Sometimes you trust your instincts, and this week, my instincts told me to play Zombies. There are brains, and they must be devoured.
Before we get to that, there are a few things I’d like to mention. The first is an exciting EDH video shoot that will be taking place in San Juan, the day before the Pro Tour starts. Greg Collins contacted me and three other Magic luminaries a few weeks back and told me that the big push this summer will be multiplayer Magic, and to that end, he’d like to do an “EDH Lifestyle” shoot, also featuring Scott Larabee, Brian David-Marshall, and Rashad Miller (if you didn’t know, the second rule of EDH, after “no d****ebaggery” is “kill Rashad first”). The very friendly trash-talking has already started, and should continue for the next month. Let it be known here and now, Mr. D-M, that if I see Brine Elemental or Vesuvan Shapeshifter, Obliterate is coming for you! In fact, as soon as I see anything face down, I’m pulling the trigger!
Speaking of videos, I want to mention Jeremy and Molly Blair’s EDH YouTube Channel. Jeremy and Molly are local Tampa folks (Tampanians? Tampons?) who have been zealous supporters of the format for quite a while now. Their channel is chock full of cool videos on deck construction, play advice, colorful features, tournament reports, and interviews. Most excellent interviews. In one of them, a 250 pound bird hits a window.
I promised in the forums last week to post the contents of my Kresh and Darigaaz decks. I’ll put up Kresh this week and Darigaaz next.
KRESH: AH-AAAAAH! SAVOIR OF THE UNIVERSE!
CREATURES (34)
Acidic Slime
Anathemancer
Artisan of Kozilek
Big Game Hunter
Bloodshot Cyclops
Bone Shredder
Brooding Saurian
Butcher of Malakir
Caller of the Claw
Creakwood Liege
Deathbringer Thoctar
Dragon Broodmother
Eternal Witness
Grave-Shell Scarab
Greater Gargadon
Hamletback Goliath
Lord of Extinction
Madrush Cyclops
Nantuko Vigilante
Nezumi Graverobber
Pawn of Ulamog
Rampaging Baloths
Sapling of Colfenor
Solemn Simulacrum
Spawnwrithe
Spearbreaker Behemoth
Sprouting Thrinax
Tajuru Preserver
Stalking Vengeance
Wilderness Elemental
Withered Wretch
Wood Elves
Woodfall Primus
Yavimaya Elder
ARTIFACTS (8)
Armillary Sphere
Eldrazi Monument
Lightning Greaves
Null Rod
Scrabbling Claws
Skullclamp
Sol Ring
Tormod’s Crypt
SORCERIES (4)
Decree of Pain
Demonic Tutor
Insurrection
Living Death
INSTANTS (5)
Berserk
Grab the Reins
Makeshift Mannequin
Red Elemental Blast
Reroute
ENCHANTMENTS (11)
Defense of the Heart
Fires of Yavimaya
Goblin Bombardment
Grave Pact
Greater Good
Pattern of Rebirth
Lurking Predators
Oversold Cemetery
Pernicious Deed
Survival of the Fittest
Vicious Shadows
LANDS (37)
Akoum Refuge
Barren Moor
9 Forest
Forgotten Cave
4 Mountain
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
Overgrown Tomb
Rakdos Carnarium
Reliquary Tower
Savage Lands
Skargg, the Rage Pits
Spinerock Knoll
Stomping Ground
8 Swamp
Temple of the False God
Twilight Mire
Urborg Volcano
Verdant Catacombs
Vesuva
Anathemancer might go; it’s been a good finisher on occasion, but doesn’t really pack the wallop some other cards do. Summoning Trap might be a good replacement, and I’m trying to find room for some Totem Armor cards, so there’s that. Suggestions welcome.
As you’ve read, the two major features of the deck are aggressive dudes, the toolbox with Survival, or a big Living Death. The creatures are the kinds of cards I like to play, and the big, splashy Living Death or Insurrection is very EDH-like. And, of course, punishment for drawing too many cards with Vicious Shadows. Speaking of which, at one of the other tables, I heard someone resolve VShad, and then the dirty combo player taking 28 per shot because he had drawn so many cards. Ah, the sweet sound of justice.
Next week, we’ll talk about Darigaaz and its metamorphosis into a Beast/Landfall deck.
I play some casual games, one of which is with Kenny’s contest-winning deck (to which we’ve added Artisan of Kozilek), and the deck operated like a dream—but I got an early Survival of the Fittest which stayed around a while, allowing me to go get the stuff I needed to get to stay in the game. The deck really feels like it needs Survival or some additional help/luck in order to work. I like what it can do, but I can see it sometimes just getting blown out from not being able to do enough fast enough.
The turnout this week is low, just six players for round one (although six more showed up for round 2, later). Apparently it’s finals week at USF, so most of the people who normally play are studying, although I thought I heard that a few were “buying clothes for Justin’s wedding.” I’m not sure whether they were buying clothes in order to wear, or to outfit the wedding party, but what does it really matter? They were late, and God was watching.*
This report, by the way, is being fueled by the best sandwich ever: bacon and cream cheese. All educated people agree.**
GAME 1
We decide to play one table of six instead of two threes, a decision I’m happy with. While a three isn’t unreasonable, they tend to devolve into one player taking over pretty quickly since there are fewer folks to keep them in check. Honestly, I’d rather play at a six and not win than play at a three where I dominate.
The six of us are Nate (Teneb), Aaron F (Sharuum), Pete (also Teneb), Kyle (Cromat), Aaron D (Rith), and as previously mentioned, I’m running Lord of Tresserhorn’s army of brain-devourers. Aaron D is new to the shop, and tells us he’s driven most of an hour to get there. When shop owner Michael Fortino asks him how he heard about Armada Games, Aaron mentions SCG and this very column, so here’s the shout-out to Aaron for making the long drive to play with us.
TURN 1
Pete: Overgrown Tomb
Kyle: Sejiri Refuge (41)
Aaron D: Greypelt Refuge (41)
Nate: Temple Garden
Me: Forgotten Cave
Aaron F: Island, Sensei’s Divining Top
TURN 2
Pete: Secluded Steppe
Kyle: Mikokoro, Center of the Sea, and Oath of Lieges. Here comes the ramp.
Aaron D: Oaths up a land, drops Firelit Thicket and Godtracker of Jund
Nate: Oaths up Swamp, Forest, Yavimaya Elder
Me: Oath in Swamp, Drowned Catacombs, Goblin Bombardment, and Basilisk Collar. The Oathing is going to continue for a long time. Most everyone will be in the situation to get a land, so take it as written that they do, which is why so much stuff can happen so fast.
Aaron F: Reflecting Pool, Exploration Map.
TURN 3
Pete: Plains
Kyle: Island, Blue Braids.
Aaron D: Knotvine Mystic off Braids, Forest.
Nate: With the Braids trigger on the stack, sacrifices the Elder, and cycles Barren Moor. Braids in Miren, plays a Plains.
Me: Oath in a Swamp, Braids in a Swamp, drop a Swamp. Yixlid Jailer and Soulless One. At EOT, Aaron cracks his Exploration Map to fetch up Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. Now comes part of the EDH social contract that some players don’t know about. In order to save time, we’ve all been searching out lands well in advance of our turns so that when we’re resolving the Oath trigger, we don’t waste time. Part of the contract is that if significant actions have occurred, you can change your choice. This goes for Top, Tutors, or whatever. Search on your own turn, set the card(s) aside, then resolve them quickly when the triggers actually occur. After seeing Aaron get the Urborg, Pete asks if he can change his Oath choice, which, of course, we consent to
Aaron F: Tops with the Braids trigger on the stack, draws from the Top, then puts in Linvala, Keeper of Silence. Drops Temple of the False God and Aethersworn Adjudicator.
TURN 4
Pete: Braids in Forest, drops Urza’s Factory, and casts Liliana Vess, with which he Tutors.
Kyle: Sakashima, copying Braids, and Heartwood Storyteller. It’s going off the chain now.
Aaron D: Braids in Mountain, Naya Panorama, and Rith.
Nate: Braids in Plans, says “enough” and casts Wrath of God. I Bombard Liliana. Nate casts Life from the Loam.
Me: Vengeful Dead, which I Collar up.
Aaron F: Sharuum, getting back Adjudicator. Casts Top. Note that Aaron has yoinked Pete, since he still hasn’t actually dropped the Urborg that he searched up with the Map.
TURN 5
Pete: Forest, Humility, which is what he Tutored for. I shoot Liliana in response, destroying it, and everyone else loses a life. Glare of Subdual. Humility and Glare of Subdual on the battlefield (with the inevitable tokens to come), Pete has made himself a target. I’m fine with players playing a strategy, and I’m fine with their choice to paint the target hat on themselves, but Pete’s sin is his cluelessness to the hat. You can’t build a deck with certain card combos and be unaware of how other players will see those cards. To suggest otherwise or claim innocence is almost insulting to everyone else. As he’s later getting smashed, he still professes a lack of understanding, which is disingenuously irritating. I make a lot of cracks about what cards people play (‘dirty combo player’), but mostly that’s for color and effect. Friendly trash talk (when it stays friendly) is a fun part of the social aspect of the game. Sure, I’ll nudge some folks on what they play, but in the end, I’m generally okay with most folks’ card choices. Just don’t sit there and lie to me. Now who approached you? Was it Tataglia or Barzini?***
Kyle: Vesuva, copying Reflecting Pool. Swamp, Mortician Beetle. A brief discussion of the merits of the Beetle ensues. I fall on the ‘meh’ side of it.
Aaron D: Ancient Amphitheater, Mana Reflection.
Nate: Nothing besides Oath.
Me: Shivan Reef, and thanks to Pete’s Humility, I can cast Lord of Tresserhorn with none of the bad side effects. I Equip it. If someone gets rid of the Humility (which I’m certainly not doing in these colors, unless I Disk), then I’ve gotten real value for my 4 mana.
Aaron F: And on cue, Aaron casts Return to Dust on Humility and the Oath. Pete responds by Pathing the Adjudicator. Aaron finally drops the Urborg. He Tops, then swings at Pete with Sharuum.
TURN 6
Pete: Nothing. At EOT, we all draw from Kyle’s Mikokoro.
Kyle: Diabolic Tutor and Phyrexian Infiltrator.
Aaron D: Vigor and Rith for a second time.
Nate: Novablast Wurm. Awesome. I won’t even be sad if he attacks me, since I can Regenerate.
Me: I declare attacks, and Pete knows I’m coming his way. He Cycles Decree of Justice and taps my guy. At EOT, Aaron F casts Patrician’s Scorn.
Aaron F: I’m instructed to mention here that Pete’s face might get battled. Aaron then casts Quietus Spike, and the aforementioned battling occurs. Pete goes to (29) then (14). Stoneforge Mystic gets Lightning Greaves, which go on Sharuum.
TURN 7
Pete: Austere Command for Artifacts and Fatties. Nate sacrifices his dude to Miren (46). Kyle’s Beetle gets bigger. Tresserhorn regenerates. Pete casts Skullclamp and clamps a token.
Kyle: Endless Whispers. Oh, geez. I confess to really liking some of Kyle’s ‘cause chaos’ cards if we’re playing casually or when we’re playing in the League and I’m not doing a report (which is rare), but not liking them when they cause me to do lots of extra note-taking. Still, Endless Whispers is fun. If he would only play Phage, that would be really saucy.
Aaron D: Mold Shambler Kicked, targeting Endless Whispers, remarking “I don’t want anyone else getting my fatties.
Nate: Dredge Life from the Loam. Regrowth on Tutor and casts it.
Me: Withered Wretch. Bone Dancer. Attack Nate. He responds with Realms Uncharted. He gets four cycling lands, and Aaron D gives him the two that cost 2 to use. He Cycles the Polluted Mire, peeling Mortify. I regenerate. I drop Bojuka Bog, targeting Nate. I know his Life from the Loam is a crazy card draw engine, and we need to slow that down. Plus, Aaron F kind of begs me to not hit his yard since a cool play is coming.
Aaron F: Watery Grave untapped (37). Artisan of Kozilek, getting Sharuum, getting Greaves. Equips the Artisan, bashing Nate, who has to sacrifice two lands since he has nothing else (36). I was surprised that he didn’t swing into Pete, since the Annihilator would have likely limited the Skullclamping.
TURN 8
Pete: Awakening Zone. EOT, all draw from Mikokoro.
Kyle: Kami of the Crescent Moon and Anvil of Bogardan. Here we go again.
Aaron D: Rites of Flourishing. Dragon Broodmother, which Kyle promptly exchanges for Phyrexian Infiltrator.
Nate: Duplicant, targeting Withered Wretch. I remove some stuff from yards. Teneb.
Me: Kyle’s Dragon token devours the one from last turn. Maze of Ith. Suspend Ancestral Visions. Attack Aaron with Bone Dancer. Per our short-term agreement, he doesn’t block, and I get his Linvala. I cast Vicious Shadows, to which Pete responds with Rout. Can’t regenerate from that.
Aaron F: Transmutes Tolaria West into Maze of Ith. Puts Top on top. Avatar of Woe for cheap, Greaves it up. Regrows Expedition Map, casts it and Leonin Squire.
TURN 9
Pete: Gets Spawn token and drops his two allotted lands. Recollect on Austere Command. Casts it for Enchantments and fatties. Aaron responds by killing the spawn token, triggering VShad. I hit Pete, taking him to (8). When Austere Command resolves and the Avatar goes, I take Pete to (2). Kismet. And again with the not understanding why people are attacking him.
Kyle: Arbiter of Knollridge, resetting everyone to 40, and earning a hard stare from Aaron F.
Aaron D: Beast Hunt, getting Rampaging Baloths, which he casts. Highland Weald.
Nate: Dreamstone Hedron. Evokes Reveillark, getting Duplicant (which targets the Baloth) and Boneshredder (which gets the Beast token).
Me: Lich Lord of Unx, and Clamp it.
Aaron F: Sharuum gets Quietus Spike. Spikes and Greaves the Squire, attacking Kyle (probably in payment for the Arbiter), taking him to (38) then (19). Leonin Shakiri.
TURN 10
Pete: Mana Reflection, Grave Pact, and Necrogenesis. Removes the Artisan. I note that Pete seems to focus on Aaron F’s graveyard, for the moment ignoring mine, which is just fine with me. It’s a little too much to hope that he forgets I’m playing Zombies, but you never know. Pete Clamps the token, so we all have to sacrifice a guy. Removes the Avatar with Necrogenesis, and Clamps again.
Kyle: Nothing
Aaron D: Oblivion Ring on Grave Pact. Paleoloth.
Nate: Life from the Loam back Bojuka Bog and 2 basics. Bogs Kyle. I once again am thankful that I’m not seen as the threat in this game. Vampire Nighthawk.
Me: Phyrexian Delver brings back Vengeful Dead (36). Graveborn Muse, and Clamp it. Either I’m drawing cards from the Muse next turn or I’m drawing when it gets blown up.
Aaron F: Demo Tutor, pops the Map to get Vesuva, which copies Maze of Ith. Necrotic Sliver.
TURN 11
Pete: Vindicates Oblivion Ring. Syphon Mind. Aaron sacrifices Necrotic Sliver to blow up Necrogenesis. Pete removes the Sliver, but Aaron Trickbinds. Mirror Entity. At EOT, we all get a draw from Mikokoro.
Kyle: Return to Dust targeting Grave Pact and Mirror Reflection. Pete makes Mirror Entity 0/0 so we all sacrifice creatures. Vengeful Dead triggers.
Aaron D: Civic Wayfinder. We discuss my thoughts on Wood Elves being better in the format. There is consensus.
Nate: Silvos, Rogue Elemental. Nice card choice.
Me: Graveborn Muse to (34). Steam Vents tapped.
Aaron F: Sharuum, Top, Sol Ring. Pete Swords to Plowshares Sharuum (44).
TURN 12
Pete: Privileged Position, Meekstone, Reverence, Exploration Map.
Kyle: Nothing since Nate tells us Akroma’s Vengeance is coming.
Aaron D: Nothing, heeding the warning.
Nate: Akroma’s Vengeance. I cycle Gempalm Polluter, targeting Pete (37). Beacon of Unrest on Aaron’s Akroma. Sword of Fire and Ice, and equips it.
Me: Ancestral Visions goes off. Oversold Cemetery and after a quick count of creatures in graveyards (11 for me, 8 for Aaron D, 4 each for Aaron F and Nate, and 1 each for Kyle and Pete), I cast Tombstone Stairwell. I start counting out tokens, but Kyle tells me to not bother and he destroys the Stairwell with Krosan Grip. At EOT, Aaron Flashes in Venser, bouncing Pete’s only remaining untapped source of colored mana.
Aaron F: Sharuum for the fourth time. Quietus Spike equips Venser, attacks Kyle (15) then (7).
TURN 13
Pete: Does a no-look Open the Vaults. Triggers happen, but they’re all targeted randomly since Kyle has Grip of Chaos now. Duplicant gets Sharuum, Oblivion Ring gets Privileged Position. Necrogensis removes Boneshredder. Pete’s Regrowth gets Farseek. He Clamps his token, and Vicious Shadows randomly targets Pete (32). Oracle of Nectars and Enchantress’s Presence. Prison Term gets Akroma. Sigil of the Empty Throne. EOT we all draw, and on Kyle’s upkeep the insanity starts.
Kyle: We all get tokens. Kyle casts Dreamstone Hedron. At EOT, all the Stairwell tokens go away, when Vicious Shadows triggers 26 times, Kyle responds by making everyone draw. Now the work begins of randomly targeting the 26 triggers. Order becomes important, since I can actually kill myself (my hand is 8 cards, so if the averages work out and I get hit with five of them, I’m dead). Michael Fortino comes over to help us with recording which triggers target who. I get numbers 9, 15, and 18. Aaron F gets 2, 7, 10, 11, and 14. Pete gets 1, 3, 20, 22, and 23. Kyle doesn’t get one until number 17. It looks like he might actually survive this, but since it only takes two to kill him and he gets numbers 24 and 26 (he does almost make it!), he’ll be dead. Aaron D gets 4, 8, 13, and 21. Nate gets 6, 12, 16, 19, and 25. Then we resolve them, and Kyle is the only dead one.
Aaron D: Once the triggers resolve and put the tokens into play, I can now sacrifice them as I need to Goblin Bombardment and kill everyone else (Aaron F is at 23, Pete at 7, Aaron D at 18, and Nate 15). Technically, I can kill everyone except Aaron F on this upkeep, then have to wait until mine to kill him.
I win the table, and since six more players have shown up, we divide up randomly into three tables of four, deciding that the evening’s prizes can just be awarded to the tables as they are, and if some of the late-arriving folks end up at table 1 (with me and Kyle) and win, good for them.
GAME 2
Kyle and I are joined by Aaron D and Patrick, with his new Rune-tail deck.
TURN 1
Aaron: Forest
Me: Jwar Isle Refuge (41)
Patrick: Plains
Kyle: Plains
TURN 2
Aaron: Reliquary Tower
Me: Steam Vents tapped
Patrick: Plaines
Kyle: Bounceland
TURN 3
Aaron: Mountain, Mana Flare. So it’s not only Kyle!
Me: Barren Moor, Undead Warchief.
Patrick: Rune-tail, which flips
Kyle: Plains, Oath of Lieges.
TURN 4
Aaron: No Oath. Casts Summoning Trap on his own turn, getting Reya, Dawnbringer.
Me: Oath up a Swamp, drop an Island.
Patrick: Oath for Plains, Myojin of Cleansing Fire.
Kyle: Oath for Island. Sakashima copies Myojin. Aura of Silence, and immediately pops the Mana Flare. Seems like he could wait for us to pile out more dudes via Mana Flare, then pop his Myojin (or force Patrick to), but he doesn’t wait.
TURN 5
Aaron: Oaths in Plains, drops Rith’s Grove. Beast Hunt
Me: Akroum Refuge (42).
Patrick: Plains, Archon of Redemption.
Kyle: Oaths in Mountain, drops Mikokoro. I’ll stop listing the Oaths. They happen.
TURN 6
Aaron: Plains, Vigor. EOT, I cycle Gempalm on Kyle (32).
Me: Shivan Reef, face down Morph. Everyone knows it’s Skinthinner.
Patrick: Radiant, Archangel. Kyle responds by Bit Blasting the Archon. He Cascades into Sudden Spoiling and decides to not cast it. Of course, he’s forgotten that Rune-tail’s Essence is going to save the Archon. Kyle gets an Oops! counter. Patrick goes to (45), then attacks Kyle (29).
Kyle: Casts Clone, waits for Patrick to do something, and then when he doesn’t, Clones the Myojin. Patrick realizes that he then doesn’t get priority to activate it before it goes away. Rites of Flourishing.
TURN 7
Aaron: Terrain Generator, Pale Recluse
Me: Swamp, Graveborn Muse, Jace Beleren, Maze of Ith. I chose the selfish draw option. I’m not sure this Jace is all that great. I’m not a fan of giving other people cards—unless maybe I play Spiteful Visions. It will have to be a consideration.
Patrick: Planar Cleansing, ending any Jace dreams (I think about the possibility of dumping 20 cards into my own yard and then Living Death/Patriarch’s Bidding).
Kyle: Charnelhoard Wurm, an excellent recent addition to his deck.
TURN 8
Aaron: Mana Reflection, Godsire.
Me: Volrath’s Stronghold.
Patrick: Wrath of God. A good one with those two creatures in play. Steelshaper’s Apprentice.
Kyle: Door to Nothingness. That could be ouchy.
TURN 9
Aaron: Oblivion Rings the Door. Godtracker of Jund. EOT, I put the Graveborn Muse back on top.
Me: Cast it. Polluted Delta.
Patrick: Reya. EOT, we all draw.
Kyle: Hull Breach targeting Mana Reflection. Cromat. EOT, Aaron uses Terrain Generator.
TURN 10
Aaron: Rith, Borderland Ranger. EOT, I put the Skinthinner back on top.
Me: Graveborn to (40). Swamp, spend the 8 to play Skinthinner face down and then kill Reya.
Patrick: Linvala, Twilight Shepherd. Linvala is going to be an issue.
Kyle: Heartwood Storyteller.
TURN 11
Aaron: Boros Garrison. Attack Kyle with Rith. Since I’m right after Aaron, it’s an easy decision to Maze Rith. I don’t particularly care about saving Kyle the six damage, but I understand Rith decks and their spitting out of many, many tokens. If Aaron is the guy immediately after me instead of before, I have to think about this a little harder (assuming there are other dangerous creatures in play).
Me: Muse to (38). Drowned Catacombs, Undead Warchief (which I had put back on top at EOT), Gravedigger getting back Ashen Ghoul. I cast it, getting a Flush. Undead Warchief’s mana savings for the win! At EOT, Patrick bounces the Apprentice, getting Shield of Kaldra.
Patrick: Recasts the Apprentice. Casts Fight or Flight. EOT we all draw. I really need to think about Spiteful Visions or Underworld Dreams (the latter being better in this deck I think).
Kyle: Enigma Sphinx into Dreamstone Hedron. Value.
TURN 12
Aaron: Frontier Guide, Forest. Declares attacks, Patrick splits them, decides to not attack at all.
Me: Muse to (32). This could get dangerous if I don’t gain some life. Reliquary Tower. Vengeful Dead. Abyssal Gatekeeper. Fleshbag Marauder. Patrick sacrifices Twilight Shepherd, which Persists back. I think about sacrificing the Muse, but think I can get at least one more turn out of it before it gets scary, so I sacrifice the Marauder to itself. I cast Lord of Tresserhorn, having Aaron Draw and going to 30. I keep the Gatekeeper, sacrificing Gravedigger and Skinthinner. I have more creatures in the yard than anyone else, so I cast Tombstone Stairwell. I don’t really have anything to go with it at the moment, except that all my Zombies are also bigger than everyone else’s), but it seems like I’ll probably draw into something. Doesn’t matter, since Kyle EOT Fracturing Gusts (38).
Patrick: Bounces Steelshaper, then casts Sword, Shield, and Helm of Kaldra. Makes the token and attacks Kyle (29).
Kyle: When he untaps, Kyle is still one red or white short of being able to activate the Door. He casts Enigma Sphinx and cascades into Hunted Phantasm. He gives Aaron the tokens.
TURN 13
Aaron: Vigor. Mycoid Shepherd. Obelisk of Naya. Attacks with Rith, I Maze.
Me: Muse to (24). One of the cards is Basilisk Collar, which I cast and put on Lord of Tresserhorn. Dragonskull Summit. Slam into Kyle, who blocks with the Phantasm, which is fine. I just want to gain life (36).
Patrick: Emeria, Noble Purpose, speaking of life gain. Adarkar Valkyrie, which he equips with the Helm. Attacks Kyle with Kaldra token. Blocks with Storyteller, Patrick to (51). EOT all draw.
Kyle: Still doesn’t get there with Door. Wrath, then all draw. Valkyrie saves Linvala. Aaron gains life from the Shepherd (47), but everyone gets drained from Vengeful Dead, Aaron (41), Patrick (45), Kyle (24). The Gatekeeper trigger makes Patrick sacrifice something, and he chooses the token, keeping Linvala (since he can just make another).
TURN 14
Aaron: Hardcast Darksteel Colossus. Ant Queen. EOT, I Cruel Revival Linvala.
Me: Withered Wretch, keeping open a dozen mana to remove stuff so that I can eventually can cast Bidding or Living Death.
Patrick: Emeria gets Reya. I’m writing and momentarily forget that I can remove it. Oops for me. Ancient Den. Breath of Life targeting Linvala, which I remember I can remove. He then casts Iona. He names Black. I cringe. He attacks Kyle (15), Patrick going to (54).
Kyle: Gets mana so the Door is online.
TURN 15
Aaron: Seedborn Muse. Borderpost and Refuge (42). Civic Wayfinder, then the fate-sealer, Felidar Sovereign. I’m not sure if this was some kind of gambit from Aaron, but if Patrick and I don’t twitch, Kyle will have to kill Aaron with the Door. Kyle tells Patrick that he can attack and take Aaron below 40, but Patrick says what I’m thinking: “why should I?” At EOT, I Grab the Reins, Entwined, flinging Darksteel Colossus at Iona. Crisis averted
Me: Havoc Demon, Jens, Corpse Harvester. Time is going to get called soon, so I know that all I have to do is hope that Kyle is forced to kill Aaron, and I can just hang on.
Patrick: Triggers, and I remove guys. Casts Rune-tail again, which flips. Attacks me with Reya and the token. I go to block with the Demon, and he kindly reminds me that the Demon won’t trigger. I take it (26), Patrick to (64). He then casts Mass Calcify, which keeps the Sovereign around. Kyle’s hand is forced. At EOT, we all draw, then he kills Aaron with the Door.
Kyle: Enigma Sphinx into Signet.
TURN 16
Me: Bring back Ashen Ghoul, Clamp it, no super answers, so I resort to the normal. Grave Pact, and cast Living Death. With the Fleshbag trigger on the stack, Kyle casts Krosan Grip on the Grave Pact. Hrm. Time is called here, so we’ll go around once more. I sacrifice Gatekeeper to Fleshbag, starting the cascade of sacrifices. Equip Ashen Ghoul and attack Kyle (9). At EOT, Patrick makes a token.
Patrick: Emeria targets Reya, which I think to remove this time. Attacks me with the token, which I Maze. Casts Akroma’s Vengeance. I respond by activating Lich Lord of Unx for 12, draining Patrick for 12 (51). When the Vengeful Dead triggers resolve, I kill Kyle and take Patrick to (39). He then casts Marshal’s Anthem Kicked twice, bringing back Leonin Shikari and Windbrisk Raptor.
TURN 17
Me: I just need to stay alive, so I cast Damnation, then run out Death Baron, Noxious Ghoul, and Igneous Pouncer for blockers. Patrick can’t kill me on his turn, so we’re done. I win the table by a couple of points over Kyle.
I like the Zombies, but I still feel as though they really operate on the edge, with a few key cards (like Graveborn Muse) being required for the deck to function. When it works, it’s a blast, and in all the times I’ve played it (save the first, when I failed to find blue mana), it’s done well—but I’m aware that most times, I’ve had help from other people’s stuff, especially Kyle’s, to get running. I’m not sure whether that’s random luck or part of the format.
I hear that Tory, playing a Kresh deck much like my own, piled up 25 points at the other table. I’m pretty sure a Living Death and some Overkill was involved. But that’s Kresh.
I’m torn between trotting out next week Kenny’s deck and playing Darigaaz, which I haven’t played for a while. Like most weeks, I think I’ll just let my mood decide at the 11th hour how I’m going to Embrace the Chaos.
…
* First movie reference. I didn’t realize until I looked up the movie just now on IMDB that Aaron Sorkin, he of Sports Night and West Wing (best network TV series ever), wrote the screenplay. Since Kiefer Sutherland and Nicholson were spot on, I can only imagine how great the movie might have been with real actors instead of Tom Cruise and Demi Moore—like anyone else and Mary McCormack.
** Random “Amadeus” quote, and in the movie, all educated people are agreeing that Italian is the proper language for opera, not German, but the point is the same. Bacon and cream cheese sandwich will change your life.
*** Sorry, got carried away. By the way, I’m currently reading Mario Puzo’s novel “The Godfather,” and all I have to say about it is that it’s a good thing that Coppola is a great filmmaker.