Deck & Commander Strategies
Isshin, Two Heavens as One
Focuses on combat triggers to generate extra value and overwhelm opponents by attacking with multiple creatures, leveraging additional combat phases or abilities to maximize damage.
Alela, Artful Provocateur
Plays an anthem-focused deck that creates flying fairy tokens when casting artifacts and enchantments, using buffs like Glorious Anthem to boost aerial attackers and control the game through evasion and lifelink.
Aziza, Mage Tower Captain
Generates tokens and uses clues and treasures to ramp and draw cards, doubling instants and sorceries to fuel a value engine that supports a board full of flying creatures and spells.
Blech, Loafing Pest
Leverages life gain and +1/+1 counter synergies on insect and pest creatures to build a resilient and growing army that can overwhelm opponents through incremental board development.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Blech’s use of life gain triggers to continuously put +1/+1 counters on his pests allowed his board to grow steadily while gaining incremental advantage.
- 2
Alan’s Aziza capitalized on clues created by Air Nomad Legacy and treasures from attacks to ramp and draw, enabling him to cast impactful creatures and spells quickly.
- 3
Bill’s Alela deck effectively combined anthem effects with flying deathtouch and lifelink tokens to control the air and pressure opponents' life totals.
- 4
Madison’s Isshin used prepared spells and aggressive creatures with haste to maintain pressure and resilience, taking advantage of combat triggers for value.
- 5
The interaction between life gain, token generation, and enchantment buffs created a dynamic game state with shifting board control among players.
Notable Cards
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Glorious Anthem
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Replenish
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Vault of Champions
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Virulent Emissary
Gameplay Summary
The game started with all four players establishing their board states by playing lands and low-cost creatures to set up their respective strategies.
Blech, piloting a Golgari deck focused on life gain and +1/+1 counters, quickly developed a board of pests and insects that grew stronger with each life gain trigger.
Madison's Isshin deck aimed to capitalize on combat triggers to generate value and maintain pressure, while Alan's Aziza deck focused on creating tokens and doubling instant and sorcery spells to draw cards and generate resources.
Bill's Alela deck leveraged anthem effects and flying tokens, building a formidable aerial presence with lifelink and deathtouch to control the battlefield and chip away at opponents' life totals. Key turning points included Blech animating creatures and enhancing his board with multiple +1/+1 counter synergies, allowing his army to grow rapidly and become a serious threat.
Alan’s Aziza made use of clues and treasures to ramp and draw cards, enabling him to cast impactful spells like Chatter Tank and his commander to maintain board presence.
Bill utilized Alela’s synergy with enchantments like Glorious Anthem and drew on the power of flying tokens to pressure opponents effectively.
Madison’s Isshin proved capable of aggressive combat plays with creatures like Captain Larry Storm and prepared spells, adding resilience and tempo to his gameplay.
The interplay of life gain, combat triggers, token generation, and enchantment-based buffs shaped a dynamic game state, with each player pursuing their win conditions through incremental advantages and board development.
![Commander VS S17E3: Korvold VS Alela VS Chulane VS Syr Gwyn [Brawl] thumbnail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pa8JzkN1leY/sddefault.jpg)
