Overview:

This Orzhov deck leverages Minthara, Merciless Soul to build an aristocrats/token strategy focused on sacrificing permanents for value, generating experience counters, and overwhelming opponents with a wide, buffed board. Minthara acts as both an engine (providing ward protection scaling with XP) and a finisher (+1/+0 per XP to all creatures). The primary win conditions involve generating massive token armies (enhanced by Mondrak, Glory Dominus), sacrificing them for value/damage via cards like Marionette Master, or leveraging infinite sacrifice loops with Ashnod's Altar + Nim Deathmantle + token generators. The deck excels at incremental value through death triggers and token generation but relies heavily on its commander and key pieces to accelerate.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize deploying token generators (Bitterblossom, Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia, Hidden Stockpile, Black Market Connections) and sacrifice outlets (Ashnod's Altar, High Market, Warren Soultrader). Cast Minthara ASAP to start accruing XP counters whenever permanents leave. Use ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Talisman of Hierarchy) to accelerate.
2. Engine Activation & XP Generation (Turns 3-6): Sacrifice tokens or small creatures to outlets to trigger Minthara's XP gain each turn. Leverage death/sacrifice payoffs: Pitiless Plunderer (Treasure), Marionette Apprentice (life loss), Elenda, the Dusk Rose (counters/tokens), Doom Weaver (card draw). Deploy key doublers like Mondrak, Glory Dominus or Ocelot Pride (with City's Blessing).
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 5-8):
   • Combat: Flood the board with tokens (doubled by Mondrak/Ocelot) and swing with a massive, Minthara-buffed army. Use finishers like Akroma's Memorial or Akroma's Will for evasion/protection/double strike.
   • Aristocrat Damage: Sacrifice tokens en masse to outlets while Marionette Master, Marionette Apprentice, or Jaws of Defeat are on the field to drain opponents.
   • Infinite Combo: Assemble Ashnod's Altar + Nim Deathmantle + a creature that creates ≥2 tokens on death (e.g., Nested Shambler). Sacrifice the token-maker to Altar for {C}{C}, pay {4} to Deathmantle trigger to return it, netting tokens/mana. Repeat infinitely for infinite death triggers (drain with Apprentice/Master), infinite mana, and infinite tokens.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including WB sources) and early plays: token generator, ramp, or sacrifice outlet.
• Prioritize hands containing Minthara + early token/sacrifice enabler.
• Look for key engine pieces: Mondrak, Glory Dominus, Pitiless Plunderer, Black Market Connections, Ashnod's Altar.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays, missing WB sources, or clogged with high-cost cards without ramp.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Sacrifices: Ensure at least one permanent leaves each turn to trigger Minthara's XP gain. Sacrifice during opponents' turns if needed.
• Protect Key Pieces: Minthara, Mondrak, and Altar are critical. Use protection like Flawless Maneuver, Clever Concealment, Galadriel's Dismissal, or Swift Reconfiguration (on opponents' threats) proactively.
• Maximize Token Doubling: Time token generation after Mondrak/Ocelot is on the field. Beseech the Mirror can tutor these doublers or combo pieces.
• Leverage Recursion: Use Hall of Heliod's Generosity for enchantments, Victimize/Ruthless Technomancer for creatures, and Crucible of Worlds for lands to recover from disruption.
• Know Your Combos: Identify your infinite loops early. Nim Deathmantle can recur any creature with a death trigger; prioritize getting it online with Altar and a token-maker.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Hate: Cripples recursion (Elenda, Victimize, Ruthless Technomancer, Crucible) and flashback (Lingering Souls). Cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void are devastating.
• Enchantment/Artifact Mass Removal: Destroys key engines (Mondrak, Bitterblossom, Altar, Connections, Skullclamp) and protection (Mark of Asylum, Blessed Sanctuary). Recovery is slow.
• Board Wipes: Resets token armies and XP progress. While indestructible effects help, repeated wipes outpace recovery.

Moderate

• Anti-Token Effects: Torpor Orb/Hushbringer shut down ETB token makers (Elenda's Hierophant, Blessed Sanctuary, Voice of Victory). Cursed Totem disables Altar/High Market/Soultrader.
• Commander Focus: Removing Minthara repeatedly increases her cost significantly and halts XP gain, slowing the deck's core engine.
• Stax Effects: Rule of Law/Eidolon of Rhetoric limit the ability to cast multiple spells/tokens per turn. Blood Moon disrupts the mana base.

Minor

• Spot Removal on Key Payoffs: Losing Marionette Master or Pitiless Plunderer reduces damage/output but is less crippling than losing engines.
• Life Loss: Aggressive decks can pressure life total due to self-sacrifice/drain effects (Bitterblossom, Connections, Barbed Servitor).

Most Important Cards:

• Minthara, Merciless Soul (Commander: XP engine, board buff, ward protection)
• Mondrak, Glory Dominus (Token doubler, critical mass enabler)
• Ashnod's Altar (Primary sacrifice outlet, combo piece, mana acceleration)
• Pitiless Plunderer (Treasure generation on death, enables combos/ramp)
• Nim Deathmantle (Combo piece, recursion engine)
• Beseech the Mirror (Tutor for combo pieces, doublers, or answers)
• Marionette Master (Primary aristocrat damage payoff)
• Black Market Connections (Versatile value: tokens, cards, treasures)
• Elenda, the Dusk Rose (Scales with deaths, creates tokens on death)
• Akroma's Will (Game-winning combat trick: evasion, protection, double strike)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of T5-7 wins via combat with a wide buffed board or infinite combos (Altar/Deathmantle/token-maker), but requires setup and isn't consistently ultra-fast.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has protection spells, recursion, and card draw (Connections, Skullclamp, Disciple of Bolas), but heavily reliant on key permanents vulnerable to mass removal/hate. Recovers slowly from multiple wipes.

Consistency: 7/10

• Numerous token generators, sacrifice outlets, and tutors (Beseech, Victimize, Elenda's Hierophant recursion) ensure reliable access to core pieces. Strong card selection (Top, Scry lands) helps.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Despark, Anguished Unmaking, Rite of Oblivion, Seal of Cleansing), protection (Flawless Maneuver, Clever Concealment), and board control (Citywide Bust, Inkshield). Lacks stack interaction beyond protection.

Rating Justification:

The deck demonstrates strong speed and consistency, capable of threatening T6-7 wins through efficient combos or overwhelming token armies buffed by Minthara. However, its reliance on vulnerable permanents and susceptibility to graveyard/enchantment hate limit its resilience against disruption, preventing it from reaching higher optimization tiers.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5