Strixhaven Showdown | EDH Gameplay Ep 53

Deck Strategies

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  Breena, the Demagogue

  Leverages political manipulation by incentivizing opponents to attack each other and rewards this with plus one plus one counters on creatures, gaining incremental value as opponents clash.

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  Galazeth Prismari

  Focuses on spellslinger tactics, casting instant and sorcery spells to deal damage and generate value, preferring ephemeral effects over permanent board presence.

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  Beledros Witherbloom

  Ramp-heavy deck aiming to cast large, impactful spells and generate value through powerful haymakers, emphasizing growth and explosive plays.

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  Tanazir Quandrix

  Utilizes plus one plus one counters and synergies like Hardened Scales and Ay of Whispered Hopes to grow creatures large and generate mana, focusing on incremental growth and board presence.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Players deliberately traded rat tokens to prevent Breena's ability from triggering excessively, showcasing an understanding of controlling political incentives.

• 2

  The combination of Ay of Whispered Hopes and Hardened Scales allowed for explosive growth of plus one plus one counters, accelerating Tanazir's board development.

• 3

  Galazeth Prismari’s use of Kessig Flamebreather ensured steady incremental damage through casting non-creature spells, forcing opponents to respond early.

• 4

  Treasure Map’s transformation into a treasure-producing land added significant resource advantage and card filtering, supporting ramp and spell casting.

• 5

  Breena’s ability created tension in attack decisions, as players weighed the benefits of triggering her counters against potential retaliation from other opponents.

Notable Cards

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  Tribute to Hunger

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  Incubation Druid

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  Hardened Scales

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  Treasure Map // Treasure Cove

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  Kessig Flamebreather

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  Secrets of the Key

Summary

In this Strixhaven-themed Commander game, four players each brought decks representing their favorite Strixhaven school, resulting in a dynamic and thematic match. The game began with a surprisingly fair and slow opening, as players developed their mana bases and deployed early board presence, including a Tribute to Hunger producing rat tokens and early ramp creatures like Incubation Druid. Early skirmishes focused on managing rat tokens, with players deliberately trading them off to prevent buildup, which interacted notably with Breena, the Demagogue’s incentive mechanics that reward players for attacking opponents with more life than others. As the game progressed, the board state became more complex with the addition of incremental value engines such as Ay of Whispered Hopes and Hardened Scales, amplifying the power of plus one counters in Tanazir Quandrix’s deck. Breena’s ability to place counters on creatures as players attacked opponents helped her grow stronger and encouraged careful attack planning. Meanwhile, Galazeth Prismari’s deck focused on spell-slinging damage and ephemeral board states, using creatures like Kessig Flamebreather to chip away at opponents. Beledros Witherbloom aimed for big, flashy plays with ramp and powerful spells, but the chaotic rat token interactions and incremental counters defined the early to mid-game tempo. Key turning points included the management of rat tokens to control the flow of Breena’s triggers and the buildup of counters on creatures through synergistic effects. Treasure Map’s transformation into a treasure-generating land added resource advantage and incremental card draw. Overall, the gameplay revolved around balancing aggression, incremental value, and resource management, with Breena’s political and counter mechanics serving as a focal point for interactions and tactical decisions.