Deck Strategies
Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper / Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
A Grixis midrange deck focused on drawing cards, controlling the board with interaction, and leveraging incremental value from creatures like Ikra and Kraum to outlast opponents and win through attrition.
Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
Aggressive red-based midrange that uses equipment like Helmet of the Host and combat triggers to create tokens and apply continuous pressure through large, repeated attacks.
Thrasios, Triton Hero / Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
Treasure and ramp focused deck that generates mana and card advantage through artifact synergies and value creatures, aiming to dominate the midgame with explosive resource generation and disruption.
Kenrith, the Returned King
A versatile five-color control and midrange deck leveraging Kenrith’s flexible abilities alongside powerful spells and creatures to adapt, control the board, and close out games with incremental advantage.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
Overloading Cyclonic Rift was a decisive play that bounced all opponents' permanents, resetting the board state and enabling a potent card draw and tempo swing for the player controlling Thrasios/Rograh.
- 2
Equipping Helmet of the Host to Ilharg allowed multiple combat triggers and token copies, dramatically increasing offensive threats and pressuring multiple opponents simultaneously.
- 3
Players balanced carefully using treasures generated from Rograkh and rustic studies to cast multiple spells in a turn, maximizing value and interaction during their main phases.
- 4
The interaction between Wishclaw Talisman and Opposition Agent created complex bluffing scenarios, influencing opponents' decisions on whether to counter or allow spell retrieval.
- 5
Repeated use of card draw engines and tutors such as Spellseeker and Imperial Recruiter maintained pressure and kept key answers and threats accessible despite heavy disruption.
Notable Cards
Spellseeker
Dockside Extortionist
Imperial Recruiter
Wishclaw Talisman
Chrome Mox
Summary
The game began with aggressive early plays including a turn one wheel effect and multiple mana accelerants such as Manic Crypt and Mox Diamond, setting the stage for a high-tempo, spell-heavy midrange interaction. Early board development saw players establishing key engines—Ikra/Kraum leveraging card draw and interaction, Ilharg deploying creatures and equipment to push damage, and Thrasios/Rograh ramping into value plays supported by treasure generation. A pivotal moment came when Ilharg equipped with Helmet of the Host attacked with multiple triggers, creating token copies and swinging for significant damage, signaling a strong midgame offensive. Another major turning point was Sean's overloaded Cyclonic Rift, which bounced all opponent permanents back to their hands, allowing him to clear the board while drawing a clutch set of cards to regain tempo. This board wipe severely disrupted opponents' setups and shifted momentum. Despite attempts by other players to stabilize with spells like Swan Song and Imperial Recruiter, the game evolved into a battle of resource management and recursion. The players showcased intense interactions around treasures, rustic studies, and card draw engines, reflecting a high-level cEDH dynamic. Ultimately, the game revolved around leveraging efficient value engines, controlling the board, and executing high-impact combos or attacks to take down opponents.
