Deck Strategies
Kenrith, the Returned King
Generate infinite mana through various combos and use Kenrith's versatile abilities to either mill opponents' libraries or pump creatures for a lethal attack.
Godo, Bandit Warlord
Assemble Helm of the Host equipped to Godo to create multiple hasty copies, enabling multiple combat phases to quickly eliminate opponents.
Zur the Enchanter
Use Zur's ability to tutor powerful enchantments and deploy Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact to exile the library, then win through lab man or card advantage engines.
Thrasios, Triton Hero and Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder (Blue Pod)
Control and stax elements combined with a combo to create infinite tokens by copying Felidar Guardian infinitely, utilizing Thrasios's ability to gain card advantage and close out the game.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Using Training Grounds to reduce the activation cost of Thrasios enabled efficient mana usage and increased tempo for Blue Pod's combo setup.
- 2
Zur's player used counterspells to protect key plays, but was ultimately disrupted by Flusterstorm, which neutralized the counter and allowed removal to exile Zur.
- 3
Paying taxes from Smothering Tithe consistently helped ramp mana for multiple players, demonstrating the importance of resource acceleration in cEDH.
- 4
Godo's player cast Cursed Totem early to slow down other players' activated abilities, showcasing a stax element to disrupt opponents' combos.
- 5
The interaction between spells like Swords to Plowshares and counterspells highlighted the high-stakes tension and need for precise timing in competitive EDH.
Notable Cards
Helm of the Host
Smothering Tithe
Training Grounds
Demonic Consultation
Felidar Guardian
Incubation Druid
Flusterstorm
Swords to Plowshares
Manifold Key
Summary
The game featured four competitive decks vying for control and combo finishes. Kenrith, the Returned King aimed to generate infinite mana to either mill opponents or overwhelm with pumped creatures, while Godo, Bandit Warlord pursued a fast Helm of the Host combo to create multiple attacking copies and end the game quickly. Consultation Zur focused on tutoring powerful draw engines and then winning via a laboratory man or similar effect after exiling their library through Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact. Blue Pod, piloted by Thrasios and Bruse Tarl, employed control and stax elements, aiming to leverage Thrasios's ability alongside a combo involving copying Felidar Guardian infinite times to generate infinite tokens with haste and overwhelm opponents. Early turns saw the players establishing mana bases and deploying key pieces like Smothering Tithe and Training Grounds, with some players leveraging tax effects and disruption. Kenrith's pilot used spells like Preordain and Wall of Roots to set up, while Godo quickly developed a board presence with artifacts and tax effects. Consultation Zur deployed tutors to find critical cards and counterspells to protect their game plan. Blue Pod set up with mana dorks and value creatures, aiming to build toward the infinite token combo. A pivotal moment involved a counterspell exchange where Zur countered a Swords to Plowshares, but then a Flusterstorm was cast to protect the removal and exile Zur, crippling their position. Meanwhile, Blue Pod successfully cast Incubation Druid and Bruse Tarl to establish board presence and began swinging with Thrasios, exerting pressure. The gameplay showcased constant interaction between combo setups, disruption, and resource denial. Players carefully managed their mana and tax effects, with key spells like Smothering Tithe providing valuable ramp and card advantage. The game was poised on the edge of multiple potential combo wins, highlighting the tension between fast combo decks and control/stax elements aiming to keep them in check.
