Overview:

This Satoru Umezawa deck combines ninjutsu-enabled creature cheating with a secondary Thoracle combo finish. The core strategy leverages Satoru's ability to deploy massive threats like Blightsteel Colossus and Void Winnower as early as T3-T4 through ninjutsu, while maintaining backup lines with Demonic Consultation/Thassa's Oracle. Fast mana and efficient tutors enable explosive starts, but the deck remains vulnerable to commander removal and graveyard disruption.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck operates on three axes:

1. Ninjutsu Bomb Deployment: Use Satoru's ninjutsu ability to cheat 8-12 MV threats into play via unblockable attackers like Tormented Soul. Key payoffs include infect via Blighted Agent and game-ending Blightsteel Colossus swings.
2. Thoracle Combo: Secondary wincon using Demonic Consultation/Tainted Pact (via transmute tutors) with Thassa's Oracle for instant-speed wins.
3. Value Engine: Ninja tribal synergies with Ingenious Infiltrator and Prosperous Thief generate card advantage and treasures.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with either:
  • 1-mana unblockable creature + Satoru + fast mana
  • 2+ tutors + mana acceleration
  • Thoracle combo pieces + protection
• Reject hands lacking early evasive creatures or mana acceleration.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Satoru only when protection (Force of Will, March of Swirling Mist) is available
• Use transmute cards (Dimir Infiltrator, Muddle the Mixture) as combo tutors
• Yawgmoth's Will enables explosive recursion turns with fast mana
• Ad Nauseam should be cast pre-combat to enable ninjutsu discounts

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander dependency (3+ removals cripples ninjutsu engine)
• No protection for Thoracle combo post-resolution

Moderate

• Limited board wipe recovery (only Cyclonic Rift)
• Weak to graveyard hate (exiles Yawgmoth's Will/Recurring Nightmare lines)

Minor

• Some vulnerability to flying blockers
• Moderate artifact ramp reliance

Most Important Cards:

• Demonic Consultation
• Thassa's Oracle
• Yawgmoth's Will
• Ad Nauseam
• Mana Crypt
• Blightsteel Colossus
• Demonic Tutor
• Force of Will
• Chrome Mox
• Void Winnower

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10 Capable of T2 Thoracle wins (Mana Crypt → Demonic Consultation) or T3 Blightsteel via ninjutsu.

Resilience: 5/10 Relies on 7 free counterspells but folds to resolved hatebears. Glass cannon nature against interaction-heavy pods.

Consistency: 7/10 12 tutors (4 transmute, 3 instant/sorcery) and strong card selection (Brainstorm/Ponder) find key pieces reliably.

Interaction: 6/10 10 counterspells (4 free) and targeted removal, but lacks permanent-based answers to resolved threats.

Rating Justification:

The deck achieves cEDH-adjacent speed with multiple T2-T3 win lines but lacks the redundancy/protection density of top-tier lists. While capable of explosive starts, it struggles against heavy interaction typical at higher power tables.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.5