Overview:

This Golgari deck helmed by Ygra, Eater of All focuses on Food token generation and sacrifice synergies to create a recursive value engine. Ygra's ability to turn all creatures into Food artifacts enables explosive +1/+1 counter growth while fueling sacrifice payoffs like Ravenous Squirrel, Deadly Dispute, and Chatterfang, Squirrel General. The deck employs a layered strategy combining token swarms (Squirrels/Pests), commander-centric voltron potential, and attrition via forced sacrifice effects (Plaguecrafter, Braids, Arisen Nightmare). While capable of combat wins through amplified Ygra or token armies, it also leverages Academy Manufactor for explosive artifact generation and Pitiless Plunderer for mana acceleration.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (T1-3):
   • Deploy mana dorks (Elvish Mystic, Birds of Paradise) and Food generators (Gilded Goose, Experimental Confectioner).
   • Establish sacrifice outlets like Viscera Seer or Skullclamp.
   • Cast Ygra as early as T4 using ramp from Sol Ring/Nature's Lore.

2. Midgame Engine (T4-6):

   • Activate Ygra's Ward ability using Food tokens to protect her.
   • Multiply value with Academy Manufactor (converting Foods into Treasures/Clues) and Peregrin Took (additional Food generation).
   • Deploy sacrifice payoffs: Pitiless Plunderer (Treasure on death), Ravenous Squirrel (counters/card draw), and Tireless Provisioner (ramp).

3. Win Conditions (T6+):

   • Voltron: Pump Ygra with +1/+1 counters from Food deaths, using Rogue's Passage for unblockable commander damage.
   • Token Overrun: Amplify Squirrel/Pest armies with Chatterfang, Squirrel General and Scepter of Celebration.
   • Attrition Lock: Force repeated sacrifices with Butcher of Malakir and Braids, Arisen Nightmare while generating card advantage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including green/black sources
• Prioritize early Food generators (Gilded Goose, Experimental Confectioner) or ramp (Sol Ring, Sakura-Tribe Elder)
• Look for at least one sacrifice outlet (Viscera Seer, Deadly Dispute) or protection (Tamiyo's Safekeeping)

Key Tips:

• Use Skullclamp on 1-toughness Food creatures (post-Ygra transformation) for massive card draw
• Fade from History and Pest Infestation double as board wipes and token generators
• Chain Food sacrifices with Trail of Crumbs for permanent tutoring
• Osteomancer Adept enables graveyard recursion of key creatures

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Extreme commander dependency - Ygra removal cripples Food conversion engine
• Limited protection for key artifacts (Academy Manufactor, Skullclamp)
• Weak to Stony Silence/Collector Ouphe shutting off Food/treasure synergies

Moderate

• Vulnerable to graveyard hate (exiling Pitiless Plunderer/sacrifice targets)
• Slow recovery from board wipes due to limited mass recursion
• Struggles against flying/evasive threats with limited reach

Minor

• Moderate ramp ceiling outside Treasure synergies
• Some anti-synergy between forced sacrifice effects and token strategies

Most Important Cards:

• Academy Manufactor (Triples token output for all engines)
• Chatterfang, Squirrel General (Token multiplier and sacrifice outlet)
• Pitiless Plunderer (Mana acceleration from deaths)
• Ygra, Eater of All (Core engine and primary threat)
• Braids, Arisen Nightmare (Asymmetric attrition engine)
• Skullclamp (Card draw from Food creatures)
• Tireless Provisioner (Ramp and token generation)
• Ravenous Squirrel (Sacrifice payoff and threat)
• Reanimate (Key recursion for combo pieces)
• Assassin's Trophy (Premium removal)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Can establish threatening board states by T6-7 but lacks fast combo finishers. Relies on incremental value accumulation.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple recursion options (Reanimate, Osteomancer) and protection spells, but core strategy falters without Ygra.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw (Skullclamp, Trail of Crumbs) and token redundancy compensate for limited tutors.

Interaction: 6/10

• Targeted removal suite (Assassin's Trophy, Golgari Charm) and sacrifice effects, but lacks counterspells and wide-board answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a focused midrange strategy with T7-9 win potential through layered synergies, aligning with the "Focused" tier. While resilient against spot removal, its commander dependency and moderate speed prevent higher optimization.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5