Edgar Markov vs Valki vs Animar vs Gavi [EDH/Commander, Magic The Gathering Gameplay 2021]

Deck Strategies

• 

  Animar, Soul of Elements

  Cast big creatures cheaply using Animar's ability to reduce costs based on +1/+1 counters and grow creatures with counter synergies to dominate the board.

• 

  Gavi, Nest Warden

  Leverage cycling to generate card advantage and trigger Gavi's ability to create small creature tokens, applying pressure through incremental value.

• 

  Edgar Markov

  Build a wide vampire tribal board with tokens and anthem effects, using aggressive combat and damage triggers like Impact Tremors to chip away at opponents.

• 

  Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor

  Control the game through removal and disruption until casting Tibalt, then steal opponents' decks and key cards to gain advantage and control tempo.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The synergy between Reflecting Pool and Command Tower provided flexible mana fixing crucial for Animar's color-intensive casting.

• 2

  Edgar Markov's use of Impact Tremors maximized damage output by triggering with every token vampire created, increasing pressure on opponents.

• 3

  Gavi's free cycling each turn enabled multiple card draws and board presence growth without spending mana, helping maintain steady tempo.

• 4

  Valki's control elements delayed the game effectively but could not fully counter Animar's explosive growth and Edgar's aggressive vampiric swarm.

• 5

  Animar's deployment of Hardened Scales combined with early ramp and free creature casts created a threatening board state that demanded immediate answers.

Notable Cards

• 

  Apex Devastator

• 

  Impact Tremors

• 

  Hardened Scales

• 

  Jeweled Lotus

• 

  Talisman of Hierarchy

• 

  Dusk Legion Zealot

• 

  Tectonic Reformation

• 

  Reflecting Pool

Summary

The game began with each player setting up their board and ramping mana to enable their respective strategies. Gavi, Nest Warden capitalized on cycling synergies to generate card advantage and pressure opponents with small creatures. Animar, Soul of Elements focused on casting large creatures for free, leveraging +1/+1 counter synergies with cards like Hardened Scales to grow creatures rapidly. Edgar Markov deployed a classic vampire tribal strategy, flooding the board with tokens and benefiting from anthem effects to press aggressive damage early. Valki, God of Lies maintained a control posture, aiming to survive the early game to cast Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor and disrupt opponents by stealing their decks and key cards. A pivotal moment came when Animar assembled a powerful board state with multiple +1/+1 counter enablers, threatening massive creatures that could end the game quickly if unanswered. Meanwhile, Edgar Markov's impact tremors dealt steady incremental damage as he swarmed the battlefield with vampires. Valki's control elements delayed the game but struggled to keep up with the explosive tempo from Animar and Edgar. Gavi's cycling engine provided consistent card draw, but the deck's smaller threats had trouble breaking through the high-impact board presence. Ultimately, the game revolved around managing the rapid growth of Animar's creatures and Edgar's aggressive vampire tribal swarm, with the win condition centered on overwhelming opponents with large threats and continuous token damage.