{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Chun-Li, Countless Kicks"},{"attributes":{"align":"center","header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"(Zethi, Arcane Blademaster)"},{"attributes":{"align":"center","header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Spellslinger Voltron • Bracket 4 "},{"attributes":{"align":"center","header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"align":"center"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Deck Identity"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Zethi, Arcane Blademaster is not a conventional Equipment Voltron commander. The Equipment and Auras make Zethi a credible lethal threat, but the real engine is her ability to exile instant cards from the graveyard and cast copies of those cards whenever she attacks. The deck therefore wants to play two games at once: develop a compact Voltron package while stocking the graveyard with cheap, high-impact instants that become dramatically better when copied.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Primary Game Plan"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"1. Develop — "},{"insert":"Establish mana, card selection, and a source of advantage. Sol Ring, Moxen, Talismans and Signet accelerate the deck, while Ponder, Preordain, Brainstorm, Opt and Consider help find the pieces you need.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"2. Prepare the Graveyard — "},{"insert":"Cast useful instants early rather than treating the graveyard as a resource to avoid. Snap, Frantic Search, Brainstorm, protection spells and interaction all become future Zethi ammunition.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"3. Deploy Zethi — "},{"insert":"Cast Zethi with enough mana to give her one or more kick counters when possible. Each kick lets her exile another instant from your graveyard.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"4. Make Zethi Attack — "},{"insert":"Protect her with equipment, Auras, or instant-speed protection, then attack. Her trigger lets you cast copies of every exiled card with a kick counter.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"5. Convert the Spell Chain into Lethal Damage — "},{"insert":"Show of Confidence, equipment, evasion and repeated protection turn a normal attack into a lethal commander-damage sequence.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The Zethi Ammunition Package"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The most important cards in the deck are the inexpensive instants that remain useful throughout the game. Because Zethi copies the cards rather than casting the original cards, mana efficiency matters: the ideal bullet costs one or two mana and becomes significantly stronger when you can cast several copies in one attack.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Card Selection: "},{"insert":"Brainstorm, Opt, Consider. These keep the deck moving and can be replayed through Zethi. Brainstorm becomes especially potent alongside fetch lands.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mana & Velocity: "},{"insert":"Snap, Frantic Search. These are among the deck's most explosive bullets. Snap can return a creature while untapping lands; Frantic Search replaces itself while untapping three lands.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Protection: "},{"insert":"Slip Out the Back, Shelter, Flawless Maneuver, Teferi's Protection. Keeping Zethi alive is the deck's central tactical problem. These spells make the attack engine much harder to stop.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Evasion: "},{"insert":"Shadow Rift, March of Swirling Mist. The deck does not need to remove every blocker if it can simply make Zethi connect.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Removal: "},{"insert":"Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Pongify. Cheap answers are excellent Zethi targets because multiple copies can clear several problems for relatively little mana.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Stack Interaction: "},{"insert":"Swan Song, An Offer You Can't Refuse, Dovin's Veto, Counterspell, Mana Drain, Fierce Guardianship, Force of Will. These protect the engine while also becoming reusable answers once Zethi has loaded them.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Finisher: "},{"insert":"Show of Confidence. The deck's signature payoff. A Zethi attack can cast several spells, giving Show of Confidence a large number of spell-casts to leverage into a huge creature.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Voltron Package"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The Equipment package is deliberately smaller than a traditional Voltron list. The goal is not to spend every turn suiting up Zethi; it is to give her the right combination of power, evasion, protection, and card advantage while leaving room for the instant engine.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Swords of X and Y — "},{"insert":"Sword of Fire and Ice supplies cards and damage; Sword of Feast and Famine can effectively refund the mana spent on the turn; Sword of Light and Shadow supplies protection and recursion.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Kaldra Compleat — "},{"insert":"A high-impact standalone threat that gives Zethi a serious clock.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Whispersilk Cloak / Spirit Mantle / Steel of the Godhead — "},{"insert":"The primary ways to ensure Zethi actually connects.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lightning Greaves / Swiftfoot Boots / Robe of Stars — "},{"insert":"Protection and, where relevant, haste or evasion. Robe of Stars is particularly valuable because it can make Zethi disappear from most interaction.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shadowspear — "},{"insert":"Efficient power, trample, and lifelink; trample is particularly useful when protection or evasion is unavailable.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"All That Glitters / Ethereal Armor — "},{"insert":"Cheap ways to turn the deck's growing artifact/enchantment count into meaningful commander damage.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Support Creatures"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Stoneforge Mystic — "},{"insert":"Finds the equipment needed for the current board state.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Puresteel Paladin — "},{"insert":"Turns a developed equipment board into a much more mana-efficient Voltron package and draws cards.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sram, Senior Edificer — "},{"insert":"Provides card advantage from Equipment and Aura casts.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sigarda's Aid — "},{"insert":"Lets equipment enter at instant speed and dramatically reduces the tempo cost of suiting up Zethi.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Esper Sentinel — "},{"insert":"Efficient early interaction/card advantage that also benefits from the deck's low curve.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Archmage Emeritus — "},{"insert":"A powerful engine once the deck begins casting multiple instants from Zethi's attack trigger.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Monastery Mentor — "},{"insert":"Rewards the deck for doing what it already wants to do: cast lots of noncreature spells.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Mana & Card Advantage"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck uses a relatively low land count because the curve is concentrated in the one-to-three-mana range and the fast-mana package is unusually strong for a non-cEDH Commander deck. Sol Ring, Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox and Mox Opal can accelerate the deck into an early Zethi, while Arcane Signet, Fellwar Stone and Talisman of Progress provide reliable fixing.\nRhystic Study, Mystic Remora and Smothering Tithe provide persistent advantage. These cards are not merely value engines; they help solve the fundamental tension of the deck: Zethi wants to spend mana casting multiple copied spells during an attack, so generating cards and resources before that turn is extremely important.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Tutors"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Enlightened Tutor, Steelshaper's Gift and Idyllic Tutor give the deck access to the appropriate permanent for the situation. Do not automatically tutor for the biggest Equipment. Ask what the current game requires: evasion, protection, card advantage, or raw damage. Steel of the Godhead or Whispersilk Cloak can be much more valuable than another high-power sword if the problem is connecting.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Playing the Early Game"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Prioritize a hand containing two or three lands, acceleration, and at least one cheap source of card selection or advantage."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Do not be afraid to cast your future Zethi bullets early. A Swords to Plowshares or Brainstorm in the graveyard is not a wasted resource; it is potential future ammunition."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Use Ponder and Preordain aggressively for setup. They cannot be loaded by Zethi because they are sorceries, but they are excellent at finding Zethi, equipment, mana, or protection."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Avoid rushing Zethi onto an empty board simply because you can. Zethi is much stronger when her first attack is protected and her graveyard already contains several useful instants."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The First Zethi Turn"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The ideal first Zethi turn is usually not about maximizing the number of kick counters at all costs. It is about maximizing the quality of the attack that those counters will enable. If you can give Zethi haste or otherwise protect her from immediate removal, loading two or three exceptional instants can be better than loading a larger number of mediocre cards.\nRemember that Zethi's copies still have to be cast. A graveyard containing four excellent six-mana instants is much less useful than one containing four one- and two-mana instants. The deck is deliberately built around this principle.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The Explosive Attack Turn"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Once Zethi has kick counters and is ready to attack, sequence your spells carefully. Start with the spells that generate information, mana, or additional resources, then use protection and interaction as needed, and finish with the cards that maximize damage.\nSnap and Frantic Search can help create the mana needed to cast the rest of the copied spells."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Brainstorm and other cheap selection effects can improve your hand before committing to the rest of the sequence."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Protection spells should be held until you know what actually needs protecting unless the opponent has an obvious window to interact."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Show of Confidence is generally strongest after you have already cast several spells."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Important Tactical Considerations"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Zethi is the engine. "},{"insert":"Equipment is valuable because it helps Zethi survive and connect. If you have to choose between developing a sword and protecting Zethi, protection is often the better investment.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The graveyard is your hand. "},{"insert":"Think about which instants you want available on the next attack before casting them. Cheap, flexible effects have unusually high long-term value.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Copies still cost mana. "},{"insert":"Zethi does not make the copied spells free. This is why Snap, Frantic Search and cheap interaction are disproportionately important.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Do not overcommit. "},{"insert":"The deck can produce spectacular turns, but it does not need to expose every permanent at once. Preserve enough resources to rebuild after a wipe.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Know when to attack. "},{"insert":"A safe attack that produces three useful spells is generally better than a speculative attack that exposes Zethi to removal for marginal damage.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Use evasion intelligently. "},{"insert":"Shadow Rift, Spirit Mantle, Steel of the Godhead and Whispersilk Cloak can turn a stalled board into a lethal one without requiring a full board clear.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Winning the Game"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The primary win condition is commander damage from Zethi. The deck establishes a protected, evasive Zethi, then uses a chain of copied instants to clear blockers, protect the attack, generate resources, and amplify her power. Show of Confidence can turn a spell-heavy attack into a massive finishing blow.\nThe secondary route is simply overwhelming the table through accumulated card advantage. Monastery Mentor and the equipment package can create a growing battlefield while Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora and Archmage Emeritus keep the hand full.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Mulligan Priorities"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"2–3 lands plus at least one piece of acceleration."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"A cheap card-selection spell such as Ponder, Preordain, Brainstorm, Opt or Consider."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"An early draw engine such as Esper Sentinel, Mystic Remora or Rhystic Study."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"At least one useful cheap instant that will remain relevant later."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Zethi plus a realistic path to casting and protecting her is an excellent hand, but do not keep a hand that only works if Zethi survives several turns."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Common Mistakes to Avoid"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Casting Zethi into obvious removal without protection just because she can be kicked."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Filling the graveyard with expensive spells that you cannot afford to cast as multiple copies."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Treating every Equipment as equally important. The correct Equipment depends heavily on the board state."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Using all of your protection before the attack trigger resolves."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Forgetting that Ponder and Preordain are sorceries and therefore cannot be selected by Zethi."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Overvaluing commander damage on a turn where the spell engine could instead produce a decisive resource advantage."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"}]}