[Report]Top 2 at the Flint Mox Tournament with Cephalid Breakfast

*This is just some background info on how I settled on the list I used. Feel free to skip this part and jump down to the decklist and tournament report*

I started testing for this event about two weeks ago when I decided I was going to run some build of Cephalid Breakfast. From then on, I went back-and-forth, pretty much every day, on what kill I was running and what support I was running. I originally started with the Kiki kill, because it was fewer slots, only three colors and Wasteland-resistant, and allowed me to run more control/protection. At that point, I was running Counterbalance as a 2-of, along with four Duress and three Daze. Shortly, I took the Counterbalances out and moved them to the SB temporarily, and tried Abeyance in the main, reasoning that Abeyance is never dead. After a week or so, I found I had issues finding the combo and getting the right lands out (at that point, I ran only four dual lands and eight basics). So, I decided to add the fourth color, Green, for Worldly Tutor, and figured that if I’m running Green, I might as well just run Tarmogoyf.

The first draft still ran Force of Will, Daze, and Duress as protection, but Brainstorm was the only draw and Worldly Tutor was the only tutor. So, about four days ago, I put Counter-Top back in, taking out Daze and Duress. I wasn’t really happy with the lack of control in this build, so I went back to the three color version with the Kiki kill (replacing Worldly Tutor with Lim-Dul’s Vault), and fit in Force, Daze, and Counter-Top. Again, however, I found that I still had trouble finding the pieces, especially against Aggro, because LDV is a full turn slower than Worldly Tutor. Also, I had a really poor ‘plan B’ if I didn’t manage to land the combo early on. So, I came up with a new Green version build to smash Aggro – running seven Tutors and more combo pieces.

At this point, it was two days before the tournament. I presented each list to my team and they all said I should run a build with Tarmogoyf. So, with that in mind, I continued to test the four color version. I was unhappy with the lack of control (again), so I actually dropped the Ghoul kill and put in the Kiki kill. This gave me the room for the control base I wanted to run. Carl suggested, the night before, the changes that would complete (well, make it 99.9% complete) the deck – putting the Ghoul kill back into the deck, and taking out the fourth Daze, En-Kor, and third Narcomoeba.

It was Friday night, and Doug and Anthony got to my house around 10:00 or so. (I should mention that as of Wednesday night, I still wasn’t sure how exactly I was going to get there. Spencer had been talking with Doug about coming up, but he wouldn’t know until Thursday night, as he didn’t want to drive all the way from Columbus alone. I guess KC would’ve been able to get me, but it would’ve been the morning-of, which would’ve added like an hour to his trip. Needless to say, Doug found a ride, and all the problems were solved). After a few minor detours (ie, missing the exit and realizing it about fifteen miles later), we eventually get to Spencer’s, at which point it was about 12:00. (The time it should take to get from Ann Arbor to Clawson is about 45 minutes, so we took more than double the time. Big frowns). We got some Taco Bell, and gave Doug the cards to build the rest of his deck. (I just realized that he still has my Scrublands. This is why things should be written down). Also, that night, I decided (for some reason) to run a single Volcanic Island so that I could bring Pyroclasm from my sideboard. I’m not exactly sure why, but it seemed like a good idea. (Although, those Pyroclasms should’ve been Lightning Bolts…but more on that later).

After a decent night’s rest (and plenty of pills to keep my allergies in check), it’s time to head out. We get to Adventurer’s Guildhouse at about 10:00, and are surprised to see we are the first ones there. We head to McDonald’s for some gourmet breakfast, and get back to the store at about 10:45, by which point more people had shown up. Unfortunately, only sixteen payers came, which meant only four rounds and a cut to Top 4. Small turnouts for the lose. The tournament starts a little late, but the pairings finally come, and my Round One opponent is none other than Mr. Douglas Linn.

Oh, and here’s the list I played:

Mono-Blue Combo-Control with Black, Green, and White Splash Suggested by Richard Franklin on 2007-9-22 as a Potential Deck for Legacy
By Richard Franklin

4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
3 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
2 Island
1 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island

4 Cephalid Illusionist
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Narcomoeba
2 Nomads en-Kor
1 Shaman en-Kor
1 Sutured Ghoul

4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
4 AEther Vial
3 Daze
3 Counterbalance
3 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Worldly Tutor
2 Cabal Therapy
1 Dread Return
1 Dragon Breath

SB: 3 Rushing River
SB: 3 Abeyance
SB: 3 Pyroclasm
SB: 3 Duress
SB: 3 Compost

I have to say that this is the best list I’ve ever seen for any deck ever. It preformed like it, too.

Round 1: BGW Junk piloted by Doug Linn (Hi-Val)
I’m on the draw and keep a hand with a turn two kill, along with Force of Will backup. He just plays a land and passes. I drop Nomads, and pass. I Force his Hymn, and untap (drop Illusionist) and win. 1-0

Sideboarding: I can’t quite remember, but I think it was something like this
+3 Compost
-3 AEther Vial

Game Two, I keep a strong hand with Counter-Top and Goyf. He plays a land and passes, and I drop the Top. On his second turn, he drops Yixid Jailer, and I drop the big Counterbalance on mine. From that point on, it was an easy ride, as Counter-Top stopped all his plays, while a couple of giant Goyfs carried me to victory. 2-0

1-0

Round 2: Salvagers piloted by Chris (MasterShake)
I’m on the play and keep a good control hand, leading out with a Therapy naming Gamekeeper, which hits. His hand is LED, 2x Tainted Pact, and a couple lands. He drops a land and passes. On my second turn, I drop a Narcomoeba. He plays his second land, and passes. I swing with Narcomoeba, and then Flashback Therapy, to which he responds by Pact’ing for Living Wish. I then take Living Wish, and pass. I can’t quite remember what happens, but I beat down with some creatures, before he’s eventually able to find the combo and win. 0-1

Sideboarding: Again, I cannot recall specifically, but I do know that I brought Abeyance in, probably for AEther Vials

In Game Two, I open with Counter-Top which wins me the game. He can’t resolve any of his tutors, disruption, or pieces, while Goyf beats for the win. 1-1

Game Three starts much in the same way. I get him down to two life, when he’s able to land a Pernicious Deed and clean the board. I just drop a Cephalid Illusionist and beat for the win. 2-1

2-0

Round 3: Salvagers piloted by Spencer (SpencerForHire)
One reason I dislike small tournaments is that you always play the people you know. Paying $25 to play against Doug, Spencer, and Chris sucks.

He’s on the play, though I’m able to stop his early combo attempts and swing with Goyf a couple times. On about turn five or six, he Deeds the Goyf, after which I just Worldly Tutor for Nomads, and show the Illusionist in my hand for the win. 1-0

Sideboarding: Probably something similar to what I did the previous round.

He Living Wish’es for Yixid Jailer, which I let resolve, and I’m able to get Counter-Top going. He gets me to 12 when I find and drop a Tarmogoyf. I drop another one soon after, and smash face. 2-0

3-0

Round 4: UGR Threshold piloted by Zac (I’m not sure if he’s on any forums)
At this point, we’re the only two undefeated players in the tournament, so if we ID we’d still be the first and second seeds. So, we ID.

3-0-1

Fortunately, Spencer wins his match and makes it into the Top 4. He gets paired against Zac, while I’m paired against Stephen and his Vile Horror deck.

Top 4: Vile Horror piloted by Stephen (Isamaru on MTGSalvation)
I’m on the play, and, as seems to be the theme of the day, land Counter-Top by the third turn. The only play he lands is a Sage of the Epityr, as Counter-Top stops his entire deck. He eventually tries to land a Gilded Drake, but I just Worldly Tutor for another Tarmogoyf in response. He loses to double Goyf. 1-0

Sideboarding: I don’t remember, but I know I bring in all three of my Rushing River.

Game Two starts the same as Game One, but he’s eventually able to land an Engineered Explosives for two. He nukes it, and I decide to River my Counterbalance and Tarmogoyf. He drops a Hunted Horror and passes. I think for a while, as he has lethal damage on the table. I’m holding a Nomads in my hand, along with the mana to Top and cast the Illusionist that's sitting three cards down on my Library, though I didn't know it at the time. I should've Top'ed, saw the Illusionist and won, or (say if the Illusionist wasn't there) just cast blockers. However, I decide not to risk it, and I simply recast Tarmogoyf and Counterbalance to buy me a turn, but he has the Gilded Drake to win. 1-1

At this point, time is called, so we’re only given five turns to play Game Three. I’m not a big fan of timed elimination rounds. The way it worked was this: we have five turns to play the game. At the end of those turns, the game goes to the player with the most life. If the life totals are the same, the game goes to the player who can deal damage first (or, technically, gain life). Zac and Spencer’s match also went to time, which basically screws Spencer, because all Zac had to do was counter some cards, and then just Lightning Bolt or Fire/Ice for the win (which he does). Anyway, Stephen and I angrily finish our match.

Game Three, I keep a hand with some land, Rushing River, and a Nacomoeba. Because I’m on the play, all I have to do is bounce his threat. So, I drop Narcomoeba on turn two, and he answers with Epochrasite. I bounce it on my turn, and swing with Narcomoeba to even our life totals. On his turn (which is turn 5), he can only drop the Epochrasite again, and watch as my little flying dude swings for the win. 2-1

I joke that Lightning Bolt is so good in this format, and that the Pyroclasms (which I didn’t use all day) should’ve been Bolts. Whatever.

Top 2: UGR Threshold piloted by Zac
I keep a hand with Daze and Counterbalance in it. I fetch for an Island and pass. He plays a Mongoose, which I Daze, but he Daze’s back (I should’ve tapped my Island to float mana. D’oh). I land the Counterbalance, but he Wastelands my only Green sources and I am unable to find answer to the Mongoose, which beats for the win. 0-1

Sideboarding: I bring in some number of Abeyance and take out the Worldly Tutors

Game Two, however, is as bad as Game One, as he’s able to resolve a Goyf through Counterbalance. I eventually find my own Goyf, and stall for a little. He manages to land a Mongoose, though, and wins with Lightning Bolt backup. 0-2

So, I end up with $75 in store credit, which I spend on a set of Cabal Therapy (I borrowed Anthony’s for the tournament) and three Pernicious Deed. The rest I spend on eight Future Sight packs, hoping to open a Goyf (which I do! I also get some other decent stuff) to make money off.

It was a decent day, even though I came in expecting to win the Mox. I’m okay with second place and a bye in the next Mox tournament. I was really happy with my deck, though, and definitely made the right choices. The sideboard kind of sucked, as I really only used the Rivers and the Abeyances, though those were great. People often question why I use River instead of something like Echoing Truth. The reason is that River can bounce two different permanents, like Pithing Needle and Crypt/Leyline. Even though that situation never came up, it is useful to have an answer to it.

And now, the obligatory Props and Slops.

Props:
-Doug and Anthony for driving up from Columbus and giving me a ride
-Anthony for lending me a couple Cabal Therapies
-Chris, Spencer, and KC for convincing me to go with the Tarmogoyf plan
-Carl for making some great suggestions
-Tarmogoyf
-Counterbalance and Sensei’s Divining Top
-Rushing River and Abeyance
-My deck, for being the awesome.
-The TO for giving awesome prizes, despite the low turnout

Slops:
-Timed elimination rounds
-Bad allergies
-The rest of my sideboard
-Wasteland
-16-player tournaments with a $25 entry fee