Malcolm & V Smasher, Tatyova, Maralen, Yuriko - #cEDH Gameplay Ep 37

Deck Strategies

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  Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator & Vial Smasher the Fierce

  Focuses on fast mana acceleration and damage through Vial Smasher's random damage triggers, combined with Malcolm's ability to generate treasures and card advantage from attacking and blocking, aiming to find combo pieces or wheel effects to close the game.

• 

  Tatyova, Benthic Druid

  A control and ramp deck leveraging landfall triggers for card draw and life gain, supported by disruptive elements like Collector Ouphe and Rhystic Study to slow opponents while building a strong board state to win through incremental advantage.

• 

  Maralen of the Mornsong

  A lock/combo deck using Maralen to prevent players from drawing cards normally, combined with Opposition Agent and sacrifice outlets to lock opponents out of the game and win through control and combo interactions.

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  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  An aggressive ninja deck that uses ninjutsu to repeatedly trigger Yuriko's ability, dealing damage and casting powerful spells from the top of the deck. It applies pressure through evasive creatures and extra turns to overwhelm opponents quickly.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Baal’s use of ninjutsu with Yuriko to repeatedly trigger damage and cast hard-to-counter spells was central to applying consistent pressure and controlling the pace of the game.

• 2

  Drake’s strategic use of Collector Ouphe and Rhystic Study slowed down the opponents' fast mana and interactions, buying time to build his board but was ultimately insufficient against Baal’s aggression.

• 3

  David’s attempts to establish a Maralen lock were repeatedly disrupted by Mental Misstep and Cyclonic Rift, highlighting the importance of counterspell backup and protection in lock/combo decks.

• 4

  Malcolm/Vial Smasher’s early mana acceleration was hampered by repeated removal of key creatures and damage from Yuriko, demonstrating the vulnerability of linear fast mana strategies to aggressive tempo decks.

• 5

  Baal’s timing in casting Temporal Trespass to generate extra turns was a game-changing move that allowed closing out the game through multiple attack phases with Yuriko triggers.

• 6

  The interaction of multiple tutors and disruption spells like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, and Pact of Negation shaped the flow of the game and highlighted the complexity of managing threats in cEDH environments.

Notable Cards

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  Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

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  Gingerbrute

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  Collector Ouphe

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  Rhystic Study

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  Opposition Agent

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  Notion Thief

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  Temporal Trespass

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  Cyclonic Rift

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  Siren Stormtamer

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  Vial Smasher the Fierce

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  Maralen of the Mornsong

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  Soldevi Adnate

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  Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive

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  Demonic Tutor

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  Mental Misstep

Summary

The game began with aggressive early plays from Baal on Yuriko, using Gingerbrute and Yuriko's ninjutsu to apply pressure on opponents, particularly targeting David and Drake. Malcolm/Vial Smasher (Oloro7965) tried to develop a fast mana start with Lotus Petal, Mana Crypt, and Siren Stormtamer, but quickly fell behind due to Yuriko's repeated damage and timely removal spells like Dismember. Drake on Tatyova took a slower, more controlling approach, leveraging Collector Ouphe and Rhystic Study to slow the game and generate card advantage. David piloting Maralen Lock attempted to assemble a lock with Opposition Agent and Sacrifice combos, but was repeatedly disrupted by Mental Misstep and Cyclonic Rift, hindering his ability to lock the table fully. A pivotal moment came when Baal used Temporal Trespass twice to take extra turns, dealing massive damage with Yuriko's triggers revealing powerful spells and finishing off opponents. Despite Drake’s attempts to stabilize with Crucible of Worlds, Oracle of Mul Daya, and Cyclonic Rift, Baal maintained relentless pressure. David’s attempts to regain board presence with Opposition Agent were thwarted by Baal’s disruption and aggressive attacks. Ultimately, Baal's Yuriko deck capitalized on multiple extra turns and consistent ninjutsu triggers to eliminate opponents, winning the game through incremental damage and repeated attack phases.