Overview:

This Golgari deck helmed by Meren of Clan Nel Toth focuses on incremental value through sacrifice, recursion, and death triggers. The strategy revolves around accumulating experience counters via creature deaths, enabling Meren to reanimate key creatures each turn. The deck leverages graveyard synergy, aristocrats-style life drain (e.g., Zulaport Cutthroat, Blood Artist), and powerful reanimation targets like Gray Merchant of Asphodel and Grave Titan to grind out victories. Meren acts as the central engine, enabling persistent recursion of utility creatures and combo pieces. While not hyper-fast, the deck aims to out-value opponents through attrition and explosive late-game plays like Rise of the Dark Realms.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Ramp with Sakura-Tribe Elder, Cultivate, or Skull Prophet.
   • Mill/dump creatures into the graveyard via Stitcher's Supplier, Satyr Wayfinder, or Nyx Weaver.
   • Establish sacrifice outlets (e.g., Village Rites, Morbid Opportunist) to generate experience counters.

2. Midgame Value (Turns 5-7):

   • Recur key creatures like Ravenous Chupacabra or Acidic Slime using Meren’s end-step trigger.
   • Drain opponents with Syr Konrad, the Grim, Poison-Tip Archer, and Hooded Blightfang.
   • Tutor for finishers with Profane Tutor or Victimize.

3. Late-Game Closers (Turns 8+):

   • Cast Gray Merchant of Asphodel repeatedly for massive life swings.
   • Resolve Rise of the Dark Realms or Necromantic Selection to overwhelm the board.
   • Leverage Lord of the Forsaken to cast spells from the graveyard.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with early ramp (e.g., Sol Ring, Rampant Growth), self-mill (Stitcher's Supplier), or a sacrifice outlet.
• Prioritize green sources for early plays.
• Avoid hands lacking graveyard setup or interaction.

Key Tips:

• Use Command Beacon to dodge commander tax if Meren is repeatedly removed.
• Drownyard Temple and Memorial to Folly provide recursion for lands and creatures.
• Sacrifice Hornet Nest to generate deathtouch blockers and trigger death effects.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (e.g., Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples recursion and Meren’s engine.
• Fast combo decks can outpace this deck’s midrange setup.

Moderate

• Board wipes reset progress, though Meren can recover with experience counters.
• Enchantment/artifact removal disrupts key pieces like Oversold Cemetery or Meathook Massacre II.

Minor

• Limited instant-speed interaction for stack-based threats.
• High-CMC spells (e.g., In Garruk's Wake) can clog hands early.

Most Important Cards:

• Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Engine for recursion and experience counters)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Primary life-drain finisher)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Passive damage engine)
• Rise of the Dark Realms (Game-ending bomb)
• Victimize (Efficient reanimation with sacrifice synergy)
• Stitcher's Supplier (Early graveyard setup)
• Zulaport Cutthroat (Incremental life drain)
• Reanimate (Low-cost recursion for key targets)
• Acidic Slime (Recurring removal)
• Command Beacon (Meren protection)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Wins typically around turns 8-10 via incremental drain or big reanimation spells. Lacks fast combos.

Resilience: 7/10

• Recursion and Meren’s engine provide recovery, but graveyard reliance is a critical vulnerability.

Consistency: 7/10

• Multiple tutors (Profane Tutor, Dig Up) and self-mill ensure access to key pieces.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Putrefy, Shriekmaw) and board wipes, but minimal stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck excels in grindy midrange battles with robust recursion and value engines but struggles against fast combo decks and graveyard hate. Its speed aligns with optimized casual tiers, while its resilience and consistency keep it competitive in slower metas.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0