Volo vs Toxrill vs Zangief vs Will & Hopper [EDH/Commander, MTG Gameplay 2022]

Deck Strategies

• 

  Toxrill, the Corrosive

  A blue-black control slug deck that places slime counters on opponents' creatures each turn, weakening them and generating slug tokens upon creature deaths to sacrifice for card draw and incremental advantage.

• 

  Volo, Guide to Monsters

  A Simic value deck focusing on casting creatures of different types to create additional creature tokens, building board presence and card advantage through synergistic creature spells.

• Zangief, the Red Cyclone

  A Mardu fight-themed deck that uses fight spells as both removal and combat tricks, aiming to control the board by forcing creatures to trade or die while maintaining aggression.

• Will & Hopper

  A Dimir deck centered around generating clue tokens and value from entering and leaving the battlefield effects, building a grindy midrange game plan with card advantage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Toxrill's ability to place slime counters on all opponents' creatures each turn forced players to manage their boards carefully to avoid losing multiple creatures simultaneously.

• 2

  Exploiting the Feldstinger to sacrifice the Solemn Simulacrum resulted in efficient card draw, showcasing the power of synergy between sacrifice outlets and value creatures.

• 3

  The timing of casting Toxrill on turn seven was pivotal, applying substantial pressure and setting up slug token generation to accelerate card advantage.

• 4

  Players used fight spells and removal not only to clear threats but also to trigger beneficial effects and manipulate board state strategically.

• 5

  Maintaining a diverse creature type strategy with Volo enabled continuous token generation without triggering restrictions that would negate the value.

• 6

  Clue token generation from Will & Hopper added a steady source of card advantage, supporting a grindy, value-oriented midgame approach.

Notable Cards

• 

  Toxrill, the Corrosive

• 

  Volo, Guide to Monsters

• 

  Solemn Simulacrum

• 

  Opposition Agent

• 

  Midnight Clock

• 

  Nightshade Peddler

Summary

The game began with each player ramping and setting up their board state with early plays like Soul Ring, Mystic Study, and various utility creatures. The Toxrill player established a strong board presence by casting Toxrill, the Corrosive, a threat that places slime counters on opponents' creatures and generates slug tokens when creatures die, fueling card draw and board control. Meanwhile, the Volo player focused on a value-oriented strategy by duplicating creature spells to generate incremental advantage, emphasizing synergy without overlapping creature types. The gameplay featured multiple interactions involving sacrifice and exploit mechanics, notably with Feldstinger and Solemn Simulacrum, leading to card draw and board development. The players also jockeyed for tempo with fight spells and removal effects, especially from the Zangief deck that leveraged numerous fight spells for removal. A pivotal moment was the Toxrill player deploying their commander on turn seven, significantly increasing pressure by spreading slime counters and forcing opponents to respond or lose creatures. The game revolved around maintaining board presence while managing resources, with players leveraging creature synergies, fight spells, and token generation to advance their win conditions.