Overview:

This Grixis (U/B/R) deck leverages Kefka, Court Mage as a discard engine and value generator, transforming into Kefka, Ruler of Ruin for card draw synergy. The primary strategy revolves around forced mass discard using wheels (e.g., Windfall, Whispering Madness) and targeted effects (e.g., Fell Specter), amplified by payoff enchantments like Waste Not, Bone Miser, Megrim, and Liliana's Caress. Secondary win conditions include Niv-Mizzet, Parun combos, reanimation (Reanimate, Underworld Breach), and incremental damage from discard/life-loss triggers. Kefka is essential for consistent discard pressure and card advantage, but the deck functions through redundant effects if he's removed.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Talismans), discard payoffs (Waste Not, Liliana's Caress), or value engines (Mystic Remora). Protect key pieces with Lightning Greaves or counterspells.
2. Discard Triggers (Turns 3-6): Cast Kefka or wheels (Windfall, Dark Deal) to force discards. Prioritize resolving Bone Miser or Waste Not before wheeling. Use Frantic Search/Faithless Looting for self-discard value.
3. Amplify & Protect (Mid-Game): Clone payoffs with Spark Double or double triggers with Harmonic Prodigy. Flicker Kefka/Fell Specter via Thassa, Deep-Dwelling/Displacer Kitten for repeated triggers. Counter key removal targeting your enchantments.
4. Win Execution:
   • Discard Damage: Overwhelm opponents with Megrim/Liliana's Caress triggers combined with mass discard.
   • Niv-Mizzet Combos: Pair Niv-Mizzet, Parun with Curiosity-like effects (e.g., Teferi's Puzzle Box + Harmonic Prodigy) for infinite damage/draw.
   • Reanimation: Recast Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger from graveyard or cheat big threats with Reanimate.
   • Infinite Mana: Displacer Kitten + low-CMC noncreature spells (e.g., Brainstorm) to repeatedly flicker mana rocks for infinite mana, enabling X-spell wins or Kefka's transform ability.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, including at least one blue/black source.
• Prioritize hands containing: a discard payoff (Waste Not, Bone Miser), a wheel effect (Windfall, Whispering Madness), or early ramp (Sol Ring, Talisman).
• Avoid hands lacking discard synergy or interaction if facing fast decks.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Wheels Carefully: Cast Bone Miser/Waste Not before wheeling to maximize tokens/mana/cards.
• Leverage Graveyard: Use Underworld Breach to recur wheels or counterspells. Tainted Pact sets up Breach/Reanimate targets.
• Protect Payoffs: Equip Lightning Greaves to Bone Miser or Kefka. Save counterspells (Mana Drain, Swan Song) for enchantment removal.
• Kefka Transformation: Activate Kefka's sacrifice ability post-combat to avoid sorcery-speed removal. Transformed Kefka draws cards off any opponent life loss (e.g., Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Megrim).

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Enchantment Removal: Waste Not, Bone Miser, and Megrim are linchpins; losing them cripples the primary win condition.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void shuts off Underworld Breach, Reanimate, and Kroxa.
• Anti-Discard Tech: Leyline of Sanctity/Witchbane Orb nullifies targeted discard and payoff triggers.

Moderate

• Artifact/Combo Decks: Struggles to outpace decks that win through artifacts or non-creature combos before discard pressure mounts.
• Hand Size Manipulation: Reliquary Tower/Thought Vessel in opponents' decks reduces wheel effectiveness.

Minor

• Fast Aggro: Early creature swarms can pressure life total before board wipes (Blasphemous Act) stabilize.
• Taxing Effects: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben slows down wheel/discard spell sequencing.

Most Important Cards:

• Waste Not (Core discard payoff: generates mana, tokens, and cards)
• Bone Miser (Discard payoff: tokens, mana, and card draw)
• Underworld Breach (Graveyard recursion engine for wheels/interaction)
• Windfall (Primary mass discard trigger)
• Niv-Mizzet, Parun (Alternate win condition/combo piece)
• Teferi's Puzzle Box (Forces discards, enables Niv-Mizzet combos)
• Harmonic Prodigy (Doubles Kefka/Fell Specter discard triggers)
• Mana Drain (High-impact countermagic; ramps into key plays)
• Displacer Kitten (Flickers Kefka/payoffs; enables infinite loops)
• Sheoldred, the Apocalypse (Synergizes with wheels; pressures life totals)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via discard damage or Niv-Mizzet combos as early as turn 5-6 with optimal draws, but typically closes games by turns 7-8.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has counterspells, flicker effects, and graveyard recursion to protect key pieces, but heavily reliant on fragile enchantments that attract removal.

Consistency: 7/10

• Multiple wheels, tutors (Gamble, Mystical Tutor), and card draw (Kefka, Archmage Emeritus) ensure reliable access to discard payoffs and combo pieces.

Interaction: 7/10

• Robust suite of counterspells (Mana Drain, Swan Song), targeted removal (Terminate, Bedevil), and board wipes (Toxic Deluge). Lacks stack interaction against noncreatures post-Lier, Disciple of the Drowned.

Rating Justification:

The deck consistently threatens T6-7 wins through potent discard synergies or Niv-Mizzet combos, supported by strong interaction and tutoring. However, its reliance on easily disrupted enchantments and vulnerability to graveyard hate caps its resilience, placing it below optimized cEDH tiers but above casual-focused builds.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5