Overview:

This Orzhov deck leverages Shilgengar's Blood token generation and mass reanimation to create recursive value engines. The strategy focuses on sacrificing Angels for explosive Blood token production, then using Shilgengar's activated ability to reanimate creatures with finality counters. Secondary wincons include life drain via Mirkwood Bats/Syr Konrad and Angel tribal beats. While synergistic, the deck lacks fast infinite combos and struggles against common disruption vectors.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck operates in three phases:

1. Token Generation: Use Angels like Adarkar Valkyrie and Renegade Reaper as sacrifice fodder for Shilgengar's Blood token generation. Pitiless Plunderer and Voldaren Bloodcaster provide additional token sources.
2. Graveyard Setup: Buried Alive, Victimize, and self-mill effects like Angel of Suffering stock the yard with high-value targets (Angel of Serenity, Butcher of Malakir).
3. Reanimation Payoff: Activate Shilgengar's W/B ability to flood the board with finality-countered creatures. Scavenger's Talent Level 3 and Athreos, Shroud-Veiled provide alternative recursion paths.

Mulligan Priorities:

• 3 lands with B/W sources
• Early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet)
• Sacrifice outlets or Blood generators
• Avoid hands without graveyard enablers

Key Tips:

• Prioritize Angels with high toughness (Angel of the Ruins) for maximum Blood token generation
• Use Eerie Interlude to protect creatures before board wipes
• Nesting Grounds can manipulate finality counters
• Phyrexian Arena and Court of Grace maintain card advantage

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending before establishing recursion
• Holding Blood tokens too long - use Inspiring Statuary to convert them into mana
• Letting Shilgengar die before activating - protect with Surge of Salvation

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) completely nullifies primary strategy
• No protection for Shilgengar beyond Dawn Charm

Moderate:

• Slow setup (requires 6 Blood tokens + 3WB to activate commander)
• Limited board wipe recovery outside Eerie Interlude

Minor:

• Basic land base vulnerable to Blood Moon
• Finality counters limit recursion loops

Most Important Cards:

• Buried Alive
• Mirkwood Bats
• Pitiless Plunderer
• Athreos, Shroud-Veiled
• Luminarch Ascension
• Syr Konrad, the Grim
• Marshal's Anthem
• Voldaren Bloodcaster
• Angel of Suffering
• Scavenger's Talent

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Earliest possible win ~T8 via Shilgengar activation into beefy board
• Limited fast mana beyond Sol Ring

Resilience: 4/10

• Vulnerable to graveyard hate and commander removal
• Some recursion (Vat of Rebirth, Unseal the Necropolis) but slow

Consistency: 6/10

• Multiple tutors (Mausoleum Secrets, Shred Memory)
• Redundant sacrifice outlets and token generators

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Swords, Path)
• Limited counterspells/protection
• Board wipes at sorcery speed

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Optimized Casual (5.0) and Focused (6.0) on the rubric. While it has clear synergies and tutors, it lacks the speed (T8 vs T7-8 benchmark) and resilience of a focused deck. The reliance on a 6-mana commander with a costly activation and vulnerability to common disruption aligns it closer to upgraded precon-level performance (4.5-5.5 range). It can generate powerful boards but struggles against faster combo or heavy interaction.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.5