Overview:

This Nalia de'Arnise deck focuses on maintaining a full party (Cleric/Rogue/Warrior/Wizard) to leverage combat buffs and death-trigger synergies. It combines incremental value from creature recursion, sacrifice outlets, and drain effects with a potential infinite mill/mana combo using Enduring Renewal + Ashnod's Altar + low-cost creatures. The deck operates as a midrange aristocrats strategy with moderate combo potential.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
The deck aims to establish a full party to activate Nalia's combat buff while generating value through death triggers and recursion. Key lines include:

1. Party Synergy: Use changelings (Universal Automaton, Mirror Entity) and tribal payoffs (Xathrid Necromancer, Rotlung Reanimator) to maintain board presence.
2. Sacrifice Loops: Leverage Zulaport Cutthroat/Bastion of Remembrance with Viscera Seer/Ashnod's Altar for incremental drain.
3. Infinite Combos: Enduring Renewal + Ashnod's Altar + 1-drop creature generates infinite colorless mana, which can be funneled into Altar of Dementia for mill or Bolas's Citadel for massive plays.

Mulligan Priorities:

• 3 lands (prioritize untapped)
• At least 2 party creatures across different types
• Early value engine (Skullclamp, Soul Warden) or combo piece

Key Tips:

• Use Haunted Crossroads/Mortuary to recycle key creatures to the top for Nalia's casting ability.
• Pyre of Heroes chains changelings into critical combo pieces.
• Stick Together acts as both board protection and selective removal.

Avoid Traps:

• Overcommitting to the board before securing recursion.
• Casting Enduring Renewal without protection.
• Keeping slow hands without early party setup.

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Foldsto graveyard hate (Rest in Peace shuts off 40% of the deck)
• Relies on fragile 3-card combos with limited protection
  Moderate:
• Slow recovery from board wipes despite recursion
• Mana base struggles with color requirements (16 tapped lands)
  Minor:
• Vulnerable to flyers without dedicated answers

Most Important Cards:

• Enduring Renewal
• Ashnod's Altar
• Altar of Dementia
• Zulaport Cutthroat
• Bolas's Citadel
• Haunted Crossroads
• Pyre of Heroes
• Mirror Entity
• Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
• Skullclamp

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Goldfish win around T7-8 via combat/drain. Fastest combo requires T5 setup (Enduring Renewal + Altars).

Resilience: 4/10

• Recursion exists but key enchantments lack protection. Graveyard reliance creates critical vulnerability.

Consistency: 5/10

• 3 tutors (Pyre/Coveted Prize/Thwart) + topdeck manipulation, but combo pieces aren't easily searchable.

Interaction: 4/10

• Limited instant-speed removal (Despark, Crib Swap). Relies on sorcery wipes (Austere Command).

Rating Justification:

This deck exceeds precon levels with combo potential and synergy density (Rubric 5.0) but lacks the speed/protection of optimized lists. It matches "Optimized Casual/Strong Precon" (5.0) in combat/grind wins but reaches into 5.5 territory when assembling its T5 combo. However, critical vulnerabilities to common interaction and medium consistency prevent higher ratings.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5