The Armada Games EDH League returned this week. There were quick kills, interesting games, whiny and petulant players, swarms of Rats, and chaos all around.
But before we start talking about the League, I’ll tell you why I didn’t have time to come up with a new deck: I got a Magic Online account. All of the L5s got a no-trade, no-competitive account so we could go into the casual rooms and hang out with the players, play some EDH/Commander, and promote the game a little more. Of course, having not played much online, I’ve spent quite a few days getting used to the interface (I’ve killed my own Cunning Sparkmage more than once already), building decks, and just having a good time. Where EDH deckbuilding has suffered, fun has been had.
Speaking of playing, EDH isn’t the only thing I play. I’ve been playing Standard regularly since about March 2009, with the express goal of getting my Constructed rating to 1900 by only playing in FNMs (and other 8k events, like the 4-rounder Armada runs on Wednesdays). I will admit that my current 1808 is nothing special. It gets me 26th in my metropolitan area and 152nd in the state, which is hardly worth talking about. Considering it was 1716 when I got here, seems like a reasonable improvement, but 1900 seems like a distant dream. Playing PTQs and doing well would help, but that seems almost easy compared to slogging through a few points at time. I’ll keep posting milestones (like 1850, 1875) assuming I ever get there. I was playing Naya Shaman, but I think I like the Bant version a little better. It gives you access to Mana Leak and Sovereigns of Lost Alara (and thereby Eldrazi Conscription), which pushes it over the top for me.
Back to EDH, the reason I play the Karrthus deck is that it can play in both the short game and the long. It has enough threats and good cards at low casting costs to keep from getting overrun early, and it has enough high-powered weapons to stay in the long game. Playing EDH is a bit of a drag when you end up being a non-factor at any point, so I try to make sure I’m in the game no matter what.
New League time, new rules. There are some changes to the points system, but nothing too major. One of them is to make Flush worth fewer points since it was easy to get and the number of points was disproportionately high. Now, it’s an interesting +1 for each color of the creatures in the flush—so if you get it with Mono Green it’s +1, but if you get it with all Green/Red creatures, it’s +2. There’s also a new one called “SOLVED!” for destroying a Maze of Ith, Maze of Shadows, or Mystifying Maze. The bigger change is the Enchant Worlds have expanded to a list of about 140 enchantments that the Armada folks have chosen. That means we’re unlikely to get bored with what we see over 8 weeks. They combed the list of all enchantments, then took out the ones that hosed or promoted colors or that they just considered unfun.
GAME 1
Turnout this week is 12, a bit low considering previous turnouts. That’s still three tables of four, so there’s plenty of action. I’m seated with Taliah, playing Scion of the Ur-Dragon; Patrick with Rune-Tail; and Jake with Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker.
TURN 1
The first enchantment is Eyes of the Watcher. I think it only gets used once before the next one comes in.
Patrick: Plains
Me: Verdant Catacombs, get Overgrown Tomb (39).
Jake: Death Cultist
Taliah: Savage Lands
TURN 2
Patrick: Plains
Me: Reliquary Tower, Lotus Cobra. Reasonable start. I at least get to play some stuff early.
Jake: Reassembling Skeleton. I’ve seen his deck before, and once Shirei comes in, it’s kind of combo-y without being combo-for-the-purpose-of-a-single-thing. The Skeleton is a big part of that. I already have Withered Wretch in hand, and I’m already figuring out how to get him to put that thing in the yard so that I can remove it. It should be an easy task to get him to block a fattie then drop the Wretch.
Taliah: Land, Rampant Growth.
TURN 3
Patrick: Plains, Rune-Tail. Flip!
Me: Terramorphic Expanse, and Taurean Mauler, which I’ve just ripped.
Jake: Sadistic Sacrament, targeting me. I have a brief WTF moment, but when he starts searching through the library, I realize that he’s looking for graveyard hate. Not finding it, he takes Greater Good, Survival of the Fittest, and World at War, perfectly reasonable choices.
Taliah: Harrow and Cultivate. Ramptastic.
TURN 4
Patrick: Plains
Me: Bloodstained Mire getting a Red, sacrificing it to get Badlands (38) to get another Red, and tap the rest to cast Dragon Broodmother. At end of turn, Patrick Paths it for frowns. I know that those tokens were going to keep Scion off my back.
Jake: Heap Doll.
Taliah: Maelstrom Nexus.
TURN 5
Patrick: Lightning Greaves.
Me: Mosswort Bridge, under which I put Ob-Nixilis, and Ravenous Baloth. Attack Taliah with the Mauler, who is now 8/8 (32). In retrospect, it might have been better to attack Jake to lure him into overconfidence with his skeleton.
Jake: Marsh Flitter. Attacks Taliah (30)
Taliah: Scion of the Ur-Dragon, which cascades into Fires of Yavimaya. That’s pretty good. Attacks me (34).
TURN 6
Patrick: Deathless Angel
Me: I figure I have a turn to wait for Taliah to put out another dragon and then put on the Karrthus threat, so I activate Mosswort (the Mauler gets me there by himself), attack Jake, who as predicted blocks with the Reassembling Skeleton, then drop Withered Wretch and remove it. I play a land and drain Taliah to 27.
Jake: Royal Assassin. An old-school white-bordered copy.
Taliah: Attacks me, which I suspected, and then gets Dragon Tyrant, which I didn’t. She has enough to pump it up to 9/9, and just like that, I’m dead from General damage. My clever calculation turns into a titanic blunder.
Instead of sticking around to watch that match, I wander the room checking out the other tables and chatting with folks in the shop. I understand that Taliah swept the table, for which I blame myself. But hey, she’s become a regular along with her brother Nate (lately of the Radha deck) and has come with several other players, so it’s good to see some new blood win tables every now and again.
During the wander and chats, I hear about something that really irks me.
On one of the other tables, a player has scooped in response to an attack (not even a lethal one), for no purpose other than to screw over the attacking player (who was attacking with Thada Adel). Apparently, he was irritated that the Thada player was exiling his artifacts, got all snippy, and just scooped.
Here’s where I remind everyone that petulance has no place in a social game. Sure, there is a (albeit small) competition going on, but EDH League is clearly about the social aspects. If you can’t handle being attacked or having your stuff messed with, you’re clearly not capable of playing a social game. Clearly, you have every right to scoop whenever you want, but we’re not talking about having an emergency at home or being late for work. This guy scooped just to be a d*ck. Not acceptable.
In 1v1, scooping is a different story, since you’re the only player it affects, and the game is over. In multiplayer, it has significant impact on the game. In this case, the guy didn’t get to steal an artifact. In other cases, control effects might change, giving back stuff to players without them having to do anything. All in all, and I’ve tried to stop using this term, but this was a huge d-bag move. That said, I support the right of the guy to do it—and I also support the right of the people running the league to tell him he’s not invited to come back. He’s certainly not a guy I want to play with in what has become a very friendly social setting. I mention to him why it’s something that I prefer he not do, and I know one of the shop owners chatted with him. I don’t know the upshot of the conversation, but since Michael seemed satisfied, I suspected all was well. Perhaps a lesson was learned, or perhaps a griefer decided that his EV was low for repeating the behavior.
Then, to my surprise, I hear Michael called over to the table again, since another player has tried to do the same in response to the same situation. First of all, I know the player of Thada Adel isn’t the type to be an ass about playing his cards, so we can discount that. He’s generally a pretty decent guy, even if he IS playing Mono Blue (hehe!). I don’t go over there, but I watch from a distance as the opponent gets really indignant about the situation. It appears as though Michael talks him off the ledge, because the game continues from there.
Michael tells me later that he’s going to write up the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ for playing in the Armada EDH League, and it will include not quitting just to screw over people. I know this is probably going to generate more forum discussion than anything else, but I’m really okay with people running a League setting rules on what’s acceptable behavior in the game. Unless someone just has a really nasty attitude, there’s nothing that happens in an EDH game that’s worth getting angry over. Really.
GAME 2
After all the excitement, I’m hoping for an interesting game 2, and fortunately I got one. Before I tell you about it, I’ll mention Relentless Rats deck that was at one of the other tables. It’s a pretty good Rat deck, and giving half a chance, it will overrun the table. I heard that in game 2 he was about to, and then someone tapped down his guys and then played Meekstone. Seemed like a reprieve until someone else wasn’t quite paying attention and destroyed the Meekstone. Oops. Anyway, the Rats deck is fun and interesting to watch, and worth a shout out to Taylor for running it.
I’m seated with Danny, playing Oona (who I have to tell you, I fear a little), Jason with Zur (but before we start, I’m given to understand it’s not a Zur-lock deck, so it’s to be respected but not worth of targeted hate), and Patrick again with Rune-Tail.
TURN 1
The first enchantment is Abundance. I don’t write down everyone’s choices, but I’ll mention the ones that I think are significant.
Jason: Watery Grave
Danny: Swamp
Patrick: High Market, Sol Ring
Me: Forest. I’m non-landing out of the gate, since I have enough in my hand to get started.
TURN 2
Jason: Fetid Heath.
Danny: Island.
Patrick: Plains, Rune-Tail, flips.
Me: Mountain
TURN 3
Jason: Swamp, Ghostly Prison.
Danny: Terramorphic Expanse for an Island.
Patrick: Kjeldoran Royal Guard. Seems already good with Rune-Tail. There’s gotta be a Shield of Kaldra in there someone. Patrick mentions to me that in the previous game, the enchantment changed right after I got up… to Everlasting Torment.
Me: Llanowar Wastes, Morph, which is Hystrodon. I keep putting that guy in and then taking him about because I’m not attacking with him, then thinking he’ll be worth it. I know we’ve run that loop a bunch of times.
TURN 4
Jason: Land
Danny: Chrome Mox, Imprinting Power Sink, and Bribery targeting me. He looks through and thinks about It That Betrays, then after a little discussion with Patrick, decides Dragon Broodmother is better. I’m not sure I agree, but I was certainly glad he didn’t pick the 11/11 guy. And it would have been my own fault if I had taken that to the face. Fortunately, Jason has Malice (of Spite/Malice) to wreck it anyway.
Patrick: Plains, Archon of Redemption (43).
Me: Here’s where I need land, so I call it, and drop Jens.
TURN 5
Jason: Dromar’s Cavern, bounces a Swamp.
Danny: Evolving Wilds, Darksteel Ingot, and asks “who is the best to target with Trade Secrets?” My immediate response is “NOT THE GUY PLAYING BLUE!” Patrick agrees, and Danny targets him. Jason uses a good, old-fashioned Counterspell, which is well worth it.
Patrick: Plains, Deathless Angel (48), attack Danny (37).
Me: With the Jens play last turn, I can now use the bounceland. I drop Gruul Turf and Garruk, then untap it to be able to cast Ravenous Baloth.
TURN 6
Jason: Azorius Signet
Danny: Oona. Did I mention that guy scares the crap out of me?
Patrick: Linvala (51). That might keep Oona in check for a bit. Attacks Danny with the Angel (32) and me with the Archon (37).
Me: During my turn, Jason Mystical Teachings for Enlightened Tutor. I think it’s reasonable for me to Decree of Pain here, which I can do via Garruk. Patrick makes the Royal Guard indestructible and sacrifices Linvala (52).
TURN 7
Jason: Fellwar Stone and uses the tutor for Propaganda.
Danny: Library of Leng, and Nevinyrral’s Disk.
Patrick: Taj-Nar Swordsmith for 4, and it’s no surprise when he gets the Shield.
Me: Azusa. Skarrg, the Rage Pits. Cycle Krosan Tusker, drop the land, untap two and drop Ouphe Vandals. I can now have some control over the Disk. Quite honestly, I’ll probably let him blow it if he chooses to wait until after Zur’s gotten a few enchantments on it.
TURN 8
Jason: Draws the Propaganda but holds onto it due to the Disk.
Danny: Waits.
Patrick: Shield onto the Royal Guard. Attacks me with Swordsmith (35).
Me: Before I untap, the enchantment changes to Dawn of the Dead. I go to (34), then regrow the Baloth. Play Spearbreaker Behemoth and attack Jason (36). End of turn, sacrifice the Baloth (38).
TURN 9
Jason: (35) and nothing to regrow. Casts Zur.
Danny: (31) and also nothing to regrow. Doubling Cube.
Patrick: (51) and gets Deathless Angel. Breath of Life on his Archon (54). Pays 2 to attack Jason with the Angel (30) and Danny with the Swordsmith (29). At end of turn, I expect him to sacrifice the Angel to High Market, but he lets it exile.
Me: (37) and get Baloth again. Shriekmaw the Archon then Bojuka Bog Patrick. Attack Danny (25) and once again sacrifice the Baloth (41).
TURN 10
Jason: (29) Hardcasts Daybreak Coronet on Zur, attacks Patrick, and gets Diplomatic Immunity. Patrick uses the Royal Guard.
Danny: (24) Casts Oona. Importantly, taps out to do so.
Patrick: (53) Jason Swords the Royal Guard, which Patrick sacrifices to High Market (54). Attacks the Shield to the Swordsmith.
Me: (41) Repeat getting Baloth. Kazandu Refuge (42). Karrthus, which attacks Patrick before he can once again regrow the Bodyguard (47). I cast World at War, attacking Patrick again. This time he has a Swords of his own for Karrthus (49) and at end of turn, I sacrifice the Baloth (53).
TURN 11
Jason: (28) Propaganda, attacks me (49) him to (32), and gets Seal of Cleansing to blow up the disk.
Danny: (23) Gets 10 mana with Doubling Cube, and casts Gilded Drake. He swaps it for my Spearbreaker and then mills Patrick for 7, exiling a very saucy Twilight Shepherd, Blazing Archon, and Vengeful Archon, netting him 3 Faeries.
Patrick: (46) Does nothing.
Me: (48) I’m going to have to do something here since World at War is going off. I regrow the Pathcutter. A new enchantment comes, and it’s Saproling Cluster. Interesting. I recast Karrthus, and I use Garruk’s overrun (he has 12 counters on him), attacking Danny with everyone. Blocks happen, and he’s at three life. One the second attack step, I send Karrthus at Patrick (36) and the rest at Danny for the kill. At end of turn, Jason cracks Terramorphic Expanse and Polluted Delta (31).
TURN 12
Jason: Divinity of Pride. Attacks me again with Zur, getting Steel of the Godhead (42), him to (37).
Patrick: Nothing
Me: I know it’s now or never. Jason is likely going to kill me with Zur next turn (getting something that gives him Double Strike will do it), and I know all he has in his hand is a Swamp because he hasn’t replayed it after bouncing it. I cast Insurrection. Patrick sacrifices his guy. I’ve forgotten about Propaganda and Ghostly Prison, however, which means I can’t send the team at Jason. I can kill Patrick with an alpha-strike, but it seems worthwhile to pay 4 to attack Jason with Karrthus, setting up for a later General kill, and Patrick with the rest of the team. Now I start wondering what I’ll get with Zur, as I’m searching, Patrick says “Um, Goblin Bombardment?” It’s the only real choice, although if I had more mana up, Pernicious Deed would have been worthwhile. I get the Bombardment. After combat, I shoot the guys at Jason. Life totals end up with me (64), Jason (25), Patrick (7).
TURN 13
Jason: Flashes back Mystical Teachings. Thinks about getting Mystical Tutor (for Damnation) then realizes he has no way to draw it. Gets Unmake and jumps the gun a little by casting it now on Karrthus.
Patrick: Worship. Seems reasonably good with Saproling Cluster as the enchantment.
Me: I count graveyards and there are exactly 10 creatures. I cast Avatar of Woe for BB, Fires of Yavimaya, Changeling Titan Championing the Ouphe Vandals, and attack Patrick for the kill. When I ask why he didn’t make a token to stay alive, he says that I would have just made one of my own and killed it with Bombardment.
TURN 14
Jason: No Mercy and recasts Zur, which I kill with Avatar. He’s empty, so I know I have this one. Actually getting that Damnation might have been the right answer.
Me: I overrun again and swing since I have enough mana to pay for the three guys, which is slightly more than enough to kill him, even with a blocking Zur.
There was enough seesaw to that game to make it interesting enough. Standing at the abyss of getting killed and coming back from that edge made it memorable.
Shortly after we finished, the enchantment changed to Flowstone Surge (Michael has a random picker on his spreadsheet). There was only one table still playing, so Michael walked over to tell them. A huge roar went up from the table, which happened to have two brothers playing at it. Seems as though one brother found it pretty amusing that all the other brother’s dudes were 1/1s.
Finally, I’ll tell you that Armada has entered into a partnership—well, let’s actually call it a brotherhood—with Area 51 Games in Grapevine, Texas, to run exactly the same EDH League with the same rules at the same time every Thursday (which means they start at 6pm locally). Here’s hoping we can get some reports from EDH superfan Ira Wile and his cronies of the Chaos getting Embraced in the Lonestar State.