[Origins Report] I beat Kowal with Darksteel Colossus

[riggy]

I'll warn you all in advance that this thread really has no valuable information in it. After the next paragraph, I'll mostly just be insulting Kowal and making fun of his inability to deal with a first turn 11/11 trampling indestructable creature. I mean, come on, who can't deal with that?!?

Also, major slops to the judges. In addition to what was mentioned in other threads, I got into a 10 minute argument with a level 3 judge about what the converted mana cost of a spell with X in the cost on the stack was. I had exhausted my appeals before I got the right answer from someone. I was very close to having it ruled that my first turn Chalice for 0 counters all my future chalices. And slops to other players for yelling out their thoughts on the situation. That was very unhelpful.

So I decided to play in Thursday night's type 1 at Origins.  I played a bizarre screwed up fun deck. Take a U/R workshop slaver deck with no force of wills and only three slavers, add 2 Jester's Caps, a Karn, a Mind's Eye and a Darksteel Colossus. That was my deck. Not much in the way of secret tech. But by all the gods, I made sure I capped every opponent's ass to make sure that I had every deck list out there. I'm not a fan of team secrecy.

The other thing about the deck was that in every match I played, I won at least one game because of Darksteel Colossus.

My first round opponent was a kid playing Ankh Sligh.
I roll over Ankh Sligh, 2-0 (Chalice for 1 both games - duh!)

Second Round: Some guy playing Living Death Reanimator.
I roll over Reanimator, 2-0 (Jester's Cap for Living Deaths, no other animate spells, wtf?)


Round 3: This match was against Kowal playing some bad deck or another.

Kowal was one of my favorite opponents. We trade a few personal insults, cut the decks and I proceed to commence with the subject of this post.

Game 1: I obliterate him. Nothing to be done for it. I have Darksteel Colossus, and his power is inescapable. He rolls over Kowal something fierce.
Game 2: He does the same to me, but without the finely-tuned machine that is the Colossus.
Game 3: the first of many mistakes for the remainder of the night. I'm playing first. I go: Workshop, Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Trisk. I set my hand down so I can dig some counters out for the trisk. He asks if I'm done, and I say sure. I pick up my hand and proceed to swear as I realize I forgot to play my chalice for 0. He goes Land, Lotus, Ruby, Rack and Ruin hitting Sol Ring and Trisk and then plays something annoying like Gorilla Shaman or something. I keel over and die something quickly. I hate myself sometimes.

But the important thing is to remember that Kowal died to Darksteel Colossus. Let us all cherish the moment.

Round 4: Smennen with hulk.
Game 1: I play some stuff followed by a first turn chalice for 0, which he forces. I respond with another Chalice for 0. He curses a bit and it resolves. He plays a land and second turn, I top deck a chalice, which I drop for 2. I then proceed to own him by playing Jester's Cap (grabbing some good cards, can't remember what). Followed by a Mindslaver. I slave him and do the following: I cast a Duress, followed by a mana drain (chalice for 2 gets triggered), and I then force his Duress with the last card in his hand. I then proceed to top deck 6 lands in a row while he slowly recovers with Hulk's amazing draw engine (read that as Ancestral). My 7th top deck was a Time Walk (stupid chalice for 2). And he killed me the turn after. I think my deck hates me.

Game 2: I think it was second turn, I resolved a tinker for Darksteel Colossus.

Game 3: Close, but he outplayed me. I don't remember the details, but I was mana light and never saw a single Lotus (Gilded or Black).

But the important thing is to remember that Kowal died to Darksteel Colossus. Let us all cherish the moment again.

Also of note is that Kowal can't play Draw 7. He can, however, annoy the hell out of Soup by picking up one of his decks and proceeding to throw every card onto our game as if it were a Falling Star. You could see Soup's freshly shaven scalp slowly turn red as he got really freaking annoyed by it.

Props:
Hi-Val's girlfriend for cookies
The guy who traded me a mint-ish beta sinkhole for 5 foil commons from Mirrodin and 8th and $6 worth of type 2 rares.
Kowal, Samite Healer, and Hi-Val for being cool (along with the dozen other TMDers I met)

Slops:
The 50 year old, 250 pound woman for thinking she could still fit into the belly dancer outfit she wore when she was slim and 20-something.
Kowal for losing to Darksteel Colussus
The bastard on I-77 who followed me with his brights on for about 10 miles.

In conclusion, I'd like to remind everyone that Kowal died to Darksteel Colossus. Let us all cherish the moment. Let us savor the look on the Jesus-clone's face as he realizes that the target of my tinker isn't Memnarch or Memory Jar, but is instead his impending doom.

[Hi-Val]

This tourney report is SO GOOD. Mentioning me is technology. And the DrakSteeLe Corrossuss is pretty sweet. There are few answers to it in T1, making it good tech if the deck can support it.

[Jebus]

Also, major slops to the judges. In addition to what was mentioned in other threads, I got into a 10 minute argument with a level 3 judge about what the converted mana cost of a spell with X in the cost on the stack was. I had exhausted my appeals before I got the right answer from someone. I was very close to having it ruled that my first turn Chalice for 0 counters all my future chalices. And slops to other players for yelling out their thoughts on the situation. That was very unhelpful.

Ok, I'm hearing way too many misrulings comming from Origins.  This makes me very sad.

:tear:

[hulk3rules]

I dunno if you're trying to be funny or something- but just make sure that you don't forget one important thing out of this experience:

You lost a round to Ben Kowal.  Therefore- you suck

[riggy]

Ok, I'm hearing way too many misrulings comming from Origins. This makes me very sad.

I was there when Soupboy (I think it was him) had it ruled against him that Time Walk was targetted. At that moment, about 4 or 5 other people all shouted out answers that supported both sides of the ruling. On top of that, there wasn't a copy of the Oracle text for the cards available. =(

Same thing when I got it ruled against me for the chalices and CMC. 4 or 5 different players crowded around myself, my opponent, and the judge and all started talking over one another about what they "knew" to be the rule. I followed the level 3 up to the head judge, then the TO, and then back into the back room to read the comprehensive rules with him. The TO did brush us off so at least he didn't make a ruling about it (I heard rumors the TO was a level 4).

All in all, the players were great, the judges left a bit to be desired.

As for losing to Kowal, I went 2-3 that night. Far too tired after working 8 hours, driving the 7 hours to get there, sleeping for 5, and then hanging at the center all day before the tourney started at 7. Once I got some sleep, I took 8th in the following day's tourney. I was at table 1, and died 2 games in a row to my mana crypt (both games coming down to the final flip - if I won the flip, I won the game). Then I dropped to table 3 and had to face fish, to which I died horribly. So 8th place it was.

[Jebus]

On top of that, there wasn't a copy of the Oracle text for the cards available. =(

This, above all else, is unacceptable.

Were these tournaments sanctioned?

[riggy]

Yup. They most definitely were.

On the second day, one of the judges (the level 3 I got into an argument with) brought his laptop from home and so they had the oracle and the comprehensive rules. I believe that it was a problem with the computer day 1 that prevented the oracle from being available.

[Jebus]

I keep a copy in a notebook on paper.  Every judge who is running a tournament should.

No excuse.

[The Atog Lord]

A friend of mine playing in a Grand Prix Trial at Origins told me that a judge informed him that offering a prize split is collusion. The awful rulings were not limited to Type One. I have had good experiences with the judges at Origins in the past, and am saddened that Professional Event Services' poor judging detracted from the experience of myself and others.

[Dr. Sylvan]

This tourney report is SO GOOD. Mentioning me is technology. And the DrakSteeLe Corrossuss is pretty sweet. There are few answers to it in T1, making it good tech if the deck can support it.

You sir sound like you have been spending an unhealthy amount of time near a certain individual, Ben Kowal. In fact, that is exactly what I would expect him to say. Mods, Kowal's got two accounts!!!!one11! Oh no!

[squash86]

The judging at Origins was, with a few exceptions, sub-par. Especially at the midnight Type 1, where the head judge gave warnings for disagreeing on reality, when there was no disagreement.

The fact that he looked and sounded like a chick didn't help him either.

[Smmenen]

I am in shock that someone ruled that Time Walk was targeted.  Someone should have asked ANYONE at the tournament: Me, kevin, Rich Shay, ANYONE and we could have told you.  When someone asked I yelled that it definately was NOT targeted.  I cannot understand how someone thought that it was.

[Toad]

I cannot understand how someone thought that it was.

Time Warp and Time Stretch are targetted. That is a possible reason.

[riggy]

Time Warp and Time Stretch are targetted. That is a possible reason.

Both those cards were mentioned during the disagreement, and it was brought up that their wording both says "Target Player."

A comparison to Brainstorm vs. some targetted draw card was also brought up, though I don't think the judge heard that one.

[Jacob Orlove]

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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Checking the Oracle wording

[Smmenen]

I'm still baffled that they didn't ask a competent player.  Anyone who played during the Misdirection era last year knew the answer to that.

[Jebus]

They shouldn't need to ask a player.  They should check the Oracle text which they should have on them.

There is no excuse.  None.

[riggy]

The problem with asking a competent player was that there were people who looked competent and were at higher tables and they were shouting out the wrong answers. I think the number of people trying to answer the questions frustrated the judges.

As for the judges themselves, they were the standard judges that you see at all the PES events (most recently at GP: Columbus). There were only a handful of bad ones. Lee McBlain (sp?) and his crew did wonderfully, but they were doing the larger events such as trials, PTQs, amateur championships, etc.

I really can't and won't defend the lack of the oracle text, though. It was corrected by day 2, at least.

[Xeniden]

Wow, on the whole, it sounds like the judges really left a lot to be desired.

But hey, it sounds like Colossus did a bit of steam-rolling.  Not bad.

[Komatteru]

Yeah, everyone was screaming about that Time Walk call.  The judge still ruled that way despite every player in the room saying it was the wrong call...

You sir sound like you have been spending an unhealthy amount of time near a certain individual, Ben Kowal. In fact, that is exactly what I would expect him to say.

He's a shifty fellow (j/k), what with his Cloud of Fairies.  Man...those things are intimidating...

[Hi-Val]

At one point, Ben started a Storm count when he played 3 Clouds in a row while using my Gay Red deck. So good.

[Komatteru]

I scoped to Cloud of Fairies with that stupid gay red deck after I had no land and he had two wastelands in play...it was pretty sad...

[Soupboy]

I was involved with the Time Walk debacle, so I'll clear a few things up:

I cast Time Walk, my opponent attempts to misdirect, I state that I didn't believe he could, we call the judge.  The Judge mentions that there was a new (?!) errata and that Time Walk was indeed targetted.  I politely challenge the ruling and ask if he would check on that.  SEVEN minutes pass as first one judge and then another goes off to find some sacred tome of knowlege that is oh-so-cleverly locked away with no key.  It went up to Head Judge (not TO, AFIAK), and it was ruled that Time Walk was NOT targetted.  

Now, I shall spew forth my opinions on a very specific matter.  IF YOU'RE NOT CURRENTLY JUDGING AN EVENT, SHUT THE HELL UP.  It helps no one for half a dozen players who "know" the rules shout out answers, most of the time contradicting.  There's only one answer that's important to anyone, and that's the answer of the Head Judge/TO.  What do you want the judge to say, "Well, gee I thought it was ruled X, but now that Player Q has informed me that it works this way, I'll rule Y."  Come on.  

This is not an attack on any specific player(s), but just as an example, take the Columbus Mox tourney from a few months back where we had no Judge.  Morphing was ruled to be countered by Damping Matrix by several players who "knew" the rules.  

Judges make bad calls.  It happens.  Some things can easily be prevented (with an oralce text, for example).  But rulings need to come from judges, not players.  Period.  I'll take an incorrect ruling from a judge before I'll take a correct ruling from another player.  That's part of the game.  

But now I think we should get back on topic.  Ahem.  He lost to Darksteel Colossus?!  How terrible.  Why that's almost as bad as Hi-Val not dropping his mox before animating his Dragon...

The Soup

[Kowal]

To clear things up:

Riggy wins the die roll.  he drops Reef, Pearl, Sol Ring, Tinker for Colossus.
Me:  Drop a land, crap my pants, go.
Him:  Workshop, Jester's Cap, pop a cap in your ass, swing for 11.
Me:  Draw, scoop.

I got owned.  But it wasn't THAT bad.

[Dozer]

Morphing was ruled to be countered by Damping Matrix by several players who "knew" the rules.

I am not sure what you mean by this, but all of Morphling's abilities are activated abilities and actually prevented by Damping Matrix, although the spell itself obviously isn't.

Also, I agree that players should not interfere directly, but once the judge has made his ruling, if I knew it to be wrong, I'd point my concerns out (unless I am in a game myself and have not followed the whole discussion, of course). Chances are that the judge has overlooked something. If not, he will be able to explain it to me to shore up all questions.

Dozer

[Dante]

He means morph-ing, as in cards with morph (play facedown, then turnup for morph cost), not Morphling....that's what I though too the first time I read it....

[Soupboy]

He means morph-ing, as in cards with morph (play facedown, then turnup for morph cost), not Morphling....that's what I though too the first time I read it....

Yes, that's most definately an important lack of an "L" in there     And has anyone else had the distinct opportunity to attempt to post on TMD using a Pentium 75 and a 14.4 modem?  Yeah, 3 hours later I got to finally read two posts...

Oh, and for the record I think Riggy summed up my thoughts a bit more completely, thus most of my original post was unnecessary (except for the part about the final ruling being correct).

The Soup

[Gandalf_The_White_1]

I used to look up to you, Kowal .

Definately agree about how sloppy the judging seemed to be.  Targeted time walk wtf is that.

Although your deck seemed to be most certanly sub-optimal(no fow lol), I would have to agree that smashing face with colossus (eseacially Kowal's face), would be worth it.

You should have found a stupid judge to rule that colossus' re-shuffle is a triggered ability, then welded him in for more mayhem:).

[Gabethebabe]

bad judges are everywhere.

In the Gencon in Barcelona (264 player tournament) they made the following 2 rulings:

A Vampiric Tutor got counterspell-ed (or FoW-ed or Drain-ed). He-Who-Casted-Vampiric-Tutor lost 2 life anyway according go the judge.

Someone cast Blurred Mongoose. Opponent is playing UWG Gro and has  6 cards in the GY. Reaching Threshold seemed a good idea (I suppose he had a Werebear, Nimble Mongoose or Enforcer in play), so he tried to cast Daze, targeting the Mongoose. The judge ruled that this was illegal.

HAR-HAR-FRIGGIN-HAR

[riggy]

Although your deck seemed to be most certanly sub-optimal(no fow lol), I would have to agree that smashing face with colossus (eseacially Kowal's face), would be worth it.

I independently developed a slaver deck about a month after Mirrodin was out (about the time I got my first workshop). Sure that decklist is terrible now (to be-labor an already dead and beaten horse, note the use of a couple Brainstorms in a slaver build back in December, not March). but ever since then, it's been almost a stubborn stupid pride issue for not changing my deck to the more conventional slaver builds. Stubborn pride is bad, admittedly, but in light of Origins, I've added the FoW and Fire/Ice, and I maindecked some artifact mutations. The Colossus will remain though, in honor of Kowal's memory.

I pulled the Jester's Caps - those were meta-specific. I expected there to be a lot more Hulk and 4cc control and was sure that the Caps would function well. They did, but I faced a low number of those decks and realized they were mostly useless against my worst matchups (mainly Fish and Madness). So I added the Fire/Ices for Fish and the mirror and FoW for every matchup. With the addition of Fire/Ice, I feel the blue count is much better for FoW.

As for the judging, I'm very surprised that nothing has shown up on the judge's listserv about Origins. I personally e-mailed Andy Heckt about the judging and asked for the name of the TO and if Andy had the info, who was there judging for which tournaments. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I feel better about it.