MTG Quintessential Commander #12 | Obeka vs Belbe vs Nicol Bolas vs Kathril | 4-player EDH gameplay

Deck Strategies

• 

  Obeka, Brute Chronologist

  Uses end-of-turn triggers to maximize value, cheats creatures into play and recurs them from the graveyard to maintain board presence and advantage.

• 

  Kathril, Aspect Warper

  Fills the graveyard with creatures, especially those with keywords, to create a massive, keyword-laden commander through +1/+1 counters and keyword accumulation.

• 

  Belbe, Corrupted Observer

  Pings opponents to generate vast amounts of colorless mana, which is then used to cast large Eldrazi and other big threats to overwhelm opponents.

• 

  Nicol Bolas, the Ravager // Nicol Bolas, the Arisen

  Leverages Grixis control elements and powerful planeswalker abilities to dominate the board and become the arch enemy, using disruption and direct damage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The early Planechase effects like Celestial Loft Gardens doubling tokens and counters significantly enhanced the impact of token generators and counter-based strategies.

• 2

  Nicol Bolas being removed early by Hour of Devastation shifted the power dynamics, allowing other players to advance their game plans more freely.

• 3

  Obeka’s use of graveyard recursion combined with end-of-turn triggers allowed steady value generation even after board wipes.

• 4

  Kathril’s strategy to dump creatures with keywords and then cast his commander for a large, keyword-rich threat proved effective for board dominance.

• 5

  Belbe’s mana ramp through pinging opponents and converting that into casting Eldrazi threats was a key pressure point for the table.

• 6

  Players carefully timed their spells and ability activations, such as casting Hellkite Courser and using command zone interactions, to maximize tempo and resource efficiency.

• 7

  Rolling the planar die each turn introduced unpredictability, but players leveraged the chaos triggers and mana bonuses to accelerate their strategies.

Notable Cards

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  Obeka, Brute Chronologist

• 

  Kathril, Aspect Warper

• 

  Belbe, Corrupted Observer

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  Nicol Bolas, the Ravager // Nicol Bolas, the Arisen

• 

  Platinum Angel

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  Hour of Devastation

• 

  Guardian Project

• 

  Psychic Vortex

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  Hellkite Courser

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  Chromatic Lantern

• 

  Talisman of Indulgence

Summary

The game opened with a Planechase variant where a communal planar deck influenced all players, introducing dynamic effects like token doubling and doubled counters from the initial plane, Celestial Loft Gardens. Early turns saw players ramping mana and establishing board presence—Obeka focused on end-of-turn triggers and graveyard recursion, Kathril aimed to fill the graveyard to power up his commander, Belbe generated colorless mana by pinging opponents to cast Eldrazi threats, and Nicol Bolas sought to leverage his powerful planeswalker and Grixis synergy. A significant moment occurred when Nicol Bolas was taken down by an Hour of Devastation, shaking the game balance and removing a major threat early on. Midgame revolved around players developing their strategies: Obeka utilized recursion and value creatures like Platinum Angel, while Kathril assembled a board with multiple keywords and counters to grow his commander significantly. Belbe’s colorless mana production ramped up, enabling the casting of big Eldrazi creatures, leveraging the planar doubling effects. The use of cards like Guardian Project and the interaction with Psychic Vortex added layers of card advantage and board control. Key plays included casting impactful creatures like Hellkite Courser combined with command zone manipulation, and the players carefully timed their spells and abilities to maximize their resources and respond to opposing threats. The chaos and unpredictability of Planechase dice rolls added exciting shifts in tempo and opportunities, making each turn pivotal.