Fresh off the weekend in Phoenix, the StarCityGames.com Open Series advances on Alabama! We’ll be in Birmingham this weekend as Standard continues to run its course—Avacyn Restored is on the way, after all. Even though our card pool hasn’t changed over the past couple months, the metagame has continued to shift beneath our feet. Delver has remained ever-present like a boogeyman, but Wolf Run Ramp, U/B Control, G/R Aggro, and Esper Control have all had some time in the sun.
In fact, in Phoenix this weekend we saw G/R Aggro take its second crown in as many weeks, though the Top 8 featured a variety of archetypes. W/B Tokens has begun to really catch on since Salt Lake City—I imagine some answers to enchantments or a healthy complement of Ratchet Bombs to be worth the sideboard slots come Birmingham. As for beating the G/R deck, there are a number of options. Sword of Feast and Famine has proven effective at times, and if you can manage a Huntmaster of the Fells you’re already doing well—that deck really leans on its Swords in the absence of the all-star.
Legacy has settled on RUG Tempo as the deck of choice for many top players, and it’s continued posting high-profile finishes. The quintuple Top 8 in Des Moines led to only three copies in the Phoenix Top 8, but all of them made it to the semifinals before Sherwin Pu vanquished Adam Prosak in a mirror matchup on SCGLive. A couple combo decks also showed up to play—High Tide, Hive Mind, even Elves—but I think it’s safe to say that Mongoose is where the action is.
If you’re going to be in Birmingham, come prepared for these decks; odds are good you’ll have to face them a few times if you want the first-place trophy!
We’re hosting the weekend’s festivities at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex on 2100 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd North. For a complete schedule of events, check out our full fact sheet on the website. The basic rundown?
Standard Open on Saturday, Legacy Open on Sunday, a 2HG Sealed on both days, and the Saturday Legacy Challenge followed by the Sunday dual Draft Opens. Savvy? You can RSVP for the event on Facebook if you’re attending!
This weekend will see the return of our alterists’ alley, lining up Ron Faris, Lindsay Burley, and newcomer Chris King. Ron’s a sure thing to show up at any event in the southeastern US, and he’s always packing a library of alters and open to commissions. He’s got a website up here, and you can also email him for information via [email protected].
Lindsay Burley is an Open Series mainstay. She’s always had her YouTube page and used [email protected] to setup commissions, but you can also check out a full gallery of her work on her new website! She’ll be using it to blog and display her work, so be sure to check it frequently. She and Ron have also entered into a 3-D/painted alter arrangement that I’m sure will produce some very interesting pieces.
I’m looking forward to checking out some of Chris King’s stuff on-site, as his website showcases an interesting sense of color and style including a lot of Star Wars alterations. He’s doing some excellent work with multi-card pieces, so browse through his gallery and see if anything catches your eye!
I’ll be making the trek down to Birmingham myself, alongside the rest of @SCGLive. This weekend’s commentator team will be two of our most enthusiastic contributors: Joey Pasco and Mike Flores! Mike’s commentary chops are legendary, and he possesses and encyclopedic knowledge of archetypes and theory—he might even be offering a sneak peek into what he thinks of Avacyn Restored so far!
We’ll be using Twitter for #SCGAL to offer our usual Premium promotions and free Gen Con badges, and you’ll be able to get in touch with Mike, Joey, and myself during the broadcast and let us know what you’d like to see on the camera. Don’t be a stranger, and enjoy the show!
Event Coverage Coordinator