Deck & Commander Strategies
Pir, Imaginative Rascal & Toothy, Imaginary Friend
This deck uses Hardened Scales to rapidly increase +1/+1 counters on Toothy and other creatures, aiming to assemble Isochron Scepter or Palinchron combos for a combo win.
Jeska, Thrice Reborn & Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker
Focuses on quickly casting Ishai and growing it through combat damage and spells, aiming to close out games by dealing massive commander damage while maintaining a backup Dockside Extortionist and Barrin combo.
Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh & Silas Renn, Seeker Adept
A value-oriented Grixis deck that leverages Silas Renn’s recursion and Rograkh’s aggressive potential, combined with wheel effects and artifact ramp like Paradise Mantle to pressure opponents and control the game.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator & Tana, the Bloodsower
A Temur pirate combo deck that quickly deploys Glint-Horn Buccaneer and uses Malcolm’s ability to generate mana and trigger abilities, aiming for a fast combo kill.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Mark’s aggressive ramp and treasure generation with Dockside Extortionist early allowed him to cast multiple spells and draw cards with Rhystic Study, setting up a strong midgame presence.
- 2
The use of Demonic Consultation to find Deadly Rolick enabled a targeted disruption of Cal’s commander, showcasing precise deck manipulation to prevent combos.
- 3
Brandon’s decision to make Toothy uncounterable with Cavern of Souls was key to maintaining a resilient threat despite heavy interaction on the board.
- 4
Spencer’s timely use of Pyroblast to counter Mark’s removal spell on Ishai demonstrated the importance of protecting key threats early to maintain pressure.
- 5
Cal’s Eldritch Evolution to fetch Glint-Horn Buccaneer after sacrificing Professional Facebreaker signaled a crucial shift towards establishing a combo finish.
- 6
The interplay of multiple counterspells and bounce effects created a tense environment where timing and sequencing of spells were critical for maintaining momentum.
Notable Cards
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Hardened Scales
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Isochron Scepter
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Palinchron
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Jeweled Lotus
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Dockside Extortionist
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Esper Sentinel
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Necropotence
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Wheel of Misfortune
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Demonic Consultation
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Glint-Horn Buccaneer
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Sylvan Library
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Rhystic Study
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Void Snare
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Arcane Signet
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Paradise Mantle
Gameplay Summary
The game began with each player setting up their respective strategies quickly.
Brandon's Pir and Toothy deck aimed to establish Hardened Scales and ramp into an Isochron Scepter or Palinchron combo, while Spencer's Jeska and Ishai deck focused on quickly deploying Ishai and growing it through combat and spells to apply pressure.
Mark's Rograkh and Silas deck sought value and incremental advantage with Silas and utilized Wheel of Misfortune to disrupt opponents, and Cal's Malcolm and Tana deck aimed for a pirate-themed aggressive combo utilizing Glint-Horn Buccaneer and Malcolm’s ability to generate mana and trigger effects. Early plays saw Spencer putting a strong early threat on the board with Ishai, growing it steadily while Mark ramped aggressively with Rograkh and silas, generating multiple treasures via Dockside Extortionist and drawing cards through Rhystic Study.
Brandon developed a resilient Toothy with Hardened Scales counters and Sylvan Library for card advantage.
Mark’s disruption included a well-timed Void Snare on Ishai, counterspells, and a Demonic Consultation sequence to sculpt his hand for combo pieces.
Cal responded by evolving his board state, sacrificing Professional Facebreaker to fetch Glint-Horn Buccaneer, setting up for a pirate combo finish.
The game featured tight interaction, counter spells, and resource management as each player jockeyed for position, with multiple combo win conditions looming as the game progressed.