Not Jund

*** Update *** - took out Holdup for Devastating Setback

Strategy of this deck is to aggressively target the opponent's hand and remove small threats in the early game to open up for Vara or Bandit queen to close out the game. Quite similar to Jund in mtg

Shakedown and treachery target the hand early and let you get an idea of what your opponent is playing. I often try to take 3 drops or key cards like haunting scream. Holdup is most devastating mid to late game when your opponent is down to two cards in hand and/or is holding back 2 cards in hand for a particular situation. This makes holdup into discard your hand instead of a discard 2 spell. T1 Shakedown, T2 quarry, T3 holdup off quarry is devastating. (T4 vara is even more devastating) Gift out of the market works to hose control in long grindy matches

Removal package is pretty straightforward, Flare, torch, annnihilate, extract, icb, stray into shadow. Don't think of signal flare as a shock, think of it as a scry effect that just happens to shock something.

While not outright removal, Ripknife Assassin, Kerendin Merchant, and Vara all have a removal function, if things get dicey. Vara is almost guaranteed removal in one way or another, either they sacrifice something to prevent her from getting deadly, or she gets deadly and then removes a bunch of stuff.

KnifeJack is in as a 1 drop because it is the only one drop in Stonescar with 2 toughness, meaning it will survive all the 1/1 1 drops that are prevalent in Time. Its also feels incredibly fast. The shock off of playing KnifeJack is rarely relevant, you usually regain the lost life off of Extracts and or Varas. (Also, Vara and extract provide great stabilization due to life gain)

Cauldron Cookbook should be used aggressively. This deck doesn't have much draw other than Quarry or Cookbook, so late game cook book is your only option. The scry effects off of signal flare and extract can become useful in the late game to dodge firebombs. Likewise, the lifegain as mentioned above can help get you out of dangerous range with firebombs.

Fliers are rarely a problem given all the removal. (also the majority of fliers in game are quite small) Plus vara removes aegis so your removal is always life if she's around.