Overview:

This Karador, Ghost Chieftain deck leverages Abzan's graveyard recursion strengths with a focus on value engines and combo finishes. It combines efficient creature-based ramp, powerful stax elements, and redundant reanimation tools to overwhelm opponents through persistent threats and lockdown effects. The deck can assemble creature-based infinite loops but relies heavily on graveyard synergy, making it vulnerable to hate.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
The deck aims to flood the graveyard with key creatures using Hermit Druid, Buried Alive, and Entomb, then recur them through Karador's ability and reanimation spells like Necromancy/Karmic Guide. Win conditions include:

1. Kokusho, the Evening Star loops with Phyrexian Altar/Loyal Retainers for life drain
2. Ashen Rider recursion for permanent exile
3. Thalia and The Gitrog Monster stax locks paired with Archon of Emeria
4. Eerie Ultimatum mass reanimation swings

Key Lines:

• T2 Hermit Druid into T3 mill 10+ creatures sets up Karador discounts
• Survival of the Fittest discarding Karmic Guide to find Loyal Retainers creates recursion loops
• Phyrexian Altar + Luminous Broodmoth + non-flying creature enables infinite ETB/sacrifice triggers

Mulligan Priorities:

1. 2-3 lands with green source
2. 1-mana dork (Birds of Paradise/Llanowar Elves)
3. Graveyard enabler (Entomb/Hermit Druid) or reanimation spell
   Avoid hands without early creature plays or graveyard setup.

Stax Synergy:
Deafening Silence/Archon of Emeria slow opponents while the deck operates through creature casting. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben protects against spell-based interaction.

Protection & Recovery:
Teferi's Protection/Flawless Maneuver preserve board states. Volrath's Stronghold and Karador's recursion provide resilience to removal.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Foldsto graveyard exile (Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void)
• Limited instant-speed interaction for combo disruption

Moderate:

• Slow recovery from board wipes pre-Karador
• Mana-intensive without dorks (weak to Cursed Totem)

Minor:

• Some stax pieces affect own noncreature spells

Most Important Cards:

• Hermit Druid
• Survival of the Fittest
• Phyrexian Altar
• Necromancy
• Karmic Guide
• Loyal Retainers
• Eldritch Evolution
• Buried Alive
• Dauthi Voidwalker
• Eerie Ultimatum

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10
Can establish stax locks by T4-5 or combo wins T6-7 through dork acceleration and Finale of Devastation. Lacks T3 "oops I win" lines.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple recursion engines and protection spells, but graveyard dependency creates critical fragility. Recovers well from conventional removal.

Consistency: 8/10
12 tutors (including Survival of the Fittest/Birthing Pod) and redundant reanimation effects ensure key piece access. Graveyard filling is highly reliable.

Interaction: 7/10
10 targeted removal spells (Swords to Plowshares/Assassin's Trophy) and stax effects. Lacks free counterspells but disrupts through creature-based lockdown.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Rubric 6.0 ("Focused - T7-8 wins") and 6.5 ("Optimized - T6-7") due to:

• Tutor density and combo potential exceeding casual decks
• Vulnerability to graveyard hate preventing cEDH viability
• Slower than top-tier combo decks but faster than battlecruiser EDH
• Comparable to optimized casual decks with strong stax/resilience

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5