Overview:

This Kenrith, the Returned King deck is a high-octane 5-color combo list leveraging fast mana, efficient tutors, and compact win conditions typical of cEDH strategies. The commander serves as a flexible value engine and infinite mana outlet, enabling instant-speed wins via his abilities. The deck's primary game plan revolves around assembling the Thassa's Oracle + Demonic Consultation/Tainted Pact combo, supported by secondary lines like Auriok Salvagers + Lion's Eye Diamond for infinite mana and Underworld Breach recursion loops. Kenrith's ability to reanimate key creatures and generate card advantage provides resilience, while free interaction and stax elements disrupt opponents.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Acceleration (Turns 0-2): Deploy fast mana (Lotus Petal, Dark Ritual, Mana Crypt) and tutors (Demonic Tutor, Enlightened Tutor) to find combo pieces or setup cards like Ad Nauseam.
2. Combo Assembly (Turns 1-3): Use Demonic Consultation/Tainted Pact to exile the library and win with Thassa's Oracle, or generate infinite mana via Auriok Salvagers + Lion's Eye Diamond.
3. Protection & Disruption: Deploy stax pieces (Grand Abolisher, Mystic Remora) and hold free counterspells (Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship) to protect combos.
4. Alternate Lines: Leverage Underworld Breach with Lion's Eye Diamond and Brain Freeze (implied via mill-to-exile synergies) or Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy for creature-based value.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with fast mana, a tutor, or a combo piece.
• Prioritize blue sources for Oracle/consultation lines.
• Avoid hands lacking acceleration or color fixing.

Key Tips:

• Use Kenrith's reanimation ability to recur Eternal Witness or combo pieces.
• Underworld Breach + Lion's Eye Diamond enables recursive casting of tutors and interaction.
• Teferi, Time Raveler shuts down opponent interaction during your combo turn.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Vulnerable to Drannith Magistrate/Opposition Agent shutting off key tutors and Kenrith's abilities.
• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples Breach/Salvagers lines.

Moderate

• Rule of Law effects slow combo assembly.
• Cursed Totem nullifies Kenrith's activated abilities and dorks.

Minor

• Limited board presence makes early aggression problematic.
• Mindbreak Trap exiles critical combo spells.

Most Important Cards:

• Thassa's Oracle (Primary win condition)
• Demonic Consultation (Library exile for Oracle)
• Lion's Eye Diamond (Infinite mana with Auriok Salvagers)
• Underworld Breach (Recursion engine)
• Ad Nauseam (Mass card draw to assemble combos)
• Force of Will (Free interaction)
• Auriok Salvagers (Infinite mana combo piece)
• Grand Abolisher (Combo protection)
• Mystical Tutor (Finds key instants/sorceries)
• Teferi, Time Raveler (Disrupts opponents' interaction timing)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 10/10
Capable of T1 wins with perfect hands (e.g., Dark Ritual → Consultation → Oracle) and consistent T2-3 victories through tutors and fast mana.

Resilience: 8/10
Free counterspells, recursion via Breach/Kenrith, and redundant combo lines provide robustness, though reliant on resolving key spells.

Consistency: 9/10
27 tutors/filtering effects and low average CMC (sub-2.0) ensure rapid access to combo pieces.

Interaction: 9/10
10 free/cheap counterspells, targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy), and stax elements disrupt opponents effectively.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH Tier 1 levels with T1-2 win potential through hyper-efficient combos, backed by premium interaction and redundancy. While slightly less optimized than "Tier 0" lists (missing Dockside Extortionist, limited creature-based lines), its speed and consistency align with high-tier cEDH.

Power level: 9.0 - 9.5