Overview:

This Kotis, the Fangkeeper deck employs a Sultai "combat theft" strategy, leveraging evasion auras and equipment to ensure Kotis connects with opponents, exiling and casting their spells for free. The deck combines enchantress synergies, +1/+1 counter support, and light control elements to sustain its game plan. Kotis is essential as the primary value engine and win enabler, but its 2/1 body is fragile despite indestructible, requiring significant protection investment. "Hidden commanders" like Felix Five-Boots (amplifying theft triggers) and Tasha, the Witch Queen (rewarding spell theft) enhance the core strategy.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup (Turns 1-3): Ramp with Wild Growth, Fertile Ground, Sakura-Tribe Elder, or Cultivate. Deploy enchantress engines (Setessan Champion, Enchantress's Presence) or evasion auras (Aqueous Form, Security Bypass) on low-cost creatures.
2. Enable Kotis (Turns 3-5): Cast Kotis and equip/enchant for evasion (Trailblazer's Boots, Aether Tunnel). Protect with Shielding Plax or Curator's Ward. Felix Five-Boots doubles Kotis triggers.
3. Value/Theft Phase (Turns 4+): Attack with Kotis to exile/cast opponents' spells. Use free casts to fuel Tasha, the Witch Queen (creating Demons) or Gonti, Night Minister (Treasure generation). Amplify with Brainstealer Dragon.
4. Win Conditions:
   • Combat/Theft: Overwhelm with stolen threats, Demon tokens, or pumped creatures (e.g., Hadana's Climb flipped, Giant Inheritance).
   • Voltron: Stack auras/equipment (Leyline Axe, Power Fist) on Kotis or an evasive creature for lethal commander/combat damage.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (prioritize untapped sources), early ramp, and at least one evasion/protection piece.
• Favor hands with enchantress payoffs (Setessan Champion, Season of Growth) or low-cost auras.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp, evasion, or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Prioritize Evasion: Rogue's Passage, Security Bypass, and Aqueous Form ensure Kotis connects. Sword Coast Sailor provides conditional unblockability.
• Leverage Triggers: Felix Five-Boots doubles Kotis exiles and Tasha's Demon creation. Hollowmurk Siege (Sultai mode) draws on counter placement.
• Protect Key Pieces: Use Overprotect, Counterspell, and Mana Drain to shield Kotis/enchantress engines. Command Beacon avoids tax.
• Recover from Setbacks: Eternal Witness retrieves key auras/interaction. Death Begets Life resets boards while drawing cards.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Extreme vulnerability to board wipes (e.g., Deadly Tempest, Bontu's Last Reckoning), which remove auras/equipment investments and enchantress engines with minimal recovery.
• Heavily reliant on Kotis connecting, making it susceptible to flying blockers, tap-down effects, and non-destruction removal (e.g., Imprisoned in the Moon).

Moderate

• Enchantment/artifact hate (e.g., Bane of Progress) cripples ramp, evasion, and draw engines.
• Limited ramp density (only 8 sources) slows setup, risking Kotis deployment after opponents stabilize.
• Graveyard hate disrupts Brokkos, Apex of Forever and Eternal Witness recursion.

Minor

• High-CMC win conditions (e.g., Villainous Wealth, Brainstealer Dragon) can clog hands without sufficient ramp.
• Theft inconsistency relies on opponents' deck quality, occasionally whiffing on impactful spells.

Most Important Cards:

• Kotis, the Fangkeeper (Primary value engine and win enabler)
• Felix Five-Boots (Doubles theft/combat-damage triggers)
• Security Bypass (Evasion + card advantage via connive)
• Tasha, the Witch Queen (Generates Demons from stolen spells)
• Setessan Champion (Card draw engine for enchantment-heavy deck)
• Mana Drain (Counters threats while ramping)
• Hadana's Climb (+1/+1 counter payoff and finisher)
• Leyline Axe (Voltron finisher with hexproof)
• Brainstealer Dragon (Scales theft value)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds key evasion/protection)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10

• Wins via combat or value accumulation typically by turns 10-12; lacks fast combos or early explosive plays.

Resilience: 5/10

• Moderate protection (hexproof, counterspells) but collapses to board wipes; relies on Kotis surviving to generate value.

Consistency: 6/10

• Tutors (Demonic Tutor) and enchantress draw provide redundancy, but theft effects are inherently random.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Assassin's Trophy, Tear Asunder) and counterspells (Mana Drain, Offer You Can’t Refuse), but lacks sweepers.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a Casual/Precon level (T10-12 wins) due to its reliance on combat damage and slow theft value, with moderate resilience from protection spells but critical vulnerability to board wipes. Its speed and consistency are comparable to upgraded precons, placing it below optimized lists.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5