New Merfolk is an effective threat which can and will surprise many players by beating out some of the most effective strategies in standard through numbers and some of the most nonsensical evasion in standard. The strategy here is basically to build a board state through shear quantity, and then sprinkle quality on top of it when you play your Merfolk Lords. Your finishers aren't dazzling and will result in more than a few expletives when you Sleep them turn 4+ for lethal. Remember though, you're playing blue and that means you aim to have a majority of the fun a single game of Magic can provide.
Small host of 1-drops in Kumena's Speaker and Mist-Cloak Herald. The Herald's offer effective evasion early and feel great dropping late game when playing into your Mistbinders, Mimics, and Elites.
The 2-drops in the deck most of its substance with Merfolk Mistbinder, Metallic Mimic, and Deeproot Elite. A playset of Silvergill Adept fills out our curve and provides some much needed card draw to power through to our win-con. Merfolk Branchwalker is the worse version of Silvergill Adept as it can only draw a land or reveal-scry a card. Frankly it's a matter of revealing 1 Merfolk versus revealing Anything your deck might have coming up. It's included though, because despite my misgivings it is a powerful tempo tool which will either drag you through an early game land clump (Tempo Players beware) or by being a 3/2 for (2) tempo play. Not bad. Just not great.
3-drops are the heart and soul of this deck. Swift Warden is doing a fantastic Rattlechains impression. Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is our go-to win condition. He'll win out against stalls and can consistently punch through for damage. 2 Hadana's Climb helps against stalled matches and can provide an alternative method of attack should your Kumenas not be able to stick to the board. This has proven to be quite effective in Game 1's against Sultai Energy
4-drops are your finishers and utility. Namely Tempest Caller and a Nissa, Steward of Elements that will either be cast for X=2 and then +2'd immediately, or X=4 and plugging her +0 ability the rest of the game. Herald of Secret Streams IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. The herald's goal is to provide free swings. Sadly any magic player with half a brain knows this and knows that ANY removal spell will not only kill him, but will also suddenly lift his unblockable protection, meaning you likely just attacked into a horde of Dinosaurs or Bristling Hydras without any protection. Tempest Caller Does Herald's job better. 99% of the time you will be swinging lethal damage after all your evasive whittling. An enter the battlefield effect that removes blockers provides a much for reliable attack option. It either lands and fires off, or you've been countered and you know that right now isn't the right time to attack. There's no guessing here. Only fire off your Tempest Callers when you can see a victory in sight or you have another one to back it up. Nothing is worse than failing to kill an opponent by 1 Life because you got hasty.
Lands: This deck is virtually spell-free... so Unclaimed Territory sounds just fine. Hashep Oasis for that extra punch when needed. Botanical Sanctum because duh...
Sideboard:Vizier of the Menagerie is a bit of a slow play at turn 4, but it will provide infinite value when locked in a grinding stall match where the only way to win is incremental advantage. Chaining 2-3 Lord-Effects from the top of the deck can easily swing a game out of control. Swift Warden #4, Kopala, Warden of Waves, and Shapers' Sanctuary are for removal strategies. Negate for control matchups and anyone who sideboards boardwipes. Essence Scatter for beatdown strategies. Naturalize will help in removing any of the Ixalan transform enchantments or vehicles. Silent Gravestone shuts down The Scarab God. God-Pharaoh's Gift gets around the first part of Silent Gravestone so you will have to also run Naturalize and be ready to blow up the graveyard.
