Deck Strategies
Edgar Markov
Aggressively builds a vampire tribal army, generating tokens with each vampire played and using synergy combos like Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond to drain opponents and gain life.
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Uses powerful equipment and angel tribal synergies to double damage and control the board with targeted removal and damage spells, aiming to dominate combat phases.
Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper
Leverages sacrifice outlets like Phyrexian Altar and token generators like Birthing Pod to maintain board presence and value, enabling creature recursion and incremental advantage.
Zedruu the Greathearted
Focuses on control and disruption through donating permanents, drawing cards with Gyris Sanitarium and paradox haze, and leveraging political interactions to manipulate the game state.
Gameplay Insights
- 1
The use of mass board wipes like Toxic Deluge and Damnation helped reset the board and prevent any one player from gaining too much momentum early in the game.
- 2
Matt’s timely destruction of Pat's Angelic Incubator with Aura of Silence enabled him to cast Sanguine Bond unimpeded, setting up a lethal life-drain combo.
- 3
Zedruu’s player utilized flash permanents and card draw engines such as Gyris Sanitarium and Paradox Haze to maintain card advantage and disrupt opponents by donating permanents strategically.
- 4
Pat’s aggressive equipment strategy on Gisela allowed for repeated damage doubling, making combat phases particularly punishing and forcing opponents to respond carefully.
- 5
Sek'Kuar’s player used sacrifice synergies effectively to generate incremental value and maintain pressure despite board wipes.
- 6
The interaction between Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond was a key threat on the battlefield, forcing players to consider removal and exile effects to break the combo.
- 7
Flash casting and instant-speed interactions, including stealing Gisela with Treachery, added layers of complexity and surprise to the gameplay.
Notable Cards
Exquisite Blood
Sanguine Bond
Toxic Deluge
Birthing Pod
Phyrexian Altar
Chromatic Lantern
Aura of Silence
Winds of Rath
Anointed Procession
Fiery Confluence
Deflecting Palm
Carrion Feeder
Maze of Ith
Land Tax
Basalt Monolith
Summary
The game featured a dynamic and interactive board state with four powerful commanders: Edgar Markov, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight, Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper, and Zedruu the Greathearted. Early turns saw ramp and setup plays, including land drops, tokens from Edgar Markov, and utility creatures like Birthing Pod and Phyrexian Altar from Sek'Kuar’s player. Toxic Deluge and board wipes periodically reset the board, keeping the game in a delicate balance. Matt’s Edgar Markov focused heavily on vampire tribal synergies, generating tokens and leveraging combos like Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond to gain life and draw cards, threatening a combo finish. Meanwhile, Pat’s Gisela deck aimed to buff creatures and control the board with equipment and removal spells, capitalizing on Gisela's damage doubling to pressure opponents.
