The Control Player’s Bible, Book I (The Fundamentals of 5-color control)
Contents of Book I
The Control Player’s Bible, Book II (Advanced 5-color control strategy)
Part XVI: Why control sucks
Part XVI: The Inquest Idiocy Quiz
Part XVIII: [card name="Head to Head"]Head to Head[/card]: Sligh
Part XIX: [card name="Head to Head"]Head to Head[/card]: Stacker 2
Part XX: Head to Head: Stompy
Come to Alex Shvartsman rescue!
I was pretty happy when, thanks to all your support, I hurdled the last round of the Writer’s War. Unfortunately, for all my teasing, my friend Alex Shvartsman was narrowly defeated by Brainburst’s Seth Burn, and I didn’t get the fun match I wanted.
So to make the most of it, kindly help me wreak vengeance on Seth. Vote Oscar Tan here: http://www.ccgprime.com/events/writerwar/poold.html. Thanks for helping me rub it into Alex.
Seriously, though, life’s been pretty fun. That hundred-page paper I was griping about in past columns somehow won the Philippines’ Justice Irene Cortes Constitutional Law writing award, something usually given to graduating seniors of the University of the Philippines (I’m a freshman). I’ve also been asked by the powers-that-be to help out as administrator of the redone Star City forums. Hope you have fun figuring out where the forum names came from.
As an experiment, in fact, a new thread has been prepared for this article. Check it out after you read this.
The other extreme of aggro
In our last articles, we saw the multi-pronged assaults of post-sideboard Sligh and Stacker 2: mana disruption, creatures, burn, and anti-blue hate. Today, let’s watch an aggro deck with a far narrower strategy and far, far less flexibility: Stompy.
Now, you might laugh and say this is purely for the benefit of budget players hoping to play Type I without rares… But Stompy is a perfectly viable Extended archetype, and was used in older metagames as a reliable rush deck. In Type I and unlike Extended, Mana Drains and Abyss force the clunky fat out of the format, leaving Stompy with a lot more room.
In Type I, imagine if you lay a dual land and say go, then he plays Forest, Skyshroud Elite, Rushwood Legate, Elvish Spirit Guide, Rogue Elephant. That’s seven power on his turn 1, or a turn 4 kill.
How do you handle three men on the wrong side of the table on turn 1?
Balance leaves you both with no permanents, and your only hope is to keep a land and Ancestral Recall. The Abyss isn’t a complete solution, either, since he can play a couple more creatures as buffers. He can also side in enchantment hate to back up maindeck Lyrists. Powder Keg takes a turn to kick in, and won’t kill the Legate. Force of Will on the Rogue costs two cards.
And so on.
For all your brokenness, each small mistake may cost the one crucial turn you need to stay alive against the Type I version of swinging with savage men.
Today’s guest is Beyond Dominia’s closet aggro player himself, Matt D’Avanzo. Matt is this great control player from Neutral Ground who – go figure – only writes about aggro decks on Star City.
Guess what his favorite Type I aggro deck is?
(You should know that Matt and I rigged the games a bit. Except for the first game, he redrew every hand without a three-creature opening, and I redrew every hand that would lead to a turn 1 or 2 Ancestral Recall or Mox insanity. To make things interesting, in other words, I intentionally handicapped”The Deck” in each game, keeping hands that weren’t explosive, but not bad enough to force a mulligan.)
15:37:45 – — Melmoth the Wanderer says: ”Aggro is intelligent.”
15:37:45 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
15:37:52 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
15:37:55 – Melmoth the Wanderer drew 7 cards.
15:38:17 – Rakso says:’I’ll try this’
I ride out from my castle, heavy barding slowing my charge’s pace. Only a thin tabard lies between the oppressive noon sun and my armor. Circling above me flies the meanest, ugliest pile of muscle, scales, and claws I have ever seen in my life.
15:40:38 – It is now turn 1.
15:40:40 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Land Grant.
15:40:44 – Rakso is looking through Melmoth the Wanderer’s hand…
15:40:49 – Rakso says:’Land Grant #2, Null Rod, River Boa, Rancor, Rogue Elephant, Skyshroud Elite’
15:40:54 – Rakso says:’sure’
15:40:55 – Rakso says:’go’
15:40:59 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Land Grant.
15:41:04 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’after I play the forest’
15:41:06 – Rakso says:’yeah get 2 ‘
15:41:10 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Land Grant.
15:41:11 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Land Grant.
15:41:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer moves Forest from Melmoth the Wanderer’s library to tabletop.
15:41:21 – Melmoth the Wanderer moves Forest from library to Melmoth the Wanderer’s hand.
15:41:27 – Forest is tapped.
15:41:30 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Skyshroud Elite.
Skyshroud Elite
G
Creature-Elf
1/1
Exodus uncommon
Skyshroud Elite gets +1/+2 as long as an opponent controls a nonbasic land.
An uncharacteristically restrained start, but dangerous nonetheless. Instead of dropping a couple of men faster than I can deal with them, he can instead slow me with Null Rod to cut my mana and neutralize my Powder Kegs, my most effective weapon against three-toughness one-mana men.
Null Rod
2
Artifact
Weatherlight rare
Players can’t play artifacts’ activated abilities.
Powder Keg
2
Artifact
Urza’s Destiny rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a fuse counter on Powder Keg. Tap, Sacrifice Powder Keg: Destroy each artifact and creature with converted mana cost equal to the number of fuse counters on Powder Keg.
The evil dragon lands, raising a cloud of dust that forces me to turn my head. It beats its wings and roars. The ominous sound echoes in the hills.
15:41:31 – It is now turn 2.
15:41:33 – Rakso draws a card.
15:41:38 – Rakso plays City of Brass.
15:41:39 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:41:40 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
15:41:42 – Rakso plays Sol Ring.
I dig my armored heels into my stirrups and charge, though an onlooker might compare the scene to a gnat flying an elephant.
15:41:45 – It is now turn 3.
15:41:46 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’keg?’
15:41:48 – Rakso says:’no’
15:41:53 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:41:56 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
15:41:57 – Forest is tapped.
15:42:00 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rancor.
15:42:03 – Rakso says:’k’
15:42:05 – Skyshroud Elite is attacking.
15:42:06 – Rakso’s life is now 15. (-4)
15:42:09 – Forest is tapped.
15:42:18 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rogue Elephant.
15:42:19 – Rakso says:’k’
15:42:22 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Forest.
Rancor
G
Enchant Creature
Urza’s Legazy common
Enchanted creature gains +2/+0 and has trample. When Rancor is put into a graveyard from play, return Rancor to its owner’s hand.
Rogue Elephant
G
Creature-Elephant
3/3
Weatherlight common
When Rogue Elephant comes into play, sacrifice it unless you sacrifice a forest.
The men are big and they are swinging hard. An elephant indeed!
From behind Call of the Herd’s great-grandfather, the foul beast stares archly at me. Somehow, I hear traces of laughter beneath its roar.
15:42:26 – It is now turn 4.
15:42:28 – Rakso draws a card.
15:42:31 – Rakso plays City of Brass.
City of Brass
Land
Arabian Nights uncommon
Whenever City of Brass becomes tapped, it deals 1 damage to you. Tap: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
In case you haven’t noticed, I just got the extremely pleasant all-City of Brass opening hand against one of the most relentless decks in the format… Damn redraws.
15:42:45 – It is now turn 5.
15:42:51 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:42:55 – Skyshroud Elite is attacking.
15:42:57 – Rogue Elephant is attacking.
15:42:57 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:42:58 – Rakso’s life is now 14. (-1)
15:43:00 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
15:43:20 – Melmoth the Wanderer removes Skyshroud Elite from the game.
15:43:24 – Melmoth the Wanderer’s life is now 24. (+4)
15:43:26 – Melmoth the Wanderer moves Rancor from tabletop to Melmoth the Wanderer’s hand.
15:43:31 – Rakso’s life is now 11. (-3)
The first charge lands clumsily, my lance shattering against the tough reptilian hide.
15:44:13 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Mox Emerald.
15:44:14 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
15:44:15 – Forest is tapped.
15:44:20 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays River Boa.
15:44:22 – Rakso says:’k’
15:44:26 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:44:28 – Rakso’s life is now 10. (-1)
15:44:30 – Rakso plays Vampiric Tutor.
15:44:31 – Rakso’s life is now 8. (-2)
15:44:47 – Rakso moves a card from Rakso’s library to Rakso’s hand.
But even gnats can sting an unwary elephant…
15:44:48 – It is now turn 6.
15:44:51 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
15:44:55 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:44:56 – Wasteland is tapped.
15:44:57 – Sol Ring is tapped.
15:44:57 – Rakso’s life is now 7. (-1)
15:45:00 – Rakso plays The Abyss.
The Abyss
3B
Enchant World
Legends rare
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, destroy target nonartifact creature that player controls of his or her choice. It can’t be regenerated.
I break to the right, and warily circle the lumbering beast. Patience, I tell myself, as I draw my sword and close on his rear.
15:45:01 – It is now turn 7.
15:45:14 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries River Boa.
15:45:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:45:36 – Rogue Elephant is attacking.
15:45:37 – Rakso’s life is now 4. (-3)
15:45:51 – Forest is tapped.
15:45:51 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
15:45:54 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays River Boa.
15:45:57 – Rakso says:’k’
River Boa
1G
Creature-Snake
2/1
Visions common
Islandwalk. G: Regenerate River Boa.
As I raise my sword, the harsh sun reflecting off the blade, a powerful swipe knocks me off my steed…
15:45:58 – It is now turn 8.
15:46:01 – Rakso draws a card.
15:46:04 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:46:05 – Wasteland is tapped.
15:46:06 – Rakso’s life is now 3. (-1)
15:46:07 – Rakso plays Pyroclasm.
15:46:15 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries River Boa.
My battered body is flung to the ground, and I cling to a sliver of consciousness with only the resolve that springs from desperation.
15:46:18 – It is now turn 9.
15:46:28 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Rogue Elephant.
15:46:30 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:46:32 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
15:46:35 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Druid Lyrist.
15:46:36 – Rakso says:’k’
Druid Lyrist
G
Creature-Druid
1/1
Odyssey common
G, Tap, Sacrifice Druid Lyrist: Destroy target enchantment.
I push myself back on my feet, my ears ringing from the savage blow. Behind me, another powerful swipe lands, cleaving my charger’s neck. Blood gushes from my mount, leaving me half-crippled and alone.
15:46:44 – It is now turn 10.
15:46:48 – Rakso draws a card.
15:46:55 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
Undiscovered Paradise
Land
Visions rare
Tap: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. During the next untap step of Undiscovered Paradise’s controller, as that player untaps his or her permanents, he or she returns Undiscovered Paradise to its owner’s hand.
I’m in dire straits indeed. All I have in hand are two useless Mana Drains and a Dismantling Blow. I’m at three life, with nothing but Cities of Brass and the fickle Undiscovered Paradise.
The dilemma – and obvious play – is that I need to cycle my Dismantling Blow off his Mox Emerald, hoping to draw anything while halving his mana. But I have exactly six mana on the table, and I’ll be left with one life and stunted colored mana, since Undiscovered will bounce back.
Dismantling Blow
2W
Instant
Invasion common
Kicker 2U (You may pay an additional 2U as you play this spell.) Destroy target artifact or enchantment. If you paid the kicker cost, draw two cards.
So you thought playing”The Deck” against simple, narrow aggro decks was easy? Make this play…
15:48:00 – It is now turn 11.
15:48:10 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’Abyss on the stack…in response’
15:48:11 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
15:48:13 – Rakso buries The Abyss.
15:48:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Druid Lyrist.
My play? Do nothing.
15:48:17 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:48:19 – Forest is tapped.
15:48:19 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Quirion Ranger.
15:48:21 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:48:21 – Rakso’s life is now 2. (-1)
15:48:23 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
15:48:24 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
15:48:25 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Quirion Ranger.
Quirion Ranger
G
Creature-Elf
1/1
Visions common
Return a forest you control to its owner’s hand: Untap target creature. Play this ability only once each turn.
Mana Drain
UU
Instant
Legends uncommon
Counter target spell. At the beginning of your next main phase, add X colorless mana to your mana pool, where X is that spell’s converted mana cost.
15:48:35 – It is now turn 12.
15:48:35 – Rakso draws a card.
15:48:36 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
15:48:38 – Sol Ring is tapped.
15:48:38 – Wasteland is tapped.
15:48:38 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
15:48:39 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:48:39 – Rakso’s life is now 1. (-1)
15:48:40 – Rakso plays Dismantling Blow.
15:48:43 – Rakso drew 2 cards.
15:48:47 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Mox Emerald.
A control player has to realize that sometimes he’s just forcing himself to make a gamble that doesn’t have to be made. There are times when you have to throw caution to the wind and throw a big spell at the opponent, but more often than not, you can be patient if you have a counter in hand. This patience has to be developed until it’s second nature.
Here, the situation is extremely desperate, and you’re praying for Zuran Orb to buy some breathing room and to let you cast something. The board is empty, but every other card he topdecks will be a creature that can win on its own. Still, waiting to counter the next creature turns a useless Mana Drain into a Time Walk. When you need to dig, every card counts, even the extra card bought by the”Time Walk.” In this case, it was a useless Wasteland, but you still dig closer to what you need instead of losing with that lifesaver on top of the library.
The only possible hitch is if he topdecks a Forest and plays two creatures. Seeing that he played Lyrist alone and he’d have sent the Lyrist into the Abyss anyway, that’s not possible. He has a Null Rod and other things in hand, but no one-mana men.
Again, patience and card advantage. He topdecked that mana elf and gave me one free mana.
I stagger forward and lift my blade…
15:48:50 – Rakso plays Black Lotus.
15:48:50 – Rakso buries Black Lotus.
15:48:52 – Rakso plays Merchant Scroll.
15:49:01 – Rakso moves Ancestral Recall from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
15:49:02 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
15:49:04 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’ok’
15:49:06 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’and?’
Patience. A clumsy swing to the underbelly, but a true one. The blade plunges between two enormous scales, and the foul stench of green blood fills my nostrils.
15:49:12 – It is now turn 13.
15:49:13 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
The dragon roars in pain.
(Matt told me he topdecked another River Boa at this point, but the Blow left him at one Forest.)
15:49:23 – It is now turn 14.
15:49:26 – Rakso moves Undiscovered Paradise from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
15:49:26 – Rakso draws a card.
15:49:29 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
15:49:32 – It is now turn 15.
15:49:48 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:49:51 – Forest is tapped.
15:49:53 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
15:49:54 – Rakso says:’k’
15:49:59 – Sol Ring is tapped.
15:50:00 – Wasteland is tapped.
15:50:01 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
15:50:04 – Rakso plays Fact or Fiction.
15:50:20 – Rakso says:’well? :)’
15:50:21 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’so you die’
15:50:28 – Rakso says:’StP alone?’
15:50:41 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’okay…stp’
15:50:48 – Rakso moves Swords to Plowshares from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
15:50:49 – Rakso buries Force of Will.
15:50:50 – Rakso buries Strip Mine.
15:50:52 – Rakso buries Powder Keg.
15:50:53 – Rakso buries Underground Sea.
15:50:54 – Rakso buries Fact or Fiction.
Ghazban Ogre
G
Creature-Ogre
2/2
Arabian Nights common
At the beginning of your upkeep, if a player has more life than any other, that player gains control of Ghazban Ogre.
I was prepared to write this game off as a loss. Still, if you milk your resources to the fullest, you often snatch victory from the jaws of defeat – literally, here. Counting from that Mana Drain turn, I’ve already cycled through thirteen cards hoping to topdeck a gamebreaker, so I have to believe that I’ll get it if I maximize my draw potential.
Pain overcomes the dragon’s thoughts, and instinct overcomes its grace. I duck from another clumsy swipe and raise my sword once again. I make another desperate thrust…
15:50:55 – It is now turn 16.
15:50:56 – Rakso moves Undiscovered Paradise from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
15:50:56 – Rakso draws a card.
15:51:00 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
15:51:06 – It is now turn 17.
15:51:10 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:51:14 – Ghazban Ogre is attacking.
15:51:16 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
15:51:18 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
15:51:23 – Melmoth the Wanderer’s life is now 26. (+2)
15:51:24 – Melmoth the Wanderer removes Ghazban Ogre from the game.
15:51:25 – Forest is tapped.
15:51:30 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Hidden Herd.
15:51:32 – Rakso says:’k’
Trademark D’Avanzo hate!
Hidden Herd
G
Enchantment
Urza’s Saga rare
When an opponent plays a nonbasic land, if Hidden Herd is an enchantment, Hidden Herd becomes a 3/3 Beast creature.
I certainly hope that Ancestral and Fact or Fiction filtered the chaff off the top of my library, because the man he topdecked won’t even let me replay Undiscovered Paradise. I can’t even use the remaining Mana Drain now.
I raise my blade, but I pause. The wind and dust raised by the beating of the wounded beast’s wings slam into me like an invisible fist.
15:51:35 – It is now turn 18.
15:51:37 – Rakso moves Undiscovered Paradise from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
15:51:41 – Rakso draws a card.
15:52:10 – Rakso says:’bastard’
15:52:16 – It is now turn 19.
15:52:33 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:52:39 – It is now turn 20.
15:52:43 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’PLAY A LAND’
15:52:44 – Rakso draws a card.
15:52:46 – Rakso says:’okay, okay’
15:52:47 – Rakso plays Zuran Orb.
15:52:49 – Rakso says:’jackpot’
15:52:52 – Rakso plays Tundra.
15:52:54 – Hidden Herd now has 1 counters. (+1)
15:52:54 – Sol Ring is tapped.
15:52:54 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
15:52:56 – Rakso buries Undiscovered Paradise.
15:52:57 – Rakso’s life is now 3. (+2)
15:52:58 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:52:59 – Rakso’s life is now 2. (-1)
15:53:02 – Rakso plays Moat.
Moat
2WW
Enchantment
Legends rare
Creatures without flying can’t attack.
Now can you better appreciate that Mana Drain/Dismantling Blow play? I drew that Moat off Ancestral Recall, but couldn’t play it since Undiscovered was my only available white source. I topdecked Tundra in the previous turn, but Undiscovered bounced to my hand. Every card dug out of the library really counts.
Mustering the last of my reserves, I will my exhausted arms to once again drive the blade deep into the dragon’s gut, scoring a mortal blow.
15:53:07 – It is now turn 21.
15:53:08 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:53:10 – Forest is tapped.
15:53:11 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Skyshroud Elite.
15:53:11 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rushwood Legate.
Rushwood Legate
2G
Creature-Dryad
2/1
Mercadian Masques uncommon
If an opponent controls an island and you control a forest, you may play Rushwood Legate without paying its mana cost.
I do a double-take, since Legate was apparently one of the things Matt had topdecked. Since I was stuck with my all-City and Paradise draw, he couldn’t play the sideboarded speed creature. (Of course, I wouldn’t have been in desperate straits if I didn’t have to suck up all that self-inflicted damage in the first place!)
This match is dedicated to Will Murray, a.k.a. Will the Walking Dude, a Beyond Dominia and Neutral Ground regular who just has the strangest luck. The last time he played Stompy, he got an opening hand with three Legates. Matt shrugged and showed him a hand with nothing but three Cities of Brass… Hey, it happens.
15:53:23 – It is now turn 22.
15:53:23 – Rakso draws a card.
15:53:32 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’ok’
15:53:36 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
Zuran Orb
0
Artifact
Ice Age uncommon
Sacrifice a land: You gain 2 life. (Restricted from November 1995 to October 1997. Banned in Type I.5 until April 1999. Banned in Extended since the creation of that format.)
15:53:37 – It is now turn 23.
15:53:42 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:53:45 – Forest is tapped.
15:53:49 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Druid Lyrist.
15:53:51 – Tundra is tapped.
15:53:51 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:53:52 – Rakso’s life is now 1. (-1)
15:53:54 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
15:53:56 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Druid Lyrist.
15:54:00 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:54:01 – Rakso buries City of Brass.
15:54:03 – Rakso’s life is now 2. (+1)
15:54:05 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
15:54:07 – Rakso moves Yawgmoth’s Will from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
15:54:09 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’ok’
15:54:10 – It is now turn 24.
15:54:19 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:54:20 – Sol Ring is tapped.
15:54:23 – Rakso’s life is now 1. (-1)
15:54:28 – Rakso removes Yawgmoth’s Will from the game.
15:54:32 – Rakso moves Strip Mine from Rakso’s graveyard to tabletop.
15:54:34 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Forest.
15:55:36 – Rakso removes Strip Mine from the game.
15:54:38 – Rakso moves Black Lotus from Rakso’s graveyard to tabletop.
It’s over. Even if he had land, he’d be hard-pressed to catch up with an Ancestral, a recycled Keg, and some fast tutoring. (The Keg would handle the next Lyrist, and he’d have to wait quite a while for two Forests before he could think of using sideboarded Tranquil Domains.) He concedes before Morphling drops to clean up.
Who said playing against aggro was all about laying that Abyss and smirking?
Oh, well, that was my first taste of Matt’s Stompy. He told me after the game that it boards fourteen cards against”The Deck,” and can board in all fifteen if it wants to.
The dragon lets loose a final howl, a death scream. The ground shakes as its bulk falls. I collapse on top of the corpse, my armor scraping against its scales, and claim only the embrace of sleep as my trophy…
Another example
Note that how fast that Stompy game was. You might enjoy a less desperate example:
16:00:49 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
16:00:49 – — Melmoth the Wanderer says: ”Aggro is intelligent.”
16:00:54 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
16:00:59 – Melmoth the Wanderer drew 7 cards.
16:01:04 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’I’m fine.’
16:01:11 – Rakso says:’hmmm’
16:01:16 – Rakso says:’I have an LoA and a Mox Sapphire’
16:01:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer rolled a 16, using a 20 sided die.
16:01:24 – Rakso rolled a 4, using a 20 sided die.
After this game, Matt and I discussed an opening hand scenario we didn’t think we had 100% ironed out. My opening hand had Library of Alexandria, Volcanic Island, Mox Sapphire, Sol Ring, Mana Drain and Powder Keg. Do you hold back to draw off Library, go for a first-turn Keg, or prepare a first-turn Mana Drain?
And remember, this is one of the fastest aggro decks in the format.
16:01:29 – It is now turn 1.
16:01:30 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
16:01:35 – Forest is tapped.
16:01:37 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Hidden Herd.
16:01:38 – Rakso says:’k’
16:01:40 – It is now turn 2.
16:01:46 – Rakso draws a card.
16:01:59 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’library?’
16:02:07 – Rakso plays Library of Alexandria.
16:02:08 – Hidden Herd now has 1 counters. (+1)
16:02:08 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
16:02:09 – Rakso draws a card.
16:02:10 – Rakso plays Mox Sapphire.
16:02:11 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
16:02:12 – Rakso plays Sol Ring.
16:02:16 – It is now turn 3.
16:02:23 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
16:02:29 – Hidden Herd is attacking.
16:02:31 – Rakso’s life is now 17. (-3)
16:02:34 – Forest is tapped.
16:02:38 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Quirion Ranger.
16:02:41 – Rakso says:’k’
16:02:47 – Hidden Herd is untapped.
16:02:48 – Melmoth the Wanderer moves Forest from tabletop to Melmoth
the Wanderer’s hand.
16:02:50 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
16:02:52 – Forest is tapped.
16:02:54 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
16:02:56 – It is now turn 4.
16:02:58 – Rakso draws a card.
16:02:59 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
16:03:00 – Rakso draws a card.
16:03:04 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
16:03:05 – Sol Ring is tapped.
16:03:08 – Rakso plays Powder Keg.
16:03:09 – It is now turn 5.
16:03:17 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
16:03:25 – Hidden Herd is attacking.
16:03:26 – Quirion Ranger is attacking.
16:03:27 – Ghazban Ogre is attacking.
16:03:28 – Rakso’s life is now 11. (-6)
16:03:45 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rushwood Legate.
16:03:48 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
16:03:48 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
16:03:49 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
16:03:52 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Rushwood Legate.
16:04:02 – It is now turn 6.
16:04:33 – Powder Keg now has 1 counters. (+1)
16:04:33 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
16:07:24 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
16:08:18 – Rakso moves Braingeyser from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
16:08:30 – Rakso plays Tundra.
16:08:45 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
16:08:46 – Tundra is tapped.
16:08:47 – Sol Ring is tapped.
16:08:48 – Rakso plays Braingeyser.
16:08:51 – Rakso drew 5 cards.
16:09:05 – Rakso says:’Boom’
16:09:13 – Rakso buries Powder Keg.
16:09:15 – Rakso buries Sol Ring.
16:09:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Hidden Herd.
16:09:19 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Quirion Ranger.
16:09:21 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Ghazban Ogre.
16:09:24 – Rakso moves Wasteland from Rakso’s hand to Rakso’s graveyard.
16:09:24 – Rakso moves Wasteland from Rakso’s hand to Rakso’s graveyard.
Incidentally, Matt and I concluded that the correct play would’ve been to drop the Keg as early as possible – turn 1. That slows the appearance of the men. In this case, though, since I have Mox Sapphire, I can hold back for Library, Drain a turn 2 threat that won’t be Kegged or a Null Rod, and still have Keg just one turn later.
Incidentally, I wasn’t worried about him bluffing with a Legate here and following up with a Null Rod. I could tutor for Dismantling Blow, dump the Drain mana, Blow the Null Rod, still draw, and still decimate his men.
Of course, that’s only because I’m packing”The Deck,” not some wussy mono blue.
I trade six life and one card for three of his cards, which should seal the game.
Also note that I blew the Keg on my turn, to deny him the Ranger’s mana ability on his.
16:08:58 – It is now turn 7.
16:09:07 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
16:09:07 – Rakso draws a card.
16:09:27 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
16:09:29 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
16:09:32 – Forest is tapped.
16:09:40 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
16:09:41 – Rakso says:’k’
16:09:43 – Forest is tapped.
16:09:51 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
16:09:52 – Rakso says:’k’
16:09:56 – Melmoth the Wanderer removes Elvish Spirit Guide from the game.
16:09:57 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Elvish Lyrist.
16:09:59 – Rakso says:’k’
Elvish Spirit Guide
2G
Creature-Spirit
2/2
Alliances uncommon
Remove Elvish Spirit Guide from the game: Add G to your mana pool. Play this ability only if Elvish Spirit Guide is in your hand and only any time you could play an instant.
16:10:00 – It is now turn 9.
16:10:10 – Rakso draws a card.
16:10:17 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
16:10:18 – Underground Sea is tapped.
16:10:18 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
16:10:21 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
16:10:27 – Rakso moves a card from Rakso’s library to Rakso’s hand.
16:11:11 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
16:11:11 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
16:11:12 – Rakso plays Pyroclasm.
16:11:36 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Elvish Lyrist.
16:11:38 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Ghazban Ogre.
16:11:41 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Ghazban Ogre.
16:11:42 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’I’m dead’
16:11:49 – It is now turn 10.
16:12:00 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
16:12:05 – Forest is tapped.
16:12:11 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rancor.
16:12:16 – Rakso says:’uh huh’
16:12:17 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’you got me’
See why control is more fun than aggro?
Last sample game
At this point, you may have some remaining doubts, and think that”The Deck” beats Stompy with brokenness rather than skill. Well, here’s one last game Matt and I played. I redrew my hand so that I didn’t have a playable restricted card, and he made sure he could do the three-creature opening.
15:25:07 – — Melmoth the Wanderer says: ”Aggro is intelligent.”
15:25:07 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
15:25:13 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
15:25:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer drew 7 cards.
15:27:03 – It is now turn 1.
15:27:03 – Rakso plays Tundra.
Nothing to see here…
15:27:03 – It is now turn 2.
15:27:07 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:27:11 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
15:27:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’go’
15:27:18 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’just kidding’
15:27:26 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’um…we have options’
15:27:33 – Rakso says:’that better be the 3 card riot :p’
15:27:46 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Black Lotus.
15:27:46 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Black Lotus.
15:27:49 – Rakso says:’WTF???’
15:27:55 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
15:27:56 – Rakso says:’k’
15:28:08 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rogue Elephant.
15:28:12 – Rakso says:’wait’
15:28:13 – Rakso says:’thinking’
Okay, I don’t have a Force of Will in hand. But I can at least make him sweat.
15:28:17 – Rakso says:’okay’
15:28:31 – Rakso says:’G floating’
15:28:31 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Forest.
15:28:32 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rancor.
15:28:36 – Tundra is tapped.
15:28:39 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
15:28:42 – Rakso buries Swords to Plowshares.
15:28:44 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Rancor.
15:28:47 – Melmoth the Wanderer removes Rogue Elephant from the game.
15:28:53 – Melmoth the Wanderer’s life is now 23. (+3)
15:28:56 – Rakso says:’G left’
15:28:57 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rushwood Legate.
15:28:59 – Rakso says:’k’
15:29:08 – Rakso says:’G left’
15:29:09 – Melmoth the Wanderer’s life is now 22. (-1)
A one-mana bluff? Love it. One man down, two to go.
15:29:10 – It is now turn 3.
15:29:14 – Rakso draws a card.
15:29:17 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
15:29:17 – Tundra is tapped.
15:29:18 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:29:19 – Rakso plays Pyroclasm.
15:29:35 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Ghazban Ogre.
15:29:36 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Rushwood Legate.
15:29:38 – It is now turn 4.
15:29:57 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:30:00 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
15:30:03 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Rushwood Legate.
15:30:04 – It is now turn 5.
15:30:08 – Rakso draws a card.
15:30:11 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:30:13 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
15:30:16 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
15:30:16 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’lol’
Topdeck!
15:30:19 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
15:30:25 – Tundra is tapped.
15:30:26 – Underground Sea is tapped.
15:30:27 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
15:30:33 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’Mikey P? Is that you?’
15:30:48 – Rakso says:’what should I be tutoring for’
15:30:50 – Rakso says:’hmmmm’
15:30:56 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’ur mom’
15:31:25 – Rakso moves a card from Rakso’s library to Rakso’s hand.
15:31:27 – It is now turn 6.
15:31:37 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:31:39 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Forest.
15:31:41 – Rushwood Legate is tapped.
15:31:41 – Rushwood Legate is attacking.
15:31:43 – Rakso’s life is now 18. (-2)
15:31:48 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’can I concede this game?’
15:31:53 – It is now turn 7.
15:31:53 – Rakso says:’let’s finish it’
15:31:55 – Rakso draws a card.
15:31:59 – Rakso plays City of Brass.
15:32:01 – Rakso plays Mox Ruby.
15:32:03 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
15:32:04 – Tundra is tapped.
15:32:05 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:32:06 – Underground Sea is tapped.
15:32:06 – City of Brass is tapped.
15:32:07 – Rakso’s life is now 17. (-1)
15:32:09 – Rakso plays Braingeyser.
15:32:11 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
Wonderful. I’m taking my sweet time against Stompy. There’s a reason we’re dedicating this game to Mikey Pustilnik…
15:32:12 – It is now turn 8.
15:32:18 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:32:21 – Rushwood Legate is attacking.
15:32:24 – Rakso’s life is now 15. (-2)
15:32:25 – Forest is tapped.
15:32:26 – Forest is tapped.
15:32:29 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Elvish Spirit Guide.
15:32:30 – Melmoth the Wanderer removes Elvish Spirit Guide from the game.
15:32:31 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Elvish Spirit Guide.
15:32:33 – Rakso says:’k’
15:32:41 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’My deck is brrrrrroken’
15:32:43 – It is now turn 9.
15:32:47 – Rakso draws a card.
15:32:50 – Rakso plays City of Brass.
15:32:52 – Rakso plays Mox Jet.
15:32:53 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
15:32:53 – Mox Jet is tapped.
15:32:55 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:32:56 – Underground Sea is tapped.
15:32:57 – Rakso plays The Abyss.
15:32:58 – It is now turn 10.
15:33:14 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Rushwood Legate.
15:33:15 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:33:20 – Elvish Spirit Guide is attacking.
15:33:23 – Rakso’s life is now 13. (-2)
15:33:26 – Forest is tapped.
15:33:26 – Forest is tapped.
15:33:28 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays River Boa.
15:33:31 – It is now turn 11.
15:33:39 – Rakso draws a card.
15:33:42 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
15:33:42 – Mox Jet is tapped.
15:33:43 – Tundra is tapped.
15:33:44 – Underground Sea is tapped.
15:33:44 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:33:47 – Rakso plays Morphling.
15:33:49 – It is now turn 12.
15:34:10 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’um….green elemental blast?’
15:34:19 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’concede’
15:34:24 – Rakso says:’one more turn’
15:34:36 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’o god’
15:34:44 – Melmoth the Wanderer buries Elvish Spirit Guide.
15:34:47 – Melmoth the Wanderer draws a card.
15:34:52 – Rakso’s life is now 11. (-2)
15:34:52 – River Boa is attacking.
15:34:55 – Forest is tapped.
15:34:56 – Melmoth the Wanderer plays Ghazban Ogre.
15:35:08 – Rakso says:’k’
15:35:09 – It is now turn 13.
15:35:11 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
15:35:17 – Rakso plays Strip Mine.
15:35:21 – Morphling is attacking.
15:35:26 – Melmoth the Wanderer’s life is now 17. (-5)
15:35:29 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
15:35:30 – Mox Jet is tapped.
15:35:31 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
15:35:32 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
15:35:34 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
15:35:35 – Rakso plays Merchant Scroll.
15:35:50 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’again?’
15:35:53 – Melmoth the Wanderer says:’jesus’
Yep… This was entitled,”Mise like Mikey P.” Four of my five cards were counters, too (Scroll fetches one).
It should also show you, however, the importance of spot removal in post-Fact or Fiction Type I. The speed boost FoF provided edged out one or two removal slots in various decks, but some players forget to put the removal back. I’ve seen a number of players from other forums such as MTGNews make this subtle but fatal mistake. You did remember how Brian Weissman kept emphasizing Swords to Plowshares, right?
How NOT to play Stompy
To end this little aggro series, though, I want to demonstrate that playing aggro isn’t as easy as it looks, not even something already as narrow as Stompy. For this last example, our guest star is Paul Khuong a.k.a. Sylvester, one of Beyond Dominia’s biggest Stompy fanatics. In this old test run, he pretended to lose all his brains and sideboard out creatures and keep pump like Bounty of the Hunt and Giant Growth. (We were testing possible sideboard schemes.)
It might not look so strange to the unfamiliar, but that’s what we’re going to demonstrate.
22:57:20 – — Sylvester says: ”I am ready.”
22:57:20 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
22:57:25 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
22:57:30 – Sylvester drew 7 cards.
22:57:32 – It is now turn 1.
22:57:37 – Sylvester plays Forest.
22:57:37 – Forest is tapped.
22:57:39 – Sylvester plays Ghazban Ogre.
22:57:41 – Rakso says:’k’
22:57:42 – It is now turn 2.
22:57:46 – Rakso says:’That was it?’
22:57:50 – Sylvester says:’yes’
22:57:53 – Rakso draws a card.
22:57:57 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
22:57:59 – Sylvester says:’;)’
22:58:00 – It is now turn 3.
22:58:04 – Sylvester draws a card.
22:58:10 – It is now the Attack Phase.
22:58:11 – Ghazban Ogre is attacking.
22:58:14 – Rakso’s life is now 18. (-2)
22:58:20 – Sylvester plays Rushwood Legate.
22:58:22 – Rakso says:’k’
22:58:24 – Sylvester plays Forest.
22:58:25 – Forest is tapped.
22:58:26 – Forest is tapped.
22:58:29 – Sylvester plays River Boa.
22:58:30 – Rakso says:’k’
22:58:33 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:58:36 – Rakso buries Mystical Tutor.
22:58:41 – Rakso moves Pyroclasm from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
22:58:41 – It is now turn 4.
22:58:45 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
22:58:45 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:58:46 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
22:58:57 – Sylvester moves Elvish Spirit Guide from Sylvester’s hand to Sylvester’s removed from game pile.
22:58:58 – River Boa is tapped.
22:58:59 – Sylvester buries Rushwood Legate.
22:59:00 – Sylvester buries Ghazban Ogre.
22:59:05 – It is now turn 5.
22:59:09 – Sylvester draws a card.
22:59:13 – River Boa is attacking.
22:59:15 – Rakso’s life is now 16. (-2)
22:59:17 – Forest is tapped.
22:59:18 – Sylvester plays Skyshroud Elite.
22:59:23 – Rakso plays Force of Will.
22:59:26 – Sylvester buries Skyshroud Elite.
22:59:26 – Rakso removes Force of Will from the game.
22:59:28 – Rakso’s life is now 15. (-1)
22:59:32 – It is now turn 6.
22:59:46 – Rakso draws a card.
22:59:52 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
22:59:54 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
22:59:56 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
22:59:57 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:59:58 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:59:59 – Rakso plays Time Walk.
23:00:01 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:00:01 – Volcanic Island is untapped.
23:00:01 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:00:02 – Rakso draws a card.
23:00:05 – Rakso plays Library of Alexandria.
23:00:06 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:00:09 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:00:12 – Rakso plays Powder Keg.
23:00:13 – It is now turn 7.
23:00:21 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:00:26 – River Boa is attacking.
23:00:28 – Rakso’s life is now 13. (-2)
23:00:33 – It is now turn 8.
23:00:38 – Powder Keg now has 1 counters. (+1)
23:00:39 – Rakso draws a card.
23:00:44 – Rakso plays City of Brass.
23:00:45 – It is now turn 9.
23:00:51 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:00:56 – River Boa is attacking.
23:01:01 – City of Brass is tapped.
23:01:01 – Rakso’s life is now 12. (-1)
23:01:03 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
23:01:06 – Sylvester removes River Boa from the game.
23:01:07 – Sylvester’s life is now 22. (+2)
23:01:09 – It is now turn 10.
23:01:24 – Rakso draws a card.
23:01:36 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
23:01:36 – It is now turn 11.
23:01:42 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:01:54 – Forest is tapped.
23:01:56 – Sylvester plays Hidden Herd.
23:01:58 – Rakso says:’k’
23:02:02 – City of Brass is tapped.
23:02:03 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:02:03 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:02:04 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:02:05 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:02:05 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:02:06 – Rakso’s life is now 11. (-1)
23:02:08 – Rakso plays Dismantling Blow.
23:02:11 – Sylvester buries Hidden Herd.
23:02:13 – Rakso drew 2 cards.
23:02:13 – It is now turn 12.
23:02:17 – Rakso draws a card.
23:02:19 – Rakso plays Tundra.
23:02:20 – It is now turn 13.
23:02:26 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:02:31 – Forest is tapped.
23:02:33 – Sylvester plays Ghazban Ogre.
23:02:34 – Rakso says:’k’
23:02:35 – It is now turn 14.
23:02:36 – Rakso draws a card.
23:02:49 – City of Brass is tapped.
23:02:50 – Rakso’s life is now 10. (-1)
23:02:53 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:02:54 – Rakso plays Regrowth.
23:03:15 – Rakso moves Mystical Tutor from graveyard to Rakso’s hand.
23:03:18 – It is now turn 15.
23:03:24 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:03:27 – Ghazban Ogre is attacking.
23:03:47 – Rakso’s life is now 8. (-2)
23:03:53 – Rakso says:’NOTHING???’
23:03:57 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:03:58 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
23:03:59 – Sylvester says:’yeah’
23:04:04 – Rakso moves Yawgmoth’s Will from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
23:04:05 – It is now turn 16.
23:04:37 – Rakso removes Yawgmoth’s Will from the game.
23:04:40 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:04:43 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:04:45 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:04:48 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
23:04:59 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:05:00 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:05:00 – City of Brass is tapped.
23:05:01 – Tundra is tapped.
23:05:02 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
23:05:02 – Rakso’s life is now 7. (-1)
23:05:05 – Rakso removes Time Walk from the game.
23:05:09 – Rakso removes Swords to Plowshares from the game.
23:05:11 – Sylvester removes Ghazban Ogre from the game.
23:05:12 – Sylvester’s life is now 24. (+2)
23:05:13 – Rakso removes Ancestral Recall from the game.
23:05:15 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
23:05:25 – Rakso removes Mystical Tutor from the game.
23:05:34 – Rakso moves Demonic Tutor from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
23:05:38 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:05:38 – Volcanic Island is untapped.
23:05:38 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:05:38 – Library of Alexandria is untapped.
23:05:38 – City of Brass is untapped.
23:05:38 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:05:38 – Tundra is untapped.
23:05:40 – Rakso moves Undiscovered Paradise from tabletop to Rakso’s
hand.
23:05:41 – Rakso moves Demonic Tutor from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
23:05:45 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:05:46 – Rakso draws a card.
23:05:48 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
23:05:52 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:05:54 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:05:56 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
23:06:16 – It is now turn 17.
23:06:21 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:06:24 – Forest is tapped.
23:06:26 – Sylvester plays Ghazban Ogre.
23:06:28 – Rakso says:’k’
23:06:30 – It is now turn 18.
23:06:35 – Rakso draws a card.
23:06:40 – Rakso plays Undiscovered Paradise.
23:06:45 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:06:46 – Rakso draws a card.
23:06:49 – Rakso plays Mox Emerald.
23:06:50 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:06:51 – Wasteland is tapped.
23:06:53 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:06:54 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:06:54 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:06:56 – Rakso plays Morphling.
23:07:08 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:07:09 – City of Brass is tapped.
23:07:10 – Tundra is tapped.
23:07:11 – Undiscovered Paradise is tapped.
23:07:11 – Rakso’s life is now 6. (-1)
23:07:13 – Rakso plays The Abyss.
23:07:14 – It is now turn 19.
23:07:30 – Sylvester buries Ghazban Ogre.
23:07:36 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:07:47 – Sylvester plays Forest.
23:08:02 – It is now turn 20.
23:08:08 – Rakso moves Undiscovered Paradise from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
23:08:10 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:08:11 – Rakso draws a card.
23:08:14 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:08:15 – Rakso draws a card.
23:08:17 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
23:08:22 – Morphling is tapped.
23:08:22 – Morphling is attacking.
23:08:23 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:08:25 – Sylvester’s life is now 19. (-5)
23:08:26 – Wasteland is tapped.
23:08:26 – It is now turn 21.
23:08:30 – Sylvester draws a card.
23:08:36 – It is now turn 22.
23:08:40 – Rakso says:’NOTHING???’
23:08:42 – Rakso says:’3 mana’
23:08:44 – Rakso says:’Morph on table’
23:08:45 – Rakso says:’NOTHING???’
23:08:49 – Sylvester says:’i can’t’
23:08:51 – Rakso says:’k’
23:08:54 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:08:57 – Rakso draws a card.
23:09:01 – Sylvester says:’40% of the deck is *** creatures’
23:09:04 – Rakso plays Zuran Orb.
23:09:04 – Library of Alexandria is tapped.
23:09:05 – Rakso draws a card.
23:09:08 – Rakso plays Black Lotus.
23:09:12 – Morphling is attacking.
23:09:13 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:09:14 – Wasteland is tapped.
23:09:23 – Sylvester’s life is now 14. (-5)
23:09:32 – Rakso says:’mise’
23:09:34 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:09:35 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:09:36 – Rakso buries Black Lotus.
23:09:38 – Rakso plays Morphling.
The game ended with two Morphlings on the table backed by two Mana Drains and a Force of Will. I didn’t even use the Keg yet. He failed to win a single game, in fact, after this massacre.
Is there a problem with his deck? Can’t be, it was almost identical to Matt’s.
But check this table which shows his hand size at the end of each of his turns:
Turn |
Hand |
1 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
11 |
4 |
13 |
4 |
15 |
5 |
17 |
5 |
19 |
5 |
21 |
6 |
As you can see, thanks to the simulated sideboarding error, Paul died with a gun full of ammo, unable to fire. And it’s a plausible error; something you could easily repeat over and over and not realize it. Only by reviewing logs like this carefully will you realize what’s causing your Stompy to stall.
So green is a stupid color, eh? Think again. It might just be smarter than you.
Oscar Tan
[email protected]
rakso on #BDChat on EFNet
Manila, Philippines
Forum Administrator, Star City Games (http://www.starcitygames.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi)
Featured writer, Star City Games (http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/archive.php?Article=Oscar Tan)
Author of the Control Player’s Bible (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdominia/files/ControlBible.zip)
Type I, Extended and Casual Maintainer, Beyond Dominia (http://www.bdominia.com/discus/messages/9/9.shtml)
Proud member of the Casual Player’s Alliance (http://www.casualplayers.org)
P.S. – Thanks to Brian Weissman, John Ormerod, Darren di Battista a.k.a. Azhrei, JP”Polluted” Meyer and Matt D’Avanzo for being tough critics of the drafts of this series.
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