After the game-day tourney and before the GPT I had tested my Naya deck a bit more against Mike's Jund at his house and against Jimmy's (Shaheen's) Esper Control. I wanted some answers to Thundermaw Hellkite, opposing Angel of Serenity's and planeswalkers, so I make the following changes to the sideboard from the last post:
- 1x Mizzium Mortars
- 1x Ray of Revelation
- 1x Ancient Grudge
- 1x Purify the Grave
+ 2x Zealous Conscripts
+ 2x Selesnya Charm
Nick picks me up Saturday morning and we get to Squabbles as they're "last calling" for SCG IQ sign-ups. Jimmy gets there just in time too and the three of us are registered... One of us jokingly mentions dropping out this 97 person tourney and heading over to Xanadu for the GPT instead... I like this idea and we end up doing just that. We get our money back and head to Xanadu. They end up having only 12 players including the 3 of us, which ends up being 5 rounds w/ cut to top 4.
Round 1 against Hanna playing Junk Tokens. Lots of Lingering Souls, Call the Conclaves and main deck Rootborn Defenses and Druid's Deliverance. Sorin made some Vampire tokens and one emblem this game as well. I remember fearing Intangible Virtue the entire game and was lucky not to see one. Huntmaster flipping and unflipping along with a non-miracled Bonfire while she was tapped out allow me to eek out game 1 with Kessig Wolf Run. I board in my Sundering Growths and Oblivion Rings to make sure Sorin and Intangible Virtue don't stick around. Game 2 Hanna can't find any black sources and I'm able to once again trample over tokens with Wolf Run in not nearly as close of a game, although she did nerf my double Huntmasters and kill the Bonfire in my hand with an unexpected Witchbane Orb.
1-0
Round 2 vs Joe playing Junk Reanimator. I like Joe's build with maindeck Lotleth Troll's and Deathrite Shammans, but he can't find an Unburial Rights game 1 and I beat down with wurms. We then get to take a quick break as we're deck-checked. Game two I open with an Avacyn's Pilgrim followed on consecutive turns by Loxodon Smiter, Restoration Angel, Sigarda and Armada Wurm (each on curve, and a turn early from the pilgrim :). Joe dies with me holding Angel of Serenity in hand.
2-0
Round 3 vs Stephen playing Bant Control. Game one takes a little more than half the time in the round with Stephen overrunning me with Garruk, Primal Hunter's beast tokens. While sideboarding I ask the judge when the round ends as a "polite" way of trying to get my opponent to play faster. I bring in Garruk's to battle his as well as Selesnya Charms and Zealous Conscripts, opting not to bring in Oblivion Rings or Sundering Growths... I'm not sure if that's correct, but I wanted to stay aggressive on the play. Several turns into the game and Stephen is still playing slow as shit. Maybe it was a jerk move but after he taps out for a main phase Sphinx's Revelation and stares at his hand for like 60 seconds I say "you've already played a land and you're tapped out, dude." while the judge is watching. He then passes the turn without attacking, though he probably should have attacked. I get Sigarda into play and bash three or four times, tapping out for Kessig Wolf Run each turn, which is enough to take game 2. He sideboards again, I assume adding Sigarda's and we begin game 3 with about 12 minutes left in the round. Stephen seems to have never ending Thragtusks this game while I'm sitting on Garruk, making beasts and losing board position. He finally swings with enough to definitely kill Garruk so I don't defend. This is pretty pivotal as it was his last turn before time was called and he probably would have won if he'd just come at me instead. In extra turns I steal a Thragtusk with Conscripts, swing him alone then O-ring my temporary Thragtusk turning it into a permanent beast. This ends up being enough to not die on turn 5 and we draw.
2-0-1
Round 4 and Nick and I are paired. He's able to take game one as I mulliganed then leaned on a mana dork heavy hand that doesn't do much after my dorks are Tragic Slipped. Game two I draw all three Pillar of Flames to handle Gravecrawlers and Nick scoops when I Restoration Angel my Thragtusk. Game 3 Nick misses his second land drop 2 or 3 times and Thragtusk and Armada Wurm take the match.
3-0-1
Round 5 vs Dave playing Epic Experiment. Dave is the only 3-1 with Stephen and I 3-0-1 and everyone else 2-2 or worse. Dave and I will both make top 4 regardless, but I want to play. Game one I have multiple Huntmasters that I'm flipping and he's unflipping, so I never get to swing with my 4/4 tramplers. He takes game 1 after a couple experiments. It seems the second Epic Experiment is always WAY better than the first. Game 2 I hit my curve similar to my round 2 and he can't find a Terminus. He dies without any experimenting. Game 3 I have two consecutive turns to find Bonfire and attack for the win but can't find one. Dave kills me with a ton of soldiers the next turn and I die with a Bonfire on top of my deck :(
3-1-1
Nick is the only 3-2 to make top 4 on tie-breakers, along with me, Stephen and Dave. We split the store credit $65-$65-$65-$35 and give Dave the byes for Charleston.
I'm really liking this deck. I want to try out G/W aggro and U/W aggro as well, but need to pick up Silverblade Paladins and Sublime Archangels for both, so I'll be sticking with Naya until that happens.
There's a Legacy tourney at Xanadu next Sunday for a Judge Promo Karakas (like $160). I'm not sure if I'm going, but we'll see. I hate missing Ravens games on Sundays, but have done it once this season already.
-Eric
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