Daddy's Flyin', Across The Ocean...

Originally, I was going to write an involved article about how I'm finally getting my stuff together and cracking down for competitive play. I was going to skim through various tournament reports, highlight my mistakes, track my winning income, discuss the feasibility of "Going Infinite" and ramble on about what habits and skills I've picked up along the way...

But then I realized I'd be writing a very long article about selling out for Jund and that would just make me feel dirty!

Instead, I decided to see what kind of patriotic mess I could throw together and even found a new drinking game along the way. The stress from maintaining a decent win-ratio was started to build up, and I figured I could use a few days off to have some fun, also I needed an excuse to finally pick up those Wall of Omens I've been neglecting. Now, without further ado...

 The Border

Our defense is fortified by a slew of walls, including Wall of Denial and Wall of Reverence. I'm honestly not a big fan of Wall of Reverence, but I needed some more airborne blockades. It's important to remember that Perimeter Captain's effect applies to all your creatures whenever any of them block. Double, or even triple blocking is a good practice in this deck I think. If your opponent decides to try to sneak in with a Sprouting Thrinax, hoping to bolt the blocker, no reason not to have all your walls stand in it's way and net a solid 6+ life.I'm actually finding the captain to be a very solid opener against several decks. RDW loves it when he hits the board turn one. I know it, they tell me.

Vent Sentinel is horribly expensive for what he is. I'd cut him if I could, but really he'll win you most games if he can stick for more than a turn. Don't be too conservative with him either. If all you can do is get 3-4 damage in before he's likely to bite it, don't hesitate. I'm running four currently, as he's something of the centerpiece for the deck, but as I'm finding he's harder and harder to cast, I may just drop that count down to three.

Clouds are neat. The only thing neater than clouds are angry clouds! Rage Nimbus is actually pretty great here. He's essentially removal, possible life gain, and great Wall of Reverence synergy all rolled into one. He's also cheap and easily splashed. If only he didn't die to Lightning Bolt...

The Patrol

Firstly, this is a casual deck, and as such, I'll not be breaking any porcelain pigs for a set of Gideon Juras or Jace, the Mind Sculptors here. Even classic Planeswalkers can unleash havoc when left to their own devices. Behind their army of walls they can build loyalty to blow up your opponent's whole field, draw you cards, make you walls bigger, mill your opponent out or even drop a 32/32 beasty. Jace is your engine here, and I think -1, -1, +2 is the right rotation for him. I wouldn't use his ultimate unless absolutely necessary, and I would open with a +2 if you were worried about bolt.

Ajani  is actually really good here. He can give your walls some offensive ability, as well as just plain making them harder to kill. The life gain is pretty nice, and behind your defenses getting a fairly large Avatar into play should present too much trouble. Also, Wall of Reverence + 26/26 creature is usually enough to force a scoop.

 Chandra's turned out to be my favorite 'walker in the deck. She's a little harder to cast, but she hits the table large and fast. You obviously can't run Day of Judgment in this deck, so having her as a one-sided sweeper is pretty fantastic. Getting her to 8 is fairly easy behind your walls, and in a pinch she'll be your spot removal.

Have the means? Ajani Vengeant would be great in this deck, as of course would Gideon, Elspeth and Jace 2.0.

In The Pipe, Five By Five!

Section heading doesn't make sense? Don't care! My aforementioned drinking game has started a little early! We'll get to that later though, for now let's finish off the deck. I've been running Lightning Bolt as my only removal. I've considered Path to Exile but I decided having the option to fit that last bit of damage in there was too important. Additionally I have Ponder because it's awesome, and Negate to ward off the impending Day of Judgment.

American Border Control

As the name implies, it's destined for failure!

Creatures 4 Vent Sentinel 4 Wall of Omens 4 Wall of Denial 3 Wall of Reverence 4 Rage Nimbus 4 Perimeter Captain 23 cards Other Spells 2 Chandra Nalaar 2 Jace Beleren 2 Ajani Goldmane 3 Lightning Bolt 4 Ponder 4 Negate 17 cards

Lands 4 Scalding Tarn 4 Arid Mesa 5 Island 4 Plains 3 Mountain 20 cards Sideboard 4 Kor Firewalker 4 Spreading Seas 3 Tempest of Light 4 Pyroclasm 15 cards

That's pretty much what I'm working with here. Naturally I'm lurking in the casual rooms only, but then all I'm looking for is some fun. You also tend to see some pretty interesting things in that room, so I figured I'd settle in and start some... testing!

Time to start my 4th of July festivities a little early! The rules are simple: I play several rounds of Standard in the casual room, then take shots equal to my losses for that round. So, if I go 2-0, I don't drink. If I lose 1-2, that's 2 shots. What, you weren't expecting something clever and complicated were you? Round 1 - Elves  For an unknown opponent I'd call this a pretty good hand. Sure, only two lands and no blue mana but I have some decent early defense. I lead off with a turn 1 Perimeter Captain followed by a turn 2 Wall of Omens. His turn 2 play is a second forest and an Elvish Visionary. I draw up Scalding Tarn and Ponder into two plains and a Lightning Bolt, which I draw. His turn three reveals the Elvish Archdruid which quickly meats a shocking end. I get Ajani down and decide to pump my two walls twice before slowly creeping up to a 38/38 avatar. Rage Nimbus forces more elvish casualties and life gain, and the game is over! Game 2 Pyroclasm wasn't fast enough... Game 3 Pyroclasm was fast enough. That makes my first round a 2-1 win, rewarding penalizing me with one shot.

 Round 2 - RDW

Double mulligans are no fun. Luckily, I was playing one of my best matchups. Turn 1 Cap'n made his Goblin Guide cry and  a follow-up Wall of Omens saved me from his Hellspark Elemental. The game went on to me sealing the win with double Vent Sentinels and a couple Wall of Denials in the sky.

I would then go on to lose games two and three. Yes, no Kor Firewalkers and no life gain. It was pretty stupid, but, well, bottoms up!

Round 3- Enchantress

We're off to a good start. I'm able to draw some cards and get some blockers down. I have a solid ground defense with Perimeter Captains and Wall of Omens, with both a Rage Nimbus and Wall of Denial in the sky. He's got a (Kor Spirit Dalker) and a Mesa Enchantress on the board, and I'm just biding my time until I can dig up a win. As it turns out, my walls can't deal with a Mammoth Umbra endowed Baneslayer Angel... Game 2!

I keep a hand with double Tempest of Light and stall out long enough for Chandra Nalaar to do her job.

Last game! This one lasts a little while and there's not much activity on his side of the board. I've ogt both Ajain and Jace active, as well as a nice set of buffed u pwalls. I finally pull a Vent Sentinel which I drop and pump. As it turns out, there ARE people who actually play Planar Cleansing. Long story short, I lose. That's 2 more for me!

Round-4-Greend White Aggro

I'm able to stall him out long enough to activate Chandr's ultimate, finishing off game one with lightning bolts. Game two was all his, as I couldn't keep up with double Khalni Hydra. Game three he had an answer for everything. Path to Exile and Oblivion Ring for most of my threats, and a couple (Day of Judgments) for the rest. Finished me of with an unanswered Battlegrace Angel. That's a 1-2 loss, so... 3 shots I think...

Bathroom Break

Feeling defeated, and slightly nauseous, I decided to take a quick break. The weight and clarity of the bottle imply I've been miscounting somewhere along the line. No matter, I'll send my wife off to get more while I finish up my business. Hey, it's for science!

Round 6 - Megrim Control

Having purged some alcohol from my system I find I can think just a little more clearly more clearly. I'm able to build my ground defense after a top-decked Perimeter Captain, but unfortunately start to meet a chain of Doom Blades and Consume Spirits. Eventually, I see the Megrim hit the table, followed up with a Hypnotic Specter. Luckily, I'm able to respond with a Lightning Bolt and Wall of Denial, which last me long enough to pull off Chandra's fatality.

Double Inquisition of Kozilek wreck my early game but I'm able to find enough answers to stabilize. I find Meddling Mage and call Doom Blade hoping for the best, and it pays off! I'm able to last the game long enough to activate Ajani and swing in for lethal damage! He revealed his hand post game to show 3x Doom Blade. That's a 2-0 win so two more shots!

Game 9 - 5CC

he wins the coin flip and starts off with a Mox Pearl, Tolarian Academy and Black Lotus, pooping the Lotus for a face down creature. I find a Land Grant, which I choose not to play. Smelling the counter magic, I end my turn after dropping all my free spells. He drops a Volcanic Island and passes. I top deck the Ancestral Recall. I pop my petal for a blue mana and draw into TWO Living Wishes! I cast the first wish only to meet a Mana Drain, but am able to tutor for a Black Lotus and resolve the second. Knowing what I'm playing against I find my Xantid Swarm from the board, and use my last green mana to cast it. My opponent is unable to find removal, and instead drops a Tundra and morphs his Exalted Angel, crashing in for 4. I untap, draw and swing in for 0 with my bugs. Now that I can act without worry, I Tinker away my Mana Crypt for the Goblin Charbelcher, and pop LED for the win.. after casting my Land Grant of course!

Sure enough, my opponent start yelling at me, swearing up and down and just being a generally jackass. I threaten to grab a mod but that doesn't work. He persists and I finally just put him on ignore... No ignore list...

I seem to be playing in MWS...

Until next week!

-Jeff Torres