Duel Commander | MU 082221 | Round 2: Malcolm/Tevesh vs Kari Zev

Decklists

Deck & Commander Strategies

Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
An aggressive pirate tribal deck that leverages early efficient creatures and combat tricks to apply fast pressure and chip away at opponents’ life totals, aiming to win through consistent incremental damage and card advantage.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator / Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
A blue-black control-combo deck that focuses on controlling the board with counterspells and removal, using Malcolm’s card selection to find key spells and Tevesh’s abilities to generate card advantage and execute a game-winning combo or lock.

Gameplay Insights

1
Kari Zev’s ability to generate card advantage through combat tricks and pirate synergies was crucial in maintaining early pressure.
2
Malcolm’s card selection ability helped dig for answers and combo pieces, stabilizing against aggressive openings.
3
Tevesh Szat’s ultimate ability provided a powerful late-game finish by draining opponents and drawing cards.
4
The duel highlighted the importance of timing in playing removal and counterspells to disrupt the aggressive deck’s momentum.

Notable Cards

Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools

Gameplay Summary

The Duel Commander match featured a clash between a fast, aggressive red pirate tribal deck led by Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, and a blue-black control combo deck helmed by Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator and Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools.

Kari Zev’s deck aimed to quickly apply early pressure through efficient creatures and combat tricks, leveraging the synergy between Kari Zev and her pirate companions to gain card advantage and chip away at the opponent's life total.

Meanwhile, Malcolm/Tevesh focused on card selection and manipulation, aiming to control the board state until it could assemble a combo or leverage Tevesh's powerful abilities to drain the opponent's resources and life. Throughout the games, Kari Zev’s aggressive starts put Malcolm/Tevesh on the defensive, forcing them to find answers and stabilize.

Key turning points included Malcolm/Tevesh successfully resolving critical counterspells and removal spells to halt Kari Zev’s momentum, and later establishing a lock or combo finish with Tevesh Szat.

The interaction between Kari Zev’s relentless pressure and Malcolm/Tevesh’s control tools created a dynamic back-and-forth battle.

Ultimately, the game showcased the tension between fast aggression and intricate control/combo strategies typical in Duel Commander.

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