Korvold, Codie, Jeska & Ishai, Ruric Thar - #cEDH Gameplay Ep 65

Deck Strategies

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  Korvold, Fae-Cursed King

  Utilizes sacrifice outlets and incremental value from drawing cards whenever a permanent is sacrificed. Ramp and card draw generate a steady stream of threats, combining with stax elements like Abrupt Decay and efficient creatures to control the board and grind out wins.

• 

  Codie, Vociferous Codex

  Focuses on a fast combo finish enabled by tutors like Profane Tutor and Ad Nauseam. Protective spells such as Fierce Guardianship and disruption like Nature’s Claim help maintain combo integrity and counter opponents’ stax pieces.

• 

  Jeska, Thrice Reborn & Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker

  A combat damage-based combo deck that grows Ishai exponentially through repeated triggers and Jeska’s damage doubling ability. Uses value creatures, token generators, and storm-like spells such as Timetwister and Brain Freeze to disrupt opponents and push lethal damage.

• 

  Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

  Aggressive creature-based deck that punishes players for casting noncreature spells with direct damage. Combines with other decks’ stax and disruption elements to maintain board control and pressure opponents with recurring threats.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Leite’s use of Manglehorn early on effectively shut down key fast mana artifacts, forcing Codie to rely on alternative mana sources and tutors to maintain combo viability.

• 2

  David’s timely use of Deflecting Swat and Fierce Guardianship protected his Mana Vault and combo pieces from removal, enabling him to keep pressure on the table despite disruption.

• 3

  Baal’s strategic deployment of Timetwister, combined with Wandering Archaic's copying ability, maximized storm count and drew multiple cards, creating a potent storm combo with Brain Freeze to disrupt opponents.

• 4

  Hélder’s chaining of Deathrite Shaman, Korvold, and Witherbloom Apprentice synergized to generate incremental card advantage and life gain, while stax pieces like Fire Covenant kept opponents’ board states in check.

• 5

  The interaction between Ishai and Jeska’s damage doubling was key to applying lethal pressure, especially when Ishai was pumped through multiple triggers from spells and combat damage.

• 6

  Players carefully balanced aggression and defense—Leite and Baal exchanged combat damage while trying to protect their key pieces, and Hélder held back on some turns to maintain potential disruption and combo setups.

Notable Cards

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  Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

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  Manglehorn

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  Mana Vault

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  Trinisphere

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  Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands

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  Survival of the Fittest

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  Dockside Extortionist

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  Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker

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  Jeska, Thrice Reborn

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  Fierce Guardianship

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  Profane Tutor

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  Ad Nauseam

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  Timetwister

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  Chain of Smog

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  Rain of Filth

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  Deathrite Shaman

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  Korvold, Fae-Cursed King

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  Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

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  Codie, Vociferous Codex

Summary

The game featured four competitive cEDH decks piloted by skilled players, each leveraging their commanders' strengths and synergistic strategies. Early turns saw a flurry of ramp and disruption spells, with Leite establishing a fast start using Ragavan and Manglehorn to disrupt opponents' mana bases, while Hélder developed a strong board with elves and value creatures like Korvold. Baal focused on a Jeska and Ishai combo, using incremental damage and token creation to grow Ishai into a significant threat. David’s Codie deck aimed for a combo finish with Ad Nauseam, profiting from efficient tutors and protective spells. Key turning points included multiple interactions around Manglehorn and Mana Vault, where David used Deflecting Swat and Fierce Guardianship to maintain his combo potential. Baal's use of Timetwister to reset hands and boards, combined with Wandering Archaic and Chain of Smog loops, created significant disruption and card advantage. Hélder's Korvold and Deathrite Shaman enabled consistent card draw and incremental value, while Ruric Thar's aggressive presence applied pressure and punished noncreature spells. The game was characterized by careful resource management, combat tricks, and a balance of offense and defense as each player sought to leverage their deck's unique capabilities to outpace opponents.