Welcome back! Let it not be said that I don’t take criticism well. I seem to remember there was a little criticism about however I formatted my previous columns on that Magic Online subject. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what that criticism was, but it probably doesn’t matter, because I can’t remember how I formatted any of the other columns anyway. So lets move forward together (a joke only my during-the-day work colleagues will get, and none of them read these things, so perhaps it’s a little wasted here) and stride forward into a (most likely) new format for some Premier Event results from the weekend just past.
On top of these results, we’ll also start to track the values of many of the key rares used in the winning decks, and see how these values fluctuate with the results, especially post Pro Tour Honolulu.
Back to the results! What I’m gonna do this week, and probably from now on, is try to post a list of the cards that show up in the replays. This gives you more of a glimpse at a decklist than any of my previous attempts have, I think. Cards that appear in (parenthesis) only appeared in game two or three, but some are listed in the first part of the list for being obviously, or at least most likely, a main deck card. The others appear at the bottom for obviously, or at least most likely, not.
(Also, I’m probably going to refer to most people in these top 8s as “him”, so if I mistakenly offend any actual females, please feel free to post in the forums and I’ll apologize publicly. For reals.)
First up we have the double-prize event held on Saturday, that attracted 46 players.
In position five through eight we had:
Scorponok — Blue/Red Wildfire
Magnivore
Sleight of Hand
(Shock)
(Volcanic Hammer)
Mana Leak
Pyroclasm
Stone Rain
Demolish
Boseiju, Who Shelters All
I didn’t get a great look at this deck as it lost 1-2 to Green/White/Black Aggro Control, but it appeared at least to be a standard build of the Blue/Red Wildfire archetype. While Wildfire isn’t actually on the list above, I don’t think there’s any chance Scorponok was playing without it.
Kangoo_Magic — White/Red Weenie
Hand of Honor
(Isamaru, Hound of Konda)
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Paladin en-Vec
(Lightning Helix)
Sacred Foundry
Forge[/author]“]Battlefield [author name="Forge"]Forge[/author]
Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
(Umezawa’s Jitte)
(Otherworldly Journey)
Nichmafish — Black/Blue Aggro
Nekrataal
(Dimir Guildmage)
(Dark Confidant)
(Ravenous Rats)
(Dimir Cutpurse)
Mana Leak
Boomerang
Blackmail
Last Gasp
Umezawa’s Jitte
Watery Grave
Underground River
(Eradicate)
I think you can see why Nichmafish went down here: he didn’t draw his creatures in game 1. While this deck does look somewhat jank-like, I have heard rumor that it’s actually a fringe contender. My guess is that it’s kept on the fringe by the Pyroclasms packed by all of the Blue/Red decks.
nheo98 — Green/White/Black Control
Birds of Paradise
Wood Elves
Loxodon Hierarch
Umezawa’s Jitte
Putrefy
Phyrexian Arena
(Miren, the Moaning Well)
Llanowar Wastes
Okina, temple to the Grandfathers
Overgrown Tomb
Temple Garden
(Naturalize)
(Brushland)
(Cranial Extraction)
I keep seeing this deck on the top tables. It behaves a little like a Rock deck, funnily enough, which means it gets some results but most “good” players tend to either outright dismiss it or opt for something else. You can’t argue with the results however. If it’s making Top 8s, then it’s throwing someone else in the loss bracket.
EDIT: I’m not saying that people who play this deck are bad players, by the way.
These people made it past the first round of elimination.
AceOnTheFlop — Blue/Red UrzaTron
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Keiga, the Tide Star
Telling Time
Mana Leak
Hinder
Compulsive Research
Tidings
Pyroclasm
Dimir Signet
Watery Grave
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
Shivan Reef
Urzatron
For some reason, AceOnTheFlop either failed to draw his sideboard cards, or he was ballsy enough to ride games 2 and 3 bareback.
longshot248 — Green/Blue/Black Aggro Control
Llanowar Elves
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Wood Elves
Kodama of the North Tree
Keiga, the Tide Star
Mana Leak
Tendo Ice Bridge
(Oboro, Palace in the Clouds)
(Minamo, School at Water’s Edge)
Miren, the Moaning Well
(Remand)
(Putrefy)
(Sensei’s Divining Top)
This deck would be pure Blue/Green/Black Aggro if it wasn’t running Sakura-Tribe Elder… but it is, so it isn’t, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure if the Divining Tops were maindeck or sideboard. Sideboarded seems pretty techy, and maindeck seems just a touch wrong if it’s not a full-on control deck. I guess longshot248 figured that he could slow the deck down a turn in the face of the increased number of control decks, especially seeing as they often pack Pyroclasm, which wrecks a mana acceleration base designed around four Birds and four Elves.
These last two decks appeared to take a split in the finals:
Bluedeertick — GhaziGlare
Llanowar Elves
Wood Elves
Selesnya Guildmage
(Yosei, the Morning Star)
Umezawa’s Jitte
(Glare of Subdual)
Temple Garden
(Brushland)
(Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree)
Selesnya Sanctuary
(Kodama of the North Tree)
Could very well be the same build as the one played to such success by the Japanese at the World Championships.
Jackykng — Green/Black/White Control
Birds of Paradise
Wood Elves
Loxodon Hierarch
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Umezawa’s Jitte
(Putrefy)
Phyrexian Arena
Wrath of God
Overgrown Tomb
(Eiganjo Castle)~
Temple Garden
Llanowar Wastes
Shizo, Death’s Storehouse
(Kodama of the North Tree)
(Arashi, Sky Asunder)
Seems to be much like nheo98’s build seen above. Again being a little less focused in the sense that some cards (Putrefy, Arashi and Kodama) could be moved to or from the sideboard to suit the taste of the player or the metagame.
Next up we have another double-prize event. (Purists will tell you that if it’s not double-prize, it’s not worth it) This one held on Sunday the 12th, and made it up as far as 52 players.
DANATWAYNEST — White/Red Weenie
Hand of Honor
Leonin Skyhunter
(Isamaru, Hound of Konda)
(Eight-and-a-Half-Tails)
(Eiganjo Castle)
(Battlefield Forge)
(Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion)
No guesses what happened here, because I think we’re all acutely aware of how much stalling on two lands in game 1 sucks like a gut-punched vacuum cleaner.
1Champion1 — Green/Black/White Control
Birds of Paradise
Wood Elves
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Kodama’s Reach
Loxodon Hierarch
Putrefy
Umezawa’s Jitte
Temple Garden
(Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers)
Overgrown Tomb
Llanowar Wastes
Brushland
(Kodama of the North Tree)
(Cranial Extraction)
olaparoc — GhaziGlare
Wood Elves
(Birds of Paradise)
(Llanowar Elves)
Loxodon Hierarch
Selesnya Guildmage
Yosei, the Morning Star
Congregation at Dawn
Umezawa’s Jitte
Glare of Subdual
Temple Garden
(Eiganjo Castle)
Selesnya Sanctuary
Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
(Kodama of the North Tree)
(Sacred Ground)
Some nice anti-Wildfire tech coming through here, in the form of Sacred Ground, from olaparoc. Sadly, it didn’t stop him losing 1-2 to the six-mana sorcery anyway.
Kangoo_Magic — Hawtest connection evar
We’ll just have to assume that Kangoo_Magic was playing his White/Red Weenie deck again here, because his connection had long since given up and gone out for a beer by the time this Top 8 got under way. Giving Hubik here, the hawtest pairing ever.
Hubik — Blue/Red Wildfire (also known as the Hawtest pairing evar)
Magnivore
Keiga, the Tide Star
Genju of the Spires
Eye of Nowhere
Mana Leak
Sleight of Hand
Compulsive Research
Tidings
Stone Rain
Demolish
Wildfire
Pyroclasm
Shivan Reef
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
(Remand)
Hubik added a few surprises to his Blue/Red Wildfire deck, such as (at least) a pair of Genju of the Spires. The Genju seems to be nothing short of Ridiculous in Blue based Control match ups. Thankfully, the mirror at least packs some Stone Rain effects to keep it down a little, because I guess there is a chance they may run out of Mountains to play dress-ups with. That, and Boomerang, and Eye of Nowhere own it like they kept the receipt.
Noisy — White/Red Weenie
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Suntail Hawk
Leonin Skyhunter
(Kami of Ancient Law)
Hand of Honor
(Lightning Helix)
Char
Sacred Foundry
Forge[/author]“]Battlefield [author name="Forge"]Forge[/author]
Eiganjo Castle
(Opal-Eye, Konda’s Yojimbo)
BOZ — Gifts
Sensei’s Divining Top
Soulless Revival
Death Denied
Hana Kami
Gifts Ungiven
Horobi’s Whisper
Kodama’s Reach
Wear Away
Wrath of God
Putrefy
Ghost-Lit Stalker
Keiga, the Tide Star
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Yosei, the Morning Star
Overgrown Tomb
Tendo Ice Bridge
(Naturalize)
(Kagemaro, First to Suffer)
(Mana Leak)
msEvsiNdreAd — Blue/Red/White Wildfire
Sleight of Hand
Compulsive Research
Tidings
Magnivore
Wrath of God
Wildfire
Stone Rain
Demolish
Boros Signet
Tendo Ice Bridge
(Minamo, School at Water’s Edge)
Sacred Foundry
Shivan Reef
(Pyroclasm)
msEvsiNdreAd does have an interesting slant on the Wildfire deck in that he’s “splashing” Wrath of God, which isn’t a card that’s traditionally splashed for, being double White and all. The Pyroclasm could be maindeck, but I don’t see a reason for it if you can now run Wrath instead. Wrath also happens to be far better at killing opposing Magnivores, Keigas and Melokus, so this could be the start of something good to look out for in the future. I imagine the mirror match could seem quite hopeless if your opponent is able to bring in Sacred Grounds. MsEvsiNdreAd and Hubik went on to draw in the finals, which means Hubik managed to be in the finals while only playing one match in this Top 8. Good skills there, obviously.
The last event was the double-prize held on Sunday the 12th featuring 49 Magical playerers. While 41 players when home (figuratively speaking, they were probably already at home) empty handed, the following eight did not.
Djag22 — Blue/Red Howling Mine deck
Howling Mine
Boomerang
Remand
Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
(Pyroclasm)
(Kami of the Crescent Moon)
(Exhaustion)
(Mana Leak)
(Sudden Impact)
(Ebony Owl Netsuke)
As the parentheses shows, Djag22’s first game didn’t exactly go as planned.
Juelz Santana — Aggro GhaziGlare
Birds of Paradise
(Llanowar Elves)
Watchwolf
Wood Elves
Umezawa’s Jitte
Faith’s Fetters
Temple Garden
Brushland
Selesnya Sanctuary
(Selesnya Guildmage)
I’m calling this one Aggro GhaziGlare, because I assume that the Glares are at the very least in the sideboard, if not the main, and Watchwolf seems to be a little more “monstery” that the usual builds go for.
OrcOnline — Blue/Black Control
Jushi Apprentice
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Last Gasp
Umezawa’s Jitte
Watery Grave
(Underground River)
Quicksand
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
Shizo, Death’s Storehouse
(Nezumi Shortfang)
(Threads of Disloyalty)
(Boomerang)
(Disrupting Shoal)
Rumors of Blue/Black Control’s demise have obviously been greatly exaggerated. Well, until the playoffs that is, but it’s good to see people still getting in there with the counters and Jushis and (I’m assuming, based on the Jittes in there) the Dark Confidants.
W01F — Greater Gifts
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Farseek
Kodama’s Reach
Gifts Ungiven
Reclaim
Putrefy
Wrath of God
Greater Good
Goryo’s Vengeance
(Tendo Ice Bridge)
Temple Garden
Overgrown Tomb
Watery Grave
Brushland
Shizo, Death’s Storehouse
(Defense Grid)
(Loxodon Hierarch)
The Top 4 narrowed itself down to:
Bulbasaur — Blue/red Wildfire
Magnivore
Eye of Nowhere
Boomerang
Mana Leak
Sleight of Hand
Compulsive Research
Tidings
Stone Rain
Demolish
Wildfire
Pyroclasm
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
Boseiju, Who Shelters All
(Blood Moon)
(Volcanic Hammer)
T_shrk — Blue/Red/Black UrzaTron
Mana Leak
Hinder
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Keiga, the Tide Star
Confiscate
(Telling Time)
(Tidings)
(Compulsive Research)
Dimir Signet
(Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep)
Watery Grave
Shivan Reef
UrzaTron
(Blaze)
(Pithing Needle)
This time there was no split in the finals, and The_Doors was taken down by deathbypillow.
The_Doors — Green/Blue/Black Control
Wood Elves
(Sakura-Tribe Elder)
Dimir Cutpurse
(Keiga, the Tide Star)
Arashi, Sky Asunder
Umezawa’s Jitte
(Mana Leak)
Putrefy
Hinder
Overgrown Tomb
(Miren, the Moaning Well)
Watery Grave
Yavimaya Coast
Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
(Sensei’s Divining Top)
(Threads of Disloyalty)
deathbypillow — Red/Blue Ninjas, no really
Frenzied Goblin
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Mana Leak
Flames of the Blood Hand
(Frostling)
(Hearth Kami)
(Remand)
(Genju of the Spires)
Are you playing a slowish control deck in Standard these days? Well this guy would like you to meet his best friend Mr. Pillow. I assume this deck rolls to White/Red Weenie, but I guess if you don’t play against it, you don’t wipe to it. I’m sure deathbypillow’s opponents chuckled at turn 1 Frostlings and Frenzied Goblins, but no doubt choked on a double-take when it soon because a Ninja of the Deep Hours, followed up by a counter or two. I guess there was more burn in the deck too, but anyone not called deathbypillow was scooping to his great openings before I could get a good look at his deck.
Now on to some card prices! The first number is generally what people are paying for the cards, if you’re looking to liquidate, and the second is what you’re looking at paying if you want to buy one instead.
Howling Mine 2-3
Pithing Needle 22-27
Umezawa’s Jitte 10-11
It’s always fun to keep track of Pithing Needles, even if they’re not played that much in Standard right now. I remember being disappointed at having to pay 15.25 for my Needles, and now I get to have a good old LOL when I think about it.
Cranial Extraction 7-8
Dark Confidant 3-4
Kokusho, the Evening Star 7-8
I would have thought Dark Confidant would have been higher, and perhaps in time it will be. Both Kokusho and Extraction are a couple of tickets down on what they were worth six months ago.
Gifts Ungiven 5-6
Kami of the Crescent Moon 2-4
Keiga, the Tide Star 3-5
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror 5-6
That Kami of the Crescent Moon is actually worth more than half a ticket now implies that many of us have probably missed a boat that we were unaware was leaving. Also, not picking up Keigas at no more than a ticket each six months ago is probably causing some people some regret as well.
Glare of Subdual 2-4
Loxodon Hierarch 4-6
Glare is stabilizing now that everyone is playing Wildfires in their deck, but the Big Elephant will go up in price a little more yet, I suspect.
Arashi, Sky Asunder 7-9
Birds of Paradise 5-6
Greater Good 3-5
Kodama of the North Tree 3-4
Who would have thought Arashi would be that much? Again, I was not happy at having to pay 4.5 or something like that for them some three months ago. I still have a bunch of North Trees I picked up at 1 ticket (maybe 1.5, I don’t remember very clearly) back when they came out, so I guess I should get off my butt and look at moving some of them while they’re up a where they are.
Char 3-4
Magnivore 3-4
Wildfire 4-5
Char has dropped somewhat since the Ravnica release, and both Magnivore and Wildfire seem to be worth considerably more than when Ninth Edition came out.
Isamaru, Hound of Konda 2-4
Wrath of God 8-10
Yosei, the Morning Star 4-5
Yoseis were one ticket each for a while, how many did you pick up? I think I have eight left. *grin*
Forge[/author]“]Battlefield [author name="Forge"]Forge[/author] 7-9
Brushland 6-7
Llanowar Wastes 7-9
Shivan Reef 11-13
Underground River 7-8
Yavimaya Coast 7-9
Overgrown Tomb 7-9
Sacred Foundry 6-8
Temple Garden 6-8
Watery Grave 7-9
Dual lands have finally dropped below ten tickets each, but don’t expect them to get any lower than that. As more of them are released, more possibilities will arise and the more likely you’ll need to have some of these at your disposal.
We’ll see next week how far any of these prices have shifted, and just how much these decks have changed. Guildpact is almost upon us, and with it will come great upheaval. At least Psychatog isn’t legal any more. Oh, the punnery!
Yeah, shoot me, I probably deserve it.
{e}