Go-Shintai vs Oloro vs Anim Pakal vs Cloud Strife | EDH Gameplay | Smooth Brain EDH thumbnail Blurred backdrop thumbnail
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Go-Shintai vs Oloro vs Anim Pakal vs Cloud Strife | EDH Gameplay | Smooth Brain EDH

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Commanders featured in this Gameplay Reviewed & Verified

Decklists

Deck & Commander Strategies

  • Go-Shintai of Life's Origin

    Go-Shintai of Life's Origin

    A five-color shrine deck that generates multiple shrine tokens to outvalue opponents through enchantment synergies and incremental board presence.

  • Oloro, Ageless Ascetic

    Oloro, Ageless Ascetic

    A lifegain control deck that aims to outlast opponents by accruing massive life totals and leveraging Test of Endurance for a slow but inevitable win.

  • Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER

    Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER

    An aggressive equipment-focused deck that buffs the commander with powerful artifacts to deal heavy combat damage quickly.

  • Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon

    Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon

    A tokens deck that floods the battlefield with small creatures and uses token synergies and anthem effects to overwhelm opponents.

Gameplay Insights

  • 1

    Sam’s attempt to remove Test of Endurance with Generous Gift was crucial but ultimately negated, allowing Tanner to maintain his potential alternate win condition.

  • 2

    Chandler’s use of Ugin to exile multiple key permanents including a commander and enchantments significantly shifted board control in his favor.

  • 3

    Ethan’s well-timed token generation and use of anthem effects like Adeline and Caretaker’s Talent kept pressure on multiple opponents simultaneously.

  • 4

    The interaction between aggressive equipment swings from Cloud and the defensive life gain and control from Oloro created a dynamic tension in combat phases.

  • 5

    Players demonstrated careful resource management, such as Chandler sacrificing treasures to equip and cast spells, maximizing each turn’s efficiency.

Notable Cards

  • Test of Endurance

    Test of Endurance

  • Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

    Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

  • Generous Gift

    Generous Gift

  • Approach of the Second Sun

    Approach of the Second Sun

  • Enduring Vitality

    Enduring Vitality

  • Adeline, Resplendent Cathar

    Adeline, Resplendent Cathar

  • Dawn of a New Age

    Dawn of a New Age

  • Blackblade Reforged

    Blackblade Reforged

  • Swiftfoot Boots

    Swiftfoot Boots

  • Sanctum of Shattered Heights

    Sanctum of Shattered Heights

Gameplay Summary

The game began with all four players ramping and setting up their boards, with early plays focused on lands and mana acceleration.

Sam's Go-Shintai of Life's Origin deck quickly established a shrine token presence, leveraging enchantments and token generation to build value.

Tanner’s Oloro deck focused on life gain and defensive control, prominently featuring Test of Endurance as a potential slow win condition.

Chandler’s Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER deck was aggressive, equipping Cloud with powerful equipment to deal significant commander damage early, while Ethan’s Anim Pakal deck aimed to flood the board with tokens and maintain pressure with token synergies. A critical early moment occurred when Sam attempted to remove Tanner’s Test of Endurance with Generous Gift, but it was countered, prolonging the game and forcing players to consider alternative strategies.

Ethan’s use of Dawn of a New Age and token generators helped maintain board presence, while Chandler’s sequence involving Ugin, the Spirit Dragon (referred to as Ugan Eye of the Storms) cleared key threats and generated value, including recurring Andriel, Flame of the West.

Sam responded with board-wide token generation and enchantment synergy, eventually exiling Shieldred the Apocalypse to mitigate Tanner’s life gain advantage.

Towards the midgame, Tanner cast Approach of the Second Sun, setting up a potential alternate win condition, while the board was shaped by aggressive attacks, removal, and incremental advantage plays from all players.

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