Overview:

This Mardu (RWB) deck leverages Olivia, Opulent Outlaw as a central engine for a Treasure-fueled combat/aristocrats strategy. Olivia enables Treasure generation whenever Assassins, Mercenaries, Pirates, Rogues, or Warlocks (collectively "Outlaws") deal combat damage. These Treasures serve dual purposes: ramping into high-impact spells and enabling Olivia's powerful sorcery-speed pump ability (+2/+2 counters to each creature). The deck wins primarily through wide combat damage amplified by Olivia's pump or extra combats (Aggravated Assault), supported by lifedrain triggers (Blood Artist, Malakir Blood-Priest) and potent Equipment-based threats (Cloud, Planet's Champion, The Masamune). Olivia is essential for acceleration and scaling threats but is vulnerable to removal, making Treasure generation critical.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy low-cost Outlaws (Pulse Tracker, Vicious Conquistador, Arrogant Poet, Reno and Rude) to start generating Treasures via combat. Use ramp (Signets, Sol Ring, Crypt Ghast) to cast Olivia or key engines like Mari, the Killing Quill/Professional Face-Breaker. Prioritize equipping Lightning Greaves/Skullclamp for protection or value.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 4-6): Cast Olivia and attack with Outlaws to stockpile Treasures. Use Treasures to:
   • Activate Olivia's pump (ideally post-combat to threaten lethal next turn).
   • Cast high-impact cards like Cloud, Planet's Champion, Sephiroth, Fallen Hero, or Beatrix, Loyal General.
   • Fuel card advantage via Professional Face-Breaker or Mari, the Killing Quill triggers.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 6-8):
   • Combat: Swing wide with Outlaws/Vampires. Use Olivia's pump for a lethal alpha strike. Aggravated Assault + sufficient Treasures enables infinite combat phases. Rogue's Passage ensures key damage connects. The Reaver Cleaver/Diamond Pick-Axe amplify Treasure generation mid-combat.
   • Aristocrats/Lifedrain: Sacrifice creatures (enabled by Life Insurance, Ruthless Lawbringer) to drain opponents via Blood Artist, Malakir Blood-Priest, or Tenured Inkcaster. The Masamune doubles these triggers if equipped to a dying creature.
   • Equipment Voltron: Suit up Cloud, Planet's Champion (indestructible, double strike) or Sephiroth, Fallen Hero (base 7/5) with powerful Swords (Excalibur II, Ultima Weapon) for commander damage or removal.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including all colors), early ramp (Signet, Sol Ring), and at least 1-2 low-CMC Outlaws or a key engine (Mari, Professional Face-Breaker).
• Prioritize hands containing Olivia, protection (Boros Charm, Lightning Greaves), or a clear path to early Treasures.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays, color fixing, or Olivia/engine enablers.

Key Tips:

• Treasure Synergy: Professional Face-Breaker and Diamond Pick-Axe compound Treasure generation. Sacrifice Treasures to Face-Breaker for card advantage before using them for Olivia's pump.
• Protection is Vital: Olivia and key engines (Mari, Face-Breaker) are prime removal targets. Use Boros Charm (indestructible), Lightning Greaves, or instant-speed protection (Swords to Plowshares on their removal) proactively.
• Maximize Death Triggers: The Masamune on a creature like Ravenous Chupacabra or Blood Artist creates devastating value or lifedrain. Life Insurance turns deaths into Treasures.
• Recursion & Value: Use The Darkness Crystal to reanimate exiled threats. Nine-Lives Familiar provides recurring chump blocks. Skullclamp on small Outlaws draws cards efficiently.
• Timing Olivia's Pump: Activate Olivia after blockers are declared but before damage to maximize surprise lethality. Prioritize doing this when you have multiple creatures connecting.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Mass removal (Wrath of God effects) devastates the creature-dependent strategy. Recovery relies heavily on topdecking engines or recursion like The Darkness Crystal.
• Anti-Treasure/Combat Hate: Collector Ouphe/Null Rod shuts down Treasures and Equipment. Propaganda/Ghostly Prison severely limits combat damage and Treasure generation.
• Commander Focused: Olivia removal cripples the deck's engine. Lacking consistent protection or haste enablers makes recasting her costly.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void disrupts Nine-Lives Familiar, The Darkness Crystal, and Mari, the Killing Quill's exile recursion.
• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Targeted removal for key Equipment (The Masamune, Excalibur II) or engines (Life Insurance, Aggravated Assault) slows the deck significantly.
• Stax Effects: Deafening Silence/Rule of Law limits the ability to deploy multiple creatures/equipments per turn, hindering aggression and combo potential.

Minor

• Flying Defense: The deck has limited reach/flying blockers, making evasive threats problematic if not answered by removal.
• Mana Base Fragility: Color requirements are demanding (RWB). Slow lands (enters-tapped Towns) and reliance on Signets can lead to awkward early turns under pressure.

Most Important Cards:

• Olivia, Opulent Outlaw (Primary engine: Treasure generation & team pump)
• Mari, the Killing Quill (Value engine: Draws cards, creates Treasures from opponent deaths)
• Professional Face-Breaker (Treasure generation on combat damage & card advantage)
• The Masamune (Win condition enabler: Doubles death triggers, forces blocks)
• Aggravated Assault (Primary win condition: Enables infinite combat with sufficient Treasures)
• Cloud, Planet's Champion (Resilient Equipment-based threat: Indestructible, double strike)
• Blood Artist (Key aristocrat payoff: Lifedrain on creature deaths)
• Crypt Ghast (Mana acceleration: Doubles Swamp output, enables big turns)
• Lightning Greaves (Essential protection for Olivia/key creatures)
• Malakir Blood-Priest (Scalable lifedrain & life gain based on board presence)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of threatening wins via combat/combos (Aggravated Assault + Treasures) around turns 7-8, accelerated by Treasures and ramp, but reliant on establishing a critical mass of creatures/Treasures first.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has recursion (The Darkness Crystal, Nine-Lives Familiar), protection (Boros Charm, Greaves), and card advantage engines (Mari, Face-Breaker), but struggles significantly to rebuild after board wipes and is highly vulnerable to Olivia being repeatedly removed.

Consistency: 6/10

• Multiple low-CMC Outlaws and engines (Mari, Face-Breaker) provide early plays, while Treasures offer ramp/fixing. Lacks extensive tutors beyond equipment fetches (Cloud, Midgar Mercenary), relying on draw engines to find key pieces.

Interaction: 6/10

• Runs efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Ravenous Chupacabra, Stroke of Midnight), board wipes (Blasphemous Act, Star of Extinction), and protection (Boros Charm). Missing stack interaction (counterspells) and has limited artifact/enchantment removal.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused speed (T7-8 win potential) and synergy through Treasure generation and combat/aristocrat payoffs, placing it above casual/precon levels. However, its reliance on Olivia and vulnerability to board wipes/resource denial caps its resilience, preventing it from reaching optimized/high-power tiers. Its performance aligns with decks leveraging combat and synergistic value engines effectively but lacking the speed or protection for higher brackets.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0