Overview:

This Izzet chaos deck helmed by Ian Malcolm, Chaotician weaponizes forced card draw and exile-casting mechanics to create anarchic multiplayer games. The primary strategy deploys symmetrical draw engines (Kami of the Crescent Moon, Dictate of Kruphix, Fevered Visions) to trigger Ian Malcolm's exile effect, enabling players to cast spells from each other's libraries. Win conditions emerge opportunistically through damage amplifiers like Passionate Archaeologist and Flaming Tyrannosaurus, combat with stolen permanents, or overwhelming value from chaotic permanents like Etali, Primal Storm. Ian Malcolm acts as the essential engine, enabling the exile-casting strategy while being highly vulnerable to removal due to low toughness.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Establish Symmetrical Draw (Turns 1-4): Prioritize deploying Ian Malcolm alongside Background Passionate Archaeologist. Use low-cost draw engines (Kami of the Crescent Moon, Fevered Visions, Folio of Fancies) to force multiple draws per turn cycle, exiling cards via Ian Malcolm. Protect Ian with Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots.
2. Amplify Chaos & Exile Access (Turns 3-6): Deploy chaos pieces like Possibility Storm, Confusion in the Ranks, or Share the Spoils to disrupt opponents and increase spell-casting from exile. Utilize Wild-Magic Sorcerer for cascade on exiled spells. Cast high-impact exiles like Etali, Primal Storm or Plargg and Nassari to generate overwhelming value.
3. Convert Exile Casts to Damage/Control (Turns 5+): Leverage Passionate Archaeologist to burn opponents whenever casting from exile. Use Flaming Tyrannosaurus for targeted removal and death damage. Steal key permanents via Confusion in the Ranks or Role Reversal. Close games with mass damage from Descent into Avernus or Scrawling Crawler, or overwhelm with stolen/cast threats.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with Ian Malcolm + Passionate Archaeologist or a low-cost draw engine (Kami, Fevered Visions).
• Prioritize mana rocks (Sol Ring, Izzet Signet) and protection (Greaves, Deflecting Swat).
• Avoid hands lacking early draw engines or protection for Ian Malcolm.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Draw Triggers: Cast Ian Malcolm after establishing draw engines to immediately exile cards on opponents' turns.
• Protect Critical Engines: Use free counterspells (Fierce Guardianship, Deflecting Swat) to safeguard Ian Malcolm and Passionate Archaeologist.
• Exploit Opponents' Decks: Prioritize casting high-impact exiled cards (e.g., opponents' win-cons) using The Twelfth Doctor for duplication.
• Manage Symmetry: Break parity with damage amplifiers (Passionate Archaeologist, Scrawling Crawler) and targeted chaos (Guff Rewrites History on key threats).

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Dependency: Removing Ian Malcolm cripples the exile-casting engine, forcing inefficient recasts.
• Enchantment Vulnerability: Lacks mass enchantment removal; key engines (Fevered Visions, Possibility Storm) are fragile.
• Graveyard Hate: Shuts down recursion from Eternal Witness effects (not present but planned in typical builds).

Moderate

• Board Wipe Recovery: Limited creature recursion; relies on rebuilding through exile-casting.
• Anti-Draw Effects: Narset, Parter of Veils or Notion Thief nullifies the core strategy.
• Focused Aggro: Low early-game blockers; vulnerable to fast combat decks.

Minor

• Artifact Hate: Destroys mana rocks and utility artifacts like Temple Bell.
• Stack Interaction: Limited counterspell density beyond free spells; struggles against heavy control.

Most Important Cards:

• Passionate Archaeologist (Primary damage engine)
• Wild-Magic Sorcerer (Cascade enabler for exiled spells)
• Fevered Visions (Symmetrical draw + damage)
• Possibility Storm (Chaos engine enabling exile-casting)
• Etali, Primal Storm (Mass exile-casting value)
• Deflecting Swat (Free commander protection)
• Fierce Guardianship (Free counter for key threats)
• Share the Spoils (Sustained exile access)
• Cyclonic Rift (Mass bounce reset)
• Flaming Tyrannosaurus (Scaling removal & finisher)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 4/10

• Wins typically occur T9-11 through accumulated Passionate Archaeologist triggers, combat with stolen threats, or chaotic value engines. No fast combos.

Resilience: 5/10

• Free protection spells and haste-granting equipment help defend Ian Malcolm, but heavy reliance on him and fragile enchantments creates significant vulnerability.

Consistency: 6/10

• High density of symmetrical draw ensures card flow, but limited tutors for key pieces (Passionate Archaeologist, Wild-Magic Sorcerer) reduces reliability.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Chaos Warp, Wild Magic Surge), free counterspells, and mass bounce (Cyclonic Rift) provide versatile disruption at instant speed.

Rating Justification:

The deck executes a focused casual strategy with strong interaction and consistent draw, but its T9-11 win speed and vulnerability to commander/enchantment removal cap its power. It aligns with "Focused Casual" (T9-11 via combat/slow combos) but lacks the speed for higher tiers.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0