Deck & Commander Strategies
Tannuk, Steadfast Second
Uses graveyard synergies and sacrifice outlets to control the board, leveraging effects like Grave Pact and Bloodchief Ascension to drain opponents while maintaining board presence through token generation.
Alpharael, Stonechosen
Focuses on enchantment synergies, creating tokens and using life gain and drain effects to wear down opponents. Utilizes powerful dragons and equipment to generate board advantage.
Sami, Wildcat Captain
Centers around stealing creatures and deploying versatile creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects to disrupt opponents and maintain tempo. Combines this with artifact ramp and card draw to maintain pressure.
Syr Vondam, Sunstar Exemplar
Leverages aggressive creature combos and token generation, paired with life gain and sacrifice synergies to apply pressure and maintain board control through efficient combat and value creatures.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Max's use of Cursed Mirror copying Udvara Hellkite significantly increased dragon token production, intensifying board pressure.
- 2
Toxic Deluge was a crucial board reset that forced players to rebuild and reconsider their strategies mid-game.
- 3
The interaction between Grave Pact and creature sacrifice during combat led to multiple forced sacrifices, shifting board control.
- 4
Strategic targeting of Rush of Dread maximized opponents' life loss and creature sacrifices, weakening multiple players simultaneously.
- 5
Swords to Plowshares was effectively used to remove key threats like the Zentarum Bandit and Udvara Hellkite, disrupting momentum.
- 6
Max's multiple combat steps granted by Portraer enabled him to aggressively trade and chip away at opponents' life totals while maintaining board dominance.
- 7
The use of End Stone to stabilize life totals allowed the Sami player to recover from damage and remain competitive in late game.
Notable Cards
-
Bloodchief Ascension
-
Grave Pact
-
Cursed Mirror
-
Endbringer
-
Hideous Taskmaster
-
Rush of Dread
-
Swords to Plowshares
-
Wildfire Devils
-
Toxic Deluge
-
Thran Dynamo
Gameplay Summary
The game commenced with early board development from all four players, each establishing their mana bases and playing low-cost creatures or enchantments to set the pace.
Key early plays included Bloodchief Ascension by Alpharael's controller and the casting of graveyard synergy cards such as Grave Pact, which began shaping board control dynamics.
Notable creature interactions emerged, including multiple tokens from dragons and orcs, as well as the use of graveyard triggers and life gain effects. A significant turning point was the board wipe triggered by Matt's Toxic Deluge, which cleared most creatures but left some key enchantments and artifacts intact.
From here, players began to rebuild, with Max deploying Udvara Hellkite and synergizing with Cursed Mirror to create multiple dragon tokens, escalating the threat on the board.
Meanwhile, the player controlling Sami, Wildcat Captain focused on stealing powerful creatures and deploying impactful creatures like Endbringer and Hideous Taskmaster to maintain pressure. Later, Max's aggressive combat steps with creatures like Wildfire Devils and Portraer, combined with extra combat steps, created substantial damage output, thinning opponents' boards and life totals.
Matt's use of Rush of Dread twice was pivotal, forcing massive sacrifices and life loss across the table.
The game was marked by tight combat decisions, efficient removal such as Swords to Plowshares, and value plays from cards like End Stone providing life stabilization.
The match stayed dynamic with each player leveraging their commanders' strengths and synergy cards to control the battlefield and chip away at opponents' resources and life totals.