Overview:

This Orzhov Angel tribal deck helmed by Shilgengar, Sire of Famine focuses on generating value through lifegain, Blood token synergies, and recursive threats. The commander enables late-game reanimation of creatures as Vampires using Blood tokens, while the deck's core strategy revolves around deploying high-impact Angels that trigger life-based payoffs like Resplendent Angel and Bishop of Wings. Secondary themes include token multiplication via Kambal, Profiteering Mayor and attrition through sacrifice outlets like Glass-Cast Heart. Shilgengar acts as a resilient recursion engine but isn't strictly essential for early-game operations, as the deck can function through standalone Angel synergies.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize mana rocks (Sol Ring, Orzhov Signet) and low-cost Angels like Giada, Font of Hope or Starnheim Aspirant for cost reduction. Use Herald's Horn to accelerate Angel deployment and dig for threats.
2. Midgame Value (Turns 4-6): Deploy key Angels like Lyra Dawnbringer and Archangel of Tithes while generating Blood tokens through sacrifice effects (Glass-Cast Heart, Scavenger's Talent). Activate life-based token generators like Resplendent Angel and Ocelot Pride.
3. Late-Game Dominance (Turns 7+): Use Shilgengar's activated ability to reanimate creatures with finality counters, leveraging Power Conduit to manage counters. Activate Glass-Cast Heart's 13-life drain or overwhelm with Angel tokens from Luminarch Ascension and Entreat the Angels.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands including color-fixing (Command Tower, Caves of Koilos)
• Prioritize early Angel enablers (Giada, Font of Hope, Starnheim Aspirant) or mana acceleration
• Ensure at least one mid-game threat or card advantage engine (Bishop of Wings, Kambal, Profiteering Mayor)

Key Tips:

• Use Liesa, Forgotten Archangel as a "hidden commander" for recursive value
• Power Conduit can remove finality counters from reanimated creatures
• Glass-Cast Heart's Blood token generation combos with Vito, Fanatic of Aclazotz for incremental damage
• Angel of Suffering provides both graveyard fuel and damage prevention

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Minimal stack interaction (only 3 counterspell-like effects)
• Heavy reliance on creature-based strategies makes it vulnerable to board wipes
• Slow mana base with 10+ tapped lands

Moderate

• Limited card draw outside creature ETBs
• Blood token payoff (Glass-Cast Heart) requires significant setup
• High average CMC (4.1) creates clunky hands

Minor

• Some anti-synergy between Shilgengar's finality counters and recursion like Karmic Guide
• Limited answers to enchantments/artifacts beyond Leonin Relic-Warder

Most Important Cards:

• Shilgengar, Sire of Famine (Recursion engine)
• Lyra Dawnbringer (Angel lord effect)
• Glass-Cast Heart (Blood token generator & win condition)
• Resplendent Angel (Token generator)
• Bishop of Wings (Life/Spirit token engine)
• Liesa, Forgotten Archangel (Recursive protection)
• Kambal, Profiteering Mayor (Token multiplier)
• Archangel of Tithes (Stax effect)
• Giada, Font of Hope (Mana acceleration)
• Luminarch Ascension (Alternative win condition)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can establish threatening boards by T6-7 but lacks fast combo potential. Relies on incremental value rather than explosive plays.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple recursive elements (Shilgengar, Liesa, Karmic Guide) help recover from wipes, but heavy creature dependency remains a liability.

Consistency: 6/10
Moderate tutor density and tribal synergy, but high variance due to limited card selection and multiple high-CMC angels.

Interaction: 4/10
Light removal suite focused on creatures (Sunblast Angel, Ravenous Chupacabra), minimal stack interaction or artifact/enchantment answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused casual play patterns with synergistic Angel tribal elements and a clear attrition plan, but its slow clock and vulnerability to common disruption keep it below optimized tiers. The T7-9 win potential through combat or Glass-Cast Heart aligns with upgraded precon power levels.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5