Overview:

This Simic manifest/landfall deck leverages Zimone's unique ability to generate value through face-down permanents and land synergy. While containing some strong value engines, it lacks focused win conditions and high-speed combos, relying instead on incremental value and midrange creature beats.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to flood the board with manifested creatures using Zimone's landfall triggers, then flip them for value using her secondary ability. Key phases:

1. Land Ramp: Utilize 15+ ramp spells to trigger Zimone's landfall and enable big plays
2. Manifest Engine: Deploy 2-3 face-down creatures per turn through Scroll of Fate, Primordial Mist, and Zimone triggers
3. Value Flip: Turn up high-impact creatures like Deathmist Raptor and Kheru Spellsnatcher using Overgrown Zealot and Zimone
4. Win Through: Overwhelm with modified creatures (Trail of Mystery), token swarms (Scute Swarm), or Hydra Omnivore combat damage

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands + ramp (Cultivate, Sakura-Tribe Elder)
• Prioritize early manifest enablers over high-cost creatures
• Avoid hands without green mana sources

Key Tips:

• Sequence land drops carefully to maximize Zimone triggers
• Use Yedora, Grave Gardener to recur flipped creatures as Forests
• Save Biomass Mutation for lethal after building wide board
• Protect Zimone with Counterspell and Beast Within

Weaknesses:

Critical:

• No deterministic win conditions
• Relies on combat damage without reliable evasion Moderate:
• Vulnerable to graveyard hate (exiles Deathmist Raptor recursion)
• Limited protection for Zimone (only 3 counterspells) Minor:
• Slow recovery from board wipes
• High average CMC (3.4)

Most Important Cards:

• Scroll of Fate
• Primordial Mist
• Trail of Mystery
• Deathmist Raptor
• Yedora, Grave Gardener
• Scute Swarm
• Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait
• Whisperwood Elemental
• Hydra Omnivore
• Overgrown Zealot

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Goldfish win around T8-9 through combat
• No fast mana or combo acceleration Resilience: 6/10
• Moderate recursion (Shigeki, Drownyard Temple)
• Some protection for key pieces Consistency: 6/10
• 8 land tutors but only 3 manifest-specific tutors
• Strong card draw engines (Tatyova, Rashmi) Interaction: 5/10
• 7 targeted removal/counters
• Lacks free interaction and board wipes

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Casual/Precon (4.0) and Focused Casual (4.5) levels. While more synergistic than a precon with its manifest engine, it lacks the focused wincons and interaction density of optimized casual decks. The T8-10 goldfish speed and reliance on combat damage align with 4.0-4.5 benchmarks. Presence of strong value engines prevents it from being lower, while absence of fast combos or stax elements keeps it below 5.0.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5