WORST BIRTHDAY / Laelia / Zedruu / Xyris / Isshin / The Worst Possible Commander Show 23 Magic MTG

Deck Strategies

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  Laelia, the Blade Reforged

  Aggressive mono-red voltron focused on exiling cards for card advantage to grow Laelia into a large, fast attacker and applying multiple damage doubling effects to win through commander damage.

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  Zedruu the Greathearted

  A Jeskai control and gifting deck that gains life and draws cards based on opponent permanents, exchanging control of permanents to disrupt opponents and aiming to win through life gain or hand size conditions.

• 

  Isshin, Two Heavens as One

  A Mardu Eldrazi annihilator deck leveraging doubled attack triggers to force opponents to sacrifice multiple permanents, ramping into powerful Eldrazi creatures to quickly end the game.

• 

  Xyris, the Writhing Storm

  A Temur snakes tribal deck that generates numerous snake tokens through forced card draws and buffs them with enchantments to overwhelm opponents with a wide, powerful board.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Laelia’s strategy of exiling cards to grow and then doubling damage output created constant pressure that forced opponents to respond quickly or lose to commander damage.

• 2

  Zedruu’s gifting mechanic and control exchange added a layer of complexity by reshuffling board control, allowing for disruption and unexpected board states that challenged opponents’ plans.

• 3

  Isshin’s use of doubled attack triggers with Eldrazi annihilator effects created a high-stakes environment where each attack could drastically reduce opponents’ resources by forcing multiple permanent sacrifices.

• 4

  Xyris capitalized on forced card draws and token generation to flood the board with snakes, then used buffs like Beastmaster Ascension to turn those tokens into a formidable force, showcasing a strong synergy between draw manipulation and creature tokens.

• 5

  The interplay between gifting, annihilator triggers, and token generation led to a chaotic game state where timing and resource management were critical to survival and eventual victory.

Notable Cards

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  Laelia, the Blade Reforged

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  Zedruu the Greathearted

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  Isshin, Two Heavens as One

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  Xyris, the Writhing Storm

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  Felidar Sovereign

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  Triskaidekaphile

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  Grid Monitor

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  Beastmaster Ascension

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  Basilisk Collar

• 

  Grim Haruspex

Summary

The game began with a dynamic clash of four distinct strategies, each led by a unique commander. Laelia, the Blade Reforged spearheaded an aggressive mono-red deck focused on quickly amassing a large, damage-dealing spirit warrior through exile-based card advantage and numerous damage doubling effects. Meanwhile, Zedruu the Greathearted piloted a Jeskai control/gifts deck aiming to gain life and control permanents from opponents as presents, setting up alternate win conditions like Felidar Sovereign and Triskaidekaphile. Isshin, Two Heavens as One led a Mardu Eldrazi annihilator deck that sought to leverage attack triggers to force opponents to sacrifice permanents, ramping into large Eldrazi threats. Xyris, the Writhing Storm utilized a Temur snakes tribal strategy to generate numerous snake tokens through forced card draws and aimed to buff those tokens into a wide and intimidating army. As the game unfolded, Laelia’s aggressive mono-red strategy put immediate pressure on opponents, attempting to close the game quickly with commander damage amplified by multiple damage doubling enchantments and equipment. Zedruu’s gifting tactics created chaotic board states by exchanging control of key permanents, disrupting opponents’ plans while aiming to stabilize with life gain and alternate win conditions. Isshin’s deck ramped into colossal Eldrazi creatures with annihilator triggers, forcing opponents to sacrifice multiple permanents each attack and threatening to end the game abruptly. Xyris steadily generated snake tokens with card draw synergies like Fury's Puzzle Box and aimed to overwhelm opponents with a wide board and buffs from Beastmaster Ascension. The pivotal moments centered on the interaction between Isshin’s annihilator triggers and the gifting/disruption from Zedruu, which created a tense dynamic where permanent control shifted unpredictably. Laelia’s burst damage threats forced opponents to respond quickly, while Xyris’s incremental snake token production kept the board state fluid. The game’s tension peaked as players navigated these overlapping threats, with the Eldrazi annihilators and Laelia’s lethal commander damage representing the primary win conditions. Ultimately, the game showcased a blend of aggressive damage, control disruption, and token swarm strategies vying for dominance in a chaotic and interactive game state.