Erebos vs God-Eternal Kefnet vs Surrak vs Marath EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

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  God-Eternal Kefnet

  Control and value-based deck focusing on counterspells, card draw, and spells to stall the board while using Kefnet’s ability to draw cards and protect itself. The deck aims to control the pace of the game and win through incremental advantage.

• 

  Erebos, God of the Dead

  A midrange/control deck leveraging life drain and card draw with enchantments like Bloodchief Ascension and Polluted Bonds to punish opponents for casting spells. The plan is to gain life and chip away at opponents’ life totals while maintaining board presence.

• 

  Surrak Dragonclaw

  Aggressive creature-based deck focusing on fighting mechanics and combat tricks. It utilizes powerful creatures and spells like Genesis Wave and Ruric Thar to dominate the battlefield through combat damage and board control.

• 

  Marath, Will of the Wild

  Token and +1/+1 counter synergy deck using Marath’s ability to generate and distribute counters and tokens. The deck aims for wide board presence and uses spells like Parallel Lives and Triumph of the Hordes to overwhelm opponents with large, boosted creature swarms.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Erebos's use of Bloodchief Ascension combined with Wheel effects and Polluted Bonds allowed massive life gain and inflicted heavy damage on opponents, making Erebos a formidable presence early on.

• 2

  Dominique’s Surrak capitalized on Genesis Wave to flood the board, accepting self-damage as a tradeoff but turning it into card advantage and board presence, which pressured opponents significantly.

• 3

  Matthew’s sequencing error with Beastmaster Ascension highlights the importance of timing buffs before attacks to maximize damage output and counters.

• 4

  Marath’s Triumph of the Hordes was a pivotal moment, enabling a lethal alpha strike that decisively swung the game by removing a major threat and establishing board dominance.

• 5

  The frequent use of creatures with haste and fight mechanics by Surrak kept the board dynamic and prevented opponents from stabilizing, emphasizing aggressive tempo and combat control.

Notable Cards

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  Bloodchief Ascension

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  Polluted Bonds

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  Genesis Wave

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  Triumph of the Hordes

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  Parallel Lives

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  Lightning Greaves

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  Clever Impersonator

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  Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

Summary

The game began with all four players developing their mana bases and early board states, including ramp and utility creatures. Miguel's God-Eternal Kefnet faced early disruption with counterspells, while the others established their strategies. Early key plays included Marath's deployment of ramp and token generators, and Erebos leveraging card draw and life gain mechanics, particularly through Bloodchief Ascension and Polluted Bonds. Dominique's Surrak deck utilized a variety of creatures and spells to build board presence and control, highlighted by a Genesis Wave that flooded the battlefield but also dealt damage to him, enabling Erebos to gain significant life. Midgame saw Matthew's Marath deck capitalize on token generation and synergy with Parallel Lives, using Old Man Amory to tutor crucial creatures and mounting aggressive attacks. Meanwhile, Dominique's Surrak executed creature fights and board control with cards like Ruric Thar and the Shaman of the Great Hunt, drawing multiple cards and maintaining pressure. Miguel's Kefnet attempted to stabilize with control elements but was hindered by repeated counterspells and removal. The game reached a turning point when Marath's Triumph of the Hordes enabled a lethal alpha strike, eliminating Erebos and marking a critical shift in board state. Subsequently, Surrak's aggressive board wipes and creature combat tactics kept the pressure on the remaining players, while Marath continued to leverage token synergy to maintain dominance.