Zaxara vs Xenagos vs Scarab God vs Vrondriss EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Zaxara, the Exemplary

  Ramp aggressively with spells and lands, generate value through spells and tokens, and create large hydra tokens to overwhelm opponents.

• 

  Xenagos, God of Revels

  Utilize Xenagos to pump large creatures for lethal combat damage, taking advantage of haste and trample to close out games quickly.

• Vrondriss, Rage of Ancients

  Deal incremental damage with dragon and elemental tokens, control the board with damage triggers, and leverage token generation for sustained pressure.

• 

  The Scarab God

  Control the board through sacrifice and discard synergy using Liliana and Grave Pact, generate zombie tokens, and drain life to outvalue opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Mass Manipulation was crucial in turning the tide by stealing key creatures and generating hydra tokens, significantly altering board control.

• 2

  Fred’s use of Grave Pact combined with sacrifice outlets forced opponents to make tough decisions on creature retention, enabling board control through attrition.

• 3

  Joel’s timely use of Berserk on Carnage Tyrant enabled a lethal strike that pressured Fred heavily, showcasing how combat tricks can shift momentum.

• 4

  Dom’s Dragon Broodmother synergized powerfully with Terror of the Peaks, repeatedly triggering damage and token generation to maintain board dominance.

• 5

  Nick’s Animus Awakening enabled explosive land drops and token creation, facilitating quick board development and pressure on opponents.

• 6

  Strategic responses like Deflecting Swat redirected removal spells, protecting key creatures and maintaining board presence under threat.

Notable Cards

• 

  Xenagos, God of Revels

• 

  The Scarab God

• 

  Zaxara, the Exemplary

• 

  Grave Pact

• 

  Mass Manipulation

• 

  Beast Within

• 

  Deflecting Swat

• 

  Dragon Broodmother

• 

  Terror of the Peaks

• 

  Carnage Tyrant

• 

  Berserk

• 

  Liliana of the Veil

Summary

The game began with each player establishing their mana base and early board presence, with Xenagos quickly deploying Xenagos, God of Revels to enable aggressive creature buffs. Scarab God steadily developed a zombie token army supported by Liliana's discard and sacrifice synergies. Vrondriss leveraged Carpet of Flowers and Scourge of Valkas to apply incremental damage and build a dragon token presence. Zaxara focused on ramp and value spells to build a wide board. Key turning points included Dom (Vrondriss) using Mass Manipulation to steal powerful creatures like Scourge of Valkas and Pulse Crusher, drastically shifting board control. Fred (Scarab God) cast Grave Pact, forcing sacrifices and enabling board control through attrition. Joel (Xenagos) unleashed a Carnage Tyrant with Berserk to try and close out Fred, but Fred's defensive plays and Dom's counters prolonged the game. Nick (Zaxara) used Animus Awakening to hit multiple lands and create a large hydra token, swinging the stolen Scourge and a token to pressure Joel. Dom's Dragon Broodmother synergy with Terror of the Peaks repeatedly damaged opponents and generated tokens, amplifying his board presence. The game showcased intense creature combat, strategic use of removal like Beast Within and Deflecting Swat, and interaction around board wipes and sac effects. The win condition revolved around overwhelming opponents with powerful creatures and tokens, amplified by commanders’ triggers and synergy spells that manipulated control and the board state.