Hunter Pence Takes A Swing At Commander | Shuffle Up & Play #69 | Magic: The Gathering Gameplay

Deck Strategies

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  Megatron, Tyrant // Megatron, Destructive Force

  Aggressive vehicle and creature-based deck that leverages powerful threats and synergy with artifact creatures to dominate the board and outpace opponents.

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  Breena, the Demagogue

  Political control deck that encourages opponents to attack the player with the highest life total, drawing cards and placing +1/+1 counters to grow creatures and maintain board presence.

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  Durnan of the Yawning Portal

  Reanimator-style deck that exiles creatures from the top of the library to cast them cheaply, dealing damage to opponents when spells are cast from exile.

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  Passionate Archaeologist

  Supports synergy with exiling and casting spells from exile, enhancing Durnan's ability and dealing additional damage to opponents.

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  Ellie and Alan, Paleontologists

  Graveyard recursion and creature reanimation deck that digs up creatures from the graveyard or library to maintain board presence and value.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Players prioritized setting up their mana bases and early board presence without resorting to turn-one ramp artifacts like Sol Ring to maintain a fair and fun game environment.

• 2

  The synergy between Durnan of the Yawning Portal and Passionate Archaeologist created a unique reanimator-style mechanic that allowed casting creatures from exile for less mana and triggered damage to opponents, shifting the tempo in Headology's favor.

• 3

  Breena, the Demagogue's ability influenced attack decisions at the table, adding a political layer to gameplay where opponents had to weigh the risks of attacking the highest-life player and enabling Breena to grow her creatures and draw cards.

• 4

  The paleontology theme with Ellie and Alan added flavorful graveyard interactions, with strategic decisions around which creatures to put into the graveyard for potential reanimation later.

• 5

  Hunter Pence's deck integration of baseball-themed card art and vehicle mechanics provided a thematic and mechanical synergy that balanced aggression with fun interactions.

Notable Cards

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  Megatron, Tyrant // Megatron, Destructive Force

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  Breena, the Demagogue

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  Durnan of the Yawning Portal

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  Passionate Archaeologist

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  Ellie and Alan, Paleontologists

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  Ornithopter of Paradise

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  Hedge Maze

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  Exotic Orchard

Summary

The Commander game began with players introducing their decks and commanders, each bringing unique strategies to the table. Hunter Pence piloted Megatron, Tyrant, a deck blending aggressive vehicle themes and baseball-inspired artwork, focusing on powerful creatures and synergy. Breena, the Demagogue aimed to control the board by forcing opponents to attack the player with the highest life, allowing her to grow creatures and draw cards. Headology Magic played Durnan of the Yawning Portal combined with Passionate Archaeologist, leveraging a reanimator-style mechanic that exiles creatures from the top of the deck for cheaper casting and triggers damage effects. Ellie and Alan, Paleontologists brought a thematic paleontology angle, digging up creatures from the graveyard and supporting a graveyard recursion strategy. Early turns involved setting up mana bases with various lands and ramp creatures like Ornithopter of Paradise. Players carefully curated their graveyards and hands, with some casting spells that synergized with their commanders' abilities. Notable moments included the introduction of graveyard and exile synergies that created opportunities for casting creatures at reduced costs and dealing damage to opponents, as well as the political dynamics introduced by Breena's ability to influence attacker choices. The game was played with a focus on fair and fun Magic, avoiding early explosive combos or turn-one ramp artifacts, creating a balanced and engaging multiplayer experience.