Basim vs. Kitsa - Duel Commander - EDH│MTG│bitzelberg

Deck Strategies

• 

  Basim Ibn Ishaq

  Utilizes artifact synergies to generate card advantage and disrupt opponents through graveyard interaction, supported by efficient removal and counterspells, aiming to outvalue opponents and close out the game with resilient threats.

• 

  Kitsa, Otterball Elite

  A tempo aggro deck leveraging blue looting and card filtering effects to apply early pressure while maintaining hand advantage, using bounce spells and counterspells to control the board and protect key creatures.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Basim’s use of artifact recursion and disruption cards like Unlicensed Hearse and Ledger Shredder effectively pressured Kitsa’s tempo plan while generating card advantage.

• 2

  Kitsa’s Withdraw was pivotal, bouncing multiple key creatures and disrupting Basim’s board development, forcing him to adapt his strategy.

• 3

  The interaction and timing of removal spells and counterspells, such as Fatal Push and Spell Pierce, created several critical tempo swings during combat phases.

• 4

  Basim’s decision to cast Toxic Delusion despite life loss was a calculated risk to maintain card advantage, showing the deck’s balance between aggression and resource management.

• 5

  Both players carefully managed their hand sizes and life totals, illustrating the tight, strategic nature of the match where each card and action affected the board state and future plays significantly.

Notable Cards

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  Unlicensed Hearse

• 

  Ledger Shredder

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  Fatal Push

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  Spell Pierce

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  Withdraw

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  Cryptic Command

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  Combat Research

Summary

The game began with both players setting up their boards carefully, with Basim's artifact-focused deck leveraging cards like Unlicensed Hearse and Ledger Shredder to generate card advantage and disrupt the opponent's graveyard. Kitsa's tempo-oriented deck aimed to apply pressure early with creatures and spells, utilizing looting and card filtering effects to maintain momentum. A key turning point was Basim resolving powerful artifact synergy cards and holding off Kitsa's aggression with removal spells like Fatal Push and counterspells such as Spell Pierce. Kitsa's use of Withdraw to bounce multiple creatures disrupted Basim’s tempo, but Basim's resilient threats and card draw kept the game close. The interaction between Basim's artifact recursion and Kitsa's tempo plays created a dynamic back-and-forth, with both players carefully managing resources and board presence. The game featured several clutch plays involving tempo shifts, such as Basim casting Toxic Delusion to draw cards at the cost of life, countered by Kitsa's removal, and multiple exchanges of combat damage that kept life totals low. Ultimately, the game showcased the power of artifact synergies combined with tempo aggression and disruption, highlighting the strategic depth of both decks.