Thicc Stacks of Stax [S2G4] KINNAN v JETMIR v GRAND ARBITER v TIVIT

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy

  Ramp aggressively using creatures like Bloom Tender and artifact mana to accelerate into powerful threats and stax pieces, aiming to control opponents by taxing their artifacts and locking down resources.

• 

  Jetmir, Nexus of Revels

  Leverage aggressive token and cat synergies combined with stax elements and disruption to control the board while applying pressure and generating incremental advantages.

• 

  Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

  Utilize a control-oriented stax approach with fast mana, counterspells, and tax effects to slow opponents’ plays while maintaining tempo and generating points through resource denial.

• 

  Tivit, Seller of Secrets

  Focus on value generation and interaction by accumulating mana and card advantage with artifacts and spells like Archist of Orazca and Mana Drain, aiming to out-resource opponents and leverage incremental advantage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The early establishment of stax effects such as Kataki and Smothering Tithe set a taxing board that forced players to carefully manage their resources and mana payments.

• 2

  Countering the Time Twister with Elemental Blast prevented a significant card draw and treasure generation swing that could have shifted momentum dramatically.

• 3

  Grand Arbiter's deployment of fast mana and revoker helped maintain control and disrupt key threats, exemplifying the value of tempo in a stax-heavy meta.

• 4

  Players prioritized paying upkeep costs on artifact mana sources like Mana Crypt and Chrome Mox to maintain their accelerated mana bases despite the taxing effects.

• 5

  Careful blocking and combat decisions, especially by Jetmir and Grand Arbiter, helped manage damage and protect critical board pieces, highlighting the importance of patience in stax matchups.

Notable Cards

• 

  Kataki, War's Wage

• 

  Smothering Tithe

• 

  Mana Crypt

• 

  Sensei's Divining Top

• 

  Mana Drain

• 

  Bloom Tender

Summary

The game began with heavy early interaction and stax elements shaping the board state, particularly from Kinnan and Jetmir players who quickly established stax effects like Kataki, War's Wage and Smothering Tithe. The players focused on ramping mana with pieces like Bloom Tender, Lotus Pedal, and Ancient Tomb to accelerate their game plans. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV leveraged fast mana and control elements such as Sensei's Divining Top and Mana Crypt to maintain tempo and disrupt opponents. Meanwhile, Tivit aimed to accumulate value and interaction through cards like Archist of Orazca and Mana Drain. A pivotal moment occurred when Jeremy on Kinnan attempted a Time Twister to draw a large number of cards and generate treasures, but it was countered by Kyle's Elemental Blast on Jetmir, denying a potential swing in card advantage. The stax pieces continued to stack up, with multiple players paying upkeep costs to maintain their artifacts and locks. Combat exchanges were cautious but impactful, with Grand Arbiter and Jetmir trading damage and blocking key threats, while Kinnan sought to ramp and control the board. By the midgame, players had established significant stax locks and were vying for point-scoring opportunities through board control and resource denial, setting the stage for a tightly contested finish.