U2KR - Events Coverage
Pro Tour Qualifier - Kuala Lumpur, November 10 2007
Terry Lau fought his way undefeated (5-0-2 in the swiss, 3-0 in the draft) to earn the single slot for PTQ:Kuala Lumpur.
A strong US contingent (about 25 players) and Vancouver Island folks (6-8 players) really helped push this event up to a large-ish status of 120 players. Perilously close to 8 rounds! (129 players is 8 rounds of swiss).
PTQ REPORT (backstage pass)
by Elliot Fisher
First off, thanks for waiting everyone, and there's props at the bottom for all of y'all who helped.
Enjoy reading my novel
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The day starts off with everything going according to plans, at least from the tournament organizer’s perspective. At exactly 10 am, 121 potential pros began the deck registration process, leading to a grueling 7 rounds before the cut to the top eight. The allure of a plane ticket to...Malaysia…has drawn the usual suspects, players from all the boroughs of the metro Vancouver area. Notable players to be found in the crowd are Michael Gurney, one of our finest Canadian exports to the south. J. Cunningham, fresh from his gig in LA or some-such. William Laycraft, who is taking a break from his usual head judge duties in an attempt to prove himself. Eric Reasoner, employee of Bellingham’s Cardhaus and wanton sex god. As well as various players from Victoria and Washington state, whom suffered a very early morning to be here. The whisper of a pack being slowly torn open, the glimmer in young Sebastian or Wilson’s eye upon opening ‘Le Nuts’, the hushed “Oh my god’s” and the booming voice of Jordan Murari over the PA. These are the sounds of the PTQ, the atmosphere that no amount of money drafts in basements and coffee houses can recreate. Lorwyn block is a much different sealed experience from sets past, decks are able to streamline a ‘cute trick’ into a monstrous engine, changing the entire game from a matter of attacking for two (although there is lots of that) to trying to throw a wrench into your opponents Vodalian War Machine. Coming into the event, most players have ranked Nameless Inversion as top common, with Silvergill Douser, Oblivion Ring and Mulldrifter coming up close behind. As far as bombs, I’ve heard everything from Chandra to Garruk, to the rest of the planeswalkers (Jace? Yes, even him), Wort, Wren’s Run Packmaster, the incarnation gang, the lords and on and on. Lorwyn sealed is akin to a mine field, full of bombs and blowouts. With the vivid lands, as well as fertile ground and other fixers, splashed bombs are very common and this adds a tension to the game, never knowing if that Goblin deck is hiding a Wydwen behind that Vivid Crag. After a quick wander around the floor, glancing at different decks and making sure not to give my opinion for once (a difficult task indeed), the time has come for round one.
Round 1 Dylan MacDonald and William Laycraft
Before the start of the round I overheard Will ranking his deck as a rough “Six out of ten, not too sure.” I also overheard Dylan from a couple of blocks away, his manner became even more effervescent when he found out about the “Judges bounty” upon Will, a cool two draft sets for the first person to take a match off the Judge. After some initial confusion of how to determine first, Dylan wins the coin toss. Will keeps his opener out of turn, preempting Dylan with the same. Turn one for Will shows a Goldmeadow Harrier. Dylan’s first play consists of a Moonglove Extract. Will serves into the extract, sending his kithkin to an oily death. Dylan gets into the game with a 4th turn Goldmeadow Harrier. Will’s next turn accelerates the game a bit with a 3/3 little rascal and a Pestermite at eot for his opponent. Dylan drops Mulldrifter to fuel up on gas and gets first blood on his opponent, 17-19 Dylan. Will ends his turn with a Kinsbaile Balloonist and neglects to attack with the 3/3 Rascal. Dylan does another 4 in the air, dropping his opponent to 13. Dylan suspiciously keeps his mana open, and Will walks right into the sentinels with his balloon brigade. Will can only grumble and play Shapesharer. Dylan’s next attack is certainly a highlight (read: blooper) when Will predictably changes his ‘ling into a sentinel of his own. Curiously before blocks, Dylan casts Wings of Velis Vel on his own sentinel. Will shrugs and blocks another creature, dropping to 7. Even after an Aethersnipe from his opponent, Dylan sits pretty at 15 life and lethal on the board. Dylan gets closer to his 2 free draft sets as his flyers finish the job.
Will elects to play first, and while the players are pondering their openers Dylan complains about his wings play in the previous game. “Why didn’t I say blockers?” Both players keep their sevens, and will leads with a Ponder, Dylan begins frothing at the mouth and raving about leet hax. Will stacked his deck, and threw down a bear turn two in the form of a skirmisher, followed by a lil rascal on 3. Dylan’s turn 3 is a Merfolk lord which Will seems upset to see. Will simply plays another skirmisher, attacking for 5, and Dylan surprisingly sends both merfolk to a watery grave. Dylan passes with 4 mana open, and while I see a pattern, Will doesn’t and sends 2 skirmishers into some sentinels, having to burn an Ego Erasure to keep his men alive. A final revels from Dylan exterminates the kithkin problem, setting him up to play his bomb in Forced Fruition. “Jesus Christ!” Will thinks about the new game state for a second, counts his library. “I only get to play 3 more spells for the rest of the game.” “Haha, yeah.” “They better be good ones I guess.” Will drops a 3/5 Oaken Brawler, netting an unwanted 7 cards. Dylan goes to 9, and decides to make some blockers to gum up Will’s team while Will’s Library conspires against him. Will moves to his combat, and Pestermite taps a brawler, Aethersnipe still deals its 4. Will 16, Dylan 5. A balloonist from Will meets what has to be the meanest Familiar’s Ruse in history, allowing his mite to pester the following turn. Will counts his library with trembling hands and wide eyes. “10 cards!” Pestermite turns away the brawler again, and Will has the option of attacking with Aethersnipe into a freshly cast Hillcomber Giant and friends. He decides against his play, and considers whether to play his last spell of the game or not. He passes the turn to Dylan, who continues operation meat shield by laying dorks. Will decides to all in, and every creature in play joins the brawl. The kithkin gank the treefolk, and when it’s all over, Will has lost his team and Dylan lost a Pestermite. Will plays his last spell of the game, a Shriekmaw, removing a Giant. When it’s time for the cleanup step, Will doesn’t have to think about what he tosses “Six basic lands!” Will passes the turn, allows Dylan to begin his turn and picks up his cards while flashing a Deathrender from his hand. “I concede. I just realized I can’t play this.” Dylan’s mind immediately snaps to his bounty and begins shouting at nearby judges.
Dylan MacDonald 2-0 over William Laycraft.
Round 2 Terry Lau and Mike Thompson
The players begin reminiscing as soon as they hit their seats, remembering that they first played at Mirage PTQ, or was it Ice Age? Mike wins the coin toss, and both players keep their hands. After laying an Amoeba on turn two, Mike confesses that this is his first time playing with Lorwyn cards. Terry has had the privilege of playing online, advantage Terry. Turn 3 Terry drops a Mirror Entity to join his Deeptread Merrow that attacked through the amoeba. “Man, you kidding me?” “Is that a good one?” “It’s the only card I know, guess it’s a good one to know.” Mike passes on 4, and Terry suspects some faeries. He attacks regardless and mirror entity reflects a neck snap from its opponent. Seeing as shapeshifters don’t have necks, Terry deems this an illegal play and Whirlpool Whelms his guy back. After laying his secluded glen untapped due to the shapeshifter in hand, Terry asks for a minor takeback, and plays a Kinsbaile Skirmisher. Mike passes on his turn, raising an eyebrow across the table. “Ok I’ll bite.” From Terry, and his skirmisher bites a sentinels. Terry plays a Ghostly Changling to continue his assault. Mike plays Shapesharer on his turn, and changes his amoeba into a 2/3 flyer, attacking for 4, 14-14. Terry plays his second dual land, revealing the mirror again. He attacks for 4 and plays a Merrow Harbinger choosing to dig for nothing. I suppose Mirror Entity is enough for one man. Mike gets in for 4, bringing the players to 10 each. Terry plays Mulldrifter on his turn and attacks with a pair of islandwalking merfolk. Mike plays a second neck snap and drops to 8 life. Mike only has 2 cards in hand, with the knowledge that his opponent is holding Mirror Entity, hardly a comfortable thought. Mike does his usual sentinel shapeshifter tricks, and yet again attacks for 4. Terry neglects blocking with the drifter, and drops to 6 life. Terry plays the lash out that was flash in a clash on turn 3 targeting amoeboid changling, winning the clash to boot. Terry attacks Mike down to two and summons the balloonists. Mike plays the Mulldrifter that was sitting on top, and after a long think, passes the turn. Terry’s win is delayed a turn by a Dawnfluke, and next turn he takes the game without having to ever activate his mirror entity.
Mike decides to play, fanning out and refanning his opener, finally deciding to keep. Terry picks his up and does the same, with just as much humming and hawing. The first play is Terry with his third dual land, Wanderwine Hub, revealing his next turn play of Deeptread Merrow. He uses the untapped land for a kithkin tapper. Mike lays his second land, his only play for several turns. Terry drops the Merrow, the amoeba and mike just can’t get that land. While scooping up, Mike shows his 7 card hand of two plains and a lot of three drops.
Terry Lau 2-0 over Mike Thompson
Round 3 Michael Gurney and Terry Lau
Both players keep their opening seven cards, terry leads on a Vivid Creek. Obviously the man has a manabase designed by god himself. Gurney has the first play with a Kithkin Daggerdare, Terry answers with a Moonglove Extract. Terry’s next play is a Knight of Meadowgrain, nothing like a 2 drop on turn 4. Lys Alana Huntmaster joins Mike’s team, Terry simply bats his lashes and sends the elf to the bin. The life totals keep getting further apart due to the knight. Mike drops yet another land, and passes remarking “I don’t have anything, I don’t play spells.” Terry explains his caution by saying he doesn’t know the cards in this set. Terry plays Merrow Harbinger after beating again, tutoring Aquitect’s Will to the top. Gurney can only say with mild enthusiasm “Siiiiiick.” At end of turn, Mike makes some elves with an end step Ambush, untapping to play Jagged-Star Archers and passing the turn. Terry gives gurney an island, “Woo! I got a dual land!” before attacking to change the totals to 25-9 Terry. Terry then reveals his master plan by playing an Ethereal Whiskergill. Of course, Gurney’s archers are active and take the flyer down. Mike finally makes a block of Moonglove Winnower to Knight of Meadowgrain, forcing Terry to use his extract. Gurney has dropped down to 7 from the islandwalking menace, and he can do very little but archer down the Mulldrifter that Terry had cast that turn. Gurney unable to deal with the islandwalker, sees another card through masked admirers and concedes immediately thereafter.
Sideboarding for Terry looks like a master painter at work, so many colors, so many options. Mike elects to play in the next game, and the players chat about recent PTs. Gurney laughs at his seven card hand, quickly sending it back into his deck for a six that he keeps. Mike starts this game just like last, with Daggerdare on two. Terry plays dual lands on both turns 1 and 2, causing Gurney to laugh and Terry admits that he has 3 duals in his deck. Turn 3 from Mike brings a Gilt-Leaf Seer, and Terry plays a Thieving Sprite which nabs a Promenade. Gurney beats with his seer and daggerdare, terry returns on his turn with a nap on the seer. More elves jump into play with and end of turn ambush, revealing a Jagged-Star Archers which surprisingly goes to the bottom. The life totals are 19-14 Mike after another beat, he continues to play a Turtleshell Changling. Terry lays his 4th land on his turn, passing with mana open, which held a Whelm for Mike’s turtle when it switches. The daggerdare does its thing and Terry scoops in the face of the little green men. Gurney shares his opinion on drawing over playing in Lorwyn, after Terry decides to play first. Another mulligan for Mike looks like trouble for the game. Terry plays a Deeptread, and Gurney makes up for card quantity in quality by playing a Vanquisher on 2, revealing his Ambush (shhh, it’s a secret). Gurney attacks for 3, passes the turn and predictably plays the ambush. Terry who has lain an amoeba refuses to attack, and misses his land drop, luckily he sees one off the ambush and keeps it there. A fertile ground for Mike gets hit by a Spellstutter Sprite, and the elves continue to crash in. putting totals at 18-9 Gurney. Mike plays a seer, and Terry staunches the bleeding by putting the vanquisher on top of Mike’s library. Faerie trickery keeps the elf out of play, and gurney adds the unimpressive Lys Alana Scarblade to the board. A Whiskergill comes down and eyes Mike’s island hungrily. Mike plays a four drop of his own in a Huntmaster, which gets a whistle from his opponent. Mulldrifter joins the blue team, giving terry some breathing room. The red zone is quiet for several turns, until 6 points sail over the elves and the totals are 12-9 Mike. After an attack that brings Terry to 6, he is forced to discard 2 cards to a Mournwhelk, losing a pair of lands. Terry decides to race, sending in his fliers again, putting his opponent down to 6 and forcing the Huntmaster to take a nap. Gurney downs a flier with Moonglove Extract, only to have wings sprout from the changling and finish the job.
Terry Lau 2-1 over Mike Gurney
Round 4 Patrick O’Neill and Slone Romano
Slone looks down at the table “I like my playmat more than yours.” Patrick always quick on the draw responds with “I like my face better than yours.” Then turning to me, “Hey, put that in, that’s funny!” Ok Patrick, your funeral. Patrick wins the toss, and both players keep 7 cards. The first play is a moonglove extract from Patrick. Slone Plays a paperfin rascal which eats the extract in response to the clash. Patrick plays the Vanquisher he revealed, flashing a Mirror Entity and Slone has the broken ambitions for it. Masked Admirers come down first for Patrick, while Slone waits a turn to reveal his Fallowsage to Silvergill Adept instead. Patrick drops Nath’s Elite and passes the turn instead of swinging not willing to trade with Slone’s Winnower. The elite are strangled and Slone goes to 16 before Patrick returns with Vigor and a big attack for 6. Slone offers the trade with his winnower to the other deathtoucher, but Vigor prevents the damage and the only thing that Slone can say is “Dear.”
Slone complains about Patrick’s flawless victory game one, and has even more to complain about seeing his opening hand. Dropping down to 6 cards, he quickly accepts the hand and Patrick keeps too. Patrick is ever so quick with a chain of Woodland Changeling into Boggart Loggers. Slone makes a sentinel on 4 and blocks the shapeshifter, Patrick only shrugs and plays another, more ghostly one. When Patrick shoves his Ghostly Changeling across the table, Slone practices his Japanese: “No Brocku” dropping to 14 with Patrick on 18. The board complicates with the addition of a Silvergill Adept (no discount) and a Dreamspoiler Witch for Slone and Patrick respectively. The scales tip with the addition of an Aethersnipe returning the witches home for a turn. The red zone gets crowded when Slone sends all 3 men in, and Patrick proposes a couple of trades, life drops to 14 all. Ghostly changeling is becoming a house with all the lands that Patrick is on top of. The Ghost tries to get in for 5, only to meet a cryptic repulse. After the changeling came back again, Slone draws for the turn: “Yeahhhhhhhh.” playing a very sad spiderwig. Both players decide to draw some bombs in Dread for Slone and then Mirror Entity for Patrick. A Weed Strangle on Patrick’s only black blocker seals the game up. Patrick heads down to 5 for the start of game 3, Slone stays at 6 cards. Both players pull out their all stars in Lammasteid Weave and Ringskipper. Then they both decide to draw cards with Masked admirers and the adept. Slone hits 6 mana and drops the Dread he’s been holding, Patrick has nothing but his admirers and a daggerdare on the team. Slone finishes with a Revels to pump his team and wings as well.
Slone Romano 2-1 over Patrick O’Neill
Round 5 Slone Romano and Eric Reasoner
Eric wins the die roll and decides on playing first. Eric mulls to 6, and Slone does the same to “save some time”. Eric finds out that Slone is sitting in the exact same seat as he was last round. “I’m cursed, shit!” Slone has a Ringskipper on his two, prompting Eric to ask “You’re 4-0?” The board grows as a 2/2 rascal joins for Slone, and Eric makes a Thieving Sprite and Squeaking Pie Sneak on his side. A Peppersmoke eats the thief and some loggers replace it on Eric’s side. Both players are doing nothing but laying land and attacking for either 2 or 1, Eric sits at 13 to Slone’s 11. Slone breaks the silence with Aethersnipe, which meets a Dismiss from Eric, who also has an end turn Pestermite. Eric drops sloan to 5 that turn and passes, Sloan plays a Warren Pilferers and waits for the counter but it is nowhere to be found. Slone attempts his snipe again, when it resolves he returns the Pie-Sneak. Eric has some footbottom tricks and gets back his mite to save 3 damage and a Sprite for the next turn. Slone thinks for a minute, then says matter of factly “Oh, I guess I just win.” Cryptic Command tapping down all blockers and some Wings for +2+2 gives Eric his first loss of the day.
The players joke about both having Cryptic Command and how it feels like cheating, nobody mulls and Eric has the first play in Skeletal Changeling. His turn 3 Pestermite eats some Peppersmoke when attempting to tap Slone’s swamp on upkeep. Eric has his own smoke a couple of turns later when Slone comes in with an Adept and Ringskipper. Mulldrifter for Eric is poorly matched by Deeptread on the other side, and Slone’s 3/3 Rascal is the largest guy on the board. That title looks to be passed when Eric reveals a Mistblade Clique off a clash for skippy trying to stay out of the yard. The rascal wasn’t long for this world though when he was dropped to an Eyeblight’s Ending, and Eric’s Footbottom Feast ensured he would have a spare faerie or two for his Mistbind. That plan never had to happen, as Slone was low enough to just get run over by faeries and skeletons.
The third game starts quietly with just a deeptread merrow on two for eric, and an evoked mulldrifter to follow. Slone’s first attempt to deal damage is met by a pestermite tapping his moonglove winnower. The pestermite almost gets a taste of its own medicine from a sentinels as a surprise blocker, but the Crib Swap clears the way. Both players seem to like keeping their spells to one another’s turns, but when Slone gives wings to his Snorlax token, Eric plays a Mistbind Clique with damage on the stack. Adding to my confusion, slone has a whirlpool whelm for the lone champion target. Eric is terrified until he realizes that his pestermite goes back to his hand instead of the bin. A warren pilferers from sloan doesn’t do enough and Eric adds another mite to swing through with enough islandwalk and flying to close it.
Eric Reasoner 2-1 over Slone Romano
Round 6 Tyrell Wheeler and Jonathan Leung
Tyrell has been paired down this match, so Jonathan isn’t in any position to draw. There’s a bit of discussion beforehand, but the match goes as planned (good for me, bad for Tyrell). Jonathan takes a mulligan, and Tyrell does some head-scratching over his hand and sends it back as soon as Jonathan gives the green light. He ultimately goes down to 5, looking very upset about it. Tyrell has his first and only play on 2, a Greatheart. Regardless of the fact that T-dog has nothing but lands in hand, Jonathan has a pestermite to tap Tyrell out of plays on turn 3. After a merfolk, an elf and a Faerie Harbinger from Jonathan, versus Tyrell’s impressive all land board, it’s all over. The harbinger gave Tyrell a glimpse of a card that he’ll have to fret over for the next game or two, Scion of Oona. Jonathan is the unlucky one at the start of this game, dropping to 6 cards, and a rather unhappy looking 6 as well. Tyrell decided to be on the draw, so the mull hurts Jonathan all the more. Jonathan starts with a Scion of Oona, and when Tyrell has the Pestermite for the surprise block, its peppersmoke to the rescue. The next turn the same thing happens, minus the smoke, and both faeries head to their respective yards. Jon brings the pain after that with a Whiskergill but Tyrell answers with Oblivion Ring, leaving the board. A Merrow Harbinger from Jonathan brings up a Cairn Wanderer, who is threatening to be a 4/4 flyer, and Tyrell merely has a Turtleshell Changeling and jacked up Oaken Brawler. An attack from the islandwalker and flier bring Tyrell down to 11 versus Jonathan’s 19. After an all in from Tyrell, he looks at the board and his hand and just shakes his head.
Jonathan Leung 2-1 over Tyrell Wheeler
Round 7 Jarrett Phillips and Matthew Sun
Jarrett wins the roll and says he’ll play first, sighing when he sees his first hand. Muttering what has to be the most dejected “I keep” ever, Matt nods assent. Jarrett’s sigh must have been misplaced, as he ran out a turn two adept drawing a card and revealing his turn 3 aquitects. Matt had a Stalactite on two, a Wizened Cenn on two, and a suited up Cenn on 3 (18-17 Matt). At this point Matt receives a blessing of three packs due to his beautiful script on the registration forms (Random). Must be nice for Matt, as he drops back to back Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile into Chandra Nalaar. “Chandra” “Excuse me?” You are excused Jarrett. You may leave your seat if you so wish at this point, I know I would. Jarrett has built up a Whiskergill and Moonglove Winnower to join his merfolk, but Brigid combined with a timely neck snap keep the planeswalker and the player safe from harm. It amazes me how calmly Matt says “Ten damage to you and each creature you control.” Such poise, such grace.
Both payers keep their openers, and Jarrett starts out with a Stonybrook Angler which faces off against Matt’s Greatheart. Added to the board are a Streambed Aquitects and Wizened Cenn, and Jarrett sets up a nameless inversion off a merfolk harbinger to pass the turn (19-17 Matt). The herds are thinned by a neck snap and inversion, sending the Cenn and aquitects away. Matt attempts to cast dolmen gate, which Jarrett is having none of and gets a little tricky with it and off it goes to the removed from game pile. Chandra comes down for the second game in a row and immediately takes a merfolk down in flames. Chandra has a boggart step in front of an angry fish before frying another one. Jarrett’s need to deal with the fiery planeswalker is so great that he has to strangle a Smokebraider. The walker stays in play another turn due to a lash out after blockers and Matt rips the giant to activate his greatheart. Jarrett serves up a feast right out of the trash and casts his Aquitects for the second time this game. With two creatures each and both players drawing off the top, the game definitely favors the player with the planeswalker. Matt attacks for 6, knocking Jarrett to two, and letting Chandra take him to one. Jarrett can’t answer the inevitability and picks up his cards.
Matthew Sun 2-0 over Jarrett Phillips
Draft Perspective from Eric Reasoner’s Seat
Below are the relevant picks for Eric Reasoner’s draft during the top 8. His picks are in bold.
Pack 1
1. Knight of Meadowgrain, Mulldrifter, Woodland changeling. Mulldrifter
2. Fodder Launch, Changeling Berserker, Warren Pilferers, Elvish Harbinger. Warren Pilferers
3. Aethersnipe, Bog Strider Ash, Glarewielder, Seedguide Ash. Aethersnipe
4. Sentinels of Glen Elendra, Broken Ambitions, Knight of Meadowgrain, Fertile Ground. Sentinels of Glen Elendra
5. Boggart Harbinger, Changeling Berserker, Fodder Launch. Boggart Harbinger
6. Vivid Creek, Turtleshell Changeling. Vivid Creek
7. Weed Strangle, Deeptread Merrow, Amoeboid changeling. Weed Strangle
8. Inkfathom Divers, Whirlpool Whelm. Whirlpool Whelm
9. Ringskipper
10. Firebelly Changeling, Kithkin Daggerdare, Springjack Knight. Firebelly Changeling
11. Bogstrider Ash
12. Nath’s Buffoon
13. Shields of Velis Vel
Pack 2
1. Pestermite, Drowner of Secrets, Thieving Sprite. Pestermite
2. Deeptread Merrow, Merrow Harbinger, Oona’s Prowler, Lash Out. Oona’s Prowler
3. Ghostly Changeling, Faerie Trickery, Hornet Harasser, Forced Fruition. Hornet Harasser
4. Stonybrook Angler, Ghostly Changeling, Peppersmoke, Thieving Sprite. Peppersmoke
5. Ethereal Whiskergill, Silvergill Douser. Silvergill Douser
6. Paperfin Rascal, Incremental Growth, Moonglove Winnower. Paperfin Rascal
7. Streambed Aquitects, Spellstutter Sprite. Spellstutter Sprite
8. Secluded Glen, Quill Slinger Boggart. Secluded Glen
9. Thieving Sprite
10. Broken Ambitions, Deeptread Merrow. Deeptread Merrow
11. Nectar Faerie, Faerie Trickery. Faerie Trickery
12. Ringskipper DUBS
13. Zephyr Net
14. Wellgabber Apothecary
15.FOIL MOUNTAIN
Pack 3
1. Imperious Perfect, Harpoon Sniper, Warren Pilferers, Inkfathom Divers, Wild Ricochet. Warren Pilferers
2. Spellstutter Sprite, Drowner of Secrets, Nameless Inversion, Wanderwine Prophets, Paperfin Rascal, Dreamspoiler Witches. Nameless Inversion
3. Boggart Harbinger, Boggart Loggers, Fodder Launch, Aquitect’s Will. Boggart Loggers
4. Briarhorn, Harpoon Sniper, Hornet Harasser. Briarhorn
5. Ghostly Changeling, Lys Alana Scarblade. Ghostly Changeling
6. Footbottom Feast, Ponder, Lignify. Ponder
7. Boggart Loggers, Lys Alana Huntmaster, Runed Stalactite. Boggart Loggers
8. Steambed Aquitects, Summon the School, Thieving Sprite, Broken Ambitions. Thieving Sprite
9. Mournwhelk, Inkfathom Divers. Inkfathom Divers
10. Spellstutter Sprite, Vivid Meadow, Paperfin Rascal. Spellstutter Sprite
11. Mournwhelk, Aquitect’s Will. Mournwhelk
12. Woodland Changeling, Goldmeadow Stalwart. Goldmeadow Stalwart
Afterwards, Eric lamented the Briarhorn pick as it never made his deck. I thought the Ponder over Footbottom Feast had to be wrong, and given a chance to look back, Eric later agreed with me. The deck luckily only had to feature one Ringskipper (prompting me to have a flashback to round five against Slone.) Eric seemed to be somewhat confident, but acknowledged that his deck was probably weaker than some at the table. Decks such as the one piloted by his round one opponent…
Top 8 Quarterfinals Terry Lau and Eric Reasoner
Eric wins the die roll and gives the thumbs up to his opponent, his opponent gave me a peek at his hand. Swamp swamp swamp mountain mountain mountain swamp, classy. After a brief mulligan, Terry is ready to go. Eric answers the turn one facevaulter with a silvergill douser. Terry’s board gains a boggart spritechaser and a ghostly changeling. Eric amps up his douser with a spellstutter sprite and gets in for a single Terry spends all his mana for the turn attacking just to time walk himself in the face of a whirlpool whelm which puts his changeling on top. The changeling continues to bounce around the table as aethersnipe comes down for eric, this time the ghost enables Terry’s peppersmoke and takes a douser down. Eric plays boggart loggers and immediately chops down the shapeshifter. The custody battle for the changeling continues as Terry plays a hasty warren pilferers, the following attack brings Eric to 13 versus Terry’s 12. Thieving sprite on Eric’s side sees both fodder launch and adder staff boggart, and Eric decides to muck the lowly goblin. Stonefaced silence settles over the two as Eric considers his block in the face of a fodder launch. He still holds the faerie trickery that an earlier clash revealed, so at 8 life he can’t really afford to tap out. Now Eric plays a secluded glen tapped, not revealing the trickery, mind game? An end of turn Eyeblight’s ending forces the trickery, and the fodder launch drops eric to 3 and shuts him out of the game.
Terry and Eric discuss the merits of fodder launch, Terry for and Eric against. Both players keep their opening hands, and Eric gets to see more cards with his first turn ponder. But what is a first turn ponder in comparison to the amazing glory of a turn one facevaulter, yes again. “Must be nice” quips Eric. An adder-staff boggart reveals an exiled boggart for Terry, causing Eric’s head to explode. Which is exactly what happens to the adderstaff when an end turn nameless inversion comes his way. This game looks to be in Eric’s control when his board of mulldrifter and hornet harasser faces down a deactivated faerie.
This is where the laptop battery died, so I have to work off of memory here. Essentially Wort, Boggart Auntie combined with Warren Pilferers and a Boggart Birth Rite made it look like Terry totally cheated. While all the plays were totally legal through the game, I just felt dirty watching as the goblins kept coming back again and again. Eric put up a valiant effort, but there is very little you can do against such a force.
The laptop continued to charge through the Semifinals, where Terry mised in the face of a Forced Fruition. Matt’s match consisted of him giving a tutorial on all the various bombs in Lorwyn, thrashing his opponent with a Deathrender equipped Knight of Meadowgrain, and keeping Purity in hand to keep things ‘fair’. The finals were starting to look like a barn burner.
Top 8 Finals Matthew Sun and Terry Lau
Matt won the roll and elected to play first. Terry has a supercharged goblins deck, with a full graveyard recursion chain including Wort, two fodder launches and a nifty little Cairn Wanderer. Matt has a UW Merfolk/Kithkin/Faerie build with such all star hits as Sower of temptation, Summon the School, Purity, Deathrender and the usual full blown nuts.
Matt mulligans down to 6 cards, keeping a hand that he’s happy with. Terry stays at 7 and the game is afoot with both players making plays on turns 1 and 2. Matt has Knight of Meadowgrain and springleaf drum staring down Terry’s nightshade stinger and sprite-chaser. Matt throws Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile on top of his deck with a kithkin harbinger, leaving Terry wide open to state the obvious. “That’s a good card. A very good card.” The knight is declared an eyeblight and another first striker takes its place in the form of a legendary kithkin. After another attack from the faerie squad, Matt drops to 12 life, while Terry remains at 20. Terry has a massive turn in dropping Brigid with another Eyeblight and attacking into Matt’s new Avian Changeling. Matt blocks the 1/1 sprite and Peppersmoke forces the trade and gives Terry a card. Another attack from the sprite chaser equipped with a stalactite drops Matt to 5 life, hardly where you want to be against a deck holding 2 fodder launches. Of course, the goblins in play seemed like they could do the job when Matt drew for the turn and didn’t see the island for his Sower of Temptation in hand.
Terry has a tough call on a mulligan, deciding to send it back but peeking all the while. If only words could convey the look on his face. Neither player has a play for turns 1 or 2, quite the change in pace from the previous. Terry decides to remind the growing deck that his deck is a goblin deck. The players do however, both have changelings on 3, followed by a balloonist for Matt and a spiderwig for Terry. Matt forces some damage through with his fliers and leaving Drowner of Secrets to block down below (18-14). Terry has a glarewielder and pushes 7 damage through, leaving Matt to eat goblin and only mill for 1 in return. The board grows with a Knight of meadowgrain and an adderstaff boggart, the board shrinks likewise with a fodder launch on the same two guys. Between the launch and Terry’s attack for the turn, Matt drops to two life. The next turn, having drawn nothing but a Veteran of the Depths, Matt has no choice but to block and trade all three of his creatures for all 3 of Terry’s and drop to one. No action for Matt, he passes to Terry who plays the Cairn Wanderer he regrew with the Warren Pilferers he dropped earlier. The room grows extra silent as everyone in the room but Terry sees that the Wanderer has haste due to the Glarewielder in the bin. Terry passes the turn, gloating over his new mini-Akroma. Terry: “So he has flying and lifelink right?” Everyone in building: “AND HASTE!” Terry’s embarrassment doesn’t last long however, as the turn is shipped solemnly back from Matt and the Wanderer crashes in to win a ticket to Kuala Lumpur.
Props regarding this report go to all the players who played that day, especially the ones who didn’t mind the click click click at the end of the table. Also to the judging staff for the day, they ran a beautiful event and cherry-picked the interesting matches for me. Darren for giving me two(!) bottles of water, allowing me to overcome my headache from the “casual-fun” draft shenanigans the night before. Adham for my drive to the event, and also for the night before Wink To Will for lending the laptop, and also giving me his password so the report was no longer stranded (this kid has like a Terabyte of porn on here lol). Thanks too to all the Seattle and Victoria kids, you guys made the day more than just an average PTQ. And huge props to MacPhee, Kurt and Thomas for providing a pair of awesome websites to throw this up on.