Overview:

This Sultai deck helmed by The Wise Mothman combines proliferate synergies, +1/+1 counter manipulation, and mill strategies to create a resilient value engine. The commander enables rad counter distribution and rewards milling with creature buffs, while key cards like Sage of Hours, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, and Walking Ballista provide compact win conditions. The deck balances explosive combo potential with grindy counter-based value, leveraging high-quality tutors and interaction to execute its game plan.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana acceleration (e.g., Birds of Paradise, Sol Ring, Chrome Mox) and key enablers like Hardened Scales or Winding Constrictor. Use early interaction (Force of Will, An Offer You Can't Refuse) to protect developing board.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 3-5): Cast The Wise Mothman to start distributing rad counters. Deploy mill engines (Mesmeric Orb, Psychic Corrosion) and proliferate triggers (Evolution Sage, Inexorable Tide). Use tutors to find combo pieces or critical mass enablers.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Infinite Turns: Sage of Hours + 5+ counters + proliferate engine
   • Infinite Mana/Damage: Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Staff of Domination + high-power creature → Walking Ballista
   • Overwhelming Value: Lord of Extinction/Mirelurk Queen + Greater Good/Inspiring Call
   • Rad Counter Punishment: Nuclear Fallout with proliferated rad counters

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands and at least one ramp source
• Prioritize hands containing Hardened Scales, tutors, or early protection (Lightning Greaves)
• Avoid hands without acceleration or engine starters

Key Tips:

• Use The Ozolith to preserve counters through board wipes
• Mutational Advantage protects your board while proliferating
• Echo of Eons refuels after dumping counters/mill triggers
• Time Sheoldred, Whispering One recursion after self-mill

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) disrupts recursion and Lord of Extinction
• Torpor Orb/Hushbringer nullifies ETB-based value from Mirelurk Queen/Eternal Witness

Moderate

• Cursed Totem shuts down Selvala, Heart of the Wilds and mana dorks
• Drannith Magistrate blocks commander-centric strategies
• Mass artifact/enchantment removal hits critical engines

Minor

• Flyer-heavy decks can evade ground-based defenses
• Life gain strategies outpace incremental mill damage

Most Important Cards:

1. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds (Mana generation/combo enabler)
2. Sage of Hours (Infinite turns wincon)
3. Hardened Scales (Counter multiplier)
4. Demonic Tutor (Flexible combo/answer tutor)
5. Mesmeric Orb (Mill engine/self-trigger)
6. Staff of Domination (Infinite mana combo piece)
7. Walking Ballista (Primary combo finisher)
8. Inexorable Tide (Proliferate engine)
9. Force of Will (Free interaction)
10. The Ozolith (Counter preservation)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10
Capable of T4-5 wins with perfect draws (Selvala combo), but typically threatens wins via multiple angles by T6-7.

Resilience: 6/10
Strong protection suite (Heroic Intervention, counterspells) and The Ozolith mitigate setbacks, but core combos remain vulnerable to instant-speed interaction.

Consistency: 8/10
12 tutors and robust draw engines (Rhystic Study, Greater Good) ensure reliable access to key pieces.

Interaction: 7/10
Premium counterspells (Force of Will, Mana Drain) and targeted removal (Assassin's Trophy, V.A.T.S.) disrupt opponents while protecting own strategy.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at optimized casual levels with T6-7 win potential through redundant combos and strong tutors, but lacks the blistering speed and stack dominance of cEDH. Its hybrid combat/combo approach and vulnerability to common stax pieces place it in the high-power casual tier.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0