Anje vs Atla vs Elsha vs Volrath | Commander 2019 CEDH Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Anje Falkenrath

  Aggressively leverage discard and graveyard recursion combos to generate value and win through infinite loops involving Worldgorger Dragon and Animate Dead.

• 

  Atla Palani, Nest Tender

  Ramp quickly with mana dorks and artifacts, generate treasures with Dockside Extortionist, and utilize creature combo pieces such as Mirror Entity to create a powerful board presence.

• 

  Elsha of the Infinite

  Control the game with counterspells and value spells on the stack while casting multiple spells per turn to capitalize on Elsha’s ability to cast spells from the top of the deck.

• 

  Volrath, the Shapestealer

  Exploit graveyard interactions and card draw engines like Skullclamp to fuel combo pieces and overwhelm opponents through value and recursion.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Ryan’s timely destruction of Cursed Totem with Blast Zone reopened the board for activated abilities, enabling his graveyard combos to proceed.

• 2

  Mike’s use of Rhystic Study early forced opponents to respond immediately or pay for card draw, establishing early control pressure.

• 3

  Garrett’s repeated use of Skullclamp on small creatures maximized card draw to fuel graveyard combos and maintain hand advantage.

• 4

  Folger’s use of Gamble to tutor Mirror Entity showcased risk-taking to assemble combo pieces quickly under pressure.

• 5

  The interaction between Animate Dead and counterspells like Mana Drain and Pact of Negation highlighted the high-stakes counterplay in cEDH.

• 6

  Players actively used Noxious Revival not just to reuse graveyard spells but also to manipulate library order and disrupt opponents’ plans.

• 7

  Multiple players’ use of tutors and discard spells demonstrated the importance of resource denial and combo disruption in this meta.

Notable Cards

• 

  Worldgorger Dragon

• 

  Animate Dead

• 

  Skullclamp

• 

  Cursed Totem

• 

  Dockside Extortionist

• 

  Mirror Entity

• 

  Rhystic Study

• 

  Mana Drain

• 

  Slaughter Pact

• 

  Flusterstorm

• 

  Noxious Revival

• 

  Windfall

• 

  Linvala, Keeper of Silence

• 

  Mana Crypt

• 

  Blast Zone

Summary

The game started with intense early plays from all four commanders, with Mike on Elsha of the Infinite establishing early control with Rhystic Study, quickly countered by Ryan's Anje Falkenrath through Red Elemental Blast and other disruptive spells. Folger on Atla Palani sought to ramp aggressively with Chrome Mox, Sol Ring, and Birds of Paradise, but was hindered by Cursed Totem locking out activated abilities. Garrett on Volrath, the Shapestealer, focused on card draw and graveyard synergies using Skullclamp and Nurturing Peatland to set up combos. A key turning point was Ryan’s use of Entomb and Animate Dead to attempt a Worldgorger Dragon combo, aiming for a game-winning infinite loop, which was met with strong counterplay from Mike’s Mana Drain and Pact of Negation. Folger attempted to disrupt the graveyard combos with Noxious Revival but also set up his own board with Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Atla Palani. Garrett leveraged Volrath's ability to kill and draw cards, fueling his graveyard strategy. The game saw multiple attempts at combos, counters, and disruptive plays, indicating a high level of interaction and tension among the players. The matchup highlighted the importance of graveyard interaction, counterspell timing, and resource management in a competitive Commander 2019 environment.