JULY 2019: UR STORM

MDP 

Bicutan, Paranaque City

20 July 2019

Humans 2-0

Scapeshift 1-1

Gifts Storm 0-2

Mardu 2-0

(2-1-1)  (5-3)

REGRAN

Quezon City

28 July 2019

UR Phoenix 0-2

UR Phoenix 1-2

Affinity 2-0

Skred Red 2-1

BLT Control 1-2

Amulet *

dropped.

(2-3)  (6-7)

Total: (4-4-1)  (11-10)

Notes:

I really have a bad win rate versus fellow UR storm decks. 

Game two turn two against the Scapeshift: I was so focus in the calculation intended for my turn three that I forgot to drop a land in that turn. 

Grind my way to victory versus Mardu. Here are the situations that I can still remember. (i) Lightning Bolts took care of his engines, Young Pyromancer, and Seasoned Pyromancer; and (ii) a timely Echoing Truth on his spirit tokens. 

I fizzled my combo against the first phoenix opponent. I failed to find a Past in Flames that I needed to complete the loop. Also, I did not expect a Ravenous Trap from him. Against the second one, aside from drawing three straight lands in the last three turns of the game, he also had the perfect cards (Lightning Bolt for my Goblin and Force of Negation for my Past in Flames) to stop me from comboing off.  

I won game one against Affinity (Traditional) in my turn three via an online Pyromancer Ascension. For game two turn two, he brought down a Rest in Peace. My turn two: I called out 14 goblin tokens. I win the game after a few swings.

I won the game against an active Eidolon of the Great Revel without killing it. Here's how: he summoned his red eidolon in his second turn. When I got my turn (it was my third), I dropped my third UR land; summoned the golden goblin (18 life points); then Pyretic Ritual (16); then Desperate Ritual with splice of anther Desperate Ritual (14 life points); cast the remaining desperate from my hand (12 life points with 8 red floating). Manamorphose for 6 red and 2 blue floating (10 life points); Sleight of Hand (6 red and 1 blue) (8 life points); and finally Empty the Warrens. Anger of the Gods failed to show in due time. I win in two swings. 

Game two against BLT control, Abrade saved my mob by dealing three damage to the one being targeted by Maelstrom Pulse. I faced a similar situation in the game three in which I should have waited for the perfect moment for my Lightning Bolt. Instead, I got greedy when I decided to use the iconic red spell in an attempt to eliminate (which was denied by his Dovin's Veto) the Noble Heirarch. 

After that I was about to face an Amulet Titan deck but since I already absorbed my third loss of the tournament, I gave him the win and go home. 

The meta right now is not storm friendly because most of the decks right now increased their graveyard hate cards such as Surgical Extraction, Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Kaya's Guile, and the like. I think I might be shelving my beloved deck for awhile. 

Thank you for reading.

Paeng_4983

26 JULY 2015 : 26 JULY 2019

JULY 2019: UR STORM

MDP 
Parañaque City
12 June 2019
UR Phoenix
UR Phoenix
UWr Super Friends
(2-0-1)  (5-1)

CLBHSE
Imus, Cavite
15 June 2019
Dredge 2-0
Ad Naus 1-2
Dredge 0-2
Mono Red Phoenix 0-2
(1-3)  (3-6)

REGRAN
Quezon City
30 June 2019
Hogaak 2-0
Urza Thopter 1-2
Humans 1-2
UR Control 0-2
UW Super Friends 2-0
UR Phoenix 2-0
NeoForm 2-0
(4-3)  (10-6)

REGRAN
Quezon City
14 July 2019
Mono Red Sckred 2-1
Tron 0-2
NeoForm 1-2
BW Control 2-0
BW Control 2-0
(3-2)  (7-5)

Total: 10-8-1  (25-18)

Notes
I am not fond of the Empty the Warrens plan versus UR Phoenix because they have the following for your goblins: Thing in the Ice, Engineered Explosives, and Echoing Truth. Some even have Ratchet Bombs and, if your meta has a lot token decks, an Izzet Staticaster.

Dredge and UR Phoenix decks have not lost their popularity since March 2019.  The two archetypes are still soaring high even after the release of Modern Horizon. Because of this, graveyard hate cards are now being included in the sixty in some modern decks. To help me cope with the hostile situation, I added an Electrodominance in the main deck. 

And speaking of graveyard decks that are rampant nowadays, I added a couple of Tormod's Crypt in the fifteen because: (i) it does not disrupt your mana when you are in the middle of comboing-off; (ii) you need no mana to activate it; (iii) requiring any number of cards put into a graveyard this turn is not a requirement for its usage; and (iv) it only removes his graveyard. 

30 June 2019, the tournament was raining Surgical Extraction and its favorite targets were  Manamorphose, Past in Flames, and Grapeshot. In situations where he exiled Past in Flames / Grapeshot / Manamorphose (or in any combination thereof), Electrodominance is my go to go guy. I incurred three losses from the Regran Majors two-thirds of it was because of I kept on drawing bricks despite having an online Pryomancer Ascension.

Deputy of Detention > 10 1/1 red goblin tokens. So Sad. 

A second turn Pyromancer Ascension normally spells win for me. Now that Force of Negation is here, I will need to be more vigilant.

Unless Past in Flames gives them flashback, there's no way I can recycle those blue cantrips that are in the graveyard. And in situations where only red manas are left floating, blue cantrip cards in your hand are useless as well. Faithless Looting shines in those two mentioned situations. It helps not just digging for answers but also helps you sculpt your hand into perfection.

Giving your opponent ten life points off Aria of Flame sounds bad. But actually it isn't. I had a game wherein I game him twice that many and still won the game. Aria of Flame is a strong card that I believe it is not just meant for storm archetype but for control decks as well.

This one is my favorite scenario from my Regran Open, an opponent just casted a Narset, Partner of Veils and asked me if it's good. I checked my hand and sees two Serum Visions. I died from the inside but managed to wear my poker face on and confidently uttered: "Good". I got my turn back. I untapped, I draw for the turn, Serum Visions - (Samuel Jackson's voice disbelief) motherfucker.

Against UR Phoenix, we had this situation: It was his turn. On his the table he had: a Snapcaster Mage and a Thing in the Ice with two counters, two untap UR lands,  and three cards at hand. And I had the following: Baral and an ascension without counter on the table, two UR lands and a fetchland; while my hand had: Echoing Truth, Thought Scour, Desperate Ritual, and Manamorphose. My graveyard had six plus cards in it on of them is Thought Scour.

It was his first main phase when he tried to kill Baral with Lightning Bolt. And when he was about to touch the six sided dice on Thing in the Ice, I abruptly stopped his motion; placed my Baral in the middle of the table; then put his foil bolt on top of Baral; then the blue horror creature on top of the iconic red card.

I responded with a Thought Scour (targeting myself) and placed the blue instant card on top of the 0/4 creature. Then I pointed to my PyroMancer Ascension and the Though Scour that was sitting in my graveyard. I placed my red enchantment on top of my Thought Scour (that one on the stack) and asked him if he's going to do anything. 

He gave a nod so I assumed he was acknowledging the ascension trigger. So I put a counter on my ascension and put it aside. Then I asked him if the next spell on the stack is good. He gave a thumbs up. Thought Scour resolves binning Past in Flame and an Echoing Truth from the top of my library then I draw Defense Grid.

He now lessen a counter off his blue horror 0/4 creature, one counter left. This leaves our stack with Lightning Bolt targeting Baral. I called his attention by uttering, "I'll respond again to your bolt."

I leaned softly on my chair asking myself what's the next best line of play. I looked at him for any body language that will give a hint on what he will do next. His facial muscles were great at giving him poker face look; but his eyes were not. His eyes keep on looking in the direction of my graveyard. A perfect hint that says he has a graveyard hate card. Surgical Extraction is the first thing that comes into mind. 

I cracked my fetch, put it on top of his Lightning Bolt and asked if it will resolve. He gave me that  confident-look into the eye for a second before allowing me to fetch. I moved the fetch card from the stack to graveyard and looked for my heavily played Beta Island card. Shuffled my deck a few times before presenting it to him for cutting.

I placed my blue bounce spell from my hand unto the table; placed it on top of his foil Lightning Bolt that is still on the stack. I grabbed my red enchantment and put it on top of the Echoing Truth that I just casted.

"What is your target, sir?" he asked. I weigh my options: (i) bounce his horror creature and make him work over again for its value; (ii) save my blue bear from the jaws of death; or (iii) bounce his 2/1 mage. I do not think the third option will give me a leverage in the situation. So that leaves me with first and second. Then I instantly remember his body language. If my hunch is correct, he has that black instant card and is just waiting for me to say a target so that he can do this stuff (AP-NAP priority ruling). I just hope that he has that Surgical Extraction so that situation will still favor me.

"Targeting Thing in the Ice, sir." He then put Ravenous Trap to the table (placed it on top of Pyromancer Ascension's trigger) targeting my graveyard. I placed his blue horror creature and put it on top of his black trap card. Now our stack looked like this, starting from the top most: horror trigger - trap - PA trigger - truth - bolt.

Now that our stack is  perfectly defined, I did not object. I pointed to his 0/4 and politely asked that he remove the last counter on it to which he did. Thing in the Ice flipped. Baral and 2/1 mage went back to our respective hands. Ravenous Trap resolves exiling all my cards in the graveyard. And when it was Pyromancer Ascension's trigger turn to resolve, he argued that it will not add a counter because I do not have the cards anymore in my graveyard. We called the judges to rule on the matter and they ruled in favor of Pyromancer Ascension. Ascension received its second counter. His 7/8 creature returned to his hand. And lastly, Lightning Bolt got countered on its resolution.

I untapped and draw for the turn, Pyretic Ritual. My hand is now: ritual - ritual - Manamorphose - D.Grid- and Baral. On my table: no cards in the graveyard, an online ascension, and three lands. I'm in the opinion that Defense Grid is no longer needed at this point because assuming that he has a counter spell at hand, it is not enough to stop me from comboing-off if I'll start this turn with a ritual, that is of course expecting that I will get a good chain of spells. I began the turn with a ritual. Placed the ascension card on top of it letting him know that my red enchantment is now active. He countered my ritual with his Spell Pierce (he's now tapped out). I still have three red mana off the ascension's trigger, I casted another ritual into Manamorphose (5 red - 4 blue floating). Manamorphose gifted me two cards: a ritual and an Electrodominance. Ritual + online ascension = 9 red + 4 blue floating. Casted Electrodominance with all I've got. Electrodominance for 11 + a copy of it from an online ascension = win.

My first NeoForm opponent fizzled during game one. After paying 14 life points for 14 cards, not a single Nourishing Shoal was present in his hand. And when I got the turn back, I only need to do a few spells to win the game. In game two he had a turn two Defense Grid. Unfortunately, he did not have the correct pieces of the puzzle for his combo. I go off in my turn three unmolested.

The second NeoForm player I faced got stunned upon seeing his combo comes into a complete halt because of my tech-card, Trickbind. Speaking of Trickbind,  (a) Griselbrand, (b) Chalice of the Void, (c) Eidolon of the Great Revel, (d) Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, (e) Lightning Storm, (f) Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, and (g) Young Pyromancer are just some of the cards that I've hit with it from my play testings and tournament games. 

Two Goblin Electromancers or a combination of Baral and golden goblin will negate the plus one tax from Thalia or Thorn of Amethyst (and the like taxing card with the exception of Damping Sphere). And when it comes to Trinisphere, you are still required to pay what it requires you to do. The discount off your bears creatures do not apply to Trinisphere.

During the July 14th Regran Minors, I faced two decks that had Chalice of the Voids as their defense shell,  Tron and Skred Red. I lost to Tron because: (i) he had set the chalices at one and two and (ii) Karn-Lattice lock. I won against the Skred Red because I managed to call 10 goblin tokens by turn two. 

It's getting lengthy so I'll stop here, for now. 

I hope to see you in any of the next modern tournaments.

Thank you. 




Paeng_4983
04091983

JUNE 2019: UR CONTROL

BLOCK 101

Mandaluyong City

23 May 2019 

Ponza 0-2

Hardened Affinity 1-1

Ad naus 2-1

Dredge 1-1

(1-1-2)   (4-4)

Ongkeco Hobby Shop

Vito Cruz, Manila 
31 May 2019

Boogles 2-0
WB Eldrazi 0-2
BG 2-0
BG 2-0
Humans 2-0
(4-1)  (8-2)

Fast Effects 
Pacita, San Pedro, Laguna
2 June 2019

Boros 0-2
-bye - W
UW Super Friends 2-0
Dredge 1-2
(2-2) (3-4)

Notes:

Regenerate. MTG Speaking, if a creature, or a permanent in general, would be destroyed this turn, instead you remove all the damage on it and tap it. And if the creature is attacking or blocking, remove it from combat. If the creature is attacking or blocking and you applied regeneration onto it, it will no longer deal combat damage to the player or planeswalker it is attacking. However, an ability triggers from damage being dealt still triggers even if the permanent regenerates. 

Regarding the Vedalken Shackles ruling that involves manlands (and planeswalkers), the artifact should, and still be tapped even if the card controlled by Vedalken ceased to be a creature.

I really hate going up against a UW Super Friends deck. Most of my removals are not meant for them. Then Ponza comes next. TOO MANY LAND DESTRUCTION cards. 

Cryptic Command vs. Disallow in late game versus Dredge. Cryptic Command can counter; Cryptic Command can tapped them all; Cryptic Command can bounce whatever you wishes and; Cryptic Command can replace itself. However, it cannot counter any trigger effects. Thus in a late game situation wherein I should have countered his non creature spell (I forgot what it was) with Cryptic Command rather than with Disallow. I could have had stopped his 'helix' and win the game in two turns. 

And lastly, I was so focused on the core pieces of the deck that I failed to see the other interaction it makes. I will make sure that it will not happened again.

I think I had enough of control gaming, for now. I'm coming home.

MAY 2019: FLUSTERSTORM

Flusterstorm is coming to modern! Stormly speaking, should I be worried about it? No. Modern storm has the tools it needs to go against it. Here are some work around situations that I can think of.

A. Grapeshot – Flusterstorm – Remand Grapeshot – Grapeshot.

B. Flusterstorm vs. Flusterstorm.

C. Ramp mana – Past in Flames – Flusterstorm – flashback PIF – mana ramp again – dig Grapeshot from the library – shoot him with it. There will be times that you will end-up having two lethal Grapeshots. One, or both, off the library and the other in the graveyard.

D. Ramp mana – lethal Grapeshot – Flusterstorm – PIF – make sure you have well enough mana – recycle those rituals and cantrip – find the second copy of Grapeshot from the library – shoot him with Grapeshot from your hand – in case he has a Snapcaster Mage to Flusterstorm or another Flusterstorm at hand – shoot him with the first Grapeshot from the graveyard

E. Lethal storm count via two Grapeshots from the hand. It can also be a combination of from hand-graveyard or both from graveyard.

F. Pyromancer Ascension.

G. Gigadrowse (with replicate) his lands at the end of his turn the turn before you go off.

H. Grapeshot – Flusterstorm – Noxious Revival Grapeshot – cantrip – Grapeshot.

I. Counterflux.

J. Defense Grid.

K. Trickbind.

And if you are planning to splash a third color

L. White: Silence.

M. Black: discard spells. Inquisition of Kozilek is probably the best because most modern storm hate cards are below three casting cost.

N. Green: Autumn’s Will.  

You can use alternate win conditions.

O. flipping Thing in the Ice from its day light to night.

P. Storm Entity.

Q. Phoenices.

R. Young Pyromancer and/ or Monastery Mentor.

S. Madcap Experiment into Platinum Emperion or Platinum Angel.

T. Kiki-Jiki and Pestermite

So old friend, welcome to modern! I cannot wait to play against you again, Flusterstorm.

PAENG PAENG

09081717

MAY 2019: URg CONTROL

UR CONTROL 

Paeng Paeng

4 Flooded Strand

4 Misty Rainforest

10 Islands

2 Steam Vents

1 Stomping Ground
1 Mountain

1 Field of Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter

4 Ancestral Vision

4 Opt

1 Wipe Away
1 Search for Azcanta / Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin

2 Blood Moon

3 Vedalken Shackles

3 Engineered Explosives

4 Relic of Progenitus

2 Anger of the Gods

2 Cryptic Command

2 Disallow

2 Negate

1 Abrade

1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Lightning Bolt

Sideboard
1 Vendilion Clique

2 Torpor Orb

2 Spellskite

2 Surgical Extraction

2 Ancient Grudge
1 Spell Pierce
1 Abrade
2 Dispel
2 Damping Sphere

Regran Open
Quezon City
14 April 2019
Humans 1-1
URw GST 1-2
Humans 2-0
Elves 1-2
UR Phnx 1-2
Mardu YP 1-2
Scapeshift 2-0
(2-4-1)  (9-9)

Mage Ring
Dasmarinas, Cavite
20 April 2019
Goryo 0-2
Wr Soul Sisters 1-1
UR Tempo 2-0
BW Eldrazi Taxes 2-0
(2-1-1)  (5-3)

MDP
Bicutan, Parañaque City
28 April 2019
Boros Burn 0-2
Grix DS 2-0
UW control 2-0
Spirits 2-1
(3-1)  (6-3)

Fast Effects
Pacita, Laguna
1 May 2019
Boros Burn 0-2
Dredge 1-1
Humans 2-1
BW tokens 1-2
(1-2-1)  (4-6)

Madcap Gaming
San Pedro, Laguna
11 May 2019
BG 2-1
GW Aggro 2-0
Goryo 2-1
Ad Naus 0-2
(3-1)  (6-4)

Notes

Main deck Blood Moon is great. There were games that Blood Moon single-handedly wins the game.

Vedalken Shackles is love. Remember these things when you are using, or dealing, with this artifact. First, upon activation, it is important that the power of the creature is equal to, or less than, the number of islands the controller of the Vedalken Shackles has. Second, as long as Vedalken Shackles remains tapped, regardless if that creature's power becomes greater than the number of islands, Vedalken Shackles still have the control creature. And lastly, if the controlled creature happens to be a man-land (or a planeswalker); during the Vedalken Shackles controller's upkeep, the man-land ceases to be a creature and Vedalken Shackle's controller will keep the control of it.

There were times that I forgot to use his own creature as a blocker. When you get to control opponent's Death's Shadow through Vedalken Shackles, the black avatar creature will check your life total. And you have 13 or more life points, it dies. 

Blue cards: I love it when Disallow functions as Stifle. Modern's realm has a lot of activated and/ or trigger abilities and having a Stifle to stop them from resolving can sometimes be a game changer.  Ancestral Vision's draw power is gas!

Here are the adjustments that I did after two tournaments: First, I took out Azacanta and replaced it with Repeal. The flipped blue enchantment turned into a non basic land does not go well with Blood Moon. Second, I took out Ghost Quarter and Stomping Ground and replaced them with the third copy of Steam Vents and a Forest. Third, I swapped Spell Pierce for Venser, Shaper Savant.  

Torpor Orb is well positioned against today's meta because we have a lot of creatures that has comes into play trigger abilities.

The deck did not performed well against Boros Burn. Lightning Bolt spells are too fast for my defense to handle. However, I had this one wonderful close game against it: (it was my upkeep) life point total were him at 8 and (me) down to two. On my side of the table I had 13 lands out plus a Monastery Swiftspear being controlled by a Vedalken Shackles, Venser, and plus cards at hand: Wipe Away, Negate, a Disallow. On his side of the table he had the red eidolon, and 5 lands. I drew for the turn, an Engineered Explosives. I brought it down, gestured my hand for two, EE for two. He pointed to his revel enchantment but I tapped four mana (blue blue blue red) to avoid getting hit by it. Swiftspear gets a +1/+1 off the EE. 

I attacked both my creatures. He took all the damages (putting him at 4 life points). He drew for the turn and wasted no time of putting it on the table, Exquisite Firecraft. His red eidolon triggers putting him down to two as well. I activated EE, destroying his creature enchantment. Wipe Away my Venser and summoned the 2/2 human wizard again to bounce his uncounterable red spell back to hand. Win. 

Four pieces of Relic of Progenitus are there in the main deck because of the draw a card clause. But because there are decks right now that abuse their graveyards, the exile a card or the graveyards becomes a big bonus.

I gave the deck another adjustment. Main deck: -1 Abrade, 1 Flooded Strand, and -2 Negate for +2 Remand, +1 Cryptic Command and +1 Anger of the God. Remands substituted the Negates because one one reason, the former can deal with creatures while the latter cannot. And for the sideboard: 

1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Venser, Shaper Savant

1 Negate
2 Torpor Orb

2 Damping Sphere

2 Ceremonious Rejection
3 Dragon's Claw 

3 Ancient Grudge

Although Remand can counter creature spells and lets you draw a card, I think adding it into the mix is a huge mistake because the blue instant card did not really 'deal' with it. And in the long run, returning it back to his hand is not a good idea. Remand will not be in the 75 in my next tournament. 

I was just lucky when I went against a Goryo deck at Madcap because he failed to draw a Norishing Shoal. Bolt him for the win.

After five modern tournaments, my win-loss-draw so far is 11-9-3 (30-25). I'll try do better on my next set of modern tournaments with URg control.

Thank you very much for reading!

Tiyo Paeng
0987654321

GP YOKOHAMA MODERN

CONGRATULATIONS
REUBEN (13-2) and JB (10-4-1) 
on your strong finishes from the recently concluded GP Yokohama!

GOOD JOB GUYS!