Nekusar vs Kyler vs Ramos vs Xira Arien EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Nekusar, the Mindrazer

  This deck aims to inflict damage through forcing opponents to draw excess cards, using wheels and draw triggers to deal incremental damage while maintaining hand disruption and control elements.

• 

  Kyler, Sigardian Emissary

  Focused on a human tribal theme, Kyler's deck generates card advantage by drawing cards whenever humans enter the battlefield and uses anthem effects to pump the tribal creatures for aggressive board presence.

• 

  Ramos, Dragon Engine

  Ramos utilizes mutation and +1/+1 counter synergies to grow creatures quickly, ramp mana, and generate value through repeated mutation triggers and card draw, aiming to establish a resilient and large board.

• Zera Iron

  Zera Iron plays a value and control game with efficient removal spells, recursion through cards like Eternal Witness and Cub Warden, and board wipes to stabilize and outvalue opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Crystal Shard to repeatedly bounce creatures like Anamar and respond to removal spells to maintain board presence and tempo.

• 2

  The board wipe from Toxic Deluge was pivotal in resetting the board, but recursion with Eternal Witness and Cub Warden allowed Ben to rebuild effectively.

• 3

  Mutation mechanics on Ramos' creatures created multiple +1/+1 counters and card advantage, enabling sustained pressure.

• 4

  Kyler's human tribal triggers were maximized by rallying the ranks and attacking with multiple tokens, forcing opponents into difficult combat decisions.

• 5

  Nekusar's use of Urza's Guilt and forced discards alongside continuous damage from card draws kept opponents under pressure.

• 6

  The final board wipe with Obliterate cleared the battlefield almost entirely, allowing Ben to capitalize on his remaining resources and secure a dominant position.

Notable Cards

• 

  Crystal Shard

• 

  Underworld Dreams

• 

  Urza's Guilt

• 

  Toxic Deluge

• 

  Eternal Witness

• 

  Obliterate

• 

  Souvenir Snatcher

• 

  Spiteful Visions

• 

  Lore Broker

• 

  Rally the Ranks

• 

  Kyler, Sigardian Emissary

Summary

The game started with the players developing their mana bases and establishing early board presence, with ramp spells and utility creatures populating the battlefield. Nekusar focused on drawing and forcing opponents to draw cards to inflict damage, while Kyler generated value through human tribal synergies and card draw. Ramos utilized mutation and +1/+1 counter mechanics to grow his creatures, leveraging cards like Anamar and Gem-Razer to maintain board presence and card advantage. Meanwhile, Zera Iron aimed to control the board with removal and reanimation effects. A pivotal moment occurred when Ben, playing Zera Iron, cast Toxic Deluge to wipe the board, only to recover key creatures like Eternal Witness and Cub Warden through recursion. This reset slowed the game temporarily but enabled Ben to establish dominance with efficient creatures and value spells. Nekusar continued to apply pressure with Urza's Guilt and forced discards, while Ramos used mutations and ramp to keep up. The game saw strategic combat decisions, including targeted damage and creature sacrifices to disrupt opponents' plans. Eventually, Ben's board control and recurring threats led to the elimination of one player, followed by a powerful board wipe with Obliterate, clearing the path for a strong late-game presence. The game continued with players rebuilding, but the momentum had clearly shifted in favor of Ben's deck.