diffy
03-16-2009, 03:47 PM
More non-SPOD centric information (top8 lists etc.) can be found here (http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=329697&postcount=773).
Photos taken during the event can be found here (http://www.magic-speyer.de/zen/index.php?album=Legacy+Turnier+im+Maerz+2009).
Preamble
Some time before the event, Thomas Yulyn hollered at me on IM, and was like „Suit up!“. At first I was like „??“, but then he told me the rest of the story: Stefan Fuckingawesomemotherfucker Czolk had suggested we (i.e. the totality of Team SPOD) all wear suits at the coming Hassloch event because that would be a) Awesome, b) Awesome, c) Reflecting our Awesomeness, and d) Even the more Awesome considering your average TCG crew's dress gusto.
The morning of the event, Thomas picked me up at 9:50. We then headed for Harrald's place where the later had some Major Trouble (/salute) with his tie. We therefore stepped into the house and his parents were giving us (as in Thomas, Harrald and me) looks like “omg is this really our son? And are that really his bros? Did we miss something? Anything?”. Some ten minutes later, Harrald finally managed to tie his tie, thanks to his dad's coaching. Seriously? Ten minutes for a simple windsor? Fail anyone? Later that day, I'd find out that Harrald wasn't the only knot illiterate though: if I recall correctly, none of the guys, sans me (and Adan), tied their ties themselves. The drawback to my awesome tie skills: not owning a jacket (meaning that I was only Not Quite Dressed Up). We then picked up Stefan and headed off for Hassloch, said bam, pressed the (sadly non existent) play button on the ceiling of our limousine (and by limousine I obviously mean Thomas's BMW which is almost as awesome) and got psyched. It was all rise. True story. (well, except for that rap stuff) Shot through the heart, And you're to blame, Darlin' you give love... a bad name baam wang pshaaa ouii (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GccfzxHIXaY)... err, you get the picture.
At the site International Business Meeting, we SPOD Crew International Business Men got out of our car and into the site International Business Meeting. The second after which we got in, whispers and murmurs started in the room – something about the Mafia having sent a delegation down to Hassloch. It was awesome. Like at least five guys fainted on the pure sight of those International Business Men™.
And that, kids, is the story of how I met your aunt Robin the “S” in SPOD stood for “Suited” that one event.
Back to the nerdy stuff: screw this, the best part of any tournament is never that sucky thing called MtG anyway...
This is what Team SPOD ended up playing:
Harrald Locutus Herrlich – 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims!
Thomas Yulyn – Gr Survival Elves
Stefan SpiritoftheWretch Czolk – Not Quite Balanced /r
Daniel Adan Scherer – Progenitus Threshold
Clemens Der_imaginäre_Freund Wolff - Not Quite Balanced /w
Here's what I sleeved up:
/// Maindeck (60 cards)
// Lands (18)
4 Flooded Strand (http://magiccards.info/on/en/316.html)
4 Windswept Heath (http://magiccards.info/on/en/328.html)
3 Tropical Island (http://magiccards.info/be/en/299.html)
4 Tundra (http://magiccards.info/be/en/300.html)
2 Island (http://magiccards.info/apac/en/12.html)
1 Forest (http://magiccards.info/apac/en/11.html)
// Guys (13)
4 Tarmogoyf (http://magiccards.info/fut/en/153.html)
3 Werebear (http://magiccards.info/od/en/282.html)
1 Steward of Valeron (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/198.html)
1 Hoofprints of the Stag (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/21.html)
1 Trygon Predator (http://magiccards.info/di/en/133.html)
1 Trinket Mage (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/39.html)
2 Rhox War Monk (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/188.html)
// Card Advantage (12)
4 Brainstorm (http://magiccards.info/mm/en/61.html)
3 Ponder (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/79.html)
4 Sensei's Divining Top (http://magiccards.info/chk/en/268.html)
1 Enlightened Tutor (http://magiccards.info/mr/en/218.html)
// Permission (8)
4 Counterbalance (http://magiccards.info/cs/en/31.html)
4 Force of Will (http://magiccards.info/ai/en/42.html)
// Removal (7)
4 Swords to Plowshares (http://magiccards.info/ia/en/278.html)
1 Oblivion Ring (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/34.html)
1 Vedalken Shackles (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/164.html)
1 Engineered Explosives (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/118.html)
// Stuff (2)
1 Umezawa's Jitte (http://magiccards.info/bok/en/163.html)
1 Krosan Grip (http://magiccards.info/ts/en/202.html)
/// Sideboard (15 cards)
1 Jotun Grunt (http://magiccards.info/cs/en/8.html)
1 Relic of Progenitus (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/218.html)
1 Engineered Explosives (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/118.html)
1 Krosan Grip (http://magiccards.info/ts/en/202.html)
2 Pithing Needle (http://magiccards.info/sok/en/158.html)
1 Back to Basics (http://magiccards.info/us/en/62.html)
3 Gaddock Teeg (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/248.html)
2 Hydroblast (http://magiccards.info/ia/en/72.html)
1 Blue Elemental Blast (http://magiccards.info/be/en/50.html)
1 Path to Exile (http://magiccards.info/cfx/en/15.html)
1 Dueling Grounds (http://magiccards.info/in/en/245.html)
This (http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dgbs8px8_4hcj6v6g7&hl=en) page will be kept updated with the newest list.
An explanation of the most recent changes can be found here (http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=328364&postcount=1990).
Short Report:
Round 1 vs. Patrick Tordy with Ug Merfolk
I'm on the play.
What's that?
It's blue light.
What does it do?
It turns blue.
And if loads of that light accumulates into one single, concentrated flash of FISH, there's nothing you can do. Nothing. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
i.e. he just drew 5 Lords, turning Tarmogoyf into the smallest critter on the table. If that happens, Gro isn't in any position to do anything, really. Even the less if your Goyfs are always tapped anyway and outnumbered.
What do we do? Well, surrounding them's out of the question...
-1 Counterbalance
-1 Sensei's Divining Top
-1 Hoofprints of the Stag
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Dueling Grounds
+1 Path to Exile
How's the wound?
You taught us to ignore pain, right?
Is it working?
Not really, don't take it personal.
Thanks.
i.e. see game one. Literally, exactly the same thing. Only that this time he had 3 Lord of Atlantis and 2 Merrow Reejerey as opposed to 4 Reejerey + 1 LoA.
Over at Stefan's table, he's also up against Merfolk. And that guy also had five Lords a game. And I'm not using the long lost art of the hyperbole one bit here.
0:2
0-1-0 (0:2)
Round 2 vs. Oliver Kuhn with RGb Aggro Loam
I'm on the draw.
Sweet, I love this matchup.
I play my fetchlands carefully but really wish that the basic Plains were still in. I shrug, he doesn't play much (he has a slow start following a mulligan and a 'triple Forgotten Cave as only lands' draw). He plays a Chalice of the Void. I play some Goyfs (2) and Rhox War Monks (1), he doesn't play much but a way too late Goyf of his own. I win. (an Oblivion Ring for his Countryside Crusher was involved at some point, too)
-2 Rhox War Monk
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Umezawa's Jitte
-1 Vedalken Shackles
-1 Steward of Valeron
+1 Blue Elemental Blast
+2 Hydroblast
+1 Jotun Grunt
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Engineered Explosives
I get an early Trygon Predator and try to race his even earlier Tarmogoyf. I don't find a solution to the Goyf – as a consequence, my life drops to 12 really fast. I then find a Tarmogoyf to stall his and continue the Trygon Predator beatdown. I play a Hoofprints of the Stag and assemble CounterTop. I force an Engineered Explosives of his. Before I could make use of the awesome LotR cards Zach used as filler material in his last mail (Balrog >> Elemental tokens. By far.) (aka. before Hoofprints would have done anything), Trygon Predator has brought him to such low life that an alpha strike with my Goyf + Werebear + Trygon Predator finishes him.
2:0
1-1-0 (2:2)
While I'm packing up, Thomas comes to the table and I start talking smack about how this matchup is so easy despite all the Aggro Loam players (especially those on The Source) stating that it's a good matchup for them. My opponent interrupts and says that, in fact, it is a good matchup for him. I tell him that I'm very close to double digit X-0 against Aggro Loam in tournament matches, and leave him dazzled to go get some fries. It's just incredible how a one hour break during the event + solid (as in cheap and relatively good) and easily accessible foodstuffs make for so much more humane (and therewith enjoyable) tournaments... TOs of the world, make a note of this.
Round 3 vs. Harrald Herrlich with 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims
I'm on the draw.
I have a removal for each of his guys and a guy for each of his removals. And then one more.
The game was cool though. It involved burn (as in buuuuuuuuurn!) killing 4/5 Tarmogoyfs (yup, the Tribal Flames kind of burn). Also, Nephilims (http://magiccards.info/gp/en/138.html) (aka. Penis On Legs, with Teeth).
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Trygon Predator
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Back to Basics
Another truly Epic battle: he has three Swords to Plowshares (so do I – at one point he was at 30 life), he has infinite removal (so do I, also, Counters), but then he has one surviving Tarmogoyf more than I do. I desperately try to cantrip into a solution (like any one of my two remaining Tarmogoyfs or the Path to Exile) for the 7/8 beast (yup, a Hoofprints of the Stag died to a Pernicious Deed at some point) but fail despite SdT + numerous shuffle effects. In my last turn, with Harrald at zero cards in hand, I finally top into solutions: I used Enlightened Tutor as my last shuffle effect (fetching up Back to Basics since my Explosives are all gone) and activate my Top. I reveal Path to Exile + Werebear + Back to Basics but don't have a white source left (damn that Vindicate on Tundra, damn it!). I therefore chose to draw the Werebear, activate the Top again and see a Windswept Heath. I spin the Top, play Werebear to chump for a turn and drop the Windswept Heath. The plan: play Path to Exile on the next turn and annihilate him then with Back to Basics. I just need this one turn. Cunning planning, but Harrald topdecks a Vindicate and we move on to the next game.
Third game was fun. As much fun as a kick in the junk or similar. And yes, Counterbalance + Sensei's Divinig Top (+ revealing at 2 and 3) were involved.
Also, Harrald doesn't play 2 mana enchantments.
2:1
2-1-0 (4:3)
Round 4 vs. Martin Schreiber with NQG/w
I'm on the draw.
He has a first turn Noble Hierarch, second turn Counterbalance, third turn Noble Hierarch + SdT. Oh, this is going to be fun (for the specification of what I mean by fun, see above – only that his time not even gigantic Penises where anywhere near to make the game interesting. That's right, your Aggro Control mirrors need more penises. Mark my words.). He then drops a Rhox War Monk and starts swinging for 5 a turn. I get to resolve a Trygon Predator. He plays his own. I play Umezawa's Jitte, with 1 land left on the board. He lets it resolve. I windmillslamslap another land onto the board and proceed to own (as in kill his Trygon Predator, getting ready to annihilate him on the next turn). However, he has an Oblivion Ring. Welcome to Frowntown, I hope you enjoy your stay. I continue dropping lands and then play an Engineered Explosives on my last possible turn. The good news: it will totally win the game (returning Trygon Predator to play on my side and destroying his Rhox War Monk plus the one he just played). The bad news, I only have 5 lands so that I have to play it for cmc3. He has a Brainstorm + 3 mana card. Next game.
-2 Rhox War Monk
-1 Ponder
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Krosan Grip
This time I had the Counterbalance. This is fun, isn't it? Wait. No.
The third game, on the other hand, was more interesting: none of us had that broken 2 mana enchantment. Sadly for Martin, that meant that I win: Shackles + Jitte + more experience are just pure ownage in the mirror. I did take some mild beats from a Rhox War Monk during the time I needed to build up my manabase to be Daze proof (although I'd always board out Daze in the mirror, you can't count on your opponents for being as good as you would be and so have to play safe) but then dropped a Vedalken Shackles, Werebear + Jitte and an Oblivion Ring (all enabled by SdT + shuffle effects and one Enlightened Tutor) and proceeded to win.
2:1
3-1-0 (6:4)
Round 5 vs. Lukas Ansorge with Rbg Vial Goblins
I'm on the play.
I have a mediocre hand starring an Umezawa's Jitte, a Swords to Plowshares and a Tarmogoyf. He has the nuts (as in double Lackey, Vial, Warchief, Matron into Ringleader into N Goblins into SGC). I'm dead by turn 5. That Warren Weirding of his for my Goyf and those two Wastelands for my lands were pretty good, too.
-4 Counterbalance
-4 Sensei's Divining Top
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Engineered Explosives
+2 Pithing Needle
+2 Hydroblast
+1 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Dueling Grounds
Living the Dream: turn two Steward of Valeron, turn 3 Umezawa's Jitte, Force of Will for his Warren Weirding are simply better than his best (i.e. double Relic of Progenitus, Aether Vial and Goblin Lackey, for starters).
I Force his broken first turn drop, ignore his Relic of Progenitus, drop a Trygon Predator and some other beats (Rhox War Monk, Tarmogoyf, Werebear) and simple start being the better aggro deck. Those double Swords to Plowshares, the Blue Elemental Blast, the Force of Will and the Pithing Needle in my hand weren't needed at all.
2:1
4-1-0 (8:5)
Round 6 vs. Raoul Goubbelberger with Aggro Elves
I'm on the play.
The Elf-Survival Guide:
turn1: drop SdT
turn2: drop Counterbalance, make a blind reveal for 3 for his Lord
turn3: start Balance-locking him
turn4: play Vedalken Shackles
-1 Hoofprints of the Stag
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Trygon Predator
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Dueling Grounds
He goes all nuts on me with Gaea's Craddle + Priest of Titania + Sylvan Messenger and I can't really do much. I drop a Counterbalance + Top, he drops Vexing Shusher. I boo at my opponent for playing non-Elves and drop double Tarmogoyf + Umezawa's Jitte. His army and a Wren's Run Packmaster with 18 mana/turn are just better though (even the more after he gets a Viridian Zealot for my Dueling Grounds).
-1 Counterbalance
-1 Sensei's Divining Top
+2 Pithing Needle
(should have done this the first game, but since he doesn't play Survival, I thought I could get away with not doing it. I was proven wrong.)
Engineered Explosives for his early mana dudes (so awesome, even the more because one of his two lands was a Cradle) and a Vedalken Shackles + Umezawa's Jitte to stabilize take it home. No challenge here. Move along.
The actual challenge was the clock though - I really had to rush to not draw a game that I already had won which led to some sloppy plays on my half of the table (like not using Umezawa's Jitte directly against potential Krosan Grips once ). It didn't make a difference though, just reminded me to work on my technical skills once again: even if it only was a single slip of concentration, it shouldn't have occurred.
2:1
5-1-0 (10:4)
Other Tournament Stuff
I come in second. Harrald David comes in first (6-0-0 record) with a very slight variation of my pre-Iserlohn build (http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=23357) (something along the lines of -1 Werebear +1 Counterspell), beating Merfolk (twice) and Ichorid (once) in the process – mad props for that.
The other white splashed Gro builds went 3-3 (Martin MSC Schreiber) and 1-4drop (Daniel Adan Scherer - Progenitus Thresh).
Performance of the rest of Team SPOD :
1-5-0 Thomas
1-4-0 Adan (drop after round 5)
3-3-0 Stefan
4-2-0 Harrald *8th*
Top8 Overview:
6-0-0 1st: NQG/w
5-1-0 2nd: NQG/w
5-1-0 3rd: Aggro ITF
4-2-0 4th: Ichorid
4-2-0 5th: Solidarity
4-2-0 6th: Ubg Merfolk
4-2-0 7th: Mono-U Merfolk
4-2-0 8th: 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims
A nice, big WtF (like this (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/datloore/wtf.jpg) big) at those Merfolk decks in the top8. Even the more since the pilots were absolutely horrible (as in 'well known scrubs' horrible).
Major props (/salute) to Harrald for top8ing with that Nephilim deck.
Do note that the metagame was very unfavorable to NQG (tons of Elves, Merfolk and Ichorid), and that the deck was under-represented (seriously, what a change. We had 11 NQG lists on the February event and only five this time. Three of them being SPOD members, the other two strongly influenced by us. Basically we went from everyone playing Gro, to ~SPOD playing Gro).
However, do also note that it still took the top2 spots – now that's something to think about.
The prices were: (in order of pick from the price-pool)
1st – 1 Plateau (German Limited)
2nd – 1 Force of Will
3rd – 1 Badlands
4th – 1 Force of Will
5th – 1 Savannah
6th - 1 Plateau
7th - 1 Flooded Strand
8th - 1 Flooded Strand
Postlude
Props:
The deck for being something like the most consistent deck in the format (I [i]am getting repetitive, aren't I?)
Harrald F. (the F is for fucking) Herrlich for back to back Hassloch top8s with random Piles Of Awesome/junk, whatever your pick
Suits. Nothing better to make your average TCG Crew feel out of place and totally worthless. Also, they are Awesome, so, Suit Up!
Me for apparently being the only one in the Team knowing how to tie a tie without having to look it up or have someone else coach you.*
Slops:
Adan for sucking with Threshold, seriously. Also, get over it: you can only do well if you play my lists – that last event was further proof of this. Gogogo my ego. If you keep up with the good work, you can, maybe, just maybe, just one day, become a fully grown US size jumbo
The Metagame: we're Legacy - where your 50% of metagame Leviathan will just turn into a mere 15% small fish in the sea 30 days later.
Attendance. We were only like 3x (x<5), with a clear downward trend being noticeable over the last few events. Let's hope it doesn't continue like this.
Me for only partially owning a suit.
Edit:
*: well, apparently, Thomas does know how to tie ties. Make that statement everyone but the two of us then.
Photos taken during the event can be found here (http://www.magic-speyer.de/zen/index.php?album=Legacy+Turnier+im+Maerz+2009).
Preamble
Some time before the event, Thomas Yulyn hollered at me on IM, and was like „Suit up!“. At first I was like „??“, but then he told me the rest of the story: Stefan Fuckingawesomemotherfucker Czolk had suggested we (i.e. the totality of Team SPOD) all wear suits at the coming Hassloch event because that would be a) Awesome, b) Awesome, c) Reflecting our Awesomeness, and d) Even the more Awesome considering your average TCG crew's dress gusto.
The morning of the event, Thomas picked me up at 9:50. We then headed for Harrald's place where the later had some Major Trouble (/salute) with his tie. We therefore stepped into the house and his parents were giving us (as in Thomas, Harrald and me) looks like “omg is this really our son? And are that really his bros? Did we miss something? Anything?”. Some ten minutes later, Harrald finally managed to tie his tie, thanks to his dad's coaching. Seriously? Ten minutes for a simple windsor? Fail anyone? Later that day, I'd find out that Harrald wasn't the only knot illiterate though: if I recall correctly, none of the guys, sans me (and Adan), tied their ties themselves. The drawback to my awesome tie skills: not owning a jacket (meaning that I was only Not Quite Dressed Up). We then picked up Stefan and headed off for Hassloch, said bam, pressed the (sadly non existent) play button on the ceiling of our limousine (and by limousine I obviously mean Thomas's BMW which is almost as awesome) and got psyched. It was all rise. True story. (well, except for that rap stuff) Shot through the heart, And you're to blame, Darlin' you give love... a bad name baam wang pshaaa ouii (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GccfzxHIXaY)... err, you get the picture.
At the site International Business Meeting, we SPOD Crew International Business Men got out of our car and into the site International Business Meeting. The second after which we got in, whispers and murmurs started in the room – something about the Mafia having sent a delegation down to Hassloch. It was awesome. Like at least five guys fainted on the pure sight of those International Business Men™.
And that, kids, is the story of how I met your aunt Robin the “S” in SPOD stood for “Suited” that one event.
Back to the nerdy stuff: screw this, the best part of any tournament is never that sucky thing called MtG anyway...
This is what Team SPOD ended up playing:
Harrald Locutus Herrlich – 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims!
Thomas Yulyn – Gr Survival Elves
Stefan SpiritoftheWretch Czolk – Not Quite Balanced /r
Daniel Adan Scherer – Progenitus Threshold
Clemens Der_imaginäre_Freund Wolff - Not Quite Balanced /w
Here's what I sleeved up:
/// Maindeck (60 cards)
// Lands (18)
4 Flooded Strand (http://magiccards.info/on/en/316.html)
4 Windswept Heath (http://magiccards.info/on/en/328.html)
3 Tropical Island (http://magiccards.info/be/en/299.html)
4 Tundra (http://magiccards.info/be/en/300.html)
2 Island (http://magiccards.info/apac/en/12.html)
1 Forest (http://magiccards.info/apac/en/11.html)
// Guys (13)
4 Tarmogoyf (http://magiccards.info/fut/en/153.html)
3 Werebear (http://magiccards.info/od/en/282.html)
1 Steward of Valeron (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/198.html)
1 Hoofprints of the Stag (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/21.html)
1 Trygon Predator (http://magiccards.info/di/en/133.html)
1 Trinket Mage (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/39.html)
2 Rhox War Monk (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/188.html)
// Card Advantage (12)
4 Brainstorm (http://magiccards.info/mm/en/61.html)
3 Ponder (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/79.html)
4 Sensei's Divining Top (http://magiccards.info/chk/en/268.html)
1 Enlightened Tutor (http://magiccards.info/mr/en/218.html)
// Permission (8)
4 Counterbalance (http://magiccards.info/cs/en/31.html)
4 Force of Will (http://magiccards.info/ai/en/42.html)
// Removal (7)
4 Swords to Plowshares (http://magiccards.info/ia/en/278.html)
1 Oblivion Ring (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/34.html)
1 Vedalken Shackles (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/164.html)
1 Engineered Explosives (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/118.html)
// Stuff (2)
1 Umezawa's Jitte (http://magiccards.info/bok/en/163.html)
1 Krosan Grip (http://magiccards.info/ts/en/202.html)
/// Sideboard (15 cards)
1 Jotun Grunt (http://magiccards.info/cs/en/8.html)
1 Relic of Progenitus (http://magiccards.info/ala/en/218.html)
1 Engineered Explosives (http://magiccards.info/5dn/en/118.html)
1 Krosan Grip (http://magiccards.info/ts/en/202.html)
2 Pithing Needle (http://magiccards.info/sok/en/158.html)
1 Back to Basics (http://magiccards.info/us/en/62.html)
3 Gaddock Teeg (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/248.html)
2 Hydroblast (http://magiccards.info/ia/en/72.html)
1 Blue Elemental Blast (http://magiccards.info/be/en/50.html)
1 Path to Exile (http://magiccards.info/cfx/en/15.html)
1 Dueling Grounds (http://magiccards.info/in/en/245.html)
This (http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dgbs8px8_4hcj6v6g7&hl=en) page will be kept updated with the newest list.
An explanation of the most recent changes can be found here (http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=328364&postcount=1990).
Short Report:
Round 1 vs. Patrick Tordy with Ug Merfolk
I'm on the play.
What's that?
It's blue light.
What does it do?
It turns blue.
And if loads of that light accumulates into one single, concentrated flash of FISH, there's nothing you can do. Nothing. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
i.e. he just drew 5 Lords, turning Tarmogoyf into the smallest critter on the table. If that happens, Gro isn't in any position to do anything, really. Even the less if your Goyfs are always tapped anyway and outnumbered.
What do we do? Well, surrounding them's out of the question...
-1 Counterbalance
-1 Sensei's Divining Top
-1 Hoofprints of the Stag
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Dueling Grounds
+1 Path to Exile
How's the wound?
You taught us to ignore pain, right?
Is it working?
Not really, don't take it personal.
Thanks.
i.e. see game one. Literally, exactly the same thing. Only that this time he had 3 Lord of Atlantis and 2 Merrow Reejerey as opposed to 4 Reejerey + 1 LoA.
Over at Stefan's table, he's also up against Merfolk. And that guy also had five Lords a game. And I'm not using the long lost art of the hyperbole one bit here.
0:2
0-1-0 (0:2)
Round 2 vs. Oliver Kuhn with RGb Aggro Loam
I'm on the draw.
Sweet, I love this matchup.
I play my fetchlands carefully but really wish that the basic Plains were still in. I shrug, he doesn't play much (he has a slow start following a mulligan and a 'triple Forgotten Cave as only lands' draw). He plays a Chalice of the Void. I play some Goyfs (2) and Rhox War Monks (1), he doesn't play much but a way too late Goyf of his own. I win. (an Oblivion Ring for his Countryside Crusher was involved at some point, too)
-2 Rhox War Monk
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Umezawa's Jitte
-1 Vedalken Shackles
-1 Steward of Valeron
+1 Blue Elemental Blast
+2 Hydroblast
+1 Jotun Grunt
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Engineered Explosives
I get an early Trygon Predator and try to race his even earlier Tarmogoyf. I don't find a solution to the Goyf – as a consequence, my life drops to 12 really fast. I then find a Tarmogoyf to stall his and continue the Trygon Predator beatdown. I play a Hoofprints of the Stag and assemble CounterTop. I force an Engineered Explosives of his. Before I could make use of the awesome LotR cards Zach used as filler material in his last mail (Balrog >> Elemental tokens. By far.) (aka. before Hoofprints would have done anything), Trygon Predator has brought him to such low life that an alpha strike with my Goyf + Werebear + Trygon Predator finishes him.
2:0
1-1-0 (2:2)
While I'm packing up, Thomas comes to the table and I start talking smack about how this matchup is so easy despite all the Aggro Loam players (especially those on The Source) stating that it's a good matchup for them. My opponent interrupts and says that, in fact, it is a good matchup for him. I tell him that I'm very close to double digit X-0 against Aggro Loam in tournament matches, and leave him dazzled to go get some fries. It's just incredible how a one hour break during the event + solid (as in cheap and relatively good) and easily accessible foodstuffs make for so much more humane (and therewith enjoyable) tournaments... TOs of the world, make a note of this.
Round 3 vs. Harrald Herrlich with 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims
I'm on the draw.
I have a removal for each of his guys and a guy for each of his removals. And then one more.
The game was cool though. It involved burn (as in buuuuuuuuurn!) killing 4/5 Tarmogoyfs (yup, the Tribal Flames kind of burn). Also, Nephilims (http://magiccards.info/gp/en/138.html) (aka. Penis On Legs, with Teeth).
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Trygon Predator
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Back to Basics
Another truly Epic battle: he has three Swords to Plowshares (so do I – at one point he was at 30 life), he has infinite removal (so do I, also, Counters), but then he has one surviving Tarmogoyf more than I do. I desperately try to cantrip into a solution (like any one of my two remaining Tarmogoyfs or the Path to Exile) for the 7/8 beast (yup, a Hoofprints of the Stag died to a Pernicious Deed at some point) but fail despite SdT + numerous shuffle effects. In my last turn, with Harrald at zero cards in hand, I finally top into solutions: I used Enlightened Tutor as my last shuffle effect (fetching up Back to Basics since my Explosives are all gone) and activate my Top. I reveal Path to Exile + Werebear + Back to Basics but don't have a white source left (damn that Vindicate on Tundra, damn it!). I therefore chose to draw the Werebear, activate the Top again and see a Windswept Heath. I spin the Top, play Werebear to chump for a turn and drop the Windswept Heath. The plan: play Path to Exile on the next turn and annihilate him then with Back to Basics. I just need this one turn. Cunning planning, but Harrald topdecks a Vindicate and we move on to the next game.
Third game was fun. As much fun as a kick in the junk or similar. And yes, Counterbalance + Sensei's Divinig Top (+ revealing at 2 and 3) were involved.
Also, Harrald doesn't play 2 mana enchantments.
2:1
2-1-0 (4:3)
Round 4 vs. Martin Schreiber with NQG/w
I'm on the draw.
He has a first turn Noble Hierarch, second turn Counterbalance, third turn Noble Hierarch + SdT. Oh, this is going to be fun (for the specification of what I mean by fun, see above – only that his time not even gigantic Penises where anywhere near to make the game interesting. That's right, your Aggro Control mirrors need more penises. Mark my words.). He then drops a Rhox War Monk and starts swinging for 5 a turn. I get to resolve a Trygon Predator. He plays his own. I play Umezawa's Jitte, with 1 land left on the board. He lets it resolve. I windmillslamslap another land onto the board and proceed to own (as in kill his Trygon Predator, getting ready to annihilate him on the next turn). However, he has an Oblivion Ring. Welcome to Frowntown, I hope you enjoy your stay. I continue dropping lands and then play an Engineered Explosives on my last possible turn. The good news: it will totally win the game (returning Trygon Predator to play on my side and destroying his Rhox War Monk plus the one he just played). The bad news, I only have 5 lands so that I have to play it for cmc3. He has a Brainstorm + 3 mana card. Next game.
-2 Rhox War Monk
-1 Ponder
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Krosan Grip
This time I had the Counterbalance. This is fun, isn't it? Wait. No.
The third game, on the other hand, was more interesting: none of us had that broken 2 mana enchantment. Sadly for Martin, that meant that I win: Shackles + Jitte + more experience are just pure ownage in the mirror. I did take some mild beats from a Rhox War Monk during the time I needed to build up my manabase to be Daze proof (although I'd always board out Daze in the mirror, you can't count on your opponents for being as good as you would be and so have to play safe) but then dropped a Vedalken Shackles, Werebear + Jitte and an Oblivion Ring (all enabled by SdT + shuffle effects and one Enlightened Tutor) and proceeded to win.
2:1
3-1-0 (6:4)
Round 5 vs. Lukas Ansorge with Rbg Vial Goblins
I'm on the play.
I have a mediocre hand starring an Umezawa's Jitte, a Swords to Plowshares and a Tarmogoyf. He has the nuts (as in double Lackey, Vial, Warchief, Matron into Ringleader into N Goblins into SGC). I'm dead by turn 5. That Warren Weirding of his for my Goyf and those two Wastelands for my lands were pretty good, too.
-4 Counterbalance
-4 Sensei's Divining Top
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Engineered Explosives
+2 Pithing Needle
+2 Hydroblast
+1 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Dueling Grounds
Living the Dream: turn two Steward of Valeron, turn 3 Umezawa's Jitte, Force of Will for his Warren Weirding are simply better than his best (i.e. double Relic of Progenitus, Aether Vial and Goblin Lackey, for starters).
I Force his broken first turn drop, ignore his Relic of Progenitus, drop a Trygon Predator and some other beats (Rhox War Monk, Tarmogoyf, Werebear) and simple start being the better aggro deck. Those double Swords to Plowshares, the Blue Elemental Blast, the Force of Will and the Pithing Needle in my hand weren't needed at all.
2:1
4-1-0 (8:5)
Round 6 vs. Raoul Goubbelberger with Aggro Elves
I'm on the play.
The Elf-Survival Guide:
turn1: drop SdT
turn2: drop Counterbalance, make a blind reveal for 3 for his Lord
turn3: start Balance-locking him
turn4: play Vedalken Shackles
-1 Hoofprints of the Stag
-1 Krosan Grip
-1 Trygon Predator
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Path to Exile
+1 Dueling Grounds
He goes all nuts on me with Gaea's Craddle + Priest of Titania + Sylvan Messenger and I can't really do much. I drop a Counterbalance + Top, he drops Vexing Shusher. I boo at my opponent for playing non-Elves and drop double Tarmogoyf + Umezawa's Jitte. His army and a Wren's Run Packmaster with 18 mana/turn are just better though (even the more after he gets a Viridian Zealot for my Dueling Grounds).
-1 Counterbalance
-1 Sensei's Divining Top
+2 Pithing Needle
(should have done this the first game, but since he doesn't play Survival, I thought I could get away with not doing it. I was proven wrong.)
Engineered Explosives for his early mana dudes (so awesome, even the more because one of his two lands was a Cradle) and a Vedalken Shackles + Umezawa's Jitte to stabilize take it home. No challenge here. Move along.
The actual challenge was the clock though - I really had to rush to not draw a game that I already had won which led to some sloppy plays on my half of the table (like not using Umezawa's Jitte directly against potential Krosan Grips once ). It didn't make a difference though, just reminded me to work on my technical skills once again: even if it only was a single slip of concentration, it shouldn't have occurred.
2:1
5-1-0 (10:4)
Other Tournament Stuff
I come in second. Harrald David comes in first (6-0-0 record) with a very slight variation of my pre-Iserlohn build (http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=23357) (something along the lines of -1 Werebear +1 Counterspell), beating Merfolk (twice) and Ichorid (once) in the process – mad props for that.
The other white splashed Gro builds went 3-3 (Martin MSC Schreiber) and 1-4drop (Daniel Adan Scherer - Progenitus Thresh).
Performance of the rest of Team SPOD :
1-5-0 Thomas
1-4-0 Adan (drop after round 5)
3-3-0 Stefan
4-2-0 Harrald *8th*
Top8 Overview:
6-0-0 1st: NQG/w
5-1-0 2nd: NQG/w
5-1-0 3rd: Aggro ITF
4-2-0 4th: Ichorid
4-2-0 5th: Solidarity
4-2-0 6th: Ubg Merfolk
4-2-0 7th: Mono-U Merfolk
4-2-0 8th: 5c Aggro Control feat. Nephilims
A nice, big WtF (like this (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/datloore/wtf.jpg) big) at those Merfolk decks in the top8. Even the more since the pilots were absolutely horrible (as in 'well known scrubs' horrible).
Major props (/salute) to Harrald for top8ing with that Nephilim deck.
Do note that the metagame was very unfavorable to NQG (tons of Elves, Merfolk and Ichorid), and that the deck was under-represented (seriously, what a change. We had 11 NQG lists on the February event and only five this time. Three of them being SPOD members, the other two strongly influenced by us. Basically we went from everyone playing Gro, to ~SPOD playing Gro).
However, do also note that it still took the top2 spots – now that's something to think about.
The prices were: (in order of pick from the price-pool)
1st – 1 Plateau (German Limited)
2nd – 1 Force of Will
3rd – 1 Badlands
4th – 1 Force of Will
5th – 1 Savannah
6th - 1 Plateau
7th - 1 Flooded Strand
8th - 1 Flooded Strand
Postlude
Props:
The deck for being something like the most consistent deck in the format (I [i]am getting repetitive, aren't I?)
Harrald F. (the F is for fucking) Herrlich for back to back Hassloch top8s with random Piles Of Awesome/junk, whatever your pick
Suits. Nothing better to make your average TCG Crew feel out of place and totally worthless. Also, they are Awesome, so, Suit Up!
Me for apparently being the only one in the Team knowing how to tie a tie without having to look it up or have someone else coach you.*
Slops:
Adan for sucking with Threshold, seriously. Also, get over it: you can only do well if you play my lists – that last event was further proof of this. Gogogo my ego. If you keep up with the good work, you can, maybe, just maybe, just one day, become a fully grown US size jumbo
The Metagame: we're Legacy - where your 50% of metagame Leviathan will just turn into a mere 15% small fish in the sea 30 days later.
Attendance. We were only like 3x (x<5), with a clear downward trend being noticeable over the last few events. Let's hope it doesn't continue like this.
Me for only partially owning a suit.
Edit:
*: well, apparently, Thomas does know how to tie ties. Make that statement everyone but the two of us then.