Ovington, Gruul Broodscale, Wins Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair

Hunter Ovington won Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair at SCG CON Indianapolis with Gruul Broodscale on Sunday.

Gruul Broodscale

Hunter Ovington

1st Place at Spotlight Secret Lair on 06-01-2025

Modern

Creatures (19)

• 2 Emrakul, the Promised End
• 4 Walking Ballista
• 1 Haywire Mite
• 4 Writhing Chrysalis
• 4 Basking Broodscale
• 4 Glaring Fleshraker

Lands (22)

• 2 Forest
• 3 Wooded Foothills
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 4 Grove of the Burnwillows
• 4 Eldrazi Temple
• 2 Cavern of Souls
• 4 Urza's Saga
• 2 Boseiju, Who Endures

Spells (19)

• 1 Springleaf Drum
• 4 Blade of the Bloodchief
• 4 Ancient Stirrings
• 1 Soul-Guide Lantern
• 1 Vexing Bauble
• 4 Kozilek's Command
• 4 Malevolent Rumble

Sideboard

• 3 Pyroclasm
• 1 Pithing Needle
• 1 Gemstone Caverns
• 1 Nature's Claim
• 2 Dismember
• 1 Grafdigger's Cage
• 2 Damping Sphere
• 3 Thief of Existence
• 1 Vexing Bauble

Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair showcased Modern following the banning of Underworld Breach as the meta returned to a healthy state. While Boros Energy continues to be the most-played deck, no copies reached the Top 8. Orzhov-based Blink strategies took three of the Top 8 spots (one of which splashed blue) and five other archetypes filled out the single-elimination bracket.

Ovington took an underplayed strategy all the way to the title, as Gruul Broodscale didn’t break into the Top 15 most-played decks on Day 1. Ovington went 7-2 on Day 1 with the latest evolution of the Broodscale archetype before failing to drop a match on Day 2.

As the No. 3 seed in the Top 8, Ovington took down Ian Starkebaum on Domain Zoo in the quarterfinals before dispatching Justin Schabel on Izzet Prowess in two quick games. Andrew Bailey, on Esper Reanimator, fought through the other side of the bracket as the No. 8 seed to meet Ovington in the finals. Ovington won a blazingly fast Game 1 then took Game 2 in stylish fashion, taking over two of Bailey’s turns with two copies of Emrakul, the Promised End.

Ovington earned $10,000, a trophy, a Pro Tour invite, and the exclusive prize of getting to consult on a future Secret Lair drop. Bailey took home $5,000 and a PT invite for his runner-up finish.

Esper Reanimator

Andrew Bailey

2nd Place at Spotlight Secret Lair on 06-01-2025

Modern

Creatures (17)

• 2 Griselbrand
• 4 Solitude
• 3 Fallaji Archaeologist
• 4 Atraxa, Grand Unifier
• 4 Psychic Frog

Lands (20)

• 1 Plains
• 1 Swamp
• 1 Island
• 3 Polluted Delta
• 3 Flooded Strand
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 4 Marsh Flats
• 1 Undercity Sewers
• 1 Shadowy Backstreet
• 1 Meticulous Archive
• 1 Hedge Maze

Spells (23)

• 4 Goryo's Vengeance
• 3 Force of Negation
• 4 Ephemerate
• 3 Prismatic Ending
• 2 Late to Dinner
• 2 Otherworldly Gaze
• 3 Tainted Indulgence
• 1 Pest Control
• 1 Waterlogged Teachings

Sideboard

• 1 Thoughtseize
• 1 Teferi, Time Raveler
• 1 Ashiok, Dream Render
• 1 Mystical Dispute
• 2 Deafening Silence
• 2 Subtlety
• 1 Pest Control
• 2 Wrath of the Skies
• 4 Consign to Memory

Boros Energy made up 13 percent of the Day 1 field, followed by Izzet Prowess, and Eldrazi Ramp. Check out what the 674 players registered below.

Day 2 consisted of 161 players that reached 18 match points on Day 1. See how the archetypes converted below.

View the Top 8 decklists from the Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair. For all the decklists from the event and final standings check out the Melee page for the tournament.

SCG CON will be back action in Orlando on August 29-31.