Monthly Monster Den Report!

[someone_unimportan]

This month was a very special one at the Monster Den, because it was the last time Team Xiphosura would be in the same state for three months. We are losing 3 members to colleges, so we decided to do something amazingly fun. We built 6 identical decklists of Meandeck Tendrils (hereafter referred to as Xiphosura Tendrils, mainly because I want to), just for shits and giggles. One of us played Hulk Flash.  Decklist!

Xiphosura Tendrils

Instants
4x Dark Ritual
4x Cabal Ritual
4x Brainstorm
4x Spoils of the Vault
4x Repeal
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Demonic Consultation

Sorceries
4x Land Grant
4x Tendrils of Agony
1x Yawgmoth's Will
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Timetwister

Creatures
4x Street Wraith

Artifacts
4x Chromatic Star
4x Chromatic Sphere
5x Moxen
1x Sol Ring
1x Mana Crypt
1x Mana Vault
1x Black Lotus
1x Lotus Petal
1x Lion's Eye Diamond

Lands
1x Bayou
1x Tropical Island
1x Polluted Delta

Sideboard
4x Dark Confidant
4x Duress
2x Underground Sea
1x Polluted Delta
2x Chain of Vapor
1x Echoing Truth
1x Hurkyl's Recall

The sideboard plan was to "transform" into Bob Tendrils against GAT, slowing the deck down a little but letting you recoup card advantage lost to Force of Will. Against flash, just the Duresses come in. WARNING: I can't remember people's names. Ever. So don't feel bad if I can't remember your name. WARNING #2: Remembering these games will be most difficult, since the deck pretty much plays out the same every time, so only truly memorable games will be written in detail.

Round 1 - Flash
Game 1: I lose the die roll, he plays fetchland pass. I try for a turn 1, he brainstorms and whiffs.
I boarded thinking GAT, so the bob came in. My hand was trop, rituals, and a brainstorm. I brainstorm whiffing on a black source, but seeing Yawgmoth's Will. We play draw-go for a looong time, eventually he flashes getting 2 virulent slivers and 2 heart slivers, giving me 8 poison counters. I topdeck an Underground Sea, finally getting my black source. I play rituals, eventually getting 8 mana. Now my options are double tendrils, or Yawgmoth's Will to up storm count. My opponent has 3 cards in hand, and UU open. I reason that he must have 2 virulent slivers in hand, otherwise he could have simply killed me. I doubt that he has Mana Drain or Counterspell, because he's playing Flash. The only thing I can think of is Trickbind that is bad for me. So I play Yawgmoth's Will and have 8 mana post-will AND lethal storm, so I could double tendrils. Turns out he had nothing. Meh, I hate overthinking. Woohoo! I won first round! Did NOT expect that when I went.

Round 4 - Rector Flash
Game 1 - I try for a turn 1, he doesn't counter my mana, so I tendrils him for exactly lethal, he FoW and MisD's two copies. After fetching twice more, he gets to 1, and I eventually Spoils for another Tendrils and kill him.
Game 2 - He plays first turn flash for Bargain. I make him FoW on my turn. He draws more cards. I make him FoW again. He draws more cards. Eventually he's down to 1, and he plays another flash for Form of the Dragon. I die a little while later.
Game 3 - I go land mox Dark Ritual Timetwister with B floating. He sighs, flashes me land mox Rector Flash, and we take 7. I play some rituals, Black Lotus, and some Eggs, then Tendrils him. He sighs again, and flashes me land mox Rector Flash. Hehe. My turn 1 percentage > Flash's turn 1 percentage.

Round 3 - T3h mirrorz!
Worst. Matchup. Ever.
Game 1 - He sets up a turn 2, I try for turn 1 and fizzle, he kills me dead.
Game 2 - I turn 1 him.
Game 3 - He kills himself while Spoilsing for a 4-of. Hehe.

Round 4 - Rector Flash (again)
Game 1 - I try for a turn 1, I believe he forces, I play draw-go for 4-5 turns, and kill him. This deck is so consistent, you can kill people with pretty much any 7 card hand.
Game 2 - See above, I think.

Round 5 - Hulk Flash
Game 1 - He mulls to 6, kills me turn 1.
Game 2 - He kills me on turn 3-4 after I mull to 6 and draw many an egg.

Top 4 was XT, XT, Hulk Flash (Round 5), Rector Flash (Round 4)
Top 4 - T3h mirror v2.0
As my team has agreed on a prize split to get our entry fee back (since we did not expect to do well at all, but miraculously we placed 2 in the top 4), it doesn't matter who among me or my friend wins. He scoops to me. and I have to play Rector Flash (again)

Top 2
Game 1 - He forces my attempt to go off, and Flashes on turn 4-5. He draws many a card and eventually kills me a couple turns later.
Game 2 - I try for a turn 1, Spoilsing myself to 4, but a Dark Ritual gets forced. My board is now Bayou, Mox Emerald, and my hand is Demonic Consultation, Lion's Eye Diamond, Tendrils of Agony. He plays a land and passes, so I play Demonic Consultation and break Lion's Eye Diamond, but he Forces (I manaburn to 1). I pass, he passes back. I draw Yawgmoth's Will. I pass, he Merchant Scrolls for Flash. I draw Cabal Ritual (with threshold), so I cast it. He lets it resolve. I play Yawgmoth's Will. He forces (again!!!) and I manaburn to death. Dang. I REAAAALLY wanted Meande--I mean Xiphosura Tendrils to win a tournament. Oh well, we placed 3 people in the top 4 (everyone but the Rector Flash) so our team got all our entry fees back, and FIVE DOLLARS! SCORE! A huge success, as I definitely expected to get nothing.

If anyone feels like correcting inaccuracies in my report, feel free to post them.

[Ufactor]

So the obvious questions are:

1) would you ever play this in a "real" tournament?

2) is Timetwister>Imperial Seal (...Necropotence not withstanding)?

3) Street Wraith is an auto include, but is it better than Nights Whisper?  Nights Whisper just feels like Brainstorm #5-8, which can never be a bad thing.  I tested Street Wraith, but I cut Chromatics for them.

[thelfj]

1) when we decided to play the deck we thought of it as a series of 70% coin flips...and you have to win them all. the problem with larger tournaments is that there are so many more rounds that the chances of one of the coin flips failing is higher. however the deck just wrecks goblins so if that gains enough popularity XT might not be a terrible choice.

2)  I think timetwister is much better in the deck. Even Vamp. tutor was a late addition. the thing is that so often this deck just barely gets to 10 storm, a card that nets you neither cards or mana is pretty worthless and would be kinda poor in multiples. Necro goes against the deck's main goal of winning T1.

3) My problem with Nights Whisper is that it costs 2 mana. the only cards in the deck that cost that either a) net you more mana (cabal rit) b) are ridiculous bombs (yawg's will and Timetwister) or c) win the game (tendrils)

[someone_unimportan]

I agree with everything my teammate just said. The beauty of Timetwister is it serves two roles. 1) it can up storm count by casting it with mana floating, and 2) it is absolutely SAVAGE after a fizzle. As for Night's Whisper, see above, plus Chromatics are quite valuable for the mana fixing. The only time you are really sad to see them is when you see more than 2. Another funny anecdote: Pyrostatic Pillar does almost nothing to this deck. One of my teammates simply played nine spells and tendrils. And one more: sometimes it pays to be ballsy. The same teammate cycled 3 street wraiths, then spoils'd for Black Lotus, because it was the only way to win the game. Lo and behold, he hit it in the top 5 cards.

[moxpearl]

What a strange tournament to play in: 6 XT, 2 Rector Flash, 2 Sliver Flash, 1 GAT, and six other decks from what I know.   Your team can really distort the metagame here...well, it was good to see 19 players come out.  Hope the numbers keep going up despite losing a few of you to college.   Sadly, I missed the tournament since I was out of town.  But, my friend Brad took home the 1st place prize with a similarly built Rector Flash that I've been playing.  I guess we're the only region metagame that likes the deck.   In the past couple of months, I haven't seen it played much anywhere.   Slivers Flash seems to be the flash version of choice.

Sounds like you guys had fun with XT,

1) when we decided to play the deck we thought of it as a series of 70% coin flips...and you have to win them all. the problem with larger tournaments is that there are so many more rounds that the chances of one of the coin flips failing is higher. however the deck just wrecks goblins so if that gains enough popularity XT might not be a terrible choice.

I might argue that Flash with the Kiki Karmi Guide win and 4 Pact of Negation might better.  It's just as coin flippin' but much more disruption. 

Thanks for the tournament report, and hope to see you guys at the next one!

Tom

[thelfj]

The best thing about XT is that only one card in the deck loses to most of the flash hate. other than yawg's will nothing dies to leyline, and frankly pon doesn't do anything against goblins. from what i understand goblin's worst matchup is long because it doesn't loose to most of the hate from goblins. the kiki kill might have more protection but it dies to more played hate

[ErkBek]

Going out with a Bang. I like it. Thanks for the report.

[Deep Spawn FTW]

Hopefully when the deck is busted out again, all of team Xiphosura will be running it.

[thelfj]

my bad???

[That0neguy]

nice report.  I also could not make it since I was out of town

That was a crazy amount of combo for one tournement.  How often are you guys going to be comming back?  I will have to be sure to make those tournements.

Chris

[FishyFellow]

Nice report Ben.  It was a pleasure playing you twice, and I’m glad that I got my good draws in the finals instead of the swiss.  It’s a shame that you’re losing half of your team to out of state colleges.  You’re a good group of guys and have been a nice infusion to our Vintage scene in the twin cities.

Here’s the deck I played:

Rector Flash
2 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
2 Island
1 Tundra
1 Tolarian Academy

1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
3 Dark Ritual

4 Academy Rector
1 Form of the Dragon

1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Cabal Therapy
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will

4 Flash
4 Brainstorm
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Gush
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Echoing Truth

Sideboard:
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Rebuild
4 Leyline of the Void
2 Gush
2 Duress
3 Razormane Masticore
1 Tinker
1 7/10

The only change I made from the list that Tom (Mox Pearl) played last month winning a Lotus at the College of Dupage and splitting for first at last month’s Monster Den tournament, was to add a 4th merchant scroll dropping one dark ritual.  At times I missed the ritual when comboing off and with the sideboard strategy, but I think I like the scroll overall.  I found myself playing control a lot more than expected, given that I played Team Xiphosura (Meandeck) Tendrils 4 times, so the scrolls were particularly useful, often getting force when I wasn’t in position to win on the current turn.

Round 1 – Brandon playing Meandeck Tendrils (2-0)
This was my first time playing this deck in a tournament, and it didn’t start out well.  Game 1, I flashed in an early bargain, but wound up having to flash in a Form of the Dragon when I couldn’t draw the necessary pieces.  This put me in danger of a mini Tendrils, but I rode a strong counter-wall to the win.  Game 2 was even more awkward, as I used almost all of my resources and wound up having to pass turn, and I had sided out my Form of the Dragon to bring in duress.  The only way I could win was to chain my mana crypt and bargain at 6 life.  Then, I won with rector beats, and a mini-tendrils for 6 to get me out of some danger.  I was already mentally spent, playing what I thought would be less draining than my typical fish deck.

Round 2 – Aaron playing Meandeck Tendrils (2-1)
I quickly lost game one.  I sided out Form of the Dragon and a scroll for 2 Duress.  I got another early flash bargain, but for a 3rd time in a row, ran into problems.  I went down to 3 life and had exactly the storm and mana I needed after dazing and double forcing off one of my own spells.  At this point, I decided not to side out Form of the Dragon against a storm deck anymore (of course I never needed it again, and even when I felt like I needed it, I was able to squeak out wins).  Game 3 was an easy bargain win.

Round 3 – Tim playing GAT (2-0)
I won game 1 off an early bargain, drawing down to 3 life.
Game 2, I sided completely out of flash, trying to win with Razormanes or 7/10.  I was committed to a 7/10 win off the draw, and I actually had to kill my own land to tinker him into play, because of a previous gush.  He attempted an artifact mutation and Yawg’s win, but I was able to counter both.

Round 4 – Ben playing Meandeck Tendrils. (0-2)
Quick losses as I had sub par draws that lacked counters, while he had quick wins.

Round 5 – Jeff playing Rector Flash (2-0)
We were both 3-1, but unable to draw into the top 4.  Game 1, he duressed my bargain, and I had to bring in Form of the Dragon off a hard cast rector and cable therapy taking his Yawgs.  He was left with nothing useful in his hand and lost 4 turns later.  Game 2, he had turn 1 tinker colossus, which was an issue, since I had switched entirely out of the flash strategy, attempting to make use of leyline and avoid his potential leylines.  I think I had a lotus and 2 brainstorms and a fetch.  I felt my only hope was to get into bounce off the 6 cards I could see off the brainstorms.  I wound up getting extremely lucky and was able to hardcast bargain that turn.  I drew down to low life to win that turn, because I wasn’t in a position to pass and take 11 damage.

Semis - Ari playing Sliver Flash (2-1)
Team Xiphosura wanted to split with me, but I am always committed to playing it out.  A few months ago, we were in the same situation, and they beat me in the finals picking the deck that was the most likely to beat me, but I figured I would give it a shot again.  I hope there are no hard feelings, because I know most people like to split.
In game 1, I expended a lot of resources to attempt a turn 1 win without counter backup, but he had force and was able to draw and brainstorm into a turn one win of his own.  Flash can be so stupid.
For game 2, I sided in everything but Hurkle’s and Rebuild and took out the flash cards.  He got 3 poison slivers in play and I took an early 6 poison counters, but Razormane > 3 slivers, and I was able to stabilize, and he couldn’t combo out due to leyline.  I won game 3 off 7/10 wiping out 2 of his lands.

Finals – Ben (again) playing Meandeck Tendrils (2-0)
Team Xiphosura chose Ben to play me because he had beaten me earlier and gone 4-0 and scoop to a teammate in the swiss.
I won game 1 with a hard cast gush and a daze of an ancestral (when he had a mox in hand) giving me enough card advantage.  I think all of my time playing fish helped as I was forced to play control much of the day, allowing the storm decks to expend resources and countering the key card that allowed them to tendrils.  Game 2 was 3 forces of his broken hand as Ben described it in his post.  I would note that I got at least one force off a merchant scroll.

So it was a good day, for a deck that is still without a blemish.  I was tired of losing to my friend Tom in tournaments, so I decided if you can’t beat him, join him.  Props to Jason for another great tournament at the Monster Den.