Overview:

This Golgari deck helmed by Chevill, Bane of Monsters focuses on targeted removal synergies and life-gain payoffs. The strategy revolves around placing bounty counters via Chevill's ability and fight spells like Ram Through, then destroying marked threats to generate card advantage and life. Secondary win conditions include the Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond infinite life-drain combo and token swarm via Trudge Garden/Tivash, Gloom Summoner. Chevill acts as a value engine but isn't strictly essential to the deck's core combos.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy ramp (Utopia Sprawl, Sol Ring, Cultivate) while using cheap removal (Assassin's Trophy, Snuff Out) to trigger Chevill's bounty draws. Use Ulvenwald Tracker or Viridian Longbow to selectively eliminate threats with bounty counters.
2. Mid-Game Value (Turns 5-7): Activate life-gain synergies with Witch of the Moors, Veinwitch Coven, and Well of Lost Dreams. Deploy key enchantments like Phyrexian Arena or Bolas's Citadel for card advantage.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Combo: Assemble Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond or Enduring Tenacity for infinite life drain.
   • Token Overload: Convert life gain into 4/4 tramplers (Trudge Garden) or massive Demons (Tivash, Gloom Summoner).
   • Citadel Storm: Use Bolas's Citadel with life-gain sources to chain spells and finish with the Citadel's sacrifice ability.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with early ramp (Birds of Paradise, Utopia Sprawl) and at least one removal spell.
• Prioritize combo pieces (Exquisite Blood/Sanguine Bond) only if protection like Tamiyo's Safekeeping is present.
• Avoid hands without early interaction or card draw engines.

Key Tips:

• Use Strionic Resonator to double Chevill's bounty triggers or Witch of the Moors' recursion.
• Rushed Rebirth pairs perfectly with fight spells, replacing destroyed creatures with toolbox options like Eternal Witness.
• Phyrexian Reclamation ensures recurring combo pieces while dodging graveyard hate.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Heavily reliant on keeping Exquisite Blood/Sanguine Bond on board with minimal protection beyond 1-2 hexproof spells.
• Vulnerable to enchantment removal (Bane of Progress, Disenchant), which disrupts both combo and value engines.

Moderate

• Limited board wipe recovery outside Witch of the Moors and Phyrexian Reclamation.
• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) nullifies recursion from Isareth the Awakener and Sproutback Trudge.

Minor

• Struggles against go-wide strategies lacking single targets for bounty counters.
• Life-payment effects (Bolas's Citadel, Feed the Swarm) can become liabilities under pressure.

Most Important Cards:

• Exquisite Blood (Combo cornerstone)
• Sanguine Bond (Combo finisher)
• Bolas's Citadel (Alternative wincon, card advantage)
• Demonic Tutor (Combo enabler)
• Vampiric Tutor (Consistency tool)
• Phyrexian Reclamation (Recursion engine)
• Toxic Deluge (Board control)
• Witch of the Moors (Value recursion)
• Trudge Garden (Token generator)
• Chevill, Bane of Monsters (Card advantage engine)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten T6-8 wins via combo or Citadel chains, but requires specific setup and lacks fast mana beyond Sol Ring.

Resilience: 5/10

• Limited protection for key enchantments and no free counterspalls, though Tamiyo's Safekeeping and recursion provide some recovery.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong tutor density (Demonic, Vampiric, Rushed Rebirth) offsets the deck's combo reliance, while Chevill provides steady draws.

Interaction: 7/10

• Excellent targeted removal suite (12+ fight/spot removal spells) with Force of Vigor for artifact/enchantment hate, but lacks stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused combo potential with strong tutors and interaction, capable of T6-8 wins through resilient synergies. However, its dependence on fragile enchantments and moderate speed compared to faster combo decks places it in the optimized casual tier.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0