Overview:

This Grixis (U/B/R) Demon tribal deck, helmed by Be'lakor, the Dark Master, leverages Demon synergies to dominate through ETB damage triggers and overwhelming board presence. The core strategy involves rapidly deploying Demons to activate Be'lakor's "Lord of Torment" ability—dealing damage equal to each entering Demon's power—while amplifying these triggers with copy effects like Molten Echoes and Blade of Selves. Secondary win conditions include combat damage from buffed Demons, Liliana's Contract, and reanimation swings. Be'lakor is essential as the primary damage engine and card advantage source, though its high mana cost (6) and vulnerability to removal pose risks. The deck mitigates this with cost reducers (e.g., Herald of Slaanesh, Urza's Incubator) and recursion, but remains heavily commander-reliant.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramping with artifacts (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) and cost reducers (Herald of Slaanesh, Urza's Incubator). Deploy early Demons like Immersturm Raider or Bloodcrusher of Khorne for initial pressure.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 5-6): Cast Be'lakor, then chain Demons to trigger its damage ability. Use Strionic Resonator to double triggers or Blade of Selves on key Demons for multiplied ETBs. Draw extensively via Kindred Discovery or Be'lakor's ETB.
3. Win Execution (Turns 6-8):
   • Trigger Burn: Amplify Demon ETBs with Warstorm Surge or copied triggers to burn opponents.
   • Combat: Swing with Demons buffed by Shared Animosity or enabled by Bloodthirster (extra combats).
   • Alternates: Achieve Liliana's Contract with 4+ unique Demons or reanimate a horde via Haunting Voyage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands (color-fixing critical), a ramp piece, and at least one early Demon or cost reducer.
• Prioritize hands containing Be'lakor enablers (e.g., Herald of Slaanesh, Rakdos, Lord of Riots) or protection (Lightning Greaves).
• Mulligan away high-CMC clumps without ramp or card advantage.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Triggers: Clone Be'lakor with Spark Double or copy ETBs with Strionic Resonator for exponential damage.
• Protect Be'lakor: Equip Lightning Greaves immediately to avoid removal. Save Imp's Mischief/Counterspell for critical disruption.
• Life Management: Offset life loss (e.g., Doom Whisperer, Feed the Swarm) with lifegain from Kardur, Doomscourge or Bloodgift Demon.
• Recovery: Use Haunting Voyage post-wipe or Reanimate for key Demons. Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire tutors for missing pieces.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Dependency: Removal targeting Be'lakor cripples the primary win condition; slow recasts delay the game plan.
• Board Wipes: Mass removal (e.g., Wrath of God) devastates the Demon-heavy board with limited recovery.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace nullifies reanimation (Animate Dead, Haunting Voyage) and disrupts Delirium for Demonic Counsel.

Moderate

• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Destroys key cost reducers (Urza's Incubator, Herald's Horn) and engines (Kindred Discovery).
• Stack Interaction: Limited counterspells struggle against combo decks; relies on Imp's Mischief for misdirection.
• High Mana Curve: Clunky hands without early ramp or cost reduction slow momentum.

Minor

• Life Total Pressure: Self-damage effects (e.g., Feed the Swarm, Doom Whisperer) can enable aggressive opponents.
• Flying Defense: Minimal answers to evasive threats if Demon pressure falters.

Most Important Cards:

• Be'lakor, the Dark Master (Primary damage engine and card draw)
• Herald of Slaanesh (Critical cost reduction for Demons)
• Rakdos, Lord of Riots (Massive cost reduction enabling big swings)
• Urza's Incubator (Universal Demon cost reduction)
• Kindred Discovery (Draw engine tied to Demons)
• Molten Echoes (Copies Demons for double ETB triggers)
• Liliana's Contract (Alternate win condition)
• Blade of Selves (Myriad amplifies ETB damage)
• Strionic Resonator (Doubles Be'lakor/ETB triggers)
• Haunting Voyage (Mass reanimation for recovery)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via Demon burn or combat around turns 7-8 with optimal draws, but high average CMC and setup requirements prevent faster kills.

Resilience: 4/10

• Moderate protection (greaves, counters) and recursion exist, but heavy reliance on Be'lakor and vulnerable engines makes it fragile against disruption.

Consistency: 6/10

• Multiple tutors (Demonic Counsel, Varragoth, Pyre of Heroes) and tribal draw (Kindred Discovery) improve reliability, yet high variance in early hands.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Feed the Swarm, Chaos Warp) and counterspells cover basics, but lacks board wipes beyond Kindred Dominance and minimal stack control.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a Focused level (rubric 6.0) with its synergistic Demon-trigger strategy and tutors enabling T7-8 wins, but its commander dependency and vulnerability to disruption cap its resilience. This places it between Optimized Casual and Focused tiers, aligning with T7-8 win benchmarks.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0