I’ll definitely keep the Crown Quartermasters in mind for one of the lower-cost substitution ideas.

1) In my opinion, Raider is a Legendary because it’s a 1-magicka card that isn’t a dead-draw late game. It can easily give you the 1-2 extra face damage you need to push for lethal from your hand. In contrast, while the Quartermaster is a great replacement overall, it really starts to lose its shine if you draw it late game. It’s only giving you 1 extra damage in the best case scenario, and that’s only if you have an unblocked creature to swing with *and* the one magicka to spare to equip the dagger. Raider’s damage might not help you trade favorably, but it’s free bonus damage and you’re rarely if ever trading for your opponent’s stuff with this deck. I’ll explain in #9.

2) IMO, you want to allocate bonus damage in this priority:
I – Enabling a beneficial trade
II – To the thing most likely to survive (a 2 toughness creature instead of a 1, etc.)
III – To the thing with the lowest power to spread out your threats

3) Slaughterfish are just amazing if they snowball, so you generally want to spend your resources keeping them alive if at all possible. Play something into the field lane as a sort of bodyguard and to push your opponent into the shadow lane (since that fish still has to be answered by a guard or removal since it has cover.)

4) In general, no. If you don’t already have board presence and your only viable play on turn 4 is a Spinner, you’re in pretty bad shape. You want to hold your Spinners to remove Guards for pushing face or Pilfers/Drains that will cost you the game if left unchecked. That 3/2 body is really only worth it if you’re also holding a Battlemace and your opponent will have trouble with a 7/2 ward.

5) When it’s no longer likely to generate value with the 1 damage to a creature (past turn 4 or so). It’s possible that the direct damage could allow a beneficial trade later into the game, but 1 face damage and possible Battlemace target are probably more valuable.

6) I like to play into the Shadow lane unless my opponent gives me a reason not to. It keeps your opponent from trading into your creatures with Charges and chump attackers (things like High Rock Summoner). That said, this deck often needs to switch lanes due to a fat guard like Hive Defender if you’re not holding an answer. In general, play into the lane that’ll give you the best chance of being able to smack face followed in priority by spreading your threats so a single fat guard won’t ruin your day.

7) I only avoid going face if I’m going to break a rune with 1 damage, and that’s generally only if I’m playing a deck I believe to have a large number of Prophecies (like the mirror match). This deck wants to burn the opponent down ASAP. I can count the number of times an early Prophecy ended up costing me the game on one hand, so the simplest rule is face is the place.

Don’t worry too much about the meta. You’ll get a sense for the decks you see often and the cards that can cost you a game just by playing the deck. Be mindful of things like Ice Storm that can shut you down hard if you play into them, but mostly just hit face and have fun.

9) The simple rule is, if you have more damage in a given lane, go face. If they have more damage in the lane, trade/play removal until you take the lane damage lead then go face. This deck wins with its blazingly fast tempo; you only work against yourself if you trade. Make your opponent trade into your threats and spend their Magicka removing your stuff; if they develop board advantage, it’s really hard for you to get it back. If you keep them on the back foot, forcing them to answer your threats, they’ll never get the chance for board advantage.

Best of luck in all your TESL adventures!