I watched Italy play terribly on the morning of EDH League, so I was angry. It was really a letdown to see gli azzurri so dominated by such a lesser squad. The only deck to play angry is Kresh (okay, maybe Karrthus, but still, Kresh is much angrier). After playing a few casual games, I popped Altar of Dementia out of Karrthus and into Kresh for some serious shenanigan value (plus the fact that if you want to mill yourself for the purpose of graveyard-filling, having big, fat Eldrazi in your deck is kind of counterproductive).
As far as reports go, we’re a week behind actual events, but I thought last week’s article was necessary, we had previews, and we’ll catch up. I’m glad we generated so much discussion in the forums.
We had another great turnout for the League, with 21 players. That puts us in four fours and a five. I’m seated regulars Ryan (Child of Alara), Aaron D (Karona), and Jon (Cromat). It’s me versus the five-colors. Life expectancy of any creature measured in nanoseconds. It’s a good table, though, and I suspect that we’ll have lots of fun (especially since Jon has chosen to not run his Arcum Funwrecker deck).
GAME 1
Turn 1
The first Enchant World is Serra’s Aviary. My hand is full of land and no early plays. It’s worth keeping.
Aaron: Boreal Shelf
Jon: Frost March
Me: Stomping Ground
Ryan: Plains
Turn 2
Aaron: Yavimaya Hollow
Jon: Raging Ravine
Me: Forest
Ryan: Rupture Spire, a great turn 2 EDH play. Doesn’t slow you down at all, gives you access to all your colors.
Turn 3
Aaron: Sol Ring, Volrath’s Stronghold, Hoofprints of the Stag. That guy could get good.
Jon: Jungle Shrine.
Me: Mountain
Ryan: Island, Azorius Guildmage. This is a guy to which you have to pay attention. Whenever he’s on the field, he has an impact.
Turn 4
Aaron: Vesuva, copies Jungle Shrine (for a point)
Jon: Irrigation Ditch, Crucible of Worlds. Now, I’m pretty sure Jon isn’t playing any kind of nasty ‘recur Strip Mine’ strategy, but I don’t put it past him. Jon has occasionally demonstrated a lack of concern about other people’s fun, so he bears keeping an eye on.
Me: Swamp, and the Greater Good I just drew. Kind of Not-So-Great when you don’t have dudes.
Ryan: Crosis’ Catacombs, Diabolic Tutor. Knowing Ryan, he’s getting something to play now, not some setup for later.
Turn 5
Aaron: Bayou, Lurking Predators. A slow start has gotten quicker.
Jon: Arcane Sanctum, Hanna (Preds gets Boneshredder, which has no target besides the Guildmage).
Me: Forest, Kresh (Preds ships Demonic Collusion).
Ryan: Ghostly Prison (Preds gets Bonded Fetch).
Turn 6
Aaron: Pays Echo (?) and casts High Market. Maybe he didn’t have anything else to do.
Jon: Brushland, Crack the Ditch to cast Thicket Elemental kicked (Preds gets Soul Warden) for Stormscape Master. Aaron to (42).
Me: Reliquary Tower, Dreamstone Hedron (Aaron ships Austere Command). Interesting that there are some games by turn 6 I’d be afraid to tap out to play the Hedron for fear of getting overrun. This one seems to be developing more slowly, so I think I’m okay.
Ryan: Seaside Citadel.
Turn 7
Aaron: Mistveil Plains, Ageless Entity (43).
Jon: Irrigation Ditch from the yard, Dueling Grounds (Aaron tucks Tsabo’s Decree—clearly anti-token tech!)
Me: Oran-Rief. One of my opening hand cards was Natural Order. I figured I’d get something small (Wood Elves?) to sac to it, but alas, all I have is the Kresh. I figure I’ll get him back anyway, so I sacrifice it (Aaron tucks a land) for Woodfall Primus to take out the Predators, Aaron to (44).
Ryan: Nothing. EOT, Aaron activates Bonded Fetch.
Turn 8
Aaron: Reya Dawnbringer (45).
Jon: Coastal Tower
Me: Thicket Elemental, Kicked, getting Charnelhoard Wurm, Aaron to (47). Now I’m getting some dudes. I use the Oran-Rief then Demonic Tutor, searching during Ryan’s turn. At EOT, Ryan targets Jon with Beacon of Immortality (80), earning a point.
Ryan: Wrath of God. I sacrifice my guys to Greater Good (except obviously the Woodfall), which comes back and takes out something I can’t recall.
Turn 9
Aaron: Makes a token
Jon: Casts Lurking Predators of his own.
Me: Morph (Jon ships an Island), which is Nantuko Vigilante. I immediately flip it up to blow up his LPreds. I cast Altar of Dementia, drop Overgrown Tomb tapped, and Oran-Rief the Vigilante.
Ryan: Nothing again. At EOT, Aaron puts Reya on top and Lurking Predators on the bottom.
Turn 10
Aaron: Recasts Reya.
Jon: Enchant World changes to Caverns of Despair, which gets a giant “So What?” from us since we have Dueling Grounds still in play. Rith’s Charm to destroy Volrath’s Stronghold (I’ll confess to not knowing it could do that), and then Routs. I have Bojuka Bog in my hand, and I know Ryan’s deck is full of recursion, so I mill him with the Altar. The mill is for nine cards, and it gets most of his nasty recursion. Ryan frowns, the rest of the table cheers.
Me: Bojuka Bog. Ryan frowns again, and then casts Time Stop. The table cheers.
Ryan: Exotic Orchard, evokes Reveillark to get back the Guildmage.
Turn 11
Aaron: Waterfront Bouncer
Jon: Stomping Ground, Cromat.
Me: Suspend Greater Gargadon. Grave Pact, then Rakdos Carnarium to bounce the Bog. Jon casts Treva’s Charm on Grave Pact (earning him a Block Party point)
Ryan: Fracturing Gust. I sacrifice the Altar and Hedron to Gargadon. Ryan to (50).
Turn 12
Aaron: Nothing. I’ll confess to not yet having figured out this Aaron. He plays colors and cards that sometimes make me think he’s up to no good, and then other times, he’s just content to play middle-of-the-road stuff. I think it’s all part of some master plan.
Jon: Tsabo Tavoc. Attacks me with Cromat (35).
Me: Bog Ryan. Tormod’s Crypt. My graveyard hate is alive! Pernicious Deed.
Ryan: Child of Alara. At EOT, Aaron puts Reya on the bottom.
Turn 13
Aaron: Planar Portal—clearly a card for someone up to insidiousness.
Jon: Attack me with Cromat (30).
Me: Keep Deed mana.
Ryan: Suspend Aeon Chronicler for 1, attack me with Child (24). I’m getting Generally beaten down.
Turn 14
Aaron: Planar Portal for—Swamp. So that’s why he’s been quiet.
Jon: Attack Aaron with Cromat (42).
Me: Gargadon to 5. Lurking Predators.
Ryan: Chronicler comes in, I get nothing. Attacks Jon with Child, who blocks with Tsabo. I feel like they don’t like my LPreds. Ryan sends Child to the yard. It triggers, I Crypt Jon. Ryan Zombifies his Guildmage.
Turn 15
Aaron: Enchant World changes to Storm World. We might be taking damage. Horde of Notions, and attacks Jon with it (74)
Jon: Storm World to (72). Blazing Archon.
Me: Gargadon to 4, Kresh. EOT Ryan Makeshift Mannequins Child of Alara.
Ryan: Storm World to (49). Prahv.
Turn 16
Aaron: Izzet Boilerworks, bounces Vesuva. Loxodon Hierarch (46), attacks me. I block with Kresh (22).
Jon: Storm World (70). Guided Passage (neat card choice). Targets me. I give him Reassembling Skeleton, Amulet of Vigor, and Forest. Thunderscape Familiar, recast Cromat, cast Skeletons. Attacks Aaron with Archon (41).
Me: Skarrg, pay 9 to cast Kresh again.
Ryan: Storm World (48).
Turn 17
Aaron: Mask of Memory. Vesuva copies Oran-Rief. Bringer of the Black Dawn.
Jon: Storm World to (68). Amulet of Vigor. Simic Growth Chamber. Cromat flies over and attacks Aaron. No blockers declared, Jon pumps Cromat twice (34). At EOT, I make the techy play of targeting Child with Skargg. He lets it go to Command Zone. Poo.
Me: Gargadon to 2. Verdant Catacombs, Sol Ring. I think I have to go for it here, because I’m otherwise dead, and I might not have the Gargadon around to sacrifice stuff to. I cast Insurrection, knowing it’s mostly going to be a Wrath. Aaron sacrifices his Horde, but Insurrection otherwise resolves. Now for the rest of it: Stalking Vengeance. Ryan Bant Charms Kresh in response. I use my last but one outlet on Kresh. Aaron is the only one I can take out. I attack Aaron with the team, then start sacrificing guys to Greater Gargadon. I can kill Aaron exactly and send the rest at Jon (57).
Ryan: Storm World (46) then the Enchant World changes to Gravity Sphere. Casts Demonic Tutor for Seedborn Muse and casts it. At EOT, Jon reanimates his Skeleton.
Turn 18
Jon: Hallowed Fountain. Attacks me with the Skeleton. I do not fall for his trickses. He Wraths, and I send 9 to his dome (48).
Me: Kresh for the fourth time. I’m living off the top of the deck at this point.
Ryan: Nothing. EOT, here come the Skeletons.
Turn 19
Jon: Forest, Cromat, which I counter with Red Elemental Blast.
Me: Tajuru Preserver.
Ryan: Nothing
Turn 20
Jon: Cromat for the fourth time. All the other tables have finished and are now crowded around our slightly tense, slightly boring table.
Me: Cycle Forgotten Cave, get and cast Deathbringer Thoctar.
Ryan: Nothing
Turn 21
Jon: Prismatic Omen. Attacks me, and I block with the Preserver. Kresh +3. Damnation. I shoot Jon (47).
Me: Kresh again, Oran-Rief him.
Ryan: Clone Kresh. Boo! EOT, here comes that stupid Skeleton.
Turn 22
Jon: Watery Grave, Cromat attacks me (20). I’m now at 15 Cromat damage.
Me: Kresh again, Oran-Rief him.
Ryan: City of Brass, Debtors’ Knell. The narrative has changed.
Turn 23
Jon: Attacks me. I block. Casts Debtors’ Knell of his own.
Me: Land. Frowns.
Ryan: Regrows Seedborn Muse. Legacy Weapon. Exiles Jon’s Knell.
Turn 24
Jon: Attack me. I block. At EOT, Ryan Exiles Prismatic Omen.
Me: Spinerock Knoll with crap under it, cast Kresh again. At EOT, Ryan casts Mnemonic Nexus. Glad I’m seeing that now instead of in response to a big Living Death!
Ryan: Rite of Replication kicked on Seedborn Muse.
Turn 25
Jon: Activate Raging Ravine, attack me with it and Cromat. Ryan Exiles Cromat, I block. Land D!
Me: Swamp, Kresh again. Ryan Exiles it.
Ryan: Attacks me for 12 (8). Exiles the Skeleton.
Turn 26
Jon: Mirari’s Wake, Wild Pair. That’s a lot, but it’s late.
Me: Solemn Simulacrum, Xathrid Demon. EOT, Ryan Exiles both.
Ryan: Attacks me, and out of spite, I Berserk his original Seedborn Muse. I die.
Turn 27
Jon has nothing and neither does Ryan.
Strangely enough, I earn a couple of extra points and take the table with an uninspiring 7, Ryan with 5. He said he was trying to work out something on the last turn to kill me and get a few extra points, but it just wasn’t there. All in all, a good, fun game, with some swings and some crazy—just what we like to see. I’m going to suggest a new award: “Paid more than 20 for you General.”
GAME 2
I’m seated with Todd (Rith), Tory (Horde of Notions) and Kevin (Sedris, The Traitor King). I know Todd’s deck, since it hasn’t significantly changed in a year, I know that Tory is playing “Care Bears,” which involves doing lots of crazy stuff with 2/2s, and I have no specific idea what Kevin is up to.
Todd wins the roll and is sitting to me left, so I’m last. We take our mulligans, and then they announce the first plane: Eye of Singularity. Todd groans, since he’s all about the tokens.
Turn 1
Todd: Windbrisk Heights
Kevin: Mountain
Tory: Plains
Me: I’ve kept a four-land, no Red mana, two Red card hand. Can’t be that bad, right? Forest, Scrabbling Claws.
Turn 2
Todd: Sungrass Prairie
Kevin: Grixis Panorama. When he’s a little slow to crack it now, Todd reminds him.
Tory: Ban Panorama, cracks it.
Me: Swamp
Turn 3
Todd: Wooded Bastion. Yavimaya Elder.
Kevin: Bounceland, discard a land.
Tory: Wood Elves, which is decidedly not a 2/2. Liar!
Me: Forest
Turn 4
Todd: Solemn Simulacrum.
Kevin: Phyrexian Arena
Tory: Swamp, Rhystic Study
Me: Swamp
Turn 5
Todd: Sacs the Elder just to get land and Enlightened Tutors for Aura Shards.
Kevin: Arena (39), Cephalid Vandal. I know who’s getting most of the Scrabbling Claws ‘love.’
Tory: Horde, attack Kevin (34).
Me: Twilight Mire. Red cards, no Red mana. Gonna get a searcher soon.
Turn 6
Todd: Attack Tory, who blocks. Todd draws. Casts Aura Shards.
Kevin: Arena to (33), discards.
Tory: Attacks Todd, Ninjutsus in Ninja of the Deep Hours (33), recasts Wood Elves.
Me: I have Temple of the False God. I wonder if it’s worth playing. It’ll give me 7 mana, but still nothing to cast (although I have Decree of Pain in hand now). If someone else drops one, I’ll get screwed. I decide it’s worth the risk.
Turn 7
Todd: Turns out I was wrong. Todd thinks about it for a minute, says “I hate to screw you, but I need the mana,” and drop his own Temple. Thicket Elemental kicked into Seedborn Muse. Blows up Rhystic Study and Phyrexian Arena.
Kevin: Has to discard. I still think he’s up to something.
Tory: Citanul Flute (a card I like very much). Attacks Kevin (26), Flutes for 3 and gets Qasali Pridemage.
Me: Swamp. I’m now sitting here on six mana, and nothing to do.
Turn 8
Todd: Woodfall Primus blows up Scrabbling Claws and Flute. I exile Kevin’s Blood Tyrant from the yard. Attacks me (34). EOT, Kevin targets himself with Cerebral Vortex (24).
Kevin: Sedris
Tory: Casts Pridemage and attacks Kevin (18). Clones Sedris. Top. Blows up Aura Shards.
Me: Grave Pact. Not particularly grave with no dudes out.
Turn 9
Todd: Eldrazi Monument, Wrath. Swings at Tory (33), me (29), and Kevin (15).
Kevin: Body Double on Malfegor. Pitches six cards. Todd responds with Congregation at Dawn, getting Avenger of Zendikar, Broodmate Dragon, and Dauntless Escort. Primus Persists back, blowing up Grave Pact.
Tory: Borderland Ranger, Vedalken Orrery.
Me: Still no Red. It’s cast a lame Caller of the Claw or discard. I send out the dude.
Turn 10
Todd: Sacs the Primus to Monument. Avenger of Zendikar, and then facepalms when we laugh about the tokens getting blown up, especially when Michael Fortino then says “Enchantment change in 10 seconds.” Michael then points out that Eye of Singularity destroys them, it’s not Leyline of Singularity, so Todd keeps the tokens. The new enchantment is Forsaken Wastes.
Kevin: Wastes (14)
Tory: Wastes (32). Wild Pair and Nantuko Husk, which gets Viridian Shaman, destroying the Monument.
Me: Wastes (28). Altar of Dementia. Again, not particularly good without creatures.
Turn 11
Todd: Wastes (32). Attacks Tory with Avenger. Blocks with Ranger. Broodmother. I think he misses a Landfall.
Kevin: Wastes (11). Sphinx of Lost Truths.
Tory: Wastes (31). Academy Rector and searches to find nothing with Wild Pair. Awkward. Sacrifices Rector to Husk to get Prismatic Omen. Casts Last Stand, killing Kevin, getting 10 1/1s, killing the Broodmother, and attempts to gain life but can’t. Draws and discards.
Me: Still no Red, but I get an Avenger of my own for 7 plants.
Turn 12
Todd: Wastes (31). Dauntless Escort. Overrun. Attacks Tory all the way down to (2). Activates Hideaway getting Greater Good. Sacrifices Dragons and then Avenger to draw. Seems panicky but I don’ t know why.
Tory: Wastes (1). Gaea’s Cradle. Acidic Slime. Wild Pair gets Withered Wretch, and he removes Todd’s Anger and Genesis.
Me: Wastes (26). Finally get some Red mana, but it’s Spinerock Knoll. I put counters on the plants, and swing to kill Tory. I mill Todd with the attackers that Tory will kill. I might actually be able to mill him out in a few turns if I get lucky.
Turn 13
Todd: Wastes (30). Rootbound Crag. Martial Coup for 8, and responds by sacrificing his Escort. I mill him for 7.
Me: Wastes (25). I put him in the no-win situation of Decree of Pain. I’m either going to draw 17 cards, or if he sacrifices them to Greater Good, he’s going to do the job of milling himself. He lets me draw. I get no Reliquary Tower. I drop Savage Lands and Tormod’s Crypt, using it on him now. I know I can recur it if I need and there’s always Bojuka Bog.
Turn 14
Todd: Wastes (29). Skyshroud Claim, can only find one Forest. Rith.
Me: Wastes (24). Then it changes to Land’s End. The idea of having those lands to pitch becomes interesting. Vesuva, copying Savage Lands (need that Red!), then Artisan of Kozilek bringing back Butcher of Malakir.
Turn 15
Todd: Firelit Thicket. He attacks me with Rith. I don’t block. I’m considering milling him (he has 38 cards left) and he says “I’ll make it easy” and casts Return to Dust on the Altar, then sacrifices Rith to Greater Good. Casts Austere Command, wiping the board of creatures, and Sol Ring.
Me: Bojuka Bog, and he responds with Eladamri’s Call, getting Symbiotic Wurm. The Grab the Reins in my hand has evil intentions regarding that Wurm if I can get back the Altar. I cast Survival of the Fittest, pitch Jens, and get Acidic Slime to blow up his Greater Good. I’d prefer to be in control of how many cards he has (and go to his yard).
Turn 16
Todd: Raging Ravine. Verdant Force. Oblation on my Oversold Cemetery, a really good choice considering I’d discarded a number of utility creatures.
Me: Kresh. Playing the waiting game.
Turn 17
Todd: World Queller, then Rith. No more waiting. At EOT, I Grab the Reins on Verdant Force and fling it at Rith. Kresh +13.
Me: Greater Good. Pitch something to Survival to get Eternal Witness, casting it and getting Big Game Hunter out of the yard. Pitch Big Game Hunter to Survival, then cast it via Madness to take out World Queller. Kresh +17. Skullclamp, equip Kresh. Gotta be careful that I don’t deck myself.
Turn 18
Todd: Windbrisk Heights. Casts Symbiotic Wurm, then Ewit, getting back Oblation. He’s going to try to force me to do something, I think, but he just passes.
Me: As I draw, a new Enchant World is announced: Concordant Crossroads. Likely dangerous for both of us. The card I draw is Stalking Vengeance, so I cast it. Acidic Slime, Eternal Witness, Kresh, and Big Game Hunter attack. He blocks Kresh with the Wurm, the Slime, Ewit, and BGH with tokens, and then casts Momentous Fall (love that card), draws 7 and gains 7 (35). Kresh +24, and post combat, +33. He realizes the mistake of not Oblating the Vengeance right away. I have 39 cards in my library, so I sacrifice Kresh to Greater Good to draw 36 of them which kills him.
Another interesting, tense ending to the game. I’m not sure if it would have swung the game or merely delayed the inevitable if he Oblates Stalking Vengeance at the right time. It might have given him time, but it also gives me the time to draw the heart-stopping Living Death.
I certainly love the addition of Altar of Dementia, and will continue to explore its uses. I love this deck, and it’s an effort to not want to play it every time. I figure that’s not as interesting for you all, so I’ll give switching them up as the mood strikes.
I’ll be in Dallas for the M11 Prerelease, Embracing the Chaos with the fine fellows from North Texas Judges at the Knights of Columbus Hall (2280 Springlake Road, 75234, doors open at 9), so pop around—I’ll be gunslinging, EDHing, and whatever else comes up! Hope to see you there.