Overview

Obscura Operation is an evasion deck that turns combat damage into cards. Kamiz, Obscura Oculus has a trigger whenever you attack: target attacking creature can't be blocked this turn and it connives (you draw a card, then discard a card, and if you discarded a nonland card, you put a +1/+1 counter on that creature). Then you choose another attacking creature with lesser power, and it gains double strike until end of turn.

The 99 cards are 28 creatures, 14 artifacts, 3 enchantments, 8 instants, 8 sorceries and 38 lands. Many of the creatures are Rogues, Wizards, Humans or Ninjas with evasion, such as Thief of Sanity, Shadowmage Infiltrator, Looter il-Kor and Cephalid Facetaker, and many reward you when they deal combat damage. The deck also has ninjutsu creatures, such as Fallen Shinobi and Silent-Blade Oni, that can enter the battlefield unblocked, and connive cards like Change of Plans and Mask of the Schemer.

Key Cards

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Thief of Sanity
Evasion · Card Advantage
A 2/2 for {1}{U}{B}. It has flying, and whenever it deals combat damage to a player you look at the top three cards of that player's library, exile one face down and put the rest into their graveyard. You may cast the exiled card for as long as it remains exiled, spending mana of any type.
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Silent-Blade Oni
Ninjutsu · Card Advantage
A 6/5 for {3}{U}{U}{B}{B}. It has ninjutsu {4}{U}{B}, so you can swap it in for an unblocked attacker. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, look at that player's hand and cast a spell from among those cards without paying its mana cost.
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Tivit, Seller of Secrets
Voting · Finisher
A 6/6 for {3}{W}{U}{B}. It has flying and ward {3}. Whenever it enters or deals combat damage to a player, each player votes for evidence or bribery, creating Clues or Treasures, and you may vote an additional time.
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Mask of the Schemer
Equipment · Connive
An equipment for {2}{U}. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, it connives X, where X is the amount of damage it dealt to that player. It turns a small unblockable creature into a source of card selection and counters.

Playing the Deck

The early game is about mana and cheap evasive creatures. Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Azorius Signet, Dimir Signet, Orzhov Signet and Fellwar Stone ramp you, and Looter il-Kor, Daring Saboteur, Ghostly Pilferer, Shadowmage Infiltrator and Thief of Sanity are cheap evasive threats. Currency Converter and Mask of Riddles help with card selection.

The middle of the game is about connecting and drawing cards. Kamiz makes one attacker unblockable each turn, Daxos of Meletis, Alela, Artful Provocateur and Dragonlord Ojutai reward combat damage, and Fallen Shinobi and Silent-Blade Oni sneak in with ninjutsu. Aerial Extortionist exiles a nonland permanent when it enters or connects, and Cephalid Facetaker and Identity Thief copy creatures.

The late game is about monarch pressure and huge threats. Archon of Coronation and Custodi Lich make you the monarch, Smuggler's Share rewards you when opponents draw extra cards or play extra lands, Wrexial, the Risen Deep casts spells from an opponent's graveyard, and Quietus Spike makes a deathtouch creature that cuts an opponent's life in half. Austere Command, Nightmare Unmaking and Dusk // Dawn reset the board.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths: The deck has a lot of evasion and ways to turn combat damage into cards, so it almost always has a source of card advantage, and the ninjutsu creatures are good at breaking through a blocked board. It also has good interaction and protection: Swords to Plowshares, Utter End, Lethal Scheme, An Offer You Can't Refuse and Swiftfoot Boots.

Weaknesses: Many of the best cards are small creatures, so a sweeper or a few pieces of cheap removal can slow the deck down, and it relies on connecting with combat damage. Several of its strongest cards, such as Silent-Blade Oni, are expensive, and the deck is three colours with a lot of double-coloured costs.

Want to improve it? See the Obscura Operation upgrade guide: ten swaps with the data behind each one.

Verdict
Obscura Operation is a clever and consistent evasion deck with lots of ways to draw cards. It rewards careful attacks and good use of ninjutsu, and it is a good choice for players who like a clear game plan and sneaky creatures.

Want to see what a fully optimised Kamiz, Obscura Oculus build looks like? Try the Oracle.

✦ Build with The Oracle

Frequently Asked Questions

What cards are in the Obscura Operation decklist?
The Obscura Operation precon is a 100-card Commander deck led by Kamiz, Obscura Oculus. The full Obscura Operation decklist, with every card, current prices and a button to copy the list into your deck builder, is on this page.

When was Obscura Operation released?
Obscura Operation was released on April 29, 2022 as part of Streets of New Capenna Commander.

Who is the commander of Obscura Operation?
Obscura Operation is led by Kamiz, Obscura Oculus, a Esper (W/U/B) legendary creature.

How many creatures are in Obscura Operation?
The 99 cards besides Kamiz, Obscura Oculus include 28 creatures.

How many lands does Obscura Operation have?
Obscura Operation has 38 lands in the 99 cards besides Kamiz, Obscura Oculus, including basic lands.

Full Decklist

All 100 cards from the out-of-the-box Obscura Operation precon, with current prices. Click any card to expand it.

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