In less than two weeks, players will finally be able to get their hands on Gatecrash cards. Here is the schedule of Neutral Grounds’s Pre-release events all across the country:
January 26-27, 2013
GATECRASH PRERELEASE
NEUTRAL GROUNDS CENTRIS WALK
First ever 24/7 Prerelease in the Philippines.
We will start running pods the moment the calendar changes to January 26, running pods continuously until midnight of the next day.
NEUTRAL GROUNDS GLORIETTA - Usual mall hours for prerelease schedules for both days.
NEUTRAL GROUNDS ALABANG TOWN CENTER - Usual mall hours for prerelease schedules, both days.
NEUTRAL GROUNDS CEBU - SUNDAYMake sure to keep those days open to be one of the first to play exquisite flavor of this upcoming set. Check out the NG Forums, Website and Facebook page for additional information on how you can be part of the Gatecrash prelude.
This month’s FNM card, Searing Spear, is a certain want-one and a lot of the players I know were eager to play Fridays for it. Let me take you back to the first FNM at NG ATC where I brought in my revised UWR deck. Here’s my list:
| Main Deck | Sideboard | ||
| Snapcaster Mage | 4 | Supreme Verdict | 3 |
| Restoration Angel | 4 | Detention Sphere | 2 |
| Thundermaw Hellkite | 3 | Negate | 1 |
| Geist of Saint Traft | 4 | Dispel | 1 |
| Grafdigger's Cage | 2 | ||
| Azorius Charm | 4 | Izzet Staticaster | 3 |
| Pillar of Flame | 4 | Nevermore | 3 |
| Searing Spear | 3 | ||
| Dissipate | 3 | ||
| Counterflux | 1 | ||
| Cyclonic Rift | 2 | ||
| Sphinx's Revelation | 2 | ||
| Izzet Charm | 1 | ||
| Detention Sphere | 1 | ||
| Hallowed Fountain | 4 | ||
| Steam Vents | 4 | ||
| Glacial Fortress | 4 | ||
| Sulfur Falls | 4 | ||
| Clifftop Retreat | 4 | ||
| Island | 2 | ||
| Slayer's Stronghold | 1 | ||
| Desolate Lighthouse | 1 |
This list, in contrast with my older American list (I did an article called “I (heart) Staticaster”), is more aggressive with Geist of Saint Traft and Thundermaw Hellkites main. I wanted to do away with Thought Scour because of the level of uncertainty it brings when you self-mill (more bad than good). This also opens slots that were reserved for Runechanter’s Pike (which sometimes fells like a dead draw though I have not forgotten how much damage it has dealt in my favor – killed Bant controls with it – nothing more glorious). Also, I wanted a list where I could use Nevermore. This was not favorable in a deck that ran Augur of Bolas – that was also a candidate for deck-out as it has an effect similar to Thought Scour. Nevermore, as you will see in several games I played, was massive tech in the following ways:
- It is unexpected from the color trio used
- It can act like and comes even earlier than Slaughter Games
- It creates potential card advantage in at least two ways:
- It is meant to stop cards such as Angel of Serenity and Thragtusk before they hit the battlefield. This prevents ETB effects from resolving which removal can not.
- When used against cards that are used by the play set, it has the potential of creating a bunch of dead cards in an opponents hand, not to mention being able to severely disrupt a deck’s overall strategy in the process.
Of course, it has its drawbacks as well:
- Terrible against rogues but there aren’t a lot around
- Fast first games is some sort of hold back from using the said card
- Ray of Revelation is Standard Legal
Match 1 – Human Reanimator
Sigh. 1-0
Match 2 - Mono-Green Predator
My first actual match for the day. We start our boards steadily. I answer his early creatures with burn removal and I think I’m fine until the first Predator Ooze hits the board. I take a beating and am unable to draw enough answers.
Lack of familiarity with this deck was an immediate problem for me during sideboarding. My game plan was to take the offensive early on-the-play with more confidence with the removal I have prepared: more Detention Spheres. Fast beats with a GST and a Restoration Angel and a refill from a Sphinx’s Revelation got me Game 2.
Game 3 was close but I won with an aerial raid of angels and a dragon. 2-0Match 3 – Rakdos Aggro
At 2-0, I received the pleasure of playing against Fortune Guaniezo with his RB aggro. Both games were fast where America was able to survive and stabilize with Sphinx’s Revelation and assault-by-air. 3-0
Match 4 – 4 Color Control
I play paired down with Litam (I totally lost his first name) who just got off a long game with Zax Ozaki. I’ve already played with this guy a few weeks ago when piloted a version of heavy ramp roughly based on a Travis Woo brew. Repeated mana screw-ups (it was the FNM after Goldrush and my Clifftops stuck in Ranier Maglantay’s Naya) maligned both games for a sweep in favor of Litam.
Game 1 – America was on a slow start. Litam played Farseek on turn two and had a couple of Thragtusks at turn 5. My defense was pathetic and there was no need to argue by the time the 3rd 5/3 beast hit the board. Sideboarding was again crucial. I had in mind being on the play but also knew that he had a formidable late-game and card sourcing was very important. I was also unfamiliar with his deck contents but was sure that he going to play bombs against control.
I brought in: 2 Detention Spheres, 3 Nevermore, 3 Supreme Verdict and both counterspells. I pulled out all my Sphinx Revelations and Dissipates – I planned to name those two cards with Nevermore. I also rid out the Pillars and my single Izzet Charm (no single targets with two toughness and the UR charm wasn’t likely to deny anything against control with ramp.
Game 2 saw me with quick beats with GST, Resto and Thundermaw Hellkite and was not a long game relatively. I was unable to execute any of my sideboard plans.
In the decider, I again start out as the aggressor. We trade fairly while I bring in some damage. After he sweeps, I play my first Nevermore naming Thragtusk. My second hits the board and I name Sphinx’s Revelation. I manage to deal lethal. I inspect his hand and found my Nevermore victims. 4-0
Twas a great day so far.
I prepared myself to play eight rounds. Here are some of the matchers during the second flight where I finished second.
Match 1 – Mono-RedGame 1: My opponent played creature and burn with lots of pressure which I survived. I knocked back an attacking Hellrider with a Restoration Angel who goes for the homerun.
Game 2: The sideboard plan is simple for aggro without Black: -4 GST, -4 Counterspells. +2 Detention Sphere, +3 Supreme Verdict, +3 Izzet Staticaster. I delay on land and I pay the price. I get attacked and burnt for lethal.
Game 3: Pillars and Snapcasters rid most of my opponent’s board presence. I refill with a Revelation and the story is all too familiar. 1-0
Match 2 – Omnidoor ThragfireI knew what I was playing against by the time my opponent, Joeville Manabat (one of the nicest guys you will ever play with), played Ranger’s Path. I knew he was going to ramp to death and play bombs to win immediately. He ramps indeed with a couple of Farseeks, Ranger’s Path and manastones. It all becomes awful when he throws down Alchemist’s Refuge and passes – his spells were now at the same cast speed as mine. I enforce a beatdown with creature after creature and he stays in the game with a Sphinx Revelation for four and Thragtusks. After answering all his threats (I denied a Door to Nothingness at some point) and defenses and a prompt hand refill I felt he was holding on nothing but Sphinx’s Revelation which I was guessing he was already saving for the right moment – I wasn’t about to tap out to let that happen. I continue the assault and got him down low to 6. He casts his last hurrah for a huge X but I answer with a double Searing Spear (snapcasted) to take Game 1.
My game plan for game two was to let him ramp away and deplete his hand. Get to six lands and Nevermore Thrags and Sphinx’s Revelation. The story for game two was exactly that. He ramps and drains his hand – it wasn’t getting bad since he didn’t have the land that allows him to flash-play his spels. I play the first Nevermore against Sphinx’s Revelation and then for the next for the beast. Joevile was stuck with dead cards and he drew no way to refill his hand. I beat down with a Restoration Angel and Snapcaster Mage for the homerun with my other angel reserved for defense (I was actually being beat down, too with his creatures and a Kessig Wolf Run. I fumble with not countering his EOT Restoration Angel but he returns the error by pumping before blockers were declared. I survive his swing with a flashed Restoration Angel (who could have flickered Snapcaster into Dissipate) and I win with my swing during my next turn. 2-0
Match 3 – Mono-Red AggroGame 1: Surviving the beats was quite easy with a couple of Pillars, Snapcaster Mage and Searing Spear in the first ten cards in hand. I fend off everything he put on the board and I lifelink me from 7 to 14 with an attacking Snapcaster and dragon.
Game 2: I draw into three “check” lands and keep, hoping to draw an Island type land in time. Sadly, my answers could only be casted later than I needed to survive. I took lethal on his 5th turn.
During the third game, I got everything I needed to survive. Lands, removal and blockers were all on time, refilled with a hefty Revelation, big lifelink attacks. The game ended with my life total at 26. Standard is continuously pulling new and old players alike as most of us must have noticed since the advent of Return to Ravnica. This block is truly the best time to pick up that 60/15 and have fun.
Congratulations to Andrew Cantillana for finishing 1st during the second FNM flight!
Will Dizon is a Professional Writer, Event Host, Palawan Travel Consultant, Musician and Competitive Magic: the Gathering Player. For questions and suggestions, you may email him via boomdizon@yahoo.com
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