Overview:

This Sefris of the Hidden Ways deck is a reanimator/dungeon hybrid that leverages self-mill, sacrifice outlets, and venture triggers to repeatedly reanimate threats. Sefris acts as both an engine (enabling dungeon completion for reanimation) and a value generator, synergizing with creatures that can be sacrificed or discarded. The deck aims to assemble infinite loops with Altar of Dementia + Reveillark/Karmic Guide for mill wins or overwhelm with reanimated threats like Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Razaketh, the Foulblooded.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Use Entomb, Buried Alive, or self-discard (e.g., Putrid Imp) to stock the graveyard with key creatures.
   • Deploy sacrifice outlets like Cartel Aristocrat or Yahenni, Undying Partisan to trigger Sefris’s dungeon progress.
   • Cast Sefris early to start venturing; prioritize Lost Mine of Phandelver for card advantage.

2. Midgame Value (Turns 4-7):

   • Reanimate high-impact targets (e.g., Consecrated Sphinx, Grand Abolisher) using Animate Dead, Reanimate, or Sefris’s dungeon completion trigger.
   • Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor) to find combo pieces or protection like Fierce Guardianship.

3. Win Conditions:

   • Infinite Mill: Altar of Dementia + Reveillark + Karmic Guide (sacrifice Reveillark to Altar, reanimate Karmic Guide with Sefris, loop to mill opponents).
   • Combat Overkill: Reanimate Avacyn, Angel of Hope or Razaketh, the Foulblooded with protection from Selfless Spirit or Benevolent Bodyguard.
   • Control Lock: Grand Abolisher + Teferi, Master of Time to restrict opponents’ interaction during your turn.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with early sacrifice outlets (e.g., Plaguecrafter), graveyard setup (Entomb), or Sefris + protection.
• Prioritize at least two mana sources (ideally including Sol Ring or Arcane Signet).
• Avoid hands lacking graveyard interaction or ramp.

Key Tips:

• Use Tortured Existence to cycle creatures into the graveyard for Sefris triggers.
• Dauthi Voidwalker disrupts opponents’ graveyards while providing a backup reanimation outlet.
• Phyrexian Tower and Volrath's Stronghold provide sac mana and recursion for key creatures.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (e.g., Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) shuts down reanimation and Sefris’s triggers.
• Commander reliance: Frequent removal of Sefris stalls dungeon progress and reanimation.

Moderate

• Artifact/enchantment removal disrupts Altar of Dementia, Animate Dead, and key engines like The One Ring.
• Fast combo decks can outpace this deck’s setup time.

Minor

• Limited board wipes beyond Damn and Cyclonic Rift.
• Some dungeon rooms provide incremental value but lack immediate impact.

Most Important Cards:

• Altar of Dementia (Infinite mill combo enabler)
• Reveillark (Combo piece, recursive value)
• Karmic Guide (Combo recursion, reanimation)
• Buried Alive (Graveyard setup)
• Demonic Tutor (Tutor for combo/protection)
• Sefris of the Hidden Ways (Engine for reanimation and dungeon value)
• Animate Dead (Low-cost reanimation)
• Dauthi Voidwalker (Graveyard hate + reanimation)
• Grand Abolisher (Protects combo turns)
• The One Ring (Card draw and protection)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can threaten infinite combos or overwhelming boards by turns 6-7 with optimal draws, but requires setup.

Resilience: 6/10

• Recursion (e.g., Volrath's Stronghold, Karmic Guide) and protection (Fierce Guardianship) mitigate disruption, but graveyard dependency is a liability.

Consistency: 8/10

• High tutor density (7 tutors), card draw (Rhystic Study, The One Ring), and redundancy in reanimation spells ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient removal (Swords to Plowshares, Void Rend) and counterspells (Dovin's Veto, Swan Song), but lacks stack control beyond specific answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a 6.5 - 7.0 power level, capable of executing game-winning combos by turns 6-7 with strong consistency and protection. However, its reliance on the graveyard and vulnerability to common hate cards prevent it from reaching higher tiers.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0