Overview:

This Orzhov deck helmed by Ketramose, the New Dawn focuses on exiling permanents and graveyard cards to fuel card draw and incremental value. The commander enables a grindy control strategy by converting exile triggers into card advantage, while synergizing with flicker effects (e.g., Teleportation Circle, Ephemerate) to reuse exile-based removal and value creatures. Key win conditions include life-drain payoffs (Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Gray Merchant of Asphodel), mass exile spells (Exsanguinate), and commander-enabled combat. Ketramose acts as both a value engine and a conditional finisher, requiring strategic exile management to unlock its combat capabilities.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Orzhov Signet), exile-based removal (Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile), and graveyard hate (Tormod's Crypt, Relic of Progenitus). Use low-cost exile enablers like Withered Wretch to trigger Ketramose’s draw.
2. Midgame Value (Turns 5-7): Recur ETB effects with Teleportation Circle/Ephemerate on exile creatures (Skyclave Apparition, Noxious Gearhulk). Activate Ketramose’s card draw by exiling 7+ cards to enable its combat ability. Deploy life-drain engines (Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim).
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 8+):
   • Life Drain: Amplify incremental life loss with Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose + lifelink triggers or a massive Gray Merchant of Asphodel recursion.
   • Exsanguinate: Cast with X=10+ using mana from artifacts/ramp.
   • Commander Damage: Use Lightning Greaves or flicker effects to protect Ketramose once it can attack.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, early interaction (exile removal), and at least one value engine (e.g., Teleportation Circle, Currency Converter).
• Prioritize graveyard hate (Lion Sash, Withered Wretch) in metas with recursion.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or exile triggers.

Key Tips:

• Use Parallax Wave to repeatedly exile threats while building Ketramose’s exile count.
• Kaya's Ghostform protects Ketramose or key creatures from removal while enabling re-triggered ETBs.
• Cosmic Intervention saves permanents from board wipes and doubles as a flicker effect.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Struggles against fast combo decks due to slow clock and limited stack interaction.
• Overly reliant on artifacts/enchantments (Teleportation Circle, Blind Obedience) vulnerable to mass removal.

Moderate

• Limited card advantage without consistent Ketramose activation.
• Exile-heavy strategy falters against hexproof/shroud threats.

Minor

• Moderate mana curve can lead to clunky draws.
• Life loss from Ketramose/Sheoldred, the Apocalypse adds up in prolonged games.

Most Important Cards:

• Teleportation Circle (Value engine for ETB recursion)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Primary life-drain finisher)
• Exsanguinate (Scalable game-ender)
• Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose (Life-drain amplifier)
• Sheoldred, the Apocalypse (Passive life pressure)
• Ephemerate (Protection + ETB doubling)
• Skyclave Apparition (Flexible removal)
• Relic of Progenitus (Graveyard hate + draw)
• Parallax Wave (Repeatable exile)
• Ketramose, the New Dawn (Card advantage engine)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 3/10

• Wins typically occur around T10+ via incremental life drain or a late-game Exsanguinate.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursion (Cosmic Intervention, Eternal Witness-like effects) and indestructible commander mitigate board wipes, but key engines are fragile.

Consistency: 5/10

• Moderate tutor density and card draw, but reliant on exiling enough cards to sustain momentum.

Interaction: 8/10

• Exceptional spot removal and exile effects, though lacks countermagic for stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a tuned midrange control build with strong interaction but slow win conditions, typically closing games around T10-12 via attrition or lifedrain. While resilient to creature strategies, its speed aligns with Casual/Precon tiers, and its vulnerability to fast combos caps its power.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5