Overview:

This Simic deck leverages partners Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood and Brinelin, the Moon Kraken to fuel a high-CMC value engine. The strategy focuses on ramping into 6+ MV spells to trigger Gilanra's card draw and Brinelin's bounce effect, overwhelming opponents with massive creatures like Koma, Cosmos Serpent and Apex Devastator, supported by mana doublers like Zendikar Resurgent. The deck wins through combat dominance, cascading value from cascade/cascade-like effects (Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty, Monstrous Vortex), and card advantage engines like Consecrated Sphinx and The Great Henge. Brinelin acts as a control piece, while Gilanra ensures gas for the late game.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Ramp (Turns 1-4): Deploy 1-2 mana dorks (Llanowar Elves, Birds of Paradise) and land ramp (Explosive Vegetation, Skyshroud Claim). Use Ancient Tomb/Hall of the Bandit Lord for acceleration.
2. Setup Turns (3-5): Cast Up the Beanstalk or Rhystic Study for draw. Deploy cost reducers like Thryx, the Sudden Storm or The Great Henge to enable high-CMC casts.
3. Value Engine Activation (Turns 5+): Drop bombs like Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant or Koma, triggering Gilanra/Brinelin. Use Brinelin’s ETB/triggers to disrupt opponents. Cascade into free spells via Imoti/Apex Devastator.
4. Win Conditions:
   • Combat Overkill: Avenger of Zendikar plants, Old Gnawbone treasures, and Archetype of Imagination evasion.
   • Value Lock: Jin-Gitaxias to counter opponents’ spells while doubling your own.
   • Mana Scaling: Mana Reflection/Zendikar Resurgent fuel game-ending Boundless Realms or Rishkar's Expertise.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands and 1-2 ramp pieces (e.g., Sol Ring + Fyndhorn Elves).
• Prioritize early card draw (Sylvan Library, Up the Beanstalk) if ramp is secured.
• Avoid hands clogged with 6+ MV spells without ramp.

Key Tips:

• Use Brinelin’s bounce to reset opponents’ key permanents after they’ve invested mana.
• Kodama of the East Tree chains land drops/creatures from hand for explosive turns.
• Protect The Great Henge/Zendikar Resurgent with Heroic Intervention or Swiftfoot Boots.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Countermagic/Stax: Rule of Law or Archon of Emeria cripples cascade/storm turns. Cursed Totem shuts off dorks.
• Fast Combos: Struggles to interact meaningfully before Turn 5-6.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Recovery relies on topdecking high-impact spells (Apex Devastator/Rishkar's Expertise).
• Artifact/Enchantment Hate: Bane of Progress is a double-edged sword; losing Mana Reflection stalls the engine.

Minor

• Graveyard Reliance: Limited recursion outside Eternal Witness-like effects.
• Color Fixing: Few dual lands enter untapped; slow mana can delay key plays.

Most Important Cards:

• The Great Henge (Card draw, +1/+1 counters, mana discount)
• Zendikar Resurgent (Mana doubling, card draw on creature casts)
• Koma, Cosmos Serpent (Board control, token generation)
• Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant (Spell copying, opponent disruption)
• Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty (Cascade enabler for high-CMC spells)
• Apex Devastator (Cascade x4 for massive value)
• Consecrated Sphinx (Unchecked card advantage engine)
• Mana Reflection (Mana scaling for explosive turns)
• Sylvan Library (Early-game card selection/filtering)
• Fierce Guardianship (Free counterspell with commander out)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can deploy game-winning threats by Turn 6-7 with optimal ramp but lacks fast combo finishers.

Resilience: 6/10

• Strong card draw and protection (Heroic Intervention) mitigate setbacks, but high-CMC reliance makes it vulnerable to early disruption.

Consistency: 7/10

• Extensive ramp and card selection (Rhystic Study, Sylvan Library) ensure access to key pieces, though limited tutors for noncreatures.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Kogla, Bane of Progress) and counterspells (Fierce Guardianship) are efficient but sparse compared to dedicated control decks.

Rating Justification:

This deck’s Turn 6-7 threat deployment and Simic value engines align with the "Focused" tier (6.0), but its vulnerability to early stax and lack of infinite combos cap its ceiling. Resilience from card advantage nudges it toward the higher end.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5