Deck & Commander Strategies
Ultimecia, Time Sorceress // Ultimecia, Omnipotent
Surveil and control the graveyard to transform into a powerful 7/7 menace that grants an extra turn, aiming to chain multiple extra turns to overwhelm opponents with consecutive attacks.
Tidus, Blitzball Star
Utilize artifact synergies to build counters on Tidus and tap down opposing creatures each attack to control the battlefield while applying consistent pressure.
Black Waltz No. 3
Cast numerous non-creature spells to trigger damage pings to all opponents, steadily reducing their life totals while surviving long enough to win through incremental damage.
Gladiolus Amicitia
Ramp aggressively with landfall triggers to grow creatures with trample and double strike, pushing damage through with large, evasive attackers.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Bernie's strategy to exile eight cards from the graveyard to transform Ultimecia and take an extra turn forced all players to prioritize disruption to prevent multiple consecutive extra turns.
- 2
Tidus's ability to tap opposing creatures on attack helped to control key threats and slow aggressive decks like Gladiolus, balancing offense with board control.
- 3
Black Waltz No. 3's reliance on frequent non-creature spells for incremental damage created constant pressure, but left him vulnerable to board wipes and removal.
- 4
Gladiolus's landfall synergy and ability to pump creatures with trample and double strike made him a consistent threat that demanded immediate attention from opponents.
- 5
The group’s focus on preventing Bernie from achieving extra turns highlighted the meta-awareness of the players and created a dynamic tension shaping combat and resource use.
Notable Cards
-
Tidus, Blitzball Star
-
Black Waltz No. 3
-
Gladiolus Amicitia
-
Kessig Flamebreather
-
Deathcap Marionette
-
Aether Spellbomb
-
Darksteel Citadel
-
Evolving Wilds
Gameplay Summary
The game began with players developing their boards through early mana plays, with Bryce on Gladiolus Amicitia ramping into landfall synergies, Miles on Tidus, Blitzball Star assembling artifact support to build counters on his commander, Jake on Black Waltz No.
3 focusing on non-creature spells to ping opponents, and Bernie on Ultimecia, Time Sorceress aiming to transform into Ultimecia, Omnipotent for extra turns and a powerful creature.
Early turns saw a mix of land drops, token generation, and incremental damage through non-creature spell triggers and landfall effects.
Gladiolus quickly put pressure by growing creatures with landfall and attacking aggressively, while Black Waltz No.
3 started chipping away at opponents with damage from casting spells. A key turning point was Bernie’s attempt to transform Ultimecia for an additional turn, which posed a significant threat due to the ability to chain consecutive turns and deal commander damage with a 7/7 menace.
The table recognized this as a major threat and focused on preventing Bernie from achieving this state.
Meanwhile, Tidus leveraged artifact synergies to tap opposing creatures and control the board, while Gladiolus applied continuous pressure through trampling creatures boosted by landfall.
Black Waltz’s damage output was potent but vulnerable to removal, making his survival key to continuing pressure.
The game featured fast-paced swings, with players balancing aggression and disruption to prevent Bernie’s extra turns and to maintain board presence.
The outcome hinged on whether Bernie could pull off the extra turn combo and capitalize on it before being overwhelmed by the other aggressive decks.
