GAME 3 - WHO'S THE BEST STRIXHAVEN COMMANDER IN cEDH? - DINA vs EXTUS vs GALAZETH vs JADZI

Deck Strategies

• 

  Dina, Soul Steeper

  Utilizes reanimation and sacrifice synergies to generate value and board presence, aiming to leverage graveyard recursion and incremental advantage.

• 

  Extus, Oriq Overlord

  Focuses on reanimator combos and mana acceleration to quickly bring back powerful creatures like Protean Hulk for explosive plays.

• 

  Galazeth Prismari

  Leverages artifact synergies and treasure generation to ramp into powerful spells and stax pieces, aiming for control and combo potential.

• 

  Jadzi, Oracle of Arcavios

  Combines spell-copying capabilities and artifact ramp with control elements to disrupt opponents and enable powerful spell sequences.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The incorrect reanimation target slowed Extus's combo potential early, demonstrating the importance of precision in reanimation decks.

• 2

  Wandering Archaic effectively shut down half of Galazeth's spells, showcasing the impact of well-timed artifact creatures that copy instants and sorceries.

• 3

  Winter Orb and Trinisphere created a stax lock that severely limited mana production, forcing players to carefully manage resources and delaying combo execution.

• 4

  Mental Misstep and Force of Will were used to protect key spells and disrupt opponents, highlighting the importance of free counterspells in cEDH.

• 5

  Sacrificing treasures before casting Trinisphere was a critical sequence to avoid being locked out of casting spells, emphasizing the need for precise timing and sequencing under stax conditions.

• 6

  Players used tutors like Imperial Recruiter to find essential combo pieces or stax elements, demonstrating the value of efficient deck manipulation in high-level play.

Notable Cards

• 

  Protean Hulk

• 

  Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands

• 

  Winter Orb

• 

  Trinisphere

• 

  Dockside Extortionist

• 

  Imperial Recruiter

• 

  Force of Will

• 

  Necropotence

Summary

The game begins with players developing their boards and setting up their strategies, with early reanimation attempts and ramp spells like Dark Ritual and City of Brass seen from Extus. A key moment occurs when a player casts Reanimate but draws the wrong card, slowing down their intended combo. The presence of Wandering Archaic creates pressure by threatening to copy opponents' instants and sorceries, effectively shutting down some strategies. Winter Orb enters the battlefield, significantly stalling mana acceleration and forcing players to adapt. Despite attempts to assemble combos, players are hindered by stax pieces like Winter Orb and Trinisphere, which lock down their resources and prevent explosive plays. Imperial Recruiters and other tutors are used to dig for key pieces, while removal spells and interaction such as Force of Will and Mental Misstep keep the board in check. In the midgame, players focus on building incremental advantages and disrupting opponents rather than rushing for a quick victory. Ultimately, the stax elements and interaction maintain a tense balance, preventing any player from easily winning and pushing the game into a slow, strategic battle of resource management and tactical responses.