[Article] The Inside Scoop: Tournament Report

[Bryant Cook]

http://theepicstorm.com/northern-vir...2007-4th-place

[Hoojo]

You're a very good writer wastedlife. I've enjoyed every one of your articles. I always look forward to you and Nightmare's work.

[zulander]

Add this to your slops: Not mentioning zulander at all in my props even though he was the coolest mofo and has the best facial hair evar.

[Phantom]

Game 2: He mulligans to four and leads with Leyline, Cephalid Coliseum, Breakthrough. WOW, I wish I could mull to four and get nut starts; I have to settle with turn 1 wins. My hand after my draw is… City of Brass, Dark Ritual, SSG, Rite of Flame, Infernal, Burning Wish, Lion’s Eye Diamond. City of Brass tap it for Dark Ritual, SSG-> Rite of Flame, Infernal (Revealing LED), LED, LED, Burning Wish for Ill-Gotten Gains. Ill-Gotten gains back 2x LED and Infernal Tutor. Cast them all for Tendrils and win.

Can you IGG anything back without bouncing his Leyline? (I'm assuming it wasn't a Leyline of Singularity or anything)

Otherwise your reports are always great. Love the fact that you keep such great detail. Really gives a feel for how the deck plays.

[Bryant Cook]

Can you IGG anything back without bouncing his Leyline? (I'm assuming it wasn't a Leyline of Singularity or anything)

Otherwise your reports are always great. Love the fact that you keep such great detail. Really gives a feel for how the deck plays.

I won't lie, my notes are messy it may of been Diminishing Returns.

[BreathWeapon]

How is the TES vs Breakfast match up? Between Force of Will, Cabal Therapy and one other disruption card, it looks like it'd be a bitch to play against.

[Ewokslayer]

How is the TES vs Breakfast match up? Between Force of Will, Cabal Therapy and one other disruption card, it looks like it'd be a bitch to play against.

From the post

tested my new list versus Brian Diefendorf (Ewokslayer) he’s a savage cheater by the way. Every game he opened a turn 2 win hand with Force of Will. Swear to god.

Cephalid Breakfast vs. TES feels like you are a 300 lb linebacker tackling a retarded baby.

[NANTUKO_SHADY]

From the post

Cephalid Breakfast vs. TES feels like you are a 300 lb linebacker tackling a retarded baby.

ROFL. Anyways, great report Bryant. It was truely a pleasure sleeping next to you.

[BreathWeapon]

From the post

Cephalid Breakfast vs. TES feels like you are a 300 lb linebacker tackling a retarded baby.

That's what I thought, Breakfast seems similar to Flash in the sense that it can drive the other combo decks out of the format, but it doesn't have the same absurd Storm/Belcher/Dredge advantage against aggro. It's going to be interesting to see whether or not all of these combo decks can co-exist, and it could be a good time to metagame with aggro if Breakfast becomes popular.

Back to TES,

Replacing Plunge into Darkness with Night's Whisper is a serious option. U/g/w Threshold will let Night's Whisper resolve in fear of letting a Burning Wish/Infernal Tutor + LED resolve, and the card advantage will add up against them. It also lets the deck build up a bit of a mana base, and the cantrip engine of Night Whispers + Brainstorm lets the deck keep up in drawn out games.

[SpatulaOfTheAges]

Matt Elgin for being the cooler Elgin.

A sufficient amount of Elginess.

[Eldariel]

Nice report. There's a few things where some points are probably missing though.

Game 2: I look at my opening hand of Brainstorm, Burning Wish, Burning Wish, Chrome Mox, Rite of Flame, Lion’s Eye Diamond and Infernal Tutor. I play land, go. He barely makes 6 mana to cast Burning Wish, then Empty the Warrens. I Brainstorm. Untap Burning Wish for Cave-in and win from there.

Is the land missing from the hand you listed or did you mulligan?

Game 1: He plays land, Birds. I play land, go (going to combo off next turn). He plays land, ESG, Ivory Mask! WTF. I get caught up in that and think of a convoluted way to win via Burning Wish -> Tranquility. I start comboing and hit nothing but Diminishing Returns, I casted Diminishing Returns 5 times that game. YES, 5 times I won with 2 cards left. After the last returns, it hits me that I was too caught up in the moment. With a storm of 28 I cast Empty the Warrens holding 2x Orim’s Chant. Upkeep Chant. I should’ve thought of that sooner.

If he had Ivory Mask, how did you Chant him? Or did you Chant yourself Kickered so the creatures couldn't attack?

Game 1: I play city, Tinder Wall. He plays 2x Lion’s Eye Diamond, Cephalid Coliseum, cycles Street Wraith. He’s left with 10 card sin deck and 2x of them after Bridges, he’s very careful about passing priority. He doesn’t Therapy me in fear of me removing his Bridges. He just casts Dread Return on Zealot and swings for 21. I block. I untap draw Lion’s Eye Diamond making my hand (Infernal Tutor, Burning Wish, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Brainstorm, Gemstone Mine). I play 2x Lion’s Eye Diamonds and Infernal, he scoops.

Mmm, you're at 19 from City, correct? He attacks with a huge bunch of 3/3s (7 to be precise). Wall dies blocking, you're left with City and Gemstone Mine for mana and can't use the City since you're at 1, unable to cast Infernal. Or was there a 4/4 swinging that you blocked?


Great report though, I'm sure those are just some oversights. Nice job piloting your deck through a such field of combo and aggro/control to a 5-2-1 record. Shows how strong an understanding you've got of the MUs and of your deck. Really enjoyable to read too.

[Bryant Cook]

I think the Chrome Mox may of been the land, I'm uncertain. Man, I'm never writing reports at 3am ever again. Too many mistakes.

He scooped to the ginormous Empty the Warrens, I told him I could upkeep Orim's Chant. But as you pointed out that doesn't work. Oh well.

I may of played Gemstone mine first, I don't usually keep track of which lands I play first and second. Although, I'm looking at my notes now and I went to 2 after he attacked.

[Nihil Credo]

You didn't sac the Wall in response to his Dread Return-fueled Bridge triggers, was that a mistake? BfB has an intervening if clause, so it seems to me you could have left him to attack with just a lone Zealot.

[Bryant Cook]

I'm fairly sure the tokens are on the stack and will resolve even if bridge is removed. If not, oh well, I still won and know better for next time.

[Ewokslayer]

The tokens will not come into play if when that ability resolves Bridge from Below is not in the graveyard.