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« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2005, 07:49:13 am » |
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The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave birth to it comes again. In one Age, called the Second by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose across the snowy streets of Eau Claire. The wind was not a beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But is was a beginning. -Robert Jordan
East the wind blew as the stalwart players from Eau Claire battled up to 16 inches of drifting snow to make it to the Adventurer’s Guild for their turn at being number 1 in Sanctioned. 12 players proved that there is no better place to be on a Friday night than in a cold basement playing cards.
My name is Chris Lehman, and here is my story.
I am a self-proclaimed Green player, both by skill and by color of choice. I don’t practice, I rarely play, and most of the time I scrub out. The winds showed me that although metagame cards are a hot commodity, there isn’t a lot they can do to compare to the speed of the Power 9 in Sanctioned. My deck of choice was an unpowered U/G Madness build sporting 6 hate cards maindeck, in the form of 3 Ground Seal and 3 Null Rod.
Sanctioned U/G Madness
Mana
2x Windswept Heath
2x Flooded Strand
3x Island
3x Forest
4x Tropical Island
4x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
3x Elvish Spirit Guide
Beats
4x Wild Mongrel
3x Aquamoeba
4x Basking Rootwalla
4x Arrogant Wurm
2x Werebear
Spells
1x Gush
4x Brainstorm
3x Deep Analysis
3x Null Rod
4x Force of Will
4x Circular Logic
3x Ground Seal
Sideboard
2x Arcane Laboratory
3x Root Maze
3x Gilded Drake
3x Naturalize
1x Oxidize
2x Maze of Ith
1x Wonder
I really liked the maindeck Ground Seal, especially in my Reanimator matchup, but I was expecting Dragon and Cerebral Assassin matchups more than anything. Cerebral was there but Dragon didn’t make it. I am really considering maindecking Living Wish to fetch up Gilded Drake, Maze of Ith, and Wonder tho. Most likely in the Ground Seal spot. Ground Seal maindeck makes up for the lack of Ancestral Recall (kinda), and stops Welder and Animate Dead in game 1. The maindeck Null Rods are pretty sexy, stopping Meandeck Tendrils if I can get it out turn 1 with an Elvish Spirit Guide. I do miss Lotus Petal, Chrome Mox, and Mox Diamond, but they end up being dead cards in mid- to late-game with Null Rods. One thing I decided against was the Tinker/Darksteel Colossus. Initially, I had 4 Null Rods, and then the Tinker/Colossus in place of either the 3 Ground Seal or the 3 Elvish Spirit Guide, but I chose more mana over the Big Man.
On with the report.
Round 1
Kinney with Piledriver Sligh
[kinney]
Kinney and I played about a dozen games or so right before the tournament (shortly after I bought the last 2 Maze of Ith upstairs), and I won 1 game. To start I had 2 Waterfront Bouncers in the sideboard, but they proved much too slow for this deck so I cut them, hoping to find a Maze early on. They also help against just about all the decks I saw that night, with the exception of Meandeck Tendrils.
Knowing how unfavorable this match seemed to be, I knew I needed to play pretty tight and make sure I had a fast enough hand to start. I win the die roll 15-3 and elect to play. Kinney has to Mulligan to 6 and keeps a land light hand (big surprise for Piledriver).
I lay a Tropical Island and pass. Kinney plays a Barbarian Ring (his only land), and I Brainstorm at the end of his turn. During my turn, I lay an Island, and play Aquamoeba which quickly gets Lightning Bolted. In response, I pitch a Rootwalla and a Deep Analysis to the Aquamoeba, and it lands in the graveyard. Kinney drops another Barbarian Ring and passes. I lay another Tropical Island, bring the beats with the Rootwalla, and play a Werebear. Kinney lays a third Barbarian Ring and again has to pass. I bring the Rootwalla/Werebear beatdown and pass, keeping my mana open. Kinney topdecks a Goblin Lackey which I Circular Logic (hardcast). During my turn I play an Arrogant Wurm from my hand and continue the beatdown. Kinney finally gets a Goblin Warchief in play, but during my next turn I play an Aquamoeba and he enters his scoop phase.
Me 20
Kinney 20-19-18-16-15-13-12-9-Scoop
Sideboard: -2 Null Rod, +2 Maze of Ith
Game 2, Kinney starts off with a Mountain into a Mogg Fanatic. I draw and lay my Maze of Ith, passing turn. Kinney lays another Mountain and plays a Goblin Piledriver, and attacks with the Fanatic who gets lost in my Maze. I lay a Forest and play a Rootwalla, but he sacrifices the Fanatic to ping it. Kinney plays another Piledriver and attacks, but gets lost again. I lay another Forest, and play my second Rootwalla. Kinney lays another Mogg Fanatic, and pings the Rootwalla, but I use an Elvish Spirit Guide to pump it up. He has the Lightning Bolt, so it still dies. Both Piledrivers come across, but one gets lost again. I lay a Tropical Island but have no gas in my hand. The Piledriver beatdown continues. I topdeck a Windswept Heath and break it for another Tropical Island. Kinney tries spoils my plans next turn by laying another Mountain and casting Blood Moon which meets a hardcast Circular Logic. He doesn’t have the extra 3 mana so if fizzles. Next turn I topdeck an Arrogant Wurm and hardcast it, hoping to stabilize, but he has the double Goblin Grenade to hit me for exactly 10 and I die.
Me 20-17-14-13-10-0
Kinney 20
Game 3 sees me going first again, and I keep a land light hand. I lay an Island and cast Brainstorm during my main phase. Kinney answers with a Mountain and another Mogg Fanatic. I dug into a Flooded Strand for a Tropical Island, and use an Elvish Spirit Guide to cast an Aquamoeba, keeping 1 blue mana open for a Logic. Kinney drops a Barbarian Ring and attempts to Incinerate my Aquamoeba, which meets a Logic. I topdeck a Strip Mine, killing his lone Mountain and pass. Kinney tries to Lightning Bolt my Aquamoeba, but I meet it again with another Circular Logic. Next turn I activate the Aquamoeba to drop out an Arrogant Wurm and swing. Kinney drops a Fanatic and passes. Wurm and Aquamoeba come across for a few turns, and Kinney continues to pound my face with his lone goblin. Kinney needs to block so he chumps the Aquamoeba, which I pump once with a Rootwalla, and then pump again with an Elvish Spirit Guide to make it live. He has the Lightning Bolt for it though and he is able to cast a Lackey. Lackey brings in a Siege-Gang Commander and it begins to look grim on my side of the table. I have to hardcast an Elvish Spirit Guide after my Wurm gets hit with a Goblin Grenade and another Fanatic takes out my Rootwalla. I topdeck a Werebear and through all his removal I now have Threshold. Werebear and Elvish Spirit Guide go the distance.
Me 20-19-18-17-16-14
Kinney 20-19-18-17-16-13-9-8-6-2-1-0
Games 2-1
Matches 1-0
Round 2
George with Bombs over Eau Claire
[nightwind]
I have no idea what George is playing at this point as I was in the top 8 room and everyone else was in the main playing area. George wins the die roll 12-3 and elects to play but has to Mulligan to 6. He starts out fairly well with a Tropical Island, Mox Ruby, and a Basking Rootwalla. Great, a mirror match. I draw and play a Flooded Strand, break it for a Tropical Island, and meet his Rootwalla with my own. George lays a Ground Seal, nets a card, and plays a Taiga. Ok, now I see it’s not a mirror match, as this is the 3 color fully powered Madness type. I don’t draw into any more land, but drop a Wild Mongrel and pass. George plays a Windswept Heath and passes. George plays a Rifstone Portal during his turn, and breaks the Heath for another Tropical Island. I have nothing so I begin the attack with the Mongrel and Rootwalla, pumping the Mongrel with a Deep Analysis and Ground Seal. George is able to hardcast an Arrogant Wurm and passes. We’re at a standstill and I pass. George attempts a Thirst for Knowledge, but I activate the Mongrel with a Circular Logic, so he passes. I pass again, having enough cards to kill his Wurm with the Mongrel, but during his turn he attempts another Arrogant Wurm which I meet with another Circular Logic. He scoops having no hand.
Me 20-19-18
George 20-19-18-13-12-10-Scoop
Game 2, George starts again, this time starting much better with a Taiga, Mox Sapphire, and a Wild Mongrel. I draw and lay a Maze of Ith. George gets out a Bazaar of Baghdad, and activates, pitching a Basking Rootwalla, Red Elemental Blast, and another Bazaar in the graveyard, playing the Rootwalla. During my turn I lay a Windswept Heath and attempt to fetch up some land, but he has the Stifle. Next turn, he activates Bazaar again, pitching another Rootwalla, a Windswept Heath, and a Black Lotus into the graveyard, playing the Rootwalla but I feel it is necessary to Force of Will it. I lay a Forest and pass the turn. George lays a Tropical Island and passes. I Brainstorm, but he cast Thirst for Knowledge in response, but allows it to go through. I’m running out of gas, so I am forced to hardcast Wonder. George activates his Bazaar on his turn, pitching Anger, Taiga, and another Bazaar into the graveyard, and casts another Wild Mongrel. I tap out to cast Deep Analysis, but he has the Red Elemental Blast for it, and the Mongrels finish me off.
Me 20-19-18-17-16-14-13-12-5-0
George 20
Game 3, I elect to play first but have to Mulligan to 6. I begin with a Windswept Heath, breaking it for a Tropical Island, and casting a Rootwalla. George plays a Wasteland, a Mox Sapphire, and a Black Lotus, and thankfully passes. I lay a Wasteland and bring the beats. George lays a Heath and breaks it for a Tropical Island as well. He breaks the Lotus for UUU and hardcasts Wonder. I lay another Wasteland and bring the beats. George plays a Tropical Island and swings with Wonder. I bring the Rootwalla beats over, hoping to race him, but don’t draw into anything useful. George lays another Heath, breaks it for a Taiga, plays a Mox Emerald, and attempts to hardcast an Arrogant Wurm, but I have the Force for it. I bring the beats again and pass. George casts Ancestral Recall, plays a Bazaar and activates it, pitching Roar of the Wurm, Arrogant Wurm, and Stifle into the graveyard, playing the Arrogant. I Wasteland his Bazaar, but the damage is done. I lay a Tropical Island and play an Aquamoeba, but I don’t know if I can race him. George drops another Bazaar and activates, pitching Thirst for Knowledge, Basking Rootwalla, and another Bazaar, playing the Rootwalla. The Wurm, Wonder beatdown continues. I lay an Island, and cast Gush, but draw into nothing that I can cast and have to scoop, seeing lethal damage next turn.
Me 20-19-17-16-14-12-6-1-0
George 20-19-18-15-14-11
Games 3-3
Matches 1-1
Round 3
Dan with Mono-Black Reanimator
Dan came from around Wisconsin Rapids in horrible weather just to play Magic, so I have to give props to him and James for making the trip. Like most of the players at tonight’s tournament, I have no idea what to expect. Dan owns me 11-5 on the die roll and elects to play.
Game 1, Dan starts out with a Swamp, Mox Diamond (pitching another Swamp), and casts a Putrid Imp. I still have no idea what he’s playing, so on my turn I start out with the standard Forest-Rootwalla and pass. Dan breaks the game open on turn 2 by laying another Swamp and casting Buried Alive, dropping a Sundering Titan, Exalted Angel, and Arcanis the Omnipotent into the graveyard. The Imp beats face. I have the answer to this dilemma, and on my turn I lay an Island and drop the Ground Seal I had in my opening hand. Dan knows his main win condition is shot at this point, but he casts another Buried Alive, this time dropping Kiki-Jiki, Mirrorbreaker, another Exalted Angel, and another Sundering Titan into the graveyard, giving him Threshold. The Imp continues his slow beatdown and its off to the races. I lay a Wasteland (completely useless in this game), and play an Aquamoeba. Dan ends up Duressing away a Circular Logic, and casts an Apprentice Necromancer. I attack and drop an Arrogant Wurm off the Aquamoeba and the game is over.
Me 20-18-16-15-13-11-8
Dan 20-19-18-17-9-0
Game 2, Dan elects to play again, but has to Mulligan to 6. He starts with some disruption this time, Duressing away a Brainstorm (obviously, he was hoping to snag a Ground Seal). I begin by laying a Tropical Island into a Rootwalla. Dan answers with a Putrid Imp and passes. I topdeck a Windswept Heath, break it for another Tropical and Brainstorm into another Brainstorm into a Wild Mongrel. Dan breaks his Polluted Delta for another Swamp and passes. Mongrel hits and that spells Dan’s doom. He plays an Apprentice Necromancer for chump blocking, seeing as he has no way to get creatures into his graveyard yet, and I still haven’t seen a Ground Seal. The Mongrel starts to make quick work of him, and the turn before he is forced to block with the Necromancer, he casts a Buried Alive, dropping 2 Exalted Angels and a Solemn Simulacrum into the graveyard. With his only method of reanimation gone, my Mongrel and now 2 Rootwallas do him in.
Me 20-19
Dan 20-19-18-12-11-10-6-0
Games 5-3
Matches 2-1
Round 4
Joe with Hulk Smash!
[TheBaker]
Joe usually plays Oath, but I scouted him out earlier and saw he was playing Hulk Smash, a highly unfavorable match for me. The only saving grace is that I think he is out of the top 4 due to drawing twice, but I was wrong. Winner is in, and I win the die roll 7-4 and begin play.
Game 1, I lay a Flooded Strand, break it for a Tropical Island and cast a Rootwalla. Joe starts out with a Swamp and Duresses away a Ground Seal, citing that he didn’t want me to draw any extra cards, and then lays a Lotus Petal. On my next turn I lay a Forest and drop the Null Rod, but he breaks his Petal in response to Brainstorm, but the Rod sticks and the lizard beats face. During his turn he lays a Polluted Delta, and breaks it for an Island. I lay another Tropical Island and cast a second Rootwalla, which he Brainstorms in response, but can’t find an answer. Joe Cunning Wishes up a Ghastly Demise at the end of my turn, and lays a Bayou during his, but has no business spells yet. My lizards continue to chip away at his life total. Joe lays another Island and casts a Demonic Tutor which I attempt to Circular Logic (hardcast), but he Mana Drains it. During his turn he blows some Mana Drain mana on an Intuition, dropping a couple of Accumulated Knowledge into the graveyard and draws his 3 cards. Joe plays his Psychatog at this point. During my turn, I Brainstorm twice looking for another threat, and lay a Forest. Joe goes into land-go mode for a few turns, laying an Island and Underground Sea as we’re in standoff mode. I hardcast a Deep Analysis, and he lets it through. He continues to play land-go with a Tropical Island. I Brainstorm again during my turn and drop a Mongrel, but he hardcasts a Force of Will. Joe has nothing to do on his turn and passes. Next turn, I play an Aquamoeba, and he Skeletal Scrys for 3 in response. Joe is low on life so I swing with both Rootwallas. Here was my play mistake: I forgot about the Ghastly Demise he Wished for at the beginning, and I lose both Rootwallas. I pitch a Deep Analysis to the Aquamoeba and pass. Joe Duresses away another Circular Logic, hardcasts his own Deep Analysis, Brainstorms, Accumulated Knowledge for 4, and lays a Tropical Island. I flashback both Deep Analysis and cast a Rootwalla off the Aquamoeba. Joe lays another Underground Sea, attempts to cast Intuition, that meets a Circular Logic for 14. Joe casts Regrowth on his Accumulated Knowledge, and AKs for 4 again. During my turn I lay a Wasteland and cast a Ground Seal, a turn too late. Joe lays a Bayou, casts Yawgmoth’s Will, Demonic Tutors for another Cunning Wish for Berserk, Duresses me, and swings. I die a horrible death.
Me 20-19-16-13-0
Joe 20-19-16-15-11-9-7-4
Game 2 I elect to play first, but have a slow hand, breaking a Windswept Heath into a Forest and passing turn. Joe starts out by breaking a Polluted Delta for a Swamp, Duressing away a Null Rod, and passes. I lay a Tropical Island and cast my topdecked Wild Mongrel. I pitch a Deep Analysis to the Mongrel and pass. Joe lays an Island, casts a Sol Ring, then Intuitions up 3 Accumulated Knowledge. During my turn I attempt to flashback Deep Analysis, but it meets a Force of Will. Joe drops an Underground Sea, Accumulated Knowledge for 3 into an Accumulated Knowledge for 4. Joe runs out of gas, and has to discard a Swamp at end of turn. I manage to slow the game down to a crawl by casting an Arcane Laboratory, hoping to stall him. Joe answers this with another Underground Sea and a Psychatog. I flashback another Deep Analysis that I pitch to the Mongrel but it gets Mana Drained. With his Drain mana, he Intuitions up 3 Cunning Wishes. I Brainstorm on my turn and pass, faking the counter. He casts Cunning Wish at the end of my turn to ensure I can’t Force it, and get his Berserk. He swings in for the win without even casting it next turn.
Me 20-19-18-15-12-0
Joe 20-19-18-15-14-11-10
Games 5-5
Matches 2-2
All in all it was a fun time, although the weather was really crappy. I am beginning to see how nice it is to have free mana in the form of Moxen and elite card draw like Ancestral Recall. I do think budget U/G Madness is viable, but it benefits SOO much from the 5 proxy environment (Ancestral, Walk, 2 Moxen, and Lotus). Arcane Lab was alright, but I think there were other options available to me that I should have pursued. Naturalize and Oxidize are still pretty hot.
Props to:
The guys who actually showed up to play during a freaking blizzard
The guys from Wisconsin Rapids who made a 3 hour drive here just to play
James Tork for playing Elves and getting into the top 4 undefeated
Slops to:
World of Warcraft for sucking away hapless gamers everywhere.
The weather for sucking major balls
Kinney for owning me before the tournament and then getting rolled by me in 3
Me for not having Power anymore
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