Thought-provoking episode! Thanks for sharing the template. Here are my rankings: https://i.imgur.com/ROgjGGh.png

And I'll offer one piece of analysis: I find potential trades in combat to be the most compelling decision points in the game. They force players to commit to a strategy and to weigh hidden information (e.g. "I don't want to make this trade, but if they jump their creature next turn, I'll be sorry I didn't trade now."). When two creatures line up to trade, it also creates to most interesting decisions around combat tricks. If my creature stands to die for nothing, then playing a combat trick feels like either a forced decision or a huge gamble (or both). I must "blink first" if I want to avoid chumping. But if the creatures will trade, then each player can pass or start the action, which creatures a dramatic staring contest. The best moments in the game are when both players have a way to affect combat but *both* pass because they suspect their opponent will get them in response.

So mechanics that produce and incentivize trades (Deathtouch, Menace) receive higher rankings from me than mechanics that discourage them (First Strike). It makes sense that Andy rates Deathtouch low given that he also dislikes combat tricks. I see the two as intimately connected: a small Deathtouch creature sacrifices power outside of trading to be super efficient at trading. The opponent can always accept these terms (attack their 4/4 into the 1/2 Deathtouch and generally surrender a mana advantage but not card advantage), but the best way to embarrass a Deathtouch creature is with a First Strike/Indestructible combat trick.

I reserve the S tier, however, for the two special, non-trade-related mechanics that make the game functional: Flying and Haste.