If a moderator could move this to the Tournament anouncment forum that would be great,I'm ptting this up here for a friend and his new store and dont have access to post on that page.

Time : Saturday, November 8th, 2008
Doors open at 9am
Registration starts at 10am
Tournament starts at 11am

Where : Jupiter Games
3701 Vestal Parkway East
Vestal, NY 13850
In the Campus Plaza

-1 Hour south of Syracuse, 2.5 Hours from Rochester, 4.5 Hours from North Va., and 2.5 Hours from Ct.

Format : Type 1– Non-Sanctioned
Proxie Rule : 10 free proxies, up to 5 additional proxies for 1$ each
Cost : $25
Judges : Head – Eli Kassis Floor – Carl Winter & Ryan Green

Prizes : 1st place – English Mana Drain or English Grim Tutor + 1/2 a box of any set in stock!!!
2nd place - English Mana Drain or English Grim Tutor
3rd-4th place - Italian Mana Drain
5th-8th place - 1/2 a box of any set in stock (excluding starter 99')
9th-16th place – Entrance into the free single elimination Shards booster draft for a Mana Drain!!

Side Event:
- Shards of Alara Booster Draft
Cost : 13$
Prize : 1st - English Mana Drain
2nd - 1/3 a box of any set in stock (excluding starter 99')

All Prizes Are Guaranteed Regardless Of Attendance.(40+people= extra prizes for the top 8!)

Multiples of all prizes are in stock and winner may choose best condition available, starting with the highest place.

Random Bonuses :
- There’s a Chinese buffet, Wendy’s, and an Apple Bee’s in the same plaza within walking distance.
- The store is directly across the street from Binghamton University.
- We have practically every card in stock with better prices than any other dealer!
- We are always buying and we buy everything (including our own prize support)!

Door Prizes :
To be determined based on attendance, but rest assured they will be awesome. In this past this has included; Portal 3 Kingdoms product, Vault of the Dragons Boxes, fetch lands, force's, resets, mana crypts, and duals!

Help make this type 1 tournament successful and I promise many more in the future with much bigger prize support (Including eventually a power 9 tournament!)

We are always taking any donations people would like to donate to the prize pool to make the tournaments more exciting.

Also BETA DUALS! December 13 Gigantic Legacy Tournament In Upstate Ny!!!

Time : Saturday, December 13th, 2008
Doors open at 9am
Registration starts at 10am
Tournament starts at 11am

Where : Jupiter Games
3701 Vestal Parkway East
Vestal, NY 13850
In the Campus Plaza

-1 Hour south of Syracuse, 2.5 Hours from Rochester, 4.5 Hours from North Va., and 2.5 Hours from Ct.

Format : Legacy – Sanctioned
Cost : $25 Day of, $20 Pre-Registration Before December 7th (In person, cc, check, or private message for Paypal info.)

Judges : Head – Eli Kassis Floor – Carl Winter & Ryan Green

Prizes : 1st place – BETA VOLCANIC ISLAND and English Mana Drain or English Grim Tutor!!!
2nd place - BETA TUNDRA!!!
3rd-4th place - BETA VOLCANIC ISLAND!!!
5th-8th place - English Mana Drain or English Grim Tutor!!!
9th-16th place – Entrance into a free single elimination 8-man Shards booster draft for a Mana Drain!!

All Prizes Are Guaranteed Regardless Of Attendance.(40+people=extra duals for the top 8!)

Multiples of all prizes are in stock and winner may choose best condition available, starting with 1st place then 3rd and 4th with the volcanics.

Random Bonuses :
There’s a Chinese buffet, Wendy’s, and an Apple Bee’s in the same plaza within walking distance. The store is directly across the street from Binghamton University. We have practically every card in stock with better prices than any other dealer! We are always buying and we buy everything (including our own prize support)! We are willing to run any side event anyone can think of, even poker tournaments. We are making arrangements to arrange for more seating for future events so there won't be a crowding issue.

Door Prizes :
As of yet, to be determined. This is for your benefit as there is no telling what will be popular this soon, but I can guarantee you that whatever is popular will be in the door prize and that door prizes value will exceed the value of 2nd place and depending on attendance maybe even 1st place. In this past this has included; Portal 3 Kingdoms product, Vault of the Dragons Boxes, fetch lands, force's, resets, mana crypts, and duals!

I have been a dragon player for about 6 months now and have been testing different builds.  I find the Blue Black Green builds to be the best at disruption and protecting the game winning animate.  This is because these builds can run xantid swarm main deck to fight throught a heavy control meta.  Personally I like Eternal witness as a ancestral or time walk kill because if you attacked with a xantid they cant do anything with that grip of cards given to them by the ancestral that eternal witness keeps getting you back. However, 5c dragon decks have their bonuses as being able to support a Shivan Hellkite or Kumano kill along with a plethora of sideboard choices, this might not be the way to go however if the meta shifts to more aggressive non basic hate.

I feel a great disturbance in the force, its as though hundreds of affinity and workshop players all cried out at once and then were suddenly silenced.

All kidding aside, Im not so sure about the restriction of Trinisphere, don't get me wrong I loved an opponent dropping a first turn 3sphere on me. However I am under the opinion that its presence truly helped to lower the role of combo.  Long.dec almost made me quite magic, trinisphere was just a great card you had to be prepaired for.  I truly hope the doomsayers are wrong and that combo will not step out of the shadow once again and make this game a die roll.  Well thats my two cents.

I am sorry for my lack of knowlege of the stack in my earlier post.  I truely need to work on my card interaction and stack rules.

@ dicemanx, I do know that highway robber is not as good as the time walk and ancestral kills, I was suggesting it for the dragon decks that are perhaps not using blue and do not have access to those to superior win conditions in conjunction with eternal witness or should those decks avoid the use of the eternal witness win?

This is not quite accurate you would still lose with the anhk in play because your lands still return to play.  The only way to win with ankh in play is to
A.) get rid of it.
B.) win before it hits play.
C.) go reanimator on your sliver queen if you run it.
D.) Have no lands using caller of the claw.

However this is kind of a mute point because almost noone uses anhk anymore and piller should never be a problem for dragon.  If you are using eternal wittness I would rather win with highway robbers instead of trying for the infinite ancestral loop.

As dragon builds go I am fond of Spoils builds that are black green and can run very efficiently on 5 proxy.

Im not sure about side board creature plans because the can be meta game slots, some people don't even run an alternate plan in the side anymore using those slots for more utility like deed, engineered explosives, chalices, null rods and the like.



[/quote]

I know as well as anyone how proxies have helped the enviornment evolve.  I used to be a sligh player because I could not make anything better and thought I can't afford competative T1.  However with the local proxy tournaments and the bigger T1 proxy events, I began to believe this untrue, I invested in drains, duals and other T1 staples because I knew that with proxies I too could play with the powered players and not just auto lose to T1 brokeness.  Not to beat a dead horse or anything but proxies give the average unpowered player the ability to play the top tier of decks and once you do this you almost never want to go back to true budget/hate decks, thus creating a healthy meta and a good return to those fortunate enough to own or invest in power.

Also great article a very enjoyable read.

Wow im getting alot of good feed back and yes vitimize is a great reanimator affect that I never knew of, but I would like to keep the dragon animators as is as is, but im not above replacing something else maybe zombify, any comments on that?

Ah yes the queen well that does it im officially blind because I did not see that.  Plus I thought that the hive was a weak link, but are you sure about titan though because im expecting mono land bases and lots of strange non basics that titan can't touch or is the possible advantage worth the fact that he wont always be able to make a big impact.   I could be wrong though cause I did not see the sliver queen thing. (Thats a big Duh on my part)

post will be edited for new card choices.

yeah I was thinking about adding wild mongrel and krosan reclamation seems like a good Idea as well thx for the advise.  I will probably drop the hymn for the reclamation but what gets the axe for the mongrel?  Also is the fat in the deck optimal or are there better ones I am leaving out?

I was talking with klown the other day about highlander, and after a few question and his answers I thought that reanimator would be cool in a highlander event and this is what I have come up with.  I have no side board as of yet and wanted to get some of the communities reactions and suggestions about the deck.  It seems fairly simple to play use your tutor effects to get fat in the graveyard and animate it, I have also thrown in the angry ghoul combo and WGD combo for added kill conditions.  I have no power so please try not to suggest adding it, I made the deck as budget as possible and would like to keep it that way.  I am not sure how viable this deck will be so any help will be greatly appreciated .

Highlander Reanimator:

Reanimation: 9

1 Diabolic Servitude
1 Reanimate
1 Exhume
1 Life/Death
1 Animate Dead
1 Recurring Nightmare
1 Dance of the Dead
1 Necromancy
1 Zombify

Creatures: 15

1 Landwar Elf
1 BoP
1 Utopia tree
1 Findhorn Elves
1 Vine Trellis
1 Squee
1 Akroma
1 Plated Slagworm
1 Symbiotic Worm
1 Sutured Ghoul
1 WGD
1 Sliver Queen
1 Living Hive
1 Verdent Force
1 Hermit Druid

Search:11

1 Buried Alive
1 Intuition
1 Carful Study
1 Frantic Search
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Survival
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Break Through
1 Thirst for Knowlege
1 Entomb



Disruption/Stuff: 5

1 Duress
1 Unmask
1 Krosan Reclamation
1 Dragon’s Breath
1 Land grant

Mana Base: 20

1 Mana Crypt
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mox Diamond
1 Sol Ring
1 Dark Ritual
1 ESG
1 B/G pain land
1 B/U pain land
1 G/U pain land
1 Underground sea
1 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
1 City of Brass
1 Gemstone mine
1 Polluted Delta
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Green Artifact land
1 Black Artifact land
1 Blue Artifact land
1 Mirodin’s core

As I was browsing the wizards type 1 forum I came across a discussion of a deck I would Like to call  Funky Growth( Can’t take credit for the name but I like it.).  It is a 3 color variant on the grow theme and I think it has some potential, but that could just be the noob in me talking.  The three colors that make up the deck are black, green and red, they all bring bonuses to the deck and to the sideboard.  Having a grow deck without blue seems kind of funny but I feel that this build can be more disruptive and put more pressure one in the early game than the current grow can.  Here is the basic build I was thinking.

Mana base: 25
4 Bayou
4 Badlands
4 Bloodstained Mires
3 Moxes (BGR)
1 Black Lotus
4 Dark Rituals
4 Wastelands
1 Strip Mine

Creatures: 14
3 Mox Monkey
4 Quirion Dryad
4 Grim Lavamacers
3 Withered Wretches

Disruption/Removal: 12
4 Duress
4 Lightning Bolts
1 Mind Twist
3 Crucible of Worlds

Broken/Draw/Other: 9
1 Necro
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
3 Nights Whispers
2 Rancors

Side Board:
3 Artifact Mutations
4 Red Elemental Blast
1 Rack and Ruin
2 Pernicious Deed
3 Null Rods
2 Diabolic Edicts( Unsure)

I think the mana base is fairly simple and can fend for itself and with crucible in the main deck I’m not to worried about not having basics but I am not he best at deck building and this deck has had little testing.

The creature base is at 14 for the time being I believe that it is a good number to see early threats and put pressure on the opponent.  As for card choices Mox Monkey I think is a given because his disruption value is very hard to come by for the low price.  The dryad being the main fat of the deck got 4 slots and the grow potential is very high since almost every spell pumps him.  Grim Lavamancer got 4 slots because he can help clear the way for the dryad and give you the extra dmg you need in a pinch.  Withered Wretch was given 3 slots because he is a 2/2 for 2 with a great ability for this meta, vs 4cc and most welder decks he takes the wind right out of their sails by removing valuable welding targets and messing with 4cc’s draw engine.  Also in the crucible mirror he is an invaluable tool that is main deck!

Now for the disruption/removal elements of the deck.  Duress blacks good old one casting cost preemptive strike a must for a deck like this not running counter power.  Lightning Bolt cheap effective removal I don’t think I have to elaborate more.  Mind Twist a great card and supper disruption not to mention the great synergy between it and the wretch. Finally crucible of worlds again not much needs to be said the deck runs the 5 land killing effects and this card just makes them all the better.  As has been said many times in this sight where crucible is concerned you either use it or answer in and I chose to us it.

The broken/draw/other most of these choices need little in the way of explanation but what the heck.  Necro the deck uses dark rituals and its lands all produce black I see no reason why this card should not be in here because it just wins games.  D-Tutor and V-Tutor very good and a must in just about any deck packing black.  Yawgmoth's Will  you can do very broken things with this card so it gets the nod as it should.  Nights whispers I know the jury is still out on this card but I feel it has a place here not only to grow the dryad but to dig and find threats/answers without them I think the deck would go into top deck mode far too often.  The Rancor’s they are a way to give your creatures evasion that they are lacking which you probably have noticed by now.  However with only 2 in the deck I’m worried about how often I'll see one to get the pressure on early.

Finally on to the sideboard which I will have to admit is my weakest area when it come to magic I’m often unsure on how to sideboard and what to have in the side to begin with.  I’ll explain my choices and why and you lovely people here at the mana drain can tell me if a did ok or what needs to change.  3 Artifact mutations I put them in because they are a great way to deal with this artifact heavy meta of ours and the fact that I need answers to an opposing crucible as well. 4 REB’s well its a given why they are here I would just like to stress the fact that when I put them in a sideboard I never want less than 4 because if I’m not playing blue I’m hating blue.  1 Lone Rack and Ruin I love the card and the advantage it gives you and I wanted the sideboard artifact answer at least at 4.  2 Pernicious Deed this is the one I have the most trouble with it just seems so counter productive to what the deck itself is trying to do, but I guess is a good answer to tokens and low casting cost artifacts and creatures in the 0-1 range anymore than that and I feel this card hurts more than it helps.  3 Null Rods this is another one that I am questioning is more disruption needed and is null rod the best answer in this slot or would it be more productive to spend the slots on something else.  2 Diabolic Edicts I put these in for the fact that tinker colossus is gaining in popularity and the fact that this deck has a lot of trouble dealing with an unmorphed angel. I like the card but if a better suggestion for the space is offered I would gladly change it.

Now that all has been explained I would like some insight into what the magic community thinks of the deck and if it could even get off the ground level of deck construction.  I don’t think this deck is meta defining and I’m not sure if its better than the deck already in use but I saw some potential and went with it.  Hope to get a constructive talk going and thx in advance for any advice rendered.

As for scrying I have yet to test it but I have a build ready and plan on doing so extensively.  Your points against aggro are well founded you just cant go crazy with the scrying It seems that in a number of times Scrying would be good to have, As it can remove Aks in the hulk matchup and if you plan for it the life loss is no more costly than deep would be.  And as for food chain Im testing the tech of engineered plague in the side it also helps in the slaver matchup I think it will have an impact.

I am an avid type one player but not a very good one.  However I have been playing hulk and gat both 3 color versions and am wondering if Skeletal scrying would have a place as a draw engine.  I have yet to test this Idea but it looks good in theory.  Ill explain, it is a great mana drain sink, and the deck is full of can trips and fetches and counter magic so there should be cards in the yard to remove that will not mess with running Yag's will.  Also if you are still playing with ak's it is a great way to get rid of them and net cards before your opponet has time to capitalize on your ak's, also the life loss is not as important as the card advantage.  I think skeletal scrying is an underrated card and would be a great addition to gat builds.  Thank you for your time.

eddavatar

Thx you for your insight into my build.  I have changed the original deck post to reflect some of your advise.  I can't believe that I over looked BEB when I was going over gat builds.  As for Oxidize I think it has a place and you dont always have the mana for naturalize so for now it stays.  I also like coffin purge x2 because I do have alot of spicy targets in my meta I can play some 12 year old with a deck that is less than type one caliber or I can play a game vs Carl Winters the world champ in my meta.  We also have a Welder mud Player and a Slaver Player so I like the side board now.  I have one more question is the mana base too light or can it be played as is should I cut a wish and maybe the deep analysis to add more basics.  Thx again for any help.

Ultima
 
Thx you very much for you insight into my build.  I was thinking it was very controlish with duress and mindtwist and the 3 wishes.  As for the mana light problem I wanted to address that but I dont know what to cut and what to add.  Also on the LoA in my area the tournies are all 5 proxy so with the power I have in the deck my slots are all taken.  I could drop some of the control elements and add more basics but im not shure that is the right thing to do.

I have spent a wile now collecting what was needed to play Gat and I am very close I just need 2 underground seas.  I was and to this day am a sligh player and GAT will be very new to me, from reading the forums and gathing opinion on specific card choices this is what I have come up with:

Counter:
2 Stifle
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will

Draw:
4 Ak
4 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Gush
1 Deep Analysis

Tutors:
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Cunning Wish
1 Vamp Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor

Creatures:
4 Quiron Dryad's
2 Psychotogs

Disruption/Utility:
1 Mind twist
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoths Will
1 Pernicious Deed
3 Duress

Land/Mana Sources:
4 Polluted Delta
2 Islands
1 Swamp
1 Strip Mine
4 Tropical Island
4 Underground Sea
1 Mox Saphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Black Lotus

SB:
2 BEB
1 Berserk
2 Coffin Purge
2 Naturalize
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Smother
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Misdirection
2 Null Rod
1 Oxidize
1 FoF

On another note I have a friend who can sell me drains would they be worth picking up for this deck in place of the couter spells.  Thx in advance for any help.