HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY pt 2 & Ravnica Gameplay - Niv Mizzet, Mazirek, Rakdos, Teysa Karlov - EDH Commander

Deck Strategies

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  Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest

  Focuses on sacrificing creatures to generate +1/+1 counters on Mazirek and other creatures, creating a growing board presence through death triggers and token generation, aiming to overwhelm opponents with incremental value and attrition.

• 

  Rakdos, Lord of Riots

  Leverages damage dealt to opponents to reduce the casting cost of large creatures, enabling explosive board development and aggressive pressure through big threats and ping damage.

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  Teysa Karlov

  Doubles death triggers and exploits aristocrat synergies to gain value from creatures dying, often controlling the board through sacrifice and token production while draining opponents' life totals.

• 

  Niv-Mizzet, Parun

  Draws cards and deals damage by casting instants and sorceries, maximizing incremental value with pings and card advantage generated from triggered abilities like Electrostatic Field.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Scott's use of Urza's Saga to ramp into a Calling Ritual board wipe was pivotal, destroying nine nonland permanents and resetting the board advantage.

• 2

  Mazirek's Grist, the Hunger Tide synergized well with sacrifice effects to generate tokens and pressure opponents, but was hampered by Dictate of Erebos forcing sacrifices.

• 3

  Kyle's Niv-Mizzet deck maintained card advantage and damage output through multiple cantrips and Electrostatic Field triggers, showing the power of incremental damage and card draw.

• 4

  Rakdos sacrificed his own commander strategically to comply with sacrifice effects while preserving other board assets, demonstrating flexibility in resource management under pressure.

• 5

  Matt timed Dictate of Erebos on an opponent's turn to maximize forced sacrifices, leveraging aristocrat synergies to control the board and disrupt opponents' development.

Notable Cards

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  Urza's Saga

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  Witch's Oven

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  Electrostatic Field

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  Grist, the Hunger Tide

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  Rakdos, Lord of Riots

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  Dictate of Erebos

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  Flame of Anor

Summary

The game began with players developing their mana bases and early board presence, with Scott leveraging Urza's Saga to ramp into powerful spells and sacrifice outlets like Witch's Oven. Matt built a life gain and aristocrat-style deck centered around Ilas Il Core and Dictate of Erebos, while Kyle focused on a Niv-Mizzet, Parun deck that utilized instant and sorcery triggers for card draw and ping damage, exemplified by Electrostatic Field and multiple cantrips. The Rakdos player used early aggressive pings from Creeping Blood Sucker and cost reduction from Rakdos, Lord of Riots to cast expensive creatures cheaply, while Teysa Karlov enhanced death triggers and token synergies. A major turning point was Scott's board wipe with Calling Ritual, which destroyed nine nonland permanents and set him far ahead in board control. The sacrifice theme from Mazirek was strong with Grist, the Hunger Tide generating tokens and forcing sacrifices, while Matt's Dictate of Erebos pressured opponents to give up creatures continually. Kyle's Niv-Mizzet deck maintained consistent card advantage and incremental damage through spells and abilities, but faced disruption from board wipes and sacrifice effects. Rakdos's cheap big creatures and pings kept pressure on opponents, but he sacrificed his commander in a strategic move to maintain board state after a sacrifice effect. The game revolved around managing death triggers, sacrifice synergies, and incremental damage pings, with multiple players leveraging graveyard recursion and board control to outlast opponents.