Purphoros vs Kumena vs Rafiq vs Varina [EDH Commander] Gameplay 2020 thumbnail Blurred backdrop thumbnail
MTG The Stack profile icon

Purphoros vs Kumena vs Rafiq vs Varina [EDH Commander] Gameplay 2020

MTG The Stack ∙ ∙

Commanders featured in this Gameplay Reviewed & Verified

Purphoros, God of the Forge

Purphoros, God of the Forge

Purphoros, God of the Forge card Purphoros, God of the Forge videos from MTG The Stack 
EDH.Wiki 
Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca card Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca videos from MTG The Stack 
EDH.Wiki 
Varina, Lich Queen

Varina, Lich Queen

Varina, Lich Queen card Varina, Lich Queen videos from MTG The Stack 
EDH.Wiki 
Rafiq of the Many

Rafiq of the Many

Rafiq of the Many card Rafiq of the Many videos from MTG The Stack 
EDH.Wiki 

Decklist

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca Deck on Archidekt

Deck & Commander Strategies

  • Purphoros, God of the Forge

    Purphoros, God of the Forge

    Generate tokens and trigger Purphoros's damage effect to chip away at opponents' life totals, aiming for a damage race and token synergy.

  • Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

    Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

    Develop a strong merfolk tribal board with synergy, using tapping and drawing abilities to maintain card advantage and apply pressure through wide board presence.

  • Varina, Lich Queen

    Varina, Lich Queen

    Control the game through milling and card draw, leveraging powerful artifacts like Alhammarret's Archive and disruption tools such as Hullbreacher to outvalue opponents.

  • Rafiq of the Many

    Rafiq of the Many

    Assemble a Voltron build by equipping powerful auras and leveraging exalted triggers to deal high single-target damage quickly.

Gameplay Insights

  • 1

    The use of Hullbreacher by Kumena to shut down Varina's card draw from Ancient Excavation was a crucial disruption that slowed down Varina's combo potential.

  • 2

    Purphoros's ability to generate tokens and deal damage to all opponents simultaneously created constant pressure and forced players to respond quickly.

  • 3

    Rafiq's Voltron approach with multiple exalted triggers on attacks allowed for high damage bursts, making him a significant threat despite slower board development.

  • 4

    Varina's decision to cast Inspiring Call in response to Black Sun's Zenith to protect creatures and draw cards showcased a smart timing play to maintain board presence.

  • 5

    Kumena's use of Miro Commerce to untap merfolk and pump counters enabled explosive turns where board state and card advantage snowballed.

  • 6

    The presence of multiple mana rocks and ramp spells like Manic Crypt and Farseek ensured smooth early game development and access to high-impact spells quickly.

Notable Cards

  • Armadillo Cloak

    Armadillo Cloak

  • Hullbreacher

    Hullbreacher

  • Beetleback Chief

    Beetleback Chief

  • Blackblade Reforged

    Blackblade Reforged

  • Alhammarret's Archive

    Alhammarret's Archive

  • Black Sun's Zenith

    Black Sun's Zenith

  • Master of the Pearl Trident

    Master of the Pearl Trident

  • Bond of Insight

    Bond of Insight

Gameplay Summary

The game opened with all four players setting up their respective strategies, with Purphoros focusing on creating damage through tokens, Kumena building a powerful merfolk tribal board, Varina aiming for card draw and control, and Rafiq assembling a Voltron-style aggressive build.

Early turns featured steady ramp and development with key plays like Hullbreacher disrupting Varina's card draw, and Kumena utilizing Cavern of Souls to protect merfolk spells.

Purphoros, after assembling some token generators like Beetleback Chief, began trading incremental damage and pressuring opponents with his aggressive red deck.

Rafiq equipped Blackblade Reforged to push through high damage with exalted triggers, while Varina leveraged Alhammarret's Archive for card advantage and attempted to control the pace with spells like Black Sun's Zenith.

Watch on YouTube