Strategy to Counter Specific Commanders

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on March 4, 2015, 8:27 p.m. by Cybersix

We get a lot of advice on how to construct decks here. How about some advice on how you would tweak to STOP some of the more annoying typical decks?

  1. Narset's speedy rush + cards that give multiple combat phases...having a lot of trouble with this these days...
  2. Jhoira: You always know when a jhoira deck has their 'pieces' in hand...
  3. Anafenza: I can't recur and they can...ouch
  4. Brago...especially with Crucible of Worlds and some nasty lands Brago gives me a lot of trouble, basically waiting and waiting until I get some graveyard hate
  5. Sharuum's run to indestructibility
  6. Azumi pimped out with ramp, a few beaters, gaeas cradle, recursion, and good etb creatures is hard to beat. Often they can just eat multiple counterspells, and I have often see these decks bounce back very resiliently from board wipes, even multiple ones. And I mean bounce back to full lethal...
  7. The Marchesa and Mikaeus+ Glen Elendra or Kira...these decks give me a headache. I have to save my removal for Triskelion and Sanguine Bonds, and get through Kira, etc, there are just too many 'must kill or lose' components for most casual decks.
  8. The Esper Player using, say, Ertai, who gets Dovescape + Whatever going...

Any suggestions on how you would go up against these would be appreciated :)Context: Most games I play are 3-5 players.

RoarMaster says... #2

Every deck has a weakness, as for building defense against other decks, that really depends on what colors you have available to use in your own deck.

March 4, 2015 8:53 p.m.

rockleemyhero says... #3

sounds like you are somewhat scared of each of these decks. You can either run a deck with a ton of answers like Hallowed Burial and Return to Dust. OR, I'd suggest you break out your own threatening deck. Something like Ghave, Guru of Spores...what better way to beat a proactive deck by making your own proactive deck that's faster and more consistent? Beat them at their own game.

March 4, 2015 9:34 p.m.

KillDatBUG says... #4

It's simple.

Play stax.

Yes, I'm serious- Nath of the Gilt-Leaf stax absolutely stomps each and every one of these decks that you mentioned, especially if your meta isn't prepared to deal with something akin to that. Now, be warned- That deck's far from being a casual deck, so if you're looking to have some fun and make a bunch of friends, this deck's not for you. However, if you want to consistently win games against those decks in particular, I recommend stax as a primary strategy to consider.

March 4, 2015 11:50 p.m.

suneater says... #5

For Jhoira I guess Clockspinning...? I'm guessing the problem is Enter the Infinite + Omniscience going off for cheap.

March 5, 2015 3:42 a.m.

Deckologist says... #6

Gspot has a stax deck that's probably the best on this site. I have to agree with the above statements. Stax will beat most of those decks fairly easy

March 5, 2015 10:27 a.m.

ThisIsBullshit says... #7

It depends on what you're playing - are you speaking in general or for a specific deck of yours to combat these ones?

March 5, 2015 11:20 a.m.

HeroInMyOwnMind says... #8

Most of these decks can be deterred, if not completely neutered, by playing removal spells. Narset requires at least one player willing to play defensively.

None of these deck are subtle, and the only thing "sudden" about them is the lack of board state needed for them to go off. Even that can be remedied with a little diligence.

The other option is to play more offensively than some of these decks are capable of. The old "kill it before it does anything" trick. If the power level of your playgroup is not up for 1v1 speed kills, just push politics and get someone else to help you finish the job. Most of the time these decks are pretty try-hard, so if everyone else is playing casual, it only makes sense that alliances form to remove the obviously larger threat.

March 5, 2015 12:26 p.m.

This discussion has been closed