Tap-Out Merfolk Control (Modern)

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca really makes this deck work well. Using it to tap Judge of Currents to gain life, Fallowsage for card draw, and Stonybrook Schoolmaster for even more merfolk to tap creates a ton of synergy. Other tap outlets like Mothdust Changeling and Springleaf Drum help out with the synergy until Kumena can come down. The key is not to play her too early but as a combo piece when the board is set up. Lullmage Mentor will help sure up the match by countering late game for big pieces. The key is also Merrow Commerce which allows you to untap each turn and can also be tapped itself as a merfolk for Kumena and Lullmage. Summon the School works very well as a surprise tap outlet at instant speed and provides even more merfolk to go wide. Typical removal package of Path to Exile and a few Unsummon for tempo and to protect Kumena. Typical Bant mana package, although I must admit I struggle with constructing mana bases. Field of Ruin for man-lands and Tron.

Sideboard I also struggle with constructing. Have Rest in Peace and Stony Silence for the typical culprits. Pithing Needle for planeswalkers. Cyclonic Rift for enchantments and artifacts if needed as well as Beast Within which can also hit lands. Spreading Seas for Tron and other control decks with man-lands.

Having played this for more matches than I'd like to admit, the lifegain you get from Judge of Currents can get out of hand for most decks. It really struggles against control match-ups with heavy removal of course, so watch for the tempo plays. I tried adding a counterspell suite in the sideboard but I found out it didn't really help out in the long run post-board because I would never draw what I needed or people would have more counters than me. It also doesn't work well with combo decks that don't care about what we're doing. Still, when you combo off, it is one of the most glorious feelings in MTG.