Taigam vs Kentaro vs Nicol Bolas vs Yuriko EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Nicol Bolas

  Control and disruption focused deck that uses discard, creature stealing, and powerful instants and sorceries to dominate the board and disrupt opponents' plans.

• 

  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  Aggressive ninja tribal deck that uses ninjutsu to deal damage, draw cards, and trigger damage-based effects to quickly deplete opponents' life totals.

• 

  Kentaro, the Smiling Cat

  Samurai tribal deck that boosts its creatures with equipment and anthem effects, aiming to overwhelm opponents through combat damage and synergy.

• 

  Taigam, Ojutai Master

  Control and card advantage deck that leverages instant and sorcery spells with rebound and bounce effects, maintaining tempo and drawing extra cards to outvalue opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Yuriko's use of ninjutsu to repeatedly return creatures and trigger multiple damage and draw effects proved critical in applying early pressure and generating card advantage.

• 2

  Taigam's rebound spells and bounce effects allowed him to maintain tempo and card advantage while disrupting opponents' plays.

• 3

  Nicol Bolas's Cal Suppressor and creature stealing attempts pressured Yuriko's board but were often countered or mitigated, showing the importance of interaction timing.

• 4

  Kentaro's equipment and banner boosted his samurai, enabling significant combat damage that kept opponents under threat despite control elements on the board.

• 5

  The use of Manifold Insights by Taigam to force opponents to give him nonland cards provided valuable information and resources, shifting the balance of power.

• 6

  Mystical Tutor setting up Temporal Trespass was a turning point that allowed Yuriko to deal significant damage across the table and draw multiple cards.

Notable Cards

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  Mystical Tutor

• 

  Temporal Trespass

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  Slither Blade

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  Vanquisher's Banner

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  Helm of Awakening

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  Archfiend of Depravity

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  Manifold Insights

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  Precognitive Perception

• 

  Thirst for Knowledge

• 

  Mother of Runes

Summary

The game featured four distinct decks led by Nicol Bolas, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, Kentaro, the Smiling Cat, and Taigam, Ojutai Master. Early turns were marked by Yuriko's aggressive ninja attacks leveraging ninjutsu to draw cards and trigger damage-based effects, quickly applying pressure on opponents. Kentaro built up a samurai synergy with equipment like Helm of Awakening and Vanquisher's Banner, aiming to boost his creatures and overwhelm opponents through combat damage. Taigam focused on card draw and control, using spells with rebound and bounce effects to maintain advantage while assembling a defensive board state. Nicol Bolas's deck centered on disruption and stealing key threats, exemplified by cards like Cal suppressor and Archfiend of Depravity, aiming to control the board and capitalize on powerful spells like Epiphany of the Drowned and The Immortal Sun. A pivotal moment occurred when Yuriko cast a Mystical Tutor to set up a Temporal Trespass, enabling a massive ninja damage trigger that dealt 13 damage to all opponents, significantly swinging the game in her favor. Additionally, Taigam's use of Manifold Insights to reveal opponents' hands and force them to donate key cards provided critical information and card advantage. Nicol Bolas's attempts to steal Yuriko with Cal suppressor and other effects were countered, but he maintained pressure with discard and creature control. Kentaro's consistent equipment and samurai tribal support kept his board threatening. The game evolved into a tense interplay of ninjutsu damage bursts, control spells, and card advantage engines, with Yuriko and Taigam leveraging their draw and damage synergies most effectively.