Overview:

This Bant (GWU) deck revolves around +1/+1 counters and proliferation synergies, leveraging Tidus, Yuna's Guardian as a central engine. The strategy focuses on distributing counters across creatures, using Tidus to relocate them for maximum impact while triggering card draw and proliferation via the "Cheer" ability. Win conditions include overwhelming combat damage with pumped creatures, Walking Ballista ping kills, and value engines like Sin, Unending Cataclysm. Tidus is essential for enabling counter movement and card advantage but is vulnerable to removal, making protection critical. "Hidden commanders" like Yuna, Grand Summoner (counter redistribution) and Rikku, Resourceful Guardian (counter theft) provide key redundancy.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Deploy ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Three Visits) and counter enablers like Hardened Scales, Gyre Sage, or Incubation Druid.
   • Establish value creatures: Tireless Tracker, Forgotten Ancient, or Fathom Mage to accumulate counters.
2. Mid-Game Engine (Turns 4-7):
   • Cast Tidus and use his combat trigger to move counters onto evasive or high-impact creatures (e.g., Sunscorch Regent, Chocobo Knights).
   • Trigger "Cheer" for card draw/proliferation; leverage Inexorable Tide and Grateful Apparition for extra proliferate triggers.
   • Deploy synergy pieces: Nesting Grounds for counter flexibility, Resourceful Defense for counter retention.
3. Win Condition Execution:
   • Combat: Use Chocobo Knights to grant double strike to creatures with counters, or Duskshell Crawler for trample. Overwhelm with Sin, Unending Cataclysm or pumped tokens from Chasm Skulker.
   • Ballista Kill: Amplify Walking Ballista with mass proliferation (Inexorable Tide + card draw engines).
   • Value Lock: Luminous Broodmoth + sacrifice outlets (e.g., Yuna's Decision) for recurring threats.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including colored sources.
• Prioritize early ramp or a counter generator (e.g., Hardened Scales, Gyre Sage).
• Include at least one card-draw engine (Bred for the Hunt, Tireless Tracker) or protection (Protection Magic).
• Avoid hands lacking ramp or counter synergy.

Key Tips:

• Counter Management: Use Tidus to shift counters from utility creatures (e.g., Generous Patron) to attackers before damage. Nesting Grounds enables instant-speed counter redistribution.
• Protection: Shield key pieces with Protection Magic or Inspiring Call. Endless Detour disrupts threats while recycling your permanents.
• Draw Triggers: Maximize "Cheer" by attacking with multiple counter-heavy creatures. Bred for the Hunt and Sphere Grid provide additional draw.
• Combo Potential: Walking Ballista + mass proliferation (e.g., Inexorable Tide + Grateful Apparition) can close games.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Farewell and similar effects cripple the counter-based board state; limited recovery outside Luminous Broodmoth.
• Anti-Counter Tech: Solemnity or The One Ring nullifies the core strategy.
• Torpor Orb Effects: Shut down ETB counter sources (e.g., Duskshell Crawler, Fathom Mage) and Luminous Broodmoth.

Moderate

• Spot Removal: Targeting key engines like Tidus, Yuna, Grand Summoner, or Tromell, Seymour's Butler slows the deck significantly.
• Graveyard Hate: Disrupts Yuna's Decision recursion and Sin, Unending Cataclysm's death trigger.
• Artifact/Enchantment Removal: Hits critical pieces like Hardened Scales, Sphere Grid, or Walking Ballista.

Minor

• Flying Threats: Limited reach; relies on Sunscorch Regent or stun counters from Lulu, Stern Guardian.
• Mana Constraints: Several enters-tapped lands and no fast mana beyond Sol Ring.

Most Important Cards:

• Tidus, Yuna's Guardian (Core engine: counter movement, draw, proliferation)
• Hardened Scales (Doubles counter output)
• Walking Ballista (Primary win condition)
• Inexorable Tide (Mass proliferation enabler)
• Nesting Grounds (Flexible counter redistribution)
• Resourceful Defense (Counter protection and relocation)
• Yuna, Grand Summoner (Counter redistribution and ramp)
• Chocobo Knights (Combat multiplier for counter-heavy creatures)
• Tromell, Seymour's Butler (Proliferation engine)
• Rikku, Resourceful Guardian (Counter theft and evasion)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Threatens wins via combat or Ballista around turns 8-10; lacks fast mana or turbo-proliferation for earlier kills.

Resilience: 4/10

• Limited protection/recursion; heavily reliant on board presence. Folds to wipes or hate pieces without immediate answers.

Consistency: 6/10

• Multiple counter sources and card draw (e.g., Bred for the Hunt, Pull from Tomorrow), but few tutors for key combo pieces.

Interaction: 5/10

• Targeted removal (Path to Exile, Destroy Evil) and disruption (Endless Detour), but minimal counterspells or stack control.

Rating Justification:

The deck executes a focused +1/+1 counter strategy with synergistic win conditions but operates at a moderate pace (T8-10) and suffers against disruption. Its combat/combo potential aligns with "Focused Casual," while resilience limitations prevent higher optimization.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0