Overview:
A pinpoint damage strategy deck led by Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph, focusing on amplifying 1-damage effects into 3-damage hits through the commander's ability, while generating card advantage through various damage-triggered effects.
Primer:
This deck operates by establishing a network of repeatable 1-damage sources and enhancing them through Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph's ability to deal additional damage. The strategy involves both proactive and reactive elements, using pinpoint damage dealers like Goblin Sharpshooter and Thermo-Alchemist while maintaining card advantage through damage-triggered draw effects like Curiosity and Tandem Lookout.
The deck can win through steady damage accumulation or through combo-like sequences using cards like Basilisk Collar or Grafted Exoskeleton to make the amplified damage more lethal. The presence of numerous instant/sorcery payoffs and card draw engines helps maintain consistency while building toward these win conditions.
Weaknesses:
The deck is notably vulnerable to removal targeting the commander, as many of its damage-amplification strategies rely heavily on Ghyrson's presence. Board wipes can be particularly devastating since many of the deck's damage sources are creature-based. The strategy can also struggle against lifegain decks or strategies that can quickly outpace the incremental damage plan.
Top 10 Most Impactful Cards:
- Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph
- Basilisk Collar
- Goblin Sharpshooter
- Niv-Mizzet, Parun
- Rhystic Study
- Curiosity
- Lightning Greaves
- Grafted Exoskeleton
- Thermo-Alchemist
- Mana Drain
Attribute Ratings:
- Speed: 6/10
- Resilience: 5/10
- Consistency: 7/10
- Interaction: 6/10
Rating Justification:
This deck operates at a focused casual to optimized casual level, with the potential for explosive turns but generally winning through incremental advantage. While it has strong interaction and card draw, it lacks the explosive fast mana and immediate win conditions of higher-powered decks. The strategy is more resilient than pure combo decks but less powerful than dedicated control builds. It can compete with other 5.0-6.0 decks but would struggle against more optimized strategies.
Final power level rating: 5.5 - 6.0
Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph