BG Elves Deck Performance Analysis

In preparation for the Gold Rush later today (because it's past midnight already hehe), I decided to compile the results of all my sanctioned tournaments in the past couple of months, when playing the BG Elves deck archetype. Here are the results:

Mono Red - Won 8, Lost 5 - 62%
Elves/Rock - Won 6, Lost 6 - 50%
White Weenie - Won 3, Lost 7, Draw 1 - 27%
Random Deck - Won 5, Lost 3, Draw 1 - 56%
Faeries - Won 2, Lost 6 - 25%
Mono Black - Won 1, Lost 3 - 25%
5-Color Control - Won 1, Lost 2 - 33%
Mana Ramp - Won 0, Lost 3 - 0%
Planeswalkers - Won 2, Lost 0 - 100%
Mannequin - Won 1, Lost 1 - 50%
5-Color Elementals - Won 1, Lost 1 - 50%
Land D - Won 1, Lost 1 - 50%
Merfolk - Won 0, Lost 2 - 0%

Here are my observations:
1. The poor showing against Faeries is due to my inability to pilot the deck correctly in the beginning. Most, if not all, of the losses were in my early months of playing the deck.

2. The other deck archetypes' results are not very reliable as I haven't played enough against them.

3. As expected, I do well against random decks (decks I've played only once, ever).

4. The mirror is basically a coin toss. Perhaps I need better SB to have the advantage in the mirror.

5. And last, but most definitely not the least -- I suck against Kithkins. Now I know I really need that fourth Infest in the SB.

FNM - Dec 26, 2008

I needed to playtest for the 2008 Gold Rush tomorrow, so I played once again in my local store's FNM to practice. I wanted to try something in the BG Elves deck, by MD'ing Primal Commands.



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
2 [EVE] Twilight Mire
4 [MOR] Mutavault
4 [10E] Treetop Village
3 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [10E] Troll Ascetic
2 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
1 [LRW] Cloudthresher
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Spells
3 [MOR] Bitterblossom
1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer
3 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
3 [LRW] Profane Command
2 [LRW] Primal Command

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
SB: 3 [ALA] Infest
SB: 3 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 1 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 1 [LRW] Shriekmaw
SB: 2 [10E] Mind Rot
SB: 1 [MOR] Mind Shatter


Round 1: vs. WW Kithkins (lost)

First up: Kithkins. In terms of playtesting, this was good. In terms of doing well in the FNM, it was bad. Historically, I just have a bad record against this deck. Anyway, history repeats itself as I easily lost in 2 games. In the first game, my opponent got some help with me getting mana drought. In the second game, it was close all the way, but my opponent squeezed out the win in the end.

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


Round 2: vs. Mono Red Elementals (won)

My opponent and I both mulliganed to 5 for our first game, which I eventually lost thanks to a Rage Forger and a pair of Sunflare Shamans. I got back and won both sideboarded games though, thanks to a Profane Command in the second game, and a crucial Infest in the third game.

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


Round 3: vs. BG Elves (won)

I knew it was a mirror match even before we started, because I partially saw my opponent playtest before the FNM started. So when I drew the singleton Warhammer, along with a couple of dudes in my starting hand, the decision to keep was very easy. Unfortunately though, my opponent had all the removals and my Warhammer was reduced to a useless artifact with no one to equip it to. I eventually lost the one-sided game. In game 2, it was my turn to beat my opponent, and I finished the game with a Profane Command. I also found out that my opponent had an "incomplete deck" as he was using Briarhorns and Snakeforms. That gave me the confidence that I had the advantage in the deciding game. Game 3 though was the closest of all, and we were racing all game, with my Bitterblossom online, and my opponent gaining a bunch of life thanks to a couple of Kitchen Finks. In the end, I topdecked a Garruk to decide the game in my favor.

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


Round 4: vs. UW Reveillark (won)

My 4th round opponent was beside me in round 3, so I knew he had the Knight-Captain of Eos/Reveillark engine in his deck. I thought to myself, boy, this is going to be a looong game. It proved to be wrong though, as I my deck gave me the right cards at the right time, and I won both games very easily. The first game while at 37 life (thanks to Warhammer), and the second game via an early Garruk overrun, which my opponent had no answer to.

Game standing: 6-4
Match standing: 3-1

My final standing was good enough for a 5th place finish, and won me another booster pack -- which turned up to contain another crappy birdie. Oh well. I just hope to do as well as I did today, in the Gold Rush tomorrow. Good luck to me.

Christmas Gift - 2008

One of the best gifts I received in Christmas 2008:



It was from my Tito Benjie in Canada, who went home for the holidays.

I just found out that despite costing just $15 (~PhP 750) in the US, this product was released on a very limited basis here in Manila and is being sold for Php 1,200. Whoa.

Merry Christmas indeed! :)

FNM - Dec 12, 2008

I followed the netdeck trend, and inserted Bitterblossoms onto the BG Elves deck. I further tuned the MD and moved the Thoughtseizes onto the SB as the meta in my local shop is more aggro than control.



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
2 [EVE] Twilight Mire
4 [MOR] Mutavault
4 [10E] Treetop Village
3 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [10E] Troll Ascetic
2 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
3 [LRW] Cloudthresher
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Spells
3 [MOR] Bitterblossom
3 [LRW] Profane Command
3 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
SB: 3 [ALA] Infest
SB: 4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 1 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 1 [MOR] Mind Shatter
SB: 2 [10E] Mind Rot


Round 1: vs. WW Kithkins (lost)

The FNM crowd was larger than usual -- 28 players -- and there were a couple of good players in the room. As is my usual "practice", I once again got paired with one of the better players in the first round. He was playing Kithkins, so I once again wished that I had that 4th Infest in my SB (I really need to get that one ASAP).

Anyway, back to the match, things didn't start well, as I mull'd to 5. To add insult to injury, my opponent had a pretty good draw (which is pretty common for Kithkins, due to its amazing consistency), and I lost via a Mirrorweave to a Wizened Cenn.

SB: +3 Infest, -1 Thresher, -2 Colossus

In game 2, things started out better. I kept my initial 7 for one, and I had him down to 6 life later in the game, with me still at perfect life. He unfortunately stabilized and I had to attack every turn just to keep him at that level (he was gaining life thanks to a Glorious Anthem and a Knight of Meadowgrain). I had an Infest and a Profane in hand, which could both win me the game, but couldn't draw that second black mana source. I eventually lost via consecutive Cloudgoat Rangers which overwhelmed the board.

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


Round 2: vs. Naya Planeswalkers (won)

My opponent started things off with a Jungle Shrine... and nothing else. I went blazing on the game, with a Warhammer'd Ascetic, and won the game at 32 life, and my opponent having played just a single Garruk all game.

SB: +4 Thoughtseize, -1 Warhammer, -2 Threshers, -1 Nameless

In the second game, I demolished my opponent again with Beast tokens from Garruk, and a Profane Command to finish him off. I was still at perfect life at that point.

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


Round 3: vs. Mono Red Aggro Budget (won)

This was a fun game. It kinda reminded me of playing with Tyrone at UP from 10 years ago, as my opponent was consistently playing turn 1 Raging Goblin, then turn 2 Fists of the Anvil (Blood Lust anyone?) -- on all three games! LOL. I believe he had no creatures with 4cc or more, as it seems he was sending off a bunch of weenies all the time -- Heartlash Cinder, Boggart Ram-Gang, etc. His burn was being wasted on my creatures though, so he was always having a hard time finishing me off. I won in 3 fun games.

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


Round 4: vs. UB Mannequin (won)

Once again, I was in a do-or-die scenario. Win, and I get a pack. Lose, and I go home empty-handed. Things didn't start well, as my opponent beat me with Oona, Queen of the Fae.

SB: +4 Thoughtseize, -1 Warhammer, -2 Threshers, -1 Nameless

In game 2, the Blossoms finally went online. I never drew them on any other game -- and in this one, I finally got a taste of why Faeries win with them. You just don't have to do anything else, just sit back, control the board, and watch the tokens attack.

In game 3, I drew a Garruk godhand. Overrun ftw!

Game standing: 6-4
Match standing: 3-1


After the match, I was watching my first round opponent in a battle of undefeateds at table 2. I wanted him to win (to improve my tiebreaks), but he unfortunately lost, so I settled for 7th place. I won a Shadowmoor pack, with this birdie at the rare slot:

FNM - Dec 5, 2008

I was on a two-week Magic semi-hiatus due to increased workload and a brand-new distraction, so I was a bit out of touch in terms of Magic news, metagaming, and deck techs. Still, I was determined to play at least one more FNM this month in order to get the Hippie promo card, so when an opportunity popped up, I grabbed the chance and took the tried and tested BG Elves deck to our local FNM.


Round 1: vs. BW Hybrids (won)

My opponent's body language was shouting "tournament-newbie", so I was glad to face him in the first round. However, things quickly turned around, as I got bullied by a Nightsky Mimic and an Edge'd up Beckon Apparition token, to quickly lose game one.

SB: -4 Thoughtseize, +3 Infest, +1 Warhammer

In game 2, my opponent showed his inexperience when he overextended over and over to my Infests, and I took him down with a pair of Vanquishers. In game 3, my Colossi finally showed up, but before I could rejoice with the protection from black ability, my opponent had Oblivion Rings to remove the giant changelings. It went down the wire, with me at 5 life and him at 3 life, but the game changer was a Cloudthresher, which blocked an attacker and eventually finished him off on my turn.

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


Round 2: vs. WW Kithkins (draw)

I faced off in the second round against an acquaintance whom I was playtesting with, just before the FNM started. I knew he was playing Kithkins, and I knew he was pretty good in Magic, but I also knew that he never won in our playtests, so I had some sort of mental advantage over him. Game 1 was very close, with both of us getting to 6 life, but just like in the previous game, a mid-combat Thresher did him in and wiped his Spectral Procession tokens.

SB: -4 Thoughtseize, +3 Infest, +1 Warhammer

In game 2, my opponent had a pretty good draw, activating his Windbrisk Heights for a free Mirrorweave on my Colossus ftw. Game 3 was very very close. With my opponent having 3 Spectral tokens once again, I couldn't put down my Colossus for fear of getting beat up once again by a 'Weave. The result was a long and slow race in life, which eventually ended with a draw -- me at 5 life and him at 7 life. The Profanes just didn't come out... not even a single one. :(

Game standing: 3-2-1
Match standing: 1-0-1


Round 3: vs. Naya (won)

My next opponent was a regular top 8 player in my store's FNM. I got lucky though when he got stuck at 2 lands in our first game, and I easily beat him at perfect life. In game 2, I made a HUGE misplay, by blocking his attacking Warhammered Colossus (7/4) with my Wayfinder and a mid-combat Cloudthresher (9/9 total). I thought the trick was on him, when I figured that even if he pumped the Colossus, it would just be at 8/8. I totally forgot about the +3/+0 bonus that the Warhammer gave, and of course his Colossus, post-pump, was a beastly 14/11. Both my creatures died, my opponent went up to 30 life, and I covered my face with my hands in shame. In game 3 though, I went back to my winning ways, and beat him while still at perfect life. I had some help though from his manabase, as he was taking too much pain from ouchlands.

Game standing: 5-3-1
Match standing: 2-0-1


Round 4: vs. Mono G Elves (lost)

After 3 rounds, we found out that there was just 1 person with a 3-0 record. And he was playing the person I drew with in the second round. Basically, if I won the 4th round, I was guaranteed a top 2 to 3 finish, and a shiny foil Shrapnel Blast. Unfortunately, that was not to be, as my opponent (playing an Elf deck that I felt was inferior to mine) had really awesome draws. Let me put it this way -- three words -- Three Imperious Perfects. In the second game, it was more of the same, as my Infests stayed in the bottom of the deck. To think that he was greatly overextending with Wolf Skull Shamans, and Bramblewood Paragons, and a single copy of the black sorcery could have easily swung the game in my favor. Oh well. Once again, shit happens.

Game standing: 5-5-1
Match standing: 2-1-1

Still good enough though for a 6th place finish, and one Shards of Alara prize pack. What did it contain? This blue monstrosity: