Overview:

This Dimir reanimator deck revolves around Emet-Selch, Unsundered, leveraging self-mill and discard effects to fill the graveyard with high-impact creatures like Archon of Cruelty and Hullbreaker Horror. The commander enables card selection and graveyard setup, eventually transforming into Hades to recur threats directly. The primary win conditions involve reanimating oppressive creatures, controlling the board with removal/counters, and leveraging value engines like Mesmeric Orb to accelerate the strategy. While lacking infinite combos, the deck aims to overwhelm opponents through attrition and explosive reanimation turns.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Graveyard Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Use early self-mill (Stitcher's Supplier, Perpetual Timepiece, Mesmeric Orb) and looting (Emet-Selch’s trigger, Frantic Search) to stock the graveyard.
   • Tutor for key reanimation targets with Buried Alive or Corpse Connoisseur.
   • Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Dimir Signet) to accelerate into reanimation spells.

2. Reanimation Phase (Turns 3-6):

   • Cheat out bombs like Archon of Cruelty or Hullbreaker Horror using Reanimate, Animate Dead, or Victimize.
   • Use Living Death or The Eldest Reborn for mass recursion after a board wipe.
   • Protect key pieces with counterspells (Counterspell, Drown in the Loch) and recursion (Phyrexian Reclamation).

3. Closing the Game (Turns 6+):

   • Overwhelm opponents with Grave Titan zombie swarms or It That Betrays annihilator triggers.
   • Lock down the board with Hullbreaker Horror bounce loops and Cyclonic Rift.
   • Transform Emet-Selch into Hades to bypass graveyard reliance and cast threats directly.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Prioritize hands with early self-mill (Stitcher's Supplier), ramp (Sol Ring), and at least one reanimation spell.
• Keep hands with interaction (Go for the Throat, Baleful Mastery) if opponents are likely to combo early.
• Avoid hands without graveyard setup or excessive high-CMC cards.

Key Tips:

• Use Toxic Deluge or Damnation to clear the board before reanimating your own threats.
• Hullbreaker Horror + low-cost spells (e.g., Thought Scour) creates a soft lock by bouncing opponents’ permanents.
• Perpetual Timepiece and Unmarked Grave provide insurance against graveyard exile.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) completely shuts down the primary strategy.
• Commander dependency: Removing Emet-Selch delays graveyard setup and transformation.

Moderate

• Slow starts: Limited fast mana beyond Sol Ring can delay key plays.
• Board wipe recovery: Relies on topdecking recursion after mass removal.

Minor

• Artifact/enchantment removal: Targets like Mesmeric Orb or Phyrexian Reclamation are vulnerable.

Most Important Cards:

• Archon of Cruelty (Game-ending value engine)
• Hullbreaker Horror (Control piece and win condition)
• Buried Alive (Tutors for reanimation targets)
• Reanimate (Efficient recursion)
• Mesmeric Orb (Accelerates graveyard setup)
• Living Death (Mass reanimation and board reset)
• Cyclonic Rift (Board control and tempo swing)
• Phyrexian Reclamation (Recursive threat recursion)
• Stitcher's Supplier (Early self-mill enabler)
• Damnation (Clears opposing threats)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can reanimate game-winning threats by turns 4-5 with ideal draws but typically closes games around turns 7-8.

Resilience: 5/10

• Vulnerable to graveyard hate and lacks protection for key creatures beyond counterspells. Recursion tools help mitigate setbacks.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong tutor density (Buried Alive, Diabolic Tutor) and card selection (Emet-Selch, Night's Whisper) ensure reliable access to core pieces.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Go for the Throat, Baleful Mastery) and counterspounds, but limited stack interaction for noncreature threats.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a Focused level, threatening wins via reanimation or attrition by turns 7-8. While it lacks the speed of cEDH combos, its tutor density and recursion provide consistent pressure. Critical vulnerability to graveyard hate caps its resilience, aligning it with the upper casual tiers.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0