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AuthorJoshua Claytor

Joshua Claytor is a former writer for Scrye Magazine, and the 2004 Kentucky State Standard Champion. Joshua has reached the Top 8 in numerous PTQ's, in addition to making the Top 8 in Kentucky states since 2003.

Darksteel in Constructed: Losing to U/W Is Just Bad Form

If you recall my last article, you’ll remember it was about Chittering Rats, and a Black/Green Cemetery deck that has still been testing well. I’ve put it on the back burner and have started to work this little number. It was something I have been working on since the spoiler was released. The Indestructible creatures jumped out and caught my eye. I loved NetherHaups when it was played, and thought hey, maybe it is possible to make a deck like it for this control heavy format.

Restless: Darksteel in Constructed – Playing in the Cemetery Part 1

So I got to thinking, maybe Chittering Rats would be really good in an Oversold Cemetery deck. I saw a copy of one that made top eight in an E-league tournament (Yeah, I know the site is down, but often times after a Master tournament, there will be a link on IRC to the top eight decks in the event. You can download them, and see what the people played.) So, like any good scammer for other people’s work, I took it, played it some, and started to make some changes.

Restless: They Ran My Underpants Up A Flagpole

This is one of the decks that I have started off testing for the upcoming Extended season. It showed promise last year with some appearances in Grand Prix, and John Eardley won a PTQ with it in Columbus, Ohio. I have been testing this deck pretty much exclusively, looking for something that has a good match-up against the Rock, Tog, Red Deck Wins, and Dump Truck. The deck I speak of is Tradewind Opposition.

Restless: Kentucky State Championship *5th Place*

I’m not here to present what you should have played at States, or what could have won you the State Championships. I’m here to tell you my story. I’m one of the players who thinks that States is nothing more then a social event; a tournament that is best held in the presence of good friends. Much more relaxed than a Pro Tour Qualifier, but much more difficult than, oh, your local Friday Night Magic. And yet still I managed to come in fifth out of a hundred and sixty-six people.

Restless: Grand Prix Atlanta, Day Two, Part Two *24th Place*

So I ended day two at 10-4 and I went 3-3 on the day, finishing in the top thirty-two and gaining my first pro point. I have absolutely no regrets about what I played at the Grand Prix. I performed much better then I expected and lived out a scrub’s dream on my way to day two. This deck is so fun that it should be illegal by copyright infringement.

Living The Dream: Day 2 At Atlanta!

My love for Block Constructed put me in danger of not playing in the Grand Prix. I thought about preparing for the Grand Prix, but decided against because I knew what I wanted to play. A lack of preparation made me think I was not going to do well, so I just wanted to have as much fun as I possibly could. How can you not have fun reanimating big stupid creatures? That is the only reason I went in playing Reanimator! It had some game against Wake with all the disruption main, and with Akroma, Angel of Wrath, Phantom Nishoba, and Visara, it had some game against the aggressive decks of the format like Goblins and U/G. In theory, the deck seemed strong, and in truth the amount of fun I was going to have Stitch Togethering some dorks would outweigh my overall results regardless.

Restless: Pre-Scourge Grand Prix: Detroit Trial. *4th Place*

There were still a lot of Beasts decks there, but there were plenty of Goblins running around as well. It seemed like Astral Slide was an acceptable metagame call – and even though I did well, I should have sat this one out. This is what I played. Be warned, it indeed is a pile. I credit the performance to having really really good matchups.

Restless: Ohio Valley Regionals

At this point, I am sitting at 3-1-1 and feeling pretty good about myself… But of course, we all know that I did not X-0 the rest of the tournament. Locusts would have swarmed the earth, fire would have rained out of the sky, and other bad times would be going on.

Joshua X Presents: Adapting Jensen’s R/B Control To Standard

I watched Jensen play the deck at Grand Prix: Cleveland with my own two eyes, and I couldn’t resist trying to adapt it. I have gone through at least seventeen different versions of the sideboard, ranging from aggressive strategies to more control to just about fifteen different sorceries… And I feel that this is the best version.

Joshua X Presents: A Week Long Adventure

Joshua X is back, and he’s here to tell you about his OBC adventures! Want to know how he did? Well, not as well as he would have liked, but he does have some new OBC decklists for ya, straight from the tourney.