Overview:

This K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth deck leverages life payment as a resource to accelerate into explosive plays, combining lifegain/drain synergies, large demons, and infinite combos. K'rrik is the linchpin, enabling massive mana discounts for black spells while fueling card draw and recursion engines. The deck aims to win via the Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond infinite loop, Aetherflux Reservoir storming, or overwhelming value from high-impact creatures like Vilis, Broker of Blood and Phyrexian Obliterator. Secondary strategies include reanimation (Chainer, Dementia Master, Whip of Erebos) and attrition via Braids, Arisen Nightmare/The Meathook Massacre.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Acceleration (Turns 1-3): Deploy fast mana (Mana Vault, Dark Ritual, Crypt Ghast) and life-as-resource engines like Black Market Connections. Prioritize casting K'rrik by turn 3-4 using Phyrexian mana.
2. Mid-Game Value (Turns 4-6): Use K'rrik's cost reduction to cheat out high-impact cards like Bolas's Citadel or Vilis, Broker of Blood. Generate card advantage via Harvester of Souls, Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, or The One Ring.
3. Win Conditions (Turns 5-8):
   • Infinite Combo: Assemble Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond (or Enduring Tenacity) for instant win.
   • Aetherflux Storm: Cast multiple spells using Bolas's Citadel/Helm of Awakening to reach 50+ life.
   • Overwhelming Value: Reanimate Gray Merchant of Asphodel repeatedly or deploy Phyrexian Obliterator with protection.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with K'rrik enablers: 2-3 lands, fast mana (Sol Ring, Mana Vault), or early lifegain (Creeping Bloodsucker).
• Prioritize hands containing combo pieces or tutors (Finale of Devastation, Imp's Mischief for protection).
• Avoid hands without black sources or excessive high-CMC clumps.

Key Tips:

• Life Management: Use Font of Agonies and Exquisite Blood to offset K'rrik’s life payments. Aetherflux Reservoir doubles as both a stabilizer and wincon.
• Protect K'rrik: Malakir Rebirth, Undying Malice, and Kaya's Ghostform ensure K'rrik’s survival through removal.
• Leverage Asymmetry: Toxic Deluge and Reiver Demon clear boards while sparing your key demons. Braids, Arisen Nightmare pressures opponents’ resources.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Dependency: Losing K'rrik repeatedly cripples mana efficiency and combo potential.
• Combo Fragility: Exquisite Blood/Sanguine Bond has no redundancy and is vulnerable to enchantment removal.
• Life Total Volatility: Aggressive life payment risks losing to burn or forced life-loss triggers.

Moderate

• Graveyard Reliance: Chainer, Dementia Master and Whip of Erebos are neutralized by Rest in Peace-effects.
• Artifact/Enchantment Focus: Key pieces (Bolas's Citadel, Helm of Awakening) lack robust protection.

Minor

• Limited Stack Interaction: Relies on Imp's Mischief and Deadly Rollick for critical responses.
• Slow Board Recovery: Minimal token generation or mass recursion outside Massacre Girl synergies.

Most Important Cards:

• K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth (Mana cheat engine + card draw enabler)
• Exquisite Blood (Infinite combo piece)
• Sanguine Bond (Infinite combo piece)
• Bolas's Citadel (Storm enabler + value engine)
• Aetherflux Reservoir (Life stabilizer/wincon)
• Vilis, Broker of Blood (Card draw + removal)
• Cabal Coffers/Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (Mana amplification)
• Chainer, Dementia Master (Reanimation engine)
• The Meathook Massacre (Board control + lifegain)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Life swing finisher)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Capable of T4 K'rrik into T5-6 combo/storm wins with optimal draws, but lacks consistent fast tutors.

Resilience: 5/10

• Multiple recursion/protection spells for K'rrik, but core combos are fragile and life total management is precarious.

Consistency: 6/10

• Strong card draw and ramp, but combo pieces rely on natural draws rather than tutors.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Feed the Swarm, Deadly Rollick) and asymmetric wipes, but minimal counterspells or stax.

Rating Justification:

This deck has high-speed potential (T5-6 wins) via K'rrik’s mana cheating and compact combos but suffers from critical vulnerabilities to commander removal and combo disruption. Its resilience and interaction are middling, aligning it with optimized casual decks that can threaten early wins but fold to focused hate.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5