Overview:

This Gitrog Monster deck is a land-centric combo/engine build leveraging The Gitrog's land-to-graveyard draw triggers to fuel recursive value and game-winning loops. The commander serves as both the primary card advantage engine and a critical combo piece with Dakmor Salvage, enabling infinite draw loops when paired with discard outlets. Secondary win conditions include Dark Depths/Thespian's Stage, Field of the Dead zombie swarms, and oversized threats like Cultivator Colossus. The deck employs extensive land recursion via Crucible of Worlds, Ramunap Excavator, and Splendid Reclamation to maintain momentum.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (T1-3): Deploy fast mana (Sol Ring, Mox Diamond, Burgeoning) and land accelerators (Exploration, Azusa, Lost but Seeking). Use Entomb/Crop Rotation to fetch Dakmor Salvage or utility lands.
2. Engine Activation (T3-5): Cast The Gitrog Monster, immediately triggering land-sacrifice value with Harrow, Squandered Resources, or Evolving Wilds. Use dredge effects to fuel graveyard recursion.
3. Combo Execution:
   • Infinite Draw Loop: With Gitrog and Dakmor Salvage, discard Dakmor to hand size/discard outlets, dredge it back, and repeat to draw the deck. Use Sylvan Library/Abundance to manage draws.
   • Marit Lage: Copy Dark Depths with Thespian's Stage for a 20/20 indestructible flyer.
   • Landfall Overload: Scapeshift into Field of the Dead/Glacial Chasm protection, then recur lands with Splendid Reclamation for massive zombie armies.
4. Finishers: Cultivator Colossus for lethal combat, Hatred on Gitrog for commander damage, or Toxic Deluge/Damnation clears followed by recursive rebuilding.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, including a fetch or recursion land.
• Prioritize early ramp (Exploration, Burgeoning, mana rocks) and Gitrog enablers (Dakmor Salvage, Life from the Loam).
• Ensure access to black mana for critical spells like Entomb and Assassin's Trophy.

Key Tips:

• Use Sylvan Safekeeper to protect Gitrog while sacrificing lands for value.
• Perpetual Timepiece mills strategically while providing graveyard insurance.
• Conduit of Worlds enables recursive casting of key permanents.
• Constant Mists + recursion creates a soft lock against combat decks.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard exile (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples recursion and combo lines.
• Commander removal disrupts the core engine, requiring frequent recasts.
• Blood Moon/Contamination effects disrupt mana fixing and land synergies.

Moderate

• Rule of Law effects limit combo potential.
• Flyers/evasion bypass Glacial Chasm and ground-based defenses.

Minor

• Limited stack interaction (counterspells) leaves combo vulnerable during critical turns.
• High reliance on nonbasic lands makes Bloodchief Ascension/Price of Progress painful.

Most Important Cards:

• The Gitrog Monster (Engine/combo linchpin)
• Dakmor Salvage (Infinite draw enabler)
• Crucible of Worlds (Land recursion backbone)
• Life from the Loam (Graveyard fuel and card advantage)
• Scapeshift (Landfall/Field of the Dead trigger)
• Dark Depths (Alternate win condition)
• Sylvan Library (Draw manipulation/combo safety)
• Entomb (Tutor for key lands/combo pieces)
• Splendid Reclamation (Mass land recursion)
• Assassin's Trophy (Versatile interaction)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins via Gitrog/Dakmor loops or Marit Lage, accelerated by fast mana and land drops.

Resilience: 6/10

• Strong graveyard recursion and land-based recovery, but overly reliant on Gitrog staying active.

Consistency: 8/10

• Extensive tutors (Entomb, Natural Order), draw engines, and redundant land recursion ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy) and board wipes, but lacks counterspells for stack protection.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH-adjacent speeds with T4-5 win potential through compact combos and explosive land chains, but its reliance on graveyard synergies and vulnerability to commander removal keep it below top-tier optimization. The balance of speed and moderate resilience aligns with high-power casual tiers.

Power level: 7.5 - 8.0