Deck & Commander Strategies
Grolnok, the Omnivore
Self-mill to exile key combo pieces such as Fastest Oracle or Laboratory Maniac, then cast them from exile to win. Uses recursion to maintain pressure and maximize value from the graveyard.
Belbe, Corrupted Observer
Big mana ramp combined with stax elements to lock down opponents. Uses Michaeus, the Unhollowed and recursion to maintain board presence and slowly grind out a win.
Dargo, the Shipwrecker / Jeska, Thrice Reborn
Fast combo deck aiming to repeatedly cast and sacrifice Dargo with Jeska's ability to deal lethal damage in a single strike, sometimes enhanced with triple strike.
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Thrasios, Triton Hero / Jeska, Thrice Reborn
Budget cEDH deck utilizing multiple combos to close the game. Relies on efficient mana generation and flexible win conditions to adapt to the game state.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Grolnok’s early aggressive self-mill and casting of exiled cards pressured opponents and set a fast game tempo.
- 2
Belbe’s deployment of Static Orb and Culling Ritual to wipe much of the board effectively slowed down aggressive strategies, demonstrating classic stax control.
- 3
Dargo and Jeska’s combo threat forced opponents to make difficult chump block decisions, highlighting the tension between fast combo and control.
- 4
Belbe’s misplay regarding Michaeus, the Unhollowed's non-human restriction showed the importance of detailed card knowledge in complex board states.
- 5
Using Gilded Drake from exile to steal key threats showcased how exile-based recursion combos can disrupt opponent plans in cEDH.
- 6
The players' careful timing of attacks and blocking demonstrated the high-stakes tension typical in competitive EDH, where each combat step can be decisive.
Notable Cards
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Grolnok, the Omnivore
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Belbe, Corrupted Observer
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Jeska, Thrice Reborn
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Dargo, the Shipwrecker
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Thrasios, Triton Hero
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Static Orb
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Culling Ritual
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Gilded Drake
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Veil of Summer
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Lotus Petal
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Faithless Looting
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Goblin Welder
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Necrotic Ooze
Gameplay Summary
The game opened with a rapid deployment of Grolnok, the Omnivore, leveraging turn-one acceleration to establish a strong early board presence through self-mill and recursion.
Grolnok aimed to mill his library to exile key cards like Fastest Oracle and Laboratory Maniac to enable a combo finish.
Meanwhile, Belbe, Corrupted Observer focused on building big mana and controlling the board with stax elements such as Static Orb and Culling Ritual Swipe, aiming to grind down opponents and leverage Michaeus, the Unhallowed for resilience.
Dargo, the Shipwrecker paired with Jeska, Thrice Reborn pursued a fast combo kill by repeatedly casting and sacrificing Dargo to deal lethal damage, sometimes bolstered by Jeska’s ability to grant triple strike.
Thrasios, Triton Hero combined with Jeska functioned as a budget cEDH deck running multiple combos to close out the game in different ways. Early skirmishes saw Grolnok aggressively milling and deploying threats, while Belbe’s stax pieces slowed the pace and limited mana access.
Dargo/Jeska’s combo threat forced opponents to chump block or disrupt his plays.
The game’s pivotal moment came when Belbe generated a large mana pool and recurred key pieces but made a misplay with Michaeus, leading to a marginal setback.
Grolnok's ability to cast exiled cards like Gilded Drake helped apply pressure, but Belbe's board control remained strong.
The interactions between the stax effects, self-mill recursion, and fast combo attempts kept the table in tension.
The game spotlighted the tension between fast combo decks and stax control, with each player seeking to outmaneuver the others through timing and resource management.
