Hi all,
Yesterday I played at a 70 players tourney here in Italy and played Keeper as usual.
Debating on with myself if trying the last Zherbus list or my consolidated ChaliceKeeper, scouting a bit the field and not seeing a lot of Combo, I opted for the Zherb Build that I have tested during the past 2 weeks and that do well facing ControlMirrors and Aggro.
My changes were:
-1 Cunning Wish
+2 Impulse
I played my usual 61 card build.
During the tests of the week, I found that I missed the 3° Wish not so much during a lot of games. On the other hand, relying only on 4 brainstorm and 4 massivedrawers (Ancestral, FoF and 2 Skeletal ) hurted me too much vs. Hulk and Control in general. Impulses let play with the right amount of search for Bombs ( agaisnt control ) and removals ( against aggro ).
With 2 additional "DigFor4" inthe maindeck I not found the presence of the 61° card so bad
The Metagame was a mix of high powered decks and unspoilered with competitive builds.
I faced:
1)Unspoilered Ub control
2)Full powered Hulk Smash
3)Monored Goblin
4)Full Powered TPS
5)Powered SuicideBlackHate
6)Full Powered Lock&Stock
7)Full Powered Zherbus' Keeper
Not considering the first match, where the player was not so skilled and the deck not so much streamlined, all the other builds were perfectly suited and adapted to the metagame.
Noone is expecting a lot of Combo, so anyone packed in Control-Artifact and Creature hate.
*)ROUND 1
Game 1 and 2. I pulled out all the restricted cards of my deck in 3-5 turns and he tried ( and resolved ) 2 or 3 Infiltrators.. Not so much to say. They were Blasted or Sworded Away at some moments and I eventuall ywin in total control.
Stiffles disappeared in the depth of my deck...
Match 1-0-0 - Games 2-0
**)ROUND 2
Game 1. I keep a good and with. 1Fetch, 2 Waste, 1 Brainstorm, 1 Stiffle, 1 Mox, 1 Gorilla. In the next 3 rounds I managed to waste his first 2 lands and stiffle his first fetchland. My gorilla eat one or two of his Moxen and all my drawers revealed other drawers/diggers and the last Mana Denials of my deck. During the whole match he didn't acquire 2 total mana sources. 5 soldiers finished him soon after.
I noticed that I didn't have so much to side in. I sided In my 2 ReB and 2 Crypts, 1 Damping Matrix( I found only one to add to my side.. ) for 1 StP, 1 Fire/Ice,2 Stiffle and Mistycal.
Game 2 was more balanced. He resolve a first turn Ancestral and get some acceleration. I keep a strong hand with 3 mana on my first turn, Wish, Drain ( 2 blue mana on my first turn ), Impulse and Gorilla. i leave the mana open for an eventual counter on his second turn or for a wish or the impulse on his second EoT. I resolved my Impulse, keep a Skeletal and then drawing a FoW on my own draw phase. With me with double counter back-up he tried an Intuition during my EoT with FoW backup. I didn't let him resolve this spell fearing 2 or 3 D.A. Luckily he didn't cast anything during his turn and I tried to resolve a Skeletal for 2 during his EoT. it resolved and I draw some ManaDenial and my Decree. Cicling some men wasn't so risky at this point of the match because of little amount of mana ( 2 off color mox and an Island ). Of course he topdeck his lone Penicious Deed and resolve it THANKS to his off color moxen, getting rid of my poor men. We draw go for at least 3 turns with him resolving AK for 1 and 2 and me breaking the game with a Skeletal for 6 with ReB and FoW backup.. Mind Twist, Y. Will and Damping Matrix sealed the game and e concede with me woth 4 cards in hand and him with zero when I showed my ability to protect 5 Angels.. .
Match 2-0-0 - Games 4-0
***)ROUND 3
Game 1: I didn't know, as with my first 2 opponents, his deck strategy, so I keep an hand with 1 Island, 1 SolRing, 1 Fetch, 1 Skeletal, 2 Braisntorm and 1 Gorilla. Not a good one. He let me realize that I have to run when, after winning the roll dice and going first, resolve a Lackey. I didn't find a StP or my Fire so I hoped not to be overrunned before establishing. He resolve another lackey and with a Lotus Petal he resolve reckless charge AND the 2 Lackeys attacked letting him to put in play 2 SiegeGangCommander. WHERE ARE MY STIFFLES?
I was a little bit frightned. He would have hitten me for 13 at least the next round. 2 Braisntorm and a Fetchland reshuffled bad cards showing me Demonic Tutor, Walk and a Tundra. Uhm.. maybe I could even have won with those cards. I Walked one time, tutored for Balance ( he have 2 card in hand and 2 lands ), I resolve Balance and draw 3 from Skeletal during my next turn. Skeletal give to me Lotus, Impulse and Stiffle. He resolve a Cadet and I draw Decree.. During his attack phase I could only cicle for 1 but this was enough to control his Cadet. Impulse revealed me Ancestrall that revealed me Y.Will and other lands. He bury his own Cadet and my Little Soldier resolving another Lackey and a Piledriver. It was time for Y.Will to refill my hand of cards and after playing other 2 turns finally my 2 Angels get rid of his men and his life.
I sided out Wishes, Mystical and Stiffles for BeB, CopRed, Vamp and removals
Game 2: I resolved a first turn Vampiric for CoP.Red. he resolved a first turn Lackey, Petal, Reckless Charge another time and a Goblin Goon... My hand contained 1 mox and I casted CopRed with anothe rmana open for the Goon. Piledriver showed up but I have other lands to protect me. His Armay was Balanced away 5 or 6 turns after, when it was growing too much. He loads against me all his hand of PoP and Burn but I ended up taking only 3 from a Bolt. Luckily he topdeck his last PoP dealing me 12 damages.... So low on life but with him without cards in hand I setup a Huge Y. Will with some drawrs and additional mana acceleration. Angels win 2 turns after.
Match 3-0-0 - Games 6-0
****)ROUND 4
It was one of the 2 TPS players of the entire field and I hoped not to fight with them in the swiss because of my choice of not siding the full set of CotV. of course I was paired with one of them...
. He is a very skilled player and won a lot during the past tourneys all around here.. Shit!.
He win the roll dice and go City, Ruby go. I have decided to keep ( after mullinganing... ) only hands with some Kind of denial or with strong acceleration. Not being fullfilled by own deck, I have to keep a 3 land, 1 FoW, 1 Brainstorm, 1 Stiffle not wanting to mull to 5.. I go land go and he braisntormed during my EoT. He Duressed me on his second turn taking FoW, resolving Lotus, Mox Black, Land, Mind Desire for 4... I brainstormed into a FoW that let me save from his Necro. The Other 3 spell where 1 Artifact Mana, 1 Windfall, 1 Tinker. He resolve Tinker for Jar ( knowing about my Stiffle) and Winfall for my 3 cards ( taking out my Stiffle for his Jar.. ). During my turn I topdeck Ancestral but it revealed me only 2 land and a MoxMonkey with which I eat his moxen, leaving me with 2 mana open. His Jar let him go for Land, Mox, Ritual, Ritual, Wheel of Fortune, another Ritual, Bargain, Draw at least 10, Vault, Crypt, other Moxen, Brainstorm, Demonic Tendrils.. When he break Jar I drawed Mind Twist, Y. Will, Walk, Decree, 2 Land and Impulse. Impulse revealed the FoW for his first ritual but not his second one. I lose.
I sided In Crypts, 1 Disenchant and Vamp for 2 StP, F/I and Balance ( I was sure he has no trasformational sideboard ). i didn't pack ReB because of my worst enemy shoud have been Enchantments and Y.Will and they were not blue
Damn!
.
Game 2 I mulliganed to 6 another time but this time I keep an hand with 1 Land, Waste, Gorilla, 1 Crypt, Braisntorm and FoW. He forced me to use FoW on my first turn going Land Ritual. I stopped him at this step, fearing too much other artifact mana and a Duress backup. His plan stopped here and pass. I didn't reveal my gorilla but wasted his land. I draw a Skeletal, drop Crypt and I pass the turn. In his second turn he go land go. I draw Brainstorm and dropped another land. He used his Vamp on my EoT and tried to resolve Ancestrall on his mainphase. He drew 3 and drop Lotus, Mox, another Ritual. I brainstormed in response and found another FoW with Walk as Blue Card. Sure of the lack of Duress I let him resolve Ritual and he cast Jar, I FoW and with the last Red Mana he use ReB. Not so hot. On my turn I drop gorilla, mox and eat his mox leaving me with 2 mana open another time and not so much to do.... He break the Jar during the Upkeep, draw his 8° card and then go for Duress, I Braisntormed in Response and found FoF, drain and a land. Sure of dying in this turn I put a land and FoF on top of the deck to fuel the possible Skeletal in my next turn. I counter the Duress with FoW to ruin his mental plan. Without counter I could only bluff. After a bit of thinking he could be able only to resolve 5 spell, cast tendril and ten pass.. I was astonished. This time I was been very lucky! I beat with my shaman, draw my land, eat his mana aftifact and then pass. He go draw-go. I drew FoF, attack and pass. I resolved a Skeletal for 3 on his EoT but he response with Vamp that I couldn't Counter. I draw Braisntorm, Decree and Drain. Some Wastes showed up and he have only 3 lands in play woth 2 cards in his mainphase. He draw go and I tried to resolve FoF. He mubled a bit ( maybe about countering.. ) but after a while he let me take 5 cards. They were . Land, Drain, Disenchant, FoW, Gorilla. I took the pile with Gorilla and Fow and tdraw my Strip. The match was shifting towards my side and I cicled a decree for 5 during his EoT. 2 turns of attack and the Judge call for the Time. I won on my last additional turn with 7 men on my side and a Wish for Fire, with him stuck on 2 lands and a full hand of unplayble spells.
Stiffle were useless in this matchup as I have tested, but crushed one of his Fetchland.. so they do a good job for me..
Match 3-0-1 - Games 7-1
*****)ROUND 5
I faced a dude with MonoBlackHate that was unbeated until now... Wow! he should have losen if he would have faced some Workshop.dec. He sayed to me that he was paired only with Hulk and Control.. Uhm.. I won the first roll of the entire tourney. I drew 2 fetch. Ancestral, Stiffle, Mox, Waste and FoW. I take out my two permanents and pass the turn. He lay swamp, Ritual, Tourach ( which I FoW), Mox Diamond and Nantuko... Strong Start. I sac during my Eot, resolve Ancestral, Drew Walk, Braisntom and Sol Ring. I make 2 Turns and pass with 3 blu producers and an Active Drain. He layed another Swamp, Rituals another time, another Tourach and a Specter. I counter the Tourach and took 2 from Nantuko. I drew Impulse. He layed Mishra and Beat me. I Impulse on declaration of his attack phase and Found a Beatiful Stiffle for his Specter. He break one of my lands with a sinkhole. I Wasted his Mishra after having Tutored for Balance to save my 2 cards in Hand ( Wish and FoW ). He resolved his 3 Tourach and a Null Rod. My active mana were reduced to 2 land. My next 2 draw were provvidential. I resolved a Braisntorm keeping Shaman, Keeping Land and Skeletal on top of the pile. I eat 2 Mox leaving him with only 3 mana.He resolve a Negator
.. I drew land and then pass. I took 5 and for his first turn he didn't cast a single spell.. I drew my Skeletal and during his EoT I drew 3. He swing for 3 another time and I see Lotus, Y. Will and Land. Those cards sealed the game after 3 turns.
I addeed StP and Disenchant for Stiffles
I mulliganed to 6 keeping a strong hand but without FoW but with a lot of acceleration. He go land mox ritual Wretch Rod. Damn!. I layed my useless moxen and a fetch. I drew a removal that take care of his wretch. He resolve a duress and another ritual for a specter. Damn!!!! He was too "good" for me! I drew FoW that meet his Specter ( one of my 4 cards.. ) and a Shade close the match soon after with me wothout gas and him with a creature or a disruption spell every turn.
I added Damping Matrix and another Disenchant for my 2 Gorilla.
The history seemed to repeat herself. We trade counter and removals for a bit of his disruptions and creatures. He Kegged away my Weenies and I Freezed his creature abilities, but after 5 minutes of playing the time ended.
Stiffles revealed themselves for the extremely good but extremely situational cards that they are..
Match 3-0-2 - Games 8-2
******)ROUND 6
This time i faced an artifact-based deck. I won the roll dice and keep a strong and with 2 land, 1waste, mox Ancestral and 2 Fow. Whoa! I resolved Ancestral on his Upkeep, drawing MindTwist, Gorilla and land. He go Workshop, Mox, Lotus. Seeing at my hand I don't let him resolve Lotus, cast FoW and letting him only to resolve a Wire. I tapped out but crushed his Workshop. He showed me how strong he is and he resolve a Smockestack. Damn. Luckily i drew another Waste that leave him with 2 permanent as me... He not add counters on Stack but his 3° Workshop revealed me that his shuffle abilities are more affective than my strategies.. He resolve a Sphere and a Welder. With 3 mana on table I assorb UU for braisntorm and another Waste showed up. Soooo Good!!. He couldn't manage to resolve spell after this turn for other 3 turns due to mana screw. i get rid of his welder before this time and MindTwist and Shaman take care of his future resources.
I sided out Wishes, Mystical, MindTwist and Stiffles for Rack&Ruins, Disenchants, BeB and StP.
He mulliganed to 6 and lay only a land on his first turn. I knew he could have a Workshop on his hand but with a FoW backup and some cheap draw spell, I wasted his land. He smiling layed his suspected Workshop but I FoWilled his first Smockestack. He layed a mox too. Braisntorming during my own turn revealed me Waste, gorilla, walk. He didn't lay another land as suspected but resolve a Wire. My turn see him without land and me in a better position. He didn't draw land for 2 turns, drop 2 mox on his turn and add a counter on stack not to let me gain board control. I showed him my gorilla and I leave him with 2 useless permanent. He ate his stack but the game his over after Walking, Skeletal for 4, Willing after a bit and taking some soldier with him autolocked by my massive denial.
Match 4-0-2 - Games 10-2
*******)ROUND 7
Confident on this match I was astonished to lose 2-0...
Sad.
Sad.
Sad.
My opponent was skilled and while I drew not so good his draws were more solid.
Game 1 he resolve a first turna Ancestral and a subsequent Walk-LoA game breaking play. I tried to keep him low on cards but on this intent I used more resource than expected and he seemed to drew the exact card on the right timing. Of course drawign 2 for 6 turns helps alot.. my Wastes desappeared in the bottom of my deck and when they showed up, he stiffle it and I concede after 5 men.
Game 2 was different, but it revealed me how I could lose to color screw. He saw only a Waste. I keep with 1 fetc, 1 island, 1 gorilla, 2 braisntorm, 1 skeletal and a Wish, but after my first brainstorm. i see only tundras and mox ( of course not red or black ). i fetch my volcanic and after resovling my shaman for 2 of his moxen, I Sadly "lose" all the colors of my deck. I see Tundras and black and red spell for all the match. he cicle some men to create pressure and he take me without Stiffle for it. I balanced away his little army, but he resolved his COLORED spell forcing me to counter every turn. Soon after I scoop to a huge Y.Will. ..
He ended first on the swiss.
I found the deck more resilient on every matchup excluding combo. So I was satisfied a lot on playing it and I found MAtrix really really usefull in the current metagame. Hulk and L&S have not created a lot of problem.
Maybe I take my CotV maindeck in other fields to contain combo
