For an in-depth analysis of the archetype:
https://www.mtgvault.com/theswarmer/decks/tortured-existence-essay/
The conditions that a TE deck must meet:
1. A TE at all times
2. A yard with answers to the current situation and a means to reach more answers
for future situations.
3. To live to set up 1 and 2
4. To re-setup 1 and 2 after being hated on in games 2 and 3, hell, or even 1
This version is focused on working in a metagame without Gush, which is like being a Nazi in a world without Hitler, it's a brave, brave new world. Now, what do we need to beat currently?
Burn - one of our best matchups, the mere presence of 4 Brownscales is oftentimes enough to win game 1 once you start looping them and effectively paying B to gain 2 life.
UR Delver - Delver decks will always be present, which is why our deck will always need ways to block 3/2 flyers on turns 2 and 3. This deck has 6 ways of doing that, which is a bit more than one might need, but I have slanted this current build away from both the stereotypical ones and my own past creations in that it is trying to survive in a focused way, rather than any combination of the alternatives (eg. surviving in a scattershot way or winning in a focused way).
Elves - historically one of our best matchups, the more frogs and rats you run the better your chances will get. The matchup should be favored so long as we run 6 of the aforementioned in our 75, which we do.
Stompy - This is still an ambiguous matchup, and I don't quite have the numbers to support it being a favorable one. Though the tough blockers, the infinite fogs, and the inevitable board wipes tend to make life fun... for us only of course.
Kundoltha Boros - Provided we run auramancers in the 75, this is our best matchup. The only issues can come from quarrels over the crown, which this iteration can settle quite nicely.
Tron - This is probably best summarized here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dd_BTdUVQM
Honestly fuck tron xD In all formats. But alas, if I had to pick a format in which I wanted to watch someone tap 5 lands for 16 mana, it would be this one.
Now, what is required is a constant wave of disruption or aggression. And our deck sucks at both so long as it is required to do them consistently, constantly, and while getting disrupted ourselves. Testing has shown that a combination of Faerie Macabres, B-Bogs and Thrull Surgeons is our best bet, though even with 3 of each present in games 2 and 3 it is still an uphill climb.
An attrition deck for all to behold, Tortured Existence is theoretically capable of grinding out any pauper deck. The issue most often inflicted upon it by misguided if well meaning deckbuilders is planning for everything, which is simply impossible. Including Mesmeric Fiends and Carrion Feeders would add about 20% to our Tron matchup, but subtract about 30% from our matchups against all ground-based creature decks.
The goal each game is to be planning 3 turns ahead, know your deck - as well as that of your opponent inside and out - and to slowly build up a sufficient amount of incremental advantages to where you're virtually unstoppable.
Should a TE be nowhere in sight, probably hanging out somewhere with your dreams and hopes, your deck can still function, thanks to the abundance of discard engines and Scrabbler copies.