Tourny Report from Cameron Miller

This is Cameron Miller with a recent Tuesday night booster draft report. There were 9? participants in the form of Les Hayes, Mike Ruff, Steve McCarthy, Mike Bond, Ray Placious, 3-4 newcomers, and myself. An interesting side note is that more than half of the people present drafted red. Another note is that a foil rare was pulled from each pack (Monkey Cage, Overseer, and Keldon Battlewagon). An amusing note is that when I was registering (Mike Ruff was taking sign-ups) someone had written "Mike Bond" on the list. I thought Mike Ruff was having a James Bond identity crisis but there was a Mike Bond present. Here's the deck: 2 Mine Bearer 1 Laccolith Titan 1 Angelic Favor 2 Topple 2 Rhystic Lightning 2 Mageta's Boon 1 Kyren Archive 1 Arc Mage 1 Shield Dancer 1 Warmonger 1 Flowstone Crusher 2 Nightwind Gliders 1 Arms Dealer 1 Soul Charmer 1 Defiant Falcon 1 Blaster Mage 1 Afterlife 1 Defender-en-Vec 9 Mountains 8 Plains

The deck had a lot of removal (11) if creature abilities are counted, but was weak in the creature category. I think that all the red drafting hurt my creature count, but I ended with a fairly solid deck.

Round One: Mike Bond vs. Cameron Miller

Mike was playing a very fast red/black deck with Branded Brawlers, 1/1's, Veteran Brawlers, and fast creatures.

Game One: He took me down to around six before I rebounded with Mine Bearer, and some removal; the Flowstone Crusher made an appearance this game.

Game Two: Same as the first, only this time I drew quick removal (Rhystic Lightning). The Flowstone Crusher makes another appearance, and some Nightwind Gliders come to my aid against his Kyren Glider and Robber Fly.

Round Two: Steve McCarthy vs. Cameron Miller

Steve was playing a good red/blue deck with removal (Latulla, Thunderclap, Seal of Fire) and a lot of evasion.

Game One: Battle rampart wins this game as my Crusher/Titan draw is a little slow of consecutive attacking fliers. I attack with both near the end, but Steve had this game under control with a Thunderclap in response to a boon. Latulla was "in the house" this game, but was never used. An interesting side note is that many players have bombs in their deck, but never draw them and if they are drawn are rarely used. There are exceptions as to when they are used, but one can have an AMAZING rare and never draw it. That Squirrel Wrangler is just as good as a Ferocity in this example. A good solid deck will almost always have better results than a 2-3 card "draw it or lose it" kind of deck.

Game Two: This game is close for a while until Steve draws 3-4 lands in a row, and I proceed to draw a Crusher followed by a Topple in a couple of turns. During this game when I was shuffling after I searched for a rebel I accidentally dropped a card on the floor and placed it back into my deck. I did not see what the card was, but Steve had a small conversation with me on what could happen in a larger K-value event. Well I Topple his Outrigger, and win very quickly.

Game Three: This game is interesting in that Steve has amazing card advantage (Rhystic Scrying for three), but I have a fast start with a Warmonger followed by a Defender-en Vec. Steve drops some evasion, but my massive removal in hand (3-4) spells keep him at bay. In the end I Rhystic Lightning him for 4 and he is at 2 life with any active Warmonger out. If he draws removal he stays in the game, but he does not and I win. My draw was unusually aggressive this game.

2-0

Round Three: Ray Placious vs. Cameron Miller

Ray was playing a decent Red/Black deck with removal (Flowstone Slide, Snuff Out, etc.) and a decent creature base.

Game One: Ray is manascrewed for 2-3 turns and I get out a small army. Ray Snuffs one creature out, and he casts a Fault Riders that is killed. I eventually overwhelm him with creatures.

Game Two: Very similar only that Ray has mana, but I start my assault and have Mine Bearer, Shield Dancer, and an Arm's Dealer for defense. Ray does not draw the Slide and loses. Coffin Puppets did make an appearance this game.

3-0

Semifinals: Mike Ruff vs. Cameron Miller

Mike was playing a decent (when he had 3+ mana in the right color) deck. He had a lot of evasion 2 Troubled Healers, Mageta The Lion (I don't think he even played it throughout the tournament) and cards like Puffer Extract and some enchantment removal. He had a Dominate which did cause some problems, but as I said; he needed mana to win.

Game One: This game is fairly close, but Ruff edges out the game with a TD'd flier which wins when I am at 6 life and he has a creature advantage with a Puffer Extract out. He did have bouncing merfolk recursion, but my Dancer "Danced Away" that nonsense. He wins this won due to evasion adavantage.

Game Two: Ruff is lacking a second plains which hurts him as I have a decent assault. By the time he does get the two plains, he has used a Dominate (I killed the Shield Dancer in response) and is being overrun by a Crusher with a Arm's Dealer out. I had some massive removal this game, and there was almost no way he was winning once I started drawing some mana.

Game Three: Very close game. Ruff Topples my second turn Defiant Falcon, and I play an Arc Mage on my Third turn. We remain at a standstill with me whittling his life away via the Mage; until he draws a Puffer Extract with 2 creatures out. I draw some massive removal this game but a Task Force and a Thermal Glider really helped him in this match. I bust out the Kyren Archive for 5-6 cards (I only had one card in hand and I knew that if he did draw a Seal, the lost cards could cost me the game). I draw a removal spell and all land which isn't good for me. I get Ruff down to about 8 before he TD's a Troubled Healer. I try a Topple trick but Ruff extracts one of his creatures in response. In a few turns Ruff goes for the kill but I Afterlife the Glider so I do not die that turn. I draw my Seal and kill the Extract, but I did not draw the Crusher or the Titan, and they would have won the game, but that's Magic. As it turns out I try to kill the Healer (I wanted Ruff to sac all his lands) but in the end a Divving Griffing and a 1/1 flying token kill me. Ruff was making some disparaging remarks and really acted like a real loser. I am used to this kind of behavior, and could block most of it out, but when he brought up the Wacky Draft tactics (placing a card on one's head) I told him to shut-up. I don't see why one should bring up past details from a wacky draft during a match. It was very annoying and it made him look like a loser (anyone who witnessed his talking knows what I am talking about). He knew the Arc Mage was trouble, and I guess he thought I was going to win (he saw my hand via a Wandering Eye early in the game) so he tried to mock me to make himself feel better. Way to go Ruff.

3-1

That's all for now.