Deck & Commander Strategies
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
A Death and Taxes style deck that taxes opponents' resources and disrupts their plays while winning through steady combat damage aided by equipment and efficient creatures.
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
Focuses on creating combos with undying creatures and Yawgmoth’s abilities to generate infinite value, card draw, and eventually close out the game through a combo finish.
Omnath, Locus of Creation
Leverages landfall triggers for value, life gain, and ramp, combining light stax elements and efficient creatures to control the board and win through incremental advantage and combat.
Najeela, the Blade-Blossom
Turbo Ad Nauseam style deck that uses fast mana and tutors to assemble powerful one-card combos and win conditions, while using Najeela’s token generation to pressure opponents in combat.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Drake’s use of Swan Song to counter removal on Najeela early ensured his commander stayed on the board to generate tokens and maintain pressure.
- 2
Shaun’s Collector Ouphe and Null Rod effectively locked Cal’s artifact-based mana and combo pieces, delaying his development.
- 3
Charles leveraged Weathered Wayfarer to tutor key lands like Ancient Tomb and Urza's Saga to accelerate his artifact ramp and board development.
- 4
Drake’s repeated combat attacks with Derevi allowed him to untap key lands and maintain an aggressive tempo despite disruption.
- 5
Shaun’s Green Sun's Zenith fetching Titania was a pivotal surprise that synergized with Omnath’s landfall triggers and ramp, significantly increasing his board presence.
- 6
Cal’s ability to remain patient despite artifact lock showed the resilience of Yawgmoth’s toolbox and combo potential when given the opportunity.
Notable Cards
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Jeweled Lotus
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Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
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Collector Ouphe
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Null Rod
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Green Sun's Zenith
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Titania, Protector of Argoth
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Urza's Saga
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Ancient Tomb
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Winds of Abandon
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Vampiric Tutor
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Force of Will
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Swords to Plowshares
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Weathered Wayfarer
Gameplay Summary
The game began with aggressive deployment and resource acceleration from all four players, each piloting distinct competitive decks.
Drake on Najeela opened by quickly casting his commander with help from Jeweled Lotus, aiming to leverage Najeela's combat and token production.
Cal on Yawgmoth, Thran Physician focused on setting up his combo engine with Phyrexian Tower and other mana artifacts while being temporarily locked out by Shaun's Collector Ouphe.
Shaun on Omnath, Locus of Creation utilized landfall triggers and incremental value from Lotus Cobra and Eternal Witness to establish board presence and life gain, alongside disruption with Collector Ouphe and Null Rod.
Charles on Eight-and-a-Half-Tails played a taxing style deck, deploying swords and weathered Wayfarer to disrupt opponents and accelerate his own board state.