Overview:

This Bant (WUG) deck helmed by Helga, Skittish Seer focuses on +1/+1 counter synergies and high-value creature chains. The strategy revolves around casting creatures with MV 4+ to trigger Helga's card draw and mana acceleration while amplifying counters through doubling effects like Hardened Scales and Branching Evolution. The deck employs multiple win conditions, including combat overrun via Moonshaker Cavalry, alternate win-cons like Simic Ascendancy/Twenty-Toed Toad, and value engines like Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider. Helga acts as both a draw engine and mana battery, with "hidden commanders" like Chulane, Teller of Tales and Prime Speaker Vannifar providing backup value.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana dorks (Noble Hierarch, Birds of Paradise) and counter enablers (Hardened Scales, The Ozolith). Use Tithe/Wargate to fix mana.
2. Engine Activation (Turns 3-5): Cast MV4+ creatures like Master Biomancer or Archangel of Thune to trigger Helga's draw. Use Prime Speaker Vannifar or Eldritch Evolution to tutor key pieces.
3. Win Acceleration (Turns 5-8):
   • Combat: Deploy Moonshaker Cavalry or Koma, World-Eater with counter support.
   • Alt Wins: Pump Simic Ascendancy via counter synergies or build Twenty-Toed Toad to 20 counters/hand size.
   • Value Lock: Pair Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider with counter doublers for exponential growth.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including color-fixing like Command Tower).
• Prioritize early ramp (1-2 mana dorks) and at least one counter enabler or MV4+ creature.
• Avoid hands lacking green mana or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Use Helga's mana ability to chain high-impact creatures: A 5-power Helga casts Koma for just {G}{U}.
• Teferi's Protection protects against board wipes during critical turns.
• Alchemist's Refuge enables surprise Moonshaker Cavalry or counter doublers.
• The Great Henge becomes castable early with Helga's growing power.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander-dependent strategy: Removing Helga repeatedly cripples card draw and mana acceleration.
• Minimal instant-speed interaction for resolved threats (only 5 counterspells).

Moderate

• Vulnerable to Cursed Totem/Linvala, Keeper of Silence, shutting off dorks and Helga's tap ability.
• Struggles against fast combo decks due to midrange speed.

Minor

• Limited graveyard recursion beyond Evolution Witness.
• High-CMC creatures risk being stranded if ramp is disrupted.

Most Important Cards:

• Helga, Skittish Seer (Engine: draw, mana, counter source)
• Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider (Counter multiplier, game-ender)
• Moonshaker Cavalry (Primary combat finisher)
• Hardened Scales/Branching Evolution (Counter amplification)
• Prime Speaker Vannifar (Tutor chain enabler)
• The Great Henge (Value engine: draw, counters, ramp)
• Teferi's Protection (Board wipe insurance)
• Finale of Devastation (Tutor + overrun)
• Simic Ascendancy (Alternate win condition)
• Koma, World-Eater (Self-replicating threat)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten wins via combat or Simic Ascendancy by T7-8, but lacks turbo elements for earlier victories.

Resilience: 5/10

• Multiple protection spells (Heroic Intervention, Silence) and card draw, but heavily reliant on Helga staying active.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong tutor density (7 tutors) and card draw engines mitigate variance in finding key pieces.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient spot removal (Swords to Plowshares, Bant Charm) but limited stack interaction beyond 5 counterspells.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused midrange capabilities with T7-8 win potential through combat or counter-based alt wins, but its commander dependency and moderate interaction suite cap its ceiling. It aligns with the "Focused" tier (T7-8 wins) but lacks the redundancy and speed for higher optimization.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5