Overview:

This Bant (G/W/U) deck helmed by Tidus, Yuna's Guardian focuses on +1/+1 counter synergy, leveraging combat damage triggers and proliferate effects to generate value. The strategy revolves around deploying creatures that scale with counters, using Tidus' ability to redistribute counters and trigger card draw/proliferation. Key themes include counter manipulation, token generation, and incremental value engines. While combat damage is the primary win condition, the deck includes Walking Ballista as a potential finisher and several stax-like Saga creatures for disruption. Tidus acts as both a counter distributor and draw engine, but the deck isn't fully dependent on the commander staying on board.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramp (Three Visits, Farseek, Incubation Druid) and counter enablers like Hardened Scales or Duskshell Crawler. Deploy value creatures like Tireless Tracker or Gyre Sage to start counter accumulation.
2. Midgame Proliferation (Turns 4-6): Use Inexorable Tide, Grateful Apparition, and Tidus' Cheer ability to spread counters. Activate Nesting Grounds to optimize counter placement. Deploy key engines like Bred for the Hunt and Sphere Grid for card advantage.
3. Late-Game Closure:
   • Combat Overload: Use Chocobo Knights for double strike or Sunscorch Regent as an aerial threat.
   • Ballista Finish: Pair Walking Ballista with proliferate effects or Resourceful Defense for burst damage.
   • Saga Control: Leverage powerful Saga creatures like Summon: Yojimbo for removal and Summon: Magus Sisters for combat tricks.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including color-fixing (e.g., Command Tower).
• Prioritize early ramp or a counter engine (Hardened Scales/Forgotten Ancient).
• Ensure at least one creature that can immediately benefit from counters (e.g., Fathom Mage, Chasm Skulker).

Key Tips:

• Use Resourceful Defense to preserve counters from dying creatures.
• Nesting Grounds can move stun counters from Lulu, Stern Guardian to opponents' threats.
• Yuna's Whistle doubles as both a tutor and counter generator based on revealed creature MV.
• Damning Verdict becomes asymmetrical board wipe with proper counter distribution.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Heavy reliance on board presence makes it vulnerable to mass removal (Farewell effects hit your own key pieces).
• Limited instant-speed interaction against combo decks (relies on Offer You Can't Refuse and Endless Detour).

Moderate

• Slow setup against aggressive decks due to taplands and moderate early defense.
• Bane of Progress can backfire by destroying key enchantments like Sphere Grid.

Minor

• Some counter synergies require multiple pieces to become impactful (e.g., Bred for the Hunt needs combat damage).
• Limited graveyard recursion outside Yuna's Decision.

Most Important Cards:

• Hardened Scales (Doubles counter output)
• Walking Ballista (Primary win condition)
• Inexorable Tide (Mass proliferate engine)
• Nesting Grounds (Counter manipulation hub)
• Bred for the Hunt (Card draw engine)
• Forgotten Ancient (Counter stockpile)
• Resourceful Defense (Counter preservation)
• Chasm Skulker (Scalable threat/token generator)
• Tireless Tracker (Landfall-based value)
• Summon: Yojimbo (Flexible removal/stax piece)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Can establish threatening boards by T6-7 but lacks fast mana or efficient combos.

Resilience: 4/10

• Limited protection spells and heavy board reliance; struggles to rebuild after wipes.

Consistency: 6/10

• Multiple redundant counter sources and card draw, but tutors are limited to niche options like Yuna's Whistle.

Interaction: 5/10

• Situational removal (Destroy Evil, Collective Effort) and soft stax via Sagas, but minimal stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates as a midrange counter synergy build with moderate speed and clear vulnerabilities to common removal packages. While it can generate powerful board states, its T7-8 win clock and reliance on combat damage align it with Focused Casual tiers. The inclusion of Walking Ballista provides a non-combat finisher but lacks the redundancy/protection seen in optimized lists.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0