Innistrad Crimson Vow - Umbris, Grolnok, Anje, Old Rutstein - #EDH Gameplay Ep 83

Deck Strategies

• 

  Umbris, Fear Manifest

  Utilizes Hullbreaker Horror combo to generate infinite mana and repeatedly cast Umbris, exiling opponents' libraries and permanents to control the game and win through decking opponents.

• 

  Grolnok, the Omnivore

  Focuses on self-milling its own deck to fuel Grolnok's croak counters ability, exiling all milled permanents, then wins through Thassa’s Oracle or Laboratory Maniac after decking itself.

• 

  Anje, Maid of Dishonor

  Leverages the Worldgorger Dragon combo and infinite mana generation to create numerous Blood tokens, using them to drain opponents and control the board through aggressive combat.

• 

  Old Rutstein

  Built around Food Chain to repeatedly recast Old Rutstein, generating infinite treasures, Insect, and Blood tokens, then finishing the game with powerful finishers like Concordant Crossroads or Finale of Devastation.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Baal's use of Shuko equipped on Cephalid Illusionist to repeatedly mill three cards each activation was a key combo enabling his deck to rapidly exile permanents and assemble a win with Thassa’s Oracle.

• 2

  David’s decision to attack with Umbris for commander damage was a smart way to bypass Leite's Stranglehold, which shut down many other combo options, maintaining offensive pressure.

• 3

  Leite’s quick setup with Goblin Recruiter and Conspicuous Snoop prepared his Worldgorger Dragon combo, but disruption from Umbris and Stranglehold limited its impact.

• 4

  Hélder’s willingness to keep risky one-land hands paid off with early ramp and token generation, though losing Food Chain early hampered his combo potential.

• 5

  The interaction between exile effects (Umbris) and self-mill/exile combos (Grolnok) highlighted powerful synergy opportunities with the new commanders.

• 6

  Stranglehold effectively disrupted opponents' graveyard and library-based combos, forcing alternative win paths and aggressive play.

• 7

  The use of ramp spells like Mana Vault, Chrome Mox, and Lotus Petal accelerated the game pace, enabling explosive starts and early combo assembly.

Notable Cards

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  Hullbreaker Horror

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  Umbris, Fear Manifest

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  Grolnok, the Omnivore

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  Cephalid Illusionist

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  Shuko

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  Mesmeric Orb

• 

  Thassa's Oracle

• 

  Worldgorger Dragon

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  Food Chain

• 

  Old Rutstein

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  Stranglehold

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  Mana Vault

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  Chrome Mox

• 

  Lotus Petal

• 

  Goblin Recruiter

Summary

The game featured four decks centered around new commanders from Innistrad: Crimson Vow, each employing unique combo or synergy-based strategies. Early turns saw the players establishing ramp and setting up their key pieces, with David's Umbris deck looking to leverage a Hullbreaker Horror combo to exile opponents' libraries. Baal's Grolnok deck focused on self-milling and generating croak counters to exile permanents and eventually win through Thassa's Oracle. Leite piloted Anje, Maid of Dishonor, aiming for infinite mana and blood tokens via the Worldgorger Dragon combo, while Hélder's Old Rutstein deck used Food Chain to generate infinite tokens and mana for a devastating finish. Key plays included Baal using Grolnok's ability with Shuko equipped on Cephalid Illusionist to rapidly mill his deck and cast Thassa's Oracle to win the game in the first match. The second game saw Leite casting a disruptive Stranglehold to hinder opponents' combos. David repeatedly attacked with Umbris for commander damage, bypassing Stranglehold's effect and applying pressure. Hélder's risky one-land hands and token generation kept him in the game, while Baal's milling and counterspells maintained control. The gameplay highlighted the power of infinite combos and disruption, with David's exile strategy and Baal's milling proving particularly effective.