Christmas MTG EDH Commander Gameplay | Ashaya vs Gyome vs Inniaz vs Ruric Thar CMDR game

Deck Strategies

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  Ashaya, Soul of the Wild

  Build a wide board of elves and ramp aggressively with lands to smash opponents with a large creature presence, representing a 'Christmas tree' filled with minions.

• 

  Inniaz, the Gale Force

  Utilize a UW flyer tribal deck that gifts resources to opponents each turn while attacking with efficient flying creatures, promoting fairness and incremental advantage.

• 

  Gyome, Master Chef

  Generate and leverage Food tokens to fuel creature buffs and sustain board presence, combining resource creation with combat pressure.

• 

  Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

  Enforce a creature-only battlefield to punish non-creature spells, applying pressure through aggressive creatures and disrupting opponents' plans.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The use of Taste of Death as a board wipe forced players to adapt quickly, notably hurting Ashaya's elf tokens while Gyome gained Food tokens, illustrating the power of resource generation in recovery.

• 2

  Inniaz’s gifting mechanic promoted a semi-cooperative atmosphere, distributing key permanents like Mind Stone and Well of Lost Dreams to balance out resource disparities and maintain game flow.

• 3

  Ruric Thar’s punishment for non-creature spells shaped the play environment, discouraging certain strategies and encouraging players to lean heavily on creatures for board presence.

• 4

  Gyome’s strategy to exile key threats temporarily (e.g., Gruul Ragebeast) disrupted opponents' tempo while maintaining board pressure through Food token synergies.

• 5

  Equipping Blackblade Reforged to a creature was a pivotal move that boosted damage output and shifted combat dynamics.

• 6

  The use of creatures with enter-the-battlefield triggers, like Watcher of the Spheres and Bygone Bishop, was instrumental in maintaining card advantage and board development.

Notable Cards

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  Taste of Death

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  Gruul Ragebeast

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  Blackblade Reforged

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  Watcher of the Spheres

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  Incubation Druid

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  Pride of the Clouds

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  Scavenging Ooze

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  Leyline Prowler

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  Pendant of Prosperity

Summary

The game opened with each player setting up their thematic decks around a festive Christmas spirit, with Inniaz focusing on fair gifting and flyers, Ruric Thar enforcing a creature-only playstyle, Ashaya building a land-heavy board with elves, and Gyome generating food tokens and board presence. Early turns saw the deployment of ramp and key creatures to establish board presence. A pivotal moment occurred when a board wipe spell, Taste of Death, forced each player to sacrifice three creatures, significantly impacting Ashaya's elf tokens and Inniaz’s flyers, but Gyome benefited by creating multiple food tokens, which enhanced his resilience. As the game progressed, players traded blows in the air and on the ground, with Ruric Thar playing aggressively to maintain control and punish non-creature spells. Ashaya leveraged a growing land base and powerful creatures, while Inniaz continued to gift resources, fostering a semi-cooperative dynamic. Gyome used food tokens and creatures like Gruul Ragebeast to pressure opponents. Strategic plays, such as temporarily exiling key threats and using equipment like Blackblade Reforged, shifted momentum. The game featured several tactical decisions around protecting key creatures, maximizing card draw, and balancing aggression with the festive spirit of cooperation and gifting. The interplay of board wipes, creature synergies, and resource generation defined the evolving board state and player interactions.