[Deck] Nic Fit (GBx Explorer Zenith Control)

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Originally Posted by Qweerios

Speaking of the GP, I have booked my 14 hour train ride to DC and was wondering how I could recognize fellow Nic Fitters at the event.

I am still unsure if I want to play Nic Fit at the GP but I did kinda swore to myself that my first event outside the country should be done representing Nic Fit just because I am still that Nic Fit guy to a lot of people up in here.... even after I started topping events with other decks (go figure).

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I'll be in an orangeish-reddish Mythic Games shirt on Saturday, probably with a black leather jacket either being worn or draped about my shoulders depending on climate control, and I'll be using a blue Mythic Games playmat. Also, you can always look for Kevin McKee on the pairings sheets -- after round 2 (I have a 2-round bye).

As for Friday......good luck. I don't even really know where I'll be myself -- likely perusing the various dealers looking for shinies.

Im still playing a Junk Pod version of Nic Fit... and it has shown been a blast...

Creatures [22]
CMC1 [7]
4 Veteran Explorer
3 Deathrite Shaman
CMC2 [3]
2 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Scavenging Ooze
CMC3 [4]
2 Eternal Witness
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Bone shredder
CMC4 [4]
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Wickerbough Elder
2 Restoration Angel
CMC5 [3]
1 Thragtusk
1 Acidic Slime
1 Shriekmaw
CMC6 [1]
1 Grave Titan

Engine [8]
3 Birthing Pod
4 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Recurring Nightmare

Control [9]
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Pernicious Deed
4 Cabal Therapy

Equipment [1]
1 Batterskull

Lands [21]
3 Verdant Catacombs
3 Windswept Heath
3 Bayou
2 Savannah
1 Scrubland
3 Forest
3 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Phyraxian Tower

I used to play Wall of Blossoms instead of SFM for the CMC2 creature slot, but I always felt it was underwhelming (playing 1G for a 0/4 while my oponents were playing for the same 1G a 4/5 was too much difference). I never use GSZ for Wall of Blossoms, so I took that place for a non green creature and SFM is a roundhouse for her own... but I would like to play a 3/2 split SFM/Equipment but I dont know what else to take. I also tried Strangleroot Geist but hitting GG turn2 was not consistant (relying only on basics) and a 2/1 haste isnt good for the deck purpose.

I really love the SB versality, but I think it can improve...


SB [15]
2 Liliana of the Veil (Since TNN seems to be the new "creature to beat" and works against combo)
3 Thoughtseize (Against Combo)
2 Krosan Grip (Against Rest in Piece, Omniscience)
1 Morderous Redcap --->Pod Target (against Aggro)
1 Thrun. the Last Troll --->Pod Target/GSZ (against Control)
1 Gaddock Teeg ---->Pod Target/GSZ (against Combo)
1 Umezawa's Jitte ----> SFM target
1 Tormod's Crypt ----> Enlightened Tutor silver bullet
1 Pernicious Deed ----> Enlightened Tutor silver bullet
1 Ethersworn Canonist ---->Enlightened Tutor silver bullet/Pod Target
1 Enlightened Tutor ----> SB Package

So, played Scapefit again last week. Lost my notes, but a quick recap

Round 1 vs Dredge
Game 1 we both mull to 5, he goes t1 cabal Therapy on himself and starts dredging. My ramp+deathrite are faster than this, and Valakut+mountains wil.
He takes game 2 rather fast. Game 3 he mulls on the draw, and I thoughtseize his LED and only discard-outlet t1 ftw.
Round 2 vs BW Deadguy Ale (w/o Bob, for some strange reason)
Game 1 goes really long, as he goes thoughtseize, hymn, hymn, then gets a Batterskull. I wish for Deluge, clear the board except for his Liliana.
Then I draw top, and out-quality his cards. At one point I have 2x Huntmaster (one reanimated) and 5x tokens vs his Batterskull, Sword of W&P and some creatures.
He still has way to much life for me to start attacking. At some point, valakut and some mountains starts killing his board, and I can attack for the win over 3 or 4 turns.
Game 2 I make angry mountains in turn 4 of extra rounds.
Round 3 vs TES
Game 1 is close, with me taking his Brainstorm+Dark Ritual, but he can JUST go of (to 3 on AdN) the turn before I can Slaughter Games.
Game 2. I mulligan to 5 and lose. Just utterly destroyed.
Round 4 vs Affinity
Game 1 he dumps his hand on t1, topdecks Plating, and Im dead on t3.
Game 2 he's not that explosiveas he has no blue source. Deed takes his whole board. He end up with 1 card in hand, no board and -14 life.
Game 3 he is ahead, as he gets Champion+plating, but I get PrimeTime to Valakut Champion, and then the rest of his board before he scoops.
Round 5 vs UR Delver
I don't remember much, but I win 2-1. Huntmaster was all-star once again.

My round 5 opponent was the only 4-0 player, so I ended up taking 1st place.:smile: [/brag]

My list (actually Kevins, with a few changes):
4 Veteran Explorer
1 Deathrite Shaman
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Wood Elves
1 Eternal Witness
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Thragtusk
1 Primeval Titan

4 Cabal Therapy
4 Burning Wish
4 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Scapeshift
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Slaughter Games

4 Taiga
1 Stomping Ground
3 Badlands
3 Mountain
2 Bayou
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Verdant Catacombs
3 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

//SB
2 Red Elemental Blast
3 Carpet of Flowers
2 Thoughtseize
1 Slaughter Games
1 Reanimate
1 Scapeshift
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Pyroclasm
1 Reverent Silence
1 Innocent Blood

I like both Towers, but the deck need shuffle effects, so might cut Stronghold for a fetchland.
Other than that, for my meta right now, I'll move Slaughter Games to the board over Carpets(also, I dont ow any), and play a Scavenging Ooze. This could be anything, so might try something else.
In the last slot, I'll try From the Ashes, or play a 3rd REB

RE: Primeval Titan
I like this card in this deck way to much. Maybe it just does more for me as I'm playing two towers, but most of the time he just gets Valakut+mountains for a fast kills, often from a GSZ
Maybe it's just me, but this has been miles better for me than Thragtusk.

RE: other cards

heavyweights
Thragtusk - he has not been great for me, but I am keeping the 1
Kalonian Hydra - might just be big enough for me to try. Still, he does nothing vs StP
Gurzigost - I don't like it, but if someone tests it and like it, then maybe
Broodmate Dragon - Is a 4th 2-monsters-for-one-card nessary, despite the flying? maybe in place of a Huntmaster?
Kodama of the North Tree - to vanilla for my blood, would rather play Traghtusk
Ruric Thar - Putting this into play of S&T vs Omnitell sounds awesome, but still I thinking Primeval Titan is better. Maybe sideboard, if you can find the room
Mistcutter Hydra - A green fatty we can't GSZ for? Really?
Polukranos, World Eater - 4-mana 5/5's have not been enough before. I don't think monstrosity at this cost is good enought to make it viable
Nylea, God of the Hunt - no, I don't think so. A 4-mana enchantment, that only does something for 4 mana? No thank you
Arbor Colossus - vs PrimeTime. I'll take Titan any day
Elderscale Wurm - As a 7-drop, this goes against wanting to play more fetches, as it does nothing after a cracked fetck, or some other 'loss of life' effect
Panglacial Wurm - More for the lolz, than because it is good, I think
Thornling - I think this might be to green-heavy?

Collective Voyage - this sound fine on paper, but how often do we need this? Really, I asking as I have no idea.
Now I have to keep track of how often I want this, or just test it.
Harmonize - I have actually considered this before. Do anyone have any experience playing this?

RE: GPDC
I sadly wont be going to meet up with you guys, as DC is quite a long way from Denmark :frown:

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

Sneak and Show can't actually beat Slaughter Games, and they struggle with Therapy. Oftentimes they can just Force of Will a Thoughtseize or a Hymn or something, and then casually go off. Therapy is extremely disadvantageous to Force, because it'll be coming back anyway. Sometimes they nut out, and sometimes they're running a list that still has the sideboard Leyline of Sanctity, which is extremely bad for us, but generally speaking I've won a lot more against Sneak than I've lost. It's not a FUN matchup, by any stretch -- you're sweating bullets the whole time, but it's generally winnable. REB also goes a long way in the matchup, since it stops their "quick threat" of Show and Tell, and sometimes you can "gotcha" them by REBing a Brainstorm in response to Therapy.

Also, this is a matchup where you don't board out Explorers despite them having basics and doing powerful things with them. You also board in the Carpets. This leaves you with a shitton of ramp that gets you to 4 mana on turn 2-turn 3, meaning that we can consistently unload a Slaughter before they're ready to do anything -- usually with some hand disruption and/or REB protection on the way. Keep in mind that Sneak and Show is a very, VERY inconsistent deck, and oftentimes they're struggling to find one of the 3 parts of their combo (mana, enabler, monster). Sometimes all the gears fire and we die, but if they stumble even slightly, we're there to punish them, and punish them hard.

Also also, you board in the 3rd Slaughter Games in this matchup. You want it in your opening hand, and Burning Wish priority in the matchup is Reverent Silence (if Leyline) followed by Innocent Blood (if Show Emrakul) followed by Scapeshift. Your aggro plan ceases to exist (Thrags board out) -- this becomes a straight combo mirror. You have two combos to their one, though: you can Shift kill them, or you can kill them by hitting multiple Slaughter Games via drawing/topping/E.Wit, and exiling all of their monsters.

Hope that helps -- if you have any other questions, just fire away.

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Thank you for this. I have never played the matchup, so this is really helpful. I never would have considered taking in the 3rd Games.
What do you name on the first Slaughter Games? Later?

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

I'll be in an orangeish-reddish Mythic Games shirt on Saturday, probably with a black leather jacket either being worn or draped about my shoulders depending on climate control, and I'll be using a blue Mythic Games playmat. Also, you can always look for Kevin McKee on the pairings sheets -- after round 2 (I have a 2-round bye).

As for Friday......good luck. I don't even really know where I'll be myself -- likely perusing the various dealers looking for shinies.

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Gotta have a Nic Fit meetup, I'll be there late Friday and will be battling in all the rounds (no byes) in a Kermit shirt with a Jupiter Games mat.

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Originally Posted by KntrellCL

I used to play Wall of Blossoms instead of SFM for the CMC2 creature slot, but I always felt it was underwhelming (playing 1G for a 0/4 while my oponents were playing for the same 1G a 4/5 was too much difference). I never use GSZ for Wall of Blossoms, so I took that place for a non green creature and SFM is a roundhouse for her own... but I would like to play a 3/2 split SFM/Equipment but I dont know what else to take. I also tried Strangleroot Geist but hitting GG turn2 was not consistant (relying only on basics) and a 2/1 haste isnt good for the deck purpose.

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Really? That's interesting because I cut sfm from arianrhod's thune fit list for a wall of blossoms. I did this because I wanted a 2-drop to gsz for that would be good on its own and start the pod chain. Now that I think about it, it may have not been necessary: I didn't gsz for it very often, and it was good but not great when I drew it. The reason for the change may be me learning not to blow my gsz's so early :P

So I might cut wall of blossoms and move batterskull to the main which I haven't done yet. This will free put more sideboard space as well. Some other options are the varolz I cut (which hasn't done much for me) and testing nylea just cause there are no gsz'able 4-drops and I like the idea of gsz'ing for an enchantment.

Some questions for arianrhod about thune fit:

-Have you ever been disappointed by the lack of gsz'able 4-drops?
-Describe a bit more what varolz has done for you.
-How useful has nether void been? (I think you talked about this before but I can't find where you did)
-What matchups is are the nevermores in your side for?
-Do you think I would be a good idea to have show and tell hate in the side? Has humility worked there in the past? Are there other matchups humility is good in?
-How do you beat omnitell (in general)?

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Originally Posted by Qweerios

Speaking of the GP, I have booked my 14 hour train ride to DC and was wondering how I could recognize fellow Nic Fitters at the event.

I am still unsure if I want to play Nic Fit at the GP but I did kinda swore to myself that my first event outside the country should be done representing Nic Fit just because I am still that Nic Fit guy to a lot of people up in here.... even after I started topping events with other decks (go figure).

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I don't know what I'll be wearing. Perhaps it'll be something Transformer-y or maybe just a hoodie. I won't be playing Nic Fit but I'll keep an eye out for you guys.

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Originally Posted by MrIggins

Gotta have a Nic Fit meetup, I'll be there late Friday and will be battling in all the rounds (no byes) in a Kermit shirt with a Jupiter Games mat.

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I will see you there albeit Saturday, but still! On Nic Pod for the GP MTGO/streaming testing has even shown me it is positioned reasonably and well I want to Angel Of Despair/Serenity Show players

One card I am still unsure on is Voice Of Re$urgence in pod variants

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Originally Posted by Fizzeler

I will see you there albeit Saturday, but still! On Nic Pod for the GP MTGO/streaming testing has even shown me it is positioned reasonably and well I want to Angel Of Despair/Serenity Show players

One card I am still unsure on is Voice Of Re$urgence in pod variants

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Where do you stream? I'm interested in seeing you play pod on mtgo.

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Originally Posted by Ayotte

Where do you stream? I'm interested in seeing you play pod on mtgo.

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Twitch.tv/fizzeler

Turns Poding has caused me more headaches than Brainstorming

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Originally Posted by Qweerios

Speaking of the GP, I have booked my 14 hour train ride to DC and was wondering how I could recognize fellow Nic Fitters at the event.

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I'll probably end up wearing my Ravens Jersey to make it easier. I wont be playing as I dont feel comfortable enough to do an event with the deck, but I will be there grabbing up good deals (why yes SCG, I will take a warped copy of port with no edge damage for $15. True story from Baltimore a year or so back.)

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Originally Posted by Fizzeler

One card I am still unsure on is Voice Of Re$urgence in pod variants

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I only know the card from Modern/standard (I play against a lot of Pod and Bant Hexproof before rotation I had the cards for.) My impression on VoR is that its a really good card if your opponent is doing stuff on your turn (obv.), but it also gives you a way to chain into a 1 cmc guy (the token does have a cmc of 0). I think voice is testable at the very least and at best deserves a slot.

My name is Vincent Durocher if anybody feels like saying hi at the gp. Ill go stalk kevin if I have time but I cant guarantee ill find kermit or a hooded nic fitter.

Oh, if anybody owns nemesis and could bring them to the event, I might use a loan. Ofc I will bring hostages for them.

Sent from my GT-S5830D using Tapatalk 2

Was there a thread consensus on a PW heavy nic fit? Liliana, Jace, Garruk Relentless, Elspeth 1.0 and even 3.0.. replacing the GSZ package. Individually they create more card advantage than any 1 creature as they are more difficult to remove. Spell pierce becomes slightly more relevant... but when is that an issue for nic fit?

Edit:
Reading back a few pages, the discussion of Glittering Wish inspired this:

4 Veteran Explorer
Creatures [4]
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Garruk Relentless
4 Liliana of the Veil
Planeswalkers [7]
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Glittering Wish
3 Innocent Blood
3 Lingering Souls
2 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Pernicious Deed
2 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Thoughtseize
Spells [26]
3 Bayou
2 Forest
4 Marsh Flats
2 Phyrexian Tower
2 Plains
1 Savannah
1 Scrubland
2 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Wasteland
Lands [23]

SIDEBOARD
1 Abrupt Decay
1 Ashen Rider
1 Gaddock Teeg
3 Hymn to Tourach
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Loxodon Smiter
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Vindicate
1 Vraska the Unseen
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon
1 Zealous Persecution

3-0 after two byes.....beat punishing jund 2-0. Sam is 2-1, devin is 1-2. Qweerios is playing rug and was 0-2 when last I saw him.

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

3-0 after two byes.....beat punishing jund 2-0. Sam is 2-1, devin is 1-2. Qweerios is playing rug and was 0-2 when last I saw him.

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Fuggin' grats dude. I hope you make it to the end.

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

3-0 after two byes.....beat punishing jund 2-0. Sam is 2-1, devin is 1-2. Qweerios is playing rug and was 0-2 when last I saw him.

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I just started looking at the stream and saw you at 9 points in the standings, so I had to check this thread :) I hope I'll see you in the Top 8!

4-0 for me ... beat meathooks. Sam is 3-1 .... beat shardless. Havent seen devin yet

Excellent! Good luck in the next rounds. Looking forward to further results.

Got vomitee on by Led dredge. X-1.

Sam won vs miracleblade. He's also x-1

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

Sam won vs miracleblade. He's also x-1

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Keep rocking !

Devin is dead, as is pat (rector player)

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

Devin is dead, as is pat (rector player)

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So, End of the day ?

I'm still x1....introduced deathblade to huntmaster. Sam is x2...lost to ur painter with transmute.

3 more rounds

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

3 more rounds

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Transmute artefact is tricky :-(

Crossing fingers for your pairings for the last 3 rounds !

Beat a very very good uwr delver player in a close match. Still x-1. Titan has been an allstar today....guess he's rebelling againdt his demise.

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Originally Posted by Arianrhod

Beat a very very good uwr delver player in a close match. Still x-1. Titan has been an allstar today....guess he's rebelling againdt his demise.

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Well done. Rooting for you! Hope to see you on camera :)

Sam and I are both x2....he beat stoneblade, I lost to sneak. Never found interaction in two games including a mull to five and a mull to six. Also met starscream, who died at 2-3 with uwr.

Missed day two....nobody to blame but myself, punted game one vs uwr delver, and it cost me. Sam made day two, though, so best of luck there

I played Devin round one in the pseudo-mirror (I was on the Punishing Fire version of Jund), which was a pleasure despite ending on weird terms. Ending up going 7-2, but wasn't coming back for day two once my friends dropped out so I scooped by last opponent in.

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Originally Posted by CCrazies

I played Devin round one in the pseudo-mirror (I was on the Punishing Fire version of Jund), which was a pleasure despite ending on weird terms. Ending up going 7-2, but wasn't coming back for day two once my friends dropped out so I scooped by last opponent in.

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Better than me 2-3 drop, close games round 5, but Crusader is unbeatable after losing Fiend Hunter and Sun Titan

Round 4 lose to stasis, game 2 gets close, but he slams Stasis under a Jace and don't draw decay, nice guy though and fun games were had

Round 3 lose game 3 to never seeing Green mana

Fauna Shaman and Nightmare Overperformed, Pontiff was good, going to test a second Shaman and Ophiomancer

Pod consistently caused me as much tanking as Brainstorm normally does and it well won me matches 90% of the it resolved

May fiddle with red and see how that works with Pod, Inferno Titan seems sweet and Olivia Valdaren

I'll have a full report coming after this weekend is over. I believe I need to go x-2 or better today in order to make top 64 and the $$$, but I intend to go as deep as I can whatever my record is.

A few brief thoughts going into Day 2:
-Primeval Titan won me at least 2 games just by virtue of being Primeval Titan. His ability set up kills in situations that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to get there. Definitely definitely reconsidering removing this guy.
-Maindeck Slaughter Games haven't come up very often, and when they did it was against fair decks. That said, they won me at least one game in which I took my Stoneblade opponents Force of Wills leaving him with no way to interact with my combo kill.
-There were a lot of fair decks on day 1- I played combo twice in 9 rounds. It looks like there are still a lot of fair decks left, with most of the recognizable names on some form of Stoneblade or Delver, so I'm feeling really good about my chances right now. There's a reasonable amount of Elves still, but I'm better set up for that than most since I get to bring in my 2 Pyroclasm, leaving Deluge in the board as a Wish target.
-The deck performed really well all day. I had my requisite couple of games where the wheels fell off briefly, but that is always bound to happen.

I won't be able to keep you updated with my brick of a phone, but if you are curious about where I am in standings, my name is Sam Higgins.

I was there (in my Ravens jersey) and didnt see any of you guys.
Either way, I had fun and will play next time more than likely.

I knew there was going to be a lot of combo and based on what I saw, I was not wrong.
Funniest part was I saw Rd. 1 Solidarity vs. High Tide. I think it was Solidarity as I didnt see Spirals and was going in response to a Zenith.

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Originally Posted by Fizzeler

May fiddle with red and see how that works with Pod, Inferno Titan seems sweet and Olivia Valdaren

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Huntmaster worth it in red? You dont get flip as often if chaining, but it leaves a body to chain into said olivia and one to chain into an explorer.

Looks like Sam won round 10. 8-2 now.

And 11.

and 12. x-2. but at the bottom of the x-2's.

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Originally Posted by kavaki

I was there (in my Ravens jersey) and didnt see any of you guys.
Either way, I had fun and will play next time more than likely.

I knew there was going to be a lot of combo and based on what I saw, I was not wrong.
Funniest part was I saw Rd. 1 Solidarity vs. High Tide. I think it was Solidarity as I didnt see Spirals and was going in response to a Zenith.



Huntmaster worth it in red? You dont get flip as often if chaining, but it leaves a body to chain into said olivia and one to chain into an explorer.

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Possibly, I think they both have merits, Olivia lets you Enslave and pod their guys. Huntmaster is instant value and create many problems

Sam lost to Elves (Riley Curran). x-3 now.

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Originally Posted by jbone2016

Sam lost to Elves (Riley Curran). x-3 now.

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Sam won. 11-3 (bottom of x-3s). 62nd place

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Originally Posted by jbone2016

Sam won. 11-3 (bottom of x-3s). 62nd place

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Congratz !!!

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Originally Posted by Ralf

Congratz !!!

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and he lost his last round. finished 96th. Bummer. 11-4.

It was a real heartbreaker too- BURN of all things. Still happy with my finish. My breakers were AWFUL, since my day 1 losses both scrubbed out in pretty short order, or else I'd have tried to draw into top 64 and money. It's fine, I had an awesome run on day 2. Beat Reanimator, Jund, Shardless, lost to Elves, beat Elves, lost to burn. Again, details to follow once I get home.