Deck & Commander Strategies
Mowu, Loyal Companion
Build a large, tough creature by stacking +1/+1 counters through spells and abilities, then win through commander damage with a heavily augmented Mowu.
Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
Develop a synergistic merfolk board with Lords and other merfolk to gain card advantage and overwhelm opponents with wide, pumped boards.
Kentaro, the Smiling Cat
Utilize samurai tribal synergy and enchantments to generate value, ramp mana, and control the board with efficient creatures.
Taigam, Ojutai Master
Control the game with counterspells and card draw while ramping mana; use spells to manipulate the board and take advantage of incremental card advantage.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Nick’s Mowu deck capitalized on +1/+1 counter synergies to quickly amass a threatening creature, using cards like Retreat to Kazandu and Predatory Hunger to exponentially grow Mowu.
- 2
Chris’ Kumena deck effectively utilized tribal buffs and card draw via merfolk taps, creating a board that was difficult to block and allowing for sustained pressure.
- 3
Max’s use of Desertion to steal an opponent’s Forgotten Ancient was a pivotal moment, disrupting Nick’s growth strategy and gaining him valuable counters.
- 4
Martin’s combination of Kentaro and Pearl Medallion enabled free or reduced-cost samurai casts, increasing tempo and board presence efficiently.
- 5
The interaction between Nick’s equipment and counter build-up (such as boots and collar) showcased a strong synergy aimed at maximizing commander damage output.
- 6
Players demonstrated awareness of potential board wipes and adjusted attack targets accordingly, reflecting the importance of reading opponents’ threats and timing their plays.
Notable Cards
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Retreat to Kazandu
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Predatory Hunger
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Ancient Animus
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Forgotten Ancient
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Desertion
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Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring
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Throne of the God-Pharaoh
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Martyr's Cause
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Return to Dust
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Lord of Atlantis
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Hinterland Harbor
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Tishana, Voice of Thunder
Gameplay Summary
The game began with each player establishing their board states with ramp and early creatures to support their commander strategies.
Nick, piloting Mowu, Loyal Companion, quickly gained momentum by using +1/+1 counter synergies.
He leveraged cards like Retreat to Kazandu and Predatory Hunger to build a large, resilient creature that dealt significant commander damage early on, putting pressure on opponents.
Chris, with Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca, developed a strong merfolk tribal presence, utilizing Lords of Atlantis and multiple merfolk to buff his board and draw cards, aiming for a wide board state and card advantage.
Martin on Kentaro, the Smiling Cat, focused on efficient samurai creatures and value enchantments like Martyr’s Cause, while Max on Taigam, Ojutai Master, employed control elements such as counterspells and card draw, alongside ramp artifacts like Primal Amulet to gain incremental advantage.
