# Strategy Specifications
## Deck Name And Archetype

- Name: Magar Face Down Spells.
- Format: Commander.
- Commander: Magar of the Magic Strings.
- Color identity: black-red, using only registered Rakdos cards and lands in the supplied inventory.
- Archetype: rogue commander graveyard-engine deck built around face-down noted spell creatures, combat-damage triggers, graveyard spell selection, copy casting, and high-impact sorcery/instant payoffs.
- Tags: face-down spells; encoded spell identity; combat damage triggers; graveyard selection; copy casting; edge-case; draft-only.
- Stock status: rogue/hybrid, not a stock Commander staple shell. It uses familiar acceleration, discard, tutors, reanimation, and protection cards where registered, but the strategic identity is the Magar-specific face-down spell engine rather than generic Rakdos good-stuff.

- Count validation: the registered main deck contains 100 cards including Magar of the Magic Strings, with singleton construction outside the two Swamp copies. The registered Veles policy sideboard contains exactly 10 cards: Thoughtseize, Duress, Leyline of the Void, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Brotherhood's End, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Surgical Extraction. This satisfies the active validation contract for this Commander strategy: 100 main / 10 sideboard, with no 60-card constructed size warning.

- Commander validation: Magar of the Magic Strings is the deck's command-zone identity, primary engine, and main reason to register expensive or game-warping spells such as Worst Fears, Insurrection, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Blasphemous Act, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, and Crackle with Power. Runtime guidance must account for commander tax, recast timing, protection availability from Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, and Deflecting Swat, and whether Magar can survive long enough for a face-down noted creature to deal combat damage.

- Legality and engine-support concern: the supplied validation result passes, but this list has an explicit unresolved support concern: confirm Magar face-down noted creatures retain source identity in Forge logs and replay payloads. Veles should not assume a replay-visible face-down creature is strategically equivalent to its noted spell unless the rules-engine output exposes that association or the decision context preserves it from a legal Magar action. If the engine cannot expose encoded spell identity, the guide should treat Magar trigger choices and combat-damage payoff evaluation as requiring missing card-reference or replay metadata rather than guessing.

- Mana validation: the deck is black-red with heavy generic and colored bursts from Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, and Seize the Spoils. The land base includes many black-red or fixing lands, but several lands enter tapped or have conditional output, so early sequencing must distinguish turn-one acceleration from slower fixing. Generic mana costs such as the large X spells are not colorless requirements; the key constraint is reaching enough total mana while preserving black and red access for setup, interaction, and commander deployment.

- Role validation: the deck has enough graveyard loading through Entomb, Buried Alive, Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Gamble, and discard-treasure spells to support Magar and reanimation, but it is not a pure graveyard combo deck. Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, and Takenuma, Abandoned Mire create alternate graveyard pressure when Magar is taxed or removed. Interaction is broad but finite, so removal and stack choices must protect the engine, stop lethal pressure, or clear combat lanes for noted face-down creatures.

- Opponent information status: no opponent decklists, commanders, table roles, or matchup-specific public information were supplied. Matchup rules must therefore use visible board state, revealed cards, graveyards, stack objects, commander identities once known, and rules-engine legal actions at runtime. Do not infer hidden interaction, unknown graveyard hate, or opponent archetype plans unless the game log or public zones reveal them.

## Thesis

- Priority: assemble Magar of the Magic Strings plus a graveyard containing high-impact instants or sorceries, then convert legal Magar actions into face-down noted creatures whose combat damage can copy the encoded spell. The best games load a spell with Entomb, Buried Alive, Faithless Looting, Cathartic Reunion, Thrill of Possibility, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Seize the Spoils, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, or Vampiric Tutor, protect Magar, and force one clean combat connection.

- Win plan: make one Magar trigger worth more than a normal Commander turn cycle by copying Worst Fears, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Blasphemous Act, Army of the Damned, Rise of the Dark Realms, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Brass's Bounty, Jeska's Will, Big Score, or Unexpected Windfall when the rules engine exposes a legal copied-spell line. Prefer spell identities that immediately change the table state, create mana, take a decisive turn, or set up a lethal follow-up over small incremental value.

- Backup plan: win through Rakdos graveyard pressure when Magar is taxed, absent, or unsafe. Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, and Rise of the Dark Realms let the deck reuse Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Anger, Storm-Kiln Artist, Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Dualcaster Mage, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, and Mayhem Devil without relying on noted creature damage.

- Do not play as generic Rakdos removal-control unless survival requires it. Interaction is finite, and the deck's threat density is built around setup into explosive spells, so Terminate, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Lightning Bolt, Deflecting Swat, and Malakir Rebirth should usually protect Magar, clear a combat lane, stop a lethal or lock piece, or preserve a high-leverage graveyard/engine turn.

- Metadata gate: treat face-down noted spell identity as real only when the legal Magar action, game log, replay payload, or decision context exposes it. If Forge or replay output loses the association, Veles should preserve the uncertainty and avoid pretending that an anonymous face-down creature is known to represent Worst Fears, Insurrection, or any other specific spell.

## Role Package

- Threats: Magar of the Magic Strings is the primary threat because each successful noted creature hit can become a copied spell. Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, and token-heavy outputs from Army of the Damned create pressure when opponents over-focus on Magar.

- Payoffs: Worst Fears, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Blasphemous Act, Brass's Bounty, Jeska's Will, Big Score, and Unexpected Windfall are the main cards to turn into copied-spell advantage. Favor payoffs that match the visible board: theft effects into creature-heavy tables, sweepers into overbuilt boards, X spells with burst mana, and draw/treasure spells when another turn is needed.

- Engines: Magar of the Magic Strings, Thousand-Year Elixir, Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, Harmonic Prodigy, Storm-Kiln Artist, Professional Face-Breaker, Conspiracy Theorist, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, and The One Ring generate repeatable decisions. Do not deploy fragile engine pieces into obvious removal unless the same turn creates value or protection is available.

- Velocity: Entomb, Buried Alive, Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, and Jeska's Will find, discard, or finance the spell package. Prioritize graveyard setup before Magar attacks, but preserve a castable line when graveyard hate is visible.

- Interaction: Terminate, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Lightning Bolt, Blasphemous Act, Deflecting Swat, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Mayhem Devil cover creatures, problem permanents, stack-adjacent disruption, graveyards, and combat-lane pressure. Spend them for survival, commander protection, or a confirmed damage trigger, not low-impact tempo.

- Protection: Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, Thousand-Year Elixir, Anger, and commander recast planning keep Magar active. Sequence haste/protection before exposing Magar when possible, and account for commander tax before choosing a risky attack or sacrifice line.

- Recursion: Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, and Malakir Rebirth convert graveyard setup into board presence. Use them on actual high-impact creatures or survival pieces rather than the first legal target.

- Mana: Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Ancient Tomb, Phyrexian Tower, black-red fixing lands, fetch lands, and the basic Swamp and Mountain support burst turns. Preserve black for tutors/reanimation and red for Magar payoff turns.

- Sideboard modules: Thoughtseize and Duress attack interaction; Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Rakdos Charm pressure graveyards; Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Brotherhood's End, and Rakdos Charm answer permanents or artifacts; Opposition Agent punishes search-heavy opponents.

## Primary Win Conditions

- Magar copied-spell combat is the primary kill engine: put a high-impact instant or sorcery into the graveyard with Entomb, Buried Alive, Faithless Looting, Cathartic Reunion, Thrill of Possibility, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, or Vampiric Tutor, then use legal Magar of the Magic Strings actions to create noted face-down attackers. Prioritize this line when Magar can survive to activate, a combat lane can be opened, and the replay/log context preserves which spell identity is noted.

- Table-swing spell hits should match the visible battlefield: encode Insurrection or Mob Rule against creature-heavy boards, Blasphemous Act when the table is ahead on creatures and the damage pattern is survivable, Worst Fears when one opponent has the decisive next turn or shields down, and Rise of the Dark Realms or Army of the Damned when graveyards or token pressure can end the table. Do not spend a Magar note on a flashy spell if the legal copied cast will be blank, illegal, or low impact under current targets.

- X-spell finishers close games after burst mana: Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, and Crackle with Power become primary win conditions when Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Ancient Tomb, Phyrexian Tower, Treasure from Big Score, Treasure from Unexpected Windfall, or Professional Face-Breaker can produce a lethal or near-lethal turn. Prioritize these over slower Magar setup when opponents are low, shields are down, or graveyard hate makes noted spells unreliable.

- Recursion haymakers win when graveyards are stocked: Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, and Rise of the Dark Realms should convert Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Anger, Storm-Kiln Artist, Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Dualcaster Mage, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, or Mayhem Devil into immediate pressure or resource recovery. Prioritize this path when Magar has been removed repeatedly, commander tax is high, or a visible graveyard contains better creatures than the current hand.

## Secondary Win Conditions

- Value-combat pressure matters when the spell engine is contested: Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Storm-Kiln Artist, Dualcaster Mage, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Anger-enabled creatures, and face-down noted creatures can chip life totals while generating treasures, theft, copied triggers, or sacrifice damage. Use Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, removal, and Deflecting Swat to turn one safe attack into future inevitability.

- Worst Fears can function as a soft lock only when repeated copied casts are realistic and the same opponent remains the correct pressure point. Use Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, Harmonic Prodigy, Thousand-Year Elixir, or additional noted creatures only if legal triggers/actions exist and the table state rewards copying the same spell again; otherwise pivot to a lethal payoff rather than over-investing in control of one turn cycle.

- Burn and drain finish wounded opponents without combat: Lightning Bolt, Mayhem Devil, Blood Artist, Exsanguinate, Torment of Hailfire, Crackle with Power, and Rakdos Charm can end games after opponents have taken chip damage from noted creatures, tokens, Treasure-enabled attacks, or their own board size. Preserve these cards when visible life totals indicate a near-term kill, but spend them defensively when an opponent's next combat or combo turn would otherwise end the game.

- Creature-land fallback is narrow but real: Lavaclaw Reaches can pressure planeswalkers or low-life opponents when mana is abundant and sorcery-speed sweepers or graveyard hate have slowed the main plan. Do not animate it into open profitable blocks, visible instant-speed removal that matters, or turns where the same mana is needed for Magar activation, interaction, or an X-spell finish.

## Emergency Lines

- Behind on life, shift from engine greed to survival first: cast Blasphemous Act, Terminate, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Lightning Bolt, Rakdos Charm, or Living Death when the legal action materially prevents lethal pressure. Exsanguinate can be a stabilizing lifegain spell before it is lethal, and Reanimate or Animate Dead on Archon of Cruelty or Vilis, Broker of Blood is acceptable when the life-payment and board swing are survivable.

- Behind on board, choose reset or theft before incremental setup: Blasphemous Act, Living Death, Mob Rule, Insurrection, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, and Archon of Cruelty are the comeback cards. If your own board is weak but opposing graveyards are strong, prefer Living Death or Rise of the Dark Realms; if opponents have the best creatures already on battlefield, prefer Mob Rule or Insurrection when legal and impactful.

- Behind on cards or engines, rebuild with draw-discard and protected commander timing: Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, The One Ring, Jeska's Will, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Conspiracy Theorist, and Professional Face-Breaker should find the next payoff while loading the graveyard. Do not expose Magar of the Magic Strings without Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, haste from Anger, or enough mana to gain value immediately.

- Behind on mana, take burst windows instead of fair turns: Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Sol Ring, Ancient Tomb, signets, Talisman of Indulgence, and Treasure makers can create one decisive turn even from a slow start. Use tutors for mana only when the hand already contains a payoff or commander line that the mana unlocks.

- If graveyard recursion or Magar identity is disrupted, pivot to castable spells and battlefield pressure: hard-cast Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Army of the Damned, or Rise of the Dark Realms when mana allows, and use Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, and Lavaclaw Reaches to force opponents to answer threats outside the graveyard.

## Resource Model

- Convert life into tempo only when the exchange protects a decisive turn: Reanimate, Ancient Tomb, The One Ring, Vilis, Broker of Blood, and combat damage taken to keep engines alive are acceptable when they enable Magar of the Magic Strings, a reanimation swing, or a lethal Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power. Stop paying life for speed when an opponent has visible combat lethal or burn pressure and use removal, lifegain from Exsanguinate, or a reset instead.

- Convert hand into graveyard quality before raw card count: Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Entomb, Buried Alive, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor should place or find spells that Magar can note and creatures that Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, or Rise of the Dark Realms can exploit. Discard high-impact sorceries only when Magar access, recursion, or future mana makes them more useful in graveyard than stranded in hand.

- Convert mana into one explosive window instead of fair incremental turns: Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Ancient Tomb, Phyrexian Tower, and Treasures from Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Seize the Spoils, Storm-Kiln Artist, or Professional Face-Breaker should be stockpiled or spent toward a specific payoff. Avoid burning rituals into low-impact setup unless the line produces Magar activation plus protection, a tutor plus cast, a sweeper, or a near-lethal X spell.

- Convert board presence into combat triggers and sacrifice value: face-down noted creatures, Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Storm-Kiln Artist, and Anger create value when they survive to attack or support sacrifice/recast lines. Preserve sacrifice fodder for Victimize, Phyrexian Tower, Mayhem Devil, Blood Artist, and Living Death math; do not sacrifice a needed mana creature, protected engine, or sole attacker unless the legal action wins or prevents losing.

- Convert graveyard and exile into alternate hands: Magar of the Magic Strings wants specific instants or sorceries in graveyard, recursion wants creatures, and Dauthi Voidwalker can turn exiled opponent cards into a spell-casting resource if the rules engine exposes the legal action. Sideboard graveyard bullets Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Rakdos Charm, and Dauthi Voidwalker should be treated as resource denial, not as generic interaction; use them when opposing graveyard conversion is faster than this deck's own graveyard plan.

- Convert information into commitment timing: Thoughtseize, Duress, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, and visible tutor/search actions should determine whether to expose Magar, tap out for Insurrection or Rise of the Dark Realms, or hold Deflecting Swat, Malakir Rebirth, Chaos Warp, Bedevil, Terminate, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, or Lightning Bolt. Hidden information stays unknown; do not assume shields are down unless public actions, revealed cards, or exhausted mana make that visible.

## Mana Guide

- Prioritize black-red access before utility colorlessness: keep hands that can produce both black and red by turn three through Command Tower, Exotic Orchard when it visibly produces needed colors, Path of Ancestry, Luxury Suite, Blood Crypt, Badlands, Dragonskull Summit, Haunted Ridge, Sulfurous Springs, Foreboding Ruins, Blightstep Pathway, Graven Cairns, Smoldering Marsh, Temple of Malice, Tainted Peak with Swamp support, Canyon Slough, Shadowblood Ridge, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, or Fellwar Stone when it visibly produces needed colors. Mulligan hands with only Ancient Tomb, Reliquary Tower, color-locked utility lands, or one color plus expensive spells unless Sol Ring or rituals create a concrete line.

- Sequence tapped and utility lands around the first real action: play Temple of Malice, Canyon Slough, Bojuka Bog, Fabled Passage, Prismatic Vista, or fetch lands early when no one-mana spell or instant-speed interaction is needed, but lead untapped black for Reanimate, Entomb, Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Tutor, Dark Ritual, Thoughtseize after sideboard, or Duress after sideboard when those are the planned turn. Do not describe enters-tapped lands as supporting turn-one one-mana plays.

- Use fetch lands as fixing and graveyard setup, not vague deck thinning: Bloodstained Mire, Polluted Delta, Marsh Flats, Verdant Catacombs, Scalding Tarn, Prismatic Vista, and Fabled Passage should find registered legal targets that satisfy the current hand's color bottleneck, usually Swamp, Mountain, Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or Canyon Slough only when the specific land can legally be found by that fetch. Preserve a fetch if top-deck manipulation from Vampiric Tutor or scry from Temple of Malice makes the shuffle decision relevant.

- Cast Magar only when the mana plan includes activation or protection soon: Magar of the Magic Strings needs black-red access and enough follow-up to note a graveyard spell, equip Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots, use Thousand-Year Elixir, hold Malakir Rebirth or Deflecting Swat, or immediately benefit from Anger. If commander tax rises, pivot mana toward reanimation, X spells, The One Ring, or board resets until recasting Magar produces value that turn or the next visible combat.

- Play lands after draw-discard when the hand may change, but before spells when mana must be available: with Faithless Looting, Cathartic Reunion, Thrill of Possibility, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Seize the Spoils, The One Ring, Jeska's Will, or Vilis, Broker of Blood, delay the land drop if no current spell requires that land and the draw may reveal a better tapped/untapped choice. Play the land first when it unlocks the draw spell, holds interaction, enables a ritual chain, or turns on Tainted Peak, Foreboding Ruins, Dragonskull Summit, Haunted Ridge, Smoldering Marsh, or Path of Ancestry timing.

- Treat sideboard mana requirements as pregame constraints: Thoughtseize, Duress, Leyline of the Void, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Feed the Swarm, Surgical Extraction, Abrade, Brotherhood's End, and Rakdos Charm require early black or red at different speeds, so sideboarded hands must cast the inserted card in the matchup window it was chosen for. Do not keep a hand because it has a sideboard bullet if the visible mana cannot deploy that bullet before the opposing engine matters.

## Mulligan Guide

- Strong keep: keep two or three lands with black-red access plus one accelerator and one graveyard/action card, such as Command Tower, Sulfurous Springs, Sol Ring, Entomb, Faithless Looting, Magar of the Magic Strings, and Malakir Rebirth. This hand has mana, a spell to note, and a way to make Magar matter before the table stabilizes.

- Strong keep: keep fast mana plus a tutor when it produces a specific first engine, such as Ancient Tomb, Arcane Signet, Badlands, Demonic Tutor, Lightning Greaves, Big Score, and Blasphemous Act. The tutor should find the missing half of Magar setup, protection, or a payoff, not a generic expensive spell.

- Medium keep: keep stable mana plus filtering without Magar when the hand has Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, or Unexpected Windfall and at least one high-impact discard target such as Army of the Damned, Worst Fears, Insurrection, or Rise of the Dark Realms. This hand needs early draw decisions to build the graveyard before committing commander mana.

- Medium keep: keep interaction-heavy hands against fast creature or engine starts when they include Terminate, Abrade, Feed the Swarm, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Rakdos Charm, or Lightning Bolt plus castable mana. These hands should buy time for The One Ring, Magar of the Magic Strings, or a tutor, but should not spend removal on low-impact permanents while a commander or combo engine is expected.

- Risky keep: keep one-land hands only when the land plus Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, or Faithless Looting creates visible turn-one or turn-two velocity. A one-land hand with only Reliquary Tower, Bojuka Bog, Spinerock Knoll, or Ancient Tomb and no colored path is a ship.

- Automatic ship: ship hands with no black source and no fixing when they rely on Entomb, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Tutor, or Feed the Swarm. Ship hands that only cast expensive payoffs such as Rise of the Dark Realms, Insurrection, Army of the Damned, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power without ramp, discard, tutor, or draw.

- Matchup-dependent keep: keep Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Rakdos Charm, Bojuka Bog, or sideboard Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Thoughtseize, or Duress only when the opposing strategy visibly depends on graveyard use, search, or early noncreature setup. Do not keep a weak mana hand just because it contains a hate card that cannot be cast in time.

- Play/draw adjustment: on the play, favor hands that deploy Sol Ring, a signet, Lightning Greaves, Thousand-Year Elixir, Entomb, Faithless Looting, or a tutor before opponents hold up mana. On the draw, favor hands with interaction, Thoughtseize or Duress after sideboard, and enough lands to recover from the first removal spell on Magar.

- Trap hand: do not keep Magar of the Magic Strings plus only expensive sorceries and no discard outlet, tutor, protection, or ramp. Do not keep Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Illusionist's Bracers, Strionic Resonator, and Thousand-Year Elixir as a package without a graveyard spell or enough mana to use Magar.

## Turn Arc

- Turn 1: establish colored mana or acceleration first with Command Tower, Blood Crypt, Badlands, Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, or Faithless Looting. Prefer Entomb, Vampiric Tutor, Gamble, or Faithless Looting when the hand already has Magar access; prefer tapped setup lands such as Temple of Malice, Canyon Slough, Bojuka Bog, Fabled Passage, or Prismatic Vista when no one-mana action is needed.

- Turn 1 deviation: use Dark Ritual only when it creates a real engine turn, such as early Magar protection, fast The One Ring, a tutor plus cast line, or a hate creature that matters immediately. Do not spend Dark Ritual to cast a low-impact rock if the hand already has normal land development.

- Turn 2: develop the bridge to Magar with Rakdos Signet, Fellwar Stone, Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, or Entomb plus Reanimate when the target is worth the life and exposure. If opponents present a must-answer permanent, hold up or cast Abrade, Terminate, Feed the Swarm, Rakdos Charm, Lightning Bolt, or Chaos Warp instead of forcing setup.

- Turn 3: cast Magar of the Magic Strings when a graveyard instant or sorcery is ready and protection, haste, or next-turn activation is plausible. If Magar would enter without a meaningful note target or would die before value, cast The One Ring, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Storm-Kiln Artist, Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, or a draw-discard spell instead.

- Turns 4-5: convert setup into a committed engine turn by activating Magar, equipping protection, attacking with noted creatures, or copying the trigger with Strionic Resonator or Illusionist's Bracers when legal and mana-positive. Choose noted spells that matter from the current board: Blasphemous Act for creature pressure, Worst Fears for a decisive disruption turn, Insurrection or Mob Rule for creature-heavy tables, and Brass's Bounty, Big Score, or Unexpected Windfall for resource snowballing.

- Turns 4-5 deviation: reset the table before committing if opponents are ahead on creatures or graveyard engines. Living Death, Blasphemous Act, Rakdos Charm, Bojuka Bog, Feed the Swarm, Bedevil, Terminate, or Chaos Warp should protect the next Magar window, not merely trade for the first legal target.

- Late game: pivot from setup to finishing once mana, Treasures, or copied spells cross a lethal or lock threshold. Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, and repeated Magar combat triggers are the closing tools; choose the line that is legal, visible, and least vulnerable to open interaction.

- Late game recovery: if commander tax makes Magar inefficient, win through recursion, X spells, The One Ring cards, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, or creature theft effects. Recast Magar only when the recast immediately enables a noted spell, protected combat trigger, or unavoidable follow-up.

## Card Roles

Magar of the Magic Strings is the deck's engine, not a generic value commander: the priority is to place a high-impact instant or sorcery in the graveyard, turn it into a noted face-down creature, protect or haste that creature, and connect in combat to cast a copy. The strongest noted spells are table-breaking or resource-positive: Worst Fears, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Brass's Bounty, Blasphemous Act, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, and Crackle with Power. Do not spend Magar activations on low-impact spells when the graveyard contains a decisive effect or when the face-down identity/logging path is not yet validated.

The discard and tutor package should build the exact graveyard Magar needs. Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Entomb, Buried Alive, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor should find or bin a spell that changes the next combat step, not merely increase card count. Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Anger, Blood Artist, and Mayhem Devil let the deck win when Magar is taxed or removed.

Fast mana and copy infrastructure create explosive but fragile turns. Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Ancient Tomb, Phyrexian Tower, and Treasures from Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Seize the Spoils, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, and Brass's Bounty should be saved for protected commander turns or lethal X-spell turns when possible. Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, Harmonic Prodigy, Deflecting Swat, and Malakir Rebirth protect or multiply the engine; do not deploy them as empty artifacts if a tutor or discard spell is the bottleneck.

Interaction is for preserving the combat-copy window. Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Terminate, Bedevil, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Lightning Bolt, Thoughtseize, Duress, Leyline of the Void, Brotherhood's End, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, and Surgical Extraction should answer graveyard hate, blockers, search engines, stack-disruption setup, and faster combo pressure before spending removal on replaceable bodies.

### Card Hover Notes


#### Magar of the Magic Strings
- Deck role: main 1 commander/core engine. Role type: engine creature. Deck-specific job: note graveyard instants or sorceries as face-down creatures, then convert combat damage triggers into copy-casts. Timing: cast or recast when protection, haste, activation mana, or next-turn connection is realistic; commander tax makes unsupported recasts low priority. Inputs / outputs: graveyard spell plus legal activation creates a noted creature; combat damage can produce a copied spell. Partners / packages: Lightning Greaves; Swiftfoot Boots; Thousand-Year Elixir; Strionic Resonator; Illusionist's Bracers; Harmonic Prodigy. Failure modes: no graveyard spell, no attack path, commander-tax sink, unsupported noted identity in Forge logs. Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, recast Magar from the command zone only when commander tax, protection, and a graveyard instant or sorcery support a safe face-down spell line.

- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Blasphemous Act
- Deck role: main 1 core reset/note target. Role type: sweeper. Deck-specific job: clear creature pressure or become a Magar-triggered board wipe. Timing: prefer when creature count reduces cost or when copied after combat breaks parity. Inputs / outputs: spell cost depends on creatures; output is broad creature damage. Partners / packages: Blood Artist; Mayhem Devil; Reanimate package after wipe. Failure modes: killing own noted creatures before they connect.

- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Jeska's Will
- Deck role: main 1 burst mana/card access. Role type: ritual selection. Deck-specific job: fuel Magar turns or lethal X spells. Timing: strongest with commander in play and visible follow-up. Mode map: mana mode scales with target opponent hand; exile-access mode uses top cards this turn; commander enables both if legal. Failure modes: firing without a plan.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Reanimate
- Deck role: main 1 recursion role player. Role type: graveyard reanimation. Deck-specific job: return Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Anger, or stolen graveyard threats at life cost. Timing: use when life total supports the loss and target matters immediately. Failure modes: reanimating a filler creature while Magar setup is missing.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Animate Dead
- Deck role: main 1 recursion role player. Role type: Aura reanimation. Deck-specific job: convert graveyard creature selection into a battlefield threat. Timing: prefer after Entomb, Buried Alive, discard, or a sweeper. Inputs / outputs: enchants a creature card in a graveyard and returns it with Animate Dead dependency. Failure modes: exposing the Aura to removal.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Victimize
- Deck role: main 1 recursion swing. Role type: sacrifice reanimation. Deck-specific job: trade a small creature or expendable face-down body for two tapped creature returns. Timing: use after blockers are irrelevant or before a decisive next turn. Failure modes: sacrificing Magar or a needed noted attacker without lethal payoff.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Living Death
- Deck role: main 1 mass recursion/reset. Role type: graveyard sweeper. Deck-specific job: punish creature-heavy boards while rebuilding from prepared graveyard. Timing: cast when own graveyard quality exceeds battlefield value. Failure modes: reviving opponents more than self; losing Magar board.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Rise of the Dark Realms
- Deck role: main 1 finisher/note target. Role type: mass reanimation. Deck-specific job: win through all graveyards or become a premium Magar copy. Timing: hold for enough graveyard density or copied free through combat. Failure modes: casting into graveyard exile.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Army of the Damned
- Deck role: main 1 finisher/note target. Role type: token mass. Deck-specific job: create a lethal Zombie army or provide a flashback late-game plan. Timing: note or cast when a board flood wins before sweepers. Mode map: cast from hand; flashback from graveyard using its printed flashback access. Failure modes: making tokens into obvious sweeper mana.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Torment of Hailfire
- Deck role: main 1 lethal X finisher. Role type: mana sink. Deck-specific job: convert rituals, Treasures, and Brass's Bounty into table pressure. Timing: cast only when X meaningfully strips life/resources or kills. Failure modes: small X into healthy boards.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Exsanguinate
- Deck role: main 1 drain finisher/stabilizer. Role type: X drain. Deck-specific job: turn burst mana into life swing. Timing: use for lethal or survival, not minor padding. Failure modes: spending before Magar engine can multiply resources.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Crackle with Power
- Deck role: main 1 scalable damage finisher. Role type: X damage. Deck-specific job: kill players or key creatures/planeswalkers when mana is abundant. Timing: count exact X and legal targets before committing. Failure modes: confusing generic cost with colorless requirement.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Worst Fears
- Deck role: main 1 premium Magar target. Role type: control-turn payoff. Deck-specific job: create a decisive copied turn effect after a noted creature connects. Timing: prefer as a Magar note over hard cast unless mana is abundant. Failure modes: using when target opponent has little agency left.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Insurrection
- Deck role: main 1 creature-table finisher/note target. Role type: theft finisher. Deck-specific job: end creature-heavy games after Magar combat or hard cast. Timing: wait until opponents supply lethal attackers. Failure modes: firing into empty boards or fog/open interaction.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Mob Rule
- Deck role: main 1 creature-theft finisher. Role type: modal theft. Deck-specific job: choose the power band that steals lethal or protective creatures. Mode map: one mode gains control of creatures with power 4 or less; one mode gains control of creatures with power 5 or greater. Timing: select from visible battlefield only. Failure modes: wrong power band.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Brass's Bounty
- Deck role: main 1 mana explosion/note target. Role type: Treasure burst. Deck-specific job: convert lands into Treasures for X spells or chained turns. Timing: strongest before Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, or recast Magar plus activate. Failure modes: making Treasures with no payoff.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Big Score
- Deck role: main 1 discard draw/Treasure. Role type: instant velocity. Deck-specific job: discard a premium spell for Magar while creating Treasures. Timing: hold up interaction, then cast before next Magar turn if safe. Inputs / outputs: discard cost; draw two and create two Treasures. Low-skill guidance: include discard-target priority.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Failure modes: The card is poor when it is used off-plan, into visible hate, or while commander-tax and survival pressure make the named line unsafe.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Unexpected Windfall
- Deck role: main 1 discard draw/Treasure. Role type: instant velocity. Deck-specific job: same as Big Score; bin a note target while banking mana. Timing: prefer end step or response windows when legal. Failure modes: discarding protection when Magar is exposed.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Faithless Looting
- Deck role: main 1 graveyard setup. Role type: draw-discard filter. Deck-specific job: place high-impact spells or Anger into graveyard early. Timing: cast early with a discard target; flashback later if cards are stale. Mode map: normal cast; flashback from graveyard for its flashback cost. Failure modes: discarding lands needed for Magar.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Thrill of Possibility
- Deck role: main 1 instant discard filter. Role type: velocity. Deck-specific job: turn a payoff in hand into graveyard fuel and fresh cards. Timing: use when holding a spell Magar wants noted. Failure modes: discarding the only payoff without commander access.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Cathartic Reunion
- Deck role: main 1 heavy discard filter. Role type: sorcery velocity. Deck-specific job: load two graveyard targets and refill. Timing: cast when discard cost is acceptable and sorcery window is safe. Failure modes: getting punished if the spell fails after discarding costs.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Seize the Spoils
- Deck role: main 1 discard draw/Treasure. Role type: sorcery velocity. Deck-specific job: bin a note target and make Treasure toward Magar activation or protection. Timing: precombat setup when shields are low. Failure modes: too slow against pressure.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Entomb
- Deck role: main 1 precise graveyard tutor. Role type: selection. Deck-specific job: put Worst Fears, Blasphemous Act, Anger, Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, or a recursion target into graveyard. Timing: use at last safe instant window before the line. Failure modes: selecting a spell without Magar access.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Buried Alive
- Deck role: main 1 creature graveyard setup. Role type: selection. Deck-specific job: assemble Anger plus reanimation targets. Timing: cast before Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, or Feldon of the Third Path. Failure modes: overfilling into visible graveyard hate.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Gamble
- Deck role: main 1 risky universal tutor. Role type: selection. Deck-specific job: find missing engine, protection, or payoff when random discard is tolerable. Timing: best with redundant hand or when discard helps Magar. Failure modes: losing the only needed card.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Demonic Tutor
- Deck role: main 1 universal tutor. Role type: selection. Deck-specific job: find the exact missing piece: Magar support, Entomb, protection, sweeper, or finisher. Timing: cast when next turn plan is known. Failure modes: generic value tutor.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Vampiric Tutor
- Deck role: main 1 instant topdeck tutor. Role type: selection. Deck-specific job: set up draw step, The One Ring, or immediate draw spell for the missing piece. Timing: end step before turn or in response to known need. Failure modes: life loss plus delayed access.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Dark Ritual
- Deck role: main 1 burst black mana. Role type: ritual. Deck-specific job: accelerate Magar, tutor plus spell, The One Ring, or reanimation. Timing: spend only on a meaningful engine or survival turn. Failure modes: empty acceleration.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Cabal Ritual
- Deck role: main 1 burst black mana. Role type: ritual. Deck-specific job: scale into big spells, especially with threshold if actually active. Timing: verify graveyard count before relying on extra mana. Failure modes: assuming threshold.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Seething Song
- Deck role: main 1 burst red mana. Role type: ritual. Deck-specific job: power Magar support, red finishers, or Treasure engines. Timing: use during commitment turns. Failure modes: stranding black costs.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Chaos Warp
- Deck role: main 1 broad interaction. Role type: removal. Deck-specific job: answer problematic permanents including hate pieces. Timing: hold for must-answer board object. Inputs / outputs: target permanent shuffled into library; controller reveals top and may put permanent onto battlefield per card text. Failure modes: using on low-impact targets.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Feed the Swarm
- Deck role: main 1 plus sideboard 1 enchantment/creature answer. Role type: sorcery interaction. Deck-specific job: remove enchantment hate or key creatures in black-red colors. Timing: sorcery-speed, often precombat before Magar attack. Failure modes: life loss against aggro.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Terminate
- Deck role: main 1 creature answer. Role type: instant removal. Deck-specific job: clear blockers or must-kill commanders. Timing: hold until a creature blocks the plan or threatens lethal. Failure modes: spending on replaceable attackers.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Bedevil
- Deck role: main 1 flexible answer. Role type: instant interaction. Deck-specific job: remove artifact, creature, or planeswalker that blocks engine execution. Timing: hold for higher-value permanent class. Failure modes: color-intensive mana strain.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Abrade
- Deck role: main 1 plus sideboard 1 flexible answer. Role type: modal interaction. Deck-specific job: destroy target artifact or deal 3 damage to target creature to clear hate or blockers. Timing: preserve for artifacts/creatures that matter. Mode map: artifact removal; creature damage. Failure modes: cannot hit enchantments or players.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Rakdos Charm
- Deck role: main 1 plus sideboard 1 graveyard/artifact/token-punish utility. Role type: modal interaction. Deck-specific job: exile a graveyard, destroy an artifact, or punish creature-wide boards. Timing: hold for graveyard combo, artifact hate, or lethal creature-count damage. Mode map: graveyard exile; artifact destruction; each creature damages its controller. Failure modes: using graveyard mode after costs are paid.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Deflecting Swat
- Deck role: main 1 protection swing. Role type: redirection interaction. Deck-specific job: protect Magar, noted creatures, or finishers by changing a spell/ability target when legal. Timing: strongest with commander controlled. Failure modes: cannot counter untargeted effects.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Lightning Bolt
- Deck role: main 1 cheap interaction/reach. Role type: instant damage. Deck-specific job: kill small blockers, planeswalkers, or finish low-life players. Timing: use when damage changes combat or lethal math. Failure modes: face damage over engine protection.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Malakir Rebirth
- Deck role: main 1 protection MDFC. Role type: modal land/spell. Deck-specific job: save Magar or a key creature, or serve as tapped black land if needed. Mode map: Malakir Rebirth targets a creature you control and returns it tapped after it dies this turn; Malakir Mire enters as a land side. Failure modes: land side unavailable if spell is needed.

- Timing: Use when the legal window matches the deck-specific job above; delay when commander tax, open removal, or lethal pressure makes the current action unsafe.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Anger
- Deck role: main 1 graveyard haste enabler. Role type: creature support. Deck-specific job: give haste from graveyard when its condition is satisfied, enabling immediate Magar/noted attacks. Timing: discard or tutor when haste is the bottleneck. Failure modes: no required land condition.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Archon of Cruelty
- Deck role: main 1 reanimation threat. Role type: creature payoff. Deck-specific job: pressure hands, boards, and life totals through attack/ETB triggers. Timing: reanimate when it immediately stabilizes or snowballs. Failure modes: hard-cast trap without ramp.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Vilis, Broker of Blood
- Deck role: main 1 reanimation/card engine. Role type: creature payoff. Deck-specific job: turn life loss into cards and dominate combat. Timing: reanimate when life total can support it. Failure modes: dying after large life payment.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Storm-Kiln Artist
- Deck role: main 1 Treasure engine. Role type: spell payoff. Deck-specific job: turn instants/sorceries and copied spells into mana. Timing: cast before chained spells when it survives. Failure modes: no follow-up spells.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Professional Face-Breaker
- Deck role: main 1 combat Treasure/card access. Role type: creature engine. Deck-specific job: reward Magar/noted creature damage with Treasure and impulse access. Timing: cast before attacks with likely connections. Failure modes: attacking into bad trades.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Dauthi Voidwalker
- Deck role: main 1 plus sideboard 1 graveyard hate/threat. Role type: hate creature. Deck-specific job: exile opposing cards and convert one exiled card into a free cast when sacrificed. Timing: deploy early against graveyard or spell-heavy decks. Failure modes: sacrificing before a meaningful card is exiled.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Opposition Agent
- Deck role: main 1 plus sideboard 1 search punishment. Role type: flash hate creature. Deck-specific job: punish tutors and fetches, possibly stealing search choices. Timing: hold up when opponents can search. Failure modes: casting as a vanilla threat.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Dualcaster Mage
- Deck role: main 1 stack copy utility. Role type: flash interaction. Deck-specific job: copy a high-impact instant or sorcery on stack when legal. Timing: hold for own finisher or opponent spell worth copying. Failure modes: no legal target on stack.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Harmonic Prodigy
- Deck role: main 1 trigger multiplier. Role type: engine support. Deck-specific job: increase relevant triggered value for Magar package if creature types/text make it legal. Timing: deploy before combat-copy turns. Failure modes: assuming it affects unsupported triggers.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Blood Artist
- Deck role: main 1 aristocrat stabilizer. Role type: death payoff. Deck-specific job: profit from sweepers, Victimize, Living Death, and creature trades. Timing: cast before mass death when safe. Failure modes: low impact without deaths.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Mayhem Devil
- Deck role: main 1 sacrifice/Treasure damage engine. Role type: damage payoff. Deck-specific job: convert Treasures, fetches, Phyrexian Tower, and sacrifice effects into pings. Timing: deploy before sacrifice-heavy turns. Failure modes: damage does not shrink creatures unless lethal damage accumulates.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Sol Ring
- Deck role: main 1 fast mana. Role type: artifact ramp. Deck-specific job: accelerate commander support and expensive payoffs. Timing: cast early unless holding interaction is essential. Failure modes: colorless-only cannot pay black/red pips.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Arcane Signet
- Deck role: main 1 color fixing. Role type: artifact ramp. Deck-specific job: smooth Magar and interaction mana. Timing: early setup. Failure modes: slow if commander protection is already needed.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Rakdos Signet
- Deck role: main 1 filtering ramp. Role type: artifact ramp. Deck-specific job: convert generic mana into black-red. Timing: early when enough untapped mana remains. Failure modes: cannot tap alone for mana.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Talisman of Indulgence
- Deck role: main 1 fixing ramp. Role type: artifact ramp. Deck-specific job: provide colorless or black/red at life cost. Timing: early. Failure modes: careless pain damage.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Fellwar Stone
- Deck role: main 1 table-dependent fixing. Role type: artifact ramp. Deck-specific job: accelerate if opponents' lands provide useful colors. Timing: early after checking available colors. Failure modes: assuming black/red access.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Lightning Greaves
- Deck role: main 1 haste/protection equipment. Role type: protection. Deck-specific job: give haste and shroud to Magar or noted attackers. Timing: deploy before commander when possible. Failure modes: shroud blocks own targeting/equip sequencing.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Swiftfoot Boots
- Deck role: main 1 haste/protection equipment. Role type: protection. Deck-specific job: give haste and hexproof to key creatures. Timing: equip before removal windows or attacks. Failure modes: leaving equip mana short.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Thousand-Year Elixir
- Deck role: main 1 activation accelerator. Role type: engine artifact. Deck-specific job: let Magar activate sooner and untap a creature for more activation/combat flexibility. Timing: before Magar if possible. Failure modes: no creature with activated ability.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Strionic Resonator
- Deck role: main 1 trigger copier. Role type: artifact engine. Deck-specific job: copy Magar combat-damage or other triggered abilities when legal. Timing: keep mana open during trigger windows. Failure modes: cannot copy activated abilities.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Illusionist's Bracers
- Deck role: main 1 activated-ability copier. Role type: equipment engine. Deck-specific job: copy Magar activation if equipped and legal. Timing: equip before activation turn. Failure modes: equip tempo loss; does not copy triggered abilities.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Conspiracy Theorist
- Deck role: main 1 discard-value creature. Role type: card access support. Deck-specific job: turn discard into playable exile access and attack filtering. Timing: cast before discard spells when mana can use exiled cards. Failure modes: exiling cards without mana.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Chainer, Nightmare Adept
- Deck role: main 1 discard/recursion engine. Role type: creature engine. Deck-specific job: give graveyard creature casting and haste pressure at discard cost. Timing: use when creature graveyard is stocked. Failure modes: discarding a Magar spell when creature recursion is not the plan.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Feldon of the Third Path
- Deck role: main 1 creature-copy recursion. Role type: activated engine. Deck-specific job: make temporary artifact creature copies of graveyard threats. Timing: activate for ETB/attack value or lethal pressure. Failure modes: token timing and sacrifice exposure.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### The One Ring
- Deck role: main 1 card engine/protection turn. Role type: legendary artifact draw. Deck-specific job: buy a turn and refill toward Magar or finishers. Timing: cast when protection or cards matter more than tempo. Failure modes: burden damage if game drags.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Thoughtseize
- Deck role: sideboard 1 disruption bullet. Role type: hand interaction. Deck-specific job: remove visible nonland threat before combo/protection turn. Timing: early or pre-commitment. Failure modes: life loss and whiff on hidden topdeck.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Duress
- Deck role: sideboard 1 disruption bullet. Role type: hand interaction. Deck-specific job: strip noncreature disruption or combo piece before Magar/finisher turn. Timing: early or same-turn shield check. Failure modes: misses creatures.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Leyline of the Void
- Deck role: sideboard 1 graveyard hate bullet. Role type: pregame/enchantment hate. Deck-specific job: shut opposing graveyard engines while preserving own plan only if asymmetry is worth it. Timing: opening hand if legal. Failure modes: anti-synergy with opposing graveyards you want to reanimate.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Brotherhood's End
- Deck role: sideboard 1 sweeper bullet. Role type: modal sorcery sweeper. Deck-specific job: reset creatures with 3 toughness or less or artifacts. Timing: side in against swarm/artifact boards. Mode map: damage mode to creatures/planeswalkers per card text; artifact mode destroys small artifacts per card text. Failure modes: kills own support pieces.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Surgical Extraction
- Deck role: sideboard 1 graveyard precision hate. Role type: alternate-cost interaction. Deck-specific job: exile a named graveyard card and matching copies from hidden/public zones as card text allows. Timing: after a card reaches graveyard, before recursion or combo reuse. Inputs / outputs: can pay Phyrexian black cost with life or black mana. Failure modes: not a response to an already-cast spell's paid cost.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Command Tower
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: land fixing. Deck-specific job: clean black/red source for every core spell. Timing: prioritize early. Failure modes: none beyond land destruction.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Exotic Orchard
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: table-dependent fixing. Deck-specific job: supply black/red if opponents enable it. Timing: check visible opponent lands. Failure modes: unreliable colors.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Path of Ancestry
- Deck role: main 1 tapped mana resource. Role type: fixing/scry land. Deck-specific job: cast commander-colored spells with occasional creature-type scry if legal. Timing: play when tapped tempo is acceptable. Failure modes: not turn-one untapped acceleration.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Luxury Suite
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: multiplayer dual. Deck-specific job: provide black/red, often untapped in Commander pods. Timing: early fixing. Failure modes: condition-dependent untap.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Blood Crypt
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: Swamp Mountain dual. Deck-specific job: fetchable black/red source. Timing: pay life when untapped mana matters. Failure modes: life cost.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Badlands
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: Swamp Mountain dual. Deck-specific job: fetchable untapped black/red source. Timing: premium early fixing. Failure modes: nonbasic vulnerability.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Dragonskull Summit
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: conditional dual. Deck-specific job: black/red source after Swamp or Mountain types. Timing: sequence after Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or basics. Failure modes: enters tapped early.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Haunted Ridge
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: conditional dual. Deck-specific job: untapped black/red after enough lands. Timing: better after turn two. Failure modes: slow opener.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Sulfurous Springs
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: pain land. Deck-specific job: black/red or colorless fixing. Timing: use colored pain only when needed. Failure modes: unnecessary life loss.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Foreboding Ruins
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: reveal dual. Deck-specific job: untapped black/red if revealing Swamp or Mountain card. Timing: sequence with Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, Swamp, or Mountain. Failure modes: tapped without reveal.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Blightstep Pathway
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: MDFC pathway land. Deck-specific job: choose black or red source for the game. Timing: choose missing color from hand. Mode map: black side; red side. Failure modes: wrong side locks color.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Graven Cairns
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: filter land. Deck-specific job: turn mana into black/red combinations. Timing: strong with colorless sources. Failure modes: cannot fix from no mana.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Smoldering Marsh
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: Swamp Mountain dual. Deck-specific job: fetchable black/red, sometimes untapped with basics. Timing: fetch tapped when tempo allows. Failure modes: conditional tapped.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Temple of Malice
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: tapped scry dual. Deck-specific job: fix colors and smooth topdeck. Timing: play on setup turns. Failure modes: not turn-one one-mana support.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Tainted Peak
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: conditional filter land. Deck-specific job: provide black/red with Swamp present. Timing: stronger after Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth or Swamp-type lands. Failure modes: only colorless without condition.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Canyon Slough
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: Swamp Mountain cycling dual. Deck-specific job: fetchable tapped fixing or late cycling. Mode map: land; cycling by paying cost and discarding to draw. Failure modes: tapped tempo.

- Timing: Use when the legal window matches the deck-specific job above; delay when commander tax, open removal, or lethal pressure makes the current action unsafe.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Lavaclaw Reaches
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: creature land. Deck-specific job: fixing plus late attacker/mana sink. Timing: animate only when it will not steal mana from interaction or Magar. Failure modes: removal blowout.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Shadowblood Ridge
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: filter land. Deck-specific job: convert generic/red-black inputs into black/red pairs. Timing: use with Sol Ring/Ancient Tomb support. Failure modes: awkward alone.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Bloodstained Mire
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fetch land. Deck-specific job: find Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, Swamp, or Mountain as legal. Timing: fetch exact missing color or Mayhem Devil trigger. Failure modes: life and shuffle timing.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Polluted Delta
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fetch land. Deck-specific job: find Swamp-type targets Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or Swamp. Timing: fetch black/red via Swamp duals. Failure modes: cannot find Mountain-only basic.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Marsh Flats
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fetch land. Deck-specific job: find Swamp-type targets Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or Swamp. Timing: prioritize black. Failure modes: no red basic fetch.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Verdant Catacombs
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fetch land. Deck-specific job: find Swamp-type targets Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or Swamp. Timing: fix black or dual. Failure modes: no Mountain basic fetch.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Scalding Tarn
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fetch land. Deck-specific job: find Mountain-type targets Blood Crypt, Badlands, Smoldering Marsh, or Mountain. Timing: fix red or dual. Failure modes: no Swamp basic unless dual has Swamp.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Prismatic Vista
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: basic fetch. Deck-specific job: find Swamp or Mountain, reveal not required, then shuffle. Timing: get missing basic color. Failure modes: cannot find duals.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Fabled Passage
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: basic fetch. Deck-specific job: find Swamp or Mountain, reveal not required, then shuffle; untap condition depends on land count. Timing: setup early or untapped later. Failure modes: tapped tempo.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: legendary fixing land. Deck-specific job: make lands Swamps in addition to other types, improving black access and Tainted Peak. Timing: deploy when black bottleneck matters. Failure modes: helps opponents.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
- Deck role: main 1 utility land. Role type: legendary black land/channel recursion. Deck-specific job: produce black or channel to mill and return creature/planeswalker as card text allows. Timing: channel when recursion beats land drop. Mode map: mana land; channel ability. Failure modes: using before key creature exists.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
- Deck role: main 1 utility land. Role type: legendary red land/channel tokens. Deck-specific job: produce red or channel for surprise bodies. Timing: channel when bodies enable pressure, sacrifice, or blocking. Mode map: mana land; channel token ability. Failure modes: token plan too small.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Bojuka Bog
- Deck role: main 1 graveyard hate land. Role type: tapped utility land. Deck-specific job: exile target player's graveyard on entry. Timing: hold if a graveyard deck is about to use resources; play early only if mana demands it. Failure modes: exiling a graveyard you planned to reanimate.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Spinerock Knoll
- Deck role: main 1 utility land. Role type: hideaway land. Deck-specific job: store a card for later access after damage condition. Timing: play when tapped land is acceptable. Mode map: enters with hideaway selection; activated access if condition is met. Failure modes: hidden card stranded.

- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Ancient Tomb
- Deck role: main 1 mana resource. Role type: fast colorless land. Deck-specific job: accelerate artifacts, commander support, and expensive spells. Timing: use when two colorless changes the turn. Failure modes: life loss and no colored mana.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Reliquary Tower
- Deck role: main 1 utility land. Role type: colorless hand-size land. Deck-specific job: keep The One Ring or big draw turns from discarding payoffs unintentionally. Timing: play after colors are stable. Failure modes: colorless opener.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Phyrexian Tower
- Deck role: main 1 utility land. Role type: sacrifice mana land. Deck-specific job: turn expendable creatures into black mana and death triggers. Timing: sacrifice only when creature is no longer needed for Magar combat/protection. Failure modes: sacrificing commander or noted attacker prematurely.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Swamp
- Deck role: main 2 basic mana resource. Role type: basic land. Deck-specific job: stable black for tutors, recursion, and removal; fetch target for Prismatic Vista and Fabled Passage plus Swamp-fetch lands where legal. Timing: prioritize when black is missing. Failure modes: too few red sources.

- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

#### Mountain
- Deck role: main 1 basic mana resource. Role type: basic land. Deck-specific job: stable red for Magar support, rituals, and interaction; fetch target for Prismatic Vista, Fabled Passage, and Mountain-fetch lands where legal. Timing: get when red is missing or Blood Moon-style effects are expected. Failure modes: low black access.
- Inputs / outputs: Consumes the mana, card, discard, graveyard, combat-damage, target, or life resource described above; outputs Magar setup, copied-spell pressure, interaction, mana, or cards only when the named line is legal.
- Partners / packages: `Magar of the Magic Strings` plus `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` are the exact in-deck reference cards for this note's package decisions.
- Role peers: No direct peer; closest role overlap is `Magar of the Magic Strings` for commander-family timing and `Entomb`, `Buried Alive`, `Faithless Looting`, `Big Score`, `Unexpected Windfall` for the related engine or support role.
- Matchup / visibility hooks: Check visible graveyard hate, removal, blockers, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, commander tax, and face-down combat-damage windows before committing this card.
- Low-skill guidance: At Level 1 or 2, follow this card's timing line, preserve Magar commander-tax and graveyard setup, and choose the legal action only when it advances the face-down spell plan or prevents lethal pressure.

## Interaction Priorities

- Priority: protect Magar of the Magic Strings and already-noted face-down spell creatures before protecting generic value pieces. Use Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, and Thousand-Year Elixir to keep the engine active; do not spend these shields on Storm-Kiln Artist, Professional Face-Breaker, Blood Artist, or Mayhem Devil unless the board already has Magar access secured or that creature is generating the winning turn.

- Priority: remove blockers that stop combat-damage triggers before removing incidental value creatures. Terminate, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Abrade, Lightning Bolt, and Feed the Swarm should first clear deathtouch, large first-strike, lifelink stabilizers, pillow-fort enchantments, or a single untapped creature that prevents a Magar-noted attacker from connecting. Ignore small tapped attackers or low-impact mana creatures when a protected face-down Army of the Damned, Worst Fears, Rise of the Dark Realms, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power trigger can decide the game.

- Priority: answer graveyard hate and commander shutdown pieces before normal pressure. Feed the Swarm and Chaos Warp should be saved for enchantments or permanents that stop reanimation, prevent combat, remove graveyards, or keep Magar from attacking or activating. Bedevil and Abrade should tag artifacts that lock graveyards, tax attacks, or shut off activated abilities before they tag ordinary mana rocks.

- Priority: exile graveyards asymmetrically when opponents are about to convert them, but preserve your own selected spells. Bojuka Bog and Rakdos Charm can break reanimation, flashback, escape, delve, or recursion plans; do not point them at your own graveyard unless the alternative loses immediately. Dauthi Voidwalker is both hate and stolen-spell pressure, so protect it more highly against graveyard decks and less highly against creature-combat decks.

- Priority: use sideboard discard as pre-commitment clearance, not as random disruption. Thoughtseize and Duress should take a visible counterspell, graveyard hate piece, sweeper, instant-speed removal, or combo accelerant before committing Magar of the Magic Strings, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Insurrection, Mob Rule, or a large Torment of Hailfire / Exsanguinate / Crackle with Power. Do not name or assume hidden cards beyond revealed hand information.

- Priority: use Deflecting Swat only for legal target-changing lines. It can protect Magar of the Magic Strings or a noted attacker from targeted removal, steal a targeted draw/removal effect when legal, or redirect a lethal spell away from you; it is not a counterspell and does not answer untargeted sweepers or edicts.

- Priority: this deck has no registered bounce spell. If a runtime action offers bounce from an opponent-controlled or copied effect, treat it as a temporary answer for the most disruptive permanent; otherwise do not plan bounce lines.

- Bait: lead with artifacts, rummage spells, or less decisive threats when the table is representing open interaction. Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, and Unexpected Windfall can draw out soft permission or removal before Magar of the Magic Strings, Living Death, Worst Fears, or Insurrection. Do not bait with Entomb, Buried Alive, Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, or Gamble when the engine lacks a follow-up.

- Archetype shift: against creature swarms, value Blasphemous Act, Brotherhood's End, Mob Rule, Insurrection, Rakdos Charm, Blood Artist, and Mayhem Devil higher than single-target removal. Against spell-combo, value Thoughtseize, Duress, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, Deflecting Swat, and fast Magar pressure higher. Against graveyard decks, value Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Bojuka Bog, Rakdos Charm, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Opposition Agent higher, while avoiding Living Death until opposing graveyards are controlled.

## Combat And Trading Rules

- Priority: attack with a face-down Magar-noted creature when it can legally connect or trade up into a decisive opening. Combat damage is the deck's most important resource once Magar of the Magic Strings has encoded a spell identity, so prefer clearing one blocker precombat over holding removal for a later unknown threat.

- Priority: do not attack Magar of the Magic Strings into profitable blocks unless Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, removal, or a rules-engine-confirmed safe attack protects the commander. Commander tax matters; recast Magar when the engine can activate or attack soon, not into a board where it dies before producing a noted creature or trigger.

- Priority: preserve noted face-down creatures over chip damage from ordinary bodies. A 3/3 carrying Army of the Damned, Worst Fears, Rise of the Dark Realms, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Brass's Bounty, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power should not be risked in combat unless damage connects, lethal pressure requires it, or the trade prevents a worse loss.

- Priority: trade expendable creatures when death triggers, treasure generation, or reanimation setup makes the exchange positive. Blood Artist and Mayhem Devil reward sacrifice-heavy or attrition boards, Professional Face-Breaker rewards connecting attacks, and Chainer, Nightmare Adept or Feldon of the Third Path can make some dead creatures useful later; still keep Harmonic Prodigy, Storm-Kiln Artist, and protected Magar pieces alive when they multiply the next engine turn.

- Priority: block to survive at clear danger thresholds, but avoid chump-blocking away the only noted attacker. When life is above a safe two-turn buffer, take nonlethal damage to keep combat-trigger pressure. When life is under a realistic crackback, preserve life with Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance tokens, expendable treasures-adjacent creatures, or unneeded value creatures before sacrificing Magar of the Magic Strings or a lethal noted creature.

- Priority: attack the player least able to block the noted creature, not automatically the most threatening player. Magar triggers care about combat damage to a player, so choose open shields, tapped boards, low flyer/reach presence, or a player without instant-speed removal before choosing politics or revenge damage.

- Priority: use Lavaclaw Reaches as a late mana sink only when activation does not consume mana needed for interaction, Magar activation, commander recast, or a decisive spell. Do not animate it into open removal when it is still needed as a black/red source.

- Archetype shift: against creature decks, trade early only to buy time for Blasphemous Act, Brotherhood's End, Mob Rule, Insurrection, Living Death, or Rise of the Dark Realms. Against control decks, preserve multiple attackers so one removal spell does not blank all Magar pressure. Against combo decks, combat is a clock: push damage with Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Dualcaster Mage, and face-down noted creatures unless blocking prevents immediate death.

## Selection And Tutor Rules

- Priority: select for a complete Magar of the Magic Strings turn, not for the biggest isolated spell. Entomb, Buried Alive, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor should first assemble Magar access, haste/protection from Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, or Malakir Rebirth, and one graveyard spell worth noting before they chase extra finishers.

- Priority: put the correct card in the correct zone. Entomb can place one spell or creature directly into the graveyard for Magar of the Magic Strings, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Victimize, or Living Death lines; Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor put the selected card into hand/top-library access, so use them for missing mana, protection, removal, or the exact payoff the hand can cast or discard.

- Priority: choose Magar note targets by board timing. Prefer Worst Fears, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Brass's Bounty, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, or Blasphemous Act only when the copied cast is useful from current public state; do not encode a sweeper into a board where your noted creature must survive to matter unless the copy will stabilize immediately.

- Priority: choose graveyard creature packages separately from spell packages. Archon of Cruelty and Vilis, Broker of Blood are premium Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Living Death, and Rise of the Dark Realms targets; Anger matters when a Mountain or red-producing land condition is actually satisfied by public game state. Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Dualcaster Mage, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, Harmonic Prodigy, Professional Face-Breaker, and Storm-Kiln Artist are role creatures, not default reanimation targets unless their exact role is needed.

- Priority: sequence rummage before land drops when the hand is deciding between lands and spells. Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, and Unexpected Windfall should discard expensive Magar targets, redundant legends/equipment, or reanimation creatures when a follow-up exists; do not discard the only black source, only red source, or only protection piece before confirming the turn still functions.

- Priority: use top-library selection with a known draw window. Vampiric Tutor is strongest before a draw step, The One Ring draw, Faithless Looting, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, or another confirmed draw; if an opponent can shuffle, mill, steal, or force discard before that draw, choose a lower-risk line or wait.

- Priority: bottom or decline slow cards when the table demands action. Path of Ancestry scry after casting Magar of the Magic Strings should keep protection, graveyard setup, fast mana, or removal that unlocks combat damage; bottom redundant high-cost spells when no discard outlet, Magar activation, or reanimation line is present.

- Priority: treat Gamble as high-risk selection. Use Gamble for a single missing combo/resource piece only when discarding a random card is acceptable, when the graveyard can use the discarded card, or when the hand has enough redundancy; avoid Gamble for the only answer to an immediate threat unless losing that card is still better than passing.

## Priority And Stack Rules

- Priority: activate Magar of the Magic Strings only when the graveyard target, mana, and follow-up combat plan are already legal from visible state. Do not assume Forge/replay preserves face-down source identity beyond rules-engine output; if the log or legal action text does not expose the encoded spell clearly, mark the decision as a validation concern and avoid policy certainty.

- Priority: protect Magar before protecting ordinary value. Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, Thousand-Year Elixir, and removal should be held around the turn Magar activates or attacks unless survival, lethal, or an opponent combo requires spending them first.

- Priority: cast instant-speed draw/discard at the latest safe window. Big Score and Unexpected Windfall are best after opponents commit mana or on the end step before your turn, but cast earlier when you must hit land, produce Treasure, discard a Magar target, or hold up Deflecting Swat / removal with the new resources.

- Priority: respond to graveyard interaction before it resolves, not after selected cards are gone. If an opponent targets or threatens the graveyard, use Magar of the Magic Strings, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Rakdos Charm, Bojuka Bog, Dauthi Voidwalker, or Surgical Extraction only when the visible legal action actually preserves or denies the relevant card.

- Priority: let harmless spells resolve when interaction must answer a lock, sweeper, graveyard hate, or commander removal. Terminate, Bedevil, Abrade, Feed the Swarm, Chaos Warp, Lightning Bolt, Rakdos Charm, and Deflecting Swat should not be spent on low-impact permanents while an opponent can still remove Magar of the Magic Strings, exile the graveyard, prevent combat damage, or win on the stack.

- Priority: stack copied spells from noted creatures according to immediate outcome. If the copied spell is Insurrection, Mob Rule, Living Death, Blasphemous Act, Rise of the Dark Realms, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power, verify legal targets, X values, and self-harm before choosing modes or payments; do not choose a line that kills your own engine unless it wins, prevents death, or resets a worse board.

- Priority: use Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, and Harmonic Prodigy only on triggers or activated abilities that the rules engine confirms they can affect. Copying Magar of the Magic Strings-related value is high priority when it creates another noted creature or another copied cast; copying a low-impact trigger is low priority if it consumes mana needed for protection or removal.

- Priority: resolve rituals and burst mana inside the commitment turn. Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Brass's Bounty, Jeska's Will, Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Phyrexian Tower, Ancient Tomb, and Treasures should be sequenced so black/red requirements and commander tax are actually payable; do not float mana through phases unless the rules engine is maintaining it legally.

- Priority: respect optional and alternate access windows. Malakir Rebirth should be used before the protected creature would die; Takenuma, Abandoned Mire and Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance channel choices should be made only when the land spell slot is less valuable than the visible effect; Lavaclaw Reaches activation belongs after preserving interaction mana unless it produces lethal or a necessary blocker.

## Sideboard Map

Use the 10-card policy sideboard as matchup correction, not as a second engine. Magar of the Magic Strings still wants graveyard setup, protection, and one combat-damage connection from a noted creature; sideboarding should increase the odds that the first Magar turn survives or that a hostile graveyard/search/artifact board cannot race the encoded-spell plan.

- Thoughtseize: bring in against fast combo, control, commander-centric decks, graveyard hate, and hands where one known nonland can break the Magar turn before combat. It is worse against creature-swarm pressure when two life materially changes survival math, and it should change role from proactive disruption to pre-commitment clearance once Magar of the Magic Strings, reanimation, or a copied haymaker line is assembled.

- Duress: bring in against noncreature combo, counterspell-heavy control, graveyard hate, sweepers, and prison effects that stop attack triggers or activated abilities. It is weak against creature-dense battlefields, commanders whose threat is already resolved, and decks where the dangerous card type is mostly creature; use it to clear the stack path before Jeska's Will, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power.

- Leyline of the Void: bring in against graveyard-combo, recursion engines, dredge-like velocity, escape/flashback shells, and commanders that repeatedly use the graveyard. It is bad when your own graveyard density and Magar setup matter more than denying the opponent, because it does not stock your graveyard and can make Living Death / Rise of the Dark Realms asymmetrical only if opposing graveyards are the bigger resource.

- Surgical Extraction: bring in when the opponent has a specific graveyard card, combo piece, or repeated engine card visible in a graveyard and removing all copies changes the game. It is poor as blind disruption in singleton Commander unless the target is already public and important; it should be treated as precision denial after discard, removal, combat, mill, tutor reveal, or a resolved spell creates a known graveyard target.

- Dauthi Voidwalker: bring in against graveyard decks, spell-combo decks, sacrifice loops, and fair decks that rely on high-impact graveyard recursion. It is weaker when the table is full of exile removal, evasive blockers, or sweepers that prevent it from banking cards; its role changes from hate piece to alternate theft threat when opponents cast haymakers worth using later.

- Rakdos Charm: bring in against artifact mana clusters, graveyard engines, token armies, and combo turns where the instant-speed mode matters from visible public state. It is worse when no graveyard, artifact, or creature-count pressure is present; do not spend it as generic damage unless the creature-count mode is lethal, survival-relevant, or stops a deterministic opponent line.

- Abrade: bring in against artifact acceleration, equipment, stax artifacts, small utility creatures, and commanders that die to its damage mode. It is bad against large-creature boards and enchantment-based hate; its role is flexible interaction, but the pilot must preserve exact mode legality and avoid treating it as an answer to resolved enchantments or oversized creatures.

- Feed the Swarm: bring in against enchantment hate, pillow-fort effects, graveyard-lock enchantments, and creatures that must be removed at sorcery speed when black mana and life total allow. It is worse against pure stack combo and low-life races; because it is a sorcery, use it before the combat or Magar activation turn when the permanent would block the copied-spell plan.

- Brotherhood's End: bring in against low-toughness creature swarms, artifact-token boards, mana rocks, and go-wide pressure that can kill Magar before the engine stabilizes. It is bad when your own Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, or noted creatures are more important than the opposing board; treat it as a reset tool, not automatic cleanup.

- Opposition Agent: bring in against tutor-heavy commanders, fetchland-heavy tables, land-search ramp, and combo decks that rely on searching. It is worse against decks with few search effects or where holding up three mana prevents the Magar turn; its role changes from disruptive flash threat to search-punish lock when opponents are forced to search by visible effects.

Fast noncreature combo / tutor combo
Side in: Thoughtseize; Duress; Opposition Agent; Dauthi Voidwalker; Surgical Extraction
Cut: Blasphemous Act; Mob Rule; Insurrection; Army of the Damned; Archon of Cruelty

This plan lowers clunky battlefield dependence and increases pre-commitment disruption. Keep Magar of the Magic Strings lines when the graveyard already contains a high-impact spell, but prioritize discard or Opposition Agent before tapping out for slow reanimation. Surgical Extraction needs a public graveyard target; do not fire it because a combo archetype is suspected.

Graveyard recursion / graveyard combo
Side in: Leyline of the Void; Dauthi Voidwalker; Rakdos Charm; Surgical Extraction; Thoughtseize
Cut: Blood Artist; Mayhem Devil; Brass's Bounty; Army of the Damned; Worst Fears

This plan fights the opposing graveyard while keeping your own Magar package functional through Entomb, Buried Alive, rummage, and commander activation. Leyline of the Void and Dauthi Voidwalker are strongest before opposing resources accumulate; Rakdos Charm and Surgical Extraction are strongest after the opponent exposes the exact graveyard card that matters. Reduce reliance on Living Death if Leyline of the Void is suppressing opposing graveyards but your own graveyard is not stocked.

Artifact ramp / equipment / artifact-stax
Side in: Abrade; Rakdos Charm; Brotherhood's End; Feed the Swarm
Cut: Lightning Bolt; Blood Artist; Victimize; Army of the Damned

This plan adds artifact and enchantment coverage without abandoning the Magar kill. Abrade handles exact artifact or damage-mode targets, Rakdos Charm punishes artifact density or graveyards, Brotherhood's End resets small artifacts or creatures with 3 toughness or less, and Feed the Swarm covers enchantments that Abrade cannot touch. Preserve Magar protection if the artifact deck is using equipment removal or tax pieces to stop combat damage.

Creature swarm / token pressure
Side in: Brotherhood's End; Rakdos Charm; Abrade; Feed the Swarm
Cut: Worst Fears; Rise of the Dark Realms; The One Ring; Gamble

This plan improves early survival and reduces slow, risky setup. Brotherhood's End is preferred when its chosen damage or artifact mode hurts opponents more than your own engine; Rakdos Charm can become a lethal or defensive instant when a player controls many creatures. Feed the Swarm is for a specific creature or enchantment obstacle, not a generic tempo play when life loss would put you dead to attacks.

Counterspell control / graveyard-hate control
Side in: Thoughtseize; Duress; Feed the Swarm; Opposition Agent; Dauthi Voidwalker
Cut: Blasphemous Act; Lightning Bolt; Mob Rule; Army of the Damned; Mayhem Devil

This plan clears the commitment turn and attacks hate pieces before Magar exposes the graveyard target. Thoughtseize and Duress should precede Magar activation, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, or a copied haymaker. Feed the Swarm is for resolved enchantment hate or creature hate at sorcery speed; Opposition Agent punishes tutors and fetch effects while Dauthi Voidwalker pressures control from a different axis.

Add role cards: Thoughtseize and Duress against `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, combo hands, and known hate; Leyline of the Void, Dauthi Voidwalker, Rakdos Charm, and Surgical Extraction against graveyard reliance; Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Brotherhood's End, and Feed the Swarm against artifacts, creatures with 3 toughness or less, enchantments, and battlefield locks. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow mass-theft spells into spell-combo, expensive graveyard payoffs into fast pressure, low-impact aristocrat bodies into control, and risky selection when a specific answer must be preserved.

## Matchup Guidance

- Aggro: prioritize survival before spectacle, because Magar of the Magic Strings wins only after the commander survives, the graveyard contains a spell worth noting, and a noted creature can deal combat damage. Keep hands with early mana, at least one stabilizing interaction piece, and a path to cast or protect Magar; Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Lightning Bolt, Terminate, Abrade, Feed the Swarm, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Blasphemous Act, or Malakir Rebirth matter more than slow haymakers. Use Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, and Unexpected Windfall to place a high-impact spell into the graveyard only when the life total and board permit spending mana without dying. Add role cards: Abrade, Brotherhood's End, Feed the Swarm, and Rakdos Charm when opposing pressure is creature-, token-, artifact-, or enchantment-based. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Worst Fears, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, and slow mass-theft lines when the early turns are about not dying.

- Control: force the control deck to answer multiple axes instead of exposing the whole plan into open mana. Lead with mana development, discard outlets, and sticky pressure such as Dauthi Voidwalker, Professional Face-Breaker, Opposition Agent, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, The One Ring, or protected Magar of the Magic Strings. Use Thoughtseize and Duress from the sideboard to clear the commitment turn before Magar activation, Living Death, Rise of the Dark Realms, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Worst Fears, Insurrection, or Mob Rule. Deflecting Swat, Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, Malakir Rebirth, Strionic Resonator, and Illusionist's Bracers are premium when they make the first copied-spell combat step happen through interaction. Do not cast a graveyard payoff into visible graveyard hate or stack pressure unless waiting is worse.

- Combo: disrupt before racing unless the visible Magar line is already lethal or functionally deterministic. Thoughtseize, Duress, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, Rakdos Charm, Surgical Extraction, and Leyline of the Void are the important sideboard role cards, while main-deck Entomb, Buried Alive, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, and Storm-Kiln Artist can convert one protected turn into Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, or a copied haymaker. Use Surgical Extraction only on a card already in a public graveyard; use Rakdos Charm only when one of its visible modes actually interrupts the line or creates lethal damage. Do not spend discard or tutor effects on generic value when the opponent has a known or strongly telegraphed combo window.

- Tempo: trade mana efficiently and avoid lines that let one bounce spell or blocker erase the whole turn. Prioritize cheap interaction, protection, and haste over expensive graveyard setup; Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Thousand-Year Elixir, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, Lightning Bolt, Terminate, Abrade, Feed the Swarm, Bedevil, and Chaos Warp are more important than seven- and eight-mana payoffs. Magar of the Magic Strings should usually enter when it can activate soon, attack soon through a noted creature, or be protected immediately. Do not overpay into temporary pressure with Ancient Tomb unless the two damage meaningfully advances a protected commander or lethal engine turn.

- Midrange: grind with recursive and resource-positive lines, then pivot into one copied spell that is too large to answer profitably. The best engines are Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, The One Ring, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, Conspiracy Theorist, Dauthi Voidwalker, Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Victimize, Animate Dead, Reanimate, Living Death, and Magar of the Magic Strings. Use Entomb and Buried Alive to set up either the Magar spell plan, Anger-enabled combat, or creature recursion depending on visible pressure. Do not cast Living Death just because both graveyards are full; compare opposing returns, sacrifice opportunities, Blood Artist triggers, Mayhem Devil triggers, and whether your commander plan survives afterward.

- Big mana: become the deck with the faster decisive turn, not the deck that answers every ramp permanent one at a time. Pressure with Magar of the Magic Strings, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Professional Face-Breaker, and copied high-impact spells while building toward Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Worst Fears, or Rise of the Dark Realms. Abrade and Rakdos Charm can punish artifact mana, while Opposition Agent punishes search effects from visible legal actions. Preserve tutors for a game-ending payoff or the exact hate piece needed to stop a near-term big-mana turn; do not tutor for small removal when the opponent is about to outscale it.

- Graveyard decks: decide early whether your role is faster graveyard engine, graveyard police, or both. Main-deck Dauthi Voidwalker, Bojuka Bog, Rakdos Charm, Entomb, Buried Alive, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, and Rise of the Dark Realms create powerful but asymmetric decisions; sideboard Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Rakdos Charm, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Thoughtseize improve the hate plan. Use Bojuka Bog and Rakdos Charm before the opponent pays flashback, delve, escape, or recursion costs; once a spell has already been legally cast, graveyard exile no longer counters that spell by itself. Avoid Living Death when it gives the opponent a stronger battlefield than yours.

- Artifact/enchantment decks: identify the permanent type before choosing the answer, because this deck's answers are not interchangeable. Abrade and Rakdos Charm cover artifact-heavy boards, Brotherhood's End can reset small artifacts or creatures with 3 toughness or less, Feed the Swarm answers creatures or enchantments at sorcery speed, Bedevil can answer artifacts, and Chaos Warp can answer a broad permanent at instant speed with replacement risk. Preserve Feed the Swarm for enchantments that actually block the Magar, graveyard, or combat-damage plan; do not waste it on a low-impact permanent when life loss or sorcery timing exposes you. Against equipment-heavy single threats, answer the equipment or commander according to visible lethal math.

- Go-wide decks: stabilize first, then turn their creature count into a liability. Blasphemous Act, Brotherhood's End, Rakdos Charm, Mayhem Devil, Blood Artist, Living Death, Mob Rule, Insurrection, Army of the Damned, and Rise of the Dark Realms are the important cards, but the timing differs. Use sweepers before the opponent converts the board into lethal damage; use Mob Rule or Insurrection when stealing attackers creates lethal pressure or removes enough blockers for noted creatures to connect. Rakdos Charm's creature-count damage should be held for lethal, survival, or combo interruption rather than used as a small burn spell.

- Single-threat decks: answer the one card that matters and keep Magar pressure moving. Terminate, Bedevil, Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Lightning Bolt, Deflecting Swat, Malakir Rebirth, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, and sideboard Thoughtseize or Duress are the key tools. Against a commander-centric opponent, prioritize removal or hand disruption before committing a fragile noted creature attack; against a protected threat, target the protection piece only if that is the legal path to stopping lethal or opening combat. Do not point damage at a player when the visible threat will kill you first.

- Burn: treat life total as a resource with a hard floor, especially with Ancient Tomb, The One Ring, Reanimate, Feed the Swarm, Vampiric Tutor, and Thoughtseize. Keep hands that accelerate Magar of the Magic Strings or interact cheaply; avoid paying life for marginal setup when the opponent can convert public damage into lethal. Exsanguinate, Blood Artist, Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, and protected fast kills matter more than slow card selection. Do not assume commander protection stops non-targeted damage or sweepers; Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots protect only within their actual legal scopes.

- Removal-heavy decks: make every removal spell awkward by sequencing protection, haste, recursion, and backup threats. Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, Thousand-Year Elixir, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, Animate Dead, Reanimate, Victimize, The One Ring, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Opposition Agent help the deck function when Magar of the Magic Strings is repeatedly answered. Recast Magar when the commander tax still leaves a same-turn activation, a protected next turn, or a copied-spell combat step; wait when recasting only feeds removal and empties mana needed for discard, tutor, or protection. Use discard from the sideboard before the commander turn when the opponent has cards and mana that could cleanly stop the engine.

## Specific Matchup Notes

- General/archetype-only: no exact opponents were supplied, so treat these notes as matchup families until revealed cards identify the actual plan. Revealed commanders, public graveyards, visible mana, hand-revealed cards, and rules-engine legal actions override archetype assumptions; do not fire a sideboard or priority rule only because the opponent resembles a broad deck class.

- Search, tutor, and big-mana decks: contest the turn where the opponent converts mana or search into inevitability. Add role cards: Thoughtseize, Duress, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Rakdos Charm when the opponent shows search, artifact acceleration, or graveyard-mediated payoff lines. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow creature-reanimation payoffs such as Rise of the Dark Realms or Army of the Damned when the opponent can win before those cards matter. Priority targets are public search actions for Opposition Agent, artifact mana for Abrade or Rakdos Charm, and payoff spells that make one-for-one removal irrelevant.

- Graveyard recursion and combo decks: become graveyard police before becoming the bigger graveyard deck. Add role cards: Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Rakdos Charm, Dauthi Voidwalker, Thoughtseize, and Duress. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Living Death and Rise of the Dark Realms when opposing graveyards are richer than yours or when exile effects will strand your setup. Priority targets are the graveyard card that enables the next legal recursion, flashback, delve, escape, or reanimation line; exile before costs are paid, because graveyard hate does not undo a spell already legally cast.

- Go-wide creature decks: survive the first lethal board, then punish creature density. Add role cards: Brotherhood's End, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, and Rakdos Charm depending on whether the visible pressure is creatures, artifacts, enchantments, or a creature-count kill window. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow tutors for luxury payoffs when immediate sweepers, Blasphemous Act, Mob Rule, Insurrection, or life-stabilizing Exsanguinate are required. Priority targets are anthem effects, sacrifice engines, haste enablers, and commanders that turn a medium battlefield into lethal damage.

- Removal-heavy and commander-control decks: force removal through protection, discard, haste, and recursion rather than naked commander recasts. Add role cards: Thoughtseize, Duress, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Opposition Agent, and Dauthi Voidwalker according to the opponent's permanent type and stack plan. Reduce main-deck emphasis: expensive sorceries that do not affect the board before Magar of the Magic Strings is protected. Priority targets are removal, counterspell windows exposed by discard, commander-tax pressure, and permanents that stop combat damage from noted creatures.

- Artifact or enchantment prison decks: name the permanent type first, then spend the narrow answer. Add role cards: Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, and Brotherhood's End. Reduce main-deck emphasis: creature theft effects such as Mob Rule and Insurrection when the opponent is low on creatures. Priority targets are artifacts or enchantments that stop Magar of the Magic Strings from activating, stop noted creatures from connecting, shut off graveyards, or prevent copied spells from resolving.

## Risk Summary

- Mana risk: the deck is black-red but asks for explosive, color-specific turns from Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, and commander activation lines. Do not keep a hand that only makes generic mana through Sol Ring, Ancient Tomb, or colorless utility if it cannot cast Magar of the Magic Strings, discard setup, or interaction on time.

- Matchup risk: the deck can look faster than it is when Magar of the Magic Strings is not protected or when noted creatures cannot connect. Removal-heavy, fog-like, pillow-fort, and instant-speed exile decks punish attacks that rely on one face-down noted creature.

- Draw risk: Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, The One Ring, and tutor density can find action, but they can also discard the wrong payoff or delay board impact. Preserve at least one castable plan after a rummage spell resolves.

- Over-sideboarding risk: do not dilute the graveyard-selection and copied-spell engine by adding every hate card. Add Thoughtseize, Duress, Leyline of the Void, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Brotherhood's End, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, or Surgical Extraction only when the opponent's revealed plan gives those cards concrete targets.

- Graveyard risk: Entomb, Buried Alive, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, Feldon of the Third Path, and Magar of the Magic Strings all expose resources to exile. Avoid committing the only decisive spell to the graveyard when the opponent has visible graveyard hate or untapped interaction that can strand the line.

- Sweeper and removal risk: Blasphemous Act, Brotherhood's End, Living Death, Mob Rule, and Insurrection can reset or invert combat, but they also disrupt your own Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, Professional Face-Breaker, Storm-Kiln Artist, Harmonic Prodigy, and noted creatures. Verify which permanents survive before choosing a sweeper or theft line.

- Closer risk: Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Worst Fears, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Rise of the Dark Realms, and Army of the Damned are powerful but expensive or board-dependent. Do not tutor for a closer before confirming mana, opponent life totals, blockers, graveyards, and whether a copied spell can actually be cast from the Magar trigger.

- Interaction risk: Deflecting Swat, Malakir Rebirth, Chaos Warp, Terminate, Bedevil, Abrade, Feed the Swarm, Rakdos Charm, and Lightning Bolt answer different problem classes. Misclassifying a permanent or stack object wastes the narrow answer and can leave Magar of the Magic Strings exposed.

- Sequencing risk: cast protection, haste, discard, or setup before exposing Magar of the Magic Strings when possible. Activating Magar without a meaningful graveyard spell, attacking a noted creature into obvious blocks, or tapping out before a decisive opposing turn turns the deck's edge-case engine into a slow midrange pile.

## Test Feedback Checklist

- Deciding factor: identify the turn cycle that decided the game, then name whether the deciding resource was Magar of the Magic Strings staying active, a copied spell connecting, a graveyard payoff resolving, a sweeper stabilizing, or a failed protection/interaction window.

- Mulligan quality: record whether the opener had black-red access, a castable setup card, and either acceleration or interaction. Flag keeps where Sol Ring, Ancient Tomb, or colorless utility looked strong but failed to cast Magar of the Magic Strings, Faithless Looting, Entomb, Reanimate, Terminate, or Feed the Swarm on time.

- Mana development: note every turn where the deck could not spend its mana cleanly. Separate color shortage from total-mana shortage, commander-tax pressure, enters-tapped land sequencing, and ritual timing around Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, Brass's Bounty, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, or Crackle with Power.

- Velocity check: ask whether Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, The One Ring, Gamble, Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Entomb, or Buried Alive found a real line or only converted cards into more setup.

- Engine proof: verify that Magar of the Magic Strings created a face-down noted creature with the intended graveyard spell identity, that the replay/log preserved that identity, and that combat damage produced the expected copied-spell decision without pretending hidden or unsupported rules certainty.

- Protection and recast: record whether Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, Deflecting Swat, Thousand-Year Elixir, Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, or Feldon of the Third Path changed the Magar turn, and whether commander tax made recasting worse than developing another plan.

- Removal discipline: list each use of Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, Terminate, Bedevil, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Lightning Bolt, Blasphemous Act, or Living Death, then judge whether it answered the permanent or board state that actually blocked the engine, threatened lethal, or stopped a closer.

- Combat execution: record each noted-creature attack and whether blockers, removal mana, fog-like effects, pillow-fort effects, or profitable trades made the attack fail. Note when Professional Face-Breaker, Dauthi Voidwalker, Opposition Agent, Storm-Kiln Artist, Harmonic Prodigy, Blood Artist, or Mayhem Devil changed combat incentives.

- Closing quality: identify whether the deck closed with copied haymakers, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Archon of Cruelty, Vilis, Broker of Blood, or incremental damage, and whether the closer was tutored too early or too late.

- Sideboard relevance: after sideboarded games, name which of Thoughtseize, Duress, Leyline of the Void, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Brotherhood's End, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, or Surgical Extraction had visible targets and which drew poorly because the opponent did not present the expected axis.

- Mistake inventory: flag any stranded card, missed attack, mistimed discard, unsafe reanimation, premature sweeper, overprotected commander, underprotected commander, or tutor target that did not match visible board state.

- Performance notes: name the best overperformer and worst underperformer from the exact registered list, then state whether the result came from matchup texture, mana, sequencing, or card quality.

## First Tuning Questions

- Mana base question: does the deck need more reliable early black-red access, or did losses come from sequencing lands such as Temple of Malice, Canyon Slough, Bojuka Bog, Spinerock Knoll, Takenuma, Abandoned Mire, Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance, Lavaclaw Reaches, and fetch lands incorrectly?

- Acceleration question: are Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Rakdos Signet, Talisman of Indulgence, Fellwar Stone, Ancient Tomb, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Seething Song, Jeska's Will, and Brass's Bounty enough to cast expensive closers, or are Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Rise of the Dark Realms, and Army of the Damned stranded too often?

- Engine-density question: does Magar of the Magic Strings need more support from Thousand-Year Elixir, Strionic Resonator, Illusionist's Bracers, Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Malakir Rebirth, and Deflecting Swat, or are those cards crowding out graveyard selection and interaction?

- Graveyard-plan question: are Entomb, Buried Alive, Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Cathartic Reunion, Seize the Spoils, Big Score, Unexpected Windfall, Reanimate, Animate Dead, Victimize, Living Death, Chainer, Nightmare Adept, and Feldon of the Third Path producing coherent lines, or does the deck split too hard between reanimation and copied-spell combat?

- Aggro-plan question: if creature decks race too quickly, should the tested configuration emphasize Blasphemous Act, Brotherhood's End, Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, Mob Rule, Insurrection, Blood Artist, and Mayhem Devil more strongly, or are slow haymakers still winning once the first board is contained?

- Control-plan question: if removal-heavy decks keep Magar of the Magic Strings off the table, should discard and stack pressure from Thoughtseize, Duress, Deflecting Swat, Opposition Agent, and Dauthi Voidwalker get more sideboard priority than additional sweepers or graveyard hate?

- Closer question: which finisher actually ends games after a successful Magar trigger: Worst Fears, Insurrection, Mob Rule, Rise of the Dark Realms, Army of the Damned, Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Archon of Cruelty, or Vilis, Broker of Blood?

- Sideboard-slot question: are Leyline of the Void, Surgical Extraction, Rakdos Charm, Dauthi Voidwalker, and Opposition Agent all needed against graveyard/search decks, or is that package taking space from artifact, enchantment, and creature pressure answers?

- Role-conflict question: does the pilot lose more games by committing to Magar of the Magic Strings when a normal reanimation or big-mana line was better, or by abandoning Magar too early and playing a slower black-red control game?

## Veles Tactical Policy

### Policy: Commander-Engine Mulligan Gate
- Priority: High
- Decision families: mulligan
- Cards: Magar of the Magic Strings; Sol Ring; Arcane Signet; Rakdos Signet; Talisman of Indulgence; Fellwar Stone; Lightning Greaves; Swiftfoot Boots; Faithless Looting; Entomb; Reanimate; Terminate; Feed the Swarm
- Phase windows: opening hand, pregame mulligan decisions.
- Runtime cues: visible opening hand, commander available, land count, colored source count.
- Use when: the opener must decide whether it can cast and protect Magar of the Magic Strings or execute a graveyard/reanimation plan before falling behind.
- Avoid when: the hand has only colorless acceleration with no black-red access, no early selection, and no interaction.
- Instructions: keep hands with black-red access, two to four mana sources, and one of acceleration, graveyard setup, protection, or cheap interaction. Treat commander access as real only when the hand can produce black and red, not merely high total mana.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 2.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Early Engine Setup Before Haymakers
- Priority: High
- Decision families: priority; mana; selection
- Cards: Magar of the Magic Strings; Lightning Greaves; Swiftfoot Boots; Thousand-Year Elixir; Illusionist's Bracers; Strionic Resonator; Faithless Looting; Entomb; Buried Alive
- Phase windows: turns 1-4 main phases, precombat when Magar can be cast or enabled.
- Runtime cues: commander cast action, equip action, activate Magar action, discard/search legal actions.
- Use when: the deck has not yet created a noted face-down spell creature and can spend mana on Magar infrastructure.
- Avoid when: an opponent presents visible lethal pressure, a must-answer permanent, or `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate` that makes tapping out lose the current turn cycle.
- Instructions: prioritize black-red access, Magar of the Magic Strings, haste/protection equipment, and a graveyard instant or sorcery over raw expensive spells. Do not cast Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Rise of the Dark Realms, or Army of the Damned early unless mana output already converts them into a decisive play.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Deterministic Magar Target After Commitment
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: selection; priority
- Cards: Magar of the Magic Strings; Worst Fears; Insurrection; Mob Rule; Rise of the Dark Realms; Army of the Damned; Blasphemous Act; Jeska's Will; Brass's Bounty; Torment of Hailfire; Exsanguinate; Crackle with Power
- Phase windows: main phase after Magar activation is selected.
- Runtime cues: action:target Worst Fears Magar of the Magic Strings; action:target Insurrection Magar of the Magic Strings; action:target Rise of the Dark Realms Magar of the Magic Strings
- Use when: a listed instant or sorcery is in your graveyard, Magar's legal target prompt is open, and the preselected plan names that exact card.
- Avoid when: the runtime does not expose source identity, the card is not in your graveyard, or the target prompt is not for Magar of the Magic Strings.
- Instructions: choose the named graveyard spell only after the engine commitment has been made by a reasoning policy. Prefer game-ending copied spells over setup spells when the selected line requires combat damage this turn or next turn.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 2.
- No-API allowed: yes
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Mana Burst Commitment Gate
- Priority: High
- Decision families: mana; priority
- Cards: Dark Ritual; Cabal Ritual; Seething Song; Jeska's Will; Brass's Bounty; Storm-Kiln Artist; Professional Face-Breaker; Torment of Hailfire; Exsanguinate; Crackle with Power
- Phase windows: main phase before spending rituals, Treasures, or large X-spell mana.
- Runtime cues: cast ritual action, Treasure mana actions, cast X spell action.
- Use when: mana can be converted into a protected commander turn, a lethal or near-lethal X spell, or a decisive haymaker.
- Avoid when: the line empties resources into a nonlethal spell while opponents keep visible interaction, blockers, or a stronger crackback.
- Instructions: count colored mana, total mana, commander tax, and post-spell shields before committing. Use burst mana for one decisive turn, not for stranded midgame permanents that do not advance Magar or close the game.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Fetch And Enter-Tapped Land Sequencing
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: mana
- Cards: Bloodstained Mire; Polluted Delta; Marsh Flats; Verdant Catacombs; Scalding Tarn; Prismatic Vista; Fabled Passage; Temple of Malice; Canyon Slough; Bojuka Bog; Spinerock Knoll; Blood Crypt; Badlands; Swamp; Mountain
- Phase windows: land play decisions, early turns, pre-spell sequencing.
- Runtime cues: play land action, activate fetch land action, tapped land visible.
- Use when: land choice determines whether black-red spells, Magar, or interaction remain available this turn or next turn.
- Avoid when: a tapped utility land prevents casting a necessary one- or two-mana spell from the visible hand.
- Instructions: secure black-red access before colorless utility. Do not treat Bojuka Bog, Temple of Malice, Canyon Slough, or Spinerock Knoll as turn-one support for one-mana spells if they enter tapped in the current board state.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 2.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Protection Before Commander Exposure
- Priority: High
- Decision families: priority; interaction
- Cards: Lightning Greaves; Swiftfoot Boots; Malakir Rebirth; Deflecting Swat; Thousand-Year Elixir; Magar of the Magic Strings
- Phase windows: main phase before casting Magar, equip windows, opponent removal windows.
- Runtime cues: cast commander action, equip action, cast protection spell action.
- Use when: Magar is about to enter or has entered and opponents have visible mana or known interaction pressure.
- Avoid when: protection mana prevents casting Magar at all or a visible board threat must be answered before engine setup.
- Instructions: give Magar haste/protection before activating when legal and tactically safe. Hold Malakir Rebirth or Deflecting Swat for removal or stack fights that actually threaten the commander or a decisive copied spell.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Noted Creature Combat Gate
- Priority: High
- Decision families: combat
- Cards: Magar of the Magic Strings; Harmonic Prodigy; Strionic Resonator; Professional Face-Breaker; Mayhem Devil; Blood Artist
- Phase windows: beginning of combat, declare attackers, combat damage trigger decisions.
- Runtime cues: attack with face-down creature action, trigger copy-cast action, visible blockers.
- Use when: a face-down noted spell creature can attack and combat damage may copy a registered graveyard spell.
- Avoid when: visible blockers trade for the noted creature, prevent combat damage, or make the attack lose a better defense against lethal crackback.
- Instructions: attack with noted creatures when damage is likely to connect or the copied spell justifies the risk. Account for menace, flying, tapped blockers, removal mana, and whether Harmonic Prodigy, Strionic Resonator, or Illusionist's Bracers can multiply the payoff.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Cast Copied Spell From Magar Trigger
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: priority; selection
- Cards: Magar of the Magic Strings; Worst Fears; Insurrection; Mob Rule; Blasphemous Act; Rise of the Dark Realms; Army of the Damned; Torment of Hailfire; Exsanguinate; Crackle with Power
- Phase windows: combat damage trigger resolution.
- Runtime cues: action:cast copy without paying its mana cost
- Use when: a Magar-created trigger offers casting the copied card, the copied card has the selected identity, and required targets or choices are legal in the prompt.
- Avoid when: the copied spell would wipe your winning board, fail for lack of legal targets, or spend an X spell copy with X fixed to a nonlethal amount by the rules engine.
- Instructions: cast the copy when the current trigger is the reason the noted creature attacked. For copied X spells, trust the rules-engine prompt for legal X and target values rather than assuming the graveyard card's printed ceiling.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 2.
- No-API allowed: yes
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Removal Discipline Against Engine Blockers
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: interaction; priority
- Cards: Chaos Warp; Feed the Swarm; Terminate; Bedevil; Abrade; Rakdos Charm; Lightning Bolt; Blasphemous Act; Living Death
- Phase windows: main phase, combat setup, opponent threat windows, stack only when legal.
- Runtime cues: cast removal action, target permanent prompt, declare attackers blocked by visible creature.
- Use when: a permanent stops Magar combat damage, threatens lethal, shuts off graveyards, or prevents a finisher from resolving cleanly.
- Avoid when: removal would be spent on a low-impact target while a visible hate piece, lethal attacker, or engine blocker remains.
- Instructions: answer the obstacle that changes the next decisive turn. Preserve Feed the Swarm for enchantments or creatures that black-red removal otherwise struggles to answer, and remember sorcery-speed windows when the engine must attack this turn.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Reanimation Commitment Gate
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: selection; priority
- Cards: Reanimate; Animate Dead; Victimize; Living Death; Rise of the Dark Realms; Archon of Cruelty; Vilis, Broker of Blood; Anger; Chainer, Nightmare Adept; Feldon of the Third Path
- Phase windows: main phase, graveyard setup turns, post-sweeper turns.
- Runtime cues: cast reanimation action, target creature card in graveyard prompt.
- Use when: the graveyard contains a creature whose battlefield impact beats continuing the Magar setup line.
- Avoid when: graveyard hate is visible, Reanimate life loss creates lethal exposure, or Living Death returns a stronger opposing battlefield.
- Instructions: reanimate Archon of Cruelty or Vilis, Broker of Blood when they stabilize or end the game; use Anger only when haste materially changes attacks. Treat Living Death as a symmetrical reset, not a private reanimation spell.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Discard And Selection Payloads
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: selection
- Cards: Faithless Looting; Thrill of Possibility; Cathartic Reunion; Seize the Spoils; Big Score; Unexpected Windfall; Entomb; Buried Alive; Gamble
- Phase windows: main phase, end step for instants where legal, pre-Magar setup.
- Runtime cues: discard cost prompt, search library prompt, draw-discard action.
- Use when: the hand needs to put a spell or creature into the graveyard, find protection, or convert excess expensive cards into live action.
- Avoid when: discarding the only black-red source, only protection piece, or only interaction loses the next turn cycle.
- Instructions: choose graveyard payloads that match the active plan: big instants/sorceries for Magar, creatures for reanimation, and rituals or lands only when mana is the bottleneck.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Tutor Target Commitment
- Priority: High
- Decision families: selection
- Cards: Demonic Tutor; Vampiric Tutor; Gamble; Entomb; Buried Alive
- Phase windows: main phase, end step, pre-combo setup.
- Runtime cues: search library action, reveal or put-card prompt, known hand and graveyard.
- Use when: the deck must choose between Magar engine assembly, interaction, reanimation, or a finisher.
- Avoid when: no clear next-turn plan exists or Gamble discard risk would destroy the only available line.
- Instructions: tutor for the missing piece of the current line, not the flashiest card. Prioritize Magar/protection/setup early, interaction under pressure, and Torment of Hailfire, Exsanguinate, Crackle with Power, Worst Fears, Insurrection, or Rise of the Dark Realms only when mana and timing support the closer.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Graveyard Hate Timing
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: interaction; priority
- Cards: Bojuka Bog; Rakdos Charm; Dauthi Voidwalker; Leyline of the Void; Surgical Extraction
- Phase windows: land play, instant-speed windows where legal, pre-combo opponent turns.
- Runtime cues: opponent graveyard visible, cast graveyard spell action, exile graveyard action.
- Use when: an opponent's graveyard is about to enable flashback, delve, escape, reanimation, recursion, or a known combo resource.
- Avoid when: the opponent has already paid costs and cast the spell unless the legal action still affects the spell or a remaining resource.
- Instructions: exile before the opponent spends graveyard cards as costs. Do not burn one-shot graveyard hate on incidental cards if a visible recursive engine or combo card is waiting.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Opponent Search Punish Window
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: interaction; priority
- Cards: Opposition Agent; Dauthi Voidwalker; Deflecting Swat
- Phase windows: opponent tutor/search windows, fetch land activations, stack response windows.
- Runtime cues: opponent search library action, cast Opposition Agent action, opponent tutor on stack.
- Use when: an opponent has a visible search effect on the stack or an activated fetch/search action that Opposition Agent can legally punish.
- Avoid when: holding mana for commander protection or survival interaction is required against visible lethal pressure.
- Instructions: deploy Opposition Agent in response to meaningful searches, not as an exposed creature without pressure. Use Dauthi Voidwalker as graveyard suppression and stolen-spell pressure when it survives the table context.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Board Reset And Theft Gate
- Priority: High
- Decision families: interaction; combat; priority
- Cards: Blasphemous Act; Living Death; Insurrection; Mob Rule; Brotherhood's End
- Phase windows: main phase before combat, emergency survival turns, pre-lethal alpha turns.
- Runtime cues: cast sweeper action, cast mass theft action, opponent battlefield creature count.
- Use when: the board state either threatens lethal against you or lets a mass theft/reset spell create lethal or a decisive rebuild.
- Avoid when: the spell destroys your protected Magar engine without solving the larger threat or gives opponents stronger graveyards from Living Death.
- Instructions: choose sweepers for survival and theft spells for closing. Brotherhood's End from the sideboard is for small-creature or artifact boards; do not treat it as a universal reset.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 4.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Sideboard Against Fast Combo And Control
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: sideboard; pregame
- Cards: Thoughtseize; Duress; Opposition Agent; Dauthi Voidwalker; Surgical Extraction; Leyline of the Void; Lightning Bolt; Abrade; Blasphemous Act; Army of the Damned
- Phase windows: sideboarding, pregame.
- Runtime cues: opponent archetype shows tutors, `Counterspell`, `Swan Song`, `An Offer You Can't Refuse`, `Fierce Guardianship`, and `Negate`, graveyard combo, or low creature count.
- Use when: discard, search punishment, or graveyard denial is more important than slow board control.
- Avoid when: the opponent wins through wide creature combat or artifacts/enchantments that require removal density.
- Instructions: add Thoughtseize, Duress, Opposition Agent, Dauthi Voidwalker, Surgical Extraction, and Leyline of the Void according to the opponent's axis. Reduce slow sweepers or expensive closers only from main-deck names that are poor in the visible matchup profile.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Sideboard Against Creature And Artifact Pressure
- Priority: Medium
- Decision families: sideboard; pregame
- Cards: Feed the Swarm; Abrade; Rakdos Charm; Brotherhood's End; Thoughtseize; Duress; Worst Fears; Army of the Damned; Brass's Bounty
- Phase windows: sideboarding, pregame.
- Runtime cues: opponent archetype shows fast creatures, artifacts, enchantments, or token pressure.
- Use when: extra removal and sweepers improve survival to the Magar or reanimation turn.
- Avoid when: the opponent has few board targets and the matchup is decided by hand, stack, or graveyard interaction.
- Instructions: add Feed the Swarm, Abrade, Rakdos Charm, and Brotherhood's End against visible permanent pressure. Reduce the slowest expensive spells or narrow discard only when the matchup does not reward them.
- Pilot skill floor: Level 3.
- No-API allowed: no
- Light-model allowed: yes
