Magic the Gathering

Report of Zendikar Game Day 01/11/2009

2009-11-03T09:52:00.000Z

I went with this final built of the UBW control. The reason why I had the Malakir Bloodwitch as a replacement to the Baneslayer Angel as it blocks opposing Bloodwitches and it is anti path of exile and Celestial Purges which is so much better then the Baneslayers in this format. The Luminarch Accession is a beast vs other control decks as it churns out tons of Angels that will win you most of your game.

Lands

4 [ZEN] Plains

4 [M10] Glacial Fortress

5 [ZEN] Island

4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum

1 [ALA] Swamp

5 [ZEN] Swamp

4 [M10] Drowned Catacomb

Creatures

2 [ZEN] Sphinx of Jwar Isle

2 [ZEN] Malakir Bloodwitch

3 [ARB] Wall of Denial

Spells

3 [ZEN] Luminarch Ascension

3 [M10] Jace Beleren

4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment

2 [ALA] Oblivion Ring

4 [ALA] Esper Charm

3 [CFX] Path to Exile

1 [M10] Liliana Vess

1 [ALA] Hindering Light

3 [M10] Negate

2 [CFX] Martial Coup

1 [ALA] Agony Warp

Sideboard

SB: 3 [M10] Flashfreeze

SB: 4 [M10] Celestial Purge

SB: 1 [M10] Baneslayer Angel

SB: 1 [M10] Pithing Needle

SB: 1 [M10] Haunting Echoes

SB: 4 [ZEN] Archive Trap

SB: 1 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus

There were a total of 17 players and the meta game was 3 Jund Decks, 2 Vampires, 1 Boros Bush Whacker, 1 UWR Accession Control, 1 Naya Zoo, 1 RDW, 1 UW Archive control, 2 UBW Control, 1 Artifact control , 1 Rock Ob Nixix Deck, 1 Soldier Deck and some others.

First Match was against Jack who is playing Archive Control Deck.

Game one went to him as I could not stop all the incoming Archive traps that were thrown to me as he decked me out before I could stop him.

Game two I boarded out 4 day of judgement and a path of exile for +4 Archive trap and +1 Haunting Echos

I had an explosive start with Luminarch Accession down and with negates in hand to stop his arvhive traps. He lead with a wall of denial and pass. I had Jace down and and slowly buidling up to 4 counters on the Accession and with a sorin Markov down in turn six he conceeded and it went to game three.

Game three we had to draw as there was not enough time on the round and the game ended 1-1

I will continue later on as I have to be away for the moment!!!!

Brainstorming

2009-11-01T02:30:00.000Z

It's 1.30 A.M. and with work at 8.00 A.M in the morning and 2.30 P.M is the Zendikar game's day I have decided to finalize my deck for my UBW control deck.

This is how a basic outline of the deck will be as Bushwhackers and vampires will make up most of the metagame tommorw.

Lands

4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
5 [ZEN] Plains
4 [M10] Island
4 [ALA] Swamp
4 [M10] Glacial Fortress
4 [M10] Drowned Catacomb

Creatures
[ZEN] Sphinx of Jwar Isle
[ARB] Wall of Denial

Spells

3 [M10] Jace Beleren
1 [M10] Liliana Vess
1 [ZEN] Sorin Markov
2 [CFX] Martial Coup
1 [ALA] Agony Warp
4 [ZEN] Luminarch Ascension
4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment
2 [ALA] Oblivion Ring
3 [CFX] Path to Exile
1 [M10] Cancel
4 [M10] Negate
4 [ALA] Esper Charm

UWB Planeswalker Control

2009-10-17T12:12:00.000+01:00

I have been wanting to make a UWB control deck for the current standard so I came out with this deck idea.

Lands

4 [M10] Island (3)
4 [ALA] Swamp (3)
4 [ZEN] Plains (3)
1 [M10] Drowned Catacomb
4 [M10] Glacial Fortress
4 [ZEN] Marsh Flats
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
1 [CFX] Rupture Spire

Creatures
3 [M10] Baneslayer Angel
2 [ZEN] Sphinx of Lost Truths

Spells
1 [ZEN] Sorin Markov
2 [ALA] Oblivion Ring
2 [ZEN] Conqueror's Pledge
1 [M10] Mind Control
1 [M10] Doom Blade
2 [M10] Liliana Vess
3 [M10] Jace Beleren
4 [M10] Cancel
2 [CFX] Martial Coup
4 [ALA] Esper Charm
4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment
4 [CFX] Path to Exile

The Jace and Liliana Vess combination of tutoring and drawing the much needed cards. The lone Sorin Markov is there to push the threat of this deck up and if you can see there is a lone Mind Control there for big fattie creatures. There are a few strategies that revolve around this deck We can outrace them with tokens, mill and discard or go for the normal beatdown. This deck is still at its initial test stage so anything could change. If you have any ideas on how to improve this deck I am more then happy to oblige so please Email me any thoughts. Thanks.

FNM Report on 13/10/2009

2009-10-15T11:44:00.003+01:00

I was pretty sure I have came out with the right choice of deck in a heavy Jund and vampire meta. The clock was ticking and I was eager to perform well in the FNM. Thought to myself that yes I can have at last some real test with my Naya Control deck apart from the constant testing on Magic Workstation. This was my deck built.

Lands

4 [ZEN] Mountain

4 [ZEN] Forest

3 [M10] Rootbound Crag

4 [ZEN] Plains

4 [ZEN] Arid Mesa

2 [M10] Sunpetal Grove

4 [ALA] Jungle Shrine

Creatures

3 [M10] Baneslayer Angel

4 [ARB] Bloodbraid Elf

2 [M10] Bogardan Hellkite

3 [M10] Great Sable Stag

Spells

2 [ZEN] Day of Judgment

3 [ALA] Ajani Vengeant

4 [M10] Lightning Bolt

3 [CFX] Path to Exile

4 [M10] Rampant Growth

2 [M10] Pyroclasm

3 [CFX] Volcanic Fallout

2 [M10] Garruk Wildspeaker

Sideboard

SB: 1 [M10] Baneslayer Angel

SB: 4 [M10] Celestial Purge

SB: 1 [ZEN] Day of Judgment

SB: 1 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus

SB: 1 [M10] Acidic Slime

SB: 1 [M10] Tempest of Light

SB: 1 [M10] Great Sable Stag

SB: 1 [ZEN] Summoning Trap

SB: 2 [ZEN] Burst Lightning

SB: 1 [M10] Pithing Needle

SB: 1 [ARB] Behemoth Sledge

I figured out that I need to cut out one Baneslayer Angel from the main deck as there are too many remoal spells in this format and it dies to almsot everything in the Jund and vampire deck, so I increased the amount of removal spell in my Main. Acidic Slime in the sideboard is good to take out the enchantments, artifacts and the Emeria Sky Ruin. Burst of Lightning to take out the Bloodwithches and tempest of light to take out the quests, O-Rings and Journey to Nowhere.

Round 1 vs Vampire Control

Game one I had Ajani Vengeant down to tap his creatures and lands. I had ample amount of removal spells from path of exile, pyroclasm and Lightning Bolt. I blew up the Opponent Lands and he had no other options to recover from there on. Game two I had two Great Sable Stags for the beatdown and as he could not find any other option to recover I took Round 1.

Round 2 vs Naya Aggro

Game one I had only three lands in play and managed to fend off horde of Wild Nactls and Scute Mobs and I was beaten down in the end by a lone Wholly Thoctar. Game two I had a great start with Ajani Vengeant down tapping down the Opponent land and doing the ultimate destroying the lands. I put down all my creatures and went for the win. Game 3 we had only 5mins left on the round and I was trying to outrace the damage on the board. When it was the last five turns I needed only to get it with four damages as I had a Lightning Bolt in hand but twist of fate Opponent had Ajani Vengeant down and she gained three life to my dismay. The Game ended as a draw.

Round 3 Vs Vampire Blightning

Game one I had pyroclasms and a pair of Great Sable Stag for the beat down and it was a quick easy victory as I flashed in the Hellkite for the win. Game two I was stuck on two lands as my Opponent rip my hands with blightning and it was soon over for me. Game three I had the Behemoth Sledge equipped on my Great Sable Stag as my bloodbraids and Stags pushed into the fray after successful removing all the vampires on board for the win.

Roud 4 vs Green White Tokens

Game one I mulligan down to five cards with only seeing two lands for the first five turns. My opponent had two Honor of the pure down with a couple of tokens from Conqueror's Pledge for the win as I could not find my day of Judgement. In game two I found my Day of Judgement few turns too late as he had two dauntless escort and tokens down to mass an army to my dismay.

Round 5 vs Vampire Control

Game one I was had nothing but drawing land after land after fending of the opponent few initial assult as he went for the first game victory with two vampire lords and two Blood Ghast. Game two I had him down to three life as he recovered from three tendrils and his combination of Liliana Vess tutoring up for the much needed cards he need for the win.

The final result was 2-1-2 as I sat down to reflect on the many play mistakes I made and what should have been done to Improve the game play.

The MVP cards which done me credit in all the games so far was Ajani Vengeant , Great Sable Stags and Celestial Purges. The cards which I am considering taking out was the Volcanic fallouts and replacing them with Burst of Lightning and adding one more Day of Judgement to the maindeck. Luck is also an important factor as it helps equalize the games that should have be won but lost. As I conclude this report the deck that came first was the Boros Bushwhacker Deck by Daniel Merrit.

My thoughts of New Rock Deck for Standard

2009-10-10T22:02:00.000+01:00

I came up with this BGW deck idea as my testing with the 5CC came to a disaster as I tried to fight off hordes of vampire decks which resulted in massive failure.

Lands

6 [ALA] Swamp (3)
8 [M10] Forest (3)
6 [ZEN] Plains (3)
2 [ZEN] Kabira Crossroads
1 [ZEN] Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
2 [M10] Sunpetal Grove

Creatures
4 [ZEN] Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 [ZEN] Rampaging Baloths
3 [CFX] Thornling
4 [M10] Baneslayer Angel
3 [M10] Great Sable Stag

// Spells
4 [ARB] Maelstrom Pulse
3 [M10] Garruk Wildspeaker
1 [M10] Mind Shatter
3 [M10] Rampant Growth
3 [ZEN] Harrow
1 [ARB] Behemoth Sledge
4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment

Experimental Cruel Deck 10/10/2009

2009-10-10T10:40:00.001+01:00

First of all I am a big fan of Quick and Toast Deck. I played many variants and made some of my very own. Patrick Chapin is a very innovative individual who comes out with new tech and constructs for the 5CC and for that I salute him. With his ideas overflowing and mine absorbing I will try to make cruel the traditional 5CC work in the current meta game for standard. This is my first test deck for 5CC which I thought of.

Lands

4 [CFX] Rupture Spire
2 [ALA] Swamp (3)
1 [ZEN] Plains (3)
2 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
2 [ZEN] Mountain (3)
3 [M10] Island (3)
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
4 [ALA] Crumbling Necropolis
4 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn

Creatures
3 [M10] Bogardan Hellkite
4 [M10] Baneslayer Angel

Spells
3 [ALA] Ajani Vengeant
2 [M10] Jace Beleren
1 [CFX] Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
4 [ALA] Cruel Ultimatum
2 [CFX] Martial Coup
4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment
3 [CFX] Volcanic Fallout
1 [M10] Essence Scatter
4 [ARB] Double Negative
4 [ALA] Esper Charm

Zendikar Draft 08/10/2009

2009-10-09T10:37:00.003+01:00

Hello Everyone! Zendikar draft is so much different around the strategies being implemented from the Magic 2010 draft. Like for example, following the draft strategies from some Pros, blue white is well known for their evasive creatures and removal spells. Zendikar on the other hand is so much different as blue is not very strong in this set. For example we have Merfolk Looter possibly the best card drawer in limited for Magic 2010 draft but we have Reckless Scholar which also have the same ability but it cost more to play. That gives you one turn too late to do anything. Blue is usual known for their fliers like for example in Magic 2010 we have Snapping Drake and Air Elemental. The Fliers in Zendikar costs more, had some drawbacks and needed some conditions to be met to fully utilise the full power of the card.

After the experience with trying to draft blue white with Zendikar which ended in failure I decided to go with Black Green. Black has some really good removal spells like Disfigure, Hideous End and Heartstabber Mosquito. The Power curve of the cards in black with the addition of adventuring Gear makes it so good. This is what my draft deck looks like.

Oran-Rief Recluse x 2

Timbermaw Larva x 1

Turntimber Basilisk x 2

Grazing Gladehart x 1

Vines of Vastwood x 1

Savage Silhouette x 1

Zendikar Farguide x 1

Territorial Baloth x 1

Adventuring Gear x 1

Vampire's Bite x 1

Giant Scorpion x 2

Vampire Nighthawk x 1

Bog Tatters x 1

Heartstabber Mosquito x 1

Disfigure x 1

Surrakar Marauder x 1

Expedition Map x 1

Crypt Ripper x 1

Hideous End x 1

Halo Hunter x 1

This deck was pretty much fun to play with as it has creatures with the Deathtouch ability and reach , some good fliers and evasive creatures. Savage Silhouette on the Turntimber Basilisk is one of a better choice to take out huge creatures. I went 3-1 only losing to a mono red ally plus burn .

Naya Control

2009-10-08T09:53:00.007+01:00

Creatures
Baneslayer Angel x 4
Bloodbraid Elf x 4
Great Sable Stag x 4
Borgarden Hellkite x 2

Spells
Lightning Bolt x 4
Harrow x 4
Path of Exile x 3
Day of Judgement x 3
Volcanic Fallout x 2

Planeswalker
Ajani Vengent x 3
Garruk Wildspeaker x 2

Total: 35 Spells

Lands
Arid Mesa x 4
Jungle Shrine x 4
Sunpetal Grove x 2
Rootbound Crag x 2
Mountain x 4
Plains x 4
Forest x 5

Total: 25 Lands

Why do I choose Naya control as my deck of choice. Due to the heavy aggro enviroment of vampires and Jund. This deck boast a complement of remvoval spells. It gives the option of playing the best creatures in the format. It gives you better sideboard options to Journey to Nowhere, Acidic slime (good against Emeria Sky Ruin), tempest of light and even play Chandra .

Zendikar

2009-10-08T09:39:00.007+01:00

I have taken a long leave of absence from Magic the Gathering due to my studies. Now I am back to give you my thoughts of Zendikar.

This set relies on certain conditions met in order to fully utilise the power of the cards from Zendikar. First Landfall mechanics , It is a truly inovative idea that Wizards R&D threw into the design of the Zendikar cards. When a land comes into play something happens. This gives the players more options to pull out something amazing when they play it. The next one is intimidate, sure we had fear before but intimidate gives it more choice of colours being played then the traditional black or colourless (artifact).

Gone are the old tribal decks of old like Green Black Elves, Faries, Merfolk, Kithkins and Elementals. Zendikar promise a new kind of new tribal build like Vampires and Kor. The return of fetchlands and the underpower of bluespells. I can only imagine that Zendikar will be fully focus on aggro decks while the release of World Wake will see the return of control decks.