Battle for the One Ring, ft. Frodo, Bilbo, Tom, and Gandalf [EDH/Commander Gameplay 2023]

Deck Strategies

• 

  Frodo, Sauron's Bane

  Advance Frodo’s level-up ability by managing the Ring Tempts You mechanic and employing all nine Nazgûl to pressure opponents, aiming to unlock Frodo’s powerful win condition tied to the One Ring.

• Bilbo

  Gain incremental life and build toward a high life total to activate a powerful exile effect that allows searching the library for multiple creatures and putting them into play, aiming for a decisive board presence.

• 

  Tom Bombadil

  Utilize indestructibility and hexproof to protect Tom alongside multiple saga enchantments, generating value from saga triggers and controlling the board through enchantment synergy.

• 

  Gandalf the Grey

  Employ flicker effects and spell copying to repeatedly cast and amplify Epic Experiment and other spells, creating a combo loop that generates massive card advantage and disruption.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Frodo’s player prioritized assembling the full set of Nazgûl to maximize pressure and interaction with the Ring Tempts You mechanic, highlighting the synergy and thematic focus of the deck.

• 2

  Bilbo’s player focused on incremental life gain and carefully timed activation of the exile ability to potentially flood the board with creatures for an overwhelming advantage.

• 3

  Gandalf’s player sought to establish a flicker and spell-copying combo with Epic Experiment, Twincaster Mage, and other cards to maintain a continuous loop of spell recasting, aiming for infinite value.

• 4

  Tom Bombadil’s indestructibility and hexproof allowed for safe deployment and protection of sagas, which provided steady incremental advantages and board control through enchantment triggers.

• 5

  The decision to exclude the One Ring card from the budget decks added a layer of humor and thematic tension, with players acknowledging its significance but opting for a balanced competitive environment.

• 6

  Players engaged in light combat and resource development early on, each maneuvering to reach their unique win conditions while maintaining board presence and preventing opponents’ combos.

Notable Cards

• 

  Frodo, Sauron's Bane

• 

  Tom Bombadil

• 

  Epic Experiment

• 

  Archetype of Endurance

• 

  Opulent Palace

• 

  Reverberate

• 

  Cultivator Colossus

Summary

The game features a thematic multiplayer Commander duel centered around the Lord of the Rings characters, with each player piloting a deck inspired by a different iconic figure: Frodo, Bilbo, Tom Bombadil, and Gandalf. The early game involves players establishing their mana bases and deploying key creatures and enchantments that align with their unique win conditions. Frodo's deck focuses on the Ring Tempts You mechanic, leveraging the nine Nazgûl to pressure opponents and attempt to advance Frodo's level-up ability to secure victory. Bilbo's deck aims to gain life and utilize a powerful endgame combo by exiling itself to search and deploy multiple creatures at once, seeking to reach a life threshold of 111 or more. Tom Bombadil’s deck revolves around sagas, leveraging his indestructibility and hexproof to maintain board presence and generate value from saga enchantments. Gandalf’s deck utilizes blue-red flicker and spell-copying combos, particularly with Epic Experiment and flicker effects, to continuously reuse and multiply powerful spells for card advantage and control. Throughout the midgame, players engage with each other through attacks and strategic plays while working toward their individual win conditions. The One Ring card is a prized but budget-excluded artifact in this play session, adding to the thematic flavor without directly influencing the gameplay. The session highlights the interplay of thematic decks with unique mechanics and combos, culminating in tense interactions and board state developments that showcase each deck's strengths.