LORD OF THE RINGS "PARTNER" COMMANDERS | Worst Possible Commander Show #71

Deck Strategies

• 

  Gimli, Counter of Kills and Legolas, Counter of Kills

  Utilize creature death triggers to deal incremental damage and place counters, enhanced by equipment that allows ping damage and further board control, aiming to chip away opponents' life totals steadily.

• 

  Sauron, the Necromancer and The Mouth of Sauron

  Fill the graveyard quickly using graveyard recursion and sacrifice synergies, then unleash mass reanimation spells like Rise of the Dark Realms or Living Death to bring back powerful creatures and dominate the board.

• 

  Boromir, Warden of the Tower and Faramir, Prince of Ithilien

  Build a soldier tribe token army supported by anthem effects and efficient combat tricks, focusing on wide board presence and incremental damage through numerous soldier creatures.

• 

  Gandalf, White Rider and Shadowfax, Lord of Horses

  Cast multiple spells to pump creatures using Gandalf’s ability while using Shadowfax to cheat big creatures onto the battlefield tapped and attacking, combined with Maskwood Nexus to turn all creatures into haste-giving horses for swift, overwhelming attacks.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Legolas’ ability to untap and add counters on death triggers allowed for repeated damage and resilience.

• 2

  The Sauron deck’s focus on graveyard filling and mass reanimation created a constant threat that influenced opponent targeting and removal priorities.

• 3

  Gandalf’s spell-triggered anthem combined with Shadowfax’s cheat ability created explosive combat turns by putting large creatures directly onto the battlefield attacking.

• 4

  Maskwood Nexus synergized well with Shadowfax to grant all creatures haste, enabling surprise attacks and increased aggression.

• 5

  Equipment like Viridian Longbow and Basilisk Collar maximized the damage output from death triggers, turning small creature kills into meaningful life loss for opponents.

• 6

  The soldier token deck leveraged anthem effects and token generation to build a wide board that could apply pressure and leverage combat optimizations.

Notable Cards

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  Viridian Longbow

• 

  Basilisk Collar

• 

  Rise of the Dark Realms

• 

  Living Death

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  Mentor of the Meek

• 

  Hardened Scales

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  Trailblazer's Boots

• 

  Maskwood Nexus

• 

  Iroas, God of Victory

• 

  Ancient Copper Dragon

• 

  Blade Historian

Summary

The game started with players choosing unique Lord of the Rings-themed partner and non-partner commanders, each bringing distinct strategies to the table. Early turns involved ramping mana and setting up board presence, with a focus on synergy between the chosen commanders and supporting cards. One player paired Gimli and Legolas with equipment to trigger damage and counters whenever creatures died, focusing on incremental damage and board control. Another player chose Sauron and the Mouth of Sauron, aiming to fill the graveyard and leverage powerful mass reanimation spells like Rise of the Dark Realms and Living Death to overwhelm opponents. A third deck centered on Boromir and Faramir, focusing on soldier tribal tokens and synergistic anthem effects to build a wide board. Meanwhile, the last player paired Gandalf and Shadowfax, focusing on buffing creatures with spells and using Shadowfax’s ability to cheat large creatures into play, combined with Maskwood Nexus to turn all creatures into horses granting haste and aggressive combat options. The game featured key interactions such as Gandalf’s ability to pump creatures on spell casts and Shadowfax cheating big threats into play, which shifted combat dynamics significantly. Players used removal and damage triggers effectively, with equipment like Viridian Longbow and Basilisk Collar enhancing incremental damage output. Mass reanimation remained a looming threat from the Sauron deck, creating tension around graveyard management. The soldier token deck applied pressure by generating multiple bodies and anthem effects, aiming to overwhelm opponents. The game’s flow revealed shifting board states with players balancing between creature development, removal, and combo potential, setting up for impactful turns that could swing the game decisively.