Deck & Commander Strategies
Thrasios, Triton Hero and Vial Smasher the Fierce
A Valakut-focused combo deck leveraging Ad Nauseam and Mana Bond to draw a large portion of the deck and win through massive damage or card advantage. It uses Dockside Extortionist for treasure ramp and Fresius for mana acceleration while maintaining interaction with Pyroblast and other control elements.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator and Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
A control-oriented pirate deck that aims to leverage card draw and disruption, including creatures like Glint-Horn Buccaneer and Nezumi Graverobber, to maintain tempo and protect its combo pieces. It relies on creatures and spells to lock down opponents and win through incremental value.
Toxrill, the Corrosive
A toxic control deck focused on board wipes, disruption, and attrition to punish opponents' aggressive strategies. It uses poison counters and control spells to maintain dominance and prevent combo executions.
Shalai and Hallar
A midrange creature combo deck that uses protective elements and synergistic creatures to build value and assemble a creature-based combo. It focuses on board presence and incremental advantages to outlast opponents.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Holding back on using Pyroblast early to keep interaction available against key threats rather than prematurely removing creatures.
- 2
Using Dockside Extortionist treasures to accelerate combo deployment while maintaining mana flexibility with Fresius.
- 3
Casting Ad Nauseam despite the life loss risk, leveraging card draw to find Mana Bond and win conditions.
- 4
Carefully managing Deafening Silence on the board by preparing to remove it before attempting the combo.
- 5
Balancing aggressive early damage with combo development, recognizing when to take damage to preserve mana and interaction.
- 6
Utilizing Dark Confidant as a backup plan for card advantage when Dockside Extortionist does not generate enough treasures.
Notable Cards
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Ad Nauseam
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Dockside Extortionist
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Pyroblast
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Deafening Silence
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Dark Confidant
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Magda, Brazen Outlaw
Gameplay Summary
The game opens with all four players deploying their respective strategies, with the Valakut combo player aiming to assemble Ad Nauseam and Mana Bond for a fast combo finish.
Early turns see heavy interaction, such as Dockside Extortionist generating treasures and Pyroblast being used to control opposing threats, particularly targeting Kraum and Malcolm's protection-heavy pirate strategy.
The Valakut player also plays cautiously around a Deafening Silence on the battlefield, balancing between advancing their combo and disrupting opponents.
Meanwhile, Toxrill and the Shalai & Hallar decks are focused on controlling the board with mass removal and protective creatures, respectively. A pivotal moment arises when the Valakut player successfully casts Ad Nauseam with some protection, drawing deeply into their deck to find the crucial Mana Bond and other combo pieces.
Despite taking damage from Ad Nauseam and early aggression, they maintain the pressure by generating treasures and playing Fresius to accelerate mana production.
Control elements like Pyroblast and removal spells are critical in managing opposing threats, although the presence of Deafening Silence temporarily stalls the Valakut player's combo attempts.
As the turns progress, the tension mounts with each player jockeying for board presence and combo windows, setting the stage for a high-stakes finish that likely revolves around resolving the Ad Nauseam combo alongside Mana Bond and utilizing resource generation to secure victory.
