EDH/Commander Gameplay #18 - Ixhel vs Ovika vs Atraxa

Deck Strategies

• 

  Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa

  Utilizes poison counters and proliferate to gradually weaken opponents while leveraging the synergy between infect and counter manipulation to create lethal board states.

• 

  Atraxa, Grand Unifier

  Built solely from the 'All Will Be One' set, focuses on exploiting the Prosper mechanic to exile and cast cards from opponents’ libraries, alongside proliferate and poison counters to control the board and gain incremental advantage.

• 

  Ovika, Enigma Goliath

  Aims to buff and copy small creatures, generating numerous tokens with haste to apply fast, unblockable damage and leverage multiple combat triggers for a quick finish.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Sacrificing creatures to trigger proliferate effects was a key tactical move that accelerated poison counter accumulation and disrupted opponents’ boards.

• 2

  Using the exile-and-play Prosper mechanic allowed the Atraxa player to access opponents’ cards, creating unique resource advantages and keeping pressure on the table.

• 3

  Bounce effects like repulse were used strategically to delay threats but required careful timing to avoid worsening the player's own poison counter situation.

• 4

  Unblockable creatures combined with haste tokens enabled surprise lethal damage swings, forcing opponents to prioritize removal or blockers early.

• 5

  Counterspell usage was critical in maintaining tempo and disrupting combo or high-value plays, especially around proliferate triggers and key poison counter enablers.

Notable Cards

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  Goblin Electromancer

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  Mind Stone

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  Stealth Mission

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  Thrill of Possibility

Summary

The game started with all three players adopting Phyrexian-themed decks, each focusing on different aspects of the popular mechanics from the 'All Will Be One' set. Early turns were marked by careful ramping, board development, and establishing key creatures with proliferate and poison counters playing a central role. Atraxa, Grand Unifier's player leveraged the set's cards strictly from the bundle, focusing on proliferating poison counters and utilizing the exile-and-play mechanic from the new 'Prosper' ability to maintain card advantage and pressure. Ixhel's player demonstrated aggressive poison counter application combined with proliferate triggers, while Ovika's deck aimed for synergy through multiple copies and buffs to small creatures, aiming to overwhelm opponents with unblockable threats and token generation. A pivotal moment occurred when one player repeatedly sacrificed creatures to trigger proliferate effects and poison counters, rapidly escalating the game's toxicity level and board state pressure. This sequencing forced opponents into defensive positions and led to exchanges where poison counters steadily accumulated. Strategic use of counterspells and bounce effects (for example, returning key threats to hand) slowed down tempo but did not prevent the eventual escalation of damage and poison counters. Towards the midgame, unblockable creatures combined with buffs and haste-giving tokens allowed for aggressive swings, putting players on the brink of defeat. The tension increased as players juggled the new exile-play mechanic, toxic counters, and proliferate interactions, culminating in a high-stakes combat phase that would decide the outcome.