MTGO Match-Up: Krenko, Mob Boss VS Animar, Soul of Elements EDH CMDR gameplay video

Deck Strategies

• 

  Krenko, Mob Boss

  Focus on generating a massive army of goblin tokens quickly using Krenko's ability and tribal support cards like Goblin Warchief and Siege-Gang Commander. Overwhelm opponents with wide board presence and incremental damage, recasting Krenko as needed to maintain pressure.

• 

  Animar, Soul of Elements

  Ramp mana and cast cheap creatures to grow Animar's counters, enabling the casting of large elemental creatures and spells at reduced cost. Use card draw and control elements to disrupt opponents while building towards explosive combos.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Krenko's ability to repeatedly cast himself allowed for continuous token generation despite removal spells from Animar's deck.

• 2

  Goblin Warchief significantly reduced the mana cost of goblin spells, enabling explosive turns with wide token boards.

• 3

  Animar's slower ramp and setup were disrupted by constant pressure, highlighting the challenge of keeping pace against fast tribal strategies.

• 4

  Choosing not to attack with Krenko early to avoid giving the opponent extra tokens was a cautious and strategic decision.

• 5

  Adaptive Automaton's tribal synergy with goblin spells and Warchief helped maintain pressure and reduce costs.

• 6

  The use of Siege-Gang Commander naming goblins increased token synergy and created additional threats on the board.

• 7

  Despite Animar's potential for combo and big creatures, the incremental damage and token swarms proved decisive.

Notable Cards

• 

  Krenko, Mob Boss

• 

  Goblin Warchief

• 

  Siege-Gang Commander

• 

  Adaptive Automaton

• 

  Animar, Soul of Elements

• 

  Beast Within

• 

  Gilded Drake

Summary

The match featured a clash between a Goblin tribal deck led by Krenko, Mob Boss and a Temur elemental-centric deck headed by Animar, Soul of Elements. Early game saw a slow start from Animar's side, allowing the Krenko player to establish a solid board presence by casting Krenko multiple times and creating numerous goblin tokens. The Goblin Warchief and other tribal synergies helped reduce casting costs and accelerate the token generation. Animar's deck tried to ramp and set up with cards like Haven Elf and Divining Top but struggled to keep pace with the explosive token production from Krenko. Midgame, Krenko capitalized on his growing army, swinging for incremental damage and leveraging synergy with cards like Siege-Gang Commander and Adaptive Automaton. Animar attempted to disrupt with removal like Beast Within, but Krenko's ability to recast his commander and rebuild quickly kept the pressure on. Despite some counterplay and defensive blocks from Animar's side, Krenko's relentless token assault eventually overwhelmed the opponent. The game ended with a decisive victory for Krenko after a final big attack, showcasing the power of token swarm and tribal synergy against a slower, more combo-oriented Animar deck.