Overview:

This Dimir Assassin tribal deck helmed by Etrata, Deadly Fugitive focuses on cloaking cards via combat damage triggers and leveraging type-changing effects like Maskwood Nexus/Arcane Adaptation to turn all creatures into Assassins. The deck aims to win through combat synergies, life-loss payoffs (e.g., Wound Reflection), and alternate win conditions like Ramses, Assassin Lord. Etrata acts as a value engine for free spellcasting but isn’t strictly essential, as the deck’s "hidden commanders" (Ramses, Mari, the Killing Quill, and type-enablers) provide redundancy.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (T1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Talisman of Dominance), evasive 1-drops (Changeling Outcast), and type-enablers (Arcane Adaptation). Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Solve the Equation) to find key pieces.
2. Midgame Triggers (T4-6): Swing with unblockable/fear/flying Assassins to cloak cards. Activate Roaming Throne (naming Assassin) to double Etrata’s triggers. Cast free cloaked spells for tempo. Deploy Mari, the Killing Quill or Ramses, Assassin Lord to amplify damage.
3. Win Conditions (T5-8):
   • Combat: Overwhelm with evasive Assassins buffed by Achilles Davenport or Cover of Darkness.
   • Life Halving: Pair Virtus the Veiled/Unstoppable Slasher with Wound Reflection for lethal.
   • Ramses Win: Eliminate a player via Assassin combat damage to trigger Ramses’ alternate win.
   • Value Engine: Use Double Down to copy Assassin spells and Kindred Discovery for massive card draw.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, early ramp/evasion, and at least one type-enabler or tutor.
• Prioritize Arcane Adaptation, Maskwood Nexus, or Changeling Outcast for early pressure.
• Avoid hands lacking evasion or synergy pieces.

Key Tips:

• Use Sakashima of a Thousand Faces to clone Roaming Throne for quadruple triggers.
• March of Swirling Mist protects your board or enables unblockable swings.
• Patriarch’s Bidding and Back in Town rebuild after wipes.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Type-Enabler Dependency: Removing Arcane Adaptation/Maskwood Nexus cripples tribal synergy.
• Graveyard Reliance: Back in Town/Patriarch’s Bidding are vulnerable to Bojuka Bog-effects.

Moderate

• Artifact/Enchantment Fragility: Key pieces (Roaming Throne, Double Down) lack hexproof.
• Life Total Pressure: Self-damage from Black Market Connections/mana base adds up.

Minor

• Limited Infinite Combos: Wins via incremental damage rather than instant-speed locks.
• Stack Interaction: Few answers to resolved noncreature permanents beyond Feed the Swarm.

Most Important Cards:

• Arcane Adaptation (Make all creatures Assassins)
• Roaming Throne (Double Assassin triggers)
• Ramses, Assassin Lord (Alternate win condition)
• Wound Reflection (Life-loss amplifier)
• Maskwood Nexus (Tribal synergy enabler)
• Double Down (Copy Assassin spells)
• Mari, the Killing Quill (Treasure/card draw engine)
• Demonic Tutor (Find key pieces)
• March of Swirling Mist (Protection/evasion)
• Virtus the Veiled (Life-halving threat)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via combat/life-loss around T6-8, but lacks T3-5 fast combos.

Resilience: 7/10

• Strong recursion (Patriarch’s Bidding), counterspells (Mana Drain), and phasing protect key strategies.

Consistency: 8/10

• 10+ tutors, type-enablers, and card draw (Kindred Discovery) ensure tribal synergy.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient removal (Deadly Rollick, Cyclonic Rift) and counterspounds, but light on artifact/enchantment answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck combines high consistency and resilience with a T6-8 combat/life-loss win clock, placing it in the optimized casual tier. While it lacks cEDH-speed combos, its robust synergy and protection elevate it above precon-level play.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0