POST BAN cEDH feat. Far North and TTC: CAPTAIN AMERICA v. SCION v. SHORIKAI v. JOLLY BALOONMAN

Deck Strategies

• 

  Captain America, First Avenger

  An artifact-centric deck focused on ramp, disruption, and incremental value through equipment and mana rocks, aiming to control the board and slowly accumulate advantage.

• 

  Scion of the Ur-Dragon

  A dragon tribal deck leveraging Scion's ability to tutor and cast powerful dragons, aiming for a late game domination through big threats and synergy.

• 

  Shorikai, Genesis Engine

  An artifact synergy deck that uses Shorikai to generate card advantage and mana, controlling the game with efficient spells and board presence.

• 

  The Jolly Balloon Man

  A combo/control deck focused on enchantment recursion and artifact copying, using Jolly Balloon Man's ability along with cards like Academy Rector to generate continuous value and lock down opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Players utilized early game mana rocks and tutors to accelerate their game plans while maintaining flexibility for interaction.

• 2

  The casting of Jolly Balloon Man triggered immediate table pressure due to its synergy with Academy Rector, requiring coordinated disruption.

• 3

  Careful use of card draw and discard effects, such as drawing with Mastermind's Acquisition and discarding threats, shaped the flow of the game.

• 4

  Mana efficiency and timing of equipment attachments, like Sword of Wealth and Power on key creatures, played a significant role in applying pressure.

• 5

  Players prioritized managing enchantment recursion and artifact copying to prevent any single player from gaining an overwhelming advantage.

Notable Cards

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  Mystic Remora

• 

  Soul Partition

• 

  Chrome Mox

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  Ancient Tomb

• 

  Talisman of Progress

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  Sword of Wealth and Power

• 

  Academy Rector

• 

  Urza's Saga

• 

  Archway of Innovation

Summary

The game began with all four players establishing their mana bases and setting up early game resources, with Captain America focusing on efficient artifact ramp and disruption, Scion of the Ur-Dragon building towards a powerful dragon-centric late game, Shorikai utilizing artifact synergies for card advantage and control, and Jolly Balloon Man aiming for value through enchantments and copying artifacts. Early turns saw players carefully using mana rocks and tutors, with Mystic Remora and other control elements helping to stabilize the board. A pivotal moment occurred when Jolly Balloon Man cast his commander and threatened to repeatedly search for enchantments with Academy Rector, prompting strong table interaction and attempts to disrupt his plan. The game featured tight resource management and strategic card draw, with players leveraging their commanders' unique abilities and key artifacts like Sword of Wealth and Power to gain incremental advantages. Ultimately, the interaction around Jolly Balloon Man's command triggered a critical shift in the game, as opponents coordinated responses to prevent a runaway enchantment combo. The game unfolded with a mix of incremental advantage plays and tactical disruption, highlighting the delicate balance of power in post-ban cEDH metagames.