Wednesday Night Live 9 | Part 1 | MTG EDH/Commander Gameplay

Deck Strategies

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  Kenrith, the Returned King

  Utilizes Kenrith’s multiple activated abilities to manipulate the board and opponents’ turns, aiming for incremental value and control by playing reactively and disrupting opponents while leveraging versatile effects.

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  Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer

  Morph and face-down tribal deck focusing on sneaky, evasive creatures with morph and manifest mechanics, using underhanded tactics and snake synergies to gain board presence and advantage.

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  Scion of the Ur-Dragon

  Big dragon tribal focused on commander damage, leveraging Scion’s ability to tutor and cheat dragons into play, combined with graveyard recursion to maintain a threatening presence and finish the game with powerful dragons.

• 

  Sliver Hivelord

  Sliver tribal with a focus on changelings and shrines, deploying a beefy, synergistic swarm of slivers that benefit from tribal buffs and protective effects to dominate the battlefield.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Kenrith’s player plans to use his activated abilities on opponents' turns to create disruption and value rather than simply playing on their own turn, showcasing a reactive and tactical approach.

• 2

  Kadena’s deck relies heavily on morph and sneakiness, aiming to surprise opponents with face-down creatures and capitalize on snake tribal synergies.

• 3

  The Sliver Hivelord deck combines tribal synergies with changelings and shrines, indicating a layered synergy approach to enhance the sliver swarm’s power and resilience.

• 4

  Scion of the Ur-Dragon’s player is focused on big dragons and graveyard recursion, hinting at a classic high-impact finisher strategy that might dominate if not checked early.

• 5

  Early ramp spells like Seleznya Signet, Talisman of Dominance, and Far Seek are crucial for setting up multi-colored mana bases quickly to enable the deployment of key commanders and spells.

Notable Cards

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  Kenrith, the Returned King

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  Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer

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  Scion of the Ur-Dragon

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  Sliver Hivelord

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  Talisman of Dominance

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  Opulent Palace

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  Exotic Orchard

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  Commander's Sphere

Summary

The game begins with four players piloting distinct and thematic Commander decks: Kenrith, the Returned King; Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer; Scion of the Ur-Dragon; and Sliver Hivelord. Early turns focus on ramp and setting up mana bases with signets, talismans, and utility lands such as Opulent Palace and Exotic Orchard. The Sliver Hivelord player emphasizes a Sliver tribal strategy with changelings and shrines, while the Kadena deck leans into morph and sneaky snake-themed interactions. Scion of the Ur-Dragon's pilot aims to leverage big dragons for commander damage and graveyard recursion. Kenrith's player plans to utilize Kenrith’s versatile activated abilities, primarily leveraging them during opponents' turns to maximize value and disruption. The game’s tempo is initially slow, with players establishing board states and mana ramp, hinting at a long, grindy match ahead with plenty of interaction.