FNM - Jul 31, 2009

"Trust the Japanese."

I decided to netdeck Taichi Fujimoto's BR Aggro deck from the 2009 Japanese Nats, with a few minor changes:

-4 Blightning, +4 Boggart Ram-Gang
-4 Magma Spray, +4 Tarfire
-2 Shriekmaw, +2 Chaotic Backlash


Round 1: vs. Combo Elves (lost)

I keep a decent hand of 2 lands, Bolt, Hellspark, Ram-Gang, Javelin, Javelin. The third land didn't decide to show up until the 6th turn though, and by that time it was too late.

-4 Anathemancer, -4 Javelin, +4 Firespout, +2 Deathmark, +2 Shriekmaw

I'm confident with my Elves matchup, with 8 sweepers post-SB, and a ton of removal. And on the second game, it really started to look that way, as I was on my way to winning after clearing the board multiple times in the game. With my opponent at 7 life, I unearth my Hellspark, and drop a Demigod ftw... but wait! In comes Cloudthresher for my opponent (a singleton which he drew!), sending my Demigod to the ground, and putting him at 2 life. I Deathmark the Thresher before passing the turn to him, but on his turn, he plays Regal Force and goes off. :(

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


Round 2: vs. Br Discarder (lost)

I mull to 6 on the first game, and my opponent starts talking about how he's pressured to win the game now that I mull'd. WTF? Apparently, it so happens that he plays a discarder deck, so the one less card was a huge advantage for him. Anyway, I apply quick beats as I always do, but he Terminates most of my creatures, and stabilizes at 7 life. All the while, he's pecking at my hand with Scepter of Fugue, and eventually drops a monstrous Nyxathid on the board. With nothing to kill the black elemental with, I lose the game.

-4 Fallout, -1 Anathemancer, +3 Bitterblossom, +2 Manabarbs

I play a turn 2 Bitterblossom and a turn 5 Manabarbs (I missed one land drop). He's able to Fallout once, but afterwards, I just sit back and watch my faerie army do their thing. :)

In the third game, I send my opponent all the way down to 1 life, but my lone attacker by then -- a Ram-Gang -- meets a gigantic Nyxathid. I was safely at 17 life then, so I decide to attack and wither his elemental, and hope for the best topdeck. Then, I draw land after land, and meanwhile, my opponent drops a SECOND Nyxathid. I slide my final draw across the table, and guess what, it was another land. :( I've just been Nyx'd!

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


Round 3: BYE
Loser round. Nuff said.

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


Round 4: vs. Naya (won)

By this time, I've just been texting Beej to come to UM early. And meanwhile, I play my final round against my round 1 opponent from last week. I easily win game 1 this time (no more mulling to 5), and board in Deathmarks and Shriekmaws for my Anathemancers (which were useless all night). In the second game, we play an extremely close game, with both of us in topdeck mode and at 6 life, but he draws Cliffrunner Behemoth. With Trace of Abundance in play, it has haste AND lifelink -- meaning I lose. Game 3 gets by very quickly and I win with minimal problems. 3/3 Wild Nacatl? Bolt that. Bloodbraid Elf into Cerodon Yearling? Fallout that. Woolly Thoctar? Deathmark that. Another Thoctar? Shriekmaw that. And swing. :)

OMG, it felt so good to finally get a win.

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

Of course, I get grouped again with the losers who will battle it out for random foil cards. I was one of the winners again, and guess what I picked AGAIN? Another DCI foil Slave of Bolas. LOLZ!