I was kind of annoyed with last week. On Halloween, I dressed up as Ruby (pokespe) and got prepared to go to the draft, just to find out that the car wouldn’t start. Despite the snowstorm and the fact that Trick or Treating had been delayed, my brother and his friend decided to go anyways and since I was staying home, I offered to hand out the candy. I ate most of it, while I was bothered that I had accomplished nothing during that day. Since the car wouldn’t start, my mom had to drive me and my brother to school and me to work, and when my dad got home on Friday, we tried starting the car a few times, and eventually got it going. We brought it into to Toyota to get it checked out, and we left it there overnight. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to drive the rental car and it was getting late, so we went home and I missed FNM…I watched Vanguard, though, which was awesome (as usual).
11/5: PTQ Providence
Finally, I was able to go to a tournament. I got up around 5:20 AM and got dressed and ready to go, quickly. I had pre-purchased the ticket and my dad drove me to South Station (as I couldn’t drive the rental car) and was really tired the whole ride. When I got there, I found a machine that exchanged the bar code they emailed me for tickets. I went to the center of the station and found a big list of train schedules. To Provide - 6:45 AM. This looked like mine and so I waited until the train arrived and boarded it. It came time to show out tickets and I gave mine to the ticket collector, who asked me if I knew that I was on the wrong train. I thought he was just joking. He wasn’t. I had purchased tickets for the Amtrak and this was the MBTA. Luckily, he didn’t make me pay for the ride, and told me that he would get me there, but that I would be a little late. Since I had planned to get there at 7:20, when the tournament started at 10:00, this wasn’t really a problem, and I arrived at 7:50 and saw a magic player I recognized from Pandemonium with his friend. I followed them to the convention center and went in to find that they were still setting up. I really wanted a coffee and a doughnut and there was a place connected to the convention center, called the Dunkin Donuts Center, which I soon found out didn’t have a Dunkin Donuts in it. I headed over to a mall called Providence Place, where I found a Dunkin Donuts and got my large iced coffee, a donut (chocolate frosted as they were out of Boston crème) and some sort of grilled sandwich with turkey and bacon.
After my breakfast, I headed over to the convention center to sign up and register my pool and a while later the tournament started. I was playing a red/green deck that was splashing black for a dead weight and Olivia Voldaren. It had some awesome cards like Kessig Cagebreakers and Mayor of Avabruck as well as five other werewolves. My first opponent was named Tyler Kilgore and he was using a deck that was mostly white, but also had red and black. I took him first game without much trouble by attacking quickly and getting out my cage breaker and my grizzled outcasts, and the second game seemed like it was going to go the same way until he pulled out Olivia Voldaren. I had no way to get it rid of it as I was not drawing mine and I lost. Earlier I had thought I would win for sure as I had equipped a creature with Butcher’s Cleaver and tried to pump it, but when I did that, he killed it in response. Because he was running white, he had a lot of fliers and I ended up losing game three, despite him mulliganing to five. I couldn’t pull off my own creatures fast enough due to a lack of low cost creatures in hand and he got out a couple of Chapel Geist and I was unable to block them. When I did get creatures out, he was able to kill them or block them and I did no damage to him game three, losing the match.
Match two, my opponent was Patrick Lynn and he was using a blue/white deck splashing black with cards like Champion of the Parish and Chapel Geist. This match showed me that I have a great weakness to fliers. Game one, he got out Champion of the Parish and hit me with it. I was luckily enough to be able to kill it (I believe it was dead weight) but he got out and hit me twice with fox, while I wasn’t able to hit him due to lack of creatures/ he would kill them. The creatures I did get out would quickly end up dying and he won. Game two, I quickly played creatures out, but this time I got them out quicker and beat him down until he decided to just go to game three. While it didn’t get the chance to flip, I made a note that he had a Ludavic’s Test Subject. Game three went very similar to last game three. He got out fliers and hit me. I was able to almost make a comeback thanks to Olivia Voldaren, which was slowly killing his fliers, but I got her to late, and he got Unburial Rites allowing him to revive one of his fliers. He had three fliers and I only had enough mana to kill one of them. I was at one life and had to let one through. I didn’t have enough creatures to deal fourteen (his life) to him, sadly, and he won. Olivia was at 11, though thanks to her effect and Mask of Avacyn. But I lacked the creatures I needed to do the rest.
This next game was quite sad. I was against another guy named Nick (Durso) and this could have gone well for me, except I got cocky and made stupid mistakes like using Prey Upon when my creature had first strike (this is ignored when fighting) and just being stupid. I got rid of all of my advantage, and while I got him to 5, he won. He won game two as well and I was frustrated at my misplays. He used cards like Bloodcrazed Neonate, Wolfrun, Blasphemous Act, and Ashmouth Hound. My fourth opponent was Alan Alguinaldo and I won 2-0 without much trouble. I believe he was using a red/green deck similar to mine, but I may have been wrong. The games were total beat down on my part and won very quickly by attacking all out. On top of that, this is the first (and only) person to face the full terror of Mayor of Avabruck and his wolf token army. After this, I played a game for fun with David Milgate who seemed surprised that I didn’t take the play and wasn’t going all out with attacks when I clearly had an aggro deck. I think this is because I was used to playing control and therefore, without noticing, played every deck I used as I would a control deck. We played again and I went on the play and went all out with attacking for the win. It’s kind of annoying to find that you’ve been playing your deck the wrong way, but maybe I should take into consideration that more cards aren’t everything.
My fifth opponent was a guy I’ve seen a lot, but never actually played against or talked to. His name was Mitchell Prudhomme. He was playing a blue/white deck. He used Sensory Deprivation on my creatures and used cards like Think Twice and Chapel Geist. I was up against fliers again and wasn’t able to get him down very far game one before I got swarmed by his creatures and was unable to block. Game two, though, I got out Olivia Voldaren allowing me to steal a creature of his, which I believe I used on a Galvanic Juggernaut. I won this one easily, but game three, he equipped one of his fliers with a Butcher’s Cleaver and I couldn’t block. I lost again. While fliers were deadly, he also had a lot of humans and it was a pretty good deck. I came close, but ultimately couldn’t win, although I didn’t misplay much, which was nice.
My sixth opponent was Brian Hulse, who was apparently a staff member at Anime Boston. He was using a red/blue deck and used Bloodcrazed Neonate and Instigator Gang. I quickly killed the Neonate and proceeded to beat him down with my creatures. While not very detailed, that’s basically how game one went. Game two was simple as well. He got out Ludavic’s Test Subject and since my creatures were higher cost, he was able to flip it. My only destruction cards were Dead Weight and damage spells and I had no way of making a comeback in time, so I surrendered. Game three was back and forth with him getting me down to seven. We both had creatures and were at a stand-off, but he didn’t notice my Wolfrun and attacked, which allowed me to kill his creature. Unfortunately, he got out a flier and had out the equipment that gave +4/+2, but equipped by sacrificing a creature. I hit him and it literally came down to whether or not he drew a creature. If he drew one, he could equip his murder of crows and I would die, but if not, I would be able to attack for game since he was at four and I could pump my creature and give it trample. He didn’t and I won.
Round seven, my opponent was a girl named Mariah Pagliocco, who was running a white/blue deck. She got out lantern spirit and used moment of heroism on it, putting her to twenty-four. She managed to get out a few other creatures, and I got out my Kessig Cagebreakers. She used Sensory Deprivation on it, but it could still attack and make creatures. She managed to get me down to three, and I blocked with some of my creatures, so that my breakers could make more wolf tokens (and so I didn’t die), and eventually was able to swing for game. Luckily she didn’t have many fliers, so she skipped a lot of attacks as I could just block them and stuck to swinging with the lantern spirit. Game two, she took me down a little, but I was able to quickly get out Olivia Voldaren and start killing and taking her creatures. Game two was pretty easy. Olivia is awesome!!!
My eights opponent was Joel Paradee, who was running a blue/black zombie deck with murder of crows. I only got him to eighteen, and had a standoff with him at the beginning, but I now know the true terror of endless ranks of the dead. I was able to kill his undead alchemist, but overall, he was able to overwhelm me with his zombies, and murder of crows, which I could not block. Game two, was more even and I was able to gain the advantage, but a little after I did that, he decided he wanted to just go to game three, where he was able to beat me down with his zombies and fliers (crows and bats) again. I also kept a hand I probably shouldn’t have, which caused me to lose quickly as I couldn’t defend.
My final opponent was Daniel Villamizar, who was using a white/blue/black deck. Game one, he secures his mana base quickly with his two Traveler’s Amulet and gets out a Silverchase Fox and doomed traveler. We are both hitting each other back and forth, but ultimately I am able to win game one. Game two, isn’t quite the same, though. He has a bat and Falkenrath Noble and I am unable to get him below twenty, while he pummels away at me with fliers. Game three is the final game and guess who shows up again. I get out Olivia Voldaren and am able to slowly wipe his board with it, but he still has an Invisible Stalker, which is at 4/2 thanks to an equipment. I get him to five, and he gets me to seven and he finally draws a black spell to kill Olivia. My only other creature is a Reckless Waif, but I pump it with Kessig Wolfrun and attack for game. Olivia made the victory possible, though, but I’m a bit surprised that Reckless Waif took the game. She didn’t even transform. 4-5, overall. Not too bad.
11/7: Discount Draft
Back to the Relentless Dragon and this time, I went red/white, which is basically my new blue/white. I got a Stromkirk Noble and a Champion of the Parish and while I didn’t have any bombs, I had creatures that could build up to be bombs. My first opponent seemed fairly new as he started by drawing and saying “I wonder what this card could be,” as he wasn’t using cases or checklist cards. The person next to him gave him a checklist card and told him to use it. He was playing blue and red (I think, he mostly used blue) and for the first time in my magic career, Bloodcrazed Neonate was useful. Game one, I got a turn one Champion of the Parish and powered it up, beating him down with humans. Game two, I played my neonate and he was unable to block her at first because I had Crossway Vampires, and eventually it got pretty strong. That combined with a few of my flip cards, beat him pretty quickly.
My second opponent was Matt, who I’ve faced quite a bit and is pretty good. He’s the guy who beat me in my third draft last round, although I’ve beaten him as well. He is playing a green/white deck that is pretty good. He quickly got out creatures quickly and everytime we traded, his Lumberknot would power up. Eventually, I couldn’t block and lost. Game two, though, I was on the play, as I had been doing more often, and was able to quickly play out my creatures and beat him down with a Champion of the Parish with seven counters, and made good use of Bellringer for a surprise power up that saved Champion early on and took out his creature. Game three went similar to game two, and I was able to secure my creatures first and had him on the defensive. It went into turns, but as he had been blocking, he no longer had enough creatures to block with to survive (not that he shouldn’t have blocked earlier). He was a good opponent nonetheless.
My third opponent was another person that I regret losing to. He reminded me of Sheldon from the big bang theory, except more annoying and a bad sport. He was a good player, nonetheless, but I believe that acting ones age means not being a bad sport in a Monday night draft with no prize support. He was using blue/white. I took him game one because he kept a bad hand and couldn’t play anything. Game two, I stupidly kept a hand with one mana because I had a Stromkirk Noble. He used claustrophobia on it and I was done. Game three, I chose to draw because I was hoping for something like the first game. This was the best game of the three, but I unfortunately couldn’t win. I got a Thraben Sentry and transformed it, but he claustrophoia’d it. Luckily I drew into Silverchase Fox (my one that I sided in), but he was able to kill it and ultimately win. I managed to Harvest Pyre his Makeshift Mauler, but he had enough other creatures, when I was cardless. I should also note that he made good use of Stitcher's Apprentice, by sacrificing creatures targeted by one of my burn spells. Oh well, I got second, and got a Stromkirk Noble and a Champion of the Parish…
11/11/11: FNM
I WON!!!
I drafted a red/white deck like usual, again with no bombs, but this time with nothing to build up to bombs either. It was basically a beat down deck with Tormented Pariah as my strongest potential hitter. My first opponent was Steven Brunelle who was using a red/white deck like mine, but not like mine. I won the dice roll and was on the play. He had to mulligan and I kept. I quickly got out creatures and when he would play creatures, I would stop them from blocking with Crossway Vampires. Eventually he blocked to save himself from losing, but at that point it was too late. I had out Juggernaut and a couple other creatures and beat him very quickly. Game two, I was on the draw, but it was basically a repeat of this.
My second opponent was Micheal Gorlin. He was playing green/white and got out a Darkthicket Wolf and hit me with it. I began my assault then. I started to get out my creatures and was able to start hitting him. He managed to hold me off awhile and his wolf and 5/5 regenerating vampire could do some damage, so I had to use my Avacynian Priest to hold them one off, while taking some damage. In the end, I could do more damage and I won. Game two, started the same why, except he ended up playing out Essence of the Wild. Not too big a problem as I used Fiend Hunter on it. I said Final Turn and swung out, but unfortunately, he flashed an Ambush Viper. Luckily he didn’t have many creatures yet, but he had Mentor of the Meek out, which caused him to to gain a creature advantage quickly. It ended up as a big stand-off where I had out my Hanweir Watchkeep to defend with as well as Avacynian Priest and some reasonably strong creatures. Soon, he was at six and took me down to three. I attacked with Voiceless Spirit and played Moment of Heroism on it, taking him to two and me to seven. He had no fliers and swung out, but I blocked and survived it. I underestimated him big time, still. He was definitely a good player.
My final opponent was Marcus MDonald, who I’ve faced once before and lost to. It’s weird; I want the packs and want to win, but I don’t really object too much losing to him as he is a good player and a good sport, too. Of course, that didn’t mean that I would just let him win. Game one, I kept a hand with two plains, but no mountains and although I did get some later and build up my own forces, he already two fliers that were hitting me. I was almost able to beat him with my Tormented Pariah (transformed), but he had already done too much damage for me to survive the next turn and I couldn’t finish him off. I went first game two and played a creature and got it equipped with Trepanation Blade, which took out quite a few of his good cards without flashback, while Trepanation Blade didn’t do much damage, since he blocked, I played out other creatures and eventually he couldn’t block, as Trepanation Blade took away so many good cards and I was able to make full use of my cards. Game three went similar, except the creature I equipped was Voiceless Spirit, which had first strike and flying and he couldn’t block it most of the time. On top of that, both of the other games, he got out Deranged Assistant, and this time he was short on mana, giving me some free hits. While he was able to block a few once he drew land and did use Feelings of Dread a couple of times, it only delayed my attack, and since he didn’t have something to hit me with, my victory came soon after.
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