Overview:

This deck is a Naya (RGW) Equipment Voltron strategy centered around Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER, leveraging equipment synergies to generate card advantage, mana acceleration, and combat dominance. The deck focuses on rapid equipment deployment, cost reduction, and value engines to overwhelm opponents through enhanced creatures and combat triggers.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to flood the board with high-impact Equipment, using tutors like Stoneforge Mystic and Fighter Class to assemble key pieces. Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER serves as both a card draw engine and mana accelerator when equipped, while backup commanders like Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist and Reyav, Master Smith provide alternative angles. Win conditions include:

• Voltron commander damage via Colossus Hammer/Blackblade Reforged
• Mass card advantage from Rishkar's Expertise and Cloud’s attack trigger
• Treasure-fueled explosive turns with Reaver Cleaver and Kessig Wolf Run pumps

Key Lines:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana dorks (Birds of Paradise) or land-based ramp (Three Visits), then cast equipment tutors or cost reducers like Puresteel Paladin.
2. Midgame (Turns 5-7): Attach game-changing Equipment to Cloud or backup carriers (Bruenor Battlehammer, Akiri, Fearless Voyager), leveraging Sigarda's Aid for flash equips.
3. Closing: Use Kessig Wolf Run or Halvar, God of Battle to push lethal damage, or chain extra combats via treasures from Cloud’s 7+ power trigger.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands and at least one ramp/tutor effect.
• Prioritize early Equipment enablers (Stoneforge Mystic, Fighter Class) over standalone threats.
• Avoid slow hands lacking mana acceleration or equipment tutors.

Critical Interactions:

• Hammer of Nazahn + Colossus Hammer for immediate 14-power Cloud
• Forge Anew recursion loops with Danitha, New Benalia's Light
• Belt of Giant Strength enabling 10-power triggers at minimal equip cost

Weaknesses:

Moderate:

• Artifact Removal Vulnerability: Relies heavily on Equipment permanents susceptible to Vandalblast or Bane of Progress.
• Board Wipe Sensitivity: Limited mass recursion outside Mantle of the Ancients.
• Commander Dependency: Multiple Cloud removals slow card advantage engines.

Minor:

• Graveyard reliance mitigated by Forge Anew/Danitha
• Stax pieces (Collector Ouphe) partially answered by Boseiju, Who Endures

Most Important Cards:

• Stoneforge Mystic
• Sigarda's Aid
• Hammer of Nazahn
• Puresteel Paladin
• Colossus Hammer
• Sword of Feast and Famine
• Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist
• Kessig Wolf Run
• Rishkar's Expertise
• Forge Anew

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can deploy lethal commander damage by T5 with optimal draws (e.g., T3 Cloud + T4 Hammer of Nazahn/Colossus Hammer). Mana dorks and cost reducers enable explosive starts.

Resilience: 6/10

• Moderate protection (Teferi's Protection, Swiftfoot Boots) and recursion (Danitha, Forge Anew), but folds to repeated artifact wipes.

Consistency: 8/10

• 10+ equipment tutors and redundancy in key effects (4 free equip enablers, 3 cost reducers). Draw engines like Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER and Akiri mitigate dead draws.

Interaction: 5/10

• Limited instant-speed answers (Deflecting Swat, Swords to Plowshares), relying on combat dominance over stack control.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between 5.5 (High-Power Casual) and 6.0 (Focused) on the rubric:

• Speed/Consistency: Tutors and mana cheating enable T5-7 wins, aligning with 5.5-6.0 benchmarks.
• Resilience Gap: Lacks free counterspells/recursion seen in higher tiers, keeping it below 6.5.
• Meta Position: Outpaces precon-level decks but struggles against fast combo or heavy stax.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0