Old Faithful - FNM Report: 7/20/12 *3rd*

Naya always has a special place in my heart.  I began learning the game as an aggro-based player, began refining my game as an aggro-based player, and will always be most comfortable when the goal of my deck is aggro-centric.  Sure, I've learned how to play with other types of decks - you have to in order to remain versatile in an ever-changing metagame - but sleeving a Naya deck just makes me feel at home.

If you couldn't tell already, Naya is my favorite "shard" (see Shards of Alara for history).  It has plenty of raw power, with just enough interaction to push through for a final blow.  It demands good timing, plenty of patience, and a knowledge of when the right time to strike really is.  For FNM this week, I decided to go back to my roots after exploring various other strategies (infect, tribal decks, and tokens), and bring Red, White, and Green together again for another harmonious evening of spell slinging.

Versatile + High Impact?  Count me in.

The deck is based off of a shell by Brian Braun-Duin in his "Green Summer" article for StarCityGames.  I had a brief Q&A with him about a card that I had really not thought of for this type of deck (Mikaeus, the Lunarch).  It seemed to be really synergistic with what I was trying to accomplish with the deck, but having never played it before, I asked him for some advice on the most opportune time to play it in a match.  His response:

"I personally feel the optimal value for casting Mikaeus is X=2 on turn 2. That's usually the games where he has the highest impact, especially if you can activate a Gavony Township on turn 4. I typically prefer to cast Mikaeus for 2 on turn 2 over something like Blade Splicer, because you can cast the Splicer the following turn and remove a counter from Mikaeus to instantly pump them. A lot of times you can cast him for 1 late in the game the same turn you play something else. He's really very versatile as to when you can fit him into your gameplan."

Versatile, I like.  Early threats, I also like.  Not worrying about a dead card late in the game - well, this sealed the deal.  I was definitely going to play with Mikaeus and see how he interacted with my game plan.  

-3: Red Bull White Lion gives you winnnnnnngs!

However, I also wanted a little bit of spice with my deck, and try out some new M13 cards.  My first thought was Ajani, Caller of the Pride.  Now, Ajani has been criticised by many as just not doing enough for his cost (CMC 3).  His +1 ability is essentially a weaker version of Gavony Township's activated ability, except Ajani's version of it only affects "up to one target creature."  Township covers your entire creature-base - granted, doing so costs 5 mana.  However, I want to focus on Ajani's second ability:

-3: Target creature gains flying and double strike until end of turn.

What's that?  My Thragtusk can fly through for 10 damage now?  And it doesn't kill Ajani immediately?  Awesome! 

Add to it the possibility of what Evan Erwin has described as the "kitty-cat parade" (Ajani's Ultimate), and I wanted to run one.  If it ended up being a dud, so be it.  This is FNM, not a Pro Tour, and I like a little spice in my life.

Yo Delver, I'm happy for you and I'ma let you finish...
You get the idea.

Speaking of Thragtusk...he is bonkers!  He basically looks at UW Delver decks and says, "Please.  Vapor Snag me.  You know you want to."  Getting a quarter of your base life back if Thragtusk hits the battlefield is huge - getting a beast when it leaves the battlefield is also huge!  Thragtusk doesn't mess around, and he found an instant slot or two in my deck.  I think his best home (admittedly) is in a Birthing Pod shell, where you can maximize the theme of that deck.

Pro-tip: Do not, under any circumstances, Vapor Snag Thragtusk...that is, unless you want your opponent up 10 life and 2 beasts...this happened to me at the pre-release for M13 (replace Snag with Unsummon).  Needless to say, my opponent wasn't happy with the result.

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Now, on to the actual 75 that I played this week:

Due to the time constraints of our local store, we could only play 4 rounds.  Would have loved to play 5 with 25 people, but so be it.  On to my matches!

Round 1 vs. Tom F. (BW Exalted)

Only good with other creatures on the field...

It's always nice to see a fresh deck archetype at FNM.  Tom was piloting a deck made possible by the release of M13, running creatures that feature "Exalted."  Using the two colors featuring this ability, with some control, Tom had a pretty solid deck that could turn into a blowout if not handled quickly.  His all-star was probably Sublime Archangel.  There was a point in a later round where I saw him trigger Exalted 8 times on an attack because of her.  Needless to say, seeing her come into play would have been bad news bears - my outs are essentially Dismember at instant speed, and Bonfire if I survive that long.  Anyway, to our match...
Both of our games essentially ended the same way: I used the most unfair card in Standard, along with my creature base, to smash.  Bonfire of the Damned gets a tip of the hat from me during this match.  Just when it seemed like he would be able to inflict some serious pain on me with a Sublime Archangel (had he cast it), I miracled Bonfire (for 3 or less...most of his creatures had low power) and wiped his board.  With a 5-6 creature base at this point, I was able to pretty easily just smash through for lethal both times.
1-0 (2-0 in games)


Round 2 vs. Hannah (Mono-Green Stompy)

This guy is the real deal post-M13.

We move now from the Battle of the Toms to the Battle of the Soon-to-be-Married!  Hannah was piloting a Mono-Green list that I put together featuring Dungrove Elder, Revenge of the Hunted, and every Green Mage's favorite M13 card: Rancor.  I feel like Hannah's deck played the way it wanted to for the majority of our match: at one point, with a 4/4 Dungrove Elder on the field equipped with Rancor, she miracled Revenge of the Hunted to make it a 12/10 beating.  I was lucky, though - I was forced to block...with exactly 10 power.  I took 2 damage from the beating, but was able to recover now that Dungrove was off the battlefield.  With a miracled Bonfire to handle the rest, things looked good, and I grabbed game 1.  Game 2, I was able to play Thalia from my sideboard on turn 2, which slowed down her Green Sun's Zenith engine.  While she had Dungrove Elder x 2 in play (at 4/4) by turn 5, I miracled a Bonfire of the Damned for 5 (to be safe) and wiped her board, and repeated what I did during game 1...smash.  I talked to my lady afterward, and let her know that the best time to blow up a Ratchet Bomb while playing me is usually to kill my tokens (see Huntmaster of the Fells and Blade Splicer).  I'm pretty sure that her choosing not to do that during the match is what swung things in my favor late.  She took the criticism well, mentioning that her intent was to save it for Thalia (to speed her engine back up to normal).  Still, she was happy to have won round 1, and moved on to her third round in stride.  By the way, no, the wedding is not off because I won.
2-0 (4-0 in games)


Round 3 vs. Jon B. (Mono-Black Control)
This match will go down as one of the most thrilling FNM matches I have ever played.  It was a back-and-forth battle that really could have gone either way, and a slugfest that I would have enjoyed, win or lose.

Ugly art - ugly effect.

Game 1, I felt good early; I had a decent board presence, and felt like I was in control of the match.  I made a fatal error though, that, had I known I was facing control, would never have made: I over-extended.  Jon cast Mutilate on turn 5, and completely wrecked my board state.  While I was essentially top-decking, Jon had a solid hand in which he cast Vampire Nighthawk and Bloodgift Demon.  With no action on my end, I scooped 2 turns later.
Game 2 was completely different.  While, yes, Jon did cast Mutilate on turn 5, I was holding a Zealous Conscripts, Sword of Feast and Famine, and Restoration Angel in hand.  I led (post-Mutilate) with the Sword, and Jon played his Bloodgift Demon into a seemingly empty battlefield.  On turn 7, I played Zealous Conscripts, taking control of his Bloodgift Demon, equipped Sword of Feast and Famine to my Conscripts, and swung for 10.  Untapping my lands, I played Restoration Angel, blinking the Bloodgift Demon (to leave it permanently under my control!).  The next turn, Jon scooped up, and we were on to what may have been the most intense game 3 I have ever played.

MVP!!!

Game 3, I open slowly with a Huntmaster of the Fells, while Jon gained some life of his own courtesy of Vampire Nighthawk.  I was able to Celestial Purge the Nighthawk a few turns later, and began to whittle his life-total away with my beaters.  A few turns later, and we were both in top-deck mode, as we had both eliminated each others' threats.  During this, Jon casts Sorin Markov (surprising, honestly), and set my life total to 10 from 20.  Things started to get scary.  My goal here was to kill him, and quickly...Sorin's +2 (You gain 2 life and your opponent loses 2 life) could kill me in 5 turns now.  During this "ping-fest" I was able to miracle Bonfire of the Damned twice, for 7 and 4, respectfully.  Finally, I drew creatures to start killing him more reliably; one he Doom Bladed, and the other he Mutilated.  I played a Borderland Ranger, to which he had no answer.  Phew.  Using Sorin, he had me to 6, then 4, and then, with Sorin at 7 loyalty and me praying for an answer:

"I use Sorin's Ultimate to take control of your next turn."
Crap.

I prayed to the Naya Gods that Jon didn't top-deck a Bonfire of the Damned on my own turn, targeting me. That would have been a sad, ironic way to die in such an intense game.  Luckily for me, "my" top-deck was a Birds of Paradise, which he obviously didn't cast.  He ended my turn, and took his own: no action.  I took my turn, casting Birds of Paradise and activating Gavony Township.  Swing for 3 - Jon's at 5.  This is it...if he doesn't draw an out, I win next turn...he draws, and lays down a Swamp.  "I don't have an answer" was the response, and we shook hands.  An exhilarating match, it had drawn quite a few people over, and I think they were pleased with the outcome (regardless of who won) - it was fun, thrilling, and great to be a part of.
3-0 (6-1 in games)

Round 4 vs. Jon S. (RG Aggro)

"Snap back to reality, Tom.
Your deck isn't infallible."
- Wolfir Silverheart

Normally, at 3-0 going into the last round, I would intentionally draw with my opponent in order to get a better prize payout (no cheating, mind you).  However, Jon has a strict "no-ID" policy, and instantly declined my offer for a draw.  That's fine - I like playing Magic.  My luck, however, wasn't ready for a fourth match.  Playing a similar archetype to me (sans White), Jon had the advantage during both games.  I was forced to mulligan to 5 during game 1 (granted, the opening hand was nice), but I just didn't draw anything outside of Mana sources for the entire game after that.  During game 2, I got out my threats, but Jon was able to utilize Wolfir Silverheart while I lacked enough oomph to beat it.  Jon equipped Rancor to its paired friend, Thragtusk; I lost that game quickly, and the match was over in the most anti-climatic of ways.  This was Jon's fourth-straight 4-0 finish at a Standard event, and, as happy as I am for him, sometimes I wish common sense would take the place of pride...then again, I'm one to talk.  Pride is huge to me.  In any case, it was a fine match, and I was just unlucky.
3-1 (6-3 in games)

The loss put me at 9 match points to two others' 12...which meant 3rd place and no FNM promo to show for my efforts.  I was a wee-bit disappointed, but overall I had a great night slinging spells.  Hannah, even though she went 1-3, also had a fun evening, and we went back home to drink a few beers and eat some pizza rolls.
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Moving forward, I would probably play the exact 75 unless the meta shifts to where Naya is suddenly bad.  I didn't dislike a single card in my 75, and, while I didn't see him all evening, I am still of the opinion that Ajani is nuts when played properly.

Next week, I'll post about my recent emergence into Modern, show you all my deck of choice, and talk about dealing with "Tilt."  Until next time, happy slinging!
-Tom