Rootha, Mastering the Moment

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At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've cast an instant or sorcery this turn, Rootha creates an X/X blue and red Elemental with flying and haste. X is the greatest mana value among the instants and sorceries you cast that turn. A cheap cantrip gives a small flier. A six-mana spell gives a 6/6 that attacks right away. The deck wants spells in the main phase before combat, a mix of cheap card draw and expensive payoffs, and ways to copy spells or get extra combats.

In the recorded games, Rootha played as a fast tempo deck. It came down early and started making flying attackers within a turn or two. The usual line was a sorcery in the first main phase, then a hasty token straight into the air. Players who saved their big spells for one turn made the largest Elementals. That early pressure made Rootha an obvious target, and opponents often ganged up on it before the tokens added up. With eleven games recorded, it won by racing, and it slowed down a lot once its commander was removed.