Overview:

This Dimir Rat tribal/aristocrats deck helmed by Vren, the Relentless combines forced sacrifice, token swarms, and life drain synergies. The strategy leverages Vren's ability to exile opponents' dying creatures and convert them into an army of growing Rat tokens, amplified by tribal lords and sacrifice outlets. Key win conditions include overwhelming with evasive Rats, life drain through Mirkwood Bats/Zulaport Cutthroat, and infinite loops with Phyrexian Altar + Marrow-Gnawer. Vren acts as both an engine and payoff but isn't strictly essential due to redundant token generators like Bitterblossom and Chittering Witch.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (T1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Jet Medallion), token generators (Bitterblossom, Lord Skitter, Sewer King), or sacrifice fodder. Use Dark Ritual/Mox Amber for explosive starts.
2. Disruption & Value (T3-5): Cast Vren or Grave Pact, then force mass sacrifices with Fleshbag Marauder, Sheoldred's Edict, or Innocent Blood. Activate Skullclamp on Rats for card draw.
3. Combo/Overrun (T5+):
   • Infinite Combo: Marrow-Gnawer + Phyrexian Altar + 1 Rat token = infinite death/ETB triggers (win via Mirkwood Bats/Zulaport Cutthroat).
   • Token Swarm: Use Cover of Darkness for unblockable Rats or Kindred Dominance to clear blockers. Craterhoof Behemoth-like effects are missing, but Twisted Sewer-Witch provides scaling power.
   • Life Drain: Stack triggers from Ayara, First of Locthwain, Mirkwood Bats, and Zulaport Cutthroat during sacrifice loops.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, early token/sacrifice engine (Bitterblossom, Lord Skitter), or combo pieces (Marrow-Gnawer, Phyrexian Altar).
• Prioritize black mana sources for Cabal Coffers/Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth synergy.
• Avoid hands without early plays or excessive high-CMC cards.

Key Tips:

• Use Dauthi Voidwalker to steal opponents' exiled creatures for surprise threats.
• Roaming Throne (naming Rat) doubles Vren's token output and other Rat triggers.
• The One Ring provides critical card draw and temporary immunity to stabilize.
• Force of Despair excels against token decks or post-boardwipe recovery.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• No mass recursion for creatures – board wipes (especially Farewell) cripple the strategy.
• Relies heavily on noncreature permanents for engines (Grave Pact, Bitterblossom) with limited enchantment protection.

Moderate

• Combo requires 3+ pieces with minimal redundancy (only 1 Phyrexian Altar).
• Struggles against hexproof/shroud commanders that bypass sacrifice effects.

Minor

• Limited instant-speed interaction for resolved enchantments/artifacts.
• Life loss from Bitterblossom/Phyrexian Altar can accumulate dangerously.

Most Important Cards:

• Phyrexian Altar (Combo enabler, mana generation)
• Marrow-Gnawer (Token multiplier, combo piece)
• Grave Pact (Forced sacrifice engine)
• Mirkwood Bats (Primary life drain payoff)
• Bitterblossom (Consistent token generation)
• Roaming Throne (Tribal trigger doubler)
• Dauthi Voidwalker (Grave hate + threat recursion)
• Force of Will (Free countermagic for combo protection)
• Kindred Dominance (One-sided board wipe)
• The One Ring (Card draw + temporary immunity)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can threaten infinite combos or lethal swarms by T5-6 with optimal draws, but lacks fast mana beyond Dark Ritual.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple sacrifice triggers bypass targeted removal, but heavy reliance on key noncreature permanents and weak to board wipes.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw (Rhystic Study, Kindred Discovery) and tutors (Mystical Tutor, Demonic Tutor absent but partially replaced by Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion).

Interaction: 8/10

• Exceptional stack interaction (Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship) and targeted removal (Toxic Deluge, Sheoldred's Edict).

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH-adjacent speeds with free countermagic and T5-6 combo potential but lacks the redundancy and fast mana density of top-tier lists. Its resilience against targeted removal is offset by vulnerability to board wipes and stax pieces, positioning it between optimized casual and high-power tiers.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0