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Part 13
Magic: The Gathering Arena

Part 13

Explore Part 13 of the Magic: The Gathering Arena guide, covering deck strategies, card analysis, and tips for overcoming challenging opponents and duels.

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Explore Part 13 of the Magic: The Gathering Arena guide, covering deck strategies, card analysis, and tips for overcoming challenging opponents and duels.

This section of the guide for Magic: The Gathering Arena focuses on strategies for specific deck types and analyzes various cards that can be useful in different situations. It covers how to counter blue control decks, the strengths and weaknesses of the Minotaur Stampede deck, and provides a list of helpful cards.

Blue Control Deck Counter-Strategy:

To counter a blue control deck, focus on preventing crucial hydra creatures from entering the battlefield using counterspells like Dissolve and Nullify. Creatures that do get through can be tapped with Niblis of the Breath or bounced back to hand with Voyage's End and Vapor Snag. White cards such as Divine Verdict, Reprisal, and Arrest can be incorporated for thematic synergy and additional control.

Available Cards for General Use:

  • Bident of Thassa: Forces the opponent to attack on their turn.
  • Creepy Doll: Indestructible; has a chance to destroy any creature it blocks.
  • Divine Verdict: Destroys an attacking or blocking creature.
  • Gods Willing: Grants a creature protection from green.
  • Niblis of the Breath: A low-cost creature that can tap a target creature during any turn.
  • Nullify: Counters target creature spells with a CMC of 2.
  • Portent of Betrayal: Steals a target creature.
  • Resolute Archangel: Sets life total to 20 upon entering the battlefield.
  • Reprisal: Destroys a target creature with 4 or greater power.
  • Tribute to Hunger: Forces an opponent to sacrifice a creature and gains life.
  • Voyage's End: Bounces a target creature to hand and allows Scry 1.

Cards from Multiplayer Battle Boosters:

  • Arrest: Enchantment that prevents a creature from attacking, blocking, or using activated abilities.
  • Dead Reckoning: Places a creature on top of the library and damages a creature on the field.
  • Paragon of Open Graves: Can temporarily grant deathtouch to another black creature.
  • Pestermite: Has flash and can tap or untap a target creature upon entering the field.
  • Pharika's Chosen: A 1/1 creature with deathtouch for 1 CMC.
  • Seismic Strike: Deals damage equal to the number of Mountains controlled to a target.
  • Talrand, Sky Summoner: Spawns 2/2 flying tokens for attacks.
  • Vapor Snag: Bounces a target creature to hand and its owner loses 1 life.

Important Notes on Card Interactions:

  • Creatures lose all counters when bounced to hand, which is particularly effective against counter-based hydra attackers.
  • Deathtouch does not function as expected on Protean Hydra, as damage is removed as counters, leading to minimal change.
  • Scourge of Skola Vale can absorb counters from sacrificed allies, even consuming larger creatures like Protean Hydra to protect itself.
  • The deck featuring Heroes' Bane and Doubling Season has the highest attack potential, capable of reaching the game's maximum toughness and power (9999/9999).

DUEL 2-2: MINOTAUR STAMPEDE Deck Analysis:

This Red/Black beatdown deck features minotaurs that are generally larger than other creatures of similar CMC. Key creatures include Borderland Minotaur (4/3) and Minotaur Skullcleaver (which becomes a 4/2 upon entering). On Planeswalker difficulty, Borderland Minotaur is replaced by Rageblood Shaman (granting +1/+1 and trample to other minotaurs), and Fanatic of Mogis is swapped for Kragma Warcallers (granting haste and +2/+0). The deck's basic strategy is to deploy large creatures and overwhelm the opponent, with no flying threats from the opponent to worry about.

Other Potentially Useful Cards:

  • Ajani's Pridemate: Gains +1/+1 each time its controller gains life.
  • Anger of the Gods: Deals 3 damage to all creatures, effective against most minotaurs with 3 toughness.
  • Grave Bramble: A 3/4 defender that can neutralize most minotaurs.
  • Griselbrand: A 7/7 creature with lifelink and draw power.
  • Nemesis of Mortals: A 5/5 creature with Monstrosity 5, and its mana cost is reduced.
  • Prey Upon: Allows a creature to fight an opponent's creature.
  • Seraph of the Masses: Power and toughness equal to the number of creatures controlled.

Additional Notes:

  • Deathbellow Raider has a 3-mana regeneration cost.

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