The SCG Open returned to Baltimore this past weekend. With 5 open series points from my Super IQ 2nd, 2 for playing in the last Invitational and 1 each from opens in Somerset(2), Baltimore(2) and Minneapolis, I came into the weekend on 12, needing just 3 to qualify for another Invitational. A top 64 either day would do it for me. With both my recent success piloting Omni-Tell in Legacy and the fact that Legacy opens draw significantly fewer participants than Standard Opens, I thought my best chance would be Sunday. So I decided to play Bant Aggro Saturday. I haven't really had any success with the deck, which is similar to the BUG Aggro Nick and I played earlier this summer (except it trades Dreg Mangler and black removal for Voice of Resurgence, Geist of Saint Traft and Selesnya Charm), but is super fun, even when losing, and the decrease in popularity of Pillar of Flame is really good for me.
Standard Open - Saturday - 545 players - 10 rounds
Round 1 vs B/G The Rock
Having played Standard only twice in the last month I hadn't seen this deck in person yet. Game one I flooded out and was never really in it. I decided to go as aggro as possible for game two and left in Rapid Hybridizations I normally board out against decks with lots of removal. I'm rewarded with a turn 4 kill. In game 3 I mulligan but start with Experiment One and Strangleroot Geist. Unfortunately my opponent has turn four Mutilate then goes Thragtusk, Thragtusk, Thragtusk the next three turns.
0-1
Round 2 vs G/R Kibler
I win game one with a nut draw and decide not to board in the Blind Obedience's that were a last minute sideboard addition specifically for this matchup. He starts game two with Elvish Mystic and I play Young Wolf. He then plays Domri and ticks up to 4 loyalty netting a Hellrider. But my turn two is Rancor, Rancor, kill Domri. Turn three he drops the Hellrider and the race is on. I beat for 5 with my Young Wolf and drop a Voice of Resurgence. Life totals are 14-13 in my favor, with each of us having played an untapped shock land. Turn four Thundermaw is his play and I chump the Hellrider, leaving me at 7. On my turn I swing back with my 5/1, hold back my Elemental and drop another wolf. (7-8, him). When he plays another Hellrider I bounce his dragon with Simic Charm... at this point I'm tapped out and dead on board - all he has to do is attack with all three of his creatures (Hellrider x2 and elf) since I only have two blockers and go to 1 off the Hellrider triggers. I know my only chance to win this game is if he holds back a creature so I grab my pen, hold it over my notepad and make eye contact with him, suggesting to him that he doesn't have me dead and trying to get him to hurry through this decision. It actually pays off when he only swings with the two Hellriders, putting me to 3 on triggers and I block both. When I swing back with my wolves (5/1 trample and 2/2) he chumps the 2/2 but I have Selesnya Charm to deal exactly 8 and put him at exactly 0.
1-1
Round 3 vs U/W Flash
OMG this match ends up being frustrating! Every single turn he asks, "Untap?" and waits for me to say yes. Then "Upkeep?".... Then "Draw?"... FUUUUCK! So I spend 10 seconds every turn nodding my head. I've played against dudes who announce each step... no big deal. I've played against guys who check during their upkeep; fine... but this kid is driving me nuts. Anyway, game one I turn my Young Wolf into a 2/2 wolf and a 3/3 frog lizard in response to an Azorius Charm, netting me some damage before his Supreme Verdict. A couple turns later I hybridize his Restoration after it blocks a trampler to take game one... super important in this matchup, especially with how slow this kid is playing. Game two then takes over a half hour as I'm able to counter a couple Sphinx's Revelations while Terminus, Verdict and Detention Spheres are enough to keep him alive. Eventually he drops an Aetherling and I scoop with 9 minutes left in the round. Oh yeah -- not only is this kid playing the slowest deck in the format, AND playing slow as shit, he also shuffles slower than anyone I've ever played against... Multiple pile shuffles, plus multiple mulligans during the match.. I'm about to snap. A judge joins us for game three which starts with less than 6 minutes remaining in the round. I had brought back in the Rapid Hybridizations hoping to just get him dead before timing out. I'm playing as fast as possible and making strategically poor plays (if time wasn't a factor) in hopes of just getting there. With seconds remaining:
Dork: "Untap?"
Me: "YEAH!"
Dork: "Upkeep?"
Me: "YES! GO!"
Dork: "Draw?"
Me: "I DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS IN HAND AND I'M TAPPED OUT!!"
Table Judge: "Ok, now."
Me: "Sorry, but he's been doing this all match and it's why we're not going to finish"
Head Judge: "Standard players that is time in the round..."
1-1-1
I want to drop after this round but decide to stick it out.
Round 4 vs W/G Tokens
Not a real deck.. I win easily... There is a turn where I have two 2/2 Experiment Ones and a Voice of Resurgence attacking and grab a nearby judge that I happen to know personally saying, "Um.. this turn is going to get pretty confusing - can you just watch?" and show him the Rapid Hybridization in my hand. The opponent ends up not blocking so I just Giant Growth with Simic Charm for the win. I go through the Rapid Hybridization play with the Jeremy (the judge) afterward just to confirm the line that gets my Experiment Ones to 4/4.
2-1-1
Round 5 vs B/G The Rock
After round one I discussed this matchup with Jimmy, pretty certain that it's not nearly as bad as it turned out for me, and this round proved just that. I beat down with undying dudes until he plays Desecration Demon and admits that it's awkward. I sac a Strangleroot Geist to tap down the demon and swing for an extra point of damage. He then Mutilates to kill only my 3/2 leaving me with a 2/2 wolf and two 3/3 elementals. I exile the demon with Selesnya Charm and swing for the kill. Game two he mulligans to 5 and never plays a second land.
3-1-1
Round 6 vs B/G The Rock
I do lose a game this round when she's able to mutilate my team and we both draw-go for four turns with zero non-land permanents in play - but she finds a Thragtusk before I can find anything. A timely Loxodon Smiter for Liliana lets me take game 3 with some Rancors. Other than that, my undying guys match up well vs her cards.
4-1-1
Round 7 vs U/W Flash
This round is a heartbreaker as I'm ultimately eliminated from top 8 contention. I lose game one to three straight turns of attacking into Restoration Angel. Game two his only permanent is Archangel of Thune and I beat him decisively. Game three is our best game and after countering a Sphinx's Revelation we're in a spot where we're racing. He has a Restoration Angel and I have a Zameck Guildmage and tons of mana. I'm able to play a some small guys and eat counters off of them to try to draw something that will impact the race more than the +1/+1 but can't find a Rancor or charm. Ultimately he wins the race with the help of Jace, Architect of Thought +1's.
4-2-1
I want to drop but Jimmy gives me a pep talk which combined with our buddy John being 7-0 and possibly having to crash at my place that night (top 4 plays Sunday morning and he lives in WV), convinces me to stay in.
Round 8 vs B/W Tokens
I'm pretty sure this is full-on tokens... the only cards I see are Tragic Slip, Doomed Traveler, Cartel Aristocrat, Lingering Souls and Intangible Virtue. He's able to take game two with double Lingering Souls and Intangible Virtue, but the first and third games aren't even close
5-2-1
Round 9 vs U/W/R Flash
Game one is an odd draw in which I only showed him cards that are in Bant Hexproof and am able to win with Geist of Saint Trafts and Rancors. I decide to try out the Blind Obedience's since it nerfs Restoration Angel and Snapcaster and it seems like the extort could be important in this grindy matchup. I do surprise him with it and it does nerf his Thundermaw Hellkite (buying me a turn) and the few points of life also end up buying me a turn but I'm not really in the game. The white enchantments come out game 3 for something more proactive. I'm able to bounce a Restoration Angel after it blocks a trampler for the win.
6-2-1
Round 10 vs Jund
I had avoided this matchup all day and was pretty disappointed after losing game one handily to Huntmaster into Thragtusk. Jimmy is watching me though and I'm able to quickly go off tilt and am determined to win. I keep a 7-card, 1-land (Temple Garden) hand on the play that has Young Wolf, Rancor and two Voice of Resurgence (and Geist of Saint Traft and Garruk Relentless). The hand is all hard to kill threats and I can't afford to go to 6 and keep hand with half the threats. I'm rewarded with a Hinterland Harbor off the top and completely ignore Liliana in combat (pitching Garruk, Geist and a land, in order as he +1's toward her ultimate) while also drawing a third Voice. Fuck Yeah! Game three he mulligans to 5 and while he does live long enough to cast Thragtusk, I'm able to take the game with a Selesnya Charm to trample through for exact damage.
7-2-1
Those with 22 points stretched from 21st place down to 37th... I was 37th. $50 and 2 open points, but most importantly - qualifying me for the next invitational (assuming I at least show up Sunday).
And I do show up Sunday, going 0-2 drop :-p
I'm fine with it though since I lost a really good match round one and to my worst matchup round 2. Plus I was exhausted from the day before (and the day before the day before when I woke up at 4am to buy a FTV:20 at retail then played Seasons 'til nearly 2am).
So I'll be joining Nick and Jimmy in Indy in a couple months :)
e
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
I got to battle Legacy twice this past weekend and didn't do too shabby.
Before this past weekend I hadn't been able to play any legacy for quite a while. At the Invitational I 0-4'd the Standard and dropped before the format switch. Then on that Sunday at the Open in New Jersey, we decided to head home early rather than play. And even though I had hoped to play the recent Legacy Open in Minneapolis while I was in town for work, said work actually took longer to finish than expected and I missed out again. So when I saw Games & Stuff had a legacy tourney Saturday I opted for that over Xanadu's Standard IQ so I could knock off the rust before Xanadu's Sunday Legacy tourney.
The tourney at G&S drew only 9 players and we had 4 rounds of swiss w/ cut to top 4.
I brought mono-blue Show and Tell and faced Jund, Slivers, Dead Guy and Esper Deathblade. Jund and Dead Guy are favorable and played out that way. Against discard decks I bring in Leylines and choose to draw and my experience both Saturday and Sunday backed up that strategy. The Sliver deck should have been favorable too, but game one he rushed me with lords while I couldn't find a Show and Tell. Game two he boards in hate bears and was able to get me with Thalia and Meddling Mage. Esper Deathblade is probably one of my worst matchups since fighting through discard AND counters is quite difficult. I boarded 3 Leylines AND 3 Defense Grids which was definitely wrong. I lost this match but decided that against U/B/x I would only board Leylines in the future and put that strategy to good use Sunday. I finished 2-2, in 5th place and got a Noble Heirarch.
Sunday's tourney at Xanadu offered a foil Jace the Mind Sculptor to 1st with prizes down to 16th place. 42 players came to battle.
I made one change to my deck which was swapping the Sapphire Charm in the side for Wipe Away as a better answer to Thalia/Relic-Warder/Ethersworn Canonist with an active Mother of Runes.
I got to start vs Burn which I was happy about and game 1 ends with a rare Emrakul kill. Game two I bring in Leylines and side out Pacts, completely forgetting about the existence of Pyroblast. After my attempt at an unprotected 2nd turn win is stopped for one red mana I'm able to make another attempt while at 2 life. This time it's a Wear//Tear on my Dream Halls in response to Enter the Infinite that lets Goblin Guide finish me off despite a hand of 40+ cards. I board out the Leylines for Grids game three and win after he spends his turn Wear//Tearing a grid and leaving himself unable to Pyroblast more than once on my turn.
Storm takes game one from me in round 2 which is expected since they have discard spells AND a faster combo. I bring in Leylines for game two but decide to play first, respecting their faster combo. I mulligan and keep a 6 that includes 2 Leylines. We draw-cantrip-go for a while until he plays 2 sorcery speed Chain of Vapors to handle both Leylines, but I follow on my turn with Dream Halls, discard Leyline to play Leyline and pass with an Enter the Infinite in hand. He doesn't find a 3rd removal spell and I topdeck Force of Will to play Enter and win. Game 3 I get to keep 7, on the draw with a Leyline and win turn 4 or 5 after he Wishes for Empty the Warrens.
Round three vs Shardless BUG - Game one winds up in my favor though I had no business winning that game. I mulligan to 4 on the play, never seeing a land. My 4 is Brainstorm, FoW, S&T and Omniscience.
Turn one: Go.
Turn two: After he suspends Ancestral Visions I draw Enter the Infinite. Go.
Turn three: After having Show and Tell discarded via Thoughtseize I draw another Show and Tell. Go.
Turn four: After he cascades into Tarmagoyf I draw Scaling Tarn and play it. Go
Turn five: After he swings and plays another Goyf I draw City of Traitors! I go off AND have the Brainstorm to pitch to FoW to protect it. Insane!
I bring in Leylines for game two, shaving Island/Dream Halls/Cunning Wish/Emrakul so I can keep in Pacts. I go for the win turn 3 with Fow + Flusterstorm backup, but he has the same two counters to shut me down. Each of his next two turns he naturally cascades into Ancestral Visions while I'm working toward a kill with Dream Halls. The turn before I can go off he plays his third Ancestral (this one was suspended earlier), Brainstorm, fetch, Jace the Mind Sculptor and brainstorms with it, then casts another actual Brainstorm. I start to get excited that he's digging so hard and I think I have a shot. But he finally does find some action and Thoughtseizes away my win. Shardless Agent beatdown gets the job done. Game 3 I choose to draw first and nail the Leyline in my opening 7. I proceed to win on turn three with exactly enough blue cards for the Dream Halls kill + Pact backup.
At 3-0 Jimmy and I get paired and decide to draw. Now we each need to win just one of our next two to make top 8 at 4-1-1.
Against Goblins in round 5 I comfortably take some damage until I win game 1 the turn before I would die. Game two I die on his third turn... something I didn't know the goblin deck was capable of. If you're curious here it is:
T1: Lackey
T2: Attack and put Piledriver into play, play another Piledriver
T3: play Chieftain, attack for 20.
Game 3 I go for an unprotected turn-three win while he's tapped out hoping he doesn't have Mindbreak Trap or something like Angel of Dispair - he doesn't and he gets covered in ants.
I intentionally draw again in round 6, making top 8 as the 2nd seed.
My quarterfinal match is against Maverick and is a matchup I like, but game one is spent cantripping into non-Show&Tells and non-lands and I die to Knights of the Reliquary one mana short of being able to cast my Dream Halls for the win. Game two I Probe a turn before going off (can't remember why and may have just been a mistake) but I see the coast is clear.. nothing worse than Gaddock Teeg and that only puts me on an Emrakul win since I do have the Cunning Wish I need for that. The only problem is that when I go for the win next turn, his only unknown card turns out to be an Iona that he topdecked on his turn. Fuck! Iona's ability is an "as ~this~ enters play" ability and cannot be responded to. If there really was no reasoning behind the premature gitaxulation I should have known about the Iona and could have wished for Eladamri's Call BEFORE casting Show and Tell. I really wish I could remember why I would have probed the turn before going off... maybe I knew what I was probing into and wanted to play it that turn... but I can't remember. I do remember paying a blue for the probe but I can't imagine my play was made to save two life. It must have just been a mistake on my part that probably cost me.
I do get 6 packs of Modern Masters for making top 8 and proceed to open nothing better than a Spell Snare :(
But now I'm psyched for the SCG Open in Baltimore next week! Hopfully I can keep improving with this deck.
e
Thursday, July 11, 2013
M14 and Angus Mackenzie
The M14 pre-release is this weekend. I plan on attending two pre-releases because I like playing and enjoy the people and place where I usually go.
Despite that, the set itself appears pretty lackluster. Only 3 non-basics is a bit of a letdown. I really would enjoy filter land reprints for EDH.
Speaking of EDH. I had a rare chance to get a hold of a copy of Angus Mackenzie, Legends Bant Fog-Master. I have been pondering (no pun intended) in what type of shell I best want to use Angus.
First I tries a Bant midrange disaster that doesn't even appear good on paper.
I then attempted to put him in a Legacy-style enchantress shell. I was unimpressed, it super-sucked.
I looked at my not-so-vast collection of Foil cards in Bant colors (It is well known that I fully enjoy Foil cards) and Progenitor Mimic, Phyrexian Metamorph, Restoration Angel, Angel of Serenity, etc. caught my eye.
It is time to send in the clones, in a bant control shell.
Bant has several clone effects.
-Progenitor Mimic
-Clone
-Phyrexian Metamorph
-Phantasmal Image
-Sakashima, the Impostor
-Sakashima's Student
-Vesuvan Doppelganger
-Body Double
-Duplicant
Bant also has several fun things to make copies of.
-Terastodon
-Sylvan Primordial
-Angel of Serenity
-Avenger of Zendikar
-Armada Wurm
-Mulldrifter
-Reveillark
-Thragtusk
Bant also has several ways of "Blinking" creatures.
-Restoration Angel
-Flicker
-Venser, the Sojourner
I think we can all see where this is going.
So, I think I am going to use Angus as a Fog-Engine until I can assemble an army of stupidly powerful creatures. More updates to follow.
Until next time.
Despite that, the set itself appears pretty lackluster. Only 3 non-basics is a bit of a letdown. I really would enjoy filter land reprints for EDH.
Speaking of EDH. I had a rare chance to get a hold of a copy of Angus Mackenzie, Legends Bant Fog-Master. I have been pondering (no pun intended) in what type of shell I best want to use Angus.
First I tries a Bant midrange disaster that doesn't even appear good on paper.
I then attempted to put him in a Legacy-style enchantress shell. I was unimpressed, it super-sucked.
I looked at my not-so-vast collection of Foil cards in Bant colors (It is well known that I fully enjoy Foil cards) and Progenitor Mimic, Phyrexian Metamorph, Restoration Angel, Angel of Serenity, etc. caught my eye.
It is time to send in the clones, in a bant control shell.
Bant has several clone effects.
-Progenitor Mimic
-Clone
-Phyrexian Metamorph
-Phantasmal Image
-Sakashima, the Impostor
-Sakashima's Student
-Vesuvan Doppelganger
-Body Double
-Duplicant
Bant also has several fun things to make copies of.
-Terastodon
-Sylvan Primordial
-Angel of Serenity
-Avenger of Zendikar
-Armada Wurm
-Mulldrifter
-Reveillark
-Thragtusk
Bant also has several ways of "Blinking" creatures.
-Restoration Angel
-Flicker
-Venser, the Sojourner
I think we can all see where this is going.
So, I think I am going to use Angus as a Fog-Engine until I can assemble an army of stupidly powerful creatures. More updates to follow.
Until next time.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Three Days - Three Formats
I got to play magic Friday, Saturday and Sunday this past weekend - so it was a pretty awesome weekend.
Friday night Nick and I went to Games&Stuff for Modern FNM. He played the Blistercoil Weird/Paradise Mantle list I sent him and finished 3-1. That deck looked so much fun and I might have to try it out at an FNM some time.
Instead of Aggro Mill, I played the Turbo Mill list that's had some success on magic-league.com. I lost to Eldrazi 1-2 in the first round. I really needed the black trap card that exiles a graveyard, but didn't find one before the tourney. I won the next round against a scrub then in round 3 lost game 2 when my Affinity opponent had 2 cards left in his library (and I had missed a crab trigger earlier) and then lost game 3. The last round I played probably my best matchup - Valakut. And game one I got to Archive Trap AND Surgical Extraction Valakut before even taking a turn!
So I finished 2-2. I might give the deck another shot, but it's severely less fun than Aggro Mill.
Saturday morning I scrambled to get the cards to play Travis Woo's Izzet Blitz deck, visiting 3 different card shops and finding everything except for a single Faith's Shield. I sign up for the SCG IQ at Xanadu just in time.
First round I lose to Jund 0-2 and want to drop to go play in the standard tourney at G&S, but decide to play one more round for some practice with the deck. Second round vs Bant Control goes way better for me as I get the 4th turn kill game one, and a single Guttersnipe goes all the way game two. I conceded with a lethal Boros Charm on the stack and drop from this event to head to G&S.
We have 19 players, so 5 rounds and top 8.
Round 1 vs R/G Aggro. Game 1 I had the combo kill while he was tapped out and hit him for 20 when he would have dealt lethal to me next turn. Game 3 he's at 14, taps out for Hellrider and swings with him, a Boros Reckoner, Burning-Tree Shaman and two 3/3 Flinthoof Boars, putting me to 4 with the Hellrider triggers. I have a Boros Reckoner of my own, a Geist of Saint Traft and a Nivix Cyclops. I also have two Boros Charms in hand, and 3 untapped lands. I win this game :)
I block his BTE with Geist, Hellrider with Reckoner and a boar with Cyclops leaving his Reckoner and other boar unblocked. I give his Hellrider doublestrike with Boros Charm and give my Reckoner first strike. When first strike damage resolves I shoot his unblocked boar and then go to 1 from the unblocked Reckoner. On my turn I topdeck a Thought Scour to make Cyclops 4/4, Boros Charm to make him 7/4 doublestrike for lethal!
1-0
Round 2 vs Jund. Game 1 he mulls to 5 and is tapped out on my turn 5 while at 25. I'm able to get my Cyclops to 13/4 unblockable with doublestrike for the game. Game 2 he mulls to 5, me to 4. I keep a hand of two lands and two Geists. He has a Rakdos Return for 2 and I'm left with my 3rd land and 1 Geist in hand. I play him and he goes the distance since my opponent never plays another spell.
2-0
Round 3 vs R/G Aggro. I get the combo kill turn 4 while he's tapped out. Games 2 and 3 are grinds. Game 3 Faith's Shield w/ Fateful Hour to survive a lethal swing and have a turn to topdeck Boros Charm for the win, but don't hit it after looting.
2-1
Round 4 vs Junk Reanimator
I win game 1 after double pillar on Fiend Hunter to get my Cyclops back. Game 2 Deathrite Shaman owns me. Game 3 I'm on 3x Guttersnipes and burning his face with Charms and Pillars but he eventually finds the lands to stablize and take the game.
2-2
Round 5 vs Naya
I like this matchup because they play very little removal. Game 1 he dies to Guttersnipes, Game 2 to unblockable beaters.
I make top 8 in 7th seed.
Quarterfinals vs R/G Aggro (from round 3).
Game 1 I keep a bad hand with Thought Scour, Geist, Cyclops and 4 lands. I get STOMPED!
Game 2 I find a late Reckoner and use 3x Feeling of Dread's defensively to just stay alive. I have one turn to find Harvest Pyre for the win, rip an Izzet Charm to dig two more, but don't find it and die.
After the 8 rounds across two tournaments I made some of my own changes to Woo's list. Here's where I'm at now:
3 Clifftop Retreat
1 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
3 Artful Dodge
4 Faithless Looting
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Thought Scour
2 Azorius Charm
4 Boros Charm
4 Feeling of Dread
3 Izzet Charm
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Nivix Cyclops
Sideboard:
2 Electrickery
2 Faith's Shield
2 Azorius Charm
1 Harvest Pyre
2 Skullcrack
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Guttersnipe
I plan to work on this list for the next few weeks and play it at the Invitational in Jersey.
Sunday was Legacy at Xanadu. I get there when Mike does and Jimmy and Nick show up shortly thereafter. I really want to play Standard and Commander, but sign up for Legacy anyway after some prodding from Jimmy. I'm running Mono-blue Omni-Tell and lose to Death & Taxes round 1. (FYI - phasing out a creature with a "leaves the battlefield" ability does not trigger that LTB ability - so I don't get my Omniscience back from Leonin Relic-Warder). After the round Ben and I are in the middle of one of our best Krenko VS Talrand games of EDH ever, so I drop from the tourney to finish the game. We play a couple more during round 2 and get a 4-player in with Jimmy (Riku) and Kurt (Edric) before round 3. I sign up for the Legacy side-event for $5 instead of $30 because Ben is such a nice guy and it finally fires right before I'm about to go home. So I decide to play Belcher and get it over with, win or lose. I play against a Cloudpost deck and take game 1 easily. Game two I battle through a Chalice-for-1, Mindbreak Trap and Powder Keg and have a couple turns to draw any business spell but can't find one. Game 3 I have the turn-1 kill with Belcher and he lays down Leyline of Sanctity (his only copy). I don't find any other business and spend a couple turns belching a PrimeTime and a Kozilek. At this point my deck is completely stacked, but he has the resources to Eye of Ugin AND play Emrakul the same turn, and I die on his extra turn.
A sweet weekend of magic even though I didn't have much success in Modern or Legacy. I'll most likely be playing Omni-Tell at the Invitational at the end of the month.
e
Friday night Nick and I went to Games&Stuff for Modern FNM. He played the Blistercoil Weird/Paradise Mantle list I sent him and finished 3-1. That deck looked so much fun and I might have to try it out at an FNM some time.
Instead of Aggro Mill, I played the Turbo Mill list that's had some success on magic-league.com. I lost to Eldrazi 1-2 in the first round. I really needed the black trap card that exiles a graveyard, but didn't find one before the tourney. I won the next round against a scrub then in round 3 lost game 2 when my Affinity opponent had 2 cards left in his library (and I had missed a crab trigger earlier) and then lost game 3. The last round I played probably my best matchup - Valakut. And game one I got to Archive Trap AND Surgical Extraction Valakut before even taking a turn!
So I finished 2-2. I might give the deck another shot, but it's severely less fun than Aggro Mill.
Saturday morning I scrambled to get the cards to play Travis Woo's Izzet Blitz deck, visiting 3 different card shops and finding everything except for a single Faith's Shield. I sign up for the SCG IQ at Xanadu just in time.
First round I lose to Jund 0-2 and want to drop to go play in the standard tourney at G&S, but decide to play one more round for some practice with the deck. Second round vs Bant Control goes way better for me as I get the 4th turn kill game one, and a single Guttersnipe goes all the way game two. I conceded with a lethal Boros Charm on the stack and drop from this event to head to G&S.
We have 19 players, so 5 rounds and top 8.
Round 1 vs R/G Aggro. Game 1 I had the combo kill while he was tapped out and hit him for 20 when he would have dealt lethal to me next turn. Game 3 he's at 14, taps out for Hellrider and swings with him, a Boros Reckoner, Burning-Tree Shaman and two 3/3 Flinthoof Boars, putting me to 4 with the Hellrider triggers. I have a Boros Reckoner of my own, a Geist of Saint Traft and a Nivix Cyclops. I also have two Boros Charms in hand, and 3 untapped lands. I win this game :)
I block his BTE with Geist, Hellrider with Reckoner and a boar with Cyclops leaving his Reckoner and other boar unblocked. I give his Hellrider doublestrike with Boros Charm and give my Reckoner first strike. When first strike damage resolves I shoot his unblocked boar and then go to 1 from the unblocked Reckoner. On my turn I topdeck a Thought Scour to make Cyclops 4/4, Boros Charm to make him 7/4 doublestrike for lethal!
1-0
Round 2 vs Jund. Game 1 he mulls to 5 and is tapped out on my turn 5 while at 25. I'm able to get my Cyclops to 13/4 unblockable with doublestrike for the game. Game 2 he mulls to 5, me to 4. I keep a hand of two lands and two Geists. He has a Rakdos Return for 2 and I'm left with my 3rd land and 1 Geist in hand. I play him and he goes the distance since my opponent never plays another spell.
2-0
Round 3 vs R/G Aggro. I get the combo kill turn 4 while he's tapped out. Games 2 and 3 are grinds. Game 3 Faith's Shield w/ Fateful Hour to survive a lethal swing and have a turn to topdeck Boros Charm for the win, but don't hit it after looting.
2-1
Round 4 vs Junk Reanimator
I win game 1 after double pillar on Fiend Hunter to get my Cyclops back. Game 2 Deathrite Shaman owns me. Game 3 I'm on 3x Guttersnipes and burning his face with Charms and Pillars but he eventually finds the lands to stablize and take the game.
2-2
Round 5 vs Naya
I like this matchup because they play very little removal. Game 1 he dies to Guttersnipes, Game 2 to unblockable beaters.
I make top 8 in 7th seed.
Quarterfinals vs R/G Aggro (from round 3).
Game 1 I keep a bad hand with Thought Scour, Geist, Cyclops and 4 lands. I get STOMPED!
Game 2 I find a late Reckoner and use 3x Feeling of Dread's defensively to just stay alive. I have one turn to find Harvest Pyre for the win, rip an Izzet Charm to dig two more, but don't find it and die.
After the 8 rounds across two tournaments I made some of my own changes to Woo's list. Here's where I'm at now:
3 Clifftop Retreat
1 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
3 Artful Dodge
4 Faithless Looting
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Thought Scour
2 Azorius Charm
4 Boros Charm
4 Feeling of Dread
3 Izzet Charm
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Nivix Cyclops
Sideboard:
2 Electrickery
2 Faith's Shield
2 Azorius Charm
1 Harvest Pyre
2 Skullcrack
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Guttersnipe
I plan to work on this list for the next few weeks and play it at the Invitational in Jersey.
Sunday was Legacy at Xanadu. I get there when Mike does and Jimmy and Nick show up shortly thereafter. I really want to play Standard and Commander, but sign up for Legacy anyway after some prodding from Jimmy. I'm running Mono-blue Omni-Tell and lose to Death & Taxes round 1. (FYI - phasing out a creature with a "leaves the battlefield" ability does not trigger that LTB ability - so I don't get my Omniscience back from Leonin Relic-Warder). After the round Ben and I are in the middle of one of our best Krenko VS Talrand games of EDH ever, so I drop from the tourney to finish the game. We play a couple more during round 2 and get a 4-player in with Jimmy (Riku) and Kurt (Edric) before round 3. I sign up for the Legacy side-event for $5 instead of $30 because Ben is such a nice guy and it finally fires right before I'm about to go home. So I decide to play Belcher and get it over with, win or lose. I play against a Cloudpost deck and take game 1 easily. Game two I battle through a Chalice-for-1, Mindbreak Trap and Powder Keg and have a couple turns to draw any business spell but can't find one. Game 3 I have the turn-1 kill with Belcher and he lays down Leyline of Sanctity (his only copy). I don't find any other business and spend a couple turns belching a PrimeTime and a Kozilek. At this point my deck is completely stacked, but he has the resources to Eye of Ugin AND play Emrakul the same turn, and I die on his extra turn.
A sweet weekend of magic even though I didn't have much success in Modern or Legacy. I'll most likely be playing Omni-Tell at the Invitational at the end of the month.
e
Friday, June 21, 2013
Storm in Modern (6/20/13)
The Modern Format...
Our local TO wants to try to push Modern into our monthly rotation of TNM events. We had a 21-person Modern Masters draft and the hope is that MM will catapult players into playing Modern.
Unexpectedly (to me), he was right. We had 16 people show up for Modern; quite the increase over the 3 we had last time around. I took three decks with me: R/G Tron, Storm (by Jon Finkel), and $5 Mono-green infect. The plan was to lend out decks to those who did not have one.
I ended up loaning out Infect and playing Storm. I guess it is worth noting that I assembled the Storm deck 2 hours before the tournament began. I also had no sideboard. Entry was $18, but the prize packs would be payed out in Modern Masters.
Round 1: Chris with Mono-Green infect. (The deck I loaned out)
In game one, I misplayed by not producing the right color (blue) from manamorphose. I stall on my combo and scoop.
In game two, I am able to combo out on turn four. There was a bit of a learning curve, I will admit.
In game three, I played two lands, a pyromancers ascension, then died to one attack from a Glistener Elf who had been pumped to lethal.
0-1
Round 2: Cody with a 70-card, unsleeved, w/b control.
Cody does not have explosive starts or any kind of discernible disruption; I combo off on turn five. In game two I stalled a bit and left myself open to a turn five Painful Quandry. I scoop, as I have no way to deal with it. In game three I combo off on turn 4-5. I waited a bit until I knew the coast was clear thanks to Gitaxian Probe.
1-1
Round 3: Nick with Esper Urzatron.
The only reason I beat Nick was because he did not know how to thoroughly abuse Gifts Ungiven. His copies are Kamigawa block and read that you must search for "four cards with different names" he would casually reveal things like Iona, Unburial Rites, Urza's Mine, along with something else. I ended up setting up my combo off in both games before he could drop something awful like Elesh Norn or Iona.
After the match, I explained how he could have easily won both games if he had known about how to properly exploit Gifts Ungiven.
2-1
Round 4: Ian with Orzhov
Ian had another tempo based deck without any kind of disruption. We basically raced each game.
I took game one on a relatively slow combo-off on turn 6+. In game two I stalled and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad was there to make me pay. It did not help that he had Thrull Parasite to lock down Pyromancers Ascension. In game three he got out a Blood Baron of Vizkopa on turn 5 and was at a healthy 23 life. The best I could do on my turn was unleash Grapeshot for ~12 killing his three creatures (Baron, Tithe Drinker, and Thrull Parasite). It would be another 3 turns before I top decked a Sleight of Hand to grab Past in Flames netting me the storm kill. (At this point we were the last game and well past time in the round, almost every other player was watching our game)
3-1
So, I went 3-1, which netted me 4 packs of Modern Masters. The packs were unremarkable.
The one thing I could not help but notice was that during my games, my opponents looked bored and generally disinterested in what I was doing. At one point I declared "Casting Manamorphose, hold priority, cast Increasing Vengeance targeting Manamorphose, two triggers from Pyromancers Ascension", an onlooker then stated, "who are you talking to? He (my opponent) is not paying attention." Well, he was right. At this point all I could think of was that this was of no fault of my opponent; I am playing an uninteractive "self-pleasure" deck. I had fun piloting Storm as it was both difficult and rewarding, but I doubt my opponents saw it that was or had any fun. One guy stopped me to ask why I was marking up "Storm Count", he had never heard of Storm. It was his first Modern tournament.
I kind of felt like the "that guy" of the tournament.
Until next time.
Our local TO wants to try to push Modern into our monthly rotation of TNM events. We had a 21-person Modern Masters draft and the hope is that MM will catapult players into playing Modern.
Unexpectedly (to me), he was right. We had 16 people show up for Modern; quite the increase over the 3 we had last time around. I took three decks with me: R/G Tron, Storm (by Jon Finkel), and $5 Mono-green infect. The plan was to lend out decks to those who did not have one.
I ended up loaning out Infect and playing Storm. I guess it is worth noting that I assembled the Storm deck 2 hours before the tournament began. I also had no sideboard. Entry was $18, but the prize packs would be payed out in Modern Masters.
Round 1: Chris with Mono-Green infect. (The deck I loaned out)
In game one, I misplayed by not producing the right color (blue) from manamorphose. I stall on my combo and scoop.
In game two, I am able to combo out on turn four. There was a bit of a learning curve, I will admit.
In game three, I played two lands, a pyromancers ascension, then died to one attack from a Glistener Elf who had been pumped to lethal.
0-1
Round 2: Cody with a 70-card, unsleeved, w/b control.
Cody does not have explosive starts or any kind of discernible disruption; I combo off on turn five. In game two I stalled a bit and left myself open to a turn five Painful Quandry. I scoop, as I have no way to deal with it. In game three I combo off on turn 4-5. I waited a bit until I knew the coast was clear thanks to Gitaxian Probe.
1-1
Round 3: Nick with Esper Urzatron.
The only reason I beat Nick was because he did not know how to thoroughly abuse Gifts Ungiven. His copies are Kamigawa block and read that you must search for "four cards with different names" he would casually reveal things like Iona, Unburial Rites, Urza's Mine, along with something else. I ended up setting up my combo off in both games before he could drop something awful like Elesh Norn or Iona.
After the match, I explained how he could have easily won both games if he had known about how to properly exploit Gifts Ungiven.
2-1
Round 4: Ian with Orzhov
Ian had another tempo based deck without any kind of disruption. We basically raced each game.
I took game one on a relatively slow combo-off on turn 6+. In game two I stalled and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad was there to make me pay. It did not help that he had Thrull Parasite to lock down Pyromancers Ascension. In game three he got out a Blood Baron of Vizkopa on turn 5 and was at a healthy 23 life. The best I could do on my turn was unleash Grapeshot for ~12 killing his three creatures (Baron, Tithe Drinker, and Thrull Parasite). It would be another 3 turns before I top decked a Sleight of Hand to grab Past in Flames netting me the storm kill. (At this point we were the last game and well past time in the round, almost every other player was watching our game)
3-1
So, I went 3-1, which netted me 4 packs of Modern Masters. The packs were unremarkable.
The one thing I could not help but notice was that during my games, my opponents looked bored and generally disinterested in what I was doing. At one point I declared "Casting Manamorphose, hold priority, cast Increasing Vengeance targeting Manamorphose, two triggers from Pyromancers Ascension", an onlooker then stated, "who are you talking to? He (my opponent) is not paying attention." Well, he was right. At this point all I could think of was that this was of no fault of my opponent; I am playing an uninteractive "self-pleasure" deck. I had fun piloting Storm as it was both difficult and rewarding, but I doubt my opponents saw it that was or had any fun. One guy stopped me to ask why I was marking up "Storm Count", he had never heard of Storm. It was his first Modern tournament.
I kind of felt like the "that guy" of the tournament.
Until next time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Modern Masters Draft! 6/13/13 and DGM on 6/12/13.
I went to a $35 Modern Masters draft at Beyond Comics in Frederick, MD.
I studied in advance for the draft and went in knowing that I wanted to draft Red/Blue Arcane, possibly with a Green splash. 23 players showed up.
In my first pack I pick Peer through Depths, for the next three packs, I see ZERO playables in my forced colors. (The guy to my right was drafting the same thing) I now wasted my first four picks on across the board cards of Mulldrifter, Maelstrom Pulse, and an Affinity artifact. I grab the next pack for ANY open signals. I get passed Worm Harvest. Perhaps dredge is open. The following pack contained a Life from the Loam. All in.
I end up with the following limited Dredge deck.
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Phthisis
1 Death Rattle
1 Divinity of Pride
1 Horobi's Whisper
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Tombstalker
1 Marsh Flitter
3 Street Wraith
2 Stinkweed Imp
1 Life from the Loam
2 Raven's Crime
2 Warren weirding
2 Worm Harvest
2 Syphon Life
3 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Vivid marsh
1 Dakmor Salvage
10 Swamp
3 Forest
My first opponent was Carter/Porter(?) with Mono-White. My opponent was new to magic and new to drafting, but knew the rules well enough that he did not have any questions about play. He did not draft well and his deck was a mixture of Rebels, Thallids, and Giants. I got my discard engine going (Loam+Raven's Crime) to remove his hand since he was on a slow start (probably with a lot of expensive fatties).
I finally got Divinity of Pride and Tombstalker down to take control.
In game two, I did not draw into my discard engine but did draw into my Worm engine and Tombstalker.
2-0
I then played against Toby with his Bant Thallid/Suspend deck. He had some Errant Ephemerons that were easily held at bay by Stinkweed Imp. Toby was reluctant to attack into the Imp's as I had previously been dredging them. I was able to stall long enough to get my big fliers (Tombstalker and Divinity of Pride) into play. In game two I got my discard engine AND my worm engine going.
2-0
At this point I am 2-0 and an ID nets me and my opponent 4 packs of MM, so we ID'd.
Sean and I then played, since neither of us had lost a game yet. He drafted Red/White Giants. In game one, I chose to be on the draw and began Dredging from turn 1, due to cycling a Street Wraith at Sean's EoT. I took game one off of my worm tokens. In game two Sean wiped the board with Thundercloud Shaman, then the Giants came in and finished me off. In game three I made 6 Worms on turn 5. I followed that up with back-to-back Worm Harvests off of top decked land. (making 7 then 8 Worm tokens)
I opened a Vedalken Shackles in my prize packs, and nothing else of interest.
REWIND TO THURSDAY!
I went to Games and Stuff in Glen Burnie, MD to play a DGM draft. The following are lists of my pick ones in each round.
1: Beetleform Mage
2: Domri Rade
3: Vraska the Unseen
The guy sitting to my right, this was his second draft ever. Needless to say, my deck was very very good. I had enough playables in BUG that I initially built a 60 card deck that, depending on which half I drew, could either be aggro-control or Mill. I put the 20 aggro cards into the sideboard and went with the mill plan.
I won four games in a row the following ways Mill, Mill, Mill, Vraska Ultimate. I split in the final round in order to play the Holodeck (something I have not yet addressed on this blog) with the tournament organizer.
So, two very good back-to-back drafts. (Which to be fair were preceded by a poor draft and a poor sealed.)
Until next time.
I studied in advance for the draft and went in knowing that I wanted to draft Red/Blue Arcane, possibly with a Green splash. 23 players showed up.
In my first pack I pick Peer through Depths, for the next three packs, I see ZERO playables in my forced colors. (The guy to my right was drafting the same thing) I now wasted my first four picks on across the board cards of Mulldrifter, Maelstrom Pulse, and an Affinity artifact. I grab the next pack for ANY open signals. I get passed Worm Harvest. Perhaps dredge is open. The following pack contained a Life from the Loam. All in.
I end up with the following limited Dredge deck.
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Phthisis
1 Death Rattle
1 Divinity of Pride
1 Horobi's Whisper
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Tombstalker
1 Marsh Flitter
3 Street Wraith
2 Stinkweed Imp
1 Life from the Loam
2 Raven's Crime
2 Warren weirding
2 Worm Harvest
2 Syphon Life
3 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Vivid marsh
1 Dakmor Salvage
10 Swamp
3 Forest
My first opponent was Carter/Porter(?) with Mono-White. My opponent was new to magic and new to drafting, but knew the rules well enough that he did not have any questions about play. He did not draft well and his deck was a mixture of Rebels, Thallids, and Giants. I got my discard engine going (Loam+Raven's Crime) to remove his hand since he was on a slow start (probably with a lot of expensive fatties).
I finally got Divinity of Pride and Tombstalker down to take control.
In game two, I did not draw into my discard engine but did draw into my Worm engine and Tombstalker.
2-0
I then played against Toby with his Bant Thallid/Suspend deck. He had some Errant Ephemerons that were easily held at bay by Stinkweed Imp. Toby was reluctant to attack into the Imp's as I had previously been dredging them. I was able to stall long enough to get my big fliers (Tombstalker and Divinity of Pride) into play. In game two I got my discard engine AND my worm engine going.
2-0
At this point I am 2-0 and an ID nets me and my opponent 4 packs of MM, so we ID'd.
Sean and I then played, since neither of us had lost a game yet. He drafted Red/White Giants. In game one, I chose to be on the draw and began Dredging from turn 1, due to cycling a Street Wraith at Sean's EoT. I took game one off of my worm tokens. In game two Sean wiped the board with Thundercloud Shaman, then the Giants came in and finished me off. In game three I made 6 Worms on turn 5. I followed that up with back-to-back Worm Harvests off of top decked land. (making 7 then 8 Worm tokens)
I opened a Vedalken Shackles in my prize packs, and nothing else of interest.
REWIND TO THURSDAY!
I went to Games and Stuff in Glen Burnie, MD to play a DGM draft. The following are lists of my pick ones in each round.
1: Beetleform Mage
2: Domri Rade
3: Vraska the Unseen
The guy sitting to my right, this was his second draft ever. Needless to say, my deck was very very good. I had enough playables in BUG that I initially built a 60 card deck that, depending on which half I drew, could either be aggro-control or Mill. I put the 20 aggro cards into the sideboard and went with the mill plan.
I won four games in a row the following ways Mill, Mill, Mill, Vraska Ultimate. I split in the final round in order to play the Holodeck (something I have not yet addressed on this blog) with the tournament organizer.
So, two very good back-to-back drafts. (Which to be fair were preceded by a poor draft and a poor sealed.)
Until next time.
Monday, June 10, 2013
A month's worth of mediocrity...
Not many great finishes since Mother's Day, hence the lack of posts. Here's a quick run-down of my performances across several formats.
FNM 5/17
I played the same list I played Mother's Day, but went 3-2 at G&S, losing to little kids playing bad decks poorly. This was enough to push me away from R/G and I picked up the cards to play BUG Aggro which looked like a ton of fun...
Super IQ 5/18
Playing BUG Aggro, went 2-3 drop, going 1-3 vs R/g Aggro with Pillar of Flames... ugh, not a great metagame call by me to be running Strangleroots and Young Wolves.
FNM 5/24
Playing BUG again, I start off 2-0 then ID'd with Nick (also at 2-0). I then lose round 4 after being up a game and throwing away game two on a horrible math mistake (shocked myself to play an untapped land thinking he had enough on board to put me to 1... he had enough to put me to 0). I leave after this round at 2-1-1 to head to the beach. I don't drop since I expect to be paired against a friend who is also 2-1-1 so he can get the free win. So technically I finish 2-2-1.
SCG Open Baltimore 6/1 & 6/2
I play BUG once again on Saturday to a 3-3 finish. I still love the deck as it can be both fun and explosive at times, but I think it's just underpowered in this metagame. The other grindy/synergistic decks like Aristocrats (both BWR and BWG) at least have powerful cards like Sorin and Skirsdag High Priest mixed in with their "Young Wolves". I haven't played Standard since this tourney and am having a hard time finding a competitive deck that I actually like (the same reason Mike has been absent from every Standard tourney for over a month).
I joined a Commander Pod after dropping from the main event. Don't play in SCG open Commander pods without a buddy! My pod had two guys who were friends, a random dude who never did anything of relevance the entire game, and myself. The entire game I have to hold up counterspell mana to stop one of the friends from going off.. I'm able to do this for several turns, even with his non-combo friend attacking me and killing my Talrand and my planeswalkers. Eventually I run out of counterspells (I only play like 7 in the deck) and the combo deck kills us while he's at 7 life from a combination of Necropotence and Drake beats.
Sunday I'm super excited to play Omni-Tell w/ Enter the Infinite. It's a deck that had been getting results online the week leading up to the open and Baltimore was a breakout tournament for this deck, with 3 copies making the top 16. Unfortunately, I lost the last round to finish 5-4 and out of the money. Some Defense Grids in the side would have been nice since all my loses were to opponents with more counter-magic than I - at least on the turns I cast Show and Tell.
FNM 6/7
I decided to play in the modern FNM since G&S is increasing their prize support by $100 for every Modern tournament the rest of the year. The tourney also starts at 7 instead of 6, and is only 4 rounds instead of 5. Playing my Esper Aggro Mill I win the first round, then lose the next 3. I think I'm going to try out Storm in modern over the next month. I still love beating down with Jace's Phantasms and Nihiliths but the deck is too inconsistent. My records in sanctioned tournaments with the deck have been 0-4, 4-4 (started 4-0), 0-2, 3-1 (second place) and this 1-3.
I didn't get to play any magic this past Saturday, but Sunday morning I headed to Xanadu actually hoping to draft, even though they had a GPT (Standard) scheduled. Luckily, not enough people showed up for standard and we drafted Modern Masters instead. For prize we would draft cards to keep from the entire pool in order of finish, so there was no point at all in rare drafting. I opened a weak pack and took Frogmite tihnking maybe I could pull a few more. Second pick Shrapnel Blast, third pick Frogmite and I was set. I finished with a ton of modular guys, 2x Faerie Machinists, 3x Frogmites, 4x Etherium Sculpters and a good amount of burn, including the Shrapnel Blast, Rift Bolt and Electrolyze as the best of those. I even had a Pyrite Spellbomb and Academy Ruins! Oh yeah, and a Keiga too. I 3-0'd the draft and got the obvious first choice of Elspeth from the pool. I got a handful of other goodies as well, including 2x City of Brass. These cities look so cool that I immediately dusted off the Dredge deck when I got home and plan to play it this week. I looked over recent Open finishes by Dredge and found a list with 3x Winds of Change in the side. I have no idea what they're sided against, but the card alone looks fun as Hell. I think I'll pick up a couple to try out.
e
FNM 5/17
I played the same list I played Mother's Day, but went 3-2 at G&S, losing to little kids playing bad decks poorly. This was enough to push me away from R/G and I picked up the cards to play BUG Aggro which looked like a ton of fun...
Super IQ 5/18
Playing BUG Aggro, went 2-3 drop, going 1-3 vs R/g Aggro with Pillar of Flames... ugh, not a great metagame call by me to be running Strangleroots and Young Wolves.
FNM 5/24
Playing BUG again, I start off 2-0 then ID'd with Nick (also at 2-0). I then lose round 4 after being up a game and throwing away game two on a horrible math mistake (shocked myself to play an untapped land thinking he had enough on board to put me to 1... he had enough to put me to 0). I leave after this round at 2-1-1 to head to the beach. I don't drop since I expect to be paired against a friend who is also 2-1-1 so he can get the free win. So technically I finish 2-2-1.
SCG Open Baltimore 6/1 & 6/2
I play BUG once again on Saturday to a 3-3 finish. I still love the deck as it can be both fun and explosive at times, but I think it's just underpowered in this metagame. The other grindy/synergistic decks like Aristocrats (both BWR and BWG) at least have powerful cards like Sorin and Skirsdag High Priest mixed in with their "Young Wolves". I haven't played Standard since this tourney and am having a hard time finding a competitive deck that I actually like (the same reason Mike has been absent from every Standard tourney for over a month).
I joined a Commander Pod after dropping from the main event. Don't play in SCG open Commander pods without a buddy! My pod had two guys who were friends, a random dude who never did anything of relevance the entire game, and myself. The entire game I have to hold up counterspell mana to stop one of the friends from going off.. I'm able to do this for several turns, even with his non-combo friend attacking me and killing my Talrand and my planeswalkers. Eventually I run out of counterspells (I only play like 7 in the deck) and the combo deck kills us while he's at 7 life from a combination of Necropotence and Drake beats.
Sunday I'm super excited to play Omni-Tell w/ Enter the Infinite. It's a deck that had been getting results online the week leading up to the open and Baltimore was a breakout tournament for this deck, with 3 copies making the top 16. Unfortunately, I lost the last round to finish 5-4 and out of the money. Some Defense Grids in the side would have been nice since all my loses were to opponents with more counter-magic than I - at least on the turns I cast Show and Tell.
FNM 6/7
I decided to play in the modern FNM since G&S is increasing their prize support by $100 for every Modern tournament the rest of the year. The tourney also starts at 7 instead of 6, and is only 4 rounds instead of 5. Playing my Esper Aggro Mill I win the first round, then lose the next 3. I think I'm going to try out Storm in modern over the next month. I still love beating down with Jace's Phantasms and Nihiliths but the deck is too inconsistent. My records in sanctioned tournaments with the deck have been 0-4, 4-4 (started 4-0), 0-2, 3-1 (second place) and this 1-3.
I didn't get to play any magic this past Saturday, but Sunday morning I headed to Xanadu actually hoping to draft, even though they had a GPT (Standard) scheduled. Luckily, not enough people showed up for standard and we drafted Modern Masters instead. For prize we would draft cards to keep from the entire pool in order of finish, so there was no point at all in rare drafting. I opened a weak pack and took Frogmite tihnking maybe I could pull a few more. Second pick Shrapnel Blast, third pick Frogmite and I was set. I finished with a ton of modular guys, 2x Faerie Machinists, 3x Frogmites, 4x Etherium Sculpters and a good amount of burn, including the Shrapnel Blast, Rift Bolt and Electrolyze as the best of those. I even had a Pyrite Spellbomb and Academy Ruins! Oh yeah, and a Keiga too. I 3-0'd the draft and got the obvious first choice of Elspeth from the pool. I got a handful of other goodies as well, including 2x City of Brass. These cities look so cool that I immediately dusted off the Dredge deck when I got home and plan to play it this week. I looked over recent Open finishes by Dredge and found a list with 3x Winds of Change in the side. I have no idea what they're sided against, but the card alone looks fun as Hell. I think I'll pick up a couple to try out.
e
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mother's Day Super IQ
I've mentioned this before, but when Nick and Jimmy took down both invites at a Super IQ about a month ago, I made it a goal to also qualify and join them in Somerset in late July. For this reason only, I decided to play in Thanks For Playing's Super IQ yesterday -- Mother's Day. Sunday tournaments generally draw fewer players, and this one being on a family holiday, as well as offering two invites, would probably be my best shot between now and the Invitational to qualify. So I woke up at 6am, drove 90 minutes to my parents' house for breakfast with my mom, then headed to Urbana for the tourney, packing the same 71/75 I took to NJ last week. I changed my 3/3 split of Thundermaw/Silverheart to 4/2, and cut the singletons in the side for 3x Gruul War Chant.
I found Mike right away and we both started bitching about the colder-than-expected temperature outside, the layout of the store, and the owners for delaying the start of the tourney 20+ minutes because one person was running late. One thing I actually did like about TFP was that they had DirecTV and I got to watch a little bit of the O's and Caps games.
OK.... on to the tourney (46 players)
Round 1 vs U/W/R mid-range
Game one I drew faster/bigger threats and he had to hold back Geists on defense, chumping with three of them, while playing Azorius Charm on hasty creatures a couple times as well. Eventually I took it down.
Expecting him to side out the Geists I swapped Bonfires for Mortars and brought in Huntmasters and my own (Strangleroot) Geists. This game, after giving him the two-for-one Boros Reckoner is always good for (Mortars and a Boar) I'm holding back defenders for his triple-Geist draw. On the last turn he's at 14, I'm at 1, but I have an out if I can draw a Rampager since Huntmaster flips and puts him to 12 and I have one Rampager in hand already. I fake the second rampager for funsies anyway. After two really good games, I go to a 3/3 Bonfire/Mortars split, and wreck him after he mulls and keeps a sketchy 6.
(2-1, 1-0)
Round 2 vs Naya mid-range
Both games go easily as Bonfire decimates his mana dorks and Emissaries and he never gets the mana (or right colors of mana) for his curve toppers: Hellkite and Aurelia.
(2-0, 2-0)
Round 3 vs Aristocrats
I mull to 5 on the play game one, and manage to put up a really good fight with some really good play on my part, if I do say so myself. But a surprise Orzhov Charm returning a human and allowing the Silverblade in play to become paired catches me off guard and takes the game (a really cool play on his part, admittedly).
I swap out most of the Bonfires for Mortars game 2.
I have to mull to 6 and keep a less than optimal hand (I have Emissary into Boar and nothing else). He plays all the Falkenraths this game, ignoring Domri so I can't even get a fog out him and die quickly.
(0-2, 2-1)
Round 4 vs Jund
Game one goes perfectly as he spends his removal on my 2-drops and has nothing left for my 5's. Ironically, I vomit 2-drops in game two: Arbor Elf into Emissary, Emissary, Strangleroot into hasty Boar the first three turns. Turn four I finally get to try out Gruul War Chant, which turns out to be awesome in this scenario. :-)
(2-0, 3-1)
Round 5 vs Jund
This round goes just as quickly as the last as my fast starts aren't slowed by Farseeks and a one-for-one removal spell here or there. Game 2 I have the hard-cast Bonfire for two after his Huntmaster and take the match.
(2-0, 4-1)
Round 6 ID!
(0-0, 4-1-1)
Top 8 - I'm the 7th seed
One guy doesn't want to split the cash 8 ways ($125 a piece), so no split this round.
Quarterfinals vs my third straight (different) Jund player
I take game one ignoring farseeks and one-for-one removal. I board as I have been all day vs Jund, which includes siding out the Hellriders. Game two I'm able to spam the board but a Huntmaster and Thragtusk stabilizes him and I'm forced to clog the board to keep the pressure on. Unfortunately he has the 3rd red land, his 6th land, right on time for an overloaded Mortars and I don't have the gas to comeback. Game three I bring back the Hellriders on the play and get a decent start with turn 2 Burning-Tree Emissaries, but follow that with only a Domri. Domri makes an a Boar fight his leftover beast after Mortars kills a Thragtusk then +1 next turn revealing a Silverheart I can't cast.. Emissary #3 (two left in play) - go. Next turn he plays Olivia but he doesn't pay 2 life for his shock land, so only one untapped. Hellrider off the top does a good chunk of damage (3 triggers and letting the 2/2's get through) and he trades the Vampire for the Devil. He follows up with Huntmaster and I rip the 5th land for Silverheart and swing with both Emissaries (a 2/2 and a 6/6). He trades and chumps losing Huntmaster and the wolf token and has no follow up for the 6/6 and 8/8 coming his way.
Jarvis wins his quarterfinal and still doesn't want to split. Whatever (dick), I don't care about the cash.. Just one more win for the invite!
Semifinals vs Naya Blitz
I know Ben is running only creatures and lands in the main so I keep a one-land, two-Arbor Elf, two Bonfire hand on the draw. I can 1-for-1 on my second turn to remove a Champion before it gets out of hand, but just play more elves (Arbor #2 @ Sage). Then BAM! 3-for-1 with the hard-cast Bonfire for 2 on my third turn. From there I play runner-runner Thundermaw with only 3 lands in play to take game 1.
Game 2 I mull to 5 and make some "creative" plays to try to stay in it, but am overrun.
Game 3 I mulligan again and spend the first several turns deploying a Gyre Sage and 3 2/2 Boars. I'm able to capitalize on some misplays by Ben and trade some dudes on defense, while mana screwed. I finally hit land #3 and cast Huntmaster with an evolved Sage to stabilize. From there Thundermaw finishes him off to take the match!!
Fuck Yeah!! I'm going to NJ with Jimmy and Nick!
Jarvis wins his Semifinal and still doesn't want to split. Whatever (dick), I didn't want to make it to my girlfriend's mom's for dinner anyway!
Finals vs Jund
I remember nothing of this game except that he has all the answers to my less than optimal draw. Game two he plays Thragtusk on turns 4, 5 and 6. I think a ton this game whittling his 5/3's to 3/3's, though I'm eventually forced to cast Mortars NOT overloaded to take care of a creature while I'm at 1 life and only 5 lands in play. Ultimately, I die to two 3/3's with a fresh Thundermaw in play. Ever so slightly bummed to have lost to who I lost to, but still happy with the $200 and still fucking PSYCHED to get the invite I came for!!
Happy Mother's Day!!
e
I found Mike right away and we both started bitching about the colder-than-expected temperature outside, the layout of the store, and the owners for delaying the start of the tourney 20+ minutes because one person was running late. One thing I actually did like about TFP was that they had DirecTV and I got to watch a little bit of the O's and Caps games.
OK.... on to the tourney (46 players)
Round 1 vs U/W/R mid-range
Game one I drew faster/bigger threats and he had to hold back Geists on defense, chumping with three of them, while playing Azorius Charm on hasty creatures a couple times as well. Eventually I took it down.
Expecting him to side out the Geists I swapped Bonfires for Mortars and brought in Huntmasters and my own (Strangleroot) Geists. This game, after giving him the two-for-one Boros Reckoner is always good for (Mortars and a Boar) I'm holding back defenders for his triple-Geist draw. On the last turn he's at 14, I'm at 1, but I have an out if I can draw a Rampager since Huntmaster flips and puts him to 12 and I have one Rampager in hand already. I fake the second rampager for funsies anyway. After two really good games, I go to a 3/3 Bonfire/Mortars split, and wreck him after he mulls and keeps a sketchy 6.
(2-1, 1-0)
Round 2 vs Naya mid-range
Both games go easily as Bonfire decimates his mana dorks and Emissaries and he never gets the mana (or right colors of mana) for his curve toppers: Hellkite and Aurelia.
(2-0, 2-0)
Round 3 vs Aristocrats
I mull to 5 on the play game one, and manage to put up a really good fight with some really good play on my part, if I do say so myself. But a surprise Orzhov Charm returning a human and allowing the Silverblade in play to become paired catches me off guard and takes the game (a really cool play on his part, admittedly).
I swap out most of the Bonfires for Mortars game 2.
I have to mull to 6 and keep a less than optimal hand (I have Emissary into Boar and nothing else). He plays all the Falkenraths this game, ignoring Domri so I can't even get a fog out him and die quickly.
(0-2, 2-1)
Round 4 vs Jund
Game one goes perfectly as he spends his removal on my 2-drops and has nothing left for my 5's. Ironically, I vomit 2-drops in game two: Arbor Elf into Emissary, Emissary, Strangleroot into hasty Boar the first three turns. Turn four I finally get to try out Gruul War Chant, which turns out to be awesome in this scenario. :-)
(2-0, 3-1)
Round 5 vs Jund
This round goes just as quickly as the last as my fast starts aren't slowed by Farseeks and a one-for-one removal spell here or there. Game 2 I have the hard-cast Bonfire for two after his Huntmaster and take the match.
(2-0, 4-1)
Round 6 ID!
(0-0, 4-1-1)
Top 8 - I'm the 7th seed
One guy doesn't want to split the cash 8 ways ($125 a piece), so no split this round.
Quarterfinals vs my third straight (different) Jund player
I take game one ignoring farseeks and one-for-one removal. I board as I have been all day vs Jund, which includes siding out the Hellriders. Game two I'm able to spam the board but a Huntmaster and Thragtusk stabilizes him and I'm forced to clog the board to keep the pressure on. Unfortunately he has the 3rd red land, his 6th land, right on time for an overloaded Mortars and I don't have the gas to comeback. Game three I bring back the Hellriders on the play and get a decent start with turn 2 Burning-Tree Emissaries, but follow that with only a Domri. Domri makes an a Boar fight his leftover beast after Mortars kills a Thragtusk then +1 next turn revealing a Silverheart I can't cast.. Emissary #3 (two left in play) - go. Next turn he plays Olivia but he doesn't pay 2 life for his shock land, so only one untapped. Hellrider off the top does a good chunk of damage (3 triggers and letting the 2/2's get through) and he trades the Vampire for the Devil. He follows up with Huntmaster and I rip the 5th land for Silverheart and swing with both Emissaries (a 2/2 and a 6/6). He trades and chumps losing Huntmaster and the wolf token and has no follow up for the 6/6 and 8/8 coming his way.
Jarvis wins his quarterfinal and still doesn't want to split. Whatever (dick), I don't care about the cash.. Just one more win for the invite!
Semifinals vs Naya Blitz
I know Ben is running only creatures and lands in the main so I keep a one-land, two-Arbor Elf, two Bonfire hand on the draw. I can 1-for-1 on my second turn to remove a Champion before it gets out of hand, but just play more elves (Arbor #2 @ Sage). Then BAM! 3-for-1 with the hard-cast Bonfire for 2 on my third turn. From there I play runner-runner Thundermaw with only 3 lands in play to take game 1.
Game 2 I mull to 5 and make some "creative" plays to try to stay in it, but am overrun.
Game 3 I mulligan again and spend the first several turns deploying a Gyre Sage and 3 2/2 Boars. I'm able to capitalize on some misplays by Ben and trade some dudes on defense, while mana screwed. I finally hit land #3 and cast Huntmaster with an evolved Sage to stabilize. From there Thundermaw finishes him off to take the match!!
Fuck Yeah!! I'm going to NJ with Jimmy and Nick!
Jarvis wins his Semifinal and still doesn't want to split. Whatever (dick), I didn't want to make it to my girlfriend's mom's for dinner anyway!
Finals vs Jund
I remember nothing of this game except that he has all the answers to my less than optimal draw. Game two he plays Thragtusk on turns 4, 5 and 6. I think a ton this game whittling his 5/3's to 3/3's, though I'm eventually forced to cast Mortars NOT overloaded to take care of a creature while I'm at 1 life and only 5 lands in play. Ultimately, I die to two 3/3's with a fresh Thundermaw in play. Ever so slightly bummed to have lost to who I lost to, but still happy with the $200 and still fucking PSYCHED to get the invite I came for!!
Happy Mother's Day!!
e
Saturday, May 11, 2013
G&S monthly Modern 5/11
There wasn't much going on, magic-wise, around Baltimore today and my only option to battle was Games & Stuff's monthly Modern tourney. Fine by me since I love playing my only modern deck, but it meant I'd be going solo (Jimmy, Mike and Nick aren't big fans of the format).
I brought this updated list of Aggro Mill:
4x Delver of Secrets
4x Jace's Phantasm
3x Snapcaster Mage
3x Nihilith
1x Vendilion Clique
2x Spell Pierce
2x Thoughtseize
1x Orzhov Charm
3x Path to Exile
4x Glimpse the Unthinkable
4x Archive Trap
4x Serum Visions
4x Visions of Beyond
3x Thought Scour
2x Island
2x Scalding Tarn
2x Misty Rainforest
2x Watery Grave
2x Hallowed Fountain
4x Darkslick Shores
4x Seachrome Coast
(60)
1x Spell Pierce
1x Path to Exile
1x Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
1x Spellskite
2x Echoing Truth
2x Azorius Charm
2x Hurkyl's Recall
2x Surgical Extraction
3x Pithing Needle
(15)
I wanted to try out some of the more pricey cards that I don't have online, like Thoughtseize, Vendilion Clique and even Spell Pierce. I also meant to add at least one more Spellskite to my side, but forgot to do so before leaving the house.
Round 1 vs Mono-blue Tron
He Remands everything game 1 and each is as good as a Timewalk for him as I'm not drawing any land. I get him down to around 6 before he hits back with a Wurmcoil Engine. After that he Mindslavers me (his Academy Ruins are in the grave though) and I Thoughtseize away my own Snapcaster, Path my own Delver (deciding not to search for a land) and attack with my Nihilith into his untapped Wurmcoil.... ouch.
I didn't see any Eldrazi game one, but bring in my Surgical Extractions and Lazav, along with my Hurkyl's Recalls. Game two I start slow because I spend the first few turns casting Thoughtseizes and Serum Visions. I'm able to stick Phantasm and flip a Delver that take it home for me following a timely Hurkyl's Recall sending Platinum Angel to his hand. Game three I Thought Scour away a Wurmcoil Engine and Surgical Extraction it thinking he's probably playing four if he's not running Eldrazi... Turns out he's only running two along with one Platinum Angel and one Sundering Titan - no Eldrazi at all. After seeing his hand I'm able to play around his Condescend as he's not finding the third piece of tron and take him down.
(2-1, 1-0)
Round 2 vs Mike Wayne playing Scapeshift
I like this matchup a lot after playing against it a bunch online, and the Thoughtseizes and Spell Pierces should only make it better.
Game one I Archive Trap him and hit THREE Scapeshifts! Not sure if he's running a full set, but he never finds anything worthwhile and dies after stalling me a bit with Cryptic Commands.
I bring in Surgicals again and the extra Spell Pierce, happy to leave Echoing Truth in the side since I took the first game. (They pretty much HAVE to come in if I lose game one to a deck that may board Leyline of Sanctity).
Game two I get an early Archive Trap and hit two Leylines. WHEW! Thoughtseizes and Spell Pierces do in fact prove to be awesome as I take Mike down with little resistance. The singleton Vendilion Clique got in on the action this game as well, tucking a Cryptic Command while he was tapped out.
(2-0, 2-0)
Round 3 vs Hexproof :(
I hate this deck so much! I always lose to it! In Standard, in Modern and even Innistrad Sealed (Invisible Stalker + Spectral Flight).
Because I was able to scout and knew what I was playing against I mulligan a usual auto-keep hoping to find at least one piece of disruption but my six is another auto-keep lacking Thoughtseize or Spell Pierce and I stick with it. I'm racing with two flipped Delvers until Day Break Coronet slams that door shut (Lifelink, Vigilance, First Strike AND Reach from some Umbra).
I bring in the one Spellskite (wishing I had more), the extra Spell Pierce and the Echoing Truth's since I've been Leylined by this deck in the past.
I'm able to first turn Phantasm and his first turn Trap. Turn two I Spell Pierce some Umbra and am feeling like I might have a shot! Next thing I know he's got a huge hexproof dude with every keyword. I Thoughtseize while at three and take a first strike umbra, leaving him with another Coronet. When he swings I Echoing Truth both Coronets, knocking his guy down to a 5/3 Trample and trade with my Phantasm. He Rancor's his Noble Hierarch after combat and I have one turn to deck him... I rip Snapcaster and flashback Glimpse the Unthinkable for the win :)
Game three I get crushed even after he mulls to 5. Fuck I hate that deck!
(1-2, 2-1)
Round 4 vs AggroLoam (he's the only player with 9 points)
Game 1 I don't do much. Not sure what the nuts for his deck is, but he seems to have drawn it this game. He finishes me by casting Faithless Looting, dredging two Loams, casting both loams and discarding 6 land to 12 me with Seismic Assault.
I bring in all the Pithing Needles, Surgical Extractions and the random Spellskite since I want to cut Delvers and some Path's (leaving one path in the deck for man-lands).
This game I get the nuts starting on Phantasm and having the Archive Trap for his first turn fetch plus attempted Flame Jabbing of said Phantasm. After that I drop another Phantasm, suspend a Nihilith (really good against Faithless Looting and retrace cards) and even Needle Seismic Assault.
Game 3 he re-sideboards and I discover later that it was for Ancient Grudges he didn't have game two.
I start out aggressively again this game with 5/5 fliers and 4/4 hasty guys. He recovers at a very low life with Liliana into Small Pox. I EOT Orzhov Charm back a Phantasm to take care of Liliana and he follows with Flame Jab your dude five times. I surgically extract his loams but he's taking chunks of life away from me with Raging Ravine. I find a Snapcaster to chump with while I'm at 2 and flash back Ancestral Recall which finds another Ancestral Recall and on my turn I Thought Scour + Glimpse to reduce his library to zero cards :)
(2-1, 3-1)
Prize pool was 4 different $30 modern rares that the four 3-1's each got one of. Being second on tie-breakers I took Karn Liberated before Linvala and Mox Opal (Noble Hierarch was first picked).
Changes I plan to make to the deck: +2 Spellskite in the sideboard. The Azorius Charms are looking appealing to cut right now since I never brought them in today, but I'm thinking the Lazav is probably a little too cute and needs to go. I'd like another Surgical Extraction in there somewhere too. And I still need to find a way to beat the Gruul deck and it's Rampagers. As for the maindeck, I think I'll stay with the 2/2 split of Spell Pierces and Thoughtseizes for now, and I like the 1x V Clique and 1x Orzhov Charm too.
e
I brought this updated list of Aggro Mill:
4x Delver of Secrets
4x Jace's Phantasm
3x Snapcaster Mage
3x Nihilith
1x Vendilion Clique
2x Spell Pierce
2x Thoughtseize
1x Orzhov Charm
3x Path to Exile
4x Glimpse the Unthinkable
4x Archive Trap
4x Serum Visions
4x Visions of Beyond
3x Thought Scour
2x Island
2x Scalding Tarn
2x Misty Rainforest
2x Watery Grave
2x Hallowed Fountain
4x Darkslick Shores
4x Seachrome Coast
(60)
1x Spell Pierce
1x Path to Exile
1x Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
1x Spellskite
2x Echoing Truth
2x Azorius Charm
2x Hurkyl's Recall
2x Surgical Extraction
3x Pithing Needle
(15)
I wanted to try out some of the more pricey cards that I don't have online, like Thoughtseize, Vendilion Clique and even Spell Pierce. I also meant to add at least one more Spellskite to my side, but forgot to do so before leaving the house.
Round 1 vs Mono-blue Tron
He Remands everything game 1 and each is as good as a Timewalk for him as I'm not drawing any land. I get him down to around 6 before he hits back with a Wurmcoil Engine. After that he Mindslavers me (his Academy Ruins are in the grave though) and I Thoughtseize away my own Snapcaster, Path my own Delver (deciding not to search for a land) and attack with my Nihilith into his untapped Wurmcoil.... ouch.
I didn't see any Eldrazi game one, but bring in my Surgical Extractions and Lazav, along with my Hurkyl's Recalls. Game two I start slow because I spend the first few turns casting Thoughtseizes and Serum Visions. I'm able to stick Phantasm and flip a Delver that take it home for me following a timely Hurkyl's Recall sending Platinum Angel to his hand. Game three I Thought Scour away a Wurmcoil Engine and Surgical Extraction it thinking he's probably playing four if he's not running Eldrazi... Turns out he's only running two along with one Platinum Angel and one Sundering Titan - no Eldrazi at all. After seeing his hand I'm able to play around his Condescend as he's not finding the third piece of tron and take him down.
(2-1, 1-0)
Round 2 vs Mike Wayne playing Scapeshift
I like this matchup a lot after playing against it a bunch online, and the Thoughtseizes and Spell Pierces should only make it better.
Game one I Archive Trap him and hit THREE Scapeshifts! Not sure if he's running a full set, but he never finds anything worthwhile and dies after stalling me a bit with Cryptic Commands.
I bring in Surgicals again and the extra Spell Pierce, happy to leave Echoing Truth in the side since I took the first game. (They pretty much HAVE to come in if I lose game one to a deck that may board Leyline of Sanctity).
Game two I get an early Archive Trap and hit two Leylines. WHEW! Thoughtseizes and Spell Pierces do in fact prove to be awesome as I take Mike down with little resistance. The singleton Vendilion Clique got in on the action this game as well, tucking a Cryptic Command while he was tapped out.
(2-0, 2-0)
Round 3 vs Hexproof :(
I hate this deck so much! I always lose to it! In Standard, in Modern and even Innistrad Sealed (Invisible Stalker + Spectral Flight).
Because I was able to scout and knew what I was playing against I mulligan a usual auto-keep hoping to find at least one piece of disruption but my six is another auto-keep lacking Thoughtseize or Spell Pierce and I stick with it. I'm racing with two flipped Delvers until Day Break Coronet slams that door shut (Lifelink, Vigilance, First Strike AND Reach from some Umbra).
I bring in the one Spellskite (wishing I had more), the extra Spell Pierce and the Echoing Truth's since I've been Leylined by this deck in the past.
I'm able to first turn Phantasm and his first turn Trap. Turn two I Spell Pierce some Umbra and am feeling like I might have a shot! Next thing I know he's got a huge hexproof dude with every keyword. I Thoughtseize while at three and take a first strike umbra, leaving him with another Coronet. When he swings I Echoing Truth both Coronets, knocking his guy down to a 5/3 Trample and trade with my Phantasm. He Rancor's his Noble Hierarch after combat and I have one turn to deck him... I rip Snapcaster and flashback Glimpse the Unthinkable for the win :)
Game three I get crushed even after he mulls to 5. Fuck I hate that deck!
(1-2, 2-1)
Round 4 vs AggroLoam (he's the only player with 9 points)
Game 1 I don't do much. Not sure what the nuts for his deck is, but he seems to have drawn it this game. He finishes me by casting Faithless Looting, dredging two Loams, casting both loams and discarding 6 land to 12 me with Seismic Assault.
I bring in all the Pithing Needles, Surgical Extractions and the random Spellskite since I want to cut Delvers and some Path's (leaving one path in the deck for man-lands).
This game I get the nuts starting on Phantasm and having the Archive Trap for his first turn fetch plus attempted Flame Jabbing of said Phantasm. After that I drop another Phantasm, suspend a Nihilith (really good against Faithless Looting and retrace cards) and even Needle Seismic Assault.
Game 3 he re-sideboards and I discover later that it was for Ancient Grudges he didn't have game two.
I start out aggressively again this game with 5/5 fliers and 4/4 hasty guys. He recovers at a very low life with Liliana into Small Pox. I EOT Orzhov Charm back a Phantasm to take care of Liliana and he follows with Flame Jab your dude five times. I surgically extract his loams but he's taking chunks of life away from me with Raging Ravine. I find a Snapcaster to chump with while I'm at 2 and flash back Ancestral Recall which finds another Ancestral Recall and on my turn I Thought Scour + Glimpse to reduce his library to zero cards :)
(2-1, 3-1)
Prize pool was 4 different $30 modern rares that the four 3-1's each got one of. Being second on tie-breakers I took Karn Liberated before Linvala and Mox Opal (Noble Hierarch was first picked).
Changes I plan to make to the deck: +2 Spellskite in the sideboard. The Azorius Charms are looking appealing to cut right now since I never brought them in today, but I'm thinking the Lazav is probably a little too cute and needs to go. I'd like another Surgical Extraction in there somewhere too. And I still need to find a way to beat the Gruul deck and it's Rampagers. As for the maindeck, I think I'll stay with the 2/2 split of Spell Pierces and Thoughtseizes for now, and I like the 1x V Clique and 1x Orzhov Charm too.
e
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
New Jersey
Since Nick and Jimmy qualified for the invitational I've been looking for every opportunity to hopefully join them.
Nick joined me last Saturday for the 5 hour round trip drive and the SCG Standard Open.
I played Kenny Castor's list from the finals of the WMCQ in D.C. a few weeks earlier, with zero updates from Dragon's Maze.
I started 4-0 beating two junk tokens decks, a grixis control and mono red. Nick meanwhile was 3-1 with BUG aggro, losing only to my list.
Round 5 the wheels came off as usual :-\
I played UWR flash losing a close first game then stealing game two with runner-runner Thundermaw Hellkites.
Game three I apply enough pressure to prompt Supreme Verdict, but respond with Gyre Sage, Emissary, Boar (8 power total). I get to bash once before Snapcaster + Verdict. I then drop a Thundermaw while he's tapped out. He has to Sphinx for 4 to stay alive and I have a turn to draw any hasty guy or rampager or bonfire for the win, but whiff. He stabilizes and eventually takes the game.
Round six I get to face Reid Duke and am never in the match. I go over my sideboard options with Nick and am certain I sided incorrectly.
Now at 4-2 I'm ready to play some commander pods, but decide to stay in the main event as long as Nick is (5-1 at this point).
I beat a UWR planeswalker control to get to 5-2, Nick is to 6-1.
I lose to Aristocrats round 8, having sided poorly again, and Nick gets his second loss. We decide to pack it up and get home around 10.
Sunday morning I'm IM'd by Ben from Xanadu that they only got 7 people for the release day sealed tourney, so I head in to be their 8th. We do 6 packs of DGM, I pull 4 rares in Grixis, including Aetherling, and decent removal, and while the first 18-19 cards built themself it's still an exercise in sealed deck building to finish with 40 cards.
Anyway, I 3-0, only playing aetherling once (round 3; game 3), collect 8 packs (Ben didn't want to split) and open ZERO NOTION THIEVES!!
Since Mike's been slacking....
...I guess I'll write up a little bit about the last couple weekends.
Two weeks ago was the Dragon's Maze pre-release. Xanadu held one at midnight that actually drew 20-something people. I chose Selesnya and got paired with Simic. My pool lacked enough playable creatures for any color combination, so I splashed black and red into my bant for two Putrefy, two Turn//Burn and two Rakdos Drakes (the latter to go with my Bred for the Hunt).
This was the hardest sealed deck I've ever built. Staying at 40 cards was so difficult, I immediately thought of Mike and if he'd be able to stay under 50 when he played the next day.
Anyway, I got trounced by Naya round one and was scraping by the whole match - just doing enough to not die the next turn for a while. I thought about going home and actually getting some sleep, but saw that 2-2 still got a prize, so no drop yet.
Round two my opponent no shows so I play EDH with Kurt (Sweet!)
Round three pairings go up and I'm in the middle of a good game with Kurt so I scoop to my pre-release opponent to keep playing EDH.
Before the last round is paired, I proclaim that I want the bye so I can get a pack for going 2-2 and go home. My wish comes true and I'm home asleep by 4 :) but not after opening a third Notion Thief (2 in my pool) and selling them all to the store.
Saturday I play another pre-release at Xanadu. Jimmy comes too and brings beer! My pool is way better today after choosing Boros and pairing with Izzet. I actually have bombs (Aurelia) and splash a single non-america colored card - the new armadillo cloak. I finish a disappointing 3-2, collect 3 packs and sell my fourth notion thief to the store.
Monday, April 22, 2013
The past two weekends. Red/White/Black Control
I grew tired of Bant X-men and wanted to try something different.
I found a Red/White/Black control list online that I mostly liked. I moved some of the cards around and came to this.
4 Boros Reckoner
2 Olivia Voldaren
2 Restoration Angel
2 Obzedat, Ghost Council
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Aurelia, The Warleader
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Dreadbore
3 Mizzium Mortars
2 Rakdos's Return
2 Ultimate Price
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Unburial Rites
4 Blood Crypt
3 Clifftop Retreat
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Mountain
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Vault of the Archangel
Side:
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Cremate
3 Electrickery
1 Aurelia's Fury
2 Underworld Connections
2 Slaughter Games
2 Assemble the Legion
I went 5-3 at the SCG Classic in Hagerstown, MD placing in top 32.
I then took this to the World Magic Cup Qualifier held in Washington DC (WMQCDC).
Round 1: Gabby Izsak with Bant Hexproof
In game one, his deck did what it was supposed to do. I died quickly.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-Angel of Serenity (too Slow)
-2 Dreadbore (too slow, no walkers)
+3 Electrickery (kills Fencing Ace and Avacyn's Pilgrim)
In game two I kept a 5 land opener and peeled 3 more off the top.
0-2
Round 2: Chris Calhoun with Junk Reanimator
In game one he was on the play jumped out early and hoofed me for lethal.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (don't want him discarding)
-2 Rakdos's Return (don't want him discarding)
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Cremate
+1 Electrickery
In game two, I was on the play, used Slaughter Games and Cremate to great effect and won it out.
In game three, I was able to cast Slaughter Games getting rid of his Unburial Rites, but he then dropped Seance with Trostani in play. Angel of Serenity+populate wrecked my board and I was run over.
1-2
I dropped to play in the Elite IQ. Same deck, same sideboard.
Round 1: Chris Morningstar with America (RWU) Control
In game one he took mulligans down to five cards and did not recover the card advantage. He is also playing only 24 lands which he exclaimed was "too much, even for him". I feel 26-28 would be better, but alas.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (making him discard when he can cast Sphinx's Revelation seems poor)
-2 Rakdos's Return (see above)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too few targets)
+2 Underworld Connections
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Assemble the Legion
In game two I got out some Lingering Souls tokens and an active Assemble the Legion. Chris had out Jace, Architect of Thought to shut down the 1/1's with his +1 ability. When Chris used Jace's ultimate, he stole my Thundermaw Hellkite and his Aurelia, the Warleader. Ouch.
I made the following sideboard adjustments.
-2 Lingering Souls (worthless to jace)
+2 Appetite for Brains
I was on the play and wasted no time getting Sorin to make me a +1 Emblem. I then used Thundermaw, Aurelia, and Obzedat to put a lot of pressure on him. I topdecked an Overloaded Mizzium Mortars to clear his field so that Obzedat could get through.
2-1
Round 2: James Ramsey with R/G aggro.
In game one James was on the play and I lost.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-2 Unburial Rites (too slow)
-1 Aurelia, the Warleader (too slow)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too slow)
+3 Electrickery
+1 Aurelia's Fury
In game two, I was on the play and got Boros Reckoner to stick, stabilized and won.
In game three, he was on the play, I kept a one land mull to 6 and did not make a third land drop by the time I died on turn 5...
1-2
Round 3: Kyle Brunette with the Aristocrats!
In game one I got the drop on him and was able to plow through for the win. (He may have kept a questionable hand)
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-4 Lingering Souls
+2 Electrickery
+2 Appetite for Brains
In games two and three, I lost because I could not block Falkenrath Aristocrat. Siding out my Lingering Souls was likely a mistake. Perhaps I should have sided out Ultimate Price.
1-2
I dropped.
For the remainder of the day, Nick and I grabbed dinner and I did two booster drafts where I lost game one both times...
I had a monstrously bad weekend playing magic. I still enjoyed myself as my opponents were all cool; we were able to have some drinks and generally have a good time.
I ended up 2-6 on the weekend, I think I need to play more games. I missed a lot of magic between Mercadian Masques and M13, to get better I feel like I need to catch up.
Until next time.
I found a Red/White/Black control list online that I mostly liked. I moved some of the cards around and came to this.
4 Boros Reckoner
2 Olivia Voldaren
2 Restoration Angel
2 Obzedat, Ghost Council
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Aurelia, The Warleader
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Dreadbore
3 Mizzium Mortars
2 Rakdos's Return
2 Ultimate Price
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Unburial Rites
4 Blood Crypt
3 Clifftop Retreat
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Mountain
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Vault of the Archangel
Side:
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Cremate
3 Electrickery
1 Aurelia's Fury
2 Underworld Connections
2 Slaughter Games
2 Assemble the Legion
I went 5-3 at the SCG Classic in Hagerstown, MD placing in top 32.
I then took this to the World Magic Cup Qualifier held in Washington DC (WMQCDC).
Round 1: Gabby Izsak with Bant Hexproof
In game one, his deck did what it was supposed to do. I died quickly.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-Angel of Serenity (too Slow)
-2 Dreadbore (too slow, no walkers)
+3 Electrickery (kills Fencing Ace and Avacyn's Pilgrim)
In game two I kept a 5 land opener and peeled 3 more off the top.
0-2
Round 2: Chris Calhoun with Junk Reanimator
In game one he was on the play jumped out early and hoofed me for lethal.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (don't want him discarding)
-2 Rakdos's Return (don't want him discarding)
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Cremate
+1 Electrickery
In game two, I was on the play, used Slaughter Games and Cremate to great effect and won it out.
In game three, I was able to cast Slaughter Games getting rid of his Unburial Rites, but he then dropped Seance with Trostani in play. Angel of Serenity+populate wrecked my board and I was run over.
1-2
I dropped to play in the Elite IQ. Same deck, same sideboard.
Round 1: Chris Morningstar with America (RWU) Control
In game one he took mulligans down to five cards and did not recover the card advantage. He is also playing only 24 lands which he exclaimed was "too much, even for him". I feel 26-28 would be better, but alas.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (making him discard when he can cast Sphinx's Revelation seems poor)
-2 Rakdos's Return (see above)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too few targets)
+2 Underworld Connections
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Assemble the Legion
In game two I got out some Lingering Souls tokens and an active Assemble the Legion. Chris had out Jace, Architect of Thought to shut down the 1/1's with his +1 ability. When Chris used Jace's ultimate, he stole my Thundermaw Hellkite and his Aurelia, the Warleader. Ouch.
I made the following sideboard adjustments.
-2 Lingering Souls (worthless to jace)
+2 Appetite for Brains
I was on the play and wasted no time getting Sorin to make me a +1 Emblem. I then used Thundermaw, Aurelia, and Obzedat to put a lot of pressure on him. I topdecked an Overloaded Mizzium Mortars to clear his field so that Obzedat could get through.
2-1
Round 2: James Ramsey with R/G aggro.
In game one James was on the play and I lost.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-2 Unburial Rites (too slow)
-1 Aurelia, the Warleader (too slow)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too slow)
+3 Electrickery
+1 Aurelia's Fury
In game two, I was on the play and got Boros Reckoner to stick, stabilized and won.
In game three, he was on the play, I kept a one land mull to 6 and did not make a third land drop by the time I died on turn 5...
1-2
Round 3: Kyle Brunette with the Aristocrats!
In game one I got the drop on him and was able to plow through for the win. (He may have kept a questionable hand)
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-4 Lingering Souls
+2 Electrickery
+2 Appetite for Brains
In games two and three, I lost because I could not block Falkenrath Aristocrat. Siding out my Lingering Souls was likely a mistake. Perhaps I should have sided out Ultimate Price.
1-2
I dropped.
For the remainder of the day, Nick and I grabbed dinner and I did two booster drafts where I lost game one both times...
I had a monstrously bad weekend playing magic. I still enjoyed myself as my opponents were all cool; we were able to have some drinks and generally have a good time.
I ended up 2-6 on the weekend, I think I need to play more games. I missed a lot of magic between Mercadian Masques and M13, to get better I feel like I need to catch up.
Until next time.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Updating Bant X-men
With a disappointing showing this weekend, I returned the deck to its more-or-less original form, putting back in the fourth Avacyn's Pilgrim.
The current iteration:
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Fiend Hunter
3 Somberwald Sage
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
3 Angel of Serenity
2 Sphinx of Uthuun
4 Breeding Pool
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Glacial Fortress
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Side
2 Purify the Grave
3 Feeling of Dread
3 Ray of Revelation
2 Witchbane Orb
2 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Sylvan Primordial
I would like to discuss the changes.
+1 Avacyn's Pilgrim (a necessity for the deck to function)
-3 Prime Speaker Zegana
+2 Sphinx of Uthuun
I think Sphinx of Uthuun is better in this deck than Prime Speaker Zegana. My reasons for this:
1) On my nut-draw-ramp-to-seven, casting Prime Speaker as a 2/2 to draw two cards is miserable.
2) Casting Zegana to draw 15 is a waste of resources. (I know she is a 15/15, but she can still be chump blocked)
3) Holding a copy of Prime Speaker in your hand when you have one in play is awful.
4) You can have multiple Sphinxes on the battlefield; blinking them with Restoration Angel yields fixed incremental card advantage. Which I prefer to the brute force of Zegana.
5) Sphinx if still a 5/6 flier; which eats Thragtusk, Restoration Angel, and can stall Angel of Serentiy (assuming they do not exile it)
I will practice with this deck on Thursday and see if Sphinx of Uthuun is all I think it can be,
Until next time...
The current iteration:
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Fiend Hunter
3 Somberwald Sage
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
3 Angel of Serenity
2 Sphinx of Uthuun
4 Breeding Pool
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Glacial Fortress
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Side
2 Purify the Grave
3 Feeling of Dread
3 Ray of Revelation
2 Witchbane Orb
2 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Sylvan Primordial
I would like to discuss the changes.
+1 Avacyn's Pilgrim (a necessity for the deck to function)
-3 Prime Speaker Zegana
+2 Sphinx of Uthuun
I think Sphinx of Uthuun is better in this deck than Prime Speaker Zegana. My reasons for this:
1) On my nut-draw-ramp-to-seven, casting Prime Speaker as a 2/2 to draw two cards is miserable.
2) Casting Zegana to draw 15 is a waste of resources. (I know she is a 15/15, but she can still be chump blocked)
3) Holding a copy of Prime Speaker in your hand when you have one in play is awful.
4) You can have multiple Sphinxes on the battlefield; blinking them with Restoration Angel yields fixed incremental card advantage. Which I prefer to the brute force of Zegana.
5) Sphinx if still a 5/6 flier; which eats Thragtusk, Restoration Angel, and can stall Angel of Serentiy (assuming they do not exile it)
I will practice with this deck on Thursday and see if Sphinx of Uthuun is all I think it can be,
Until next time...
SCG Super IQ 4/6/13
Nick, Jimmy, and I attended the Super IQ held at "Thanks for Playing" in Ijamsville, MD.
It was a Standard event; Nick took Bant X-men, Jimmy took B/W Zombies, and I took Bant X-men (a few card differences from the version Nick played.
There were 63 players, so we would have 6 rounds and then cut to a top 8.
Round 1: Ryan with Bant Hexproof.
I have never beaten Bant Hexproof with Bant X-men, as I lack true board sweepers. In game one, he got out an Avacyn's Pilgrim, then voltroned it up to kill me. It was something like 15/11 First Strike, Trample.
In game two I got out an "Angel of Serenity" to face off against "Geist of St. Traft." Ryan cast "Stolen Identity" copying my "Angel of Serenity", exiling it, then ciphering "Stolen Identity" onto "Geist of St. Traft". What a blowout!
0-2
Round 2: Dan with an Omnidoor variant.
Dans; deck revolved around "Alchemists Refuge" to cast instant speed sweepers/exilers then flash in a "Door to Nothingness" to win. He did this in game one and killed me. He had something like 4 "Supreme Verdicts", 4 "Terminus", 4 "Oblivion Ring", 4 "Detention Sphere", and 4 "Angel of Serenity". All being cast at instant speed.
In game two, I was onto his plan and was able to use "Angel of Serenity" to recur things from my graveyard and eventually had enough mana to get 3 "Thragtusks" in play, he finally ran out of removal and I killed him.
These games were VERY grindy and we only got through two of them.
1-1-1
Round 3: Liam with U/W/R Control
Liam had a pretty stock UWR control list. In game one he cast "Assemble the Legion" on turn 5 and ground me out. In game two I was able to destroy a lot of his land, forcing a concession. In game three I did the same, and Liam got a bit mana screwed, he finally drew his 5th land too late.
2-1
Round 4: Joseph with Build-a-Bear (RUG X-men)
Josephs deck was pretty similar to mine in the use of Master Biomancer. His deck used Red where mine used White. In game one I got the nut draw into a turn 3 "Angel of Serenity". In game two I was outraced and pummeled. In game three we were pretty neck and neck for a while until he cast a "Master Biomancer" and soulbound it to a "Wolfir Silverheart". He then cast three copies of "Arbor Elf", which all became 7/7.
The resulting two attacks killed me.
1-2
At this point, I drop. I end the day going 0-2, 1-1-1, 2-1, 1-2 for a combined 4-6-1 ending at 1-2-1. I am disappointed in my showing, which was very poor. Cutting the fourth Avacyn's Pilgrim hurt the deck too much. I am putting him back in. Doing nothing until turn 4 is abysmal in almost every format. Meanwhile, I put in a single copy of "Sphinx of Uthuun" and he was awesome in every game I cast him.
Meanwhile, Jimmy scooped to Nick in the Finals to make my deck (Bant X-men) show up on StarCityGames. Thanks guys!
It was a Standard event; Nick took Bant X-men, Jimmy took B/W Zombies, and I took Bant X-men (a few card differences from the version Nick played.
There were 63 players, so we would have 6 rounds and then cut to a top 8.
Round 1: Ryan with Bant Hexproof.
I have never beaten Bant Hexproof with Bant X-men, as I lack true board sweepers. In game one, he got out an Avacyn's Pilgrim, then voltroned it up to kill me. It was something like 15/11 First Strike, Trample.
In game two I got out an "Angel of Serenity" to face off against "Geist of St. Traft." Ryan cast "Stolen Identity" copying my "Angel of Serenity", exiling it, then ciphering "Stolen Identity" onto "Geist of St. Traft". What a blowout!
0-2
Round 2: Dan with an Omnidoor variant.
Dans; deck revolved around "Alchemists Refuge" to cast instant speed sweepers/exilers then flash in a "Door to Nothingness" to win. He did this in game one and killed me. He had something like 4 "Supreme Verdicts", 4 "Terminus", 4 "Oblivion Ring", 4 "Detention Sphere", and 4 "Angel of Serenity". All being cast at instant speed.
In game two, I was onto his plan and was able to use "Angel of Serenity" to recur things from my graveyard and eventually had enough mana to get 3 "Thragtusks" in play, he finally ran out of removal and I killed him.
These games were VERY grindy and we only got through two of them.
1-1-1
Round 3: Liam with U/W/R Control
Liam had a pretty stock UWR control list. In game one he cast "Assemble the Legion" on turn 5 and ground me out. In game two I was able to destroy a lot of his land, forcing a concession. In game three I did the same, and Liam got a bit mana screwed, he finally drew his 5th land too late.
2-1
Round 4: Joseph with Build-a-Bear (RUG X-men)
Josephs deck was pretty similar to mine in the use of Master Biomancer. His deck used Red where mine used White. In game one I got the nut draw into a turn 3 "Angel of Serenity". In game two I was outraced and pummeled. In game three we were pretty neck and neck for a while until he cast a "Master Biomancer" and soulbound it to a "Wolfir Silverheart". He then cast three copies of "Arbor Elf", which all became 7/7.
The resulting two attacks killed me.
1-2
At this point, I drop. I end the day going 0-2, 1-1-1, 2-1, 1-2 for a combined 4-6-1 ending at 1-2-1. I am disappointed in my showing, which was very poor. Cutting the fourth Avacyn's Pilgrim hurt the deck too much. I am putting him back in. Doing nothing until turn 4 is abysmal in almost every format. Meanwhile, I put in a single copy of "Sphinx of Uthuun" and he was awesome in every game I cast him.
Meanwhile, Jimmy scooped to Nick in the Finals to make my deck (Bant X-men) show up on StarCityGames. Thanks guys!
Monday, April 1, 2013
FNM 3/29/13
A few of us went to J&M Comics in Eldersburg, MD to play four rounds of Standard for FNM.
I took the Bant Blinking Idiot Alliance (BBIA). I substituted out an Avacyn's Pilgrim and a Somberwald Sage for two copies of Sigarda, Host of Herons.
Round 1: Will with Saito Naya
Naya is a good match up for me at pretty much all levels. My x-drops trump their x-drops in pretty much every slot. I had complete control in this match save for one turn where I died to a topdecked Bonfire of the Damned.
2-1
Round 2: Jeremy with B/W Aristocrats
I was not sure what Jeremy's plan was at first. In one game he got his engine online and started pumping out 5/5 Demons. In the other two games, I was the one who got my engine on line first and I ended up victorious.
2-1
Round 3: Bernie with Naya Blitz
This is a hard match up for me. I managed to steal a game, then going into game three had to mulligan down to five. It was not close after that.
1-2
Round 4: Sean with MonoBlack (with a Red Splash)
In game one, Sean was able to kill every single creature I played with a variety of targeted removal and board wipes. In game two I got Sigarda out and was able to fight through Griselbrand. In game three I got hit with a turn 5 Rakdos's Return for 7 and was put into top deck mode.
1-2
In summary I went 2-1, 2-1, 1-2, 1-2 for a combined 6-6 with a final record of 2-2. How neutral.
I was not pleased with the changes that I made to the deck, which were obviously "for the worse". I have been thinking of how the deck can perform without Deadeye Navigator.
Until next time
I took the Bant Blinking Idiot Alliance (BBIA). I substituted out an Avacyn's Pilgrim and a Somberwald Sage for two copies of Sigarda, Host of Herons.
Round 1: Will with Saito Naya
Naya is a good match up for me at pretty much all levels. My x-drops trump their x-drops in pretty much every slot. I had complete control in this match save for one turn where I died to a topdecked Bonfire of the Damned.
2-1
Round 2: Jeremy with B/W Aristocrats
I was not sure what Jeremy's plan was at first. In one game he got his engine online and started pumping out 5/5 Demons. In the other two games, I was the one who got my engine on line first and I ended up victorious.
2-1
Round 3: Bernie with Naya Blitz
This is a hard match up for me. I managed to steal a game, then going into game three had to mulligan down to five. It was not close after that.
1-2
Round 4: Sean with MonoBlack (with a Red Splash)
In game one, Sean was able to kill every single creature I played with a variety of targeted removal and board wipes. In game two I got Sigarda out and was able to fight through Griselbrand. In game three I got hit with a turn 5 Rakdos's Return for 7 and was put into top deck mode.
1-2
In summary I went 2-1, 2-1, 1-2, 1-2 for a combined 6-6 with a final record of 2-2. How neutral.
I was not pleased with the changes that I made to the deck, which were obviously "for the worse". I have been thinking of how the deck can perform without Deadeye Navigator.
Until next time
Friday, March 29, 2013
TNM 3/28/13
I went to Beyond Comics on Thursday 3/28/13 to play some Standard. I took Bant-Blinking-Idiots, which I augmented by removing an Avacyn's Pilgrim and a Somberwald Sage and putting in two copies of Sigarda, Host of Herons. Sixteen players showed up, so we played four rounds.
Round 1: Alex Geck with Bant Midrange
Alex and I have very similar decks, except for the fact that he has a lower mana curve and less late game presence. The matchup is not good for him in the current incarnation of his deck. In game one, I was able to start destroying Shocklands and establish a board presence. In game two, I managed to get two Master Biomancers in play and start making 8/8 Wolf Tokens with Garruk Relentless. (After the event, Alex tuned his deck up and we played, he performed much better after some small changes)
2-0
Round 2: Matt with Mono-Black Zombies/Aristocrats
Matt's deck used Skirsdag High Priest, Blood Artist, Gravecrawler and Sac outlets to quickly accumulate a strong board presence. In game one, I kept a questionable opener where I managed to play one spell all game; I was quickly overwhelmed with Diregraf Ghouls. In game two I managed to begin attacking Matt's land, but my deck was a bit slow and he was able to create some flying 5/5 demons. I destroyed all of his land, but he still had enough creatures to sac them to dual Blood Artists to hit me for 25 in one turn.
0-2
Round 3: Gabe with Saito Naya
Gabe was very aggressive on mulligans and sometimes it payed off for him. I this is a good match up for me as long as I do not let Domri Rade get out of control. In game one I destroyed all of his lands and established great board control. In game two, I stabilized with a Thragtusk that got hit with Pacifism and I lost that one. In game three, I destroyed most of his land and creatures as we were both doing a bit of a mid-range race. Angel of Serenity sealed it for me.
2-1
Round 4: Scott with Selesnya "Big butts".
We nicknamed Scott's deck "Big-Butts" for this slew of T5 creatures (Rhox Faithmender, Trostani, Armada Wurm) and copious lifegain. I watched him get up to around 45 the previous round against Naya Blitz. In game one I destroyed all of his land on the back of an Acidic Slime paired with Deadeye Navigator. In game two, I was a bit slower and had to battle through some life gain. I got Restoration Angel paired with Deadeye and then got Thragtusk and Fiend Hunter going. I exiled all of his creatures (Rhox Faithmender, Trostani, and two Thragtusks) before dropping the Acidic Slime the following turn. He conceded to the Acidic Slime at 58 life.
2-0
I went 2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0 for a combined 6-3 going 3-1. Sigarda really did not show up in many games,
I am considering trading her out for two Angel of Jubilation (which actually shuts down a couple of reanimator strategies).
I think I will trek off to FNM tonight to see how I fare.
Until next time.
Round 1: Alex Geck with Bant Midrange
Alex and I have very similar decks, except for the fact that he has a lower mana curve and less late game presence. The matchup is not good for him in the current incarnation of his deck. In game one, I was able to start destroying Shocklands and establish a board presence. In game two, I managed to get two Master Biomancers in play and start making 8/8 Wolf Tokens with Garruk Relentless. (After the event, Alex tuned his deck up and we played, he performed much better after some small changes)
2-0
Round 2: Matt with Mono-Black Zombies/Aristocrats
Matt's deck used Skirsdag High Priest, Blood Artist, Gravecrawler and Sac outlets to quickly accumulate a strong board presence. In game one, I kept a questionable opener where I managed to play one spell all game; I was quickly overwhelmed with Diregraf Ghouls. In game two I managed to begin attacking Matt's land, but my deck was a bit slow and he was able to create some flying 5/5 demons. I destroyed all of his land, but he still had enough creatures to sac them to dual Blood Artists to hit me for 25 in one turn.
0-2
Round 3: Gabe with Saito Naya
Gabe was very aggressive on mulligans and sometimes it payed off for him. I this is a good match up for me as long as I do not let Domri Rade get out of control. In game one I destroyed all of his lands and established great board control. In game two, I stabilized with a Thragtusk that got hit with Pacifism and I lost that one. In game three, I destroyed most of his land and creatures as we were both doing a bit of a mid-range race. Angel of Serenity sealed it for me.
2-1
Round 4: Scott with Selesnya "Big butts".
We nicknamed Scott's deck "Big-Butts" for this slew of T5 creatures (Rhox Faithmender, Trostani, Armada Wurm) and copious lifegain. I watched him get up to around 45 the previous round against Naya Blitz. In game one I destroyed all of his land on the back of an Acidic Slime paired with Deadeye Navigator. In game two, I was a bit slower and had to battle through some life gain. I got Restoration Angel paired with Deadeye and then got Thragtusk and Fiend Hunter going. I exiled all of his creatures (Rhox Faithmender, Trostani, and two Thragtusks) before dropping the Acidic Slime the following turn. He conceded to the Acidic Slime at 58 life.
2-0
I went 2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0 for a combined 6-3 going 3-1. Sigarda really did not show up in many games,
I am considering trading her out for two Angel of Jubilation (which actually shuts down a couple of reanimator strategies).
I think I will trek off to FNM tonight to see how I fare.
Until next time.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday Standard @Xanadu
Eric, Jimmy, Nick, and I went down to Xanadu Games in Baltimore, MD to play some Standard.
We had 18 people, which meant five rounds then a cut to top eight.
I took my Bant-Blinking-Idiots deck, which I updated to the following.
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Somberwald Sage
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
2 Prime Speaker Zegana
2 Angel of Serenity
2 Garruk Relentless
4 Breeding Pool
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Glacial Fortress
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Round 1: Alex with Junk (GWB) Midrange
My deck has an excellent matchup against midrange decks. I made my creatures bigger with Master Biomancer and outraced him.
2-0
Round 2: Robert with RUG midrange.
Robert may actually have been running 4 color, I do not recall. He also had Master Biomancer ramp going on. I was able to control the board by using Deadeye Navigator and Angel of Serenity to premanently exile things from his board. His matchup was not good against me.
2-0
Round 3: Clint with RWU Flash
Clint took game one by casting Harvest Pyre onto a Boros Reckoner. I responded by getting control in game two by destroying all of his lands. In game three Clint sided in his bigger package and used Angel of Serenity to clean up my board. I misplayed by not playing a Restoration Angel on my turn when Clint was tapped out. When I needed her, she got hit with "Dissipate". This lost me the game. (Not that I would not have lost anyways, but it would have bought me a turn to try and draw one of my five outs).
1-2
Round 4: NICHOLAS MARSDEN DITIZIO playing Bant Control.
Nick and I Intentioanlly drew so that we would be placed in a win-and-in in round 5.
1-1-1
Round 5: Stephen with Bant Control
Stephen's deck looked a lot like Bant Midrange early on, I had control in game one until he dropped a "Supreme Verdict" to wipe the board, netting him two 3/3 mini-thragtusks. He then played Gisela, Blade of Goldnight for the win. In game two I sided out Master Biomancer and Prime Speaker Zegana, trying to go a more control route. I was able to get two Angels of Serenity on line to nullify his board wipes.
In game three I got out an early "Nevermore" naming "Supreme Verdict" then began taking control of the game. He dropped an Acidic Slime to kill the Nevermore, followed by a Supreme Verdict to ice the game.
1-2
I finished 7-5 going 2-1-2 and losing my win-and-in. I played pretty poorly in the later rounds, especially Round 5. I sideboarded pretty awfully and need to learn how to do it better in the future.
Until next time.
We had 18 people, which meant five rounds then a cut to top eight.
I took my Bant-Blinking-Idiots deck, which I updated to the following.
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Somberwald Sage
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
2 Prime Speaker Zegana
2 Angel of Serenity
2 Garruk Relentless
4 Breeding Pool
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Glacial Fortress
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Round 1: Alex with Junk (GWB) Midrange
My deck has an excellent matchup against midrange decks. I made my creatures bigger with Master Biomancer and outraced him.
2-0
Round 2: Robert with RUG midrange.
Robert may actually have been running 4 color, I do not recall. He also had Master Biomancer ramp going on. I was able to control the board by using Deadeye Navigator and Angel of Serenity to premanently exile things from his board. His matchup was not good against me.
2-0
Round 3: Clint with RWU Flash
Clint took game one by casting Harvest Pyre onto a Boros Reckoner. I responded by getting control in game two by destroying all of his lands. In game three Clint sided in his bigger package and used Angel of Serenity to clean up my board. I misplayed by not playing a Restoration Angel on my turn when Clint was tapped out. When I needed her, she got hit with "Dissipate". This lost me the game. (Not that I would not have lost anyways, but it would have bought me a turn to try and draw one of my five outs).
1-2
Round 4: NICHOLAS MARSDEN DITIZIO playing Bant Control.
Nick and I Intentioanlly drew so that we would be placed in a win-and-in in round 5.
1-1-1
Round 5: Stephen with Bant Control
Stephen's deck looked a lot like Bant Midrange early on, I had control in game one until he dropped a "Supreme Verdict" to wipe the board, netting him two 3/3 mini-thragtusks. He then played Gisela, Blade of Goldnight for the win. In game two I sided out Master Biomancer and Prime Speaker Zegana, trying to go a more control route. I was able to get two Angels of Serenity on line to nullify his board wipes.
In game three I got out an early "Nevermore" naming "Supreme Verdict" then began taking control of the game. He dropped an Acidic Slime to kill the Nevermore, followed by a Supreme Verdict to ice the game.
1-2
I finished 7-5 going 2-1-2 and losing my win-and-in. I played pretty poorly in the later rounds, especially Round 5. I sideboarded pretty awfully and need to learn how to do it better in the future.
Until next time.
Monday, March 18, 2013
SCGDC 3/16/13
Nick, Jimmy, and I went down to SCGDC to compete in the Standard Open. I took a version of Midrange Bant Control that utilized Deadeye Navigator. I called it "Bant Blinking Idiots". The decklist:
4 Gyre Sage
4 Fiend Hunter
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
2 Prime Speaker Zegana
2 Angel of Serenity
4 Farseek
2 Garruk Relentless
4 Breeding Pool
1 Forest
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Sideboard:
2 Dispel
2 Feeling of Dread
3 Ghostly Flicker
3 Nevermore
2 Witchbane Orb
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Sylvan Primordial
After playing it during TNM, I was not super psyched about the deck, but had no desire to change it. If I went 0-2, I could at least enter some $10 drafts...
Round 1: Don with Bant Hexproof
Don got out to a quick start in round one and killed me quickly with Geist of St. Traft into Silverblade Paladin. In game two, I was on the play and kept a better hand. I got out a Master Biomancer followed by Thragtusk into Restoration Angel. In game three I failed to declare a blocker for a lethal Silverblade Paladin + Selesnya Charm attack while I was at seven. I chose to preserve my Fiend Hunter over losing the game. Derp.
1-2
Round 2: Vann with RBW Humanimator
As long as a Reanimator deck is not on a Craterhoof Behemoth plan, I feel comfortable about my matchup. I played a version of this until recently and know how to break it. (Hint: Exile the Sac outlets permanently)
Vann managed to get me in one game where I kept a questionable opener. I prevailed in game three by removing his ability to use White mana (via Acidic Slime).
2-1
Round 3: Carlton with B/G Zombies
This is also a good matchup for me as Fiend Hunter is awesome at killing both Geralf's Messenger and Lotleth Troll. I got my engine of Deadeye + Restoration + Fiend Hunter going in game one. Carlton conceded at 18 life and no non-land permanents.
In game two he got off to a quick start and got some early beats until I played a turn 3 Master Biomancer, followed by a turn 4 and turn 5 Master Biomancer into a 17/18 restoration Angel into a 19/17 Thragtusk.
Restoration Angel swung twice and killed him. Carlton had two Abrupt Decays in his hand with no legal targets.
2-0
Round 4: Ning with Humanimator (non-mill)
In game one I got to an early lead with Acidic Slime destroying lands, that on top of a mana screw led to a win. I sided in the hate (3 Nevermore one Witchbane Orb) for game two fearing an infinite mill. Ning instead made infinite Wolves and gained infinite life on the back of an Abrupt Decay freeing his Cartel Aristocrat. In game three I dropped a turn 3 Nevermore naming Abrupt Decay, followed by a Nevermore naming Unburial Rites, then I destroyed all his land.
2-1
Round 5: Damon with B/W Zombies
Another good matchup for me. Damon actually got me down to one life before I stabilized with Blinking Thragtusks and Fiend Hunters. In game two I played a closer game, I sided in Sylvan Primordial to deal with his Planeswalkers (Sorin and Liliana) once Sylvan Primordial hit play and I destroyed all of his Black Mana, I played Angel of Serenity to remove his last few blockers and swung for Lethal.
2-0
Round 6: Jared with Naya.
This match can be summed up with Acidic Slime shenanigans. In game one, I destroyed literally all of his land. In game two, he never had access to more than two mana a turn. (It sure sucks going to discard and pitching Domri Rade...)
2-0
Round 7: Jake with R/G Midrange.
Jake says his deck is midrange, but he sided out all of his 5-drops after game one. His deck was way too fast and synergistic for me. I was absolutely stomped. Highlights include using Domri Rade to have Fiend Hunter and Flinthoof Boar fight, releasing his Strangleroot Geist from Fiend Hunter's clutches. In game two he had back to back Hellriders (I dealt with both, but at sorcery speed). I have never played against this matchup and was woefully unprepared.
0-2
Thus ended my pretty decent day. I went 1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0, 0-2 for a combined 11-6 record, 5-2 overall. I was generally pleased with the deck, apart from Gyre Sage, who is miserable in this deck. All of the other creatures performed excellently. My sideboard had some ass cards in it, but that will be rectified.
We actually talked before the tournament about how to make my deck better (i.e. faster) and came to one conclusion.
-4 Farseek +4 Avacyns Pilgrim
-4 Gyre Sage +4 Somberwald Sage
This is my best showing to date at an SCG event. (Previously it had been 4-2 at SCGBal - Legacy)
I feel pretty good about it in all honesty as I think it shows that I am getting better.
Plus, this deck is a homebrew. (No, I am not the first to use Prime Speaker in Bant, but I think I am the first to use Deadeye Navogator and get to at least 5-2)
I already made the changes to the main deck, although I think the Mana Base could be fine tuned.
I also need to make changes to the sideboard.
Until next time...
4 Gyre Sage
4 Fiend Hunter
3 Master Biomancer
4 Restoration Angel
3 Acidic Slime
4 Thragtusk
3 Deadeye Navigator
2 Prime Speaker Zegana
2 Angel of Serenity
4 Farseek
2 Garruk Relentless
4 Breeding Pool
1 Forest
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Sideboard:
2 Dispel
2 Feeling of Dread
3 Ghostly Flicker
3 Nevermore
2 Witchbane Orb
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Sylvan Primordial
After playing it during TNM, I was not super psyched about the deck, but had no desire to change it. If I went 0-2, I could at least enter some $10 drafts...
Round 1: Don with Bant Hexproof
Don got out to a quick start in round one and killed me quickly with Geist of St. Traft into Silverblade Paladin. In game two, I was on the play and kept a better hand. I got out a Master Biomancer followed by Thragtusk into Restoration Angel. In game three I failed to declare a blocker for a lethal Silverblade Paladin + Selesnya Charm attack while I was at seven. I chose to preserve my Fiend Hunter over losing the game. Derp.
1-2
Round 2: Vann with RBW Humanimator
As long as a Reanimator deck is not on a Craterhoof Behemoth plan, I feel comfortable about my matchup. I played a version of this until recently and know how to break it. (Hint: Exile the Sac outlets permanently)
Vann managed to get me in one game where I kept a questionable opener. I prevailed in game three by removing his ability to use White mana (via Acidic Slime).
2-1
Round 3: Carlton with B/G Zombies
This is also a good matchup for me as Fiend Hunter is awesome at killing both Geralf's Messenger and Lotleth Troll. I got my engine of Deadeye + Restoration + Fiend Hunter going in game one. Carlton conceded at 18 life and no non-land permanents.
In game two he got off to a quick start and got some early beats until I played a turn 3 Master Biomancer, followed by a turn 4 and turn 5 Master Biomancer into a 17/18 restoration Angel into a 19/17 Thragtusk.
Restoration Angel swung twice and killed him. Carlton had two Abrupt Decays in his hand with no legal targets.
2-0
Round 4: Ning with Humanimator (non-mill)
In game one I got to an early lead with Acidic Slime destroying lands, that on top of a mana screw led to a win. I sided in the hate (3 Nevermore one Witchbane Orb) for game two fearing an infinite mill. Ning instead made infinite Wolves and gained infinite life on the back of an Abrupt Decay freeing his Cartel Aristocrat. In game three I dropped a turn 3 Nevermore naming Abrupt Decay, followed by a Nevermore naming Unburial Rites, then I destroyed all his land.
2-1
Round 5: Damon with B/W Zombies
Another good matchup for me. Damon actually got me down to one life before I stabilized with Blinking Thragtusks and Fiend Hunters. In game two I played a closer game, I sided in Sylvan Primordial to deal with his Planeswalkers (Sorin and Liliana) once Sylvan Primordial hit play and I destroyed all of his Black Mana, I played Angel of Serenity to remove his last few blockers and swung for Lethal.
2-0
Round 6: Jared with Naya.
This match can be summed up with Acidic Slime shenanigans. In game one, I destroyed literally all of his land. In game two, he never had access to more than two mana a turn. (It sure sucks going to discard and pitching Domri Rade...)
2-0
Round 7: Jake with R/G Midrange.
Jake says his deck is midrange, but he sided out all of his 5-drops after game one. His deck was way too fast and synergistic for me. I was absolutely stomped. Highlights include using Domri Rade to have Fiend Hunter and Flinthoof Boar fight, releasing his Strangleroot Geist from Fiend Hunter's clutches. In game two he had back to back Hellriders (I dealt with both, but at sorcery speed). I have never played against this matchup and was woefully unprepared.
0-2
Thus ended my pretty decent day. I went 1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0, 0-2 for a combined 11-6 record, 5-2 overall. I was generally pleased with the deck, apart from Gyre Sage, who is miserable in this deck. All of the other creatures performed excellently. My sideboard had some ass cards in it, but that will be rectified.
We actually talked before the tournament about how to make my deck better (i.e. faster) and came to one conclusion.
-4 Farseek +4 Avacyns Pilgrim
-4 Gyre Sage +4 Somberwald Sage
This is my best showing to date at an SCG event. (Previously it had been 4-2 at SCGBal - Legacy)
I feel pretty good about it in all honesty as I think it shows that I am getting better.
Plus, this deck is a homebrew. (No, I am not the first to use Prime Speaker in Bant, but I think I am the first to use Deadeye Navogator and get to at least 5-2)
I already made the changes to the main deck, although I think the Mana Base could be fine tuned.
I also need to make changes to the sideboard.
Until next time...
Monday, March 11, 2013
PTQ 3/9/13 and SCGDC next weekend.
There was a PTQ held at Games and Stuff (G&S) in Glen Burnie MD this past Saturday. *As an aside G&S has just moved to a new location that is bigger and easier to park at.
The format of the event was modern, which I am not a fan of. The ban list seems to hinge on what decks are doing well at the moment and the apparent desire for the game to last longer than 3 turns, while still allowing kiki-jiki and birthing pod to combo off on turn 4. Why the hell are Green Sun's Zenith and Golgari Grave-Troll banned?
I arrived at the end of round 4, to find that two of my friends were doing relatively well. Nick and I entered two Gatecrash draft side events.
In the first draft, I was thinking of Simic, which turned into Dimir after pack three or so. I did get some late round bombs in the form of Nightveil Specter (which I fucking love), Lazav, and Consuming Aberration.
I went 1-1 in that draft losing to RUG (with three copies of Madcap Skills) I only had two removal cards and one bounce effect and was run over by 3/1 Cloufin Raptors and a 3/4 Elusive Krasis.
In the second draft I forced Orzhov and got three fliers with a pair of Shadow Slices. I took round one (my previous RUG opponent Max from the first round) due to a shadow slice top deck and some missed triggers from my opponent. I lost to a Simic deck in the following round. I ended the game with three "Cipher" cards in my hand. I did not have enough idiots in my deck to be able to race with Simic after a "merciless Eviction".
My 2-2 showing is better than my draft showing in Charlotte (0-4), so I think I am getting better at limited.
SCGDC is next weekend. I definitely plan on attending, but am unsure what to bring to the party, or even what events to attend.
For Standard, I have the choice between Jund and Bant. Naya Humans just took the Standard portion of SCGIndy so I expect to see a good amount of that and Naya Blitz in the Meta. I do not think my Bant deck is fast enough to be able to compete with 10 power on the board on turn 2. I hope to test it out during either TNM or FNM later this week.
Jund, I think is semi positioned to be able to deal with Naya Blitz or Naya Humans. Jund also seems to be a very popular deck in Standard (as well as in Modern and Legacy) and from what Patrick Chapin wrote about in his latest article on SCG, we can expect to see a lot of it. People will be prepared to beat up on Jund, but it will likely be the Jund list that has been floating around the internet for a few weeks. I do not like the deck, specifically, a few of the cards.
Arbor Elf: I hate mana dorks. Top-decking one of these on turn 8 is NOT a way to win a game. (Exception: Gyre sage, who has Evolve)
Pillar of Flame: I think this card is too slow. The prime targets of this card (Gravecrawler and Geralf's Messenger) are not really seeing a lot of play right now.
In my Jund, my one-drops will consist of Removal (Tragic Slip, and Human Frailty in the side) and hand destruction (Appetite for Brains and/or Duress).
I will put something together later today and post it up on deckbox for comment.
Until next time.
The format of the event was modern, which I am not a fan of. The ban list seems to hinge on what decks are doing well at the moment and the apparent desire for the game to last longer than 3 turns, while still allowing kiki-jiki and birthing pod to combo off on turn 4. Why the hell are Green Sun's Zenith and Golgari Grave-Troll banned?
I arrived at the end of round 4, to find that two of my friends were doing relatively well. Nick and I entered two Gatecrash draft side events.
In the first draft, I was thinking of Simic, which turned into Dimir after pack three or so. I did get some late round bombs in the form of Nightveil Specter (which I fucking love), Lazav, and Consuming Aberration.
I went 1-1 in that draft losing to RUG (with three copies of Madcap Skills) I only had two removal cards and one bounce effect and was run over by 3/1 Cloufin Raptors and a 3/4 Elusive Krasis.
In the second draft I forced Orzhov and got three fliers with a pair of Shadow Slices. I took round one (my previous RUG opponent Max from the first round) due to a shadow slice top deck and some missed triggers from my opponent. I lost to a Simic deck in the following round. I ended the game with three "Cipher" cards in my hand. I did not have enough idiots in my deck to be able to race with Simic after a "merciless Eviction".
My 2-2 showing is better than my draft showing in Charlotte (0-4), so I think I am getting better at limited.
SCGDC is next weekend. I definitely plan on attending, but am unsure what to bring to the party, or even what events to attend.
For Standard, I have the choice between Jund and Bant. Naya Humans just took the Standard portion of SCGIndy so I expect to see a good amount of that and Naya Blitz in the Meta. I do not think my Bant deck is fast enough to be able to compete with 10 power on the board on turn 2. I hope to test it out during either TNM or FNM later this week.
Jund, I think is semi positioned to be able to deal with Naya Blitz or Naya Humans. Jund also seems to be a very popular deck in Standard (as well as in Modern and Legacy) and from what Patrick Chapin wrote about in his latest article on SCG, we can expect to see a lot of it. People will be prepared to beat up on Jund, but it will likely be the Jund list that has been floating around the internet for a few weeks. I do not like the deck, specifically, a few of the cards.
Arbor Elf: I hate mana dorks. Top-decking one of these on turn 8 is NOT a way to win a game. (Exception: Gyre sage, who has Evolve)
Pillar of Flame: I think this card is too slow. The prime targets of this card (Gravecrawler and Geralf's Messenger) are not really seeing a lot of play right now.
In my Jund, my one-drops will consist of Removal (Tragic Slip, and Human Frailty in the side) and hand destruction (Appetite for Brains and/or Duress).
I will put something together later today and post it up on deckbox for comment.
Until next time.
Friday, March 8, 2013
TNM Gatecrash Draft
I decided to go to a Gatecrash draft. Despite my protests, we had a single 10-man pod...
In my first pack I opened "Prime Speaker Zegana" and windmilled it down on the table, face up. I then proceeded to tell the table to "stay out of my colors". Lol. They did, and I ended up with the following Simic deck.
-0
Simic Guildgate
-1
Forced Adaptaion
Cloudfin Raptor
-2
Frilled Oculus
Shambleshark
Greenside Watcher
Metropolis Sprite
Metropolis Sprite
Simic Charm
-3
Crocanura
Elusive Krasis
Slaughterhorn
Simic Keyrune
Drakewing Krasis
Nightveil Specter
-4
Keymaster Rogue
Scab-Clan Charger
-5
Rust Scarab
Adaptive Snapjaw
Leyline Phantom
Leyline Phantom
-6
Prime Speaker Zegana
Sapphire Drake
-7
Sylvan Primordial
I ended up going 2-1, 2-1, ID for a final record of 2-0-1.
My last round opponent and I played for the Promo Card, and I 2-0'd him. Afterwards I learned that he was only playing 13 land...
Here are the other cards I drafted (excluding basic land)
-0
Gruul Guildgate
-2
Clan Defiance
Pit Fight
Naturalize
Greenside Watcher
Greenside Watcher
-3
Warmind Infantry
Verdant Haven
Armored Transport
-5
Mindeye Drake
Adaptive Snapjaw
Towering Thunderfist
Zhur-Taa Swine
Fortress Cyclops
Is there anything that you guys might have done differently.
Until next time...
In my first pack I opened "Prime Speaker Zegana" and windmilled it down on the table, face up. I then proceeded to tell the table to "stay out of my colors". Lol. They did, and I ended up with the following Simic deck.
-0
Simic Guildgate
-1
Forced Adaptaion
Cloudfin Raptor
-2
Frilled Oculus
Shambleshark
Greenside Watcher
Metropolis Sprite
Metropolis Sprite
Simic Charm
-3
Crocanura
Elusive Krasis
Slaughterhorn
Simic Keyrune
Drakewing Krasis
Nightveil Specter
-4
Keymaster Rogue
Scab-Clan Charger
-5
Rust Scarab
Adaptive Snapjaw
Leyline Phantom
Leyline Phantom
-6
Prime Speaker Zegana
Sapphire Drake
-7
Sylvan Primordial
I ended up going 2-1, 2-1, ID for a final record of 2-0-1.
My last round opponent and I played for the Promo Card, and I 2-0'd him. Afterwards I learned that he was only playing 13 land...
Here are the other cards I drafted (excluding basic land)
-0
Gruul Guildgate
-2
Clan Defiance
Pit Fight
Naturalize
Greenside Watcher
Greenside Watcher
-3
Warmind Infantry
Verdant Haven
Armored Transport
-5
Mindeye Drake
Adaptive Snapjaw
Towering Thunderfist
Zhur-Taa Swine
Fortress Cyclops
Is there anything that you guys might have done differently.
Until next time...
Friday, March 1, 2013
TNM 2/28/13
I decided to head out to Beyond Comics in Frederick, MD to play some Thursday Night Magic (TNM).
I originally built Jund and toyed with the idea of making Esper Delver. I did not like the feel of Jund this time around. I also thought the Delver deck was too slow (comparatively speaking) and ineffective against decks that play Cavern of Souls.
I built the Humanimator Mill Combo deck that took second at GP Montreal.
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Undercity Informer
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Faithless Looting
3 Farseek
3 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
2 Blood Crypt
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Clifftop Retreat
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Stomping Grounds
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetery
-Side -
2 Purify the Grave
4 Abrupt Decay
3 Centaur Healer
3 Restoration Angel
3 Thragtusk
I barely had time to goldfish the deck before leaving my house between work and when I left for TNM.
Round 1: Dave with Boros Aggro
Dave's deck had a lot of "Battalion" creatures (Legion Loyalist, Frontline Medic, Boros Elite) with Boros Reckoner. In game one, I played some lands out of order and messed up a Grisly Salvage. I was horribly beaten. I sided in my suite of Abrupt Decay to deal with the Reckoners.
In games two and three I adopted a semi-aggro posture until I was able to get the combo off and deck Dave. In game three, Dave kept a four card mulligan, made a VERY bad attack, in my opinion, and then I got the combo off.
(2-1)
Round 2: Ian with Jund
In game one, I cast a Mulch that revealed two other Mulches and two Grisly Salvages. So I stalled on engine and got run over by dudes. I sided in Abrupt decay in case he had Grafdigger's cage. In game two, I filled up my yard pretty quick and then was hit with "Slaughter Games". I an messed up and named "Unburial Rites". I hard cast "Angel of Glory's Rise" (Which he should have named) on turn 6 and combo-milled.
I was fearful of "Slaughter Games" so I sided out my combo package (Angel of Glory's Rise and Undercity Informer) in favor of Centaur Healer, Thragtusk, and Restoration Angel.
I got a pretty fast start on Ian with Burning-Tree Emissary into Farseek. I then curved "Huntmaster of the Fells" into "Thragtusk". He played Olivia, but Fiend Hunter took care of her. (Twice, thanks to "Unburial Rites") He had sided in too many four drops and was unable to race my beaters.
(2-1)
Round 3: Matt with Mono-Black midrange.
Matt had played for a number of years since Revised. He took a decade hiatus and decided to get back into magic. His deck was mono-black with Duress, Murder, Geralf's Messenger, Gravecrawler, Diregraf Ghoul, and Desecration Demon. He was a bit unfamiliar with most of the cards, which is to be expected. I was able to get my combo engine going pretty fast and killed him pretty quickly in Game 1. I sided in "Abrupt Decay" as help if he brought in "Grafdigger's Cage". (Which, in retrospect, was unlikely since he had "Geralf's Messenger" and "Gravecrawler". He got me down to two life with mostly Geralf's Messenger until I stabilized. I thought I was safe, but then he hit me with "Sign in Blood" killing me. (Unexpected)
In game three I put the "Abrupt Decays" back into the board and revelled at my own idiocy for bringing them in to begin with.
In game three, he got me to two life and I was able to get the combo engine going thanks to a timely topdeck of Unburial Rites.
(2-1)
Round 4: Bill with Boros Aggro
Bill is a friend of Matt, they are kind of in the same boat in terms of coming "back to the game".
Bill had a Boros Aggro deck with "Spark Trooper" being the top of his curve. His deck also included "Lightning Mauler", "Frontline Medic", and "Boros Reckoner".
In game one, he got me down to one life on me being a bit reckless by attacking into him. I had ~12 outs and pulled one off the top to combo-out. I made no sideboard changes between games. In game two, it was not quite that close, I was at 4 life, but was well in control of the game, I got the combo engine going without need for an "Unburial Rites" and killed him.
I think if his "Spark Troopers" had been "Hellriders", he would have done better
(2-0)
I went 4-0 and got some packs, from which I pulled an Aurelia and a Merciless Eviction, and not much else.
I don't think I played flawlessly in these games, as it took me a few games to realize that I could use Undercity Informer to mill myself and not my opponent in order to fill the graveyard. I need to learn how to sideboard better as I was generally confused about my sideboarding options. Overall, the deck is fun for me to play, but there were a few groans when I would combo-off at very low life. I did gamble a lot on the deck, by losing blockers when I though I could combo-off the following turn; if I did not draw into the combo, I would have surely died.
Until next time...
I originally built Jund and toyed with the idea of making Esper Delver. I did not like the feel of Jund this time around. I also thought the Delver deck was too slow (comparatively speaking) and ineffective against decks that play Cavern of Souls.
I built the Humanimator Mill Combo deck that took second at GP Montreal.
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Undercity Informer
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Faithless Looting
3 Farseek
3 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
2 Blood Crypt
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Clifftop Retreat
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Stomping Grounds
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetery
-Side -
2 Purify the Grave
4 Abrupt Decay
3 Centaur Healer
3 Restoration Angel
3 Thragtusk
I barely had time to goldfish the deck before leaving my house between work and when I left for TNM.
Round 1: Dave with Boros Aggro
Dave's deck had a lot of "Battalion" creatures (Legion Loyalist, Frontline Medic, Boros Elite) with Boros Reckoner. In game one, I played some lands out of order and messed up a Grisly Salvage. I was horribly beaten. I sided in my suite of Abrupt Decay to deal with the Reckoners.
In games two and three I adopted a semi-aggro posture until I was able to get the combo off and deck Dave. In game three, Dave kept a four card mulligan, made a VERY bad attack, in my opinion, and then I got the combo off.
(2-1)
Round 2: Ian with Jund
In game one, I cast a Mulch that revealed two other Mulches and two Grisly Salvages. So I stalled on engine and got run over by dudes. I sided in Abrupt decay in case he had Grafdigger's cage. In game two, I filled up my yard pretty quick and then was hit with "Slaughter Games". I an messed up and named "Unburial Rites". I hard cast "Angel of Glory's Rise" (Which he should have named) on turn 6 and combo-milled.
I was fearful of "Slaughter Games" so I sided out my combo package (Angel of Glory's Rise and Undercity Informer) in favor of Centaur Healer, Thragtusk, and Restoration Angel.
I got a pretty fast start on Ian with Burning-Tree Emissary into Farseek. I then curved "Huntmaster of the Fells" into "Thragtusk". He played Olivia, but Fiend Hunter took care of her. (Twice, thanks to "Unburial Rites") He had sided in too many four drops and was unable to race my beaters.
(2-1)
Round 3: Matt with Mono-Black midrange.
Matt had played for a number of years since Revised. He took a decade hiatus and decided to get back into magic. His deck was mono-black with Duress, Murder, Geralf's Messenger, Gravecrawler, Diregraf Ghoul, and Desecration Demon. He was a bit unfamiliar with most of the cards, which is to be expected. I was able to get my combo engine going pretty fast and killed him pretty quickly in Game 1. I sided in "Abrupt Decay" as help if he brought in "Grafdigger's Cage". (Which, in retrospect, was unlikely since he had "Geralf's Messenger" and "Gravecrawler". He got me down to two life with mostly Geralf's Messenger until I stabilized. I thought I was safe, but then he hit me with "Sign in Blood" killing me. (Unexpected)
In game three I put the "Abrupt Decays" back into the board and revelled at my own idiocy for bringing them in to begin with.
In game three, he got me to two life and I was able to get the combo engine going thanks to a timely topdeck of Unburial Rites.
(2-1)
Round 4: Bill with Boros Aggro
Bill is a friend of Matt, they are kind of in the same boat in terms of coming "back to the game".
Bill had a Boros Aggro deck with "Spark Trooper" being the top of his curve. His deck also included "Lightning Mauler", "Frontline Medic", and "Boros Reckoner".
In game one, he got me down to one life on me being a bit reckless by attacking into him. I had ~12 outs and pulled one off the top to combo-out. I made no sideboard changes between games. In game two, it was not quite that close, I was at 4 life, but was well in control of the game, I got the combo engine going without need for an "Unburial Rites" and killed him.
I think if his "Spark Troopers" had been "Hellriders", he would have done better
(2-0)
I went 4-0 and got some packs, from which I pulled an Aurelia and a Merciless Eviction, and not much else.
I don't think I played flawlessly in these games, as it took me a few games to realize that I could use Undercity Informer to mill myself and not my opponent in order to fill the graveyard. I need to learn how to sideboard better as I was generally confused about my sideboarding options. Overall, the deck is fun for me to play, but there were a few groans when I would combo-off at very low life. I did gamble a lot on the deck, by losing blockers when I though I could combo-off the following turn; if I did not draw into the combo, I would have surely died.
Until next time...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
GP Charlotte: Fiasco Ahoy!
Some friends and I went down to Charlotte, NC to take part in Grand Prix Charlotte. As you may have heard, this was the biggest Magic event in the history of magic. It may have also broken the record for "biggest start time delay" by making the participants wait for four hours before we finally got playing.
The SCG apologists will tell me "there is no way they could have known about that level of turnout!!11".
Bullshit.
The night before while we were doing our grinders, they made mention that they were already up to 1900 or so pre-registered attendees. Apparently, no one at the event knew how to extrapolate. I will not belabor this point any longer, onto the games.
Friday:
I entered a sealed grinder and built a 50 cards R/W/B deck, combining elements of Boros and Orzhov. I did not get any bombs, per se, but had a good enough curve to go 2-1 in the event, winning 6 packs.
Saturday:
In the Sealed portion of the GP, I had a miserable open and went 0-2 drop. I pulled "The Brute" out of my golden ticket pack.
I then continued my streak of bad limited play and went 0-3 in $10 drafts. I consider GP Charlotte a learning experience, I am apparently very very bad at limited. I will endeavor to get better.
I entered the "losers" sealed draft and was similarly crushed. Getting blown out by Aurelia does not seem particularly fun or skillful, lol. 0-1 drop.
For the final match of my day I got into the absolute last Commander pod of the day. The players and their generals are listed below (in turn order).
Nick - Zur the Enchanter
Me - Scion of the Ur Dragon
Paul - Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
Randall - Niv Mizzet, the Firemind
Prizes work as follows: we each get a pack for our entry fee, with 2 other packs to the "winner". Each time a player is eliminated, they give their pack to the person that they though had the biggest impact on the game.
Here is how it went down.
In the first turn Nick drops a land and plays a 1-drop that lets him fetch lands if he has the fewest. I played a untapped Breeding Pool and played Burgeoning. Paul and Randall each played lands (letting me play lands)
Nick then drops Azorius Chancery and bounces his first land (I play my 4th land). I drop my fifth land and play Scion of the Ur Dragon (on turn 2, dirty). Paul and Randall play lands, I have no more to play.
Nick plays a land (one away from Zur). During my turn, I morph Scion into Nicol Bolas and crush Nick (Zur) for 7 general damage and make him discard his hand. [Zur is the obvious threat at the table]
I then play Arcane Laboratory, making it difficult for everyone else to catch up. Paul and Randall BOTH play a Rhystic Study.
Nick tutors for a land and puts "Hall of the Bandit Lord" into play tapped. I morph Scion into "Vorosh, the Hunter", swing at Paul for 6, and put 6 counters on my General. I pass. Paul then plays "Cryptic Command", drawing a card and attempting to bounce Scion to my hand. I respond by morphing Scion into "Quicksilver Dragon", and change the target to his Rhystic Study (Which I later learned was illegal because Quicksilver changes the target to "Target creature". I should have bounced the 1/1 idiot.) This also triggers Randalls' Rhystic study, he topdecks a "Reforge the Soul" and now we all have a full grip. I being to play lands with Burgeoning. Paul then lays a Phyrexian Area. Randall plays a "Phantasmal Image" attempting to copy Scion. I respond by turning Scion into Utvara Hellkite (a non-legendary dragon).
Nick plays "Zur, the Enchanter" and passes. I turn Scion into "Flameblast Dragon", attack Randall and kill his Hellkite with Flameblast Dragons ability. I then cast Unburial Rites bringing back my Utvara Hellkite. Paul drops Fleshbag Marauder and a Bojuka Bog, exiling my graveyard and killing Utvara Hellkite. I cannot recall what Randall did during his turn (possibly a Solemn Simulacrum).
Nick replays "Zur, the Enchanter" and passes. I turn Scion into Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon and kill Randall by poison. He gives his pack to Nick. Paul plays "Hex Parasite".
Nick swings at me with Zur, trying to enchant Scion. I turn Scion into "Mist Dragon" and Phase out. We then discuss the rules for phasing. Scion phases in. Paul uses Hex Parasites ability to remove 5 of my +1/+1 counters. I let this slide, turn Scion into "Dragon Tyrant" and kill Nick. (I assumed he had more "Arrest" type enchantments in his deck.) Nick gives his pack to Paul. (Haters gonna hate?) Paul plays Rune-Scarred Demon and gets a hard he is pleased with. Due to Arcane Laboratory, he cannot cast it.
I turn Scion into Two-Headed Dragon (who can only be blocked by 2 or more creatures) and swing for 21 commander damage, killing Paul. Paul gave his pack to me, since everyone else had left.
So, I won 4 packs.
We went to dinner at the Charlotte Ale House, discussed draft strategies in great depth and sampled some fine local beer.
Sunday: My priority was to get Eric Deschamps to sign my copies of Olivia Voldaren. I did not play in any side events until I got that accomplished. I also purchased artist prints of Olivia (from Eric) and Surgical Extraction.
I played in a draft with Jimmy (who would be my first round opponent) and I feel like I drafted well, based on our discussions the night before. I picked a guild and stuck to it, drafting a pretty good Simic deck. I got Jimmy down to one life in the first game before he stabilized, then I flooded out while he drew the beats. In game two, I kept a one-lander and missed a few too many land drops.
Then we began the 7 hour journey back to Maryland.
I had a lot of fun at the event, and if I go to one in the future, I will probably just do side events, as the chaos of a 2600 person tournament is a little off-putting.
Until next time...
The SCG apologists will tell me "there is no way they could have known about that level of turnout!!11".
Bullshit.
The night before while we were doing our grinders, they made mention that they were already up to 1900 or so pre-registered attendees. Apparently, no one at the event knew how to extrapolate. I will not belabor this point any longer, onto the games.
Friday:
I entered a sealed grinder and built a 50 cards R/W/B deck, combining elements of Boros and Orzhov. I did not get any bombs, per se, but had a good enough curve to go 2-1 in the event, winning 6 packs.
Saturday:
In the Sealed portion of the GP, I had a miserable open and went 0-2 drop. I pulled "The Brute" out of my golden ticket pack.
I then continued my streak of bad limited play and went 0-3 in $10 drafts. I consider GP Charlotte a learning experience, I am apparently very very bad at limited. I will endeavor to get better.
I entered the "losers" sealed draft and was similarly crushed. Getting blown out by Aurelia does not seem particularly fun or skillful, lol. 0-1 drop.
For the final match of my day I got into the absolute last Commander pod of the day. The players and their generals are listed below (in turn order).
Nick - Zur the Enchanter
Me - Scion of the Ur Dragon
Paul - Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
Randall - Niv Mizzet, the Firemind
Prizes work as follows: we each get a pack for our entry fee, with 2 other packs to the "winner". Each time a player is eliminated, they give their pack to the person that they though had the biggest impact on the game.
Here is how it went down.
In the first turn Nick drops a land and plays a 1-drop that lets him fetch lands if he has the fewest. I played a untapped Breeding Pool and played Burgeoning. Paul and Randall each played lands (letting me play lands)
Nick then drops Azorius Chancery and bounces his first land (I play my 4th land). I drop my fifth land and play Scion of the Ur Dragon (on turn 2, dirty). Paul and Randall play lands, I have no more to play.
Nick plays a land (one away from Zur). During my turn, I morph Scion into Nicol Bolas and crush Nick (Zur) for 7 general damage and make him discard his hand. [Zur is the obvious threat at the table]
I then play Arcane Laboratory, making it difficult for everyone else to catch up. Paul and Randall BOTH play a Rhystic Study.
Nick tutors for a land and puts "Hall of the Bandit Lord" into play tapped. I morph Scion into "Vorosh, the Hunter", swing at Paul for 6, and put 6 counters on my General. I pass. Paul then plays "Cryptic Command", drawing a card and attempting to bounce Scion to my hand. I respond by morphing Scion into "Quicksilver Dragon", and change the target to his Rhystic Study (Which I later learned was illegal because Quicksilver changes the target to "Target creature". I should have bounced the 1/1 idiot.) This also triggers Randalls' Rhystic study, he topdecks a "Reforge the Soul" and now we all have a full grip. I being to play lands with Burgeoning. Paul then lays a Phyrexian Area. Randall plays a "Phantasmal Image" attempting to copy Scion. I respond by turning Scion into Utvara Hellkite (a non-legendary dragon).
Nick plays "Zur, the Enchanter" and passes. I turn Scion into "Flameblast Dragon", attack Randall and kill his Hellkite with Flameblast Dragons ability. I then cast Unburial Rites bringing back my Utvara Hellkite. Paul drops Fleshbag Marauder and a Bojuka Bog, exiling my graveyard and killing Utvara Hellkite. I cannot recall what Randall did during his turn (possibly a Solemn Simulacrum).
Nick replays "Zur, the Enchanter" and passes. I turn Scion into Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon and kill Randall by poison. He gives his pack to Nick. Paul plays "Hex Parasite".
Nick swings at me with Zur, trying to enchant Scion. I turn Scion into "Mist Dragon" and Phase out. We then discuss the rules for phasing. Scion phases in. Paul uses Hex Parasites ability to remove 5 of my +1/+1 counters. I let this slide, turn Scion into "Dragon Tyrant" and kill Nick. (I assumed he had more "Arrest" type enchantments in his deck.) Nick gives his pack to Paul. (Haters gonna hate?) Paul plays Rune-Scarred Demon and gets a hard he is pleased with. Due to Arcane Laboratory, he cannot cast it.
I turn Scion into Two-Headed Dragon (who can only be blocked by 2 or more creatures) and swing for 21 commander damage, killing Paul. Paul gave his pack to me, since everyone else had left.
So, I won 4 packs.
We went to dinner at the Charlotte Ale House, discussed draft strategies in great depth and sampled some fine local beer.
Sunday: My priority was to get Eric Deschamps to sign my copies of Olivia Voldaren. I did not play in any side events until I got that accomplished. I also purchased artist prints of Olivia (from Eric) and Surgical Extraction.
I played in a draft with Jimmy (who would be my first round opponent) and I feel like I drafted well, based on our discussions the night before. I picked a guild and stuck to it, drafting a pretty good Simic deck. I got Jimmy down to one life in the first game before he stabilized, then I flooded out while he drew the beats. In game two, I kept a one-lander and missed a few too many land drops.
Then we began the 7 hour journey back to Maryland.
I had a lot of fun at the event, and if I go to one in the future, I will probably just do side events, as the chaos of a 2600 person tournament is a little off-putting.
Until next time...
Thursday, February 14, 2013
GP Charlotte
I have registered and booked my hotel for Grand Prix Charlotte.
This will mark the first time that I have ever traveled more than 45 minutes for a Magic event.
I am no stranger to travel, having to travel a few times per year for my day job.
I do not expect to do well since I rarely play Limited formats, but there are numerous side events that have caught my eye. I will be bringing my Grimgrin EDH deck as well as OmniDoorThragFire so that I can participate in some sweet side events when I inevitably drop out of Sealed.
Next to drafting, sealed is my weakest format. I hope to get a practice sealed in sometime next week before Friday.
Until next time...
This will mark the first time that I have ever traveled more than 45 minutes for a Magic event.
I am no stranger to travel, having to travel a few times per year for my day job.
I do not expect to do well since I rarely play Limited formats, but there are numerous side events that have caught my eye. I will be bringing my Grimgrin EDH deck as well as OmniDoorThragFire so that I can participate in some sweet side events when I inevitably drop out of Sealed.
Next to drafting, sealed is my weakest format. I hope to get a practice sealed in sometime next week before Friday.
Until next time...
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