Overview:

This Ephara, God of the Polis deck combines flash/flicker synergies with stax elements to control the board and generate incremental value. While lacking deterministic combos, it aims to win through layered stax locks and overwhelming creature quality using ETB value engines. The deck operates at a Focused power level with moderate interaction and resilience.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck leverages Ephara's card draw engine by deploying flash creatures and flicker effects at instant speed. Key phases:

1. Early Setup: Play mana rocks (Sol Ring, Talisman of Progress) and stax pieces (Archon of Emeria, Deafening Silence) to slow opponents.
2. Value Engine Activation: Use blink effects (Ephemerate, Eldrazi Displacer) to abuse ETB triggers from creatures like Skyclave Apparition and Recruiter of the Guard.
3. Lock Assembly: Deploy overlapping stax effects (Blind Obedience + Spirit of the Labyrinth) while protecting them with counterspells.
4. Finishers: Close games with Moonshaker Cavalry combat surges or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite board dominance.

Mulligan Priorities:

• 3 lands (prioritize color-fixing)
• 1-2 early plays (mana rock/stax piece)
• At least 1 interaction spell or flicker enabler Avoid hands without early board impact or color screw risks.

Key Tips:

• Time Ephara casts to maximize devotion triggers
• Use Leyline of Anticipation to play entire turns at instant speed
• Pair Deadeye Navigator with Sun Titan for recursive value
• Protect stax locks with Fierce Guardianship and Dovin's Veto

Weaknesses:

Moderate:

• Limited redundancy for key stax pieces
• Slow recovery from mass artifact/enchantment removal
• No infinite combos to bypass stalled boards

Minor:

• Vulnerable to land destruction (relies on Nykthos/utility lands)
• Moderate graveyard dependency for Sun Titan recursion

Most Important Cards:

• Deadeye Navigator
• Sun Titan
• Rhystic Study
• Smothering Tithe
• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• Moonshaker Cavalry
• Blind Obedience
• Archon of Emeria
• Fierce Guardianship
• Cyclonic Rift

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Goldfish win around T8-10 via incremental damage
• No fast combos; relies on gradual stax pressure

Resilience: 7/10

• 8 counterspells + phasing/hexproof protection
• Recursive threats via Sun Titan/Displacer
• Weak to back-to-back board wipes

Consistency: 6/10

• 5 tutors + strong card draw engines
• Multiple stax/ETB redundancy
• No combo redundancy limits wincon reliability

Interaction: 8/10

• 14 targeted removal/counters (4 free spells)
• 3 board wipes + stax-based disruption
• Instant-speed flexibility with flash enablers

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between "Optimized Casual" (T8-10) and "Focused" (T7-8) tiers. While its stax elements and interaction density exceed precon-level decks, the lack of deterministic combos and reliance on combat damage keeps it below turbo-focused lists. The combination of stax resilience and moderate speed aligns with rubric 6.0 ("Focused - T7-8 via combat/synergies"), while its interaction suite pushes it toward 6.5 thresholds.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5