Etrata vs Hazoret vs Varina vs Baron Sengir EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Baron Sengir

  A vampire tribal deck that focuses on lifelink, creature recursion, and sacrifice effects to maintain board presence and out-value opponents through incremental life gain and removal.

• 

  Etrata, the Silencer

  A ninja-themed deck utilizing ninjutsu and combat damage to exile opposing creatures, disrupting opponent boards while generating evasive damage and tempo advantages.

• 

  Hazoret the Fervent

  An aggressive red deck that pressures opponents through repeated direct damage triggered by discarding cards and fast, efficient creatures to maintain offensive tempo.

• 

  Varina, Lich Queen

  A zombie tribal deck that capitalizes on creating zombie tokens, life gain, and card draw triggered by creature deaths and zombie synergies, with additional control elements through discard and removal.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The constant life loss from Bloodseeker and Varina's zombie triggers created pressure that influenced players' decisions on when to attack or block.

• 2

  Etrata's ninjutsu ability was used effectively to remove key creatures and swing combat phases in her controller's favor.

• 3

  Repeated activations of Staff of Nin and Endless Atlas provided critical card advantage and tempo for players controlling Hazoret and Etrata.

• 4

  Strategic use of sacrifice effects and removal, such as Feast of Blood killing Archfiend of Ifnir, shifted board control and prevented devastating combos.

• 5

  Baron Sengir's player leveraged vampire tribal synergies and lifelink to stabilize life totals while applying pressure through combat.

• 6

  Varina's Arcane Adaptation naming zombies turned all creatures into zombies, amplifying life loss triggers and enhancing tribal synergy.

• 7

  Combat phases were carefully calculated, with key blocks and damage redirection spells like Wild Ricochet preserving valuable creatures and turning combat outcomes.

Notable Cards

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  Relentless Dead

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  Nightveil Specter

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  Loyal Subordinate

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  Runaway Steam-Kin

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  Phyrexian Arena

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  Arcane Adaptation

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  Archfiend of Ifnir

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  Thran Dynamo

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  Curator of Mysteries

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  Staff of Nin

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  Feast of Blood

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  Lashwrithe

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  Nighthawk Scavenger

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  Balustrade Spy

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  Endless Atlas

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  Talisman of Indulgence

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  Memorial to War

Summary

The game featured a four-player Commander match with Baron Sengir, Etrata the Silencer, Hazoret the Fervent, and Varina the Lich Queen. Early turns saw players establishing their boards with mana and utility lands, while deploying key creatures like Relentless Dead, Bloodseeker, Nightveil Specter, and Loyal Subordinate. The game quickly evolved into a dynamic board state with incremental life loss effects from Bloodseeker and life gain from Varina's zombie tribal synergies. Hazoret pressured opponents through aggressive attacks and repeated damage triggers from discarding cards, while Etrata leveraged evasive ninjutsu plays to remove threats and generate tempo. Baron Sengir's deck focused on vampire tribal and sacrifice synergies, showing resilience through lifelink and removal spells like Feast of Blood. Midgame pivotal moments included Varina's arcane adaptation naming zombies, which powered up zombie tribal creatures and inflicted life loss on opponents, and a dramatic removal sequence where Etrata's controller forced Hazoret into the command zone with Gatekeeper of Malachor and feast of blood. The board was punctuated by multiple activations of Staff of Nin and Endless Atlas, enabling card draw and consistent resource advantage. Combat exchanges were intense, with strategic blocks and damage mitigation, notably Jim's use of Lashwrithe and gatekeeper equipment and recurring zombie resurrection plays. The game featured a constant tug-of-war for board presence, life totals, and card advantage, with players leveraging tribal synergies, discard effects, and tactical removal spells to control the flow of the game.