Overview:

This Mardu Assassin tribal deck leverages Altair Ibn-La'Ahad's ability to create attacking token copies of exiled Assassins, supported by historic synergies and combat tricks. The strategy focuses on recurring key Assassins from the graveyard, generating value through token swarms, and finishing with combat buffs or Purphoros triggers. While moderately synergistic, it lacks true infinite combos or cEDH-level optimization.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
This deck aims to fill its graveyard with Assassins using self-discard (Faithless Looting) and tutors (Buried Alive), then create explosive combat turns via Altair's token generation. Key payoffs include Purphoros damage triggers, Akroma's Will finishers, and historic synergies with Bayek/Layla Hassan. Secondary lines utilize staxy Assassins (Massacre Girl) and equipment-based value (Brotherhood Regalia).

Mulligan Priorities:

• 3 lands with color fixing
• Early Assassins (Desmond Miles) or graveyard fillers (Cathartic Reunion)
• Protection for Altair (Swiftfoot Boots)
  Avoid hands without red/black mana or pure reactive cards.

Key Tips:

• Time Altair's attacks after setting up graveyard recursion
• Use Cover of Darkness/Regalia to enable damage triggers
• Chain combat phases with Great Train Heist/Overpowering Attack
• Leverage Isshin to double token creation triggers

Avoid Traps:

• Overextending into board wipes pre-Akroma's Will
• Wasting removal on non-critical threats
• Keeping slow hands with multiple taplands

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) shuts off core engine
• Heavy reliance on combat damage for triggers

Moderate:

• Limited card advantage engines
• Weak to flying/evasive strategies

Minor:

• Some mana base enters tapped
• Moderate board wipe recovery

Most Important Cards:

• Anger
• Purphoros, God of the Forge
• Akroma's Will
• Buried Alive
• Cover of Darkness
• Brotherhood Regalia
• Isshin, Two Heavens as One
• Caduceus, Staff of Hermes
• Lightning Greaves
• Massacre Girl

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Requires T4-5 setup for meaningful attacks, T6-8 wins. Lacks fast mana but has some cost reducers.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple recursion options (Graveshifter, Layla Hassan) and protection equipment. Vulnerable to graveyard disruption.

Consistency: 6/10
10+ Assassin tutors/recursion effects but limited generic card draw. Reliant on combat damage triggers.

Interaction: 5/10
Efficient removal (Swords, Mortify) but limited counterspells. Reactive rather than proactive disruption.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Optimized Casual (5.0) and High-Power Casual (5.5). It has clear combat-focused wincons and moderate synergy, but lacks the speed (T8-10 wins) and redundancy of true optimized builds. While stronger than precons through focused tribal synergies, it can't consistently race faster combo decks.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5