I made one last minute adjustment- dropping the Gideon for a Disenchant. I felt that would be way more useful in the long run. I really didn't feel good about Gideon or Cataclysm. Disenchant is a thing which is way more effective.
Note about attendance, the past few weeks I have made it to Thursday- MTG First has gotten a very good attendance. Like in the 20-30 range. Last night had 9 people. Gee, GP Richmond anyone?
Good luck to the dudes I know going.
Round 1 vs Grixis Control
Game 1- I didn't know what he was playing before we started, but the value train was apparent when he forced my turn 1 Vial. I wound up powering through his answers through multiple Thoughsiezes, Snapcasters, Edicts, etc. He didn't like my Jitte, that was removed. Along with a Thalia. What I did find eventually was Flickrwisp, which killed Jace, and tookover. I had three consecutive turns of Flickerwisp.
Game 2- He just removed everything. He got two planeswalkers on line, and just rolled. I couldn't find answers. Even when I attempted to value things with a Leonin targeting his Baleful Strix, he'd just removed my Leonin and got to draw a card. *sigh* I played it out, and not scooping.
Game 3- Went to turns, but I am fairly confident that I would have won if it hadn't. I dominated the board state, and he couldn't get much going. Ports were effective, Thalia helped. Just couldn't deal 20 in enough turns. I got him down to 7 and I was still at 20, moral victory right?
The same opponent went to turns in round 2. He was fairly sure he wouldn't take the deck to a GP because 8+ rounds of that would have been just mind-melting. I felt for him, and said: "Juts play Sneak/Show." He normally does. :)
Round 2 vs Reanimator
Game 1- First turn reanimated Grieselbrand really did not bode well for me. It was StP or Karakas, or bust. I played it out like a good little player. I actually had a 3rd option which got Unmask'd- a Flickerwisp. My out tree disappeared quickly.
Game 2- I threw a TON of my sideboard in, like 10 cards. Removed my entire Stoneforge package. In came Faerie Macabre, Surgical, 2x Rest in Peace, 2x Path to Exile, Disenchant, 2x Leonin Relic Warder, Containment Priest.
I was on the play- my opening hand was NUTS, Faerie, RiP, StP, Karakas. I went Plains, Vial. He went, Swamp, Dark Rit, Entomb- Griesel, Reanimate. I said- response, dropped Faerie. My turn- drop RiP. Felt good.
His second turn, 2 Petals, Show and Tell, he drops a Tidewater Tyrant. I promptly StP, and he scooped.
Game 3- I had SB answers for days. I felt bad for the dude, but that's what happens sometimes. Even though I was on the play, I still could answer stuff. He Unmasked me to take something. He then felt the path was clear, and did his drop a fatty thing. Then I promptly topped a Path to Exile, removed threat, and said go. He never presented a threat there after. I think.
All I know is that he didn't find answers, and my deck decided to reward me.
I beat the graveyard. Gosh darn that felt good.
Round 3 vs Grixis Control
(I mentioned how I was 1-0-1 and how splitting would be pointless for me. He goes, I play it out. ALRIGHTY THEN)
Game 1- I got beat up by removal, not enough threats. *sigh* Saw no counterspells of any sort- odd.
Game 2- Side in 2x RiP, 2x Leonin, and I think Faerie? Doesn't matter too much as he was stuck on mana most of the game. I had two Ports, a Vial, and was able to Waste his only dual. He was actually discarding for 3 turns. It was his fault for keeping a two lander.
Game 3- It was a hella game. His opening hand, as it turns out, had 2 Hymns in it. At one point I had a vial ticked to 2, and no cards in hand. He had 4 cards, I think. I was in top deck mode. I TOTALLY punted a winning card, I overly eagerly cast Brightling. Not waiting for my Vial to tick up, and I thought I had lost the game. If I had just wait a turn, left bounce mana up, Brightling should have sealed the deal for me. But nooooooooooooo, over-eager Magic player drops it and gets Edict. I also dropped a Prelate, and seriously debated between 1 or 2. I put it on 1 thinking about brainstorm, ponders, and lightning bolts. He Fatal Pushes it. I gambled and lost.
On the positive side, he could NOT find threats... so at least he was in total reaction mode. I kept rolling things out.
I dropped a Jitte just to have something, then Vialed in a Leonin targeting nothing. I equip the Jitte and shot his Snapcaster and Strix. He killed the Leonin, I vial in a Flickerwisp. Then I closed things out with a Sword of Fire and Ice. I got that on and equipped. Oh man, cleaned up his board, and just had all the things. He went to 9 to get enough mana to play an Engineered Explosives which he could not activate until his next turn. I vial in a Crusader and he scooped.
w00t. I felt REALLY good about recovering. The deck made me look good today. 2-0-1 meant I got $25 in credit. Nice.
Thoughts moving forward for my build:
- Remorseful Cleric has been a non-draw for weeks now. I still like him. Might swap out for another Serra Avenger.
- I need to stop being so eager and think a tad more.
- Screw graveyard based decks! SCREW YOU! :)
- I might drop the Surgical for a second Faerie Macabre. That's up for some debate because each do similar things in very different ways.
- I do like the Disenchant over other options in the SB for now.
- Punting around the idea of putting 2 Cavern of Souls in the deck. Haven't seen a ton of countermagic quiet yet, but it is slightly on the up-tick. The downside is that I just don't have enough concentration of creature types to make it a good decision.
- Mirran Crusader is a house in the current meta, at least locally. Its turning in to a "must answer"
- I didn't feel Batterskull had to be tutored when I dropped a Stoneforge. At least not last night. I was always searching up Sword or Jitte.
- Palace Jailer is interesting, but being a 4 drop in my build is not ideal. Everything I have currently is 3 or less. My vial stops at 3. :)
