Overview:

This Orzhov aristocrats deck leverages Teysa Karlov to double death triggers and enhance tokens with vigilance/lifelink. The primary strategy revolves around sacrificing expendable creatures (tokens, afterlife spirits, recursive units like Reassembling Skeleton) to fuel drain effects (e.g., Zulaport Cutthroat, Bastion of Remembrance) while generating value through card draw and mana acceleration. Win conditions include incremental life drain, explosive sacrifice chains with Ashnod's Altar, and alternate paths like Revel in Riches or Exsanguinate. Teysa acts as a critical force multiplier, making her removal a high priority, but the deck can function without her through redundant payoffs.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy token generators (Bitterblossom, Hunted Witness, Ophiomancer) or afterlife creatures (Imperious Oligarch, Orzhov Enforcer). Establish sacrifice outlets (Viscera Seer, Cartel Aristocrat, Ashnod's Altar) and ramp (Sol Ring, Orzhov Signet, Crypt Ghast).
2. Engine Activation (Turns 4-6): Cast Teysa Karlov or deploy key payoffs (Pitiless Plunderer, Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim, Cruel Celebrant). Sacrifice tokens/fodder to draw cards (Skullclamp, Deadly Dispute), generate mana (Ashnod's Altar, Plunderer), and drain opponents. Recur value creatures (Reassembling Skeleton, Victimize).
3. Win Execution (Turns 6-8+):
   • Drain Loop: Sacrifice multiple creatures with Teysa + Blood Artist effect + free sac outlet (e.g., Viscera Seer + Zulaport Cutthroat drains each opponent for 2 per death).
   • Treasure Win: Use Revel in Riches with mass sacrifice (Killing Wave, The Meathook Massacre) or attrition to reach 10+ Treasures.
   • Big Mana: Ramp with Black Market/Crypt Ghast into a lethal Exsanguinate.
   • Combat Overrun: Deploy Divine Visitation to turn tokens into 4/4 Angels, amplified by Elspeth, Storm Slayer's token doubling.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including B/W sources) and at least one early play: token generator, sac outlet, or ramp.
• Prioritize hands containing a payoff (e.g., Cruel Celebrant, Pitiless Plunderer) or engine piece (Skullclamp, Ashnod's Altar).
• Avoid hands lacking early creatures/sac fodder or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Sacrifices: Sacrifice afterlife creatures before other tokens to maximize death triggers. Use Luminous Broodmoth to recur non-flyers for extra ETB/death value.
• Protect Engines: Use Unbreakable Formation to survive board wipes. Prioritize protecting Teysa, Plunderer, or key drain effects with sac outlets (Cartel Aristocrat's protection).
• Maximize Triggers: Mirkwood Bats punishes token creation and sacrifice. Skrelv's Hive provides consistent fodder and poison pressure.
• Tutor Wisely: Vampiric Tutor finds missing combo pieces (e.g., Revel in Riches vs. go-wide decks, Exsanguinate vs. low-life opponents).

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples recursion (Reassembling Skeleton, Victimize, Dusk // Dawn) and removes death triggers from Broodmoth.
• Enchantment/artifact removal targeting key engines (Revel in Riches, Divine Visitation, Skullclamp, Ashnod's Altar) disrupts the core strategy.

Moderate

• Board wipes force heavy resource commitment to rebuild, especially if Teysa is removed simultaneously.
• Anti-token effects (Torpor Orb, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite) nullify token generation and afterlife value.
• Life gain strategies outpace incremental drain, requiring focused combo execution.

Minor

• Spot removal on key payoffs can slow the deck, but redundancy and recursion mitigate this.
• Mana base fragility due to tapped lands (Scoured Barrens, Insomnia) can delay critical turns.

Most Important Cards:

• Ashnod's Altar (Mana generation, enables infinite loops with token makers)
• Pitiless Plunderer (Mana acceleration, Treasure synergy with Mirkwood Bats/Revel)
• Teysa Karlov (Commander, doubles death triggers, enhances tokens)
• Zulaport Cutthroat (Primary drain payoff, low cost)
• Revel in Riches (Alternate win condition)
• Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim (Efficient drain/life gain, low CMC)
• Skullclamp (Card draw engine with 1-toughness tokens)
• Bitterblossom (Consistent token generation)
• Exsanguinate (Scalable finisher)
• Victimize (Recurs key creatures, enables combo lines)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via drain combos or Exsanguinate as early as T5-6 with perfect draws, but typically closes around T7-9 due to setup requirements.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Victimize, Reassembling Skeleton) and card draw (Skullclamp, Deadly Dispute) aid recovery, but heavy reliance on graveyard and key enchantments creates vulnerabilities.

Consistency: 7/10

• High redundancy in drain effects, token generators, and sac outlets; tutors (Vampiric, Body Count) and draw power reliably access key pieces.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Fatal Push, Tragic Slip) handles threats, but lacks countermagic and struggles against resolved enchantment-based hate.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates strong consistency and focused aristocrats synergy, enabling T7-9 wins through efficient drain combos or big mana spells. While resilient to spot removal, its critical vulnerability to graveyard/enchantment hate and slower setup compared to top-tier decks caps its power.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0