Commander Play-By-Play: #GPAtlanta!

Last month’s Commander Celebration at #GPAtlanta was one of the most fun events of the year! Sheldon was kind enough to document a featured Commander pod and share the craziness that resulted!

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I know it’s been more than a month since the great times we had at #GPAtlanta, but I nonetheless wanted to give you the play by play of one of the games there. As you’ll see, it had some oddness, making it one of the memorable games of the weekend. It was the first or second game I played Saturday morning, and it features StarCityGames’ own Danny West as one of the players (Danny was spell-slinging as well, but the two of us wanted to get a game together and since there were no players waiting, we thought it was a prime opportunity). Fan of the format Chris Shipper had contacted me before the weekend and volunteered to record one of the games, so I took him up on the offer (thanks for having legible handwriting, Chris!). Chris and I got to play at least two games during the weekend (perhaps he can confirm if there was a third); good times were had by all.

I’m playing Karador, Danny is playing Tolsimir Wolfblood, Ryan has Prime Speaker Zegana, and Christian has Maelstrom Wanderer. Danny clearly wins the prize for most “off the beaten path” commander. I only wish that he had gotten to make some Voja tokens. As a side note, this is one of the unusual tokens that has a different name than its creature type, which is Wolf. In most cases, the name and type are the same. Like Plant.

TURN 1

Danny (Tolsimir): Stirring Wildwood.

Me (Karador): Woodland Cemetery.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Wooded Foothills.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Mana Confluence.

TURN 2

Danny (Tolsimir): Temple of Plenty, and he keeps what he scrys.

Me (Karador): Swamp.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Dryad Arbor. I’m still not sure about this card in the format. Sure, I get that you can search it up with Green Sun’s Zenith and it’s a Forest (so you can fetch for it), but it just dies to the first board wipe. I think you might be able to get a read on someone who plays it as also someone who plays a fair amount of Modern (whatever insight that might give you).

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Stomping Ground.

TURN 3

Danny (Tolsimir): Plains.

Me (Karador): Savannah, Liliana, Heretical Healer.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Island.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Nothing. At end of turn, Danny whacks Liliana with Beast Within.

TURN 4

Danny (Tolsimir): Sunpetal Grove, Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice.

Me (Karador): Plains. I was counting on that Liliana to do some work, because my hand isn’t all that good.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Cracks Wooded Foothills for Tropical Island (39). Casts Harrow, sacrificing an Island to get Forest and Island.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Cascade Bluffs, Clever Impersonator, copying Trostani.

TURN 5

Danny (Tolsimir): Homeward Path and Mirari’s Wake. Ryan counters it with Spell Pierce. No complaints. Reinforces my read on Ryan as a Modern player—or the environment he plays in is pretty cutthroat.

Me (Karador): Plains. Obviously, I don’t have much going at the moment.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Magus of the Future.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Sakashima the Impostor, copying nothing (41), which is perfectly legal (Sakashima is a “may”). Seems like copying Trostani again (since Sakashima keeps the name and thereby doesn’t invoke the legend rule), would have been okay.

TURN 6

Danny (Tolsimir): Juniper Order Ranger (44).

Me (Karador): Godless Shrine untapped (38), Duplicant. Exile Sakashima, because I know how good that thing is. I especially don’t want it coming back and copying my Duplicant.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Yavimaya Coast, has Plasm Capture on top. Casts Worldly Tutor for Prophet of Kruphix. Casts it and has Jace Beleren on top.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Phyrexian Metamorph (40). Ryan casts Summoner’s Pact for Mystic Snake countering the Metamorph. Has Stifle on top.

TURN 7

Danny (Tolsimir): Explore, Soul Warden (46). Ryan casts Prime Speak Zegana at end of turn, drawing three cards.

Me (Karador): Scrubland, Massacre Wurm. Danny (45), Ryan (35). At end of turn, Ryan casts Deadeye Navigator, pairing it with Prime Speaker Zegana. We figure he’s already pretty much in complete control of this game now.

Ryan (Prime Speaker): Blinks Zegana with Deadeye Navigator, draws six. Ancient Tomb, Mana Vault. Discards, one of which is Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, so he shuffles his graveyard into his library.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Fetches for Taiga (38). Garruk, Primal Hunter and makes a Beast (41). Ryan blinks Zegana, drawing six again. Twice.

TURN 8

Danny (Tolsimir): Wrath of God. Ryan blinks Deadeye Navigator twice, then casts Force of Will on the Wrath of God. Clearly Ryan has a tightly-optimized deck and wants to dominate the game. At this point, there’s little we can do about it. It’s bearable only because he seems like a reasonably friendly guy—but Force of Will is a loose call when you want to be friendly. So is tutoring for Prophet of Kruphix, but now I’m just being nit-picky.

Me (Karador): During my upkeep, Ryan realizes he forgot to pay for his Pact. He apologies and scoops up his cards. In a super friendly and easy-going game, I might have suggested just letting him pay for it right there, but he had already established playing with the gloves off. He does get high marks for honesty, though, because I doubt any of us would have remembered. There were a bunch of spectators there, too (not to mention Chris, who was busy recording the game), and none of them remembered it either. I’d probably play with Ryan again; I’d just know that I’d need to be playing a top-tier deck if I did. In fact, I only have one out of all 34 decks which I’d consider playing (Intet) if he were to sit down for another game.

[Editor’s Note: I did, in fact, play with Ryan again the next morning. He was playing a different deck, and our pod of six gentlemen went over two hours without anyone gaining any sort of extreme advantage. It was one of the most enjoyable Commander experiences I’ve ever had. My guess is that Ryan opened with his competitive deck simply because the environment was new and unknowable at the time. It reminded me of a lesson someone told me about being a teacher years ago: they said it’s always easier to be too strict and scale back than it is to be too lenient and then never be able to control a classroom. Hardly comparable, but still, I’d vote for Ryan if he were running for office.–Danny West]

I imagine this will generate some discussion of the cards most talked about at the moment, Prophet of Kruphix and Deadeye Navigator (although a fair bit of the Deadeye chatter has died down). In this game, they obviously helped create a pretty oppressive gamestate—but it seems like the real bogeyman is the early tutoring. Prophet is rough enough, but tutor for it and then back it up with a fistful of counterspells? That is something else. Don’t confuse this for me saying that it’s not a valid style of play—so long as everyone is on board. If Ryan tutored (not to mention a Pact) for Mystic Snake in order to counter an inoffensive Phyrexian Metamorph, then he has to be running at least ten or so pieces of countermagic since he’s not worried about throwing one away (unless, of course, he wants a chance to pair it with that Deadeye Navigator). Prophet itself (not arguing against how strong it is, because it’s super-strong) was less the problem than the build-around in creating the undesirable gamestate. It certainly fueled the brokenness, but remember we’re talking about a three-card combo here.

All that asiding aside, my only play is Forest, Go.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Minuses Garruk, draws three. Casts Thran Dynamo, discards Boundless Realms.

TURN 9

Danny (Tolsimir): Plains, Sun Titan (52), getting back Soul Warden (53). Juniper Order Ranger attacks Garruk; it’s chumped by the Beast. Christian to (39) from Massacre Wurm.

Me (Karador): Forest, Karador, Liliana from the graveyard. Massacre Wurm finishes off Garruk.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Maelstrom Wanderer into a pretty saucy duo, Palinchron and Consecrated Sphinx (54); Danny to (54). Malignus (71). Wooded Foothills. Attacks me with Malignus; Duplicant blocks and dies, like it’s supposed to, so that I can bring it back. Liliana transforms into Liliana, Defiant Necromancer.

TURN 10

Danny (Tolsimir): Christian draws when Danny does. Rain of Thorns, taking out Thran Dynamo and Taiga. Christian fetches Breeding Pool (70) in order to save some time later.

Me (Karador): Consecrated Sphinx does its thing on my draw. I cast Duplicant from the graveyard, getting rid of Consecrated Sphinx. There are no complaints (everyone seems to be aware of The List) Danny to (58). I +2 Liliana so that I can put Avenger of Zendikar in the graveyard. I think there’s likely to be very little graveyard hate here, so I can kind of go for it in a turn or two.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Somberwald Sage, which Danny tells us is his computer wallpaper. [Still is—Ed.] Malignus battles Danny, eating up some of that lifegain (26). Casts Glen Elendra Archmage.

TURN 11

Danny (Tolsimir): Saffi Eriksdottir (30). Juniper Order Ranger attacks Christian (64).

Me (Karador): Christian fetches for a Forest while I’m untapping (63). I cast the Avenger, getting ten Plant tokens. Danny to (41). I then Bojuka Bog Christian and battle him with Massacre Wurm (57).

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Flooded Strand. Malignus at Liliana. Duplicant does his duty and once again chumps. Casts Bane of Bala Ged. Cracks the Flooded Strand for Island (56).

TURN 12

Danny (Tolsimir): Attacks Christian with Juniper Order Ranger, who blocks with Maelstrom Wanderer, which gets crushed (although I suppose being able to recast it takes out some of the sting).

Me (Karador): I make the devastating play: Spore Frog. Danny to (42). Recast Duplicant, taking out Glen Elendra Archmage, just in case I want to cast a noncreature spell (like a big, fat Living Death, Genesis Wave, or the Decree of Pain in my hand). Once again +2 Liliana, pitching something insignificant.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Recasts Maelstrom Wanderer, getting Imperial Recruiter (which he uses to search up Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker) and then Scourge of the Throne. Danny to (46). Sends Malignus and Bane at Danny and Scourge and Palinchron at me. Danny exiles Soul Warden and Trostani. Those Eldrazi are nasty. I Fog with Spore Frog.

TURN 13

Danny (Tolsimir): Casts Elspeth, Knight-Errant. Makes a Soldier. Battles Christian with Sun Titan and Juniper Order Ranger. Sun Titan trades with Maelstrom Wanderer. Christian to (56).

Me (Karador): +2 Liliana again. We’re getting that emblem! Massacre Wurm, ten 1/2 Plants, and Duplicant attack Christian (33). I decide to go for it here. I cast Decree of Pain. Danny sacrifices Saffi on Juniper Order Ranger in response. Danny goes to (42), Christian to (19) from Massacre Wurm. I draw 23 cards. Recast Karador, Spore Frog, and play Maze of Ith. Discard a bunch, giving myself a very spicy graveyard.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Mana Reflection, go.

TURN 14

Danny (Tolsimir): Forest, Martial Coup for four. Makes another Soldier with Elspeth. A sizeable Juniper Order Ranger attacks Christian (12).

Me (Karador): Ultimate Liliana. Cast Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite from the graveyard, killing Danny’s Soldiers. [Not even mad.—Ed.] Karador and Spore Frog battle Christian (4). Isolated Chapel, Birthing Pod. Pod away Elesh Norn to get Ashen Rider, taking out the Mana Reflection, which seems dangerous enough at this stage of the game to be able to upset my plans. And it’s zero risk, since Elesh Norn comes back at end of turn due to the emblem.

Christian (Maelstrom Wanderer): Time Spiral, which has the added effect of shuffling my graveyard back into my library. So much for my plans! Now I’m super happy that I got rid of Mana Reflection. Fetches for Island (3), then casts Sol Ring and Prophet of Kruphix. Note how Christian’s Prophet does not save him.

TURN 15

Danny (Tolsimir): Mosswort Bridge. Lightning Greaves. Makes a Soldier just to put the counter on Elspeth (since it dies to Elesh Norn).

Me (Karador): Plains, Grave Pact (which seems like the coffin nail). +2 Liliana. Cast Greater Good. Ashen Rider battles Christian, killing him since he doesn’t have a flyer on the battlefield or in hand; I send Spore Frog, Karador, and Elesh Norn at Danny (30). Cast Archon of Justice. Looks like Danny’s in a tight spot.

TURN 16

Danny (Tolsimir): Ticks Elspeth up to eight. Casts Rampaging Baloths, and attaches Greaves to it. I Greater Good away Archon of Justice, taking out Elspeth (and Archon of course returns at EOT—I think we’ve gotten to the silly stage; that emblem is something else).

Me (Karador): +2 Liliana, send team at Danny (4). Cast Suture Priest.

TURN 17

Danny (Tolsimir): Danny has End Hostilities, but because I have the emblem, it won’t do him any good. With a sacrifice outlet and the creatures not coming back until end of turn, I’d think he’d need a Planar Cleansing plus a Fog to last the turn, then another exile-style board wipe to get back to parity (remember, with Liliana’s outstanding emblem, I would get back any creatures that died). None of that being the case, he graciously extends the hand.

The tenor of the game clearly changed after Ryan forgot to pay for the Pact. It became a little more relaxed; again, that wasn’t really about Ryan, but the cards he had on the table and the style of deck he was playing. If he had remembered, I suspect either the game would have been over as we just waited for him to eventually kill us since he would have simply countered everything relevant (or maybe just everything, because he could) or it would have developed into a three-on-one (which can sometimes be a fun challenge). The experience reinforces that agreeing on what style of game you’re going to have is more important that what the style is. I’m not against strong control decks, I’m against strong control decks playing with decks which aren’t in the same class. Especially in games with folks outside your regular play group, asking a few questions helps so that you can either pick an equivalently-powered deck, ask them to do the same, or find a different game (I know some folks only have or carry a single deck). Avoiding a game that you’re not going to like is probably the better call than sitting down to one in which you’re going to be miserable.

I’ll let you know that the Commander Rules Committee met this past weekend. We discussed mulligans, colorless mana, rules, and cards. It was a quite productive meeting (and, if I recall correctly, the first we’ve done via video—we used Google Hangouts—instead of text). You’ll see the results of that meeting when the next regular Magic Banned List update comes out on 18 January 2016.

Have a Merry Christmas. Here’s hoping for Peace on Earth and good will toward everyone. If you’re drinking, please don’t drive. If you’re driving, please watch out for people who haven’t followed this advice.

This Week’s Deck Without Comment is the deck I play in the above report.

Halloween With Karador
Sheldon Menery
Test deck on 02-11-2015
Commander
Magic Arena

Creatures (45)

Lands (36)

Spells (17)

Magic Card Back


Check out our awesome Deck List Database for the last versions of all my decks:

ADUN’S TOOLBOX;
ANIMAR’S SWARM;
AURELIA GOES TO WAR;
CHILDREN of a LESSER GOD;
DEMONS OF KAALIA;
EREBOS and the HALLS OF THE DEAD;
GLISSA, GLISSA;
HELIOD, GOD OF ENCHANTMENTS;
DREAMING OF INTET;
FORGE OF PURPHOROS;
KARN, BEATDOWN GOLEM;
HALLOWEEN WITH KARADOR;
KARRTHUS, WHO RAINS FIRE FROM THE SKY;
KRESH INTO THE RED ZONE;
LAVINIA BLINKS;
LAZAV, SHAPESHIFTING MASTERMIND;
ZOMBIES OF TRESSERHORN;
MELEK’S MOLTEN MIND GRIND;
MERIEKE’S ESPER CONTROL;
THE MILL-MEOPLASM;
MIMEOPLASM DO-OVER;
NATH of the VALUE LEAF;
NYLEA OF THE WOODLAND REALM;
OBZEDAT, GHOST KILLER;
PURPLE HIPPOS and MARO SORCERERS;
ZEGANA and a DICE BAG;
RITH’S TOKENS;
YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF;
RURIC THAR AND HIS BEASTLY FIGHT CLUB;
THASSA, GOD OF MERFOLK;
THE ALTAR of THRAXIMUNDAR;
TROSTANI and HER ANGELS;
THE THREAT OF YASOVA;
RUHAN DO-OVER;
KARADOR DO-OVER;
KARRTHUS DO-OVER

If you’d like to follow the adventures of my Monday Night RPG group (in a campaign that’s been alive since 1987 and is just now getting started with a new saga called “The Lost Cities of Nevinor”), ask for an invitation to the Facebook group “Sheldon Menery’s Monday Night Gamers.”