TNM @ The Source

I did okay. I went 2-1-1, one of my victories was a bye so technically I only beat one person the whole night. I think I could of played better in one of my games. I also learned a lot from tonight. I hope to do well @ FNM and win me a box! If I win it, then it looks like we’ll be doing a free draft this weekend!

My Deck:
4 Mulldrifter
1 Nucklavee

2 Cruel Ultimatum
3 Condemn (I’m sold, this card is dang good!)
3 Bant Charm
4 Wrath of God
4 Hallowed Burial
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
3 Sylvan Scrying (3 is too many)
2 Liliana Vess (I’m thinking 2 Jace might be better)

26 Lands including 2 Treetop Villages

Sideboard:
2 Arbiter of Knollridge (such a dirty card! I love it!)
2 Wheel of Sun and Moon (never played it)
1 Reminisce (never played it)
2 Mind Shatter
4 Negate
3 Jund Charm
1 Bant Charm

Match 1 vs. Bye

I totally killed Bye, he didn’t stand a chance! I didn’t even have to play a card and I won! TOTAL DOMINATION!

1-0-0

Match 2 vs. Brian’s Cruel Control Deck (just your normal build)

I made the bad mistake of letting him play first instead of me playing first in both games! In the mirror match, it’s crucial to play first because if you drop a land every turn, you get to four mana first for your Cryptic Commands and you get to seven mana first for your Cruel Ultimatum. I was never able to maintain any tempo and was never able to set off my Cruel Ultimatum. I learned a lot in these two losses.

1-1-0

Match 3 vs. John’s Bant Control Deck (your normal Bant build: Rhox War Monk, Wrath of God, Cryptic Command, Kitchen Finks, etc.)

The first game I was able to establish control and he just scooped. I played Cruel Ultimatum and the next turn played a Nucklavee and he scooped. In the second game he got stuck with only 5 lands. He also kept on countering everything I played. It seemed like he had 4 Cryptic Commands, 4 Negates, and 4 Hindering Lights. He had to double counter my Cruel Ultimatum TWICE! It got pretty crazy! He eventually won because I Mind Shattered a Wilt-Leaf Liege into play for him. In the third game we only had 6 minutes left and had a draw.

1-1-1

*I totally realized something about my deck from the past two matches. It needs more creatures or another Cruel Ultimatum, probably more creatures. Every card I drew did not have the ability to do damage to my opponent. With only have 5 creatures, 2 Treetop Villages, and 2 Cruel Ultimatums. It’s hard to do damage against to my opponent. The games last so long that my opponents get the chance form a come back. I also realized that a more standard build is probably better for my deck.*

Match 4 vs IAN’S G Elf Deck (Yes! I finally get to play IAN! I’ve gone to two tournaments with Ian and finally I get to play him!)

In the first game I was able to control the board with my Wraths and Hollowed Burials. In the second game, my deck was just too slow. He was able to play an Overrun against me with 4 Elves in play. In the final game, Ian was able to bring me down to 7 life but then I was able to play Arbiter of Knollridge and jump back to 27 life. It took me forever to deal 27 damage to Ian. My deck needs more creatures! It needs more ways to deal damage.

2-1-1

In the end, I got 8th out of 19 people I think and won two boosters and the FNM Foil Spouting Thrinax card. Blong got 6th and Peter got 4th I think. The competition at the Source is tougher then it is at Outpost. I saw a real RDW deck, a real Cruel Control deck, and 2 real Faerie decks. The quality of players is higher as well as the quality of decks. I think we might be going to TNM here more often just because of the increase in competition and you win double the prizes.

I’ll probably change my Cruel Control deck to mirror that of what most standard Cruel Control decks have. Definitely, I’ll be adding more creatures, probably 4 Kitchen Finks and I might reduce the number of mass removal cards. I’ll probably add Fullminator Mages into my sideboard as well. I’ll let you guys know how I do @ FNM on Saturday morning or Friday night if I have time.