Etali vs Chulane vs Trostani vs Marchesa EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Etali, Primal Storm

  Aggressive red-based deck leveraging Etali’s combat damage trigger to cast free spells from opponents’ decks, combined with haste enablers to attack multiple times and overwhelm opponents quickly.

• 

  Marchesa, the Black Rose

  Midrange control deck that focuses on +1/+1 counters and graveyard recursion to maintain a resilient board presence while applying steady pressure and disrupting opponents.

• 

  Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

  Token and lifegain deck using Trostani’s ability to gain life and populate tokens, supported with value engines like Luminarch Ascension and Sylvan Library to generate incremental advantage and board control.

• 

  Chulane, Teller of Tales

  Synergistic creature-based deck focused on drawing cards and ramping mana through creature plays, aiming to build overwhelming board presence and value over time.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Sam’s use of Crashing Drawbridge to grant haste to creatures allowed Etali to attack multiple times each turn, accelerating damage output significantly.

• 2

  Eric’s timely use of Descend Upon the Sinful exiled most creatures, disrupting the board state and forcing players to rebuild, though it slowed him more than others.

• 3

  Aiden’s Marchesa leveraged graveyard recursion effectively with Animate Dead and counters to maintain a resilient board presence despite board wipes.

• 4

  Maddy’s Chulane faced early mana color issues that hampered his ability to fully capitalize on his deck’s synergy and card draw engines.

• 5

  Sam’s casting of relentless assault during the extra combat phase maximized damage potential and helped maintain pressure on multiple opponents simultaneously.

• 6

  Trostani’s token generation and life gain provided defensive stability but was less effective in quickly turning the tides against the aggressive Etali deck.

Notable Cards

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  Etali, Primal Storm

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  Crashing Drawbridge

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  Pain Seer

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  Luminarch Ascension

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  Sylvan Library

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  Blood Moon

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  Relentless Assault

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  Deputy of Detention

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  Animate Dead

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  Descend upon the Sinful

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  Wilderness Reclamation

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  Path of Discovery

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  Puppeteer Clique

Summary

The game unfolded with four distinct decks engaged in a dynamic multiplayer Commander match. Early turns saw an emphasis on ramp and mana development, with players establishing board presence through creatures and utility lands. Sam's Etali deck showcased its signature aggressive style, using Etali's combat trigger to reveal and cast powerful spells from opponents' decks, maintaining pressure with haste creatures and relentless assaults. Aiden’s Marchesa deck focused on controlling the board with efficient creatures like Pain Seer and leveraging graveyard recursion through Animate Dead, steadily increasing board presence and pressure. Eric’s Trostani deck played a more defensive and value-oriented game, utilizing Sylvan Library and Luminarch Ascension to generate tokens and life, along with a key board wipe with Descend Upon the Sinful to reset the board state. Maddy’s Chulane deck aimed at growth and synergy, using creatures like Deputy of Detention and Vivien Reid to control the board and ramp into bigger plays, albeit struggling somewhat with mana color consistency early on. A key turning point was Sam’s aggressive use of Etali’s ability combined with Crashing Drawbridge and other haste enablers, allowing multiple attacks per turn and repeated damage output. Meanwhile, Eric’s board wipe temporarily slowed the momentum but did not stop Sam’s persistent aggression. Aiden's Marchesa capitalized on the ensuing chaos by bringing back creatures and maintaining a steady stream of threats. Maddy’s Chulane tried to stabilize with card draw and token generation but was hindered by mana issues and the constant pressure from Etali’s fast attacks. The game highlighted the volatility of multiplayer Commander, with Etali’s deck pushing pace and aggression, while Marchesa and Trostani balanced control and value, and Chulane sought to build synergy and board presence over time.