Legacy week #30

One last time at MTG First before running out to Titan for a smaller legacy event at Titan Games. Playing for fetch lands, but honestly- I don't think I will make top 8 to cash. I am hoping to just have a winning record.

I have confirmed my buddy is coming to the event, and is bringing the two cards I need to use- 2 Cavern of Souls. Thats all I need to use. I made the last adjustment to my SB, tossing out the Pithing Needle and buying a Smuggler's Copter. Why that trade? Why not a 3rd Spyglass? I felt I needed something more against the Delver decks. I needed a flyer of some sort, and my deck can get 1/1s alright enough. Between a Mimic, or Walking Ballista. Or even in a pinch, an Endless One. I kinda like the idea of having the Looter Scooter, but we shall see. Eldrazi wants to be pumping out multi-honed threats and getting pressure down while providing roadbumps like Chalice and Thorn.


My tune up night was a bad night. r/u Delver had all the answers, and the new g/w depths also just got there. All my roadbumps were a turn late, and their answers were just there. It happens.

Not gonna get in to the particulars of the bad night. Needed to get those loses out of my system I think. Good to know the deck can have bad lines.


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While I love Counterspell, and I do, I like what it represents- disruption and some sort of stop sign. I think thats why I have enjoyed this build of Eldrazi stompy so far. It can really muck with the other players game plan between Chalice, Thorn, and some disruption in the form of Thought-Knot. It can usually push its creature beat down plan fairly well, provide different play patterns from the opponent, and has general game. There are some strategies that it can't beat like blood moon and back to basics. However, it can just give them complete headaches and have to mulligan aggressively to find them.

Legacy week #29

After being out for family vacation, I was back at it.

Well, I have to be honest, I also played in a Sunday tournament before I left for vacation almost two weeks ago. I went to Gamer-Corps in Ellicot City. It has been open only 100 days, but they are pushing hard to support as much as they can. Even if the payouts are what I would call, "meh" for now.

I didn't write up the games because, well, I don't remember them and had no time to do so. However, I was the only 4-0 that day. Felt good. I do know I beat Goblins again, a Delver deck, a W6 deck minus Goyfs... and something else.
One important thing that stood out vs W6 deck, Thorn of Amethyst is a MASSIVE pain for them.


Last night I ran out to MTG First for their weekly. Couple regulars were out, but still had 14 I believe.

Eldrazi stompy or bust


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Round 1 vs Arena Rector-Curse deck

Its an off beat deck to be sure. Not something I would expect, nor really sure how to board for.

Game 1

Lost due to curses.

Game 2

Kept a STUPID hand of 3 Leylines... I really shouldn't have, but I don't know how else I would have combated against his plans. There were small windows to win, but I just drew a freaking metric TON of mana. *sigh*

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Round 2 vs u/w stoneblade
very good player, Brian. He is usually piloting a couple different decks, wasn't sure what he was on.

Game 1

Just got out valued, he had all the right answers for anything I tried. It was embarrassing. I scooped when he played double stoneforge.

Game 2

Wasn't exactly sure how to SB, removed Karakas, put creature hate in via Dismember. Put in Ratchet Bombs and Spyglasses.

It was back and forth until we were both under 10. He had two True-Names down. And I finally found a Smasher. I had a metric ton of mana out because my wastelands were pointless vs a virtually all basics deck. Due to early Thought-Knots, I knew he had two Supreme Verdicts. And he had deployed two True-Names, which meant removing his own creatures. HOWEVER, that turned out to be a positive because I was fetching up more Smashers at the end of his turn via Eye of Ugin. I had 3 Wastelands, 3 Cavern of Souls... There was one critical turn where I was holding a Dismember because of True-Name. However, I knew he had to have a StP or Snapcaster in his hand. He was going to have to block at least one Smasher, Snapcaster the StP, pitch a card to target a Smasher. I also had played a Blast Zone. And was at about 9 life. So I could take the 6 from the True-Names, gain 5 from the StP to a Smasher, and kill the Snap with the Dismember. Next turn pop the Blast Zone and grab the 4th Smasher on his turn. He had zero creatures, and was down to 1. Even playing his last StoneForge and deploying Jitte without equipping did not save him from trample. It was a nail-biter. I felt REALLY good being able to pull it off.

Game 3

Less exciting, an early Thought-Knot removed a Council's Judgement, but saw Back to Basics. A card nearly impossible for me to beat. He was mana light however, and I dropped a Thorn of Amethyst and kept dropping lands. He was one off from getting the BtB down. I wasted his dual land, keeping him off 4 mana but he StP my Thought-Knot. I got a Walking Ballista down with 3, but then he topped his forth mana source and dropped the BtB. I then proceeded to beat his face with the Ballista for 4 straight turns. Meanwhile I kept dropping lands somehow. It didn't really matter as he couldn't find answers to my threats.


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Round 3 vs G/W knight-depths
He was 0-2 and I was 1-1. He was kind enough to give me the match because even if he won he literally couldn't take advantage. However we played it out anyhow.

Game 1

I never saw any of his dark depths, so I thought he was on Maverick or. I found an early Jitte which honestly won me the game. He got out a reclaimer, but then I started picking his stuff off by me blocking and picking his things off. Mimic was also good because Smasher and Mimic are like "peas and carrots."

Game 2

FUNNIEST turns of the night.

He drops a stage.
I drop a tomb and chalice on 1
He drops a dark depths
I wasteland it
He drops a dark depths
I wasteland it
He drops a dark depths

I am out of wastelands... and I have to hope he doesn't find more mana... he drop a tomb. DAMNIT.
His opening had was 3 dark depths, a stage, and a tomb. Shoots.

Game 3

Don't recall what happened, but I pulled it out. Just too much fire power turning sideways.
(update) I also know I drew my one of Karakas which completely nullified his Dark Depths that he had attempted to unleash. Whew.


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Notes- never drew my spatial contortion to evaluate it. Seems like a good card, either get in for extra damage to push the issue, or remove a threat on their side.


I picked up 3 Giver of Runes with some of my credit. Gonna run Squawk & Taxes at some point for the hell of it. Missing some of the pieces, like a 2nd Hallowed Spirit Keeper and Sword of Light and Shadow... but have pretty much everything else. Oh, no second Surgical Extraction. Ouch
The deck is in direct reaction to the Wrenn and Six decks roaming the planes.

Legacy week #28

Back at it with Eldrazi Stompy. Thankfully MTG First was open and ready. Fancy change, they have table clothes. Lets see how long that lasts.

I made one change to the deck list, I dropped the Ulamog for the Jitte. I just don't see how I will ever have the mana to cast it even with the Temples and sol lands.
One thing I have noticed is that I am just about always dropping the Sower and Endbringer in game 2. Might have to think about effectiveness in 60.
I might drop a Sower and Endbringer in favor of 2 Dismembers... or some other hate. They feel pretty ineffective. For now, a Spatial Contortion in, Sower out in the main.
Might drop a Blast Zone for a Karakas main. Not entirely sure.

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Round 1 vs TES (Shawn)

Shawn is someone I usually talk with between rounds, good guy. He is 98% of the time on TES. And he admits, this is one of his toughest matchups.

Game 1
Don't recall much of how it went, got down a Chalice on 0 and hosed his plans good, like tried to play an LED into. Wasted his Sea. Dropped a Thought-Knot, picked off a Past in Flames, better once than twice? He really didn't have much else to choose from. Just beat him up good, and he couldn't get there.

Game 2
Mimic, into 4/4 Endless one, into Smasher. Got him to 1 with a Chalice on 1. However, Hurkyl's Recall is a lifesaver. He got there, and I lost.

Game 3
Dropped a Leyline pre-game... then turn 2, I think, I dropped a Spyglass. In response, he Brainstormed and hid some things. I looked at his hand, I named Scalding Tarn as he had TWO. So he sat there as I dropped more hate, a Chalice on 0, a Thorn, and proceeded to beat his face. He couldn't find his Recall to save his hand. It was a massive mistake with the Brainstorm response to Spyglass. eep.


Round 2 vs Hogaak/bomberman?
Not Hogaak/depths, thankfully.

Game 1
My deck poops on my opening 7, and second 7... I got to 5 cards, and really couldn't do much. He took control and beat my face. I really didn't have anything working.

Game 2
WAY better. I had all the answers this time. Leyline pregame, Chalice, Thorn. All out by turn 3. He then proceeded to drop Hogaak. ALRIGHT! I had put a sideboard Karakas in for this. I had drawn it the turn before. I almost guarantee he was not expecting it. I proceeded to wipe his board state, and just beat it all up. Galaxy brain for the win.

Game 3
Had the Leyline again, and he tried to go wide with a Young Pyro. I had the answers again. There was a state where he could live. On my turn he generated a bunch of tokens hoping to block my Eldrazis about to turn 90. What did I have in my hand? Ratchet Bomb for the win.

My deck felt purpose built for the meta in that room. So much hate, just so much hate. Chalice, Thorn, Leyline, Bomb... I wanted to take on one of the two W6 decks in the room.


Round 3 vs R/U Delver (Logan)
While I was 2-0, he was 1-1. I offered to split so he could at least get his entry money back and we would play for fun.

I don't recall game 1-2 to be honest. We split.
Game 3 he drew 2 critical sideboard cards, Price of Progress and Smash to Smithereens. It was a coin toss to be honest. We were both at below 10 life. Considering it was a Delver deck, I was happy with the result.
I do recall Blast Zone being good in one game I won. Lol.

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Before leaving the store, I picked up my 3rd Thorn I needed. (still have $20 in credit, leaving it as credit for now) Gonna borrow two Cavern of Souls from a buddy of mine. Thats it. Got everything else.

Legacy week #27 (try again!)

Have been trying out my Eldrazi Stompy deck recently. Did well last week, and I tweaked it slightly.

Right now, I like it because the meta hasn't shifted to the Blood Moon and Back to Basics answers to the 4c piles running around. They are coming my friends, much like winter.
Chalice and Thorn seem REALLY good right now. I am powering them out, hopefully, on turn 1 to really muck up the board for all those high efficient decks. Thanks Tomb and City! Also, just turning creatures sideways is always nice.

Thought- the player who removes a Mimic, I am super worried about. They know what I am doing and how powerful that card is.

I need to get a 3rd Thorn, which is over $20 currently. Gesh. If I earn some more credit next week at MTG First, I will pick it up. Leaning towards running this deck at the event at Titan in a couple weeks. Need to borrow two Caverns though.

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Packed up, went to MTG First for Thursday legacy, and I arrive to an empty parking lot. I knew something was wrong. I checked all the sources I could, nothing stood out. I messaged several people- turns out, the store lost power due to an epic hail storm earlier in the day. The downside to all that, all their social media account information was stored on computers in the store. *sad trombone*

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HOWEVER, because I live in an awesome area, I went to Game Hunters out in Fredrick for some Saturday afternoon Legacy. Woot! Had 10 people show up, which meant 4 rounds.



Round 1 vs Hogaak Depths

Game 1- Was on the draw, he drops a Urbog Tomb, Stitcher and puts a Hogaak in the bin, and I am WAY behind already. My feeble draw, Chalice on 1, go, was bad. He then proceeds to drop a Dark Depths, and a Vampire Hexmage turn two. F-me.

Game 2- Even worse, I mulligan twice because I had 1 land hands, and promptly got rolled again. Just a complete crap fest. He had it all.

We wound up playing a couple more games with my D&T, and game 1 was 100% longer than my entire match, I still lost. I felt I had a chance against it in any event.


Round 2 vs Pox (Travis)

Before hand I knew we were going to be paired because, that is what always happens when we are in an event together. Go figure. I was on the backfoot because if I lost again, I was basically out of the payout system.

I honestly don't recall how the games went. I believe I won the first game. Chalice and Torns was super oppressive.
Lost the second due to a very angry fish. Just couldn't turn the corner and he got me. Couldn't produce enough blockers for my Ratchet Bomb to grow big enough. Seven is a really bad CMC.
Last game I got him with an early Chalice, followed by Thought-Knots picking off critical pieces, and followed by a Smasher. And for the first time that day, my Walking Ballista was cast and won the match.



Round 3 vs Shadow?

I felt bad for her. A friend dragged her to the event, which she was not really interested in playing. But she had an interesting Shadow based deck. Theoretically she could have killed me on turn 3, but everything had to go right. She also wasn't aware of the complete criminality that is Legacy and how insane things can be.

Both games I just put out big bad Eldrazi and stomped. It wasn't even much of a match.


Round 4 vs Goblins.

Really nice guy, he was 2-1, and I was 2-1. He scooped me in to value town and we played it out for fun. His deck was playing EXTREMELY poorly, as I watched him flip twice from a Goblin Ringleader, and hit ZERO goblins. The odds of that, wow. After that happened he said, "I am just getting up and leaving my deck here... gawd!"

I think I won game 1? His deck was running cold, and I had some early Thought-Knots to pick apart his hand. Turned creatures sideways, and created problems.

Game 2 I know I lost, Gempalm is a bitch.

Game 3 he played loose to be honest. I kept throwing stuff at him to force blocks and kill off his creatures. I didn't want him to go wide. I knew if I kept creatures on the board at least 4/4, I could get there. Which did happen. I just wore down his ability to block my Eldrazi.



With my winnings I picked up the following: (they were out of both Torn and Force of Negation)
1x Teferi, Time Raveler
1x M13 Omniscience (needed a 4th of the same printing)
2x Grand Architect
2x Master of Waves

Why those last two cards? Cause I am a nut who has a deck problem and I want to run this Wizards deck for fun.