Deck Strategies
Koll, the Forgemaster
Aggressive equipment-based deck focusing on equipping creatures like Ragavan and using mana acceleration to pressure opponents early while leveraging card draw engines such as Skullclamp.
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools & Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
Token generation and control-oriented combo deck that uses Tevesh's abilities to create Thralls and draw cards, supported by Kraum's card advantage and disruption.
Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist & Tana, the Bloodsower
Artifact-centric token aggro deck that uses Ardenn to equip artifacts rapidly and Tana to produce Saproling tokens, applying pressure via numerous small creatures and synergy-based buffs.
Urza, Lord High Artificer
Artifact toolbox and control deck leveraging Urza's ability to generate mana and card advantage from artifacts, using disruption and board control tools like Cyclonic Rift and Winter Orb to stabilize and lock opponents.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Using Winter Orb early to restrict mana production forced players into careful sequencing and timely use of mana acceleration and artifact untaps.
- 2
Cyclonic Rift was pivotal in resetting the board state, allowing Urza’s player to untap lands and regain control after a restrictive board lock.
- 3
Tevesh Szat’s ability to generate Thrall tokens and draw cards created incremental advantage, but the opponent's timely removal and bounce effects kept the token swarm in check.
- 4
Skullclamp equipped to small creatures like Ragavan provided essential card draw, fueling aggressive strategies and maintaining hand resources.
- 5
Casting Taunted Pact to exile the library showcased a high-risk, high-reward play to disrupt opponents' resources and gain card advantage.
- 6
Players balanced attack and defense carefully, often blocking optimally to minimize damage while preserving key creatures and artifacts.
- 7
Mana vault and other fast mana artifacts were critical for early explosive plays, but also imposed life loss pressure on their controllers.
Notable Cards
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
Skullclamp
Winter Orb
Cyclonic Rift
Demonic Tutor
Manifold Key
Grim Monolith
Tainted Pact
Archon of Emeria
Goblin Recruiter
Summary
The game features a dynamic multiplayer Commander match with five players piloting a variety of synergistic and combo-oriented decks. Early on, players develop their board states cautiously, with key mana accelerants like Soul Ring, Manifold Key, and Grim Monolith enabling explosive plays. Significant early interactions include Tevesh Szat activating abilities to generate tokens and draw cards, and Koll, the Forgemaster establishing board presence with aggressive creatures like Ragavan and leveraging equipment such as Skullclamp for card draw. Winter Orb creates a restrictive mana environment, prompting countermeasures like Cyclonic Rift to reset the board and regain tempo. As the game progresses, players jockey for position, using targeted removal, bounce effects, and combat damage to control threats. Maneuvers like bouncing Archon of Emeria and casting Taunted Pact to exile decks illustrate the high-stakes tactical depth. The game prominently features artifact synergies, token generation, and incremental advantage through card draw and threat multiplication. The match is marked by careful consideration of timing and sequencing, particularly around pivotal spells and abilities that can swing momentum.