Deck & Commander Strategies
Xyris, the Writhing Storm
A group hug deck that ramps and draws cards for all players to break board parity, then closes the game with burn spells and overwhelming combat damage supported by anthem effects like Coat of Arms.
Jorn, God of Winter
A snow-themed stax and value engine deck that uses untap effects and powerful locks to control the game, gaining incremental value each turn and frustrating opponents’ plans.
Captain Ripley Vance
A soft storm deck that casts multiple spells per turn with a focus on cantrips and burn to control the board, occasionally leveraging storm combos and Underworld Bridge to win.
Tayam, Luminous Enigma
A counters-focused deck leveraging +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters, self-mill, and landfall to grow threats and disrupt opponents, with graveyard recursion enabling resilience and combo setups.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Xyris’s group hug approach provided resources to all players but aimed to close with burn damage and anthem effects, requiring careful timing to avoid enabling opponents too much.
- 2
Jorn’s stax pieces created a taxing environment that slowed opponents’ development, forcing them to navigate around locked resources and disrupted untaps.
- 3
Ripley’s use of Chandra and multiple spells per turn maintained pressure while digging for a storm finish, but the deck balanced between controlling the board and setting up combos.
- 4
Tayam leveraged graveyard recursion and counters synergy to rebuild board presence after disruption, turning small creatures into threatening attackers with synergy triggers.
- 5
The interaction between Embargo and other stax effects created tactical decisions about attacking and resource management, impacting players’ choices on when to commit to combat.
- 6
Strategic use of mana rocks and card draw spells like Mind Stone and Tectonic Reformation helped players maintain tempo and dig for key pieces mid-game.
- 7
The game highlighted the tension between group hug effects and stax disruption, showcasing how resource sharing can accelerate or hinder different deck strategies.
Notable Cards
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Coat of Arms
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Chandra, Torch of Defiance
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Evolution Sage
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Mind Stone
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Tectonic Reformation
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Altar of Dementia
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Embargo
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Humble Defector
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Clever Impersonator
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Strionic Resonator
Gameplay Summary
The game begins with each player establishing their board state according to their deck's themes.
Xyris, the Writhing Storm, pilots a group hug strategy, providing mana and card draw to all players while threatening with eventual burn and big combat finishers like Coat of Arms.
Jorn, God of Winter, plays a snow-themed stax and value engine deck, leveraging untap effects and powerful stax pieces, creating a taxing board that slows opponents while accumulating incremental advantage.
Ripley Vance employs a soft storm package, casting multiple spells per turn to control the board and occasionally storm off with the help of cards like Underworld Bridge.
Tayam, Luminous Enigma focuses on counters with a heavy synergy around permanents with converted mana cost three or less, using +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters to both disrupt and grow threats. Early turns featured minor skirmishes with clever impersonator and Chandra Torch of Defiance generating tempo for Ripley, while Jorn’s value pieces like Grim Respects and vigilance-enabling creatures started to build board presence.
Tayam utilized creatures with counters and fetch lands to trigger Evolution Sage, diversifying threats.
Xyris stayed relatively friendly with group hug elements but maintained pressure through snakes and burn spells.
Mid-game saw key interactions such as the use of a Mind Stone and Tectonic Reformation to ramp and dig deeper, while players traded damage, carefully weighing attacks due to threats like Embargo and stax pieces.
The pivotal moment arrived when Tayam leveraged graveyard recursion with cards like Altar of Dementia and Drana, returning impactful permanents and setting up for bigger plays.
The game showcased a balance of aggressive damage, stax disruption, and combo potential, with board control and resource management being critical throughout.
