I Hate Your Deck #98 Starscream v Slicer v Emiel v Satya | Commander Gameplay EDH

Deck Strategies

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  Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist

  Slicer aims to be cast quickly and then passed around the table, encouraging a group combat mini-game. Its transformation allows it to shift between a lethal creature and a resilient artifact vehicle, with combat damage triggering control shifts and untapping, promoting aggressive swings and political interactions.

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  Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader

  Starscream leverages the Monarch mechanic to draw cards and drain opponents' life while flying around and transforming. The deck focuses on establishing Monarch control to punish opponents and maintain board presence with evasive threats.

• 

  Emiel the Blessed

  Emiel's deck builds around flicker effects and enter-the-battlefield triggers to generate value and resilience. It includes combo elements but primarily focuses on creating unmanageable board states through repeated ETB interactions.

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  Satya, Aetherflux Genius

  Satya uses energy generation to create token copies of creatures, doubling ETB effects and board presence. The deck focuses on aggressive token creation and leveraging energy payments to maintain overwhelming pressure.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  The Monarch mechanic created a dynamic combat mini-game, incentivizing players to attack the Monarch to gain card advantage or avoid punishment, deeply influencing attack decisions.

• 2

  Passing Slicer around the table encouraged political interactions and forced opponents to choose targets carefully, as control of Slicer could shift each turn.

• 3

  Using flicker effects on creatures like Slicer and other ETB triggers generated significant incremental advantage and complicated opponents' board states.

• 4

  Energy generation and token copying with Satya allowed for explosive board states, pressuring opponents to respond quickly or be overwhelmed.

• 5

  Early mana acceleration with cards like Manal Crypt and Ancient Tomb facilitated fast deployment of key commanders and threats, setting an aggressive pace.

Notable Cards

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  Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist

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  Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader

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  Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

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  Unstable Amulet

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  Ancient Tomb

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  Emiel the Blessed

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  Satya, Aetherflux Genius

Summary

The game began with players quickly establishing board presence and vying for the Monarch status, which played a central role due to Starscream's and Slicer's unique mechanics. The early turns featured aggressive plays with Starscream transforming between his two forms to leverage the Monarch mechanic, while Slicer circulated around the table, forcing players into a dynamic combat mini-game. Ragavan provided early treasure generation and card advantage, setting up for more impactful plays. Emiel the Blessed focused on flicker effects and ETB triggers, aiming to build value through repeated creature interactions, while Satya, Aetherflux Genius sought to generate energy and create token copies to overwhelm opponents. Key turning points included Slicer transforming and being passed around, which intensified player interactions and attacks, as well as Starscream's ability to become the Monarch and punish opponents with life loss and card draw. The interplay between Monarch incentives and aggressive combat shaped the flow of the game, with control of the Monarch crown becoming a high-value target. Emiel's flicker strategy added layers of resilience and combo potential, while Satya's token copying and energy management threatened to escalate board presence rapidly. The game unfolded as a tense battle for tempo and control, with each deck leveraging its unique strengths to outpace and outmaneuver opponents.