Elsha vs Magda vs Lotho vs Malcolm/Tana

Decklists

Deck & Commander Strategies

Elsha of the Infinite
A Jeskai spellslinger deck aiming to quickly cast the commander and then chain spells using Sensei's Divining Top or Underworld Breach to generate card advantage and combo out to win.
Magda, Brazen Outlaw
Mono-red treasure and artifact synergy deck that ramps aggressively with treasures to combo off or win early through explosive mana generation and damage.
Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
An aristocrats-style deck utilizing sacrifice outlets, tax effects, and Blood Artist triggers to create infinite sac loops and drain opponents' life totals.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator & Tana, the Bloodsower
A partner combo deck focused on assembling Malcolm and Glint-Horn Buccaneer, generating treasures and pinging opponents repeatedly to win through incremental damage.

Gameplay Insights

1
Phasing out Elsha with March of Swirling Mist to negate a Swords to Plowshares was a critical defensive play that kept Elsha on the battlefield and maintained board presence.
2
Treasure token generation from Magda and Lotho created significant mana acceleration that enabled explosive turns and combo setups.
3
Counterspells like Fierce Guardianship and Swan Song were used efficiently to protect key spells or disrupt opposing combos, emphasizing the importance of interaction in cEDH.
4
Players balanced aggression with resource denial and tax effects, leading to a dynamic game state where sequencing and timing of plays were crucial.
5
The use of multiple mana rocks and fast mana sources (Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Jeweled Lotus) accelerated all players, allowing for quick deployment of game-winning combos.

Notable Cards

Sensei's Divining Top
Underworld Breach
Dockside Extortionist
Jeweled Lotus
Smothering Tithe
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Swan Song
Fierce Guardianship
March of Swirling Mist
Blood Artist
Glint-Horn Buccaneer
Smuggler's Copter
Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
Elsha of the Infinite

Gameplay Summary

The game featured a competitive four-player cEDH match with fast-paced mana acceleration, interaction, and combo potential from all decks.

Early turns saw players establishing their mana bases and deploying key pieces such as the commanders, mana rocks, and value lands.

Lotho Corrupt Shirriff leveraged tax effects and sac outlets combined with Blood Artist for incremental advantage, while Magda, Brazen Outlaw gathered treasures to enable explosive bursts of mana for combos.

Meanwhile, Elsha of the Infinite aimed to chain spells with cards like Sensei's Divining Top and Underworld Breach to generate card advantage and close the game.

Malcolm and Tana sought to assemble a ping combo with Glint-Horn Buccaneer to whittle down opponents over time. A pivotal moment occurred when Elsha's player cleverly protected the commander from removal by phasing it out with March of Swirling Mist in response to a Swords to Plowshares, allowing the commander to remain on the battlefield and maintain pressure.

The board state was further shaped by multiple treasure tokens generated through Magda and Lotho's triggers, enabling explosive turns.

Interaction such as Fierce Guardianship and Swan Song were used to counter key spells, maintaining a high level of tension.

The game showcased the importance of timing and sequencing, with players balancing aggression and defense while working toward their respective win conditions centered on combo finishers or incremental damage through sacrifice and ping effects.

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