ARBALEST FEAT. @shattergangedh - cEDH - S15E9 - ROCCO v HIDETSUGU/KAIRI v SAURON v ARAGORN GAMEPLAY

Deck Strategies

• 

  Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer

  A value and control-oriented approach leveraging efficient creatures and spells to generate incremental advantage and disrupt opponents while applying steady pressure.

• 

  Hidetsugu and Kairi

  Aggressive, utilizing fast mana and early threats like Ragavan to pressure opponents and maintain tempo, aiming for quick damage and disruption.

• 

  Aragorn, the Uniter

  Token generation and go-wide strategies that build a large army quickly, supported by synergy and combat triggers to dominate the battlefield.

• 

  Sauron, the Dark Lord

  Discard and ramp-focused, controlling opponents' hands and board states while amassing mana to deploy powerful threats and combos.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Using Chain of Vapor defensively on Aragorn's tokens prevented the copy and helped slow down the go-wide strategy temporarily.

• 2

  The combination of Grindstone and Dockside Extortionist alongside Eldritch Evolution enabled a powerful token and mana combo that decisively swung the game.

• 3

  Players carefully avoided tapping lands that would cause self-harm, showing tight resource management under pressure.

• 4

  Discard effects from Sauron were significant in disrupting opponents’ plans and clearing the way for his board development.

• 5

  Aragorn's trigger-based token generation and combat synergy overwhelmed opponents once the board state was established.

Notable Cards

• 

  Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

• 

  Grindstone

• 

  Dockside Extortionist

• 

  Eldritch Evolution

• 

  Chain of Vapor

• 

  Bloom Tender

• 

  Mana Crypt

• 

  Mental Misstep

• 

  Toxic Deluge

Summary

The game unfolded with four competitive commanders battling for control: Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer; Hidetsugu and Kairi; Aragorn, the Uniter; and Sauron, the Dark Lord. Early turns involved establishing mana bases and deploying key pieces like Ragavan and Dark Side Extortionists, with players jockeying for tempo using pings, ramp, and minor attacks. Aragorn's player grew their army quickly, leveraging tokens and synergies to apply pressure. Sauron focused on discard and ramp, while Rocco and Hidetsugu/Kairi aimed to control the board and generate value with efficient creatures and spells. Midgame saw pivotal moments including chain interactions with Chain of Vapor and multiple combat phases where damage was spread among players. A significant play involved the grinding station combo triggered by the Aragorn player combined with Dockside Extortionist and Eldritch Evolution, leading to a flood of tokens and mana generation. This combo enabled a lethal swing, overwhelming opponents and closing the game. The final moments were marked by a massive token army and mana pool that allowed for an explosive finish, demonstrating the power of synergy and combo execution in cEDH.