Congratulations to the Philippines’ Glenson Lim, better known online as Glenchuy, for placing second in the country’s first sanctioned Type I tournament. He placed second with an older build of”The Deck,” but I’ll leave it to his upcoming tournament report to explain how he lost to Sligh despite three maindeck Chalice of the Voids.
Twinkie, Glenson Lim, Finalist, October 26 Neutral Grounds Philippines Vintage Tournament
Blue (18)
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Brainstorm
2 Cunning Wish
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Braingeyser
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
1 Morphling
Black (6)
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Mind Twist
1 The Abyss
1 Skeletal Scrying
White (3)
1 Balance
2 Swords to Plowshares
Split (1)
1 Fire / Ice
Artifact (7)
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Isochron Scepter
1 Masticore
1 Zuran Orb
Mana (26)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
Sideboard (15)
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Coffin Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Stifle
1 Rack and Ruin
1 Shattering Pulse
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Fire / Ice
1 Duress
1 Gorilla Shaman
If you’re curious why Glen has only three Mana Drains, well… Let’s just say he met an opponent who used the Mesmeric Fiend +”I’ve got to go!” combo.
If you’re curious how I fared in the tournament – ah, well, you see it was the week after my final exams and one of our professors offered us the free use of his beachfront property on a tropical island a couple of hours away by boat. It was a choice between a large room full of Magic players and a large beach (hopefully) full of curvaceous females.
So sue me.
Ahem. I was confident in Glen’s abilities here. ::cough:: ::cough:: I mean, he was packing old-school Neutral Ground (New York) tech of sixty-one cards, right?
Anyway, I’m afraid I had just that one weekend for a vacation. When I got back, I turned on the TV and saw my law professor’s name in the evening news. Our Congress is on the verge of passing an impeachment complaint against the Chief Justice, and several lawyers and Congressmen moved to have that complaint declared unconstitutional. Now, our professor was one of seven legal experts asked to present an opinion before the Supreme Court.
Since I’m one of his loyal research assistants – read: flunkies – I was proud to see his name in lights.
Then my pride turned into sheer horror as the consequences dawned on me.
Sure enough, barely after saying,”Sir, you’re on TV again” into the phone, I was given my marching papers to the library, into the deepest bowels of Philippine Constitutional Law.
Sometimes, it just doesn’t, doesn’t, doesn’t pay to get out of bed. Welcome to finals week all over again!
Ah well; Glen can hold the fort a few weeks more…
(At least to console me, my high school corps commander Hans Ong, the BattleTech hero of “The State of the Metagame Address”, just e-mailed to say that he’s long since retired his Magic collection and became the country’s exclusive distributor of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Woo hoo!!! What are friends for?)
Head to Head: Vengeur Masque
Hulk Smash was the big story of the Vintage Championships last GenCon, but a lot of people forget about the finalist’s deck: Vengeur Masque. A list first graced this column last April in”Looking at Legions, Part III: Red, White and Blue Creatures” and has since established itself as Type I’s premier aggro deck. The philosophies behind The Funker and Stacker 2 merged somewhat into Benjamin Rott’s Tools ‘n’ Tubbies, which was in turn supplanted by Vengeur. The two are very similar in spirit, with Survival of the Fittest providing the card advantage for both, but with Illusionary Mask playing the key tempo booster for Vengeur.
The deck took shape in the hands of the Paragons’ Carl Devos about the time Legions came out, and fellow Paragon and The Funker creator Shane Stoots, a.k.a. TripleS, has since become the deck type’s most famous player. Shane’s list has seen only one change since his second place at GenCon. He has since swapped Gilded Drake for Phage the Untouchable for a backup combo kill.
This was Shane’s very interesting GenCon evolution of Extended’s Full English Breakfast:
Vengeur Masque, Shane Stoots a.k.a. TripleS, Finalist, 2003 Vintage Championships
2nd Place: Steven Stoots, Mask/Dreadnaught/Shapeshifter
4 Birds of Paradise
2 Wall of Roots
1 Quirion Ranger
3 Volrath’s Shapeshifter
1 Shoreline Ranger
1 Gilded Drake
1 Tradewind Rider
1 Gigapede
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Withered Wretch
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Force of Will
3 Brainstorm
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Tropical Island
3 Bayou
3 Underground Sea
1 Forest
Sideboard:
2 Plaguebearer
2 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Ravenous Baloth
1 Elvish Lyrist
2 Xantid Swarm
1 Arcane Laboratory
2 Withered Wretch
2 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Naturalize
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
Survival of the Fittest has shined when combined with tempo-breaking cards, though no player is calling it degenerate over cards like Mishra’s Workshop. Its restriction of drawing creatures only has proved reasonable so far, and Survival gave rise to highly personalizable decks even in old Type II.
Today’s feature is a last hurrah both for aggro, the weakest segment of the present metagame, and for the pre-Mirrodin”The Deck” build. Our guest is Lam Phan, a 21-year old University of Toronto Chemistry major.
Urza’s Morphling versus Phyrexia’s Dreadnought
11:01:29 – — Mal says: ”Would you Beat a guy w/ glasses???”
11:01:29 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
11:01:37 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
11:01:47 – Mal drew 7 cards.
11:01:49 – Mal says:’kp’
11:01:52 – It is now turn 1.
11:01:59 – Rakso plays Flooded Strand.
11:02:06 – Rakso plays Mox Pearl.
I stand alone on the fortress wall, between the ground and the blood-red sky. Dark, winged shapes fly in the distance. I grit my teeth, and raise my bow.
11:02:07 – It is now turn 2.
11:02:09 – Mal draws a card.
11:02:14 – Mal plays Polluted Delta.
11:02:15 – Mal buries Polluted Delta.
11:02:22 – Mal moves Underground Sea from Mal’s library to tabletop.
11:02:22 – Mal’s life is now 19. (-1)
11:02:26 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:02:27 – Mal plays Duress.
If you look at Vengeur Masque, Illusionary Mask’s tempo-breaking effect leads the deck to a pseudo-combo structure. Indeed, it has Duress and Force of Will, a combination that supports combo decks, and it can whip out two 12/12s in one turn with a flick of some Forests.
My Brainstorm-Delta combo is wasted dodging his opening Duress. The black disruption is Shane’s main modification to the original build, and the Legions morph-trigger utility have long since given way to more dangerous threats.
11:02:28 – Flooded Strand is tapped.
11:02:28 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
11:02:29 – Rakso buries Flooded Strand.
11:02:37 – Rakso moves Underground Sea from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:02:39 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:02:40 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
11:02:51 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
11:03:23 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
11:03:26 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
11:03:35 – Mal is looking through Rakso’s hand…
11:03:41 – Rakso buries Mana Drain.
One of the creatures draws closer, its rider’s horned mask and black cape becoming visible. Waves of crippling dragonfear wash over my body as the blue-scaled beast flies on.
11:03:42 – It is now turn 3.
11:03:44 – Underground Sea is untapped.
11:03:46 – Rakso draws a card.
11:03:47 – It is now turn 4.
11:03:49 – Mal draws a card.
11:03:50 – Mal plays Bayou.
11:03:51 – Bayou is tapped.
11:03:51 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:03:53 – Mal plays Illusionary Mask.
His disruption clears the way for the first engine piece, and my so-so opening hand and little land shortage offer pitiful resistance.
11:04:04 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:04:05 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
11:04:09 – Rakso moves Ancestral Recall from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
I shake off the paralysis and nock my arrow.
Wait… wait…
11:04:51 – It is now turn 5.
11:04:59 – Rakso says:’Ancestral resolves?’
11:05:04 – Mal says:’yes’
11:05:07 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
11:05:09 – Rakso plays Tundra.
The monster flies into range and I let fly. The arrowhead shines in the sunlight, and the missile lodges itself in the dragon’s neck.
11:05:17 – It is now turn 6.
11:05:19 – Mal draws a card.
11:05:22 – Mal plays Windswept Heath.
11:05:23 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:05:25 – Mal plays a card facedown.
11:05:27 – Rakso says:’k’
11:05:31 – Rakso says:’sigh…’
Remember that Illusionary Mask makes creatures uncounterable, so it isn’t solely for playing Phyrexian Dreadnought. In this case, however, since he only puts one counter on the face-down creature, we know what he’s telegraphing: He had his combo in hand.
Beware of bluffs, though. A face-down card with five counters, for example, is still easily a Dreadnought. Of course, it could also be a late-game, untargetable Gigapede.
11:05:36 – Tundra is tapped.
11:05:37 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
11:05:39 – Rakso says:’Swords’
11:05:40 – Rakso says:’PLEASE’
11:05:42 – Rakso says:’!!!’
11:05:43 – Mal says:’lol’
11:05:45 – Rakso says:’resolves?’
11:05:47 – Mal says:’ok’
11:05:51 – Rakso says:’Would you rather I knock on my monitor?’
11:05:58 – Mal says:’lol’
11:05:59 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
11:06:18 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
11:06:19 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
11:06:26 – Rakso says:’With my state of awakeness’
11:06:31 – Rakso says:’I might hit something else if I knock :D’
My foe’s mount is more enraged than hurt, and it slows its flight to loose a brilliant bolt of electricity that shatters the battlements to my side.
11:06:33 – It is now turn 7.
11:06:38 – Rakso draws a card.
11:06:43 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
11:06:45 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
11:06:47 – Rakso plays Sol Ring.
11:06:53 – Mal says:’ok’
Fortunately, he drew no acceleration in his opening hand, or that Dreadnought would have come out a turn earlier. Unlike aggro-controllish Tainted Mask builds, Vengeur emphasizes staying power to give up a little early disruption and explosiveness.
11:07:00 – It is now turn 8.
11:07:04 – Windswept Heath is tapped.
11:07:05 – Rakso says:’one more turn to Swords’
11:07:05 – Mal buries Windswept Heath.
11:07:05 – Mal’s life is now 18. (-1)
11:07:10 – Mal moves Tropical Island from Mal’s library to tabletop.
11:07:14 – Mal draws a card.
11:07:15 – Mal plays Tropical Island.
11:07:16 – Card is attacking.
11:07:17 – Mal flipped Phyrexian Dreadnought over.
A wicked grin forms on the dragon’s snout as it resumes its menacing flight…
It’s coming…
11:07:20 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:07:21 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:07:22 – Rakso plays Cunning Wish.
11:07:24 – Mal says:’ok’
11:07:30 – Rakso moves Swords to Plowshares from limbo to Rakso’s hand.
11:07:31 – Tundra is tapped.
11:07:32 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
11:07:38 – Mal removes Phyrexian Dreadnought from the game.
11:07:40 – Mal’s life is now 30. (+12)
…and my second arrow strikes its left eyeball dead center, eliciting a howl of pained rage.
11:07:43 – Bayou is tapped.
11:07:44 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:07:44 – Rakso says:’sigh…’
11:07:44 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:07:45 – Rakso says:’all that life’
11:07:47 – Mal plays a card facedown.
11:07:52 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:07:53 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
11:08:00 – Mal says:’ok’
11:08:00 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
11:08:32 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
11:08:34 – Rakso moves a facedown card to Rakso’s library.
It’s been four turns – an eternity in today’s Type I – and I’ve been able to set up a bit. I have a Morphling in hand, but the sad thing is that its four-turn kill can be frustratingly slow against 12/12s. TnT could out-muscle a Morphling on defense using Survival, but imagine how Vengeur can do it with just one artifact creature.
11:08:36 – It is now turn 9.
11:08:44 – Rakso draws a card.
11:08:52 – Rakso plays Island.
11:09:07 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
11:09:07 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:09:08 – Island is tapped.
11:09:08 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:09:10 – Rakso plays Morphling.
As the injured beast closes, I drop my bow and unsheathe my blade. I raise the sword in a traditional knight’s salute.
11:09:12 – It is now turn 10.
11:09:20 – Mal draws a card.
11:09:22 – Bayou is tapped.
11:09:23 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:09:24 – Mal plays Living Wish.
11:09:29 – Rakso says:’k’
11:09:37 – Mal moves Phyrexian Dreadnought from Mal’s removed from game pile to Mal’s hand.
11:09:45 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:09:47 – Mal plays a card facedown.
To my surprise, the masked rider pulls on the reins and returns the salute with solemn dignity, raising a wicked spear.
Swords to Plowshares is the most efficient removal spell in the entire game, and against Vengeur in particular, its side effect can annoy Volrath’s Shapeshifter. In this case, it backfired, though, and Living Wish gets an extra tutor choice.
Round 2. Fight!
11:09:50 – It is now turn 11.
11:10:09 – Rakso draws a card.
11:10:12 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
The blue dragon rears and dives.
11:10:15 – It is now turn 12.
11:10:27 – Mal draws a card.
11:10:30 – Mal plays Mox Jet.
11:10:34 – Card is attacking.
11:10:34 – Card is attacking.
11:10:36 – Mal flipped Phyrexian Dreadnought over.
11:10:36 – Mal flipped Volrath’s Shapeshifter over.
11:10:37 – Rakso says:’how many counters on the two?’
11:10:59 – Mal says:’3 and 1′
11:11:00 – Rakso says:’before you attack’
11:11:01 – Island is tapped.
11:11:01 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
11:11:02 – Rakso plays Fire/Ice.
11:11:03 – Rakso says:’tap it’
11:11:47 – Rakso draws a card.
11:11:59 – Rakso says:’still attacking?’
11:12:02 – Volrath’s Shapeshifter stops attacking.
11:12:04 – Mal says:’no’
11:12:05 – Mal says:’guess not’
Obviously, there’s no point in trying to use Fire. Never, however, underestimate Ice as a Time Walk cycle option.
I narrowly sidestep the lunge of its foreclaws, and counter with an abbreviated slash that forces the dragon to snap its snout back. Its rider stands in the saddle impatiently, spear raised.
11:12:07 – It is now turn 13.
11:12:11 – Rakso draws a card.
11:12:26 – Rakso plays Polluted Delta.
11:12:36 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:12:37 – Rakso plays Duress.
11:12:43 – Rakso is looking through Mal’s hand…
11:12:48 – Mal plays Force of Will.
I regain my footing and stab the edge of my blade into the beast’s shoulder, taking advantage of its half-blindness.
11:13:00 – Polluted Delta is tapped.
11:13:01 – Rakso’s life is now 18. (-1)
11:13:02 – Rakso buries Polluted Delta.
11:13:07 – Rakso moves Volcanic Island from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:13:12 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
11:13:14 – Rakso plays Gorilla Shaman.
11:13:19 – Rakso says:’my hero’
11:13:23 – Mal says:’lol’
11:13:25 – Mal says:’not really’
11:13:26 – It is now turn 14.
11:13:27 – Mal draws a card.
11:13:29 – Phyrexian Dreadnought is attacking.
11:13:43 – Rakso’s life is now 6. (-12)
And then I feel the sting of a spear tip in my own shoulder. Metal crumples and flesh gives way as the enemy’s steel penetrates bone.
11:13:57 – Bayou is tapped.
11:13:57 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:14:01 – Mal plays Illusionary Mask.
11:14:03 – Rakso says:’k’
The only thing going for me here, obviously, is that he has no Survival. What am I stalling for, you ask? It’s not just to eat his surplus artifacts.
11:14:05 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
11:14:24 – Mal buries Mox Jet.
11:14:25 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:14:26 – Tundra is tapped.
11:14:27 – Island is tapped.
11:14:27 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:14:29 – Mal buries Illusionary Mask.
Always be alert to little details – even the total mana you have on the table.
11:14:03 – It is now turn 15.
11:14:36 – Rakso draws a card.
11:14:39 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
11:14:50 – Rakso says:’hmmmm’
11:14:53 – It is now turn 16.
11:15:15 – Mal draws a card.
11:15:16 – Phyrexian Dreadnought is attacking.
11:15:18 – Rakso says:’tap out’
11:15:22 – Rakso says:’0/13 Morphling’
11:15:22 – Rakso says:’block’
11:15:30 – Mal says:’ok’
I ignore the blood I cough up, and shift my weight to my good arm. With the desperation of the mortally wounded, I swing my sword once again, and the blade tears into the dragon’s nostril. Black blood spurts from the nasty wound.
11:15:34 – Rakso says:’come on’
11:15:35 – Rakso says:’laugh’
11:15:37 – Mal says:’im trying to hold back here’
11:15:36 – It is now turn 17.
11:15:38 – Mal says:’lol’
11:15:40 – Rakso draws a card.
11:16:08 – It is now turn 18.
11:16:21 – Mal draws a card.
11:16:24 – Phyrexian Dreadnought is attacking.
11:16:24 – Volrath’s Shapeshifter is attacking.
11:16:35 – Rakso says:’same’
The mysterious rider pulls the spear tip free and steadies the dragon for the killing blow.
11:16:39 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:16:39 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:16:41 – Mal buries Phage the Untouchable.
11:16:46 – Mal says:’DIE MONKEY!!!’
11:16:54 – Rakso buries Gorilla Shaman.
Yes, Phage adds another layer of fun to this Full English Breakfast deck on steroids, as recommended for Phage even in the earliest reviews. Even without a Survival on the table, be wary of this shifty Shapeshifter.
And be wary of all the permutations. For example, a Birds of Paradise in the graveyard means the Shapeshifter flies – but Volrath’s Shapeshifter doesn’t have to be a Birds after you declare no blockers.
At six life, I cannot afford not to call any bluffs.
11:17:13 – It is now turn 19.
11:17:19 – Rakso says:’damn’
11:17:26 – Rakso draws a card.
11:17:33 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:17:35 – Island is tapped.
11:17:37 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
11:17:40 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
11:17:42 – Rakso plays Future Sight.
With my last breath, I bring my blade up for the same.
11:17:49 – Mal says:’sure’
11:17:52 – Mal says:’do your worst’
11:17:55 – Rakso moves Demonic Tutor from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:17:57 – Mal says:’OMG ! ! ! ! ‘
11:18:30 – Rakso says:’hmmmmm’
11:19:35 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:19:38 – Wasteland is tapped.
11:20:19 – Rakso moves a card from Rakso’s library to Rakso’s hand.
At six life, and not a lot of mana, there aren’t a lot of choices to ensure victory. Ironically, Balance was not an option because I had a creature on the board.
11:20:31 – Rakso moves Flooded Strand from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:20:32 – Rakso plays Flooded Strand.
11:20:34 – Rakso moves Wasteland from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:20:44 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
11:20:47 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
11:20:51 – Mal removes Phyrexian Dreadnought from the game.
11:20:54 – Mal’s life is now 42. (+12)
For the record, I royally screwed up at this point, although I killed his Dreadnought. I didn’t notice, Apprentice screen and all, that the land I had just played was a fetch, meaning I could reshuffle and hope for something else. Lam was gracious enough to let me correct the oversight, and you can see it made the difference.
Reshuffling decisions were even more important with Future Sight out. For example, should you sit on that counter or reshuffle and hope to get more cards?
11:22:07 – Rakso’s life is now 5. (-1)
11:22:08 – Rakso buries Flooded Strand.
11:22:23 – Rakso moves Underground Sea from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:22:27 – Rakso moves Black Lotus from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:22:28 – Rakso plays Black Lotus.
11:23:19 – Rakso moves Chainer’s Edict from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:24:10 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:24:11 – Tundra is tapped.
11:24:14 – Rakso plays Chainer’s Edict.
11:24:16 – Mal buries Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
That tempo boost sure hit the spot!
11:24:16 – Rakso moves Mox Sapphire from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:24:17 – Rakso plays Mox Sapphire.
11:25:12 – Rakso moves Underground Sea from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:24:17 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
11:24:14 – Rakso buries Black Lotus.
11:24:15 – Rakso plays Mind Twist.
My sword plunges into the throat of the enraged mount, and its rider’s spear clatters to the stone floor. A taloned arm knocks me to my knees, but I remain upright long enough to see the massive beast plummet to the ground with its rider. On the other side of the wall, thundering hooves herald the movement of more knights, and I smile as darkness embraces me.
11:24:27 – Morphling is attacking.
11:24:30 – Mal’s life is now 39. (-3)
Mal untaps and plays a topdecked Survival of the Fittest, which isn’t much help even with Mask because he has no creature card in hand. He concedes to a Future Sight on the board.
This extreme game shows very vividly how intense fending off Vengeur’s threats can be. Imagine sending a 0/13 Morphling on blocking duty, only to be felled by a surprise Phage!
Explosive Openings
That was a highly entertaining, extremely close game. Here’s another to show you how unfair Vengeur can be – even more so than mythic”The Deck” openings like multiple Moxen + Balance or Mind Twist.
10:38:51 – — Mal says: ”Would you Beat a guy w/ glasses???”
10:38:51 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
10:38:59 – It is now turn 1.
10:39:01 – Mal plays Underground Sea.
10:39:02 – Rakso says:’go’
10:39:03 – Mal plays Black Lotus.
10:39:05 – Mal says:’k?’
10:39:08 – Rakso says:’…’
10:39:13 – Rakso says:’sure’
I thought quite a bit on this one, since countering a first-turn Lotus is far, far from a waste of resources, especially if you’re the slower deck. This was a practice game and I tried to catch the card he’d play.
10:39:15 – Mal buries Black Lotus.
10:39:16 – Mal says:’UUU’
10:39:18 – Rakso says:’k’
10:39:19 – Mal plays Illusionary Mask.
10:39:20 – Rakso plays Force of Will.
10:39:23 – Rakso moves Morphling from Rakso’s hand to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
10:39:24 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
10:39:25 – Mal plays Ancestral Recall.
10:39:27 – Mal says:’use that U’
10:39:28 – Rakso says:’k’
10:39:30 – Mal drew 3 cards.
I suppose countering Lotus to stall wouldn’t have made a difference.
10:39:38 – Underground Sea is tapped.
10:39:40 – Mal plays Duress.
10:39:47 – Rakso buries Brainstorm.
Strangely, he chose to play Duress last. He could have stripped my hand of the Force and robbed me of the option to Force Lotus or something else.
10:39:49 – It is now turn 2.
10:39:51 – Rakso draws a card.
10:39:53 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
Yes… what a comeback.
10:39:54 – It is now turn 3.
10:39:56 – Mal draws a card.
10:39:58 – Mal plays Forest.
10:39:58 – Forest is tapped.
10:39:58 – Underground Sea is tapped.
10:40:03 – Mal plays Regrowth.
10:40:04 – Rakso says:’k’
10:40:08 – Mal moves Ancestral Recall from Mal’s graveyard to Mal’s hand.
This used to be a”The Deck” move…
10:40:09 – It is now turn 4.
10:40:13 – Rakso draws a card.
10:40:17 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
10:40:20 – Mal buries Underground Sea.
10:40:21 – Rakso buries Wasteland.
I cut his colors here and stall…
10:40:21 – It is now turn 5.
10:40:23 – Mal draws a card.
10:40:26 – Mal plays Tropical Island.
10:40:27 – Tropical Island is tapped.
10:40:29 – Forest is tapped.
10:40:31 – Mal plays Survival of the Fittest.
Doesn’t matter much, though.
10:40:32 – It is now turn 6.
10:40:41 – Rakso draws a card.
10:40:42 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
10:40:43 – Underground Sea is tapped.
10:40:43 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
10:40:44 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
10:40:46 – Mal says:’ok’
10:40:48 – Rakso moves a card from Rakso’s library to Rakso’s hand.
10:40:50 – It is now turn 7.
10:40:53 – Mal draws a card.
10:40:55 – Tropical Island is tapped.
10:40:56 – Mal plays Ancestral Recall.
10:40:59 – Rakso says:’k’
10:41:01 – Mal drew 3 cards.
10:41:05 – Mal plays Tropical Island.
10:41:08 – Mal plays Mox Emerald.
10:41:08 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
10:41:08 – Tropical Island is tapped.
10:41:09 – Mal plays Time Walk.
10:41:11 – Rakso says:’k’
10:41:13 – Forest is tapped.
10:41:13 – Rakso says:’godhand I see’
10:41:17 – Mal buries Phyrexian Dreadnought.
10:41:18 – Mal says:’yah’
10:41:23 – Mal moves Squee, Goblin Nabob from Mal’s library to Mal’s hand.
10:41:28 – Forest is untapped.
10:41:28 – Tropical Island is untapped.
10:41:28 – Tropical Island is untapped.
10:41:28 – Mox Emerald is untapped.
10:41:29 – Mal draws a card.
10:41:31 – Mal plays Island.
10:41:31 – Forest is tapped.
10:41:33 – Mal buries Squee, Goblin Nabob.
10:41:38 – Mal moves Volrath’s Shapeshifter from Mal’s library to Mal’s hand.
10:41:42 – Tropical Island is tapped.
10:41:43 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
10:41:44 – Island is tapped.
10:41:45 – Mal plays Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
It’s coming…
The Survival-Squee engine is in place, and there’s a Dreadnought on the board.
10:41:47 – It is now turn 8.
10:41:48 – Rakso says:’wonderful’
10:41:49 – Rakso draws a card.
10:41:55 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
10:41:56 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
10:41:59 – Mal plays Force of Will.
10:42:00 – Mal moves Force of Will from Mal’s hand to Mal’s removed from game pile.
10:42:05 – Mal’s life is now 19. (-1)
Like I said. Wonderful.
10:42:18 – Mal says:’EoT’
10:42:19 – Tropical Island is tapped.
10:42:20 – Mal buries Phyrexian Dreadnought.
10:42:25 – Mal moves Phage the Untouchable from Mal’s library to Mal’s hand.
10:42:28 – Rakso says:’yep, concede’
He isn’t satisfied with his two-turn kill, so he just makes me lose the following turn to his backup combo. A 12/12 just isn’t fast enough in some cases, eh?
Again, be mindful of Vengeur’s many tricks and powerful openings.
A Slower Start
Mal beat up on me quite a bit, but this was one particularly memorable Mind Twist.
11:28:56 – — Mal says: ”Would you Beat a guy w/ glasses???”
11:28:56 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
11:29:18 – Rakso says:’play’
11:29:20 – Mal says:’ok’
11:29:24 – It is now turn 1.
11:29:31 – Rakso plays Mox Ruby.
11:29:31 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
11:29:33 – Rakso plays Sol Ring.
11:29:35 – Rakso plays Tundra.
11:29:36 – Mal says:’ok’
11:29:37 – It is now turn 2.
11:29:39 – Mal draws a card.
11:29:40 – Mal plays Library of Alexandria.
11:29:42 – Rakso says:’!’
11:29:46 – Mal says:’lol’
11:29:56 – Rakso says:’hmmmm’
11:29:59 – Tundra is tapped.
11:30:01 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
11:30:03 – Mal says:’ok’
11:30:09 – Rakso moves Mind Twist from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:30:12 – It is now turn 3.
11:30:16 – Rakso moves Mind Twist from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
11:30:18 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
11:30:19 – Tundra is tapped.
11:30:20 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:30:20 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:30:21 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
11:30:21 – Mal says:’omg’
11:30:22 – Rakso plays Mind Twist.
11:30:23 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
11:30:24 – Mal draws a card.
11:30:29 – Mal randomly buried Duress.
11:30:30 – Mal randomly buried Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
11:30:31 – Mal randomly buried Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
11:30:32 – Mal randomly buried Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
11:30:34 – Rakso says:’!!!!!!’
11:30:36 – It is now turn 4.
11:30:37 – Mal says:’O M G ! ! ! ! !’
11:30:39 – Mal draws a card.
11:30:42 – Mal plays Tropical Island.
11:30:42 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:30:42 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
11:30:43 – Mal plays Illusionary Mask.
11:30:45 – Rakso says:’k’
11:30:46 – It is now turn 5.
11:30:52 – Rakso draws a card.
11:30:57 – Rakso plays Polluted Delta.
11:31:40 – It is now turn 6.
11:31:43 – Mal draws a card.
11:31:52 – Mal plays Flooded Strand.
11:31:54 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
11:31:54 – Rakso buries Polluted Delta.
11:31:59 – Rakso moves Volcanic Island from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:32:00 – Rakso says:’now to see if this damn card works’
11:32:02 – Rakso says:’eot’
11:32:03 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:32:04 – Tundra is tapped.
11:32:06 – Rakso plays Cunning Wish.
11:32:10 – Mal says:’ok’
11:32:14 – Rakso moves Vampiric Tutor from limbo to Rakso’s hand.
11:32:15 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:32:16 – Rakso plays Vampiric Tutor.
11:32:18 – Rakso says:’If I win this game’
11:32:19 – Mal says:’lol’
11:32:19 – Mal says:’ok’
11:32:21 – Rakso says:’It might stay’
11:32:26 – Rakso’s life is now 17. (-2)
11:32:28 – Mal says:’go for FS’
11:32:29 – Rakso moves Future Sight from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:32:34 – Rakso says:’and it was on top too’
11:32:35 – Rakso says:’…’
11:32:36 – It is now turn 7.
11:32:38 – Tundra is tapped.
11:32:38 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:32:40 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
11:32:41 – Sol Ring is tapped.
11:32:43 – Rakso moves Gorilla Shaman from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:32:44 – Mal says:’ok’
11:32:45 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
11:32:48 – Rakso moves Morphling from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:32:51 – Rakso says:’…’
11:32:53 – Rakso says:’right’
11:32:53 – It is now turn 8.
11:32:57 – Flooded Strand is tapped.
11:32:57 – Mal buries Flooded Strand.
11:32:58 – Mal’s life is now 19. (-1)
11:33:06 – Mal moves Tropical Island from Mal’s library to tabletop.
11:33:09 – Mal draws a card.
11:33:13 – Mal plays Underground Sea.
11:33:13 – Underground Sea is tapped.
11:33:15 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:33:16 – Mal plays Living Wish.
11:33:18 – Rakso says:’k’
11:33:19 – Mal says:’looking at sb’
11:33:22 – + Mal is sideboarding (changes won’t take effect until the start of the next game)
11:34:26 – Mal moves Tradewind Rider from limbo to Mal’s hand.
11:34:28 – Tropical Island is tapped.
11:34:29 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
11:34:30 – Mal plays Survival of the Fittest.
11:34:31 – It is now turn 9.
11:34:33 – Rakso says:’oh’
11:34:42 – Rakso moves Morphling from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
11:34:53 – Rakso moves Flooded Strand from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:34:57 – Rakso moves Time Walk from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
11:34:59 – Mal says:’GG’
11:35:01 – Mal says:’no point’
In this case, it was Vengeur that couldn’t recover quickly enough from an opening stumbling block, despite eventually getting the engine into play.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this feature as a last look before thoroughly embracing the post-Mirrodin world. Till next week!
And pray for my Impeachment-crazy country, if you’re so inclined. If not, at least hope my boss gets on TV a little more often from now on.
Oscar Tan (e-mail: Rakso at StarCityGames.com)
rakso on #BDChat on EFNet
Team Paragons of Vintage
University of the Philippines, College of Law
Forum Administrator, Star City Games
Featured Writer, Star City Games
Author of the Control Player’s Bible
Maintainer, Beyond Dominia (R.I.P.)
Proud member of the Casual Player’s Alliance