4/26/14 Double Dragging my Heart (Journey into Nyx prerelease Day 1) 2-2, 4-0

I did not sleep well last night.   I meant to go to sleep around 10 p.m. but didn't end up falling asleep until 12:40 a.m, then I woke up around 7 a.m.   I left for Versus Games around 9 a.m., and got there around 9:40 a.m.

My stomach wasn't treating me well today.  I blame it on eating a frozen Farmer's Frittata (alliteration) and a steak bowl at 8 in the morning.

First pool was pretty blargh.

RARES:
Dawnbringer Charioteers (promo)

Eater of Hope (foil)
Whelming Wave
Dictate of Kruphix
Launch the Fleets
Psychic Intrusion
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Temple of Ephipany

BLACK:
1 Asphodel Wanderer
3 Bloodcrazed Hoplite
1 Baleful Eidolon
1 Felhide Brawler
1 Grim Guardian
1 Forlorn Pseudamma
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Eater of Hope
1 Cruel Feeding
1 Viper's Kiss
1 Boon of Erebos
1 Feast of Dreams
1 Necrobite

BLUE:
1 Dakra Mystic
1 War-Wing Siren
1 Nimbus Naiad
1 Floodtide Serpent
1 Prescient Chimera
1 Benthic Giant
1 Aerial Formation
1 Voyage's End
2 Hubris
2 Pin to the Earth
1 Dictate of Kruphix
1 Whelming Wave
1 Interpret the Signs

GREEN:
1 Charging Badger
1 Voyaging Satyrs
2 Oakheart Dryad
3 Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
1 Nessian Asp
1 Centaur Battlemaster
1 Nessian Game Warden
1 Vulpine Goliath
1 Nemesis of Mortals
1 Nature's Panoply
1 Solidarity of Heroes
1 Culling Mark
1 Time to Feed
1 Shredding Winds

RED:
3 Satyr Hoplite
1 Akroan Crusader
1 Kragma Butcher
2 Akroan Line Breaker
1 Ill-Tempered Cyclops
1 Stoneshock Giant
1 Wild Celebrants
2 Gluttonous Cyclops
1 Titan's Strength
1 Bolt of Keranos

WHITE:
1 Loyal Pegasus
2 Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
1 Oreskos Swiftclaw
1 Tethmos High Priest
1 Eagle of the Watch
1 Akroan Mastiff
1 Akroan Phalanx
1 Dawnbringer Charioteers
1 Decorated Griffin
1 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Evangel of Heliod
1 Ajani's Presence
1 Ephara's Radiance
1 Launch the Fleet
1 Battlewise Valor
1 Font of Bigor
1 Sunbond

LAND:
1 Temple of Epiphany
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

MULTICOLOR:
1 Psychic Intrusion
1 Stormchaser Chimera

ARTIFACT:

1 Fleetfeather Sandals
1 Gold-Forged Sentinel

DECK:

WHITE:  10
1 Oreskos Swiftclaw
1 Eagle of the Watch
1 Akroan Mastiff
1 Akroan Phalanx
1 Dawnbringer Charioteers
1 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Evangel of Heliod
1 Ajani's Presence
1 Launch the Fleet
1 Battlewise Valor

GREEN:  13
1 Voyaging Satyrs
2 Oakheart Dryad
1 Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
1 Nessian Asp
1 Centaur Battlemaster
1 Nessian Game Warden
1 Vulpine Goliath
1 Nemesis of Mortals
1 Nature's Panoply
1 Solidarity of Heroes
1 Time to Feed
1 Shredding Winds

LAND:  17
9 Forest
8 Plains

Match 1:  WG (2-1)

Game 1:

Beat down is the name of the game.  I have to ask for clarification on how Solidarity of Heroes works, but indeed, it *will* double the counters from a heroic trigger.  So if I pop Solidarity of Heroes on a 3/3 Centaur Battlemaster, I'll end up with a 9/9 Centaur Battlemaster.  Sweet.  

Game 2:

I end up in a bad situation where I have to swing with Dawnbringer Charioteers just to gain life, and he has Divine Verdict. 

Game 3:

My beatdowns are superior.   Sorry I don't remember this match.  I should write down more notes for my early matches.  

Match 2:  RG (1-2)

Game 1:

I beat him down pretty hard with my 5 mana heroic guys, Nature's Panoply, Ajani's Presence, and Time to Feed.  

Game 2:

Lost to Hunter's Prowess into Forgestoker Dragon. 

Game 3:

Lost to Hunter's Prowess into Harness by Force.

Match 3:  GW (1-2)

Game 1:

He's got turn 4 Dawnbringer Charioteers.

Game 2:

I keep 6 land, Dawnbringer Charioteers on the play.  I manage to draw all the tricks/critters though.  

Game 3:

I stumble on three plains no forests.  

Opponent nut draws me with turn 2 Oreskos Swiftclaw into turn 3 Oreskos Swiftclaw into turn 4 Dawnbringer Charioteers.  

Match 4:  WR (2-1)

This match was basically for fun since we were both eliminated from prize consideration.  

Game 1:

Savage beatdowns with my 5 mana fatties.

Game 2:

My opponent gets out Prophetic Flamespeaker.

My opponent casts Armament of Nyx on one of his creatures, and I tell him that doesn't do what he wants it to do, and let him take it back (since we're not playing for prizes now anyways).  

Lost to Forgestoker Dragon into Portent of Betrayal.  

Game 3:

My opponent gets out Prophetic Flamespeaker again.  

Somehow I end up at 28 life, and my opponent's at 1.  

I went over to King of Thai Noodle for some roasted duck fried rice.  It was quite delicious!

RARES:

Doomwake Giant (promo)
Silence the Believers
Herald of Torment
Sylvan Carytaid
Hydra Broodmaster
Dictate of Kruphix
Temple of Abandon

RED:
1 Priest of Iroas
1 Nyxborn Rollicker
1 Spearpoint Oread
1 Fanatic of Mogis
1 Rouse the Mob
1 Magma Spray
1 Ordeal of Purphoros
1 Bolt of Keranos
1 Flurry of Horns
2 Rollick of Abandon (one foil)

BLUE:
1 Sigiled Starfish
1 Wavecrash Triton
1 Triton Cavalry
1 Presicent Chimera
1 Godhunter Octopus
1 Aerial Formation
1 Lost in a Labryinth
1 Retraction Helix
1 Aqueous Form
1 Voyage's End
1 Pin to the Earth
1 Stratus Walk
1 Hour of Need
1 Dictate of Kruphix
1 Pull from the Deep
1 Thassa's Bounty
1 Rise of Eagles

GREEN:
1 Satyr Wayfinder
1 Golden Hind
1 Sylvan Caryatid
1 Agent of Horizons
1 Oakheart Dryad
1 Staunch-Hearted Warrior
1 Pheres-Band Tromper
2 Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
1 Humbler of Mortals
1 Hydra Broodmaster
1 Skyreaping
1 Karametra's Favor
1 Solidarity of Heroes
1 Desecration Plague

BLACK:
1 Pharika's Chosen
1 Returned Reveler
1 Nyxborn Eidolon
1 Felhide Petrifier
1 Herald of Torment
2 Rotted Hulk
1 Doomwake Giant
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Shrike Harpy
1 Boon of Erebos
1 Dark Betrayal
1 Cruel Feeding
1 Font of Return
1 Feast of Dreams
1 Aspect of Gorgon
1 Tormented Thoughts
1 Read the Bones
1 Silence the Believers

WHITE:
1 Nyxborn Shieldmate
1 Stonewise Fortifier
1 Leonin Snarecaster
1 Phalanx Leader
1 Eagle of the Watch
1 Great Hart
1 Akroan Mastiff
1 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Evangel of Heliod
2 Gods Willing
1 Ajani's Presence
1 Mortal Obstinancy
1 Font of Vigor
1 Reprisal

LAND:
1 Temple of Abandon
1 Unknown Shores

MULTICOLOR:
1 Nyx Weaver
1 Kragma Warcaller

ARTIFACT:
1 Guardians of Meletis
1 Traveler's Amulet
1 Fleetfeather Sandals

DECK:

GREEN:
1 Golden Hind
1 Sylvan Carytaid
1 Agent of Horizons
1 Oakheart Dryad
1 Pheres-Band Tromper
1 Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
1 Humbler of Mortals
1 Hydra Broodmaster
1 Karametra's Favor
1 Solidarity of Heroes

BLACK:
1 Pharika's Chosen
1 Nyxborn Eidolon
1 Felhide Petrifier
1 Herald of Torment
1 Doomwake Giant
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Shrike Harpy
1 Boon of Erebos
1 Font of Return
1 Feast of Dreams
1 Read the Bones
1 Silence the Believers

LANDS:  17
8 Forest
8 Swamp
1 Temple of Abandon

Solidarity of Heroes was a lot worse in this deck, than the first one.  I could see myself playing Desecration Plague or even Fleetfeather Sandals over it.

Perhaps I should have played the Satyr Wayfinder and Nyx Weaver, since I had two Font of Return.  That seems super slow though.  

Match 5:  Jund (2-0)

Game 1:

I made a ton of mistakes this game.  It was embarassing.

One I didn't need to block his Renowned Weaver with my Pharika's Chosen.  It was only hitting me for 1 damage.  I also missed out on Doomwake Giant value (kinda).  Sure he could have sac'ed his guy in response to the Giant coming into play.  Meh.  

I attack to trade off my Shrike Harpy for his Gold-Forged Sentinel.  I probably had a way of keeping my guy alive, but he was tapped out and I wanted to force a trade.  

He had the Blinding Flare for my Hydra Broodmaster and two other guys.  Then he was going to swing in with Heroes' Bane and Ravenous Leucrocota.  I responded by monstrousing, but I could have honestly waited until he attacked.   If i waited I could have swung back for pretty hard, instead of having to rely on bestowing Herald of Torment to do it.  

I also missed an opportunity to cast Solidarity of Heroes to buff my Hydra Broodmaster for lethal.  Geez.  

Game 2:  

My opponent switched to green/blue.  We both start racing.  I win the race though.  

Match 6:   WR (2-0)

Game 1: 

Opponent mulls to 5.  The only life I lose is from my own Read the Bones.

Game 2:

This game is closer, and my opponent takes down some of my life with Font of Ire and Akroan Line Breaker into Spawn of Thraxes.   Feast of Dreams on his 1/1 allows me to swing in for the win.  

Match 7:  GW Triple Mythic (2-1)

Game 1:

I get a pretty crazy ramp draw with turn 2 Golden Hind and curve out every turn.  My opponent's got Dawnbringer Charioteers and a 2/3 but it's not enough to stop him from dying. 

Game 2:

Game 3:

The board state gets complicated.  My opponent gets the early beats in with a Golden Hind/Ravenous Leucrocota.  Monstrous Fleecemane Lion with Leafcrown Dryad becomes annoying too.   Then he plays Harvestguard Alseids, Stonewise Fortifier, and an Oreskos Swiftclaw.  

On my side I have Doomwake Giant, Hydra Broodmaster, 4 4/4 Hydra tokens (one bestowed with Herald of Torment)

  My opponent starts harassing me about the time, because he said he got a draw earlier, and didn't want to get a second draw.

He starts whittling away at me with a 3/5 Supply-Line Cranes and a 2/4 Dawnbringer Charioteers.  He's tapping down my 4/4 Hydra token bestowed with Herald of Torment.   I'm at 8, but then I play a Gray Merchant of Asphodel to go up to 14 life.   I then start checking if I have enough lethal creatures on board to kill him through blocks, but he tells me I already passed combat phase and I should hurry up.  He also accuses me of moving the +3/+3 counter on my Pheres-Band Tromper to +4/+4 intentionally, though I told him I didn't.  He said he was "just keeping me honest" as though I was lying.  

I end up winning off top decked Silence the Believers to exile three creatures.  He had Gods Willing to save one guy, but I hit him for exactsies with my team.  I ended the game with Desecration Plague still in my hand.  I could have used it to remove the Herald of Torment that was draining my life.  I guess.  

This game would have ended a lot faster if I kept Humbler of Mortals in my deck, instead of siding it out for stupid Desecration Plague.  I only sided in Desecration Plague for his Dictate of Heliod, which he never drew.   I should have sided out a different card for the Desecration Plague.

My opponent says "sorry for earlier" after the game.  I say it's all good, then wish him good luck with the next round.

Match 8:  WUg (2-1)

I ask my opponent if he'd like to draw, saying that I beat a triple mythic deck.  The two people next to me call me arrogant and a terrible bluffer for saying that.  My opponent says he's ok drawing, but then he suggests a 6-4 split instead of the current arrangement of 7-3.  I say that's fine and we play.  

Game 1:

My opponent plays an Oppressive Rays on my Felhide Petrifier.  When I swing in Felhide Petrifier and Agent of Horizons he upgrades his Omenspeaker into a 4/4 Sphinx with Hour of Need, blocking and killing my Agent of Horizons.   I might have been able to make my guy unblockable in response to the Hour of Need.  

My opponent plays Ajani, Mentor of Heroes but it doesn't matter.  I'm bashing down with mono-deathtouch 2/3's thanks to Archetype of Finality.  Font of Return helps me buy-back beaters too.  

Game 2:

Lose to Ajani, Mentor of Heroes an 8/9 War-Wing Siren, and a Hubris to bounce my Pharika's Chosen bestowed with Herald of Torment.  

Game 3:

It's getting late, and I get super tired.   My opponent has a Prophet of Kruphix and a Battlefield Thaumaturge.  I stop my attacks for a bit, even though I have a Font of Return to buy back guys that die to bestow tricks.   I end up blowing my Silence the Believers for two, then he responds by exiling his Prophet/Thaumaturge and my Doomwake Giant with Hour of Need.  Then the game gets clunky again, until he plays an Ajani, Mentor of Heroes again.  

I swing in all my guys into Ajani, he doesn't block.  He doesn't attack the next turn either which is weird, even though he has two 4/4 flyers and a 4/4 lifelink Hopeful Eidolon.  He just plays Medomai the Ageless and passes.   The next turn I bestow Pheres-Band Thunderhoof with Nyxborn Eidolon and attack with everyone.  He blocks/kills some of my guys, I kill one of his flyers and his Eidolon, and he gains 5.  Then he attacks next turn his the Medomai and the 4/4 Sphinx, then plays a War-Wing Siren.   Then he attacks me for 5, bringing me to 5.   Then he scoops.    

So I punt the game by attacking all into his Ajani and not splitting some guys to attack him to bring his life down, and he punts by not blocking any of my guys that turn.

So I went 2-2 in the first tournament, and 4-0 in the second tournament.  Pretty nice.   If it was one combined tournament and I went 6-2 in it I would be pretty happy.  

I might actually stop going to Versus Games for prereleases though.  I was pretty darn tired after doing two tournaments in a row, and my experience with my third round opponent was rather negative.