GenCon 2012

[Koby]

This thread is to discuss the upcoming GenCon Vintage World Champs and the subsequent results.

Some ice-breakers:
Who is going to attend?
What are key strategies to watch out for?

[TheElvishPiper]

I will be attending GenCon this year.

I think the most popular strategies include Martello Shops, Espresso Stax, Dredge, Landstill, and several Fish style decks. I also wouldn't be surprised to see several Oath variants in response to all of the creature based strategies.

[nedleeds]

I'm attending.

Key strategies to look out for are powerful vintage cards.

[Esper3k]

I'll be attending - probably will be playing something that doesn't take terribly much thinking to play (ie, Dredge or MUD).

[B.C.]

I'm going. I'll be playing MUD, because that's kinda how I roll. Koby, are YOU going?

I will be boarding a full 8 cards for Dredge, and I will be prepared for the Workshop mirror match, but in general I expect to play blue-based control and Oath all day long.

[Koby]

Unfortunately, I won't be going. Between the travelling for GPs and eating up a bunch of vacation time, I'm tapped out for the year. I'm definitely interested in seeing what people will be piloting this event.

[nedleeds]

For me I just want to play something that has a shot against shops on the draw. Getting rolled by shops on the draw is the most miserable Magic experience ever. In a large 'blind' Vintage event like Gencon not knowing what your opponent is on (unlike your local shop) makes the whole experience a little more nerve wracking.

This obviously means playing Force of Will and maybe committing to mulling to it to 6 (barring some other nutty hand), or playing a deck that has built in resilience to the misery that is shops.

[Esper3k]

For me, since I care more about Legacy champs, I'm just trying to relax and have fun / not stress out too much for Vintage champs.

So, I'll probably play Shops since it doesn't require a horribly huge amount of thought (compared to blue decks) and really, winning when your opponent can't play MTG is like football punting puppies - simply awesome.

[menace13]

I wonder who we can "convince" (totally not bribe or anything like that) to make a functional reprint for Bazaar. Return to Ravnica!?><:"!..!
Jus sayin.

Oh, and seriously. All Shop players should, like maybe just die. Today. They keep getting better cards in every set. Death to Stupid 10(more like 0-7) mana artifacts. And with or without my hatred of all things Mishra, I think it is the best deck in Vintage. Everyone will be gunning for it.

Oath, Landstill, Fish, Dredge, Snap/Jace Control, Gush Storm all should be played in large quantities.

The most interesting thing is RUG Delver surging. As it turns out Shops have a hard time against flying blue Nacatls. Something Classic players on MTGO discovered when Delver was printed. Although those decks were even more fun with unrestricted Brainstorm, Lotus Petal, Library of Tap to Draw(great format).

Anyhow, Gush gives it gas to forever trade 1 for 1 against all the other decks. Packed with FoW, Grudge, Bolts, Trygon, Steel Sabotage it Seems like a fine choice where Shops will probably be the most played.

[nedleeds]

The most interesting thing is RUG Delver surging. As it turns out Shops have a hard time against flying blue Nacatls.

It's got basics, can fight a thorn on the draw by playing said retarded creature and starting to do work. Bolt is a decent removal spell vs. shops. Plenty of shop players will lead with a chalice on 0 instead of 1. Has FoW and can mull to it, and mulls pretty well for a vintage deck.

[Koby]

It's got basics, can fight a thorn on the draw by playing said retarded creature and starting to do work. Bolt is a decent removal spell vs. shops. Plenty of shop players will lead with a chalice on 0 instead of 1. Has FoW and can mull to it, and mulls pretty well for a vintage deck.

All of this is true. And yet the deck operates at mostly the same level Maverick does in Legacy - fighting fair. It loses pretty easily to a fast Tinker with protection, random Vault/Key pushes, and Dredge.

[JACO]

I'll be playing, and think you can expect a lot of Landstill, Oath, Confidant/Snap/Have, RUG Delver, Dredge, and then a handful of random Workshop variants. It's sanctioned which means no proxies which means a very healthy amount of Dredge, in particular.

[dahcmai]

I'll be there for the first time ever.


I'll be bringing my remnants of my vintage collection, Lotus, Ancestral, Walk, and throwing down some screwed up combo of my own build for fun. Watch out for the random weird cards. Maindeck Leyline of the Void for instance.


I'll play more serious in the legacy section with some Doomsday action.

[nedleeds]

Anybody playing the afternoon Thursday 4pm prelim? I may play that then play a few rounds of 'Drown in Guinness'.