Overview:

This Gruul deck leverages Etali, Primal Conqueror as a central value engine and win condition, focusing on cheating massive creatures into play and generating extra combat steps. The strategy combines explosive ramp, creature cloning, and attack-trigger synergies to overwhelm opponents. Etali serves as both a card advantage engine (casting opponents' spells) and a transformative threat (poison wincon), with backup from high-impact dinosaurs and extra combat enablers. The deck relies heavily on Etali's ETB/attack triggers and combat phases to accelerate its game plan.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Explosive Ramp (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana dorks (Llanowar Elves, Delighted Halfling) and land ramp (Three Visits, Cultivate) to reach 6+ mana quickly. Use cost reducers like Goblin Anarchomancer and Hulking Raptor to accelerate Etali.
2. Deploy Etali/Value Engines (Turns 4-6): Cast Etali, Primal Conqueror to exile and cast free spells. Protect it with Lightning Greaves or Tamiyo's Safekeeping. Use tutors (Worldly Tutor, Shared Summons) to find key pieces like Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant or Port Razer.
3. Generate Extra Combats (Turns 5-7): Attack with Etali to trigger free casts, then untap creatures via Port Razer, Combat Celebrant, or Akki Battle Squad. Create token copies with Blade of Selves, Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink, or Twinflame to multiply triggers.
4. Win Condition Execution:
   • Combat Overrun: Flood the board with cloned/reanimated giants (e.g., Ghalta, Primal Hunger, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole) using extra combats for lethal damage.
   • Commander Poison: Transform Etali (via its ability) and connect twice for 14 poison counters.
   • Combo Kills: Blade of Selves on Etali creates exponential attack triggers; Orthion copying Etali yields 5+ free casts per combat.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including green/red sources) and 1-2 ramp pieces (e.g., Sol Ring, Llanowar Elves).
• Prioritize early protection (Swiftfoot Boots, Blossoming Defense) if Etali is in hand.
• Seek a turn 4-5 Etali play or a tutor for key creatures like Port Razer.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp or clogged with high-cost spells without acceleration.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Extra Combats: Deploy Etali before extra combat enablers (e.g., Port Razer) to maximize value.
• Clone Wisely: Use Blade of Selves or Orthion on Etali for exponential value; copy Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant to dump your hand.
• Protect Critical Mass: Heroic Intervention and Wrap in Vigor counter board wipes. Asceticism provides persistent hexproof.
• Leverage Exiled Spells: Cast opponents' removal/interaction from Etali triggers to disrupt their defenses.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Heavy Commander Reliance: Etali removal cripples the primary engine, forcing costly recasts (11+ mana).
• Board Wipe Vulnerability: Lacks mass recursion; Blasphemous Act is a double-edged sword.
• Anti-Combat Stax: Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, or Crawlspace severely limit attack triggers.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Disrupts Finale of Devastation and Eternal Witness loops (not listed but implied in strategy).
• Stack Interaction: Minimal counterspells; struggles against instant-speed removal targeting Etali/clones.

Minor

• Artifact/Enchantment Focus: Key pieces like The Great Henge or Blade of Selves are soft to targeted removal.
• Mana Consistency: Despite strong ramp, color-fixing relies on few dual lands beyond basics.

Most Important Cards:

• Etali, Primal Conqueror (Primary value engine/wincon)
• Port Razer (Untaps creatures and enables extra combats)
• Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant (Cheats massive creatures into play)
• Blade of Selves (Multiplies Etali triggers exponentially)
• Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink (Creates 5x Etali tokens for one activation)
• Finale of Devastation (Tutor/overrun finisher)
• The Great Henge (Card draw, ramp, and counters)
• Akki Battle Squad (Untap and extra combat enabler)
• Combat Celebrant (Extra combat source)
• Gaea's Cradle (Explosive mana for creature-heavy board)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Capable of T4-5 Etali casts with optimal ramp, threatening wins via extra combats or poison by T6-7. Cloning effects accelerate this dramatically.

Resilience: 5/10

• Runs protection spells and hexproof sources, but over-reliance on Etali and combat makes it vulnerable to targeted removal/wipes. Limited recursion.

Consistency: 7/10

• Abundant ramp and creature tutors (Worldly Tutor, Shared Summons) reliably find key pieces. High creature density synergizes with draw engines like Beast Whisperer.

Interaction: 4/10

• Spot removal (Beast Within, Krosan Grip) and combat tricks exist, but lacks counterspells or stack interaction. Relies on opponents' exiled spells for disruption.

Rating Justification:

The deck achieves T6-7 wins through explosive ramp, cloning, and extra combat steps, aligning with the "Focused" tier (T7-8 wins). However, its vulnerability to commander removal and board wipes reduces resilience, preventing higher optimization. Speed and consistency place it at the upper end of this range.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5