Deck & Commander Strategies
Etali, Primal Conqueror
Ramp aggressively to cast Etali early, then either sacrifice it to Food Chain for infinite mana or generate multiple Etali triggers through token copying to deal massive damage and close out the game.
Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh & Thrasios, Triton Hero
A partnership deck focusing on controlling the game with countermagic and disruption, then leveraging powerful combos such as Dockside Extortionist and artifact synergies to generate infinite mana and card advantage for a combo finish.
Animar, Soul of Elements
Ramp quickly and cast cheap creatures to grow Animar, enabling explosive plays with artifact combos and infinite mana lines, often using Dockside Extortionist and Statue of the Cloaked Serpent to generate overwhelming advantage and secure victory.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
Assemble a toolbox of legendary creatures and utility spells, using tutors and ramp to find combo pieces and protective elements, aiming to control the board and finish the game through powerful legendary synergies and combos.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Using Lavinia, Azorius Renegade effectively shut down key polymorph and ramp spells, delaying Etali's explosive turns.
- 2
Early investment in mana acceleration and ramp spells was crucial to enable fast combo assembly, especially for Etali and Animar.
- 3
Players carefully chose when to pay for Mystic Remora triggers to maximize card draw without overcommitting resources.
- 4
The synergy between Displacer Kitten and Etali allowed for potential infinite exile loops to lock opponents out of the game.
- 5
Sequencing plays around opponents' expected combos, such as anticipating Food Chain or polymorph lines, was a pivotal strategic element.
- 6
Balancing aggression and defense, players used disruption and counterspells to prevent early combo wins while setting up their own.
- 7
The interplay between artifact mana sources and creature-based ramp was central to several decks' strategies for explosive turns.
Notable Cards
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Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness
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Displacer Kitten
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Food Chain
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Dockside Extortionist
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Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
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Carpet of Flowers
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Sylvan Library
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Priest of Titania
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Lion's Eye Diamond
Gameplay Summary
The game began with players carefully evaluating their opening hands and mulliganing to find efficient starts.
Early plays included ramp spells, mana rocks, and disruption elements like Lavinia, Azorius Renegade to hinder opponents' combos.
One player focused on ramping into Etali, Primal Conqueror, aiming to leverage its aggressive triggers along with Food Chain for combo wins.
Another piloted a version cheating Etali into play with Displacer Kitten to exile entire libraries, aiming for an infinite lock.
Animar's deck utilized powerful artifact and creature combos, including Dockside Extortionist and Statue lines, to generate overwhelming board states and infinite mana.
Meanwhile, Sisay's deck appeared to focus on assembling combos with legendary creatures and utility spells to control the board and close out the game.
Throughout the early to mid game, key turning points included establishing mana acceleration, deploying disruption to slow down Etali's aggressive ramp, and assembling combo pieces from Animar and Sisay's decks.
The game was defined by a tense balance between fast combo attempts and strategic disruption, with players carefully sequencing spells and managing resources to position themselves for a decisive win.
