Deck & Commander Strategies
Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
Merfolk tribal focused on deploying low-cost creatures and enchantments to generate synergy, using unblockable effects and anthem boosts to grow threats quickly while drawing cards and untapping creatures for incremental advantage.
Omnath, Locus of the Roil
Landfall ramp deck that leverages multiple land drops and elemental tribal synergies to generate card draw, mana acceleration, and board presence, aiming to control the board with value creatures and interaction.
Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign
Odd-cost spellcasting deck that manipulates the top of the library to cast spells for free, gaining card advantage and disruption. It focuses on casting powerful enchantments and instants like Expropriate to take extra turns and control the pace of the game.
Vial Smasher the Fierce & Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood
Aggressive human tribal deck that ramps quickly to cast high-impact creatures, dealing damage to opponents equal to the CMC of spells cast, leveraging equipment and tribal synergies to maintain pressure and disrupt opponents.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Yennett’s ability to cast odd-cost spells from the top of the library allowed free casting of powerful spells like Expropriate and Void Winnower, providing extra turns and board control that shifted the game momentum.
- 2
Vial Smasher’s triggered damage whenever a player cast a spell was crucial in quickly reducing opponents’ life totals and helped eliminate Omnath’s pilot early in the game.
- 3
Kumena’s use of unblockable merfolk and multiple anthem effects, combined with card draw from Followed Sage and tapping abilities, helped maintain board presence and pressure despite losing key creatures.
- 4
The interaction of equipment like Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots on key commanders allowed repeated attacks and protection, enabling commanders to deliver critical damage and maintain board presence.
- 5
Expropriate's choice between extra turns and monetary gain was pivotal; selecting extra turns despite the risk gave Yennett a decisive advantage for winning the game.
Notable Cards
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Expropriate
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Vial Smasher the Fierce
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Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign
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Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
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Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood
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Azusa, Lost but Seeking
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Lightning Greaves
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Void Winnower
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Magister Sphinx
Gameplay Summary
The game began with all players establishing their boards with ramp and early plays, setting the stage for their respective strategies.
Kumena focused on building a merfolk tribal presence with unblockable threats and synergy from low-cost merfolk and anthem effects, aiming to grow his creatures and control the board through incremental advantage.
Omnath utilized landfall and ramp to generate value, while Yennett leveraged her ability to cast odd-cost spells from the top of the library to gain card advantage and disrupt opponents with powerful free spells like Expropriate and Void Winnower.
Vial Smasher and Gilanra combined aggressive human tribal elements and direct damage triggers to apply pressure and chip away at opponents' life totals.
A key turning point was Yennett casting Expropriate, gaining extra turns and putting opponents under significant pressure, which culminated in Vial Smasher dealing lethal damage to Omnath's pilot, eliminating him from the game.
Guillaume’s Yennett deck maintained control through protective equipment and disruption, while Kumena steadily grew his board with merfolk synergy and evasive threats.
The game saw multiple combat phases where commanders attacked to reveal impactful spells, providing free casts and incremental advantage.
Vial Smasher's damage triggers and the synergy with Gilanra helped rapidly reduce opponents' life totals.
In the late game, Kumena's board state grew strong with counters and untap effects, threatening with large unblockable creatures and card draw engines, while Yennett continued to capitalize on free spells and disruption.
Ultimately, the game was defined by Yennett's control and value engine and Vial Smasher's aggressive damage output, with Kumena playing a resilient tribal beatdown role.