Roon vs Rafiq vs Omnath vs Maelstrom Wanderer EDH / CMDR game play for MTG

Deck Strategies

• 

  Maelstrom Wanderer

  Leverages cascade triggers to cast multiple spells for free in a single turn, generating board presence and value through powerful creatures and control elements.

• 

  Rafiq of the Many

  Focuses on equipping Rafiq with powerful equipment to quickly deal double strike damage and apply infect counters to opponents for a swift, aggressive win.

• 

  Omnath, Locus of Rage

  Uses landfall triggers to create elemental tokens and generate a wide board presence, ramping into powerful spells and recurring key lands to maintain advantage.

• 

  Roon of the Hidden Realm

  Employs blink effects to control the board and generate value from enter-the-battlefield triggers while disrupting opponents' key creatures and combos.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  David's use of Maelstrom Wanderer's double cascade triggered a chain of spells that created significant board advantage, but Brian's infect strategy with Blighted Agent bypassed this dominance.

• 2

  Brian's aggressive equipping and use of infect damage pressured opponents quickly, forcing them into defensive plays and eventually winning through poison counters rather than traditional damage.

• 3

  Josh's recurring of Boundless Realms and token generation with Omnath showcased strong land synergy, but it was not enough to counter the infect threat.

• 4

  The Roon player used blink effects strategically to disrupt key creatures and bounce threats, including opponents' commanders, slowing down their progression but not preventing the infect combo.

• 5

  The game highlighted the high risk of neglecting infect damage in a multiplayer game with aggressive equipment decks, as it can abruptly end a seemingly dominant position.

Notable Cards

• 

  Birthing Pod

• 

  Blighted Agent

• 

  Sword of Feast and Famine

• 

  Crystal Shard

• 

  Coiling Oracle

• 

  Reflector Mage

• 

  Boundless Realms

• 

  Eternal Witness

• 

  Gilded Drake

• 

  Solemn Simulacrum

Summary

The game began with a fast-paced opening where players developed their mana bases and deployed early threats. David, playing Maelstrom Wanderer, quickly established board presence with ramp and cascade spells, generating significant value and card advantage. Brian on Rafiq of the Many aggressively equipped his commander, seeking to leverage quick damage and its double strike ability. Josh on Omnath, Locus of Rage, focused on land-based ramp and token generation, building a sizable army of elementals. The Roon deck controlled the board with blink effects and disruption, attempting to slow the more aggressive strategies. A key turning point occurred when Brian's Rafiq deck utilized infect damage with a Blighted Agent equipped with multiple swords, effectively ending David's dominant position despite his powerful cascade-driven plays. Josh's Omnath briefly regained footing by recurring lands and generating tokens, but the infect damage from Brian combined with his numerous equipment and creatures proved overwhelming. The game concluded with Brian decking out his opponents through a combination of infect and equipment-enhanced attacks, demonstrating the potency of infect in this meta despite the explosive cascades and token strategies present.