Overview:

This Bant (GWU) deck leverages Tidus, Yuna's Guardian to execute a synergistic +1/+1 counters strategy focused on proliferating and distributing counters for value, evasion, and combat wins. Tidus enables counter movement at combat to maximize "Cheer" triggers (draw/proliferate on combat damage) and synergizes with counter-doublers like Hardened Scales/Branching Evolution. The primary win conditions involve overwhelming combat damage via unblockable threats (Herald of Secret Streams), double strike (Chocobo Knights), or massive creatures (Sin, Unending Cataclysm), supported by card draw engines tied to counters. Secondary value comes from proliferating non-creature counters (e.g., The Ozolith, vanishing) and recursion tools.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Prioritize ramp (Birds of Paradise, Incubation Druid, Three Visits) and counter engines (Hardened Scales, Gyre Sage, Forgotten Ancient). Deploy low-cost creatures with innate counter synergy (Generous Pup, Thrummingbird). Cast Tidus ASAP to enable counter movement.
2. Board Development (Turns 3-6): Use proliferators (Inexorable Tide, Grateful Apparition) and counter distributors (Tidus, Maester Seymour, Zimone, Paradox Sculptor) to amplify threats. Leverage draw engines (Bred for the Hunt, Fathom Mage, Inspiring Call) to refill. Protect key pieces with Heroic Intervention/Protection Magic.
3. Win Condition Execution (Turns 5-8+):
   • Combat: Make creatures unblockable via Herald of Secret Streams or evasion counters. Amplify damage with Chocobo Knights (double strike) or trample enablers (Duskshell Crawler). Overwhelm with massive creatures like Sin, Unending Cataclysm or Quilled Greatwurm.
   • Value/Attrition: Use The Ozolith/Resourceful Defense to preserve counters after wipes. Recur threats with Yuna's Decision or Luminous Broodmoth.
   • Alternate: Walking Ballista as a mana sink/finisher with sufficient counters.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including color fixing), at least one ramp source, and an early counter engine or threat (e.g., Hardened Scales + a 1-2 CMC creature).
• Prioritize hands containing Tidus enablers like Generous Pup or Chocobo Knights.
• Avoid hands lacking ramp, counter synergy, or color sources.

Key Tips:

• Maximize Proliferation: Time combat damage triggers (Cheer) and spellcasts (Inexorable Tide) to proliferate key counters (e.g., +1/+1, flying, vanishing). O'aka, Traveling Merchant turns excess counters into card draw.
• Protect Critical Mass: Use Inspiring Call pre-wipe for indestructible and card draw. Resourceful Defense counters removal by moving counters.
• Exploit Synergies: Move counters before blockers with Tidus to enable surprise lethal or Cheer triggers. Nesting Grounds offers sorcery-speed counter redistribution.
• Recovery: Leverage Luminous Broodmoth for flying recursion and Yuna's Decision for graveyard retrieval after wipes.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Extreme vulnerability to board wipes (e.g., Farewell), especially those exiling. Recovery relies heavily on specific engines (Luminous Broodmoth, Resourceful Defense).
• Severely hampered by counter prevention/hate (e.g., The One Ring, Solemnity, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider), crippling the core strategy.

Moderate

• Targeted removal on key engines (Hardened Scales, Branching Evolution, Zimone) slows counter accumulation significantly.
• Graveyard hate disrupts recursion from Yuna's Decision, Quilled Greatwurm, and Luminous Broodmoth.
• Evasive threats can bypass ground defenses if flying counters aren't proliferated.

Minor

• Artifact/Enchantment focus makes key pieces (The Ozolith, Sphere Grid) susceptible to targeted removal.
• Limited stack interaction struggles against non-creature combos or critical instants/sorceries.

Most Important Cards:

• Hardened Scales (Core counter multiplier)
• Branching Evolution (Counter doubler, amplifies all synergies)
• Herald of Secret Streams (Primary win enabler: unblockable)
• Zimone, Paradox Sculptor (Counter doubler and proliferator)
• Chocobo Knights (Combat finisher: double strike)
• Inspiring Call (Protection + draw based on counters)
• Bred for the Hunt (Card draw engine tied to combat damage)
• Luminous Broodmoth (Recovery from wipes, enables flying)
• Tromell, Seymour's Butler (Mass counter generation on entry)
• Sin, Unending Cataclysm (Late-game finisher, counter absorber)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 6/10

• Can threaten lethal combat or value locks by turns 7-8 with ideal draws (ramp + counter doublers + Herald), but lacks fast mana or turbo combo.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has protection (Heroic Intervention, Inspiring Call) and recursion (Luminous Broodmoth, Yuna's Decision), but heavily reliant on board state; wipes/counter hate cause major setbacks.

Consistency: 7/10

• Strong draw engines (Bred for the Hunt, Fathom Mage) and proliferate ensure card flow, but few tutors for critical non-creature pieces (e.g., Herald of Secret Streams).

Interaction: 4/10

• Limited removal (Path to Exile, Damning Verdict, Collective Effort), soft counters (Swan Song, An Offer You Can't Refuse), and no stax. Focuses on protecting its own strategy over disrupting others.

Rating Justification:

The deck demonstrates focused synergy and consistent card draw, enabling T7-8 wins through combat or value locks, but its vulnerability to board wipes and lack of fast interaction cap its speed and resilience. It fits the "Focused" tier (T7-8 wins) but lacks the efficiency or protection for higher optimization.

Power level: 6.0 - 6.5