Round 1Final Score Group A
Shantak 43 points (Sal 6 / Jat 5 / Sha 8 / Aww 6 / Cog 3 / AJ 6 / Mon 5 / 240 4) @
48,6% win rate (52/107)
Aww 33 points (Sal 4 / Jat 6 / Sha 3 / Aww 5 / Cog 4 / AJ 3 / Mon 5 / 240 3) @
34,91% win rate (37/106)
Jatill 49 points (Sal 5 / Jat 6 /Sha 6 / Aww 6 / Cog 6 / AJ 9 / Mon 6 /240 5) @
56,48% win rate (61/108)
240sxForever 59 points (Sal 6 / Jat 6 / Sha 9 / Aww 6 / Cog 9 / AJ 6 / Mon 6 / 240 11) @
56,44% win rate (57/101)
Final Score Group B
Salbei 65 points (Sha 11 / AJ 16 / Cog 11 / Aww 5 / Mon 11 / 240 11) @
67,5% (54/80)
AswanJaguar 25 points (Sha 2 / AJ 4 / Cog 4 / Aww 5 / Mon 4 / 240 6) @
40,24% (33/82)
Monopoman 30 points (Sha 5 / AJ 2 / Cog 6 / Aww 6 / Mon 6 / 240 5) @
44,87% (35/78)
Juzamjedi 32 points (Sha 10 / AJ 3 / Cog 4 / Aww 5 / Mon 5 / 240 5) @
47,56% (39/82)
Group A Report- Match1 - Shantak vs Aww | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
A 9/9 Scute Mob just overwhelmed the Ai.The Ai didn´t put up much of a fight there.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
The Ai´s Howling Mine helped me a lot.Lotus Cobra enabled an early Ob Nixilis the Fallen who quickly ramped up to 15/15 and just overpowered the Ai.
Game3:
-
Summary:
Both games where very onesided. The Ai got overrun with good Creatures it just coudn´t handle.Awws Deck is nice but i doubt the Ai can make the right decisions with it.The landfall strategy was really smooth.
Result: 2-0
- Match2 - Aww vs Shantak | Open
- Game1:
clear loss
Score: 0-1
Notes:
nothing i could do.Was very low on Mana and just couldn´t play anything untill it was way too late.
Ai massivly overpowered me with a few weenies and Rampagin Baloth created more Tokens than i could handle.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 1-1
Notes:
Lots of draw 7, mixed with Regrowth went to an insande turn8 play leading into an active Channel + Fireball.
Game3:
clear win
Score: 2-1
Notes:
Completly obliterated the Ai.Was way ahead at any point of the game and at the end there was just nothing left to save the Ai.Fireball and Regrowth on Fireball during the next turn finished the game while Royal Assassin stalled the Ai´s attack attempts.
Summary:
i was really worried after the first game but the other 2 games went relative smooth.I´m pretty
impressed by the deck considering the max handsize of 3. Its relative easy to misplay it due to the max
handsize dissicions or to get very unlucky with the draw 7s.There are 4 routes to win with this - through
creatures , raw damage (burn/Black Vise) , the comboish one with Channel/X-spell or by decking out (multiple
Wheel of Fortune.Was really a lot of fun to play this.Usually i´m no friend of Howling Mine but it is just
perfect for this.Also Shantaks Relic Crush was a really nice card against this deck.
Result: 2-1
- Match3 - Shantak vs Jatill | Open
- Game1:
open game
Score: 1-0
Notes:
After a rough start Ob Nixilis entered the game and went 15/15. Without it i might have lost.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
9/9 Scute Mob and Sorin Markov took this home without much effort.
Game3:
-
Summary:
Quite fast games. Ai couldn´t handle my "bombs" and they won me both games without much to worry about.
Got quite lucky avoiding Hymn to Tourach.
Result: 2-0
- Match4 - Jatill vs Shantak | Open
- Game1:
open game
Score: 0-1
Notes:
I highly pressured the AI but as soon as Rampaging Baloths and Ob Nixilis the Fallen entered the game things went south rapidly.Chump blocked a few turns but it was basicly over when Ob Nixilis didn´t get answered.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 1-1
Notes:
Early Hymn to Tourach mixed with Weenies damaged the Ai enough so i could end the game before his "bombs" could kick in.Ai was Manascrewed (4 lands at turn8) so it didn´t really do much.
Game3:
tough win
Score: 2-1
Notes:
Was a really close game. I had the early lead, things went south when Scute Mob and Territorial Baloth hit play. I tricked the Ai into attacking me where while it was at 3 life and won during the following turn due to this. A human player would have clearly beaten me.
Summary:
Shantaks deck is clearly superior due to the powerlevel of his cards.Most of Jatills creatures are just expensive vanillas - so you really have to kill the opponent with them before Shantaks bombs hit the play.
I would have clearly lost the last match against a human opponent.
Result: 2-1
- Match5 - Shantak vs 240SXFOREVER | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
Ob Nixilis , Fetchlands and Khalni Heart Expedition all during the same turn where just huge.He was 15/15 the turn he entered the game and i dealt 15 damage during that turn.Ai only had Ornithopter (+ Mightstone) to race me.At the end of the Game Ob Nixilis was 21/21 and i had a Scute Mob ready aswell.The Ai was using Staff of Zegon on my Bloodghast instead of Ob Nixilis for some reason.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
Relic Crush hit the Ai like a truck.While my kicked creatures kept his army very small.Colossus of Sardia got handled by a kicked Heartstabber Mosquito. Ob Nixilis and Malakir Bloodwitch and Scute Mob end the game fairly quick.
Game3:
-
Summary:
Shantaks deck is like the perfect counterdeck to 240SXFOREVER´s . Especially the kicker creatures paid off leading to a heavy imbalance.Once again the difference in powerlevel was quite huge.Shantak is a clear favorite in this matchup.
Result: 2-0
- Match6 - 240SXFOREVER vs Shantak | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
Had to mulligan down to 7.Double Strip Mine denied Shantacks Black mana (didn´t matter when Lotus Cobra entered).Dragon Engine did some significant early damage untill the Ai made a bad trade to get rid of it.
Urzatron along with Candelabra of Tawnos produced a ton of mana while Tawnos Coffin ensured i can attack.
Rocket Launcher for 7 finished the game.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
Turn1 Mishras Factory could deal some damage to Shantaks already low starting hp untill a Mold Shambler stalled the ground.Again i sticked to the black mana denial plan.Got a 2/2 flying Primal Clay Short after so i could keep the pressure up.Urzatron was complete at turn 6 and powered out a Colossus of Sardia.I attack with everything during the next turn and thats it. Ai was badly manascrewed (only 3 lands out) - mainly because of my Strip Mines.Another land or two and i might got into trouble, but Factory + Clay did enough damage and eventually Primal Clay would have gone all the way (was still sitting at 30 hp).
Game3:
-
Summary:
Shantaks low start hp helped me quite a lot there.There are so many "junk" cards in that deck its not even funny.Strip Mine denial made the difference and bought me enough time in both games before Shantaks superior cards hit the game.
Result: 2-0
- Match7 - Aww vs Jatill | Open
- Game1:
clear loss
Score: 0-1
Notes:
I keep a horrible hand - Wheel of Fortune Terror Demonic Tutor.I just drew mana and a Thrull cleared my complete hand so i was down to 0 cards most of the game.When i held a card Hymn hit me - so i could only topdeck and pray for a Timetwister from the top or Royal Assassin / Wrath / Balance to buy time.
Derelor diminished my life down to 10 hp while i was only drawing mana sources and finally a Serra Angel that had to block Derelor.Ai responds with Order and i´m in horrible shape again.Thrulls and Order beat me during the following 2 turns while i drew nothing significant ( Disenchant and another Mox).
Game2:
clear win
Score: 1-1
Notes:
I keep Mox Sapphire Ancestral Recall and Control Magic and play Ancestral Recall during the Ais turn while the Ai opens with Order of the Ebon Hand (i Disintegrate it instead of discarding).Mindstab Thrull empties my hand and Derelor goes to work again.I get rid of Derelor at 22 hp and the board is open again.I finally topdeck a Mahamoti Djinn and could sit back behind it.The Ai Hymn to Tourach itself (?!Guess because of the Black Vise) and Ebon Preator eats away the Ais Creatures so i am able to attack a few turns with Mahamoti Djinn.Howling Mine and Black Vise deal some additional damage and i have to hold back the Mahamoti again because of Necrites, but time is on my side.Ai Soul Exchanges a Royal Assassin into play - nothing to worry about yet.I Timetwister the turn i get it (afraid of Hymn) and could get rid of Royal Assassin via Bolt and Control Magic his Order - opponents board is empty again.Ai plays another Ebon Praetor so i basicly won at that point.Wheel of Fortune and Timewalk end the game quite late, but i was never really in danger.
Game3:
open game
Score: 2-1
Notes:
I keep Channel Mox Ruby Volcanic Island.Ai plays Order on turn 2 and pumps it with Thrul Retainer.Another Order entered the battlefield when the first Hymn to Tourach showed up.I Lightning Bolt one Order but meanwhile 2 Necrite and the other Order got me dangerously low on hp.Close to dying i topdeck Demonic Tutor and Balance i got from it.About 5 turns nothing happens till i play Howling Mine and get Royal Assassin into play a turn later.I had to Fireball a few Creatures to clear the Path for Juggernaut who dealt the first damage to the Ai around turn 10. Black Vise randomly dealt a few points of damage and Disintegrate + Regrowth won me the game a few turns later.I was down to 4 hp.
Summary:
Jatills discard elements got me into trouble quite often. Awws got the pontential to explode out of nowhere so you can never really count him out.Balance saved me at the last second, otherwise the match would have been lost.I would say Jatills deck is the favorite in this particular matchup, but it could go either way.
Time is definatly on Awws side - the longer it takes the higher is the chance for "broken" things to happen that turn the game upside down.I ran into Disenchant and Channel awefully lot - both where completly dead cards during all 3 games.Really don´t see the point of Disenchant in this deck.Wall of Swords instead won´t help you win directly, but most of the time help you to buy enough time to get your broken cards.Got mad respect for getting this deck working so well despite the very low handsize and build around that fact.
Don´t have much to say about Jatills deck, FE just consists of junk but i guess you made the best deck out of it.The Ai is just horrible with Ebon Praetor though.
Result: 2-1
- Match8 - Jatill vs Aww | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
I open with a turn2 Order, the Ai Bolts it.The second one sticks and unlike the AI i pump it when i got no major spells to play.My strategy is to deal as much damage early as possible to keep the broken plays low.
Unfortunatly i ran out of Creatures quite fast and have to sac Necrite to get rid of my own creature due to Controll Magic so my attack halted for a while.
I´m happy to see the Ai discard Wheel of Fortune. I decide to sac my only creature -> Mindstab Thrull and it turns out to be a great choice when i saw the Ai discard Royal Assassin , Mahamoti Djinn and Timetwister.
Necrite with Zelyon Sword "equipped" is a reasonable clock enough for the Ai to Balance.I don´t worry too much about it since i only loose 1 creature and 2 lands - could have been a lot worse.Thrull Champion + Mindstab Thrull end the game over a couple turns.
Game2:
open game
Score: 2-0
Notes:
Simmilar to game1 i open with 2 Order and the Ai steals one. This time i got Elven Lyre and the resulting trade is less painfull.Duirng the next turn the Ai surprisingly Channel + Fireballs - goes down to 8 life and clears my board ... i can life with that :P I play Necrite and Order and kill him during the next turn.
From the cards i saw he could have potentially killed me so it was an open game i guess.
Summary:
The Ai just can´t play Awws deck. Game 2 was just ridiculous - Channel Fireball to clear my creatures dealing more damage to himself than my creatures would have over 4 turns.A human player would have prolly won Game2.
I don´t like Ebon Praetor at all.I feels like a 6 mana Ball Lightning.That Mindstab Thrull discard pretty much won me Game1 and the ai could have pointed the Fireball at itself for the same effect at Game2.
Like i´ve said before a few Walls would have really helped Awws deck especially at this matchup.Well my own cardchoices for this are far from perfection aswell ...
Result: 2-0
- Match9 - Aww vs 240SXFOREVER | Open
- Game1:
open game
Score: 1-0
Notes:
I keep Volcanic Island Wheel of Fortune Demonic Tutor and Wheel of Fortune at turn3 and have to make a tough discard decision and keep Timetwister Royal Assassin Tundra - discarding Balance and Controll Magic.
Got a Regroth and Demonic Tutor.The Ai plays Colossus of Sardia out of nowhere but i got Royal Assassin in plays now.I play Timetwister and Regrowth it.Ai empties its hand (including Rocket Launcher that kills Royal Assassin. Balance followed with Juggernaut put me into a great position.Got Channel + Fireball in my hand but am way behind in life, but got enough mana on the board to kill the Ai while i got exactly 1 hp left.
Was a bit in trouble early in the game but thanks to a really nice Balance could turn it the game and won out of nowhere.
Game2:
tough win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
I keep Mox Jet Terror Juggernaut and play Wheel of Fortune at turn4 (Moxen only).The Ai discards 3(!) Strip Mines with one in play.I Demonic Tutor for Howling Mine and make a few 1:1 trades to keep his army small.
Fortunatly the Ai doesn´t use Tawnos Coffin to prevent his creatures dying to my spells - otherwise i would have lost quite fast.I Regrowth and play Wheel of Fortune - Ais hand was almost full anyway and draw into Wrath of God and Balance Black Vise.I play Balance (killing a shitload of creatures + lands) followed by Timetwister then Serra Angel discarding down to Channel Control Magic and Counterspell.Ai uses Coffin to get rid of my Angel and only plays Ornithopter and Battering Ram, was expecting more to be honest.I draw Disintegrate and got enough Mana on the board to kill the Ai with Channel / Disintegrate for 25.
Game3:
-
Summary:
A human 240SXFOREVER would have won game 2 almost effortless. I was removing his creatures 1 by 1 with spells while he got Coffin in play and enough mana to activate it.Won both games with Channel + X spell, feels like a win-more that you don´t really need, but saved a few turns.Once again Balance is just nasty and dealt major damage to the ai during both games.I would say it is an even matchup that could have gone either way from a 2-0 win to a 0-2 loss.Got a fairly good idea how to use Strip Mines against this deck when i play 240EXFOREVERS deck next against this.Red and White Mana seem to be the most important targets for it, but Awws deck is just unpredictable due to the draw 7s.Going to be very interesting to see how each player plays Awws deck since there are a lot ways to play it.I prefer the quite risky draw7 route simply because it enables broken plays faster than with a safer route where you normally draw into your things - it is very risky to play it like this but felt right in that matchup.
Result: 2-0
- Match10 - 240SXFOREVER vs Aww | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
I keep a relative slow hand.And stick to the Strip Mine deny W+R plan and smile when the Ai wastes Swords to Plowshares on my Ornithopter and Fireball for my Battering Ram - best that could happen with my hand.
Clay Statue and Yotian Soldier and Mishras Factory deal damage over a few turns while i am holding back a Triskelion - 6 damage per turn is more than enough (turns out it didn´t make any difference).Ai discards Serra Angel and seems to be Manascrewed.
Ai discards Timetwister at 13 life and i finish the opponent with Rocket Launcher after the attack.
A human player might have won that one - who knows.The Strip Mine denial plan worked out very nice.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
I keep a slow hand again.Urzatron was online at turn 5 and i threw in a couple creatures.
I decide to play Clockwork Avian and not hold it back and deal 10 damage per turn.Ai plays Ancestral Recall and Demonic Tutor at the same turn and attacks me with my own Dragon Engine (Control Magic) and thus can´t block.I attack with everything including Mishras Factories and win.
Game3:
-
Summary:
Once again the Ai just can´t make the right decisions with Awws deck and didn´t put up much of a fight.
240EXFOREVERS deck could steadily apply pressure without the Ai being able to wipe the board and thus won both matches without much trouble.Dunno if my Strip Mine plan worked out but i guess it at least delayed a few plays.Denying white mana seems to be the key against this.Red isn´t that important.240EXFOREVERS deck is my clear favorite in this matchup, mainly because of the poor Ai decisions.
240EXFOREVERS deck shines with a good creature flow due to the massive handsize and "high" toughness creatures.Rarly happened that i couldn´t attack for multiple turns so i guess low hp decks will have problems against it. Mishras Factories + Strip Mine are the MVPs in this in my oppinion while Rocket Launcher and Urzatron could help you to "steal" games.Feldons Cane , Ornithopter , Coral Helm and Staff of Zegon are just in this to reach the minimum decksize i guess. Had trouble myself to build a deck for Antiquities.Was very surprised to see that you didn´t include Mishras Workshop and Millstone. Tawnos Wand might have been worth it aswell since you got a good chunk of creatures that would profit from it + the Ai knows how to use it.
Result: 2-0
- Match11 - Jatill vs 240SXFOREVER | Open
- Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
I keep my initialhand with 2 Hymn 2 lands.And play both at turn 3 and 4.Mindstab Thrull, Necrite and Order of the Ebon Hand go to town at the manascrewed opponent.Derelor joins the crew when 240SXFOREVER is at 18.
I pump Order and deal 12 damage total with my small army.The Ai plays its only non-landcard a Coral Helm and dies during my next turn.Both Hymns got lands and the Ai only had 3 lands in play at the end of the game.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
I keep a very slow hand.Ai opens with Mishras Factory , my first spell is Aeopile followed by Order of the Ebon Hand and Derelor during the next turns.Order and Derelor hit for 8.Ai plays its first Creature - Clockwork Avian.I play Thrull Champion and attack with my 5/5 Derelor. The Ai down to 15 already and attacks with his flying Avian as expected.I attack for 12 after killing his Mishras Factory with Aeopile before he blocks with it (abused Ai cause i know he won´t pump it to save it - he had 2 Factories on the board and enough mana ...).Ai is down to 3 and attacks again with his Avian, no blockers beside 1 factory are left for my 3 creatures that can each deal 3+ damage and win the game with 24 hp left.
I heavily abused the Ai flaws during this game, doubt the outcome would have been much different.The Ais hand was full at all times and it had enough lands in play to do something so but after playing Clockwork Avian it didn´t play anything till the rest of the game.
Game3:
-
Summary:
Pretty clean sweep. The Ai seemed to hung up at game2 and didn´t do anything.Not much to say about the matchup itself.Game1 was won by the 2 early Hymns, Game2 via the fastest "rush" the deck could offer.
If Jatill doesn´t kill 240SXFOREVER fast enough then his deck is likly to loose the matchup.
Aggressivly pumping Order of the Ebonn Hand is essential to deal enough damage before the "stronger" Artifact Creatures hit the battlefield.
Result: 2-0
- Match12 - 240SXFOREVER vs Jatill | Open
- Game1:
tough win
Score: 1-0
Notes:
I keep a pretty manaflooded hand, mainly because of Strip Mine and Factory.Ai plays Order at turn3, meanwhile i got Yotian Soldier and 2 Factories to stall the ground when Hymn to Tourach hit me.I play Ornithopter and Mightstone, knowing that Jatill can´t handle flying creatures.Ai plays Derelor so the ground is stalled.
Wall of Spears + Onulet lead to a stalled ground on my side of the board aswell so only Ornithopter is dealing damage.The ai surprisingly attacks with his 5/4 Derelor and i block with Wall+Onulet so the ground is open again.Ai plays Ebon Praetor and i topdeck Tawnos Coffin. I shouldn´t be able to lose the game now, unfortunatly Aoepile kills Ornithopter and my own Mightstone is now working against me.
I coffin his attacking Praetor untill next turn so he has to sac again.
Hymn to Tourach hits me hard and i have to discard Colossus of Sardia i was ramping up for.
Ai got a lot more mana than me so his Order is becoming a threat.
I check the waters and attack with a Factory, Ai blocks, i pump Factory with other Factory and the ai doesn´t use the Orders to pump+gain firststrike (would have used Coffin),would have enough mana for that so i´ve successfully cleared all his creatures and could safly attack with 2 Factories + Yotian Soldier (additionally to the Mightstone i could use Candelabra of Tawnos to pump my factories even further so my 3 creatures deal 10 damage.I coffin the Ais new Necrite and can attack two more times for 10 damage and thus win the game.
I really had to work for this one.
Game2:
clear win
Score: 2-0
Notes:
I keep my initial hand (bit flooded again) and Strip Mine his first landdrop.Ai Hymns me and i discard 2 Urzas Tower - i still manage to get the Urzatron online at turn4 (!) and can play Dragon Engine + Shapeshifter (5/2) via Candelabra of Tawnos.Ai Hymns me again and gets my Colossus of Sardia again (was 1 man a short to play it).I draw Powerplant and thus attack for 16 damage just with Shapeshifter and Dragon Engine.
The Ai plays Necrite so i don´t want to trade Shapeshifter with it and just attack with Dragon Engine 5 after playing Yotian Soldier.Ai down to 12 just plays Ring of Renewal i get another land and attack with everything.Necrite blocks Shapeshifter as expected so i could pump Dragon Engine (8/3 for 14 mana) and deal 9 damage.Ai now down to 3 hp just activates his Ring and dies to my attack during the next turn while i am still at 30 life.
Game3:
-
Summary:
I really had to pull every trick out of my sleeves to win Game1, was a lot easier during the second game.
Not even Jatills double hymns could stop me.Candelabra of Tawnos was playing a major role at both games.
The matchup itself turned out to be a lot more challenging than i expected it to be, mainly because of the first game.I was never really in danger, but had to carefully outplay the Ai to avoid a long complete stalled game.
Result: 2-0
Posted: 04 Jan 2011, 13:47
I discard 
) Draw 
AI plays