MARCH 2019: UR STORM

UR STORM 

Paeng Paeng 

Main deck

4 Pyromancer Ascension

3 Baral, Chief of Compliance

3 Past in Flames

2 Grapeshot

1 Electrodominance

4 Desperate Ritual

4 Pyretic Ritual

4 Manamorphose

1 Increasing Vengeance

4 Serum Vision

4 Sleight of Hand

4 Thought Scour

3 Faithless Looting

1 Peer Through Depths

1 Repeal

4 Scalding Tarn

2 Misty Rainforest

3 Steam Vents

4 Spirebluff Canal

3 Island

1 Mountain

Sideboard

1 Defense Grid
3 Lightning Bolt

2 Blood Moon

2 Echoing Truth

2 Abrade

2 Empty the Warrens

2 Surgical Extraction

1 Tormod's Crypt

Friday Quest

Mandaluyong City

16 March 2019

Dredge 1-2

Grix DS 2-0

Humans 2-0

BUG Control 2-1
(3-1) (7-3)

GG

Makati Cty

23 March 2019

UR Phoenix 2-1

UR Phoenix 2-1

BW Tokens 2-0

Gb Elves 1-2
Abzan 0-2
Humans 0-2
-dropped-

(3-3) (7-8)

Notes

It's raining Surgical Extractions. 

Versus Dredge: game three and it was in his second turn's upkeep (I had a Surgical Extraction in hand) and in his graveyard he had the following: Stingweed Imp, Bloodghast, and a Faithless Looting. I initially thought of firing my black instant card to the imp to slow him down but decided to hold it to check if there's something valuable after his dredge. I soon regret for not firing it.

Manamorphose got Surgical Extractioned many times. Good thing Faithless Looting is a red card and it helped me fish out the cards I need. 

Whenever I use multiple cantrips in a turn, I always take the combination that will give me the deepest dig possible. This is because digging deeper allows me to see more options for my hand. 

Electrodominance can also be a spot removal. 

And speaking of the new red instant card, here are some of the situations I had.

-He Surgical Extractioned my Manamorphose with high hopes that I'll be having a hard time to find blue mana for my cantrips. But an online Pyromancer Ascension plus Past in Flames + 2 red rituals + Electrodominance and a Increasing Vengeance won me the game. 

-Online Pyromancer Ascension + rituals + ED for x + copy ED off PA’s trigger = lethal x damage ftw.

-Baral, Chief of Compliance + rituals + ED for x  + leave 1 or 2 mana open + free PIF from your hand + recycle those red rituals + recycle the dead ED, this time for lethal x damage ftw.

-Baral + rituals + ED for x + Grapeshot from hand storm for lethal.

-Opponent’s end of turn (better if with Baral on the table, but can also be done without) + rituals and Manamorphose + ED for x damage + Empty the Warrens from hand. I have yet to experience the end of turn Grapeshot version of this. 

-Versus humans, opponent dropped 2 Meddling Mages naming Grapeshot and Past in Flames during his second and third turns. I ramped for x mana in my last possible turn dealing x ED damage (plus the copy off PA’s trigger to make it lethal) and the win the game.

-Opponent’s life total was at 15 and my storm count was only at 10. One card was left in my hand (Sleight of Hand); no online Pyromancer Ascension on the table and no Past in Flames in my graveyard and my floating mana was 18 (15R and 3U). I casted the last blue sorcery cantrip (15R – 2U – 11 storm count) and was able to fish out an Electrodominance. WIN.

-Opponent was still at 15. On my table I had the following: an online PA and 2 UR lands. I started my offensive onslaught by casting a Desperate Ritual and a Manamorphose (2 storm count, 6R 2U floating mana). Electrodominance for 6 (on the stack). PA trigger copying ED for 6 (on the stack). PA trigger resolves dealing 6 (down to 9). Before the Orignal ED resolves, dropped Grapeshot from the hand and casts it for free (with 3 storm count trigger) dealing 5 (3 due to storm trigger + 1 from the card itself + another 1 damage off the PA's trigger copy). Then the orignal ED resolves, dealing lethal damage. WIN.

-I had a game one situation wherein opponent Surgical Extractioned my Past in Flames, Grapeshots, and Manamorphoses. I still won the game by ramping into 14 red mana into Electrodominance + Increasing Vengeance.

Overall, I think Electrodominance is a very good addition to UR Storm because: (i) it serves as another win-con outlet; (ii) does not use graveyard; and (iii) you'll need not to worry about mass creature removals.

That's all for now guys. Thank you for reading.

Paeng 4983
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Modern tournaments around the Metro
March 30 
Radioactive (Anonas, QC)

March 31
Fast Effects (Pacita, Laguna)
Regran (QC)

April 7
Kick Engines (Cubao Expo)

MARCH 2019: ABZAN

The 38% win-rate spell was finally broken when I went undefeated at Fast Effects' second sanctioned modern tournament last March 9th. 

Fast Effects
Pacita, San Pedro, Laguna
9 March 2019 

UR Delver tempo 2-0

Mono Black control 2-0

Scapeshift 2-1

(3-0) (6-1)

Notes: 

Destroy whatever you can on his side before combat. Because whatever dies, grows the Tarmogoyf. 

Spirits off the Lingering Souls are superb in buying you time. 

I think I will really need to master the art of waiting in order for me to maximize the value of my removals. 

In the long run, I think Tireless Tracker is better than Dark Confidant, at least for this kind of build. 

Even though it was just a three rounder event, I am happy that somehow I improved piloting a BGx deck. 

That's all for now. Thank you very much for reading. 

Paeng_4983