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I just finished my rounds.

Bracket G:

Discoransom defeats Shantak AI 2-0 (Discoransom +2 pts)
Shantak defeats Discoransom AI 2-0 (Shantak +2 pts)

As disco, I win both games by holding him off in the beginning with a little discard (at least countering card advantage by Phyrexian Arena). Relatively quick Baneslayer Angels win both games then.

As Shantak, I win the first game by quickly laying down Bitterblossom + Garruk. The second game was drawn out: he only played a few small discard spells, and a few creatures that I removed, while I had two Phyrexian Arena in play. Corruption and Tendrils of Corruption kept my life total positive, and Ivory Tower stabilised it. I then added two bitterblossom, and the AI wasted quite a few removal effects on the faerie tokens. Finally, I win by with two Regrowth: each of them returns Corrupt, which hit for 11.

Last, we have Bracket H:

Nyktorion defeats Yggdrasil AI 2-0 (Nyktorion +2 pts)
Yggdrasil defeats Nyktorion AI 2-1 (Yggdrasil +1 pt)

Since my own deck was involved here, which might lead to a conflict of interest, I made more detailed notes of these games: drawing lots of land, combined with a Sword of Fire and Ice by the AI, hit me the wrong way in my second game as Yggdrasil.

Nyktorion vs Yggdrasil

Game 1: I draw. I keep PtE, Goyf, SoFI, Plateau, Taiga, Arid Mesa, Wooded Foothills.

Turn 1: AI does nothing (not even play a land).

Turn 2: Draw: Qasali Pridemage. Play Mesa, fetch Plateau, go.

Turn 3: Jungle Shrine, go.

Turn 4: Draw: Qasali Pridemage. Play Foothills, fetch Taiga, play Pridemage.

Turn 5: AI: Mountain, Lightning Helix on Pridemage.

Turn 6: Draw: Grim Lavamancer. Play Goyf + Lavamancer.

Turn 7: AI: Mountain, StP on Goyf.

Turn 8: Draw: Grim Lavamancer. Play Taiga. Attack with Lavamancer (-1). Play SoFI, play Lavamancer.

Turn 9: AI: Lightning Helix on Lavamancer.

Turn 10: Draw: Chain Lightning. Equip remaining Lavamancer with Sword, attack (-5, draw Figure of Destiny). Play Qasali Pridemage (stupid, should have done

this before attack).

Turn 11: AI: Taiga, Bloodbraid Elf, cascading Birds of Paradise.

Turn 12: Draw: Figure of Destiny. Attack with Lavamancer (-4, shoot Elf, draw Kird Ape). Play Kird Ape and 2xFigure.

Turn 13: AI: Savannah, Pridemage, Thoctar, sac Pridemage to my Sword. EoT: I exile his Thoctar, he searches Plains.

Turn 14: Draw: Wooded Foothills. Play Foothills, fetch Plateau, pump one Figure to 4/4, the other to 2/2. Attack with all (-11, he is at 5 now).

Turn 15: AI: Bloodbraid Elf, cascading into Birds of Paradise, attack with Elf (-3).

Turn 16: Draw: Wild Nacatl. Play Chain Lightning on Birds. Activate Lavamancer on other Birds, removing two Fetchlands. Pump 2/2 Figure to 4/4. Attack with

all (-12, win).

-----

Game 2: I draw. I keep Lavamancer, Bolt, Helix, Chain Lightning, Plains, Plateau, Plateau.

Turn 1: AI: Savannah, Birds.

Turn 2: Draw: Qasali Pridemage. Play Plateau, Lavamancer.

Turn 3: AI: Bolt on my Lavamancer, another Birds.

Turn 4: Draw: Forest. Play Forest, Pridemage.

Turn 5: AI: Savannah, Helix on Pridemage.

Turn 6: Draw: Windswept Heath. Play Heath, fetch Taiga. Chain Lightning on Birds.

Turn 7: AI: Wooded Foothills, fetching Taiga.

Turn 8: Draw: Lightning Bolt. Play Plateau, Helix on second Birds.

Turn 9: AI does nothing.

Turn 10: Draw: Figure of Destiny. Play Plains, Figure.

Turn 11: AI does nothing. EoT I pump Figure to 2/2.

Turn 12: Draw: Mountain. Play Mountain, pump Figure to 4/4, attack with Figure (-4).

Turn 13: AI does nothing.

Turn 14: Draw: Kird Ape. Attack with Figure (-4), play Ape.

Turn 15: AI plays Thoctar.

Turn 16: Draw: PtE. Play PtE on Thoctar, AI searches Forest. Attack with all (-6).

Turn 17: AI: Bloodbraid Elf, cascading into Figure of Destiny. Attack with Elf (-3).

Turn 18: Draw: PtE. Play PtE on Figure (AI searches Plains). Attack with all (-6). Bolt to the face (-3, win).

Final result: 2-0

-----

Yggdrasil vs Nyktorion

Game 1: I play. I keep 2xStP, Figure, Helix, 2xTaiga, Plateau.

Turn 1: Play Plateau, Figure.

Turn 2: AI: Foothills, fetching Plateau.

Turn 3: Draw: Birds of Paradise. Pump Figure to 2/2, attack with Figure (-2). Play Birds.

Turn 4: AI: Windswept Heath, Kird Ape. Fetch Savannah.

Turn 5: Draw: Ranger of Eos. Play Taiga. Attack with Figure, blocked by Ape. Pump Figure to 4/4, killing Ape.

Turn 6: AI: Foothills, Bolt to my face, Wild Nacatl, fetch Plateau. EoT, I StP his Nacatl (+3).

Turn 7: Draw: Jungle Shrine. Play Shrine, attack with Figure (-4). Play Ranger, searching Birds and Figure.

Turn 8: AI: Pridemage, Ape.

Turn 9: Draw: Balefire Liege. Attack with Figure, blocked by Pridemage and Ape. I Helix the Ape, killing both blockers. After combat, I play Birds and

Figure.

Turn 10: AI: Bolt on my Ranger. Figure, pump Figure to 2/2. EoT, I pump my 1/1 Figure to 2/2, as well.

Turn 11: Draw: Forest. Play Forest, Balefire Liege. StP his Figure (+2 for him, +3 for me). Attack with both Figures (-10).

Turn 12: AI: Pridemage.

Turn 13: Draw: Plateau. Play Plateau, attack with all. 6/6 Figure blocked by Pridemage, 4/4 Figure pumped to 6/6. Pridemage dies, opponent -8, win.

-----

Game 2: I play. I keep StP, Helix, Firewalker, Birds, 2xTaiga, Arid Mesa.

Turn 1: I play Mesa, fetching Savannah, then Birds.

Turn 2: AI: Taiga, Kird Ape.

Turn 3: Draw: Birds of Paradise. I play Birds, Firewalker.

Turn 4: AI: Plateau, PtE on Birds (!), I search Plains, Nacatl.

Turn 5: Draw: Forest. Play Helix on Nacatl (+4 to me), attack with Firewalker (-2).

Turn 6: AI: Foothills, attack with Ape, Bolt to the face (-4). Fetching Plateau.

Turn 7: Draw: Qasali Pridemage. Play Forest, Pridemage. Attack with Firewalker (-3).

Turn 8: AI: Mesa, attack with Ape (-2). Fetches Savannah, plays Pridemage, Goyf. EoT, I StP his Goyf (+3).

Turn 9: Draw: Savannah. Play Savannah, attack with Firewalker (-3).

Turn 10: AI: attack with Ape, PtE on my Pridemage (I search Mountain, -3).

Turn 11: Draw: Plateau. Play Plateau.

Turn 12: AI: Sword of Fire and Ice. Ouch!

Turn 13: Draw: Plateau. Play Plateau.

Turn 14: AI: Windswept Heath. Equip Pridemage with SoFI (twice). Attack with Pridemage, I chumpblock with Birds. Fetch Taiga.

Turn 15: Draw: Balefire Liege. Play Liege. Attack with Firewalker (-3) - I try to race him now, his SoFI shots cannot kill my creatures now.

Turn 16: AI: attack with Pridemage (-7, draw). Plays Kird Ape (+1).

Turn 17: Draw: Forest. Play Forest.

Turn 18: AI: Pridemage. Re-Equip SoFI. Attack with Pridemage (-8, draw). Plays Grim Lavamancer.

Turn 19: Draw: Woolly Thoctar (+4, shoot to AIs face) - still cannot stop his Sword Wielder, so I must bring him down fast enough.

Turn 20: AI: Re-Equip sword, attack with equipped Pridemage. I chumblock with Firewalker. He shoots me with his Firewalker (-2), plays Pridemage.

Turn 21: Draw: Wooded Foothills. Play Foothills.

Turn 22: AI: attack with all. Lose.

-----

Game 3: I play. I keep 2xBirds, Firewalker, Bolt, Taiga, Forest, Foothills.

Turn 1: Play Foothills, fetching Savannah. Birds.

Turn 2: AI: Plateau, Lavamancer.

Turn 3: Draw: Kor Firewalker. Play Taiga, Birds, Firewalker.

Turn 4: AI: Arid Mesa. Bolt to my face (-2). Fetches Taiga.

Turn 5: Draw: Balefire Liege. Attack with Firewalker (-2). AI Lavamancer shoots a Bird. Play Firewalker.

Turn 6: AI: Aird Mesa, Pridemage. Fetch Savannah. EoT, I Bolt his Pridemage (+2 for me).

Turn 7: Draw: Birds of Paradise. Attack with Firewalkers, on is hit by PtE (-2, I search Mountain). Play Birds.

Turn 8: AI: Attack with Lavamancer (-1). Goyf, Figure.

Turn 9: Draw: Plateau. Play Plateau, Liege.

Turn 10: AI: Bolt + Lavamancer Shot at my Liege. Attack with Goyf (-3). Pump Figure to 2/2.

Turn 11: Draw: Mountain. Play Mountain.

Turn 12: AI: Forest, Lavamancer shoots a Bird. Attack with Goyf (-3).

Turn 13: Draw: StP.

Turn 14: AI: Mountain. Attack with Goyf, Bolt to my face (-2). Goyf is hit by StP (+3 for him). Pump Figure to 4/4.

Turn 15: Draw: Balefire Liege. Play Liege.

Turn 16: AI does nothing.

Turn 17: Draw: Taiga. Play Taiga.

Turn 18: AI: Lavamancer shoots at my face (-2). Figure re-pumped to 4/4.

Turn 19: Draw: StP. StP at Figure (+4 for him, +3 for me). Attack with Liege and Firewalker (-5, it's 15-15 now).

Turn 20: AI: Attack with Lavamancer (-1). Play Ape (+1).

Turn 21: Draw: Wooded Foothills. Play Foothills, fetch Savannah. Attack with Firewalker (-3).

Turn 22: AI: Mountain, Pridemage.

Turn 23: Draw: Savannah. Play Savannah, attack with Firewalker (-3).

Turn 24: AI: Wild Nacatl.

Turn 25: Draw: Qasali Pridemage. Play Pridemage (+3).

Turn 26: AI: Chain Lightning on Pridemage, I cannot copy although I have the mana (get the choice window, but the two choices are missing).

Turn 27: Draw: Lightning Helix. Play Helix on Nacatl (+3/-3 from Liege). Attack with Firewalker (-3). His Lavamancer shoots my Birds.

Turn 28: AI: Grim Lavamancer (+1).

Turn 29: Draw: Kor Firewalker. Attack with Firewalker, chumpblocked by Pridemage. Play Firewalker (+3, it's 29-3 now).

Turn 30: AI: Windswept Heath.

Turn 31: Draw: Bloodbraid Elf. Play Elf, Cascading into Pridemage (-3 from Liege, win).

Final result 2-1.

aww1979 wrote:Recorded all the results up to this point. I changed the one result where yggdrasil said the game was bugged, so instead of +3 points to jundinator (me) for a 1-2 AI win against thedrigo, I credited thedrigo as having a 2-1 win, for +1 points to thedrigo instead.

Actually since it was the first game where this happened thedrigo would get +2 points for a 2-0 win. Not sure if that one point will make the difference, but you never know.

I'm also fine with giving a bye to thedrigo this competition has always been meant to be fun. Hopefully he earns the win anyway and we don't have to debate it any more.

Oh yeah, good point :p I'll change it again.

I'll finish the testing in time. just going to have less time to get to know the way the decks play this time around. darn you mmorpgs and work!

aside: I think a better way to do the new mode would be to pair up decks and score the way we did but let the best-performing decks advance to the next round (for example: a deck with 26 points will get through even though it lost the bracket 26-27 if there are x decks that have less than 26 points in order to aleviate the matchup factor. this does not concern me or my performance as I do not qualify for that but it just makes sense). or give a wild-card slot to one or two decks for the next round with some restrictions which I have no idea how it would work.

say: top 8 (quarterfinals) out of a 16 decks is 6 decks that qualify directly via matches and 2 slots are reserved for decks that a) performed very well but got a sucky matchup b) player's votes c) most games won d) dunno. it would also remove the 2-3 decks entered by the tournament leader which is silly to begin with but was fun the first time around when people still struggled with archetypes. unless this is an environment that is supposed to test the tournament leader's skills to make 2 foil decks and a regular one and then roll the dice ;p

truth be told I do not see my deck losing to Salbei's with such a large portion of players testing even though he has the AI stupid burn mode-drains on his side. only reason I mention that is because Salbei has been quite vocal in the past challenge so I might as well

I think if you want to go that way scherbchen, give seeded places into round 2 for the past winner and second place or something. Although that kind of gives a bit of an unfair advantage, to those that have already won, perhaps you could make it so that if they take the seeded place, they have to use the same deck that won the last contest, if not they have to start from scratch.

Still sounds shaky to me.

Keen to find out whether my deck will go ahead :3

terribly sorry, taron, edited my post while you wrote yours.

seeded spots with or without prdetermined decks are an idea worth considering, though.

Ah, just read the updates.

Your maths are pretty accurate, although if you were to do this swiss round style like real magic tournaments, 8 players= 3 rounds, 9 players = 4 rounds with a bye, and ~70 players is 7 rounds if you want to extrapolate that by a long way, we would be looking at a 4 round tournament with a cut to top 4 for single elimination matches. Seems that would give everyone the most fair results, given that they get paired up/down on match percentage & wins, but would take longer to run as a tournament.

Top 2-4 would get seeded spots in the next tournament, but if you went with swiss, they would just be given a bye round (auto win one match pairing)

But seems a little long given how big a timeframe everyone is given for submissions in this style, unless we get two people who did not build the decks to give us two best of 3 results (same style as now). This way nobody is playing their deck, and self interest goes right out the door (although as far as I can tell, this community seems pretty fair anyway) but the testing speed is a lot faster given that each round would only take a fraction of the time, rather than having every single player play each match-up twice.

@scherbchen: That idea of advancing the top scoring decks is an interesting one; I hadn't thought of it that way, before. Under that system, if one bracket had a large score, like 30-29, and every other bracket had 28 or less, then the 29 point deck would advance even though it lost. I'm not sure if it's better than this system or not, but we can put it to a vote for July perhaps. Also, since I don't actually have shantak's results for bracket B yet, there is still a chance you will beat salbei. (I screwed up and didn't realize he hadn't gone yet) Same thing happened in bracket A.

@taron: I was debating how to do the byes, whether they should be 1) random, 2) given to past winner(s), 3) given to past loser(s). I decided on random (not that any byes were given anyway) because the past winners/losers might not play, and if more than one round had a bye, it would start getting confusing (at least in my head!) if done any way but randomly. As far as I'm aware, the way I'm running this tournament is swiss style, modified to allow us all to play each bracket, but I could be wrong there :p It's been awhile...

Also, played bracket E tonight:
cognis vs monopoman AI 2-0 (cognis +2 pts)
monopoman vs cognis AI 2-0 (monopoman +2 pts)

There were two minor controversial points here. One, in the first game (as cognis) monopoman's deck played Goblin Ringleader and then discarded from 7 cards down to *four*, but I believe I would have won that game even if that bug had not occurred. Secondly, in one of the monopoman matches, I go to cycle a Gempalm Incinerator, realize that I haven't played my Goblin Piledriver yet (to get GI up to 3 damage), try to cancel it, which doesn't work right, and so I debug the board into the appropriate situation.

I also perhaps somewhat controversially kept one Mountain hands both times with monopoman's deck, because in both cases I had Goblin Lackey and Siege-Gang commander. (in fact, I think the hands were identical or maybe one card off both times) Both times, the lackey got hit with Path to Exile, so I ended up starting with 2 lands anyway, which was enough, though game 1 was close. However, since I won 2-0, I don't think monopoman can ask for better than that

Video will be uploaded soon. Going to play another match or two tonight. Stupid insomnia :p
edit: video http://rapidshare.com/files/397352529/bracketE.zip.html

Here are my results with some description.

Round 1:

Match A:
Juzamjedi vs Serbitar (AI)
Goblin horde was too quick with Warchief's haste and Piledriver's bonus.
1-0

AI had removal for each of my initial goblins and Wall of Omens held me back for a while. Then Siege-Gang Commander's team first attacked and then exploded for the win.
2-0

Juzamjedi +2 points.


Serbitar vs Juzamjedi (AI)
I got three Elspeths in my hand, but wasn't able to put out enough soldiers to stop the initial goblin horde. Baneslayer Angel gave me some time thanks to lifelink. However, when AI could have attacked me for the kill, all the goblins went for Elspeth. Another Elspeth pumped my Baneslayer to 8/8,which was just enough to win the game.
1-0

I had Wrath of God to destroy the beginning goblin swarm, but when AI destroyed my Wastelands with his Wastelands, I had no mana to use it and was ran over.
1-1

I held gobbos back long enough with soldiers and Wrath of God to let Elspeth to do her trick and then won with indestructible Baneslayer Angels.
2-1

Serbitar +1 point.


Match B:
Salbei vs Scherbchen (AI)
Turn 4 Progenitus for AI. Tried Damnation, but AI had a Force of Will (probably should have cast Tendrils of Corruption at that Kitchen Finks first to see if he would blow a counter there and do Damnation next turn). I'm dead two turns later, AI at 10.
0-1

Next game, it's Progenitus on turn 5. I have again Damnation in hand, but decide to try the waters with a Corrupt first. Yep, that was countered with a FoW. The next turn I'm at 8 and try Damnation. It works and I'm saved for now and at 7 life. I draw cards with Arena, get life from Tendrils and cast a Meekstone to hinder possible further biggies. When I Drain Life from opponent's Woodfall Primus, the creature Persists, but somehow becomes cloned and now opponent has 2 5/5 Primuses. Also, when they return to play, one destroys my Meekstone. AI's beasts (from a Garruk AI emptied) untap and the whole crew attacks me. I guess I'd have a right for rematch if the Primus thing was a bug, but I was losing anyway, so the bug only brought it one turn sooner, I think.
0-2

Scherbchen +5 points.


Scherbchen vs Salbei (AI)
First turn, I decide to let AI cast Meekstone instead of burning Force of Will and Jace for the counter. I can get rid of it sooner or later and Progenitus can still swing once even if it remains tapped then. Some turns later I decide against FoWing a Vampire Nighthawk. Stupid decision, perhaps. At least I get the Nighthawk for myself a turn later with Control Magic. I then constantly Scry with Jace to keep him alive and a target for faerie rogues while building my forces. I then Overrun once with Garruk and let Arena and Bitterblossom drain AI's life, sparing a FoW for a life-gain spell. Well, the FoW is spent on a Vampire Nighthawk, but the strategy pays. I attack and get AI to 1 life and his enchantments do the rest.
1-0

Next game, I have Natural order in hand, Force of Will a Vampire Nighthawk, cast Natural Order and get Progenitus with a FoW backup (which is spent right away as AI tried Damnation). Few turns of swinging with Prog' and it's gg.
2-0

Scherbchen +2 points


Match C:
aww1979 Cuddles vs jatill (AI)
When the game starts, I notice that I have both Progenituses of the deck in my hand. Should have mulliganed. Oh well, let's see if this can win without it. Well... jatill gets his Progenitus on turn three... I see that Drop of Honey doesn't work and... Not much else to do, really. That I didn't mulligan was a bad play from me. I think that I merely skimmed that I have enough land. I'll pay back next game.
0-1

Turn 4 Progenitus, that's more like it. AI doesn't get his own and it's over in two rounds.
1-1

After a few turns of the last game, I decide to cast Drop of Honey to remove AI's blocking walls (and Natural Order targets). Then, Simic Sky Swallower enters battlefield. Then comes Progenitus right after that. Game over.
1-2

jatill +3 points.


jatill vs aww1979 Cuddles (AI)
AI gets three mongooses in play, but I get a turn 3 Progenitus. Now let's see if AI can find his own and... Yes he can, both are buried. Now AI still has one left an I have none. Better hope for Sky Swallowers... A-ha! As I cast another Natural Order I realize that my Progenitus was just shuffled back into my library. Now it's back. AI has no Natural Order and dies in two turns.
1-0

Wow! Turn 2 Progenitus from AI (Magus of the Vineyard helped). Luckily I get mine before getting hit twice. Then I get another Natural Order and AI is dead in a few turns.
2-0

jatill +2 points.


Match D:
Brandon vs Taron(AI)
Turn three AI Progenitus. I'm starting to see the pattern here Really nothing I can do to stop it.
0-1

Next game, I manage to get Elvish Piper into play and soon attack with three dragons, beating AI.
1-1

Third game, AI gets turn four Progenitus. I have a piper in play and might win if I drew a Hellkite Overlord... but no such luck.
1-2

Taron +3 points.


Taron vs Brandon (AI)
Turn three Progenitus for me, gg.
1-0

Second game, seems I draw nothing but Forests and Naturalizes. After some back and forth, AI reanimates a 10/10 Lord of Extinction. I have to keep blocking it with any creature I can cast, so no hope for Natural Order to save me. After my ninth Forest I'm dead.
1-1

Third game, I cast Eureka with Progenitus in hand, but the game crashes. Rematch.

Played again, I get a third turn Progenitus and not much else happens.
2-1

Taron +1 point.


Match E:
Cognis vs Monopoman (AI)
Kor Skyfisher and Tarmogoyf beat 1/1 goblins with some help from removals. AI doesn't leave blockers and is soon finished while I'm at 16.
1-0

AI buils its Goblin horde while Kor Skyfishers attack. We're both low on land, meaning luckily that AI hasn't put a goblin lord in play yet. Some turns later I win with Skyfishers while some land blockers held the gobbos from attacking.
2-0

Cognis +2 points.


Monopoman vs Cognis (AI)
I attack aggressively, but once AI gets its creatures on battlefield, I can't do much. Gempalm Incinerator deals with Skyfisher and I build my horde while AI gets Sarkhan Vol in play. Goblin Matron gives me Siege-Gang Commander an I finally stop AI from attacking when I'm at 6 life. We go back and forth an then comes fateful turn when I'm at 4 life, AI at 10. I attack with 4 1/1 gobbos, cast Price of Progress (good I didn't cast this earlier in game when AI had only two duals) and just barely kill AI.
1-0

Next game, we both build our forces without attacking. Then I screw up - I cycle Incinerator, trying to kill a Tarmogoyf, but forget that Tarmo gets a +1/+1 boost when Incinerator hits graveyard. My game doesn't improve and I'm soon a goner.
1-1

Bloobraid Elves give AI card advantage and I'm soon taking hits. Daring attack with Bushwacker boost brings me to lead. I drop my final gobbos, get haste from Goblin Warchief and attack for win.
2-1

Monopoman +1 point.


Match F:
aww1979 Jundinator vs TheDrigo (AI)
Aggressive Jund attacking with a Tarmogoyf. I destroy what AI brings to play and even decide to Maelstrom Pulse two Lotus Petals just to keep him manascrewed. Not afraid of Progenitus since I have two Diabolic Edicts in my hand. Tarmo keeps growing to 5/6 an it's soon a game.
1-0

Next game, it's the first time ever I get to play with Bloodbraid Elf. Thanks for unlocking it, jatill! Agh, then comes Natural Order and Progenitus. I attack as much as I can, but can't do enough damage and don't draw a Diabolic Edict.
1-1

Third game, after some initial struggling I cast Blighting to empty AI's hand, discarding Natural Order. Then AI topdecks another Natural Order, but I can finally kill Progenitus with Diabolic Edict, causing me to grin widely. Broodmate Dragon for the kill.
2-1

aww1979 Jundinator +1 point.


TheDrigo vs aww1979 Jundinator (AI)
AI casts nothing except a Tarmogoyf which stays 0/1 as I don't use any of my fetchlands but simply give some Exalted beatdown. Seems the Jund deck is manascrewed for black and starts discarding. Tarmo grows but is Path of Exiled and I swing for win.
1-0

Tarmogoyf beats me hard to 6, but I then Natural Order Progenitus. ...and AI casts a Diabolic Edict I have FoW in hand, but I'm tapped out an have no other blue cards in hand. Dead.
1-1

I start the third game with three Counterspells but not much else. I draw Natural Order and manage to get Progenitus in play, but have no mana for Counterspell... And guess what, Diabolic Edict comes to ruin my game. For a short while nothing really happens. I thin out the deck with fetches and me and AI cast occasional spell, but battlefield stays empty. Then comes Broodmate Dragon and I have no answers for it (them). I'm beaten.
1-2

aww1979 Jundinator +3 points.


Match G:
Discorandom vs Shantak (AI)
After one mulligan, a start with no discard spells but four lands. AI starts with Ivory Tower. I get a Solemn Simulacrum and Baneslayer Angel when AI gets Phyrexian Arena. Then comes another Ivory Tower and I blast the Arena with Vindicate and attack. After a new Arena comes to play I decide to risk and put a Tombstalker to play as well in order to do some good damage - I know AI has only two Damnations. Yeah, that was a bad idea, a Damnation comes... Soon AI has card and life advantage and few Garruk beasts while my hand is empty. I finally get blockers to prevent AI from attacking, but it doesn't last long and the beasts overwhelm me. Overall, I drew only one discard spell (Gerrard's Verdict) and that came too late to be any use. I feel bad about risking Tombstalker too early, but AI had enough cards to remove it later as well.
0-1

Second game I get to start with Hymn to Tourach, but have nothing else until fifth turn Tombstalker (I have Baneslayer as well but decide to wait with it if AI has removal). He does and stalker gets Maelstrom Pulsed so it's the Angel's turn next... and another Pulse. I make AI discard some and wait for Phyrexian Arenas to drain his life. They would, but then AI gets an Ivory Tower. Then another Tower and then Corrupts and Trendrils to destroy my creatures. Soon I start to do some damage, but less than AI is gaining from Ivory Towers. AI doesn't do much else on its turn than destroy my creatures so I'm beginning to hope it's decking itself. Next turn, after I get a Baneslayer in play, AI discards Corrupt with all lands untapped... After casting Tidehollow Sculler, I see AI even has Maelstrom Pulses in its hand but doesn't cast them (he has no need though - he's already in nearly 50 life). Next turn AI draws its last card and dies on his next draw phase with more life than I could ever make him lose.
1-1

AI starts with Bitterblossom while I cast two Gerrard's Verdicts and Shrieking Grotesque to empty AI's hand. Then, after I Vindicate a Bitterblossom, comes Eldrazi Monument with three faerie rogues in play. They matter little once I get a Baneslayer to play and AI can't find an answer to it.
2-1

Discorandom +1 point.


Shantak vs Discorandom (AI)
AI gets two Shrieking Grotesques, but I can build my own game with Bitterblossom and some draw. AI soon empties my hand but not before I start pushing Beast tokens with Garruk. AI then puts a Baneslayer Angel in play, but I luckily have just enough swamps and a Corrupt in hand. Soon comes another Baneslayer who keeps attacking, letting me do damage with tokens. The end is very near once Tombstalker joins the game, but I have enough creatures to finish it just after Garruk dies.
1-0

I mulligan once after a seven-land hand and end up with one land and Ivory Tower and decide to try it. AI doesn't get black mana for discards so I can stockpile some life. After a Duress (took Hymn) I see two Baneslayers in AI's hand and decide to save a Maelstrom Pulse for them if I can. Garruk helps me get a Grave Pact in play. Then comes Baneslayer time. I let one Angel kill Garruk, but gladly Maelstrom two of them the next turn. Obviously, a third Baneslayer joins the fray after that. Enter another Maelstrom Pulse. Finally both me and AI have no cards in hand and my beasts do their job.
2-0

Shantak +2 points.

Some matchup commentary since this was my own deck: It was interesting how my deck tried to fill its hand with cards and Discorandom's tried to make the opponent discard. Opening hands and the first few rounds could easily decide the whole match if Discorandom got for example a Hymn and a Verdict, or if it got no dicard and my deck got some draw and life. The games could get pretty long here, which might be in part a side effect of my own deck, which I'll describe further in my next post.


Match H:
Nyktorion vs Yggdrasil (AI)
Had to mulligan twice to get two lands. There's some back and forth, but I manage to dish 11 damage on AI until he gets a Bloodbraid Elf and a Woolly Thoctar. I get blockers, but then comes Balefire Liege. AI removes my Figure of Destiny and attacks with a big army. I take out the Liege but go to 12 life and have only a Wild Nactal left. I don't topdeck well enough and die the next turn.
0-1

Second game, my start is clearly better. AI has mana problems and gets no more than two lands to play before I defeat him.
1-1

Third game, I start okay but AI gets good tempo from Bloodbraid Elf. Still, I'm doing all the damage until AI gets a few Thoctars in play. Somehow I manage to kill them, but the game slows down a bit. I'm chipping AI's life away slowly and it's enough in the end.
2-1

Nyktorion +1 point.


Yggdrasil vs Nyktorion (AI)
I love Balefire Liege so I'm assuming this to be a fun match. It turns out that way as AI couldn't destroy my Liege.
1-0

Next game, I take a 1 land hand with Birds of Paradise. This slows me down enough that AI can give some beatdown early. I can just recover and Ranger of Eos gives me Figures of Destiny for some nice Balefire destruction. Nice victory.
2-0

Yggdrasil +2 points.

Some thoughts on my own deck:

When building my Legacy deck, I started with a blue control deck using Standstill and Isochron Scepter (with Counterspell, Memory Lapse (nice lock against AI at least) and Boomerang). Opponent would be killed with Morphling or Sphinx of Jwar Isle. The deck worked nice against AI, but AI wouldn't use the Scepter with counters and had some other problems as well, so that plan was scratched.

Then there was the faerie deck idea which started with an interesting blue/green build including Beastmaster Ascension and Scryb Sprites. It was fun, but I never saw AI cast Ascensions. Also, I didn't have enough creatures there to use Beastmaster Ascension effectively (though I had the idea of completing ascension using fake attacks backed by a Fog, maybe in an Isochron Scepter).

Then came another faerie variant, now blue/black and using Bitterblossom and Scion of Oona. It didn't feel strong enough, which I guess is when I tried it with Eldrazi Monument. Then came 3 x Grave Pact, which would have made a nice combo with Bitterblossom and the Monument. However, AI never seemed to play Grave Pact, so I had yet some changing to do.

Somehow, I decided I would take out blue and replace it with green, interested in the opportunity to use 4 x Regrowth in a deck. Along came Maelstrom Pulses and Garruk, which were nice additions. Finally, the Grave Pacts had to go but I kept just one as it's really nice when used by a human player. Thinking of further changes I should have done, taking two more Damnations or some Diabolic Edicts would have been useful against the Progenitus threat (assuming I can even get that far in the tournament). Or maybe a step to another direction and some Natural Orders and Progenitus of my own. Or just a Diabolic Tutor or two...

Also, I'm forgetting the draw engine part of the deck, the Phyrexian Arenas (considered Dark Confidant as well) and the life gain from Ivory Towers, Corrupt and Tendrils of Corruption. Those came in in a late phase of my deck construction, and I think the deck where I got the inspiration was the lovely Last Stand deck I found in one of the files in the deck thread. Those, combined with few creatures (only tokens) seem to make my deck pretty slow at times, but hopefully it can do well once it gets its engines going.

Bracket F:
aww1979 vs. thedrigo AI 0-2 (thedrigo +5 pts)
TheDrigo vs. aww1979 AI 0-2 (aww1979 +5 pts)

Fortunately, none of these games were very close, so I think the same results would have been obtained by anybody. Playing as jundinator, I couldn't deal with Progenitus, even though it showed up later in the game both times. I made a bad play when I Bituminous Blast a Tarmogoyf on my turn (instead of AIs) because it plays Meddling Mage on its turn precombat. I'd cascaded into Terminate which had no target, but could've killed the Mage. I think I'd have lost anyway, and since it only hurts my own score, it doesn't affect anyone else anyway.

As Thedrigo, I thought I had game 1 in the bag when I had Meddling Mage (on Diabolic Edict) and Progenitus in play, but AI Terminate the mage and then Edicts the Progenitus... never recovered from that. Game 2 I made some fairly controversial plays, but given what the AI showed to have, it was a loss no matter what. I had Noble Hierarch and Meddling Mage (naming Terminate, since I had two edict sacs first, and Natural Order in hand) AI plays edict, and I sac the Hierarch, which blocks me from playing Natural Order (no 2nd green mana anymore) but does let me keep the Mage alive longer with a Counterspell that I have mana for when I untap, since I can't cast NO. I suspect that I made the wrong play here, but when I looked at AIs hand at the end, it had Terminate, which (if it had Terminate early enough) means it would have just Terminated the Hierarch if I'd sacced the mage instead, so I don't think it mattered.

edit: uploaded video http://rapidshare.com/files/397365605/bracketF.zip.html

Looking at the video, I realize that I completely screwed up game 2 with thedrigo's deck. The AI did not have another Diabolic Edict, and if I'd sacced the Mage, it didn't have a chance to Terminate the Hierarch before Natural Order landed, and Progenitus would have gone unopposed, and I should not have lost that game. I'll either replay games 2&3 with thedrigo's deck, or just give him a bye in the end, if he doesn't win, should the final result be impacted. A bye might be the fairest thing anyway, since I screwed up the brackets by leaving him off initially. If I do give him a bye, I'm still curious to see what the score is between the two decks, though.

Bracket G:
Discoransom defeats Shantak AI 2-1 (Discoransom +1 pts)
shantak defeats discoransom AI 2-1 (shantak +1 pts)

Camstudio crashed as I was saving the video :p Sorry. The games were pretty straightforward, the only questionable one being the game I lost as shantak. I kept a one mana hand because it had Swamp, 2x Bitterblossom, 2x Phyrexian Arena, Night's Whisper, and some other card I forget. I was hoping to draw a swamp, because that hand would've been amazing, but it took about six turns to get that 2nd swamp, and by then the discard left me with about 3 cards in hand and no chance.

Bracket H:
Nyktorion defeats Yggdrasil AI 2-0 (Nyktorion +2 pts)
Yggdrasil defeats Nyktorion AI 2-0 (Yggdrasil +2 pts)

As nyktorion:
Game 1: My turn 1 and 2 Kird Apes die to lightning, but I still have more creatures to play. My Grim Lavamancer toasts the AIs pridemage, then next turn lavamancer and chain lightning a Balefire Liege. I stupidly attack for 4 with exalted qasali instead of everything for 6, but it makes no difference, and I lightning the AI to death. 1-0
Game 2: My Chain Lightning kills turn 1 Figure of Destiny, and when the AI plays turn 3 Woolly Thoctar, I Path it. AI then plays Bloodbraid Elf, cascades another thoctar, but I have 3 creatures of my own. Tarmogoyf trades with Thoctar, and I bolt the elf. AI gets another bloodbraid elf (qasali) and I trade creatures in attack, 2 of mine for 3 of his. (due to FoD pumping in battle) AI throws some lightning down on Teeg, but it isn't enough to hold me back. 2-0

As yggdrasil:
Game 1a: I take some early beatings from Wild Nacatl, and I'm at 13 with AI sitting on 3 creatures. I play Ranger of Eos and get 2 FoD, so I now have 3 Fod and 2 Balefire Liege in hand, 4 mana in play and the 5th in hand. I'm really hoping Ranger doesn't die; he lives! Balefire Liege comes down, and though I'm at 10, I now have blockers. AI kills my Ranger now, but it's too late. I play the second liege and a FoD on turn 6, gain 9 life and deal 9 damage to the face with my sexy liege powers. Next turn I play the two remaining FoD and gain 12/deal 12. Balefire Liege wins MVP this game, lol. 2-0
Game 2a: AI uses a fetchland on turn 3 and it doesn't give him a land (probably because I responded with Lightning Bolt to Grim Lavamancer) so I try to debug the state back (I put his fetchland back, then go to find Healing Salve and Shock to give it the 1 life back, but that's when it locked up), but the game locks up.

Apparently when this happened, I thought it was only game 1 and not game 2, so I played two more games with yggdrasil's deck, but I won them both, so the score is not impacted.

Game 1: FoD does his cheapass pump trick and kills a Grim Lavamancer for free on turn 2. Turn 3 he fattens to 4/4 and starts beating. AI paths it on his turn, and I get a land which lets me put down Balefire Liege AI can't handle it, nor the creatures I'm playing, and it's quickly over. 1-0
Game 2: On turn 3 I trade my exalted qasali for grim lavamancer and 2/2 FoD in combat. Turn 4 sees Bloodbraid Elf get Birds of Paradise. Turn 5 is Balefire Liege :D AI just plays Sword of Fire and Ice, and turn 6 he plays Wild Nacatl and Grim Lavamancer, one of which he must've been hoarding for some reason. I swords the nacatl and just keep on beating. 2-0

http://rapidshare.com/files/397408887/bracketH.zip.html

Since jatill is on vacation and isn't testing round 1, some of the brackets are finished, and here are the final scores.

Bracket A:
AWW1979: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +2 pts
Salbei:juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +2 pts
Nyktorion: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +2 pts
Serbitar: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
Brandon: juzamjedi +7 pts
scherbchen: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
yggdrasil: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +2 pts
taron: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +1 pts
cognis: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
discoransom: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
monopoman: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
thedrigo: juzamjedi +1 pts serbitar +2 pts
juzamjedi: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +2 pts
shantak: juzamjedi +2 pts serbitar +1 pts
TOTAL: JUZAMJEDI 27 vs SERBITAR 24

Bracket B:
Salbei: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
Nyktorion: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
Serbitar: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
Brandon: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
scherbchen: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
yggdrasil: salbei +1 pts scherbchen +2 pts
aww1979: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
taron: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +1 pts
discoransom: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +1 pts
monopoman: salbei +2 pts scherbchen +2 pts
cognis: salbei +1 pts scherbchen +1 pts
thedrigo: salbei +1 pts scherbchen +1 pts
juzamjedi: salbei +1 pts scherbchen +1 pts
shantak: salbei +0 pts scherbchen +7 pts
TOTAL: SALBEI 22 vs SCHERBCHEN 28
(sorry to salbei for prematurely declaring him the winner before shantak reported)

Bracket C:
serbitar: aww1979 +1 pts jatill +1 pts
Salbei: aww1979 +3 pts jatill +3 pts
Nyktorion: aww1979 +2 pts jatill +1 pts
Yggdrasil: aww1979 +0 pts jatill +5 pts
Brandon: aww1979 +2 pts jatill +1 pts
aww1979: aww1979 +1 pts jatill +2 pts
taron: aww1979 +0 pts jatill +6 pts
discoransom: aww1979 +2 pts jatill +2 pts
cognis: aww1979 +5 pts jatill +3 pts
monopoman: aww1979 +0 pts jatill +6 pts
thedrigo: aww1979 +7 pts jatill +0 pts
scherbchen: aww1979 +7 pts jatill +0 pts
juzamjedi: aww1979 +2 pts jatill +1 pts
shantak: aww1979 +0 pts jatill +5 pts
TOTAL: AWW1979 32 vs JATILL 36

Bracket D:
Salbei: brandon +1 pts taron +1 pts
Nyktorion: brandon +1 pts taron +2 pts
Yggdrasil: brandon +2 pts taron +2 pts
Brandon: brandon +2 pts taron +2 pts
taron: brandon +0 pts taron +6 pts
discoransom: brandon +2 pts taron +2 pts
serbitar: brandon +1 pts taron +1 pts
cognis: brandon +1 pts taron +2 pts
monopoman: brandon +0 pts taron +7 pts
scherbchen: brandon +1 pts taron +2 pts
juzamjedi: brandon +1 pts taron +1 pts
thedrigo: brandon +1 pts taron +2 pts
aww1979: brandon +2 pts taron +2 pts
shantak: brandon +0 pts taron +4 pts
TOTAL: BRANDON 15 vs TARON 36

Other brackets still have players who haven't done them so no final results are available yet. In round 2, the winners of A and B will play (Juzamjedi vs Scherbchen) and the winners of C and D will play (jatill vs taron)

aww1979 wrote:Looking at the video, I realize that I completely screwed up game 2 with thedrigo's deck. The AI did not have another Diabolic Edict, and if I'd sacced the Mage, it didn't have a chance to Terminate the Hierarch before Natural Order landed, and Progenitus would have gone unopposed, and I should not have lost that game. I'll either replay games 2&3 with thedrigo's deck, or just give him a bye in the end, if he doesn't win, should the final result be impacted. A bye might be the fairest thing anyway, since I screwed up the brackets by leaving him off initially. If I do give him a bye, I'm still curious to see what the score is between the two decks, though.

Aww, your deck has such an impressive amount of removal, it's insane! HAHA... I never really looked at your deck in the deckbuilder but... WOW. 18 removal cards!!
I kept wondering why Proggy kept getting Edicted but now I understand. In general, that amount of removal was a good metagame call since 95% of the decks the AI plays well are creature decks.

About my deck...

I tested with TONS of stuff (even Rubinia Soulsinger). Like I said before, Dryad Arbor was in the list at the beginning but the stupid AI just did NOT know how to use it; Counterspell was a better choice than Daze because the spells I really need to deal with come after Proggy hits the table (WoG / Damnation, Diabolic Edict, other Natural Order s, etc.); I had Wall of Blossoms in the original list but Lotus Cobra can attack and bring NO down on turn 3, and in this metagame, whoever gets NO to stick first wins; Brainstorm is just better than Ponder, hands down and, at first, it allowed me to put Proggy back into my library when needed (I just added a second copy in the list I submitted) ; Lotus Petal is the cheapest acceleration compared to a Mox and often allows for a turn 2 NO; also, a Meddling Mage backed by countermagic can crush any single card strategy deck or protect Proggy long enough to clobber opponents (the only annoying thing with the Mage is that he's not green); and, finally, Path to Exile was chosen over StP here because giving the opponent life can cost you more than 2 swings with Progenitus to end the game, which in turn means you give the opponent another chance to attack and kill you or enough time to find a way to deal with "The Soul of the World" and turn the game around.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with the deck. In fact, I was so happy with it that I put it together in paper Magic and took it to my store here in Guatemala, where it pwned all other Legacy decks that opposed it!