Overview:

This Selesnya Voltron deck revolves around Sergeant John Benton as a combat-focused commander that enables card draw through combat damage triggers. The primary strategy involves ramping into Benton early, protecting him with a dense suite of instant-speed hexproof/indestructible effects, and amplifying his damage with efficient pump spells to accelerate commander damage kills or generate card advantage. Secondary elements include land acceleration via creatures like Arboreal Grazer and targeted removal through fight spells. Benton's haste and trample enable immediate impact, but the shared draw introduces strategic trade-offs.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana dorks (Llanowar Elves, Arbor Elf, Elvish Mystic) or land-accelerators (Arboreal Grazer, Skyshroud Ranger) to cast Benton by turn 2-3. Prioritize protection spells like Selfless Savior or Ranger's Guile if facing removal-heavy pods.
2. Combat Execution (Turns 3-6): Attack with Benton to trigger card draw. Use pump spells (Might of Old Krosa, Groundswell, Embiggen) to boost power for lethal commander damage or increased draw. Evasion tools (Wing It, Arrester's Zeal) bypass blockers.
3. Mid-Late Game (Turns 5+): Deploy value engines like Flaming Fist (double strike) or Noble Heritage (counters/protection). Clear threats with fight spells (Ram Through, Tail Swipe) or asymmetric wipes (Single Combat). Close games with burst pumps (Become Immense, Invigorate) or repeated protection (Emerge Unscathed rebound).

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (≥1 green/white source), Benton, and 1-2 ramp/protection spells.
• Prioritize hands with turn-1 accelerants or protection (e.g., Selfless Savior + Llanowar Elves).
• Avoid hands lacking ramp, protection, or color fixing.

Key Tips:

• Draw Triggers: Attack players least likely to punish card advantage. Time pumps after blockers to maximize damage/draw.
• Protection Sequencing: Hold mana for hexproof/indestructible effects in response to removal. Gaea's Gift and Feat of Resistance offer multi-layered defense.
• Resource Management: Leverage land-ramp spells (Swell of Growth, Summer Bloom) to ensure land drops for combat tricks.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander-reliant strategy: Repeated Benton removal cripples card advantage and win potential.
• Minimal card draw outside combat: Struggles to recover if Benton is locked out.
• Vulnerability to board wipes: Limited mass-recursion despite indestructible protection.

Moderate

• Evasion dependency: Requires consistent pump/flying grants to bypass chump blockers.
• Shared draw downside: Opponents benefit from Benton triggers, potentially accelerating their threats.

Minor

• Limited stack interaction: No counterspells; relies on protection to dodge disruption.
• Mana base fragility: Basic-heavy with minimal nonland ramp risks color screw.

Most Important Cards:

• Flaming Fist (Double strike enabler for amplified damage/draw)
• Invigorate (Free +4/+4 pump for explosive turns)
• Might of Old Krosa (Efficient +4/+4 during main phase)
• Emerge Unscathed (Rebounding protection + evasion)
• Groundswell (Landfall-triggered +4/+4 burst)
• Gaea's Gift (Hexproof/indestructible + trample/reach)
• Become Immense (Delve-powered +6/+6 finisher)
• Single Combat (Asymmetric board reset)
• Feat of Resistance (Protection + permanent counter)
• Arboreal Grazer (Early land acceleration)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Can threaten T5-6 kills with ideal Benton/pump sequences, but lacks fast mana or combos for earlier wins.

Resilience: 6/10

• Dense protection suite shields Benton, but board wipes and repeated removal strain recovery.

Consistency: 5/10

• High density of pump/protection spells ensures functional redundancy, but no tutors for key cards like Flaming Fist.

Interaction: 4/10

• Targeted removal (Ram Through, Abolish) and fight spells handle threats, but minimal stack control or multi-target answers.

Rating Justification:

This deck executes a focused Voltron plan with efficient pumps and protection, enabling T5-7 wins via commander damage in optimal scenarios. However, its reliance on Benton, vulnerability to wipes, and lack of fast mana/tutors cap its speed and resilience below optimized tiers. It aligns with Casual/Focused Casual benchmarks.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5