FNM - Feb 20, 2009

I've been really busy at work lately, so this was my first FNM in about a month (I haven't even been able to post this tournament until now), with only the Conflux Prerelease as my only Magic distraction in that month -- meaning I haven't played Standard all that time. :( Anyway, the goal was to have fun (and to bump up my Player Reward points hehe) so I decided to bring a Red Deck Wins deck -- which required minimum decisions, and resulted to fast and fun games. :) Here's the deck:



// Lands
25 [ALA] Mountain

// Creatures
4 [EVE] Figure of Destiny
4 [10E] Mogg Fanatic
3 [SHM] Boggart Ram-Gang
4 [SHM] Demigod of Revenge

// Spells
4 [MOR] Shard Volley
4 [10E] Incinerate
4 [LRW] Lash Out
4 [EVE] Puncture Blast
4 [SHM] Flame Javelin

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [SHM] Fulminator Mage
SB: 3 [CFX] Volcanic Fallout
SB: 3 [SHM] Firespout
SB: 2 [SHM] Guttural Response
SB: 3 [SHM] Smash to Smithereens

I know what you're thinking: BURN!!! :) Yeah.


Round 1: vs. RW Reveillark (lost)

My first round opponent is one of those players who take all types of tournaments (including FNMs) very seriously. Despite my attempts to lighten up the mood in our games, he was still very, um, competitive. In fact he called judge on two separate occasions during our match -- one when his Reveillark was behind a Windbrisk Heights (if he could evoke it -- of course he cannot), and second on a stack scenario (I could no longer remember what it was). All I can say is that his deck was superior to mine, but my rules knowledge is superior to his. ;-) Decks (and not rules) win in tournaments though, so he won the match. LOL.

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


Round 2: vs. Mono B Discarder (won)

A crazy scenario happened in this match, in game 1 to be exact. I was hot off the gates in the beginning and put him all the way down to 2 life. He then popped up an Immortal Coil, with my hand empty and nothing else on the board. I was in top deck mode, drawing nothing but lands, while he was eventually able to put 2 Nyxathids on the board -- he won that game. Haha. In games 2 and 3 though, I was ready with Smash to Smithereens, and I was able to pop his Immortal Coils and Scepter of Fugues ftw.

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


Round 3: vs. WGr Lands (lost)

My opponent was playing this unique deck featuring Knight of the Reliquary, Crucible of Worlds, and a lot of lands (I think he mentioned having 27 lands in his deck). In game 1, I was stupid enough to believe that he drew 3 consecutive Mutavaults (with me killing each one every time). After the third land drop though, I eventually saw the Crucible of Worlds in play. Damn! How stupid can I be? It was the same Mutavault coming back to haunt me! He beat me with Warhammer'd Mutavaults that game. In game 2, I was ready with his artifacts with Smash again, and easily won the game. In game 3, I was beat by a combination of Naya Charms, Path to Exiles, and eventually, a Knight of the Reliquary after a Scapeshift ftw.

Game standing: 4-5
Match standing: 1-2


Round 4: vs. WW Kithkin (lost)

I was still hoping for a .500 finish at this point, but my deck gave up on me as I drew crap on both games, to easily lose to my opponent's Kithkin horde.

Final game standing: 4-7
Final match standing: 1-3

Post-Eventide Metagame

This past weekend, there were a lot of major tournaments around the world, with various National Championships, as well as Grand Prix Kobe in Japan. This would very much dictate the post-Eventide metagame so here are the results for reference:

US Nationals (Standard):
1st - Red Deck Wins
2nd - BG Elves
3rd - UB Faeries
4th - Red Deck Wins

France Nationals (Standard):
1st - Red Deck Wins
2nd - UGrwb Quick n Toast
3rd - Red Deck Wins
4th - UW Merfolk

Italy Nationals (Standard):
1st - BR Tokens
2nd - UB Faeries
3rd - BG Elves
4th - Ramp-Toast

GP Kobe (Block):
1st - UB Faeries
2nd - BGw Doran
3rd - BGw Treefolk
4th - WW Kithkin

Quite noticeable is the apparent emergence of 2 RDW's on the top 4 of the US as well as the France Nats. Here's the decklist of the US National Champ, Michael Jacob:



// Lands
2 [FUT] Keldon Megaliths
22 [CS] Snow-Covered Mountain

// Creatures
4 [EVE] Figure of Destiny
4 [TSP] Magus of the Scroll
4 [PLC] Blood Knight
4 [FUT] Magus of the Moon
4 [SHM] Ashenmoor Gouger
4 [SHM] Demigod of Revenge

// Spells
4 [SHM] Flame Javelin
4 [10E] Incinerate
4 [CS] Skred

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [SHM] Murderous Redcap
SB: 2 [10E] Pithing Needle
SB: 3 [MOR] Spitebellows
SB: 4 [TSP] Sulfurous Blast
SB: 2 [EVE] Unwilling Recruit

Hmm. Anyone want to sell their Magus of the Moon? I'm buying at 150PhP each. ;-)

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).