Ramos vs Alena | Halana vs Jace vs Athreos EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Ramos, Dragon Engine

  Utilizes mutation to bounce key permanents and draw cards, building a resilient board with synergistic creatures to control the game and outvalue opponents.

• 

  Alena, Kessig Trapper & Halana, Kessig Ranger

  Aggressive creature-based deck focused on +1/+1 counters and haste triggers to overwhelm opponents quickly with pumped creatures and powerful tribal synergies.

• 

  Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound

  A control-combo build that mills opponents while drawing cards to maintain hand advantage, using spells like Psychic Corrosion and Windfall to disrupt and refill.

• 

  Athreos, God of Passage

  Leverages life gain and reanimation effects to sustain threats on the board, using removal and recursion to maintain a solid presence and outlast opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Ramos’s use of mutation stacking to repeatedly bounce key permanents like Reclamation Sage disrupted opponents’ strategies while drawing cards to maintain resource advantage.

• 2

  Alena and Halana’s aggressive use of +1/+1 counters combined with Xenagos’s mana ramp and haste triggers enabled explosive combat phases that pressured all opponents.

• 3

  Jace’s timely casting of Psychic Corrosion forced opponents to mill cards while ramping his own hand, setting up a strong control position despite aggressive board states.

• 4

  Athreos’s life gain with Soul Mender and Elixir of Immortality kept him stabilized despite aggressive attacks, allowing him to recur threats and extend the game.

• 5

  The interaction between Ilharg, the Raze-Boar’s ETB ability and Halana’s triggered ability to destroy opposing creatures and lands was a key moment that helped clear the board and shift tempo.

• 6

  Brandon’s smart use of Deflecting Swat to redirect Dire Tactics protected his bomb creatures and turned an opponent’s removal against them, maintaining board presence.

• 7

  Matthew’s use of Windfall combined with flash mutates to protect his creatures and maximize card draw was a powerful play that replenished his hand and disrupted opponents simultaneously.

Notable Cards

• 

  Rhythm of the Wild

• 

  Confounding Conundrum

• 

  Sultai Charm

• 

  Ilharg, the Raze-Boar

• 

  Ravenform

• 

  Windfall

• 

  Psychic Corrosion

• 

  Shared Summons

• 

  Migratory Greathorn

• 

  Deflecting Swat

• 

  Feed the Swarm

• 

  Commander's Plate

• 

  Elixir of Immortality

Summary

The game began with all players setting up their mana bases and deploying early threats and utility creatures. Ramos’s deck utilized mutation mechanics to generate incremental value, bouncing opposing permanents and drawing cards through clever creature mutations. Meanwhile, Halana and Alena’s deck focused on +1/+1 counter synergies and aggressive board presence, leveraging cards like Rhythm of the Wild and Xenagos, God of Revel to pump creatures and maintain pressure. Jace’s deck centered on card draw and milling opponents, with key plays including Psychic Corrosion and Windfall to refill hands and disrupt others’ libraries. Athreos’s deck aimed at incremental life gain and reanimation threats while controlling the board with removal spells and life-linking creatures.