Overview:

This Bant (GWU) deck helmed by Rafiq of the Many focuses on voltron and exalted synergies, aiming to amplify single-creature attacks with double strike and massive equipment/augmentation. Rafiq serves as the linchpin, enabling lethal commander damage (often 21 damage in one hit with proper buffs) or powering infect kills via Blighted Agent. Secondary strategies include equipment-based value engines (e.g., Sword of Feast and Famine), stax elements (Stoic Angel), and combo potential with Sovereigns of Lost Alara tutoring game-winning auras. The deck balances ramp, protection, and evasion to enable consistent early threats.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana dorks (Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch), ramp (Cultivate, Arcane Signet), and low-cost exalted creatures (Akrasan Squire, Sigiled Paladin). Protect key pieces with Sylvan Safekeeper or Lightning Greaves.
2. Deploy Rafiq/Threats (Turns 3-5): Cast Rafiq (ideally on T3 with dork support) and equip evasion/protection (Whispersilk Cloak, Swiftfoot Boots). Alternatively, deploy unblockable creatures (Invisible Stalker, Mist-Cloaked Herald) or infect vectors (Blighted Agent).
3. Amplify Damage (Turns 4-6): Attach game-winning equipment (Blackblade Reforged, Sword of Fire and Ice) or use Sovereigns of Lost Alara to fetch auras mid-combat. Activate Finest Hour for extra combat phases or Sigil of Valor for exponential power boosts.
4. Close the Game:
   • Voltron: Attack with Rafiq (or another evasive creature) for 21+ commander damage in one swing (e.g., Rafiq + Behemoth Sledge = 7/7 double strike, or Blackblade Reforged with 8 lands = 11/11 double strike).
   • Infect: Kill with 10 poison via unblockable Blighted Agent buffed by equipment.
   • Combo: Sovereigns of Lost Alara fetching Eldrazi Conscription (not listed but implied by Sovereigns’ design) for a one-hit kill.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one ramp source, and an early creature/evasion piece.
• Prioritize hands containing Rafiq protection (boots, Teferi’s Protection) or key tutors (Enlightened Tutor, Stoneforge Mystic).
• Avoid slow hands without early plays or equipment.

Key Tips:

• Use Sovereigns of Lost Alara during combat to cheat in auras for surprise lethal.
• Wargate can fetch Sovereigns, The Book of Exalted Deeds, or key lands like Rogue's Passage.
• Sword of Feast and Famine’s untap effect enables double-spelling post-combat.
• Finest Hour + Rafiq allows two combat phases with a single creature, doubling exalted triggers.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Reliance: Repeated removal of Rafiq cripples the deck’s damage output, as many synergies (double strike, exalted stacking) depend on him.
• Artifact/Enchantment Hate: Loses to Vandalblast, Bane of Progress, or Austere Command destroying key equipment/auras.
• Board Wipes: Wrath of God effects reset the board, and the deck lacks mass recursion.

Moderate

• Evasion Counters: Propaganda, Ghostly Prison, or flying blockers disrupt the single-attacker strategy.
• Stax Lockouts: Drannith Magistrate blocks Sovereigns’ ability; Cursed Totem nullifies mana dorks.

Minor

• Limited Card Draw: Relies on Rhystic Study, Toski, and equipment triggers, which can be inconsistent.
• Slow Aura Setup: Without Sovereigns, auras are clunky to cast.

Most Important Cards:

• Rafiq of the Many (Double strike enabler/wincon)
• Sovereigns of Lost Alara (Aura cheat engine)
• Blackblade Reforged (Scaling voltron damage)
• Sword of Feast and Famine (Mana acceleration + disruption)
• Finest Hour (Extra combats + exalted stacking)
• Teferi’s Protection (Game-saving protection)
• Stoneforge Mystic (Tutor for critical equipment)
• Blighted Agent (Alternate infect wincon)
• Enlightened Tutor (Finds key artifacts/enchantments)
• Sylvan Safekeeper (Protects Rafiq from targeted removal)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10
Can threaten T4-5 kills with ideal draws (e.g., T1 dork → T2 ramp → T3 Rafiq + equipment), but typically closes around T7-8.

Resilience: 5/10
Protection spells (Simic Charm, Teferi’s Protection) and hexproof-granting equipment help, but heavy removal or wipes are backbreaking.

Consistency: 6/10
Tutors (Worldly Tutor, Stoneforge Mystic) and card draw (Rhystic Study, Sram) provide redundancy, but some key pieces lack backups.

Interaction: 6/10
Efficient removal (Swords to Plowshares, Bant Charm) and stack interaction (Endless Detour), but light on counterspells.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a high casual level, capable of T7-8 wins through voltron or infect with moderate resilience against disruption. Its reliance on Rafiq and vulnerability to artifact/enchantment hate cap its ceiling below optimized tiers.

Power level: 5.5 - 6.0