Obeka vs Varina vs Zurgo vs Skithiryx [EDH/Commander, Magic The Gathering Gameplay] 2021

Deck Strategies

• 

  Zurgo Helmsmasher

  A half-control, half-voltron build that leverages Zurgo's indestructibility to clear the board and deliver lethal commander damage quickly, often using equipment like Sword of Fire and Ice.

• 

  Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon

  An aggressive infect strategy focused on applying poison counters rapidly to opponents using Skithiryx’s haste, regeneration, and aggressive attacks to win through infect damage.

• 

  Obeka, Brute Chronologist

  A combo-oriented deck that abuses Obeka's activated ability to end turns prematurely, allowing the player to safely use powerful cards with end-of-turn penalties and create advantageous board states.

• 

  Varina, Lich Queen

  A zombie tribal combo deck that generates zombie tokens, mills cards, and combos with Grave-Crawler and sacrifice outlets to create infinite loops and win through combo damage or overwhelming board presence.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Zurgo's use of The Abyss repeatedly forced opponents to sacrifice creatures each upkeep, disrupting board development and allowing Zurgo to maintain control.

• 2

  Opposition Agent was a key disruption piece, countering tutor spells and stealing Cyclonic Rift, which significantly hindered Foley’s ability to recover from board wipes.

• 3

  Varina's ability to generate zombie tokens and draw multiple cards each combat step created a steady advantage in resources and life gain, supporting long-term combo setups.

• 4

  Obeka’s player used dramatic reversal and Lightning Greaves to protect and reset mana rocks and creatures, enabling repeated use of powerful spells without penalty.

• 5

  Skithiryx’s regeneration and haste allowed it to survive board wipes temporarily, but it was repeatedly targeted and slowed by removal and The Abyss.

• 6

  Zurgo’s equipping of Sword of Fire and Ice not only enhanced damage output but also provided card draw and removal, synergizing well with its aggressive commander damage plan.

Notable Cards

• 

  Mana Crypt

• 

  Sword of Fire and Ice

• 

  Jeweled Lotus

• 

  Opposition Agent

• 

  Cyclonic Rift

• 

  The Abyss

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  Lightning Greaves

• 

  Stitcher's Supplier

• 

  Cemetery Reaper

• 

  Demonic Tutor

• 

  Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge

Summary

The game started with each player developing their board and setting up their win conditions. Zurgo Helmsmasher focused on a half-control, half-voltron strategy aiming to clear the board and deliver lethal commander damage with his indestructible commander. Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, played aggressively using infect to apply poison counters to opponents, aiming to win quickly by dealing ten poison counters. Obeka, Brute Chronologist, utilized a combo-oriented approach to abuse extra turn effects and powerful cards with end step downsides, leveraging Obeka's ability to end turns prematurely and avoid penalties. Varina, Lich Queen, piloted a zombie tribal combo deck centered on generating tokens, milling, and recurring creatures like Grave-Crawler to create infinite loops with sacrifice outlets and ultimately win through combo damage or overwhelming board presence. Key turning points included Zurgo casting board wipes like The Abyss to control the battlefield while equipping powerful equipment for commander damage assaults. Skithiryx's early deployment and regeneration kept pressure high, but repeated targeted removal and board wipes slowed his progress. Obeka's player cleverly used cards like Lightning Greaves and dramatic reversal effects to protect and reset threats while building toward combos. Varina's incremental value from zombie tokens and card draw kept them well-resourced, and an Opposition Agent disrupted opponents' tutors, notably stealing Cyclonic Rift to regain tempo. The game saw multiple interaction points, with players responding to each other's plays with regeneration, sacrifice, and removal. Eventually, the game tilted toward Varina's combo engine and Zurgo's relentless commander damage, with Obeka and Skithiryx trying to keep pace through disruption and targeted aggression.