CCO's Curbside Pickup (Games of EDH) - The Fastest Casual Commander Gameplay

Deck Strategies

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  Meren of Clan Nel Toth

  Focuses on sacrificing creatures to generate tokens and draw cards, with strong graveyard recursion to maintain board presence and incremental life loss as a resource.

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  Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar

  Uses +1/+1 counters and protection effects to build a resilient board of creatures that can outlast opponents and generate value through combat.

• 

  Purphoros, God of the Forge

  Leverages token creation and direct damage triggers to quickly whittle down opponents' life totals while maintaining board presence.

• 

  Piru, the Volatile

  Aggressive token and sacrifice synergy focusing on dealing damage through creatures and sacrifice outlets, often fueling Purphoros and other damage triggers.

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  Noble Heritage

  Utilizes +1/+1 counters and token generation to create a growing board presence, supporting other synergistic creatures and combat strategies.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Utilizing Gadrik, the Crown-Scourge to gain control of all Survivor tokens created a powerful board state and synergized well with sacrifice outlets for card draw and life gain.

• 2

  Sacrificing creatures to Altar of Dementia not only fueled graveyard strategies but also helped mill opponents and generate value through Blood Artist triggers.

• 3

  Players prioritized removal of key artifacts like Aetherflux Reservoir and Altar of Dementia to disrupt opponents’ combos and slow down accelerating damage or milling strategies.

• 4

  Purphoros’s ability to deal damage whenever tokens enter the battlefield was a constant threat, forcing opponents to respond quickly or suffer large life losses.

• 5

  The interaction between token generation, sacrifice outlets, and incremental life loss created a dynamic and tense game environment with fluctuating board control and life totals.

Notable Cards

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  Meren of Clan Nel Toth

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  Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar

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  Purphoros, God of the Forge

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  Altar of Dementia

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  Blood Artist

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  Aetherflux Reservoir

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  Skullclamp

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  Fell Stinger

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  Goblin Trashmaster

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  Dragon Fodder

Summary

The game began with players developing their boards with early ramp and utility lands, quickly establishing their commanders and synergistic creatures. Meren of Clan Nel Toth leveraged her graveyard recursion, sacrificing creatures to generate tokens and draw cards, steadily gaining incremental advantage through life loss and token generation. Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar provided powerful +1/+1 counters and protection effects, supporting a board full of resilient creatures. Purphoros, God of the Forge amplified damage through token creation and direct damage triggers, making him a significant threat once he hit the battlefield. A key turning point occurred when Gadrik, the Crown-Scourge entered, enabling control of all Survivor tokens and synergizing with sacrifice outlets like Altar of Dementia and Blood Artist for card draw and life manipulation. Multiple players utilized sacrifice strategies to mill cards and generate value, while also maintaining pressure with creatures and combat damage. The interaction between sacrificing creatures for value and Purphoros’s damage triggers created a tense board state with escalating life swings. The game escalated as players targeted key artifacts like Aetherflux Reservoir and Altar of Dementia to mitigate combos or accelerate their own plans. Ultimately, a combination of token generation, sacrifice outlets, and incremental damage from Purphoros and other commanders drove the game forward, with players carefully balancing aggression and resource management to push for lethal damage and card advantage.