After work, I decided to head to a shop to play in a Standard local with this list, expecting alot of blue white mentor/stormbreathe with chained to the rocks, jeskai aggro, and aggro decks in general. I did not expect to see many control decks.
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Voyaging Satyr
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Polukranos, World Eater
4 Whisperwood Elemental
4 Hornet Queen
3 Nissa, Worldwaker
3 Genesis Hydra
2 See the Unwritten
4 Nykthos, Shrine to nix
19 Forest
1 Darksteel Citadel (cheeky combo with Nissa for a very slight consistency drop)
Side: 3 Reclamation Sage
2 Back to Nature
4 Nyleas Disciple
2 Hornets Nest
4 Arbor Colossus
Upon arrival, I find out that there is in fact a GPTQ, where the winner receives 2 first round bye's at the Grand Prix in a few months. I have mixed feelings as I know I will probably get home around 1 and have to be up early for work the next day, but also excited to get that competitive, grindy feeling and real tournament experience.
Round 1: Blue Black control featuring Ugin
The one deck that I dread. In testing, it is almost an automatic scoop. My only real shot at this is to poke them with my mystics and satyrs, wait for them to drop a wipe or spend mana, and drop a bomb.
Game 1 was terrible. Everything I did met either a disdainful stroke, dispel, heroes downfall, or negate. He summoned Ugin, and beat me to death.
Game 2: He got mana screwed, I spammed him to death.
Game 3: Same as game 1, except he had thoughsieze.
Round 2: (drum roll please) Blue Black control!
It seemed to be a newer player, and I took it 2-0.
Round 3: Jeskai?
Once I saw the jeskai tri land, I instantly let out a YES in my head. The deck I was expected, and had a not bad matchup.
Game 1: He stuck a Mantis Strider and goblins, and overwhelmed me.
Game 2: I pummeled him with Nissa and spammed the board.
Game 3: He sided out into a more controlly deck, and Elspeth was my downfall.
Round 4: BUG combo. He used Chromanicore with a black creature that gets abilities of the creatures you delve.
I took it in 3 games by spamming the board.
Round 5: BUG planeswalkers featuring Kiora, Ugin, and Garruk Apex Predator.
Game 1: I failed to put presence on, he ultimated Kiora and got an Ugin out.
Game 2: I spammed creatures and he couldn't answer them; failing to find mana to cast a possible krux of fate gave me this game.
Game 3: He has 7 points at 2-1-1. I have 6 at 2-2. I realize I may sneak in as the lone 3-2 if I win , and he definitely gets in at 3-1-1 if he wins.
I played really well at first, but he answered threats with disdainful stroke, heroes downfall, and kiora's plus ability. I had him on the ropes; one more attack did it. He had about 3 cards in hand. 7 mana. I have hornet queen and all my tokens on board ready to finish him next turn. He plays a fetch, and says "THANK YOU BASIC LAND", puts his mana at 8, and summons my mortal enemy of the night; Ugin. He uses his minus to get rid of my tokens. Then picks off my queen with the plus next turn, and ultimates his Kiora. I was really happy for him; he deserved it. Him and another were playing for the byes and I wished him luck.
Thoughts on deck: Wayyy too many Queens at 4. I will cut to 2.
Sylvan Caryatid was awful all day; it just sat there when It could have been a low drop poking at life. I sided it out almost every match for arbor colossus for another beater. I also just realized that I can put in a Nissa off of a Genesis Hydra. Big face palm for me.
Revised Decklist that I will take with me to PPTQ this Sunday:
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Voyaging Satyr
4 Polukranos
4 Courser
4 Whisperwood
2 Nissa
2 Hornet Queen
2 Setessan Tactics
4 Genisis Hydra
2 Sylvan Caryatid
20 forest
4 Nykthos
Side:
2 Reclamation Sage
1 Nissa
2 Arbor Colossus
4 Nyleas Disciple
4 Mistcutter Hydra
2 Hornets Nest
Thought Process behind this list:
I saw a few pages back that people called Abzan beastmaster a bad card. I disagree respectully. He is great against control if he sticks even one upkeep. He's an auto draw against control, and he is easy to meet criteria with in this deck with courser and polukranos.
Mistcutter must be at 4 in the side. I don't want to scoop to control, even if it is my worst matchup. It's a huge problem, and they have to use their black section (heroes downfall/crux to deal with it). This is my ace in the hole.
Setessan Tactics is great for removal, or to suprise the opponent for a bigger swing. Versatile and cheap.
As always, I'm open to contstructive criticisms, and appreciate any given.
Final Thoughts: It was discouraging for me that my wins were against lackluster draws. When I lost, I lost bad. But with that said, I love this game and I'm going to keep playing to get better. This game has a high learning curve, I still don't know all the technical rules, don't know 100% of the cards, but I'm in this now, and my goal is 2nd: to get better, and 1st: to have fun.
