PreDH, aka pre-2011 Commander! | Commander Clash S14 E10

Deck Strategies

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  Dromar, the Banisher

  Utilize Dromar’s ability to bounce all creatures of a chosen color when it deals combat damage to disrupt opponents’ boards and control the pace of the game. The deck focuses on flying threats and tempo plays to maintain pressure and protect Dromar.

• 

  Rubinia Soulsinger

  Steal opponent’s creatures and leverage sacrifice synergies to maximize value. The deck combines theft with Aristocrats-style effects, sacrificing stolen creatures before returning them to opponents to gain incremental advantage and maintain board presence.

• 

  Teneb, the Harvester

  Play a strong flying threat that recurs creatures from graveyards upon dealing combat damage. The deck uses graveyard recursion to outvalue opponents over time and sustain pressure through repeated creature threats.

• 

  Darien, King of Kjeldor

  Mono-white token generation and life gain, aiming to create a defensive board presence. Despite lacking modern ramp and card draw, the deck focuses on incremental value through creature tokens and damage mitigation.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Dromar’s ability to bounce creatures en masse forced opponents to carefully consider board development and pacing, proving a strong tempo tool in a slower format.

• 2

  Rubinia’s synergy with sacrificing stolen creatures introduced a unique interaction that leverages both disruption and Aristocrats-style incremental advantage.

• 3

  The limited card pool led to slower, more methodical gameplay, emphasizing positioning, mana development, and timing over explosive combos or huge card advantage.

• 4

  Darien’s mono-white deck highlighted the challenges of old-school mono-white strategies lacking modern ramp and card draw, requiring careful resource management and defensive play.

• 5

  Teneb’s graveyard recursion created sustained threat presence and value, making removal less effective and encouraging opponents to adapt to recurring threats.

Notable Cards

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  Dromar, the Banisher

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  Rubinia Soulsinger

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  Teneb, the Harvester

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  Darien, King of Kjeldor

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  Painter's Servant

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  Solemn Simulacrum

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  Savannah

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  Tropical Island

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  Ancient Tomb

Summary

In this pre-2011 Commander game, each player piloted decks built solely from cards printed before the official 2011 Commander release, creating a unique meta reminiscent of early multiplayer Magic. The game featured four commanders: Dromar, the Banisher; Rubinia Soulsinger; Teneb, the Harvester; and Darien, King of Kjeldor. Early turns saw classic old-school ramp and board development, with players establishing mana bases and creatures in a slower, more deliberate pace reflective of the limited card pool. Key moments included Crim's use of Dromar's combat damage trigger to bounce creatures, disrupting opponents' boards, and Phil leveraging Rubinia Soulsinger's ability to steal creatures and utilize sacrifice synergies reminiscent of Aristocrats archetypes. Tom’s Teneb added graveyard recursion threats, creating incremental value over time, while Darien's mono-white deck struggled with limited card advantage options but aimed to generate tokens for defensive and incremental life-gain purposes. The game highlighted the constraints and unique interactions of pre-2011 cards, resulting in a gameplay experience with fewer explosive plays but rich in strategic positioning and timing.