#scgatl

[jordanmunson]

When @litttlejennn is away, I just go full nerd. #wwebattleground #scgatl #magicthegathering #wwe

[tappedoutmagic]

*hops up & down* It's time to go?! It's time to go?! IT'S TIME TO GOOOO!!!! #SCGATL #LILNICKY (at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport)

[thetopdeck]

Going to Atlanta for the Open.

Just finished sleeving up my deck for Atlanta. I'm going with a W/U Heroic list. I am not too sure on how I'll do, but I'm hoping for the best. I'll do post my list and have a tournament report when I get back.

[thetopdeck]

Back to grinding.

Life stuff has been happening so I haven't had as much time to play since Grand Prix Nashville.  I've moved from Jeskai Tempo to U/W Heroic in Standard.  I managed to make my way into a top 4 in a win-a-box for a split last weekend, but I got absolutely obliterated yesterday.  I'm getting a feel for the deck though and I'm looking forward to tuning it.  I'm planning on going to the SCG Open in Atlanta at the end of November with it.  Hopefully it works out until then.

I should be a little more concerned with the Sealed PTQ that I've decided to participate in this weekend.  I realized that all I ever play is Standard Constructed.  I have never drafted and my only real experience in Sealed is the Khans Pre-Release.  They way I figure it is, if I want to get good at Limited, I might as well participate at the highest level of play that I can.  I'm sure it'll be a learning experience, albeit a rough one.

[themtgsource]

SCG Atlanta Modern Premier IQ

This past weekend I attended the SCG Atlanta Modern Premier IQ and finished in 20th place playing Melira Pod

Decklist:

Lands (23)

3 Forest

3 Gavony Township

1 Godless Shrine

2 Marsh Flats

1 Misty Rainforest

3 Overgrown Tomb

1 Plains

2 Razorverge Thicket

1 Swamp

1 Temple Garden

4 Verdant Catacombs

1 Woodland Cemetery

Spells (8)

2 Abrupt Decay

2 Chord of Calling

4 Birthing Pod

Creatures (29)

4 Birds of Paradise

3 Noble Heirarch

1 Viscera Seer

1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast

1 Scavenging Ooze

1 Spellskite

3 Voice of Resurgence

1 Wall of Roots

1 Eternal Witness

4 Kitchen Finks

1 Orzhov Pontiff

1 Reclamation Sage

1 Sin Collector

1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence

1 Murderous Redcap

1 Ranger of Eos

1 Restoration Angel

1 Reveillark

1 Shriekmaw

Sideboard (15)

1 Slaughter Pact

4 Thoughtseize

1 Abrupt Decay

1 Kataki, War's Wage

1 Qasali Pridemage

1 Dismember

1 Eidolon of Rhetoric

1 Orzhov Pontif

1 Sin Collector

1 Entomber Exxarch

1 Thrun, the Last Troll

1 Thragtusk

The first round of the tournament I was paired against a RG aggro deck based on Kiln Fiend and Violent Outburst, I won the round quickly 2-0 and advanced to 1-0. In the second round. I played against Affinity, losing the first game but winning the second game. The third game I mulliganed to six and kept Forest, Kataki, Wall of Roots, Kitchen Finks, Viscera Seer, and Linvala. I drew a Razorverge Thicket so I could play Kataki but my opponent had Gut Shot. The game cam down to me not drawing a black source to play Viscera Seer to combo off and I dropped to 1-1.The third round saw me paired against UW Tron, and I quickly lost to fall to 1-2. In the fourth round I was paired against the modern version of Mono Black Devotion and I won 2-1 after some interesting and close games. The fifth round I squared off against 8-Rack and luckily my opponent didn't see any of his racks so I could stay in the game and top deck impactful cards. Depending on Ensnaring Bridge is rough against a deck with so many ways to destroy and tutor. With the win I advance to 3-2. The sixth round was easily the roughest round of the day. I was paired against a U/W Gifts Tron deck and comboed my way to 200 billion life but my board was cleared before I could use Murderous Redcap. After casting an Emrakul and annihilating all of my permanents my opponent demonstrated that his game plan was to mill me out using Wrath of God and Emrakul (He could Wrath his own Emrakul to ensure that he wouldn't mill out, therefore milling me out) and asked if I wanted to concede the game. However, with 25 minutes left on the clock to potentially win 2 games against an unfavorable matchup I thought my best bet was to just play out game 1 and hope that we ended up in a draw so I could still be live for the top 32. That is exactly what ended up happening (I ended the game at 199,999,999,851 life), much to the disappointment of my opponent and his friends (his friends called over a judge to make sure I wasn't slow playing, the judge however recognized that I was not slow playing and was only drawing and discarding on my turn). I think my opponent actually could have milled me out if he had just played draw-go but he thought he should be casting 3 Thirst for Knowledge and Sphinx's Revelation for 14 every turn. The 50-minute game 1 draw put me to 3-2-1 and put me in a position to 2-0 for top 32. In round seven I was paired against a B/R Demigod of Revenge homebrew which I easily defeated in two games by comboing to "infinite" life. My last round I was paired against a Jeskai Control deck. I lost game one to a loose keep and an Ajani Vengeant Ultimate but won game two thanks to a combo. Game three saw my opponent mulligan to six and then stumble on lands and he was overrun by my Scavenging Ooze and friends. The win put me to 6-2-1 and into 20th place overall. The day as a whole was successful, it was rather unfortunate that I was paired against two Tron decks because the Tron matchup is very poor. I was also surprised to not play against any Burn decks, I thought Burn would be out in force so I added a Thragtusk to the sideboard on Saturday night.

[thetopdeck]

SCG Open: Atlanta Report

So this past weekend was my first real competitive Magic event.  I feel that I really put a lot of time and effort into preparing for the event.  I ended up going with the same main board that Tom Ross used with a few changes to the sideboard figuring that a lot of people were going to play Rabble Red and that a lot of other people were going to come ready.  For the sideboard, I figured that a Hall of Triumph would be better than a Dynacharge since it's better in the mirror match.  I also felt that I really needed the fourth Eidiolon of the Great Revel, thinking that people were going to come ready with cheap removal.  

I got there and was more than a little overwhelmed.  There were just so many players getting ready.  The head judge announced that there were about 570 players and that there was going to be ten rounds.  I was a little taken aback by how many rounds there were going to be, but I turned in my decklist and took my free SCG tokens without complaing.  I was pretty nervous but I won my first ever competitive match.  I had a rough time afterwards.  After 5 rounds, I was 2-3-0.  At that point, I figured that x-4 had no real way of prizing out and that I was better off starting my four hour drive home a little earlier so I told myself that I would go home at the next loss.  Fortunately, it turned out that I didn't lose for the rest of the night, finishing with a record of 7-3-0.  I barely managed to prize out, finishing 63rd (only 1st - 64th got prizes).  Anyway, here's the recap:

Round 1: vs America Control

I won the die roll and he mulled down to 4 cards.  I actually didn't see much and didn't see what he was playing.  I took the first game pretty quickly.  I boarded in the Eidolons and just figured he was going to bring in removal or burn.  In game 2, I just had a great hand.  Turn 1 Rakdos Cackler, turn 2 Ash Zealot, and then turn 3 with a Burning-Tree Emissary and a Hall of Triumph.  He never saw what he was looking for.  I go off thinking that it's going to be a great day sitting 1-0.

Round 2: vs Mono-black Aggro

I'm on the play game 1.  Once I see the swamp and the 1 drop, I know it's going to be rough.  We get to an even board state and he swings with everything to bring me to two.  I put down a 2nd Rabblemaster and the extra goblin token gives me the win.  In the 2nd game, I rush towards the finish, but forget about his Mutavaults and overextend, ending up in a loss.  Game 3 goes a lot like game 1.  It's a crowded board and I decide not to swing, but he drops a Mogis Marauder and the intimidate gets him through to the win.  I'm at 1-1, realizing that it's not going to be easy today.

Round 3: vs BUG Control

In game 1, he gets 2 Coursers on the board and then drops a Jace, AoT.  I play some of it out to see what else he's got.  Game 2, he's got a lot of removal and I play a Rabblemaster right into a Dissolve and it's all downhill from there.  At 1-2, I start thinking that it's going to be a long day.

Round 4: vs Mono-blue Aggro

This was actually the first Mono-blue Aggro deck that I've played against.  He won the die roll and just played an island.  He then proceeds to play a Tidebinder Mage his next three turns.  I boarded in Magma Spray, Boros Reckoner, and my other Hall of Triumph.  I have a quick opening hand, playing 2 BTE's on turn 2 and a Hall of Triumph on turn 3.  In game 3, he's stuck on 2 Islands.  All he does is play Turn to Frog, which just delays the inevitable.  I'm at 2-2, feeling a lot better.

Round 5: vs Jund Monsters

Another deck that I haven't really seen or play against.  The deck seemed to run a lot of hate for Rabble Red, running Anger of the Gods in the main board.  In game 1, I got him down to three, but then he cleared the board with Anger of the Gods.  I didn't see the burn to get me there.  Game 2 goes a lot more favorably.  I don't empty out and finish the game with a Stoke the Flames for the win.  In game 3, he gets two coursers out and that's all she wrote.  Sitting at 2-3, I decide with the next loss that I'm cutting and going to go do a side event instead of wasting my time.

Round 6: vs Mono-black Devotion

I didn't actually get to see what he was playing.  In game 1 he had a turn 1 Thoughtseize, taking my Lightning Strike.  The next three lands he played were Mutavaults, which he was forced to activate to block, which I got over with a Rubblebelt Maaka.  I took the game pretty quickly.  In game 2, I had a turn 2 Ash Zealot out and never found his removal.  I go 3-3, feeling a lot more relieved.   I actually start thinking that I can finish the tournament with a positive win-loss ratio.

Round 7: vs America Control

I win game 1 without much interaction.  I haven't played against it before, but I figured that Eidolons and Skullcracks were good to board in.  In the second game, I was able to burn through for the win.

Round 8: vs UW Control

This is a deck that I have played against and understand pretty well what I have to do.  I took game one pretty quickly.  In game 2, I managed to bait him into blocking with his ram into a Rubblebelt Maaka and kept the Skullcrack I had in my opening hand to stop his Sphinx's Revelation.  My opponent was a little rude after this match, but I guess not everyone's going to be a good sport about things.

Round 9: vs Boros Burn

He was on the play and dropped a Temple of Triumph turn 1, I figured he was running burn.  Game 1 went my way pretty quickly, luckily having Hall of Triumph in my opening hand.  Game 2 was a lot closer, but he did a lot of damage to himself with painlands.  It ended up him being at 4 while I was at 6, but I finally drew the Eidolon and that was all wrote.  I finally feel good.  I got through a tough match-up and had a real chance of making top 64.

Round 10: vs RG Monsters

Game 1 went my way in the standard fashion.  He didn't see a Courser or any mana dorks.  I board in Boros Reckoner and Mizzium Mortars.  In game 2, I get him down to 5, but don't see a way out.  In game 3, I see so much pump.  He blocks and didn't see it coming.  He draws dirt in his last two turns and I'm able to put it away for the win.

I had a great time playing.  My play got better and I learned quite a few things.  I think that my biggest fault so far has been failing to try and see my opponents' lines of play, which really goes with not knowing the meta, the biggest fault that I know I have.  I'm glad I was able to give the deck a go at something competitive before rotation though.  Hopefully I'll be able to make it to a few more events in September and October before the Grand Prix in Nashville on Halloween Weekend.

[themtgsource]

SCG Atlanta: RW Burn TOP 100

This weekend I competed in both the SCG Standard Open and the SCG Modern Premier IQ in Atlanta. I finished in 100th place in the Standard Open play RW Burn (Decklist below). I started off the day against B/W Midrange, a similar list to the one The Pantheon played in Portland. After losing game 1 to a maindeck Whip of Erebos and two Desecration Demons, I won the next to games thanks to the strength of Boros Charm and Stoke the Flames. Round 2 I found myself paired against SCG ranked Logan Mize. We were called to the feature match area where we played an off camera feature match. Mize was on Mono-Blue Devotion, a deck that had been dominant early in the season, placing 3 people into the Top 8 at Pro Tour Theros, including the eventual winner. I won a close game one thanks to Young Pyromancer making tokens. Mize mulled to 5 game two and missed some land drops and was quickly overrun by a flurry of burn spells. Round 3 I was paired against a Pro Tour competitor Jonathon Marsh, Marsh was playing B/W Midrange and quickly dispatched me in two games thanks to Blood Baron of Vizkopa. Round 4 I played against Mono-Black Devotion, losing a very close game 1 and then losing to Whip of Erebos game 2. At this point I was 2-2 after starting 2-0, and all hopes were bleak, I knew I would have to win 5 of the last 6 rounds to cash the event. In Round 5 I was paired against the M15 upstart Rabble Red. I was quickly disatched game 1 thanks to being stuck on lands and then won the next to games thanks to the strength of Satyr Firedancer and its combo with Searing Blood allowing me to 3 for 1 my opponent. Round 6 played out very similarly to Round 5, me losing a fast game 1 to Rabble Red and then winning both post-board games thanks to the strength of Satyr Firedance and Searing Blood. Round 7 I was paired against an interesting Mono-Black Homebrew that featured elements of Mono-Black Aggro and Mono-Black Devotion. I defeated my opponent thanks to Chandra's Phoenix's recursion ability to climb to 5-2. At this point I was feeling very confident about my deck and my ability to win 2 or 3 more rounds and finish in the money of the event. However, round 8 saw me paired against Greg Jackson, a friend from one of the local LGS. Greg was on a fairly stock Mono-Black aggro and promptly defeated me game 1 due to the sheer speed of the deck. Game two saw us locked in an intense struggle where I had 2 turns to draw any 4 damage burn spell to finish me off, but a glut of lands from my deck spelled my doom and knocked me to 5-3. Now I needed to win my next 2 rounds to be able to Top 64 and finish in the money. Round 9 saw me paired against another B/W midrange deck, I won game one without losing any life and then mulled to 5 for game 2 where I lost fairly convincingly, I then won game 3 thanks to a mull to 5 from my opponent. Going into the last round I needed a win to finish in the Top 64 and was paired against GW aggro, a fairly close matchup. My opponent and I both thought whoever was on the play was a favorite, making the die roll very critical. He won the die roll and game 1, I was on the play for game 2 and then won. Game 3 saw him on the play and quickly attacking. He played an Advent of the Wurm and I had a Chained to the Rocks to remove it but unfortunately my lands were Mutavault, Mutavault, and Battlefield Forge. I lost the game and the round, but I think if I could've cast Chained to the Rocks I would have been able to win the match.

Lands (23)

8 Mountain

4 Temple of Triumph

4 Mutavault

4 Battlefield Forge

3 Sacred Foundry

Creatures (8)

4 Young Pyromancer

4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (29)

4 Shock

4 Boros Charm

4 Lightning Strike

2 Magma Jet

4 Skullcrack

4 Searing Blood

4 Stoke the Flames

3 Warleader's Helix

Sideboard (15)

3 Chained to the Rocks

2 Eidolon of the Great Revel

2 Glare of Heresy

4 Satyr Firedancer

2 Banishing Light

2 Goblin Rabblemaster

[postrk]

#jesus #jace will save us all. #scgatl #starcitygames #religion #mtg #mtgalter #cardalteration #tcgalteration #rkpost #ccg #tcg #magicthegathering #magicthegatheringart #artonistagram #artistsoninstagram #artistsontumblr @jesus