Deck & Commander Strategies
Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper & Ludovic, Necro-Alchemist
Copy and steal opponents' creatures, then buff them to out-value and outsize the original threats, combining card draw and life gain to maintain momentum.
Anafenza, the Foremost
Generate a large number of tokens to overwhelm opponents, using anthem effects and synergy to create a wide and resilient board presence.
Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Ramp aggressively to cast massive Eldrazi threats that can dominate the board and disrupt opponents through sheer power and colorless utility.
Roon of the Hidden Realm
Blink creatures repeatedly to maximize enter-the-battlefield effects, gain incremental advantages, and control the flow of combat and board state.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Jacob’s use of Ludovic to draw cards after combat damage helped him maintain card advantage and fuel his strategy of copying and stealing creatures.
- 2
Josh’s early play of Curse Follower allowed repeated blinking of lands and creatures, accelerating his deck’s synergies and value generation.
- 3
Jimmy’s choice to deploy Risk the Redeemed early hinted at his focus on token production to build a wide board presence.
- 4
Ashlen’s deployment of utility lands like Expedition Map and Ancient Tomb enabled her to ramp quickly into high-impact Eldrazi threats.
- 5
The interplay between stealing/copying creatures and repeated flickering created a complex board state where timing and sequencing of plays were crucial.
- 6
Mana fixing and ramp were prioritized early by all players to ensure access to their decks’ key spells and to support their strategic game plans.
Notable Cards
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Expedition Map
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Ancient Tomb
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Strip Mine
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Pestermite
Gameplay Summary
The game featured a dynamic four-player Commander match with a unique mix of strategies.
Jacob, the guest player, piloted a partner commander deck with Ikra Shidiqi and Ludevic, aiming to copy and steal opponents' creatures and then enhance them for a stronger board presence.
Jimmy played a token-focused Anafenza deck, aiming to flood the board with tokens to overwhelm opponents.
Ashlen controlled a colorless Eldrazi Kozilek deck that sought to ramp into massive threats and disrupt the table with Eldrazi power.
Josh managed a Roon of the Hidden Realm deck built around flickering creatures to generate repeated value and control the tempo of the game.
Early turns involved ramping and positioning, with key plays such as deploying Ludovic to draw cards and setting up for blink combos with Roon.
The game’s momentum shifted as Jacob began leveraging his strategy of copying and stealing creatures, threatening multiple players simultaneously.
Jimmy’s token army grew steadily, putting pressure on the table while Ashlen’s Eldrazi deck focused on explosive threats.
Josh’s flicker synergy allowed him to maintain control and interrupt opponents’ plans.
The critical turning point came when the interaction between blink effects and creature theft enabled Jacob to create a threatening board state, but the mass token generation and resilience of Anafenza’s deck also posed a significant challenge.
Ultimately, the game revolved around balancing board presence, card advantage, and interaction, with each player leveraging their deck's unique strengths to outlast opponents in a high-stakes battle where only one could stand.