Diamond Commander League | S1: E8 | Kozilek, Evra, Oloro, Ramos | MTG EDH Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kozilek, the Great Distortion

  Uses artifact ramp and cost reduction to quickly cast large Eldrazi creatures, controlling the board and overwhelming opponents with powerful Eldrazi beats.

• 

  Evra, Halcyon Witness

  Focuses on protecting Evra and using her power-switching ability to deliver a decisive, high-impact attack leveraging hexproof and haste to avoid removal.

• 

  Oloro, Ageless Ascetic

  Employs stax elements and wrath effects to slow down the game, gaining life and card advantage while setting up for alternate win conditions or commander theft.

• 

  Ramos, Dragon Engine

  Ramp-heavy deck that maximizes Ramos's trigger abilities to generate value and set up for big plays or alternate win conditions through massive mana or token production.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Negotiating life total exchanges and attack avoidance with Evra's player allowed her to survive crucial early turns and set up for a powerful attack.

• 2

  Protective equipment like Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves were crucial to keeping commanders like Kozilek and Evra safe from removal and enabling haste.

• 3

  Artifact ramp and cost reducers enabled Kozilek's player to cast Eldrazi creatures faster than usual, increasing board pressure significantly.

• 4

  Oloro's player leveraged Smothering Tithe and Forsaken Monument to gain incremental resource advantage while deploying stax elements like Propaganda to hinder attackers.

• 5

  Ramos's player used Corpsejack Menace to double counters and enhance board presence, supporting a strategy of explosive ramp into alternate win conditions.

• 6

  Multiple counterspells and bounce effects were used strategically to control the board and protect key creatures, indicating a high level of interaction and threat awareness.

Notable Cards

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  Artisan of Kozilek

• 

  Burnished Hart

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  Corpsejack Menace

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  Smothering Tithe

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  Forsaken Monument

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  Flickering Ward

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  Swiftfoot Boots

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  Ghostly Prison

• 

  Sun Titan

Summary

The game began with players developing their mana bases and setting up early board presence. Kozilek's player focused on artifact ramp and cost reducers to quickly cast his large Eldrazi commander, while Evra's player aimed to build up with protection and a key switching ability to maximize damage output in a single attack. Oloro's strategy was to slow the game down using stax elements and wrath spells, aiming for a late-game win or commander theft, while Ramos's player ramped aggressively, looking to leverage Ramos's abilities for alternate win conditions. A pivotal moment occurred when Evra's player used a risky life total exchange with Evra’s power and equipped her with protection and haste, negotiating with opponents to avoid being attacked for a couple of turns. This negotiation and the subsequent use of flickering wards and bounce effects allowed Evra to survive critical turns. Meanwhile, Kozilek’s player cast multiple Eldrazi creatures, including Artisan of Kozilek, ramping into a threatening board state. Ramos's player cast key ramp spells and creatures like Corpsejack Menace to enhance board presence, while Oloro deployed powerful enchantments like Smothering Tithe and Forsaken Monument to gain incremental advantage. The game featured multiple layers of interaction, including counterspells and protective equipment, with players carefully balancing aggression and defense. The game was still unfolding with heavy board states and strategic positioning around commander abilities and life manipulation.