Shadowmoor Prerelease - Apr 20, 2008

Finally, my cold streak ended yesterday at the Shadowmoor Prerelease. :) I went 4-0 on Flight B (despite Jovs and I arriving at around 9am at Galleria), and won 4 booster packs and a Shadowmoor t-shirt. :)

A few notes from the tourney:

- I put only 16 lands in my deck because I couldn't choose any creature to cut. I decided it was OK since I had a pretty low mana curve. And apparently, I was right -- up until game 1 of the 4th round when I mulliganed to 5 (the only time I ever mulliganed the whole day). Most definitely, luck was in my side on this day -- what can I say, luck is part of the game. :)

- I think I did a pretty good job in deck construction this time, compared with my last Limited tourney, the Morningtide prerelease. I first sorted the cards by color, with the new hybrid cards on a separate pile in between its 2 colors. Then, I removed the "non usable" cards -- spells that work on the graveyard, artifact/enchantment hate (SB stuff), 1cc spells (none stood out as being usable), really high cc spells, etc. Afterwards, I looked for bombs among the remaining cards. None stood out, so I just chose the colors with the most number of "good" cards, and ended up with a RG deck utilizing the new mechanics of the set -- Wither, Persist, and Conspire. Finally, I sorted the cards in order of cc, for mana curve purposes. The RG deck pretty much built itself, with most of my creatures being Grizzly Bears or Hill Giants with abilities, a few fatties for the late game, and some removal & combat tricks.

- My MVPs were:


I never lost a game where this fatty came out. Even if the blocking creature would gain wither, it never did enough "withering" on the Wurm to make it less of a threat. Usually it would go down to just 4/4 or 5/5 and it would still be enough to be the biggest creature on the board.


Getting this bad guy out at turn 3 in Limited is really good, to say the least. :) I'm going to be looking for more copies of this card for Constructed. I think it may have potential for inclusion in red decks.


This card basically says, "Kill your opponent's biggest creature."

- Here are some good cards among my prerelease cards & booster packs won:


A 3cc tutor for black looks very good. A lot of potential here for breaking the format.


Really good size and awesome ability for her casting cost... but something's missing though... why is there no Flash?


Game changing effect... I'm not sure if it would be useable in Standard though, given the really high cc.

So many good cards, so little time (actual release is on Friday, May 2). And with the new WotC ruling, Shadowmoor will already be Standard-legal on the date of the release (FNM!)! I'm REALLY excited for this new set. And it helped a lot that things got off to a good start in the prerelease. :)

Triple Treat (Standard) - Apr 13, 2008

This is a post on how NOT to play a BG Elves deck:



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 [TSB] Pendelhaven
2 [MOR] Mutavault
4 [10E] Treetop Village
4 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
2 [CS] Boreal Druid
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [MOR] Bramblewood Paragon
4 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [LRW] Imperious Perfect
2 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
2 [LRW] Shriekmaw
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Spells
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
4 [LRW] Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [TSP] Sudden Spoiling
SB: 2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
SB: 4 [PLC] Extirpate
SB: 2 [PLC] Damnation
SB: 1 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 3 [LRW] Cloudthresher


Round 1: vs. UW Reveillark Control (lost)

Talk about bad luck. My first opponent was the guy who won first place the day before. I don't think I made any real blunders, but my opponent was simply much much better than me.

Game standing: 0-2
Match standing: 0-1


Round 2: vs. Red Deck Wins (lost)

Lost due to a sideboard mistake -- I forgot to board in Eyeblight's Ending. Greater Gargadon ftw twice!

Game standing: 0-4
Match standing: 0-2


Round 3: vs. Mono-black Rogues (lost)

I won when I drew a Chameleon Colossus. I got overran by Goblins & Faeries in the other two games.

Game standing: 1-6
Match standing: 0-3


Round 4: vs. BR Goblins (lost)

Getting Earwigged thrice in 1 game is sure to make you lose. Getting Earwigged twice on the other is not bad either.

Game standing: 1-8
Match standing: 0-4


After that, of course, I dropped from the tournament.


What went wrong?

1. My usual alibi -- bad luck. Here's my justification -- 1. I drew like 2 Imperious Perfects the whole day; 2. My opponents were crazy lucky; 3. Like always, I rarely, if ever, drew my SBs. Not to mention my crazy round 1 pairing.

2. Sideboard mistakes. I think this is where I REALLY need to improve. I think I already have a good grasp of what to board in for most matchups -- I just need to improve in knowing the cards that I have to board out.

3. Practice practice practice. I have been using a pretty good deck the past few weeks, so that's no longer an excuse. I just need to minimize my mistakes and hopefully this mean losing streak that I'm having will end soon. Besides, my birthday is coming up, so my bad luck is supposed to end, right?

For now, it's back to FNMs, since there will no longer be any more Standard tourneys until after Shadowmoor comes out in May.

FNM - Apr 11, 2008

I took a "Red Deck Wins" deck to yesterday's FNM:



// Lands
16 [10E] Mountain
1 [10E] Ghitu Encampment
1 [FUT] Keldon Megaliths
2 [MOR] Mutavault
2 [FUT] Horizon Canopy

// Creatures
4 [10E] Mogg Fanatic
4 [PLC] Keldon Marauders
4 [MOR] Countryside Crusher

// Spells
4 [10E] Shock
4 [MOR] Shard Volley
4 [10E] Incinerate
2 [LRW] Lash Out
4 [TSP] Rift Bolt
2 [TSB] Browbeat
4 [TSP] Sulfurous Blast
2 [TSP] Wheel of Fate

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [10E] Dragon's Claw
SB: 4 [10E] Threaten
SB: 4 [10E] Cryoclasm
SB: 2 [10E] Manabarbs
SB: 2 [PLC] Blood Knight
SB: 1 [TSB] Disintegrate


Round 1: vs. RWu Burn-Blink(?) (lost)

Obviously from above, my opponent had a very unique build. Things actually started out looking like a mirror match as he was casting Keldon Marauders along with some burn spells. But then I was surprised to suddenly see Aven Riftwatchers and Mulldrifters, and finally a Momentary Blink in response to my Lash Out. I lost to a Morph-Blinked Akroma Red.

Game standing: 0-2
Match standing: 0-1


Round 2: vs. UW Merfolk (won)

My very young opponent didn't even damage me on both games and I won this very easily -- he was using a subpar Merfolk deck that needed a lot of work. I even gave him some tips after the match -- and he was all ears.

Game standing: 2-2
Match standing: 1-1


Round 3: vs. BG Rock (lost)

I lost game 1 to a Warhammered Ascetic. For game 2, despite being behind the whole game on the life race, I still won an extremely close game (I was at 4 life, he was at 2 life) thanks to Manabarbs. Game 3 was close as well, but I ran out of gas and lost to a couple of Treetop Villages.

Game standing: 3-4
Match standing: 1-2


Round 4: vs. BR Goblins (won)

On game 1, with Wheel on Fate on suspend, I unloaded all my burn spells at my opponent's dome. Unfortunately, still with 1 final counter on the Wheel, my opponent unsuspended Greater Gargadon ftw. On game 2, my opponent made a mistake by not responding to Countryside Crusher's upkeep ability (I really think he had an Incinerate at that time), and lost to the giant with 3 counters. Game 3 was the highlight of the whole night, with both of us basically mirroring each others moves. Shock you. Tarfire you in response. Lash Out your Goblin. Lash Out your Marauder. In the end, with me at 4 life, my opponent at 6 life, and both of us with Incinerates at hand, I drew a Horizon Canopy. I play it and drew a card off it, and my topdeck was a Rift Bolt... ftw!

Game standing: 5-5
Match standing: 2-2

Good enough for 1 Future Sight booster pack prize (which unfortunately contained all-crap cards).

Triple Treat (Standard) - Apr 6, 2008

I originally planned to join the Block format in the Triple Treat, but laziness got the best of me, and I just joined the Standard format with my current deck. I gave Doran Rock another try, with LD maindecked.



// Lands
4 [MOR] Murmuring Bosk
3 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
4 [TSB] Gemstone Mine
2 [FUT] Horizon Canopy
1 [TSB] Pendelhaven
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 [UNH] Forest
1 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Birds of Paradise
3 [10E] Llanowar Elves
3 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
3 [10E] Troll Ascetic
3 [LRW] Doran, the Siege Tower
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
1 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus

// Spells
4 [10E] Rain of Tears
4 [TSP] Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
3 [MOR] Bitterblossom
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [PLC] Damnation
SB: 4 [PLC] Extirpate
SB: 1 [LRW] Profane Command
SB: 1 [TSP] Sudden Spoiling
SB: 2 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 1 [LRW] Primal Command


Round 1: vs. UB Faeries (won)

Faeries seem to be a good matchup for me, as the only decks I've beaten in the past few tourneys were of this archetype. I won this match easily in 2 games.

Game standing: 2-0
Match standing: 1-0


Round 2: vs. UB Faeries (lost)

After the previous round, I wished to face more faeries during the day. My wish was granted, as I faced the same deck on the second round. However, the tides were turned, and I lost the match in 2 games. The difference was that this version of UB Faeries was counter heavy, with a couple of Rune Snags and Cryptic Commands. Like they say, be careful what you wish for.

Game standing: 2-2
Match standing: 1-1


Round 3: vs. Reveillark (lost)

I was actually excited to face a Reveillark deck in the third round, with my maindeck LD tech supposedly "anti-Reveillark". It seemed to pay off in the first game, with my opponent losing very quickly, after 2 Rain of Tears and 1 Mwonvuli Acid Moss. In fact, he was talking about deck-checking me, because he was really uncomfortable that I had LD maindeck. He changed his mind though, probably thinking that after having lost game 1, and deck-checking being a time-consuming procedure, he will probably end up losing the match 0-1 when time runs out. My opponent's mood changed though when he wound up winning games 2 & 3. My LD spells just didn't come out in time, and he was able to cast Crovax, Ascendant Hero to nullify my Bitterblossoms.

Game standing: 3-4
Match standing: 1-2


Round 4: vs. Red Deck Wins (lost)

I lost this match, due to a misplay. Lesson learned: NEVER CAST BITTERBLOSSOM AGAINST A BURN DECK. In addition to the misplay though, my opponent also got some luck on his side, having topdecked the Shard Volley (game 1 - he was down to 1) and Threaten (game 2 - he was down to 3) to pull out the last opportunity wins.

Game standing: 3-6
Match standing: 1-3


Round 5: vs. Doran Rock mirror (lost)

My opponent had the traditional Doran Rock build, without Bitterblossoms and with 4 Garruks. With LD maindeck, I had no chance in winning game 1. After sideboarding though, I thought I had a chance against him, thinking that I had a better Doran build. I began to think I was right, as I won game 2 behind my Bitterblossoms. In game 3 though, he churned out Beast after Beast after Beast from his Garruk after Garruk after Garruk. I didn't have a chance, and lost the match.

Game standing: 4-8
Match standing: 1-4


Round 6: vs. UW Merfolk (won)

When I saw my opponent lay down an Island and then a Plains, I was starting to think that I was up against another Reveillark deck. Good thing I was wrong, when he suddenly cast a Mothdust Changeling, and then a Silvergill Adept -- apparently he had a fish deck. :) I felt confindent playing against a Tier 2 deck, but was surprised when he cast Aquitect's Will and a Lord of Atlantis. Suddenly, I couldn't block any of his creatures! I also couldn't draw any Nameless Inversion, so I was suddenly behind 0-1 after game 1. While sideboarding, I tried to keep my cool, and converted my deck to a traditional build. After boarding, my opponent didn't have a chance, and I easily won games 2 & 3.

Game standing: 6-9
Match standing: 2-4


Round 7: vs. UG Control (lost)

I didn't have a chance in this one, with my opponent either Rune Snagging or Mystic Snaking or Cryptic Commanding and even Vensering those that got through. I lost after 2 quick games. Learning point: Never cast 3 Bitterblossoms. Learning point #2: You can't kill a 2/3 Tarmogoyf with Nameless Inversion when there are no Tribal or Instant cards yet on any graveyard.

Game standing: 6-11
Match standing: 2-5

I've finally come to a conclusion that Land Destruction is not viable in today's Standard metagame. It's just too dependent on luck, and if you don't draw the LD spells early, they're all just dead cards. Plus, I always end up boarding them out anyway, so it's really better to just put more effective cards in their place. LD is just too slow against aggro, and is not good enough against control.

FNM - Apr 4, 2008

Due to the disappointing results from the City Champs, I abandoned the Land Destruction idea in yesterday's FNM, and went with a more traditional Doran Rock deck.



// Lands
4 [MOR] Murmuring Bosk
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
3 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [TSB] Gemstone Mine
1 [TSB] Pendelhaven
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 [FUT] Horizon Canopy
3 [UNH] Forest
1 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Birds of Paradise
3 [10E] Llanowar Elves
3 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
4 [10E] Troll Ascetic
4 [LRW] Doran, the Siege Tower
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
1 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
2 [LRW] Shriekmaw

// Spells
3 [MOR] Bitterblossom
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [PLC] Damnation
3 [LRW] Profane Command
1 [LRW] Primal Command

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [TSB] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 3 [LRW] Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 [PLC] Damnation
SB: 4 [PLC] Extirpate
SB: 2 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip


Round 1: vs. Red Deck Wins

Things started well, with me being able to draw both my singleton Primal Command and Chameleon Colossus in my starting hand -- and I then quickly proceeded to win game 1 behind the double-charged changeling. For game 2, I boarded in 4 Extirpates and took out the 2 Damnations and 2 Nameless Inversions. I soon realized that I made a mistake, when I drew both Shriekmaws and being unable to cast them. My opponent beat me without taking any damage. Out: 2 Shriekmaws; In: 2 Nameless Inversions. For game 3, my opponent was again getting his burn engine going. I was able to survive though, even Extirpating his Incinerates, but he just had too much going on, Threatening my Garruk Beasts and sacrificing them to Gargadon. With me at 11 life, he won via double Shard Volley on my Colossus, Shocking me (9 life) and sacrificing all his hands to get Gargadon online ftw.

Game standing: 1-2
Match standing: 0-1


Round 2: vs. Mono-green Elves

I started nicely, by getting an early Bitterblossom online. However, all my other creatures apparently stayed on the bottom of my deck. I eventually lost game 1 via some 1-2 damage elf attacks and my own freaking enchantment. In: 2 Damnations; Out: 1 Primal Command, 1 Shriekmaw. For game 2, we went on a battle of attrition, with me having a few large creatures, and him with a bunch of small guys. Tough luck again for me, with 4 Damnations in the deck, I just couldn't draw one. In the end, I lost when I made a mistake when casting Oblivion Ring. With a choice of getting rid of Imperious Perfect and Door of Destinies, I chose the former. He then proceeded to cast Gilt Leaf Ambush twice, tapping some elves for mana via Heritage Druid, and finally Overrun ftw. He had enough damage through to kill me at 19 life. Oh well.

Game standing: 1-4
Match standing: 0-2


After the game, I decided to drop from the tournament and just look at some binders. I think I really need that final Bitterblossom and probably 2 more Colossi, to get this deck out of its slump. Too bad, I didn't see any.

Finally as consolation, before going home, I just bought us some Pre-release Tickets for Shadowmoor -- and this one I'm really excited for.