Specter. Windfall or Kefka triggers can deal lethal damage.
   • Reanimation: Cheat out game-ending threats like Valgavoth, Terror Eater or Breach the Multiverse.
   • Hand-Size Wins: Use Reliquary Tower/Thought Vessel with Triskaidekaphile or Laboratory Maniac alongside mass draw (Windfall, Kefka).
   • Card Draw Burn: Psychosis Crawler + mass draw effects.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, early ramp/discard payoff, and a discard outlet or reanimation spell.
• Prioritize hands containing Waste Not, Windfall, or Kefka.
• Avoid hands lacking discard synergy or mana acceleration.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Triggers: Harmonic Prodigy doubles Kefka's ETB/attack and Tinybones, Bauble Burglar activations.
• Graveyard Management: Use Underworld Breach to recur key spells. Espers to Magicite exiles opponents' graveyards while stealing threats.
• Protection: Lightning Greaves shields Kefka or reanimated threats. Blur/Essence Flux protect creatures while triggering ETBs.
• Combo Potential: Gogo, Master of Mimicry can copy Kefka's sacrifice ability or discard triggers for explosive turns.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples reanimation and Underworld Breach.
• Discard immunity/recursion (Leyline of Sanctity, Oversold Cemetery) nullifies primary strategy.
• Enchantment removal targeting key payoffs (Waste Not, Megrim) severely reduces damage output.

Moderate

• Board wipes disrupt reanimated threats and Kefka, requiring costly recasts.
• Countermagic on key spells (Windfall, reanimation) delays the game plan.
• Fast aggro decks can pressure life total before setup completes.

Minor

• Artifact destruction hits mana rocks but the deck has redundancy.
• Rule of Law effects slow the deck but don't fully halt it.

Most Important Cards:

• Waste Not (Discard payoff engine: tokens, mana, draw)
• Windfall (Mass discard + draw, enables multiple synergies)
• Underworld Breach (Recurs key spells/combo pieces)
• Harmonic Prodigy (Doubles Kefka/Tinybones triggers)
• Tergrid, God of Fright (Steals discarded/permanents sacrificed)
• Tinybones, Bauble Burglar (Exiles discards for casting, repeatable discard)
• Laboratory Maniac (Alt wincon with mass draw)
• Lord Xander, the Collector (Disrupts hand/library/permanents)
• Vial Smasher the Fierce (Passive damage on first spell)
• Reanimate (Efficient cheat for high-impact creatures)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of T7-8 wins via discard burn or reanimation, but requires setup for payoff cards. Fastest wins involve T4-5 Windfall + Waste Not/Megrim.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Underworld Breach, Stitch Together) and protection (blink effects) offer recovery, but heavily reliant on graveyard and vulnerable to targeted hate.

Consistency: 7/10

• High redundancy in discard effects/payoffs and card draw (Phyrexian Arena, Relic of Sauron), though lacks tutors for specific combo pieces.

Interaction: 7/10

• Robust suite: Counters (Counterspell, Three Steps Ahead), removal (Go for the Throat), and stack/battlefield control via forced sacrifice (Kefka ability).

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a Focused power level, threatening T7-8 wins through synergistic discard damage or reanimation with high consistency, but its critical vulnerability to graveyard hate and reliance on unprotected enchantments cap its resilience. Speed aligns with T7-8 benchmark, placing it solidly in the Focused tier.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5