SCRYBABIES LIVE with PLAY TO WIN Magic Con Chicago | Aetherdrift CEDH Gameplay |

Deck Strategies

• 

  Hashaton, Scarab's Fist

  Utilizes discard to create tapped zombie token copies of large creatures, aiming to overwhelm opponents with a wide board of powerful creatures and difficult-to-interact-with win conditions.

• 

  Loot, the Pathfinder

  Focuses on blinking to repeatedly trigger damage and card draw abilities, generating mana and incremental damage to control the board and outvalue opponents.

• 

  Captain Howler, Sea Scourge

  Leverages discard mechanics to buff creatures and draw cards, aiming to maintain a large hand size and use combat damage to fuel card advantage and board presence.

• 

  Ketramose, the New Dawn

  Draws cards and gains value by exiling cards from graveyards and battlefield, using a powerful indestructible commander with menace and lifelink to pressure opponents once sufficient exile triggers are achieved.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Casting the commander on turn one created immediate board threat and pressured opponents to respond quickly.

• 2

  The use of Gamble to discard and draw helped smooth the hand and set up synergies, showing the importance of risk/reward plays in cEDH.

• 3

  Players used bluffing and misinformation, such as hinting at Food Chain, to influence opponents' decision-making and create uncertainty.

• 4

  Mana acceleration with Sol Ring and Mox Diamond allowed for explosive early plays, emphasizing the value of fast mana in competitive formats.

• 5

  Discard and exile mechanics were central to multiple commanders' strategies, highlighting the synergy potential in this meta.

Notable Cards

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  Sol Ring

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  Mox Diamond

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  Faithless Looting

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  Food Chain

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  Volcanic Island

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  Talisman of Curiosity

• 

  Gamble

Summary

The game opened with aggressive early plays typical of competitive EDH, featuring rapid mana acceleration and strategic card draws. One player immediately cast their commander on turn one, signaling a fast-paced game. The players employed their commanders' unique mechanics: Loot, the Pathfinder focused on repeated blinking to generate damage and card advantage; Captain Howler, Sea Scourge leveraged discard and card draw to buff creatures and maintain hand size; Ketramose relied on exile triggers to draw cards and sustain pressure; and Hashaton, Scarab's Fist aimed to create token copies of large creatures through discard synergies. Early turns involved careful resource management, including mana rocks like Sol Ring and Mox Diamond, and tactical plays such as tutors and surveil to optimize draws and board presence. Interaction and pacing were intense but measured, with players wary of potential combos like Food Chain, keeping tension high. The game was characterized by a mix of disruption, incremental advantage, and strategic bluffing, setting the stage for high-level multiplayer competition.