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...
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