MTG Reporter – Grand Prix Dallas 2015, 62nd Place Day 1 [Qiushi Sun]

Hey guys and gals, this is Qiushi Sun a.k.a. Q bringing you the best in Magic entertainment from Grand Prix Dallas 2015! As most of us know, the event really started on Friday as I drove up after a half day of work (and eating free lunch, cause free lunch). I listened to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long blog soundtrack on repeat the entire way to Dallas from Houston, so the 4-hour drive contained approximately 20 loops. Clearly, Dr. Horrible is HERE! I scooped up fellow competitor, Tristan Killeen, from DFW airport and went to the venue where I ran into another fellow mage, Benjamin Weitz. From there, Ben and I decided to do a MTGO draft for practice. I saw unfold before me the glorious power of Tower Geist and Possessed Skaab. It was the first time I saw the power and synergy of blue/black. We easily 3-0’d the draft and went to bed.

Commence…Operation…#GPDFW!

Day 1

I began the day with a sleep-in special (always gas; I recommend this whenever possible), which meant a ferocious battle against eggs benedict. I easily and mercilessly crushed my opponent; then I went to see what my sealed pool had to offer. Let’s look at what was inside:

Main

Creatures

              

Instants

 

Sorceries

  

Enchantments

  

Lands

        

        

Sideboard

White

           

Blue

      

Black

       

Red

           

Green

              

Artifact

    

Multicolored

 

Nonbasic Land

Overall, I was very happy with how I built my pool. However, I discovered later that Dark Dabbling was just not as good a card, and that I much preferred having Bone to Ash or Hydrolash in its place. Nonetheless, the deck synergized well and packed powerful cards in the form of Kothophed and Gilt-Leaf Winnower. After my two rounds of byes, the Magic Origins battle began.

R3: W vs. Daniel Hall (3-0)

I crushed my opponent in game 1, casting Shambling Ghoul into Watercourser. My opponent couldn’t even land a hit to my life total before I had him on his knees. He put up a bit of a fight in our second game, eventually locking the game state up with a Sentinel of the Eternal Watch. However, I milled myself until I could grab my Gilt-Leaf Winnower to slay it. Unable to stop my forces, the Winnower steamrolled through and demolished what remained of my opponent’s life, ending the game with a mere 2 cards in my library.

R4: L vs. Alex Hon (3-1)

I had a very easy game 1, using 2-power creatures and finishing him off with a pumped Watercourser. But he got me in game 2 with a Calculated Dismissal that kept him alive, and constant non-land draws meant I couldn’t close out the game even though I had him at 2. In game 3, I couldn’t break through his Deep-Sea Terror, and eventually died to it.

R5: W vs. Richard Marin (4-1)

My opponent tried to race me in game 1, but he underestimated the clock Watercourser could put on him when unblocked. Game 2 was a similar state as I gummed up the ground fast with my 2-drops.

R6: W vs. ??? (5-1)

I don’t recall who I played here, but this unknown soldier hit me hard and fast in game 1. However, I eventually stabilized and cast Kothophed to make his attacks less advantageous. He eventually scooped to the 6/6 demon that terrorized the board. Game 2 also involved Kothophed, but it also involved a disgusting interaction while the demon was in play. I had 9 lands in play when I casted a Reave Soul, triggering the demon. Then I casted Possessed Skaab to return Reave Soul to my hand and killed another creature. After the attack, my opponent was at 2 life and I had drawn 5 cards that turn. Passing with a full grip, my opponent conceded once again to Kothophed.

R7: W vs. Robin Dolar (6-1)

My opponent led with a Cleric of the Forward Order, giving him a life advantage in our Game 1 race. It was a close game but a timely removal spell doomed his plan of attack, allowing me to swing in for lethal. I got stuck on lands in game 2, drawing all Islands for the duration of the match. It was unfortunate but things like that just happen sometimes. Game 3 was not very close as I had a strong board of 2/3s. Eventually, I landed Kothophed and started to draw cards while wearing down my opponent’s defenses. It didn’t take long for me to eke out a close win.

R8: L vs. Marcos Ayala (6-2)

I saw the true power of thopters in game 1 when my opponent had 4 thopters that he attacked with every turn. Each turn I didn’t draw Scrapskin Drake was yet another turn I couldn’t defend myself, and I easily lost the game. Game 2 was a blowout of a different sort as his fatties Skysnare Spider and Rhox Maulers overpowered my army of 2/3s. It wasn’t a close game at all even after I factored in combat tricks.

R9: W vs. Eric Elizondo (7-2)

Our first game involved a lopsided race where my creatures did so much more damage than his. He got stuck on land in game 2 and I casted Gilt-Leaf Winnower 3 times, killing a creature each time. Even though he eventually got me somewhat low on life, there was never really a chance for him to come back from being stuck on 3 lands as I cast a Kothophed. It was definitely one of my least stressful win-and-ins.

But after an overall stressful day of play, I decided the proper mid-victory meal should be at In-n-Out before Day 2.

Thanks for reading,
Qiushi Sun a.k.a. Q

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