Overview:

This Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder deck leverages cascade synergies and high-CMC spells to generate overwhelming value and cheat threats into play. The core strategy revolves around connecting with Yidris to grant cascade to subsequent spells, amplified by cards like Averna, the Chaos Bloom, Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty, and Wild-Magic Sorcerer. Big cascade payoffs like Maelstrom Wanderer, Apex Devastator, and Genesis Ultimatum enable explosive turns. Yidris is essential as the cascade engine, but the deck includes redundancy through cascade-granting permanents. The Keruga companion enforces a high mana value (MV ≥ 3) build, favoring impactful spells but slowing early plays. Win conditions include overwhelming board states, combat damage from massive creatures, and value-based locks/combos.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Setup & Ramp (Turns 1-4): Prioritize land drops and ramp (Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Skyshroud Claim, Thran Dynamo). Protect life total with tapped lands if needed. Cast MV≥3 ramp to enable Keruga draw later.
2. Deploy Yidris/Enablers (Turns 3-5): Cast Yidris ASAP (prioritize fixing/ramp). Equip Whispersilk Cloak or use Rogue's Passage to ensure combat damage. Alternatively, deploy cascade enablers like Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty or Wild-Magic Sorcerer.
3. Cascade Triggers & Value Generation (Turns 4-7): After Yidris connects or enablers are active, chain high-MV spells (MV≥6 preferred for Imoti). Prioritize cascade spells (Call Forth the Tempest, Into the Time Vortex) or value engines (Sunbird's Invocation, Lurking Predators). Use Lithoform Engine to copy key triggers.
4. Win Condition Execution (Turns 6-8):
   • Combat/Board Overwhelm: Deploy massive threats via cascade/cheat (Hullbreaker Horror, Consecrated Sphinx, Flaming Tyrannosaurus). Use Rite of Replication (kicked) or See the Unwritten for multiple threats. Zendikar Resurgent and Mana Reflection amplify mana for alpha strikes.
   • Value Lock/Combo: Hullbreaker Horror + low-cost spells creates a soft lock. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + untappers (e.g., Quirion Ranger proxy via Sakashima's Protege) can generate infinite mana for Walking Ballista (not listed but implied by Selvala inclusion) or Apex Devastator chains. Emergent Ultimatum can fetch game-winning combinations (e.g., Hullbreaker Horror + Nalfeshnee + protection).

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3+ lands, including at least 2 untapped sources. Prioritize fixing (Command Tower, Exotic Orchard).
• Must have early ramp (e.g., Cultivate, Thran Dynamo, Chromatic Lantern) or a T3/T4 Yidris play.
• Include at least one cascade enabler/value piece (Imoti, Averna, Sunbird's Invocation) or a high-impact spell (Maelstrom Wanderer, Genesis Ultimatum).
• Hands with protection (Deflecting Swat, Force of Vigor) or evasion (Whispersilk Cloak) are stronger against interaction.
• Avoid hands with only high-CMC spells and no ramp or lands.

Key Tips:

• Prioritize Evasion: Yidris must connect. Use Rogue's Passage, Whispersilk Cloak, or Asceticism to ensure combat damage.
• Sequence Cascades: Cast highest MV spells first to maximize cascade triggers (e.g., cast Apex Devastator before a 6MV spell to cascade 4 times).
• Leverage Exile Casting: Cards like Kess, Dissident Mage, Nalfeshnee, and Mizzix, Replica Rider exploit spells cast from exile (cascade outputs). Copying cascaded spells doubles value.
• Protect Key Engines: Use Deflecting Swat, Force of Vigor, and Glen Elendra Archmage to shield Yidris, cascade enablers, or combo pieces.
• Keruga Synergy: Cast Keruga only after establishing 2-3 other MV≥3 permanents for maximum card draw. Avoid early plays that conflict with its companion requirement.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Yidris Reliance: Failing to connect with Yidris or remove him repeatedly cripples the cascade engine. The deck lacks efficient alternatives to grant cascade broadly.
• Graveyard Hate: Shuts down recursion (Kess, Dissident Mage, Eternal Witness proxies), cascade-from-graveyard lines, and Emergent Ultimatum/Hit the Mother Lode.
• Stack Interaction: Limited counterspells make resolving key high-MV spells vulnerable. Relies heavily on Deflecting Swat and Glen Elendra Archmage.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Recovering from mass removal is slow due to high MV and reliance on cascading into threats. Lacks mass recursion.
• Anti-Cascade/Stax: Torpor Orb effects negate ETB value (Apex Devastator, Craterhoof Behemoth proxies). Rule of Law/Deafening Silence severely limit spell chains.
• Mana Base Speed: Multiple tapped lands (e.g., Botanical Sanctum, Deathcap Glade) delay early plays, conflicting with Keruga's drawback.

Minor

• Combo Fragility: Key combos (Selvala untap, Hullbreaker loops) are easily disrupted by targeted removal and lack redundancy.
• Artifact/Enchantment Reliance: Vulnerable to mass artifact/enchantment removal hitting ramp and engines (Zendikar Resurgent, Mana Reflection).

Most Important Cards:

• Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder (Primary cascade engine)
• Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty (Cascade redundancy for high-MV spells)
• Maelstrom Wanderer (Cascade payoff, haste enabler, threat)
• Apex Devastator (Massive cascade value)
• Sunbird's Invocation (Value engine, pseudo-cascade)
• Selvala, Heart of the Wilds (Mana acceleration, combo potential)
• Emergent Ultimatum (Tutor/threat deployment)
• Lithoform Engine (Copy cascade triggers or key spells)
• Hullbreaker Horror (Soft lock piece, finisher)
• Deflecting Swat (Protection for key spells/creatures)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Capable of T7-8 wins via cascade chains or combos in ideal scenarios, but high curve and setup requirements delay consistent early threats.

Resilience: 5/10

• Moderate protection (hexproof, deflecting swat) and some recursion, but heavily reliant on resolving key permanents and vulnerable to commander removal/stax.

Consistency: 7/10

• High density of cascade sources, tutors (Shared Summons, Emergent Ultimatum), and card draw (Consecrated Sphinx, Rishkar's Expertise) ensure access to core strategy components.

Interaction: 5/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Beast Within, Chaos Warp, Force of Vigor) and some counters, but lacks breadth against diverse threats and minimal stack control for protecting big spells.

Rating Justification:

The deck achieves T7-8 wins reliably through potent cascade value and high-impact threats, aligning with the "Focused" tier (T7-8 win benchmark). However, its reliance on Yidris connecting, vulnerability to disruption, and slower setup due to Keruga's restriction prevent higher optimization. Resilience and interaction limitations cap its ceiling.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5