Rat Tribal Commander: A Comprehensive Guide to Rodent Domination

Introduction

In the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering (MTG) Commander, the Rat tribal archetype stands out as a unique and formidable force. Rats, with their innate abilities to swarm, scavenge, and ravage their opponents, offer a potent and versatile playstyle that can overwhelm adversaries through sheer numbers and attrition. This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricate world of Rat tribal Commander, empowering you to assemble and master a rodent army capable of conquering any battlefield.

Understanding the Rat Tribe

Rats are a creature type in MTG known for their low mana costs, evasive abilities, and disruption capabilities. They can be found in every color combination except white, making them a diverse and adaptable archetype. As a tribe, Rats excel at:

• Swarming: Many Rat cards have abilities that allow them to enter the battlefield in large numbers, creating an overwhelming presence.
• Evasion: Rats often possess abilities like deathtouch, fear, and intimidate, which make them difficult to block and deal with.
• Sacrificing: Some Rats have effects that trigger when they are sacrificed, enabling you to gain value or manipulate the board state.

Choosing a Commander

The choice of commander is crucial in any Commander deck, and Rat tribal is no exception. Here are some of the most popular and effective Rat commanders available:

Shadowborn Apostle (Mono-Black)

Abilities:
- When Shadowborn Apostle enters the battlefield, create a number of 1/1 black Rat creature tokens equal to your devotion to black.

Shadowborn Apostle provides an exponential growth engine for your Rat army, allowing you to amass a sizable swarm in the early game.

Marrow-Gnawer (Mono-Black)

Abilities:
- Rats you control get +1/+0 and have deathtouch.
- At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature that player controls that's not a Rat.

Marrow-Gnawer enhances the power and lethality of your Rats, while simultaneously weakening your opponents' creatures.

Pack Rat (Mono-Black)

Abilities:
- When Pack Rat enters the battlefield, put a number of 0/0 black Rat creature tokens onto the battlefield equal to your devotion to black.
- At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on each token created by Pack Rat.

Pack Rat offers both immediate and long-term value, spawning an army of indestructible tokens that can quickly grow into a formidable force.

Building Your Deck

Once you have chosen a commander, it's time to assemble a deck that will support your Rat strategy. Here are some key card types to consider:

Rat Generators

• Black Market
• Rat Colony
• Slum Reaper

Evasion Enablers

• Coat of Arms
• Herald's Horn
• Lord of the Pit

Sacrifice Outlets

• Altar of Dementia
• Blood Artist
• Carrion Feeder

Other Key Cards

• Liliana of the Veil
• Plague Wind
• Toxic Deluge

Gameplay Strategies

Playing Rat tribal Commander involves a combination of swarming, disruption, and attrition. Here are some general strategies to employ:

1. Early-Game Dominance: Seek to establish a strong board presence in the early game through efficient Rat generators.

2. Evasive Aggression: Utilize evasion enablers to make your Rats difficult to block, forcing your opponents to find answers or succumb to attrition.

3. Sacrifice Synergies: Exploit sacrifice outlets to gain additional value from your Rats, whether it's card draw, life loss, or creature removal.

4. Card Advantage: Cards like Liliana of the Veil and Altar of Dementia provide card advantage and disruption, helping you stay ahead in the resource race.

5. Mass Removal: Utilize board wipes like Plague Wind and Toxic Deluge to reset the game state and maintain control.

Tips and Tricks

• Play to your strengths: Rats excel at swarming and attrition. Embrace their low mana costs and evasive abilities to overwhelm your opponents.

• Synergize your cards: Seek synergies between your Rat generators, evasion enablers, and sacrifice outlets to maximize their impact.

• Consider multi-color strategies: Exploring different color combinations can provide access to a wider pool of Rat cards and support abilities.

• Don't neglect your mana base: Ensure that your deck has sufficient mana sources to cast your spells and maintain a steady flow of Rats.

Step-by-Step Approach

1. Define Your Commander: Choose a commander that aligns with your desired playstyle and Rat strategy.

2. Build Your Deck: Assemble a deck that includes Rat generators, evasion enablers, sacrifice outlets, and other key cards.

3. Game Plan: Determine your early-game strategy, evasion tactics, and sacrifice synergies to execute your gameplay effectively.

4. Practice and Refine: Playtest your deck against different opponents to refine your strategies and identify areas for improvement.

5. Evolve Your Deck: Stay updated with new Rat cards and consider making adjustments to your deck as the meta shifts.

FAQs

1. What is the best commander for Rat tribal?

The best commander depends on your specific playstyle, but popular options include Shadowborn Apostle, Marrow-Gnawer, and Pack Rat.

2. What are the key strategies for playing Rat tribal?

Swarm early, utilize evasion, exploit sacrifice synergies, gain card advantage, and use mass removal to control the battlefield.

3. Are there any cards outside of black that support Rat tribal?

Yes, some cards from other colors can provide support to Rat tribal, such as Coat of Arms (white), Herald's Horn (red), and Lord of the Pit (green).

4. What are some weaknesses of Rat tribal?

Mass removal spells, board wipes, and graveyard hate can be challenging for Rat tribal decks to overcome.

5. Can Rat tribal compete in high-power metas?

Yes, with careful deckbuilding and skilled play, Rat tribal can be a competitive archetype even in high-power metas.

6. What are some common sideboard cards for Rat tribal?

Cards like Grafdigger's Cage, Nihil Spellbomb, and Tormod's Crypt can help protect your graveyard and counter graveyard-based strategies.

Tables

Table 1: Popular Rat Tribal Commanders

Table 2: Key Rat Tribal Card Types

Table 3: Rat Tribal Strategies