I agree, it is absolutely unacceptable to lie to a judge. I was quite flustered at this point and had said "precombat" instead of "in combat" which my opponent pointed out.
However I distinctly remember saying 'tap your myr in combat' after he attacked with his Fallen, which I guess is unclear as to which step of the combat phase I was referring to. However I thought it didn't matter since Tick only taps artifacts and I couldn't block anyway, (hence me saying "it doesn't really matter" after asking me if I take poison) but I guess I should be more specific next time.
Ok so today at the prerelease I had my first rude experience from my opponent.
My opponent has a mana myr and a Tel-Jilad Fallen in play. I have a Rust Tick and a mana myr of my own. He attacks me with Fallen, I say ok but that I want to tap the myr 'in combat'. He asks me if I'm taking the poison damage. I say that it doesn't really matter (referring to the fact that I can't block it anyway) and that I'm taking it. Right after that he then says he's going to tap the myr for mana and I allow it thinking he might have a trick. He then plays a creature with it. I say that I intended to tap it in combat, but he says that I said 'it doesn't really matter' and that it wasn't my intention to tap it in combat, instead trying to 'take it back' so I can screw him. We argue for a bit, then he calls a judge.
The judge comes and I let my opponent explain his side. I explain my side for a bit but I said precombat by accident and he catches me in a lie which I admit as I technically said 'in combat'. However the judge rules in my favor after explaining that it was a communication error and that since this isn't a competitive REL it was my intention to do so. He angrily tells the judge to leave him alone, continues playing and then a few turns later I win and he angrily accuses me of winning because of that ruling and the partial lie I was caught in. He stomps off without signing the match slip. I ask him to but he instead tells me sarcastically to get the judge to sign it. We insult eachother for a bit but in the end I just let it go and handed the slip in.
Worst feeling I've had at a pre-release. Especially when my opponent is taking it so seriously when in the previous game he wanted to take something back and I let him because it's not that big of a deal. Were my actions and the judge's ruling right?
The only other equipment tutor I can think of is Steelshaper's Gift which I eventually cut from my Brion deck.
Another sac outlet you might like would be Greater Gargadon.
I was playing a 1v1 game, me piloting Brion Stoutarm against a Teneb, the Harvester deck. The board isn't looking so great for me. He has a Nath of the Gilt-Leaf and a token while I have a Epochrasite that just came out of suspension as my only creature. Because of Nath, I've been dumping my hand every turn so he won't get any more tokens. I draw Sunforger, play it and equip with enough mana to use it if I need to. Pass the turn.
On his turn, he decides to cast Decree of Pain. In response, I search with Sunforger and get Reiterate with buyback so I deny him the draw. My turn I draw, play Felidar Sovereign and equip him with WR up. His turn he tries another big sorcery in the form of Identity Crisis, which I promptly redirect back at him via Wild Ricochet via Sunforger. My opponent concedes.
In another game, this time 3 player multiplayer, one guy piloting Scion of the Ur-Dragon has a Braid of Fire with 9 age counters on it and a total of 21 mana. The other player has a Stuffy Doll naming me in play. The Scion player tries to Comet Storm with multikicker twice, choosing me, Stuffy, and my other opponent for 17. I respond with Wild Ricochet. Ouch.
Just a quick question concerning Merieke Ri Berit and Grab the Reins. My opponent controls Merieke and on my turn I gain control of it via Grab, then activate it's ability targetting itself. Do I get to keep Merieke after the turn ends? If it becomes untapped, does it destroy itself?
My MVP has to be Lighthouse Chronologist. It's just so unfair when you get this guy active. In two seperate games I was on 2 life when I got this active and started doing ridiculous stuff like: untap, Flame Slash one dude, Wrap in Flames, swing with Artisan of Kozilek, untap, rip Wrap in Flames off the top like a pro and swing for game. Hada Spy Patrol also did me well and helped me get there in at least two games.
Hey guys. Went to my first pre-release today and my first tournament in a while (but probably my 8th tournament overall) after my lack of interest in the Shadowmoor and Shards blocks. The timmy in me just wanted to get out big guys and swing, and to get a promo Emrakul. Anyway, onto the pool.
As you can see, I was really lacking in good creatures. I ruled out white fairly early on, and saw my two blue bombs, the chronologist and the sphinx. I decided to go that route, even though the rest of my blue wasn't that great (no nacrolepsy or regress FTL). Out of red and green I went red because it had better removal and a couple of walls which could help me survive. Then seeing those two vendettas I didn't want to go to waste, I went and splashed black for even more removal. In the end, this is what I did with what I think was a pretty mediocre pool (besides the chronologist, sphinx and eldrazi).
I ended up going 3-1 with it (2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 0-2) so I'm pretty happy with what I managed to do. I can say that chronologist is just plain unfair. Both game 2s in round 1 and 2 I won on 2 life after getting out an active chronologist, after losing the first games fairly decisively. Wrap in flames was great for me as it allowed my eldrazi to just swing through ftw and to kill off X/1s or spawns. Hada spy patrol got there for me in 2 games after making it a 3/3 shroud unblockable and a 4/4 shroud unblockable in another with eel umbra. Dreamstone was also fantastic as it allowed me to play artisan turn 7/8 and then sac to draw 3 the next turn. Eel umbra served me well and saved my chronologist from a heat ray. Unfortunately the only time I got sphinx out it was too late and lost the turn after I played it.
I'm also an advocate for playing a mono blue ninja deck instead of going into black. Here's my list. It's been a while since I've played with it, but I remember that you can absolutely dominate aggro with Shuriken (tutorable thanks to Trinket Mage).
Here is my casual UR Storm Deck. Not very fast, usually goes off around turn 5. I get Desire off for around 7 copies and hope I get lucky. If I had a fourth Desire I would put it in probably over the fourth Lava Dart.
I would replace your set of Scent of Brine with either a set of Mana Leak or a set of Rune Snag, Rune Snag being the better candidate in my opinion.
Revealing cards in control is generally not a good idea.
Deadeye Navigator. Many, many EDH games have ended with me abusing this easy to use card with any number of ETB creatures, from Mystic Snake to the former EDH powerhouse Sylvan Primordial.
Problem is Forsaken City exiles the card.
However I distinctly remember saying 'tap your myr in combat' after he attacked with his Fallen, which I guess is unclear as to which step of the combat phase I was referring to. However I thought it didn't matter since Tick only taps artifacts and I couldn't block anyway, (hence me saying "it doesn't really matter" after asking me if I take poison) but I guess I should be more specific next time.
My opponent has a mana myr and a Tel-Jilad Fallen in play. I have a Rust Tick and a mana myr of my own. He attacks me with Fallen, I say ok but that I want to tap the myr 'in combat'. He asks me if I'm taking the poison damage. I say that it doesn't really matter (referring to the fact that I can't block it anyway) and that I'm taking it. Right after that he then says he's going to tap the myr for mana and I allow it thinking he might have a trick. He then plays a creature with it. I say that I intended to tap it in combat, but he says that I said 'it doesn't really matter' and that it wasn't my intention to tap it in combat, instead trying to 'take it back' so I can screw him. We argue for a bit, then he calls a judge.
The judge comes and I let my opponent explain his side. I explain my side for a bit but I said precombat by accident and he catches me in a lie which I admit as I technically said 'in combat'. However the judge rules in my favor after explaining that it was a communication error and that since this isn't a competitive REL it was my intention to do so. He angrily tells the judge to leave him alone, continues playing and then a few turns later I win and he angrily accuses me of winning because of that ruling and the partial lie I was caught in. He stomps off without signing the match slip. I ask him to but he instead tells me sarcastically to get the judge to sign it. We insult eachother for a bit but in the end I just let it go and handed the slip in.
Worst feeling I've had at a pre-release. Especially when my opponent is taking it so seriously when in the previous game he wanted to take something back and I let him because it's not that big of a deal. Were my actions and the judge's ruling right?
I opened, in order:
Primeval Titan, Foil Alluring Siren
Sunpetal Grove
Overwhelming Stampede, Foil Conundrum Sphinx
Nantuko Shade
Leyline of the Void
Sunpetal Grove, Foil Silvercoat Lion
Grave Titan
Sunpetal Grove
Sword of Vengeance
Baneslayer Angel
2x Arid Mesa
3x Smoldering Spires
5x Island
8x Mountain
3x Plated Geopede
3x Chandra's Spitfire
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Staggershock
3x Distortion Strike
4x Mana Leak
4x Ponder
3x Fling
3x Searing Blaze
Probably could be improved upon. No idea what to put in the sideboard, and I haven't been keeping up with standard either.
Another sac outlet you might like would be Greater Gargadon.
On his turn, he decides to cast Decree of Pain. In response, I search with Sunforger and get Reiterate with buyback so I deny him the draw. My turn I draw, play Felidar Sovereign and equip him with WR up. His turn he tries another big sorcery in the form of Identity Crisis, which I promptly redirect back at him via Wild Ricochet via Sunforger. My opponent concedes.
In another game, this time 3 player multiplayer, one guy piloting Scion of the Ur-Dragon has a Braid of Fire with 9 age counters on it and a total of 21 mana. The other player has a Stuffy Doll naming me in play. The Scion player tries to Comet Storm with multikicker twice, choosing me, Stuffy, and my other opponent for 17. I respond with Wild Ricochet. Ouch.
1x Artisan of Kozilek
1x Not of This World
1x Ulamog's Crusher
White
2x Affa Guard Hound
1x Caravan Escort
1x Guard Duty
2x Harmless Assault
1x Lone Missionary
1x Makindi Griffin
1x Repel the Darkness
1x Soul's Attendant
2x Stalwart Shield-Bearers
1x Survival Cache
Blue
1x Aura Finesse
1x Champion's Drake
1x Drake Umbra
1x Eel Umbra
1x Fleeting Distraction
1x Hada Spy Patrol
1x Jwari Scuttler
2x Lay Bare
1x Lighthouse Chronologist
1x Merfolk Observer
1x Merfolk Skyscout
2x Phantasmal Abomination
1x Sphinx of Magosi
1x Training Ground
1x Unified Will
1x Venerated Teacher
1x Bala Ged Scorpion
1x Bloodrite Invoker
1x Bloodthrone Vampire
2x Contaminated Ground
1x Curse of Wizardry
1x Death Cultist
2x Demonic Appetite
1x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Repay in Kind
2x Shrivel
2x Vendetta
1x Zof Shade
1x Zulaport Enforcer
Red
1x Battle Rampart
1x Brood Birthing
1x Devastating Summons
1x Fissure Vent
1x Flame Slash
1x Goblin Arsonist
1x Goblin Tunneller
1x Kiln Fiend
1x Ogre Sentry
1x Soulsurge Elemental
2x Spawning Breath
1x Staggershock
1x Traitorous Instinct
3x Wrap in Flames
2x Ancient Stirrings
1x Daggerback Basilisk
1x Gelatinous Genesis
1x Growth Spasm
1x Leaf Arrow
1x Living Destiny
2x Naturalize
1x Nema Siltlurker
1x Pelakka Wurm
Artifact
1x Dreamstone Hedron
1x Ogre's Cleaver
1x Reinforced Bulwark
As you can see, I was really lacking in good creatures. I ruled out white fairly early on, and saw my two blue bombs, the chronologist and the sphinx. I decided to go that route, even though the rest of my blue wasn't that great (no nacrolepsy or regress FTL). Out of red and green I went red because it had better removal and a couple of walls which could help me survive. Then seeing those two vendettas I didn't want to go to waste, I went and splashed black for even more removal. In the end, this is what I did with what I think was a pretty mediocre pool (besides the chronologist, sphinx and eldrazi).
8x Island
3x Swamp
7x Mountain
Creatures
1x Hada Spy Patrol
1x Lighthouse Chronologist
1x Ogre Sentry
1x Jwari Scuttler
1x Battle Rampart
1x Merfolk Skyscout
1x Bala Ged Scorpion
1x Sphinx of Magosi
1x Ulamog's Crusher
1x Artisan of Kozilek
2x Vendetta
1x Devastating Summons
1x Flame Slash
1x Staggershock
2x Lay Bare
1x Traitorous Instinct
2x Wrap in Flames
1x Dreamstone Hedron
Enchantments
1x Eel Umbra
I ended up going 3-1 with it (2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 0-2) so I'm pretty happy with what I managed to do. I can say that chronologist is just plain unfair. Both game 2s in round 1 and 2 I won on 2 life after getting out an active chronologist, after losing the first games fairly decisively. Wrap in flames was great for me as it allowed my eldrazi to just swing through ftw and to kill off X/1s or spawns. Hada spy patrol got there for me in 2 games after making it a 3/3 shroud unblockable and a 4/4 shroud unblockable in another with eel umbra. Dreamstone was also fantastic as it allowed me to play artisan turn 7/8 and then sac to draw 3 the next turn. Eel umbra served me well and saved my chronologist from a heat ray. Unfortunately the only time I got sphinx out it was too late and lost the turn after I played it.
So guys, how would you have built this pool?
4x Faerie Conclave
2x Tolaria West
2x Seat of the Synod
1x Pendelhaven
1x Academy Ruins
12x Island
4x Ornithopter
4x Mothdust Changeling
4x Spellstutter Sprite
4x Mistblade Shinobi
3x Trinket Mage
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
2x Higure, the Still Wind
4x Rushing River
4x Counterspell
Artifacts (5)
1x Æther Spellbomb
1x Leonin Bola
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Shuriken
1x Umezawa's Jitte
4x Terramorphic Expanse
4x Ancient Spring
4x Sulfur Vent
1x Island
6x Mountain
4x Rite of Flame
4x Seething Song
4x Manamorphose
4x Grapeshot
3x Mind's Desire
4x Lava Dart
4x Rift Bolt
3x Quiet Speculation
4x Brainstorm
4x Impulse
3x Remand
Revealing cards in control is generally not a good idea.