MRD Tournament Results!

[juzamjedi]

Lucky you, Lion's Eye Diamond is already coded (for about the last year!!!)
Lucky for me, Lotus Bloom is 2 lines of code.

Hah, that shows how much I pay attention. I didn't try building ANT recently although I will be. I don't care if AI sucks with it I like it.

I really like suspend cards and Lotus Bloom is sweet. I'm glad it will be easy. Next time I win a card choice I will be picking something like Aeon Chronicler or Jhoira of the Eldrazi

[monopoman]

Force of Will is worth a ridiculous sum of money now and is only looking to go higher.

http://magiccards.info/query?q=force+of+will

There is a baseline price comparison for one copy of Force of Will in NM condition.

[aww1979]

Hmm, yeah kinda wish I'd bought them when they were $2, along with $6 dual lands when they were in print... sigh.

[Nicdanger]

My first pick will be Devoted Caretaker. Second pick Benevolent Bodyguard because I have a feeling the first isn't codable!

Please Submit your updated decks ASAP! Its been a week and we need to get round 2 started!

[Shantak]

Confirming my decision in the previous thread, no changes (or I'll PM you if I change my mind soon enough )

[Nicdanger]

Cognis has his new deck posted in the other thread while Shantak and myself have decided not to make any changes.

Round 2 can begin as soon as we hear from Monopoman. Format will be the same as round 1. Top 2 decks will advance to the finals. I'm thinking about doing best of 5 in the final round instead of 3, might take some of the randomness out of the scores.

[Cognis]

We could do it in this round as well since we have 2 decks less than we anticipated, although the scoring system should be tweaked for that.

[jatill]

What's the status here? Can I start testing?

[Shantak]

If you haven't heard from Monopoman, Nicdanger, let's just assume his deck will remain as it was and begin the next round. How about it?

[jatill]

In NicDanger's absense, I say go for it. Let's finish this thing!
Can someone else please post the semi-final pairings and deck files?
Thanks.

[Shantak]

Agreed! Let's get this thing rolling.

Attached zip file should have all the decks (only Cognis' has changed, the rest are the same), However, I manually changed their names to have them matching and haven't tested that they work in the game (but they should). Since the format will be the same as the first round, that means


NicDanger vs Cognis
Cognis vs Nicdanger

NicDanger vs Shantak
Shantak vs NicDanger

NicDanger vs Monopoman
Monopoman vs NicDanger

Cognis vs Shantak
Shantak vs Cognis

Cognis vs Monopoman
Monopoman vs Cognis

Shantak vs Monopoman
Monopoman vs Shantak



The scoring will be the same as well, meaning that the deck that does better in both games receives 2 points and if both have the same number of wins, they both receive 1 point:

Deck A vs Deck B: 2-1
Deck B vs Deck A: 2-0
Deck B receives 2 points

Deck A vs Deck C: 2-1
Deck C vs Deck A: 2-1
Both decks receive 1 point


I'm not trying to steal NicDanger's job here and hope someone other than me will count the scores, but here's hoping we'll get started with the second round now.

[Cognis]

I'll collect the scores like I did for the first round, I don't know where Nicdanger is, haven't seen him in a while, hope he'll play the rest of the tournament since he did manage the draft.

[jatill]

NicDanger vs Cognis (2-0)
Cognis vs Nicdanger (2-1)
The game gets tough when Blazing Specter gives the AI a free Liege. Managable. Then the AI Geddons leaving me with Specter vs Llanowar Knight, life totals 12 to 15. I die 6 turns later with 3 bolts in hand, but no mana.

NicDanger vs Shantak (2-1)
AI had turn 4 Progenitus, which I could barely race due to BSA. Then AI played Birds to block, and Confiscate to rub it in.
Shantak vs NicDanger (2-0)

NicDanger vs Monopoman (2-0)
Monopoman vs NicDanger (2-1)
Gaddock Teeg shut down my hand full of Wraths, and I could not find an out on time.

Cognis vs Shantak (2-0)
Shantak vs Cognis (2-0)

Cognis vs Monopoman (2-0)
Monopoman vs Cognis (2-0)

Shantak vs Monopoman (2-0)
Monopoman vs Shantak (2-0)

[juzamjedi]

NicDanger vs. Cognis win 2-0
Cognis vs. Nicdanger win 2-0

Nicdanger vs. Shantak win 2-0
Shantak vs. NicDanger win 2-1
Loss - I keep a slow hand with no mana acceleration and get run over by Wilt Leaf Liege and friends before I can stabilize. Bad keep, sorry.

NicDanger vs Monopoman win 2-1
Loss - I drew 0 white sources except for Mox Pearl - it died to a Magus of the Disk.
Monopoman vs NicDanger win 2-0


Cognis vs Shantak win 2-0
Shantak vs Cognis win 2-0

Cognis vs Monopoman win 2-0
Monopoman vs Cognis win 2-0, got to Show and Tell Emrakul on turn 3!

Shantak vs Monopoman win 2-0
Monopoman vs Shantak win 2-0

[Shantak]

Rotisserie Round 2

NicDanger vs Cognis 2-0

1-0: Started with Strip Mine on Taiga. Then, after checking that AI has no board sweepers I just keep casting creatures (no removal in hand). AI never gets back that red mana I took from him and my creatures easily overcome his. Baneslayer Angel finishes.

2-0: Plenty of land again, so I start by Wastelanding Raging Ravine. It works really well since AI doesn't play any lands for the rest of the game (one Mox though but that doesn't let him cast anything.

AI had bad luck with mana so this was almost goldfishing. Pity.


Cognis vs Nicdanger 2-0

1-0: Plenty of land and while I lose Tarmogoyf, I get Blazing Scepter to stick. AI beats me with Knight of Reliquary though so I can't keep attacking. Sprouting Thrinax gets me more chump blockers and I then kill the Knight with Chandra. Then AI beats me with Werebear and I have to refill both of our hands with Wheel of Fortune. I Pulse the bear out of the way and see what AI will cast... Gaddock Teeg and Balance. Nothing I can't handle. Oversoul of Dusk? That I really can't handle. I block with green creatures, cast Inferno Titan (targeting AI) and finish the rest with burn.

2-0: I start with Putrid Leech (goes Nowhere), get Chandra Nalaar to 8 loyality and... BOOM! Raging Ravine does the rest.

I love singleton Jund. So many fun cards, so effective. The first game was really hard, so you have to be fast with this.


NicDanger vs Shantak 2-0

1-0: AI gets Magus but no Natural Order. He starts getting Baloths when he's in 6 life. By then its too late and I can finish him with alpha strike.

2-0: Steward of Valeron, Wilt-Leaf Liege, then Ravages of War to slow AI. Then he can't reach me.

AI didn't get Natural Order and didn't get enough mana for his other good cards (except Rampaging Baloths but that was too late). No problems.


Shantak vs NicDanger 2-0

1-0: Watchwolf brings me to 12 before I get proper blockers. Then Natural Order into Coiling Oracle for Progenitus. AI has nice gold creatures in play bu they can't touch the hydra and its over in two turns.

2-0: I go to four life by two 2/2 creatures before getting Jace and Rout. Then it's Akroma and Tooth and Nail. Then it's over.

My early game was far too slow in both of these. NicDanger's deck is so strong that I desperetely need Natural Order in the start to win easily, or it's really hard.


NicDanger vs Monopoman 2-1

1-0: AI removed my first two creatures but I got Baneslayer to stick and then cast Armageddon. AI couldn't recover.

1-1: AI had turn two Show and Tell for Bogardan Hellkite. I was on a four turn clock and couldn't draw any removal.

2-1: I got creatures while AI fooled around with Vedalken Shackles.

Other than the Show and Tell surprise, there were no problems. If both decks were in human hands, the situation might have been really different.


Monopoman vs NicDanger 2-1

0-1: AI had Strip Mine and played Ravages of War with Crucible of Worlds in play. I was completely locked and couldn't do anything.

1-1: Let AI gather his creatures, then blew them up with Magus of the Disk. After some turns AI cast Ravages of War with neither of us having creatures in play. Luckily I had been saving some lands in my hand. While waiting for creature I cast myself some protection (Collective Restraint, Moat). Then I got Yosei, the Morning Star who killed AI while I protected him with Counterspell.

2-1: I was about to start beating with Exalted Angel, but AI got Baneslayer Angel to play. Exalted Angel's lifelink with Wall of Reverence saved me until I got enough mana to Incinerate + Lightning Helix the Baneslayer. Collective Restraint then mostly stops AI's attacks and when I Imprint Counterspell to Isochron Scepter AI can't do a thing and all I have to do is wait through the very slow turns and attack four times to win (Collective Restraint really slows the game).

AI's deck seemed stronger but didn't have as many tricks (though Armageddon effects with Crucible are really mean). If you get the game under control, the victory comes eventually.


Cognis vs Shantak 2-0

1-0: I Burst Lightning AI's Magus of the Vineyard just to be on the safe side. After a few turns I Bolt Jace and spin Wheel of Fortune to refill. I'm doing okay but when AI hardcasts Novablast Wurm, I find myself searching for solutions. Eternal Witness the Wheel for new cards, Sprouting Thrinax can give me one chump block against the Wurm, then finally Maelstrom Pulse (I'm in 10, AI at 7). Saprolings and Inferno Titan finish.

2-0: AI doesn't get any early good threats and my Yavimaya Elder and Goblin Siege-Gang Commander with some burn finish AI.

I do okay, but a big creature or multiple creatures are hard to deal with.

Shantak vs Cognis 2-0

1-0: Pretty impressive, AI transformed his Raging Ravine when casting Shivan Wurm and returned it to his hand. If not for Jace, I would have died. Then AI stopped casting and attackin with Ravine (well, that means also he never broke my Standstill). I would have likely lost against a human player, but now won when I got a beater in play.

2-0: AI was missing land, but I had really solid hand. Exalted Lotus Cobra dealt most damage.

The first game was ridiculous: I drew so much land that I should have lost if AI hadn't stopped casting. In the second game, AI never had more than two lands. I would gladly replay these games.


Cognis vs Monopoman 2-0

1-0: My Inferno Titan kills AI before his Bogardan Hellkite does the same to me.

2-0: One Wheel of Fortune refill gives me enough fuel to win. The first card I played was Dragonmaster Outcast and on the last turn it finally began to give me dragons.

Jund was fast enough that Monopoman's control didn't manage to get hold of the game (not that AI is very good at that either).


Monopoman vs Cognis 2-0

1-0: AI seemed to freeze up at one point, where it had six mana sources and six lands but didn't cast anything. Well, I had three counterspells in hand so I wasn't too worried, but this didn't feel like a proper game. Funny how it happened to Cognis's Jund deck again

2-0: I bring Exalted Angel in play through Morph. AI boosts his Tarmogoyf with Wheel of Fortune. AI was about to get Dragonmaster Outcast active, but Exalted Angel + Lightning Helix kill him.

First game was too easy. The second was more interesting, but I had enough cards not to be worried.


Shantak vs Monopoman 2-0

1-0: AI kills my Jace with his. Confiscated Lightning Angel is my beater until I get Novablast Wurm in play.

2-0: Elvish Piper calls my Simic Sky Swallower while AI gets Magus of the Disk. I start bouncing with Jace while beating with Sky Swallower. Nothing AI can do but to recast Magus or Eternal Dragon while I swing at him.

My deck still works, but without an early Natural Order, the early games can be a problem. Luckily Monopoman's deck wasn't too fast either.


Monopoman vs Shantak 2-0

1-0: My counters take care that AI doesn't get any big creatures in play and Kitchen Finks is the beater. AI decides to stop playing (no spells, doesn't attack with Noble Hierarch, starts discarding castable spells) so the rest is trivial.

2-0: I let AI cast Survival of the Fittest to see how it uses it (I have two counters in hand so I'm not worried). AI doesn't seem to cast anything at all. Bogardan Hellkite and Kitchen Finks finish him, but this has been a goldfish exercise for me.

A real letdown to see AI lock up so twice with my own deck. I think we'll have to soon deal with that issue before doing any more this big tournaments. Monopoman's deck did fine, though every game it seemed to take an eternity to kill AI.