Overview:

This Sultai (BUG) deck helmed by The Wise Mothman combines +1/+1 counter synergies, proliferate mechanics, and opponent milling into a value-driven midrange strategy. The commander serves as the linchpin for both distributing rad counters and converting milled cards into creature growth via its triggered ability. The deck aims to overwhelm opponents with massive mutated threats enhanced by counter doublers like Branching Evolution, while leveraging mill effects (e.g., Ruin Crab, Fractured Sanity) to fuel its engine. Secondary win conditions include radiation-based attrition via Syr Konrad, the Grim and combat overruns using Biomass Mutation.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4):
   • Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Talismans) and land-based ramp (Cultivate, Farseek).
   • Establish mill engines (Ruin Crab, Fraying Sanity) and counter enablers (Hardened Scales, Winding Constrictor).
   • Cast The Wise Mothman on curve (T3-T4) to begin spreading rad counters.

2. Midgame Value (Turns 5-7):

   • Activate mill payoffs (Maddening Cacophony, Screeching Scorchbeast) to trigger Mothman's +1/+1 counters.
   • Deploy counter doublers (Corpsejack Menace, Branching Evolution) and proliferate engines (Inexorable Tide, Thrummingbird).
   • Use recursion (Evolution Witness, The Master, Transcendent) to recover key pieces.

3. Win Conditions (Turns 8+):

   • Combat Overrun: Boost creatures with exponential counters, then swing with tramplers like Alpha Deathclaw or Strong, the Brutish Thespian. Finish with Biomass Mutation for lethal.
   • Radiation Attrition: Combine Syr Konrad, the Grim with mass mill effects to drain opponents.
   • Proliferate Lock: Use Nuclear Fallout with proliferate to escalate rad counters into a lethal threat.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands (including color-fixing), 1-2 ramp pieces, and at least one engine card (mill, counter doubler, or proliferate enabler).
• Prioritize early plays: Hardened Scales, Ruin Crab, or Winding Constrictor.
• Avoid hands lacking green sources or with only high-CMC threats.

Key Tips:

• Use Mutational Advantage to protect counter-laden creatures during critical turns.
• Nesting Grounds can redistribute rad counters to opponents or move +1/+1 counters to key attackers.
• Mirelurk Queen provides card draw scaling with mill output.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Heavy reliance on The Wise Mothman - repeated removal cripples counter generation.
• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void) nullifies mill-fueled strategies and recursion.

Moderate

• Board wipes reset counter investments despite Inspiring Call.
• Anti-counter tech (The Ozolith, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider) disrupts synergy.

Minor

• Limited stack interaction beyond Counterspell.
• Slow setup against aggressive decks.

Most Important Cards:

• Branching Evolution (Doubles all +1/+1 counter output)
• Syr Konrad, the Grim (Radiation damage engine)
• Inexorable Tide (Free proliferate on spellcast)
• Biomass Mutation (Game-ending combat trick)
• Fractured Sanity (Mass mill with cycling flexibility)
• Corpsejack Menace (Counter multiplier)
• Nuclear Fallout (Scalable rad counter nuke)
• The Master, Transcendent (Graveyard reanimation engine)
• Evolution Sage (Land-based proliferate)
• Ruin Crab (Early mill pressure)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Can establish threatening boards by T6-8 but lacks fast combo kills.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple recursion engines but over-reliant on commander and vulnerable to grave hate.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong card draw (Guardian Project, Harmonize) and redundant counter/mill effects.

Interaction: 4/10

• Limited removal suite (Putrefy, Atomize) and minimal counterspells.

Rating Justification:

This deck demonstrates focused casual play with T8-10 win potential through synergistic counter/mill strategies but lacks the speed, protection, and compact combos of higher tiers. Its reliance on commander presence and vulnerability to common hate cards caps its power ceiling.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0