Overview:

This Selesnya Angel/Human tribal deck leverages Sigarda, Font of Blessings as a resilient value engine and card advantage source. The primary strategy focuses on generating massive Angel tokens through effects like Resplendent Angel, Divine Visitation, and Horn of Gondor, amplified by token doublers (Anointed Procession, Doubling Season) and +1/+1 counter synergies (Branching Evolution, Cathars' Crusade). Sigarda enables casting key Angels/Humans from the top of the library while granting hexproof to other permanents. Secondary win conditions include combat overrun via Craterhoof Behemoth, the Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Walking Ballista infinite life/damage combo, and a lock using The Book of Exalted Deeds on an Angel. Sigarda is essential for card advantage and protection, costing a reasonable {2}{G}{W} but vulnerable to removal before establishing hexproof.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Prioritize ramp (Avacyn's Pilgrim, Birds of Paradise, Sol Ring, Nature's Lore) and cost reducers (Herald of War, Urza's Incubator, Starnheim Aspirant). Deploy value engines like Esper Sentinel, Sylvan Library, or Smothering Tithe. Protect Sigarda with Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots.
2. Mid-Game Board Development (Turns 4-6): Cast Sigarda to enable top-deck casting. Deploy key Angels (Giada, Font of Hope, Lyra Dawnbringer, Resplendent Angel) or token generators (Horn of Gondor). Activate doublers (Anointed Procession, Doubling Season) and counter synergies (Cathars' Crusade, Branching Evolution). Use tutors (Worldly Tutor, Eladamri's Call, Enlightened Tutor) to find combo pieces or finishers.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 5-8+):
   • Token Overrun: Generate Angel tokens via lifegain (Righteous Valkyrie, Resplendent Angel) or Human tokens (Horn of Gondor), enhanced by doublers and Craterhoof Behemoth.
   • Infinite Combo: Assemble Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Walking Ballista (remove counters to gain life, placing counters back via Heliod).
   • Combat/Lock: Swing with massive Angels boosted by True Conviction or establish a lock with The Book of Exalted Deeds on a flying Angel.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including green/white sources), 1-2 ramp pieces, and an early play (Sigarda, value engine, or tutor).
• Prioritize hands with Sigarda + protection (boots/greaves) or a cost reducer.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp, Sigarda, or payoff engines.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Sigarda: Cast Angels/Humans from the top to bypass hand constraints. Use her hexproof to protect doublers/combo pieces.
• Sequence Lifegain: Time lifegain triggers (e.g., Lyra Dawnbringer attacks) to maximize Resplendent Angel tokens.
• Protect Combos: Shield Heliod/Walking Ballista with Grand Abolisher, Privileged Position, or Heroic Intervention.
• Tutor Flexibly: Fetch interaction (Beast Within, Path to Exile) against threats or combo pieces if needed.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Board Wipes: Mass removal (e.g., Damnation, Farewell) devastates the creature/token-heavy strategy. Limited mass recursion.
• Graveyard Hate: Shuts down recursion from Eternal Witness, Karmic Guide, and Emeria Shepherd.
• Anti-Token/ETB Effects: Torpor Orb nullifies ETB triggers (Craterhoof, Karmic Guide); Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite cripples tokens.

Moderate

• Combo Disruption: Targeted removal on Heliod or Walking Ballista delays the combo. Stony Silence/Collector Ouphe disables artifact mana and Ballista.
• Stack Interaction: Limited counterspells make resolving key spells vulnerable to disruption.

Minor

• Mana Base: Some lands enter tapped, potentially slowing early plays.
• Fliers: Can be out-paced by faster flying decks pre-board development.

Most Important Cards:

• Sigarda, Font of Blessings (Card advantage engine, protection, strategy enabler)
• Doubling Season (Amplifies tokens and +1/+1 counters)
• Anointed Procession (Doubles token generation)
• Heliod, Sun-Crowned (Combo piece, counter synergy)
• Walking Ballista (Primary combo payoff)
• Craterhoof Behemoth (Combat finisher)
• Resplendent Angel (Token generation engine)
• Giada, Font of Hope (Mana acceleration, Angel lord)
• Smothering Tithe (Ramp, fuels lifegain)
• Divine Visitation (Upgrades tokens to 4/4 Angels)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• Can threaten wins via combo (T5-6) or overwhelming tokens (T6-7) with optimal draws. Fast mana and cost reduction enable early Sigarda/angel deployment.

Resilience: 6/10

• Hexproof from Sigarda/Privileged Position and protection spells (Heroic Intervention, Flawless Maneuver) offer mitigation, but heavy reliance on board presence makes recovery from wipes slow. Recursion is present but graveyard-dependent.

Consistency: 7/10

• Sigarda provides card advantage, supplemented by tutors (Worldly Tutor, Eladamri's Call) and draw engines (Toski, Bearer of Secrets, Sylvan Library). High density of synergistic payoffs.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Beast Within) and stax (Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Aura Shards), but lacks countermagic and struggles against resolved noncreature threats.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at a high-power casual level, leveraging efficient ramp and tutors to consistently execute its token/combo strategy by turns 5-7. While resilient to targeted removal, its vulnerability to board wipes and reliance on creature-based engines prevent it from reaching cEDH tiers, placing it in the optimized range.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0