Commander Gameplay | Big Butts Don't Pay The 2 | Mirko v Arcades v Rhys v Brimaz | EP20

Deck Strategies

• 

  Rhys the Redeemed

  Generate and double token creatures to overwhelm opponents with a wide board, leveraging synergy with anthem effects and creating a resilient swarm.

• 

  Arcades, the Strategist

  Play walls and other high-toughness creatures to draw cards and deal damage, turning defensive creatures into offensive threats through commander triggers.

• 

  Mirko, Obsessive Theorist

  Utilize surveil and graveyard recursion to generate incremental value, copying artifacts and creatures to maintain board presence and employing flashback spells for repeated effects.

• 

  Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos

  Create aggressive cat tokens and maintain board control with efficient creatures that generate additional tokens when attacking or blocking, applying pressure on opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Mirko's use of artifact copying (Sculpting Steel copying Soul Ring) accelerates mana generation and creates resource advantage early in the game.

• 2

  Surveil and flashback mechanics in Mirko's deck enable repeated card selection and graveyard recursion, sustaining long-term value over opponents.

• 3

  Arcades' walls combined with vigilance and flying tokens provide a solid defensive backbone while enabling opportunistic damage through commander triggers.

• 4

  The deployment of Smothering Tide introduces a taxing effect that complicates opponents' attack decisions and mana usage, influencing board engagement dynamics.

• 5

  Rhys' token doubling strategy pressures the board state by forcing opponents to answer a growing army, though it requires protection to reach critical mass.

• 6

  Early-game mana ramp with cards like Ancient Tomb and Soul Ring allows players to accelerate into impactful plays and commanders quickly.

Notable Cards

• 

  Sculpting Steel

• 

  Ancient Tomb

• 

  Shield Sphere

Summary

The game started with a cautious opening as players developed their mana bases and laid out early defenses. Rhys the Redeemed focused on rapidly generating tokens to build a wide board presence, while Arcades the Strategist aimed to create and buff walls to leverage both defense and offense. Mirko, Obsessive Theorist employed a graveyard-centric strategy using surveil and recursion mechanics to maintain continuous value and board presence, including copying artifacts and creatures to gain incremental advantage. Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos established board control with aggressive cat tokens and impactful creatures, aiming to pressure opponents steadily. Early turns featured key interactions such as Mirko copying artifacts like the Sol Ring and utilizing flashback spells to surveil and recur, which helped maintain tempo and card advantage. The introduction of Smothering Tide by Mirko created a taxing board state that forced opponents to consider resource management carefully. The game was marked by strategic deployment of mana rocks, token generation, and incremental board development, setting the stage for larger swings in board presence and potential combos. While no decisive win condition had been executed in the early to mid-game, the synergy between token production, wall protection, and graveyard recursion promised an intense and dynamic contest moving forward.