Overview:

This Mardu (RWB) reanimator deck leverages Kroxa and Kunoros as a resilient recursion engine to repeatedly cheat out high-impact creatures from the graveyard. The strategy revolves around self-mill (Mesmeric Orb, Stitcher's Supplier), targeted discard (Thrilling Discovery, Cathartic Reunion), and efficient reanimation spells (Reanimate, Animate Dead) to deploy threats like Archfiend of Despair, Avacyn, Angel of Hope, and Razaketh, the Foulblooded. The commander provides redundancy for creature recursion while enabling lifelink/evasion for survival. Secondary win conditions include incremental value from Sheoldred, Whispering One attrition, Living Death board resets, and combat pressure from double-strike enablers like Blast-Furnace Hellkite.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup Phase (Turns 1-3):
   • Mill/discard key targets using Stitcher's Supplier, Faithless Looting, or Buried Alive.
   • Ramp with Sol Ring, Talismans, or land recursion (Dakmor Salvage).
   • Protect early plays with Grand Abolisher or Swiftfoot Boots.

2. Reanimation Surge (Turns 3-5):

   • Cast Reanimate/Necromancy on bombs like Archfiend of Despair or Archon of Cruelty.
   • Use Kroxa and Kunoros's attack trigger to recur creatures exiled by its own ability.
   • Tutor for missing pieces with Burning-Rune Demon or Razaketh, the Foulblooded.

3. Lock/Closing (Turns 5+):

   • Deploy game-ending threats: Avacyn, Angel of Hope for indestructible boards, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight for damage amplification, or Serra's Emissary (naming "instants") for protection.
   • Reset boards with Living Death or Ruinous Ultimatum while maintaining your own threats.
   • Leverage Karlach, Fury of Avernus and Aurelia, the Warleader for extra combat phases.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including color fixing), a self-mill/discard outlet, and at least one reanimation spell or ramp.
• Prioritize early interaction (Swords to Plowshares, Toxic Deluge) against fast metas.
• Avoid hands lacking graveyard setup or with only high-CMC bombs.

Key Tips:

• Use Mesmeric Orb cautiously – mill opponents’ answers only after establishing protection.
• Flare of Fortitude sacrifices tokens or Stitcher's Supplier for free to protect against board wipes.
• Unburial Rites flashback lets you reanimate during opponents’ end steps.
• Dihada, Binder of Wills’s -3 fuels the graveyard while generating Treasures.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) entirely shuts down recursion and commander synergy.
• Insufficient early interaction against fast combo decks; relies on reactive removal over counterspells.

Moderate

• High mana curve makes the deck vulnerable to early aggression before stabilizing.
• Artifact/enchantment removal disrupts key engines like Mesmeric Orb and Black Market Connections.

Minor

• Limited card draw outside graveyard synergies.
• Some tapped lands slow early sequencing.

Most Important Cards:

• Buried Alive (Tutor 3 bombs to graveyard)
• Reanimate (Cheapest reanimation spell)
• Razaketh, the Foulblooded (Tutor engine)
• Living Death (Board reset + mass reanimation)
• Archfiend of Despair (Life-loss multiplier)
• Mesmeric Orb (Self-mill enabler)
• Grand Abolisher (Protects combo turns)
• Avacyn, Angel of Hope (Indestructible lock)
• Sheoldred, Whispering One (Recurring recursion + attrition)
• Kroxa and Kunoros (Commander-based recursion)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10
Can reanimate game-winning threats as early as Turn 3-4 but requires setup. Most wins occur Turns 6-8.

Resilience: 5/10
Multiple recursion sources (commander, Unburial Rites, Priest of Fell Rites) but folds to graveyard exile.

Consistency: 7/10
Abundant self-mill, 8+ reanimation effects, and tutors like Burning-Rune Demon ensure reliable access to core pieces.

Interaction: 5/10
Spot removal (Swords to Plowshares, Snuff Out) and board wipes (Toxic Deluge) are present but lack stack interaction beyond Red Elemental Blast.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a focused reanimator build with T6-8 win potential through resilient threats and recursion, but its critical vulnerability to graveyard hate and slower setup compared to top-tier strategies cap its power. The balance of speed and moderate resilience aligns with the Optimized Casual tier.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0