Format
The Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules and Infraction & Penalty Guide are in effect for this event unless specifically overruled by information in this Format Document.
Theros Block Constructed and Theros Block Booster Draft
1 Journey into Nyx, 1 Born of the Gods and 1 Theros booster pack will be used for drafting (in that order)
Deck lists are required
This PT is half block constructed and this season's block decks are some of the more viable and affordable we've seen in a long time. If you love block this is the time to promote the format.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
So they are doing all this prep on Thursday, but completely forgot to check the lighting at the draft table. It's so hard to see any card past the one pulled to the front.
I watched the draft. They are reviewing his draftcap right now.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
Watching Duke vs Chapin. I do agree Elspeth is still one of the more powerful cards in this block.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
Nykthos for multiple blue (or any land with multiple Market Festival attatched) + Thasa's Ire + Kiora's Follower + Bow of Nylea.
Tap Land for 5 mana, untap with Kiora's Follower, tap again, Use Thasa's Ire to untap Kiora's Follower.
Make infinite blue and then start using this mana to generate an excessive amount of green mana.
With lots of green and blue, activate Bow of Nylea targetting your Kiora's Follower to add a +1/+1. Use same method for mana generation to add excessive numbers of +1/+1's to Kiora's follower and swing for win.
Anyone actually try to pull that off?
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
I like Wafo Tapas actually. Of all the decks shown it seems to have the best chance at having a shot outside of block since it's not reliant on Prognostic Sphinx.
Does he have Underworld Coinsmiths? They can get pretty ridiculous.
Christ, this tournament has been boring. Is Block always this bad? I've booked flights for GP Manchester and everything, and that's Block =/
This is actually one of the better block seasons for deck diversity. In the past we've seen blocks where they didn't really think it out (post AVR for instance was over 50% Wolf Green). It's like playing limited with more packs.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
This is actually one of the better block seasons for deck diversity. In the past we've seen blocks where they didn't really think it out (post AVR for instance was over 50% Wolf Green). It's like playing limited with more packs.
Some decks, especially the heroic ones do feel like glorified draft decks but decks like Chapin's are far from it. I agree that the block seems diverse - a lot of BUG control was on camera because the superteams were playing it and we didn't see as many of the different decks like Raph Levy's too often.
One difference I see is that Josh is running 24 lands, where as Reid, Park and Chapin's decks had 26/26/25 respectively. And both R/G Elspeth decks had 24 lands.
This is so boring. Why Wizards thought it would be a good idea not to print a proper sweeper is beyond me. Wrath of God didn't fit flavourfully or something? Because the board gets so gummed up it just turns into scrywars seeing who can topdeck the winning card.
I'm still not sure they think that belongs in white's color pie. (I think the complete sweepers that wipe everything but lands fit because they "purify" but just creature wipes I think they want in black).
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
Congrats to Pat Chapin. He played those on-camera matches in the Top 8 about as well as it was possible to play them. The field was really tough and he made it look easy.
That BUG deck was a joke. Playing long drawn out matches leads to fatigue. Killing people with Prognostic Sphinx beat down was never that good a win condition.
Seems pretty obvious that the 3 most powerful cards in the format are:
All you need to do was build a deck with all 3... the thing was figuring that out before the PT and it took a master deck builder to do that. Tying it all together with Fleecemane Lion was just genius. Nice Junk list from Nam too just not quite there.
That BUG deck was a joke. Playing long drawn out matches leads to fatigue. Killing people with Prognostic Sphinx beat down was never that good a win condition.
You do realize that CFB The Pantheon got a 100% day 2 conversion rate with the deck, putting 9 people into the money (not counting Chapin, who was running Junk) out of 12 who were playing the deck (with Nassif losing out despite an 8-2 record in block due to going 0-6 in limited)? It did not literally win the tournament, but it did extremely well.
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http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtg/event/protour/journeyintonyx14
Links to Stream:
http://wizards.com/webcast
http://twitch.tv/magic
This PT is half block constructed and this season's block decks are some of the more viable and affordable we've seen in a long time. If you love block this is the time to promote the format.
Standard
W.I.P.
EDH
WNorn Tokens
Ashiok doing work!
EDIT: So uh...Theros Block constructed seems to be:
1. Play Elspeth
2. ????
3. Profit
Anyone actually try to pull that off?
Does he have Underworld Coinsmiths? They can get pretty ridiculous.
This is actually one of the better block seasons for deck diversity. In the past we've seen blocks where they didn't really think it out (post AVR for instance was over 50% Wolf Green). It's like playing limited with more packs.
Some decks, especially the heroic ones do feel like glorified draft decks but decks like Chapin's are far from it. I agree that the block seems diverse - a lot of BUG control was on camera because the superteams were playing it and we didn't see as many of the different decks like Raph Levy's too often.
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/ptjou14/top8decks
One difference I see is that Josh is running 24 lands, where as Reid, Park and Chapin's decks had 26/26/25 respectively. And both R/G Elspeth decks had 24 lands.
As for other decks - love Chapin's Junk Goodstuff deck, as well as that Thassa's Ire infinite combo. Of the aggro decks, Wescoe's UW was hilarious:
T1: Scryland
T2: Land, Hero of Iroas
T3: Land, Ordeal of Thassa, Ordeal of Thassa, Ordeal of Heliod, swing for 8, draw 4 cards, gain 10 life.
That was awesome.
Anyway: Wrapter vs. Chapin in the semis - Junk vs. BUG. Nam Sung-Wook vs. Andrea Mengucci now, Mengucci just took Game 1.
Rooting for Reid Duke to win it all though, guy deserves it. Mengucci would be a nice underdog story, too.
I'm still not sure they think that belongs in white's color pie. (I think the complete sweepers that wipe everything but lands fit because they "purify" but just creature wipes I think they want in black).
Certainly not me. Was pretty much used as a 7 drop by Chapin but it did a tremendous amount of work.
I'm really happy for Pat, he is a great guy and has really devoted his life to the game. Well deserved.
Standard: I, for one, welcome our new rhinoceros overlords
Modern: Pod's dead, Bob's back.
Legacy: Lands, Deathblade, Death and Taxes, Elves, MUD
Retired Legacy: Merfolk, Goblins, Jund, Delver, Reanimator
Too bad the good man, Stanislav Cifka fell down, fighting the good fight. Unfortunately, RW Heroic could not fight through these durdly 0/3s and 2/4s.
Very happy for Pat Chapin, though - it's about damn time. Reid Duke lost to variance.
EDIT: Oh, fun fact: Apparently that durdly, grindy BUG Control deck CFB used was designed by.... Andrew Cuneo. As if we expected anyone else.
Honestly, I never would have guessed. The deck seemed too fast for a Cuneo build.
Seems pretty obvious that the 3 most powerful cards in the format are:
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Hero's Downfall
Courser of Kruphix
All you need to do was build a deck with all 3... the thing was figuring that out before the PT and it took a master deck builder to do that. Tying it all together with Fleecemane Lion was just genius. Nice Junk list from Nam too just not quite there.
You do realize that CFB The Pantheon got a 100% day 2 conversion rate with the deck, putting 9 people into the money (not counting Chapin, who was running Junk) out of 12 who were playing the deck (with Nassif losing out despite an 8-2 record in block due to going 0-6 in limited)? It did not literally win the tournament, but it did extremely well.