Yeah, I was actually really glad you got Tasseled Dromedary banned because that would have made all my potential decks a lot harder.
First rounds are extra tough to me, because my usual method is to just guess at the meta. I'm pretty sure my deck is bad.
"The Ancients teach us that if we can but last, we shall prevail."
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
Ha, well, I think everyone thinks theirs is bad, because the meta is totally up in the air. Hard to design to beat things when you have no idea what people will be playing. But, I think every deck could be "bad" and we just figure out who made the "least bad" one, but if we wanted to, we could just change bad to good and still be saying the same thing,![]()
"The Ancients teach us that if we can but last, we shall prevail."
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
Meta looks wide open. I saw 6 distinct pillars to choose from, and there could be more. How good my deck is depends on what direction people went. Could be anything.
Alright, let's do this.
DECKS FOR ROUND ONE OF SEASON 8: Peasant Continued Bannathon
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
Please post your scores and cross-check with the opponents.
I'll build a new Google Spreadsheet for the season, so you can enter your scores there as well. URL to follow.
EDIT: here's the new spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
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Asthereal's scores for round "let's see how good Strip Mine is". Spoiler alert: not very.
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
That's me, lazily adding Strip Mine to my deck from last round, over the weakest card.
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
Strip Mine prevents the embalm of the cat, so I guess we draw twice, trading resources? 2-2
3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
Nice deck. Plays around Strip Mine very nicely. Lab Man comes down and I lose the turn after. 0-6
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
I can kill all your Rootwallas, but I won't have a wincon left, so we draw twice. 2-2
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
Vial also plays around Strip Mine nicely. Your guys beat mine. 0-6
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
The Rack beats my deck as well. 0-6
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
Too many small dudes and my Strip Mine again does nothing. 0-6
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
Borderpost also plays around Strip Mine. 0-6
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
Hey, Strip Mine does work. Not enough though. You open with Ghoul, I mine your land. Then I have to use my two guys to kill your Ghoul for the draws. 2-2
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
More Rack. 0-6
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
EDIT:
OTP Misstep stops one guy, Lavarunner could beat the other, but racing is hard as Misstep costs life. Thunderclap is a blank, as I Mine your land before you can use it. So we draw.
OTD the Runner is a turn faster and just manages to race that plan. But all other plans involve allowing Thunderclap to do a thing, which also leads to a loss. So I lose this one. 1-4
Total: 7 points? See, Strip Mine is terrible.![]()
Last edited by Asthereal; 10-01-2020 at 01:35 PM.
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3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
Labman round, actually posted from a man in a lab ;)
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
6-0, Additional land beats Strip Mine, whichever you destroy.
6
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
6-0, Mortuary Mire beats Cabal Therapy.
12
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
6-0, Laboratory Maniac wins before T7
18
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
6-0, Laboratory Maniac wins before T9-10
24
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
6-0, Laboratory Maniac wins before T8
30
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
6-0, Laboratory Maniac wins before the gob (see maths below).
36
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
6-0, no 1 mana spells.
42
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
6-0, Mortuary Mire beats Wretched banquet (see maths below).
48
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
6-0, Laboratory Maniac wins before, as it is slower than the gobs deck.
54
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
6-0, Mortuary Mire beats Thunderclap, especially as the lack of targets for Mental Misstep makes Ghitu Lavarunner slow.
60
Clean sweep! But I probably overlooked some stuff...
Still should be quite good :)
Maths:
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
Gob OTP.
T1 G 6 gobs, me Mortuary Mire.
T2 G attack (me 14 life), Irrigation Ditch.
T3 G attack (me 8 life), sac Irrigation Ditch, play Laboratory Maniac
T4, G attacks (me 3 life), win.
OTD I win at 9 life.
Actually that was the one race MU I calculated beforehand, as I considered the deck.
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
T OTP
T1 T Diregraf ghoul, me Mortuary Mire.
T2 T attack (18), play Chronomaton, Irrigation Ditch.
T3 T attack (16) and pump (c 2/2), sac Irrigation Ditch, play Laboratory Maniac, play Izzet Boilerworks, returns Mortuary Mire to hand.
T4 T kill Laboratory Maniac, attack (12), play Mortuary Mire, return Laboratory Maniac to library.
T5 T attacks (8), draw and play Laboratory Maniac.
T6 T attacks (4), win.
OTD I win at much more life as you need not to have a 1/1 to kill labman.
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
1. Asthereal: Leading with ghould OTP and OTD leads to draws. Can't do better because you'll strip mine my land and sac both guys to get rid of it. 2-2 --> 2
2. Reeplcheep: OTP I can lead with chronomaton and win. OTD, I'll do the first damage and will win the race. Diving into legacy with Phil is detrimental to your 4CB skills!! 6-0 --> 8
3. dte: EDIT: I forgot you could play boilerworks the turn you play maniac. 0-6 --> 8
4. Alphastryk: Ghould blocks rootwallas all day long while chrono gets huge. 6-0 --> 14
5. Wrath of Pie: Did you know that using Aether vial before I get it banned is illegal? Blitz leech kills chronomaton and my removal is too small. Question is can I kill you in 6 turns? On the play if I up Chrono once, I get to win on Turn 7 just before you uptick vial to 6. OTD, You get to 6 counters on vial before I can kill you. 3-3 --> 17
OTP: T1 = Swamp Ghoul. Island vial.
T2 = (20-18), chrono. V1
T3 = C1 (20-16). V2
T4 = (20-12). V3
T5 = (20-8). V4
T6 = (20-4). V5
T7 = (20-0). V6
6. H: OTP, killing vermine with banquet to avoid a block and upticking chrono once outrace the rack (See below). OTP, it's a little bit closer but I end up at 2 life before killing you. 6-0 --> 23
OTP: T1 = swamp, Ghoul. swamp, rack.
T2 = (18-20), chrono (18-18). swamp, vermine.
T3 = (16-18), banquet on vermine (16-15).
T4 = (13-15), C1 (13-11).
T5 = (10-11), (10-7).
T6 = (7-7), (7-3).
T7 = (4-3), Win.
OTD: T1 = swamp, rack. Swamp, ghoul.
T2 = swamp, vermine. (19-20). Chrono, attack with ghoul, you chump, I discard banquet.
T3 = (16-20) C1, (16-18).
T4 = (13-18), (13-14).
T5 = (10-14), (10-10).
T6 = (7-10), (7-6).
T7 = (4-6), (4-2).
T8 = (1-2), win.
7. GoblinSmashmaster: OTP and OTD, Ghould + banquet slows you enough so I can Grow chrono to kill you. 6-0 --> 29
OTP: T1 = swamp, ghoul. You get 6 goblins, G6.
T2 = Banquet, G5. (20-16) G4.
T3 = Chrono. (20-13) G3.
T4 = C1 on your turn (20-12) G1. I win.
OTD: T1 = G6. Swamp Ghoul.
T2 = (20-14). Banquet.
T3 = (20-10) G4. Chrono.
T4 = (20-7) G3.
T5 = C2 (20-6). I win.
8. Maxx!: this is tricky. You have to counter chrono, because chrono will grow big enough to kill you in one hit. Sureblade is bigger than ghoul, so I can't play ghoul before you play sureblade so that banquet can take care of it. This leads us to two draws I guess. I don't play anything and you don't play anything :) 2-2 --> 31
9. Me, riding a colorless win-con to victory.
10. silkster: This is the better version of the rack :) Can't do anything to corrupted zendikon, so once it's online (Turn 3), I can't pass through. Nice deck. 0-6 --> 31
11. FTW: We both have answers for all of the threats we can deploy. 2-2 --> 33
Total 33.
Man, I'm amazed at the number of points I got for this round. It took me literally 5 mins to say I wanna play chronomaton and to find another decent creature and a playable removal. I just checked the best deck from last round of pauper that did not get banned. It was the storm deck and I designed it to beat it. Glad it paid :)
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka WW
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat LL
3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch LL - Naturally, I just completely missed Lab Maniac was legal.
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla WW
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack WW - I barely get there on the draw.
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens LL
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep LL
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul WL
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack LL
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap LL]
7w = 21 points
No wonder Tylert didn't submit Aether Vial - it's too slow right now!
It almost feels like we got tricked. I'm pretty sure no one knew that it was an uncommon in its two last printings... :)
Chronomaton is another one of my favorite cards in 4CB. It gets banned faster than aether vial thought. So I went with it first...No wonder Tylert didn't submit Aether Vial - it's too slow right now!
Fantastic deck! Congrats on the sweep!
I knew Lab Man was legal, but I was sure that Strip Mine, discard or removal would stop the ramp strategy this round. Mortuary Mire is the real tech here, on top of having Ditch as a backup if the Boilerworks is killed.
Smart deck.
Is this deck legal? I would have loved to play Diregraf Ghoul as my 1-mana 2/2 insteads of Lavarunner or Vampire Lacerator or some of the other options, but Ghoul is uncommon.... and so is Chronomaton.
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
It will be a long time until wasteland gets banned imo. We trade everything. 2-2.
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
Me.
3. 3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
Mire beats therapy. 0-6
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
The ultimate therapy counter. I can trade with 2 but lose eventually. 0-6
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
OTP you lose vial. OTD you lose both payoffs. 6-0.
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
OTP I easily win by discarding the rack. OTD I can save both swamp & therapy and you will lose if you try to race. But chumping + discarding will have you just barely win the race. 3-3.
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
OTP You get nothing. OTD I can't answer all the goblins. 3-3
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
You can't let me resolve cabal therapy. OTP I can therapy twice. OTD you win the race. 3-3.
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
Both Chronomaton and Ghoul are not pauper legal. The 2/2 just barely races my lifelink. ??
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
OTP I discard both your things. OTD you win the race with rack. 3-3
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
The tempo from misstep means you win the race. 0-6
6W 2D 10L 2? for a pretty bad 20.
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
1. Asthereal (TO): OTP I play Lavarunner. If you play a creature, I Thunderclap it and win, so you have to Strip the land first. I attack you to 19. You play a creature and I Misstep it (18 vs 19). I attack you to 18. You play the other creature. I attack you again, and neither creature could kill it, so you go to 17 (17 vs 18). Now you could attack back but I will win this race.
OTD I can't race. However if you ever play a creature, I can both cast Lavarunner and Thunderclap your creature immediately before getting Stripped (then Misstep the 2nd creature). Therefore you can never do anything and we draw. WD 4-1
2. Reeplcheep: You can try to race by playing Cat first and threatening to never play Therapy. That forces me to Misstep the Cat, going down 2 life. You Therapy Thunderclap and then Embalm the Cat on turn 2. OTP I get 1+2=3 damage in before you can swing back, so I race. OTD I can only get 2 damage in first, and I lost 2 to Misstep, so I can't race and have to block to draw. WD 4-1
3. dte: I can Thunderclap Lab Man but didn't anticipate recursion that gets around Mental Misstep! (I thought maybe Unearth) Nice deck. LL 0-6
4. alphastryk: I can Misstep one and Thunderclap a 2nd, then 2/2 Lavarunner races the last 1/1. WW 6-0
5. Wrath of Pie: Misstep the Vial. WW 6-0
6. H: If you play out the Rack, I Misstep it then Thunderclap the Rat after Lavarunner's already in play. If you sandbag The Rack and just play out your Rat on turn 2 holding up black mana, I just attack with 1/2 Lavarunner into it. That threatens to win the race (1/2 vs 1/1). If you chump and trigger the discard, I discard Thunderclap and can still Misstep The Rack. If you don't block and attack back, I race. If you cast The Rack I lose 2 life to Misstep, making me fall behind in the race, but then I can Thunderclap freely. Either way Lavarunner gets there. Edit: If you race, I can still Thunderclap before I hit 2 life to keep Misstep as a threat. WW 6-0
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mental Misstep on the 2nd Rite of Flame ruins your day. WW 6-0
8. maxx!: I play T1 Lavarunner. You can Misstep me, but I Misstep back. Then I can Thunderclap Bant Sureblade and win. WW 6-0
9. Tylert: I think this deck has 2 uncommons and is therefore illegal? Otherwise we trade resources. I can Misstep Chronomaton and Thunderclap Ghoul, losing my guy to Banquet. I could Thunderclap Chronomaton and Mental Misstep your removal, then trade 2/2s. DD 2-2
10. Silkster: I can Misstep your Rack but didn't expect to face a 3/3 indestructible. Nice deck! I can't race that either. LL 0-6
40 points (12 wins, 4 draws, 4 loss) / 44 points depending on how Tylert's deck is handled
Last edited by FTW; 10-02-2020 at 04:42 AM.
Ugh... did I miss another illegal deck?
I kinda assumed Diregraf Ghoul would be common in one of its prints, as it's such an uninteresting card, really.
But I checked with the Gatherer, and I can't find a set in which it's common, and Chronomaton is also uncommon.
So looks illegal indeed. Unless I'm missing something.
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See the explanation in my comment above.
Thunderclap isn't quite a blank because it forces you to Strip Mine me before you can play any creatures. That buys me enough tempo to race on the play, even with the 2 life loss, because I got to go first + Time Walk you with Strip Mine + Misstep your first play to get in 3 attacks before you can swing back.
OTD I'm too slow so we stare and draw.
I think the problem is less that Strip Mine is bad than that we already banned most of the good Pauper 1 cost threats, so you have to pair Strip Mine with weak cards.
Edit: I noticed Diregraf Ghoul only because it's much better than some of the 1-drops we had to play in the Pauper round, so I was quite positive it couldn't be common. Then Gatherer confirmed.
GoblinSmashmaster Results for Round "Who Needs Uncommons?"
1. Asthereal (TO): Swamp, Strip Mine, Fourth Bridge Prowler, Plagued Rusalka
Goblins smash! 6-0
2. Reeplcheep: Plains, Swamp, Cabal Therapy, Sacred Cat
Goblins smash, then fall into the sacred cabal 3-3
3. dte: Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
Irritating irrigation :( 0-6
4. alphastryk: Bazaar of Baghdad, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla, Basking Rootwalla
Goblins smash! 6-0
5. Wrath of Pie: Island, Aether Vial, Blitz Leech, Ponyback Brigade
Goblins smash! 6-0
6. H: Swamp, Swamp, Drainpipe Vermin, The Rack
Goblins smash! 6-0
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Empty the Warrens
That's me!
8. maxx!: Forest, Fieldmist Borderpost, Bant Sureblade, Mental Misstep
Mental Misstep 0-6
9. Tylert: Chronomaton, Wretched banquet, Swamp, Diregraf ghoul
??
10. Silkster: Swamp, Darksteel Citadel, Corrupted Zendikon, The Rack
Goblins smash! 6-0
11. FTW: Mountain, Ghitu Lavarunner, Mental Misstep, Thunderclap
Mental Misstep 0-6
Goblin points: 33
Thank you for the kind words!
Actually I was trying to find a home for mortuary mire, not for labman :)
I think you have two more draws:
Vs H
H OTP
T1 swamp, runner
T2 swamp, rat, runner attack (H19)
T3 rat attack (F19), runner attack (H18)
...
T18 rat attack (F4), runner attack (H3)
T19 rat attack (F3), runner attack (H2)
T20 rat attack (F2), play rack (F cannot misstep), upkeep F1, can attack to put H to 1.
alternatively
T20 rat attack, F thunderclap it, H makes F discard misstep, H play rack, upkeep F dies.
So runner never attacks (or stops to attack on T19) and it should be a draw?
FTW wins OTP and do 4-1 here?
vs Reeplcheep, I think R also draws OTP if he plays cat first (and FTW wins OTP).
If FTW MM T1 cat:
T1 cat MM (F18), runner
T2 CT discard clap, embalm cat, runner attack (R18)
T3 cat attack (R19, F17), runner attack (R17, F17)
T4 cat attack (R18, F16), runner attack (R16, F16)
...
T19 cat attack (R3, F1), runner stay for blocks and draw
If you do not, R never casts CT and runner stays 1/2 and cannot race:
T1 cat, runner
T2 do nothing, runner attack (R19)
T3 kill cat with clap before attack, embalm cat. runner attack (R18) (embalm is not a spell and cannot be misstepped)
T4 cat attack (R19, F19), runner attack (R18)
T5 cat attack (R19, F18), runner attack (R18)
so runner stays to block and draw.
You're right about Reeplcheep. I assumed he would lead with Therapy OTP (where I would race) and didn't work through the other lines on that one because he had already posted it as a loss.
I missed the line of
T1 - Cat eats Misstep / Lavarunner [F=18]
T2 - Therapy takes Thunderclap, then safely embalm Cat / I attack for 2 [F=18, R=18]
T3 - 1/1 lifelink attacks / 2/2 attacks [F=17, R=17]
That lets him get the Cat online turn 2 OTP, which is fast enough to happen at equal life totals so I can't race and have to block to draw.
OTP I still race the T2 Cat by having 1 extra attack for 1.
WD 4-1 for me
But I should beat H. If he plays the rat on turn 1, I can Thunderclap it without discarding. If he plays Rack out early, I can Misstep it and then Thunderclap the Rat safely. To stop me from Thunderclapping, he has to hold back Rack and hold up B the whole time to threaten the discard.
You have this line, but I still win at the end.
On my turn 18, with both of us at 4 life, I can Thunderclap the Rat before attacking. H pays B to make me discard Mental Misstep, but then my Runner is a 2/2. I hit him for 2 (H=2)Vs H
H OTP
T1 swamp, runner
T2 swamp, rat, runner attack (H19)
T3 rat attack (F19), runner attack (H18)
...
T18 rat attack (F4), runner attack (H3)
T19 H plays The Rack, I take 3 (F=1) and then 2/2 Lavarunner gets there.
I just need to Thunderclap while I can still threaten to cast Mental Misstep. The only purpose in me taking any Rat damage is to protect Mental Misstep, but that's moot if I'm too low in life to use it, so I only need to protect it so far, then after that growing Lavarunner is better.
Still WW 6-0
You're right, I missed that you could thunderclap at your turn to grow lavarunner just in time!
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