Overview:

The Scarab God deck leverages zombie tribal synergies, reanimation, and combo finishes. It combines value-driven zombie tokens with life drain and efficient combo lines (Thassa's Oracle + Consultation/Pact, Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar). The deck operates on two axes: grinding opponents with incremental drain and assembling fast combo kills, supported by strong tutors and free interaction.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
This deck functions as a hybrid between zombie tribal attrition and compact combo. Early turns prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, Crypt Ghast) and setup (Mesmeric Orb, Cryptbreaker) to fill graveyards. Midgame pivots to either:

1. Drain Engine: Activate The Scarab God's ability to reanimate key threats (Gray Merchant, Sheoldred) and amplify zombie count for life loss triggers.
2. Combo Finish: Tutor for Demonic Consultation/Tainted Pact + Thassa's Oracle or infinite death loops with Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar + Blood Artist.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands, early ramp, or combo enablers.
• Prioritize Necropotence or Vampiric Tutor in slower metas.
• Reject hands lacking blue/black sources or unable to cast commander by T4.

Key Tips:

• Use Training Grounds to activate Scarab God's ability for 2UB.
• Conspiracy/Arcane Adaptation turns non-zombies into fuel for tribal payoffs.
• Opposition Agent + Entomb/Tainted Pact disrupts opponents while advancing your game.
• Leyline of Anticipation enables surprise combo assembly.

Avoid Traps:

• Overcommitting zombies to board wipes pre-combo.
• Casting Bolas's Citadel without sufficient life buffer.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) nullifies 60% of the strategy.
• Relies on 2-card combos vulnerable to instant-speed interaction.

Moderate:

• Limited recovery from multiple wraths if combos are disrupted.
• Blood Moon effects weaken Urborg/Cabal Coffers synergy.

Minor:

• High life-gain opponents can outpace drain.

Most Important Cards:

• Demonic Consultation
• Tainted Pact
• Thassa's Oracle
• Phyrexian Altar
• Gravecrawler
• Necropotence
• Vampiric Tutor
• Force of Will
• Training Grounds
• Opposition Agent

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Turn 3 Oracle+Consultation possible (T1 Sol Ring → T2 Necro → T3 win). Average goldfish: T4-5 via combos or T6-7 via zombie drain.

Resilience: 6/10

• 5 free counterspells and recursion (Living Death, Unholy Grotto) protect key lines. Fold to layered hate (GY + combo disruption).

Consistency: 8/10

• 7 tutors (Vampiric, Diabolic, Sidisi) + 3 card-advantage engines (Necro, Cryptbreaker, Mindcrank).

Interaction: 7/10

• S-tier counters (Force, Fierce Guardianship) and exile removal (Deadly Rollick). Lacks board wipes beyond Bontu's Last Reckoning.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between "Focused Competitive" (7.0) and "Highly Optimized" (7.5) on the rubric. Its deterministic T3 potential and high tutor density exceed typical T5-6 focused builds, but reliance on fragile combos and GY keeps it below T4 cEDH tiers. The dual threat of combo and attrition provides meta flexibility, but critical GY weakness prevents higher ratings.

Power level: 7.0 - 7.5