Overview:

This Esper (WUB) deck helmed by Hashaton, Scarab's Fist employs a graveyard-centric strategy focused on discarding high-impact creatures to generate 4/4 Zombie tokens while enabling powerful reanimation payoffs. The deck combines looting engines, zombie tribal synergies, and massive reanimation targets like It That Betrays and Archon of Cruelty. Hashaton serves as both a token generator and value engine, though the deck includes multiple backup reanimation methods like Sepulchral Primordial and Grimoire of the Dead to mitigate commander dependency.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy looting engines like Merfolk Looter, Obsessive Stitcher, and Faithful Mending to discard key creatures. Use mana rocks (Sol Ring, signets) to accelerate.
2. Token Generation: Activate Hashaton's ability by discarding creatures like Massacre Wurm or Archon of Cruelty, creating 4/4 Zombie copies. Protect Hashaton with Gleaming Overseer hexproof.
3. Reanimation Phase (Turns 5+): Reanimate discarded bombs using Sheoldred, Whispering One, Sepulchral Primordial, or Grimoire of the Dead. Use zombie tokens to enable The Scarab God's life drain.
4. Win Conditions:
   • Combat Overload: Overwhelm with zombie hordes enhanced by Aven Wind Guide and Renewed Solidarity.
   • Reanimation Bombs: Leverage ETB effects from Toxrill, the Corrosive and Archon of Cruelty to grind opponents down.
   • Combo Finish: Grimoire of the Dead activation to steal all graveyard creatures, potentially combined with Hullbreaker Horror for protection.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including color fixing
• Prioritize early looters (Thought Courier, Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator) or mana rocks
• Look for at least one reanimation target or payoff (Toxrill, Archon of Cruelty)
• Avoid hands lacking discard outlets or with only high-CMC cards

Key Tips:

• Time Massacre Wurm discards/reanimation to maximize opponent life loss
• Use Sphinx's Tutelage as both mill engine and looting payoff
• Archon of Emeria slows opponents while you set up graveyard
• Hullbreaker Horror protects your board once big spells are online
• Matzalantli, the Great Door transforms into massive mana source late-game

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples primary strategy
• Lacks instant-speed interaction for combos (only 3 counterspells in 99)
• Heavy reliance on 4+ CMC creatures makes early board wipes devastating

Moderate

• Limited card advantage outside graveyard synergies
• Minimal protection for key creatures beyond Gleaming Overseer
• Struggles against fast aggro due to slow setup

Minor

• Some mana base fragility with 10+ tapped lands
• Token strategy vulnerable to Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite effects

Most Important Cards:

• Grimoire of the Dead (Game-ending reanimation)
• Toxrill, the Corrosive (Board control + token generator)
• Archon of Cruelty (Recurring value engine)
• Sheoldred, Whispering One (Graveyard recursion)
• Hashaton, Scarab's Fist (Token generation engine)
• Sepulchral Primordial (Theft reanimation)
• Sphinx's Tutelage (Mill engine + looting synergy)
• Hullbreaker Horror (Protection/control)
• Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator (Looting + graveyard recursion)
• Massacre Wurm (Life drain combo enabler)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can threaten wins via reanimation around T6-8, but lacks fast mana for explosive starts. Relies on incremental value accumulation.

Resilience: 4/10
Multiple graveyard recursion options, but critical vulnerability to exile effects and limited protection for key pieces.

Consistency: 6/10
Numerous looters and some tutors (Vohar, Obsessive Stitcher) enable strategy execution, but high variance in reanimation targets.

Interaction: 3/10
Limited removal suite focused on creature threats (Angel of the Ruins, Vile Mutilator), minimal stack interaction beyond Hullbreaker Horror.

Rating Justification:

The deck demonstrates focused casual play patterns with T6-8 win potential through reanimation and zombie swarms, but suffers from critical vulnerabilities to common hate pieces and inconsistent protection. Its moderate speed and fragility place it below optimized casual tiers despite synergistic elements.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5