Overview:

This Bant (WUG) deck helmed by Derevi, Empyrial Tactician is a flying tribal build focused on generating bird tokens and leveraging combat damage triggers. The strategy revolves around deploying evasive creatures, amplifying their power through anthem effects like Empyrean Eagle and Murmuration, and generating card advantage through combat damage with Coastal Piracy and Reconnaissance Mission. Derevi serves as both an enabler (untapping key permanents like Seedborn Muse or mana sources) and a resilient threat that bypasses commander tax. Secondary themes include light stax elements (Narset, Parter of Veils, Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar) and token multiplication via Tawnos, the Toymaker.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Game (Turns 1-3):
   Deploy mana dorks (Avacyn's Pilgrim, Elvish Mystic), signets, or land-based ramp (Farseek, Cultivate). Establish early fliers like Healer's Hawk or Judge's Familiar to enable Derevi triggers.
2. Mid-Game (Turns 4-6):
   Cast key anthem effects (Favorable Winds, Soulcatchers' Aerie) and card engines (Curiosity Crafter, Toski, Bearer of Secrets). Use Derevi's ability to untap Seedborn Muse for explosive turns or Seaside Haven for card draw.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Combat Swarm: Overwhelm with buffed fliers using Rally of Wings, Steel-Plume Marshal, or Kangee, Sky Warden.
   • Value Lock: Combine Dismiss into Dream with targeted effects to dismantle opponents' boards.
   • Token Flood: Generate exponential value with Tawnos, the Toymaker copying birds and Emeria Angel landfall triggers.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including green/blue sources.
• Prioritize early ramp (dorks/signets) and at least one evasive creature.
• Look for key synergy pieces like Empyrean Eagle or Coastal Piracy in slow metas.

Key Tips:

• Use Derevi's combat trigger to untap Seedborn Muse for pseudo-Prophet of Kruphix effects.
• Flurry of Wings doubles as defense and token generation against aggressive decks.
• Phyrexian Metamorph can clone high-impact creatures like opposing Craterhoof Behemoth.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipe Vulnerability: Relies heavily on creature presence for engine functionality; lacks mass recursion.
• Flying Hate: Gravity Well, Sandwurm Convergence, or Archetype of Imagination nullify primary evasion.

Moderate

• Anti-Token Tech: Cursed Totem/Torpor Orb disrupts token generation from Kykar, Zephyr Awakener/Emeria Angel.
• Slow Setup: Limited fast mana outside Sol Ring delays critical mass development.

Minor

• Artifact Reliance: Key ramp (signets) and Staff of Domination are vulnerable to artifact removal.
• Limited Stack Interaction: Only 6 counterspells and minimal protection for key pieces.

Most Important Cards:

• Seedborn Muse (Untap engine for Derevi synergies)
• Coastal Piracy (Primary card advantage engine)
• Empyrean Eagle (Core anthem effect)
• Tawnos, the Toymaker (Token multiplier)
• Dismiss into Dream (Soft lock with targeted effects)
• Rally of Wings (Combat trick/untap enabler)
• Murmuration (Late-game scaling)
• Kangee, Sky Warden (Aggressive buff)
• Narset, Parter of Veils (Anti-draw stax)
• Migratory Route (Token generator/land cycler)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10

• Threatens wins via combat around T8-10; lacks fast combos or explosive mana.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recovers poorly from wipes but benefits from Derevi's recastability and some recursion (Eternal Witness).

Consistency: 6/10

• Redundant anthem effects and flying synergy, but limited tutors for key pieces like Seedborn Muse.

Interaction: 5/10

• 10 targeted removal/counterspells and stax pieces, but lacks board wipes and protection suites.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a tuned casual build with clear tribal synergies and moderate interaction, but its reliance on gradual board development and vulnerability to common removal types place it below optimized tiers. The ability to establish flying-based pressure by mid-game aligns with the "Focused Casual" bracket.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5