Overview:

This Mardu (R/W/B) Knight/Equipment deck revolves around Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale, leveraging her cost-free Equipment attachment to Knights and card-draw engine. The strategy focuses on deploying high-impact Equipment like Kaldra Compleat and Embercleave onto evasive Knights (e.g., Phyrexian Crusader, Kulrath Knight) for lethal combat damage. Secondary value comes from recursive threats (Elenda, the Dusk Rose), stax elements (Ghostly Prison), and board control (Damnation). Syr Gwyn is critical to the deck's efficiency but is vulnerable to removal given her high CMC (6) and color requirements.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (T1-4):
   • Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Chromatic Lantern) and Equipment tutors (Stoneforge Mystic, Steelshaper's Gift).
   • Cast low-cost Knights (Knight of the White Orchid, Puresteel Paladin) to establish board presence.
   • Use Sigarda's Aid or Hammer of Nazahn to cheat Equipment onto creatures.

2. Midgame (T4-6):

   • Cast Syr Gwyn, immediately attaching 2-3 Equipment for free. Use her draw trigger to refuel.
   • Deploy haymaker Equipment (Blackblade Reforged, Sword of Feast and Famine) and synergistic Knights (Knight Exemplar, Hero of Bladehold).
   • Protect threats with Swiftfoot Boots, Robe of Stars, or Flawless Maneuver.

3. Win Conditions (T6-8):

   • Combat Overkill: Swing with indestructible, double-strike Knights wielding Embercleave or Kaldra Compleat.
   • Commander Damage: Syr Gwyn with Blackblade Reforged or Leyline Axe can eliminate players in 2-3 hits.
   • Value Grind: Use Smothering Tithe and Syr Gwyn’s card draw to out-resource opponents.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (prioritize untapped sources for Syr Gwyn’s colors).
• Ensure at least 1 ramp piece (Arcane Signet, Sol Ring) and 1 early Knight/Equipment.
• Prioritize Sigarda's Aid or Stoneforge Mystic in opening hands.

Key Tips:

• Use Masterwork of Ingenuity to clone opponents’ powerful Equipment or your own Kaldra Compleat.
• Buried Ruin and Sevinne's Reclamation recover critical artifacts/enchantments.
• Deflecting Swat and Guardian of Faith protect against board wipes targeting your equipped army.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Extreme reliance on Syr Gwyn: Removing her 2-3 times cripples Equipment synergies.
• Artifact hate (Vandalblast, Farewell) annihilates the deck’s Equipment backbone.

Moderate

• Slow setup: High-CMC threats and tapped lands (e.g., Temple of Triumph) delay aggression.
• Limited card advantage outside Syr Gwyn’s attack trigger.

Minor

• Minimal stack interaction (only 3 counterspells/protection spells).
• Vulnerable to flyers without Maul of the Skyclaves.

Most Important Cards:

• Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale (Free equips + card draw engine)
• Stoneforge Mystic (Tutor key Equipment)
• Puresteel Paladin (Free equips + card draw)
• Embercleave (Combat finisher)
• Kaldra Compleat (Exile threat + indestructible)
• Sigarda's Aid (Flash-equip synergy)
• Damnation (Board reset)
• Blackblade Reforged (Commander damage enabler)
• Smothering Tithe (Mana acceleration)
• Flawless Maneuver (Protection)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Threatens lethal via combat around T7-8 in ideal scenarios. No fast mana or infinite combos accelerate wins.

Resilience: 4/10

• Limited protection for Syr Gwyn and key artifacts. Recursion (Buried Ruin, Sevinne's Reclamation) is situational.

Consistency: 6/10

• 8 Equipment tutors and card draw tied to attacking mitigate variance, but high CMC spells create bottlenecks.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Deadly Rollick) and board wipes are strong but reactive. Minimal stack control.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a Focused Casual level, threatening wins via combat around T7-8 with moderate resilience. While tutors and synergies provide consistency, its reliance on Syr Gwyn and vulnerability to artifact hate cap its ceiling.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0