When I attended Game Day last week, it was rampant with red aggro and R/G dragons. They seemed to do well and the people running them seemed to like them. So, I figured they may be bringing them back in the coming weeks and that I would break out one of my older decks, update a little, and try and give them a run.
I am hoping and feel that this deck will be able to slow down aggro and ramp enough with the early removal to set up my later board control and planeswalker take over. I am running this tonight and will try to update on how it goes.
I have only made it to FNM a few times since the original post, but I am having a blast running this deck. A couple changes from the original has it looking like this:
I have made it to two FNMs in the past 3 weeks and I took second in both. Really not that impressive as they were small, 10 person max, events, but my options are limited.
Three weeks ago when I played, I got matched against 2 subpar decks in the first two matches and won rather easily. Then split with the last guy to go 1st-2nd, getting second. I was not impressed with the decks I went against and it was not that satisfying of a night.
Last Friday, I went and it was a much more serious crowd. All 3 that I played were solid decks with experienced pilots, so I felt it was a much better test. Round 1 I was up against Atarka red aggro. I feel that it is a fairly favorable matchup for me. Game 1 however, I drew pretty poorly and was stuck with all sorcery speed removal and got dashed to death. Game 2 I drew more of a regular hand and beat him solidly. Game 3 we worked our way to topdeck mode, with me slightly outvalueing him and being in good position, but then I drew something like 7 lands in 8 draws and lost the turn before I would have flipped an Elspeth(even scryed it). Round 2 I came up against a guy running Bant control who had just drawn on time the first round. We had some serious removal fest going on(banishing lights onto banishing lights and such), and classic control stuff(draw go for both of us for like 5 turns each at one point) but I was aboe to outvalue him overall and take the match 2-0. Round 3 was the toughest matchup with four color, counter heavy, dragon control. My deck is weakest against blue draw/counter decks and I saw that in game one where I just couldn't get past him. Thankfully, my sideboard is where I try to remedy that, bringing in quick and/or uncounterable creatures and I squeaked out the last 2 games to take the match and secure second place. This one was much more satisfying and made me feel a bit more solidly about the deck. I lost to a deck that I have a favorable matchup with and beat the ones that I expected to be weak against.
Overall, I had a ton of fun and am happy with how it is going.
So, with FNM coming up again soon, I figure I should report on last week before then. Last Fri. we had about 10-12 people in our standard FNM pool.
I opened round 1 against an atarka red aggro deck. He outraced me game, as I had a bit of a slower hand, but games two and three I had my early burn and Anger of the Gods to keep the early damage to a minimum and set myself up for playing the planeswalkers to take over. I win 2-1
Next round I played my friend who was running a mono-black aggro deck. Game one, he mulliganed to 4 and I had a usable hand, so that was practically a free win(although he was still able to push me to under 10 life). Game 2 he had a bit of a slower hand and I had a great curve using removal to keep the board clear and going turn 4 Xenagos into Nissa into Elspeth to win with them all still on the table. I win 2-0
With only 3 rounds in the tourney, the final round I was matched against the only other 2-0 guy(not sure how there was only 2 of us). He was running a B/G aggro/midrange deck. This deck was my best matchup of the night, but I got to feel the sting of variance again. Game one, I kept a 2 land hand, with anger of the gods but no other early removal, on the draw, but didn't hit a third land until about turn 6 and was much too far behind to catch up at that point. Game 2, I pushed my luck, keeping a 2 land hand, on the play, but with a couple early removal spells this time. Once again, I missed a couple land drops but able to hit a third land within after my first few turns and removed a bloodsoaked champion and a couple of Tasigur, the Golden Fang. I also drew into and played 3 hornet nest, with 2 being kill spelled, but me hitting the third with an anger of the gods and clearing his board at the same time. I was then able to start hitting some more lands after that and play out enough walkers to overwhelm him. Game 3 variance did me in but good. I was on the draw, with a 3 land opening hand, a little early removal, and a strong planeswalker look with Xenagos and Elspeth. Then I didn't draw another land until about turn 8 (and it was a temple) and I lost the game on his next turn with 2 Xenagos, a Sarkhan, and an Elspeth in hand. If I had curved out with another land or two, I almost assuredly would have won, but them is the draws. I lose 2-1.
It was rather unfortunate and depressing having such poor drawing in round 3 but it happens. I still ended up getting second again, for the third FNM in a row, so I can't really complain. I love playing this deck and when I only lose due to variance, I know that it is working right.
4x Battlefield Forge
4x Forest
4x Mountain
3x Plains
4x Temple of Abandon
2x Temple of Plenty
1x Temple of Triumph
1x Windswept Heath
2x Wooded Foothills
Enchantment (5)
4x Banishing Light
1x Myth Realized
Planeswalker (11)
1x Ajani Steadfast
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Nissa, Worldwaker
2x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
3x Xenagos, the Reveler
3x Lightning Strike
2x Setessan Tactics
2x Twin Bolt
2x Wild Slash
Creature (4)
4x Hornet Nest
Sorcery (6)
3x Anger of the Gods
3x End Hostilities
2x Destructive Revelry
2x Display of Dominance
2x Dromoka's Command
1x End Hostilities
2x Fleecemane Lion
3x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Ojutai Exemplars
2x Stormbreath Dragon
I am hoping and feel that this deck will be able to slow down aggro and ramp enough with the early removal to set up my later board control and planeswalker take over. I am running this tonight and will try to update on how it goes.
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
4x Battlefield Forge
3x Forest
4x Mountain
3x Plains
4x Temple of Abandon
2x Temple of Plenty
2x Temple of Triumph
1x Windswept Heath
2x Wooded Foothills
Enchantment (5)
4x Banishing Light
Planeswalker (11)
1x Ajani Steadfast
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Nissa, Worldwaker
2x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
3x Xenagos, the Reveler
4x Lightning Strike
2x Dromoka's Command
2x Twin Bolt
2x Wild Slash
Creature (4)
4x Hornet Nest
Sorcery (6)
3x Anger of the Gods
3x End Hostilities
1x Anger of the Gods
2x Destructive Revelry
2x Display of Dominance
1x End Hostilities
2x Fleecemane Lion
4x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Ojutai Exemplars
2x Stormbreath Dragon
I have made it to two FNMs in the past 3 weeks and I took second in both. Really not that impressive as they were small, 10 person max, events, but my options are limited.
Three weeks ago when I played, I got matched against 2 subpar decks in the first two matches and won rather easily. Then split with the last guy to go 1st-2nd, getting second. I was not impressed with the decks I went against and it was not that satisfying of a night.
Last Friday, I went and it was a much more serious crowd. All 3 that I played were solid decks with experienced pilots, so I felt it was a much better test. Round 1 I was up against Atarka red aggro. I feel that it is a fairly favorable matchup for me. Game 1 however, I drew pretty poorly and was stuck with all sorcery speed removal and got dashed to death. Game 2 I drew more of a regular hand and beat him solidly. Game 3 we worked our way to topdeck mode, with me slightly outvalueing him and being in good position, but then I drew something like 7 lands in 8 draws and lost the turn before I would have flipped an Elspeth(even scryed it). Round 2 I came up against a guy running Bant control who had just drawn on time the first round. We had some serious removal fest going on(banishing lights onto banishing lights and such), and classic control stuff(draw go for both of us for like 5 turns each at one point) but I was aboe to outvalue him overall and take the match 2-0. Round 3 was the toughest matchup with four color, counter heavy, dragon control. My deck is weakest against blue draw/counter decks and I saw that in game one where I just couldn't get past him. Thankfully, my sideboard is where I try to remedy that, bringing in quick and/or uncounterable creatures and I squeaked out the last 2 games to take the match and secure second place. This one was much more satisfying and made me feel a bit more solidly about the deck. I lost to a deck that I have a favorable matchup with and beat the ones that I expected to be weak against.
Overall, I had a ton of fun and am happy with how it is going.
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
I opened round 1 against an atarka red aggro deck. He outraced me game, as I had a bit of a slower hand, but games two and three I had my early burn and Anger of the Gods to keep the early damage to a minimum and set myself up for playing the planeswalkers to take over. I win 2-1
Next round I played my friend who was running a mono-black aggro deck. Game one, he mulliganed to 4 and I had a usable hand, so that was practically a free win(although he was still able to push me to under 10 life). Game 2 he had a bit of a slower hand and I had a great curve using removal to keep the board clear and going turn 4 Xenagos into Nissa into Elspeth to win with them all still on the table. I win 2-0
With only 3 rounds in the tourney, the final round I was matched against the only other 2-0 guy(not sure how there was only 2 of us). He was running a B/G aggro/midrange deck. This deck was my best matchup of the night, but I got to feel the sting of variance again. Game one, I kept a 2 land hand, with anger of the gods but no other early removal, on the draw, but didn't hit a third land until about turn 6 and was much too far behind to catch up at that point. Game 2, I pushed my luck, keeping a 2 land hand, on the play, but with a couple early removal spells this time. Once again, I missed a couple land drops but able to hit a third land within after my first few turns and removed a bloodsoaked champion and a couple of Tasigur, the Golden Fang. I also drew into and played 3 hornet nest, with 2 being kill spelled, but me hitting the third with an anger of the gods and clearing his board at the same time. I was then able to start hitting some more lands after that and play out enough walkers to overwhelm him. Game 3 variance did me in but good. I was on the draw, with a 3 land opening hand, a little early removal, and a strong planeswalker look with Xenagos and Elspeth. Then I didn't draw another land until about turn 8 (and it was a temple) and I lost the game on his next turn with 2 Xenagos, a Sarkhan, and an Elspeth in hand. If I had curved out with another land or two, I almost assuredly would have won, but them is the draws. I lose 2-1.
It was rather unfortunate and depressing having such poor drawing in round 3 but it happens. I still ended up getting second again, for the third FNM in a row, so I can't really complain. I love playing this deck and when I only lose due to variance, I know that it is working right.
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
BRU Grixis Control/delver URB
standard:
BWUEsper controlUWB
legacy:
UWRMiraclesRWU