Stifle
08-30-2012, 11:09 PM
Let's be completely honest here. Delver of Secrets and his morphed self, Insectile Aberration, is a complete abortion of a card. Some might say his evasion makes him too hard to deal with. Others may claim that his 3 power makes him too efficient for his mana cost.
In fact, they may even assert that Insectile Aberration is the best BUG around.
But that's where they're wrong.
----------------------------------------------
BUG Control
Mainboard: 60
Spells: 37
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Daze
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Dismember
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Liliana of the Veil
2 Thoughtseize
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Go for the Throat
1 Ponder
Lands: 23
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
3 Wasteland
2 Bayou
2 Tropical Island
2 Verdant Catacombs
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Sunken Ruins
Sideboard: 15
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Spell Pierce
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Ghastly Demise
1 Darkblast
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Life from the Loam
1 Maelstrom Pulse
----------------------------------------------
Thoughts and a disclaimer:
For those unfamiliar, I took Chris Funk's SCG list, made a few tweaks in the sideboard and sleeved up this lusty mistress.
Here's also the part where I go on record to say that these games are based on memory so discretion is advised.
----------------------------------------------
Round 1: Mathew w/ BW Stoneblade
Game 1: Mathew kept a questionable opening and I Inquisitioned his potential turn one Stoneforge Mystic play seeing as how he had Chrome Mox in hand. I made him discard more cards over the following turns and won after stabilizing my planeswalker buddies and a Goyf.
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Ponder
-1 Tarmogoyf
+3 Pernicious Deed
Game 2: This game was basically a drawn out affair since my Hymns hit Lingering Souls for days. He tried to drop a BW Sorin as soon as he made a fourth land but I had the daze for it. He also had top out which basically made sure he was able to draw business for a while. Once he crack his top on his turn to cast something though, I knew that the game was won since I countered/killed whatever he drew and scryed his top to the bottom of his deck. After that, creatures came down and worked their magic.
1-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 2: Josh w/ RUG Delver
Game 1: Josh mulled down to six in our game and I was able to punish him in the early game with my hand disruption resolving early on. I was a little strapped for lands but still had a couple in hand when Josh decided to go for the tempo play with his wastelands which left us both with no lands in play. I was able to make my way back in the game with land drops while Josh struggled to find any. After sticking a pair of Tiagos and more disruption, Josh conceded quickly.
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-2 Dismember
-1 Liliana of the Veil
-1 Go for the Throat
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
Game 2: Josh was able to get some early aggression on board and took me down to six life with a goose on threshold and a flipped delver. After I resolved a brainstorm, his pesky flier met a ghastly demise and I was able to make an edict of the diabolic kind on his shrouded 3/3. Shortly after, I dropped some lhurgoyfs and they went to town.
2-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 3: Weston w/ T.E.S.
Game 1: Weston mulled down to six and made a couple of land drops. I was able to disrupt his hand to oblivion and dropped some green fatties to get the job done.
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-2 Dismember
-1 Diabolic Edict
-1 Go for the Throat
-1 Tarmogoyf
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: Weston and I both kept our opening seven. I kept a somewhat sketchy opening with Spell Pierce being my only form of disruption. After playing draw-go for a couple of turns, Weston decided it was time to go off. He played a pair of rite of flames, and spent his last land to tap out for a dark ritual. I spell pierced his black ritual which he let resolve. He dropped a lotus petal, a Lion's Eye Diamond and casted Burning Wish cracking LED while retaining priority. He decided to make a bunch of little green men with his wish and passed the turn. I drew, dropped a deed and he scooped his cards, offering the concession.
3-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 4: Nick w/ Dredge
Game 1: Nick and I both decided to keep our opening seven and as soon as he dropped a City of Brass with a Putrid Imp, I knew that I was in for some rough games ahead of me. Nick had an explosive turn one play which I was cold to and a couple of swings later, I went to zero and got ready to take out almost a quarter of my deck.
-4 Hymn to Tourach
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek
-2 Dismember
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Liliana of the Veil
-1 Ponder
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+3 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: I decided to keep an opening with some lands, removal, a Force of Will and another blue card. Since I decided to be on the play, I dropped a land, passed, and force his turn one or two play. A turn or two later, I eventually dropped a goyf and Nick quickly got his dredge engine online within those turns. I was able to connect with goyf once, with three lands in play and one of them being a Creeping Tar Pit. Eventually, we got to a position where Nick and I both faced lethal next turn but I had to draw a land in order to deliver the deathblow with the Tar Pit since he had a bunch of Zombies to block my favorite green creature. I drew my card, dropped the Underground Sea and we went on on our way to prepare for Game 3.
Game 3: Nick was on the play and chose to play while I decided to mull down to six. Nick began to dredge and I kept a well-balanced blend of lands, disruption and Tarmogoyf. Somewhere between his turns, I was able to Surgical Extraction his Bridge from Belows before he got any real value out of them. After popping a deed and a Maelstrom Pulse on his creatures, I stabilized with a pair of lhurgoyfs at 8 life. Nick dredged down to one card in his deck and passed the turn. I drew and dropped a third goyf and he conceded the game knowing he could not deal enough damage to kill me before he decked out.
4-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 5: Kipp w/ Maverick
I had the misfortune to get paired down with my record and figured I had to play out this round to clench my spot in the Top 8 since Kipp did not want to draw.
Game 1: Kipp and I both kept our seven and he proceeded to play a couple of creatures and manlands in the form of Dryad Arbor and Stirring Wildwood. Thankfully, I had the removal spells and the proactive discards to neuter much of his plays. But that all began to change when I almost punted the game. I had the option of dropping a Jace, a Liliana, a Tarmogoyf or passing the turn with a removal spell and I ran out the four mana planeswalker. At the time, Kipp had a Stirring Wildwood, a Savannah, a Dryad Arbor and a basic land out. I was punished for this when he drew and dropped a Horizon Canopy and attacked Jace down to zero. Thankfully, Kipp drew land after land for several turns while I was able to slowly claw and stabilize for the win with a Liliana and a goyf at two life.
-4 Force of Will
-3 Daze
-1 Ponder
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Darkblast
Game 2: While Game 1 proved to be a long affair that lasted about 27 minutes, Game 2 would not prove to be as long. Kipp played threats which I had all the answers for that by the time he resolved Choke, I had such a dominating hand/board position thanks to a pair of planeswalkers, bayous and a bunch of two mana creatures. As expected, they gave me the victory.
5-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 6: Brandon w/ Hive Mind
ID
5-0-1
----------------------------------------------
Quarterfinals: Jack w/ Maverick
Game 1: Jack had a turn one noble and a turn two Knight wile I kept a five lander. Very quickly, I knew that this game would be a quick blowout in his favor but chose to play until he properly had the kill since I wanted to get as much information as possible about his build.
-4 Force of Will
-2 Dismember
-1 Ponder
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Dark Blast
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Diabolic Edict
Game 2: Jack essentially kept a one lander after mulling and I was able to punish him for it with wastelands, discards and a removal spell. While Jack was digging for land, I was able to establish board dominance and attrition him out of the game.
-3 Daze
+2 Dismember
+1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Game 3: Jack mulled down to six cards again while I kept my opening hand. Similar to the games I had with Kipp, I played around Choke and had a response for every threat that he played. Somewhere throughout this game, I felt that I was playing inefficiently and derping around too much. I thought I could have won a lot sooner but I was too focused on making sure his 5% chance to make a comeback was at 0%. Jack gave the concession once Jace was at 11 counters and with two creatures staring across from him.
6-0-1
----------------------------------------------
Semi-Finals: Nick w/ Dredge
Game 1: Nick was off to an awfully slow start but I also kept a very loose and slow opening hand. After a few turns, Nick was able to get his dredging on a more consistent basis. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to make any meaningful plays and lost the game shortly after that.
-4 Hymn to Tourach
-2 Dismember
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Liliana of the Veil
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+3 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: I kept my opening hand because it had plenty of cantrips. However, I punted the game shortly after when I had a Surgical Extraction in hand and he was casting a second Cabal Therapy. I could have played and gotten value out of the card but I foolishly let his second copy of Cabal Therapy resolve without any responses and was punished for it when he named the Phyrexian mana Extirpate in my hand. Nick was able to make a bunch of zombies and swing with multiple Ichorids and Ashen Ghouls before I was able to draw into anymore outs.
6-1-1
----------------------------------------------
Afterthoughts:
I ended up placing 3rd overall that day. Although I felt a little bummed about that last match, I didn't let it get to me since I felt pretty satisfied about my overall performance. BUG control has always been strong, resilient and a forced to be reckoned with. The age-old adage "Hymn, Hymn, I win" still rings true to this day and it's a lot more easier to achieve when Snapcaster Mage can act as Hymns 5 - 8.
The irony behind all of this is that despite the claim about Insectile Aberration not being the best BUG, it still ended up taking down the whole event.
Herp. Derp.
* Shout-out to my buddy Jerry for participating in his first legacy tournament
* Shout-out to Nick who was thirsty for revenge in the semis. :P The first match we played were some very close/good games. Sorry for not putting up much of a fight in our second match.
* Congrats to everyone who made top 8 or got prizes that day!
* Two thumbs up to MTG Deals for their awesome tournaments and their loyal support towards the So. Cal Legacy scene. (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?24463-MTG-DeaLS-Legacy-Tournament-Sunday-08-26-2012) (Bonus thumbs up for working AC!)
* SCG: L.A. is right around the corner and I hope to see many of you there.
Torrance/South Bay on my back. West coast for life!
In fact, they may even assert that Insectile Aberration is the best BUG around.
But that's where they're wrong.
----------------------------------------------
BUG Control
Mainboard: 60
Spells: 37
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Daze
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Dismember
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Liliana of the Veil
2 Thoughtseize
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Go for the Throat
1 Ponder
Lands: 23
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
3 Wasteland
2 Bayou
2 Tropical Island
2 Verdant Catacombs
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Sunken Ruins
Sideboard: 15
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Spell Pierce
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Ghastly Demise
1 Darkblast
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Life from the Loam
1 Maelstrom Pulse
----------------------------------------------
Thoughts and a disclaimer:
For those unfamiliar, I took Chris Funk's SCG list, made a few tweaks in the sideboard and sleeved up this lusty mistress.
Here's also the part where I go on record to say that these games are based on memory so discretion is advised.
----------------------------------------------
Round 1: Mathew w/ BW Stoneblade
Game 1: Mathew kept a questionable opening and I Inquisitioned his potential turn one Stoneforge Mystic play seeing as how he had Chrome Mox in hand. I made him discard more cards over the following turns and won after stabilizing my planeswalker buddies and a Goyf.
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Ponder
-1 Tarmogoyf
+3 Pernicious Deed
Game 2: This game was basically a drawn out affair since my Hymns hit Lingering Souls for days. He tried to drop a BW Sorin as soon as he made a fourth land but I had the daze for it. He also had top out which basically made sure he was able to draw business for a while. Once he crack his top on his turn to cast something though, I knew that the game was won since I countered/killed whatever he drew and scryed his top to the bottom of his deck. After that, creatures came down and worked their magic.
1-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 2: Josh w/ RUG Delver
Game 1: Josh mulled down to six in our game and I was able to punish him in the early game with my hand disruption resolving early on. I was a little strapped for lands but still had a couple in hand when Josh decided to go for the tempo play with his wastelands which left us both with no lands in play. I was able to make my way back in the game with land drops while Josh struggled to find any. After sticking a pair of Tiagos and more disruption, Josh conceded quickly.
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-2 Dismember
-1 Liliana of the Veil
-1 Go for the Throat
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
Game 2: Josh was able to get some early aggression on board and took me down to six life with a goose on threshold and a flipped delver. After I resolved a brainstorm, his pesky flier met a ghastly demise and I was able to make an edict of the diabolic kind on his shrouded 3/3. Shortly after, I dropped some lhurgoyfs and they went to town.
2-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 3: Weston w/ T.E.S.
Game 1: Weston mulled down to six and made a couple of land drops. I was able to disrupt his hand to oblivion and dropped some green fatties to get the job done.
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-2 Dismember
-1 Diabolic Edict
-1 Go for the Throat
-1 Tarmogoyf
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: Weston and I both kept our opening seven. I kept a somewhat sketchy opening with Spell Pierce being my only form of disruption. After playing draw-go for a couple of turns, Weston decided it was time to go off. He played a pair of rite of flames, and spent his last land to tap out for a dark ritual. I spell pierced his black ritual which he let resolve. He dropped a lotus petal, a Lion's Eye Diamond and casted Burning Wish cracking LED while retaining priority. He decided to make a bunch of little green men with his wish and passed the turn. I drew, dropped a deed and he scooped his cards, offering the concession.
3-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 4: Nick w/ Dredge
Game 1: Nick and I both decided to keep our opening seven and as soon as he dropped a City of Brass with a Putrid Imp, I knew that I was in for some rough games ahead of me. Nick had an explosive turn one play which I was cold to and a couple of swings later, I went to zero and got ready to take out almost a quarter of my deck.
-4 Hymn to Tourach
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek
-2 Dismember
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Liliana of the Veil
-1 Ponder
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+3 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: I decided to keep an opening with some lands, removal, a Force of Will and another blue card. Since I decided to be on the play, I dropped a land, passed, and force his turn one or two play. A turn or two later, I eventually dropped a goyf and Nick quickly got his dredge engine online within those turns. I was able to connect with goyf once, with three lands in play and one of them being a Creeping Tar Pit. Eventually, we got to a position where Nick and I both faced lethal next turn but I had to draw a land in order to deliver the deathblow with the Tar Pit since he had a bunch of Zombies to block my favorite green creature. I drew my card, dropped the Underground Sea and we went on on our way to prepare for Game 3.
Game 3: Nick was on the play and chose to play while I decided to mull down to six. Nick began to dredge and I kept a well-balanced blend of lands, disruption and Tarmogoyf. Somewhere between his turns, I was able to Surgical Extraction his Bridge from Belows before he got any real value out of them. After popping a deed and a Maelstrom Pulse on his creatures, I stabilized with a pair of lhurgoyfs at 8 life. Nick dredged down to one card in his deck and passed the turn. I drew and dropped a third goyf and he conceded the game knowing he could not deal enough damage to kill me before he decked out.
4-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 5: Kipp w/ Maverick
I had the misfortune to get paired down with my record and figured I had to play out this round to clench my spot in the Top 8 since Kipp did not want to draw.
Game 1: Kipp and I both kept our seven and he proceeded to play a couple of creatures and manlands in the form of Dryad Arbor and Stirring Wildwood. Thankfully, I had the removal spells and the proactive discards to neuter much of his plays. But that all began to change when I almost punted the game. I had the option of dropping a Jace, a Liliana, a Tarmogoyf or passing the turn with a removal spell and I ran out the four mana planeswalker. At the time, Kipp had a Stirring Wildwood, a Savannah, a Dryad Arbor and a basic land out. I was punished for this when he drew and dropped a Horizon Canopy and attacked Jace down to zero. Thankfully, Kipp drew land after land for several turns while I was able to slowly claw and stabilize for the win with a Liliana and a goyf at two life.
-4 Force of Will
-3 Daze
-1 Ponder
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Diabolic Edict
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Darkblast
Game 2: While Game 1 proved to be a long affair that lasted about 27 minutes, Game 2 would not prove to be as long. Kipp played threats which I had all the answers for that by the time he resolved Choke, I had such a dominating hand/board position thanks to a pair of planeswalkers, bayous and a bunch of two mana creatures. As expected, they gave me the victory.
5-0
----------------------------------------------
Round 6: Brandon w/ Hive Mind
ID
5-0-1
----------------------------------------------
Quarterfinals: Jack w/ Maverick
Game 1: Jack had a turn one noble and a turn two Knight wile I kept a five lander. Very quickly, I knew that this game would be a quick blowout in his favor but chose to play until he properly had the kill since I wanted to get as much information as possible about his build.
-4 Force of Will
-2 Dismember
-1 Ponder
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
+3 Pernicious Deed
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Dark Blast
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Diabolic Edict
Game 2: Jack essentially kept a one lander after mulling and I was able to punish him for it with wastelands, discards and a removal spell. While Jack was digging for land, I was able to establish board dominance and attrition him out of the game.
-3 Daze
+2 Dismember
+1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Game 3: Jack mulled down to six cards again while I kept my opening hand. Similar to the games I had with Kipp, I played around Choke and had a response for every threat that he played. Somewhere throughout this game, I felt that I was playing inefficiently and derping around too much. I thought I could have won a lot sooner but I was too focused on making sure his 5% chance to make a comeback was at 0%. Jack gave the concession once Jace was at 11 counters and with two creatures staring across from him.
6-0-1
----------------------------------------------
Semi-Finals: Nick w/ Dredge
Game 1: Nick was off to an awfully slow start but I also kept a very loose and slow opening hand. After a few turns, Nick was able to get his dredging on a more consistent basis. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to make any meaningful plays and lost the game shortly after that.
-4 Hymn to Tourach
-2 Dismember
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
-1 Liliana of the Veil
+3 Pernicious Deed
+3 Spell Pierce
+3 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ghastly Demise
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Game 2: I kept my opening hand because it had plenty of cantrips. However, I punted the game shortly after when I had a Surgical Extraction in hand and he was casting a second Cabal Therapy. I could have played and gotten value out of the card but I foolishly let his second copy of Cabal Therapy resolve without any responses and was punished for it when he named the Phyrexian mana Extirpate in my hand. Nick was able to make a bunch of zombies and swing with multiple Ichorids and Ashen Ghouls before I was able to draw into anymore outs.
6-1-1
----------------------------------------------
Afterthoughts:
I ended up placing 3rd overall that day. Although I felt a little bummed about that last match, I didn't let it get to me since I felt pretty satisfied about my overall performance. BUG control has always been strong, resilient and a forced to be reckoned with. The age-old adage "Hymn, Hymn, I win" still rings true to this day and it's a lot more easier to achieve when Snapcaster Mage can act as Hymns 5 - 8.
The irony behind all of this is that despite the claim about Insectile Aberration not being the best BUG, it still ended up taking down the whole event.
Herp. Derp.
* Shout-out to my buddy Jerry for participating in his first legacy tournament
* Shout-out to Nick who was thirsty for revenge in the semis. :P The first match we played were some very close/good games. Sorry for not putting up much of a fight in our second match.
* Congrats to everyone who made top 8 or got prizes that day!
* Two thumbs up to MTG Deals for their awesome tournaments and their loyal support towards the So. Cal Legacy scene. (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?24463-MTG-DeaLS-Legacy-Tournament-Sunday-08-26-2012) (Bonus thumbs up for working AC!)
* SCG: L.A. is right around the corner and I hope to see many of you there.
Torrance/South Bay on my back. West coast for life!