Tourny Report from Cameron Miller

This is a recent Sealed Deck report by Cameron Miller. Feel free to e-mail me at mind@frontiernet.net with any comments. This Sealed Deck began with six participants. They were Pat Albro, Steve McCarthy, Bruce Brewington, Bruce's dad, a random kid, and myself. Here is the deck that I made: 1 Alexi, Zephr Mage 1 Cateran Enforcer 1 Primeval Shambler 1 Sever Soul 1 Maggot Therapy 1 Cloud Sprite 1 Kyren Archive 1 Rethink 1 Rhystic Study 1 Battlefield Percher 1 Gush 1 Fea Stalker (3/2 Fear) 1 Rathi Intimidator 1 Rishadan Airship 1 Saprazzan Outrigger 1 Skulking Fugitive 1 Daze 1 Death Charmer 1 Cateran Brute 1 Wall of Vipers (2/4) 1 Rootwater Commando 1 Misdirection 1 Random-Mediocre Card

I feel I had a very good Sealed Deck, and I had many threats (Alexi, Enforcer, Shambler, Intimidator). The deck wasn't amazing, but certainly had some power to it. On to the matches

Round One: Albro vs. Miller

Game One: Albro said before the match that if his deck was to win a single game than the opposing player is really bad. His deck wasn't horrible, it had cards such as Crenallated Wall, Snorting Gahr, Silverglade Elemental, Blockade Runner, Invigorate, and Dehydration, and it was a three color deck. His deck was blue/green with a splash of white. I don't think his deck was horrible, but it certainly would take a lot for it to win. In this game Albro puts up a fight with a Gahr, a Dehydration on my Enforcer, and another random creature. He also manages to counterspell my Alexi with only one island. He used a Henge of Ramos to add a second blue to his mana pool. My Wall of Vipers was buying me some time to keep his Snorting Gahr at ease. I proceed to draw a Rootwater Commando a turn or two later, and it deals the finishing damage to him.

Game Two: This was a very close game. Although I cast a turn three Rhystic Study, Albro plays around it and soon has a small army of Deepwood Drummer, a 1/1 white creature and another random creature, plus a Seal of Strength. I then play a Stinging Barrier which eventually kills the Drummer, and the 1/1 creature. Albro then casts a Silverglade Elemental plus a Blockade Runner to add some offense on his side. I am starting to block the Elemental with 2/2's in hope of drawing a bomb. Albro then casts a Crenallated Wall which further worries me. At about eight life I topdeck a Sever Soul to kill his Gahr, and I start to draw some fliers for evasion (I had drawn about 11 land by this point and had Gushed). Albro then casts a Saprazzan Legate for added evasion defense. Then comes the Rootwater Commando, this card was the MVP in both of these games. The added Commando damage plus flier damage (Battlefield Percher) eventually wins. This was a decent game.

1-0

Round Two: Bruce Brewington vs. Cameron Miller

Bruce had a decent green/white/ and I think a splash of red deck. Some of his bombs were Spitting Spider, Story Circle, Puffer Extract and a small rebel engine.

Game One: Brewington drew only plains and a Lawbringer and a 1/2 Rebel Searcher which was Maggot Therapied. From then on he said go, and he lost to a creature onrush.

Game Two: Bruce drew better this time and drew some rebels plus a Spider, and a Extract. I evened him out with a few mercenaries via the Enforcer and a Shambler. He then cast Spontaneous Generation. He had about 9-11 land out and the added tokens could then kill me if I did not block with anything. He attacks and I block with everything, and end up losing the Enforcer. He then proceeds to cast a Alabaster Wall the following turn (the reason he wasn't dead already is that he had a Story Circle and three plains out. Eventually my fliers (blue) win the match on a play error by Brewington (something about how he tapped his lands, and he forgot to cast a Crossbow Infantry. As it turns out the following card was the Spider which would have influenced the game.

2-0

Third Round: Steve McCarthy vs. Cameron Miller

Steve was complaining about his deck, but I really could see how his deck was bad even though he was playing a three color splash (Red/Black with a White splash). He had a Cateran Slaver which is amazing against me plus a Pit Raptor, Lunge, Vendetta, Nightwind Glider, Crossbow Infantry, Thunderclap, War Cadence, and some mediocre creatures.

Game One: The power of his Slaver became apparent and an error on my part enhanced it. It eventually came down to McCarthy having a Slaver out, I attack with a Airship, and he taps five mana to search for a Raptor. Eventually I get him down to around 7 life, but I think I had forgot to search one turn with the Enforcer. Steve has War Cadence out but is remaining defensive. I have enough on the board to kill him, but I also have a Skulking Fugitive to worry about. I decide to be a little risky and go for the kill instead of waiting a turn to search out a Death Charmer to increase my odds (which would also increase his odds of drawing something good). He lunges my Stalker and eventually goes to one, but the Slaver and the Raptor kill me.

Game Two: Steve is manascrewed in that he never draws a Plains to deal with the Rishadan Airship which does 15+ damage to him. We both had ground creatures out but the Airship plus a Cloud Sprite went the distance.

Game Three: Steve gets a fast draw with a two drop, and then eventually casts creatures until he casts the Raptor. I have small ground forces like a Stinging Barrier plus some mediocre creatures. On my turn I cast Alexi, and this one card changes the game. This card is amazing when combined with Gush. Steve whittles my life to nine or so but I stabilize with the Alexi, while leaving two mana open to make it return itself if he ever drew harmful removal. He never really did and the Alexi combined with a Enforcer, mercenaries, and a Percher went the distance. This card just CHANGES the flow of a game, and I never realized that it was that good. This was my first time ever using it in limited matchup and it was amazing. If it had not been for Alexi this game would have been much different, but broken rares can change the tempo in a game.

3-0

Props: To people for trading
For having a good deck
For a little topdecking

Slops: NONE