Strixhaven + C21 - Dina, Velomachus, Veyran, Esix - #EDH Gameplay Ep 54

Deck Strategies

• 

  Dina, Soul Steeper

  A combo-centric deck that uses tutors like Demonic Tutor, Entomb, and Yawgmoth’s Will to assemble a game-winning sequence involving Chain of Smog and protective spells such as Veil of Summer, aiming to control opponents’ hands and win through combo interactions.

• 

  Velomachus Lorehold

  An aggressive midrange deck focused on extra combat steps generated by Combat Celebrant and treasure generation with Dockside Extortionist, enabling multiple attacks and overwhelming opponents with combat damage.

• 

  Veyran, Voice of Duality

  A storm/magecraft deck that leverages spells like Aria of Flame and Ponder to trigger magecraft abilities repeatedly, generating incremental damage and card advantage, while using creatures like Ral, Storm Conduit to accelerate the storm plan and apply pressure.

• 

  Esix, Fractal Bloom

  A midrange value deck that exploits the commander’s ability to copy token creation effects, generating multiple tokens from spells like Fungal Sprouting and Tireless Tracker, and utilizing treasures and card draw to maintain board presence and disrupt opponents.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  David’s strategic use of Tainted Pact to exile large portions of his deck in search of key combo pieces demonstrated a high-risk, high-reward approach that required careful timing and protection.

• 2

  Kirby’s decision to use Mana Drain to counter Yawgmoth’s Will was pivotal in disrupting David’s combo attempt and showcased excellent timing on counterspells in a multiplayer environment.

• 3

  Leite’s repeated magecraft triggers via Aria of Flame and Ponder maximized incremental damage output and card filtering, applying constant pressure to multiple opponents.

• 4

  Baal’s treasure token generation and Combat Celebrant enabled multiple combat phases, synergizing well with Velomachus Lorehold’s extra combat abilities to maintain offensive momentum.

• 5

  The use of token doubling and treasure copying by Esix’s controller capitalized on value generation and resource accumulation, allowing for flexible responses to opponents’ threats.

• 6

  Strategic hand disruption and counterspell management shaped the flow of the game, with players carefully choosing when to deploy resources to prevent combos or protect their own board states.

Notable Cards

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  Chain of Smog

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  Veil of Summer

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  Mana Drain

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  Dockside Extortionist

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  Combat Celebrant

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  Aria of Flame

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  Tainted Pact

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  Scroll Rack

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  Ice-Fang Coatl

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  Carpet of Flowers

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  Demonic Tutor

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  Imperial Recruiter

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  Narset, Parter of Veils

• 

  Ral, Storm Conduit

Summary

The game featured four distinct decks led by commanders from Strixhaven and Commander 2021, creating a dynamic and interactive gameplay experience. Early turns saw players establishing their mana bases and deploying their commanders—Veyran, Voice of Duality; Velomachus Lorehold; Dina, Soul Steeper; and Esix, Fractal Bloom. Leite on Veyran set up a stormy magecraft synergy with Aria of Flame and Ral, Storm Conduit, generating incremental damage and card advantage. Baal’s Velomachus deck aimed to leverage extra combat steps and treasure generation, while Demented Kirby’s Esix midrange deck focused on value through token generation and powerful creatures like Dockside Extortionist and Tireless Tracker. David piloted a combo-oriented Dina deck, carefully assembling key pieces such as Yawgmoth’s Will and Chain of Smog to execute his win condition.