# Strategy Specifications
## Deck Name And Archetype
Mono-White Humans is an Explorer-legal 60-card main deck with a 15-card sideboard, validated under the supplied active deck contract. The registered main deck is 20 lands, 4 Mox Amber, 34 creature/permanent pressure cards, and 2 Declaration in Stone, with an aggressive tribal tempo plan centered on Human density, disruptive bodies, and board-snowball threats. Current tags are aggro, tempo, and tribal; repeated tag entries collapse to the same three strategic labels.

- Registration status: Main deck count is exactly 60, sideboard count is exactly 15, and the active format-aware validation result supplied for Explorer is pass.
- Registered main-deck identity: 4 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar; 2 Arachne, Psionic Weaver; 4 Cavern of Souls; 4 Coppercoat Vanguard; 2 Cosmogrand Zenith; 2 Declaration in Stone; 4 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire; 2 Haliya, Guided by Light; 3 Kytheon, Hero of Akros; 4 Mox Amber; 4 Mutavault; 8 Plains; 4 Recruitment Officer; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man; 1 Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; 4 Thalia's Lieutenant; 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben; 3 Zack Fair.
- Registered sideboard identity: 2 Extraction Specialist; 1 Loran of the Third Path; 4 Rest in Peace; 4 Seam Rip; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man; 1 Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; 2 Wedding Announcement.
- Stock/rogue/hybrid status: Treat this list as a hybrid build rather than stock Mono-White Humans, because the core shell of Recruitment Officer, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Coppercoat Vanguard, Mutavault, Cavern of Souls, and Declaration in Stone is familiar tribal-tempo infrastructure, while Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light require deck-specific handling and should not be played as interchangeable generic white threats without text confirmation.
- Legality caution: Use the runtime legality engine as authoritative for every spell, activated ability, channel ability, attack, block, sideboard move, and target; this guide never overrides Veles legal-action output or Explorer validation.
- Card-text caution: Card text check required for Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, Haliya, Guided by Light, and Seam Rip before making any tactical rule that depends on exact abilities, timing, targeting, counters, prevention, copying, or replacement effects.
- Mana structure concern: The deck is nominally mono-white but is not a simple 24-white-source deck; 4 Mutavault do not naturally cast white spells, 4 Cavern of Souls should usually support Human sequencing when legal, 4 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire are legendary lands, and 4 Mox Amber depend on visible legendary permanents such as Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and other runtime-confirmed legends.
- Role concern: The default seat is the proactive tempo player, not a long-game control deck; keep hands and lines that turn early Humans into pressure while using Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Declaration in Stone, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, and sideboard cards to buy just enough time.
- Opponent info status: No opponent archetype, decklist, metagame slice, or matchup target was supplied for this guide batch, so matchup assumptions must stay conditional until runtime state, known public cards, sideboard stage, or a configured opponent profile identifies the opposing plan.

## Thesis
Mono-White Humans assembles early Human pressure, legend-enabled mana, tribal scaling, and tax/disruption pieces into a tempo clock that asks the opponent to answer multiple small permanents before Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Mutavault, or a runtime-confirmed legendary payoff makes combat math collapse. Prioritize opening hands that deploy a one-drop or Mox Amber-enabled curve, put a meaningful Human on the battlefield before turn three, and force the opponent to spend mana inefficiently through Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Cavern of Souls, and pressure-backed removal.

The deck wins by converting board presence into repeated attacks, not by holding resources for a perfect late-game turn. Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Zack Fair, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar are the main pressure chain; Mox Amber and Cavern of Souls turn that chain into tempo; Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire clear blockers only when the attack step, life race, or survival math justifies spending them. Card text check required for Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light before treating them as specific engines or interaction.

The deck is not trying to be a draw-go control deck, a graveyard engine, a one-card combo deck, or a generic white midrange pile. Do not pass early turns with castable Humans unless visible legal actions show a stronger tempo reason, do not spend Declaration in Stone on low-impact creatures when current attacks are already favorable, and do not overvalue Mox Amber without a visible legendary permanent or a likely legal legend curve.

Prioritize tempo over raw card conservation when the battlefield is developing, but prioritize card flow when the opponent has stabilized and Recruitment Officer, Wedding Announcement, Haliya, Guided by Light, Cosmogrand Zenith, or other runtime-confirmed selection/card-advantage text is available. Use Thalia, Guardian of Thraben to punish spell-heavy opponents, use Coppercoat Vanguard to raise the cost of answering key Humans, and use sideboard modules to shift from pure racing into graveyard denial, artifact/enchantment answers, additional resilience, or grind.

## Role Package
- Threats: Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Zack Fair, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Mutavault, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Haliya, Guided by Light, and Cosmogrand Zenith supply the battlefield pressure. Lead with cheap bodies when possible, value Human density for Thalia's Lieutenant and Coppercoat Vanguard, and treat Mutavault as a creature threat only when mana use and removal exposure are acceptable.

- Payoffs: Thalia's Lieutenant is the clearest tribal snowball payoff, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar is the clearest attack-step payoff, Coppercoat Vanguard is the clearest protection-scaling payoff, and Kytheon, Hero of Akros rewards wide early combat when legal actions support safe attacks. Card text check required before assigning exact payoff status to Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, or Haliya, Guided by Light.

- Engines: Recruitment Officer is the known late-game mana sink and card-flow engine when the battlefield stalls. Wedding Announcement from the sideboard is the known grind module against removal or attrition. Haliya, Guided by Light, Cosmogrand Zenith, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Zack Fair may add engine texture only if runtime text confirms selection, counters, tokens, protection, tapping, or card advantage.

- Velocity: Mox Amber is the main acceleration card, but it requires visible legendary support and should not be counted as reliable colored mana without a legal legend on the battlefield or a near-certain sequence. Cavern of Souls improves creature deployment and countermagic resistance when set to the relevant creature type through legal runtime choices. Recruitment Officer converts spare mana into action after the first wave.

- Interaction: Declaration in Stone is the main-deck clean answer for blockers or must-kill creatures, while Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire is land-slot interaction when its channel ability is legal and tactically worth the mana. Seam Rip, Loran of the Third Path, Rest in Peace, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, and any text-confirmed abilities from Arachne, Psionic Weaver or Cosmogrand Zenith are side or conditional interaction modules; card text check required for Seam Rip and the nonstandard main-deck cards.

- Protection: Coppercoat Vanguard is the registered protection centerpiece for Human-heavy boards. Cavern of Souls protects creature spells from counter-based interaction when legal. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben protects tempo by taxing noncreature-heavy opponents. Do not assume commander-style protection, hexproof equipment, or absent utility cards.

- Recursion: Extraction Specialist is the sideboard recursion module for rebuilding after removal or trading, subject to legal target availability and exact card text. No main-deck recursion should be assumed unless runtime card text for the nonstandard cards proves it.

- Mana: Plains, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, Cavern of Souls, Mutavault, and Mox Amber form a pressure-oriented mana base with tension between white sources, creature-land damage, legendary-land duplication, and legend-dependent acceleration. Keep lines that preserve the ability to cast multiple Humans before spending Mutavault activations or channeling Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire.

- Sideboard modules: Rest in Peace is graveyard denial, Seam Rip is a conditional answer module with card text check required, Loran of the Third Path is artifact/enchantment interaction and potential card flow if text allows, Extraction Specialist is recovery, Wedding Announcement is attrition pressure, and the extra Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior plus Spectacular Spider-Man increase access to their runtime-confirmed roles.

## Primary Win Conditions
- Wide Human pressure is the default win path: curve Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Zack Fair, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar into attacks that make every later creature increase damage. Prioritize this line when the opener has one or two early Humans, white mana, and either Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar to convert bodies into scaling power.

- Thalia's Lieutenant snowball is the cleanest tribal kill: set up at least one other Human first when possible, then use Thalia's Lieutenant to add counters and keep casting Humans so the board grows without needing one large spell. Execute by maximizing Human entries before combat, but do not delay Thalia's Lieutenant if the alternative is losing tempo or failing to spend mana.

- Adeline, Resplendent Cathar is the strongest attack-step engine: build any board that can attack, then let Adeline, Resplendent Cathar increase pressure through tokens and a large attacker. Prioritize this line against removal-light, spell-heavy, or stalled creature decks where one safe attack forces blocks or threatens a lethal follow-up.

- Coppercoat Vanguard protects and amplifies the main plan: deploy it before exposed key Humans when the curve allows, then use its Human bonus and protection text to make single-target removal and combat trades worse for the opponent. Prioritize it when the opponent is representing spot removal, when multiple Humans are already present, or when the attack math changes immediately.

- Thalia, Guardian of Thraben plus pressure is the tempo-lock win path: commit Thalia, Guardian of Thraben early against noncreature-heavy opponents, then use the tax window to add Humans and attack before the opponent can double-spell. Prioritize this line over slower card-flow plays when visible opposing mana suggests sweepers, removal chains, or spell-based setup are the opponent's way back.

- Kytheon, Hero of Akros rewards early wide attacks: use it as a cheap Human pressure piece first, and only lean into its transformation line when legal attacks with three creatures are already acceptable from visible combat math. Do not sacrifice stronger attacks just to transform Kytheon, Hero of Akros if blockers, removal, or crack-back damage make the attack poor.

- Mutavault is the reach creature when spells are exhausted: activate it to add lethal damage, trigger Human-synergy sizing if relevant, or keep pressure after sweepers while preserving enough white mana for castable Humans. Prioritize Mutavault attacks when the opponent is low, when a removal spell has cleared blockers, or when hand quality is lower than the value of immediate damage.

## Secondary Win Conditions
- Recruitment Officer is the fallback card-flow plan when the first wave stalls: spend mana on its activation after developing the battlefield or when no strong attack-improving spell is available. Use it to find more cheap creatures, rebuild after removal, or keep pressure without overcommitting all cards into visible sweepers.

- Declaration in Stone converts clogged boards into wins: use it on blockers, large lifelink threats, or must-answer creatures when exile opens a decisive attack or prevents losing the race. Avoid spending it on low-impact creatures if the opponent's Clue compensation matters more than the damage gained.

- Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire is land-slot reach and survival interaction: channel it only when legal targeting and combat math make removing an attacking or blocking creature worth losing a land. Prioritize it when it preserves lethal pressure, saves a key attacker, or prevents a crack-back that would reverse the race.

- Mox Amber enables tempo wins through double-spelling: use it aggressively when a visible legendary permanent such as Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as a land, Zack Fair, Haliya, Guided by Light, or other runtime-confirmed legend makes mana available. Do not count it as a win condition by itself; it wins by compressing the curve.

- Sideboard grind wins come from Wedding Announcement and Extraction Specialist: Wedding Announcement supports longer games by producing bodies or card advantage according to its legal text, while Extraction Specialist rebuilds a low-curve battlefield if a legal graveyard target exists. Prioritize these lines after the opponent shows enough removal or sweepers that pure curve pressure is unlikely to survive.

- Conditional nonstandard payoffs require runtime text confirmation: Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light may become win paths only when visible legal text shows pressure, protection, selection, counters, tapping, or damage conversion. Card text check required before treating any of them as a deterministic payoff.

## Emergency Lines
- When behind on life, switch from maximum damage to survival-tempo: preserve blockers, use Declaration in Stone or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire on the threat that changes the next combat most, and attack only when the race remains favorable after the opponent's visible crack-back. Kytheon, Hero of Akros and Mutavault should not attack into a losing return swing unless the attack is lethal or forces a decisive block.

- When behind on board, rebuild around density instead of one creature: cast multiple cheap Humans, use Recruitment Officer for more bodies, and prefer Thalia's Lieutenant or Coppercoat Vanguard only when they immediately improve enough creatures to matter. If the opponent has one dominant blocker, prioritize Declaration in Stone; if they have many small blockers, prioritize scaling and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar tokens.

- When behind on cards, stop trading resources one-for-one unless the trade protects lethal pressure or prevents lethal damage. Activate Recruitment Officer, lean on Wedding Announcement after sideboarding, and treat Mutavault as repeatable pressure that does not spend a hand card.

- When behind on mana, prioritize castable Humans over activated Mutavault, Recruitment Officer activations, and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire channel lines. Mox Amber hands need a visible or likely legal legend; without one, do not keep or sequence as though Mox Amber fixes the mana.

- When the opponent has graveyard recursion or graveyard combo, sideboard and prioritize Rest in Peace as the emergency lock piece, then resume pressure. Do not over-sideboard into pure hate; Rest in Peace must buy attack steps, not replace the damage plan.

- When primary win conditions are removed, convert to creature-land and refill pressure: attack with Mutavault, activate Recruitment Officer, recur with Extraction Specialist when sideboarded and legal, and use any remaining Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar as the next must-answer threat rather than waiting for a perfect board.

## Resource Model
- Life is a racing resource, not a buffer to spend freely: use early life total to keep attacking with Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Recruitment Officer, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Zack Fair, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, but shift to blocking when visible crack-back damage beats the next attack. Pay special attention to Mutavault attacks, because activating a land as a creature can remove a future blocker and expose mana development.

- Hand size converts into board density first and card flow second: spend cheap Humans to build pressure, then use Recruitment Officer activations only after the battlefield is developed or when the hand lacks a meaningful cast. Preserve one extra creature when the opponent visibly represents sweepers or repeated removal, especially after sideboarding into Wedding Announcement or Extraction Specialist.

- Mana converts into tempo through double-spelling: prioritize sequences that use all available mana on castable Humans, Thalia's Lieutenant scaling, Coppercoat Vanguard protection pressure, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar before spending mana on Mutavault or Recruitment Officer. Mox Amber is a tempo resource only when a visible legendary permanent makes it produce mana; do not count it as stable mana without that proof.

- Board presence is the deck's main currency: one creature is pressure, two creatures threaten scaling, and three creatures unlock stronger attack patterns with Kytheon, Hero of Akros and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. Protect the board by sequencing Coppercoat Vanguard before exposed Human payoffs when possible, and avoid trades that leave Thalia's Lieutenant or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar without supporting attackers.

- Graveyard value is narrow and sideboard-dependent: main-deck graveyard use is minimal, so Rest in Peace is usually asymmetrical unless Extraction Specialist is also part of the plan. When both are sideboarded, decide whether denying the opponent's graveyard is worth shrinking Extraction Specialist's legal target window.

- Exile is both interaction and denial: Declaration in Stone and Rest in Peace can remove resources permanently, while opponent Clues from Declaration in Stone may convert into cards later. Use exile when the tempo gained by opening attacks, stopping recursion, or removing a key threat exceeds the opponent's future card compensation.

- Lands are resources with spell-like jobs: Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire is a white source until channeling it changes combat or protects the race, Mutavault is a land until the extra Human-sized attacker matters, Cavern of Souls fixes creature deployment against permission, and Plains is the clean baseline for white costs. Do not spend land utility if the immediate board does not justify reducing future mana.

- Sacrifice fodder is incidental, not a core plan: Adeline, Resplendent Cathar tokens and expendable small creatures may be traded in combat, but the deck should not sacrifice board density unless a legal runtime action clearly pays off. Card text check required for Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light before treating any line as sacrifice-, counter-, or selection-based.

- Information is gained through public sequencing: read the opponent's tapped lands, open mana, previous removal, revealed cards, and graveyard before committing Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Declaration in Stone, or a Mutavault attack. Do not infer hidden cards beyond archetype guidance and public actions.

- Sideboard bullets convert matchup pressure into narrower resources: Rest in Peace attacks graveyards, Seam Rip is conditional interaction with card text check required, Loran of the Third Path answers visible artifacts or enchantments if legal, Extraction Specialist rebuilds after removal if a legal target exists, and Wedding Announcement supports grindy games.

## Mana Guide
- Keep mana based on white access plus a curve: most functional hands need at least one white-producing land or a verified Cavern of Souls creature plan, at least two early plays, and a path to cast Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Recruitment Officer, or Kytheon, Hero of Akros on time. Mulligan hands that rely on Mutavault plus Mox Amber without a legal legend or that cannot cast early white spells.

- Sequence Plains and Cavern of Souls to maximize early creature deployment: play Plains when noncreature white spells such as Declaration in Stone may matter, and use Cavern of Souls when it enables a Human curve or protects key Humans from counterspells. Choose runtime land names and colors only from legal engine prompts; do not assume Cavern of Souls fixes Declaration in Stone or sideboard noncreature spells unless rules output says it can.

- Treat Mox Amber as conditional acceleration: deploy it when a visible legendary permanent can make mana and the extra mana changes the turn, such as casting another Human, holding Declaration in Stone, or activating Recruitment Officer later. If the legend is likely to die before mana is needed, sequence as though Mox Amber may turn off.

- Use Mutavault after core development: keep Mutavault untapped as mana until spells are cast, then activate it when it creates lethal, a favorable attack, a Human body for visible synergy, or post-sweeper pressure. Avoid early Mutavault attacks that prevent casting Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, or sideboard cards on curve.

- Use Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as a land first: play it when white mana is needed, and channel it only when the legal target and combat math justify losing a land. Prefer channeling after the opponent commits an attacker or blocker and before damage if the rules engine offers the window.

- Play lands before draw or selection when the land unlocks known legal actions this turn: cast spells first only when holding the land changes no available action or when a runtime card explicitly rewards waiting. With Recruitment Officer activations or possible card draw from Wedding Announcement, normally make land drops before spending mana so newly found spells can still be cast if legal.

- Spend mana in pressure order: cast cheap Humans, deploy Coppercoat Vanguard or Thalia's Lieutenant when they improve the board, commit Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when the opponent cannot easily punish the tap-out, then use leftover mana for Recruitment Officer, Mutavault, or sideboard grind. Preserve white mana for Declaration in Stone or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire only when visible threats make interaction better than another body.

- Sideboard mana must respect noncreature costs: Rest in Peace, Seam Rip, Wedding Announcement, and Declaration in Stone need ordinary white access, while Loran of the Third Path and Extraction Specialist are creature spells but still require legal mana. Do not keep a hand that casts Humans through Cavern of Souls but cannot cast the sideboard bullet it was kept for.

## Mulligan Guide
- Strong keep: keep two or three mana sources with at least one white source, one turn-one creature such as Recruitment Officer or Kytheon, Hero of Akros, one turn-two pressure or disruption spell such as Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Thalia's Lieutenant, and one payoff such as Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. Add Mox Amber only as a bonus when a visible legendary permanent plan makes it likely to produce mana.

- Medium keep: keep two lands plus two early Humans and either Thalia's Lieutenant or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when the hand curves out but lacks interaction. Keep Plains plus Cavern of Souls plus Recruitment Officer, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, and Coppercoat Vanguard on most boards; accept that Declaration in Stone may require ordinary white mana and that Mutavault pressure comes after spells.

- Risky keep: keep one-land Plains only with at least two castable one-drops, a castable two-drop, and no need to cast Adeline, Resplendent Cathar on turn three. Ship one-land Mutavault hands, Cavern of Souls hands that cannot cast noncreature spells kept for the matchup, and hands where Mox Amber is the second mana source without Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Zack Fair, or another confirmed legal legend on curve.

- Automatic ship: mulligan hands with no white-producing land, no castable spell before turn three, five or more lands without Recruitment Officer pressure, multiple Mox Amber and no reliable legend, or only utility lands plus Declaration in Stone. Ship hands built around Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, or Haliya, Guided by Light as the first functional play unless card text check required has already confirmed the exact line.

- Matchup-dependent keep: keep Declaration in Stone against visible creature decks when the rest of the hand still attacks early; do not keep a removal-only hand that lacks board pressure. Against graveyard or attrition decks after sideboarding, keep Rest in Peace or Wedding Announcement only with enough white mana and early creatures; against artifact or enchantment threats, keep Loran of the Third Path or Seam Rip only when legal targets are expected and the hand still curves.

- Play/draw adjustment: on the play, prioritize Recruitment Officer or Kytheon, Hero of Akros into Thalia, Guardian of Thraben or Coppercoat Vanguard to deny the opponent clean setup. On the draw, value Declaration in Stone, Thalia's Lieutenant catch-up scaling, and hands that can double-spell with Mox Amber after a legend more highly than slow three-drop hands.

- Trap hand: do not keep Cavern of Souls, Mutavault, Mox Amber, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Declaration in Stone, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Wedding Announcement-style sideboard cards if only Cavern casts creatures and Mox Amber is inactive. Do not keep all-payoff hands with Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Coppercoat Vanguard, and no one-drop, because the deck needs early bodies before its scaling cards matter.

## Turn Arc
- Turn 1 priority: cast Recruitment Officer or Kytheon, Hero of Akros off Plains, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, or Cavern of Souls naming the legal creature type that supports the hand. Play Mox Amber only when it enables a same-turn or turn-two legal acceleration plan; otherwise develop the creature and keep future sequencing flexible.

- Turn 1 deviation: play Cavern of Souls early when it protects a creature-heavy curve or is required for colored creature mana, but prefer Plains or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire when Declaration in Stone or sideboard noncreature spells may be needed. Avoid Mutavault as the first land unless no white play exists and the hand remains functional next turn.

- Turn 2 priority: cast Thalia, Guardian of Thraben against spell-heavy opponents, Coppercoat Vanguard when protecting and scaling Humans matters, or Thalia's Lieutenant when there are already creatures to reward. If the opponent presents a must-answer creature and attacks or blocks would otherwise collapse, cast Declaration in Stone instead of adding a smaller body.

- Turn 2 deviation: cast a second one-drop plus Mox Amber-enabled play when the legal mana supports it and the board gains more pressure than a single two-drop. Delay Thalia's Lieutenant when waiting one turn creates multiple counters without exposing it into obvious removal, but do not skip pressure just to chase perfect scaling.

- Turn 3 priority: cast Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when attacking immediately or next turn will produce a board advantage and the opponent has not shown a clear punishment. Use Thalia's Lieutenant after adding another Human if the turn can widen and pump, or hold Declaration in Stone mana when a visible blocker or attacker is the main obstacle.

- Turn 3 deviation: activate or attack with Mutavault only after casting the best spell for the turn, and only when it improves damage, Human count, or post-sweeper pressure. Card text check required before making Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, or Haliya, Guided by Light the central turn-three plan.

- Turns 4-5 priority: convert board presence into lethal pressure by sequencing Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and Mutavault activations around visible blockers and removal. Use Recruitment Officer only after attacks and core spells when mana would otherwise be unused, unless the hand is empty and finding more Humans is more important than a marginal attack.

- Turns 4-5 deviation: hold back one extra creature when already presenting lethal or near-lethal through current board and the opponent's visible outs suggest sweepers or large blockers. Use Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire only when the legal channel target changes combat, removes a key attacker, or preserves a race that ordinary attacks cannot win.

- Late-game priority: turn lands into pressure with Mutavault, turn excess mana into Recruitment Officer activations, and use Wedding Announcement or Extraction Specialist after sideboarding to rebuild through removal. Preserve Rest in Peace against graveyard decks once it is in play, and avoid undermining Extraction Specialist lines if Rest in Peace is not essential to the current visible threat.

- Late-game deviation: stop overextending when the board already forces the opponent to answer multiple threats, and spend interaction on the permanent that blocks lethal or creates the fastest opposing clock. If the legal action list offers only low-impact attacks, prefer holding creatures for better Thalia's Lieutenant scaling or Recruitment Officer value unless damage changes the clock.

## Card Roles
- Recruitment Officer is the cleanest turn-one pressure card and the best late-game mana sink when the hand is empty or the board is stalled. Cast Recruitment Officer early over holding it for Thalia's Lieutenant unless the current turn already has a stronger disruptive play; activate it after attacks and after using mana for higher-impact spells, because the deck usually wants damage before selection. Treat it as a Human body for Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar pressure, and Cavern of Souls sequencing. Do not spend turn-three or turn-four mana activating Recruitment Officer while a castable Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Declaration in Stone would materially change combat.

- Kytheon, Hero of Akros is a premium one-drop because it attacks early, turns on Mox Amber as a legendary permanent, and can threaten a planeswalker transformation when attacks are already favorable. Cast Kytheon, Hero of Akros before nonessential Mox Amber lines when the hand needs a body; protect it in combat only when its continued presence enables Mox Amber, a transformation threat, or lethal pressure. Do not force bad three-creature attacks just to transform Kytheon, Hero of Akros; use the rules-engine attack list and visible blockers to decide whether the attack is still good without assuming the opponent has no interaction.

- Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is the primary tempo-disruption creature against spell-heavy, removal-heavy, combo, and control opponents. Cast Thalia, Guardian of Thraben on turn two when it taxes the opponent more than it taxes the current hand; delay it when the immediate plan depends on Declaration in Stone, Rest in Peace, Wedding Announcement, Seam Rip, or another noncreature spell that would become awkward. Use Cavern of Souls to force it through permission when available. Do not stack multiple Thalia, Guardian of Thraben copies into the legend rule without a clear reason such as replacing a damaged, tapped, or removal-exposed copy.

- Coppercoat Vanguard is the deck's protection-and-pressure lord for Human-heavy boards. Cast Coppercoat Vanguard before Thalia's Lieutenant when protecting existing Humans from targeted interaction matters, and cast it after widening when the immediate goal is maximum damage. It makes Mutavault more attractive only if Mutavault is currently a Human or otherwise benefits under legal game rules; do not assume creature-type interactions unless the engine-visible object confirms them. Avoid keeping hands where Coppercoat Vanguard is the first relevant body, because it needs other Humans to justify its slot.

- Thalia's Lieutenant is the main scaling payoff and should usually enter after at least one other Human is on the battlefield. Cast Thalia's Lieutenant early when it adds enough board power to improve attacks or survive combat, but hold it briefly when the next legal spell adds another Human first and the delay does not cost pressure. Count Mutavault only when it is visibly a creature with relevant types at the decision point. Do not sandbag Thalia's Lieutenant for a perfect turn if the opponent is developing faster or if the current board needs immediate size to attack through blockers.

- Adeline, Resplendent Cathar is the primary three-mana threat and the best way to turn small Humans into a fast clock. Cast Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when the board can attack immediately or when surviving one turn will create a wide lethal setup. Pair it with Thalia's Lieutenant and Coppercoat Vanguard to make attack tokens and existing Humans scale quickly. Do not tap out for Adeline, Resplendent Cathar into a visible board where Declaration in Stone or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire is required to prevent a losing attack back. Remember it is legendary for Mox Amber, but do not keep Mox Amber hands that rely on drawing or resolving Adeline, Resplendent Cathar as the first legend.

- Mox Amber is acceleration only when a legendary permanent is present or immediately castable. Use Mox Amber to double-spell after Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, or Haliya, Guided by Light only when the rules engine confirms mana can be produced. Do not treat Mox Amber as a land in mulligans without an early legend. Against removal decks, sequence so the mana is used before the legend can be removed when possible.

- Declaration in Stone is the main-deck answer to creatures that block lethal, outsize the team, or create a faster clock than racing can beat. Cast Declaration in Stone before adding another threat when one visible creature invalidates attacks or threatens lethal soon. Hold it against small creatures if the current board can attack through them and the opponent is likely to present a larger blocker. Do not keep creature-light hands just because Declaration in Stone is present; this deck wins by pairing removal with pressure.

- Mutavault is a land early and a threat later, with special value after sweepers or when extra attackers change Adeline, Resplendent Cathar and Thalia's Lieutenant math. Prioritize casting spells before activating Mutavault unless the activation creates lethal, a profitable attack, or a necessary block. Be careful when Mutavault is one of only two lands, because activating it may prevent casting Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Declaration in Stone, or sideboard cards. Use Mutavault to preserve pressure without overcommitting extra creatures into visible sweepers or heavy removal patterns.

- Cavern of Souls is the preferred land for creature-heavy hands, especially when the opponent can counter key Humans. Name the creature type that casts the largest share of the current hand, normally the Human-heavy curve unless a specific non-Human card text check confirms a different need. Do not rely on Cavern of Souls for Declaration in Stone, Rest in Peace, Wedding Announcement, Seam Rip, or Loran of the Third Path unless the rules engine offers legal mana. When a hand has both Cavern of Souls and Plains, play the land that preserves the most legal turn-two and turn-three actions.

- Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire is a white source first and a combat interaction spell later. Play it untapped as a land when the hand needs curve consistency; channel it only when the legal target is attacking or blocking and the damage changes combat, protects a race, or removes a must-answer creature. Do not hold Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire in hand at the cost of missing early white mana unless the current land mix already supports the whole curve.

- Plains is the stable mana base card and should be valued highly in hands with noncreature spells. Prefer Plains over Cavern of Souls when the hand includes Declaration in Stone or sideboard noncreature cards. Do not over-prioritize utility lands if the opening hand cannot cast early white spells.

- Zack Fair is a registered legendary three-copy card that may enable Mox Amber and may be part of the aggressive curve, but card text check required before making it the central tactical plan. Cast Zack Fair when the engine shows it is legal and it fits the pressure curve; do not choose lines that depend on unverified combat, protection, or trigger text. In mulligans, treat Zack Fair as a possible legend for Mox Amber only if the visible mana can cast it on time and the hand already has early pressure.

- Arachne, Psionic Weaver is a two-copy registered card with unknown tactical text in this guide, so card text check required before assigning it a specialized role. Use it conservatively as a castable threat or utility permanent only when the action label and visible rules text make the effect clear. Do not route removal, combat, or selection choices around Arachne, Psionic Weaver without engine-visible confirmation.

- Cosmogrand Zenith is a two-copy registered card and likely a high-impact spell or permanent by slot, but card text check required. Do not keep slow hands around Cosmogrand Zenith unless the legal text confirms it stabilizes or wins from the expected position. If Thalia, Guardian of Thraben taxes it as a noncreature spell, account for that before sequencing.

- Haliya, Guided by Light is a two-copy registered card that may be legendary for Mox Amber, but card text check required before relying on its exact effect. Cast Haliya, Guided by Light when it advances the current board according to visible legal text; do not delay established Humans merely to preserve an unverified synergy.

- Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior and Spectacular Spider-Man are one-copy main-deck cards plus sideboard copies, so treat each as flexible bullets until card text check required is resolved. Cast them when the engine-visible action text clearly improves combat, disruption, or pressure. Do not build mulligan or sideboard assumptions around their exact abilities without verified text.

- Loran of the Third Path is a sideboard card for artifact or enchantment pressure and possible attrition, with card text check required for any draw or targeting nuance. Bring it in only when the opponent presents targets or the matchup is expected to revolve around relevant permanents. Do not cast it into no-target boards unless the legal action text confirms a useful mode.

- Extraction Specialist is a sideboard attrition card that should recover an important small creature after removal or trading. Bring it in against decks where recurring Recruitment Officer, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, or Kytheon, Hero of Akros matters more than raw speed. Avoid pairing it carelessly with Rest in Peace if the graveyard is needed for its effect; let visible board state decide which sideboard plan matters more.

- Seam Rip is a sideboard interaction card with card text check required, so use it only when the legal action text identifies a valid and relevant target. Bring it in for matchups where its target class is expected and where answering that permanent improves the race or protects the board. Do not board it as generic interaction if it lacks targets.

- Rest in Peace is the sideboard graveyard hate card and should be cast early when the opponent's graveyard is central to their visible or known plan. Bring it in against graveyard, recursion, delve, escape, reanimation, or sacrifice-loop strategies, but avoid weakening Extraction Specialist lines unless graveyard denial is more important. Do not keep a hand with Rest in Peace and no pressure unless the matchup is explicitly graveyard-dependent.

- Wedding Announcement is the sideboard attrition engine for removal-heavy and midrange games. Bring it in when games slow down and the opponent is likely to answer the first wave of Humans. Cast it when pressure is already established or when rebuilding matters more than taxing with Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Do not overload on slow engines against decks that demand immediate blockers, removal, or lethal pressure.

## Interaction Priorities

- Removal priority: use Declaration in Stone or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire on the opposing permanent that changes the current combat race, blocks multiple attackers profitably, threatens a sweeper-like board swing, or enables a graveyard/combo engine. Do not spend scarce removal on small creatures that are already outclassed by Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant counters, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar tokens, or Mutavault attacks.

- Exile priority: reserve Declaration in Stone for creatures whose death triggers, recursion, graveyard value, or large stats make normal combat unreliable. Against creature-combo or sacrifice decks, exile the engine creature before the payoff creature if the visible board shows the payoff cannot operate without it; against large midrange decks, exile the blocker that prevents lethal or keeps Adeline, Resplendent Cathar from attacking safely.

- Combat-channel priority: use Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire when its legal damage target is attacking or blocking and the result preserves a key attacker, wins a race, removes a must-block threat, or prevents lethal. Prefer playing Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as a land when missing mana would delay Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, or Declaration in Stone.

- Tax priority: deploy Thalia, Guardian of Thraben before noncreature-heavy opponents can double-spell, remove the first threat cheaply, or set up a sweeper turn. Do not delay high-pressure creature curves just to maximize Thalia, Guardian of Thraben if the opponent is already losing to board size and has few visible noncreature incentives.

- Protection priority: preserve Coppercoat Vanguard when the opponent's removal is targeted and your board contains multiple Humans. If the opponent can sweep or race through ward-style protection, shift priority toward Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant, Recruitment Officer activation, Mutavault pressure, or Wedding Announcement after sideboard.

- Bait priority: lead expendable pressure such as Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, or a redundant Thalia, Guardian of Thraben into early removal when the hand contains Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. Do not bait with the only legend if Mox Amber is needed for the next legal spell.

- Ignore priority: ignore blockers that cannot race, cannot profitably block boosted Humans, and do not enable a larger engine. Pressure life total instead of removing a creature when attacks plus Adeline, Resplendent Cathar triggers or Mutavault activation create a faster clock.

- Sideboard interaction priority: use Rest in Peace early against visible graveyard reliance, use Loran of the Third Path only when the engine shows a relevant artifact or enchantment target, use Seam Rip only when its legal target class is visible and important, and use Extraction Specialist when recovering a traded or removed small creature is stronger than graveyard denial. Card text check required for Seam Rip and for any exact Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Zack Fair, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, or Haliya, Guided by Light interaction mode.

## Combat And Trading Rules

- Attack priority: attack whenever the board presents a favorable race, a forced block, or a trigger from Adeline, Resplendent Cathar that improves the board without exposing lethal on the crack-back. Count Mutavault as both a land and an attacker; activate it only when the attack matters more than casting postcombat spells or holding Declaration in Stone.

- Wide-board rule: turn small Humans sideways when Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar makes blocking awkward. Do not trade multiple real creatures for one opposing body unless the trade opens lethal, protects a key permanent, or denies a visible engine.

- Kytheon rule: treat Kytheon, Hero of Akros as an early attacker that rewards coordinated pressure, but do not force attacks into bad blocks merely to pursue transformation. If attacking with three creatures is legal but loses Coppercoat Vanguard or Thalia's Lieutenant without a clear payoff, preserve the board.

- Adeline rule: protect Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when her attacks create continuing material or lethal pressure. Trade Adeline, Resplendent Cathar only when the exchange removes the opponent's best stabilizer, guarantees lethal soon, or prevents an otherwise losing race.

- Lieutenant rule: sequence Thalia's Lieutenant before combat when counters change attacks, blocks, or survival. Sequence it after combat only when you need the opponent to make blocks without knowing the final board size or when postcombat deployment protects against visible instant-speed punishment.

- Block priority: block to preserve life when falling below the next opposing attack step's visible lethal range, especially against fast creature decks. Avoid chump blocking with Humans that represent lethal on the return unless the current attack is lethal or enables a known follow-up kill.

- Trade priority: trade Recruitment Officer, redundant legends, or tokens before trading Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, or a mana-critical Mox Amber legend. Keep Recruitment Officer alive in grindy games when its activation is a realistic mana sink and the life total is not under immediate pressure.

- Archetype shift: against control, maximize staggered threats, Mutavault, Recruitment Officer, and Wedding Announcement while avoiding unnecessary overextension. Against aggro, block earlier and value Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as tempo tools. Against combo, race aggressively while prioritizing Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and sideboard disruption over small combat edges.

## Selection And Tutor Rules

- Pseudo-selection rule: treat Recruitment Officer as the deck's main card-flow engine, not as a true tutor. Activate Recruitment Officer only when the legal action is available and spending mana will not prevent a stronger current turn action such as casting Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Declaration in Stone, or activating Mutavault for lethal pressure.

- Recruitment Officer timing: activate Recruitment Officer at the opponent's end step when mana would otherwise go unused and the board is not demanding Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire or other instant-speed interaction. In main phase, activate only when the revealed line from legal actions is otherwise empty, when extra Humans are needed immediately, or when a grindy opponent has answered the first wave.

- Recruitment Officer picks: prefer the legal creature choice that rebuilds pressure, protects the widest board, or creates the next attack step's largest damage increase. In normal Humans curves, prioritize Coppercoat Vanguard when targeted removal matters, Thalia's Lieutenant when several Humans are already present or ready to enter, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar when mana and board position support attacking, and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben when the opponent is visibly relying on noncreature spells.

- Mox Amber dependency: make selection and sequencing preserve a legendary permanent when Mox Amber is needed for the current or next turn. Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as a land, and any other visible legendary permanent can make Mox Amber functional, but do not assume a legend survives targeted removal.

- Land-drop timing: play Cavern of Souls early when the engine asks for a creature type and the hand is creature-heavy; name the type that casts the highest number of current legal creature actions, usually Human when supported by visible card types. Play Plains when preserving Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as channel interaction matters, and play Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as a land when missing the land drop would delay the curve.

- Mutavault timing: delay exposing Mutavault as an attacker until its activation improves damage, Lieutenant math, or post-sweeper pressure. Do not activate Mutavault before making land drops, creature casts, or Recruitment Officer activations unless the legal attack or block is immediately relevant.

- Unknown-text cards: use Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light only according to legal action text and visible engine prompts. Card text check required for exact selection, trigger, target, and optional-action priorities involving those cards.

## Priority And Stack Rules

- Default priority rule: pass priority when the stack is empty, no profitable instant-speed legal action is visible, and using mana now would weaken the next creature deployment or Mutavault attack. Do not pass automatically when Declaration in Stone, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, Recruitment Officer activation, or sideboard interaction can answer a visible threat or improve lethal timing.

- Combat-window rule: use Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire during declare attackers or declare blockers only when the target is legally attacking or blocking and the damage changes combat outcome, preserves a key creature, prevents lethal, or opens lethal on the return. If the same creature can be beaten by ordinary blocks or ignored in a race, keep Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire as mana.

- Sorcery-speed removal rule: cast Declaration in Stone before combat when removing a blocker changes attacks or enables lethal; cast it after combat only when attacks are already favorable and the opponent may commit a better target later. Respect Thalia, Guardian of Thraben tax on noncreature spells when planning whether Declaration in Stone is affordable.

- Thalia timing: deploy Thalia, Guardian of Thraben before passing into an opponent turn where their likely line is removal, sweeper setup, card draw, or combo development. Avoid casting Thalia, Guardian of Thraben before your own noncreature spell if the tax will block Declaration in Stone, Mox Amber sequencing, Cosmogrand Zenith, or a sideboard card you intend to cast this turn.

- Optional triggers and payments: accept optional pressure or protection actions only when the visible legal text improves the board, combat, or clock without consuming mana needed for a higher-priority action. Card text check required for optional modes on Zack Fair, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Haliya, Guided by Light.

- Stack response rule: let opposing spells resolve when no legal response changes their outcome or when spending interaction would leave the deck unable to present lethal pressure. Respond when the spell targets Coppercoat Vanguard, Thalia's Lieutenant, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, or the only Mox Amber-enabling legend and a visible legal action can prevent or punish that exchange.

- Graveyard timing: after sideboard, cast Rest in Peace before the opponent can use visible graveyard resources, but avoid delaying lethal pressure for Rest in Peace when the graveyard is empty and the opponent is already under a short clock. Use Extraction Specialist after removal or combat has created a legal target worth recovering; do not hold priority looking for recursion if no legal target exists.

- Artifact/enchantment timing: cast Loran of the Third Path or Seam Rip only when the engine exposes a relevant legal target and that target matters more than adding pressure. Card text check required for Seam Rip exact timing and target class.

- Activated-ability discipline: activate Recruitment Officer only at low-opportunity-cost priority windows, usually opponent end step or stalled main phase. Activate Mutavault at combat or end-step pressure windows only when the land will attack, block, receive counters, or force action; otherwise preserve mana and information.

## Sideboard Map

- Sideboarding principle: preserve the aggressive Human core unless the opponent's visible plan makes a narrow sideboard card worth more than a main-deck threat. Keep enough one- and two-mana creatures for Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Cavern of Souls, and Mutavault pressure to remain coherent after sideboarding.

- Rest in Peace role: bring Rest in Peace against graveyard engines, recursion decks, delve-style threats, sacrifice loops, reanimation plans, and opponents whose removal or value plan depends on cards leaving or returning from graveyard. Rest in Peace is weak against creature-combat decks that do not use the graveyard, against fast damage races where taking turn two away from board development loses tempo, and against opponents already unable to stabilize before your visible clock.

- Seam Rip role: bring Seam Rip when the opponent presents artifacts, enchantments, or other permanent types that the card's legal text can answer. Card text check required for exact target class, timing, and any additional effect; use only when the rules engine exposes a legal target whose removal changes the race, unlocks attacks, or stops an engine.

- Loran of the Third Path role: bring Loran of the Third Path against artifact or enchantment engines when a creature body plus interaction is valuable. Loran of the Third Path is weaker when the opponent has no visible targets, when the symmetrical or activated text would benefit the opponent more than you, or when the matchup is decided by curving Humans rather than answering permanents. Card text check required for exact activated ability handling.

- Extraction Specialist role: bring Extraction Specialist against removal-heavy midrange, attrition control, sweepers, and creature combat where returning a small Human rebuilds pressure. Extraction Specialist is weaker against exile-heavy interaction, graveyard hate, combo decks where recursion is too slow, and matchups where Rest in Peace is also essential unless the returned target is needed before Rest in Peace resolves.

- Wedding Announcement role: bring Wedding Announcement for grindy creature stalls, removal-heavy midrange, and control matchups where a repeatable board source or anthem-style pressure can outlast one-for-one answers. Wedding Announcement is weaker against combo, graveyard engines that must be disrupted immediately, and fast creature races where spending three mana without immediate combat impact can fall behind. Card text check required for exact trigger and transformation handling.

- Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior role: bring the sideboard copy when the matchup rewards extra unique threat text, a legendary body for Mox Amber, or a tactical effect exposed by legal action text. Card text check required; avoid adding the extra copy when curve density, legendary collision, or unknown text makes a simpler Human more reliable.

- Spectacular Spider-Man role: bring the sideboard copy when its legal action text indicates relevant tempo, evasion, protection, or pressure in the matchup. Card text check required; avoid adding the extra copy when the opponent is racing on board and the card does not create immediate visible damage, protection, or interaction.

Graveyard Engine Or Recursion Plan
Side in: 4 Rest in Peace; 2 Extraction Specialist
Cut: 2 Declaration in Stone; 2 Cosmogrand Zenith; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man; 1 Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior

- Plan usage: use this exact plan when the opponent's graveyard is a central resource but they still trade creatures or removal enough for Extraction Specialist to matter before or around Rest in Peace. Prioritize keeping Thalia, Guardian of Thraben because taxing noncreature engine pieces and removal supports Rest in Peace pressure.

Artifact Or Enchantment Engine Plan
Side in: 4 Seam Rip; 1 Loran of the Third Path
Cut: 2 Declaration in Stone; 2 Cosmogrand Zenith; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man

- Plan usage: use this exact plan when the opponent's visible or known archetype relies on artifacts or enchantments more than creature bodies. Keep Coppercoat Vanguard and Thalia's Lieutenant density high so interactive draws still end the game quickly after answering the key permanent.

Removal-Heavy Midrange Or Control Plan
Side in: 2 Extraction Specialist; 2 Wedding Announcement; 1 Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man
Cut: 2 Declaration in Stone; 2 Cosmogrand Zenith; 1 Arachne, Psionic Weaver; 1 Haliya, Guided by Light

- Plan usage: use this exact plan when the opponent spends early turns answering creatures, sweeping boards, or extending the game with card advantage rather than racing. Extraction Specialist and Wedding Announcement change the deck from pure front-loaded pressure into resilient pressure, while the extra Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior and Spectacular Spider-Man are included only because this plan wants more distinctive threats after attrition.

Fast Creature Combat Plan
Side in: 2 Extraction Specialist; 1 Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; 1 Spectacular Spider-Man
Cut: 2 Cosmogrand Zenith; 1 Arachne, Psionic Weaver; 1 Haliya, Guided by Light

- Plan usage: use this exact plan against creature decks where early bodies, rebuilding after trades, and winning combat are more important than slow noncreature setup. Keep Declaration in Stone because cleanly removing a blocker or oversized attacker can decide the race.

- Against graveyard decks: Add role cards: Rest in Peace first, Extraction Specialist only when creature trading is also expected. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow unknown-text noncreature or higher-variance threats when they do not directly increase the early clock. Do not delay lethal attacks for Rest in Peace if the opponent has no graveyard resources and the legal board shows a two-turn or faster clock.

- Against artifact or enchantment decks: Add role cards: Seam Rip and Loran of the Third Path when legal targets are expected. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when the opponent's important permanents are not creatures, and slow unknown-text cards when they do not answer the engine. Cast the answer before committing extra attackers only when the permanent blocks attacks, enables a combo, or threatens a swing next turn.

- Against control: Add role cards: Extraction Specialist, Wedding Announcement, and possibly the sideboard Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior or Spectacular Spider-Man when their visible text is relevant. Reduce main-deck emphasis: creature-only removal and slow cards that expose tempo without forcing answers. Prioritize Cavern of Souls, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Mutavault, Recruitment Officer, and staggered threats over dumping the entire hand into a likely sweeper.

- Against removal-heavy midrange: Add role cards: Extraction Specialist and Wedding Announcement. Reduce main-deck emphasis: fragile unknown-text cards that do not immediately trade up. Use Extraction Specialist to restore Coppercoat Vanguard, Recruitment Officer, Thalia's Lieutenant, or another legal low-cost threat when the returned body rebuilds a wide attack or restores protection pressure.

- Against fast aggro: Add role cards: Extraction Specialist and only the sideboard Spider cards whose visible legal text helps combat or stabilizing. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow three-mana noncreature plans and graveyard hate without text relevance. Preserve Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire because removing or shrinking the key attacker often matters more than maximizing long-game value.

- Against combo or spell-heavy decks: Add role cards: Rest in Peace only if the graveyard is part of the combo, Seam Rip only if the engine uses legal targets, and extra pressure only if disruption is not relevant. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when the opponent has few creature targets. Keep Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and the fastest Human curve because the deck wins these games by combining tax pressure with a short clock.

## Matchup Guidance

- Aggro: Act as the tempo deck first, not the bigger late-game deck. Keep hands with a one-drop, a two-drop, and enough white mana to curve Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Thalia's Lieutenant into Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. Preserve Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire for the creature that changes combat math most, not the first small attacker. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist when trades are expected, and the extra Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior or Spectacular Spider-Man only when visible text helps stabilize or win combat. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Cosmogrand Zenith and other slower unknown-text plans when the opponent can punish a turn without a blocker. Card text check required for Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, Cosmogrand Zenith, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Haliya, Guided by Light, and Zack Fair.

- Control: Lead with threat diversity and tax pressure rather than maximum board deployment. Prioritize Cavern of Souls naming the relevant creature type when it makes key Humans uncounterable, then make the opponent answer Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Coppercoat Vanguard, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and Mutavault across different card types and zones. Keep Recruitment Officer as a mana sink when the legal action is available and the board already pressures planeswalkers or life totals. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist, Wedding Announcement, and possibly the sideboard Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior or Spectacular Spider-Man if legal text shows resilient pressure or protection. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when the opponent shows few creature targets, and slow unknown-text spells that do not immediately force action. Do not expose every Thalia's Lieutenant and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar to a visible sweeper line when a Mutavault attack plus one protected creature already creates a clock.

- Combo: Shorten the clock while keeping the disruptive permanent that attacks the combo's resource. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is usually the highest-priority early play against spell-heavy combo because it taxes noncreature setup while still attacking. Coppercoat Vanguard matters when it protects the clock from targeted interaction, but it should not delay a lethal or near-lethal Adeline, Resplendent Cathar line. Add role cards: Rest in Peace only if the combo uses the graveyard, Seam Rip only if the combo uses artifacts or enchantments, and Loran of the Third Path only when a legal target is expected and the body is not too slow. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone against creature-light combo and Wedding Announcement unless the combo is also removal-heavy. Respect the rules engine: if the current legal actions do not present a disruptive spell, choose the line that presents the fastest visible damage without inventing interaction.

- Tempo: Fight for initiative by forcing the opponent to answer creatures on awkward mana. Cavern of Souls is valuable when it pushes Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar through permission. Mox Amber is stronger when a legendary permanent such as Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Zack Fair, Haliya, Guided by Light, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, or Spectacular Spider-Man is already legal and visible; do not keep a hand that relies on unsupported Mox Amber for functional mana. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist when tempo decks trade removal for small creatures, and Wedding Announcement only when the matchup slows after early exchanges. Reduce main-deck emphasis: expensive or unknown-text cards that walk into bounce or counterplay without improving the immediate attack.

- Midrange: Build a board that makes one-for-one removal inefficient, then rebuild after the first exchange. Coppercoat Vanguard and Thalia's Lieutenant reward sequencing multiple Humans, while Adeline, Resplendent Cathar and Mutavault keep pressure alive through spot removal. Declaration in Stone should answer the creature that blocks profitably, races hardest, or carries counters/equipment/auras visible on board. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist and Wedding Announcement. Reduce main-deck emphasis: fragile unknown-text cards when they do not provide immediate board impact. Use Recruitment Officer activations when the visible battlefield is stable and the opponent is not presenting a short clock; use mana for combat development when damage tempo is still contested.

- Big mana: Treat every turn as a deadline and make tax pressure count. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben should be deployed early when it slows noncreature ramp, sweepers, or payoff spells, but do not keep a low-pressure hand just because it has Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Mutavault is important because it adds damage without committing another card to a sweeper. Add role cards: Seam Rip or Loran of the Third Path only when the opponent's acceleration or payoff uses artifacts or enchantments; Rest in Peace only if the big-mana deck uses the graveyard. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when the opponent has few early creatures, and Extraction Specialist when the opponent is not trading early. Prioritize lethal pressure over speculative value once the opponent is near their payoff turn.

- Graveyard: Make Rest in Peace the main disruptive axis, but do not forget that the deck still wins by attacking. Add role cards: Rest in Peace first; Extraction Specialist only when the opponent also fights with removal or creature combat and timing does not conflict with Rest in Peace. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone if the opponent's graveyard engine matters more than creature bodies, plus slow unknown-text cards that do not advance the clock. If Rest in Peace is legal and the opponent already has graveyard resources, deploy it before low-impact attacks or mana sinks. If the opponent has no relevant graveyard resources and lethal is visible, choose the lethal attack.

- Artifact/enchantment: Convert sideboard interaction into tempo, not a long control game. Add role cards: Seam Rip and Loran of the Third Path when the matchup is defined by artifacts or enchantments. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when creature removal misses the engine, and slow unknown-text threats when answering the permanent unlocks attacks. Cast Seam Rip before adding extra attackers when the target permanent blocks combat, enables a combo, produces a decisive resource swing, or threatens to invalidate the current board. Keep the Human core dense enough that the answer is followed by Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, or Mutavault pressure.

- Go-wide: Compete on board early, then use anthem-style growth to make attacks favorable. Thalia's Lieutenant and Coppercoat Vanguard are premium because they turn small Humans into real attackers, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar can dominate stalled battlefields if she survives. Declaration in Stone should target the creature that makes blocks impossible or represents the largest damage swing. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist for attrition through trades, Wedding Announcement for stalls if the matchup is not too fast, and the extra Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior or Spectacular Spider-Man only when visible text supports combat. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Rest in Peace and Seam Rip unless the opponent's go-wide engine specifically uses graveyards, artifacts, or enchantments.

- Single-threat: Preserve clean answers and avoid wasting removal on support creatures unless combat requires it. Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire should be held for the oversized attacker, protected blocker, or creature carrying visible resources. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is less important if the opponent's plan is mostly creature-based, but still attacks and can tax removal or setup spells. Add role cards: Seam Rip if the single threat depends on artifacts or enchantments, and Loran of the Third Path if a legal target is central. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Wedding Announcement if the game is decided before repeated board generation matters. Race only when visible damage plus Mutavault or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar creates a faster clock than answering the threat.

- Burn: Protect life total while keeping the opponent under pressure. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is important against noncreature burn because the tax can buy a turn, and Coppercoat Vanguard can make targeted removal lines more awkward when it protects Humans. Do not shock yourself because the mana base is Plains, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, Mutavault, Cavern of Souls, Mox Amber, and no damage lands are registered. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist when burn also kills creatures, and Wedding Announcement only if the matchup slows enough for repeated bodies or life-buffering text if visible. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow unknown-text cards and Rest in Peace unless the burn deck uses graveyard resources. Favor attacks that shorten the clock without opening a lethal crack-back.

- Removal-heavy decks: Shift from pure curve-out into layered threats. Coppercoat Vanguard taxes targeted removal against Humans, Extraction Specialist recovers a killed low-cost creature, Wedding Announcement supplies repeated pressure, and Mutavault attacks from the land row after sweepers. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist, Wedding Announcement, and sometimes the extra Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior or Spectacular Spider-Man when card text supports resilience. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone against creature-light removal decks and high-variance unknown-text cards that do not immediately replace themselves or demand an answer. Sequence so the first wave forces removal, the second wave includes Thalia's Lieutenant or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and Recruitment Officer converts unused mana into more threats when legal.

## Specific Matchup Notes

- Scope: These notes are general/archetype-only because exact opponents are absent; revealed cards, legal actions, and rules-engine prompts override every assumption. Treat the opponent's visible lands, graveyard, permanent types, removal patterns, and combat posture as the real matchup label once the game starts.

- Fast creature decks: Stabilize the first two turns with bodies before spending mana on low-board-impact actions. Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar are the core race cards; Declaration in Stone and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire should answer the creature that changes attacks or blocks most. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist, Wedding Announcement, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, and Spectacular Spider-Man when visible text supports combat or attrition. Priority targets are evasive attackers, oversized blockers, and creatures that make blocks impossible.

- Creature-light control or removal decks: Keep threat density high without walking every card into the same answer. Mutavault, Recruitment Officer activations, Wedding Announcement, Extraction Specialist, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar are the main recovery tools after removal. Add role cards: Extraction Specialist, Wedding Announcement, and sometimes Loran of the Third Path only when the opponent shows artifacts or enchantments. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when there are few creature targets. Priority targets are planeswalker-like pressure sources, repeatable removal permanents, and blockers that halt Mutavault or Adeline, Resplendent Cathar attacks.

- Graveyard decks: Deploy Rest in Peace when the opponent has visible graveyard dependence or when delaying it risks a decisive graveyard turn. Keep attacking after Rest in Peace; do not spend multiple turns on hate while the opponent is dying to Humans and Mutavault. Add role cards: Rest in Peace first, then Extraction Specialist only if creature trading also matters. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when creature bodies are less important than the graveyard engine. Priority targets are graveyard enablers, sacrifice outlets, and permanents that convert graveyard cards into board presence.

- Artifact or enchantment decks: Use Seam Rip and Loran of the Third Path as tempo tools that reopen attacks or stop an engine. Add role cards: Seam Rip and Loran of the Third Path when the opponent presents legal artifact or enchantment targets that affect combat, mana, card flow, or combo setup. Reduce main-deck emphasis: Declaration in Stone when creature removal does not touch the engine. Priority targets are artifact/enchantment blockers, resource engines, and permanents that make a future attack ineffective.

- Big-mana or combo decks: Race first and tax second, with Thalia, Guardian of Thraben strongest when it delays noncreature setup or payoff turns. Add role cards: Seam Rip, Loran of the Third Path, or Rest in Peace only when visible cards show those axes matter. Reduce main-deck emphasis: slow unknown-text cards if they do not add immediate pressure; Card text check required for Zack Fair, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, Haliya, Guided by Light, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, and Spectacular Spider-Man before treating them as matchup-specific answers. Priority targets are mana engines, combo-enabling permanents, and blockers that buy the opponent a full extra turn.

## Risk Summary

- Mana risk: Mutavault and Cavern of Souls can make noncreature spells and channel lines awkward, so confirm white sources before keeping hands with Declaration in Stone, Wedding Announcement, Rest in Peace, Seam Rip, or Loran of the Third Path. Mox Amber depends on a legendary permanent to function, so do not count it as stable mana unless a legal legendary line is visible.

- Matchup risk: The deck can overvalue Thalia, Guardian of Thraben against creature-heavy opponents where taxing noncreature spells is secondary to board size. Shift toward Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and clean combat when the opponent's plan is mostly creatures.

- Draw risk: Hands with only reactive cards or unknown-text cards can fail to present a clock. Keep decisions should prioritize one- and two-mana Humans, at least two usable mana sources, and a path to pressure through Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, or Mutavault.

- Over-sideboarding risk: Removing too many main-deck Humans weakens Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Cavern of Souls naming, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar token pressure. Bring in narrow cards only when visible or strongly inferred opponent plans justify them.

- Graveyard risk: Rest in Peace can conflict with Extraction Specialist value, so choose the axis that matters more from public information. Graveyard hate is correct against visible graveyard engines; recursion is better when the opponent is simply killing early Humans.

- Sweeper/removal risk: Committing every creature before forcing action can lose to mass removal or repeated spot removal. Preserve Mutavault pressure, use Recruitment Officer when mana would otherwise be unused, and sequence Wedding Announcement or Extraction Specialist for recovery when legal.

- Closer risk: Stalled boards require a specific closing plan, not random attacks. Prioritize Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant counters, Coppercoat Vanguard sizing, Mutavault chip damage, or Declaration in Stone on the key blocker.

- Interaction risk: Declaration in Stone, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, Seam Rip, and Loran of the Third Path should not be spent on low-impact targets while a visible engine, lethal attacker, or combat-locking permanent remains.

- Sequencing risk: Cavern of Souls creature typing, Mox Amber enablement, Mutavault activation costs, and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben taxes can change legal action quality. Recompute available mana from rules-engine output before choosing attacks, activations, removal, or sideboard hate.

## Test Feedback Checklist

- Deciding factor: Record whether each game was decided by early Human pressure, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben tax, Thalia's Lieutenant or Coppercoat Vanguard scaling, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar snowballing, Mutavault reach, sideboard hate, or a failure to close before the opponent stabilized.

- Mulligans: Note whether kept hands had at least one early creature, two usable mana sources, and a credible pressure line. Flag keeps that relied on Mox Amber without a visible legendary permanent, Cavern of Souls without the right creature type pressure, or Mutavault plus too few white sources.

- Mana: Track every game where Plains, Cavern of Souls, Mutavault, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, or Mox Amber prevented a legal spell, removal action, activation, or channel line. Separate true mana shortage from sequencing mistakes around Thalia, Guardian of Thraben taxes and Mutavault activation costs.

- Velocity: Check whether Recruitment Officer, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar entered early enough to make the opponent react. Flag hands where unknown-text cards slowed the clock; Card text check required for Zack Fair, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Cosmogrand Zenith, Haliya, Guided by Light, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, and Spectacular Spider-Man before judging missed lines.

- Engines: Record whether Recruitment Officer activations, Wedding Announcement, Extraction Specialist, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, and Mutavault provided recovery after removal or stalled boards. Note when Rest in Peace shut off Extraction Specialist value and whether graveyard hate was still worth that cost.

- Removal: Review each Declaration in Stone, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, Seam Rip, and Loran of the Third Path decision for target quality. Mark whether interaction removed the blocker, attacker, engine, artifact, or enchantment that actually changed the next combat or combo turn.

- Sideboard: Compare the post-board plan against visible opponent axes. Flag over-sideboarding when too many Humans left the deck and Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Cavern of Souls, and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar became weaker.

- Closing: Identify whether losses came from failing to push lethal, attacking with needed blockers, holding Mutavault back too long, spending removal on low-impact targets, or passing priority while a decisive attack, activation, or sideboard answer was legal.

- Role: Label each game as beatdown, tempo-tax, attrition, hate-card race, or stalled-board closer. Flag role mistakes where the pilot defended with an aggro hand, raced with a weak board, or kept Thalia, Guardian of Thraben as the main plan against a creature-heavy opponent.

- Stranded cards: List cards left in hand at game end or for multiple turns, especially Declaration in Stone, Rest in Peace, Seam Rip, Loran of the Third Path, Wedding Announcement, Extraction Specialist, Mox Amber, and unknown-text main-deck cards.

- Overperformers and underperformers: Count which cards directly contributed to wins and which repeatedly failed to affect legal board states. Separate card weakness from poor timing, bad mana, or missing card-text validation.

## First Tuning Questions

- Card quantities: Is 4 Mox Amber correct if too many keeps cannot enable it with Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Zack Fair, Haliya, Guided by Light, Arachne, Psionic Weaver, Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior, Spectacular Spider-Man, or Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire? Reduce confidence in Mox Amber-heavy hands until logs prove reliable enablement.

- Mana base: Are 4 Mutavault, 4 Cavern of Souls, and 4 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire causing too many noncreature or sideboard-spell failures? If Declaration in Stone, Rest in Peace, Seam Rip, Loran of the Third Path, or Wedding Announcement strands often, test whether the white-source count or colorless land count is the bottleneck.

- Aggro plan: Does the deck consistently produce turn-one Recruitment Officer or Kytheon, Hero of Akros into turn-two Thalia's Lieutenant, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, or Coppercoat Vanguard? If not, review whether unknown-text or legendary packages are crowding the core Human curve.

- Tempo-control plan: Is Thalia, Guardian of Thraben winning time against noncreature decks, or is the deck still losing before the tax matters? If the tax is underperforming, examine whether more pressure, more sideboard hate, or different interaction timing matters more than the full four copies.

- Closers: Are Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Thalia's Lieutenant, Coppercoat Vanguard, Mutavault, Cosmogrand Zenith, and Wedding Announcement enough to finish through blockers and removal? Card text check required for Cosmogrand Zenith before treating it as a reliable closer.

- Removal mix: Is 2 Declaration in Stone enough against creature decks, and are Seam Rip plus Loran of the Third Path enough against artifact or enchantment engines? Add pressure to the question only when logs show legal targets survived long enough to decide games.

- Sideboard slots: Are 4 Rest in Peace necessary, or do graveyard matchups still depend more on speed and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben? Are 4 Seam Rip producing enough high-impact targets, or would those slots need broader interaction after observed artifact/enchantment density is known?

- Attrition plan: Do 2 Extraction Specialist and 2 Wedding Announcement stabilize removal-heavy games without diluting Human aggression? If Rest in Peace and Extraction Specialist conflict often, decide whether graveyard hate or recursion is the primary post-board axis in those matchups.

- Role conflicts: Does the deck lose when it draws tempo-tax cards without pressure, sideboard hate without a clock, or legendary/Mox Amber pieces without payoff? Tune only after separating structural conflicts from individual pilot mistakes and card-text uncertainty.

## Veles Tactical Policy

### Policy: Pregame Play Choice
Priority: Medium
Decision families: pregame
Cards: none
Phase windows: Pregame play/draw prompt.
Runtime cues: action:choose play
Use when: the legal action list contains a play/draw choice and `choose play` is available.
Avoid when: the rules engine marks the choice as fixed, absent, or already decided.
Instructions: Choose play to maximize early Human pressure, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben tax timing, and Mutavault closing tempo.
Pilot skill floor: Basic.
No-API allowed: yes
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Mulligan Gate For Pressure Hands
Priority: High
Decision families: mulligan
Cards: Recruitment Officer; Kytheon, Hero of Akros; Thalia's Lieutenant; Coppercoat Vanguard; Thalia, Guardian of Thraben; Adeline, Resplendent Cathar; Mox Amber; Plains; Cavern of Souls; Mutavault; Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
Phase windows: Opening hand and London mulligan decisions.
Runtime cues: prompt:mulligan; action:keep; action:mulligan
Use when: deciding whether the visible opener can cast an early creature and produce a credible turn-two or turn-three pressure line.
Avoid when: relying on hidden draws, unverified card text, or Mox Amber without a visible legendary permanent or legal mana action.
Instructions: Keep hands with two usable mana sources, at least one one- or two-mana creature, and a follow-up anthem, tax, or Adeline pressure line. Mulligan hands that are land-light, colorless-heavy, all interaction, or Mox Amber-dependent without an enabler.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: First Human Setup
Priority: Medium
Decision families: priority; mana
Cards: Recruitment Officer; Kytheon, Hero of Akros; Cavern of Souls; Plains; Mox Amber
Phase windows: Turn-one and turn-two main phases.
Runtime cues: action:cast Recruitment Officer; action:cast Kytheon, Hero of Akros
Use when: selecting the first creature deployment from visible legal cast actions.
Avoid when: a stronger legal Thalia, Guardian of Thraben tax line is required immediately against a visible noncreature engine, or mana cannot support the follow-up curve.
Instructions: Start with a legal one-drop when possible, prioritizing an untapped white source and Cavern of Souls naming Human if the engine exposes that choice. Treat Recruitment Officer as the clean default pressure and late-game mana sink; treat Kytheon, Hero of Akros as a pressure piece whose transformation details require legal engine output.
Pilot skill floor: Basic.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Cavern And Colored Mana Discipline
Priority: Medium
Decision families: mana
Cards: Cavern of Souls; Plains; Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire; Mutavault; Mox Amber
Phase windows: Land plays, mana prompts, spell casting, activation payments.
Runtime cues: prompt:mana; action:add; action:pay
Use when: the legal actions include multiple mana sources or color choices.
Avoid when: the engine exposes a mandatory exact payment with only one legal source.
Instructions: Preserve white mana for Declaration in Stone, sideboard spells, and multi-spell turns. Use Cavern of Souls for Human creature spells when legal, avoid stranding noncreature spells behind Cavern or Mutavault, and count Mox Amber as mana only when a visible legendary permanent enables the listed legal action.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Exact White Payment
Priority: Low
Decision families: mana
Cards: Mox Amber; Plains; Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
Phase windows: Mana payment prompts.
Runtime cues: action:tap Mox Amber for white
Use when: the legal payment list contains `tap Mox Amber for white`, a visible legendary permanent enables Mox Amber, and the pending cost requires white mana.
Avoid when: Mox Amber is not enabled, the pending cost can be paid only by another listed source, or the action text names a different color.
Instructions: Use the exact legal white-producing Mox Amber action when it completes the pending payment without consuming land mana needed for a separate visible tax or required cost.
Pilot skill floor: Basic.
No-API allowed: yes
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Thalia Tempo Commitment
Priority: High
Decision families: priority; interaction
Cards: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Phase windows: Early main phases and post-board games against spell-heavy opponents.
Runtime cues: action:cast Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Use when: deciding whether to spend the turn on Thalia, Guardian of Thraben instead of another pressure or anthem play.
Avoid when: the opponent is visibly creature-dense, the tax hurts your legal multi-spell turn more than theirs, or lethal pressure requires another line.
Instructions: Cast Thalia, Guardian of Thraben when the visible matchup or board suggests noncreature spells, sweepers, removal, graveyard engines, or combo setup matter more than raw board size. Pair the tax with a clock; do not keep passing because Thalia is in play.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Anthem And Snowball Sequencing
Priority: Medium
Decision families: priority; combat
Cards: Thalia's Lieutenant; Coppercoat Vanguard; Adeline, Resplendent Cathar; Mutavault
Phase windows: Precombat main phase, combat, postcombat follow-up.
Runtime cues: action:cast Thalia's Lieutenant; action:cast Coppercoat Vanguard; action:cast Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
Use when: choosing between adding bodies, adding scaling power, or holding mana for activation.
Avoid when: the legal board shows removal, blockers, or mana constraints that make another line necessary for survival or lethal.
Instructions: Prefer sequencing that increases immediate combat damage without wasting future Human triggers. Cast Thalia's Lieutenant after earlier Humans when possible, deploy Coppercoat Vanguard before attacks when its visible effect changes combat, and treat Adeline, Resplendent Cathar as the main snowball threat when removal risk and mana allow.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Attack Commitment And Lethal Push
Priority: High
Decision families: combat
Cards: Adeline, Resplendent Cathar; Kytheon, Hero of Akros; Mutavault; Thalia's Lieutenant; Coppercoat Vanguard
Phase windows: Beginning of combat, declare attackers, attack-modifying priority windows.
Runtime cues: prompt:attack; action:attack
Use when: legal attacks are available and visible damage, blockers, life totals, and crack-back risk decide the race.
Avoid when: exactly one forced attack is listed by the engine or the legal action text already determines the only possible attacker set.
Instructions: Attack when visible damage advances lethal, forces bad blocks, or keeps the opponent under Thalia tax pressure. Hold back creatures only when the visible return attack, lifelink, or key blocker requirement makes racing worse.
Pilot skill floor: Advanced.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Mutavault Reach
Priority: Medium
Decision families: mana; combat; priority
Cards: Mutavault; Thalia's Lieutenant; Coppercoat Vanguard; Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
Phase windows: Precombat, declare attackers, end step, stalled boards.
Runtime cues: action:activate Mutavault
Use when: Mutavault activation is legal and choosing between extra attacker, blocker, or mana preservation.
Avoid when: activating Mutavault prevents a required spell, sideboard answer, Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire line, or Recruitment Officer activation.
Instructions: Use Mutavault to add Human pressure when it changes combat math, turns on scaling, or creates lethal. Preserve it as a land when white or colorless mana is needed for visible costs.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Removal And Channel Gate
Priority: High
Decision families: interaction; combat; priority
Cards: Declaration in Stone; Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire; Seam Rip; Loran of the Third Path
Phase windows: Opponent combat, precombat main, end step, stack windows for artifacts/enchantments when legal.
Runtime cues: action:cast Declaration in Stone; action:channel Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire; action:cast Seam Rip; action:cast Loran of the Third Path
Use when: a visible threat, blocker, attacker, artifact, or enchantment changes the next combat, combo turn, or survival threshold.
Avoid when: the target is low-impact, the spell cannot legally target it, or holding interaction is clearly required for a visible higher-impact permanent.
Instructions: Spend removal to clear lethal attacks, stop a decisive engine, remove the blocker that blocks the largest attack, or survive the opponent's attack. Do not fire Declaration in Stone into replaceable creatures when pressure can already win.
Pilot skill floor: Advanced.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Recruitment Officer Activation
Priority: Medium
Decision families: priority; selection
Cards: Recruitment Officer
Phase windows: Opponent end step, your end step, stalled boards, flood states.
Runtime cues: action:activate Recruitment Officer
Use when: deciding whether to spend mana on Recruitment Officer rather than adding to combat, holding interaction, or activating Mutavault.
Avoid when: the mana is needed for a visible spell, tax payment, removal line, or lethal Mutavault activation.
Instructions: Activate Recruitment Officer when pressure is stalled, hand is low, and unused mana would otherwise be wasted. Prioritize legal card selection that rebuilds Human density, keeps the curve active, or finds a relevant threat shown by the engine.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Unknown Text Commitment Gate
Priority: Medium
Decision families: priority; selection; combat
Cards: Zack Fair; Arachne, Psionic Weaver; Cosmogrand Zenith; Haliya, Guided by Light; Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; Spectacular Spider-Man
Phase windows: Any cast, activation, attack, block, or target prompt involving these cards.
Runtime cues: action:cast Zack Fair; action:cast Arachne, Psionic Weaver; action:cast Cosmogrand Zenith; action:cast Haliya, Guided by Light; action:cast Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior; action:cast Spectacular Spider-Man
Use when: the legal action list includes one of these cards and the engine provides current text, costs, targets, or effects.
Avoid when: choosing from memory or assuming text not present in visible state.
Instructions: Card text check required. Use only rules-engine text and visible legal actions; route tactical commitment through light-model when the card could affect combat, selection, targeting, or mana sequencing.
Pilot skill floor: Advanced.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Attrition Sideboard Commitment
Priority: Medium
Decision families: sideboard
Cards: Extraction Specialist; Wedding Announcement; Rest in Peace
Phase windows: Sideboarding after game one or game two.
Runtime cues: prompt:sideboard; action:submit sideboard
Use when: the matchup requires recovery against removal, sweepers, or stalled boards.
Avoid when: adding attrition cards would dilute one-drop pressure, Human count, or Thalia's Lieutenant scaling below a functional aggro plan.
Instructions: Choose Extraction Specialist and Wedding Announcement plans against removal-heavy or grindy opponents, but account for Rest in Peace reducing graveyard recursion value. Keep enough main-deck creatures for fast starts.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Graveyard Hate Sideboard Gate
Priority: High
Decision families: sideboard; interaction
Cards: Rest in Peace
Phase windows: Sideboarding, early post-board main phases.
Runtime cues: action:cast Rest in Peace; prompt:sideboard
Use when: visible matchup data or public game history shows graveyard recursion, escape-like pressure, reanimation, delve-like costs, or graveyard combo dependence.
Avoid when: the opponent has not shown graveyard dependence and Rest in Peace would replace pressure without disrupting a visible axis.
Instructions: Bring and cast Rest in Peace when graveyard denial materially changes the opponent's plan. Pair it with a clock, and remember it can conflict with Extraction Specialist.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: Artifact And Enchantment Hate Gate
Priority: Medium
Decision families: sideboard; interaction
Cards: Seam Rip; Loran of the Third Path
Phase windows: Sideboarding, main phases, instant-speed windows if legal.
Runtime cues: action:cast Seam Rip; action:cast Loran of the Third Path
Use when: public information shows artifacts or enchantments that drive mana, card advantage, combat, lock pieces, or combo setup.
Avoid when: no legal high-impact artifact or enchantment target is visible, or the sideboard card would replace required pressure.
Instructions: Add and deploy Seam Rip or Loran of the Third Path for visible permanent-based engines. Preserve creature density unless the target class is central to the opponent's wins.
Pilot skill floor: Intermediate.
No-API allowed: no
Light-model allowed: yes

### Policy: End-Step Low-Impact Pass
Priority: Low
Decision families: priority
Cards: none
Phase windows: Opponent end step, your end step, empty stack priority.
Runtime cues: action:pass priority
Use when: the stack is empty, no legal activation or spell is listed except pass, and no combat or lethal decision is pending.
Avoid when: Recruitment Officer, Mutavault, removal, sideboard interaction, or a legal flash/instant-speed card action is visible.
Instructions: Pass only when the engine shows no meaningful legal action beyond passing. Do not use this policy for combat trick windows, removal windows, or post-board hate timing.
Pilot skill floor: Basic.
No-API allowed: yes
Light-model allowed: yes
