#cEDH Gameplay: Why Bloodchief Ascension Dominates

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy

  Ramp quickly and generate large amounts of mana to cast big spells or activate abilities, leveraging creatures with converted mana cost 4 or less for synergy and explosive plays.

• 

  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  Utilize ninjas and evasive creatures to deal combat damage, triggering Yuriko's ability to reveal and cast cheap ninja cards from the top of the deck, applying constant pressure and card advantage.

• 

  Thrasios, Triton Hero

  Control the board with efficient interaction and ramp, then use Thrasios’s ability to dig for key combo pieces or answers, often paired with Vial Smasher to apply pressure through damage.

• 

  Vial Smasher the Fierce

  Pair with Thrasios to generate value by dealing damage whenever a spell is cast, accelerating the clock on opponents while supporting Thrasios' card advantage engine.

• 

  Dargo, the Shipwrecker

  Generate treasures through sacrificing creatures and artifacts, enabling explosive mana production and card draw, while disrupting opponents with aggressive combat and interaction.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Bloodchief Ascension’s incremental life loss triggers were pivotal in maintaining pressure and drawing cards, effectively draining opponents while fueling the player’s hand.

• 2

  Using Treasure generation and sacrifice outlets like Dargo to fuel explosive card draw (Life’s Legacy) enabled a massive tempo swing and resource advantage.

• 3

  The interaction of Vial Smasher and Thrasios provided consistent damage output tied to spells cast, synergizing well with the control elements of Thrasios.

• 4

  Combat phases were heavily contested with ninjas using Ninjutsu to bypass blockers, enabling multiple damage triggers and board control shifts.

• 5

  Efficient use of tutors and cantrips like Gamble and Mystical Tutor allowed players to assemble key combos or answers quickly, turning the tide decisively.

• 6

  A well-timed Cyclonic Rift was nearly game-winning but was countered, demonstrating the high-stakes interaction and importance of protecting key spells.

Notable Cards

• 

  Bloodchief Ascension

• 

  Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive

• 

  Veil of Summer

• 

  Life's Legacy

• 

  Gamble

• 

  Twinflame

• 

  Cyclonic Rift

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  Mystical Tutor

• 

  Mayhem Devil

• 

  Finale of Devastation

Summary

The game started with players establishing their early board states through ramp, interaction, and setting up key synergies. The Yuriko player focused on assembling ninjas and leveraging evasive creatures to chip away at opponents, while the Dargo Thrasios deck capitalized on treasure generation and card draw through sacrificing artifacts and creatures. Bloodchief Ascension quickly became a central threat, with the player maintaining pressure by incrementing its counters through life loss and aggressive plays. Combat phases were pivotal, as multiple players attacked with commanders and evasive creatures, triggering various damage-based effects and forcing difficult blocks. A major turning point came when the Bloodchief Ascension player combined repeated damage triggers with a well-timed tutor and sacrifice sequence, drawing multiple cards and maintaining board control despite life loss. The interaction between Vial Smasher and Thrasios created bursts of damage and mana advantage, but ultimately, the synergy between Bloodchief Ascension and incremental damage proved overwhelming. The game concluded decisively when the Bloodchief Ascension player managed to chain triggers and combat damage, forcing the opponents into untenable positions and claiming the win through relentless life drain and card advantage.