S3 Episode 1: Gitrog Combo vs Tasigur Control vs Chain Veil Teferi vs Shimmer Zur cEDH Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  The Gitrog Monster

  Utilizes dredge and discard outlets with Bazaar of Baghdad and Life from the Loam to generate card advantage and combo off with Oblivion Crown for an instant-speed kill.

• 

  Tasigur, the Golden Fang

  A control and grind deck that slows the game, using removal and creature theft via Gilded Drake to disrupt opponents, while ramping and drawing incremental advantage to out-resource the table.

• Chain Veil Teferi

  Wins by generating infinite planeswalker activations through Chain Veil and artifact untap combos, then tutoring for Ugin to finish with mass damage, while deploying artifact hate to disrupt opponents.

• 

  Zur the Enchanter

  Leverages a Shimmer Myr combo line enhanced by Tainted Pact and Demonic Consultation to tutor combo pieces at instant speed, supported by counterspells and card draw to protect its combo.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Luke’s use of Bazaar of Baghdad and Life from the Loam early to dredge and dig through the deck set the foundation for his combo lines and allowed him to withstand early disruption.

• 2

  Cameron’s timely use of Gilded Drake to steal The Gitrog Monster was a pivotal disruption that forced Luke to adapt and slowed his combo execution significantly.

• 3

  Sigi’s deployment of Cursed Totem after copying a Mana Vault was a strategic play to hinder artifact ramp, specifically targeting combo setups relying on mana rocks.

• 4

  Dan’s choice to keep a hand with counterspells and card draw spells like Jace, Vryn's Prodigy allowed him to navigate a difficult position against multiple combo decks and set up his own Shimmer line.

• 5

  The early Strip Mine targeting Cavern of Souls was a critical tempo play to prevent Luke’s Gitrog from resolving uncountered, showcasing the importance of land disruption in cEDH.

• 6

  Players prioritized interaction and disruption over early aggression, reflecting the high-stakes nature of competitive EDH where stopping combos is as crucial as assembling them.

Notable Cards

• 

  The Gitrog Monster

• 

  Bazaar of Baghdad

• 

  Life from the Loam

• 

  Oblivion Crown

• 

  Gilded Drake

• 

  Cursed Totem

• 

  Voltaic Key

• 

  Tainted Pact

• 

  Demonic Consultation

• 

  Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound

• 

  Mana Vault

• 

  Strip Mine

Summary

The game began with Luke establishing an aggressive combo-centric board using The Gitrog Monster, leveraging his Bazaar of Baghdad and Life from the Loam to generate massive card advantage and set up an instant-speed kill combo with Oblivion Crown. Cameron’s Tasigur deck played a control and grind game, aiming to disrupt Luke’s combo with targeted removal and Gilded Drake to steal key creatures, particularly threatening Gitrog early to set Luke back. Sigi, piloting Chain Veil Teferi, focused on assembling infinite planeswalker activations through artifact synergies and Chain Veil loops, while deploying hate pieces like Cursed Totem to hinder artifact-based ramp in the field. Dan’s Shimmer Zur variant sought to combo off using Tainted Pact and Demonic Consultation to tutor for key combo pieces, relying on efficient disruption and card filtering with Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy and counterspells.