FNM - May 16, 2008

I used this BG Elves deck for the FNM:



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

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
2 [CS] Boreal Druid
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
2 [MOR] Bramblewood Paragon
4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
4 [LRW] Imperious Perfect
4 [SHM] Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
2 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker

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

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 2 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 3 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 4 [PLC] Extirpate
SB: 2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending


Basically here are the mainboard changes that I made in the deck (compared to what I used in the Shadowmoor Standard Inaugural):

-3 Civic Wayfinder
-1 Bramblewood Paragon
-2 Wilt-Leaf Liege
+4 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
+2 Chameleon Colossus


Round 1: vs. GWb Doran (lost)

Everyone else had already started their games when my first round opponent arrived. Someone had to call him (I think he was smoking at the Old Manila coffee place) to tell him that round 1 pairings had been up. When my opponent arrived, I knew immediately what his deck was - Doran Rock - because Joven had played against him before. And I knew I was right, when he cast his first spell of the day - turn 1 BOP. Then, I made the first of my many misplays of the day, by not Inverting the mana bird. I paid for it with a turn 2 Doran, and me getting a beating and losing very quickly in game 1. I sided in 2 Eyeblights and 2 Grips (because he had Shield of the Oversoul) for game 2. It was not enough though because I did not draw my Grips early enough to remove the indestructible aura. Also, my opponent had a mini combo going with multiple Saffi's and evoked Shriekmaws. GG.

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


Round 2: vs. Mono-Red Beats (won)

Our 2 games were almost identical. Turn 1 Maniac. Turn 2 Mudbrawler Cohort, swing for 4. Turn 3 Lurebound Scarecrow. And then his Maniac would die attacking to a much larger defender. I would Invert his Cohort. Scarecrow dies. And then I would overrun him with my elf army with no more defenders on his side.

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


Round 3: vs. RGw Landie (lost)

Our first game took a loooooong time. He would destroy my lands via Riders or Acid Moss. But by the time he would cast a huge threat, like a Deus of Calamity, I would have a huge Tarmogoyf on my side. Our giant creatures would battle, and die. Then repeat. Eventually, I ran out of gas and lost game 1. For game 2, I made a HUGE misplay -- 16 damage HUGE -- by not blocking a Chameleon Colossus. I thought, with 7 lands, he only had enough mana to pump the Changeling once, but forgot the Boreal Druid that he had on his side. :( GG.

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


Round 4: vs. RG Elf-Wolves Deathtouch (lost)

My opponent had a unique RG elf deck with the red elf being Taurean Mauler. And he would of course have access to red burn like Incinerate. I thought my deck was better though, at least in game 1, when I easily overran him via Garruk. Game 2 became a battle of attrition though, with his 2 Wren's Run Packmasters and 1 Imperious Perfect, and with me with an army of deathtouch Vanquishers. I still lost though despite being able to kill his token generators just because he had more elves and wolves, than I had creatures. In game 3, I made another huge misplay. With time up and us in our last 5 turns, I knew I had no chance of winning, so it was either I lost or I drew with the guy. All I had to do was survive in the 5 turns, and I could go home 1-2-1. But no, I miscalculated my math and took enough damage - 8 damage - on the 5th and last turn. And what was on my hand? 2 Kitchen Finks. Oh well.

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