Wednesday, September 10, 2014

UnKhanTrollable

All aboard the hype train! Next stop. Tarkir!

                Magic players really have it good when you think about it. I don't many other games that get such an infusion of new toys as frequently as us noble spellslingers. I'm not really sure at what clip video game publishers release DLC, but I can't imagine it matches the rate that Wizards of the Coast gives us new goodies and definitely not for the same game...for twenty years straight! No, Magic has something special going on when it comes to keeping things fresh. A few weeks ago, I was getting all set to begin writing an article about the upcoming rotation. I also wanted to start taking a look at what kind of expectations we have for the first-ever "wedge" set.

                A quick aside: Mark Rosewater, Magic's Head Designer, has tried on many occasions to stress to the player base that Khans of Tarkir is a wedge set and not the beginning of a wedge block. The foundation of the block is based on a unique draft structure that they wanted to experiment with and it is all wrapped up in the trappings of a time travel story. So, the Khans block will not have as many parallels to the Shards of Alara block as one might guess without considering that information. End aside.





                I was all set on examining how rotation works and ready to take a stroll down memory lane with the Return to Ravnica block, but I couldn't keep pace with the changes and spoilers that WotC was unleashing. The first, dubbed, again by Mark Rosewater, as a game changer was quite literally that. In his article, Metamorphosis, he goes into great detail about the new two-set block paradigm and how Standard will rotate in the future. He also breaks down all of the factors and consideration that led them to make the change. It's very well-written and has some visuals that very clearly illustrate the shift. The community's response to the changes was overwhelmingly positive and I'm looking forward to watching the next few years of Magic unfold.

                Next, the spoilers begin leaking out via social media as the WotC crowd travels to various cons. Before we know it we get THE announcement. The one we've been speculating on for so long: Fetches. Allied Fetches. This is pretty huge. It will impact multiple formats and should, at least, begin to break down some of the barriers to getting into Modern and, to a lesser degree, Legacy. But they will be terrific in Standard, too. It's now known that the Sultai's mechanic will be Delve which will play exceptionally well with the fetch lands. And then there's Courser of Kruphix. Already a Standard stand out, Courser's value gets shifted into overdrive with fetches in the format. As you can see, its monetary value gets shifted into overdrive as well:


Image courtesy of www.mtggoldfish.com


                Now, it's Christmas in September and the spoiler season is in full swing and new cards are dropping daily. The wedge theme is bringing blow after blow of mid-range goodness delivering some very  stout creatures. The majority of the creatures we've seen to date are all up side in the rules text, leaving you only to figure out how to cast them on time given their demanding mana costs. Even the recently spoiled Butcher of the Horde is sporting mostly upside, regardless of being a Demon, a race that typically asks for a mandatory payment in exchange for some benefit. Exciting stuff built into the game's very first white Demon. There's so much to talk about...so many presents to open. Every new card has to be analyzed, every one warrants a discussion. Spoiler season is awesome. New formats are awesome. And Khans is shaping up to be awesome.

                There's way too many spoilers to cover here, but I would like to open it up for discussion. With so many audiences being targeted with each new set, let's toss out a few fire starters. Check out the questions below, jump into the comments and chime in. See you at the Prerelease!





1. Of the Charms spoiled so far, which do personally like best? Which do you feel will see the most play in Standard?

2. Of the legendary Khans spoiled so far, which are you most looking forward to building around in Commander? Which do you think will cause the biggest splash?

3. How would you go about attacking Courser of Kruphix after the upcoming rotation?


4. Which mechanics are you looking forward to playing with in Limited the most?




I want to here from you! Let us know what you think and comment here on the blog. :)

-Eric Peel

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Team Fanatix and the 2014 Store Championship Series

Are you ready for Team Fanatix?


Ever thought to yourself that you have what it takes to compete at the big SCG Opens and PTQs but just didn't quite have the funds to travel for them? 

Well "MTG Team Fanatix" is setting out to change all that for its members.

BUT WAIT, How do I earn a spot on the team?  

Two factors will determine your placement in the team. 

1.) Maintaining a positive attitude and great sportsmanship.
2.) Consistently placing in the top 8 of Fanatix MTG events.

That's where the Fanatix Store Championship Series comes in.

Starting on 9-12-2014 your placement in all Wizards events earns you points. Those points calculate through out the remaining year. On New Year's day, Fanatix will announce the final standings of the championship and the first ever members of the official MTG TEAM FANATIX.

HEY COOL, What do I get for being on the team?

  • Fanatix Team Shirt
  • Hotel and Travel assistance to tournaments.
  • Access and opportunity to contribute to the blog.

What if I miss the cut off by a few points?!?!

You will be placed on our secondary team, you'll receive a T-Shirt and opportunity to fill in if any team member cannot make it to an event.


Best of luck to all of you, and I really hope to create a team that stands out on the road for our competitiveness and great attitudes. 






Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Fanatix SCG Invitational Qualifier


This past Sunday at Fanatix we hosted a Star City Games Invitational Qualifier. 


Here are the top 8 deck lists from that event! Fanatix would like to thank all those who participated to make this event great! Be sure to check out our facebook for upcoming MTG Events!


And don't forget starting in September: Wednesday Game Night for MTG!

Click this picture to be taken to the event page!


NOW ON WITH THE DECK LISTS!

First Place-Jeremy Norsworthy

4 Cloudfin Raptor
4 Frostburn Weird
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Master of Waves
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Thassa, God of the Sea
4 Tidebinder Mage
1 Bident of Thassa
2 Cyclonic Rift
3 Detention Sphere
2 Rapid Hybridization
4 Hallowed Fountain
11 Island
1 Mana Confluence
3 Mutavault
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
4 Temple of Enlightenment
Sideboard:
1 Banishing Light
2 Deicide
1 Dispel
2 Dissolve
2 Domestication
1 Gainsay
1 Negate
3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
1 Prognostic Sphinx
1 Ratchet Bomb


2nd Place-Jonathan Marsh

4 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
4 Pack Rat
3 Lifebane Zombie
4 Desecration Demon
3 Bile Blight
3 Devour Flesh
3 Underworld Connections
4 Hero's Downfall
4 Thoughtseize
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Temple of Silence
4 Mutavault
4 Godless Shrine
3 Caves of Koilos
1 Plains
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
9 Swamp
Sideboard:
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Nyx-Fleece Ram
2 Doom Blade
2 Sin Collector
2 Duress
1 Deicide
1 Banishing Light
1 Obzedat, Ghost Council
1 Bile Blight
1 Underworld Connections


3rd Place-Ben Danner

3 Chained to the Rocks
4 Lightning Strike
2 Shock
4 Searing Blood
4 Boros Charm
4 Warleader's Helix
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Magma Jet
4 Skullcrack
8 Mountain
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Battlefield Forge
3 Mutavault
Sideboard:
1 Wild Guess
2 Satyr Firedancer
3 Boros Reckoner
2 Spark Trooper
4 Wear
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Chained to the Rocks

4th Place-Brandon Taylor

4 Polukranos, World Eater
3 Xenagos, the Reveler
3 Domri Rade
3 Stormbreath Dragon
3 Courser of Kruphix
2 Fanatic of Xenagos
2 Xenagos, God of Revels
4 Sylvan Caryatid
2 Bow of Nylea
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Boros Charm
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
2 Elvish Mystic
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple of Abandon
1 Temple Garden
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
6 Forest
3 Mountain
Sideboard:
2 Chained to the Rocks
2 Back to Nature
2 Witchstalker
3 Mistcutter Hydra
2 Arbor Colossus
1 Boros Charm
1 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed



5th Place-Seth Kinsaw

4 Pack Rat
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Desecration Demon
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4 Thoughtseize
4 Underworld Connections
2 Devour Flesh
2 Bile Blight
4 Hero's Downfall
1 Ultimate Price
1 Sign in Blood
1 Whip of Erebos
4 Mutavault
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
16 Swamp
1 Temple of Malice
2 Temple of Deceit
Sideboard:
4 Duress
1 Pharika's Cure
2 Lifebane Zombie
2 Erebos, God of the Dead
2 Dark Betrayal
3 Doom Blade
1 Drown in Sorrow


6th Place- A.J. Hussey

2 Dynacharge
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
3 Frenzied Goblin
4 Legion Loyalist
4 Akroan Crusader
4 Titan's Strength
4 Dragon Mantle
3 Hammerhand
4 Madcap Skills
4 Ash Zealot
2 Stoke the Flames
18 Mountain
Sideboard:
1 Seismic Stomp
1 Mutavault
2 Magma Spray
3 Skullcrack
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Harness by Force
2 Goblin Rabblemaster
3 Eidolon of the Great Revel



7th Place-Tyler Williams

4 Elvish Mystic
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Courser of Kruphix
2 Thoughtseize
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Golgari Charm
2 Dreadbore
3 Mizzium Mortars
1 Putrefy
1 Hero's Downfall
3 Xenagos, the Reveler
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
3 Nissa, WorldWaker
1 Garruk, Apex Predator
1 Rakdos's Return
1 Vraska the Unseen
3 Overgrown Tomb
4 Llanowar Wastes
2 Temple of Malady
2 Temple of Malice
4 Temple of Abandon
4 Stomping Ground
2 Blood Crypt
2 Mutavault
1 Forest
Sideboard:
2 Thoughtseize
4 Magma Spray
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Mizzium Mortars
1 Golgari Charm
1 Ultimate Price
2 Slaughter Games
2 Rakdos's Return



8th Place-Christopher Brickey
3 Thoughtseize
1 Duress
3 Devour Flesh
3 Pack Rat
1 Deicide
1 Ultimate Price
3 Detention Sphere
3 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2 Hero's Downfall
2 Lyev Skyknight
2 Underworld Connections
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Desecration Demon
1 Silence the Believers
1 Whip of Erebos
3 Obzedat, Ghost Council
1 Obzedat's Aid
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Silence
4 Temple of Epiphany
4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Mana Confluence
1 Swamp
1 Plains
Sideboard:
4 Pharika's Cure
2 Glare of Heresy
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2 Doom Blade
2 Negate
1 Deicide
1 Dark Betrayal
1 Sin Collector
Some players joined in on some Command Games on the side!




















Thanks for reading everyone, and I hope to see you at Fanatix soon!   -Phil Chalker

Phil has been playing Magic since 1996. In 2010 he decided to help organize play in Dothan, AL and opened the shop: Fanatix. This article is a continued effort to spotlight and report on the local players that keep Fanatix alive!

For some reason his favorite card is Kird Ape.

Friday, August 22, 2014

What do you value that at BRO?

Special cards from special people.

Magic: The Gathering is a game of value, but one man's playset is another man's drink coaster.

Whether there is just something about the artwork, or maybe a unique mechanic has you dreaming about that day you combo off into the sunset, there is something for everyone in the Magic-Verse.

Here is a look at some of our local's favorite cards.





First up is Clio Canfield. He is recently back from a trip to Australia and we are glad to have him back in the MTG community at Fanatix!  he was excited to share his favorite card: Foil Russian Kiln Fiend.

 -" it was the first deck i put my heart and soul into. A combo deck made to win on turn 3 everytime lol" -Clio



Next up we have some what of a connoisseur of Magic cards. David Sirkis is known to have some interesting cards in his collection and here are some of his favorites!  Also, a big congratulations going out to him and his bride as they get married this weekend. Fanatix wishes you the best and we appreciate all the years of support!

David's altered foil  Elspeth, knight errant. Done by Brandon Brown of Modfly alters.

































Full art Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir by master alterer Gamo Kristofferson.


































And lastly a one of a kind miscut From the Vault Lotus Petal.













Andrew Tharpe has been the notorious "red deck" guy since he can remember... when he sent me this picture it was really no surprise to me but still a fitting card that means a lot to him.


Alpha Lightning Bolt -"I've had this card forever, JW got it for me as a birthday gift." adds Andrew. 

Next up is a good friend of Fanatix: Alex Flanders.  Here is what he had to say about this un-assuming Llanowar-Elves:

         "It's not a fancy card, but pretty much my entire Magic experience started with this card. I remember Walt getting into magic and talking about the game, so I wanted to as well. I had started a mono black vampire deck, but it just didn't feel right. Still, I didn't know enough about magic to know what kind of deck I really wanted. That was until I played Magic The Gathering on Xbox 360. They had a green elf deck and after playing all the decks that was the one which felt most right to me. Just the idea of how something so small and weak could turn into a monster by using the powers of those around them. Llanowar has been a staple of my elf deck ever since that moment I first started putting it together. When I haven't been able to get mana, he was there to give me just enough to play my next card; and when I think of my deck and all the elves in there he was the one that first came to mind. He's not powerful, he's not rare, he's just a 1/1 elf, and that alone should terrify you because where there is one elf there's about a hundred more waiting to come out." 


Last up is your old store owner. When Fanatix first opened I was building an artifact deck to join in on the growing MTG fun, and I decided to open a pack of M11... I was hunting for Steel-Overseers. I was on my lunch break and almost didn't go back to work because I was so excited that I opened a foil Steel Overseer on my first try.

I still have that card, and every time I look at it I realize that we have built a community one game at a time.



We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

Games for all,

Phillip Chalker

Thursday, August 14, 2014

A Deep Dive Into the Shark Tank

Examining the Standard Metagame at Game Day.  




                After a new set releases, Standard fluctuates more than any other Constructed format (excluding the lesser-played Block format), so the Game Day tournament that comes after a set hits the streets is always an interesting one. Because it comes on the tail end of Prerelease and Release events, it has the potential to showcase a more mature Standard environment. An environment that's put new cards through the wringer. An environment that's put new cards on trial in front of a jury of their peers and deemed them worthy of inclusion or denounced them as "unplayable in the current meta." Some cards are forced to quickly pack their bags, fresh borne from their booster pack, exiled forever to Jankville. In the case of the most recent Game Day, (held at your local, friendly game store, Fanatix #Plug), the Standard format had already been put through the paces at Pro Tour Magic 2015. In Portland, the brightest minds in the game came together to dismantle the format and then put it back together, leaving only the most potent strategies standing.

                With the Pro Tour results at front of mind, the local spellslingers had a chance to choose their weapon in an attempt to take down their friends in a battle for pride and prizes. Would they look to mimic the front-runners of the Pro Tour, lean on the results of the large third-party circuits, or attack the format with something  just a little off kilter...the ever-elusive: winning brew. I 'm happy to report that the Fanatix Game Day had representation from all three camps. Let me set the stage: I wanted to get in on the action myself, but I was without a deck and I was without practice. As I've found many times throughout my Magic-playing career, it's oftentimes really fun just to watch and discuss Magic with some other fans of the game. With that in mind, I approached Phil about doing some "coverage" of the event. By this time, round 1 was underway and I needed to hustle. I asked him first about the turn out. His response was perfect: "It's small, but potent." Sixteen players had come out to battle. With regular FNM turn outs of more than thirty, sixteen was a little on the skinny side, but what a perfect number. Already it had the feel of an invitational-style event. Plus, this was my first crack at doing any type of event coverage ever, so this would be a stellar way to tip-toe into the waters. As it turns out, these waters were infested. Infested with spiky sharks.

                When I walked into Fanatix, I was quick to notice the mix of players at the tables. The tournament was loaded with many of Dothan's most regular and renowned players. Small, but potent, indeed. Lots of these guys had earned my admiration as thoughtful, skillful players. It looked as though the gloves were off. There will very little jank at the tables tonight. Before we dive into the deck lists (BEWARE: the water/aqua/fish/shark puns are going to keep coming. Watch out for the buoys!), let's examine the heart of the matter. The purpose of the article. The hearticle, if you will. My goal here is to paint some broad strokes and showcase some of the decks and cards seeing play in the area. With this article, I'd like to take a snapshot of the local scene and present you with the decks to beat. Sure, there will be some ebb and flow (that's what makes Standard so fun and popular) but, as the saying goes: "A gamer's gonna game," so you can count on many of these winning strategies to show up again and again.


Archetype Breakdown
              
                First, let's take a high-level view of the decks that saw play during Game Day. I'm not familiar with any consistently performing Combo decks in Standard, but the other core archetypes, Aggro, Mid-Range, Aggro-Control, and Control, were all represented in some form or fashion. Behold, the contenders and their weapon of choice.

Player
Deck
Archetype
Andrew Tharpe
UW "Floch" Control
Control
Brandon Weaver
Mono-Blue Devotion
Aggro
Brentney Washington
UW Control
Control
Danny Abeyta
Mono-Black Devotion
Aggro-Control
Dean Burger
UG Prime Speaker Mid-Range
Mid-Range
Dustin Thornton
Naya Walkers
Mid-Range
Freeland Hollowell
Mono-Red "Sligh"
Aggro
Garrett Darley
Wr "Firemane" Aggro
Aggro
Jason Temple
Mono-Black Devotion
Aggro-Control
Johnny Page
Jund Walkers
Mid-Range
Matt Campbell
Naya Walkers
Mid-Range
Nick Newman
Mono-Black Devotion
Aggro-Control
Ryan Grace
Jund Mid-Range
Mid-Range
Trevyn Albrecht
Jund Walkers
Mid-Range
Tyler Lindsey
Esper Control
Control
Tyler Underwood
Mono-Black Devotion
Aggro-Control


                Before we get submerged any further, I want to address one thing above. I feel like the "Aggro-Control" label for the popular Mono-Black Devotion decks might cause some of you to raise your eyebrows. Depending on the specific build, you can certainly make arguments that the deck plays more aggressive or more controlling, but I think much of the deck's strength comes from its dual nature and its ability to switch roles in a match very quickly and efficiently. Think about some of the openings you see from the common builds of this deck: Thoughtseize, Pack Rat, Nightveil Specter, Desecration Demon. This is an aggressive curve out! Pack Rat alone can play an aggressive game, deploying threats that grow in size while maintaining a static cost. This is a great tempo advantage! Desecration Demon, in particular, also has a tempo feel because when you stick him early, it's so far ahead in regards to its mana cost to power/toughness ratio that you feel one or two turns ahead of your opponent. In the case that this deck opens the game with this kind of early aggression, the spot removal is used to clear the way and beat down quickly, leaving just a light bit of mop-up duty to our friend (and one of the hardest-hitting cards in Standard) Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Obviously, in other matchups, the mono-black deck can take a more controlling bent and use its removal early to preserve its pilot's life total, deploying threats after weathering the storm of a more aggressive deck. What about against control? Thoughtseize and Underworld Connections really shine here, removing key spells and keeping pace in the card advantage race.

                Anyway, other authors have spent many more intelligent words exploring the intricacies of the mono-black devotion deck and its strengths and weaknesses in the greater metagame. My purpose here is to assert that I feel we can safely label the MBD deck as an Aggro-Control deck without losing too much sleep at night. If you feel differently, be sure to make your case in the comments. I love reading other's thoughts on Magic theory.

                With that said, let's look at MBD's share of the tournament. A full quarter of the sharks came wielding dark magic seeing no need to dip into other colors. Well almost. Nick Newman decided that Watery Grave and Temple of Deceit were fine "Swamps" and used them to touch in a full four copies of Far and Away. This adds some more credence to the Aggro-Control nature of the MBD deck. Sure, Nick opted to pay one colorless more for his edict effect, but he also picks up the option to blow his opponent out with a well-timed fuse spell. Additionally, when discussing his decision to run the card, he expressed the importance of having a non-black way to handle Blood Baron of Vizkopa, a potentially troubling card for the deck. Meanwhile, Danny Abeyta opted to give his version of MBD a slightly more controlling angle of attack including singleton copies of Liliana Vess and the Magic 2015 stand out, Perilous Vault. I overheard him comment that some of his opponents weren't sure how to play around the ominous artifact. Tyler Underwood chose to stick with a well-worn path, playing probably the most "stock" version of the deck. With still another take on the deck, Jason Temple chose to pilot a MBD deck which eschewed the mainstream Pack Rat and Nightveil Specter in favor of Herald of Torment and Lifebane Zombie. He tried to offset the glut of three-drops with leaner removal spells, boldly choosing to run Doom Blade in the main deck. Unfortunately, for Mr. Temple, black creatures were well-represented in this event.

                Even with 25% of the field, the mono-black archetype didn't stand tallest. With 37.5 % of the field, green-based Mid-Range decks looked to squash the tournament with a smattering of ramp, removal, under-costed threats, and Planeswalkers. Of the six Mid-Range decks, five of the card crafters chose to leverage the might of the plentiful dual land options currently available in Standard and opted into three-color decks. Three players chose the infamous combination of Black, Red, and Green known to most as simply "Jund". Jund decks stormed the Pro Tour Magic 2015, placing two decks into the Top 8. The builds were quite different, but both relied heavily on small green creatures like Elvish Mystic, Sylvan Caryatid, and Courser of Kruphix to provide a steady stream of mana with which to deploy threats and besiege their opponents. Johnny Page plunged deep into the card pool, stocking his library with a host of "spicy" one-offs like Rakdos's Return, Primeval Bounty, and the often overlooked Clan Defiance. Johnny told me between rounds that, even as a singleton, the Clan Defiance had already muscled its way into getting multiple three-for-ones on the evening. Trevyn Albrecht also snuggled up next to Johnny on the Jund train jamming a different mix of creatures, planeswalkers, and potent singletons. After the tournament, Trevyn joked that of all the planeswalkers he ran, his favorite was...Primeval Bounty...the enchantment that won't stop giving.

                Two other Mid-Range pilots elected the Green-centric Naya shard with which to do battle, looking to capitalize on a wealth of planeswalkers defended by some of the boogie-monsters of Standard, like Polukranos, World Eater and Stormbreath Dragon. One of the Naya players (and owner of the awesome 1-UP Games), Dustin Thornton, told me that the intent of the Naya decks that he and Matt Campbell were playing was to put a spin on the Jund lists that had performed so well at the afore-mentioned Pro Tour. The lists certainly looked powerful! The inclusion of White grants them access to all manner of Standard staples including Banishing Light and Selesnya Charm, as well as three copies of one of the most powerful cards in Standard, Elspeth, Sun's Champion.

                The sole two-color Mid-Range deck was a sweet-looking stack played by Dean Burger. Dean's list also looks to generate high-volumes of mana (and consistent land drops) with a full battery of four of each of Elvish Mystic, Sylvan Caryatid, and Courser of Kruphix. Dean was looking to land large threats early in the form of Polukranos, Prime Speaker Zenaga, and Prognostic Sphinx. He also went big with a top-end showcasing Garruk, Caller of Beats and one of my favorite cards from Magic 2015, the mighty Hornet Queen. I didn't get a chance to see much of Dean's deck in action, but he shared with me afterwards that he really likes his deck against other creature decks, but that he struggles to put up wins against the omni-present Thoughtseize and the often-present Lifebane Zombie, both eviscerating his hand of high-end haymakers.


                The remaining six decks were split evenly between Aggro and Control. On the Aggro front, there was a refreshing tide of diversity among the decks that were looking to end the game quickly. I didn't get to look at their exact lists, but both Brandon Weaver and Freeland Hollowell chose to play aggressive decks that have seen success at a number of tournaments. Brandon was on a very proven Mono-Blue list that has ebbed and flowed from the top tables of major tournaments. Likewise, Freeland looked to be piloting a deck made famous by Tom Ross on the Star City Games Circuit, dubbed Boss Sligh. Freeland reengineered the deck a bit to take advantage of a powerful Aura from Magic 2015: Inferno Fist. The final Aggro deck was one put together by resident Brew Master, Garrett Darley. Aside from his luxurious beard, Garrett is known locally for being very good at uncovering and exploring rogue strategies. He's got a knack for finding powerful, underplayed cards and trawling the format for other cards that can be used to maximize the card's potential. At this event, Garrett looked to unleash the battalion-powered strength of Firemane Angel. With a solid stable of White-weenie creatures, Garrett attacked the field with a barrage of small efficient beaters backed up by the obscene Brimaz, King of Oreskos and the game-swinging Brave the Elements. Garrett said he won most games in which he was able to trigger the Angel. In a post-tournament breakdown, Garrett said that he was impressed by the work that Truefire Paladin did, but that Imposing Sovereign ultimately proved underwhelming.

                Lastly, those damned Control decks! Ever since the printing of Supreme Verdict and Sphinx's Revelation, there has been no denying the power of the Blue-White decks bent on grinding the game to halt in its unending quest for card advantage. All three of the control players  were utilizing the UW core, bringing a full complement of both the Verdict and the Revelation. Even with their similarities, these decks did prove to have some variety. Andrew Tharpe chose to battle with the deck that had just won the Pro Tour. It's perhaps the most controlling of the lists, leaning on both Supreme Verdict and Planar Cleansing to keep the board clear. The deck reuses is sweepers by drawing a massive amount of cards and recycling its cards by way of Elixir of Immortality. Brentney Washington chose the more traditional version of the deck, which manages threats of all types with the powerful duo of enchantments: Detention Sphere and Banishing Light. He was the only control player looking to end the game with the slippery shapeshifter, Aetherling. Tyler Lindsey alone splashed Black, going into full Esper-mode to gain access to Thoughtseize, Devour Flesh and one of my favorite planeswalkers, Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver.
Thoughtseize has a near-stranglehold on the format. Among the top 4 decks there were TWELVE copies! - Eric Peel

                So, let's talk about the results. After the spells were slung and the dust settled, a cut to Top 4 left remaining one Mono-Black Devotion, two Jund Mid-Range, and one Esper Control deck. Let's take a moment to assess what all these decks have in common. You have probably noticed it peppered through this article. Thoughtseize has a near-stranglehold on the format. Among the Top 4 decks there were twelve (!) copies in main decks with three more in sideboards. This is nearly the maximum allowed number of copies in the Top 4. I think that speaks volumes to the power of Thoughtseize. I could go on about why Thoughtseize is so powerful, but I think it's clear that it simply contributes to winning decks and it's even more potent in the hands of capable players who consistently make good decision when casting it. Anyway, back to the results. One semi-final pitted both the Jund decks against one another, with Ryan Grace edging Johnny Page to advance. On the other side, Tyler Lindsey's Esper got past Danny Abeyta's MBD.

                The finals opened up with fast-paced play on both sides. Both Ryan and Tyler knew their decks well and played confidently. After some jockeying, Jace and Ashiok eventually took over the first game which concluded as Jace, Architect of Thought dug deep into his arsenal and used his ultimate to fetch up a Stormbreath Dragon from Ryan's library to close things out. In game two, Ryan snuck in a Xenagos, the Reveler, applying constant pressure with Saytr tokens and eventually using the extra mana from Xenagos to land a giant Rakdos's Return for 5. Tyler was pushed onto his heels by a monstrous Stormbreath Dragon. Just as he began to stabilize by sweeping the dragon away, another dragon shows up to hastily close the game. Tyler enters game 3 on the play, and ultimately closes it out earning his share of a booster box and the real prize: a super sweet 'Game Day Champion' playmat.

                It was a great deal of fun watching the area's best players battle at Game Day. I'm going to wrap up the event coverage here, but there's more to come! In between rounds, I got to quiz some of the players about which cards were over performing or underperforming. I asked them about changes they would make. They also shared some of their thoughts about the upcoming Standard rotation. They gave some interesting insight into some of the cards they're looking forward to have leave as well as some cards they speculate will see additional play after Return to Ravnica leaves Standard. So, keep checking back with this blog to see some of the thoughtful responses of the local players.

                Until next time, keep reading and keep practicing. You may be the next alpha shark in the Fanatix ocean!





Top 4 Deck Lists
Tyler Lindsey
Ryan Grace
4
Thoughtseize
4
Hero's Downfall
4
Azorius Charm
1
Garruk, Apex Predator
4
Devour Flesh
4
Sylvan Caryatid
4
Detention Sphere
4
Thoughtseize
2
Dissolve
4
Stormbreath Dragon  
2
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
4
Courser of Kruphix
4
Jace, Architect of Thought
1
Xenagos, the Reveler
4
Supreme Verdict
2
Rakdos's Return  
4
Sphinx's Revelation
2
Abrupt Decay  
2
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2
Polukranos, World Eater
4
Island
2
Underworld Connections
2
Plains
3
Reaper of the Wilds
1
Godless Shrine
3
Desecration Demon
4
Hallowed Fountain
1
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2
Mutavault
1
Forest
4
Temple of Deceit
4
Stomping Ground
3
Temple of Enlightenment
4
Llanowar Wastes  
4
Temple of Silence
4
Overgrown Tomb  
2
Watery Grave
4
Blood Crypt  
SB
2
Temple of Malady  
4
Nyx-Fleece Ram
2
Temple of Malice 
2
Gainsay
2
Temple of Abandon
2
Negate
SB
2
Sin Collector
2
Abrupt Decay  
1
Jace, Memory Adept
2
Mizzium Mortars
1
Liliana Vess
2
Scavenging Ooze  
1
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2
Gogari Charm
1
Deicide
2
Mistcutter Hydra
3
Lifebane Zombie
1
Arbor Colossus
1
Rakdos's Return  



Danny Abeyta
Johnny Page
1
Liliana Vess
4
Blood Crypt  
1
Perilous Vault
3
Forest   
1
Sign in Blood 
2
Llanowar Wastes  
4
Nightveil Specter
4
Overgrown Tomb  
4
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4
Stomping Ground  
4
Pack Rat
2
Temple of Abandon 
4
Underworld Connections
3
Temple of Malady 
2
Devour Flesh
2
Temple of Malice 
4
Hero's Downfall
1
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2
Bile Blight
4
Courser of Kruphix 
4
Thoughtseize
2
Elvish Mystic  
4
Desecration Demon
4
Stormbreath Dragon  
1
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4
Sylvan Caryatid  
17
Swamp
2
Abrupt Decay  
3
Temple of Deceit
2
Chandra, Pyromaster  
4
Mutavault
1
Clan Defiance  
SB
2
Dreadbore   
3
Lifebane Zombie
1
Garruk, Apex Predator 
2
Dark Betrayal
1
Golgari Charm  
1
Devour Flesh
1
Hero's Downfall  
2
Staff of the Death Magus
2
Mizzium Mortars  
1
Soul of Innistrad
1
Primeval Bounty  
1
Ultimate Price
1
Rakdos's Return  
4
Duress
2
Sign in Blood 
1
Erebos,God of the Dead
1
Ultimate Price  
1
Vraska the Unseen 
3
Xenagos, the Reveler 
SB
2
Doom Blade  
1
Drown in Sorrow 
1
Golgari Charm  
3
Lifebane Zombie  
2
Rakdos's Return  
1
Scavenging Ooze  
1
Sire of Insanity 
1
Slaughter Games  
3
Thoughtseize

Hope you enjoyed the article! We hope to bring much more coverage and articles with a local mindset in the coming months!




Phil has been playing Magic since 1996. In 2010 he decided to help organize play in Dothan, AL and opened the shop: Fanatix. This article is a continued effort to spotlight and report on the local players that keep Fanatix alive!

For some reason his favorite card is Kird Ape.











Eric Peel has been playing Magic: The Gathering since he discovered the game in college, around the time of Invasion block. Most of the time Eric's simply a devoted family guy, but occasionally he finds time to sling spells or become temporarily devoted to a Therosian deity. He enjoys multiple formats, finding fun and competition in Limited, Constructed, and Multiplayer Magic.

His current favorite card is Bloodghast.