Atsushi v Etali v Selvala v Slicer MTG Bracket 5 cEDH Commander Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Etali, Primal Conqueror

  Leverages red mana acceleration and combo enablers like Bergie and Mana Vault to cast multiple Etali copies and generate value through combat damage and card advantage, culminating in a Food Chain infinite mana combo to overwhelm opponents.

• 

  Slicer, Hired Muscle

  Focuses on early aggressive Commander damage through repeated attacks, supported by mana acceleration and equipment to apply pressure and chip away at opponents quickly.

• 

  Selvala, Explorer Returned

  Typical monogreen ramp and value generation using mana dorks and creatures to accelerate into powerful plays, with some toolbox elements like Goblin Matron for targeted creature tutoring and disruption.

• 

  Atsushi, the Blazing Sky

  Not fully detailed in the game, but generally a deck that uses aggressive creatures and combat tricks to maintain board presence and pressure opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Etali player used multiple copies of Etali via Twin Flame and other spells to trigger repeated combat damage and card advantage, rapidly accelerating their board state.

• 2

  The legend rule interactions with Etali and other legendary creatures were carefully managed to keep the most impactful versions on the battlefield.

• 3

  Food Chain was the key win condition enabling infinite creature mana generation, which was then used to cast large creatures and finish the game decisively.

• 4

  Early aggression from Slicer helped apply pressure but was ultimately insufficient against Etali’s combo-centric ramp and value engine.

• 5

  Cursed Mirror and other equipment provided additional value and protection to key creatures, supporting the combo lines.

Notable Cards

• 

  Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness

• 

  Sword of Fire and Ice

• 

  Mana Vault

• 

  Food Chain

• 

  Walking Ballista

• 

  Goblin Matron

• 

  Cursed Mirror

• 

  Darksteel Plate

Summary

The game started with players developing mana bases and deploying early mana rocks such as Mox and Soul Ring. Slicer aggressively attacked with Commander damage early on, applying pressure. Etali’s player built up a powerful mana engine using cards like Mox, Bergie, and various equipment including Sword of Fire and Ice, eventually casting multiple Etali copies via Twin Flame and other spells to trigger powerful effects. The game featured multiple legend rule sacrifices, token generation, and combo pieces coming together, especially from Etali’s side, who leveraged a Food Chain combo in the late game to generate infinite creature mana. This combo enabled Etali to overwhelm opponents with large dinosaur creatures, securing a decisive victory. Selvala and Atsushi made attempts to stabilize and develop their boards, but Etali’s explosive mana and combo lines proved too strong.