Overview:

This Kaalia of the Vast deck focuses on cheating out high-impact Angels, Demons, and Dragons via Kaalia's attack trigger, supported by reanimation and extra combat synergies. The commander is essential as the primary enabler, allowing explosive turns with game-ending threats like Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Master of Cruelties, and Aurelia, the Warleader. Secondary win conditions include the Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond life-drain combo and reanimation loops. The deck has moderate resilience through recursion and protection but remains vulnerable to commander-focused disruption.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3):
   • Prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, signets, Chromatic Lantern) and protection (Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots).
   • Use looting effects (Faithless Looting, Cathartic Reunion) to discard high-CMC creatures for later reanimation.

2. Kaalia Deployment (Turns 3-4):

   • Cast Kaalia with haste enablers (Hall of the Bandit Lord, Dragon Tempest). Protect her with Teferi's Protection or Flawless Maneuver.

3. Threat Acceleration (Turns 4-6):

   • Cheat out key creatures:
     • Master of Cruelties (instant-kill if unblocked)
     • Avacyn, Angel of Hope (indestructible board lock)
     • Aurelia, the Warleader/Hellkite Charger (extra combats)
   • Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Hoarding Broodlord) to find combo pieces or threats.

4. Win Conditions:

   • Combat Overkill: Multiple combat phases with Port Razer or Bloodthirster.
   • Life Drain: Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond.
   • Reanimation Loops: Liesa, Forgotten Archangel + Priest of Fell Rites for recurring threats.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one ramp artifact, and a protection piece.
• Prioritize hands with Kaalia enablers (haste sources, Cavern of Souls) or reanimation targets.
• Avoid hands with only high-CMC creatures and no discard outlets.

Key Tips:

• Use Underworld Breach to recur key spells like Reanimate or Teferi's Protection.
• Helm of the Host on Kaalia creates exponential threat generation.
• Terror of the Peaks turns every cheated creature into direct damage.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Kaalia is a removal magnet; repeated commander tax cripples the strategy.
• Heavy reliance on combat damage makes the deck vulnerable to Ghostly Prison/Propaganda and fog effects.
• Minimal stack interaction (only 4 counterspell-like effects).

Moderate

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) disrupts reanimation lines.
• Board wipes bypassing indestructible (Toxic Deluge, Cyclonic Rift).

Minor

• High mana curve risks stalling without early ramp.
• Limited card draw outside looting/treasure synergies.

Most Important Cards:

• Kaalia of the Vast (Strategy linchpin)
• Master of Cruelties (One-shot kill enabler)
• Avacyn, Angel of Hope (Board wipe immunity)
• Exquisite Blood (Combo half for infinite drain)
• Teferi's Protection (Mass protection)
• Underworld Breach (Recursion engine)
• Demonic Tutor (Consistency tool)
• Hellkite Charger (Extra combats)
• Lightning Greaves (Critical protection)
• Sanguine Bond (Combo finisher)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can threaten wins via Kaalia triggers as early as T4 with ideal ramp, but relies on combat steps.

Resilience: 5/10

• Limited protection beyond boots/greaves; struggles if Kaalia is repeatedly answered.

Consistency: 6/10

• Strong tutors and looting, but high variance due to creature-heavy topdecks.

Interaction: 4/10

• Spot removal is efficient (Swords to Plowshares, Anguished Unmaking), but lacks counterspells and stax.

Rating Justification:

This deck can threaten T4-5 kills with Kaalia + Master of Cruelties or multiple combats but falters against focused interaction. Its reliance on the commander and combat damage aligns it with Focused (T7-8) tiers, while combo potential and tutors push it toward Optimized thresholds.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5