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By: BlippyTheSlug, Volker Kirstein
Aug 21 2014 12:00pm
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The events taking place in that strange land south of the border have been occupying a lot of my mind over this past week.

When my family came to the US in 1963, I had never seen a black person before. I had no concept such a thing even existed. My mother is fond of telling me the story of how I saw my first black person; I stared and asked if he ate too much chocolate...

Anyway...

What Century Is This? Where Am I?

Well! It certainly has been an interesting week.

While there has been lots going on, Magic-wise, my thoughts have been elsewhere...

I grew up in St. Clair Shores, MI, which was then an all white suburb of Detroit, except for a small cluster of houses (tar paper & brick shanties, really) at the end of Robeson St. I remember riding my bike to the playground during the summer of the Detroit Riots, and seeing people in the neighborhood sitting on their porches with ice tea and shotguns. That was 1967.

But it's 47 years later, life goes on, and this is not the place for discussing racism, or the militarization of police. No, you're here to read about Magic. Who am I to deny you your fix?

I'm your pusher man.

Modern FNM, Baby!

It may come as a shock to you (or not!) that I have never played competitive Magic. Sure, I played in some non-sanctioned "casual FNM" in Lethbridge back in 2004/5, and in a few TNMOs, DEs, and a single PE on MTGO, but I didn't even get a DCI number until a little over a year ago. Since then, I've played in a couple pre- & releases, but not much else. This is mainly because of budget limitations: I couldn't afford the cards to play at that level.

I've spent the last year slowly building my collection, nickel and diming it to the point where I finally feel like I have the cards for a reasonably competitive left field rogue.

Last Friday, I entered my first FNM...

FNM Aug 15th
Tramps Comics and Games

Round 1 vs Stephan / GR Hydra (ramp)

Game 1 - What can ya do when ya see a handful of mana dorks and creatures? I pulled threats as fast as I could, but Smallpox doesn't do much when there's already 3 critters on the other side. I had The Rack active, but no Shrieking Affliction, and I couldn't get him below 2 cards anyway. 

He stomped me flat.

Out: 4xThe Rack, 3xSmallpox, 2xWrench Mind, 1 Phyrexian Arena
In: 4xGatekeeper of Malakir, 2xDoom Blade, 2xBlack Sun's Zenith, 2xGary

Game 2 - I think I surprised him with a Turn Three BSZ for , wiping his mana dorks, and leaving him with one card in hand as I passed the turn. I kept his hand low, had the punishment active, and a Doom Blade in hand. At the end, I had him down to 1 life as I passed the turn, facing not quite lethal. He didn't topdeck what he needed, and scooped.

Game 3 - Keeping same config, I had to mulligan to 5 before I saw a land, with no CMC1 spells to play. I didn't draw into my second land until Turn Three. By then, it was all over but the singing.

0-1

Round 2 vs Kiegan / GB Centaurs (Standard)

Both games I couldn't outrace the fat butted critters he was putting out. Game 1 was close. Even closer after sideboarding.

0-2

Round 3 vs Linden / Bant Slivers

It was brutal and demoralizing. My deck did what it was designed to. He didn't have any pumper Slivers first game. I let him swing at me for up to 3 at a stroke while he was getting eaten 3, 5, 9, dead. Game Two was won before the first card was played, I could see it in his face when agonizing over his mulligan decision. There was no Game Three.

1-2

Round 4 vs Dean / U Something

Another fast and dirty brutalization. I didn't see enough of his deck to really tell what it was; I think Auras of some sort. Again I was shocked at how demoralized my opponent was, even in Game One, as he realized what was in store. Game Two, it was worse. He was literally sitting there with his head in hands, looking utterly dejected as he flipped his topdecks.

2-2

Well! I wasn't totally skunked on my first day of school! Woo hoo! In fact, I'd call it damn good. My Round One was close, and I think I could have taken Round Two with better draws. Now that I know a little bit about what I'm up against, I can begin to tweak this thing to fit the local environment.

What have I learned about my local paper meta?

For one thing, these folks do like to turn their critters sideways. I did not see any combo or burn, it was all creature based aggro and/or midrange. Even the mono deck I faced seemed to be creatures w/auras. This is easy enough: I just need to deal with creatures coming at me. There is no color better suited for this than , so it's mainly a matter of picking the optimum removal package from my pool, and deciding what to take out.

On a side note, I almost feel like I have an unfair advantage here. While I was sitting there waiting for the event to start, I was hearing shouts of delight of how good Master's Call is in Modern: it's like a Krenko's Command for There was a discussion over whether or not High Tide was Modern legal. It was definitely a strange experience for me, hearing these words actually coming out of peoples mouths.

Back to the issue at hand, which is what to take out.

The first thing that pops to mind is the Bloodghast/Geralf's Messenger beatdown plan. These were there primarily to apply pressure. But in this creature heavy environment, Bloodghast not being able to block is biting my behind more than it's helping me. Same with Geralf's Messenger coming in tapped. This package did not perform to expectations, and slowed down my game plane significantly. Boom. Gone. There's 7 slots open.

The second thing I think about: I have four Augur of Skulls, and three Wrench Minds. There were too many instances of topdecking a Wrench when my opponent already had an empty hand. I think I can safely cut one, or even two.

Now. What to put in.

The vast majority of critters that were giving me headaches were x/1, so I think Tragic Slip is a no-brainer. The Morbid aspect of it could be quite the bonus in certain instances. Dismember would be an auto-include, as well, if I had any. One thing that both of these share is a CMC of 1. (Yes, I know that Dismember is technically 3, but 2 for those 3 can be paid via my life total in a pinch)

Another single card that comes to mind is Deathmark. While this sorcery is very much conditional, that condition was met by every creature I saw across from me except for the deck, and a single Sliver. So, while it is a sorcery, it is under serious consideration. 

Since I'm dropping Bloodghast and Geralf's Messenger, and my possible replacements (so far) have a casting cost of , my mana curve just became significantly lower. I want to keep the Phyrexian Arena, because card draw in the mid- to late game is vital. Even so, I should be able to drop a land, maybe two, as well. Which in turn frees up another slot.

Most of the decks I saw tried to swarm, or had copious mana dorks. I believe a board wipe or two is called for. Here I'm torn. My choices are Infest, Drown in Sorrow, and Black Sun's Zenith. Scratch Infest; Drown in Sorrow is strictly better.

What else have I learned? This deck is bad juju, and follows an evil path. I have to be prepared to destroy a persons hopes for the game, and be ready to look them in the eye as I tear apart their plans and scatter their cards to the winds, to bear witness to their crumpling. When this deck does what it's supposed to, it is not pretty. It is ugly and mentally violent. Not much happens on the battlefield. A lot happens in my opponents head and heart.

8Rack
A FNM deck by Your's Truly
Creatures
4 Augur of Skulls
4 Vampire Nighthawk
8 Creatures

Other Spells
2 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Doom Blade
3 Funeral Charm
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Phyrexian Arena
2 Raven's Crime
4 Shrieking Affliction
4 The Rack
4 Thoughtseize
4 Tragic Slip
2 Wrench Mind
32 Other Spells
Lands
2 Ghost Quarter
16 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
20 Landds
Phyrexian Arena

 

Or; I could go , and use Lightning Bolt, which is more versatile, and also Blightning, to take the place of (Mind Wrench), plus more damage to their dome. Hmm... 

RakdosRack
Another FNM deck by Yours Truly
Creatures
4 Augur of Skulls
4 Creatures

Other Spells
2 Black Sun's Zenith
4 Blightning
3 Funeral Charm
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Phyrexian Arena
2 Raven's Crime
4 Shrieking Affliction
4 Smallpox
4 The Rack
4 Thoughtseize
37 Other Spells
Lands
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Blood Crypt
2 Bojuka Bog
1 Mountain
6 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
19 Lands
 
Blightning

 

 

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Overdrive!, which started on July 4th, 2011, is the original Modern format Player-Run Event! In fact, Overdrive! is even older than Modern, having started out as an event in the Overextended format. Overdrive! is a single elimination event: two men enter, one man leaves. Registration is done via Gatherling. You can find more information at the main event thread here.

 

 

Overdrive! #145
Players: 13
Champion: 6argamel / Junk
Runner up: Terrorking02 / Venser Lockout
Decklists and results from all Overdrive! events can be found here.  

6argamel brought this junker to the party, and proceeded to trash Fae, Prison, Merfolk, and Venser Lockout to emerge from the rubble as Overdrive! #145 champion.

First-timer Thuinderking02 brought this interesting concoction, and locked out G Infect and Soul Sisters twice, before being Junked.

 

This is a cool deck. Rather than me explain it, I'll let Terrorking do it:

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 1, Game 1


Overdrive! #145 Round 1, Game 2

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 2, Game 1

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 2, Game 2

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 3, Game 1

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 3, Game 2

 

Overdrive! #145 Round 4, Games 1/2

 


BlippyTheSlug on MTGO
Blog: Read At Your Peril (NSFW!)

 

2 Comments

Congrats on level 7 already by Paul Leicht at Thu, 08/21/2014 - 22:51
Paul Leicht's picture
5

Congrats on level 7 already :D It took something like 50 matches and 7 or so years before I achieved level 27. And then nothing for 13 years since... :D Also apparently we are on the same general wavelength re: Ferguson. No Justice, No Peace, No Surrender. I don't mean to be militant sounding because what I am stating is not a slogan but an observation. It seems that some behaviors don't change so easily just because we make not doing them into law.

Ferguson... by Fred1160 at Fri, 08/22/2014 - 12:04
Fred1160's picture

There are no heros in Ferguson. Having troublemakers come into town from as far away as Oakland and New York City just to burn and loot is not helping anything. It's hard for either side to get their message across when they do not have the high moral ground.
I think the reason middle America is not more sympathetic is the video of people throwing Molotov cocktails and breaking into businesses and shooting at cops.
There's an old saying in law enforcement: "I'd rather be tried by twelve than carried by six."