Overview:

This Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck leverages graveyard recursion and sacrifice synergies to generate incremental value and drain opponents through death triggers. While it has combo potential with cards like Protean Hulk and Syr Konrad, the Grim, it primarily operates as a midrange value engine, recurring key creatures like Gray Merchant of Asphodel and Massacre Wurm to grind out wins. The deck’s resilience stems from Meren’s persistent recursion, though it remains vulnerable to graveyard hate.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to stock the graveyard with creatures like Protean Hulk and Syr Konrad, the Grim, then recur them using Meren’s experience counters for incremental value. Key phases include:

• Early Setup: Ramp with dorks (Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves) and self-mill (Grisly Salvage, Acolyte of Affliction).
• Sacrifice Loops: Use Viscera Seer, Altar of Dementia, or Skullclamp to sacrifice creatures, triggering death effects (Zulaport Cutthroat, Morbid Opportunist) and building experience counters.
• Recurrence Engine: Meren’s end-step trigger and cards like Sheoldred, Whispering One return high-impact creatures for repeated ETB/death triggers. Living Death acts as a late-game reset/wincon.
• Win Conditions: Drain via Gray Merchant of Asphodel/Syr Konrad, swing with Lord of Extinction/Colossal Grave-Reaver, or assemble Protean Hulk chains for value.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with early ramp (e.g., Sol Ring, Sakura-Tribe Elder) and a sac outlet.
• Prioritize graveyard enablers (Entomb, Buried Alive) in slower metas.
• Avoid hands without land drops or Meren synergy.

Key Tips:

• Use Spore Frog recursion for recurring fog effects.
• Chain Protean Hulk deaths into Reclamation Sage + Plaguecrafter for board control.
• Altar of Dementia can mill opponents or self-mill for fuel.

Avoid Traps:

• Overcommitting to the board before securing a sac outlet.
• Holding back Living Death without sufficient graveyard setup.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (e.g., Rest in Peace) shuts down 80% of the strategy.
• Relies on Meren for experience counters; 3+ removals cripple recursion.

Moderate:

• Limited instant-speed interaction for stack-based threats.
• Slow recovery from board wipes if Meren is taxed.

Minor:

• Weak to flying/swarm strategies without mass removal.

Most Important Cards:

• Protean Hulk
• Syr Konrad, the Grim
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• Living Death
• Buried Alive
• Entomb
• Skullclamp
• Viscera Seer
• Sheoldred, Whispering One
• Zulaport Cutthroat

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can set up value engines by T4–5, but wins typically require T7–8. Lacks fast mana for explosive starts.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursive threats and Meren’s persistence mitigate single removals, but folds to graveyard hate.

Consistency: 7/10

• 5+ tutors (Diabolic Intent, Entomb) and redundancy in sac outlets/recursion ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Assassin’s Trophy, Beast Within) but no counterspells. Relies on reactive answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Optimized Casual (5.0) and High-Power Casual (5.5). It outpaces precons with consistent recursion and combo potential but lacks the speed (T7–8 wins) and protection of higher tiers. While it can grind effectively, critical graveyard vulnerabilities and moderate interaction hold it back from Tier 6.0.

Power level: 5.0 – 5.5