cEDH Beginner's Guide 2024 | Decks and Staples

Today I'm going over what the cEDH metagame currently looks like. If you've ever wanted one place to learn about all of the major players in the format, this is the video for you! I give an overview of the main archetypes of the format, then give a detailed description of some of the most popular and powerful decks, explaining staples cards and combos. After giving a description of midrange, turbo, and "wingine" decks, we dive into covering Tymna/Kraum, Kenrith, Kinnan, Nadu, Rog/Si, Stella Lee, Magda, and Sisay in detail.
Let me know which deck you're most excited to play, and what you think of the cEDH meta down below!
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Chapters
0:00 - Intro
1:32 - The Archetypes
3:53 - Tymna/Kraum and The Staples
16:13 - Kenrith
22:36 - Kinnan
29:42 - Nadu
36:00 - Rograkh/Silas
45:40 - Stella Lee
49:32 - Magda
57:05 - Sisay
1:09:54 - Outro

[@LemorasCards]

Which cEDH deck is your favorite? What do you think of the meta? Let me know down below, and don't forget to subscribe to learn more!

[@Holden_Prio]

Dune Popcorn Bucket (Geralf the Fleshwright) 🏜️🍿🪣 - my favorite deck in cEDH

[@Thoughtmage100]

I built my own personal pet deck to compete with the local cedh players. I play Marvo, Deep Operative. It's definitely not the best, but it has a lot of fun play patterns when playing at the highest levels.

[@jamallynch1218]

@@LemorasCards well in know this is going to be unpopular but I play TnK I also like rogsi but I'm currently putting together sissay

[@jamallynch1218]

@@LemorasCards honestly I think the meta is pretty balanced depending on the pod I really wish we could get new partners I think I like any grexis pile/sands green to 5 color

[@jamallynch1218]

@@Thoughtmage100 my first deck/pet deck was azami I since have taken that deck apart to help my sons build their decks and moved on to TnK

[@jacobhibbard6405]

I would love to see more deck tech content from this channel. It’s such a good resource for newer cEDH players!

[@LemorasCards]

@jacobhibbard6405 thank you!

[@medinore2069]

This is EXACTLY what I needed. I've been getting into the format more and my friend group only likes playing off meta cedh commanders. For someone who's interested in playing in future tournaments, this answers a lot of questions that I've had. I literally wrote down notes to watch Rogsi/Nadu/Magda/Sisay deck techs lol This is even better though, because you're reviewing updated decklists. Thanks Matt!

[@LemorasCards]

Happy to help! Gonna do my best to make sure up to date info is accessible!

[@V2ULTRAKill]

Thing is You can scam out some nasty wins with offmeta lists Especially antimeta lists

[@robdroptables]

Great Magda overview, Matthew. You did a good job understanding parts of the deck that most streamers don't understand or gloss over, and explaining it in an easy to comprehend way. Fantastic point of advice there about leaning in on the Magda player to use their toolbox to help stabilize the table instead of constantly fearing it. We are happy to do this (most of the time, heh). Thanks!

[@LemorasCards]

That's great to hear, I was really hoping not to mess it up, haha. Thankfully, I've got a decent bit of experience against the deck.

[@7thCircleHobbies]

I really enjoyed this video. I play several of these decks regularly. Maybe a similar video about “dangerous” off meta decks you might run into and lose against?

[@LemorasCards]

Glad you enjoyed it! Will be looking into something like that soon!

[@414pseudo8]

I really like this video. Ive said it before it seems we dont have a lot of deck tech videos and this is perfect for people getting into tbe format that 1 dont know what to play and 2 get to know what they will most likely see in their pods and get a general understanding of what to watch out for. Would love to see more videos like this when you get the time especially if every once in a while we see some lesser played commanders (as a Jenson Lurrus player its hard to find info) Again great video and I hope to see this continue.

[@LemorasCards]

Thank you! I'll definitely look into doing more similar content.

[@WeirdPhilosophy]

Honestly I wish I had a Video like that when i started cEDH a couple of month ago. Awsome quality and great introdution of the meta for new players!

[@LemorasCards]

@@WeirdPhilosophy wishing i had this type of content when I started is exactly why I started making it!

[@Holden_Prio]

Excellent video (so far- still watching).

[@LemorasCards]

I do my best!

[@Mimz670]

Imagine he finishes watching and says this thing sucks lol

[@Holden_Prio]

@@Mimz670 Finished watching - can confirm it was excellent. 😉

[@tylerhennessy2701]

Great info on combos and a great breakdown of top commanders thanks for another one!!

[@LemorasCards]

@@tylerhennessy2701 thank you! Hope it's helpful!

[@Finchhh]

Needed this thanks! Started playing Magic for the the first time a month ago I’ve used 3 decks so far and for now I’m sticking with WINota love her

[@GageWins]

Great overview of the current top decks and their lines really enjoyed the format and multiple deck coverage.

[@LemorasCards]

@@GageWins thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@p.b.3576]

Great content and episode, very useful, easy to understand and follow and very informative. In general I really like your way of doing, speaking and explaining things. If I can throw out a couple of ideas, since you're asking for feedback, a couple of other things that as a new player I would find useful are: analysis of the cards that make it or don’t make it into a deck would lead to improving the ability to evaluate cards; for example on the cdeh database for many decks there are from 2 to 5 different lists. another thing would be a commentary on online games like those of Paly to Win or Playing With Power to help understand when and which choices are made during the game (I have no idea if it's a nightmare to edit a video like that :) Happy to have found your channel, keep going, greetings from Italy.

[@LemorasCards]

@p.b.3576 thank you, happy you enjoyed and found it helpful! I'll have to think about some of those ideas, commentary over games specifically has come up a few times but I'm not quite sure how I'd go about doing it.

[@lrgambe]

Great Video! It was very brief and concise! Thank you very much.

[@LemorasCards]

@@lrgambe thank you!

[@salomdi]

Minor mistake on the Stella Lee overview: she doesn't go infinite with crimson wisps as it doesn't untap her. Other than that, great video!

[@LemorasCards]

Oops thought I cut that cause I remember hearing it in the edit and thinking that was wrong lol

[@BisyBackson365]

Great video. You are still the best How To Play creators out here!

[@LemorasCards]

@@BisyBackson365 thank ya!

[@darkinsanity98473]

Having just bought a Borderless foil Dockside Extortionist I would be very upset if it ever gets banned. That's one of the main reasons I gravitated to EDH, since bans are pretty rare. I got so sick of investing in decks only for bans to ruin it.

[@deeds2r]

Malcolm/Vial it's a pirates life for me AARGH!!!

[@LemorasCards]

@deeds2r I do love talking about that deck, looks like it's making a comeback I've been covering it a good bit lately.

[@deeds2r]

@@LemorasCards Hell yea. I've top 16'd my last 2 tours. So many variations of the deck. Should have a slight brewers advantage.

[@jamallynch1218]

@@deeds2r I actually like this list

[@TripsAhoy]

Beginner's please dont listen to me and run the best deck ever with my boy Gaddock Teeg as the commander! ❤❤❤

[@tightoa]

Lemora's going beast mode once again. Thanks for this.

[@LemorasCards]

@@tightoa doing my best 🫡

[@gordypordy7379]

Just bought a Turbo Kill shirt, Keep coming out with the great merch.

[@gabbodj95]

I’m building a budget Urza LHA, I hop it will be viable for local cedh tournaments

[@Clemsonalumnus]

So Nadu is now being played in Vintage with success. That card was a mistake.

[@LemorasCards]

100%. If they knew it was this broken it would he a mythic for sure.

[@Clemsonalumnus]

@@LemorasCards I’m pretty sure it’s like Skullclamp, where they made a last minute change without testing it. I doubt this made it through the play testing and the R&D group couldn’t figure out how broken it was (and also hard to keep track of game actions).

[@mikeb9583532]

this whole video was fantastic!

[@LemorasCards]

@@mikeb9583532 thank you!

[@nealcrabtree3647]

I'm here to praise Magda ❤

[@jamallynch1218]

@@nealcrabtree3647 I'm here for the raining unpopular TnK lol

[@markparker2012]

Love this video. Picking a deck for this weekend.

[@LemorasCards]

Let me know what you pick!

[@markparker2012]

@@LemorasCards the kenrith deck looks up my alley. Gonna go with it

[@eliacomandu2548]

thank you for the big advices

[@daviszhu2202]

Which version of Sisay is better? Elk companion, or the one in this video?

[@LemorasCards]

@@daviszhu2202 definitely traditional planeswalker Sisay like this video shows.

[@coreyhayslip5418]

Hey thanks for showing off my tnk list homie. Great video once again. Let's be honest tnk is the best deck lol. Side note considering cutting 1 wrath aka deluge and at least try the copy artifact

[@LemorasCards]

@coreyhayslip5418 of course! I definitely feel cutting the second Wrath I usually just like the one. Haven't tested the copy artifact tech yet but seems good to me!

[@coreyhayslip5418]

​@LemorasCards originally thought I'd see tons more nadu but that just wasn't the case. Also don't think the invitational will have tons of nadu either.

[@elmerx18]

love your videos man...honestly thank you for being such a chill content creator :) watch your videos and think "I would jam with Matthew"

[@LemorasCards]

@elmerx18 I appreciate it! Maybe we'll get to jam at some point!

[@joshuajohnson2532]

Awesome video!

[@LemorasCards]

@@joshuajohnson2532 thank ya!

[@KiwinaiOfficial]

My favorite deck? Anything that can run River Hoopoe, the un-contested best card in cEDH... 👀 (Kinnan♥)

[@LemorasCards]

@KiwinaiOfficial River Hoopoe is too high card quality to fit in Kinnan 🐦

[@KiwinaiOfficial]

@@LemorasCards You're so right, bestie.. I'm a fool. 😞

[@V2ULTRAKill]

I look at all these meta lists and go "Naw, Ishai/Tevesh is my beautiful antimeta list"

[@mk5257]

Super cool Video for beginners like me 🎉

[@Rexzoden]

Love playing me some Kinnan; but my win rate is infinitely higher with Selvala Brostorm 😅

[@LemorasCards]

@Rexzoden I loved playing that deck, Phyrexian Dreadnought make 12 mana and draw a card best ritual ever 👌

[@Rexzoden]

​@@LemorasCardsagreed! Something about playing cards like Dreadnaught just hits different 👏 MH3 also brought some new toys like Shifting Woodland and Fanatic of Rhonas, making it easier/safer than ever to hit those power thresholds to combo off!

[@aRFav713]

Fellow green mage! I'm a Yisan and Grist Hulk player (I know my decks aren't tier 1, but still...). I Love Shifting Woodland, Fanatic, Six.

[@jamallynch1218]

@@Rexzoden my sons fav deck is the prodigy

[@pippofelipe6901]

Amazing!

[@LemorasCards]

Thank ya!

[@ramoncorrea5716]

Did Stella Lee replace Niv-Mizzet Parun as the cEDH izzet commander?

[@LemorasCards]

@ramoncorrea5716 pretty much has become the izzet deck of choice at the moment yeah though they play pretty differently.

[@WorldofSoupS]

Is tayam still doing well? Also what archetype would that be in?

[@LemorasCards]

Tayam is doing okay it just doesn't have a lot of showings. For the most part it fits in pretty cleanly into that "wingine" archetype. It does have to develop a board with casting spells to start, but usually so does Magda and Sisay. It just has to cast something to get started, is less deterministic, but is also a pain to deal with and breaks itself really fast.

[@cyrustalksaboutstuff]

​@LemorasCards we lovvvvve really difficult to pilot decks here

[@Keexdt]

Think anything upcoming looks meta worthy from bloom or mourn?

[@LemorasCards]

@Keexdt will have to see, but I think in general post Thunder Junction it looks like standard set power level is going way up and I expect more playables. The flash otter already has me thinking about making room for it in some decks.

[@MoonBounce89]

does kinnans mana ability actually work from the command zone??? this is news to me if thats the case!

[@john_wick272]

7:00 preach brother

[@johnmchugh3398]

Which decks are the easiest to pilot?

[@V2ULTRAKill]

No meta lists are easy to pilot But rogsi is the /easiest/ since it has one goal

[@LemorasCards]

Of these, I think if you know the format decently well, Tymna/Kraum isn't too tough but can be hard to learn as the tutors and flexibility can be a bit daunting. For new players, I'd probably point you towards Kinnan and maybe Nadu, though that one I'm less sure on since I have less experience with it. Sisay, Magda, Kenrith, and Rog/Si I think stand out as harder to play than the rest.

[@V2ULTRAKill]

@@LemorasCards while the pod relations are harder on rogsi Turbo lists being hyper linear negates a lot of that, which is why i called it easy in that respect The gameplan itself is one of the easiest to master, and then a more beginner player can focus on learning interaction better through play Though that was my take (yours is just as valid from other viewpoints and its cool)

[@Facuchena]

is malcolm still a good deck for cedh in this meta?

[@LemorasCards]

I've seen Malcolm with Tana, Tymna, or Vialsmasher all do well recently. It seems like Vial is the best positioned right now.

[@benjaminking3677]

Look, I see in Orcish Bowmasters in the tag ya know imma be here calling it mid at best.

[@kevin171994]

Do one for my boy k’rrik !

[@kismeticvictory3918]

I must be missing something in the magda deck out side of the dragon using the mana to ping everyone to death how do you win with it like i get infinite mana but what do you just flood the board with stuff and hope you dont get wiped

[@Chris-f8e]

Once Magda has infinite treasures it can win however it wants. The clock line leaves you with infinite tapped treasures. (there are other lines that leave you with infinite untapped treasures but lets start here). You can tutor Roaming Throne to play, repeat clock loop now you have infinite mana, infinite artifact tutors, infinite dragon tutors. You can grab Maskwood Nexus which allows you to tutor all the non-land permenants from your deck into play (except blood moon). Remember with inf treasures + clock we also have infinite artifact untaps. Cursed Mirror lets us give creatures haste. Liquimetal Torque lets us turn creatures into artifacts. We run goblin welder, which if we give haste and turn into an artifact lets us loop any artifacts ETB and LTB effects. Most lists have elixir of immortality and or Bloomburrow Harvester, so we can also just loop any spell in the deck. The one ring + untaps from clock = draw entire deck. The list goes on and on and on. Once magda has infinite treasures she can draw her entire deck, play every spell multiple times, repeat any ETB or LTB effects, repeat any activated abilities, etc. How you win is up to you. I usually loop pyrite spellbomb or lightning bolt.

[@Chris-f8e]

Oh and outside of looping instants and sorceries, things like looping spellbomb or spine of ish sah, or trueshot sniper can all be done at instant speed through deafening silence, over top of any interaction our opponents have (with the exception of split second stuff of course). You also have lines that win threw graffdiggers cage, null rod, and other common stax pieces (which Magda usually runs herself)

[@koboldfightclub7015]

Realmente o meta é muito diferente... Esse Kinnan é BEM diferente de um Kinnan BR padrão... E o Kinnan BR é muito mais rápido.

[@rynisdummi]

no krrik :(

[@andrewkelley6039]

[@BisyBackson365]

Wish u would've showed Riley's and Turtlepods Sisay. Ian isn't a Sisay brewer. He's a god tier cedh pilot

[@LemorasCards]

@@BisyBackson365 just skewed towards very recent high performing lists, plus didn't feel like Ian had made a drastic number of crazy swaps.

[@jeffscalise5927]

Ban dockside, breach and thoracle. Would make for a more interesting meta imho.

[@jeffscalise5927]

And cradle

[@LemorasCards]

@@jeffscalise5927 not my Cradle!

[@jamallynch1218]

That would just kill the format a better option in my opinion is to unban some things that would shake up the meta

[@LemorasCards]

@jamallynch1218 at the very least Recurring Nightmare is ready to come off. Golos never should've gone on.

[@brucemuhlestein152]

It would be nice to see the format get shaken up, as a relatively new Cedh player but long time legacy player, the play patterns in this format get pretty predictable. What about lowering the life total of all players to 25 like brawl? Make aggressive and stax decks a little more viable to balance out all the combo strategies?