Overview:

This mono-blue deck helmed by Cynette, Jelly Drover focuses on flying tribal synergies and token generation, leveraging flicker effects and cycling to create an aerial swarm. The commander amplifies flying creatures with +1/+1 and generates Jellyfish tokens, serving as both an anthem and token engine. The strategy relies on building a critical mass of evasive creatures enhanced by Favorable Winds, Gravitational Shift, and Eldrazi Monument, with secondary value from dungeon initiatives and artifact synergies. While Cynette is central to the deck's board presence, the strategy isn't fully commander-dependent, utilizing hidden enablers like Archetype of Imagination to lock out opposing fliers.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Sapphire Medallion) and flying value creatures like Cloudkin Seer or Aarakocra Sneak to establish initiative progress and card flow.
2. Token Generation (Turns 3-6): Cast Cynette to start generating Jellyfish tokens. Use flicker spells (Ghostly Flicker, Displace) to retrigger Cynette’s ETB/dies ability and multiply tokens. Activate Drake Haven via cycling.
3. Anthem Deployment (Turns 4-7): Resolve key enchantments like Favorable Winds, Gravitational Shift, or Eldrazi Monument to amplify your fliers. Use Archetype of Imagination to strip opponents’ flying and ensure unblockable attacks.
4. Combat Victory (Turns 6-9): Swing with a critical mass of buffed fliers, leveraging Stormtide Leviathan to lock out non-flying attackers. Use Reconnaissance Mission and Smuggler's Copter for card advantage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands and at least one mana rock or early flier.
• Prioritize cycling lands (Lonely Sandbar, Remote Isle) or Fluctuator for mid-game value.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or with only high-CMC cards like Stormtide Leviathan.

Key Tips:

• Use Astral Dragon to clone key enchantments like Drake Haven or Eldrazi Monument for exponential value.
• Fluctuator enables free cycling to fuel Drake Haven and dig for answers.
• Protect critical pieces with Lofty Denial and Muddle the Mixture (transmute for answers).
• Peregrine Drake + Ghostly Flicker generates infinite mana with a third flicker target, enabling massive Walking Ballista-like plays if added.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Wrath of God-effects cripple the token-based strategy with limited recovery tools.
• Anti-Flying Tech: Hurricane, Squallmonger, or Sandwurm Convergence invalidate the primary wincon.

Moderate

• Enchantment Removal: Losing Favorable Winds/Gravitational Shift drastically reduces combat math.
• Graveyard Hate: Exiling Skaab Ruinator or cycling fuel disrupts recursion and Drake Haven.

Minor

• Artifact Destruction: Targeting Eldrazi Monument or mana rocks slows the deck but doesn’t halt it.
• Initiative Competition: Aggressive dungeon delving by opponents outpaces this deck’s incremental value.

Most Important Cards:

• Archetype of Imagination (Flying supremacy enabler)
• Eldrazi Monument (Anthem + indestructible for fliers)
• Drake Haven (Token generation engine)
• Favorable Winds (Core anthem effect)
• Gravitational Shift (Asymmetric combat buff)
• Ghostly Flicker (Cynette/ETB value multiplier)
• Fluctuator (Cycling accelerator)
• Stormtide Leviathan (Combat lock piece)
• Muddle the Mixture (Tutor + interaction)
• Aarakocra Sneak (Initiative engine + early flier)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Threatens lethal via combat around turns 8-10, relying on incremental board growth rather than explosive combos.

Resilience: 4/10
Limited protection beyond counterspells; struggles to rebuild after wipes. Recursion is sparse (Mystic Sanctuary is the primary source).

Consistency: 6/10
Cycling and flier-based card draw (Reconnaissance Mission, Cloudkin Seer) provide filtering, but lacks tutors for key enchantments.

Interaction: 5/10
Counterspells (Lofty Denial, Complicate) and bounce (Gust of Wind) are present but reactive and mana-intensive.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a Casual/Precon level (4.0) with its linear flying strategy and moderate interaction, but gains half a tier (4.5) due to synergistic anthems and initiative/dungeon value. Its slow clock and vulnerability to common disruption prevent higher placement.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5