Edgar vs Gisa & Geralf vs Vaevictus vs Grand Arbiter EDH / CMDR game play for Magic: The Gathering

Deck Strategies

• 

  Edgar Markov

  Builds a vampire tribal swarm using eminence triggers to create tokens and buffs, aiming to overwhelm opponents with an aggressive, wide board of vampires supported by anthem effects.

• 

  Gisa and Geralf

  Utilizes graveyard recursion and sacrifice outlets to generate a resilient zombie army, disrupting opponents through milling and life drain, aiming to grind out value and board control.

• 

  Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

  Controls the game with counterspells, taxing opponents' spells, and card filtering, aiming to slow the game and win through incremental advantage and stalling aggressive decks.

• 

  Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire

  Focuses on reanimating and abusing large creatures from the graveyard, leveraging high mana production and recursion to dominate the battlefield, though struggled to gain early momentum here.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Kyle’s aggressive use of Coat of Arms combined with tapping vampires to steal opponents’ creatures significantly shifted board control in his favor.

• 2

  Grant’s Miracle Terminus effectively reset Kyle’s dominant vampire board, showcasing the power of miracle cards to swing momentum in control decks.

• 3

  Tom’s exploitation of sacrifice outlets and graveyard recursion through cards like Altar of Dementia and Corpse Connoisseur allowed him to maintain pressure even after board wipes.

• 4

  The interaction between Grand Arbiter’s taxing effect and players’ mana acceleration shaped early game tempo, forcing some players to delay or adjust their plays.

• 5

  Strategic timing of counterspells and flashback, as seen with Snapcaster Mage and Mana Drain, allowed Grant to maintain control and disrupt key plays from Edgar Markov’s deck.

Notable Cards

• 

  Coat of Arms

• 

  Liliana, Untouched by Death

• 

  Altar of Dementia

• 

  Sensei's Divining Top

• 

  Snapcaster Mage

• 

  Corpse Connoisseur

• 

  Gilded Lotus

• 

  Tithe Drinker

Summary

The game began with a typical slow setup as players developed their mana bases and cast early ramp and utility spells. Kyle's Edgar Markov deck quickly established a strong vampire token presence through its eminence ability, generating incremental advantage and pressure. Tom, piloting Gisa and Geralf, utilized graveyard synergies and sacrifice outlets like Altar of Dementia and Corpse Connoisseur to build a resilient zombie army and disrupt opponents by milling cards. Grant on Grand Arbiter Augustin IV focused on controlling the pace with counterspells, card filtering through Sensei's Divining Top, and taxing opponents' spells, while Jack on Vaevictis Asmadi struggled to gain significant momentum early on but managed to deploy powerful mana acceleration and removal tools. A key turning point occurred when Kyle leveraged his vampire tokens and a Coat of Arms to bolster his board and steal opponents' creatures, including the Grand Arbiter himself. This aggressive move significantly shifted the board state, forcing the other players to respond defensively. Tom's sacrifice combos, coupled with Liliana, Untouched by Death, allowed for substantial board presence and attrition through life drain and milling. The game took a dramatic swing when Grant cast a Miracle Terminus, wiping Kyle’s overwhelming board and resetting the battlefield. Despite this, Tom capitalized on the board wipe by utilizing his graveyard resources and high mana production to recast threats and maintain pressure. The interaction between graveyard recursion, token swarms, and strategic removal spells defined the mid to late game, with players constantly adjusting their plans to the evolving board. Overall, the game showcased a dynamic interplay of aggressive tribal strategies, control elements, and graveyard recursion. The win condition for Edgar revolved around overwhelming opponents with vampire tokens and anthem effects, while Gisa and Geralf aimed to outvalue others through zombie synergies and sacrifice engines. Grand Arbiter sought to control and outlast with counterspells and taxing, and Vaevictis aimed to reanimate and abuse large creatures but struggled to find consistent impact before being overwhelmed.