List has been updated, but description below has not.

22/23 lands I believe is the correct number for this curve. 21 is risky, 23 is looking a tad better. I will refer you to this article about land count. PV has just written an article about Merfolk, and happens to share a lot opinions with me about certain cards, read it here.

Tempo is the gameplan. Tempest Caller is the win con, which is MUCH better than Herald of Secret Streams, which can be dealt with easier. Chip away at their life with Mist-Cloaked Herald, and Siren Stormtamer (which can later be used to protect your fatties and Kumena from removal). Flood the board with Merfolk (hold some back if you suspect a board wipe, only deploy enough for lethal), and then drop a Tempest Caller for the win. If your local meta is control heavy, you will need to add at least 2x Spell Pierce to your MB.

A lot of people misunderstand the term "Tempo". Tempo means you advance your gameplan each turn, and hinder your opponent each turn, often by setting them back a turn. It is NOT a control strategy, which tries to stop the opponent doing anything, and permanently deals with threats. Tempo wants to use it's mana efficiently each turn, using it to deploy threats or develop the board, and only leave up a small amount to deal with the opponents turn. 1 mana spells are the best example of tempo cards. They often only set back an opponent, not stop them. The idea is that you can reach lethal before the opponent and end the game before them.

Unsummon > Crashing Tide

Blossoming Defense and Siren Stormtamer > Swift Warden

Metallic Mimic > Jadelight Ranger

Spell Pierce, situationally, can be better than Negate

Naturalize > Slice in Twain and Appetite for the Unnatural

Perilous Voyage is just more diverse bounce, but especially for Planeswalkers.



The core cards of the deck that I do not recommend changing are:

22 lands (if you up the count of 3-4cmc cards, go to 23 lands)

4x Silvergill Adept

4x Deeproot Elite

4x Merfolk Mistbinder

4x Metallic Mimic (some lists have 0, I think they are wrong)

4x Kumena's Speaker

3-4x Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

2-4x Mist-Cloaked Herald

2-4x Jade Bearer (I trim this number in favour of Stormtamers)

0/2x Tempest Caller (I believe this is our "gotcha" win card)



Cards that I believe are good in certain combinations and different gameplans, but not necessarily core:

1-2x Kopala, Warden of Waves (excellent against spot removal, and makes Spell Pierce better)

1-2x Siren Stormtamer (explained below)

0-4x Deeproot Waters (floods the board with tokens, triggers Deeproot Elite)

2-3x Spell Pierce (across your 75)

2-3x Negate (essential for control match ups)

2-4x Unsummon (explained below)

0-2x Blossoming Defense (more spot removal protection, and a great combat trick)

2-4x Jungleborn Pioneer (works VERY well with Elite and Mistbinder)

0/4x Merfolk Branchwalker (the jury still out on this one, lots of 2 drops already)



Cards I do not think are quite good enough, or don't fit my gameplan:

Jadelight Ranger (this is better in a midrange strategy)

Swift Warden (easy to predict, don't like holding 3 mana open when you should be playing creatures)

Vineshaper Mystic (a 1/3 that puts out counters, when Jungleborn Pioneer is the same cost but has better synergy)

Crashing Tide (again, don't like holding 3 mana open when an Unsummon is easier to work with)

Seafloor Oracle (there are plenty of other draw sources, but might be good for longer, midrange games)

Herald of Secret Streams (Tempest Caller just does it so much better in every sense)



Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca can be used in multiple ways. He can be used as a clock by going unblockable each turn, and stacking your +1/+1 counters on him (but usually, it's better to stack your +1/+1 counters on a Mist-Cloaked Herald, since your opp will likely want to remove Kumena. Or if you suspect spot removal, distribute evenly). He can be used to draw more gas, or draw into a Tempest Caller. And he can be used to pump the team up, which is the least useful, since you want to win with Tempest Caller, or unblockable damage. Most of the time, you will activate the draw/pump at opponent's EOT.

Siren Stormtamer gets the nod from me since it's 1 drop to fill that slot, early damage with evasion, and the best bit; it protects your threats without being able to be countered easily! It even stops Settle the Wreckage! Now that's gotta score big points! The downsides; it's not a merfolk... I believe it's worth running 2, and cutting a Spell Pierce.

Sideboard games tend to be longer, grindy, and attrition based, and as such, I have designed the SB with that in mind. Game 1 should be a race to put as much power on the board as possible, and swing for lethal. Against control (and aggro to a degree) you might side out Tempest Callers and Mist-Cloaked Heralds, and bring in your counterspells, and Nissa vs control. Against midrange you might side out Jade Bearers, Stormtamers, and bring in Unsummons and Perilous Voyages.

Sideboard explanation:

Deathgorge Scavenger is for graveyard strategies. Nissa powers out creatures very easily, since most of the deck is <3cmc.

Unsummon deals with Glorybringers, Hazoret, Scarab God and eternalized tokens.

Spell Pierce and Negate for the board wipes and planeswalkers.

Naturalize is your anti artifact/enchantment.

Perilous Voyage is a catch-all, with a potential upside. This is more of a flex slot. Life Goes On is for your aggro matchups.

If God-Pharaoh's Gift becomes a BIG problem, consider Sentinel Totem or Scavenger Grounds.

If Approach of the Second Sun becomes a problem, consider more Negates.