Overview:

This Hylda of the Icy Crown deck focuses on tapping opponents' creatures to generate value through token creation, card draw, and +1/+1 counters. It employs stun counters, repeatable tap effects, and stax pieces to control the board while building towards win conditions like Approach of the Second Sun or overwhelming token armies.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to establish a tap-lock using cards like Winter Orb, Opposition, and stun counter enablers while triggering Hylda's abilities. Key phases include:

1. Early Control: Use low-cost tappers (Gideon's Lawkeeper, Hithlain Knots) and stun effects (Stall Out) to disrupt opponents while ramping with Smothering Tithe and artifact mana.
2. Midgame Lock: Deploy Verity Circle/Sharae of Numbing Depths for card advantage and Time of Ice/Citadel Siege for persistent tapping. Assemble stax pieces like Winter Orb + Urza, Lord High Artificer.
3. Win Conversion: Use Hylda's token generation (4/4 Elementals) or Approach of the Second Sun to close games. Caretaker's Talent amplifies token strategies, while Mjölnir, Storm Hammer provides reach.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands and early interaction (Swords to Plowshares, tappers)
• Prioritize ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) in slower metas
• Avoid hands without blue sources or reactive tools

Key Tips:

• Sequence stax carefully - deploy Grand Abolisher before critical turns
• Use Isochron Scepter with Stubborn Denial or Hithlain Knots for repeatable value
• Farewell resets the board while preserving your enchantment-based engine

Weaknesses:

Critical

• No protection for Hylda beyond limited counterspells
• Relies on fragile stax pieces (Winter Orb) with minimal recursion

Moderate

• Slow recovery from board wipes (only 6 creatures)
• Limited redundancy for key tap engines

Minor

• Weak to hexproof/shroud (only Arcane Lighthouse as answer)
• Mana base struggles with color requirements (17 ETB-tapped lands)

Most Important Cards:

• Winter Orb
• Opposition
• Urza, Lord High Artificer
• Smothering Tithe
• Approach of the Second Sun
• Grand Abolisher
• Verity Circle
• Isochron Scepter
• Enlightened Tutor
• Farewell

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10
Goldfishes wins via Approach/combat around T10-12. Fast mana enables T3 Hylda but lacks acceleration for explosive plays.

Resilience: 5/10
Moderate counterspell/removal suite (8 instant-speed answers) but folds to repeated commander removal. Limited recursion outside Mystic Sanctuary.

Consistency: 6/10
10 tutors/enablers (Enlightened Tutor, Trophy Mage, Verity Circle draw) find key pieces, but lacks redundancy for tap engines.

Interaction: 7/10
Strong mix of S-tier removal (Swords, Path) and A-tier counters (Swan Song, An Offer You Can't Refuse). Farewell provides reset capability.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits at precon-plus level with focused stax elements but lacks cEDH speed/protection. Its T10-12 win clock and moderate resilience place it solidly in casual tiers despite some optimized interaction.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5