Maldhound's Commander Gets Roasted! | Shuffle Up & Play #39 Magic The Gathering Gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Saruman of Many Colors

  Leverages playing opponents' cards and generating multiple triggered effects to disrupt and outvalue opponents, aiming for a versatile midrange control and value engine.

• 

  Henzie "Toolbox" Torre

  Focuses on blitzing expensive creatures onto the battlefield with haste to generate immediate board impact, then sacrificing them for additional value and tempo advantage.

• 

  Captain Sisay

  A Super Friends deck that uses planeswalker synergies, token generation, and counter manipulation to build a resilient board state and overwhelm opponents.

• 

  Garth One-Eye

  A wish-granting deck that enables unique interactions by granting other players cards or effects, influencing the game state unpredictably while advancing its own plan.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Utilizing Henzie Torre's blitz mechanic allowed for quick deployment of impactful creatures that could be sacrificed for value, accelerating tempo early in the game.

• 2

  The secret partners format added layers of mind games, with players balancing aggression and caution to avoid revealing or misidentifying allies.

• 3

  Saruman of Many Colors' ability to play opponents' cards created disruption and forced opponents to adapt their strategies on the fly.

• 4

  Captain Sisay's planeswalker-focused token generation and counter strategies provided steady board presence, which pressured opponents to respond or risk falling behind.

• 5

  Garth One-Eye's wish-granting effects introduced variable benefits and threats that changed the dynamic of the table unpredictably, influencing how players prioritized targets.

Notable Cards

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  Noble Hierarch

• 

  Birds of Paradise

• 

  Overgrown Tomb

• 

  Exotic Orchard

• 

  Plateau

• 

  Talisman of Hierarchy

Summary

This Secret Commander Partners game featured four players with hidden alliances, creating a complex dynamic where half the table knew their partner and the others did not. Early turns focused on ramp and setting up board presence, with players deploying mana dorks like Noble Hierarch and Birds of Paradise to accelerate casting. Key moments included Malhound utilizing Henzie "Toolbox" Torre's blitz ability to cast creatures with haste for aggressive tempo and sacrificing them for value. Meanwhile, Mental Misplay with Saruman of Many Colors aimed to disrupt opponents by playing their cards and triggering multiple effects. A Girl Named Ron piloted a Super Friends style Captain Sisay deck that focused on planeswalker synergies and token generation for board control and incremental advantage. Garth One-Eye's wish-granting deck added a unique meta element by providing benefits or challenges to other players, further complicating alliances and interactions. Throughout the game, players juggled the uncertainty of their secret partners while trying to eliminate the opposing teams, leading to shifting strategies and tense plays. The game progressed with a mixture of creature combat, card advantage plays, and strategic sacrifices, culminating in a scenario where identifying and protecting the true partner became key to prevailing.