Deck & Commander Strategies
Avatar Aang // Aang, Master of Elements
Utilizes elemental theme and recursion mechanics, leveraging Earthbend to repeatedly bring back creatures and control the battlefield, focusing on value and resilience.
Toph, the First Metalbender
A ramp and artifact synergy deck that accelerates mana with artifact mana sources and uses Amulet of Vigor and Rockus Theater to generate explosive tempo and card advantage.
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
Evasive ninjutsu-based deck that triggers damage and bounce effects via unblockable ninjas, aiming to chip away at opponents' life totals while disrupting their board.
Korvold, Fae-Cursed King
A sacrifice and draw engine deck that leverages treasures produced via Smothering Tithe and other sources to fuel card draw and board presence through incremental value.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
The interaction of Amulet of Vigor with Rockus Theater allowed for repeated untapping and effective mana and card advantage plays.
- 2
Yuriko’s player used ninjutsu to deliver a large burst of unblockable damage and bounce multiple creatures, significantly shifting board state and pressure.
- 3
Earthbend's recursion effect was critical in maintaining persistent threats on the battlefield despite removal attempts.
- 4
Strategic decisions around paying or refusing to pay for Smothering Tithe taxes influenced resource availability and tempo throughout the game.
- 5
The coordinated use of artifact ramp and sacrifice effects by Korvold’s player enabled continuous card draw and treasure generation, maintaining long-term pressure.
Notable Cards
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Grim Monolith
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Amulet of Vigor
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Smothering Tithe
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Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
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Ninja of the Deep Hours
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Esper Sentinel
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Swift Reconfiguration
Gameplay Summary
The game began with a typical cEDH opening, featuring early land drops, ramp with cards like Soul Ring and Grim Monolith, and the setting up of key artifacts such as Amulet of Vigor and Smothering Tithe.
Players focused on developing their boards cautiously, with Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow player leveraging ninjutsu to deal significant damage and bounce creatures, showcasing the deck's evasive and tempo-oriented strategy.
Early interactions involved recurring creatures via Earthbend effects, which kept threats resilient and maintained board presence. As the game progressed, the synergy between Amulet of Vigor and Rockus Theater enabled effective mana and card advantage engines, while Smothering Tithe provided a taxing resource denial element.
Strategic combat phases forced opponents to manage multiple triggers and damage outputs, notably from Yuriko’s ninjutsu combos dealing upwards of 11 damage in a single strike.
The game featured high-level political play around paying or not paying for Smothering Tithe, as well as careful management of resources and triggers to maximize value and disrupt opponents.
The interplay between artifact ramp, recursion, and evasive ninjutsu damage defined the core tension of the match, with players jockeying for control and incremental advantages toward their win conditions.
