Deck Strategies
Queen Marchesa
Focuses on political control and disruption, leveraging the monarch mechanic alongside removal and tutors to maintain board control and win through well-timed damage and political advantage.
Neheb, the Eternal
Mono-red deck aiming to generate large amounts of mana from combat damage, then using that mana to cast multiple spells and combos, including an infinite damage combo with Aggravated Assault.
Dina, Soul Steeper
Utilizes lifegain triggers and Witherbloom synergies to drain opponents' life totals quickly while creating pest tokens for board presence and incremental advantage.
Zirda, the Dawnwaker
Token generator that reduces activation costs of creatures and artifacts, combining aggressive combat, artifact synergies, and card draw to outvalue opponents and deal consistent damage.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Neheb's use of Pyromania cleared multiple threats without taking damage due to protection, enabling a strong board reset while preserving his offensive momentum.
- 2
Queen Marchesa's monarch mechanic was used effectively to draw extra cards and apply political pressure, influencing opponents' attack choices.
- 3
Zirda's combination of card draw artifacts and activation cost reduction allowed sustained pressure through repeated combat steps and efficient resource use.
- 4
Dina's use of Yawgmoth's Will and sacrifice outlets like Carrion Feeder maximized lifegain triggers and card draw, but she remained vulnerable to sweepers.
- 5
Early disruption from Magus of the Moon limited opponents' mana base, shaping the pace of the game and forcing adjustments in strategy.
- 6
The interplay between equipment beats (Sword of Fire and Ice on Neheb and Zirda) and token generation created dynamic combat phases with significant damage exchanges.
Notable Cards
Magus of the Moon
Sword of Fire and Ice
Pyromania
Carrion Feeder
Roots of Life
Talisman of Conviction
Ox of Agonas
Keeper of the Accord
Vanishing Verse
Summary
The game began with each player establishing their board presence through early plays and ramp, with Queen Marchesa focusing on political control and disruption, Neheb aiming to generate massive amounts of red mana to fuel damage spells, Dina leveraging lifegain synergies and pest tokens, and Zirda working on token generation combined with artifact support. Early turns saw key plays such as Magus of the Moon from Neheb disrupting non-basic lands, and aggressive attacks from Ken's Queen Marchesa to pressure opponents with the monarch mechanic. Scoop's Neheb deck aggressively applied pressure with equipment like Sword of Fire and Ice and Pyromania, clearing boards and generating huge mana pools for follow-up turns. A critical turning point was when Scoop used Pyromania to wipe the board while being immune to damage himself, allowing him to maintain momentum. Meanwhile, Zirda capitalized on artifact synergies and card draw engines like Argent Squire and Argent Signet to assemble a strong board state and continue to chip away at opponents. Dina's persistent lifegain triggers combined with token generation provided a steady stream of value, though she faced challenges dealing with board wipes and disruption. Queen Marchesa's deck took a more controlling role, leveraging removal and tutors to keep threats in check. The game evolved into a tense battle of attrition and resource management, with Scoop's Neheb deck poised to leverage its explosive mana generation for a decisive win condition, while the others sought to slow him down and establish their own paths to victory.