Diamond Commander League | S1: E9 | Ruric Thar, Silas // Tana, Jhoira, Rayami | MTG EDH Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

  Punishes opponents for casting noncreature spells with damage triggers and uses aggressive Gruul creatures and combos to close out games quickly.

• 

  Silas Renn, Seeker Adept // Tana, the Bloodsower

  Utilizes ping effects, deathtouch creatures, and incremental damage to control the board and chip away at opponents while enhancing creatures with +1/+1 counters.

• 

  Jhoira of the Ghitu

  Focuses on suspending powerful Eldrazi and big spells, generating massive card advantage and taking multiple turns to overwhelm opponents.

• 

  Rayami, First of the Fallen

  Leverages Rayami's ability to exile and gain abilities from creatures that die, combined with protection spells and reanimation for a resilient board state.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Ben's use of Bane of Progress to clear artifacts and enchantments disrupted opponents' key strategies and enabled aggressive damage with Goblin Sharpshooter.

• 2

  Carlos maximized card advantage and tempo by casting Rush of Knowledge to draw 13 cards and Beacon of Tomorrows to take multiple turns in succession.

• 3

  Dylan cleverly used Polymorphous Jest to temporarily neutralize Ben's creatures, allowing for safer attacks and strategic positioning.

• 4

  John's timely animation of Rayami from the graveyard and use of exile counters allowed him to preserve and capitalize on opponent's creature deaths.

• 5

  The interaction between incremental ping damage and recurring untap triggers from Goblin Sharpshooter created continuous pressure across multiple turns.

Notable Cards

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  Goblin Sharpshooter

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  Bane of Progress

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  Rush of Knowledge

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  Beacon of Tomorrows

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  Diplomatic Immunity

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  Toothy, Imaginary Friend

• 

  Snake Umbra

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  Sylvan Caryatid

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  Hermetic Study

Summary

The game started with players developing their boards by casting ramp and utility creatures, setting up their respective strategies. Ben, playing Ruric Thar, focused on punishing opponents for playing spells with Gruul's tax effects and prepared combos with creatures like Goblin Sharpshooter. Dylan's Silas Renn and Tana deck utilized pingers and death touch mechanics to incrementally wear down opponents, while Carlos on Jhoira of the Ghitu aimed to cast big Eldrazi and powerful spells through suspend and draw engines. John piloted Rayami, First of the Fallen, leveraging his ability to preserve and reuse dead creatures' effects alongside protective spells like Diplomatic Immunity. Key turning points included Ben casting Bane of Progress to clear artifacts and enchantments, disrupting opponents' strategies and enabling aggressive damage with Goblin Sharpshooter. Carlos executed a massive card draw with Rush of Knowledge and took multiple turns using Beacon of Tomorrows, accelerating his board development significantly. Meanwhile, Dylan employed polymorphous jest to neutralize Ben's creatures temporarily, showcasing the tactical interplay between board control and combat damage. John managed to animate Rayami from the graveyard and used exile and counters to maintain a resilient board presence. The game featured multiple pulses of damage, removal, and counterspells, with players jockeying for advantage while managing their resources and timing of powerful spells. The interaction of combos, mass removal, and incremental damage shaped the flow toward a late-game where big threats and multiple turns swung momentum decisively.