Overview:

This mono-black deck leverages Maga, Traitor to Mortals as a massive life-loss cannon, fueled by extreme mana generation from Swamp doublers like Cabal Coffers, Crypt Ghast, and Nirkana Revenant. The primary game plan involves ramping aggressively to cast Maga for lethal X values or deploy game-ending sorceries like Torment of Hailfire and Exsanguinate. Secondary strategies include a Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood infinite combo, persistent life drain via Gray Merchant of Asphodel/Kokusho, the Evening Star, and stax elements (Oppression, Lethal Vapors) to disrupt opponents. Maga is central but fragile; removal forces costly recasts, making mana preservation critical.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize land ramp (Wayfarer's Bauble, Expedition Map, Burnished Hart) and mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Jet Medallion). Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Beseech the Mirror) to find Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth or Cabal Coffers. Deploy stax pieces (Bottomless Pit, Necrogen Mists) to slow opponents.
2. Mana Explosion (Turns 3-6): Resolve key doublers: Crypt Ghast, Nirkana Revenant, Magus of the Coffers. Untap lands via Deserted Temple/Thespian's Stage copying Coffers. Generate massive black mana with Coffers/Urborg/Cabal Stronghold.
3. Win Condition Execution:
   • Maga Cannon: Cast Maga with X=20+ using rituals (Dark Ritual) or doublers, targeting the lowest-life opponent.
   • Big X Spells: Fire Torment of Hailfire or Exsanguinate for lethal, often using K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth to pay life for discounts.
   • Infinite Combo: Assemble Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood (tutorable via Beseech the Mirror, Grim Tutor), triggering off any life loss/gain loop.
   • Stax Drain: Grind opponents with The Meathook Massacre, Blood Artist, and forced sacrifice (Grave Pact, Sheoldred, Whispering One).

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands, including a Swamp for Defile/Lake of the Dead.
• Prioritize early ramp (Bauble, Sol Ring, Signet) or a tutor to find Coffers/Urborg.
• Accept hands with a stax piece (e.g., Oppression) if mana is solid.
• Mulligan hands lacking ramp or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Protect Your Mana: Expedition Map for Urborg/Coffers first. Copy Coffers with Thespian's Stage. Use Phyrexian Tower to sacrifice tokens/expendable creatures for burst mana.
• Leverage Life as a Resource: K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth enables explosive plays but risks stability. Use with Exquisite Blood/Sanguine Bond for recovery. Elixir of Immortality resets life and combats mill.
• Tutor Efficiently: Beseech the Mirror (bargain fodder: Nest of Scarabs, tokens) finds combo pieces or doublers. Razaketh, the Foulblooded sacrifices tokens for instant-speed tutors.
• Stax Sequencing: Deploy discard (Oppression, Necrogen Mists) before draw steps. Use Lethal Vapors to lock out creatures if you're ahead on non-creature wins.
• Recursion & Value: Sheoldred, Whispering One and Yawgmoth, Thran Physician recur threats. Crucible of Worlds + Fetchlands (e.g., Myriad Landscape) ensures land drops.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Land Destruction: Cabal Coffers/Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth are irreplaceable. Destroying them cripples mana generation. Severity: Critical.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void shuts off Crucible of Worlds, Sheoldred, Kokusho, and Profane Tutor recursion. Severity: Critical.
• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Losing doublers (Coffers, Crypt Ghast) or combo pieces (Exquisite Blood) drastically slows the deck. Severity: Critical.

Moderate

• Fast Aggro: Struggles to stabilize against low-CMC swarms before setting up defenses/lifegain. Severity: Moderate.
• Countermagic: Key sorceries (Maga, Torment) and doublers are vulnerable to counters. Limited protection beyond K'rrik's life-pay. Severity: Moderate.
• Taxing Effects: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben/Sphere of Resistance delay critical high-CMC spells and combo assembly. Severity: Moderate.

Minor

• Single-Target Removal: Maga is resilient to spot removal due to recast potential, but it strains resources. Severity: Minor.
• Flyers: Limited air defense; relies on Massacre Wurm/Defile or forced sacrifice. Severity: Minor.

Most Important Cards:

• Cabal Coffers (Primary mana engine)
• Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (Enables Coffers, fixes mana)
• Torment of Hailfire (Primary scalable win condition)
• Exquisite Blood (Combo piece, life swing enabler)
• Sanguine Bond (Combo piece, win condition amplifier)
• Crypt Ghast (Mana doubler, extort value)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds any critical piece)
• Beseech the Mirror (Tutors combo pieces/doublers)
• Dark Ritual (Enables explosive early plays)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Stabilizing life drain & win condition)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins via Maga (X=20+) or Torment with perfect mana/draws. Average goldfish win: T6-7.

Resilience: 5/10

• High reliance on key non-creature permanents (Coffers, Enchantments) with limited protection. Recursion exists but is slow. Recovers poorly from land/enchantment destruction.

Consistency: 7/10

• 10+ tutors and strong card selection (Sensei's Divining Top, Scheming Symmetry) find key pieces, but reliant on drawing ramp early.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Snuff Out, Defile, Damnation) and disruptive stax. Lacks stack interaction beyond discard, making combos vulnerable.

Rating Justification:

This deck achieves High Power (8.0) speed potential with explosive mana enabling T4-5 Maga/Torment kills, but its Resilience (5/10) is hampered by critical vulnerabilities to land/enchantment removal and graveyard hate. This inconsistency and fragility prevent it from reaching cEDH tiers, placing it in the High Power range where wins are fast but disruptable.

Power level: 8.0 - 8.5