[Report] Smoke 911 Win in Atlanta, GA for $24

[Anusien]

Legacy tournaments are just starting in Atlanta, GA.  The owner of a small head shop is running cash Legacy tournaments in the back, $6 for entry and cash payout to #1-2.  Seeing as how I have practically 0 cards, I built up Worse than Fish as a much cheaper option than anything else.  Here was my list:

4 Force of Will
4 Standstill
2 Daze
2 Brainstorm

4 Aether Vial
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice (couldn't borrow the 3rd Jitte, but randomly better as a topdeck)

4 Wild Mongrel
4 Basking Rootwall (2 Chinese!)
4 Spiketail Hatchling
3 Ninja of the Deep Hours
2 Voidmage Prodigy (was 4, but I audibled in 2 Skyfolk after seeing Goblins)
2 Gaea's Skyfolk

4 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
4 Wasteland
4 Mishra's Factory
6 Island

Sideboard:
4 Oxidize
3 Ray of Revelation
1 Tundra
1 Ground Seal
2 Scrabbling Claws
2 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner

Deck Comments:
There's absolutely no reason for the Voidmage Prodigies.  Right after the tournament, I switched into 4 Gaea's Skyfolk.
Ninjas are surprisingly relevant in many matchups, just because they are a 2/2 for 2 that draws a card.  Against control, you're getting in there, and against aggro they're going to at least trade with most men.
The manabase was excellent for me.  I only had to mulligan away a 0 colored source hand once.  I did misplay once into not being able to put down a turn 2 Skyfolk because I played the wrong color land, but I had the sources in hand.
I didn't use Standstill enough to know, but sometimes it hindered me from Jitting or discarding and playing a Rootwalla.  I was already ahead in those situations.
I only ever saw one Kira out of the board, and no other sideboarded cards so I can't comment on it.

The bad matchup I had was versus Goblins.  The games, if you're lucky, tend to go like this:
Ground stall, while the goblin player is drawing more creatures, but yours are bigger.
You swing for a few points in the air, and put out a Ninja to block.
One of you draws a bomb and wins.  I took game 1 this way with a random Sword of Fire and Ice to swing through for lethal.

The problem you have versus Goblins is that for the most part their creatures are bigger and they have more of them.  When they're drawing creatures, you're drawing more Force of Will and other cards, which become less relevant if they have a Vial.  Your main concern is blocking and killing Piledrivers.  Unless you can get a Jitte active (which I didn't) you're going to have to trade.  The problem is that if they get Ringleaders going, or worse, Ringleader + Kiki-Jiki, I think they're going to outdraw you.

Match 1 versus Shawn with Monoblack.
Game 1: I didn't get to see much here, but my deck worked, and his produced no lands.  He played out some Vampire Bats and Chittering Rats, and I got out Rootwalls and Wild Mongrels.
I sideboarded out 2 Voidmage Prodigies (it might have been Ninjas, actually) for 2 Kira, Great Glass Spinner.  I simply wanted more fliers.
Game 2: He brought in Megrim but it ended up not being relevant.  Mongrel Jitted up and went the distance.
1-0, 2-0 in games

Match 2 versus Jonathan with Vial Goblins
He had a few interesting choices, like 3x Goblin Grenades and 4x Blinkmoth Nexii in the main.
Game 1: The ground stalled with me at 6 and him at 5.  I topdecked Sword of Fire and Ice and won in two turns.
Sideboarding: -2 Ninja, -2 Voidmage, +2 Kira, +2 BEB
I can't count on the effectiveness of my sideboard because I never drew it.  Kira comes in because The biggest problem I had was playing around Fanatics, and to a lesser extent, SCG's pinging.  If rootwalla/factory can block and not trade with goblin's assorted 2/2s, and mongrel only takes 1 card to do so, it helps
Game 2: He got sets of Ringleaders and stomped me when I ran out of creatures.
Game 3: This takes less time.  We both get turn 1 Vial, but I draw Force of Will and he draws Piledriver.  Over quick.
1-1, 3-2 in games

Match 3 versus Will with MonoBlock
This was a weird mono-black list.  It uses Vial, Rituals and Jet Medallions to make Darkling Stalkers and good fatties like Seizan or Sengir.  No discard though.
Game 1: Force of Will a Vial, and use Factory to trump his Wicked Akuba.  He burns out some of my creatures, but I get some guys online and kill him.
I don't sideboard.
Game 2: Honestly, more of the same.  My guys are much, much better early on than his are.  Jitte turns off all his pump creatures like Darkling Stalker, because I can respond to the pumps.  I take it easily.
2-1, 5-2 in games.

Match 4 versus Becca with Monoblue Aggro
We used to run Legacy tournaments, and I'd seen this deck pop out Palinchron + High Tide + Stroke, searching out the components with Soothsaying.  I sat next to her in round 1 and didn't see any of that, just Isochrons and a few cheap blue fliers.
Game 1: She starts the beats with 2x Spindrift Drake and later, a Peregrin Drake.  I eventually get some creatures online to block, clear the board and win with Wild Mongrel.
I don't sideboard, because I forget about Isochron Scepter.
Game 2: 1 Spindrift Drake this time, but it's backed by Stick + Counterspell.  I do have a Vial down, so I'm fine.  I win with a Sword of Fire and Ice on a Ninja, and double Rootwalla for the win.
3-1, 7-2 in game.

My record is enough to win me some cash, $24 to be exact.  Actually, because my friend playing U/W knocked out Life, I ended up winning the tournament.  I got home and immediately swap out the other 2 Voidmage Prodigies for 2 Gaea's Skyfolk.  I did manage to avoid playing Life, Scepter-Chant and two other decks I never saw.  There may or may not be an Aluren deck coming next week.

So you know, my sideboard and maindeck wasn't set in stone.  I was prepared to audible any of the following:
4th Ray of Revelation
4 Arcane Laboratory
4 Mystic Remora (not sure for what, this was actually my "What if Lab doesn't come" backup tech for combo)
1 Nimble Mongoose
4 River Boa

For next week, I'm going to cut the BEB and the graveyard hate in the sideboard.  I'm going to put in some Chills.  If Goblins returns, I'll audible in some number of River Boas, probably in place of the Ninjas, in order to block and survive Piledrivers.

[Bardo]

Nice report Anusien.

There's absolutely no reason for the Voidmage Prodigies.  Right after the tournament, I switched into 4 Gaea's Skyfolk.

I'm happy to see you're finally coming around.

The problem you have versus Goblins is that for the most part their creatures are bigger and they have more of them.

Exactly, Goblins is a discouraging match for Fish. In some ways U/G is a little better off against Goblins than U/W since you have more dudes to chump Piledrivers because of their Pro:Blue. But it's never a good time. Jitte is gold however -- assuming you have enough time to equip and swing once or twice.

There may or may not be an Aluren deck coming next week.

I played some games against Legacy Aluren with my U/W Angel Fish last week. Meddling Mages help immensely against annoying enchantments (the same is true for Survival as well). If you're worried about combo, you might see if you can accomodate some Tundras for Mage (at the expense of Wastelands or Factories).

Speaking of which, if you went three color, which was more useful: Wasteland or Factory? In testing, I feel much happier pulling a Factory off the top over a Wasteland.

So you know, my sideboard and maindeck wasn't set in stone.

Did you consider Hidden Gibbons for the control match?

[Anusien]

Nice report Anusien.

Thanks

There's absolutely no reason for the Voidmage Prodigies.  Right after the tournament, I switched into 4 Gaea's Skyfolk.

I'm happy to see you're finally coming around.

It hurts when you have to cut pet cards.

The problem you have versus Goblins is that for the most part their creatures are bigger and they have more of them.

Exactly, Goblins is a discouraging match for Fish. In some ways U/G is a little better off against Goblins than U/W since you have more dudes to chump Piledrivers because of their Pro:Blue. But it's never a good time. Jitte is gold however -- assuming you have enough time to equip and swing once or twice.

The problem with Jitte is you need one swing in first, although that one swing nets immediate returns.  I agree that it's tough, because their creatures are bigger and better.  I'm not sure what you want to bring it; Kira seems decent because she shuts down Sharpshooter, Incinerator and Fanatic.  The main problem is the savage inability to stop them from playing creatures.  I think the last thing you want to do is bring in artifact hate and dilute your maindeck more.  Maybe instead I should put a couple of Viridian Zealots in the board.  They'll 2 for 1 versus Piledrivers, they'll free up some sideboard slots, and they are extra creatures when you need it.  I think the tradeoff is that it's virtually unplayable except by Vial, especially in 3Trop versions.

There may or may not be an Aluren deck coming next week.

I played some games against Legacy Aluren with my U/W Angel Fish last week. Meddling Mages help immensely against annoying enchantments (the same is true for Survival as well). If you're worried about combo, you might see if you can accomodate some Tundras for Mage (at the expense of Wastelands or Factories).

Oh, I have the Tundra, and I could get another, the problem is the Meddling Mages.  I think 4 Force, 2 Daze, 4 Spiketail and whatever combo hate from the board, I think I should be fine.  Oh yeah, Vision Charm as random tech versus Solidarity.

Speaking of which, if you went three color, which was more useful: Wasteland or Factory? In testing, I feel much happier pulling a Factory off the top over a Wasteland.

I checked, and four decks had Wasteland targets.  Factory was an all-star, being a 3/3 blocker when I needed it.  Also, Factory, Vial go is one of the best openings the deck has.  Wasteland versus Maze of Ith would really help though.  I think if I needed to, I'd do -2 Island, +2 Tundra in the main, cut the Tundra from the side, and do -3 Ninja, +3 Mage (or something).

So you know, my sideboard and maindeck wasn't set in stone.

Did you consider Hidden Gibbons for the control match?

I didn't, but I don't know how much I needed the help, because Jitte > Wrath of God, as well as Vial + Factory to dodge counterspells and Kira out of the side to beat Swords and Maze of Ith.