Overview:

This Gruul deck leverages Tovolar as a value engine for card draw but primarily operates as a high-powered combo deck, utilizing explosive mana acceleration and extensive tutoring to assemble game-winning creature-based infinite combos. The commander enables incidental draw through combat but is non-essential to the core strategy, which focuses on cheating out or tutoring key pieces like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, Splinter Twin, and Underworld Breach to generate infinite creatures/mana. Multiple redundant combo lines and "hidden commanders" like Selvala, Heart of the Wilds drive the deck, aiming for extremely fast wins through combat loops or Breach-fueled storms.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Explosive Start (Turns 1-2): Deploy fast mana (e.g., Mana Vault, Lion's Eye Diamond, Elvish Spirit Guide) and land tutors (fetchlands, Urza's Saga). Prioritize setting up Survival of the Fittest, Birthing Pod, or card selection (Sylvan Library).
2. Tutor/Assemble Combos (Turns 2-4): Use tutors (Gamble, Worldly Tutor, Green Sun's Zenith) to find:
   • Kiki-Jiki Lines: Pair with Hyrax Tower Scout (untap loop) or Combat Celebrant (infinite combats).
   • Splinter Twin: Enchant Scout/Celebrant for same effect.
   • Breach Engine: Fuel with Lion's Eye Diamond/rituals, recurring Wheel of Fortune or Finale of Devastation.
   • Selvala+Staff: Generate infinite mana with a 5+ power creature, draw deck via Staff of Domination.
3. Win Execution:
   • Infinite creatures (Kiki/Twin + Scout/Celebrant) swing immediately.
   • Breach loops recur Craterhoof Behemoth or Finale of Devastation for lethal.
   • Underworld Breach + Jeska's Will/Wheel generates storm for combat finishers.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with ≥1 fast mana source (e.g., Sol Ring, Chrome Mox), ≥1 tutor/combo piece, and mana consistency.
• Prioritize red sources for ritual turns. Avoid hands lacking acceleration or combo enablers.
• Accept 1-landers only with multiple 0-1 mana accelerants.

Key Tips:

• Breach Sequencing: Exile rituals first for mana, then tutors/win-cons. Use Goblin Engineer to recur LED.
• Protection: Deploy Allosaurus Shepherd early vs. blue; use Veil of Summer/Deflecting Swat when comboing.
• Tovolar Synergy: Leverage incidental wolves (e.g., Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance tokens) for draws if combos falter.
• Sneak Attack: Cheat Kiki-Jiki or Craterhoof pre-combat for surprise wins.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples Breach, Survival, and recursion.
• Artifact lockdown (Null Rod, Collector Ouphe) shuts off fast mana, Staff, and Kiki/Twin combos.
• Instant-speed creature removal disrupts Kiki/Selvala mid-combo.

Moderate

• Rule of Law effects limit spell chains and Breach lines.
• Countermagic density can overwhelm limited protection (REB/Veil).
• Land destruction (Armageddon) strains mana-intensive combos.

Minor

• Board wipes delay combat wins but don't stop combo assembly.
• Discard effects marginally hinder consistency given extensive draw/tutors.

Most Important Cards:

• Underworld Breach (Recursion engine for infinite loops)
• Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (Primary combo piece)
• Survival of the Fittest (Tutor any creature, enable Breach)
• Selvala, Heart of the Wilds (Mana generator/combo piece)
• Lion's Eye Diamond (Breach fuel, ritual effect)
• Gamble (Tutor any card, synergizes with Breach)
• Finale of Devastation (Tutor/win-con, recurrable)
• Sneak Attack (Cheat combo pieces)
• Hyrax Tower Scout (Kiki combo enabler)
• Birgi, God of Storytelling (Ritual effect, card advantage)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 9/10

• Capable of T1-2 wins with perfect draws (e.g., LED + Breach + Tutor), consistently threatens T3-4 kills via multiple combo lines.

Resilience: 7/10

• Strong protection suite (Veils, Deflecting Swat) and redundant combos, but folds to specific, timely hate.

Consistency: 9/10

• 12+ tutors, 8+ card draw engines, and functional redundancy ensure frequent combo access.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Force of Vigor, Chaos Warp) and stack protection, but lacks board wipes and counterspell density.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH-viable speeds with T1-4 win potential through robust tutoring and explosive mana, aligning with tier 2 cEDH benchmarks. However, vulnerability to grave/artifact hate and lower stack interaction than top-tier lists caps its resilience, placing it just below the most dominant strategies.

Power level: 8.5 - 9.0