Overview:
A graveyard-focused strategy that uses self-mill and delirium to cheat permanent cards onto the battlefield, combining value-oriented plays with potential explosive turns through reanimation effects.
Primer:
The deck operates on multiple axes, with self-mill as its primary engine through cards like Stitcher's Supplier, Nyx Weaver, and the commander's attack trigger. The main goal is to fill the graveyard quickly while ensuring various card types are present to enable Winter's delirium ability. This allows for selective reanimation of powerful permanents like Archon of Cruelty or Portal to Phyrexia.
The secondary strategy involves traditional ramp and value generation through cards like Sakura-Tribe Elder and Wrenn and Seven. The deck can pivot between aggressive reanimation lines and a more controlling gameplan depending on the board state. Key utility pieces like Whip of Erebos provide additional reanimation options while offering lifegain to stabilize against aggressive opponents.
Weaknesses:
The deck is particularly vulnerable to graveyard hate, with cards like Rest in Peace being especially devastating. While it includes some interaction, it's relatively light on removal and counterplay options. The deck can struggle against faster combo decks or heavy control strategies that prevent the commander from attacking. Flying defense is limited to a few key pieces like Hornet Queen and Arasta of the Endless Web.
Most Important Cards:
- Demonic Tutor
- Vampiric Tutor
- Archon of Cruelty
- Portal to Phyrexia
- Underrealm Lich
- Buried Alive
- Reanimate
- Sol Ring
- Whip of Erebos
- Grist, the Hunger Tide
Attribute Ratings:
- Speed: 6/10
- Resilience: 7/10
- Consistency: 6/10
- Interaction: 5/10
Rating Justification:
This deck sits comfortably in the 6.0-6.5 range due to its ability to establish meaningful board presence by turns 7-8 through reanimation strategies. While it includes powerful tutors and reanimation effects, the reliance on combat damage for mill and the commander's end-step trigger makes it slower than higher-powered decks. The deck's interaction suite and vulnerability to common hate pieces prevent it from competing at higher power levels.
Final power level rating: 6.0 - 6.5
The deck features a solid manabase with 37 lands and appropriate fixing, though it could benefit from more utility lands. The commander is important but not critical to the deck's function, as it can operate through alternative reanimation paths. The deck can handle multiple opponents through value generation and board presence but may struggle to close out games quickly against a full table.
Winter, Cynical Opportunist