WILL CORE SET 2021 MAKE AN IMPACT ON cEDH? - Play to Win Gameplay

Deck Strategies

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  Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark

  A midrange combo deck that uses wheel effects to refill the hand and looks to attach curiosity effects to Brallin for continuous card draw and combo value.

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  Thrasios, Triton Hero // Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder

  A control-oriented deck that maximizes value from training ground effects and aims to generate infinite mana through various combos, while using disruption and board wipes to maintain control.

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  Grenzo, Dungeon Warden

  An early Doomsday deck that leverages goblin synergies for value and combo setups, attempting to assemble Doomsday piles efficiently to win or gain incremental advantages.

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  Tymna the Weaver // Tana, the Bloodsower

  A Goblin Pod blood pod deck featuring a Protean Hulk reanimation package and conspicuous snoop for combo finishers, focusing on creature recursion and synergy to overwhelm opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Deflecting Swat to redirect an Ophidian Eye triggered ability to a key creature allowed for advantageous card draw and disruption.

• 2

  The Fire Covenant board wipe was a pivotal moment that reset the board state, severely hindering aggressive and combo strategies.

• 3

  Null Rod and Curse Totem effectively slowed down artifact-based mana acceleration, forcing players to adapt their plans.

• 4

  Blocking decisions, such as preventing key players from drawing cards, played a significant role in controlling tempo and threat development.

• 5

  The synergy between Bruse Tarl granting double strike and lifelink created a potent combat threat that pressured opponents and influenced attack choices.

Notable Cards

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  Null Rod

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  Fire Covenant

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  Dockside Extortionist

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  Deflecting Swat

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  Magus of the Moon

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  Protean Hulk

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  Conspicuous Snoop

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  Carpet of Flowers

Summary

The game features a dynamic and complex battle among four cEDH decks, each leveraging distinct strategies centered around their commanders and key synergies. Early turns saw a lot of ramp and disruption, including the casting of Null Rod and Curse Totem to hinder artifact and mana acceleration strategies. The advantage-oriented Thrasios/Bruse deck used its control elements and efficient creatures to apply pressure and disrupt opponents, highlighted by a powerful board wipe with Fire Covenant that cleared most threats except for Birds of Paradise and Bridge from Below. The Grenzo Doomsday deck aimed to set up early Doomsday piles but faced challenges due to widespread disruption and lack of board presence after the wipe. Meanwhile, the Brallin/Shabraz combo deck tried to build value around wheel effects and curiosity combos, while the Tymna/Tana Goblin Pod deck incorporated a Protean Hulk reanimation package with conspicuous snoop for combo potential. The game state became increasingly tense, with Lifelink and Double Strike buffs from Bruse Tarl enabling significant damage output, but Null Rod and Curse Totem kept mana rocks and other combos in check. Key moments included the use of Deflecting Swat to redirect disruptive effects and strategic blocking decisions that influenced card draw and tempo. The match was characterized by a mixture of control, combo attempts, and resource denial, with players carefully navigating board wipes and lock pieces to find openings for their win conditions.