Flesh and Blood Nationals season is right around the corner with the United States National Championship, hosted by Star City Games, taking place on August 25-27. Players from across the country will gather in Las Vegas, Nevada to battle it out in Classic Constructed and Monarch Draft to see who will wave the American flag at the Flesh and Blood World Championship in Barcelona, Spain later this year. Who will add their name to the list alongside previous US champs Tariq Patel and Michael Hamilton?
US Nationals will play out over three days with Friday and Saturday featuring seven rounds of Swiss (four rounds of Classic Constructed and three rounds of Monarch Draft each day) culminating with a single-elimination Top 8 bracket on Sunday showcasing Classic Constructed. All Top 8 players earn an invitation to the World Championship, their share of the event’s $50,000 prize pool, and a Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope, but the winner takes home the trophy, $10,000, and the title of National Champion.
| Place | Prize Money | Promos, Invites |
| 1st | $10,000 | Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope, 2023 World Championship Invitation |
| 2nd | $4,000 | Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope, 2023 World Championship Invitation |
| 3rd-4th | $2,500 | Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope, 2023 World Championship Invitation |
| 5th-8th | $1,250 | Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope, 2023 World Championship Invitation |
| 9th-32nd | $750 | |
| 33rd-64th | $250 |
The weekend will also feature a Classic Constructed Calling, Classic Constructed PTI event, Blitz Battle Hardened, and a full schedule of public side events on each day. On top of all the competitive and social tournaments, the National Championship will have special guests, a cosplay contest, and more. The National Championship will be streamed on twitch.tv/starcitygames with commentary from Matt Di Marco, Bryan Gottlieb, Sam O’Byrne, Pankaj Bhojwani, and Kellen Charles.
Cosplay Contest
Cosplayers can join in on the fun in Las Vegas with a special cosplay contest on Saturday. All participants receive a Needle promo card and a Fabric of Blossoms promo card, with more prizes for top finishers. First place gets a cold foil Taylor promo card and a Fabric of Spring playmat. Second through fourth place take home a Fabric of Spring promo card and a Fabric of Spring playmat, while fifth through eighth place get a Needle playmat.
Special Guests
Special guests for the weekend include artists Steve Argyle and Mark Poole and LSS North American Organized Play Manager Francesca Volante. Chat with all three or stop by the artist booths for prints, proofs, and more.
Event Packages
Flesh and Blood players looking to get the biggest bang for their buck at Nationals can purchase event packages for the Calling or all the side events one can handle.
Fable Main Event Package
The Fable Main Event Package includes:
- One (1) Fable Event Voucher – Good for entry into the Calling, Battle Hardened or any open-entry event.
- Two (2) Bronze Side Event Voucher
- One (1) Silver Side Event Voucher
- Levia, Redeemed Playmat
- Three Card Banneret Promo Pack
Buy the Fable Main Event package.
Go Again Side Event Package
The Go Again Side Event Package includes:
- Two (2) Bronze Side Event Vouchers
- Two (2) Silver Side Event Voucher
- Levia, Redeemed Playmat
- Three Card Banneret Promo Pack
Buy the Go Again Side Event package.
Playmats On Sale
Two more special playmats from LSS will be available at US Nationals. Each playmat costs $50, is limited to one per person, and must be picked up in person.
Legend Story Studios Swirling Mist Playmat
Legend Story Studios Lore Book Cover Art Playmat
Format Breakdowns
Dusk till Dawn was released on July 14 and added 236 cards to Classic Constructed. While a new set always injects some spice into a format, the biggest shift to Classic Constructed was Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity reaching Living Legend and leaving the format on July 7. With the strongest defensive hero in the game no longer on the loose, the Classic Constructed meta opened back up while simultaneously benefitting from the addition of a new Prism and a new Shadow Runeblade hero in Vynnset, Iron Maiden.
There have been numerous Classic Constructed Battle Hardened events and even a Calling since the release of Dusk till Dawn and Oldhim’s departure, and one hero has secured the win in all of them — Iyslander, Stormbind. Samuel Braben won the Calling in Birmingham, England and Rhea Adams won back-to-back Battle Hardened events in Cincinnati and Chicago all in July. Caleb Van Patten even won the PTI event at the Battle Hardened in Salt Lake City on August 5 with the Elemental Wizard.
While Iyslander has been dominating the headlines with all the victories, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all been putting up solid results as well with Bravo and Lexi putting up four Top 8 appearances in those events in July while Dromai tallied three. Briar, Katsu, Levia, and Uzuri aren’t too far behind either, as all four heroes have two Top 8s in that span.
Classic Constructed will take up eight of the 14 Swiss rounds at US Nationals, leaving the remaining six to Monarch Draft. Monarch, the fourth Flesh and Blood set released and third draftable set, returns to the spotlight as Dusk till Dawn isn’t a draftable expansion. Now that the game has grown, a wider audience can experience the limited format, and competitors get to draft the set with high stakes. Players will have to pick between Light or Shadow, with each type featuring two heroes. Prism, an illusionist, and Boltyn, a Warrior, represent Light while Levia, a Brute, and Chane, a Runeblade, represent Shadow.
Now, let’s hear from some of the best players in the United States, along with the commentators for the event, on what the decks to beat are, what to do in draft, and who they think will be the eventual champion.
Player Interviews
Brodie Spurlock
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: Iyslander has established herself as the boogeyman of this format so far, but I think she has bad matchups just like the other top decks. I don’t think there is one deck to beat, which is probably my favorite thing about this meta.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy takes the cake for most impactful card from Dusk till Dawn. Several heroes have been bumped up a notch by cards like Star Struck, Dyadic Carapace, Lost in Thought, and Levia, Redeemed. I’m excited to see if any more of the new generics end up as staple sideboard tech in the future.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: CC is definitely a different format without Oldhim. I feel like every deck I build gets three to five-plus extra sideboard slots now that he’s not a matchup I have to consider. While it is a huge change and no one can quite fill his shoes, Oldhim dominated for a long time and I think it’s time for a meta without him.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: I wasn’t playing FAB when Monarch first released, but it has been a lot of fun to learn it in preparation for Nationals. It’s an interesting format that seems to really reward preparation. I do think the ideas surrounding the format have changed since the original release, so I’m exited to see what strategies everyone has in store for Nationals.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: I think there are lots of strong players in the US threatening to take the crown, but I’m rooting for either Michael Feng to follow up his Pro Tour win by becoming the National Champion or Michael Hamilton to defend his title.
Chris Iaali
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: It’s hard to call Iyslander the deck to beat when her representation is such a small percentage of the field, but I do expect her popularity to rise by Nationals. Right now, I’d still say that Lexi has the biggest target on her back.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy is the card almost everyone can play to combat Lexi, and it’s warping how her decks can be built or played. I’m really hoping to see new Prism and Levia solved in time for Nationals — they feel so close!
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: It honestly doesn’t feel that different with the current Bravo lists floating around! The lack of Crown of Seeds does make it easier to beat the fatigue strategy though, so I’m happy with the current meta.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: Monarch Draft has been great so far! It feels well balanced as every hero can 3-0 a pod. It does feel like Chane has the highest ceiling, but also the lowest floor in power level. I hadn’t played any Monarch Draft before prepping for Nationals, but it’s been more fun than the last two formats!
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: I think anyone from the Wolf Pack is a strong pick to win it all. But, if the “better Vore brother” Matthew Vore ever finds a new hero he enjoys playing, we’re in trouble!
Mara Faris
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: Iyslander is such a mystery right now. She feels like she shouldn’t be well positioned with several unfavorable matchups at the moment. But after three wins in a row it’s getting harder and harder to say “maybe people just aren’t respecting the arcane” anymore. Though I do think a lot of her success is a testament to Rhea Adams skill as a pilot in an unknown meta, too. I think we’ll have to wait and see how Iyslander looks going into Nationals, but you can bet I’ll be packing a couple extra blues on the weekend.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: I’d have to be crazy not to say Warmonger’s Diplomacy. The card is shaking a lot of the meta to it’s core, and several decks will likely entirely disappear because of it’s emergence. Azalea and Viserai are probably severely hampered by the card, and even decks like Lexi are having to adjust their gameplan significantly to brace for it’s impact. Personally, I’m pretty excited for Lost in Thought. That card does a lot for Dromai, and it’s going to catch a lot of people off guard who haven’t tested the new Dromai matchups enough.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: God, no. That deck can stay dead (sorry Oldhim players). Oldhim was an oppressive force that kept a lot of decks out of the meta. I expect lots of new things to flourish now that he’s gone.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: I was hesitant at first, but now I’ve been really enjoying it. It’s interesting to see it revisited after all this time. The players have improved so much since Monarch was first released, and I think we’re seeing a lot of strategies come out of the format that just didn’t exist the first time around. There’s a lot more to this format than just forcing Prism. I’m eager to see it played at the highest level.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: Assuming I can’t vote for myself? I stand by my statements I made previously about Pro Tour 3. I think Brodie Spurlock and Michael Feng are two of the most hard-working individuals in this game. If anyone deserves the title of US champion, I think it’s one of them.
Michael Hamilton
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: Iyslander should definitely be on everyone’s radar. Getting playtest games into her and prioritizing your matchup into her is important. That said, she probably won’t be a huge percentage of the field. She is less intuitive and a lot of players gravitate away from her style of deck. We saw at Worlds when Iyslander was arguably the best deck, she still wasn’t a large percentage of the metagame, and I expect something similar for nationals.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy has warped the metagame since it came out. It arguably pushed Iyslander up several levels of power and also means that Azalea and the Runeblades are reasonably weaker and have to consider a lot more in their builds. Many decks are affected by this new card. I think Levia and Boltyn also got some solid upgrades that make them playable, but only in the right metagames and people are still figuring out builds for them.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: Oldhim hitting living legend has been a nice change. It combined with the Bull’s Eye Bracers ban have really left a lot of room in the format for lots of other heroes to take off and see some play. The versions of Oldhim at the end of the format weren’t really that close to the versions of Oldhim that I really enjoyed playing, and I’m happy to see the format open up quite a bit.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: Monarch Draft is really challenging and really punishing for mistakes. There’s also a lot of variance in the individual games (much more than many other limited sets I’ve played.) This can lead to it being harder to pinpoint mistakes. Prism definitely feels strong, but draft is self correcting and I’ve seen lots of trainwreck Prism drafts where there were four Prisms in a pod. I started playing FAB shortly before the Tales of Aria prerelease so I hadn’t drafted it until it was announced as the Nationals format.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: My money is on Brodie Spurlock. He’s been putting in a ton of time into the game the last six months and his results have really reflected that. Being his teammate, I’ve seen how well he thinks about the game. I’d honestly be thrilled if anyone on the Wolf Pack takes it down though!
Charles Dunn
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: It certainly seems that way! Iyslander has solid matchups across the board and the results back it up. Prior to the Bull’s Eye Bracers ban, Lexi was clearly the best deck, and extremely favored into Iyslander. But now Lexi cannot quite as reliably do a big combo turn with Rain Razors, Endless Arrow, and Bull’s Eye Bracers, not to mention losing the easy access to a bit of Arcane Barrier. Plus the meta is more hostile to Lexi with the introduction of Warmonger’s Diplomacy. Despite winning back-to-back Battle Hardeneds, Iyslander was still only the seventh-most played deck at the Calling in Birmingham. I think people are still a bit slow to catch onto how powerful she is right now.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Certainly Warmonger’s Diplomacy. A generic blue block 3 that has the potential to shut down entire strategies is going to be an important factor in the meta. Levia got quite a few impactful cards as well. Blasmophet, Levia Consumed/Levia, Redeemed are huge to mitigate some of the risks of playing a Blood Debt strategy, and Slithering Shadowpede offers a lot of value when combined with Art of War. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Levia start doing better as people find the most optimal builds for her. Finally, I think Decimator Great Axe is a very strong weapon that is being overlooked at the moment. It is impossible to block efficiently against it, so I think there is a good deck to be built around it, but I don’t think it has been figured out yet.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: The meta feels much more open for sure. With Oldhim, there were a lot of strategies that could not compete against his extremely consistent gameplan and fatigue potential. Bravo has some of the same traits but not nearly the same consistency due to the lack of Crown of Seeds, which opens up space for other decks to thrive. Selfishly, I preferred when Oldhim was in the format because I knew exactly what I was going to play, but I think overall, Oldhim being gone is better for the overall health of the metagame.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: I haven’t actually played as much Monarch Draft as I would like. I also did not play it back during its original relase, since I started right around Tales of Aria. It is actually the aspect of Nationals I am most nervous for since I have just not had enough time to properply prepare for it, and so I don’t have much insight onto the format as a whole. Instead, I will be narrowing my focus to just one or two heroes in draft to try to understand them fully and go in with the intention of forcing one of them, rather than try to tackle the entire format. I understand is not optimal, but I think it gives me the best shot to walk away from the draft portion with a few wins.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: Well, considering my comments above on draft, I don’t think I can confidently say me. Anyone betting against Brodie Spurlock though is probably taking a bad bet. He has been on fire recently and absolutely puts in the work needed to succeed at a high level. Pat Eshghy is my other pick, he always has consistently strong results at Pro Tours and other high level events, I think it could be time for him to break through and win big at US Nationals.
Michael Feng
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: To me, Iyslander has solidified herself as one of the best heroes in this current meta. She is versatile and can be more attack action heavy or more arcane heavy. The unknown factor of her Arsenal leads to opponents having to sometimes play sub optimally. I think having a solid Iyslander plan is key to succeeding during this meta. That being said, Lexi, Bravo, Dromai have all been mainstays of the format. These four heroes are what I consider decks you should have a plan for.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy has definitely made the biggest impact. Not sure anything is being overlooked, or, perhaps, I am part of the crowd that is overlooking them 🙂
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: CC feels more diverse without Oldhim. I am glad Oldhim is gone.
Q: Monarch Draft is back in high-level competition. What do you think of the format? Is there a best deck? Did you get to play it during its original release? If so, has the format evolved any?
A: I was initially excited about Monarch draft. I think Prism is likely the easiest hero to draft and play and has the best quality class cards. I did play during release. I think we are as a player base are better drafters now.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: I think there are so many good players who haven’t had the opportunity to showcase their talent. I’m always expecting a first time competitor to win!
Commentator Interviews
Matt Di Marco
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: Iyslander has always been a threat, however, at times she has been a victim of seismic meta shifts that favored Dromai. The fanciest Iyslander pilots can still navigate a turbulent meta, but I wouldn’t call her the deck to beat. She’s the deck to be aware of. There is no singular “deck to beat,” and if you approach Nationals with that kind of tunnel vision, you’re going to get bounced quickly.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Without a doubt the answer here is Warmonger’s Diplomacy. It reads like a UPF card, but is a true silver bullet against decks that sprinkle non-attack actions with their offense. It full-on halts the potency of Runeblades and can instantly rebuy momentum. It is a zero-cost, three-block blue that has minimal downside in any sideboard. I’d say Star Struck is overlooked based on the respect it commands against aggressive lists. It is a howitzer of a card at 10 damage, which has the potential to buy a whole turn away from heroes that play low to the ground attack sequences.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: As an Oldhim fan through and through, it pains me to say this, but sending the old man to Del Boca Vista is objectively a good thing. It opens up a larger array of heroes to threaten the meta, creating a shifting landscape that is hard to predict from week to week. Bravo can fill the shoes, but without the tools Oldhim had access to, Bravo players can’t just auto-pilot their defensive strategy.
Q: Which lesser played hero with potential would you like to see do well in CC?
A: I would love to see Katsu regain dominance, but it is incredibly difficult to predict a dark horse when so many options hover in that B-tier range. I’ll go off the board here and say Boltyn can surprise the unprepared, but in my heart I’m wishing for Katsus littered across the Top 8.
Q: Are you excited to see Monarch draft again? Who do you think will be the most successful hero in Draft?
A: Monarch draft is so unique, and after playing it so much in July, I truly am excited to see the best players have a crack at it. The common wisdom is that if you’re the only Boltyn at the table, it’s your draft pod to lose, but I’ve had significant success with Prism as well. Keep in mind that Arcane Barrier is a luxury you won’t have, so a Chane player that can find consistent sources of Arcane damage will give their opponents significant headaches to pair with their frustration. I would personally avoid Levia because dice are wicked.
Q: What player do you think could have a breakout performance at US Nationals?
A: The players I believe will have breakout performances are not necessarily ghosts of the community, but players who have fallen short of the big ones. Peter Buddensiek and Dagan White are perennial threats to Top 8, while cult heroes like Sam Dando can inflict their brand of ‘psychic damage’ in how they disarm their opponents with their casual nonchalance in high-pressure situations.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: This tournament is Brodie Spurlock’s to lose. Nobody in this game is more committed, beloved, and dialed-in than he is. Kid Wonderbread has the discipline, the routine, the understanding, and the skill to blow the field away. He learns from his losses and then buries them. He is calculated and is supported by a team that just wins consistently.
Bryan Gottlieb
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: I think there isn’t a deck to beat right now. There are four clear top tier contenders in Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai, but I can’t put one above another, and there are plenty of other heroes that could take down this event.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: It’s been Warmonger’s Diplomacy stealing all the headlines thus far, but there are plenty of other cards in the set waiting to make their presence felt. I’ve got too much inside info to let you know which ones though!
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: I didn’t hate Oldhim as much as some people, but there’s no doubt his absence is opening up a lot of room in the metagame. Definitely enjoying the new world.
Q: Which lesser played hero with potential would you like to see do well in CC?
A: It’s only a matter of time until we see Uzuri start taking down some of these big events.
Q: Are you excited to see Monarch draft again? Who do you think will be the most successful hero in Draft?
A: 100 percent. Too many people (myself included) missed out on Monarch the first go around. While Prism ruled the first time Monarch was being played, the player base has improved exponetially, and I think they have the skills and dedication necessary to bring Chane to the top of the format.
Q: What player do you think could have a breakout performance at US Nationals?
A: It’s hard to bet against the hot hand, and I expect this is the moment where Rhea Adams fully and completely becomes one of the superstars of the game.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: There are so many talented players in the US, it feels almost impossible to choose a winner. Is Tariq an American or Canadian this year? I guess with Iyslander back in the meta, I’m gonna predict a “Forgot About Dre” style back-to-back run from Michael Hamilton just because it would make for an awesome story, but it’s truly anyone’s tournament to win.
Sam O’Byrne
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: Until a deck other than Iyslander wins a major event, we have to call her the deck to beat! Disruptive decks are powerful in their ability to affect their opponent’s gameplan — and Iyslander certainly benefits from the “wizard disrespect” that has been known to occur at the start of a competitive season. As Rhea Adams so succinctly put in her video, Iyslander is a “C-Tier” hero no more, and must be respected. AB is back, baby.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: I think it’s hard to overstate the impact of Levia, Blasmophet Consumed/Levia, Redeemed. While there are many powerful Brute cards in the set, (looking at you, Scowling Flesh Bag), the Demi-Hero’s ability to fundamentally change the endgame of the Levia deck and allow one to play toward an actual gameplan have catapulted the deck into relevancy, and results! With Top 8 representation at the first two US Battle Hardened events, it’s clear that Levia is here to stay — and should only get better as players begin to hone their decklists. Let’s be honest, it’s not like the world’s best have been playing Levia for months before Dusk till Dawn. I’m curious how good Hold the Line will be in the future — the conditional zero-for-five defense reaction is great when you’re staring down a Three of a Kind, but is it versatile enough right now to warrant sideboard slots?
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: I will be completely honest, I am so glad to see the old man head home for good. While I don’t fault players for picking up the deck, it has had a stranglehold on the CC meta for quite some time now. Oldhim was a deck that not only could smack you with big Guardian attacks, it also asked its opponents, “Can you beat me?” A large part of its strength was in its ability to outlast its opponents — fitting for the Grandfather of Eternity. But because a deck without an Oldhim gameplan was often heavily unfavored, creativity in tournament deck building was stifled. If your deck couldn’t find a way through the defensive powerhouse, might as well leave it at home, because the top tables were bound to be chock full of the icy dude. Without Oldhim, the recent tournaments have been much more diverse, with players bringing new strategies without fear of running into the stonewall that was Oldhim. Enjoy retirement grandpa, you earned it.
Q: Which lesser played hero with potential would you like to see do well in CC?
A: While she just came out, I am so excited to see how people build Vynnset. I’m not sure she counts as lesser played, but she’s new, so I’m deciding this counts. She has such an interesting puzzle to figure out — getting the best use of her mandatory banish without letting it become a detriment, deciding if you want to leverage Eloquence tokens, RED PUMMEL. I also am a big fan of the new effect only seen on the new Shadow Runeblade cards, the ones that care about how many heroes have lost life at the end of the combat chain. A different flavor of on-hit effect that feels very flavorful and very Vynnset. It’s fun to use her hero ability or flail to make sure that you have taken damage as well to increase those effects — I can’t wait to see what some top players brew up as time passes!
Q: Are you excited to see Monarch draft again? Who do you think will be the most successful hero in Draft?
A: Monarch draft has been so fun to explore — I started playing right when Tales of Aria released so this has been my first chance to play the format. It’s a fascinating format — each pod feels unique, and it’s always fun to see how many players try to force Prism. On that note, it feels like the strongest deck really depends on how the pod drafts — if too many people try to force their way into the light heroes, then either shadow hero can easily take down a pod. But because it seems like the shadow heroes support fewer decks, players can be reticent to move into those slots for fear of not finding enough powerful pieces. It will be great to see how the country’s best navigate the process and end up forcing Prism as always.
Q: What player do you think could have a breakout performance at US Nats?
A: Too many to name! But since my cousin Aidan “Top 8dan” Kwasneski is sparing the competition, and my friend Jacob “Cobra Kai” Bertrand only knows how to play Kodachi Fai, I think I’ll have to say Evan Bridges. He just finished in the money at the Pro Tour and has been tearing it up with his unique take on a powerful meta deck. If the Codexes line up for him right, he’s gonna take Trench Lexi all the way.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: I got to put my vote toward SoCal legend, Chris Iaali. He’s the Worlds runner-up, he’s captain of the Experience, and he’s just the nicest guy. Honorable mention to Craig Pollack, the Scourge of Pasadena and Guardian player supreme.
Pankaj Bhojwani
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: I think as long as people aren’t skimping on their Arcane Barrier, Dromai is better positioned than Iyslander. That being said, this meta is very open and even the best deck (if there is one) is not that much better than the next best deck, making this an extremely exciting time!
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy has had a massive influence on the meta, giving many decks a tool into both rangers (maybe perhaps too good of a tool, RIP Azalea). Not sure about overlooked, but I think Runic Reckoning should be seeing more play than it currently is.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: CC has felt great with Oldhim being gone — it has allowed ninjas and warriors to have a place in the meta now where as previously they were close to unplayable. I definitely prefer this landscape as it has felt like the most open meta we have had in a long time! Now excuse me as I hide from all the Oldhim fans.
Q: Which lesser played hero with potential would you like to see do well in CC?
A: Vynnset. The concept of a more midrange-style Runeblade is fascinating and is an interesting new direction for the class, I am really hoping we see someone be successful with it.
Q: Are you excited to see Monarch draft again? Who do you think will be the most successful hero in Draft?
A: Definitely! The format is way more intricate than I first gave it credit for. The draft experience is fun (we’re back to 15-card packs!!) and the games themselves are very skill testing. I think Prism will be the most successful draft hero simply because she has a slightly easier game plan to execute. However, I don’t think she will be that much more successful than the others.
Q: What player do you think could have a breakout performance at US Nationals?
A: Ethan Van Sant. Levia got a big power boost and he’s also a very consistent draft player. Though of course he might just bubble again. *shrug*
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: Brodie Spurlock.
Kellen Charles
Q: Iyslander, Lexi, Bravo, and Dromai have all had solid results in the past handful of events, but Iyslander has won all three. Is she the deck to beat or is another hero better positioned?
A: I think it’s pretty safe to say that both of the current Ice heroes (Lexi and Iyslander) are the decks that are in the best position to prey upon most of the rest of the meta. With Oldhim hitting Living Legend, aggro decks are now much more viable and these Ice decks provide not only a solid answer to them — but match well against a majority of the field.
Q: Which cards from Dusk till Dawn have had the biggest impact in Classic Constructed? Are there any that are being overlooked?
A: Warmonger’s Diplomacy without a doubt and I’m not sure many would contest that — it almost single-handedly brought ninjas back into relevancy. I personally think that Scowling Flesh Bag is also up there for one of the most powerful cards in the set — it’s a card that changes the way that people play the game in a fundamental way much in the way that Mask of Momentum does for ninjas.
Q: With Oldhim a Living Legend, how does Classic Constructed feel without him? Do you prefer the new landscape or wish he was still around?
A: It’s no secret that Oldhim is my least favorite hero in the entire game — I love his lore and character but hate his gameplay. Personally, I’m very happy that he’s gone and find the new meta without him to be both varied and interesting.
Q: Which lesser played hero with potential would you like to see do well in CC?
A: I want to say Uzuri but honestly she can put up some results — just hasn’t been able to convert those Top 8s into wins … yet. It’s my hope that maybe someday Arakni can get to that level of power and consistency (big shout to all of the other assassin fans out there).
Q: Are you excited to see Monarch draft again? Who do you think will be the most successful hero in Draft?
A: I’m a HUGE fan of limited (draft in particular) so I’m always stoked to see draft played at the highest levels. Monarch in particular is an interesting environment since some of the heroes definitely feel more powerful than the others (looking at you Chane). That creates a situation where a hero may be vastly undervalued and underdrafted (cough Boltyn) enabling a single player in a draft pod could scoop up every card for that hero, thereby having a very powerful deck.
Q: What player do you think could have a breakout performance at US Nationals?
A: Brodie Spurlock has been on an absolute tear recently. I’m not sure it would be considered a “breakout performance” since he’s consistently put up impressive results, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he went all the way at US Nats this year.
Q: The past two US Nationals winners (Michael Hamilton, Tariq Patel) are some of the best to ever play the game. Who do you think will win this year?
A: I mentioned Brodie Spurlock in the previous question so I’m going to have to mention Michael Hamilton for this one. Not only is he considered to be one of, if not the, best players in the entire world — I think this meta is particularly suited for him as Hamilton is known for being an unstoppable force piloting Iyslander. We have yet to see what his CC deck will be for Nationals but either way you know he’s going to bring the heat (or ice)!
Coverage
Streaming coverage of each day starts at 9 AM ET on twitch.tv/starcitygames. Catch all the action as the next US National Champion is crowned.