A week's worth

I wasn't going to be able to make the main event for DC MagicFest. Just too much going on with the family. However I might be able to make some of the side events. So I was hoping to make the Legacy events, because that's my format of choice. Well, I didn't get to the venue until after the 1pm Legacy event fired. The drive was supposed to take me about an hour, wound up being like 1hr 15-20 range. Bad traffic on 495, go figure.
What I did wind up doing was playing in a Modern Horizons draft for $30. I thought I drafted ok, wound up with the color pair I dislike- g/w. (just a personal preference) Then promptly lost two very tight games to a r/b agro deck. He topdecked killed me both games when I had him dead next turn. It happens.
I pull a First Sliver, so that offset the cost quiet a bit. I also nabbed a Force of Vigor, and a Eladamri's Call. Both of which I was looking to add to my pile of possibly usable cards in legacy.

Then I looked a the time, the traffic, and most importantly, the new payout for Tickets at the event. This is where my brain leaked a bit.

They doubled the cost of everything on the prize wall while not really increasing the payouts at the same rate. I believe, according to one friend, everything now cost about 50% more on the prize payout. *sigh*
That put me in a foul mood for sure. I was already cranky from the drive, and soon to be drive. The next legacy side event was to be the double dip, double the cost and double the payout! However, at $40 for 3 rounds and effectively less prize, I said screw it, and left. It wound up taking me about 1hr 30min to get home. I didn't want to spend that much money on side events.
I was grumpy, and annoyed. Mostly at myself. I spent about 4-5 hours to play one match of magic. I did catch up with a couple local legacy players. (Super huge shout out to Eternal Witness Podcast!)

*sigh*


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I was lucky to get to my weekly legacy last night. End of year school stuff has been messing with the regular play, and will be out of town next week, so I am gonna miss that one as well. The funny thing is, MTG First is going to hold a "Legacy for a Tabernacle" event in 3 weeks. Really want to try for that. Maybe I can build up some store credit to help offset the likely $60 entry fee. *gulp*

I took DnT last night because I hadn't played it in FOREVER. I was running 3 Revokers main due to the number of walkers out and about. I had 3 'flex' slots which were, Tomik (vs the new Wren and Six decks), Hallowed Spiritkeeper (vs Miracles), and Brimaz, King of Oreskos (vs r/u Arcanist Delver decks)  I felt ready, deck was fairly tight... and I promptly got paired against a guy who hadn't played Legacy in about 6 months. Been busy grinding Standard.

Round 1 vs Grixis Arcanist Delver (Tomas)

Game 1- He was a little unsure of the deck, but was getting back in to playing. He missed a couple triggers, and promptly got out valued by 3 Moms on the board. I kept the pressure on by taxing and putting threats on the table he had to answer. He couldn't deal with the various levels of protection.

Game 2- I had a good opening hand, got two Vials down which were locked in to 3 and 2, and just promptly out valued the value deck. Oh, and a Chalice on 1 really screwed with everything. I throttled his graveyard with a Tormod's Crypt, I locked down the red source with Ports, and made all his cantrips cost more due to Thalia. He finally took out Thalia with an Engineered Plague, but then promptly forgot he had done so! For 3 turns he could have cast Jace, but did not. I had a Prelate out, which got a Sword of Fire and Ice locked on to it, and promptly mowed down his Strix and crushed his hopes and dreams. (man, Prelate with a sword on it. So good.)

Round 2 vs Grixis Control

Game 1- How do I put this, he simply out valued me. He does what Grixis control does. Once he landed Jace, I had no viable threats. He had removed my Vial, and basically mowed down my field and I was land light. It was not a pretty site.

Game 2- The most embarrassing game I've seen in a while. My opening had was 1 land, a Port. Ship it. My 6 turned out to be ALL land. ALL. Good god. I had to go to 5. I had a crack of a chance with two Thalia, but they got mowed down. He Hymned me, and that was pretty much it. He had a full grip, and I had nothing with 2 lands in play. God that was awful.

Round 3 vs Grixis Delver

Game 1- I honestly don't recal how it went. It wasn't great, I got value-towned. He was running True-Names and Young Pryos.

Super secret sideboard tech time- Holy Light. God how I hate playing against True-Names.

Game 2- I tried a turn 2 Thalia, which got countered. I was counting on that, as I had a Holy Light in my hand. He ran out a True-Name, and I promptly kept up Daze mana and threw out Holy Light. He, stopped, looked at the card, and just shrugged, putting the True-Name in the bin. That gave me the breathing room to lock things down enough and gave me wiggle room for the win. He had a Young Pryo out pumping Elementals but a Flickerwisp and Tomak took him out.

Game 3- How do I describe this. He had a GREAT opening had, but I had all the answers to be honest. I made a huge early gamble when he had both a Young Pryo and True-name on board by casting a Holy Light. I was praying he didn't have a counter- which he did not. That cleared the way for me to stabilize. He then mana flooded, HARD. Even Brainstorm locked himself. I felt bad, but that's the variance of Magic. After my round 2, game 2, complete cockup, its what happens. Not even the London Mulligan would have saved him.


Note from the night- Angrath's Rampage = K Command lite. All the decks I played against had them. Ick.

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I have yet to play a single game of Legacy with the London Mulligan. Guess I should start testing that. SnS here I come!  :)
Side note- I am going to start figuring out Omni-Tell as well. Will need to if Griselbrand gets the ban hammer after the new mulligan takes hold. 

Little drafting, and aquistions

After last week's slump, I decided to draft this week. Tried out a new local shop that is exactly 1 month old. Hello Gamer-Corps. It was a Tuesday night, and they were drafting. Plus, its in excellent Old Ellicott City. Lovely night, great atmosphere.
Only complaint about the location- the seating is a bit tight for 3 people a side. Just throwing it out there. We could fit three playmats with NO other room on one side. We had a 6 person pod fire off. Only two other gamers in the store doing miniatures.

Pack one, open up the rare is Karn. Cool! Wanted that for my legacy stuff... HOWEVER, there was a foil rare in there:

Yup- a FOIL Ugin. Wtf. I wanted both of the rares. I know Ugin is 10x better in limited over Karn, and it was actually a better value, but ugh. Still. Not too shabby to start with.

I wound up going blue/black amass. Not where I was hoping, but I had plenty of creature negation. Something like 6 pieces. Felt good.

Not going to go over each round, but I went 1-2 and didn't win anything. Though if I had, no way would it have been any better than that first pack anyhow.  Not too shabby for $15 on a Tuesday night draft.

Best part of all this, the store is about 10-12 minutes from my house. As long as I can find parking in the free lot near the store, or on the road, this should be a good start to a new store to draft with. No clue if they are going to support Legacy as it is very pricey, but time will tell. I will keep asking.

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Funny story from registering for the first time at the store. They asked for my DCI, I gave them my 6 digit number. The guy said, "We need you to register to get a 10 digit version."
My response was- Just put the 6 digit in and see what happens.

Low and behold- it worked. Guess the guy hasn't had to deal with old DCI numbers yet. Welcome to the thunder-dome dude.

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New cards acquired!

Check these babies out! I was looking for just two, and wound up with three. One English, one Spanish, and one Portuguese. I didn't even know they printed City of Traitors in Portuguese until I looked it up via this sale. One is in LP, the other two are in MP condition. (though I've had some sketchy evaluation and definitions of conditions over the years)
Got them at a very good price via "Sick Deals" on the Facebook group. Guy was moving completely in to Old School and selling all his Legacy and Modern stuff. Final price in Dollars after everything, about $360. Which about $20 more than I was going to pay for 2 LP- English copies.

Super happy with the pick-up!

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Lastly, why does D&T run a single copy of Ancient Tomb and not a City of Traitors. Asking for a friend.  :)

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Not sure if I’m going to attend the Modern Horizons pre-release. Something about a draft for a pre-release has me skeptical. I might go to one Sunday. *shrug*

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There is an outside chance I’m going to MagicFest in Dulles on Father’s Day weekend. If I do go, it will be for side events only. A big maybe.

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And for those of you with too much money.