#01 Akiri/Kraum, Yisan, Thrasios/Vial Smasher, Kenrith - EDH Gameplay by SplitSecond

Deck Strategies

• 

  Kenrith, the Returned King

  Utilizes Timur flash and dramatic reversal combos to generate infinite mana and take over the game, supported by interaction to protect key pieces.

• 

  Yisan, the Wanderer Bard

  Focuses on assembling a combo involving Gaea's Cradle and Winter Orb to control the board and generate large amounts of mana and value through creature tutoring.

• 

  Thrasios, Triton Hero and Vial Smasher the Fierce

  Employs control elements with counterspells and mana acceleration to enable powerful combo or value lines, using Vial Smasher's damage to pressure opponents.

• 

  Akiri, Line-Slinger and Kraum, Ludevic's Opus

  Aggressively equips and attacks with equipment synergy, applying early pressure and leveraging damage triggers to chip away at opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Players prioritized protecting their combo pieces with counterspells and removal, often holding back interaction until key threats appeared.

• 2

  Yisan's use of Crop Rotation to fetch Gaea's Cradle accelerated his mana production and enabled explosive turns.

• 3

  Winter Orb and Collector Ouphe were used effectively to lock down opponents' mana sources and slow down fast combos.

• 4

  Reclaimer was strategically cast to neutralize Grafdigger's Cage, allowing graveyard-based strategies to continue.

• 5

  Kenrith's player kept mana open to flash in combo pieces and used mana rocks efficiently to assemble the dramatic reversal combo despite heavy disruption.

• 6

  Players carefully tracked opponents' hands and mana to decide when to deploy counterspells or allow spells to resolve, balancing disruption and mana development.

Notable Cards

• 

  Gaea's Cradle

• 

  Winter Orb

• 

  Dramatic Reversal

• 

  Mana Vault

• 

  Finale of Devastation

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  Grafdigger's Cage

• 

  Collector Ouphe

• 

  Force of Will

• 

  Forbidden Orchard

• 

  Leyline of the Void

• 

  Mindbreak Trap

Summary

The game began with all players establishing their early mana bases and deploying key ramp and utility creatures. Yisan, the Wanderer Bard, aimed to assemble his combo pieces around a Gaea's Cradle acceleration and Winter Orb lockdown, while Thrasios and Vial Smasher played a control and combo-oriented strategy leveraging mana vaults and card draw. Kenrith, the Returned King, pursued a Timur flash combo involving dramatic reversal, while Akiri and Kraum focused on equipment synergy and aggressive beatdowns. Early turns saw probing and counterspell setups to disrupt combos, with players carefully managing mana and interaction to protect their lines. Midgame pivotal moments included Yisan's Finale of Devastation grabbing powerful creatures to lock down opponents and the use of Winter Orb and Collector Ouphe to restrict mana and slow fast combos. A notable interaction was the use of Reclaimer to target and neutralize problematic permanents like Grafdigger's Cage. The game featured precise timing of counterspells and removal to delay or dismantle combos, with players holding back resources for critical moments. Eventually, combo players sought to assemble their pieces under heavy disruption. The game culminated with Kenrith successfully casting a flash Hulk combo, leveraging mana rocks and dramatic reversal to take the win.