Overview:

This Azorius stax/control deck helmed by Grand Arbiter Augustin IV focuses on taxing opponents' resources while accelerating its own game plan. The strategy combines symmetrical cost modifiers, flying creature pressure, and planeswalker value engines to lock opponents out of efficient plays. Grand Arbiter serves as both a cost reducer for the deck's heavy control elements and a persistent tax effect, making him critical to the strategy. Secondary win conditions include flying swarm beats with Moonshaker Cavalry, extra turns via Medomai the Ageless, and value engines like Teferi, Temporal Pilgrim's ultimate.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Game Setup (Turns 1-4):
   Deploy mana rocks (Azorius Signet, Sol Ring) and tax effects (Ghostly Prison, Authority of the Consuls). Use Land Tax or Keeper of the Accord to maintain land parity. Establish card advantage engines like Rhystic Study or The Council of Four.

2. Midgame Control (Turns 5-7):
   Activate stax multipliers with Sphere of Safety and Propaganda. Deploy flying threats like Sphinx of New Prahv or Ancient Silver Dragon. Use Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset to untap key permanents and dig for answers.

3. Win Condition Execution:

   • Combat: Overrun with Moonshaker Cavalry after establishing a critical mass of flyers.
   • Value Engine: Activate Teferi, Temporal Pilgrim's emblem for infinite untaps/draws.
   • Lockout: Combine Drumbellower with Opposition to tap down opponents' boards during their turns.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with at least 2 lands (including color sources) and 1-2 early plays (tax effects/ramp).
• Prioritize Grand Arbiter Augustin IV in opening hands with sufficient protection (Swiftfoot Boots, Flawless Maneuver).
• Avoid hands lacking early interaction or mana acceleration.

Key Tips:

• Use Court of Vantress to copy critical enchantments like Rhystic Study or opponent's value pieces.
• Time Cyclonic Rift to reset the board before deploying Moonshaker Cavalry.
• Stenn, Paranoid Partisan can be set to "Enchantment" type to further reduce stax piece costs.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Struggles against fast combo decks that can win before tax effects become impactful.
• Heavily reliant on keeping Grand Arbiter alive; lacks efficient creature recursion.

Moderate

• Vulnerable to mass enchantment removal (Austere Command, Cleansing Nova) disrupting the tax engine.
• Limited board presence makes recoveries after Supreme Verdict difficult.

Minor

• Mediocre ramp package struggles with high-CMC finishers like Moonshaker Cavalry.
• Minimal graveyard interaction beyond Faithful Mending.

Most Important Cards:

• Grand Arbiter Augustin IV (Strategy linchpin: cost reduction/tax)
• Rhystic Study (Primary card advantage engine)
• Moonshaker Cavalry (Primary combat finisher)
• Teferi, Temporal Pilgrim (Value engine/alt wincon)
• Cyclonic Rift (Board reset)
• Sphere of Safety (Tax multiplier)
• Medomai the Ageless (Extra turn generator)
• Supreme Verdict (Uncounterable wipe)
• Authority of the Consuls (Early game speed bump)
• Enlightened Tutor (Key stax piece fetcher)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10

• Wins typically occur T8+ through gradual value accumulation or combat overruns.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple protection spells and hexproof grantors, but core strategy remains commander-dependent.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw and tutor effects for enchantments, but limited creature tutoring.

Interaction: 8/10

• Robust suite of counterspells, board wipes, and targeted removal for multiple permanent types.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused control elements with strong interaction and stax synergy but lacks the speed or combo finishers of higher-tier lists. Its T8-10 win potential through combat/value aligns with optimized casual tiers, while resilience against disruption keeps it below high-power thresholds.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5