BARAL's WISH STORM
5 August 2021
RD 1 Jund DRC Monkey (win)
RD 2 RUG Hollow Vine (win)
RD 3 RG Squirrel Whack (win)
RD 4 UR Through the Breach (win)
RD 5 Yorion Niv-Mizzet Deck (win)
RD 6 Boros Burn (win)
RD 7 Affinity (win)
RD 8 Shardless Agent - Rhinos (win)
RD 9 Izzet Prowess (win)
RD 10 Bant Toolbox (win)
RD 11 Five-color Elementals (loss)
RD 12 Blue Living End (loss)
RD 13 Neoform Affinity (loss)
RD 14 Izzet Monkey DRC Murktide (win)
RD 15 Green-White Heliod Combo (win)
Quarters Trinket Vines (win)
Semis Elementals (loss)
RD 1 Jund DRC Monkey
Midgame of game one, the opponent decided to tap all lands. It was the moment that I was waiting for. I started my last turn with a blue-red goblin followed by Wish then rituals. Wish for Past in Flames (from the sideboard) into reusing whatever instants and sorceries I have in the graveyard. Then re-cast Wish calling out Grapeshot off the sideboard for the win.
The opponent had a strong start in game two. He was able to control my hand through discard spells; spot removals for my early bears; and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer's exile ability was really annoying because it was eating a handful of key spells that I needed. The tide shifted into my favor when Gifts Ungiven resolved at the end of his turn. The home team never looked back since then. Win.
RD 2 RUG Hollow Vine
Game one is here. That was brutal.
RD 3 RG Squirrel Whack
Game one: I expected to see dray of squirrels plus an extra push from his Reckless Bushwhacker. Luckily, I only get to see the dray and no Reckless Bushwhacker. No extra push from the whacker means I am guaranteed with at least one more turn. And that one turn was all I needed to do my thing. Gifts Ungiven presenting him the pile. Ending the turn with Grapeshot for lethal.
Game two: In my last turn, after my draw for the turn, I had the following on the table: three blue red lands and my hand was: a bear, a land, Wish, two rituals, and a Manamorphose. I started the turn by summoning the bear followed by land-drop. Then test the water for any spot removal by casting Manamorphose first. The opponent let my hybrid card resolves. A clear indication that he's not holding any.
Next were the rituals, then Wish. Wish for Past in Flames into flashbacking whatever I can from the graveyard before ending the turn casting the same Wish (this time with flashback) into Grapeshot (from the sideboard) for the win.
RD 4 Through the Breach
Two combo decks are about to collide in this round. One deck loves inundating the game with spells while the other loves to cheat into play its 15/15 pet. So I expected this is going to be a fast one. But I was wrong.
Each game probably took twenty-five to thirty minutes to finish. The main reason, I think, was because the opponent switched from an anticipated combo mode to a control mode. I remember at one point during game one, I Remanded his first attempt (end of my turn, cast Through the Breach). If only he had tried it again in his turn, he could have probably taken game one. But instead, he elected to pass the turn and play defense. I cannot blame him on that because at that moment I had four open mana and he'll be needing his entire resources just to summon the red spell again. And if it gets Remanded for the second time, the opponent will just simply pass the turn and worst, he cannot play counterspells to stop me from executing my combo.
So he simply pass the turn. At the end of his turn, I cast Gifts Ungiven. The opponent tapped two lands for Counterspell. In my turn, he countered my bear with another Counterspell. But because I have so much land on the table, I was still able to splice Desperate Rituals into another Desperate Ritual. Thus reaching the required number of red mana to execute Wish - Past in Flames - Wish - Grapeshot bearlessly.
Game two: The opponent had a Chalice of the Void set on two counters. Good thing Aria of Flame came to my aid. It is going to be your best friend in this kind of situation. Turning your dead cards into bullets to your advantage. Win.
RD 5 Yorion Niv-Mizzet Deck
Game one: I summoned Gifts Ungiven at the end of his turn trying to set up the tone for the win in my turn by presenting to him the basic gifts pile. The opponent decided to bin Manamorphose and Past in Flames. I untapped then draw for the turn. Summoned the blue bear in my first main phase, it resolves. Next was Pyretic Ritual. The opponent think about it for about a second or two but eventaully let it resolves.
Then I cast a Desperate Ritual (splicing another Desperate Ritual) but the opponent responded with a Kaya's Guile (mode: exile graveyard and sacrifice a creature). This caught me off-guard. I reviewed my hand, table, and reassess the line of play I was taking before deciding my next move. I let his black-white instant card resolves. Desperate Ritual resolves giving me six red floating mana. On the table I still had an untapped one blue-red land. I summoned the remaining Desperate Ritual (storm count: five / mana: seven / untapped land: one).
I checked his life: sixteen. Then I checked my hand: Wish, Manamorphose, and a land. I have not done my land drop for the turn yet. I decided not to do it yet because I wanted him to think that Wish is just a bait spell.
So I cast Wish (storm count: six / mana: four red / untapped lands: one). The opponent simply gave a green light to it. This gives me an idea that probably he's not holding any form of an answer. After Wish, I did my land drop then Manamorphose (storm count: seven / mana: two red and two blue / untapped land: two). Manamorphose gave Grapeshot. Summoned it hitting him for eight. Then grabbed the other Grapeshot from the sideboard and hit him again for nine.
Game two was long because the opponent was able to establish two super friends on his table, a turn two Wrenn and Six and a turn three Teferi, Time Raveler. As the game progressed, more hate cards came down at me. I actually had a misplay in this game. When he summoned Niv-Mizzet Reborn, I was holding a Remand. And I thought the opponent still had the Teferi, Time Raveler on his table. If only I was able to counter that, my mob of sixteen goblins could have outraced his board state.
Game three: I saw a ton of creature spot removals and graveyard hate. So I decided to bring in Aria of Flames. The opponent did not draw an Abrupt Decay in this game. Win.
RD 6 Boros Burn
Game one: My life point total was already at single-digit when the opponent tapped all his lands. After drawing for the turn, on my table: four blue-red lands and my hand: bear, two rituals, and Manamorphose. The red-green card bestowed Past in Flames. Recycle all rituals and cantrips from the graveyard until I fish out Wish from the top of the library. Wish into Grapeshot, storm trigger on the stack. Remand the Grapeshot. Grapeshot goes back to hand. Resolved every storm copy of the Grapeshot. Then summoned it back to play for lethal.
Game two: I was able to call a mob of thirty-two goblins off the Wish but still losses the game. How? Well, I was already down to eight life points when the mob came. End of my turn, Boros Charm you. Upkeep, Rift Bolt you. Down to one. Then he brings down Roiling Vortex. Upkeep, deals one to you. Deads.
Game three: A mob of angry goblins outraces his burn army. Win.
RD 7 Affinity
At one point in game one, the opponent tapped all his mana-producing resources, lands, and Springleaf Drum. This means he won't be able to call whatever removal he has in my turn for my bear. So I untap for the turn - dropped the bear in my first main phase - ritual - morphose - Gifts Ungiven then presented the pile with one red floating with one blue-red land available for me to use. The opponent opted Desperate Ritual and Past in Flames as the cards that will go to hand. Ritual then Past in Flames into recycling all instant and sorcery in the graveyard before ending the game with another pile with Grapeshot and another Past in Flames in it.
Game two was a bit harsh because the opponent had answers to each combo attempt I make. So before committing to game three, I reevaluate my game plan. Thanks to the open decklist policy, I saw that the opponent had six to eight hate cards (six for graveyard and eight for bear). With this, I decided to bring in Aria of Flames.
Game three: Aria of Flame, with the help of cantrips plus the defensive presence of Abrades, Lightning Bolt, and Remands, out grinds the robots.
RD 8 Shardless Rhinos
There's only one card in his main deck that I worry most, Force of Negation. The longer you stay in a game against a blue deck, the better for them because they'll have a lot of time and opportunities to get those Force of Negations not to mention those red removals for the bears. So in game one, I saw an opportunity to combo-off. This was when the opponent bounced Baral, Cheif of Compliance on my upkeep.
I summoned the blue human-wizard back to the table. Dropped the land into a ritual then asked him if it will resolve. The opponent gave it a thumbs up without wasting a second. This made me think: is he reserving his Force of Negation for Past in Flames? Well, there's only one way to find it out - cast it. After a chain of spells, the inevitable play is now upon us. Me casting Past in Flames asking him if it will resolve. And to my surprise, it resolved. The opponent immediately conceded while a flashbacked Pyretic Ritual was on the stack.
Game two: I lost this game because Endurance hit me hard, twice. I was able to answer his Rhinos (Repeal and Flame Slash) but it was really the Endurances's effects that really toss me out of my tempo.
Game three: After a series of upkeep-bouncing-bear, I think it was in my fifth turn that I was able to summon a mob of sixteen goblins. It gets me there in two swings.
RD 9 Izzet Prowess
Game one: The opponent had a strong start. A first turn Dragon's Rage Channeler. A second turn Monastery Swiftspear plus Mishra's Bauble. Eventually, in his last turn, he opted to exhaust every land he had. Summoned Manamorphose into Stormwing Entity plus double Lightning Bolt then swung for seven pinning me down to four life points.
This is the perfect opportunity that I was waiting. Getting back the turn while the opponent is tapped out. I know that most of the Izzet Prowess builds do not carry Force of Negations in their sixty. So I took advantage of the window. I combo-off unmolested. Started with a bear then gifts pile. The opponent conceded when Past in Flames resolved.
Game two: I summoned a mob of fourteen goblin tokens early in the game. I won the race.
RD 10 Bant Toolbox
RD 11 Elementals
Game one: The opposing deck had few removals in his main deck and, thanks to open decklist policy, I am aware that his set of Force of Negations and Endurances are still in the sideboard. So as soon as I the bear reached my hand, summoned it and combo-off. Win.
Game two: For turns, I sculpted my hand into perfection but my combo-off attempt was blocked by Force of Negation. I had another shot on my next turn via Past in Flames. But in his turn, he summoned a Flamekin Harbinger to fish out Endurance and cast it on his turn making sure that I will have no graveyard in my turn. After this play, I started drawing bricks. In the end, his colorful army of elementals won him the game.
RD 12 Blue Living End
Game one: My hand and table during my last turn were: hand: two rituals, Wish, and Past in Flames; table: Baral, Chief of Compliance plus six available izzet lands. I made my move by casting first Wish. After like twenty seconds, the opponent let it resolve. Then the rituals got the same treatment. But Past in Flames did not because it met Force of Negation at the summit.
"Force of Negation on the stack," I said. Grabbed my sideboard and showed him Pact of Negation. "Pact of Negation your Force of Negation. Is it good sir?" I asked. My TSR version counter spell resolves. And combo-off unmolested.
Game two: I had a good seven: three lands, Goblin Electromancer, cantrips, and a Gifts Ungiven. However, I drew bricks after turn two. I tried to turn the tide into my favor by summoning Gifts Ungiven at the end of his turn but got rebuff by Mystical Dispute. I never recovered after that. Shardless Agent into Living End. Return all the creatures from the graveyard to play. And swung all for lethal a turn after.
Game three: The home team saw three Force of Negations and two Mystical Disputes. After that defensive masterful, the opponent unearthed creatures that had total power of fourteen. Two swings he got there.
RD 13 Affinity
Game one: Neoform in an Affinity Deck. Wow! The simic card fetched Cratehoof Behemoth and gave its four friends a +5/+5 and trample. The same thing happened in the next game. But this time, the green beast gave plus +6/+6 and trample.
RD 14 Izzet Monkey DRC Murktide
Game one: I waited for him to use all his resources. It happened I think in his fourth turn when he dashed a Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer then use the treasure token to cast my newly nabbed Serum Visions. I dropped the blue bear then rituals into Gifts. Presenting him the pile and from there it was textbook execution.
Game two: I was able to put Aria of Flame on the table while he only had one mana available. And slow-rolled my way to victory from there. Win.
RD 15 GW Heliod Combo
Game one: I Remanded twice the entry of his key cards. And by the time Gifts Ungiven reached my hand, I immediately executed the combo.
Game two: The opponent mulled to five and had a turn three unlimited life (Heliod plus Spike Feeder). I know where is this heading. So I simply conceded to save time and battery.
Game three: I summoned a mob of goblins. In the middle of the combo, I had the opportunity to add the Lightning Bolt in the storm count but I opted not to. My reasons: First for reach. Second, I'd rather use it to kill any of his crucial creatures: Spike Feeder, any of his dorks, or Walking Ballista. Two turns after, the opponent was trying to summon the enchantment god while there's an active Spike Feeder on the table. "In respond, bolt your Feeder sir". Win.
Quarters: Trinket-Vines
Game one: I grabbed the opportunity to combo-off when the opponent opted to exhaust all lands. And since his build does not have any Force of Negations in his main deck, I took game one undisturbed.
Game two: Facing defeat if I pass the turn, it left me no choice but to go for it. I checked my cards in hand, table life point totals, and cards in the graveyard. My hand had: Grapeshot, Remand, Pyretic Ritual, and Baral, Chief of Compliance. Table: a Baral and five blue-red lands. Our life totals: him still above fifteen (I think) and mine within combat lethal. And graveyard: cantrips, a morphose, rituals, and a Past in Flames that was denied by a Swan Song turns ago. And for the opposing table: two untapped lands and three cards in hand.
So I made my move by firing Pyretic Ritual first. It resolves without hesitation. Then flashbacked Past in Flames. A second Swan Song greeted it in the stack. I summoned Remand in an attempt to nullify his counter. My Remand resolves; Swan Song returned to his hand; then draw off the Remand's resolution. I pointed to my blue bear then uttered a question, "Baral draw?". I did not hear any objection so I reiterate those two words but this time in a firm manner, "Baral draw". I expected a quibble but instead, an echo of what I just said, 'Baral draw', affirming the blue bear's trigger. So I went to draw a card (Remand) and discarded Baral.
Past in Flames still in the stack, the Swan Song reappeared for the third time trying to negate my Innistrad red sorcery card. I Remanded it for the second time. And since there's no more available land for his fourth Swan Song attempt, Past in Flames finally resolves. Recycled every instants and sorceries available until I get to lethal storm count. Win.
Semis: Elementals
Game one: Thanks to Flamekin Harbinger, the opponent had an ace card against my main win condition route - Past in Flames. So I was forced to sculpt my hand into either Wish into Empty the Warrens or Wish into Aria of Flame or Grapeshot Wish Grapeshot. I opted to go with Wish into Empty the Warrens. I summoned twelve goblin tokens. But the mob was not enough because the opponent had an Omnath, Locus of Creation and a crew consisting of two Risen Reefs, Endurance, and a Solitude. Gain four every land drop and Solitude's lifelink ability were too much for my little green men to handle.
Game two: Here's what we had in my last turn. Life totals were: his at fifteen (or better I think) while mine was within combat lethal. On my table: three blue-red lands (I have not done a land drop for the turn) and two bears. And cards in hand were five (two rituals, Remand, morphose, and a land). While opponent had five lands, an Omnath, Locus of Creation, a Risen Reef, and an Endurance.
I started with a ritual. He tried to deny it with a Force of Negation (storm two). Both spells still in the stack, I responded with another ritual. Another Force of Negation tried to stop it (storm four). I tapped my remaining land for Remand targetting one of my rituals. Remand resolves (storm five). Ritual returned to my hand. Draw a card. Baral triggers. Baral trigger resolves. Draw a card (Grapeshot) discard a card. Dropped the land that I was holding into recasting the ritual (storm six). Then cast the red-green hybrid card (got my second Grapeshot off it) increasing my storm by one. Summoned the first Grapeshot for eight. Then the second one for nine. Win.
During the side boarding for game three, I was looking at Aria of Flames. Is correct to bring her in for pivotal game three? With four Force of Negations and a set each of Endurances and Solitudes, my chances of winning via regular routes are slim. So I decided to bring Aria of Flames in and hope for the best.
Game three: In what could have been the last turn of the round, my hand: a Serum Visions and an Opt. The opponent's life point was at thirteen while mine was at eight. On the table, I had: an Aria of Flame with five counters on it with an available red and two blue floating. Team Elementals had a lot of lands, an Omanth, Locus of Creation, and a Risen Reef.
I brought Serum Visions to the table then trigger Aria of Flame. Aria of Flame resolves dealing six putting him from thirteen to down to seven life points. Serum Visions resolves, giving me a Desperate Ritual. Summoned the ritual, Aria of Flame triggers. Then the opponent responded with a Solitude giving him enough cushion to survive my Aria of Flame's assault.
The opponent dropped Teferi, Time Raveler in his turn. Use it to bounce my red enchantment back to my hand. Gain four life points off his first land drop. And from there I did not recover.
Before I end this post, my seventy-five.
Baral's Wish Storm
Main deck
4 Baral, Chief of Compliance
3 Goblin Electromancer
1 Repeal
3 Remand
4 Opt
4 Serum Visions
2 Silundi Vision
4 Manamorphose
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Gifts Ungiven
2 Past in Flames
2 Wish
1 Grapeshot
4 Steam Vents
4 Shivan Reef
4 Spirebluff Canal
3 Island
1 Riverglide Pathway
1 Mountain
1 Fiery Islet
Sideboard
2 Abrade
2 Aria of Flame
2 Lightning Bolt
1 Flame Slash
1 Echoing Truth
1 Pact of Negation
1 Engineered Explosive
1 Noxious Revival
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Galvanic Relay
1 Grapeshot
1 Past in Flames
If I will play this deck again, I'll probably replace Galvanic Relay with Tormod's Crypt.
Thank you very much for reading.
Stay safe wherever you are!
