Overview:

This Dimir deck helmed by Satoru Umezawa leverages a ninjutsu strategy to cheat massive threats into play via evasive attackers. The commander enables all creature cards in hand to have ninjutsu {2}{U}{B}, allowing explosive turns where unblockable 1-drops like Ornithopter or Invisible Stalker become delivery systems for game-ending creatures like Toxrill, the Corrosive or Archon of Cruelty. Secondary win conditions include Yuriko triggers, reanimation packages, and value engines like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse. Satoru is critical to the strategy, as his ninjutsu-enabling ability allows the deck to bypass high mana costs for threats, though repeated commander removal can cripple the game plan.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy evasive creatures (Changeling Outcast, Gingerbrute, Triton Shorestalker) and mana rocks (Sol Ring, Dimir Signet). Use cantrips (Brainstorm, Ponder) to find key pieces.
2. Ninjutsu Payload (Turns 4+): Attack with unblockable creatures, then ninjutsu in high-impact threats:
   • Massacre Wurm to clear boards and drain
   • Archon of Cruelty for repeated sacrifice/discard triggers
   • Toxrill, the Corrosive for board control
   • Ancient Silver Dragon for card advantage
3. Backup Plans: Use Reanimate/Ancient Brass Dragon to recur threats, Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow for incremental damage/draw, or Hullbreaker Horror to lock opponents out.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with at least 1 evasive creature and 2-3 lands.
• Prioritize early interaction (Counterspell, Spell Pierce) in metas with heavy removal.
• Avoid hands lacking ninjutsu enablers or excessive high-CMC cards without ramp.

Key Tips:

• Use Slip Out the Back to protect Satoru or phase out key threats during removal.
• Dauthi Voidwalker disrupts opponents’ graveyards while providing a mana-agnostic casting option.
• Silver-Fur Master reduces ninjutsu costs and buffs your Ninja/Rogue army.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Dependency: Repeated removal of Satoru increases ninjutsu costs to prohibitive levels.
• Board Wipes: Extinction Event, Damnation-effects reset evasive creature infrastructure.
• Anti-Cheat Tech: Drannith Magistrate, Containment Priest nullify ninjutsu and reanimation.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void disrupt reanimation and Gyruda, Doom of Depths.
• Tax Effects: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben/Sphere of Resistance slow ninjutsu activations.

Minor

• Artifact Removal: Targets mana rocks like Arcane Signet but less critical than creature-based strategies.
• Flyer Overload: Limited answers to wide flying boards outside Toxrill.

Most Important Cards:

• Satoru Umezawa (Ninjutsu enabler)
• Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow (Damage engine, card advantage)
• Toxrill, the Corrosive (Board control, token generation)
• Archon of Cruelty (Recurring sacrifice/discard)
• Mana Drain (Counterspell + mana acceleration)
• Reanimate (Cheat threats from graveyard)
• Hullbreaker Horror (Soft lock with instant-speed spells)
• Fierce Guardianship (Free interaction)
• Dauthi Voidwalker (Graveyard hate + threat)
• Silver-Fur Master (Cost reduction, tribal synergy)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can deploy game-ending threats as early as Turn 4 via ninjutsu (e.g., Massacre Wurm on Turn 3 with Dark Ritual), but relies on setup.

Resilience: 5/10

• Limited protection beyond counterspells; heavy reliance on Satoru and evasive creatures makes it vulnerable to targeted removal.

Consistency: 6/10

• Strong card selection (Brainstorm, Ponder) and tutors (Rune-Scarred Demon), but ninjutsu targets are high-variance.

Interaction: 7/10

• Robust counterspell suite (Mana Drain, Fierce Guardianship) and spot removal (Feed the Swarm), but lacks board wipes beyond Extinction Event.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a 6.0 - 6.5 power level. It can threaten wins via ninjutsu-cheated threats as early as Turn 4-5 but struggles against fast combo decks and heavy interaction. While its interaction suite and redundancy in evasive creatures are strengths, reliance on Satoru and vulnerability to board wipes cap its resilience.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5