Are Combat Strategies Viable in cEDH? cedh gameplay: Kinnan v Kinnan v Yuriko v Slicer

Deck Strategies

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  Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy

  This deck focuses on accelerating mana through mana dorks and artifacts, leveraging Kinnan's ability to boost noncreature mana production. The goal is to assemble large mana combos, often involving artifacts like Basalt Monolith, to cast game-ending spells such as Finale of Devastation to overwhelm opponents quickly.

• 

  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  Yuriko's deck emphasizes ninjutsu and evasive creatures to deal incremental damage through combat and trigger her ability to deal additional damage by revealing high-cost ninjutsu triggers. The deck aims to control the board via stealth and tempo while slowly whittling down opponents.

• 

  Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist

  Slicer uses ninjutsu and aggressive combat tactics, frequently bouncing and replaying itself to maximize attacks and generate pressure early in the game. The deck relies on quick mana acceleration and combat tricks to maintain tempo and chip away at opponents’ life totals.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Basalt Monolith's untap ability in combination with mana doubling effects allowed for infinite mana generation, enabling a massive Finale of Devastation cast.

• 2

  Slicer’s ninjutsu mechanic was used effectively to maintain a steady stream of evasive attackers, applying continuous combat pressure.

• 3

  Yuriko’s deck leveraged small evasive creatures and ninjutsu triggers to chip away at opponents before larger combos could be assembled.

• 4

  Players carefully navigated combat and targeted attacks to prioritize removing the most immediate threats, demonstrating high-level situational awareness.

• 5

  Copying powerful spells like Smothering Rug with Reverberate showcased the value of interaction and spell duplication in maintaining control and tempo.

Notable Cards

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  Basalt Monolith

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  Finale of Devastation

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  Bloom Tender

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  Mox Amber

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  Delighted Halfling

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  Chromatic Lantern

Summary

The game features a highly competitive 4-player cEDH match with two Kinnan decks, Yuriko, and Slicer. The early turns saw each player establishing ramp and board presence, with key plays like Slicer utilizing Ninjutsu to create evasive attackers and Kinnan players focusing on mana acceleration and artifact synergies. Combat damage, especially from aggressive creatures like Slicer and Yuriko's evasive attackers, pressured the board state early on. A pivotal moment occurred when one Kinnan player leveraged Basalt Monolith and mana doubling combos to generate a massive amount of mana, enabling a dramatic Finale of Devastation with an extremely high X value. This explosive finish allowed them to swing for lethal damage, ending the game decisively before opponents could recover or respond effectively.