Deck & Commander Strategies
Yurlok of Scorch Thrash
Focuses on dealing incremental damage to all players through casting spells and playing lands, aiming to control the game by making opponents uncomfortable and eventually winning via burn and an infinite combo that is difficult to assemble.
Liesa, Shroud of Dusk
Utilizes a suite of powerful angels and burn effects that trigger when casting spells, combining lifelink and flying creatures with continuous damage to wear down opponents and maintain board presence.
Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
Ramp-heavy deck that quickly develops large hydras and planeswalkers, using doubling counters enchantments to accelerate growth and overpower opponents with huge creatures and overwhelming board states.
Hans Eriksson
Manipulates the top of the library to cheat out big creatures via the commander's ability, protecting the commander through various means, and aiming to maintain tempo by repeatedly deploying threats.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Players had to carefully manage incremental damage from symmetrical effects like Burning Earth and damage from casting spells, affecting decisions on how aggressively to cast spells or tap lands.
- 2
Liesa's player used the upkeep ability to reveal angels from the top of the library, enabling repeated recursion of creatures like Cleaving Reaper, which pressured opponents with flying and trample.
- 3
Vorinclex's deck capitalized on doubling counters from enchantments such as Branching Evolution to rapidly amplify threats, forcing opponents to respond quickly or face overwhelming board presence.
- 4
Hans Eriksson's strategy of manipulating the top of his deck and cheating out creatures was challenged by early pressure from incremental damage, requiring careful timing to maximize his commander's ability.
- 5
Negotiations between players occurred to avoid attacking the most threatening commanders, highlighting the importance of player diplomacy in multiplayer EDH games to manage board states and threat levels.
Notable Cards
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Burning Earth
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Branching Evolution
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Cleaving Reaper
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Herald's Horn
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Scroll Rack
Gameplay Summary
The game featured a four-player Commander match with Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider; Yurlok of Scorch Thrash; Liesa, Shroud of Dusk; and Hans Eriksson.
Early turns were marked by incremental damage from cards that punishingly dealt damage whenever players cast spells or used non-basic lands, primarily from Yurlok and Liesa's decks.
Liesa's deck leveraged angels and burn effects, slowly wearing down opponents with damage from casting spells, while Vorinclex focused on ramping into large hydras and planeswalkers to dominate the board.
Hans Eriksson's strategy revolved around manipulating the top of the deck to cheat out powerful creatures and protect his commander to maintain continuous pressure.
Key turning points included Liesa repeatedly casting significant angels that combined flying and trample to apply pressure, supported by cards like Herald's Horn for cost reduction and card advantage.
Vorinclex's player utilized enchantments that doubled counters on creatures, rapidly growing his threats.
Meanwhile, the table endured consistent damage from symmetrical effects like Burning Earth and other burn spells, which shaped players' life totals and choices.
Hans Eriksson struggled to keep pace with the aggressive early damage but aimed to stabilize with his top-deck manipulation and cheat-in tactics.
The game’s tempo was defined by the constant low-level burn damage combined with explosive creature plays, creating a tense environment where players had to balance aggression and survival.
The ongoing incremental damage and pressure from large creatures eventually forced decisions around attacking and blocking, with players negotiating temporary truces to avoid retaliation from the strongest threats.
