TTJ: Cassius Marsh v Gabriel Luna v Nicholas v Blackneto | MTG Commander Gameplay episode 6

Deck Strategies

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  Kozilek, the Great Distortion

  Control and disruption through counterspells and high-impact Eldrazi threats, aiming to lock opponents out while deploying large creatures to dominate the board.

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  Odric, Lunarch Marshal

  Building a wide board of creatures with diverse combat abilities and using Odric’s ability to grant all creatures those abilities, creating powerful combat synergies to overwhelm opponents.

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  Kess, Dissident Mage

  Casting multiple spells per turn with recursion and flash to generate continuous value and control the game tempo through spell-based interactions.

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  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  Using ninjutsu to sneak in evasive creatures, triggering Yuriko’s ability to deal damage to opponents based on the top card of their library, focusing on incremental damage and evasion.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Early ramp with Lotus Pedals and mana rocks enabled explosive starts and quick access to pivotal spells and creatures.

• 2

  The use of Imperial Seal as a tutor early on allowed players to fetch key combo pieces or disruption.

• 3

  Time Twister reshuffled hands and decks, creating a significant shift in game momentum and forcing players to adapt their strategies mid-game.

• 4

  Yuriko’s ninjutsu activations and damage triggers steadily pressured opponents by dealing damage equal to the top card of their decks, synergizing well with evasive creatures.

• 5

  Odric’s ability to grant all creatures the combat abilities of others created powerful board-wide effects, amplifying combat damage potential.

• 6

  Kess’s flash and recursion spells allowed for flexible responses and maximized spellcasting value each turn.

Notable Cards

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  Imperial Seal

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  Soldier of the Pantheon

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  Herald of Anafenza

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  Solemn Recruit

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  Mikokoro, Center of the Sea

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  Skullsnatcher

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  Cascade Bluffs

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  Part the Waterveil

Summary

The game featured four highly tuned, spicy Commander decks piloted by players with distinct strategies. Early turns saw explosive mana acceleration from Lotus Pedals and key mana rocks, enabling quick deployment of impactful creatures and spells. Kozilek, the Great Distortion's controller leveraged counterspells and a disruptive control plan, aiming to protect their board and lock down opponents. Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow's pilot focused on ninjutsu and dealing damage through evasive creatures, triggering Yuriko’s ability to deal damage equal to the top card of the opponent's deck. Odric, Lunarch Marshal’s player built a board of creatures with various combat abilities, looking to capitalize on Odric’s ability to grant all creatures the abilities of others, creating powerful combat synergies. Kess, Dissident Mage's deck revolved around casting multiple spells per turn, using recursion and flash to generate value and overwhelm opponents with spell-based strategies. Key turning points included the use of Imperial Seal and other tutor effects to find critical combo pieces early, as well as a Time Twister that reshuffled hands and decks, significantly altering game momentum. Ninjutsu plays and combat damage from evasive creatures steadily chipped away at life totals, while board development continued. The game featured moments of tension when players executed combos or locked down the board with counterspells or protection effects. The win condition seemed to hinge on Yuriko’s damage triggers and Odric’s combat synergy, with Kozilek aiming to control the board and Kess to outvalue the table with spells. The match highlighted the dynamic interplay between aggressive combat, spellcasting, and disruption in a high-powered multiplayer Commander setting.