Tonight I had a chance to hit up FNM since the effing debacle Mono-Black Infect turned out to be. I'm not really a fan of Innistrad but there have been some definitely powerful cards from the set. Although the "Horror" theme has turned me off from the set, it is hard to deny how crazy good a hand full of cards are.
GEIST OF SAINT TRAFT
One of the sickest cards from Innistrad is Geist of Saint Traft. 6 power damage for 3cc is pretty damn good. I remember when 5/5s for 4 was good but the power creep has gotten way out of control. The upside to the card is minimal casting cost to power ratio. The downside is the 2/2 Hexproof can be blocked by a number of creatures and just die. I think this card is one of the most powerful cards from the set and decided to sleeve it up in my deck.
SNAPCASTER MAGE
I couldn't help myself with this card. I initially thought I wouldn't buy into them but Snapcaster Mage is the real deal. And if it takes a turn the same direction Dark Confidant or Tarmagoyf went then I could profit pretty good here. Snapcaster is seeing multi-format playability so it is a card to watch out for. If you pack one make sure to hold onto it for a while. It is the only card from Innistrad that will hold it's value.
I stopped by Armada Games and traded tons of Modern cards, odd foils and extras to get the cards I needed.
Based on these two cards I was able to wiggle them into my UW Ghost Blade deck that uses Midnight Haunting and Timely Reinforcements as Squadron Hawks. It still has Swords of Feast and Famine and Gideon Jura to steal tempo and add a clock. Snapcasters mixed with the token spells can really play havok against any deck.
Here is what I played:
BLUE-WHITE GHOST BLADE:
Snapcaster Mage x 4
Geist of Saint Traft x 2
Sun Titan x 2
Gideon Jura x 2
Midnight Haunting x 4
Timely Reinforcements x 1
Think Twice x 4
Mana Leak x 4
Dissipate x 3
Dismember x 3
Oblivion Ring x 3
Day of Judgement x 2
Seachrome Coast x 4
Glacial Fortress x 4
Ghost Quarter x 2
Islands x 8
Plains x 8
Sideboard:
Flashfreeze x 4
Day of Judgement x 2
Oblivion Ring x 1
Dismember x 1
Spellskite x 3
Timely Reinforcement x 2
Mental Mistep x 2
ROUND 1: Dude playing Red Deck Wins
Game 1: He gets an early Furnace Scamp which gets in for 4 damage. I get a Geist with a Sword of Feast and Famine and its over pretty quickly. Red can't do anything versus Geist save blocking it since all its spells are targeted.
Game 2: This is a long drawn out game that I just a total of 3 Timely Reinforcements to keep myself in the game. I comes down to the wire as he smashes away with 2 Chandra's Phoenixes. I eventually get a SoFaF out and start closing the game out. Gideon finishes it off.
1-0 / 2-0
ROUND 2: Ian playing Naya-Pod
Ian is one of the players I befriended at Lakeland CoC when I first moved to Florida. He is a very solid player and has come a long way since I first met him. I know this is going to be a tough match.
Game 1: Ian gets a very early jump with Birds into Blade Splicer and Viridian Shaman over the course of three turns. He is on the beat down plan. I'm on my back foot the entire game in search of a Day of Judgement. I am very color screwed with all plains and a Ghost Quarter and NO blue sources. When I do get a Seachrome he blows it up with Acidic Slime. I stick a Sun Titan and Geist but he plays Phyrexian Metamorph to copy Titan and gets Splicer back. I get run over handedly.
Game 2: This game is in my favor when he doesn't get a turn 1 mana dude. I get an early Geist on the beatdown plan, stick a Gideon to steal tempo, hit a Midnight Haunting and SoFaF to finish out.
Game 3 is an epic game that brings up to time. The game is very easily matched for most of the game. I am able to stall with two Oblivion Rings, some counter magic and some Spirit Tokens doing some work. Snapcaster shenanigans also help stall until I can get a Gideon and Geist online. All the while his board is so developed with his ramp dudes like Solemn, Viridian and a Pilgrim. At one point in the game he plays a Geist Honored Monk that I quickly O-Ring but the flying spirit tokens get some work done with him in combination with Kessig Wolf Run. I stall for a while with Gideon, he Acidic Slimes the O-Ring to get back his Geist. I have only 1 of my 4 Day of Judgements to get me out of this mess. I untap and draw. It's a Day of Judgement. I restart the game. We both tank for a number of turns but any threat he plays is almost lethal with his Kessig out. At this point I'm semi-stabilizing with some Spirit Tokens but he rips a few small guys that get in with the help of Kessig then closes it out when Elesh Norn drops. It was an epic fucking match and I do not mind losing to a friend and a good player.
1-1 / 3-2
ROUND 3: Felix playing RWU Burning Vengeance
GAME 1: This is a very interesting deck that runs on Burning Vengeance and Flashback spells like Think Twice, Desperate Ravings, Forbidden Alchemy and company. He uses a white card that taps down two guys and flashbacks to tap two more for only 2 mana. This card steals so much tempo and is cheap to buyback. This game I run on all cylinders with early Tokens, a Sword and Gideon on consecutive turns to close it out.
GAME 2: This is a good game as well but this time he gets the early Geist of Saint Traft, which I didn't see in the first game so I didn't sideboard accordingly when I basically took out all my creature mass removal. I am able to stall for a while with Token and Snapcaster tricks but I'm too low by the time his Burning Vengeance comes online and he finishes me off.
GAME 3: This game is a very heavy control game that gets just out of hand. We are countering anything and everything. Back and forth with Negates, Dissipates and Mana Leaks. I get Spellskite early which helps with Token tapping tricks and Burning Vengeance triggers. I am able to over run him with my Tokens, Snapcasters and I stick a Sword. I get him extremely low and just fucking misplay like a motherfucker. I have another Spellskite in my hand but am playing around Day of Judgement, which I saw from him in the previous game. I don't want to overcommit to the board but had I played the second Spellskite I could have splitting up his two Burning Vengeance triggers between the pair of Skites and left them both out to do work. Because of this huge misplay he is able to kill the first Skite, I play the second and he repeats the process. After the Skites are out of the way I play a Snapcaster for a Midnight Haunting to try and over run him. His tricks are too great. I get him to 1 life and he sits there digging for outs as I draw nothing but land for a million turns. We do get into a counter battle over Snapcaster which he wins but that's all I have. He eventually uses three Flashback spells over three turns to bury my life in a gazillion Burning Vengeance triggers.
This was a very well fought battle and he deserved to win. After this game I realize that my deck has some problems beyond the mid-game because there isn't enough spells to dig and there isn't enough threats. 2 Titans and 2 Geists just isn't enough. This will cause me to really change my deck up.
The other epiphany I gleaned from this match was that Burning Vengeance is legit. I actually have a UR Vengeance deck because I didn't like the 3 colored version. But Felix's white splash for 4 of Geist, the tap spell and Day of Judgements is very good. I may try this build out since mine Vengeance deck needs a lot of tweaking.
1-2 / 4-4
ROUND 4: Tylor playing BG Pod
GAME 1: Tylor is a good kid and despite his very comedic and humorous guise he puts on during game play, he is a very solid player. I've played him before and he plays very tight and sees a lot of angles in a game. His Pod deck gets rolling early and he drops a Thrun which fucks my world. But for some reason he can't get Pod online, I countered one and O-Ringed the other. I eventually use Gideon to steal temp and Geist to close it out.
GAME 2: This game is similar to the previous game. He does get an early Beast Within on my land but I use it to beat him down pretty low. In combination to all his use of Phyrexian Mana he kind of in trouble. I get some Timely Reinforcement dudes to buy some time. He uses Skinrender to kill one and I O-Ring the Skinrender. Tylor sticks Thurn but Pods it for Slime to hit my O-Ring to release Skinrender and kills my last token. I play Geist and he Pods slime for Massacre Wurm. FML. I Day of Judgement. He draws and passes. I play Sun Titan and get back Geist. At 4 life he topdecks a Grave Titan and runs it out in hopes that I'm a terrible player and forget that Geist's 4/4 Angel token has flying. Admittedly I'm a horrible fucking player but I do not forget and win on the next crackback.
2-2 / 6-4
I ended up 500 which is fine with me. The matches I lost I played my fucking heart out but just mad slightly poor decisions on the decision tree that cost me both my game threes. I realize that I just do not play enough and my skills have very much waned over the last year. The last few years in Chicago I was probably playing the best Magic I have since I took down a PTQ a decade ago. I may not be the best player but I know how to play well. If I played with a group consistently I'd probably be a lot better. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying I'm not as good as I once was.
Quick aside...this is just a fucking game right? Why do these fucking douchebags talk shit to complete and total strangers. During my last round the dude sitting next to Tylor, a friend of Tylors, was watching our game and just talking some shit about my play, e.g. not tapping Gideon when I swung in, saying Snapcaster for a Midnight Haunting is a bad play, etc. At one point I'm just like, "Dude, I don't know you," and gave him this pissed off glare. He shut up after that. This guy was just having fun with Tylor because they are friends but he just came off as a huge fucking dick-bag and I didn't appreciate it. Like he is all high and mighty about Magic because he plays a lot of FNMs. Until you fucking win a Pro Tour you ain't shit. Its just FNM. Don't be a douchebag. Just have fun and don't take it so seriously. Nobody like a critic especially when unsolicited. Just don't do it and not during someone else's gameplay. Ass.
Rant over.
I will tweak the shit out of the deck and see how it rolls next time.
Peace out my ninjas.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Stop playing bad decks...right.
Sage old advice for a seasoned tournament player.
I took a supposed "good" deck to the last week FNM and my run goods ran out.
Little back story before my report. I haven't played in a very long time. Since before Innistrad was even prereleased I took BR Vampires on a good run before they rotated. I didn't give a very detailed report (mainly because nobody reads this shit) but I think I went 4-1 or something to that effect. I've been brewing for weeks now that Innistrad has been out but haven't played due to whatever reason, mostly that life is more important then cards. I currently have built 6 Type 2 decks and at least 2 of them are very good. I chose to play one of the bad ones.
MONO BLACK INFECT:
Contagion Clasp x 3
Lashwrithe x 4
Phyrexian Crusader x 4
Plague Stinger x 4
Whispering Specter x 4
Dismember x 1
Go for the Throat x 2
Doom Blade x 2
Virulent Wound x 2
Skithiryx the Blight Dragon x 2
Despise x 3
Tezzeret's Gambit x 4
Inkmoth Nexus x 4
Swamps x 21
Sideboard:
Black Sun's Zenith x 3
Spellskite x 2
Surgical Extraction x 3
Ni-Hil Spellbomb x 4
Phyrexian Vatmother x 3
The deck has been modified based on how I felt it would play out. Plenty of lists made Top 8s at States tournaments last weekend and a few articles have been written. I was semi-sold enough to build it and play it.
WHY THE DECK IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
Infect is a strategy that basically cuts your opponent in half before you even roll the dice to see who goes first. You must deal 10 poison counters to victim instead of the usual 20 points of damage. This is good because the deck can come out of nowhere and deliver quick blows. The early iterations of the deck where usually Green and Black and used a multitude of pump spells to make your little infect dudes big enough to make lethal strikes around turn 4. Since rotation, many of the good pump spells have since gone, especially the very excellent pump spell Vines of the Vastwood. This new version forgoes pump and instead is built into a Midrange shell that can come off quickly, depending on draws and matchups or use its disruption, draw and removal to control the board. The addition of Whispering Specter from NPH is a good card that threatens to steal the game once it connects by discarding your opponents entire hand. Inkmoth Nexus is also an all-star because getting that early infect starting Turn 2 is very important. Phyrexian Crusader is amazing mainly due to his protection from red burn spells and his ability to stalk right past Sun Titans. With Lashwrithe and Skithiryx, it gives the deck a chance to sucker punch an unprepared opponent. They don't fear the innocuous 1/1 Plague Stinger late in the game, especially when they are only at 3 infect. They tap out for an alpha strike. You gladly take the damage and on the following turn, drop Lashwrithe, equip it to the Stinger and out of nowhere deal lethal infect FTW. Sounds pretty damn good right?
WHY THE DECK IS JUST PLAIN TERRIBLE
1. It's an infect deck. The problem with infect, which I've said since it was a huge thing in Scars block, from a play standpoint, is that you are completely ALL-IN on a creature strategy for the most part. You have to connect with little fragile dudes to win the game. This is very bad right now because plenty of decks in the metagame are creature heavy decks with threat dense output, i.e. Wolf Run Ramp, Tempered Steel, Red Deck Wins, Humans, Tokens, etc. This is bad for Infect deck because every deck is packing so much creature removal, spot and mass. Your guys are tiny, yes they have evasion but can't really fight if you need them too. On turn three you're playing Phyrexian Crusader and your opponent is dropping Primeval Titan. That is a bad scenario to be in.
2. It's a midrange deck archetype. I think the very aggro builds in early iterations were much better suited to win because they did so very quickly. Even Brian Kibler's Blue-Black Infect Control deck was very good because it controlled the early game long enough to get Skithiryx to only need to swing in twice for the win. Mono-Black Infect being midrange is bad because your cards are that good at different stages of the game in different matchups. Against an aggro deck, if you survive long enough, drawing a Despise or Distress in the late game is a dead draw. Against a control deck drawing all your removal early is pointless if they play no threats. The deck's three drops just are good enough to compete against the heavy hitters that can come up just as quickly.
3. The deck's guys are just terrible. They are so fragile and weak and you almost always have to be attacking to even have a chance. They can get quickly overran by a swarm of guys they are just no well suited to fight against. I mean c'mon man! The deck packs 8 (sometimes 12 if you count Inkmoth) 1/1 flyers, regardless of the aforementioned evasion, are just terrible.
IF I WAS GOING TO PLAY AN INFECT DECK...
If I was going to play an Infect strategy I should have just fucking played Brian Kibler's UB Infect Control from last Standard season.
FNM REPORT:
Round 1 vs. Armando and Wolf Run Ramp
Game 1: This is just a horrible matchup because he is playing so much removal. Every guy I bring out is Incinerated or swept away with Slagstorm. When I finally DO get a Phyrexian Crusader out he uses Beast Within on my dude. I do get a beatdown with the token put it is quickly out classed by Inferno Titan and Wurmcoil Engine. I did get him close to death with 8 infect counters using Contagion Clasp but I could out race him once he Green Sunned for Acidic Slime. I had tons of mana and only needed to top deck Skithiryx to win but never saw it even though I dug twice with Tez's Gambit.
My sideboard is very heavy versus aggro strategies and I really expected to see Solar Flare due to the few ringers that are present at FNM. I only sideboard in Spellskites to stop the Kessig Wolf Run targets.
Game 2: Is about the same. I do get a good start but my guys are all cleared. I kill a Birds of Paradise with a Virulent wound and proliferate with Tez's Gambit to get more counters on him. But he ramps so fast and so much while I'm stuck on three lands holding two of my Skithiryx. He starts attacking my mana with Acidic Slimes and I'm done pretty quickly by a Wolf Runned Inferno Titan in one swing.
0-2 / 0-1
Round 2: Brad with Black Green Pod
I get paired up for some reason and play the 1-0 guy. Brad is usually a douchebag that I've lost to before but tonight he was actually a very nice guy.
Game 1: He gets an early Birds into a Turn 2 Birthing Pod. I land a Stinger that he quickly Dismembers. I get Phyrexian Crusader. He outmatches me with Glissa that he soon pods into a Skinrender to kill the Crusader. This game spirals out of control as he kills all my threats with infinite Skinrenders and I do nothing but play lands and blindly Despise into nothing. He curves up to Brutalizer Exarch where he sends Inkmoth Nexus to the bottom of my library and curves to Sheoldred and me with a Doom Blade in my hand and NOT a Go for the Throat. I lose.
Game 2: This game he gets trip Viridian Emissary, ramps into a crazy amount of Acidic Slimes and attacks my lands. I'm stuck on two lands after all the action. I'm holding Skithiryx, two Tez's Gambit, a Lashwrithe and Phyrexian Crusader while I die.
0-4 / 0-2
Round 3: John playing Black Green Pod
I get paired up again with a 1-1 instead of another 0-2. John is a very harsh type of personality. He plays so angry and shows it. When he runs bad he beats himself up big time. I've played him plenty of times before and beat him every time. The moment I sat down he had this look on his face like, "Fuck me."
Game 1: I Despise him and see Swamps, a Phyrexian Rager, Pod and green dudes. I take the Rager. He doesn't hit a forest for a while as I start infecting him. I get a Specter and rob his hand a turn later. He scoops after that. He is very pissed off.
Game 2: He sides in tons of cards as we go under way. This game goes bad for me as he attacks my lands with Acidic Slimes and Brutalizer Exarch. I don't get anything going as I hold all my kill cards in hand.
Game 3: This game comes down to him making a huge play mistake. I land a Phyrexian Crusader and Plague Stinger. I Despised him turn 1 and saw a Go for the Throat. I ran out Crusader to see what he would do. Instead he plays a Viridian Emissary and Birthing Pod and taps out. I casually play Lashwrithe, equip to my Stinger and swing for the win. He told me afterwards he thought I had the Lashwrithe but tapped out to maximize his mana. He probably should have followed his gut.
2-4 / 1-2
Round 4: Unknown with BR Vampires
This dude is a new player that literally just got in with Innistrad. Nice of enough guy but I steam rolled him two games in a row since he never made blocks nor killed my relevant dudes. It wasn't a fun win But despite my shitty showing for the evening, I'll take it.
We play casually and he actually defeats my UW Ghost-Blade deck that I've been playing in between rounds the entire night.
4-4 / 2-2
Round 5: Unknown with Weenie White Metalcraft
Being in the losers bracket isn't much fun as I get paired down with a 1-3. This kid has been playing since Mirrodin but really just casually. He just bought some Scars Block pre-cons, threw them together and called it a deck.
Needless to say, I rolled this kid over too, even mulling to 5 and to 6 in my two games. He did the same thing as the last guy, did not assign any blocking and didn't use removal and relevant dudes.
I helped him tweak his deck and gave him some extras. I mainly tuned his deck to be a White Weenie Battle-Cry aggro deck instead of a Metalcraft piece of jank. I hope he continues to come back and gets better because we could use some new people at the shop.
6-4 / 3-2
Despite a winning record I pretty much hate the fucking Mono-Black Infect deck. Regardless of any Top 8 finishes at SCG Opens or States, I chuck up all those wins to lucky run goods. The deck lacks reach and is just not suited to fight the aggro and removal heavy metagame.
In hindsight I really should have trusted my gut and played UW Ghost-Blade. Although I'm good at playing almost any deck, I'm much better suited to control (although I actually prefer aggro strategies). I did get a chance to play Ghost-Blade a ton. I did fairly well against Wolf Run Red and Birthing Pod decks. I like the deck because of the main deck Day of Judgements but I'll probably up that to 3 in the main. I also need to find a better spot removal spell then Dismember. As good as the card is, it is useless versus a Titan deck. We'll see. I wish there was a Swords type spell for White.
I also had a chance to play Burning Vengeance, which was total Jank. But with some tweaks, we'll see.
Deck building for the next FNM will occur. I will mos def build GW Aggro, RG Wolf Run, GB Pod and possible Mono-Black and Mono-Red control decks.
Until next time.
I took a supposed "good" deck to the last week FNM and my run goods ran out.
Little back story before my report. I haven't played in a very long time. Since before Innistrad was even prereleased I took BR Vampires on a good run before they rotated. I didn't give a very detailed report (mainly because nobody reads this shit) but I think I went 4-1 or something to that effect. I've been brewing for weeks now that Innistrad has been out but haven't played due to whatever reason, mostly that life is more important then cards. I currently have built 6 Type 2 decks and at least 2 of them are very good. I chose to play one of the bad ones.
MONO BLACK INFECT:
Contagion Clasp x 3
Lashwrithe x 4
Phyrexian Crusader x 4
Plague Stinger x 4
Whispering Specter x 4
Dismember x 1
Go for the Throat x 2
Doom Blade x 2
Virulent Wound x 2
Skithiryx the Blight Dragon x 2
Despise x 3
Tezzeret's Gambit x 4
Inkmoth Nexus x 4
Swamps x 21
Sideboard:
Black Sun's Zenith x 3
Spellskite x 2
Surgical Extraction x 3
Ni-Hil Spellbomb x 4
Phyrexian Vatmother x 3
The deck has been modified based on how I felt it would play out. Plenty of lists made Top 8s at States tournaments last weekend and a few articles have been written. I was semi-sold enough to build it and play it.
WHY THE DECK IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
Infect is a strategy that basically cuts your opponent in half before you even roll the dice to see who goes first. You must deal 10 poison counters to victim instead of the usual 20 points of damage. This is good because the deck can come out of nowhere and deliver quick blows. The early iterations of the deck where usually Green and Black and used a multitude of pump spells to make your little infect dudes big enough to make lethal strikes around turn 4. Since rotation, many of the good pump spells have since gone, especially the very excellent pump spell Vines of the Vastwood. This new version forgoes pump and instead is built into a Midrange shell that can come off quickly, depending on draws and matchups or use its disruption, draw and removal to control the board. The addition of Whispering Specter from NPH is a good card that threatens to steal the game once it connects by discarding your opponents entire hand. Inkmoth Nexus is also an all-star because getting that early infect starting Turn 2 is very important. Phyrexian Crusader is amazing mainly due to his protection from red burn spells and his ability to stalk right past Sun Titans. With Lashwrithe and Skithiryx, it gives the deck a chance to sucker punch an unprepared opponent. They don't fear the innocuous 1/1 Plague Stinger late in the game, especially when they are only at 3 infect. They tap out for an alpha strike. You gladly take the damage and on the following turn, drop Lashwrithe, equip it to the Stinger and out of nowhere deal lethal infect FTW. Sounds pretty damn good right?
WHY THE DECK IS JUST PLAIN TERRIBLE
1. It's an infect deck. The problem with infect, which I've said since it was a huge thing in Scars block, from a play standpoint, is that you are completely ALL-IN on a creature strategy for the most part. You have to connect with little fragile dudes to win the game. This is very bad right now because plenty of decks in the metagame are creature heavy decks with threat dense output, i.e. Wolf Run Ramp, Tempered Steel, Red Deck Wins, Humans, Tokens, etc. This is bad for Infect deck because every deck is packing so much creature removal, spot and mass. Your guys are tiny, yes they have evasion but can't really fight if you need them too. On turn three you're playing Phyrexian Crusader and your opponent is dropping Primeval Titan. That is a bad scenario to be in.
2. It's a midrange deck archetype. I think the very aggro builds in early iterations were much better suited to win because they did so very quickly. Even Brian Kibler's Blue-Black Infect Control deck was very good because it controlled the early game long enough to get Skithiryx to only need to swing in twice for the win. Mono-Black Infect being midrange is bad because your cards are that good at different stages of the game in different matchups. Against an aggro deck, if you survive long enough, drawing a Despise or Distress in the late game is a dead draw. Against a control deck drawing all your removal early is pointless if they play no threats. The deck's three drops just are good enough to compete against the heavy hitters that can come up just as quickly.
3. The deck's guys are just terrible. They are so fragile and weak and you almost always have to be attacking to even have a chance. They can get quickly overran by a swarm of guys they are just no well suited to fight against. I mean c'mon man! The deck packs 8 (sometimes 12 if you count Inkmoth) 1/1 flyers, regardless of the aforementioned evasion, are just terrible.
IF I WAS GOING TO PLAY AN INFECT DECK...
If I was going to play an Infect strategy I should have just fucking played Brian Kibler's UB Infect Control from last Standard season.
FNM REPORT:
Round 1 vs. Armando and Wolf Run Ramp
Game 1: This is just a horrible matchup because he is playing so much removal. Every guy I bring out is Incinerated or swept away with Slagstorm. When I finally DO get a Phyrexian Crusader out he uses Beast Within on my dude. I do get a beatdown with the token put it is quickly out classed by Inferno Titan and Wurmcoil Engine. I did get him close to death with 8 infect counters using Contagion Clasp but I could out race him once he Green Sunned for Acidic Slime. I had tons of mana and only needed to top deck Skithiryx to win but never saw it even though I dug twice with Tez's Gambit.
My sideboard is very heavy versus aggro strategies and I really expected to see Solar Flare due to the few ringers that are present at FNM. I only sideboard in Spellskites to stop the Kessig Wolf Run targets.
Game 2: Is about the same. I do get a good start but my guys are all cleared. I kill a Birds of Paradise with a Virulent wound and proliferate with Tez's Gambit to get more counters on him. But he ramps so fast and so much while I'm stuck on three lands holding two of my Skithiryx. He starts attacking my mana with Acidic Slimes and I'm done pretty quickly by a Wolf Runned Inferno Titan in one swing.
0-2 / 0-1
Round 2: Brad with Black Green Pod
I get paired up for some reason and play the 1-0 guy. Brad is usually a douchebag that I've lost to before but tonight he was actually a very nice guy.
Game 1: He gets an early Birds into a Turn 2 Birthing Pod. I land a Stinger that he quickly Dismembers. I get Phyrexian Crusader. He outmatches me with Glissa that he soon pods into a Skinrender to kill the Crusader. This game spirals out of control as he kills all my threats with infinite Skinrenders and I do nothing but play lands and blindly Despise into nothing. He curves up to Brutalizer Exarch where he sends Inkmoth Nexus to the bottom of my library and curves to Sheoldred and me with a Doom Blade in my hand and NOT a Go for the Throat. I lose.
Game 2: This game he gets trip Viridian Emissary, ramps into a crazy amount of Acidic Slimes and attacks my lands. I'm stuck on two lands after all the action. I'm holding Skithiryx, two Tez's Gambit, a Lashwrithe and Phyrexian Crusader while I die.
0-4 / 0-2
Round 3: John playing Black Green Pod
I get paired up again with a 1-1 instead of another 0-2. John is a very harsh type of personality. He plays so angry and shows it. When he runs bad he beats himself up big time. I've played him plenty of times before and beat him every time. The moment I sat down he had this look on his face like, "Fuck me."
Game 1: I Despise him and see Swamps, a Phyrexian Rager, Pod and green dudes. I take the Rager. He doesn't hit a forest for a while as I start infecting him. I get a Specter and rob his hand a turn later. He scoops after that. He is very pissed off.
Game 2: He sides in tons of cards as we go under way. This game goes bad for me as he attacks my lands with Acidic Slimes and Brutalizer Exarch. I don't get anything going as I hold all my kill cards in hand.
Game 3: This game comes down to him making a huge play mistake. I land a Phyrexian Crusader and Plague Stinger. I Despised him turn 1 and saw a Go for the Throat. I ran out Crusader to see what he would do. Instead he plays a Viridian Emissary and Birthing Pod and taps out. I casually play Lashwrithe, equip to my Stinger and swing for the win. He told me afterwards he thought I had the Lashwrithe but tapped out to maximize his mana. He probably should have followed his gut.
2-4 / 1-2
Round 4: Unknown with BR Vampires
This dude is a new player that literally just got in with Innistrad. Nice of enough guy but I steam rolled him two games in a row since he never made blocks nor killed my relevant dudes. It wasn't a fun win But despite my shitty showing for the evening, I'll take it.
We play casually and he actually defeats my UW Ghost-Blade deck that I've been playing in between rounds the entire night.
4-4 / 2-2
Round 5: Unknown with Weenie White Metalcraft
Being in the losers bracket isn't much fun as I get paired down with a 1-3. This kid has been playing since Mirrodin but really just casually. He just bought some Scars Block pre-cons, threw them together and called it a deck.
Needless to say, I rolled this kid over too, even mulling to 5 and to 6 in my two games. He did the same thing as the last guy, did not assign any blocking and didn't use removal and relevant dudes.
I helped him tweak his deck and gave him some extras. I mainly tuned his deck to be a White Weenie Battle-Cry aggro deck instead of a Metalcraft piece of jank. I hope he continues to come back and gets better because we could use some new people at the shop.
6-4 / 3-2
Despite a winning record I pretty much hate the fucking Mono-Black Infect deck. Regardless of any Top 8 finishes at SCG Opens or States, I chuck up all those wins to lucky run goods. The deck lacks reach and is just not suited to fight the aggro and removal heavy metagame.
In hindsight I really should have trusted my gut and played UW Ghost-Blade. Although I'm good at playing almost any deck, I'm much better suited to control (although I actually prefer aggro strategies). I did get a chance to play Ghost-Blade a ton. I did fairly well against Wolf Run Red and Birthing Pod decks. I like the deck because of the main deck Day of Judgements but I'll probably up that to 3 in the main. I also need to find a better spot removal spell then Dismember. As good as the card is, it is useless versus a Titan deck. We'll see. I wish there was a Swords type spell for White.
I also had a chance to play Burning Vengeance, which was total Jank. But with some tweaks, we'll see.
Deck building for the next FNM will occur. I will mos def build GW Aggro, RG Wolf Run, GB Pod and possible Mono-Black and Mono-Red control decks.
Until next time.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Back and Better Than Ever!
It has been a while since I've updated the old blogspot. I've been busy and a lot has happened since the last post. First, my uncle passed away and we had tons of family in for the wake and funeral. Also, my cousin had his reaffirmation of his wedding vows, and had a much-to-do about the entire thing, so plenty of family functions rolled into that event as well.
As for me, I've spent plenty of my time hanging with the wife and kid, preparing for the completion of our new house here in Florida. It has been a year since I started this blog and tons happened since. Since moving, I've gone through two design jobs, very happy with the second one, and have began teaching again. I have also since had tons of time to exercise and work out. I've lost around 30 pounds, reduced my waist size and upped my bench press. I'm actually lifting free-weights again for the first time since high school. The house stuff has been amazing. I just feel so blessed to be able to find a new home we really like and am happy we got approved. Fingers crossed it all works out in the long run.
I'm also illustrating again after a long 6 month hiatus. I have been averaging an illustration in about a week and half for the last 6 weeks or so. My goal is to get enough new pieces posted on my portfolio site to submit to Wizards of the Coast to see if I can generate any kind of freelance work. Regardless of which game I'd be able to illustrate for but obviously Magic the Gathering would be the ideal game but I do not think I'm there just yet.
And to segue into Magic the Gathering...
Since last I posted I was on a decent run with Standard FNMs. I had a good 4-0-1 finish with Eldrazi Gree, 4-1 with Valakut , 3-2 (?) with Boros, I went 5-0 with Exarch/Twin then 3-2 with the Big Red One decklist. A lot has happened so lets discuss the last month of Magic.
Not really brewing up any Standard decks I decided to take a stab at EDH. I heavily modifed the Kaalia the Vast pre-con deck. I took out all the jank and threw in as many good demons, angels and dragons I could find in my binders. The thing I love about the deck is if you can get Kaalia out early, you can start the beatdown as early as turn 3 and just drop dragon after angel after demon and just fuck somebody up!
I took the EDH deck for a whirl at the first week of the Commander League at Coliseum of Comics here in Lakeland. Mind you, this is the first time I've ever played the format considering I fucking HATE the format. I'd rather just play all the awesome casual games that I did back home, with real competitive decks, not just random janky cards that can somehow combo. Yuck.
Round 1 of my maiden EDH League I was playing against the Group Hug Pheldagriff deck, two GWB Ghave decks, and a RWU deck with the new female Antelope chick as its general. This game is stupid. My mana is fixed with my awesome lands, I hit a Sol Ring into some signet action and I have Lightning Greaves in hand. I ramp, play Greaves and am attacking with Kaalia turn 3 hasty and bringing in a Red Akroma. I chop the Antelope General a quarter of his life, then in half and by the time he is at like 14 from 40 life, me bringing in all types of Angels and Demons, some kid Hex's my team and O-Rings my Greaves. Then another kid infinite combos with Ghave and Ashnod's alter to make a gazillion gazillion/gazillion dudes. See that dice? That's a gazillion. Wow. I am next and need to draw into a Wrath of God/Damnation type effect. I draw tons of cards off a multi-player draw spell and am one mana short of hard casting Blazing Archon to at least save my life for a turn. I don't get there. Neither does the other three guys and we die. The kid that wins I've played many times in FNM and gives me Second Out (+2 points) for picking on his boy for no reason but the fact he was behind on board position the turns I was fucking everybody up. The way I look at it is this, if a player looks weak on board you must get him out ASAP. Once he is bleeding let him just bleed out. Period (no pun intended). Multi-player is like being in a shark tank. The first to get scratched should die first if he can't stabilize on his own. If it wasn't for a timely Hex, an O-Ring and Aura Shards, I would have eaten that kid's face and the dude next to him. Oh well. Some of the guys at the table felt pity for him. I say, "Fuck him." If he can't defend himself he shouldn't be playing in a group game. And the Group Hug deck was hooking him up with mana AND cards and he still couldn't stop my enormous beatdown. It took 3 guys to stop me. Fuckers.
Round 2 I am up against a Mono-Black EDH deck (I forgot the general), a Rafiq of the Many deck, a Aniwar the elemental dude, and another Ghave deck (but this kid bounced 3 turns in because his ride was leaving or some such). It basically becomes a 4 way game and I begin the beatings yet again with a turn 3 Kaalia into turn 4 Kaalia swinging with White Akroma into Bogardan Hellkite into Iona, Shield of Emeria. Somebody Wraths the Board after I get the Aniwar kid into single digits with lethal on board next turn. After the Wrath, Rafiq stabilizes with a Meddling Mage naming Kaalia, a Gadock Teeg (which shuts down my Wraths) and a Lifeforce (which shuts down the Massacre Wurm in hand and the Mono-Black player). Even after bad attacks into my first striking man-land which kills Teeg, he luck sacks into Loxodon Warhammer and like triple Exalts Rafiq for something stupid like 22 damage. I'm dead in two turns, but this is after the one kids scoops and the Mono-Black player (who played horribly) gets owned. I'm Third Out and end the night with 5 Points.
I thought EDH would be more fun but it turns out it kinda sucks. I hate the deck building process and the totaly randomness of it all. Of course you can fix your draws with tutor effects and draw spells but it just doesn't feel the same as playing with modified 60 card Spike decks we used to play with back home. I preferred the Spikey kitchen table group games over fucking EDH. I may go back one day since Rafiq is a sick general to build around. So is Gadock Teeg, Isamaru Hound of Konda and Uril the Mistwalker. I may take another stab. Kaalia was awesome but she draws way too much heat your way if you can get an early beatdown. EDH is political war and I played Germany in both my games. I'm not surprised I won since there was no Italy or Japan to back me up and the Allies just ganged up on me for being so dominate.
The following day I wanted to chillax with Phoenix but my dad said he'd watch him and urged me to go out and play some Magic. Since Lakeland Coliseum was having draft, that meant I was playing FNM Standard at Armada Games for the night. I got off of work a little early, got some Starbucks and took a drive to Tampa to play with a better, more dedicated metagame.
I didn't have a chance to build a new Standard deck since I pride myself on playing something new each FNM (since my playing days are limited I like to try new decks out). I had UR SplinterTwin ready to beat face. It was pretty much the same deck I rocked weeks back when I went 5-0. I knew I wouldn't do that well since this meta is much more challenging.
Round 1 I play against Red Deck Wins and get stomped Game 1. I was digging for combo pieces and never revealed what I was playing. Game 2 I controlled the game but misplayed Exarch on my turn. I got greedy, played to quickly for my own good, and just punted the game away when I had the on board. I was so mad at myself and that spelled out the rest of the evening. 0-2/0-1
Round 2 I play against a Weenie White Knights deck that comes out very aggro and comes out swinging. I stabilize with bounce effects and counter magic then combo on him handedly. Game 2 an early Pyroclasm takes all the wind out of his sails and I combo in good order. 2-0/1-1
This guy was a nice guy for sure and we played some side games after the fact. He rocked Eldrazi Green and I play Valakut which I used to curbstomp him 2-0. His deck was very casual and not an optimal build in my humble opinion.
Round 3 I played against a UG Vengevine deck that I liked so much I ended up building it myself. I was actually looking to build this deck prior but did not have the chance. I'll get into it shortly.
Game 1 he gets an early Fauna Shaman which I can't interact with and runs me over with Vengevines and Phyrexian Metamorphs. I am a turn from comboing because I have a mountain, Twin and Exarch in hand and a mountain in play. He decides to Shaman out an Acidic Slime to blow up my first mountain and I never get back in the game. He does slow roll a Frost Titan for fear of Mana Leak. When he goes for it I do have the Leak. Although I lost the game he never saw the combo so I had that as an advantage game 2.
Game 2 I am able to stabilize the early game with Pyroclasms killing his Birds of Paradise, Lotus Cobra and Nest Invaders. This becomes a long out drawn out attrition match but he gets on the killing my Islands this game and I have a hard time drawing anything. I do get a pair of Inferno Titans but they both get freaking Flashfrozen and I just lose the game. I do make a critical play mistake but I can't remember what it was. I think it revolved around a Dismember. 0-2/1-2 Drop
All in all that night sucked big time because my heart wasn't in it. I didn't really like the community there since they are mostly Magic snobs. I feel I will never go back to play FNM again. I did get to watch an all foil Cube Draft which was awesome.
A few weeks ago I was able to build the UG Vengevine deck but I added Birthing Pod. I sleeved it up and took it for a spin at Lakeland Coliseum. Here is what I played:
UG Birthing Pod:
Acidic Slime x 3
Micotic Slime x 2
Frost Titan x 2
Wurmcoil Engine x 1
Seagate Oracle x 3
Pilgrim's Eye x 1
Birds of Paradise x 4
Llanowar Elves x 3
Sylvan Ranger x 1
Viridian Emissary x 1
Phyrexian Metamorph x 4
Vengevine x 4
Fauna Shaman x 4
Birthing Pod x 4
Misty Rainforest x 4
Terramorphic Expanse x 1
Halimar Depths x 3
Tectonic Edge x 3
Forests x 7
Islands x 5
Sideboard:
Dismemberment x 3
Beast Within x 4
Obstinate Baloth x 3
Flashfreeze x 4
Acidic Slime x 1
Round 1: Aaron playing RB Midrange
I've played Aaron before and he's a nice guy and know as much about the professional metagame as I do. I've since learned he's built a UR Splinter Twin deck just as I 2-0'd him the last time we met at FNM.
2-0/1-0
Round 2: George playing UW Midrange
George and his rogue decks curb stomp me to death. I think I'm 2-2 against George at FNMs.
0-2/1-1
Round 3: Adrian (not sure?) playing GW Infect
This is the kid that would accidentally shuffle his entire hand into his deck after searching up Squadron Hawks. Goes to show you that a good deck like Caw-Blade takes an excellent pilot to succeed with it.
2-1/2-1
Round 4: Christian playing Mono-Black Midrange
I've chatted with Christian regarding his Mono-Black deck and he's taken some of my advice. He is getting better as a player and deck builder.
2-0/3-1
A bunch of us get 3-1 and I get first place for beating all the other guys at 3-1. I get a buy-a-box Surgical Extraction foil promo to complete my set and 7 NPH packs. I pack absolutely nothing and trade away extra rares for a Myr Superion and Thrun the Last Troll.
With all the house stuff looming I don't get a chance to play much Magic.
Fast forward a few months...
Before Innistrad comes out and my beloved Zendikar block rotates I give Vampire a whirl at FNM. Its a typical stock list and I end up going 3-1 or 4-1. I forgot. I get like 4th place and pack some crap from M12. As with every rotation I tend to lose interest in Magic all together and Fantasy Football season is starts (which I am currently 4-1 and about to lose to my boy who I made and epic mis-trade too. gah).
M12 has come and gone AND Innistrad is now out. Standard has a brand new face. I have a brand new house and take the last few months moving everything into it. It has been a crazy transition and I feel like we'll never been 100% moved in. I still have stuff lingering around my folks house.
There are a few decks I want to try out but I refuse to go and get the money cards like Snapcaster Mage ($30) and new sexy Liliana ($70).
Decks to build and test:
1. New Caw-Blade, which I will call Ghost Blade since it uses Midnight Haunting as it advantage
2. Non-Liliana Solar Flare (Reanimator)
3. Green Blade
4. Jund Mimic Vat
5. UG Birthing Pod
6. Grand Architect Blue
7. MUC
8. GW Elesh Norn Aggro
9. Quicksilver Green
10. UR Phoenix Control (Counter Burn Strategy)
Hopefully I'll have decklists available and have a chance to test. But my urge to play this awesome game called Magic: The Gathering has been waning recently. I'd rather just chill with Phoenix on Friday nights.
Lastly, I won a deck building competition on the MTG Brainstorm Podcast and have since casted once and agreed to join the team. I'll let you know how that goes.
Until next time...
Peace and Blessings.
c
As for me, I've spent plenty of my time hanging with the wife and kid, preparing for the completion of our new house here in Florida. It has been a year since I started this blog and tons happened since. Since moving, I've gone through two design jobs, very happy with the second one, and have began teaching again. I have also since had tons of time to exercise and work out. I've lost around 30 pounds, reduced my waist size and upped my bench press. I'm actually lifting free-weights again for the first time since high school. The house stuff has been amazing. I just feel so blessed to be able to find a new home we really like and am happy we got approved. Fingers crossed it all works out in the long run.
I'm also illustrating again after a long 6 month hiatus. I have been averaging an illustration in about a week and half for the last 6 weeks or so. My goal is to get enough new pieces posted on my portfolio site to submit to Wizards of the Coast to see if I can generate any kind of freelance work. Regardless of which game I'd be able to illustrate for but obviously Magic the Gathering would be the ideal game but I do not think I'm there just yet.
And to segue into Magic the Gathering...
Since last I posted I was on a decent run with Standard FNMs. I had a good 4-0-1 finish with Eldrazi Gree, 4-1 with Valakut , 3-2 (?) with Boros, I went 5-0 with Exarch/Twin then 3-2 with the Big Red One decklist. A lot has happened so lets discuss the last month of Magic.
Not really brewing up any Standard decks I decided to take a stab at EDH. I heavily modifed the Kaalia the Vast pre-con deck. I took out all the jank and threw in as many good demons, angels and dragons I could find in my binders. The thing I love about the deck is if you can get Kaalia out early, you can start the beatdown as early as turn 3 and just drop dragon after angel after demon and just fuck somebody up!
I took the EDH deck for a whirl at the first week of the Commander League at Coliseum of Comics here in Lakeland. Mind you, this is the first time I've ever played the format considering I fucking HATE the format. I'd rather just play all the awesome casual games that I did back home, with real competitive decks, not just random janky cards that can somehow combo. Yuck.
Round 1 of my maiden EDH League I was playing against the Group Hug Pheldagriff deck, two GWB Ghave decks, and a RWU deck with the new female Antelope chick as its general. This game is stupid. My mana is fixed with my awesome lands, I hit a Sol Ring into some signet action and I have Lightning Greaves in hand. I ramp, play Greaves and am attacking with Kaalia turn 3 hasty and bringing in a Red Akroma. I chop the Antelope General a quarter of his life, then in half and by the time he is at like 14 from 40 life, me bringing in all types of Angels and Demons, some kid Hex's my team and O-Rings my Greaves. Then another kid infinite combos with Ghave and Ashnod's alter to make a gazillion gazillion/gazillion dudes. See that dice? That's a gazillion. Wow. I am next and need to draw into a Wrath of God/Damnation type effect. I draw tons of cards off a multi-player draw spell and am one mana short of hard casting Blazing Archon to at least save my life for a turn. I don't get there. Neither does the other three guys and we die. The kid that wins I've played many times in FNM and gives me Second Out (+2 points) for picking on his boy for no reason but the fact he was behind on board position the turns I was fucking everybody up. The way I look at it is this, if a player looks weak on board you must get him out ASAP. Once he is bleeding let him just bleed out. Period (no pun intended). Multi-player is like being in a shark tank. The first to get scratched should die first if he can't stabilize on his own. If it wasn't for a timely Hex, an O-Ring and Aura Shards, I would have eaten that kid's face and the dude next to him. Oh well. Some of the guys at the table felt pity for him. I say, "Fuck him." If he can't defend himself he shouldn't be playing in a group game. And the Group Hug deck was hooking him up with mana AND cards and he still couldn't stop my enormous beatdown. It took 3 guys to stop me. Fuckers.
Round 2 I am up against a Mono-Black EDH deck (I forgot the general), a Rafiq of the Many deck, a Aniwar the elemental dude, and another Ghave deck (but this kid bounced 3 turns in because his ride was leaving or some such). It basically becomes a 4 way game and I begin the beatings yet again with a turn 3 Kaalia into turn 4 Kaalia swinging with White Akroma into Bogardan Hellkite into Iona, Shield of Emeria. Somebody Wraths the Board after I get the Aniwar kid into single digits with lethal on board next turn. After the Wrath, Rafiq stabilizes with a Meddling Mage naming Kaalia, a Gadock Teeg (which shuts down my Wraths) and a Lifeforce (which shuts down the Massacre Wurm in hand and the Mono-Black player). Even after bad attacks into my first striking man-land which kills Teeg, he luck sacks into Loxodon Warhammer and like triple Exalts Rafiq for something stupid like 22 damage. I'm dead in two turns, but this is after the one kids scoops and the Mono-Black player (who played horribly) gets owned. I'm Third Out and end the night with 5 Points.
I thought EDH would be more fun but it turns out it kinda sucks. I hate the deck building process and the totaly randomness of it all. Of course you can fix your draws with tutor effects and draw spells but it just doesn't feel the same as playing with modified 60 card Spike decks we used to play with back home. I preferred the Spikey kitchen table group games over fucking EDH. I may go back one day since Rafiq is a sick general to build around. So is Gadock Teeg, Isamaru Hound of Konda and Uril the Mistwalker. I may take another stab. Kaalia was awesome but she draws way too much heat your way if you can get an early beatdown. EDH is political war and I played Germany in both my games. I'm not surprised I won since there was no Italy or Japan to back me up and the Allies just ganged up on me for being so dominate.
The following day I wanted to chillax with Phoenix but my dad said he'd watch him and urged me to go out and play some Magic. Since Lakeland Coliseum was having draft, that meant I was playing FNM Standard at Armada Games for the night. I got off of work a little early, got some Starbucks and took a drive to Tampa to play with a better, more dedicated metagame.
I didn't have a chance to build a new Standard deck since I pride myself on playing something new each FNM (since my playing days are limited I like to try new decks out). I had UR SplinterTwin ready to beat face. It was pretty much the same deck I rocked weeks back when I went 5-0. I knew I wouldn't do that well since this meta is much more challenging.
Round 1 I play against Red Deck Wins and get stomped Game 1. I was digging for combo pieces and never revealed what I was playing. Game 2 I controlled the game but misplayed Exarch on my turn. I got greedy, played to quickly for my own good, and just punted the game away when I had the on board. I was so mad at myself and that spelled out the rest of the evening. 0-2/0-1
Round 2 I play against a Weenie White Knights deck that comes out very aggro and comes out swinging. I stabilize with bounce effects and counter magic then combo on him handedly. Game 2 an early Pyroclasm takes all the wind out of his sails and I combo in good order. 2-0/1-1
This guy was a nice guy for sure and we played some side games after the fact. He rocked Eldrazi Green and I play Valakut which I used to curbstomp him 2-0. His deck was very casual and not an optimal build in my humble opinion.
Round 3 I played against a UG Vengevine deck that I liked so much I ended up building it myself. I was actually looking to build this deck prior but did not have the chance. I'll get into it shortly.
Game 1 he gets an early Fauna Shaman which I can't interact with and runs me over with Vengevines and Phyrexian Metamorphs. I am a turn from comboing because I have a mountain, Twin and Exarch in hand and a mountain in play. He decides to Shaman out an Acidic Slime to blow up my first mountain and I never get back in the game. He does slow roll a Frost Titan for fear of Mana Leak. When he goes for it I do have the Leak. Although I lost the game he never saw the combo so I had that as an advantage game 2.
Game 2 I am able to stabilize the early game with Pyroclasms killing his Birds of Paradise, Lotus Cobra and Nest Invaders. This becomes a long out drawn out attrition match but he gets on the killing my Islands this game and I have a hard time drawing anything. I do get a pair of Inferno Titans but they both get freaking Flashfrozen and I just lose the game. I do make a critical play mistake but I can't remember what it was. I think it revolved around a Dismember. 0-2/1-2 Drop
All in all that night sucked big time because my heart wasn't in it. I didn't really like the community there since they are mostly Magic snobs. I feel I will never go back to play FNM again. I did get to watch an all foil Cube Draft which was awesome.
A few weeks ago I was able to build the UG Vengevine deck but I added Birthing Pod. I sleeved it up and took it for a spin at Lakeland Coliseum. Here is what I played:
UG Birthing Pod:
Acidic Slime x 3
Micotic Slime x 2
Frost Titan x 2
Wurmcoil Engine x 1
Seagate Oracle x 3
Pilgrim's Eye x 1
Birds of Paradise x 4
Llanowar Elves x 3
Sylvan Ranger x 1
Viridian Emissary x 1
Phyrexian Metamorph x 4
Vengevine x 4
Fauna Shaman x 4
Birthing Pod x 4
Misty Rainforest x 4
Terramorphic Expanse x 1
Halimar Depths x 3
Tectonic Edge x 3
Forests x 7
Islands x 5
Sideboard:
Dismemberment x 3
Beast Within x 4
Obstinate Baloth x 3
Flashfreeze x 4
Acidic Slime x 1
Round 1: Aaron playing RB Midrange
I've played Aaron before and he's a nice guy and know as much about the professional metagame as I do. I've since learned he's built a UR Splinter Twin deck just as I 2-0'd him the last time we met at FNM.
2-0/1-0
Round 2: George playing UW Midrange
George and his rogue decks curb stomp me to death. I think I'm 2-2 against George at FNMs.
0-2/1-1
Round 3: Adrian (not sure?) playing GW Infect
This is the kid that would accidentally shuffle his entire hand into his deck after searching up Squadron Hawks. Goes to show you that a good deck like Caw-Blade takes an excellent pilot to succeed with it.
2-1/2-1
Round 4: Christian playing Mono-Black Midrange
I've chatted with Christian regarding his Mono-Black deck and he's taken some of my advice. He is getting better as a player and deck builder.
2-0/3-1
A bunch of us get 3-1 and I get first place for beating all the other guys at 3-1. I get a buy-a-box Surgical Extraction foil promo to complete my set and 7 NPH packs. I pack absolutely nothing and trade away extra rares for a Myr Superion and Thrun the Last Troll.
With all the house stuff looming I don't get a chance to play much Magic.
Fast forward a few months...
Before Innistrad comes out and my beloved Zendikar block rotates I give Vampire a whirl at FNM. Its a typical stock list and I end up going 3-1 or 4-1. I forgot. I get like 4th place and pack some crap from M12. As with every rotation I tend to lose interest in Magic all together and Fantasy Football season is starts (which I am currently 4-1 and about to lose to my boy who I made and epic mis-trade too. gah).
M12 has come and gone AND Innistrad is now out. Standard has a brand new face. I have a brand new house and take the last few months moving everything into it. It has been a crazy transition and I feel like we'll never been 100% moved in. I still have stuff lingering around my folks house.
There are a few decks I want to try out but I refuse to go and get the money cards like Snapcaster Mage ($30) and new sexy Liliana ($70).
Decks to build and test:
1. New Caw-Blade, which I will call Ghost Blade since it uses Midnight Haunting as it advantage
2. Non-Liliana Solar Flare (Reanimator)
3. Green Blade
4. Jund Mimic Vat
5. UG Birthing Pod
6. Grand Architect Blue
7. MUC
8. GW Elesh Norn Aggro
9. Quicksilver Green
10. UR Phoenix Control (Counter Burn Strategy)
Hopefully I'll have decklists available and have a chance to test. But my urge to play this awesome game called Magic: The Gathering has been waning recently. I'd rather just chill with Phoenix on Friday nights.
Lastly, I won a deck building competition on the MTG Brainstorm Podcast and have since casted once and agreed to join the team. I'll let you know how that goes.
Until next time...
Peace and Blessings.
c
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
“Yes they deserve to die! And I hope they BURN in Hell!!!”
“Yes they deserve to die! And I hope they BURN in Hell!!!”
– Samuel L. Jackson, A Time to Kill
Last week, Friday Night Magic rolled around and I didn’t have a deck I wanted to play nor did I have time to build anything prior. I knew I could just pull out ExTwin (which I'm going to call Madrox from now on) from the box and probably do pretty well but I made it a point to not play the same thing at FNM twice. The reasoning behind that rule is that I don’t have much time to play so I rather play something different and new each chance I do get. I could just as easily play Boros, Valakut or Vampires as well.
I’ve been known to throw some burn spells at people’s faces from time to time. Red Deck Wins is a strategy that I’ve always loved and hold dear to my heart. But I don’t like the current iteration of the deck or similar decks, i.e. Kuldotha Red, Goblins, etc. nor do I like those single minded strategies. I prefer to have plenty of options while playing and JUST throwing around burn spells is no longer my cup of tea. Granted the first few times I played FNM in Lakeland I did take down first place with my version of a Red Aggro build.
This is what my oldest and truest Burn deck looked like before I got rid of it all to finally grew up and get married.
Type 1 5/C BURN circa 1998:
Serendib Efreet x 4
Ydwen Efreet x 2
Lightning Bolt x 4
Chain Lightning x 4
Incinerate x 4
Psionic Blast x 4
Icy Manipulator x 3
Fork x 1
Wheel of Fortune x 1
Timetwister x 1
Time Spiral x 1
Yagamoth's Will x 1
Ancestral Recall x 1
Time Walk x 1
Demonic Tutor x 1
Vampiric Tutor x 1
Regrowth x 1
Balance x 1
Sol Ring x 1
Black Lotus x 1
Mox Ruby x 1
Mox Emerald x 1
Mox Jet x 1
Mox Sapphire x 1
Mox Peal x 1
Library of Alexandria x 1
Strip Mine x 1
Maze of Ith x 1
Mishra's Factory x 4
Volcanic Island x 4
Badlands x 1
Plateau x 1
Taiga x 1
City of Brass x 3
Sideboard:
Disenchant x 2
Shattering Pulse x 1
Diabolic Edict x 2
Swords to Plowshares x 2
Pyroblast x 4
Red Elemental Blast x 4
What I like about this deck is it has plenty of options in good effective creatures that are hard to kill, some control elements in Icy Manipulators, ways to fill its hand in the multitude of orgasmic card drawing spells, and of course…BURN.
I wanted to build a deck that took advantage of similar themes and ultimately burned people out but had different angles to work from. Here is what I came up with and threw together an hour and a half before FNM started:
BIG RED ONE:
Kuldotha Phoenix x 3
Inferno Titan x 2
Koth of the Hammer x 4
Lightning Bolt x 4
Galvanic Blast x 4
Comet Storm x 1
Volt Charge x 3
Tezzeret’s Gambit x 3
Shrine of Burning Rage x 4
Everflowing Chalice x 3
Sphere of the Suns x 2
Tumble Magnet x 3
Contagion Clasp x 1
Mox Opal x 2
Tectonic Edge x 3
Mountains x 18
Sideboard:
Slagstorm x 3
Manic Vandal x 3
Comet Storm x 1
Wurmcoil Engine x 2
Ratchet Bomb x 2
Shatter x 4
Trying to convert the strategies from my old school Type 1 Burn deck to a modern Standard deck was difficult but I think I found a build that I liked. It runs good and resilient creatures in Kuldotha Phoenix and Inferno Titan, and lets be honest, Koth of the Hammer is really a 4cc 4/4 Haste creature. It is running Tumble Magnets for control and some card draw in 3 maindeck Tezzeret’s Gambit.
Being able to attack from different angles is why I really like the deck. The cornerstone to this strategy for me is Shrine of the Burning Rage, which creates a board state of inevitability if not dealt with. There is a minor Proliferate theme so that helps to charge up the Shrine as well as refill the Tumble Magnets and ultimate Koth faster.
I played a deck like this when Scars of Mirrodin first dropped. It was a Big Red deck with a more Metalcraft theme, which becomes more of a minor theme in this new iteration. More on that when I get to my FNM report.
ROUND 1: Tim playing UB Myr Control
Game 1: I've played this guy before he unfortunately he is quite the douchebag and I hate having to play him. This game is long and drawn out but it comes down to me bulls-eyeing him with some burn, reaching Metalcraft and doming him with the full Galvanic Blast and Rage Shrine damage.
Game 2: Is pretty bad for me. I keep a two land hand with Mox opal, ramp and a chance for a turn 3 Koth. I don't see a third land for a while and have to discard a Phoenix in hopes of getting it back. By this time I'm holding all three of my Koths. I finally get a chance to play one and swing in for 4 damage. He draws and passes. I activate Koth again, knowing he's got the kill spell but I have to reach ultimate if I'm going to kill him. He does have the Go for the Throat for my Mountain and Stone Rain me. He then Into the Roils Koth. ugh. I've basically lost all the tempo as he proceeds to drop lands and plays draw go. I just dome him with burn spells so I don't have to discard. He eventually gets Myr Turbine out and me not drawing any Manic Vandals or Shatters. I eventually get a Koth out again and he proceds to stone Rain me again. He gets Myr battlesphere out and then a second one and just plain kills me. I HATE LOSING TO JANKY DECKS.
Game 3: This game is a reverse repeat of the last game. Instead of not enough land I get TOO MUCH LAND and no action spells. I slow roll a Koth for fear of it getting countered because it is my only real business spell in 3 turns. I wait a few turns and just run out artifacts and Shrine. I also do some Tezzeret Gambit action to dig for more but no real relevant spells. He eventually gets his Myr Turbine, Vess tutoring for Battlesphere action and me drawing every mountain in my deck. By the time I just start doming him with instants he has his plan online and I have 15 mountains in play and no real spells.
Game 1: I've played this guy before he unfortunately he is quite the douchebag and I hate having to play him. This game is long and drawn out but it comes down to me bulls-eyeing him with some burn, reaching Metalcraft and doming him with the full Galvanic Blast and Rage Shrine damage.
Game 2: Is pretty bad for me. I keep a two land hand with Mox opal, ramp and a chance for a turn 3 Koth. I don't see a third land for a while and have to discard a Phoenix in hopes of getting it back. By this time I'm holding all three of my Koths. I finally get a chance to play one and swing in for 4 damage. He draws and passes. I activate Koth again, knowing he's got the kill spell but I have to reach ultimate if I'm going to kill him. He does have the Go for the Throat for my Mountain and Stone Rain me. He then Into the Roils Koth. ugh. I've basically lost all the tempo as he proceeds to drop lands and plays draw go. I just dome him with burn spells so I don't have to discard. He eventually gets Myr Turbine out and me not drawing any Manic Vandals or Shatters. I eventually get a Koth out again and he proceds to stone Rain me again. He gets Myr battlesphere out and then a second one and just plain kills me. I HATE LOSING TO JANKY DECKS.
Game 3: This game is a reverse repeat of the last game. Instead of not enough land I get TOO MUCH LAND and no action spells. I slow roll a Koth for fear of it getting countered because it is my only real business spell in 3 turns. I wait a few turns and just run out artifacts and Shrine. I also do some Tezzeret Gambit action to dig for more but no real relevant spells. He eventually gets his Myr Turbine, Vess tutoring for Battlesphere action and me drawing every mountain in my deck. By the time I just start doming him with instants he has his plan online and I have 15 mountains in play and no real spells.
1-2 / 0-1
ROUND 2: Davitch playing bastardized Kuldotha Red
Game 1: I haven't played this guy before but it seems he has been playing for a bit. He thinks I'm on ExTwin since he was at the FNM I dominated a few weeks back. He keeps his hand and gives an asshole-ish verbal fist pump, "Oh! You're not going to like this!" and proceeds to drop double Ornithopter, Menmite but no lands. I draw, drop a land and pass. He drops Tettering Peaks and swings for 3. Whoopie! I play a land and ramp. he drops a land and Kuldotha Rebirths a thopter. Shit. I drop a land and Koth and beat with a 4/4 which he blocks. He attacks Koth and rapes him while adding double Signal Pest. I drop a land and a Magnet. He swings in and I'm at 8 and in trouble. I clear one of the Pests with a non-Metalcraft Blast. I do have Inferno Titan in hand but short a land. I draw, rip a Mox Opal with Metalcraft and drop the Titan wiping away most of his board but with no attack. I draws, plays the 1cc Red artifact Tarmagoyf which is a 5/5 but I tap it down EOT. I swing in with Titan and clear the rest of his team. He comes at me with his now 7/7 Red Artifact Goyf dude and I tap it down. Next turn I firebreath and dome him with Titan. GG.
Game 2: I side in all my sweepers and artifact hate. He drops a ton of little dudes including Perilous Myr. I drop mountains and ramp. I eventually Slagstorm and clear all his guys but get domed by the Myr. I'm having a bad Myr day. I don't have much action but a Koth, a slowly growing Shrine and a Phoenix but no Inferno Titans. He gets double Red Artifact Goyf dude (Slag Fiend?) which are both 5/5s. He Arc Trails Koth and himself then finishes off the Planeswalker with an attack. I am forced to chump with my Phoenix. I misplay and snap draw my next card without resurrecting Phoenix for chump blocking duties and I just die to the 5/5 Red Goyfs. I could have bought a few turns with chump block duty from the Phoenix but I just punted it away.
Game 3: Being on the play really really helps when I can turn 3 Koth, which is what I do. His team of chump blocking Thopters can do nothing to stop the gangster Planeswalker. I use Volt Charge on a blocker to ultimate Koth and still have one counter. My sea of Prodigal Mountains quickly out matches the horde of little Red and Artifact dudes.
2-1 / 1-1
Game 2: I side in all my sweepers and artifact hate. He drops a ton of little dudes including Perilous Myr. I drop mountains and ramp. I eventually Slagstorm and clear all his guys but get domed by the Myr. I'm having a bad Myr day. I don't have much action but a Koth, a slowly growing Shrine and a Phoenix but no Inferno Titans. He gets double Red Artifact Goyf dude (Slag Fiend?) which are both 5/5s. He Arc Trails Koth and himself then finishes off the Planeswalker with an attack. I am forced to chump with my Phoenix. I misplay and snap draw my next card without resurrecting Phoenix for chump blocking duties and I just die to the 5/5 Red Goyfs. I could have bought a few turns with chump block duty from the Phoenix but I just punted it away.
Game 3: Being on the play really really helps when I can turn 3 Koth, which is what I do. His team of chump blocking Thopters can do nothing to stop the gangster Planeswalker. I use Volt Charge on a blocker to ultimate Koth and still have one counter. My sea of Prodigal Mountains quickly out matches the horde of little Red and Artifact dudes.
2-1 / 1-1
ROUND 3: E.T. playing Hey Soul Sister
Game 1: The week prior I was talking with ET the TO about the infinite combo with Leonin Relic Hoarder and Phyrexian Metamorph comboed with a Soul Sister to gain infinite life. Early in the week of the FNM he tells me he's playing my deck. I'm like, "Splinter Twin?" ET replies, "No, Soul Sisters." I didn't prepare for the deck but Red inherently has a good game versus a White Weenie deck. ET is on the play and I have to mull to 6 on the draw. He gets his Leonin Hoarder out and me with no Instant speed removal in hand. I do get a Shrine, Tumble Magnet and Mox Opal out so that helps me get back into the game after he Hoarded my early Chalice. He gets two Pridemates out, one at around 7/7 and the other around 4/4 as well as a Serra's Ascendant threatening to beat my face as a 6/6 when he is at 29 life. He stalls out hoping to topdeck the Metamorph to combo on my face but I luckily use every resource I have, tap down his guys, refill with Volt Charge and Gambit, use Shrine to blow up his huge Pridemate and the nail in the coffin is Inferno Titan to clear his team. He does manage a Batterskull as his next action but my Tumble Magnet shuts that down handedly. My next turn is the second Titan and me taking chunks of his 29 life in two turns.
Game 2: I side in Slagstorms, Ratchet Bombs, a few Shatter and a Comet Storm. ET has a slow start with Kabria Crossroads and no opening guy. I manage to ramp with a useless Mox Opal that does nothing because I never reach Metalcraft. This game is pretty much like the first but this time I DO have the bolt when he tries to combo. He manages to get Relic Hoarder on my Mox and next turn goes to combo. I bolt and get my Mox back and he copies a Suture Priest. This game is highlighted by my blowout Comet Storm to kill two Soul Wardens and Volt Charging my Ratchet Bomb to 2 to kill two Pridemates. He does manage to get Batterskull down which I Shatter and he bounces. I Tectonic Edge his Crossroads, his fifth land, and he is unable to replay the powerful Equipment. I am able to get a Phoenix beatdown play and Shrine him out. It was an awesome game that swung in either direction. The entire series I feel I played the best possible Magic I could and earned those two wins. Traditionally, a lifegain deck spells destruction for a Red deck but I was able to pull out two great games. Whew.
2-0 / 2-1
Game 2: I side in Slagstorms, Ratchet Bombs, a few Shatter and a Comet Storm. ET has a slow start with Kabria Crossroads and no opening guy. I manage to ramp with a useless Mox Opal that does nothing because I never reach Metalcraft. This game is pretty much like the first but this time I DO have the bolt when he tries to combo. He manages to get Relic Hoarder on my Mox and next turn goes to combo. I bolt and get my Mox back and he copies a Suture Priest. This game is highlighted by my blowout Comet Storm to kill two Soul Wardens and Volt Charging my Ratchet Bomb to 2 to kill two Pridemates. He does manage to get Batterskull down which I Shatter and he bounces. I Tectonic Edge his Crossroads, his fifth land, and he is unable to replay the powerful Equipment. I am able to get a Phoenix beatdown play and Shrine him out. It was an awesome game that swung in either direction. The entire series I feel I played the best possible Magic I could and earned those two wins. Traditionally, a lifegain deck spells destruction for a Red deck but I was able to pull out two great games. Whew.
2-0 / 2-1
ROUND 4: George playing UG Aggro
Game 1: The awesome thing about George is he is always ready to play an unconventional deck and just be his own deck builder. He always has surprises. This matchup was no different. The last FNM I had to beat him 3 games in a row because we both punted Game 1 on my error. But this was now a different matchup. George goes first on the play and I have to mull to 6 on the draw. He gets an early Birds which I decide not to Bolt. My mistake. He gets an early Mana Wall and Obstinate Baloth. The lifegain and the 4-ass is so bad for my deck. He continues to drop fat-assed dudes like more Obstinates, Leatherback and the Ooze guy that becomes more oozes. All these guys make my Lightning Bolts and Volt Charges look pretty stupid. I eventually get an Inferno Titan down to defend myself but he drops Phyrexian Metamorph down to copy my dude and I just lose.
Game 2: It is difficult to sideboard this match because his deck is so unconventional and just a horrible matchup for me. Wurmcoils go in to fight his 4/X dudes and a Comet Storm. This game I manage to just go off and ramp into an early Koth but he puts the kibash on that with a Leatherback. I get a Tumble Magnet and Shrine out and start digging with Tezzeret's Gambit. To my surprise...so does George. He gets a Fauna Shaman which I Galvanic Blast for 2, no Metalcraft. I eventually get Metalcraft and that Galvanic Blast becomes very important. I could have killed the Shaman with a Lightning Bolt but decided to not risk it in case I don't get Metalcraft. I could have also Tectonic Edged his Misty Rainforest while he was still at 8 to force that 1 point of damage. Since the game came down to him being at 4 life and me with a Lighting Bolt in hand, Metalcraft and being dead on the following turn to attacks. Had I saved the Galvanic he'd be dead at that moment. Had I forced the fetch he would've been in Bolt range for a bullseye. I guess I just wasn't in the cards and I lose. Bad beats. Bad matchup all together. I NEVER lose 0-2! NEVER! Hahaha. Not true. Damn.
0-2 / 2-2
Game 2: It is difficult to sideboard this match because his deck is so unconventional and just a horrible matchup for me. Wurmcoils go in to fight his 4/X dudes and a Comet Storm. This game I manage to just go off and ramp into an early Koth but he puts the kibash on that with a Leatherback. I get a Tumble Magnet and Shrine out and start digging with Tezzeret's Gambit. To my surprise...so does George. He gets a Fauna Shaman which I Galvanic Blast for 2, no Metalcraft. I eventually get Metalcraft and that Galvanic Blast becomes very important. I could have killed the Shaman with a Lightning Bolt but decided to not risk it in case I don't get Metalcraft. I could have also Tectonic Edged his Misty Rainforest while he was still at 8 to force that 1 point of damage. Since the game came down to him being at 4 life and me with a Lighting Bolt in hand, Metalcraft and being dead on the following turn to attacks. Had I saved the Galvanic he'd be dead at that moment. Had I forced the fetch he would've been in Bolt range for a bullseye. I guess I just wasn't in the cards and I lose. Bad beats. Bad matchup all together. I NEVER lose 0-2! NEVER! Hahaha. Not true. Damn.
0-2 / 2-2
ROUND 5: John playing RB Midrange
This dude I've played before and it isn't very pleasant because he isn't the friendliest person in the world. Don't get me wrong, he's not a dick, just very serious and not very approachable. He's around my age and looks like an older version of my old friend JACO. He's a good player too. I know I have to really concentrate if I don't want to end up 2-3.
Game 1: He is on Red Black by the Blackcliff Cleave he drops turn 1. I get an early Koth and start beating face as he taps out. I don't have to fear the instant speed Stone Rain. I eventually get Koth's Emblem only off the back of a Tezzeret's Gambit, which draws me more mountains and no gas. Everything he puts out dies to my Mountain pings and he eventually succumbs to the burn.
Game 2: I side in artifact hate since I saw a lot of Equipments like Batterskull and Lashwrithe. He's on the play and Duress effects me and snags a Chalice so i can't turn 3 Koth this game. He sticks a Tumble Magnet and an Abyssal Prosecutor. I too get a Tumble Magnet but keep mine alive with Volt Charge and Gambit. I do get a growing Shrine online at some point and an active Koth. He does get a Batterskull online and after I burn down the token he Equips to Prosector and gains shit tons of life back. After some swings, counter-swings, some burn, getting Koth's Emblem again, he's at 11 and I'm at 10 but he has Prosecutor out with what looks like no way to kill it other then Go for the Throat, which I'm sure is sitting in his hand because he has been digging as well with Sign in Blood and Tezzeret's Gambit of his own. With no way of stopping the Lifelinking 10/10 Flying Trampler at this point I have to try and close the game out now. I just have enough to Mountain ping him for 3 at the end of his turn. On my turn, use Koth's -2 ability to double my Mountains to drop Inferno Titan, dome him for 3 and ping him for a lethal bullseye. It was quite the match and took a lot to defeat him.
2-0 / 3-2
Game 1: He is on Red Black by the Blackcliff Cleave he drops turn 1. I get an early Koth and start beating face as he taps out. I don't have to fear the instant speed Stone Rain. I eventually get Koth's Emblem only off the back of a Tezzeret's Gambit, which draws me more mountains and no gas. Everything he puts out dies to my Mountain pings and he eventually succumbs to the burn.
Game 2: I side in artifact hate since I saw a lot of Equipments like Batterskull and Lashwrithe. He's on the play and Duress effects me and snags a Chalice so i can't turn 3 Koth this game. He sticks a Tumble Magnet and an Abyssal Prosecutor. I too get a Tumble Magnet but keep mine alive with Volt Charge and Gambit. I do get a growing Shrine online at some point and an active Koth. He does get a Batterskull online and after I burn down the token he Equips to Prosector and gains shit tons of life back. After some swings, counter-swings, some burn, getting Koth's Emblem again, he's at 11 and I'm at 10 but he has Prosecutor out with what looks like no way to kill it other then Go for the Throat, which I'm sure is sitting in his hand because he has been digging as well with Sign in Blood and Tezzeret's Gambit of his own. With no way of stopping the Lifelinking 10/10 Flying Trampler at this point I have to try and close the game out now. I just have enough to Mountain ping him for 3 at the end of his turn. On my turn, use Koth's -2 ability to double my Mountains to drop Inferno Titan, dome him for 3 and ping him for a lethal bullseye. It was quite the match and took a lot to defeat him.
2-0 / 3-2
Considering I just put the deck together an hour or so before the tournament I think I did okay. I wish I did better but there some ringers there playing Spikey Caw-Blade and Boros so I'm sure I didn't stand a chance with my homebrew Proliferate/Metalcraft deck. But I enjoyed playing it and know that with some tweaking could do pretty well, post-rotation of Zendikar block because I know it would get out-tempoed by a real deck like Caw-Blade.
I got a foil alternate art Spellstutter Sprite for my troubles and did some minor trading for nothing legitimate. Hit up Denny's with some of the other guys and called it a night. Until next time I rock an FNM I do have tons of decks I want to build so I'm kind of excited about Standard right now after all my bitching and moaning about Jace the Mindscupltor. I do know that I have to play my Stoneforges soon since they will be rotating and I haven't had a chance to play with my Batterskulls yet either.
Decks to build for the near future:
UG Birthing Pod
Mono-Black Control
Aggro Valakut
Peace out!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
“Deceiver Exarch’s resume? YOU’RE DEAD.”
“Deceiver Exarch’s resume? YOU’RE DEAD.” – Mike Flores on Yo! MTG Taps
Last week I decided to sleeve up a budget, meaning no Jace the Mindscupltor, Blue Red Splinter Twin/Deceiver Exarch combo deck. After seeing Flores's result at TCG 5k or something I thought it was the real deal. And it is.
After a brief Twitter conversation regarding the deck, Flores convinced me that UR Twin is the best thing you can do in Standard right now. Going back and listening to Top 8 Magic and his Yo! MTG Taps podcasts, Flores states, “Against ExTwin, your opponent can’t tap out after turn 2. If they do they are dead.”
This is very true. I’ll discuss it in my FNM report after I list the deck.
A couple of other things I wanted to bring up as well: the idea of Overextended is real, Legacy is disgustingly awesome, and a loose invite by KYT of the Eh? Team and Crazy Talk, to write for Manadeprived and maybe get on the Crazy Talk cast. I'll discuss these issues in later blogs. :)
Let’s go to work.
Here is what I rocked at the last FNM:
UR SPLINTER TWIN
Deceiver Exarch x 4
Spellskite x 2
Consecrated Sphinx x 1
Inferno Titan x 2
Seagate Oracle x 4
Jace Beleren x 4
Preordain x 4
Mana Leak x 4
Spell Pierce x 2
Splinter Twin x 4
Into the Roil x 4
Tectonic Edge x 3
Halimar Depths x 3
Terramorphic Expanse x 4
Islands x 7
Mountains x 8
Sideboard:
Inferno Titan x 2
Manic Vandal x 3
Urbarask the Hidden x 1
Pyroclasm x 3
Spellskite x 1
Spell Pierce x 1
Flashfreeze x 4
The deck is very real and it truly is the best and most powerful thing you can do in Standard right now. The combo is very difficult to stop when played optimally and it can go off on turn 4 about 50% of your games. The combo works like this, Flash in Exarch at the end of your opponents turn 3. Untap on your turn 4, play Splinter Twin on Exarch and tap to make an Exarch haste token, which when it comes into play untaps the Twinned Exarch to repeat the process. You make infinite haste tokens and swing for the win.
The easiest way to disrupt the combo is kill the Exarch when Twin comes down to enchant it. There is a multitude of spot removal spells in Standard to do this. If played optimally you wait for your opponent to tap out or tap open mana at the end of their turn with Exarch so they don’t have the opportunity to kill your guy.
The nice thing about the deck is, as Flores puts it, rewards good plays and is so powerful if bad plays happen, it can still win. This is very true since during the evening I made TONS of bad plays and still came out with wins. Flores admits himself he made some bad plays on his way to a 1st place victory in NYC.
My thoughts on the deck were confirmed by Flores in his podcasts and on Twitter: 2 colors is more consistent then the Grixis and RUG builds AND you get to run 4 Tectonic Edges.
My build is very loose compared to Flores. I didn’t feel his miser Pilgrim’s Eye was worth a slot and I even cut down on 1 mana. I also ran a full set of Beleren and no JTMS. My reasoning, obviously not having JTMS, but also you want to be winning on Turn 4, not casting JaceTMS. Beleren got the job done for me. Also his very loose 1-of Misers sideboard seems odd to me. There is a sick Trinket Mage/Elixir of Immortality package when Twinning Trinket Mage you can keep popping and fetching Elixir every turn. But I just upped the consistency of cards and played stuff to fight green cards since creatures run rampant in my metagame. If I could I probably would have played more closely to his deck. But I just threw it together the night before, played two sets of games prior to the start of the tournament, and tossed my sideboard together.
The maiden game I played was against a version of Ali Antrazi’s Mono-Blue Grand Architect deck piloted by Edward the TO. Edward decided to get back into Standard Magic after just strictly playing EDH for a long time. I put him onto the deck when it first spoiled because he was talking to me about some janky blue aggro deck with horrible cards. Game 1 he gets Spellskite down turn 3 and a Phyrexian Metamorph copying his Spellskite. With one Skite it is still doable if I can get runner runner Into the Roils and my combo pieces. But with two in play it is difficult to win. So I scoop and move to game 2. Game 2 I combo on his face turn 4 and despite playing blue he has no way of interacting with me save Skites. Game 3 the same thing happens. I EOT Exarch on his turn and win the following turn. I play a few games against Ian’s GW Chancellor Genesis Wave deck. Ian admits it is a total junk deck with cool synergies. Game 1 he ramps like a bastard into Primeval Titan and just out manas me while I dig for combo pieces. Games 2 and 3 I am able to Leak and Pierce his Waves and win with my combo.
Round 1: Lyle with Hawkward
Game 1: Hawkward is a Weenie creature strategy that uses angry cheap artifact dudes and Tempered Steel to get a sick advantage. It also uses Steel Overseer as its lord to pump its team. It is a very basic intro to magic strategy that gains tons from Scars of Mirrodin being an artifact block. This kid is pretty much a noob so I control his board pretty easily but can't put my combo together. I do Exarch combat shennanigans to stem the artifact dude beatdown, like Flash in, tap down, and block for value. I eventually dig for an Inferno Titan and own his face.
Game 2: I side in all of my Vandals and Pyroclasms as well as a full set up Titans. I take out all my counter magic because on the play I think they are too slow. He gets some early game I wipe his team. I get an Overseer that I Vandal. He rebuilds with 3 more dudes and I wish I slow rolled the Pyroclasm. But it is irrelevant because he has Tempered Steel out already. I EOT Exarch, untap, draw and reveal Splinter Twin, "We done?" I ask. Lyle, "Uh...I have this Dispatch with Metalcraft?" I scoop to his dominating board presence.
Game 3: Dispatch is a card I didn't think about and am kind of pissed I totally walked into it. I truly don't believe he really knew what was going on but it doesn't matter since I punted that game. I maybe could have won but I didn't want to grind it out. I was playing for blood now. I play depths and have all of my combo pieces lined up with a perfect curve to four mana, including two mountains. I combo turn 4. Good game noob.
1-0 / 2-1
Round 2: Christian playing Mono-Black Midrange
Game 1: Christian is a good kid who I've played in previous FNMs. He truly wants to get better at the game and really wants to learn. Maybe I've found my new padawan learner? The reason I list his deck as Midrange is because it can swing both ways depending on the match up. Because I'm a pseudo-control deck he goes aggro. He has some early Duress effects and takes Jace Beleren. Fine choice IMO. He gets on the triple Phyrexian Rager plan and starts beating my face in. I'm at about 8 life and take a serious beating before I can stabilize. When he plays the new Juzam Djinn for BBBB I scoop. This game I was desperately searching for a combo piece. I had the Exarchs but had to play them early for combat tricks to stem the bleeding and buy more time. Even with Spellskite out to defend my Exarchs he had way too much creature hate and gigantic dudes like Lashwrithe and Obliterator. He closed in way too quickly. Not only was I searching for another Exarch but also a 2nd mountain to play Twin. Ugh.
Game 2: This game is ridiculous. I go Island and Preordain to sculpt my hand. He goes EOT Surgical Extraction paying 2 life and snags my Preordains. WTF?!? I think that was a good play since I had a Preordain in hand so he certainly go value. This game gets dragged out for a while he uses the new Duress effect for Creatures/Walkers to snag Inferno Titan and Surgical Extracts that as well. He also triple Evil Presences two mountains and an island so I have to sit there and dig for just lands. Its absurd. Luckily this game Into the Roil and Spellskite buy me time and card advantage to get my combo finally up and running for the win.
Game 3: The rubber match is highlighted by my horrible play with Spellskite. This game goes long and becomes an attrition match. His discard and Surgical Extractions versus my tempo spells and 2-for-1s. I'm able to Manic Vandal a Lashwrite and Inferno Titan some Phyrexian Ragers. I have a Spellskite out as well to defend my Titan. He plays Enslave (the new black control magic) on my Titan AND I DON'T DIRECT IT TO MY SPELLSKITE. Damn. I even go so far as to Into the Roil the Enslave to get my Titan back only to let him Enslave it yet again. And I don't redirect it to my Spellskite. Jeez. I eventually get out Urbarask the Hidden and swing in with him and Vandal. He plays Obliterator tapped and swings with Inferno Titan. He domes me for 3, which I direct at the Spellskite and chump with the 0/4 dude as well. On my turn I play another Inferno Titan with haste and attack with the team for 12 plus 3 to the dome for the win. Whew. Didn't even get a chance to use the combo.
2-0 / 4-2
Round 3: George with White Weenie Quest
Game 1: George is one of the older players in the room, including myself and Edward and Aaron. I'm guessing George is probably closer to 40 then he is 30. Regardless, he is a deckbuilder for sure. He usually comes with a different kind of deck and doesn't netdeck like some of us do, again myself included. He actually has a RG Aggro list that looks very interesting to me. George is playing Quest of the mono-white sort that maxes out on Stoneforgers and Puresteel Paladins to abuse the Metalcraft ability and Equip Argentum Armor for free. Sick. He grossly misplays early and swings into my Seagate Oracle with his Double Striking Kor only to let it die accidentally. This game goes long as he gets tons and tons of Equipment out including Sword of Body and Mind on a Menmite. I totally misplay as I Into the Roil the Menmite when he goes to attack but he punts and lets it happen. We both overlooked the fact the Menmite had Pro-Blue and kept on playing. This helps me setup some combat tricks with Exarch for value and Splinter Twin a few turns later for the win.
Game 2: I max out on Pyroclasms and Vandals to fight him. He plays turn 2 Stoneforge for Sword of Body and Mind. He then realizes he punted last game. I tell him it probably didn't matter and I had the combo anyways. This game he hits his Quest turn 1 and loads up the board with guys. He also has Phyrexian Revoker naming Deceiver Exarch. Shit. I'm on 2 Islands, 2 Mountains in play, an Into the Roil, Tec Edge, Island and the combo in hand. With his team of 4 guys I have options but could use a Pyroclasm. I pass the turn with no action. He gets his Quest to 5 by playing Puresteel Paladin but is not Metalcraft. He swings with his team and instead of doing combat tricks with Exarch or bouncing with Into the Roil I just take it. I'm cut in half at this point. I draw my card and its a Pyroclasm. I do a mental fist pump, play my Island and then the Pyroclasm. In response he activates and sacrifices his Quest for Argentum Armor and snap equips his Revoker. Its exactly what I wanted him to do. I pass the turn. He plays another Puresteel Paladin and equips the Sword onto it and attacks with his Revoker. Before combat I Flash in Exarch and tap down his Revoker so no Armor triggers happen and I don't take 8. I wonder why he didn't just equip the Revoker but in hindsight maybe he didn't want his Paladin to eat a Pyroclasm. Second main phase he only has 1 mana open. I untap, draw, play a land, Into the Roil his Revoker no kicker then play Splinter Twin on Exarch, make a million dudes and breath a sigh of relief. It was a hard fought match against George because he is a solid player and deck builder.
George picks up his cards and begins shuffling as I begin to de-sideboard. "I can't believe you're not going to give me game one." George says as he slightly shakes his head in minor disappointment. The last two games were a pain in the ass and grinding out wins with ExTwin is not easy. But I screwed up game one and he punted it away.
"Let's do an epic game three." I say. We both begin shuffling and I present my deck.
Game 3: He goes first with a Plains, Double Striking Kor and Menmite. I play Island a Preordain and set up a Pyroclasm on top that I draw. I also have an Manic Vandal and Exarch in hand and a Splinter Twin as my next draw. He plays Plains and Stoneforge Mystic and gets his Sword of Body and Mind trying to protect his dudes with Pro-Blue. I play Mountain and Pyroclasm to get sick 3-for-1 card advantage. He plays Tectonic Edge and Phyrexian Revoker naming Deceiver Exarch. I play Island and Manic Vandal his Exarch. He plays land, Puresteel Paladin and passes. I play a Mountain and pass. He plays a land, drops SoBaM, equips and I Flash in Exarch to tap his dude down before he can get protection from Blue.
"Do you have it?" Asks George. I shake my head "yes" and reveal the Splinter Twin. It took 3 games but I swept him to continue undefeated. We discuss the match and both know it was a great battle. Despite my epic misplay and his punt, I'm glad we took it to game 3 because I never want to be that guy that is a douche-bag and doesn't give him the win for that punt. He has been cool with me in the past for sure and us older players need to stick together.
3-0 / 6-3
Round 4: Aaron playing homebrew RB Midrange
Game 1: I've never played Aaron before but I've certainly seen him at FNMs before. He looks to be around my age bracket, maybe younger and has a wedding band. So I know he's not going to be a D-Bag because at least a chick can stand him enough to marry him. You can always trust the married Magic players because they at least have some maturity and sense of respect. He scouted my testing with Edward before FNM started so he knows I'm on ExTwin. He goes first and plays a swamp and an Inquisition of Kozilek. Exactly what I don't want to see since my hand is Island, Tectonic Edge, Mountain, Seagate Oracle, Jace Beleren, Mana Leak and Splinter Twin. He snags my Jace. Good call I think to myself since Jace is a house in most games for me. I draw Exarch, play Island and pass. He plays an awesome Chinese Dragonskull Summit and Nantuko Shade. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who plays Nantuko Shade in Vampires!" I say. He smirks and passes. I play my Mountain and pass. He plays swamp and swings. I accept the damage, he pumps to make it 3 damage total, plays a Hexmage and passes. I draw a Mountain and play Seagate Oracle, see an Island and Spell Pierce, keep the Island and pass. He plays a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir, I sacrifice my Oracle and eat the damage. He is stuck on 3 lands and passes. I play my Tectonic Edge and blow up his Dragonskull, which we learn was a wedding gift from his buddy. Funny. At least they could have been foils! He draws, plays another swamp, now he has 3 lands no red and Inquisitions me again. I have Mana Leak. I go and draw another land, play it and pass with 2 blue and 2 red open. He draws, doesn't have the land, swings with his 3 dudes, I Flash in Exarch for combat tricks and tap down Nantuko Shade and go to declare my block to eat Hexmage. He pauses me and shows the Go for the Throat which I have the blow out Spell Pierce for. "Do you have Splinter Twin?" Aaron asks. I drop it on the table and he scoops.
Game 2: He makes the mistake and reveals what was floating in his hand: Moltensteel Dragon and Phyrexian Obliterator x 2 and a Lightning Bolt. I know he's not on Vampires anymore. He's on some crazy Midrange strategy. I side in Pyroclasms for the early game. He turn 1 Duress effects me and snags a Mana Leak. I turn 1 Preordain and sculpt my hand to now have both combo pieces and necessary land. He drops a Hexmage and passes. I play a Halimar Depths to sculpt even more. He plays a Sword of Feast and Famine and swings. I play a mountain and pass. He equips his sword and swings. I flash in Exarch and tap his dude down. I play a second red source and drop Splinter Twin for the win. Turn 4, you're dead. Crazy fucking deck.
4-0 / 8-3
Aaron and I play some friendly games. I play Vampires and dispatch him handedly. He is a good player, doesn't make mistakes and plays very tight, with no expression or discouragement. I'm the opposite (well, I'd like to think I'm a good player). I actually try to use bluff tactics like long sighs, shoulder slumps, exclamations of horrible draws, etc. just to throw my opponent off even though I have the nut. I'd like to think it makes them play worse or make unreliable decisions based on my body language and facial expressions.
Round 5: Austin rocking one of my favorites...Boros.
Game 1: I quickly ask Edward who is in first place. He says I am as the only undefeated. That feels good because its been a while since I have been undefeated. Austin and I agree to draw but I tell him we should play it out anyways and no matter the outcome, whether I win or lose, he'll let me win and I'll give him his fourth foil FNM Squadron Hawk ($10 value). If we draw I might not get first and he might not get a prize at all. Game 1 goes like this. He plays Steppe Lynx and passes. I play Island Preordain and sculpt. I now have all the pieces I need. He plays Shrine of Burning rage after a cracked fetch and swings. I'm at 16. I play a Mountian and pass. He plays a Sword of War and Peace which I Mana Leak. He cracks in for another 4. I'm at 12. I play an Island and pass. He plays yet another fetch, cracks and swings for another 4. I Flash in Exarch and tap his Lynx down. I go, play Mountain show him Splinter Twin and he scoops.
Game 2: We both decide to not board since he's giving me the win anyways. It is the same line of play but worse because he opens with Goblin Guide and just gives me the land I need to set up. By the end of his turn 4 I flash in Exarch, tap a red land for any shennanigans, and bust the Twin on my fourth turn for the win. The deck is that consistent and that sick. He didn't even interact with me at all and two games in row I go off on turn 4 without a hitch. Boros, or any aggressive strategy is garbage against a deck that will kill on turn 4. Damn. Austin is a good kid and getting incrementally good at the game at a very fast rate. He has graduated from Weenie White strategies to a more thinking man's aggro deck in Boros. Last time I faced him he was rocking Quest and I scooped to a turn 2 Argentum armor. So you can see why I wanted to draw.
5-0 / 10-3
We wait around for a bit and it turns out I do get first place being the only undefeated. Although Austin and decided he'd give me the win I still whooped his ass pretty good. And I feel good that I earned that last win. Even if we drew I'd still be first place I think. Do note that the ringers, i.e. guys with sick 1900 - 2000 ratings, were not there. But I think it wouldn't have mattered because ExTwin is the real deal. I go up to get my prize and I see the foil Squadron Hawk but I also see a buy-a-box Surgical Extraction. I take the rare of course and give Austin two packs, which I think is a good deal. What if he packed a fucking Batterskull!!! LOL.He was happy with that. I don't recall what he or I packed but it was a good night of Magic regardless and it feels good to be first place again. It has been a long time.
Hopefully next time some more Standard decks, some Legacy decks, talks about Overextended and modern and trying to get on Crazy Talk. What up?
"If you tap out or try to play any spell, YOU'RE DEAD."
George picks up his cards and begins shuffling as I begin to de-sideboard. "I can't believe you're not going to give me game one." George says as he slightly shakes his head in minor disappointment. The last two games were a pain in the ass and grinding out wins with ExTwin is not easy. But I screwed up game one and he punted it away.
"Let's do an epic game three." I say. We both begin shuffling and I present my deck.
Game 3: He goes first with a Plains, Double Striking Kor and Menmite. I play Island a Preordain and set up a Pyroclasm on top that I draw. I also have an Manic Vandal and Exarch in hand and a Splinter Twin as my next draw. He plays Plains and Stoneforge Mystic and gets his Sword of Body and Mind trying to protect his dudes with Pro-Blue. I play Mountain and Pyroclasm to get sick 3-for-1 card advantage. He plays Tectonic Edge and Phyrexian Revoker naming Deceiver Exarch. I play Island and Manic Vandal his Exarch. He plays land, Puresteel Paladin and passes. I play a Mountain and pass. He plays a land, drops SoBaM, equips and I Flash in Exarch to tap his dude down before he can get protection from Blue.
"Do you have it?" Asks George. I shake my head "yes" and reveal the Splinter Twin. It took 3 games but I swept him to continue undefeated. We discuss the match and both know it was a great battle. Despite my epic misplay and his punt, I'm glad we took it to game 3 because I never want to be that guy that is a douche-bag and doesn't give him the win for that punt. He has been cool with me in the past for sure and us older players need to stick together.
3-0 / 6-3
Round 4: Aaron playing homebrew RB Midrange
Game 1: I've never played Aaron before but I've certainly seen him at FNMs before. He looks to be around my age bracket, maybe younger and has a wedding band. So I know he's not going to be a D-Bag because at least a chick can stand him enough to marry him. You can always trust the married Magic players because they at least have some maturity and sense of respect. He scouted my testing with Edward before FNM started so he knows I'm on ExTwin. He goes first and plays a swamp and an Inquisition of Kozilek. Exactly what I don't want to see since my hand is Island, Tectonic Edge, Mountain, Seagate Oracle, Jace Beleren, Mana Leak and Splinter Twin. He snags my Jace. Good call I think to myself since Jace is a house in most games for me. I draw Exarch, play Island and pass. He plays an awesome Chinese Dragonskull Summit and Nantuko Shade. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who plays Nantuko Shade in Vampires!" I say. He smirks and passes. I play my Mountain and pass. He plays swamp and swings. I accept the damage, he pumps to make it 3 damage total, plays a Hexmage and passes. I draw a Mountain and play Seagate Oracle, see an Island and Spell Pierce, keep the Island and pass. He plays a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir, I sacrifice my Oracle and eat the damage. He is stuck on 3 lands and passes. I play my Tectonic Edge and blow up his Dragonskull, which we learn was a wedding gift from his buddy. Funny. At least they could have been foils! He draws, plays another swamp, now he has 3 lands no red and Inquisitions me again. I have Mana Leak. I go and draw another land, play it and pass with 2 blue and 2 red open. He draws, doesn't have the land, swings with his 3 dudes, I Flash in Exarch for combat tricks and tap down Nantuko Shade and go to declare my block to eat Hexmage. He pauses me and shows the Go for the Throat which I have the blow out Spell Pierce for. "Do you have Splinter Twin?" Aaron asks. I drop it on the table and he scoops.
Game 2: He makes the mistake and reveals what was floating in his hand: Moltensteel Dragon and Phyrexian Obliterator x 2 and a Lightning Bolt. I know he's not on Vampires anymore. He's on some crazy Midrange strategy. I side in Pyroclasms for the early game. He turn 1 Duress effects me and snags a Mana Leak. I turn 1 Preordain and sculpt my hand to now have both combo pieces and necessary land. He drops a Hexmage and passes. I play a Halimar Depths to sculpt even more. He plays a Sword of Feast and Famine and swings. I play a mountain and pass. He equips his sword and swings. I flash in Exarch and tap his dude down. I play a second red source and drop Splinter Twin for the win. Turn 4, you're dead. Crazy fucking deck.
4-0 / 8-3
Aaron and I play some friendly games. I play Vampires and dispatch him handedly. He is a good player, doesn't make mistakes and plays very tight, with no expression or discouragement. I'm the opposite (well, I'd like to think I'm a good player). I actually try to use bluff tactics like long sighs, shoulder slumps, exclamations of horrible draws, etc. just to throw my opponent off even though I have the nut. I'd like to think it makes them play worse or make unreliable decisions based on my body language and facial expressions.
Round 5: Austin rocking one of my favorites...Boros.
Game 1: I quickly ask Edward who is in first place. He says I am as the only undefeated. That feels good because its been a while since I have been undefeated. Austin and I agree to draw but I tell him we should play it out anyways and no matter the outcome, whether I win or lose, he'll let me win and I'll give him his fourth foil FNM Squadron Hawk ($10 value). If we draw I might not get first and he might not get a prize at all. Game 1 goes like this. He plays Steppe Lynx and passes. I play Island Preordain and sculpt. I now have all the pieces I need. He plays Shrine of Burning rage after a cracked fetch and swings. I'm at 16. I play a Mountian and pass. He plays a Sword of War and Peace which I Mana Leak. He cracks in for another 4. I'm at 12. I play an Island and pass. He plays yet another fetch, cracks and swings for another 4. I Flash in Exarch and tap his Lynx down. I go, play Mountain show him Splinter Twin and he scoops.
Game 2: We both decide to not board since he's giving me the win anyways. It is the same line of play but worse because he opens with Goblin Guide and just gives me the land I need to set up. By the end of his turn 4 I flash in Exarch, tap a red land for any shennanigans, and bust the Twin on my fourth turn for the win. The deck is that consistent and that sick. He didn't even interact with me at all and two games in row I go off on turn 4 without a hitch. Boros, or any aggressive strategy is garbage against a deck that will kill on turn 4. Damn. Austin is a good kid and getting incrementally good at the game at a very fast rate. He has graduated from Weenie White strategies to a more thinking man's aggro deck in Boros. Last time I faced him he was rocking Quest and I scooped to a turn 2 Argentum armor. So you can see why I wanted to draw.
5-0 / 10-3
We wait around for a bit and it turns out I do get first place being the only undefeated. Although Austin and decided he'd give me the win I still whooped his ass pretty good. And I feel good that I earned that last win. Even if we drew I'd still be first place I think. Do note that the ringers, i.e. guys with sick 1900 - 2000 ratings, were not there. But I think it wouldn't have mattered because ExTwin is the real deal. I go up to get my prize and I see the foil Squadron Hawk but I also see a buy-a-box Surgical Extraction. I take the rare of course and give Austin two packs, which I think is a good deal. What if he packed a fucking Batterskull!!! LOL.He was happy with that. I don't recall what he or I packed but it was a good night of Magic regardless and it feels good to be first place again. It has been a long time.
Hopefully next time some more Standard decks, some Legacy decks, talks about Overextended and modern and trying to get on Crazy Talk. What up?
"If you tap out or try to play any spell, YOU'RE DEAD."
A Tribe Called Quest Documentary Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT6hiajuLhs&feature=related
I gotta see this! ATCQ has been my shit since '89 or some shit. This looks like the hotness...
Quick aside on Michael Rappaport the director of the documentary:
my wife saw him jacking off in a parking lot when she lived in LA. Or she thought it was him. LOL jk
I gotta see this! ATCQ has been my shit since '89 or some shit. This looks like the hotness...
Quick aside on Michael Rappaport the director of the documentary:
my wife saw him jacking off in a parking lot when she lived in LA. Or she thought it was him. LOL jk
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
SPARKFINDER: Project 1.0: PSILL - Battle Mage
As my initial run on this Sparkfinder track I wanted to get something down. This is a pen sketch turned Photoshop Illustration. This is the initial rough to be fleshed out.
After getting down the rough composition and body I'll start fleshing out the rest of the detail. I wanted to block in the major light source, being the energy blast and glow from the eye. To be continued on Sparkfinder.
I also want to spend some time finding some references for my digital graphic novel Getting It On. I did a series of designs in grad school that used an all Illustrator pencil style that I think could work for the graphic novel in order to get it done quickly.
I'll find some examples and post. I'm starting to come up with cover thumbnails and logo designs for Getting It On as well. Next time my ninjas.
After getting down the rough composition and body I'll start fleshing out the rest of the detail. I wanted to block in the major light source, being the energy blast and glow from the eye. To be continued on Sparkfinder.
I also want to spend some time finding some references for my digital graphic novel Getting It On. I did a series of designs in grad school that used an all Illustrator pencil style that I think could work for the graphic novel in order to get it done quickly.
I'll find some examples and post. I'm starting to come up with cover thumbnails and logo designs for Getting It On as well. Next time my ninjas.
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