How good is MH3 in cEDH? Marneus v Sisay v Kenrith v Etali

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kenrith, the Returned King

  Utilizes combo pieces such as Evolution Witness, Konan Nightmare, and Orok Salvagers to enable powerful infinite loops or value engines, while employing tutors and disruption to control the game pace.

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  Sisay, Weatherlight Captain

  Focuses on tutoring legendary creatures and assembling combos, using synergy and control elements like Derevi and Seething Song to maintain board presence and generate advantage.

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  Marneus Calgar

  Leverages token generation and anthem effects, enhanced by cards like Warren Soul Trader, to build overwhelming board states and incremental value through repeated token creation.

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  Etali, Primal Conqueror

  Stormy Stompy Dinosaur deck that builds large mana pools with rituals like Seething Song, enabling multiple Etali combat damage triggers to draw cards and deal massive damage, aiming to win through repeated creature attacks.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Early counterplay focused on neutralizing key tutors and a+b combo pieces, illustrating the importance of disruption in cEDH.

• 2

  Etali's ability to generate multiple combat damage triggers via mana rituals and topdeck manipulation created critical board swings.

• 3

  Marneus’s use of token synergies with Warren Soul Trader amplified his value engine, making token tokens a significant threat despite limited board wipes.

• 4

  Players had to carefully manage tapping and untapping of creatures to maximize value from triggers and prevent lethal attacks, showing tight resource and timing control.

• 5

  The interaction between creature stealing effects and Etali’s triggers created high tension moments where board control could pivot dramatically.

Notable Cards

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  Vampiric Tutor

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  Seething Song

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  Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness

Summary

The game features four competitive commanders each leveraging different strategies: Kenrith, the Returned King; Sisay, Weatherlight Captain; Marneus Calgar; and Etali, Primal Conqueror. Early turns saw typical cEDH interactions including tutoring and disruptive plays such as Power Balance and Vampiric Tutor from Kenrith’s player, which were quickly neutralized by opponents. Etali’s player struggled with topdeck mode but eventually managed to generate explosive mana through Seething Song and other rituals, enabling large plays including casting multiple spells in a turn and drawing cards off Etali’s triggered abilities. Marneus Calgar’s deck showcased token synergy amplified by cards like Warren Soul Trader, creating incremental value and board presence. Sisay demonstrated strong tutoring and control elements, including derevi and other synergy pieces, focusing on assembling powerful combos and maintaining board control. Throughout the game, key decisions involved managing powerful a+b combos like Konan Nightmare with Dox, and handling the threat of Etali’s recurring combat damage triggers. The game’s momentum shifted around the management of Etali’s triggers and the interplay of control and combo disruption, culminating in a tense board state where combat damage and treasure tokens played a pivotal role.