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Magic: the Gathering Commander Gameplay | The Spike Feeders S2E4

The Spike Feeders


Commanders featured in this Gameplay Reviewed & Verified

Decklists

Deck & Commander Strategies

  • Kess, Dissident Mage

    Kess, Dissident Mage

    A spell-based control and recursion deck that aims to disrupt opponents with counterspells and removal while using Kess's ability to reuse powerful instants and sorceries for value and control.

  • Najeela, the Blade-Blossom

    Najeela, the Blade-Blossom

    A combo-centric deck focused on creating infinite combat phases via token generation and synergy with cards like Sneak Attack to quickly overwhelm opponents through multiple attacks in a single turn.

  • Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

    Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

    A stax-style deck that punishes noncreature spells with damage and uses disruptive creatures and spells like Defense of the Heart to lock down opponents and dominate through attrition and forced attacks.

  • Momir Vig, Simic Visionary

    Momir Vig, Simic Visionary

    A creature-value deck that seeks to generate card advantage through creature-based combos and incremental board presence, leveraging Momir Vig's ability to tutor and cheat creatures into play.

Gameplay Insights

  • 1

    The Ruric Thar player's Defense of the Heart created a significant threat by enabling multiple powerful creatures to enter play simultaneously, forcing opponents into reactive plays.

  • 2

    Momir Vig's attempt to reset the board with Toxic Deluge was efficiently countered by Swan Song, showcasing the importance of timing and counterspell protection in cEDH.

  • 3

    Najeela's use of Sneak Attack allowed for a surprise deployment of combo creatures, turning the tide by establishing an overwhelming board state quickly.

  • 4

    The players carefully managed Mana Crypt damage and life totals, balancing aggression with caution to maintain resources for critical plays.

  • 5

    Ruric Thar's forced attacks created pressure that limited opponents' options and shaped combat decisions, demonstrating the impact of stax elements on game flow.

Notable Cards

  • Mana Crypt

    Mana Crypt

  • Defense of the Heart

    Defense of the Heart

  • Toxic Deluge

    Toxic Deluge

  • Swan Song

    Swan Song

  • Sneak Attack

    Sneak Attack

  • Silent Gravestone

    Silent Gravestone

  • Sylvan Caryatid

    Sylvan Caryatid

  • Vizier of the Menagerie

    Vizier of the Menagerie

  • Brainstorm

    Brainstorm

  • Talisman of Indulgence

    Talisman of Indulgence

Gameplay Summary

The game opened with each player establishing their early board presence and mana base, with Mana Crypts and fetchlands appearing early, setting a fast pace.

The Ruric Thar player quickly transitioned into a stax strategy, deploying disruptive creatures and spells to punish opponents for casting noncreature spells.

Meanwhile, the Najeela player aimed to assemble a Flash Hulk combo, leveraging Najeela's ability to produce tokens and enable infinite combat phases.

The Kess player focused on spell recursion and control elements to maintain tempo and answer threats, while Momir Vig's deck sought to generate value through creatures and incremental advantage. A critical turning point occurred when the Ruric Thar player cast Defense of the Heart, threatening to cheat multiple powerful creatures onto the battlefield and severely restrict opponent actions.

This forced the Momir Vig player to respond with a Toxic Deluge, attempting a board wipe to reset the game state, only to have it countered by Swan Song from another player.

Najeela then leveraged her board state with Sneak Attack to slam in her combo pieces, creating a lethal board presence.

Throughout the game, Ruric Thar's forced attacks and stax elements pressured opponents, while Kess sought opportunities to disrupt and control.

The game revolved around managing these powerful interactions, with each player trying to outmaneuver the others through timely removal, counterspells, and combat tricks.

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