I Hate Your Deck #85 Anzrag v Sarevok v Norin v Elenda & Azor | Commander Gameplay MTG Magic

Deck Strategies

• 

  Anzrag, the Quake-Mole

  Generate multiple combat phases by forcing blocks, untapping creatures after combat, and using fog effects to protect Anzrag, enabling repeated attacks and pressure.

• 

  Elenda and Azor

  Draw cards by paying life during combat, then create vampire tokens with lifelink, leveraging ETB drain effects to incrementally damage opponents and gain life.

• 

  Sarevok, Deathbringer

  Utilize Sarevok’s life loss trigger and Noble Heritage’s protection and counters to grow in power and survive, aiming to kill opponents with incremental damage and combat prowess.

• 

  Norin the Wary

  Flicker Norin repeatedly through exile and return on spells cast or attacks to capitalize on ETB effects and chaos spells, creating disruption and repeated threats.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Playing Silent Arbiter to limit combat to one attacker and blocker effectively hindered Anzrag’s multi-combat phase strategy, forcing a shift in tempo.

• 2

  Anointed Procession doubled token creation, which amplified Elenda and Azor’s token-based life drain and board presence dramatically.

• 3

  Norin’s flicker effect allowed for repeated ETB triggers and chaos spells, creating a highly disruptive and unpredictable board state.

• 4

  Noble Heritage’s protection from opponents for each plus one counter placed allowed Sarevok to survive through aggressive board states and maintain pressure.

• 5

  Early ramp spells like Mana Crypt and Lotus Bloom accelerated mana development, enabling impactful plays and the timely casting of expensive enchantments and creatures.

Notable Cards

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  Anzrag, the Quake-Mole

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  Elenda and Azor

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  Sarevok, Deathbringer

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  Norin the Wary

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  Noble Heritage

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  Silent Arbiter

• 

  Anointed Procession

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  Mana Crypt

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  Lotus Bloom

• 

  Mother of Runes

Summary

The game began with players establishing their boards and setting up their strategies around unique commander abilities and synergies. Anzrag, the Quake-Mole, aimed to generate multiple combat phases by forcing blocks and untapping creatures, leveraging fog effects for protection. Elenda and Azor focused on drawing cards and producing vampire tokens through life payment, combined with various ETB drain effects to chip away at opponents. Sarevok, Deathbringer utilized a background enchantment to gain protection and incrementally increase power while pressuring opponents with life loss based on board state. Norin the Wary emphasized constant flickering via exile and return, taking advantage of ETB effects and chaos spells to disrupt and apply pressure repeatedly. Early plays included ramp spells such as Mana Crypt and Lotus Bloom, alongside key token doublers like Anointed Procession, setting the stage for explosive turns ahead. A pivotal moment emerged when Silent Arbiter was played, restricting combat to only one attacker and blocker, which significantly slowed down the aggressive multi-combat strategy of Anzrag. Meanwhile, the presence of Noble Heritage and Norin's repeated ETB enabled Sarevok to build incremental advantage and protection to survive board wipes and combat damage. The interplay of token generation, card draw, and combat manipulation created tense decision points, especially as Anointed Procession doubled token output, increasing both defensive and offensive potential. The game was a dynamic battle of tempo and board control, with players carefully managing their resources and timing their impactful plays to maximize their commanders’ strengths.