Overview:

This Karador, Ghost Chieftain deck leverages graveyard recursion and toolbox strategies to overwhelm opponents with value. The core strategy involves filling the graveyard with high-impact creatures via self-mill (Hermit Druid, fetchlands) and tutors (Entomb, Buried Alive), then reanimating them through Karador's ability or recursion engines like Karmic Guide and Necromancy. Key win conditions include stax locks (Archon of Emeria + Thalia, Guardian of Thraben), attrition via Luminous Broodmoth/Poison-Tip Archer death triggers, and overwhelming board presence with reanimated threats like Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.

Primer:

Core Strategy:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3):
   • Ramp with 1CMC dorks (Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves) and land tutors (Weathered Wayfarer, Prismatic Vista).
   • Seed the graveyard using Hermit Druid, Entomb, or Crop Rotation into Volrath's Stronghold.

2. Midgame Value (Turns 4-6):

   • Cast Karador for reduced cost (often ≤3 mana) to begin recurring creatures like Dauthi Voidwalker or Corpse Knight.
   • Assemble stax pieces (Archon of Emeria, Deafening Silence) to slow opponents while rebuilding from graveyard interactions.

3. Endgame (Turns 7+):

   • Reanimate bombs like Ashen Rider or Colossal Grave-Reaver to pressure life totals.
   • Chain recursion loops with Karmic Guide + Phyrexian Altar or Greater Good to drain opponents via Kokusho, the Evening Star.

Key Interactions:

• Hermit Druid + Basic Lands: Partial self-mill to fuel Karador's cost reduction and reanimation targets.
• Luminous Broodmoth + Sac Outlets: Recur ETB/drain creatures like Solitude or Priest of Fell Rites for repeated value.
• Survival of the Fittest: Pitch high-CMC creatures to tutor for Faeburrow Elder/Bloom Tender, enabling explosive mana.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one ramp spell, and a graveyard filler (Entomb, Hermit Druid).
• Avoid slow starts without early creatures or self-mill.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) shuts down 80% of the strategy.
• Overreliance on creature-based interaction leaves it vulnerable to board wipes.

Moderate:

• Limited instant-speed protection for key pieces.
• Slow recovery if Karador is removed 3+ times.

Minor:

• Mana base handles common disruption (only 5 basics, but multiple duals mitigate Blood Moon).

Most Important Cards:

• Hermit Druid
• Survival of the Fittest
• Phyrexian Altar
• Entomb
• Buried Alive
• Necromancy
• Karmic Guide
• Greater Good
• Archon of Emeria
• Eldritch Evolution

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can reanimate game-winning threats by T4 (e.g., Hermit Druid mill → Necromancy on Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite). Lacks T3 wins but consistently pressures by midgame.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursive threats and multiple graveyard enablers provide recovery paths, but folds to resolved Rest in Peace without immediate answers like Force of Vigor.

Consistency: 8/10

• 12 tutors (including land-based options like Crop Rotation) and redundant recursion engines ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy) and stax pieces disrupt opponents, but lacks free counterspells to protect combos.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at the upper end of "Optimized" (rubric 6.5) with its tutor density and combo potential but lacks the speed/protection of cEDH. It outpaces casual decks via T6-7 locks/reanimation chains but struggles against faster combo decks. Key weaknesses to graveyard hate and moderate interaction keep it below 7.0.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5