Overview:

This Kenessos, Priest of Thassa deck focuses on cheating out massive Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, and Serpent creatures using Kenessos's activated ability, amplified by scry synergy and cost reducers like Training Grounds. The commander is critical to the strategy, enabling early deployment of high-CMC threats while filtering draws. The deck wins through overwhelming combat damage with evasive sea monsters, supported by value engines like Kindred Discovery and Thassa, Deep-Dwelling. Secondary lines include tempo control via bounce effects (Scourge of Fleets, Slinn Voda) and combo potential with Intruder Alarm + creature-spam synergies.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup Phase (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramping with Cultivate, Three Visits, and Exploration while deploying scry engines like Mirri's Guile or Sensei's Divining Top. Use low-CMC scry/draw (Opt, Brainstorm) to set up sea creatures on top.
2. Commander Activation (Turns 3-6): Cast Kenessos and activate its ability with Training Grounds (reducing cost to {1}{G/U}) to cheat out threats like Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle or Hullbreaker Horror. Protect Kenessos with Swiftfoot Boots or Heroic Intervention.
3. Midgame Dominance (Turns 5-8): Deploy value engines like Kindred Discovery and Bident of Thassa for card draw. Use Thassa, Deep-Dwelling to reset ETB effects (e.g., Scourge of Fleets) or protect key creatures.
4. Win Conditions:
   • Combat Overload: Swing with unblockable threats enabled by Serpent of Yawning Depths and Aqueous Form, amplified by token generators like Spawning Kraken.
   • Tempo Lock: Combine Stormtide Leviathan with Engulf the Shore to restrict opponents' attacks.
   • Infinite Mana Combo: With Intruder Alarm, Omen Hawker, and a creature generator (e.g., Koma, Cosmos Serpent), create infinite ETB/untap loops to fuel Kenessos activations.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one ramp spell, and a scry/draw effect.
• Prioritize Training Grounds, Exploration, or a turn-2 Kenessos enabler.
• Avoid hands with only high-CMC creatures and no setup tools.

Key Tips:

• Use Mystic Reflection on opponents' creature spells to create copies of your sea monsters.
• Vesuvan Duplimancy synergizes with targeted buffs like Aqueous Form to clone key creatures.
• Retreat to Coralhelm untaps Kenessos after activation for multiple uses per turn cycle.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander-dependent strategy: Repeated removal of Kenessos cripples the deck's ability to cheat threats.
• Weak to Cursed Totem/Linvala, Keeper of Silence, which disable Kenessos's activation and Omen Hawker.

Moderate

• Board wipes reset progress; limited mass recursion outside Kederekt Leviathan unearth.
• Struggles against flyer-heavy decks pre-Stormtide Leviathan.

Minor

• High-CMC threats can clog hands without setup; relies on scry to mitigate.
• Limited stack interaction beyond Dissolve and Offer You Can't Refuse.

Most Important Cards:

• Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (Core enabler for cheating threats)
• Training Grounds (Reduces commander activation cost)
• Intruder Alarm (Enables infinite combos and repeated activations)
• Kindred Discovery (Draw engine for creature-based strategy)
• Thassa, Deep-Dwelling (Protection and ETB recursion)
• Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle (Early ramp target, later threat)
• Hullbreaker Horror (Tempo control and protection)
• Serpent of Yawning Depths (Evasion enabler)
• Spawning Kraken (Token snowball)
• Stormtide Leviathan (Combat lock piece)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10
Can deploy game-winning threats as early as turn 4-5 with ideal Kenessos activations, but typically establishes dominance turns 6-8.

Resilience: 5/10
Some protection (hexproof, counterspells) and recursion, but over-reliance on Kenessos and vulnerable to wipes.

Consistency: 7/10
Strong scry/draw package and creature tutors (Finale of Devastation, Mystic Speculation) ensure frequent access to key pieces.

Interaction: 5/10
Limited removal suite focused on bounce effects; relies on tempo over hard answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a high-casual level, capable of explosive T5-7 wins through optimized Kenessos activations but falters against heavy interaction. Its synergy-heavy build and combo potential elevate it above precons, while commander dependence and meta vulnerabilities cap its ceiling.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0