Early Access Murders at Karlov Manor | EDH Gameplay Ep 36

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kaust, Eyes of the Glade

  Deploys numerous face-down creatures using morph mechanics to confuse opponents, controlling the board with surprise flips and synergy from face-down creatures.

• 

  Mirko, Obsessive Theorist

  Focuses on surveilling to fill the graveyard quickly and reanimate creatures for value, generating card advantage and board presence through graveyard interactions.

• 

  Morska, Undersea Sleuth

  Generates clue tokens and draws cards to maintain a steady flow of resources, emphasizing card advantage and mystery-solving thematic synergy.

• 

  Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser

  Uses the suspect mechanic to restrict opponent creature attacks and blocking, gaining card advantage and disrupting combat in order to control the battlefield.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Disinformation Campaign early to force multiple discards disrupted opponents’ hands but was mitigated by surveil effects returning it to hand.

• 2

  Frontier Warmonger’s ability to grant menace to all non-attacking creatures created a deterrent against attacks and shaped combat dynamics.

• 3

  Nelly Borca’s suspect ability made attacking risky for opponents by imposing menace and blocking restrictions on suspected creatures, effectively controlling combat flow.

• 4

  Mirko’s use of Chain Teller of Tales enabled continuous card draw and land drops, helping to maintain momentum despite discard pressures.

• 5

  Kaust’s morph creatures benefited from Obscuring Aether, reducing their casting cost and enabling flexible surprise plays that kept opponents uncertain.

• 6

  Players carefully managed their land drops and ramp to maintain pace, with some turns prioritizing resource development over aggressive plays.

Notable Cards

• 

  Disinformation Campaign

• 

  Keeper of the Accord

• 

  Frontier Warmonger

• 

  Thoughtbound Phantasm

• 

  Arcane Signet

• 

  Exotic Orchard

Summary

The game featured four players each piloting distinct decks from the Murders at Karlov Manor preconstructed series. The early turns were marked by strategic ramping and establishing board presence, with players deploying creatures and utility lands to set up their synergies. Kaust, Eyes of the Glade focused on deploying face-down creatures to leverage the morph mechanic, while Mirko, Obsessive Theorist aimed to surveil and reanimate creatures for incremental value. Morska, Undersea Sleuth centered around clue generation and card draw, providing a steady flow of resources, and Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser specialized in suspecting opponent creatures to disrupt attacks and gain card advantage. Key turning points included the use of Disinformation Campaign to force opponents to discard, which pressured Mirko’s hand but also enabled the recycling of the campaign through surveil effects. The board state intensified as Frontier Warmonger buffed creatures with menace, creating a defensive stalemate and influencing attack decisions. Nelly Borca’s ability to suspect creatures and impose menace and blocking restrictions complicated combat dynamics and card draw interactions. Players carefully balanced aggressive plays with defensive positioning, with Mirko utilizing Chain Teller of Tales to maintain card advantage and land drops, and Kaust capitalizing on the reduced cost and hidden information of morph creatures to keep opponents guessing. The game’s tension built around managing resources, combat restrictions, and the timing of morph flips, setting the stage for a climactic engagement based on board control and incremental advantage.