Madcap #CMDR Prep Up
There also was a part of me that had a kind-of nervousness in bringing Ezuri out. I've blogged about the deck and even have been sort-of mentoring a friend on Elven gameplay. I do have confidence with the deck and my skills. Yet if I didn't get a good tourney standing, it would feel like a let down for myself, my blog, and my friend. Still, I had to throw anxiety aside and just go for it. I figured what good is it if I didn't walk the talk. And I'm glad that I did.
99 Duels Weekly Tournament @ Madcap Gaming
Format: 1v1 Duel Commander
Timestamp: 8:00 PM, Sunday, 5 January 2014
French Banned list + Partial Paris + Swiss
Round 1 - vs Raffy Facultad (Azami, Lady of Scrolls)
Raffy and I got to playtest a lot weeks before today's tourney often 'coz he wants to test the mettle of his deck against aggro. I usually end up winning, though. In Raffy's defense, he is a good player and this guy seems to have lady luck behind him. He usually gets to a top finish out of nowhere.Game 1 started out the same for me with mana dorks, crop rotation to Gaea's Cradle, Ezuri, attacks+pump, then win. The details there aren't as memorable unlike the second game. Game 2 ended rather quickly with an uncountered Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary on the second turn. Knowing there obviously aren't any counterspells in his hand, I continued with Acidic Slime on the third turn destroying an Island. On the fourth turn, I cast Masked Admirers using Rofellos to a Natural Order for Terastadon destroying the 3 remaining Islands. Raffy only had to scoop. I feel your pain, Raffy. I feel your pain. Our match ended so fast, I had time to relax a bit after that.
Match Result - Ezuri, Renegade Leader 2-0
Round 2 - vs Felix Capule (Marath, Will of the Wild)
I feared this match up. I have yet to playtest against Marath. I didn't really know what to expect except my mana dorks being killed left and right. He also had two colors with the capability for mass creature kills.I was right to fear Marath not for the ping and kill cards, but mostly for Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Iona, Shield of Emeria. Game 1 saw him eatin' up attack+pump for a turn. However, he had an ace up his sleeve. Birthing Pod got into play without being destroyed; hence, Linvala and Iona in successive turns. I have to tell you, my face was filled with horror as all I can do was watch as he swooped in for the kill.
My hopes were nigh high on Game 2, but I'm not gonna allow myself to be beat without a fight. True enough, I was able to bring down Karametra's Acolyte, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and an Elvish Guidance on the table without any being killed. Garruk Wildspeaker was also in play. He chose to use Pithing Needle on him, instead. Even with that slight roadblock, I had enough mana power to create an all out attack+pump to finish off the game.
Fortunately for me, I guess, the match ended there as the clock stopped. We had to settle for a draw. From how things ended up, though. The game draw may have helped with our tourney standings.
Match Result - Ezuri, Renegade Leader 1-1
Round 3 - vs Ronnie Singun (Skullbriar, the Walking Grave)
This was a deck I was planning on concocting myself. When Ronnie showed up and asked to borrow cards for the deck, we only had to laugh and tease each other about it. His game plan was simple and can prove very effective. Either kill your opponent/s through commander damage or poison them to death with Infect. The distraction provided by the pressure from both Commander or Infect coupled with Black-Green tempo control is a very good strategy.It must've been my lucky day 'coz I was able to just keep casting and tutoring for degenerate mana producers throughout our match. In both games, he seemed to have had no kill cards in hand. Even with Skullbriar in play and a few Infect creatures out, he ended up being on the defensive instead.
Match Result - Ezuri, Renegade Leader 2-0
Round 4 - vs Andrew Cantillana (Derevi, Empyrial Tactician)
This was another match-up I feared. Although our playtest proved more in Derevi's favor, I still had to keep my hopes high and fight on.It was suprising for me that I won both games and none of my degenerate mana producers got killed. I was also mindful Linvala, Keeper of Silence might show up in any of our games; but alas, Drew decided he didn't need it and apparently cut it out from his deck.
I think that cut proved pivotal on Game 2. He had Survival of the Fittest out and was down to 7 due to attack+pump earlier on, and yet didn't have any solution to tutor for and fend off the onslaught. He ended up tutoring for Fiend Hunter to Sun Titan. A stellar performance came from Olle Rade himself. Sylvan Safekeeper was there to protect Priest of Titania from being exiled by a Sun Titan returned Fiend Hunter.
Match Result - Ezuri, Renegade Leader 2-0
† Sharpen Your Ears
In hindsight, I got reinforcement for myself that the first thing to bring to a tournament is confidence with your game and your deck building skills. Had I chickened out for the simple reason of fearing failure, I wouldn't have been there able to win 1st place. And as a mantra I always say, play hard, play fair, and have fun.
Ezuri Elfhame Evergreen
Format: 1v1 Duel Commander
Commander: Ezuri, Renegade Leader
| Creatures [49] Acidic Slime Arbor Elf Birchlore Rangers {Morph} Boreal Druid Caller of the Claw Chameleon Colossus {Changeling / Protection Black} Copperhorn Scout Craterhoof Behemoth Elvish Archdruid Elvish Harbinger Elvish Lyrist Elvish Mystic Elvish Skysweeper Elvish Spirit Guide Elvish Vanguard Elvish Visionary Fierce Empath Fyndhorn Elves Gaea's Herald Heritage Druid Imperious Perfect Jagged Scar Archers Joraga Treespeaker {Leveler} Joraga Warcaller {Multikicker} Karametra's Acolyte {Devotion} Llanowar Elves Lys Alana Bowmaster Masked Admirer Nettle Sentinel Priest of Titania Primeval Titan Quirion Ranger Regal Force Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary Scavenging Ooze Sylvan Messenger Sylvan Ranger Sylvan Safekeeper Taunting Elf Terastodon Viridian Shaman Viridian Zealot Wirewood Channeler Wirewood Herald Wirewood Hivemaster Wirewood Symbiote Wolf-Skull Shaman {Kinship} Wood Elves Wren's Run Vanquisher |
Artifacts [1] Lightning Greaves Enchantments [1] Elvish Guidance Instants [6] Beast Within Crop Rotation Crushing Vines Krosan Grip {Split Second} Naturalize Worldly Tutor Sorceries [5] Green Sun's Zenith Harmonize Natural Order Primal Command Sylvan Scrying Triumph of the Hordes Planeswalkers [1] Garruk Wildspeaker Lands [34] Cavern of Souls Encroaching Wastes Gaea's Cradle Ghost Quarter Mutavault Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx {Devotion} Petrified Field Tectonic Edge Wirewood Lodge Yavimaya Hollow Forests - 24 |
For the extensive primer on everything elf, visit the Elfhame.
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Photo Credit: Boom Dizon of Syntax Assassin
