Overview:

This Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph deck focuses on amplifying 1-damage "ping" effects into lethal threats using the commander's ability. The strategy revolves around casting low-CMC instants/sorceries and deploying creatures/enchantments that deal 1 damage to opponents (e.g., Kessig Flamebreather, Electrostatic Field). Ghyrson triples each instance of 1-damage output, enabling rapid life total pressure. Secondary win conditions include Niv-Mizzet combos with Curiosity effects and storm payoffs like Grapeshot/Thousand-Year Storm. The commander is critical as the damage amplifier, but the deck can function temporarily without it using standalone pingers.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy 1-2 mana pingers (Firebrand Archer, Thermo-Alchemist), ramp (Izzet Signet, Goblin Electromancer), or card advantage engines (Curiosity on early creatures).
2. Midgame Amplification (Turns 4-6): Cast Ghyrson Starn and protect it with Ward tax. Chain cantrips (Ponder, Faithless Looting) and low-CMC spells to trigger pinger damage, amplified by Ghyrson. Use Niv-Mizzet, Parun or The Locust God for card advantage.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Pinger Overload: Stack multiple pingers and cast spells to deal 3+ damage per trigger via Ghyrson.
   • Niv-Mizzet + Curiosity/Ophidian Eye: Infinite damage/draw loop.
   • Storm: Grapeshot with Ghyrson turns each storm copy into 3 damage.
   • Arcane Bombardment/Thousand-Year Storm: Recur or copy spells for exponential damage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (UR sources critical).
• Prioritize early pingers, ramp, or Ghyrson + protection.
• Avoid hands with only high-CMC cards (e.g., Niv-Mizzet, Parun, Arcane Bombardment).

Key Tips:

• Equip Ghyrson with Basilisk Collar for lifelink/deathtouch to stabilize.
• Use Wild Magic Surge as both removal and a potential combo enabler.
• Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch recasts key spells from the graveyard.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Dependency: Ghyrson removal cripples damage output; Ward 2 is easily bypassed in late game.
• Nonbos with Damage Buffs: Effects increasing damage (e.g., Grafted Exoskeleton) break Ghyrson’s "exactly 1 damage" requirement.
• Anti-Damage Effects: Leyline of Sanctity, The Wanderer, or damage prevention nullifies the primary strategy.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Low-toughness pingers (e.g., Firebrand Archer) die to incidental damage-based wipes.
• Graveyard Hate: Disrupts Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch, Faithless Looting, and Arcane Bombardment.
• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Targets key pieces like Curiosity, Thousand-Year Storm, and ramp artifacts.

Minor

• Limited Tutor Density: Relies on draw engines to find combos.
• Mana Constraints: High-CMC finishers (e.g., Niv-Mizzet, Parun) strain the mana base.

Most Important Cards:

• Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph (Damage amplifier)
• Curiosity/Ophidian Eye (Combo enablers with Niv-Mizzet)
• Niv-Mizzet, Parun (Infinite combo piece)
• Thousand-Year Storm (Spell multiplier)
• Grapeshot (Storm finisher)
• Electrostatic Field (Consistent pinger)
• Arcane Bombardment (Recurring spell value)
• Goblin Electromancer (Mana discount)
• Windfall (Mass draw/graveyard setup)
• Chaos Warp (Versatile removal)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten T5-7 wins with ideal draws (e.g., Ghyrson + 3+ pingers + cantrips), but lacks fast mana for consistent early combos.

Resilience: 5/10

• Limited protection for Ghyrson beyond Ward 2; struggles to rebuild after multiple wipes but has some recursion (Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch).

Consistency: 6/10

• Redundant pingers and draw engines provide baseline synergy, but combo pieces require luck or late-game setup.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient counterspells (Counterspell, Negate) and targeted removal, but lacks answers to resolved enchantments/planeswalkers.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a 5.0 - 5.5 power level. It can execute focused game plans (T7-9 wins via amplified pings or combos) with moderate resilience but falters against heavy interaction or commander removal. The lack of fast mana and tutors prevents it from reaching higher optimization tiers.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5