Overview:

This Hazezon, Shaper of Sand deck leverages Desert land synergies and land recursion to generate overwhelming board states through token creation. The commander is essential, enabling Desert recursion from the graveyard to repeatedly trigger Sand Warrior tokens and landfall payoffs. Hazezon's low cost (3 mana) facilitates early deployment, but the strategy is vulnerable to commander removal due to heavy reliance on its recursion ability. Secondary engines like Ramunap Excavator and Titania, Protector of Argoth provide redundancy, while payoffs like Omnath, Locus of Rage and Cathars' Crusade amplify token value.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramping with land-fetch spells (Rampant Growth, Cultivate) and Desert plays. Cast Hazezon early to enable graveyard recursion. Use extra land enablers (Exploration, Azusa, Lost but Seeking) to accelerate.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 4-6): Sacrifice/recur Deserts (using Zuran Orb, Roiling Regrowth) to trigger Hazezon's token generation. Deploy key payoffs: Impact Tremors for passive damage, Felidar Retreat for tokens/counters, and Dune Chanter for mana fixing.
3. Win Conversion (Turns 7-9): Overwhelm with token swarms boosted by Cathars' Crusade or Knight of New Alara. Use Bitter Reunion for haste enablers. Leverage land-sac outlets (Ramunap Ruins, Grasping Dunes) for direct damage or disruption.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including a Desert or fetcher like Evolving Wilds).
• Prioritize early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) or land-recursion enablers (Ramunap Excavator).
• Ensure at least one payoff card (e.g., Impact Tremors, Felidar Retreat) or token buffer.
• Avoid hands lacking land drops or with only high-CMC cards.

Key Tips:

• Recursion Loops: Sacrifice Deserts to Zuran Orb/Harrow, then replay them from the graveyard with Hazezon for repeated token triggers.
• Protect Critical Pieces: Use Swiftfoot Boots or Boros Charm to shield Hazezon or key payoffs from removal.
• Maximize Landfall: Time extra land plays (e.g., Hour of Promise) with Titania, Protector of Argoth or Omnath, Locus of Rage for immediate value.
• Utility Deserts: Scavenger Grounds disrupts graveyards; Hostile Desert provides emergency blockers.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (e.g., Rest in Peace) cripples Desert recursion and landfall synergies.
• Enchantment removal devastates key payoffs like Cathars' Crusade and Desert Warfare.
• Board wipes reset token armies with minimal recovery tools.

Moderate

• Commander removal slows recursion; recasting becomes costly.
• Land destruction (e.g., Armageddon) disrupts mana base and Desert triggers.
• Anti-token tech (e.g., Cursed Totem) nullifies token buffs.

Minor

• Limited stack interaction (counterspells).
• Flyers can evade ground tokens without reach sources.

Most Important Cards:

• Ramunap Excavator (Recurs lands for repeated Desert triggers)
• Titania, Protector of Argoth (Landfall token generator and recursion)
• Omnath, Locus of Rage (Creates 5/5 tokens and deals damage on death)
• Cathars' Crusade (Scales token power exponentially)
• Impact Tremors (Converts token generation into direct damage)
• Dune Chanter (Mana fixing and Desert synergy enabler)
• Felidar Retreat (Landfall token/counter payoff)
• Zuran Orb (Sacrifice outlet to enable land recursion)
• Hour of Promise (Tutors Deserts and creates Zombies)
• Bitter Reunion (Draws cards and grants haste for alpha strikes)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Threatens wins via token swarms or land-sac damage around turns 7-9, but lacks fast combos or explosive mana.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursion (land/graveyard) and protection spells offer recovery, but board wipes and targeted hate cause significant setbacks.

Consistency: 7/10

• Abundant land tutors (12+), card draw, and redundant Desert synergies ensure reliable access to core pieces.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Chaos Warp), but minimal counterspells and limited stack control.

Rating Justification:

The deck consistently executes its landfall/token strategy with strong recursion and synergy density, enabling wins via combat or incremental damage around turns 7-9. However, its vulnerability to graveyard hate and slower clock compared to optimized lists cap its ceiling, placing it in the optimized casual tier.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5