EP15 | A Nemesis By Any Other Name | Aragorn v Ayara v Hapatra v Kaalia | Commander Gameplay

Deck Strategies

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  Kaalia of the Vast

  Kaalia aims to cheat powerful angels, demons, and dragons into play to overwhelm opponents quickly with strong, high-impact creatures and combat triggers.

• 

  Ayara, First of Locthwain

  Ayara leverages black mana to drain opponents' life through repeated spell casting and life drain triggers, wearing down the table gradually.

• 

  Aragorn, the Uniter

  Aragorn builds a multicolor tribal deck that creates tokens, deals incremental damage, and buffs creatures, gaining value from casting colored spells to dominate the board.

• 

  Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons

  Hapatra focuses on applying -1/-1 counters to generate snake tokens, controlling the board through attrition and synergy with additional -1/-1 counter effects.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Hapatra's use of -1/-1 counters not only created snakes but also slowed down opponents' mana ramp, demonstrating a layered defensive and offensive strategy.

• 2

  Aragorn's multicolor spells triggered diverse effects—token creation, direct damage, and buffs—allowing flexible responses and board presence build-up.

• 3

  Kaalia's commander was a prime target for removal, but timely responses like Fracture protected key creatures, highlighting the importance of interaction and timing.

• 4

  Ayara's life drain was steady but not overwhelming early on, allowing the game to remain balanced and focused on incremental advantage rather than early aggression.

• 5

  Players prioritized defense and board stabilization in early turns, emphasizing a controlled pace that set the stage for a longer, value-oriented game.

Notable Cards

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  Kaalia of the Vast

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  Aragorn, the Uniter

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  Ayara, First of Locthwain

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  Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons

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  Delighted Halfling

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  Cavern of Souls

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  Devoted Druid

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  Nest of Scarabs

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  Swords to Plowshares

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  Fracture

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  Breeding Pool

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  Rivendell

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  Diabolic Tutor

Summary

The game began with all four players ramping mana and establishing their board presence cautiously. Kaalia of the Vast focused on assembling her three types of creatures—angel, demon, and dragon—to leverage her powerful combat triggers. Aragorn the Uniter aimed to maximize value through his multicolor tribal synergy, generating tokens and dealing incremental damage while controlling the board with vigilance and additional blockers. Ayara, First of Locthwain steadily drained life from opponents by playing multiple black spells and leveraging her life gain and loss mechanics. Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons utilized -1/-1 counters to generate snakes, creating pressure through both board presence and life gain.