Overview:

This Abzan (W/B/G) deck revolves around high-toughness creatures and defender synergies, leveraging Felothar the Steadfast to convert defensive stats into offensive threats. The primary win conditions involve combat damage via toughness-based mechanics, life total manipulation with Trees of Perdition/Redemption, and incremental value from defender token generators. The deck has moderate combo potential but lacks fast infinite wincons, relying instead on synergistic board states and recursion.

Primer:

Core Strategy:

1. Early Setup: Ramp with defender mana dorks (Axebane Guardian, Overgrown Battlement) and land-fetching walls (Arboreal Grazer). Cast key toughness-enablers like Assault Formation or Doran, the Siege Tower to enable attacks.
2. Midgame Value: Generate defender tokens with Wingmantle Chaplain and Rampart Architect, leveraging Seedborn Muse for untap synergy. Use Felothar's sac ability to draw cards from high-toughness creatures.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Combat: Overwhelm with 0/3+ creatures dealing toughness-based damage, boosted by Bedrock Tortoise and Towering Titan
   • Life Swap: Tree of Perdition/Tree of Redemption combos with Felothar's sac outlet
   • Drain: Blight Pile and Jaws of Defeat for non-combat wins
   • Token Swarm: Canopy Gargantuan buffs and flying tokens from Wingmantle Chaplain

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands and 1-2 ramp pieces (Arcane Signet, Nature's Lore)
• Prioritize early toughness-enablers (Assault Formation, Doran) over creature-heavy hands
• Avoid hands without defender mana sources or board protection

Key Tips:

• Time Felothar's sac ability with ETB-draw creatures (Wall of Omens) for maximum value
• Use Slaughter the Strong and Dusk//Dawn as asymmetric board wipes
• Protect critical enchantments with Heroic Intervention and Swiftfoot Boots
• Nethroi, Apex of Death enables mass recursion of low-power/high-toughness creatures

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Enchantment Reliance: Fold to Back to Nature or Bane of Progress removing Assault Formation/Doran
• Life Swap Vulnerability: Tree combos require board presence and survive a turn cycle

Moderate

• Slow Clock: Wins through combat require multiple attack phases
• Graveyard Dependency: Recursion via Colfenor's Urn/Nethroi is vulnerable to Rest in Peace

Minor

• Mana Constraints: 16 ETB-tapped lands slow early development
• Aerial Threats: Limited reach/flying blockers despite high toughness

Most Important Cards:

• Assault Formation
• Doran, the Siege Tower
• Seedborn Muse
• Wingmantle Chaplain
• Tree of Perdition
• Heroic Intervention
• Colfenor's Urn
• Nethroi, Apex of Death
• Blight Pile
• Rampart Architect

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can establish threatening boards by T6-7 but lacks T4-5 kill potential.

Resilience: 6/10
Multiple recursion engines and protection spells, but core strategy relies on fragile enchantments.

Consistency: 6/10
10+ card draw engines and 5 tutors (including land-fetch), but key toughness-enablers lack redundancy.

Interaction: 7/10
8 targeted removal (Swords to Plowshares, Assassin's Trophy), 4 board wipes, but limited counterspells.

Rating Justification:

The deck demonstrates focused casual power with strong synergy and multiple win paths, but its reliance on combat and midrange value engines caps its speed. While resilient to single disruptions, it struggles against dedicated stax or fast combo.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0