Deck & Commander Strategies
Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
Control the board using stax elements like Winter Orb while generating incremental value by repeatedly untapping lands and creatures to deploy threats and tutors. Use Derevi’s ability to maintain tempo and break parity in combat.
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
Utilize ninjutsu to sneak Yuriko and other ninjas into combat, triggering damage and drawing cards from top-deck reveals. Build card advantage and apply pressure with evasive creatures and cheap spells, aiming for compact combo finishes.
The Gitrog Monster
Exploit The Gitrog Monster’s draw and land synergy to accelerate resources quickly toward a fast combo kill. Use lands and graveyard interactions to generate value and combo pieces for a swift finish.
Tatyova, Benthic Druid
Ramp aggressively with landfall triggers to generate card draw and life gain. Use the generated resources to assemble combos and control the board while maintaining a stable, resource-rich position.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Alan’s use of ninjutsu multiple times in combat phases allowed him to maximize Yuriko’s triggers for damage and card draw, building a strong hand advantage.
- 2
Adam’s deployment of Winter Orb successfully slowed opponents’ mana development, allowing him to leverage Derevi’s untap ability and stax effects to maintain control.
- 3
Alan’s timely use of Submerge to protect The Gitrog Monster from an early threat delayed Alex’s combo progression.
- 4
Adam and Alan engaged in a tactical counterplay involving Fierce Guardianship and Patron Wizard, demonstrating the importance of resource management and timing in control interactions.
- 5
Zack’s ability to keep pace despite Winter Orb by using ramp spells and landfall triggers demonstrated resilience but was consistently pressured by Yuriko’s aggressive attacks.
- 6
Alan’s strategic rearranging of his library with Lim-Dul’s Vault optimized Yuriko’s damage triggers and subsequent draw steps, showcasing advanced sequencing and resource manipulation.
Notable Cards
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Winter Orb
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Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
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Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
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The Gitrog Monster
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Tatyova, Benthic Druid
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Patron Wizard
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Ninja of the Deep Hours
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Submerge
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Compost
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Mox Amber
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Fourth Bridge Prowler
Gameplay Summary
The game began with each player establishing their board state and setting up their respective engines.
Alan, piloting Yuriko, focused on leveraging Yuriko's ninjutsu ability to generate card advantage and apply incremental pressure through multiple triggers, dealing damage and drawing into key spells like Blinkmoth Infusion.
Adam's Derevi deck utilized control elements such as Winter Orb to slow the game while generating value through Derevi's untap ability and synergy with creatures like Patron Wizard and Sakashima the Imposter.
Alex on The Gitrog Monster aimed for a fast combo start but faced early disruption from Alan's Submerge and combat pressure.
Zack's Tatyova deck developed mana and card draw through landfall and ramp, though he had to navigate the taxing Winter Orb and aggressive attacks from Yuriko.