Overview:

This Tiamat Dragon tribal deck focuses on cheating out high-impact Dragons quickly using cost reducers and Sneak Attack effects, then overwhelming opponents with flying beaters and ETB/damage synergies. The deck leverages a premium 5-color mana base and multiple Dragon tutors to consistently deploy threats, while using protection spells to survive board wipes.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
The deck aims to cast Tiamat by turn 5-6 (earlier with ramp) to tutor key Dragons like Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm, Terror of the Peaks, and Utvara Hellkite. Secondary lines use Sneak Attack, Monster Manual, and Rivaz of the Claw to bypass mana costs. Win conditions include:

• Massive combat damage from flying Dragons
• ETB damage chains (Scourge of Valkas + token generators)
• Value engines (Old Gnawbone treasures, Ancient Silver Dragon card draw)

Key Phases:

1. Early Ramp (Turns 1-4): Use Ignoble Hierarch, Three Visits, and fetchlands to fix colors. Prioritize Rhythm of the Wild for haste and anti-counter protection.
2. Commander Deployment (Turns 5-6): Cast Tiamat to fetch 5 Dragons, ideally including Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm for doubling effects.
3. Overwhelm Phase: Deploy Dragons with Sneak Attack/Monster Manual, using Terror of the Peaks and Dragon Tempest to convert ETBs into damage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands including green sources
• Require at least 1 ramp spell (Birds of Paradise, Arcane Signet)
• Prioritize Dragon tutors over individual threats in opening hands

Critical Interactions:

• Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm + any Dragon = double triggers
• Terror of the Peaks + Utvara Hellkite attacks = exponential damage
• Sneak Attack + Old Gnawbone = treasure-fueled recursion

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Vulnerable to back-to-back board wipes (only 3 mass protection spells)
• No graveyard hate for opposing recursion

Moderate:

• Weak to Drannith Magistrate/Containment Priest effects
• Relies on 6+ mana plays (susceptible to Farewell)

Minor:

• Limited stack interaction (only 4 instant-speed answers)

Most Important Cards:

• Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm
• Sneak Attack
• Terror of the Peaks
• Old Gnawbone
• Rhythm of the Wild
• Utvara Hellkite
• Scourge of Valkas
• Teferi's Protection
• Rivaz of the Claw
• Dragon Tempest

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10
Can deploy game-ending boards by turn 7-8 through Tiamat tutoring and Sneak Attack cheats. Fast mana (Sol Ring, Birds) enables occasional T5 wins.

Resilience: 5/10
Multiple Dragon tutors provide redundancy, but key engines (Miirym) have minimal protection. Recovers poorly from 2+ wipes.

Consistency: 7/10
14 Dragon tutors/fetches (Tiamat, Sarkhan's Triumph, Rivaz) ensure threat density. Premium mana base fixes colors reliably.

Interaction: 4/10
Limited removal suite (6 targeted, 2 board wipes). Lacks free counterspells, relying on Teferi's Protection for protection.

Rating Justification:

This deck exceeds precon-level consistency with its tutor density and mana base (rubric 5.0-5.5 range) but lacks the fast combos and free interaction of optimized builds. Compared to 6.0 decks, it's 1-2 turns slower and more vulnerable to disruption. The focused Dragon strategy and premium mana base place it above casual builds but below true high-power decks.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5