Gamers Lounge - Sandusky, OH - T8 Decks and Pics!

[GrandpaBelcher]

The Gamers Lounge restarted their monthly Vintage tournaments.  This Saturday's event drew 18 people and $270 in prize money, which was eventually split among the top four.

Thanks to everyone who came out, especially the cars that came from Michigan and Dayton.  It was a pleasure having all of you, and I hope we'll see you again soon!

For everyone who showed up, remember to post a well-written tournament report somewhere in a public space and you'll be able to get a free premium card on your next trip to the store!  If you want to PM your report to me, I'll post it here in this thread.

Unfortunately, I don't have the top eight participants in order, but I hope to soon, or maybe someone else remembers and can inform everyone.  I do remember who top foured and who top eighted and will present them grouped as such alphabetically.  Also, I should be able to put up a few pictures a little later on.  And I have the decklists, so I know the turnout included:

1 Standstill
1 Oath
1 Slaver
1 Gro with Goyfs
2 Workshop Aggro
2 Affinity
2 Fish (UW and UG)
2 Ichorid (with and without mana)
2 Goblins (Moonman and Leyline)
2 Stax (5C and Uba)
2 Empty Gifts

Also, since Lorwyn was legal for this, I have the Lorwyn cards used.  Here are the totals:

0 Thoughtseize
17 Thorn of Amethyst
0 Gaddock Teeg
0 Ponder
4 Spellstutter Sprite (which were amazing for me all day, by the way; see Moxie Fish in the top eight)

So to quote Jimmy McCarthy, "Lorwyn legal scares me.... Is everyone just gonna play a thousand spheres of resistance?"  Turns out: yes.

The top eight played out like this:

Geoff Moes - Mana Ichorid beat Jerry Yang - Workshop Aggro
Mark Trogdon - U/R Landstill beat Eric Paull - Workshop Aggro
Guhstin - Poopfinity 2k7 beat Mike Smar - Empty Gifts
Jimmy - Goblins beat Nat Moes - UW Moxie Fish

Anyway... to the lists!

Top 4

Justin Dewey - Poopfinity 2k7

1x Mana Crypt
1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Pearl
1x Mox Sapphire
3x Myr Enforcer
3x Frogmite
4x Arcbound Ravager
4x Ornithopter
4x Disciple of the Vault
4x Thoughtcast
3x Chromatic Star
4x Cranial Plating
3x Shrapnel Blast
1x Time Walk
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Time Twister
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Wheel of Fortune
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
4x Vault of Whispers
4x Seat of the Synod
2x Great Furnace
2x Glimmervoid
1x Tolarian Academy

Sideboard
4x Force of Will
4x Leyline of the Void
2x Chain of Vapor
2x Pithing Needle
3x Extirpate

Jimmy McCarthy - Goblins

4x Leyline of the Void
4x Aether Vial
4x Mogg Fanatic
4x Goblin Lackey
4x Goblin Piledriver
4x Goblin Matron
4x Goblin Warchief
4x Goblin Ringleader
1x Goblin Tinkerer
2x Siege Gang Commander
1x Stingscourger
1x Gempalm Incinerator
1x Strip Mine
4x Wasteland
3x Rishadan Port
2x Barbarian Ring
8x Mountain
1x Mana Crypt
1x Sol Ring
1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Ruby
1x Simian Spirit Guide

Sideboard
1x Goblin Welder
1x Goblin Sharpshooter
2x Gempalm Incinerator
4x Shattering Spree
3x Blood Moon
2x Goblin Vandal
2x Pithing Needle

Geoff Moes - Mana Ichorid

4x Bazaar of Baghdad
4x Bayou
1x Swamp
3x Bloodstained Mire
2x Polluted Delta
1x Dakmor Salvage
4x Ichorid
3x Ashen Ghoul
4x Nether Shadow
4x Putrid Imp
4x Stinkweed Imp
4x Golgari Grave-Troll
4x Cabal Therapy
3x Contagion
1x Demonic Tutor
4x Bridge from Below
1x Imperial Seal
1x Emerald Charm
1x Mox Jet
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Black Lotus
1x Lotus Petal
4x Leyline of the Void

Sideboard
1x Contagion
4x Root Maze
4x Ancient Grudge
2x Unmask
1x Darkblast
3x Emerald Charm

Mark Trogdon - UR Standstill

4x Force of Will
4x Mana Drain
4x Stifle
4x Standstill
4x Fire & Ice
3x Chain of Vapor
3x Misdirection
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Time Walk
3x Null Rod
2x Crucible of World
4x Mishra's Factory
4x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
3x Faerie Conclave
2x Steam Vents
2x Flooded Strand
4x Volcanic Island
1x Library of Alexandria
2x Polluted Delta
1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Sapphire
2x Island

Sideboard
4x Chalice of the Void
3x Threads of Disloyalty
3x Rack and Ruin
2x Pyroblast
3x Red Elemental Blast

Top 8

Nat Moes - Moxie Fish

3x Ninja of the Deep Hours
1x Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
4x Spellstutter Sprite
4x Meddling Mage
3x Jotun Grunt
4x Aven Mindcensor
4x Hapless Researcher
4x Force of Will
4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Stifle
1x Time Walk
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Pearl
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Lotus Petal
1x Black Lotus
3x Flooded Strand
2x Polluted Delta
3x Tundra
2x Island
1x Plains
4x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine

Sideboard
4x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Echoing Truth
2x Pithing Needle
3x Waterfront Bouncer
2x Sword of Fire and Ice
2x Umezawa's Jitte

Eric Paull - Workshop Aggro

4x Workshop
4x Bazaar of Baghdad
4x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
4x Mountain
4x Barbarian Ring
5x Moxen
1x Black Lotus
1x Sol Ring
1x Mana Vault
1x Mana Crypt
4x Juggernaut
4x Solemn Simulacrum
4x Magus of the Moon
3x Goblin Welder
4x Thorn of Amethyst
1x Trinisphere
3x Sword of Fire and Ice
3x Sphere of Resistance
4x Chalice of the Void

Sideboard
3x Pithing Needle
3x Orb of Dreams
4x Leyline of the Void
2x Duplicant
3x Viashino Heretic

Mike Smar - Empty Gifts

1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Mox Ruby
1x Sol Ring
1x Black Lotus
4x Polluted Delta
2x Flooded Strand
1x Island
1x Snow Covered Island
2x Underground Sea
2x Volcanic Island
1x Tropical Island
1x Library of Alexandria
4x Gush
4x Brainstorm
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Ancestral Recall
4x Merchant Scroll
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Tinker
1x Regrowth
4x Duress
4x Force of Will
2x Mana Drain
1x Pyroblast
1x Red Elemental Blast
1x Echoing Truth
1x Misdirection
1x Fire & Ice
1x Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
1x Empty the Warrens
1x Darksteel Colossus
1x Yawgmoth's Will
1x Fastbond
1x Time Walk

Sideboard
2x Pithing Needle
2x Stifle
1x Red Elemental Blast
1x Pyroblast
2x Pyroclasm
1x Hurkyl's Recall
1x Rack and Ruin
1x Ancient Grudge
4x Leyline of the Void

Jerry Yang - Workshop Aggro

1x Trinisphere
4x Triskelion
3x Duplicant
1x Su-Chi
4x Sphere of Resistance
3x Sword of Fire and Ice
4x Solemn Simulacrum
4x Juggernaut
4x Gorilla Shaman
4x Thorn of Amethyst
1x Sol Ring
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Pearl
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Black Lotus
1x Mana Vault
1x Tolarian Academy
1x Strip Mine
4x Wasteland
4x Mishra's Workshop
3x Mishra's Factory
7x Mountain

Sideboard
4x Goblin Welder
4x Tormod's Crypt
3x Magus of the Moon
4x Rack and Ruin

[Mophead-Masquerade]

It was a good tourney, even though I didn't top 4 ( ) and an awesome store. I hope to make it down for another.

My mini report just incase someone wants to know:


Round 1:Mike Smar with Empty Gifts.
Game 1 i kept a shaky hand, and his tinker->colossus finished it. Game 2 I have a good spot until he pithing needles my welder and finishes the game with tinker -> colossus

0-1, 0-2

Round 2: Justin Dewey Affinity

He was a really cool guy and after we mildly converse we take off.However, in a very unfortunate event i do not remember most details. He will probably have a good recolection as he was taking notes. but i win games 1 and 3, he wins 2 due to 3 ravagers on table.

1-1, 2-3

Round 3:Nat Moes Moxie fish
Also a really cool guy, and I don't remember the details. I know juggs brought home a game for me, but he was able to win in three.

1-2, 3-5

Round 4: Kyle Frank U/G fish
MY friend, who quit magic right after the tournament[needed money, so he wanted to sell his cards] I beat him in 2. He really couldn't get a good threat out, nor could he counter things...(8 spheres!!) i just beat for both wins.

2-2, 5-5

Round 5: Paul Kim Control Slaver.
I get paired down and have to verse my friend paul. Paul concedes to me because I have the better record and i get sent in to the top 8.

Top 8
I'm playing Trogdon. Game 1 I crush him(thanks magus of the moon!!). However game 2, I can't stick a decent permanent due to Multiple forces and dains. His manlands do their jobs.
Game 3 Mr. Trogdonsmacks me around as I procede to draw blanks. I end the game with 4 Magus of the Moon in hand, and a workshop, b. ring, and 2sphere on the board. i didn't mind losing to Trogdon as he is a good player and a really nice guy.

I ended up leaving with a signed Flooded Strand for a prize, which is alright by me.

[LordHomerCat]

I'll get a report up in the next couple days too, but I have to mention now that Sword of Fire and Ice is a beating, and also, I basically was playing a legacy/extended tourney with Sol Ring legal (I played dredge, the mirror, affinity, and UW fishies).  Apparently I had the most powerful pretend-vintage deck.

-Jimmy McCarthy

ps Also, final standings left Snoop Trog in first, me in second, Goeff in third, and Justin in 4th based on standings after swiss.  Big Congrats to Trogdon for taking it down!

[policehq]

am i correct to assume geoff, with mana ichorid, played 4 cabal therapy?

[GrandpaBelcher]

am i correct to assume geoff, with mana ichorid, played 4 cabal therapy?

Of course he did - Fixed!

I also added the top eight pairings.

Also, anyone who writes a tournament report, remember to include the name and address of the store.

[President Skroob]

am i correct to assume geoff, with mana ichorid, played 4 cabal therapy?

Of course he did - Fixed!

I also added the top eight pairings.

Also, anyone who writes a tournament report, remember to include the name and address of the store.

It was actually pretty weird how often I sided out Cabal Therapies, since that used to be a huge "no no" in my book. It may have just been my matchups, though.

I'm not sure if I'll write a tournament reports, because I think the only note that I have written on my life-total paper is "CRANIAL PLATING IS TEH HURTZ," and the only thing I really want to say is that Leyline of the Void is the best of what I would consider the "non-essential" cards in the deck right now. Seriously, it's huge.

[Tobi]

Very nice top 8!

Geoff's list now counts 5 Cabal Therapy 
...and Justin's list misses a card.

[President Skroob]

Very nice top 8!

Geoff's list now counts 5 Cabal Therapy 
...and Justin's list misses a card.

The Gamer's Lounge has crazy tournaments because we're all a bunch of cheaters.


EDIT: Despite going over my list several times, I still see only four Cabal Therapies... Perhaps Nat ninja-fixed it.

[GrandpaBelcher]

Yeah, I fixed both lists.  I assume the missing card from Justin's list was Mox Pearl.  Sorry, it was late when I posted them.  Next time, I'll try to edit better

Also, please enjoy these pics!


Jerry's Workshop Aggro with sideboard Magi of the Moon severely hampers Lyle's Gushing.  I thought the card in the middle of Jerry's board was Sudden Shock, but I think it's just glare.


Everyone loves a feature match!  Well, everyone likes to stand around and watch the ending of the longest match, anyway.


Around the World in 8D6!  From left to right:  Mark, Kyle, Mike, Lyle, Juan, Josh, Geoff, Angel.


Geoff's Ichorid and its maindeck Leylines puts a hurtin' on foreground Kyle's UG Threshold Fish.  In the background, Justin may or may not be trying to surreptitiously pass gas.


My best attempt to look intimidating against Eric's Workshop Aggro.


Some of the Gamers Lounge's iconic Magic artwork frames this picture of Paul, who made the drive down from Michigan.  Thanks for coming everyone!

[yespuhyren]

Eric's Shop Aggro list was very strange indeed.  The nonland choices were standard, but the fact that he used the Ubastax landbase, didn't run 4 welders, didn't run Crucibles, and didn't run Tolarian Academy.  I'm very curious as to why that manabase was chosen....very curious indeed.  Still a good showing, so I"m also curious how it worked out for him.

[hitman]

The Shop Aggro list was literally thrown together in five minutes on the way down.  After seeing Thorn in action, it turned out to be more powerful than I thought.  I can definitely see this card played in a multitude of decks.  I decided to tune it some more.  I've since cut Chalice altogether.  It's completely unnecessary for what we're trying to do.  Chalice for zero is largely irrelevant; Chalice for one hurts my gameplan if I don't already have a Welder out so it's an unreliable play; Chalice for two costs a whopping four mana.  That generally means a whole turn in the early and possibly mid-game depending on how many Sphere effects are already in play.  Instead, I've added three Crucible of Worlds to just bottleneck them at mana.  Between recurring Strip effects in a non-basic prevalent metagame and eight Sphere effects, I should sufficiently slow my opponent down so my moderately sized creatures can finish the game.  I only have three Welders because I haven't wanted to change any of the numbers.  As Workshop Aggro is more of a factor, it's likely I'll add the fourth.  I would cut one Gathan Raiders for it.  I've also added Gathan Raiders to get around counterspells (mainly Drain-still played in the midwest) and to add another beater.  He has good synergy.  He has a quasi-Bazaar effect and can easily get hellbent with Bazaar in play.  I don't care to add Tolarian simply because it's a one-of and I'm aiming for consistency.  Tolarian doesn't help me cast Goblin Welder.  My gameplan is to cast a Sphere and immediately set up the draw engine.  Whether that's playing a creature and Sword of Fire and Ice or Welder and Bazaar, I don't care.  I want the threats and disruption to keep coming. 

I had Viashino Heretic in the side but I think it's too slow.  I found Shattering Spree to be strictly better.  I don't need to win the game when I resolve that kind of effect.  I just want to stop my opponent from what he's trying to do and keep myself steady tempo-wise.  "Three" mana is a lot when Workshop isn't involved and Spheres are sitting on the table.  Shattering Spree cuts through Chalice and every other artifact it's aiming to hit.

The new list looks like this:

4 Juggernaut
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Gathan Raiders -1
3 Goblin Welder +1
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Sphere of Resistance
1 Trinisphere
3 Crucible of Worlds
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Mountain
4 Barbarian Ring
4 Mishra's Workshop
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Black Lotus
5 Moxes
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault

4 Leyline of the Void
3 Shattering Spree
2 Duplicant
4 Red Elemental Blast
2 Flexible slots

[Mophead-Masquerade]

The only time i can remember my mana base sucking out was in the top 8. Game 3 aginst Trogdon was really bad for me. The list still needed testing. I mean it got me a top 8, and a flooded strand, but i was looking for some cash that day.

Also I believe hitman's new list will be stronger anyways.

[Mith]

I only have three Welders because I haven't wanted to change any of the numbers.  As Workshop Aggro is more of a factor, it's likely I'll add the fourth.

I like the decklist...a nice throwback to the old mono-brown beatdown decks. My only question is this: do you really need Welder? Since the deck's consistency is on mana denial + beats...what are you trying to weld? Also...why did you cut Magus of the Moon? I would think he was quite the hose midgame...

[Dxfiler]

I love that goblins list... maindeck goblin tinkerer seems very smart... but did he really play 63 cards?  =/

Thanks for the lists.

- Dave

[Shock Wave]

Props to Mark for piloting Landstill. It seems that US players are finally starting to acknowledge that it is a very powerful archetype. How did that 2nd Crucible fare instead of the 4th Rod, Mark?

[hitman]

Welder is absolutely necessary.  Tradiitionally, Stax's main weakness was a lack of a draw engine so you were running solely off the strength of your opening hand and topdecks.  Welder and Bazaar are an incredible, uncounterable draw engine.  Between them and Sword of Fire and Ice, you should draw enough cards to keep you in business.  I'm trying to keep the synergy high so every spell I cast is a "must-counter" spell.  Against a 5C Stax, I'm not as inclined to counter a Welder like I am against UbaStax.  Since I want every spell to be a "must-counter" spell, I'm trying to make the deck as immune to counterspells as I can, hence Bazaar/Welder and Gathan Raiders. 

Magus of the Moon is definitely good in Workshop Aggro.  There are no big tournaments coming up in the immediate future so I'm trying different ideas until I feel comfortable with the entire list.  I'm seeing whether the extra damage and discard ability are worth more than a Blood Moon effect.  Right now, I think Magus is overkill.  I play Strip Mine and a full set of Wastelands, four Sphere of Resistance, and four Thorn of Amethyst (and a token Trinisphere).  I just added three Crucibles, too.  Keeping them off mana isn't hard or I might not even care with all the sphere effects.  Sometimes you don't want your Workshop to become a Mountain.   

[GrandpaBelcher]

I love that goblins list... maindeck goblin tinkerer seems very smart... but did he really play 63 cards?  =/

Thanks for the lists.

- Dave

Sixty-three sounds like a mistake.  I'll check when I get home in a few hours, but my guess is that he only played the one Goblin Tinkerer as a Matron target.  If so, my mistake again.

Edit:  Yep, three too many Tinkerers make 60 cards.  Changed the list.

[LordHomerCat]

Ya, there should just be one tinkerer to tutor for.  I expected lots of shops and there were indeed a ton of shops, so I was happy to have him there.  Also most credit for the list goes to Juan R., most of the list came from him and I made like a handful of changes main, otherwise most of the deck and board was his list.

[Twaun007]

Man this tourney looked like a blast. I'll do my best to make the next one.

Thanks for the pics and deck lists. Its always cool to see radical deck construction.

[LordHomerCat]

Man this tourney looked like a blast. I'll do my best to make the next one.

I know I could have used your extra $15 donation.