Overview:

This Grixis discard/reanimator deck leverages Kefka, Court Mage's forced discard triggers to fuel synergistic payoffs like Waste Not, Bone Miser, and damage dealers (Megrim, Raiders' Wake). The commander enables card advantage while disrupting opponents, then transforms into a potent draw engine. Primary win conditions include overwhelming value from discard triggers, reanimating bombs like Archon of Cruelty, and Laboratory Maniac/Psychosis Crawler combos. Secondary strategies utilize combat damage from amplified threats like Tourach, Dread Cantor or token swarms.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Talismans), discard enablers (The Raven Man, Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer), or card advantage engines (Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora). Prioritize fixing for Kefka's {U}{B}{R} cost.
2. Commander Deployment & Discard Synergy (Turns 4-6): Cast Kefka to force discards, triggering payoffs (Waste Not, Bone Miser, Feast of Sanity). Use targeted discard (Mind Rake, Syphon Mind) or symmetrical effects (Whispering Madness) to amplify triggers. Protect Kefka with Lightning Greaves.
3. Win Condition Assembly (Turns 5-8):
   • Value Overload: Generate mana (Waste Not/Bone Miser), tokens, and card advantage to overwhelm the board.
   • Reanimation: Entomb key threats (Archon of Cruelity, Junji, the Midnight Sky) and reanimate them cheaply (Reanimate, Dread Return).
   • Combo: Draw your deck via Kefka's transformed ability + Curiosity/Glint-Horn Buccaneer, then win with Laboratory Maniac or Psychosis Crawler.
   • Control Lock: Use repeated discards with Tergrid, God of Fright to strip opponents' resources.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including color fixing (Command Tower, Talismans).
• Prioritize early discard payoffs (Waste Not, Bone Miser) or Kefka enablers (ramp, protection).
• Ensure access to blue/black for interaction. Avoid hands lacking synergy or discard outlets.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Discards: Cast symmetrical discards after Kefka/Fell Specter to maximize triggers.
• Leverage Graveyard: Use Entomb/Living Death as pseudo-tutors. Malakir Rebirth protects key creatures.
• Protect Engines: Shield Waste Not/Bone Miser with counterspells (Counterspell, Swan Song).
• Transform Kefka: Prioritize life-loss effects (Glint-Horn Buccaneer, Archfiend of Ifnir) to flip Kefka quickly for explosive draw.
• Alternative Lines: Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer lets you cast discarded spells (e.g., discard Toxic Deluge, cast for free).

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Severe vulnerability to graveyard hate (Bojuka Bog, Rest in Peace), crippling reanimation and recursion.
• Reliance on fragile enchantments (Waste Not, Bone Miser) with minimal protection; their removal halts the engine.
• Struggles against decks with high discard synergy or card advantage (e.g., Nekusar, the Mindrazer).

Moderate

• Kefka's high recast cost ({6}{U}{B}{R}) makes him difficult to replay after repeated removal.
• Limited board wipes beyond Toxic Deluge/Cyclonic Rift; struggles against wide token strategies.
• Rule of Law effects hinder the deck's ability to chain discards and spells.

Minor

• Mana base includes several taplands (e.g., Drowned Catacomb), potentially slowing early turns.
• Life loss from painlands (Sulfurous Springs) and payoffs can be relevant against aggressive decks.

Most Important Cards:

• Waste Not (Core discard payoff: mana, tokens, draw)
• Bone Miser (Discard value engine: tokens, mana, draw)
• Kefka, Court Mage (Forces discards, enables card advantage)
• Entomb (Tutors reanimation targets/combo pieces)
• Laboratory Maniac (Primary combo win condition)
• Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer (Enables casting discarded spells)
• Rhystic Study (Critical card advantage engine)
• Tergrid, God of Fright (Converts discards/sacrifices into permanent theft)
• Cyclonic Rift (Board reset and protection)
• Archon of Cruelty (Reanimation bomb that pressures life totals and resources)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via reanimation (T5-6) or combo (T7-8), but requires setup for discard synergies. Fast mana is limited.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Living Death, Malakir Rebirth) and counterspacks offer recovery, but core enchantments lack protection. Graveyard dependency is a major liability.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw (Rhystic Study, Kefka transformed) and tutors (Entomb, Solve the Equation) reliably access key pieces. Discard triggers provide inherent redundancy.

Interaction: 8/10

• Excellent suite of counterspells (Counterspell, Swan Song), targeted removal (Terminate, Deadly Rollick), and board wipes (Cyclonic Rift, Toxic Deluge).

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused execution with efficient interaction and tutors, enabling T7-8 wins through combo, reanimation, or value overload. However, its critical vulnerability to graveyard hate and fragile engines prevent higher resilience, capping its power below optimized tiers.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5