Kenrith v Kess v Najeela v Esika | Peter Stewart from Magic Arena | Commander Gameplay | K&F 64

Deck Strategies

• Kenrith, The Returned King

  Peter's strategy revolved around playing a mid-range variant of Kenrith, hoping to generate numerous treasures and go infinite, eventually winning through Kenrith's activated abilities.

• 

  Kess, Dissident Mage

  Carlos' deck hinged on manipulating his graveyard for value and he aimed to win mostly using Thassa's Oracle.

• 

  Najeela, the Blade-Blossom

  Jason decided to play a violent game using Najeela, focusing on hyper-efficient warriors and treasures. His plan was to win through combat with multiple angles of attack.

• 

  Esika, God of the Tree // The Prismatic Bridge

  Ben's strategy with Esika was fluid, as he mentioned that his list was always changing. He hinted at potential win lines with Thassa's Oracle and Tainted Pact, and also mentioned the possibility of using Najeela to his advantage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Peter's decision to include a mid-range variant of Kenrith and plan to go infinite with treasures represented a complex, multi-step strategy that required a solid setup.

• 2

  Carlos' focus on manipulating his graveyard for value demonstrated a deep understanding of Kess's strengths and showcased the advantage of double-duty cards that can serve as both tutors and win conditions.

• 3

  Jason's decision to protect Najeela with a Veil of Summer in response to Carlos' Force of Negation showed a keen sense of timing and card advantage.

• 4

  Ben's flexible strategy with Esika hinted at a wide range of possible win conditions, reinforcing the importance of adaptability in Commander.

Notable Cards

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  Veil of Summer

• 

  Force of Negation

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  Mystic Remora

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  Najeela, the Blade-Blossom

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  Wishclaw Talisman

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  Ancient Tomb

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  City of Traitors

Summary

The game kicked off with Peter Stewart, a lead software engineer at Wizards, announcing his commander Kenrith, The Returned King and his strategic plans. Early game tensions rose when Carlos tried to counter Jason's Najeela with a Force of Negation, only to be thwarted by Jason's Veil of Summer. Ben then introduced his commander, Esika, and revealed his game plan. The game saw a lot of early interaction and counterspells flying around, setting the pace for a highly strategic and intense match. Carlos, playing Kess, and Jason, playing Najeela, both had promising starts, but the game was abruptly cut off, leaving the eventual winner unknown.