Aesi v Yasova v Rhys v Phelddigrif | S2:E3 Diamond Commander League | EDH Gameplay MTG

Deck Strategies

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  Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait

  A landfall and ramp deck that leverages playing multiple lands per turn to draw cards and create creatures, aiming to build overwhelming board presence or assemble infinite mana combos to drain opponents.

• 

  Yasova Dragonclaw

  A persist combo deck that steals opponent creatures with Yasova's ability and sacrifices them to trigger persist combos, backed by an Act of Treason style effect to control key creatures and close the game.

• 

  Rhys the Redeemed

  A token-focused deck that generates and doubles tokens, pumps them with counters, and attacks with a large swarm, aiming to overwhelm opponents through sheer numbers and synergy.

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  Phelddagrif

  A combo deck focused on generating infinite mana through various combos and then using gifts and recursion spells to lock opponents out and win through overwhelming resource advantage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Yasova’s ability to steal and sacrifice opponent creatures early, especially Priest of Titania, provided significant mana ramp and combo potential, disrupting opponents’ plans.

• 2

  Using Skullclamp on stolen creatures maximized card draw efficiency and fueled combo assembly.

• 3

  Rhys exploited token doubling and pumping abilities effectively to create a threatening army, putting pressure on all opponents simultaneously.

• 4

  Phelddagrif’s player prioritized assembling infinite mana combos for a game-ending lock, highlighting the importance of mana acceleration and recursion in high-power EDH games.

• 5

  Players balanced aggression with resource development, with key creatures like Tireless Tracker and Oco providing both utility and combo components.

• 6

  Strategic blocking and creature trades were used to slow down Yasova’s early aggression and mitigate the impact of her persist combo threats.

Notable Cards

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  Yasova Dragonclaw

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  Priest of Titania

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  Skullclamp

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  Tireless Tracker

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  Birthing Pod

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  Renata, Called to the Hunt

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  Sun Titan

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  Lotus Cobra

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  Ancient Tomb

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  Three Visits

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  Walking Atlas

Summary

The game began with all four players establishing their boards through early ramp and mana development. Jordan (Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait) focused on playing lands to draw cards and generate value, using creatures like Llanowar Elves, Tireless Tracker, and cards like Three Visits to accelerate his land drops and card advantage. Carlos (Yasova Dragonclaw) started by ramping into Yasova herself and quickly stealing key creatures, notably taking control of Jordan's Priest of Titania to generate mana and combo potential. Ben (Rhys the Redeemed) built a token army, leveraging token doublers and pump effects to prepare for a wide swarm attack. Dillon (Phelddagrif) developed ramp and card draw while setting up infinite mana combos to eventually gain overwhelming advantage and close out the game using combo finishes involving cards like Oco, Thief of Crowns and gifts-based synergies. A critical turning point was Yasova's early aggression, stealing and sacrificing creatures to enable a persist combo, which pressured opponents while maintaining board control. Meanwhile, Aesi's lands-matter strategy steadily grew in power but was disrupted by Yasova’s thefts. Rhys steadily amassed tokens and counters, threatening a large-scale swarm, while Phelddagrif's player focused on assembling infinite mana combos to bury opponents under overwhelming recursion and card advantage. The game showcased multiple strategic interactions, including the use of Skullclamp on stolen creatures for card draw, tactical blocks and trades, and the careful timing of combo pieces. The eventual win condition centered around either Yasova's persist combo or Phelddagrif's infinite mana and combo package, with Aesi attempting to leverage landfall and card advantage and Rhys aiming for a token swarm finish.