Written by I haven’t written much since Grand Prix Atlanta was a few weeks out. The two weeks prior to the event, I was doing nothing but testing when I got off work at 6pm to about 12am with Team Average Joes. Even after everyone left I would jump on MODO for about 1-2 more hours of testing before I went to bed. The weekends weren’t much better as I filled it up with Legacy testing at every opportunity, be it IRL (In Real Life) or on MODO.
From this point we will keep the articles coming out as before but with a little change. Instead of trying to publish an article for every day of the week, we collectively (Average Joes), will be posting them only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as we have them. This is due to time it takes to constantly come up with content plus living an actual life. Sometimes its just myself cranking out articles with others occasionally contributing, which is fine, but I didn’t want this to become a second job (which I feel it has). I wanted to enjoy writing as a hobby but trying to have content 5 days a week and being almost the only person trying to make that happen, it just became too much for me. This way it allows others to still contribute as before but it will give time to space articles out for the people who might not read on a daily basis. It will also give us time to make sure the content we showcase is genuine and without haste. All that aside, lets jump into my Grand Prix Report!
For the hours and hours we poured over testing, we found that Sneak and Show was probably the best overall deck as it seemed to have answers for a lot of different strategies while also being able to land a game winning threat and win with it in a couple turns. Once we figured this out, we started looking at strategies to beat it instead of wanting to play it. We did this for two reasons. One: We did not collectively own all the cards to allow any one person to play the deck. Partially due to a player using his Show and Tells for Reanimator and the other, the cards we needed were going to be almost impossible to get in time which leads me to number Two. Two: Since we found the best overall deck was SnS, others probably found out the same thing and were going to try and play it. After talking to a few other play groups, they pretty much came up with the same information we did which further confirmed that, that deck was probably going to see a lot of play (at least in theory).
Our team chose to play the following decks: Josh Rial – Reanimator, Brandon Mathèny – Dredge, Bryan Elliot – Esper StoneBlade, and myself with Maverick. Yes, we all had different decks but unlike Standard, its hard for everyone to have all the Legacy cards for any occasion as they are far more expensive and just overall harder to acquire. Knowing we all had to have at least a good matchup with the so called “best deck”, we all tried different things in our decks to be able to combat it. Play testing Lands against SnS, we found it was almost a stone cold killer against it. This was probably due to the Lands list we were testing was not the StarCity winning list from a few weeks back, but a custom one I have always been working on. It had Knight of the Reliquary and Crop Rotation main which allowed me to “beat” any one threat they sneaked into play. Using that, I liked the matchup Maverick had with all the other decks so I borrowed the winning tools from Lands to make a pretty techy list.
After playing with it for a few nights against the big bad wolf and the other decks in our Gauntlet, I found that I had a weak spot against Esper StoneBlade. This was because they play Lingering Souls, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, and Perish, all three of which were way harder to deal with than I initially thought. I needed to figure out a way to even the playing field for that deck without compromising its current strategies against the decks it was already beating. I talked with a friend of mine Benjamin Stevens (who was not part of our regular play test group) as he was also going to pilot Maverick for the GP. We swapped lists to see what we both had figured out in our separate testing and brainstormed to see what we could do about our weak matchups. The two ideas I had to potentially answer it and also be good for the mirror was A) Sun Titan or B) Stoneforge Mystic and Sword of Light and Shadow. We chose B which would allow us to break through the spirit tokens to beat Jace or just gain some life and rebuy a Perished creature. It also was good in the mirror for pretty much the same reasons. Having cards in the board that are good for multiple matchups is usually what you want to accomplish as sideboards can be very tough when trying to squeeze in the last few cards.
The things I learned from Ben’s list was Stirring Wildwood was good against RUG, playing an extra Karakas in the board, and Crop Rotation in the board (which I never thought about using even though it was in the lands list). Doing more testing the night before the GP and having two different list, we both fine tuned our choices. We both agreed that Elspeth, Knight Errant was way better than Garruk Relentless, and that Linvala, Keeper of Silence deserved a main deck slot. We ultimately cut Gaddock Teeg since in the matchups we thought would be showing up, it did nothing. We ended up not playing the exact 75 cards, but our lists were almost identical within 3-4 cards. Here is the list I ended up running after staying up until 2am the night before the event:
Maverick
We talked about trying to fit another Scryb Ranger main as he was insane with Mother of Runes and Knight of the Reliquary but ultimately decided against it as the slots were already so tight (we were going to cut a Mother of Runes but we couldn’t bring ourself to do it). Tower of the Magistrate was a sweet card I found while going through my Legacy stuff. It allowed you the ability to beat anyone playing Stonefore and/or Equipments since it could be tutored up anytime with an active KOTR (Knight of the Reliquary). Goodnight Batterskull! Dauntless Escort helps us beat Perish and we can rebuy it with Sword of Light and Shadow. Besides those cards choices, everything else was stock. I liked 3 Scavenging Oozes main so you can draw them naturally and save your Green Sun’s Zenith for either Dryad Arbor turn 1 or KOTR. It was also a card you could never have too many of against RUG, Maverick, Reanimator, Dredge, and Lands.
Waking up Saturday for the big day was very exciting. I almost couldn’t sleep because all I wanted to do was play LEGACY! I had two byes to help me get some momentum going mentally. When I sat down for the player meeting, all I could think about was wanting to finally Day 2 a Grand Prix, and it would be better if it was my favorite format. I came real close at the Standard Grand Prix Orlando at the beginning of the year, losing to the eventual winner, Conley Woods in the last round of Day 1 in a make it or break match. Once the rounds were under way, Ben Stevens and I played a few mirror matches to make sure we were both making correct plays since the mirror is a very intense match. When round 3 started, I was excited but calm…and ready to destroy my opponent. Because of the 2 byes, below is a break down of the 7 matches I played for Day 1.
Round 3/9 – Derrick Smith playing Fish (aka Merfolk)
I dont remember specifics for every play but I do know Knight of the Reliquary did some work game 1 where I stabilized at 2 life to win. I boarded out 2x Scavenging Ooze and 1x Wasteland and brought in 1x Path, 1x Tower of the Magistrate, and 1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence. Linvala helped me slow down my opponent a little toward the end of the game. I finished the game at 1 life and my opponent had a chance to kill me 2 turns before but didnt see it. 2-0’d my first opponent and hungry for the next.
Overall Record – 3-0-0
Round 4/9 – Shahar Shenhar playing UB Reanimator
I did not recognize this guy when I first sat down but eventually found out he won a Grand Prix before, go figure. Game 1, I had a Maze of Ith and Karakas in play and he never did anything that was relevant besides Thoughtseize me, taking a Knight. I ended up sticking a Knight of the Reliquary off a Cavern and he just scooped to go to game 2. Seeing him play Ponder, Brainstorm and Thoughtseize, I knew what he was on from play testing. I took out 4x Mother of Runes, 2x Umezawa’s Jitte, 1x Stoneforge Mystic, 1x Elspeth, Knight Errant, 1x Stirring Wildwood and brought in 3x Purify the Grave, 1x Linvala, 1 Bojuka Bog, 1x Harmonic Sliver, 1x Path to Exile, 1x Crop Rotation, 1x Karakas. Game two he Thoughtseizes me, takes a KOTR and proceeds to get an Emrakul into play and I just loose. Game 3 I keep my board the same. I ramp with Green Sun for 0 getting Dryad Arbor while he Inquisitions me taking Thalia. I dont remember the middle too well but I do know I had an active KOTR with a Karakas already in play. He showed Griselbrand into play, drew a ton of cards and then lost. He said he didn’t draw any of the 2 Karakas‘s in his deck, what sick tech! I asked him if his play group Black Border were all running the same list (he was wearing a BlackBorder.com shirt) and he said yes, team Channel Fireball was pretty much all running the same list. I didnt realize he was part of team CFB, he probably thought I was trolling.
Overall Record – 4-0-0
Round 5/9 – James Hess playing Elf Combo
I never tested against this matchup but I figured with Linvala main, another in the board, and Ethersworn Canonist, I should have a fairly good matchup. Since I didnt know what I was up against, I kept a good 7 and it had Linvala in it. So I got it out on turn 4 and he says, “Main deck?”. I replied with “Yes, its good against a wide range of decks.” I go on to win pretty easily game 1. I board out 1x Elspeth, 1x Aven Mindcensor, 1x Qasali Pridemage for 2x Ethersworn Canonist and 1x Linvala. Game 2 I get rolled because I didnt have all the tools to stop the craziness. Game 3 I slowed him down with a Linvala but he was starting to have a lot of guys in play. We were getting close to time and I think the Judge rattled him by asking him to play faster, but he was a little ride about it. I agreed he was playing a little slow, but the Judge could have taken a different tone. Beyond that, he played Phyrexian Metamorph copying a Mother of Runes when he should have copied Regal Force. I dont think it would have done much because I had a huge KOTR in play with an active Mother and a Qasali Pridemage. On my turn I give my Knight protection from Green, attack to get exalted, with triggers on the stack I bust his copied Mother with my Pridemage. Not quite as easy as I thought, but another win in the bag.
Overall Record: 5-0-0
Round 6/9 – Scott Fagen playing Esper StoneBlade
Here it is, one match of a handful of matches I wanted to avoid. I win the die roll and then played a very close game to inch by and take the first one. I boarded out 1x Karakas, 1x Thalia, 1x Linvala for 1x Sword of Light and Shadow, 1x Dauntless Escort, and 1x Tower of Magistrate. I take Linvala out because its too slow against them and Tower is just way better. Game 2 we battle for a while, I never see a sideboard card and he has 2 Thoughtseize to strip me of my dignity. Game 3, I see Tower of Magistrate which allowed me to slow him down a bit since he had a turn 2 Stoneforge. We go to time and turns with no victor.
Overall Record: 5-0-1
Round 7/9 – Kevin McKee playing Nic Fit
His first few plays really threw me off. It wasn’t until I saw Veteran Explorer that I knew exactly what I was playing. After he Cabal Therapy‘d me twice, I lose what momentum was in my hand. He lands a Grave Titan and a Sun Titan to repeatedly get back Pernicious Deed to close me out. I boarded out 3x Thalia, 1x Linvala, 1x Scryb Ranger, 1x Wasteland, 1x Jitte for 3x Purify the Grave, 1x Sword of Light and Shadow, 1x Path, 1x Dauntless Escort, and 1x Bojuka Bog. For Game 2, it was more of a dog fight as his Veteran Explorer helped me pump out a KOTR and a Scavenging Ooze. I then Green Sun for a Dauntless Escort to stop any Deed’s from wiping me away. He had a Sun Titan but a Swords to Plowshares took care of that and I win that game. In Game 3, he plays a Bayou with nothing else and passes. I thought about my first play for just a second as I could either play a fetchland, getting a dual land, casting Green Sun for 0, or just waste his green source. I ended up wasting his land and it proved to be the right play as he say there for about 6 turns without a green source. I took that time to build up an army and eventually win.
Overall Record: 6-0-1
Round 8/9 – Michael Majors playing Esper StoneBlade
You might remember this guy from the finals…of this GP. I got the opportunity to play against him and his deck was pretty good against me, more than most StoneBlade decks. He lands a turn 3 Geist of Saint Traft and sworded my Ooze on turn 4 that I could have blocked with to beat me down for 6. On turn 5, he has Sword of Feast and Famine for the equip, blowout. I board the same as I did against the other StoneBlade deck; 1x Karakas, 1x Thalia, 1x Linvala for 1x Sword of Light and Shadow, 1x Dauntless Escort, and 1x Tower of Magistrate. Game 2 he casts a timely Perish and just crushes me with a Batterskull. Even though I lost this round, I was still locked for Day 2!
Overall Record: 6-1-1
Round 9/9 – Matt Keferr playing UW Affinity
I remember this guy starting with Seat of the Synod and Chrome Mox then passes. I believe I played a Mother of Runes and the next turn he plays Chalice of the Void for 1. Eventually I am attacking with some Exalted triggers and Qasali Pridemage was a house against him. I boarded out 1x Linvala and 1x Aven Mindcensor for 1x Harmonic Sliver and 1x Path to Exile. Game 2 he played a Somber Hoverguard a Frogmite and a Chalice for 1. I play around Chalice with Green Sun for 1 and eventually getting a Pridemage to blow Chalice. I get an active Mother and a huge KOTR. All it takes is a few attacks and pro blue in the end to take it down 2-0 and move to day two in a good position.
Overall Record: 7-1-1
Day 2 Custom Shirt
After finishing with a decent record I am pumped for Day 2 but not overly confident. I know getting to Day 2 is only half way there, but I finally made it! I chose not to stay up late with the other cube drafters to make sure I was well rested for the morning. On to Day 2 matches….
Round 10 – Tom Martel playing Esper StoneBlade
My record so far with StoneBlade hasn’t been the best (0-1-1) and I knew it was a weak matchup that I had to draw well in. We sit down for Game 1 and I obviously know who my opponent is but I am not nervous, just excited to show off what I can do against a certified Pro. I dont remember every play but I know we go back and forth with fetches and a few Swords to Plowshares on Mothers and Stoneforges. One turn I had a Noble Hierarch out and he Thoughtseize‘d to take a Green Sun leaving me with a Pridemage and a few other cards. He casts Jace and Brainstorms. I rip another Noble and play both Pridemage and Noble to kill a Jace when it was at 3 loyalty. After that I seemed very well positioned to possibly take Game 1. We did a lot more back and forth with some steady play until he rips a Terminus. I lost all my guys and had to start from scratch and he had a Batterskull he was hard casting. With time getting low, he lands another Jace with Batterskull and Lingering Souls. This is what I couldnt beat about this deck until after board. We go to time and he ultimates Jace when I have no cards in hand on Turn 1. I shake his hand and even though I lost, I felt like I played the game perfect and the cards just didn’t fall in my favor. Next time CFB….next time….
Overall Record: 7-2-1
Round 11 – David Shiels playing RUG Delver
I didnt realize this guy was a GP winner but he was pretty cool. Not cocky but confident and we conversed a lot. He lands 2 Goyfs early and I have no way to combat that and I just lose. I board out 1x Elspeth, 1x Linvala, 1x Karakas, 1x Aven Mindcensor for 1x Light and Shadow, 1x Bojuka Bog, 1x Path, 1x Life from the Loam. Game 2 I crack a few fetches and get a Cavern of Souls online naming Humans to help me land a 4/4 KOTR. I made a fairly big mistake as he goes to waste my fetch land and I chose to search. When doing so he plays Submerge and I lose my Knight, probably the only thing keeping me in the game. He flips a Delver, has a Goose on the loose and a large Goyf. I sucum to RUG’s powerful cheap army.
Overall Record: 7-3-1
Round 12 – Tyler Williams playing High Tide
I know what this guy is playing since he is good friends with Ben Stevens. With that he knows exactly what I am playing and knows I dont have Gaddock Teeg anywhere in my list. I board out 4x Path. 1x Elspeth, 1x Maze for 2x Cannonist, 3x Purify the Grave, and 1x Bog. I lose 0-2 to a very unfavorable match.
Overall Record: 7-4-1
Round 13 – Bernie Wen playing Esper StoneBlade
Another StoneBlade deck…my luck. I have to win out to possibly finish Top 64 to get money a Pro Point. I end up winning Game 1 with tight play and overwhelming force. I board in/out the same as before. A Perish with a Snapcaster Mage and Stoneforge finish me off Game 2. Game 3 its pretty close until he gets a few Lingering Souls into play with a Jitte. My Grand Prix is over.
Overall Record: 7-5-1
I chose not to play round 15. After going 0-4 Day 2, I am still happy with most of my play. Now that I have broken the Day 2 curse, I can hopefully get there more often. If I was to fix up the deck, I would fit a Teeg in the board as I dont know if it is really necessary main deck while possibly squeezing in another Dauntless Escort. I dont know how good Light and Shadow can really be since I never got it online against the decks I wanted to but if I was to run it again I would pack another Stoneforge somewhere. I do like that I played Maverick and after seeing the meta I would have picked it again. I think finally narrowing it down to that deck was key as our team seemed to figure out the meta game fairly well even though I didnt play any Sneak and Show. Until next time, look for another article about the GP from a fellow teammate.
Adam Arndt
MTGO: AdamRA4
Adam, not one name drop? Disappointing, and you forgot to tell the story of the drunken RUG pilot that beat up on Brian's brew!
they never remember the little people on the way to the top
Don't demand name drops. Especially publicly.
Next time RUG master.