Heliod vs Kess vs Tasigur vs Tymna/Thrasios

Decklists

Deck & Commander Strategies

Tymna the Weaver / Thrasios, Triton Hero
A midrange combo deck that grinds value through efficient card draw, disruption, and assembling a two-card infinite mana combo to win the game.
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
A control deck focused on leveraging Tasigur’s ability to generate card advantage and disrupt opponents, aiming to win by looping cards or assembling a consultation-based combo.
Heliod, God of the Sun
A mono-white stax deck that aims to lock opponents out of the game with taxing permanents and board wipes, winning by controlling the board and restricting opponents’ plays.
Kess, Dissident Mage
A versatile midrange and storm deck that can flexibly switch between controlling the board and executing fast combos, leveraging powerful spells and counterspells to maintain dominance.

Gameplay Insights

1
Heliod’s Planar Collapse sacrifice to clear all creatures served as a critical reset, allowing the stax player to maintain board control.
2
Ryan’s use of Notion Thief in response to Mystic Remora and other draw spells disrupted opponents’ card advantage significantly.
3
Zack’s decision to allow Ad Nauseum to resolve without countering demonstrated a calculated risk, relying on his ability to interact post-resolution.
4
Folger’s timely use of Assassin's Trophy to remove Notion Thief prevented a major disruption of his card draw engine.
5
The interplay between tutors (Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Tutor, Imperial Seal) and counters (Force of Will, Force of Negation) highlighted the high-stakes interaction typical in cEDH games.

Notable Cards

Planar Collapse
Sanctum Prelate
Blind Obedience
Notion Thief
Force of Will
Mystic Remora
Mana Vault
Vampiric Tutor
Force of Negation
Plunge into Darkness
Swords to Plowshares
Tainted Pact
Mental Misstep
Demonic Tutor

Gameplay Summary

The game begins with a strong focus on early interaction and resource development, featuring four competitive cEDH decks led by Tymna/Thrasios, Tasigur, Heliod, and Kess.

Early plays include multiple disruption spells like Swords to Plowshares, Force of Will, and counters, alongside ramp and card draw effects such as Mana Vault, Sol Ring, and Mystic Remora.

Charles piloting Heliod leans heavily into a stax strategy, deploying permanents like Sanctum Prelate, Blind Obedience, and Planar Collapse to lock down opponents' resources and board presence.

Meanwhile, Ryan’s Tymna/Thrasios deck aims to assemble a two-card combo, supported by powerful tutors and card advantage tools such as Ad Nauseum and Vampiric Tutor. Zack’s Kess deck demonstrates flexibility by shifting between midrange and storm strategies, using cards like Plunge into Darkness and Force of Negation to maintain control and counter key spells.

Folger’s Tasigur deck focuses on control through card advantage and graveyard recursion, but faces disruption from Heliod's stax pieces and opponents’ counters.

A pivotal moment occurs when Heliod’s Planar Collapse is sacrificed to destroy all creatures, significantly resetting the board and shifting the game's momentum towards a stax lock.

Despite aggressive attempts to combo off by Ryan with Ad Nauseum and tutors, the stax elements and counterspells keep the game in check, showcasing a tense balance between lockdown and combo threat.

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