• If Ma Dai successfully uses "Sneak Attack" to reduce a character’s maximum health, and their current health is higher than their new maximum, they will lose one health. For example, if a character has 4 health and Ma Dai reduces their maximum health to 3, they immediately lose one health, bringing them down to 3 health.

• "Sneak Attack" always reduces maximum health by one, regardless of how much damage would have been dealt. If Ma Dai uses Wine to enhance his attack but then activates "Sneak Attack," only one maximum health point is reduced instead of dealing two damage.

• Because "Sneak Attack" does not cause damage, it bypasses damage-activated abilities. This makes Ma Dai a formidable opponent against characters that rely on those abilities. For example, if he successfully uses "Sneak Attack," characters like Xiahou Dun, Sima Yi, and Fa Zheng cannot activate their respective abilities in response.

• If Ma Dai reduces a character's maximum health to 1, it may interact with characters who have awakened abilities. In these cases, if their awakened ability reduces their maximum health further, they will die.

• If Ma Dai reduces a player’s maximum health to zero, that player cannot be saved. Ma Dai is not considered the killer if a player dies due to maximum health reduction. This means that if Ma Dai kills a rebel by reducing their health to zero, he does not draw three cards.

• Ma Dai can choose not to use "Sneak Attack" and deal regular damage instead. This makes his ability highly flexible, as he can decide when it is best to reduce maximum health versus deal immediate damage.

• Ma Dai’s "Horsemanship" gives him a stacking -1 range bonus. If he equips a -1 horse, he will have a range bonus of 2, allowing him to attack enemies farther away.

• "Sneak Attack" is a devastating ability, especially in longer games. Reducing a character’s maximum health makes it harder for them to recover using cards like Peach or Wine. Over time, this ability can make it impossible for enemies to recover from Ma Dai's attacks.

• As noted, "Sneak Attack" bypasses damage-triggered abilities, giving Ma Dai a significant advantage against characters with such skills. Unlike Zhang Chunhua’s "Unfeeling," Ma Dai has the option to use "Sneak Attack" only when it’s strategically advantageous.

• Ma Dai’s "Horsemanship" gives him increased range, making it easier to target enemies for "Sneak Attack." This allows him to use other tools such as Steal and Starvation more effectively.

• Ma Dai is especially useful against characters with abilities that are weakened by losing health. For example, reducing Sun Jian’s health through "Sneak Attack" weakens "Brave Spirit," making him easier to defeat.

• Ma Dai’s "Sneak Attack" is limited to his physical range. If he is far from enemies or surrounded by allies, he may have difficulty using this ability to its full potential.

• Ma Dai struggles against characters with strong defensive abilities that prevent him from successfully attacking them. If Ma Dai cannot land an attack, he cannot activate "Sneak Attack," which reduces his effectiveness in battle.

• There are scenarios where it’s better to deal damage than reduce maximum health. For example, if an opponent has very few health points but high maximum health, damaging them directly may be more beneficial than reducing their maximum health.

• Card-Limiting with Xiao Qiao:
  When Ma Dai uses "Sneak Attack" to reduce an enemy’s maximum health, Xiao Qiao’s "Fantasy" becomes less effective. Enemies draw fewer cards after Xiao Qiao passes damage to them, limiting their ability to recover.

• Boosting "Exile":
  The number of cards that a flipped character draws from Cao Pi's "Exile" is determined by the number of units of health remaining after Cao Pi takes damage. If Ma Dai uses "Sneak Attack" against Cao Pi, he makes this ability more potent against his enemies. This can put Ma Dai at a disadvantage if he uses this ability against him.

• Empowering Ma Su's "Winning Hearts":
  Interestingly, Ma Dai’s "Sneak Attack" benefits Ma Su by making it easier to activate "Winning Hearts." Reducing Ma Su’s maximum health means he can quickly surpass his hand size compared to his health. However, Ma Dai can avoid Ma Su’s "Bottomless Tears" if he reduces his maximum health to zero, so Ma Dai isn't entirely disadvantaged.

• Foiled by Sima Yi’s Judgment Control:
  Sima Yi’s "Devil" can counter Ma Dai’s "Sneak Attack" by altering his judgment. Sima Yi can change the result to a heart, forcing Ma Dai’s ability to fail and protecting himself from the health reduction.

• Defensive Characters Blocking "Sneak Attack":
  Characters like Zhen Ji, Liu Shan, Zhang Jiao, Yu Jin, and Younger Zhuge Liang have abilities that block or counter Attacks. These defensive powers make it more difficult for Ma Dai to successfully use "Sneak Attack," as they can avoid or mitigate his attacks entirely.

King

• • Ma Dai is not a great choice for a king. His abilities focus on offense rather than defense, making him vulnerable to attacks from rebels and spies.

Loyalist

• • Ma Dai excels as a loyalist. "Sneak Attack" can heavily damage rebels by lowering their maximum health, but Ma Dai should avoid reducing a rebel’s health to zero if he wants to draw the three-card bounty.

Rebel

• • As a rebel, Ma Dai is a dangerous opponent. He can reduce the king’s maximum health, making it impossible for them to recover from damage and survive for long.

Spy

• • Ma Dai is a decent spy pick, though there are better choices. He can cause significant damage, but his lack of defensive abilities may make it difficult to keep the game balanced between teams.

Ma Dai is a powerful and strategic character. His ability to reduce maximum health makes him particularly threatening, especially in longer games where health management is key. To maximize his effectiveness, focus on one enemy at a time and aim to lower their health incrementally. Equipping a -1 horse increases his threat range significantly, making it easier to target enemies. While "Sneak Attack" is potent, it’s important to know when to use it, as it can bypass damage-triggered abilities or fall short when direct damage is preferable. Be mindful of defensive characters and enemies with abilities that rely on taking damage. Ma Dai is especially effective in disrupting characters with awakened abilities, though keeping track of their ability progress may require extra attention.

Ma Dai is best remembered for his loyalty to the Shu Han state and his service under Zhuge Liang. A relative of the famed Ma Chao, Ma Dai continued to serve after Ma Chao’s death, proving himself in battle. His most famous accomplishment came after Zhuge Liang’s death during the Northern Expeditions against Wei. When Zhuge Liang passed away, Wei Yan, another Shu general, rebelled, attempting to continue the fight despite the retreat orders. Furious at being sidelined, Wei Yan destroyed the gallery roads to block Shu forces from returning, accusing Yang Yi of treason and leading his men to attack. However, Wei Yan’s own troops abandoned him after Wang Ping denounced his actions, leaving him isolated.

Ma Dai had been secretly ordered by Zhuge Liang to act if Wei Yan rebelled, with instructions to follow him, but kill whoever uttered a specific phrase. During the rebellion, a governor was commanded to surrender to anyone, including Wei Yan, if they declared, "Who dares to kill me?" When Wei Yan shouted this phrase three times, Ma Dai immediately executed him, ending the mutiny and bringing Wei Yan’s head to Yang Yi. This decisive action prevented further conflict and protected Shu from internal strife, solidifying Ma Dai’s reputation as a loyal and reliable general.

In Sanguosha, Ma Dai’s "Sneak Attack" reflects his ability to eliminate threats in a decisive manner, much like his role in cutting down Wei Yan before further rebellion could take hold. His "Horsemanship" ability also ties into his reputation for battlefield mobility, enabling him to pursue and swiftly strike down enemies. By reducing his enemies' maximum health, Ma Dai cripples them strategically, just as he ended the threat of Wei Yan when it mattered most.