Overview:

This mono-black aristocrats deck leverages Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER as a resilient sacrifice outlet and card advantage engine, aiming to transform him into Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel for amplified death triggers. The primary strategy revolves around sacrificing tokens and recursive creatures (e.g., Putrid Goblin, Nether Traitor) to drain opponents via Blood Artist effects while drawing cards. Secondary win conditions include overwhelming boards with Rise of the Dark Realms or Mikaeus, the Unhallowed combos. Sephiroth enables the core engine but isn't strictly essential, as the deck functions well through its many sacrifice payoffs and redundancy.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy fodder generators like Bitterblossom, Ophiomancer, or Pawn of Ulamog. Cast sacrifice outlets (Viscera Seer, Carrion Feeder) or value pieces (Ayara, First of Locthwain, Grim Haruspex). Use ramp (Sol Ring, Jet Medallion) to accelerate.
2. Engine Assembly (Turns 3-5): Resolve key payoffs like Zulaport Cutthroat, Syr Konrad, the Grim, or Dictate of Erebos. Sacrifice tokens/non-tokens to Sephiroth for cards or use Ashnod's Altar/Phyrexian Altar for mana. Aim to trigger Sephiroth's transform condition (4+ deaths per turn).
3. Win Execution (Turns 5-7):
   • Drain: Amplify death triggers with The Masamune or Enduring Tenacity. Loop creatures with persist/undying (Putrid Goblin + Mikaeus) or Phyrexian Reclamation.
   • Combo: Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Putrid Goblin + free sac outlet = infinite death triggers.
   • Overrun: Reanimate all graveyards with Rise of the Dark Realms or drain with Gray Merchant of Asphodel.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, early fodder/sac outlet, and at least one payoff or tutor.
• Prioritize Bitterblossom, Ophiomancer, Viscera Seer, or Skullclamp. Avoid hands lacking fodder generation or payoff engines.
• Include interaction (e.g., Deadly Rollick) if facing aggressive metas.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Deaths: Use Skullclamp on 1-toughness tokens for instant card draw. Phyrexian Altar enables infinite loops with Nether Traitor + Grave Pact.
• Protect Engines: Equip Lightning Greaves to Sephiroth or Mikaeus. Cast Toxic Deluge asymmetrically using life gain from drains.
• Timing: Flash in Dictate of Erebos or Braids, Arisen Nightmare during opponents' turns via Emergence Zone.
• Recursion: Reuse Fleshbag Marauder effects with Unearth or Phyrexian Reclamation.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) cripples recursion, Mikaeus combos, and Rise of the Dark Realms.
• Enchantment removal dismantles key pieces (Dictate of Erebos, Bitterblossom, Phyrexian Arena).
• Board wipes reset fodder engines, slowing the deck significantly.

Moderate

• Torpor Orb nulls ETB death triggers (e.g., Fleshbag Marauder, Plaguecrafter).
• Life gain strategies outpace incremental drain.
• Limited artifact interaction struggles against Cursed Totem shutting down mana dorks/outlets.

Minor

• Flyers can pressure life total if drains are delayed.
• High mana costs (Rise of the Dark Realms, Massacre Wurm) can cause clunky hands.

Most Important Cards:

• Ashnod's Altar (Mana generation, combo enabler)
• Phyrexian Altar (Mana generation, infinite combo piece)
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (Combo piece, recursion engine)
• Zulaport Cutthroat (Primary drain payoff)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Secondary drain, graveyard synergy)
• Dictate of Erebos (Stax effect, forces sacrifices)
• Bitterblossom (Reliable token generation)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds key combo pieces/interaction)
• Putrid Goblin (Infinite combo piece with Mikaeus)
• Skullclamp (Card draw engine with tokens)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Goldfish wins typically occur turns 6-7 via combos or drain loops, accelerated by fast mana but hindered by setup requirements.

Resilience: 7/10

• High redundancy in sacrifice payoffs, recursion (Phyrexian Reclamation, Unearth), and card draw mitigates single-target removal. Struggles against board wipes/grave hate.

Consistency: 7/10

• 8 tutors (e.g., Vampiric Tutor, Diabolic Intent) and ample draw (Skullclamp, Phyrexian Arena) reliably find key pieces. Token generators ensure fodder.

Interaction: 6/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Infernal Grasp, Go for the Throat) and board wipes (Toxic Deluge), but lacks stack interaction beyond Deadly Rollick.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a Focused power level, leveraging efficient tutors and combos to threaten wins by turn 7-8. While resilient against spot removal, its vulnerability to grave hate and board wipes prevents higher optimization. Speed and consistency align with tier 6.0-6.5, but resilience caps it at the lower end.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5