Overview:

This Orzhov aristocrats deck helmed by Athreos, God of Passage focuses on recursive creature sacrifice and death-trigger amplification. The strategy leverages low-CMC creatures with built-in recursion (Reassembling Skeleton, Gutterbones, Nether Traitor) alongside powerful death payoff engines like Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Syr Konrad, the Grim. Athreos serves as both a protection piece (indestructible enchantment) and value engine, forcing opponents to pay 3 life per creature or let you recur threats. The deck features multiple infinite combo lines using sac outlets and token generators, supported by premium tutors and a robust interaction suite.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy recursive creatures (Gutterbones, Cult Conscript), sac outlets (Viscera Seer, Carrion Feeder), and value engines (Skullclamp, Black Market Connections). Use Dark Ritual/Mana Vault for explosive starts.
2. Midgame Engine (Turns 4-6): Establish payoff cards like Teysa Karlov or Drivnod, Carnage Dominus to double death triggers. Activate Yawgmoth, Thran Physician's sacrifice ability to draw through the deck while draining opponents.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Infinite Combos:
     • Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nethroi, Apex of Death + Geralf's Messenger (not in list - needs verification)
     • Pitiless Plunderer + Reassembling Skeleton + Free Sac Outlet = Infinite Death Triggers
   • Mass Drain: Amplified death triggers via Bloodletter of Aclazotz with Plumb the Forbidden
   • Combat: Overwhelm with Teysa Karlov's token army enhanced by Unholy Grotto (not in list)

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with at least 1 recursive creature and 1 sac outlet
• Prioritize Skullclamp or Black Market Connections for early card advantage
• Ensure access to black mana for turn 1 plays
• Reject hands without early creatures or payoff engines

Key Tips:

• Use Grand Abolisher before critical combo turns to protect your plays
• Phyrexian Altar enables both mana generation and infinite loops with token producers
• Syr Konrad, the Grim triggers on ALL graveyard movements, including mill and recursion
• Imperial Seal/Vampiric Tutor for missing combo pieces or interaction

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) completely shuts down recursion engines
• Torpor Orb/Hushbringer nullify death triggers
• Struggles against life gain strategies that negate incremental damage

Moderate

• Board wipes reset creature-based engines
• Limited stack interaction beyond Silence and Grand Abolisher
• Relies heavily on 2-3 key creatures for combo execution

Minor

• Color-intensive mana costs can strain the mana base
• Slow against fast combo decks without stax elements

Most Important Cards:

• Yawgmoth, Thran Physician (Sac outlet, card draw, combo enabler)
• Pitiless Plunderer (Treasure generation, combo piece)
• Bloodletter of Aclazotz (Damage amplifier)
• Teysa Karlov (Trigger doubler)
• Demonic Tutor (Tutor any piece)
• Skullclamp (Card draw engine)
• Phyrexian Altar (Mana generation, combo piece)
• Drivnod, Carnage Dominus (Trigger doubler)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Alternative win condition)
• Athreos, God of Passage (Value engine/recursion)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10
Can establish game-winning boards by turn 5-6 through combo lines or overwhelming death triggers, accelerated by fast mana.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple recursion engines and protection spells, but heavily dependent on graveyard accessibility.

Consistency: 8/10
Premium tutors (7+), redundant sac outlets/payoffs, and strong card selection ensure key pieces are found reliably.

Interaction: 7/10
Robust removal suite (Swords, Path, Anguished Unmaking) and anti-combo tools (Drannith Magistrate, Grand Abolisher).

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused combo potential with T6-7 wins through efficient tutors and redundant engines, but lacks the free interaction and compact wincons of top-tier decks. While resilient to single-target removal, it folds to dedicated graveyard hate, keeping it below cEDH levels.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0