_ O! I go see games visiting myriadgames(tm)

[Englishman_in_NH]

So I may have only gone 2-3 on the December 1st tournament at Myriad games playing my own brand of Bomberman, but here is my report for anyone who is interested. My decklist is similar to the list I played at the november event, except that the dreadnaughts and the trickbinds ended up in the main. 

Well on to the report.

Round 1 - Bill Copes (Stax)

Game 1 - I keep a questionable hand with tolarian and two artifacts and a trinket mage. I fetch lotus, but do not see another land and my opponent has a first turn of double sphere and tangel wire. From there he gets the upper hand as I cannot cast much of consequence and he locks me out under smokestack and we're off to game 2.

Game 2 - I keep a hand with pearl, tundra nad sensei's top, along with some countermagic. Bill opens with double welder. I then fail to see another land even with the top digging. Bill wastes my tundra and eventually locks me out again and I am off to a bad start but hope to see some more lands in the other matches.

Round 2 - Jeremiah Rudolph (Metalworker Combo)

I played Jeremiah at the last event and am pretty sure I know what he is playing. I am not pleased to have to play him, as I know his deck is fast. Luckily I win the die roll and that gives me a chance to get mana down first. This is important in game 1.

Game 1 - My opening hand contains Tolarian Academy, Black Lotus, off-colored Mox, Auriok Salvagers, Trinket Mage and two other cards. Needless to say I combo out getting an arbitrary large amount of mana and then play trinket mage for spellbomb dig for my creatures and time walk. Jeremiah tells me afterwards that he also had a turn 1 kill. Lucky for me I won the die roll!

Game 2 - He gets a retriever and a clamp, but I trickbind the first clamp activation and then swords the retriever so he cannot draw cards. He gets down a trike and clapms it. In response to my end of turn rebuild he shoots me three times and draws two from the clamp. (After the game we discuss this and feel that he should have let trike return to his hand as it significantly slows me down. After this I am able to combo off after removing a sphere and an orb of dreams.

Round 3 - Duncan Devlin (Flash)

Game 1 - He flashes me out with slivers after I misplay and fail to realize that I have the ability to rush some trinket mages out whilst possibly surviving the poison onslaught.

Game 2 - I am able to trickbind a protean hulk trigger and then run out trinket mages, a meddling mage and a samurai of the pale curtain and win with little beats.

Game 3 -  I have a one turn window in this match where I can draw either a blue card or any mana source that produces blue or white as I am sitting on samurai with one white available or force with no blue card. At end of turn my opponent naturalizes my mox sapphire leaving me unable to cast force of will, so he gets slivers. i swords the heart sliver, but he kills me the next turn with poison slivers.
     I was upset that I could not draw one of my numerable outs, but my opponent played well to naturalize my mox and such is the game that sometimes you just don't quite get what you need in time.

Round 4 - Stephen Wells (GAT)

My opponent is new to vintage and is short on proxy slots so he played with some cards that are less seen in the usual GAT lists. However, these odd cards gave me pause for thought and slowed me down in my matches.

Game 1 - I am able to get more counters and eventually trickbind a dreadnaught and swing for 24 over 2 turns.

Game 2 - After some early counter wars, I am able to get down salvagers with engineered explosives and can blow up his dryads faster than he can make them.

At this point I am 2-2 and can only make top 8 if the 9 point players play which they may have to as there are 10 possible players that can make 10 points after this round.

Round 5 - Mike (GAT)

Game 1 - He leads off over the opening turns with 3 brainstorms and a ponder and we finally have a counter war over my Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. He wins this and uses the drain mana to play a tog. This eventually kills me when I can no longer make blockers.

Game 2 - He gets down a dryad and ancestrals to which I drop 2 meddling mages on gush and scroll respectavily. He smothers one and eventually again I draw too few spells and his dryad kills me after I have to chump with my meddling mage.


After this I play in the final Tumbling Dice event at Myriad and narrowly miss out on the final dice-off by 2 points.

After hanging around to see how things go in the top 8 a bunch of us go out to FuddRuckers and have some burgers and then its off home for sleep.

Thanks to everyone I played for the great games and thanks again to Dan and everyone else at Myriad for running such good vintage events on such a frequent basis.


PS The stange title of this report reflects my deck name for the tournament which way the Fibonacci sequence.

[Cane1024]

Hey Oli, Nick here. I'm interested in what your deck list looked like but if you left it out on purpose that's fine.

[Englishman_in_NH]

Hey Nick,

Here is my decklist as you requested.

5 Islands
4 Flooded Strand
3 Tundra
2 Plains
1 Tolarian Academy

3 Trinket Mage
3 Auriok Salvagers
2 Phyrexian Dreadnought
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
2 Aether Spellbomb
1 Engineered Explosives
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Remand
4 Trickbind
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Mana Drain

Sideboard

3 Samurai of the pale Curtain
3 Meddling Mage
3 Swords to Plowshares
2 Rebuild
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Magus of the Moat
2 Seal of Cleansing

[Myriad Games]

Thanks for the report!

Tournament Report Prize for you!

As a reminder to those of you who attended, you can write a report by this coming Saturday (one week from the event) and win a Tournament Report prize as well!

[TopSecret]

I'm glad the Dreadnoughts are working out for you.

Are there any chances of sideboarding either Skullclamp or Straw Golem?

I'll try to make one of the Myriads at some point.
I just have to make a non-terrible deck first.

[Anusien]

How was Grand Arbiter?  I've never tested it, but it's never impressed me in theory.  Seems too expensive for too little game.  I'd actually suggest Gaddock Teeg, and see if you'd considered him.  On the topic of creatures, I notice you don't have Aven Mindcensors.  That was always a very key creature for me against Merchant Scroll-heavy decks, so much so that I think I boarded an extra one in.

Did you like 2 Aether Spellbombs?  I've always run Pithing Needle in that slot and been extraordinarily happy with it.

How was Remand for you?  I liked the card in Intuition Tendrils, but never really considered it in here.  Instead I'm running Misdirections because I needed more ways to defend my creatures for little mana.

Dreadnoughts: they won you a game against GAT, but I'm wondering whether that game would have been won by a different series of cards anyway.  In your list, where you have Dreadnoughts and Stifles, I have Merchant Scrolls, an extra TfK and some flying men (Mindcensors).  The games with Dreadnought, would they have been won with any creature and relevant disruption?  How good did you find that plan to be against GAT versus, say, more Spellbombs and StPs?

[Englishman_in_NH]

Anusien,

I like Grand Arbiter as a bomb card that if dropped early can swing the game depending on what sort of hand my opponent keeps, but it is also heavily dependant on the metagame. i played it because I expected lots of GAT and a certain amount of combo, both of which are mana light in the early games and use cheap cantrips to see extra cards. All in all, the Grand Arbiter could easily be something else. For example, it has also been a Magus of the Future at one point for combo potential with Sensei's Top, or Teferi for more control when the deck is packing a different creature suite.

I have tested Teeg and found it underwhelming against the relevant decks. Yes it stops pitch counters and gush against GAT, but this is only good if you play Mindcensor to try to neuter Merchant Scroll (more on that  anon.) It is also a significant color constraint as one of the decks strengths is its heavy basic land component. All in all playable, but I would prefer it in a green, white, blue fish shell - maybe with 1 or 2 Salvagers for a possible combo finish.

As for the 2 Aether Spellbombs, these are to help combat GAT and Flash to a lesser extent. I have found the second incredibly useful when I have already bounced a dryad and draw another Trinket Mage and either do not have enough mana for explosives or have used it already. In regards to Pithing Needle, it has been underwhelming for me so far as I find it less useful than the spellbomb in almost all matchups. The only matchup I feel that I need the needle is Ichorid and I build this version on the hope that I would avoid Ichorid as this build is attmittedly very weak against ichorid unless you get an early dreadnought. I do not fear Stax and wasteland lock under crucible with 7 basics in the deck, and I have other reactive solutions in my board for other Stax threats.

I like Remand at the moment in blue decks that do not also run black as if you go first and get mox and a land, you have a chance to win tempo off your opponents 1st turn duress or ponder. It did used to be misdirection in the deck for the reason you listed, however I often found that I would be using too many resources by pitching that extra card. so i switched to a counterspell that replaces itself and wins tempo. I have found that in the Bomberman matches versus GAT especially, you have a good chance if you can just slow down their opening few turns where they can go nuts. Remand can do that, although I can see Misdirection being good, I just was looking to try another approach, especially as this deck does not have too many 2 mana plays.

The dreadnoughts did not do much in this tournament as I did not see them or have need to tutor them up in many of my matches, however, at the last Myriad tournament I ran them in the board with meddling mages and cunning wishes in the main deck instead. Almost every game I boarded them in they were consequential. In all, it is a matter of preference. I chose to board them out in certain matchups, especially as many of my opponents had seen the combo game 1 and would incorrectly board against them games 2 and 3.

Dreadnoughts can easily be another creature, however, I have found that the big body heavily neutralizes the average hands (those that are not ridiculously broken) of GAT and to a lesser extent Fish. I have prefered Meddling Mage over Aven Mindcensor for some time in my builds, as there are very few times Aven Mindcensor is devestating, whereas Meddling Mage can severely slow down a deck. If I have room for both creatures - which I seldom do, as I am constantly testing odd ball card choices - they are both playable. Previous to Phyrexian Dreadnoughts errata, four of the slots in my board were for Aven Mindcensor.

I like StP in the board against decks with creatures, which admittedly are quite common now, but have often found it wanting when it is in the main as I can usually get by with 2 spellbombs and explosives.

All in all, everything you've said is something I've toyed with, except for the merchant scrolls that I have not liked in testing (too many of the decks spells are sorcery speed already, i don't feel it needs more). I tend to tool around with my deck, especially as everyone in the North East knows I always play Bomberman, so I like to innovate constantly and try to find new ideas for the deck. One of my current ones is to test ponder in lieu of the thirsts, so as to reduce the mana choke that the deck can have a the threee mana spot.

In the long run I think that the dreadnoughts belong in the sideboard with the trickbinds (mostly to deal with Flash and Storm Combo) with the Meddling Mages and some number of Cunning Wishes and maybe a couple of Aven Mindcensors thrown in. All in all, I think the deck is heading more towards a metagame dependant style of deck. The deck is flexible enough to be aggro or control, so you can build the deck in both directions depending on play style and what you expect to play against any given day.

I hope this proves some insight into this crazy ex-pat's mind and my ramblings have not confused you.

Oli

[Anusien]

Interesting.  I thing I like Dreadnought as a potential answer to GAT, although the number question me.

My question with Grand Arbiter wasn't "Is it good?" but more "Is it cheap enough?"  I found difficult getting up to 4 mana, and I was running 16 lands.  Interestingly, you and I disagree on most of the land choices.  I found Tolarian Academy underwhelming, but run the full Strip Mine, Tolaria West, Library of Alexandria package.  Tolaria West is a recent addition, so we'll see.

Your logic behind Remand is very interesting.  It seems like it is functionally the same role as Merchant Scroll in the deck; sometimes it's a counter and sometimes it's card draw.  What I find interesting is how much cheaper it is than Merchant Scroll->Thirst for Knowledge.
Speaking of Merchant Scroll->TfK, that was prohibitive in the deck without Mana Crypt, which I notice you run.  I could never race Crypt; is your running it a function of having access to Dreadnought?

I really like some of the changes you made; I won my first (and only, sadly) piece of power with Bomberman so I'm quite attached to the deck.  I just want to discuss a few sideboard slots with you.

Samurai of the Pale Curtain: Is this even any good against modern Dredge decks?  I get how he stops Hulk, which is probably more important in the NE, but Ichorid doesn't need the cards like Ichorid as much any more, so I was hoping you could speak to this a bit more.

The Anti-Stax Package (1 Hurkyl's Recall, 2 Rebuild, 2 Seal of Cleansing): Rebuild is much better in a deck that can simply win, and you have retooled your build to be slightly more aggro-controllish and less able to combo out, based on the -1 Trinket Mage, and no Merchant Scroll to fetch Ancestral Recall (and no Misdirection to help you go for it).  I always had better luck with a few Energy Fluxes because they're a much better midgame plan.  Can you help me see how you got to the anti-Stax plan you're on?

Thanks!  You've been a great resource and there's very little solid discussion of BMan on these boards.

[Englishman_in_NH]

Anusien,
   
   I have never found Strip Mine to be that great in this deck, as I almost always wish it were a colored mana. This is the same reason for recently cutting Library, as right now in the format, the first three turns seem all important for Bomberman to survive. This normally means that Library is weaker. This plus the addition of Stax back into the metagame in force due to multiple sphere effects has lead to be eschewing non-basics in favor of basics for a while now. Time will tell, if that is wise.

Academy is possibly slightly more relevant because it can get you to three mana more quickly, plus with the number of artifacts in the deck, it is at least an island and normally counts for 2 or 3  when it is in play.

Arbiter isn't always cheap enough, but I see it in a similar vein to some of the bombs that various combo decks run. If it can be cast early (often by turn 2 or 3) especially of of an early Trinket Mage for Lotus, it can be backbreaking. Often it is a must counter in the GAT matchup as it screws up their mana, especially if they are mana light.

I have very rarely had a problem with mana crypt, although on occasion I have had to explosives on zero to ensure safety from crypt. The dreadnoughts certainly make racing crypt easier, although in previous builds with Cunning Wish, wishing for a bounce spell also helps. All in all, I think it is a necessary evil, as it ramps up your mana substantially.

In terms of sideboard, I have never been fond of playing Leyline of the Void in decks I cannot cast it in, and I have found the samurai to be a good substitute. Needless to say they are as relevant in the flash matchup as Leyline, except that many flash players have boarded expecting leylines not a creature answer. In terms of Ichorid, it not only neuters their Ichorid recurring, which admittedly is less useful that it once was; but also stops all bridge activations too (nothing goes to the graveyard). This neuters almost all of Ichorid's relevant plays whilst leaving you with a functional 3/3 for blocking any 2/2 they have in play. It may not be the best play, but I was only expecting a few Ichorid decks and feel it bridges the gap between too much hate, and not enough. Finally there are certain times when i play against someone who has played against enough to know I am playing Bomberman. In these instances it is sometimes useful to board out the Auriok Salvagers and bring in other creatures and play in a vein akin to UW fish. The samurai are also useful to a small degree against fish decks where they trade favorably and remove their strip effects permanently in case of recursion.

Finally, in regards to the Stax package, I was previously running Energy Flux in the board. However, many Stax players in the NE are now playing Eon Hubs in their boards as an answer to this and somewhat to answer Ichorid, as well as hurting Oath. No upkeep means no Flux trigger. As well as this I have often found that the better Workshop players know which artifacts to keep around and still soft lock me enough with Energy Flux down before they draw an answer. In lieu of this I have been playing with Rebuilds and Hurkyl's recall to allow for end of turn bouncing of permanents. This then allows for me to drop a number of threats the following turn and potentially counter the recast threats on my opponents turn. The seals were a late addition, as I had in the previous tournament faced 4 or 5 Workshop variants over 6 rounds and top 8 and top 4 where I lost. I had been going to play Aura of Silence instead, but was unsure of the double white against decks that run stip effects. I still think Aura of Silence is slighly better as, the increased manacost of their artifacts and enchantments severely hinders them unless they get multiple shops out.

Thanks for your response, and I'm glad you have found my rambling useful. if we can just get some of the Canadians to comment on Bomberman, we may be able to get a better discourse going as they have shown themselves to be very proficient with it both at home and when visiting for big events here.