Overview:

This Grixis deck leverages Lord Xander, the Collector as a central engine for forced discard, mill, and sacrifice, amplified by cloning effects and potent reanimation. The primary strategy focuses on accelerating Xander's deployment via fast mana and cheating costs, then multiplying his ETB/attack/death triggers through clones like Sakashima of a Thousand Faces and Phantasmal Image. Win conditions include milling combos (Bruvac the Grandiloquent + mass mill), Peer into the Abyss lethality, Duskmantle Guildmage + Mindcrank loops, and overwhelming value from stolen/reanimated permanents. Xander is essential as both a disruption piece and win-con enabler, though the deck can pivot to alternative combos if he's consistently answered.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy fast mana (Mox Diamond, Lion's Eye Diamond, Mana Vault, Dark Ritual) and tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Imperial Seal) to find key pieces. Prioritize cloning enablers (Sakashima, Phantasmal Image) or acceleration to cast Xander early. Use Emergence Zone for surprise casts/clones.
2. Commander Deployment/Amplification (Turns 3-5): Cast Lord Xander ideally by turn 3-4 using rituals/rocks. Immediately clone him with Sakashima/Phantasmal Image to double ETB discard triggers. Attack next turn to force massive mill (doubled by Bruvac if possible). If Xander dies, leverage his death trigger alongside Tergrid, God of Fright to steal permanents.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 4-7):
   • Mill Combos: Resolve Bruvac the Grandiloquent + kicked Maddening Cacophony/Cut Your Losses for instant library exile. Pair Duskmantle Guildmage + Mindcrank for infinite mill/damage.
   • Peer into the Abyss: Cast Peer targeting an opponent to halve their life/library. Copy it with Dualcaster Mage for lethal or target yourself with Reliquary Tower for massive draw.
   • Value Overload: Reanimate stolen threats via Reanimate or Rise of the Dark Realms. Leverage Consecrated Sphinx/Jace, the Perfected Mind for card advantage.
   • Underworld Breach Lines: Use Breach + LED/Rituals to recur key spells/tutors from graveyard for explosive turns.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2+ lands (including a blue source), at least one fast mana/tutor, and a path to deploy/clone Xander by turn 4 (e.g., ritual + clone, or Mox Diamond + Sakashima).
• Prioritize hands containing Emergence Zone, free interaction (Fierce Guardianship, Deflecting Swat), or combo pieces (Bruvac + mass mill).
• Reject hands lacking acceleration, blue sources, or proactive plays.

Key Tips:

• Clone Wisely: Cast Sakashima copying Xander after Xander's ETB resolves to avoid legend rule issues. Use Phantasmal Image cautiously due to its fragility.
• Protect Critical Turns: Deploy free counterspells (Fierce Guardianship, Deflecting Swat, Force of Will) to defend combo attempts or Xander attacks. Stubborn Denial is often live with Xander.
• Leverage Graveyard: Underworld Breach enables recursive loops. Jeska's Will fuels explosive turns. Reanimate key pieces like Consecrated Sphinx or Bruvac.
• Disrupt Opponents: Opposition Agent cripples tutors/fetches. Ashiok, Dream Render exiles graveyards and stops searches. Thoughtseize preempts disruption.
• Alternative Lines: Peer into the Abyss yourself with Reliquary Tower to draw 30+ cards and win via lab-man effects or combos. Use Wheel of Fortune to refuel and enable Breach.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard Reliance: Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void, or Dauthi Voidwalker cripple Breach, reanimation, and Xander's death trigger. Minimal enchantment removal.
• Commander Dependency: Consistent removal/countering of Xander severely hampers the core strategy. Limited protection beyond counterspells.
• Anti-Synergy Stax: Torpor Orb/Hushbringer nullify Xander's ETB/death triggers. Cursed Totem shuts off mana dorks and key abilities.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Mass removal (Damnation, Farewell) disrupts cloned Xanders and creature-based value engines. Recovery relies on reanimation/recursion.
• Combo Fragility: Mill combos (Bruvac + Maddening Cacophony) are sorcery-speed and vulnerable to counterspells. Duskmantle + Mindcrank requires setup.
• Artifact Hate: Collector Ouphe, Stony Silence disable fast mana rocks critical for early acceleration.

Minor

• Life Total Pressure: Aggressive decks can exploit the life loss from fetches, Ancient Tomb, and Thoughtseize before combos assemble.
• Limited Creature Removal: Relies on Rakdos Charm, Cyclonic Rift, and counterspells for threats; struggles against resolved creature-based combos.

Most Important Cards:

• Sakashima of a Thousand Faces (Doubles Xander triggers, bypasses legend rule)
• Underworld Breach (Recursive engine for spells, enables combo turns)
• Bruvac the Grandiloquent (Mill combo multiplier)
• Peer into the Abyss (Primary non-combat win condition)
• Lion's Eye Diamond (Mana for Breach lines, enables early Xander)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds any combo piece/answer)
• Duskmantle Guildmage (Infinite mill/damage combo with Mindcrank)
• Imperial Seal (Consistent setup for key cards)
• Phantasmal Image (Cheap Xander clone)
• Mana Vault (Critical early acceleration)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T3-4 wins with ideal hands (e.g., fast mana into T3 Xander + clone, or Breach + LED + Peer). Routinely threatens wins by T5-6 via mill combos or Peer.

Resilience: 7/10

• Free counterspells and tutors provide protection/redundancy, but heavy reliance on graveyard and commander makes it vulnerable to targeted hate. Recursion via Breach offers recovery potential.

Consistency: 8/10

• 7 tutors, extensive card draw (Consecrated Sphinx, Peer, Wheels), and functional redundancy (clones, multiple mill combos) ensure reliable access to key pieces.

Interaction: 9/10

• Exceptional suite: Free counterspells (Fierce Guardianship, Deflecting Swat), Force of Will, Mana Drain, targeted discard (Thoughtseize), and versatile removal (Cyclonic Rift, Rakdos Charm). Covers all permanent types and stack threats efficiently.

Rating Justification:

This deck achieves cEDH-viable speed (T3-4 potential) through optimized fast mana, tutors, and efficient win conditions, but its critical vulnerability to graveyard hate and commander removal prevents consistent T2-3 locks. High interaction and consistency support its high-power status, placing it just below top-tier cEDH.

Power level: 7.5 - 8.0