Janky Commander Decks! MTG Gameplay 💰 Valduk vs. Zur vs. Sol'kanar vs. Jared | Commander Arcade #5

Deck Strategies

• 

  Jared Carthalion, True Heir

  Focuses on becoming and maintaining the Monarch to generate card advantage while growing stronger through combat damage, using creature combat and counters to dominate the board.

• 

  Valduk, Keeper of the Flame

  Utilizes equipment and enchantments to create numerous 1/1 Elemental tokens with haste and trample, overwhelming opponents through wide and aggressive board presence.

• 

  Sol'kanar the Swamp King

  Leverages life gain triggered by casting black spells and controlling the board with removal and attrition effects to stabilize and outlast opponents.

• 

  Zur, Eternal Schemer

  Builds around enchantments, turning them into creatures with potent keywords like deathtouch and lifelink, aiming to control the board and gain incremental advantage through enchantment synergy.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The use of Carter Doom Scourge forced creatures to attack other players, creating a chaotic combat scenario that disrupted traditional defensive plays and pressured all opponents equally.

• 2

  Valduk's synergy with equipment and enchantments to generate hasty Elemental tokens proved to be an effective way to apply constant pressure and threaten multiple opponents simultaneously.

• 3

  Maintaining the Monarch status was a central strategic focus, providing card draw advantage and influencing attack priorities among players.

• 4

  Zur’s ability to grant deathtouch, lifelink, and hexproof to enchantment creatures created resilient threats that complicated blockers and trade decisions.

• 5

  Jared's decision to gift the Monarch crown to another player early on demonstrated a strategic play to delay being targeted while setting up future board control.

Notable Cards

• 

  Swiftfoot Boots

• 

  Dragon Mantle

• 

  Fire Diamond

Summary

The game featured four players piloting budget janky decks, each led by unique commanders with distinct strategies. Early turns involved ramping mana and establishing board presence, with key plays including Jared Carthalion becoming the Monarch and Valduk, Keeper of the Flame generating Elemental tokens through equipment and enchantments. Zur, Eternal Schemer focused on enchantment synergy, leveraging his ability to turn enchantments into creatures with powerful keywords, while Sol'kanar the Swamp King gained life off black spells and maintained board control through life gain and removal. A pivotal moment occurred when Carter Doom Scourge entered the battlefield, forcing all opponents' creatures to attack other players and introducing constant pressure and life drain. Valduk's tokens with haste and trample, boosted by equipment like Swiftfoot Boots and Dragon Mantle, threatened significant damage output. Jared's Monarch status and growing counters created tension over board control. The interplay between forced attacks, token generation, and enchantment-powered creatures shaped the midgame, pushing players to carefully choose targets and manage threats. The game revolved around maintaining board presence, leveraging combat triggers, and jockeying for the Monarch crown to gain incremental card advantage and control the flow of combat.