{"ops":[{"insert":"⚠️ High-Salt Table Management Warning\nBecause permanent card theft generates immense psychological frustration, this deck can quickly polarize a table. To preserve local playgroup politics, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"it is strongly recommended to sacrifice stolen creatures as quickly as possible"},{"insert":" after extracting their value. Converting their assets into immediate board resources rather than holding them hostage keeps games fast and reduces table hostility.\n\nPrimer: The Squid Pro Quo 🦑💼\nWelcome to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Squid Pro Quo"},{"insert":", a high-interaction, high-salt Esper Commander deck helmed by "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nihiloor"},{"insert":". This deck is the ultimate psychological control engine. It fundamentally shifts the game dynamics by treating your opponents' battlefields and hands as your personal resource pool, stealing their win conditions, and sacrificing them for your own benefit.\n\n\n🔮 How the Deck Works (The Core Engine)\nThe deck runs on a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Steal, Keep, and Sacrifice pipeline"},{"insert":" designed to choke out your opponents' resources while advancing your own.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Borrowing Assets:"},{"insert":" Deploy instant-speed or repeatable control effects like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Merieke Ri Berit"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Beguiler of Wills"},{"insert":", or your commander, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nihiloor"},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Laudering Ownership:"},{"insert":" Many temporary steal effects specify that you keep the creature \"for as long as you control\" the source. You bypass this by using "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blink effects"},{"insert":" like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"},{"insert":". When a stolen creature is blinked, it returns to the battlefield under "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"your"},{"insert":" control permanently."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Extortion Engine:"},{"insert":" Once you attack opponents with their own creatures, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nihiloor"},{"insert":" drains their life totals while padding yours."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Liquidating Assets:"},{"insert":" If an opponent attempts to remove your control piece (which would normally return their creature), you simply sacrifice their stolen creature to "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Warren Soultrader"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Ashnod's Altar"},{"insert":", or "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Attrition"},{"insert":" for mana, cards, or removal."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\n🧩 Categorized Card Choices\n\n1. The Commander (The Mastermind)\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nihiloor:"},{"insert":" Serving as both a mass-theft piece on entry and a passive drain engine. Nihiloor allows you to tap your own utility creatures to safely hijack multiple enemy targets simultaneously, then turns those stolen bodies into a life-leeching army."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n2. The Thievery Syndicate (The Acquisition Agents)\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Merieke Ri Berit & Rubinia-Style Effects:"},{"insert":" Classic, low-mana utility creatures that completely dictate the board state. Opponents cannot safely cast their commanders or key combo pieces while these are untapped."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Gilded Drake & Evil Twin:"},{"insert":" Gilded Drake offers an uncounterable exchange, while Evil Twin copies a threat and uses its ability to destroy the original."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Willbreaker:"},{"insert":" A terrifying force multiplier. It turns simple targeting abilities (like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"},{"insert":"'s activated ability) into unblockable, instant-speed mind control spells."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n3. Untap Enablers (The Assembly Line)\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Freed from the Real:"},{"insert":" When attached to creatures with a tap-to-steal ability (like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Beguiler of Wills"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Overtaker"},{"insert":", or "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Merieke Ri Berit"},{"insert":"), this Aura allows you to untap them for a single blue mana, effectively allowing you to vacuum up every single creature on the board in a single turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n4. Sac Outlets & Removal (The Chop Shop)\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Attrition & Grave Pact:"},{"insert":" This pair completely locks down creature-based strategies. You steal an opponent’s creature, sacrifice it to Attrition to destroy "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"another"},{"insert":" enemy creature, which then triggers Grave Pact to force them to sacrifice a third."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sadistic Hypnotist:"},{"insert":" A brutal sacrifice outlet that forces targeted opponents to discard two cards at sorcery speed, rapidly emptying the hands of the blue or green players trying to build an answer to your board."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\n🕹️ Strategy & Play Tips\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hold Your Interaction Open:"},{"insert":" This is a \"Draw-Go\" deck at heart. With flash enablers like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Leyline of Anticipation"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Faerie Mastermind"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Notion Thief"},{"insert":", you want to play entirely on your opponents' turns. Force them to overextend into your counterspells and flash-theft pieces."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Merieke Paradox:"},{"insert":" If you activate "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Merieke Ri Berit"},{"insert":" to steal a creature, you can hold priority and untap her with "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Freed from the Real"},{"insert":". If you activate her again targeting a second creature, her original trigger will still resolve. You can stack these to destroy multiple targets or swap ownership at instant speed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Manage Table Aggro:"},{"insert":" This deck has a very high \"Salt Sum.\" Expect to be targeted early. Lean heavily on your low-cost protection pieces ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Mother of Runes"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Giver of Runes"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Surge of Salvation"},{"insert":") to keep Nihiloor or your untap engines safe before you make your big move."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n(primer created by AI)\n"}]}