Planeswalkers, Happy New Year!

December 26th, I checked my calendar for eternal schedule left before 2016 hits.

Friday Quest at Mandaluyong City is hosting on the 27th. 
R4 Hobby Shop at Zapote Road on the 28th. 
Hobby Pro at Aguirre Avenue BF Homes on the 29th. 
Neutal Grounds Examiner, Quezon City on the 30th.
And Madcap Pacita on even date with NGx. 
Seems pretty hectic. Let me see if I can play at least 3.

The night of 26th, I ruminated for a moment between modern Storm and UWr Tempo. My musing was precipitously balked when I realized that it was physically impossible for me to get my hands on them for they’re both 25 kms away from where I am at. Good thing that my rarely, heavy-played and silver-black tweaked but reliable Mono Red Goblins modern deck is always in my vehicle. A couple of hours before leaving for FQ’s, I quickly scan the deck and did minor changes. Took away all Foundry Street Denizens and a Goblin Grenade; replaced it with 1 Banners Raised, 1 Hordeling Outburst, 1 Krenko, Mob Boss and a couple of Goblin Chieftain. I also did changes in the sideboards. So for the remaining modern tournaments of 2015, here’s my updated 75.

Mono Red Goblins

by Tiyo Paeng

 

17 Mountain

4 Dragon Fodder

4 Krenko’s Command

4 Kuldotha’s Rebirth

4 Hordeling Outburst

2 Goblin Grenade

2 Banners Raised

4 Mogg War Marshal

4 Goblin Bushswhacker

4 Goblin Wardriver

4 Memnite

4 Ornithopter

2 Goblin Chieftain

1 Krenko, Mob Boss

Sideboard

3 Shock

3 Smash to Smithereens

3 Combust

3 Magmatic Chasm

3 Vulshok Refugee

27th December

Friday Quest, Mandaluyong City

There were only twelve players and four rounds of swiss. Of the 11 players, only 3 that I am familiar with, the rest was not.

RD 1

Before this event, I used to see with him in pauper tournaments. And if I will take that note to gauge what he’s on right now, I’d put him on something aggro. My hunch is correct: mountain into a Goblin Guide was his first action. I won this round thanks to Magmatic Chasm.

1-0   (2-1)

RD 2

I did mention that I only knew 3 out of 11 players, right? Well, I faced one of them. And I know he’s on Skred Red. His deck packs a ton of mass removals. Not a very good match up for my boys. I lost miserably by zero two.

1-1   (2-3)

RD 3

I faced the second person I know from the battlefield. I did not get the chance to see how his deck works in both games because my mob of goblins depleted his life points in no time.

2-1  (4-3)

RD 4

I got paired to a player new to me. I really like that feeling of playing against an unfamiliar player. That feeling that you’ll never know what’s coming at you. Anyway going back, I won game one and saw a little action from him. So heading to game two, I put him on heavy UW control. My inkling was correct because his mass removals and timely reinforcements did a great job in forcing a rubber match. I relied on my great assets during our do-or-die game, quantity and speed. I won the game even before his Supreme Verdicts came.

3-1  (6-4)

At the end of the day, I edged out Mr. Lantern Control deck by 10.5 points, good enough to land me on second.

28th December

I was happy for I know I get to play my mob goblins at the end of my day until work related errand had me cause me to make a split second revamp on my schedule. A little sad, but I still have my chances on the 29th and 30th tournaments.

29th December

All throughout the day, I was so confident of my time management. I made sure that I'll be done from my work by 5pm and be in Hobby Pro at least 30 minutes before 7pm. But wife had another plans for me, daddy duties! By the time I was done with them, it was like around 6:48pm. Too late. Definitely I wont make it on time.

30th December

Second to the last day of 2015, and most of the hard working men and women of the Strong Republic are enjoying their holiday off. After my morning rituals, I took a short moment to implement changes in my sideboard. Less one Shock and one Magmatic Chasm for two Sulfur Elemental. Since NGx is far from where I live, I elected to go to Madcap.

Madcap's modern is set at 5pm. I arrived at Madcap 8pm. Again, pretty late because we had our last minute grocery for the new year's eve celebration. Felix Capule greeted me with a high five and informed me that the scheduled game didn't push through due to lack of players

I guess that's it for my modern 2015. Although I didn't do well in my Grand Prix Singapore, WMCQ modern and modern PPTQs, at least I get to end the year on a good note. Just in case there's a modern on the last day of 2015, my chances of playing on it is next to zero. 

2016 is very promising for modern players. Aside from the GPTs from our local gaming stores, we have Grands Prix modern Melbourne, Australia on March and Guanzhou, China on August. WMCQ modern on 9 July 2016. And PPTQs modern from July to October 2016. The RPTQ that it feeds ia set on the first week of December 2016.

Alright folks! I hope you will have a prosperous 2016! Happy New Year and see you in the legacy and modern tournaments to come!

-Paeng