Deck Strategies
Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
Utilizes taxing effects on non-basic lands and creatures, disrupting opponents’ mana and board development while drawing cards through sacrificing lands or creatures during attacks.
Yargle and Multani
Leverages unblockable creatures and poison counters to deliver commander damage swiftly, supported by spells that boost power and grant poison to finish opponents.
Ghalta and Mavren
Builds a balanced army of large dinosaur and vampire tokens by combining tall and wide strategies, aiming to overwhelm opponents with trampling damage and life link.
Drana and Linvala
Locks down opponents by preventing activation of creatures' abilities, while using mana of any color to activate own abilities, aiming to control the board and win through attrition.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Thalia’s effect caused creatures and non-basic lands of opponents to enter the battlefield tapped, effectively doubling the tapping requirement and slowing down their tempo.
- 2
Drana and Linvala’s ability to prevent opponents from activating creature abilities forced players to rely on non-activated abilities or spells, severely limiting their options.
- 3
Ghalta’s player carefully balanced token creation between large trampling dinosaurs and life-linking vampire tokens to maintain pressure and resilience.
- 4
Yargle and Multani’s reliance on unblockable creatures combined with poison counters created a stealthy and fast kill condition through commander combat damage.
- 5
Players utilized Sylvan Library early to smooth draws and gain card advantage, crucial for navigating the taxing and ability-lockdown effects.
- 6
The interaction between taxing effects and activated ability lockdown led to a slower, more strategic game where timing and resource management were critical.
Notable Cards
Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
Drana and Linvala
Ghalta and Mavren
Yargle and Multani
Walking Ballista
Heliod, Sun-Crowned
Sun Titan
Sylvan Library
Mana Crypt
Flagstones of Trokair
Blighted Woodland
Arcane Signet
Castle Garenbrig
Summary
The game started with all players setting up their mana bases and early plays, with an emphasis on synergistic creature and land drops. Thalia and The Gitrog Monster imposed a taxing effect on non-basic lands and creatures entering the battlefield, causing disruption early on by tapping opponents' resources twice. Drana and Linvala's presence restricted activated abilities of opponents' creatures, hampering many potential responses. Ghalta and Mavren focused on building a wide and tall board presence through creating large dinosaur and vampire tokens, while Yargle and Multani aimed to leverage unblockability and poison counters to secure commander damage victories. Key moments included the double tapping of creatures and lands due to taxing effects, the gradual buildup of tokens by Ghalta’s player, and attempts by Multani’s player to deliver lethal commander damage with poison. The interaction between Thalia’s taxing and Drana’s ability-lockdown created a challenging board state, slowing down the game and forcing players to adapt their strategies. Despite disruption, Ghalta’s player managed to create a balanced swarm of threatening creatures, while Multani’s player focused on incremental damage and poison. The game revolved around managing these layered control effects and building offensive pressure until a decisive attack or combo could end the game.
