Mods, would you please move this to the appropriate Forum. Thank you
As the title indicates, I made T8 with Suprise Giftz and lost in the first round of the T8 to TPS/r. So, what is the Suprise? Basically, you are running straight Giftz with a transformational Oath side board. Props to Dicemax for the inspiration and advise:
The decklists are not up yet but here is the T8:
1) 5c Bazaar Stax
2) U/G/W Fish
3) Control Slaver
4) TPS/r
5) Grim Long
6) Suprise Giftz
7) Oath
8) 5c Stax
The field was highly powered with 10 proxies and CE legal. Unfortunately, we only had 48 people in attendance. The Extended PTQ undoubtably kept our numbers lower than expected. The prize structure was as follows:
1st Black Lotus
2nd Mox Emerald
3rd Timetwister
4th Library of Alexander
5th Mana Crypt
6th FOIL Vampiric Tutor
7th Tundra
8th Tropical Island
About a week before the tournament I read the thread posted by Dicemax on his finish at Rochester. He had success with using a transformational Oath sideboard in a maindeck Gifts frame. I really liked the idea, and since it is the holidays, I decided to bring a surprise. The only changes I made to Dicemax's list was cutting the 3rd Pithing Needle for a Vampiric Tutor maindeck, and cutting Coffin Purge from the sideboard for Platz.
Decklist Suprise Giftz 1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphile
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Lotus Petal
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Swamp
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
1 Tropical Island
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
2 Duress
2 Pithing Needle
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
3 Thirst for Knowledge
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Burning Wish
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Recoup
1 Time Walk
1 Rebuild
1 Tinker
1 Darksteel Colossus
Side Board: Suprise!
4 Oath of Druids
4 Forbidden Orchard
1 Akroma Angel of Wrath
1 Razia Boros Archangel
1 Gaea's Blessing
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Platnium Angel
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Duress
Round 1 vs Strawberry Crush AKA Ravager
Match: G1
Vintage Ravager was popularized in our local metgame awhile ago, and people won't stop playing it for some reason. Anyway, things got off to a rough start when I was Capped turn 2. I cast Mystical tutor in responce for Burning Wish and Brainstormed it back into my hand. My opponent then removed Colosssus, Will, and something else. Next EOT I cast Gifts to set up the Tendrils kill. Shorlty after, I was starring down double clamped Trikes and a loss if I passed my turn. I was able to find Rebuild off my Gifts and bounce a bunch of accelerants for the win. Very intense forst game.
G2
I suprised him with a turn 2 Oath/Orchard and won easily.
Record: 1-0-0
Round 2 vs 5c Stax
Match: G1
I mulled to 5 and kept a decent hand. My opponent opened with a Welde and Chalice at 0r, I responed with Pithing Needle. I Forced a In the Eye of Chaose, only to have him later cast a devastating Balance that wiped out my hand and 2 lands. Quickly therafter he acheive board dominance via Crucible Smokestack. Scoop.
G2
Oath owns Stax...especially with no hate.
G3
My opponent opens with Recall and Chalice at 0 and attempts a Sel of Clensing which gets Forced. I get second turn Oath, swing once with Razia before she goes Plowing. I wait before Oath again until I find a Drain and proceed to win with Akroma.
Record: 2-0-0
Round 3 vs Grim Long pioleted by a Jed a local Pro
Match: G1
I win the die roll, and have a strong opening with Lotus, Merchant Scroll, Recall, and Duress. He reveals a mediocre hand that gets worse once I take his Bargain. He Duresses me a couple of times but I am drawing cards off LOA and win turn 5 via Gifts into Will.
G2
I was debatting whether to go with Oath game 2 or not. Dicemax reccomened maintaining straight Gifts against combo, but I had Platz and I wanted to try the suprise plan since I was already up a game. Turn 1 he droped a Lotus and Brainstormed. On turn 2 I played Oath with Orchard. I was able to Force his next threat and OAth up Platz, my only creature. I proceeded to Drain a Swarm before I won in a few turns. You should have seen the look on this guys face when I first droped Oath, then only to reveal Platz. Price of tournament: 25$, Price of vintage cards: to much, the look of completly dumbfounding a pro magic player: priceless
Round 4 vs TPS/r
Match: I was playing a guy named Sebastian form team Canada. Last time we met I conceded a draw to him that locked him into the T8. Unfortunatly, Sebastian and I just can't seem to finish a macth of magic drawing for the second time.
G1
I mulled to 4
and proceed to get my ass handed to me. Duress got Wheel to resolve on the other side, at least I had some cards now. I go for a naked Will thinking I'm gonna pull this out when he says No son Forced I though he was playing Grimlong up until this point. Next turn he Frantic Searches, drops some moxes, rituals, Chain of Vapors his moxes and casts Tendrils for the win.
G2
I opt for the Oath/Platz plan. Turn 1 Orchard Duress - he shows me Tinker, Will, Academy, 3 Artifacts, and a Delta. I have a hard time choosing between tinker and Will, choosing Tinker. I end the game shortly with turn 2 Oath into Platz with lots of cards.
G3
I was having a tough time deciding which plan to go with. I chose Oath/Platz without considering time, bad mistake we end up drawing...again. We finish with Platz on board and a 12 oint Tendrils on his side. I think this was my biggest mistake of the tournament, not going straight Giftz game 3. This would go on to haunt me when I faced Sebastian in the T8.
Record: 3-0-1
Round 5 vs Randy Buhler Playing Grim Long
Match: It's an honor to get to play against Randy one of the great legends in this games history and the current head of R&D. Yet, after the match someone told me that I had been Jedi mind tricked in to losing one of my games.
G1
On the Play I mull to 6 keeping an okay hand that gets worse after Randy Duresses me. I Force Randy's first bomb and we do nothing consequential for a couple of turns. I counter his Tinker only to have him cast Mind's Desire at 4. He reveals, oof the top: LED, Petal, Bargain, and Necro. I force Bargain only to see Necro. Rany wins next turn.
G2
I decide to go straight Gifts for this matchup after my previous draw.
I have a nice opening grip that takes me through the game resolving Gifts then Will for the Tendrils win. Not to many notes here, I was just a tad bit nervous.
G3
Randy Duresses me and resolves an Ancestral on turn 2. I draw some cards and Mana Drain another Duress. He responds by Tinkering up Jar and winning. My first loss. At least it was to a Magical Jedi.
Record: 3-1-1
Round 6 vs 5c Stax
Match: G1
I'm on the play and mull to 3 3 I was able to drop an island and a Mana Crypt that allowed me to cast a desperation Rebuild against an active Smokestack, then a quick Gifts next EOT for DT VT MT and Lotus. He gives me M..Tutor & V. Tutor. On my turn I MT for Tinker/Colossus and Pass. Next turn I V.Tutor for the Walk and win. For the love of God I don't know how I won this game.
G2
I board in my Oath and Angels. My opening play is Orchard, Mana Crypt, Oath, P. Needle - naming Seal of Cleansing...just in case. My opponent Tutors during his turn but is tapped out. I swing with Razia only to have her sent farming. Unfortunatly, I had Akroma stuck in my hand so I couldn’t go for the quick kill. We jockied for position over the next couple of turns before I found a Brainstorm with counter back up. Then Oath did its thing. I’m now in the T8.
Record: 4-1-1
T8 Quarterfinals
Match: I’m facing Sebastian with TPS/r again, this time one of us will perish.
G1
We each Brainstormed on turn one but Sebastian was able to drop some acceleration and Duress me and then resolve a Timetwister. I drew a hand with no Force of Will and he was able to get Bargain on the table and win.
G2
Duress, Tinker/Colossus with Force backup wins quickly.
G3
My notes are pretty choppy for this one. I open with Mox Spphire, Island. Sebastian drops some acceleration and Brainstorms. I counter some stuff but can’t take advantage of the opportunity fast enough before Sebastian Resolves a Desire for 5 and manages to then Force through Y. Will for the win.
Record: 4-1-2
Overall, I was happy with the decks performance. I think I made a strategical error going with the Oath/Platz against combo in round 5, but that sort of thing happens when you play a deck without any testing against live opponents. Some points to notice: I never lost a match where I won game 1,and I never lost game 2. What does this mean for decks that deploy a transformational sideboard? Against the majority of opponents you face you will nearly always win game 2 off sheer surprise value. This will practically guarantee you are never shut out in 2 games. I think that in itself is a strong argument for running the Oath board in an unsuspecting environment.
I wanted to say thanks and give a shout out to Dicemaxx for his help with the deck list, and to the TO John for putting together a great event.
I will post decklists as soon as possible.
Thanks
Sean
