Overview:

This Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor deck combines evasive creature aggression with black's signature life-for-resources mechanics. The strategy focuses on deploying unblockable creatures to trigger Gix's card draw, then converts life and cards into overwhelming advantages through massive mana production and game-ending X-spells. While lacking infinite combos, the deck leverages multiple synergistic win conditions including Torment of Hailfire, Peer into the Abyss, and Aetherflux Reservoir, supported by powerful stax elements like Contamination.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck operates in three phases:

1. Early Evasion: Deploy 1-drop evasive creatures (Changeling Outcast, Tormented Soul) to start drawing cards through Gix's ability. Support these with shadow/skulk threats (Dauthi Voidwalker, Vampire Cutthroat).
2. Resource Amplification: Use Necropotence, Phyrexian Arena, and Gix's draws to fuel massive mana from Cabal Coffers/Crypt Ghast. Bolas's Citadel and Vilis, Broker of Blood convert life into card advantage.
3. Closing Power: End games through X-spells (Torment of Hailfire), Gray Merchant devotion spikes, or Contamination + Bitterblossom locks. Secondary lines include Doomsday piles and Exquisite Blood life swing synergies.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including at least 1 Swamp
• Require 1 evasive creature and 1 card advantage engine
• Prioritize Sol Ring/Jet Medallion for acceleration

Key Tips:

• Time Contamination after establishing token generation
• Use Phyrexian Tower to sacrifice reanimated Gray Merchant for double triggers
• Opposition Agent disrupts while enabling Gix's exile ability

Avoid Traps:

• Don't overextend creatures into board wipes
• Save Toxic Deluge for critical mass moments
• Hold Imp's Mischief for game-ending interaction

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Relies on 1-toughness creatures vulnerable to incidental pings
• No graveyard protection beyond Dauthi Voidwalker

Moderate:

• Life total management crucial for multiple engines
• Limited planeswalker interaction

Minor:

• Resilient to land destruction through basic Swamp count
• Multiple win conditions mitigate single-axis hate

Most Important Cards:

• Necropotence
• Cabal Coffers
• Exquisite Blood
• Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
• Bolas's Citadel
• Torment of Hailfire
• Peer into the Abyss
• Aetherflux Reservoir
• Contamination
• Demonic Tutor

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can deploy game-ending X-spells by T5-6 with optimal ramp
• Fast mana (Dark Ritual, Culling the Weak) enables early explosive turns

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple recursive engines (Phyrexian Reclamation, Living Death)
• Vulnerable to early stax on creatures/card draw

Consistency: 8/10

• 7 tutors + 8 draw engines ensure key piece access
• Redundant evasive threats and mana doublers

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Snuff Out, Deadly Rollick)
• Lacks stack interaction beyond Imp's Mischief

Rating Justification:

This deck exceeds optimized casual (5.5) through tutor density and stax potential but lacks cEDH-level speed/protection. It consistently threatens T6-7 wins through multiple avenues while maintaining resilience through recursion. Comparable to rubric's 6.0 ("Focused - T7-8 via combos/synergies") but edges toward 6.5 due to stax elements and redundant threats.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5