Overview:

This Venser, Corpse Puppet deck focuses on proliferating poison counters using toxic/infect creatures and artifact synergies. The commander enables token generation and evasion for artifact creatures but primarily serves as a supplemental proliferate trigger. The deck aims to win by stacking poison via unblockable threats like Blighted Agent, universal counters via Ichor Rats, and repeated proliferation from engines like Inexorable Tide and Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus. Secondary value comes from artifact recursion (Vat of Rebirth, Dross Scorpion) and control elements like Frozen Aether.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Everflowing Chalice), toxic 1-drops (Bilious Skulldweller), or card engines (Call of the Ring). Prioritize casting Ichor Rats to seed poison counters globally.
2. Midgame Proliferation (Turns 4-6): Resolve key proliferate engines like Flux Channeler, Contagion Engine, or Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus. Protect them with counterspells (Counterspell, Reject Imperfection). Use Blighted Agent or Mercurial Spelldancer to apply unblockable poison damage.
3. Endgame (Turns 7+): Amplify poison counters via mass proliferation (Vivisurgeon's Insight, Radstorm) or Phyresis Outbreak. Recur threats with Vat of Rebirth or Geth's Summons if countered/removed.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one early play (toxic creature/ramp), and a proliferate engine or card draw.
• Prioritize Ichor Rats, Blighted Agent, or Sol Ring in opening hands.
• Avoid hands lacking early interaction or poison application.

Key Tips:

• Use Throne of Geth to sacrifice expendable artifacts (e.g., Astral Cornucopia charge counters) for extra proliferate triggers.
• Ripples of Potential can phase out key permanents to dodge removal while proliferating.
• Mindsplice Apparatus drastically reduces spell costs after accumulating oil counters.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Relies heavily on fragile proliferate engines (Inexorable Tide, Flux Channeler) that attract removal.
• Struggles against decks with hexproof/shroud or Melira, Sylvok Outcast-style poison immunity.

Moderate

• Limited poison acceleration: Lacks Triumph of the Hordes or Venerated Rotpriest for burst damage.
• Weak to artifact/enchantment hate (Vandalblast, Bane of Progress) disrupting key synergies.

Minor

• Mediocre board wipe recovery outside Vat of Rebirth.
• Low creature density makes Make an Example and Life's Finale risky.

Most Important Cards:

• Ichor Rats (Global poison seeding)
• Blighted Agent (Unblockable infect threat)
• Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus (Doubles proliferate triggers)
• Contagion Engine (Mass proliferation + removal)
• Inexorable Tide (Passive proliferate engine)
• Solve the Equation (Tutors key instants/sorceries)
• Vat of Rebirth (Recurrence for creatures/artifacts)
• Phyresis Outbreak (Poison-based board wipe)
• Glistening Sphere (Mana acceleration post-corruption)
• Frozen Aether (Slows opponents' tempo)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can apply early poison but typically requires 2-3 proliferation cycles (T7-9) to close games. Lacks explosive combos or fast mana beyond Sol Ring.

Resilience: 4/10
Limited protection for key pieces; relies on counterspells and phasing tricks. Recursion exists but is slow (Vat of Rebirth requires 4+ turns to activate).

Consistency: 6/10
Moderate tutor density (Solve the Equation, Ringsight) and card draw (Vivisurgeon's Insight, Distorted Curiosity) ensure steady access to proliferate effects.

Interaction: 7/10
Strong suite of counterspells, targeted removal (Drown in Ichor), and stax (Frozen Aether). Corrupted Resolve becomes a hard counter once opponents are poisoned.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a focused casual build with a clear poison/proliferate plan, achieving wins around T9-11 through incremental counters and evasion. While interaction is above average, its reliance on fragile engines and slow poison clock caps its power.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5