Winnipeg 5-Color Tournament October 26th
Drew Ganske - 2008-10-27
There was talk about changing the name of the tournament to the Perkins Open but that won't resolve until next time. The tournament was going to start at about 1, so I classily arrived right at 1 but knew we were going to delay it until one of our players arrived. He was there within fifteen minutes. We only clocked in at nine players and one was missing that should have been there but I heard he was going to play flash so was very happy we just started.
This is the wall mural at Galaxy Comics, every 6 months or so they add some more color and texture to the painting and it only took about three years to complete...seriously. But it looks pretty sweet now. I think its fully done not sure.
So as I lost the previous two tournaments but at least made it into the top four both times, I was going for the big money this time. As I am still probably the only one with a robust enough manabase to build a suicide deck, and have maintained a constant list over the last 4+ years, I thought it was time to throw down and win some prize money. The list is almost the same as the forums post, and yes I did cut the Solifuges the night before even though they were decent in testing. Grim Lavamancers went in after some deliberation.
3-2-1 Zooicide
White (40)
4 Anurid Brushhopper
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
4 Lightning Helix
4 Savannah Lions
4 Spectral Lynx
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Watchwolf
4 Woolly ThoctarBlue (20)
R Ancestral Recall
4 Fire/Ice
4 Psionic Blast
3 Jhessian Infiltrator
4 Sea Drake
4 Serendib EfreetGreen (40)
4 Burning-Tree Shaman
4 Gaea’s Might
4 Jungle Lion
4 Rip-Clan Crasher
4 Skyshroud Elite
4 Skyshroud War Beast
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Wild NacatlRed (52)
4 Boggart-Ram Gang
4 Char
4 Chain Lightning
4 Incinerate
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Jackal Pup
4 Kird Ape
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Price of Progress
4 Reckless Charge
4 Tin Street Hooligan
4 Tribal FlamesBlack (20)
4 Carnophage
4 Dark Confidant
R Demonic Tutor
4 Duress
4 Thoughtsieze
3 Wretched AnuridArtifact (7)
R Chaos Orb
R Mox Pearl
R Mox Ruby
4 SkullclampLand (75)
20 Fetchlands
3 Badlands
3 Bayou
4 City of Brass
4 Horizon Canopy
4 Plateau
4 Savannah
3 Scrubland
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
R Strip Mine
4 Taiga
4 Temple Garden
3 Tropical Island
2 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
4 Wasteland
The weakest card in the deck was probably Spectral Lynx, while good, it was sort of underwhelming. Jhessian Infiltrator tested extremely well as it was utterly unblockable as a blue slot and loved to hook up with a Reckless Charge on the fly. We had one player who just had a highlander together that didn't want to play, a few people with near complete decks and several who just didn't show up again. Looks like I need to stab some people next time I see them. Cam and Derek, this means you.
So fully complete decks, here is the list of decks, go cheaty decks...
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide
Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red
Ian - Control
Mark - Tokens
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red
Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown
Jesse - Slivers
Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition
Matt - Control
I proceed to be the best magic player in the place and start off with a first round bye again.
Round 1
Drew 3-2-1 Zooicide (Bye)
Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition vs. Matt - Control
Jesse - Slivers vs. Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown
Mark - Tokens vs. Ian - Control
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red vs. Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red
Aaron was given extra time to build his deck as he was putting it together right before the tournament and was kind of close to completing it. He had to play the first match unsleeved.
At this time our flash player Steve (phlonominal) showed up and since our TO is bed buddies with him he was allowed to enter the tournament and play against me who got the bye. I believe one match was done and several people were into the second and third games. I did get a game win at least, playing against a flash deck with a suicide build going in one game up had to be good right?
Game 2 - He elects to go first, lays a land and says go. I bring City of Brass on my side and summon up Isamaru, Hound of Konda to join my side. I kind of look at my life and say screw it, since I am playing against Flash my lofe total is irrelevant. He lays a Wall of Blossoms and says go. I Reckless Charge the Isamaru and he doesn't block and I Duress away a Worldly Tutor. He plays a land and casts Ancestral Recall and says go. I try to Charge my guy again and he Condescends for one and my guy bounces off the wall. Steve is at 12. He says go again, I Swords his wall and lay three more dudes during my turn ensuring next turn win he just goes Flash Hulk.
Game 3 - I have to Paris down cause I am awesome at magic and have to keep a one land hand with possible pressure. I break out turn one Figure of Destiny and say go, steve plays a land, I draw a land, attack, and use it to cast my Demonic Tutor for a needed Volcanic Island. Steve plays a fetch and says go. I attack again and play a Woolly Thoctar, having an abundance of three drops in my hand at this point, Boggart Ram-Gang, Serendib Efreet and Sea Drake, may have had a Char too. He casts Lim-Dul's Vault down from 15 to 11 then proceeds to Summoner's Pact Flash Hulk. Seriously, if Flash doesn't get banned in this ballot, we are making our own 5-color format where its banned and everything else is the same. This was also the worst bye ever.
Aaron had some brokeness versus slivers, that FMN Thirst for Knowledge looks sweet with the flash on the camera turning it red. He also played Tezzeret game 1, and while it was really good for him, it was probably not ban worthy. Only restricted at best, he seems to come down and make everything 5/5 's like a super Garruk and crush for 30 damage.
The cheaty red mirror match looks stupid and unfun.
Standings Round 1
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash - Matches 1-0
Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown - Matches 1-0
Ian - Control - Matches 1-0
Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red - Matches 1-0
Matt - Control Matches 1-0
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide - Matches 0-1
Mark - Tokens - Matches 0-1
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red - Matches 0-1
Jesse - Slivers - Matches 0-1
Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition - Matches 0-1
Pairing up the next round I was told I had the bye again somehow, of which that would be awesome but pointed out how there was an even number of players and thats impossible. Logic dictated I played Jesse, the only other unpaired player.
Round 2
Matt - Control vs. Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash vs. Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown
Ian - Control vs. Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red
Mark - Tokens vs. Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide vs. Jesse - Slivers
Game 1 - Jesse won the roll and played a land and passed. I roared out of the gates turn with a Tattermunge Maniac. He played a Heart Sliver and served me down to 19. I played a Jungle Lion / Reckless Charge and came in and demolished some life total to 10. He plays a Sedge Sliver and im at 13. I Chain Lighning that Sedge Sliver down attack, cast a Wild Nacatl and pass again. He gets another Sedge Sliver going. I serve and drop Grim Lavamancer and Figure of Desiny.
He ends up getting enough attackers being at 4 life and me at 9 to try and push through enough damage so I have to block with my Lavamancer. The thing is all his dudes have haste so I figured if he had anymore he would have played them and attack me. I just pump my Figure and block so the Figure and my Lavamancer lives. I can swing back against nothing, turns out he has a Swords and Crystalline Sliver with no white mana. One win for me.
Game 2 - It is best summed up with the picture below, turn 1 Mox Ruby, Fetching Scrubland, Kird Ape and Savannah Lions. Turn 2 Taiga Woolly Thoctar. Incinerate, Price of Progress and Tin Street Hooligan backup, he scooped.
Standings Round 2
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash - Matches 2-0
Matt - Control Matches 2-0
Ian - Control - Matches 2-0
Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition - Matches 1-1
Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red - Matches 1-1
Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown - Matches 1-1
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide - Matches 1-1
Mark - Tokens - Matches 0-2
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red - Matches 0-2
Jesse - Slivers - Matches 0-2
At this point Jesse drops from the tournament. I asked him why because its pretty much a fun thing and even if theres no chance to win anything its still fun, he agreed but said any tournament with Flash isn't fun. Vaild arguement.
Round 3
Matt - Control vs. Ian - Control
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash vs. Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide vs. Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition
Mark - Tokens vs. Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red vs. (Bye) spoiler, Mike loses
Game 1 - I one land mulligan and find a keepable but slow hand. For the life of me I can't read the scribbles on the first line, i've seen more readable signatures hah. I did write Dow at 13 life next to it so it must have been epic. I get a Sea Drake and clamp going while he starts generating token merfolks. He plays a Sygg River Guide that I Thundershock with a Lightning Bolt. He Durress's my Swords I can't play because I have the triple Taiga\Stomping Ground, Bayou, and Volcanic Island draw. Sea Drake mashes in for more until be casts an Unmake on it...didn't see it coming. I end up drawing another Sea Drake and winning with that one.
Game 2 - I end up having inefficient colors and playing a few Carnophages. For some reason I also draw two Gaea's Might and he gets two Kitchen Finks. I end up using the Mights to live past the Finks and using an Incinerate the keep them at bay, I am at 14 and he is at 21. I get some offence with a Burning-Tree Shaman and a third Carnophage and a Char and he runs out of guys and life points.
Lets just say the control versus control matchup looks just as boring as the cheaty red mirror match.
Aaron had to pop the Incubator in mid combat due to the fat guy on the board and the Lightning Helix in Mark's hand. I wonder what kind of arguements would entail if a Chaos Orb was flipped onto that shitstorm. He left 3 Mindslavers and his modified Zuran Orb in the deck for some reason. Mark's poor binder based Burning Wish did not solve that problem post combat. He needed an Infest or a Nausea to deal with that.
Standings Round 3
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash - Matches 3-0
Matt - Control Matches 2-0-1
Ian - Control - Matches 2-0-1
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide - Matches 2-1
Dow (jared_dow_30) - Merfolk Opposition - Matches 1-2
Mark - Tokens - Matches 1-2
Curt (midnightshambler) - Cheaty Red - Matches 1-2
Aaron (or4nge) - Mono Brown - Matches 1-2
Mike (WeaponX) - Cheaty Red - Matches 1-2
Jesse - Slivers - Matches 0-2 - Dropped
The control deck mirror drew because we were waiting so long for them. The point totals seem kinda wierd but whatever...they are correct. At this point it was pretty much mathamatically resolved on who would make top 4 so it we cut to top 4 after round 3. I could have made everyone play because I didn't want to play Flash in the semi's and lose in the semis for the third tournament in a row. Upon hearing that there was a 70/40/20/20 store credit split I was fine with winning something and let it go.
Top 4
Steve (phlonominal) - Flash vs Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide
Matt - Control vs. Ian - Control
Steve kind of borrowed like the entire deck from a gaming store again as seems to be standard proticol with him. Not only did he play Flash, he borrowed power and Library as well as a good manabase which just tops off the cake that he was at the top of the standings. He was flashing everyone out turn 3-5. When he played me last time it was turns 3 and turn 4. I am so listening to Nightwish right now writing this thing, thumbs up to Nightwish.
Game 1 - Again my life total is irrelevant and I generally have terrible notes regarding this game as its basically a goldfish exersize, my seven cards versus his seven, what kind of games are these. I layed down a few dudes and he ends up Evasive Actioning a turn 3 Anurid Brushhopper. The hoppers tested very well on friday and didn't show up much today but did good. Im swinging with a Nacatl and a Tattermunge every turn and he is down to 10. He casts a Mana Crypt and summons\uses a Divining Top. I draw another Brushhopper and crash for 5 damage briniging him down to 5. I do not cast the hopper instead replying on him taking three from the Crypt and having a Lightning Helix in my hand. He rolls a dice I call even, comes up with a two. I then cast Helix and he manages to Impulse twice digging for an out but dies on his upkeep due to the Helix resolution. The most fustrating thing out of all these games is that he is just 1 card away from winning at all times.
Game 2 - I end up keeping the nightmare hand that I knew could lose me the game with this deck, colorless source(Strip Mine) Volcanic Isand, but run with it anyways. I lay a Mogg Fanatic and pass. He has two land, says go. I draw Temple Garden like a pro and break out a Tarmogoyf and serve for one. I believe he doesn't have much business a lays a Shifting Wall for two. I strip away a Volcanic leaving him on double Hallowed Fountain. He ends up Impulsing and playing another Shifting Wall for one while I have a Tarmogoyf and Nacatl going with Helix backup and bring it home, Flash goes down into the consolation bracket.
Finals
Drew (Chimaera) - 3-2-1 Zooicide vs. Ian - Control
Matt - Control vs. Steve (phlonominal) - Flash
Ian is the one who won the last tournament and he brought the trophy this time as well. We pried off the "September" plate and going to use pink duct tape on the base and sign it everytime someone wins it. I think that the current owner of the trophy should be immune to the "no perms no talking rule". Ian offered a prize split but play for the trophy. I denied really needed to win this thing especially after taking down Flash. The Chimaera needs to win...pushing my luck I know.
Game 1 - I summon an Imperial Walker battalion but he answers with tow cables and Snowspeeders. I fire on his power generators and counter his tauntaun charge but he resolves some Ion Cannon blasts...wait wrong notes. Here we go. I break out with Tattermunge and turn two Wild Mongrel serving. Ian says that happens. Woolly Thoctor shows up on turn 3, he Eladamri's Call for a Shroekmaw to deal with the Thoctar. I windmail a Mogg Fanatic down on the board and serve again down to 10. He Animate Dead's my Thoctar and plays a 3/4 Tarmogoyf. Like like I may have to attack through that awfulness and hopefully Price of Progress him down, but I draw a Lightning Bolt, Price for 6, Bolt and Fanatic equals 10.
Game 2 - I get a Nacatl going, Ian plays a land. I Duress a Submerge and bring out Skyshroud Elite. Warbeast comes out all angry and he gets Mystical Teachings to Submerge. Wretched Anurid joins the fray for my side choosing to hold off on the Warbeast for backup. Ian drops a Murderous Redcap who doesn't want to murder my three toughness guys and domes me for three due to Anurid. I crash and he blocks something, he is around 11 now and im at 14. He gets another Redcap going after that one dissapears and I Incinerate it and crash again and have Warbeast \ Figure of Desiny backup incase of a sweeper. Turns out he doesn't really play any sweepers and I could have committed everything to the board but my current dudes got it done. The trophy is mine huzzah.
Although I told people beforehand to bring in their modified cards, we ended up missing multiple cards. One person had to leave which would have added two more to the pile and Mike didn't bring in half that he owned including a Vegeta Swords. Several cards were not done by us. The Thor Burning-Tree Shaman which is mine was done by the artist, its hard to see the foil Form of the Dragon also modified by the artist. The Masticore and Raya were also not done by us. Everything else is homemade and we have several more on the way, or4nge is doing a REB fire syle to go with the BEB surf attack he finished last night.
We end up going to Perkins again as mandetory, there is lots of Tremendous 12 again, five out of ten people order it. Pancakes and syrup all over the place. There was sadly no dice magic but alot of good random stories. Nothing awesome to mention.