WHOS THE BEST UNIVERSES BEYOND COMMANDER IN cEDH - Will|Lucas|Lurrus - Dhalsim - Abaddon - Marneus

Deck Strategies

• 

  Marneus Calgar

  Leverages token generation to draw cards and generate treasures, using Smothering Tithe and other token synergies to ramp quickly and maintain card advantage, enabling a control and combo-oriented game plan.

• 

  Abaddon the Despoiler

  Utilizes disruption and targeted removal spells to control opponents' board states while applying pressure through goading mechanics and combat to slow down faster decks.

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  Lurrus of the Dream-Den

  Focuses on value recursion by repeatedly bringing back low-cost permanents to maintain tempo and incremental advantage, supporting a midrange or combo strategy.

• 

  Bjorna, Nightfall Alchemist

  Not explicitly detailed in the video but typically focuses on spell slinging and controlling the board with instants and sorceries, leveraging life manipulation.

• 

  Wernog, Rider's Chaplain

  Not extensively covered but likely revolves around lifegain synergies and sacrificing creatures to generate value and pressure.

• 

  Tadeas, Juniper Ascendant

  Likely focuses on landfall and ramp mechanics to maintain board presence and pressure, though specific plays were not emphasized.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Early Smothering Tithe drastically shifted the game's pace by generating treasure tokens, which synergized excellently with Marneus Calgar's card draw ability.

• 2

  Players carefully chose when to pay for Smothering Tithe triggers, balancing life loss against card advantage and tempo.

• 3

  Abaddon's player used Path to Exile proactively to disrupt key threats like Marneus Calgar, aiming to slow down the treasure token engine.

• 4

  The use of Manifold Key and other mana rocks facilitated quick mana acceleration and key activations.

• 5

  Finale of Devastation was used to find critical creatures like Cathar Commando, illustrating the deck's toolbox approach to interaction and threats.

• 6

  Combat was used strategically, with goading effects from Abaddon forcing opponents into unfavorable attacks.

• 7

  Players leveraged cycling lands and fetch lands for mana fixing and life manipulation, important in a high-tension cEDH environment.

Notable Cards

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  Smothering Tithe

• 

  Path to Exile

• 

  Elvish Mystic

• 

  Finale of Devastation

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  Manifold Key

• 

  Cathar Commando

• 

  Scalding Tarn

• 

  Misty Rainforest

• 

  Volcanic Island

Summary

The game began with aggressive ramp and resource denial, highlighted by an early Smothering Tithe that generated significant treasure tokens, enabling explosive mana acceleration. Marneus Calgar's ability to draw cards whenever tokens entered the battlefield synergized strongly with the Smothering Tithe, setting a high tempo for the player piloting that deck. Abaddon the Despoiler's deck focused on pressure and disruption, using removal spells like Path to Exile and threats that could goad opponents, attempting to control the board and slow down opponents' rapid development. As the game progressed, the players leveraged their commanders' unique strengths to gain incremental advantages. The interaction between token generation and card draw was pivotal, with Marneus's player capitalizing heavily on this synergy to maintain card advantage. Abaddon’s player tried to keep pace through selective removal and combat pressure, while Lurrus of the Dream-Den provided value through recursion and incremental advantage. The turning point was the establishment of a strong treasure token economy and continuous card draw, allowing Marneus's player to outpace others. The game was marked by careful resource management, tempo plays, and targeted disruption, with the treasure tokens and card-drawing engine forming the core win condition.