Overview:

This mono-red Slicer, Hired Muscle deck is a hyper-aggressive voltron strategy leveraging Equipment synergies and temporary commander donation mechanics. The deck aims to deploy Slicer early (potentially turn 2-3 via rituals/ramp), equip it with game-ending tools like Blackblade Reforged or Tenza, Godo's Maul, then force opponents to attack each other with an ever-growing threat through Slicer's goad ability. Secondary damage amplification via Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar and The Sound of Drums enables rapid multi-opponent pressure. The strategy thrives on chaotic combat phases while maintaining artifact recursion/protection to sustain its engine.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Explosive Start (Turns 1-3):
   • Use rituals (Rite of Flame, Desperate Ritual), mana rocks (Sol Ring, Ruby Medallion), or Simian Spirit Guide to cast Slicer converted for {2}{R} as early as turn 2.
   • Deploy critical Equipment tutors (Goblin Engineer, Inventors' Fair) or key protection (Lightning Greaves, Mithril Coat).

2. Equipment Armament (Turns 3-5):

   • Attach power boosters (O-Naginata, Sword of Fire and Ice) and evasion enablers (Whispersilk Cloak, Trailblazer's Boots).
   • Utilize Brass Squire/Hammer of Nazahn for free equips during combat.
   • Activate Slicer's upkeep trigger to pass it to opponents, forcing attacks while retaining combat damage triggers.

3. Kill Acceleration (Turns 4-7):

   • Deploy Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar to triple-dip commander damage across all opponents.
   • Use Professional Face-Breaker/Beamtown Beatstick Treasures for explosive follow-up turns.
   • Recur critical Equipment with Goblin Welder/Buried Ruin after board wipes.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with Slicer enablers: 1-2 mana accelerants (rituals/rocks) + at least 1 Equipment or protection piece.
• Prioritize Cavern of Souls/Command Beacon against control-heavy metas.
• Reject hands without red mana sources or high-cost Equipment clumps.

Key Tips:

• Time Slicer's conversion carefully - the Vehicle side's first strike helps survive combat when controlled by opponents.
• Use Homeward Path to reclaim Slicer before your turn if opponents try to keep it.
• Silent Arbiter forces opponents to attack each other with Slicer while protecting you.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Severe vulnerability to frequent spot removal targeting Slicer, requiring constant re-casting tax payments.
• Mass artifact destruction (Vandalblast, Bane of Progress) cripples the Equipment backbone.

Moderate

• Struggles against flying blockers without consistent access to flying Equipment.
• Taxation effects (Thalia, Guardian of Thraben) delay critical early-game tempo.

Minor

• Limited card draw outside combat damage triggers (Mask of Memory, Zephyr Boots).
• Blood Moon/Magus of the Moon can backfire by shutting off utility lands.

Most Important Cards:

• Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar (Triples commander damage spread)
• Hammer of Nazahn (Free equips + indestructible)
• Goblin Engineer (Tutor/recursion engine)
• Blackblade Reforged (Massive power scaling)
• Mithril Coat (Indestructible protection)
• Ruby Medallion (Mana efficiency for recasts)
• The Sound of Drums (Damage doubler + recursion)
• Sword of Fire and Ice (Evasion + card advantage)
• Rite of Flame (Critical early mana burst)
• Homeward Path (Commander reclamation)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Can threaten T3-T5 kills with optimal ritual → Equipment → Kediss sequences. Slicer's innate double strike accelerates commander damage clocks.

Resilience: 5/10

• Multiple Equipment recursion tools and protection artifacts, but over-reliance on commander makes it fragile to repeated removal.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong mana acceleration and Equipment tutors, but limited card draw creates vulnerability to prolonged games.

Interaction: 4/10

• Focused on artifact removal (Vandalblast, Abrade) and red stack interaction (Pyroblast), but lacks board wipes or multi-target answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH-adjacent speed with T3-T5 kill potential through optimized Equipment stacking and damage multipliers, but its commander-centric nature and vulnerability to interaction cap its ceiling. The balance between explosive starts and fragility aligns with High-Power Casual tiers.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0