Magic: The Gathering Commander Gameplay EDH | Imotekh v Elenda v Mazzy v Queen Marchesa | Ep. 15

Deck Strategies

• 

  Imotekh the Stormlord

  Artifact graveyard synergy focused on recurring artifacts and creating Necron Warrior tokens, using card draw and artifact sacrifice to maintain value and board presence.

• 

  Elenda, the Dusk Rose

  An aristocrat deck centered on sacrificing creatures to grow Elenda and then generating a large army of vampire tokens upon her death, leveraging life-link and token synergies for board dominance.

• 

  Mazzy, Truesword Paladin

  Aura-based tribal strategy that pumps Mazzy and other creatures for aggressive commander damage, using auras with haste and untap abilities to maximize combat effectiveness.

• 

  Queen Marchesa

  Control and political manipulation deck that uses goading to force opponents into unfavorable attacks, drawing cards from combat interactions and building up counters on creatures to maintain board control.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Imotekh’s use of artifact recursion and graveyard interaction helped him maintain a steady flow of threats despite board wipes and removal.

• 2

  Elenda’s sacrifice and token generation combo applied consistent pressure, forcing opponents to respond or risk being overwhelmed by vampire tokens.

• 3

  Queen Marchesa’s goad mechanic via Carter Doomscourge created tension by forcing attacks and punishing losses, shifting the combat dynamics in her favor.

• 4

  Mazzy’s player maximized combat potential by combining haste and untap effects from auras, enabling multiple attack phases to rapidly deal commander damage.

• 5

  Volcanic Offering’s timing was crucial in disrupting Imotekh’s resurrection orb and removing key lands, showcasing the importance of well-timed board interaction.

Notable Cards

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  Resurrection Orb

• 

  Chronomancer

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  Instill Energy

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  Volcanic Offering

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  Star Compass

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  Thought Vessel

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  Gilded Lotus

Summary

The game began with a relatively slow start as players developed their mana bases and began deploying early creatures and ramp spells. Imotekh the Stormlord focused on artifact synergy, casting key pieces like Resurrection Orb and Chronomancer to generate card advantage and establish board presence. Elenda, the Dusk Rose capitalized on her aristocrat strategy by creating and sacrificing vampire tokens to grow Elenda's power and trigger her death ability to flood the board with tokens, making her a significant threat early on. Mazzy, Truesword Paladin, aimed to boost his commander with auras and pump it for commander damage, while Queen Marchesa played a control role, using goad mechanics and political manipulation to keep opponents in check while drawing cards and accumulating counters on key creatures like Brina the Demagogue. A pivotal moment occurred when Imotekh used Necron Death Mark to destroy Elenda’s key creature and mill cards to fuel his graveyard-based artifact generation. Meanwhile, Ashley’s Elenda deck aggressively pressured opponents with vampire tokens and life-linking creatures, drawing cards from combat triggers and steadily increasing Elenda’s counters. Queen Marchesa’s Carter Doomscourge further complicated combat by goading opponents and punishing attacking creatures with life loss, shifting the game’s tempo and making aggressive attacks costly. Mazzy’s player leveraged instill energy to give Mazzy haste and untap ability, enabling multiple combat phases and massive damage swings. Board wipes and targeted removal, such as Volcanic Offering and artifact recursion from Imotekh, kept the game dynamic and tense. Ultimately, the game revolved around balancing aggressive creature strategies, artifact recursion, and political interactions until one player could establish a decisive board state or lethal damage through commander combat or overwhelming token swarms.