Deck & Commander Strategies
The Infamous Cruelclaw
Early aggression with menace and top-deck manipulation to exile cards until a non-land is found, then casting it for free by discarding a card, aiming to generate value and explosive plays.
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell
Mono-red burn strategy that increases all red damage dealt to opponents and their permanents, focusing on straightforward damage spells to wear down opponents quickly.
Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener
Counter and flicker synergy deck that builds up +1/+1 counters on creatures, doubling counters on attack to grow large threats that are difficult to block.
Deadpool, Trading Card
Reactive and disruptive deck that leverages Deadpool's ability to force each player to draw cards while paying life, combined with a few tutors and versatile spells to maintain board presence and card advantage.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Cruelclaw’s ability to exile and cast cards from the top of the library created high variance but allowed for game-changing spells like Wildfire to be cast unexpectedly.
- 2
Torbran’s burn spells and ping effects aimed to capitalize on incremental damage but were ultimately disrupted by the massive board wipe.
- 3
Bright-Palm’s use of bolster and backup mechanics provided a growing threat that could snowball with flicker effects.
- 4
The timing of Wildfire reset the game state completely, forcing all players to rethink their strategies and demonstrating the power of well-timed board wipes in Commander.
- 5
Deadpool’s reactive approach with card draw and disruption added a layer of political tension and strategic depth in response to the aggressive strategies at the table.
Notable Cards
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Wildfire
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Thermo-Alchemist
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Lightning Greaves
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Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
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Mirror Shield
Gameplay Summary
The game started with players setting up their boards cautiously, deploying key creatures like Thermo-Alchemist, Anafenza, and Cruelclaw early to establish pressure.
Cruelclaw's ability to exile and cast cards from the top of the library added an element of unpredictability and potential explosive plays.
Bright-Palm focused on building up counters and flicker synergies to create large, hard-to-block creatures, while Torbran aimed to amplify damage through burn spells, trying to leverage his ability to make red damage hit harder.
Deadpool's deck had a reactive angle with a focus on disruption and card advantage. The turning point came when Cruelclaw cast Wildfire, a devastating board wipe that exiled all permanents, hands, and graveyards, reducing all players' life totals to one.
This reset the game state dramatically and forced the players to reconsider their strategies quickly.
Torbran tried to respond with incremental damage pings, but with the board cleared, the game shifted into a high-stakes, low-resource battle.
The intense board wipe and life reset highlighted the power of Cruelclaw's top-deck manipulation and the volatility of the game’s tempo. Overall, the game showcased a clash of different archetypes: ramp and counters from Bright-Palm, aggressive burn from Torbran, reactive disruption from Deadpool, and explosive top-deck casting from Cruelclaw.
The Wildfire play was the defining moment, demonstrating how a single well-timed spell can drastically alter the course of a Commander game.
![Commander VS: Ghoulcaller Gisa VS Torbran VS Chulane VS Sisay [From SCGCON] thumbnail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D0eveMMHDz0/sddefault.jpg)
![Commander VS S17E4: Linden VS Syr Konrad VS Kenrith VS Torbran [EDH] thumbnail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PvUddo1rzeo/sddefault.jpg)
