Deck & Commander Strategies
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin
Leverages card advantage from its command ability combined with creatures that generate value and combos involving Agatha's Soul Cauldron and Walking Ballista or Ob Nixilus to create loops for closing out the game.
Shadow the Hedgehog
Utilizes graveyard recursion with cards like Forsaken Miner and sacrifice outlets along with Ad Nauseam and Underworld Breach to rapidly loot and drain opponents via Blood Artist, aiming for a fast combo kill.
Kefka, Court Mage // Kefka, Ruler of Ruin
Controls the game through hand disruption and card draw, aiming to close with combos such as Thassa's Oracle and Demonic Consultation or Underworld Breach and Brain Freeze for instant kills.
Vivi Ornitier
Focuses on midrange gameplay setting up early drawing engines like Mystic Remora or Rhystic Study, then combos off with Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal for infinite triggers to deal lethal damage.
Y'shtola, Night's Blessed
Aims to cast multiple non-creature spells to maximize card draw and value while draining opponents using combos involving Veto, Thorn to Dust Rose, and Exquisite Blood or the classic Thassa's Oracle and Demonic Consultation.
Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
Generates large amounts of mana through ramp and big creatures, then copies enchantments like Rhystic Study to draw cards and finishes with huge combat damage via a massive Genesis Wave or similar spells.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
The turn-two Ad Nauseam combo by Shadow the Hedgehog was a game-ending play exploiting graveyard recursion and sacrifice outlets to mill and drain opponents efficiently.
- 2
Ob Nixilis’s deck relies on establishing incremental value and combos involving sac outlets and life drain, requiring more setup than the turbo combo decks.
- 3
Kefka’s control approach leverages hand disruption and powerful card draw engines to slow opponents and set up instant-win combos.
- 4
Vivi Ornitier’s midrange strategy focuses on setting up draw engines early to fuel a later explosive infinite combo with Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal.
- 5
Kinnan’s deck uses massive mana ramp and copying enchantments like Rhystic Study to maintain card advantage and close with large combat damage.
- 6
The interaction between exploitation of sacrifice combos and card draw synergies highlights the importance of resource management and timing in cEDH games.
Notable Cards
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Ad Nauseam
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Underworld Breach
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Forsaken Miner
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Blood Artist
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Agatha's Soul Cauldron
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Walking Ballista
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Thassa's Oracle
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Demonic Consultation
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Isochron Scepter
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Dramatic Reversal
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Rhystic Study
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Imperial Seal
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Dark Ritual
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Carrion Feeder
Gameplay Summary
The first game featured a fast-paced combo battle with multiple players vying for early advantage.
The Shadow the Hedgehog deck quickly assembled a turn-two Ad Nauseam combo with Underworld Breach and a loot-sack synergy involving Forsaken Miner and Alter of Dementia.
This enabled the player to mill out opponents while draining life via Blood Artist, effectively winning the game almost immediately.
The early interaction was limited due to the rapid mana acceleration and disruption, culminating in a swift and decisive victory. The second game saw a more midrange and control-oriented approach, with players carefully developing their mana bases and setting up key engines.
The Ob Nixilis deck aimed for a value-driven strategy with creatures like Razor Can, Needlehead, and Scrawling Crawler, leveraging card advantage from the command zone and seeking to establish a loop with Agatha's Soul Cauldron and Walking Ballista.
The Y'shtola deck focused on casting non-creature spells to draw cards and drain opponents using unique combos involving Veto, Thorn to Dust Rose, and Exquisite Blood.
Kinnan sought to generate large amounts of mana to cast big threats and close out with a massive combat damage finisher using a copied Rhystic Study.
Vivi Ornitier aimed to set up early draw engines and then combo off with Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal for infinite triggers and damage.
The game evolved with tension over key plays and resource management, highlighting the strategic depth of midrange and control cEDH decks.
