Overview:

This Marrow-Gnawer Rat Tribal deck focuses on overwhelming opponents with exponential Rat tokens amplified by tribal synergies. The primary win conditions are combat overrun with buffed Rats, life drain via Ayara, First of Locthwain/Mirkwood Bats, and a potential infinite Rat token combo with Thornbite Staff. While moderately resilient to single board wipes, it struggles against repeated interaction and has limited protection for its key pieces.

Primer:

Core Strategy:
Deploy early Rats like Rat Colony using cost reducers (Jet Medallion, Bontu's Monument), then use Marrow-Gnawer to convert them into explosive token generation. Secondary engines like Ogre Slumlord and Lord Skitter, Sewer King provide backup token production. The deck can pivot between:

1. Aggressive Toxic/Combat wins with Karumonix, the Rat King
2. Life drain via Ayara, First of Locthwain/Mirkwood Bats
3. Infinite Rats using Thornbite Staff + Marrow-Gnawer + Sac Outlet (Ashnod's Altar/Skullclamp)

Key Lines:

• T4-T6 Kill Setup: Thrumming Stone + 4+ Rat Colonies creates massive board presence.
• Infinite Combo: Equipped Marrow-Gnawer with Thornbite Staff sacrifices 1 Rat to make X tokens (which die to state-based actions), untapping Marrow-Gnawer to repeat infinitely. Pair with Skullclamp for infinite draw or Mirkwood Bats for instant kill.

Mulligan Priorities:

1. 3+ lands including Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx/Command Beacon
2. Early Rat Colony/Jet Medallion
3. Token payoff (Mirkwood Bats, Ayara, First of Locthwain)
   Avoid hands without Rat density or payoff cards.

Critical Sequencing:

1. Establish 3+ Rats before casting Marrow-Gnawer
2. Prioritize equipping Swiftfoot Boots/Umbral Mantle on Marrow-Gnawer
3. Time Crippling Fear to clear blockers before alpha strikes

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• Foldsto 2+ board wipes (limited recursion beyond Patriarch's Bidding)
• Thornbite Staff combo requires 3+ pieces with no free protection

Moderate:

• Graveyard hate (Bojuka Bog) disrupts Whip of Erebos/Oversold Cemetery
• Relies on commander for exponential tokens

Minor:

• Limited stack interaction (no counterspells)
• Weak to flying/evasive strategies

Most Important Cards:

• Thrumming Stone
• Ashnod's Altar
• Skullclamp
• Thornbite Staff
• Crypt Ghast
• Phyrexian Arena
• Pitiless Plunderer
• Karumonix, the Rat King
• Mirkwood Bats
• Patriarch's Bidding

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10
Can threaten T5-6 kills via Thrumming Stone floods or T7-8 infinite combos. Lacks fast mana beyond Sol Ring/Dark Ritual.

Resilience: 4/10
Limited protection for key pieces. Recovers poorly from 2+ removals on Marrow-Gnawer or post-wipe.

Consistency: 5/10
19 Rat Colonies + Thrumming Stone provide redundancy, but only 1 tutor (Diabolic Tutor).

Interaction: 3/10
7 targeted removals at sorcery speed (Go for the Throat, Infernal Grasp). No counterspells or permanent protection.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at the high end of Optimized Casual (5.0-5.5). It exceeds Precon power with explosive token generation and a game-ending combo, but lacks:

• cEDH-speed mana (no Mana Crypt/Jeweled Lotus)
• Free interaction (Deflecting Swat)
• Tutor density for combo consistency

While capable of T5 wins in ideal conditions, it typically goldfishes T7-8 kills and folds to 2+ interaction spells - aligning with 5.5 benchmarks.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5