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Overview:
A counter-focused deck that leverages Volrath, the Shapestealer's copying ability to create powerful board states through creature manipulation and counter synergies, typically winning through combat damage or counter-based strategies.
Primer:
The deck revolves around Volrath, the Shapestealer's ability to become a copy of any creature with a counter while maintaining a 7/5 body. The strategy involves placing counters (primarily -1/-1) on creatures and using Volrath to copy the best creatures on the battlefield while maintaining various counter synergies. The deck includes several creatures that benefit from or generate counters, such as Kalonian Hydra, Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons, and Master Biomancer.
The deck operates by establishing a board presence through early ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet) and then deploying threats that either generate value through counters or present significant copying targets for Volrath. The secondary strategy involves token generation and counter manipulation, with cards like Progenitor Mimic and Scute Swarm providing additional threats. The deck can win through combat damage, Simic Ascendancy, or overwhelming board presence.
Weaknesses:
The deck is heavily reliant on creatures and can be vulnerable to board wipes and mass removal. While it has some interaction (Negate, An Offer You Can't Refuse), the overall interaction package is limited. The deck also struggles against faster combo decks and can be disrupted by graveyard hate, which limits recursion options. The reliance on the commander for optimal performance makes it susceptible to repeated removal.
Most Important Cards:
- Kalonian Hydra
- Master Biomancer
- Progenitor Mimic
- Toxrill, the Corrosive
- Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
- Sol Ring
- Archon of Cruelty
- Simic Ascendancy
- Lightning Greaves
- Black Sun's Zenith
Attribute Ratings:
- Speed: 5/10
- Resilience: 6/10
- Consistency: 6/10
- Interaction: 4/10
Rating Justification:
This deck sits firmly in the optimized casual range, demonstrating a clear strategy with some powerful cards but lacking the speed and interaction of higher-powered decks. While it can create strong board states, it typically doesn't threaten wins before turn 8-9. The deck's reliance on creature-based strategies and limited protection puts it below more competitive builds but above basic casual decks.
Final power level rating: 5.5 - 6.0
The deck shows clear optimization in its land base and includes several powerful cards, but its creature-heavy strategy and limited interaction package keep it from reaching higher power levels. It's stronger than a typical casual deck (4.0-5.0) due to its synergies and win conditions but lacks the speed and consistency of truly competitive builds (7.0+).
Volrath, the Shapestealer
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