RTR Prerelease at SS 9/29/12

Return To Ravnica Pre-release
9/29/12 10am @ Supertstars, San Jose

Carpooled with Greg from Scotts Valley and discussed the new cards. Both of us pumped for this set. I can't remember being this excited for a new set in a long while. Made it by 9:30 and parked across the street.

"NNNNEEEERRRRRDDDDDSSSSS!!!!"

Oh, it's Russell. Hey, Russ. Sporting the X-Wing jacket. Styling, bro!
They were spray-washing the second level - what an inconvenience!

Jason from SF was in the place and we took over one of the back tables. The place was packed. I heard the midnight event broke the previous attendance record. Peeps crazy for Rav. Spencer completed the crew.

Greg going Rakdos. Spencer, Jason and I going Izzet. Russell playing Azorius. Typical wait for reg and then they brought out the guild boxes. They were awesome!

They each had the guild promo, 5 normal packs, one special guild pack, a spindown die, guild sticker, achievement card and letter from your guild leader. What a treat! I think this a home run for WOTC. Made me feel like I was playing for the guild. Not sure if they can be used as deck boxes later on, but the presentation was cool.

Here's my pool - build on your whimsy:

Armory Guard
Avenging Arrow
Trained Caracal
Eyes In The Skies
Concordia Pegasus
Bazaar Krovod
Precinct Captian
Sphere of Safety
Knightly Valor
Tros's Judgement

2x Runewing
Inspiration
Cancel
Aquus Steed
Dispel
Chronic Flooding
Downsize
Crosstown Courier
Inaction Injuction

Deviant Glee
Catacomb Slug
Destroy the Evidence
2x Stab Wound
Terrus Wurm
Grim Roustabout

Vandalblast
Minotaur Aggressor
2x Annihilating Fire
Survey the Wreckage
2x Dynacharge
Traitorous Instinct
Pursuit of Flight
Cobblebrute
Splatter Thug
2x Tenement Crasher
Bellows Lizard
Guttersnipe
Lobber Crew
Gore-house Chainwalker

Towering Indrik
Giant Growth
Savage Surge
2x Korozda Monitor
Chorus of Might
Axebane Stag
Stonefare Croc
Aerial Predation

Frostburn Weird
Essence Backlash
Search Warrant
Blistercoil Weird

Rakdos Keyrune
2x Izzet Gate
Chemister's Trick
Codex Shredder
Call of the Conclave
Slaughter Games
Rakdos Ragemutt
Cryptborn Horror
Rakdos Charm
Hellhole Flailer
Sundering Growth
Common Bond
Golgarti Longlegs
Vassal Soul
Niv-Mizzet
2x Azorious Gate
Azor's Elocutors
Abrupt Decay
Corspejack Menace
Rites of Reaping
Kordozda Guildmage
Street Sweeper
Transguild Prominade
Skymark Roc
Azorius Charm
Goblin Electromancer
+ Hypersonic Dragon (promo card)

Here's what I built:
Hyper Dragon (haste is so good - always a surprise)
Transguild Prominade
Skymark Roc
Azorius Charm
Goblin Electromancer
Vassal Soul
Niv-Mizzet (ping this, ping that, draw card, whee)
2x Azorious Gate
Azor's Elocutors
2x Izz Gate
Tros' Judgement (MVP#1)
2x Runewing
Inspiration (one more mana than Divination but worth it)
Minotaur Aggressor (again, haste is good)
2x Annihilating Fire (love this vs. scavenge guys)
Pursuit of Flight (sided this in vs. flyers)
Trait Instinct
Splatter Thug (awesome with unleash and without)
Gore-house
Lobber Crew (got in some good damage)
Guttersnipe
Blister Weird
Frost Weird (MVP#2 - awesome 2-drop)

5 Mtns
6 Isles
1 Plains

My guild was strong with burn and flyers and I went into white for more evasion/tricks.
The Az Charm and Judgement were awesome, but the Elocutors didn't do much.

Round 1 vs. Adam playing Azorius
He was playing in his first pre and I went 2-0. He had some flyers, but my burn took them out. He did play the Avenge Arrow on my Minotaur after it did 6 damage. He also had the Doorkeeper, but never triggered the mill ability.

Round 2 vs. Rhou playing Azorius
He had two Skyknights that detained and the Injuction too. I had to bounce one of the Knights with my Charm, so he actually detained me 4 times the first game. It's good and I lost the tempo race.
Game two he was mana flooded vs. my nice creature curve.
Game three was a battle with us both swinging in the air. The difference was playing the Az Charm for lifelink and gaining 12 life/doing 12 damage. He couldn't recover, although he did play the Palisade Giant. That card is annoying, but I was able to exile it with the Judgement.

Greg, Russ, Spence and I were all 2-0! Jason was 1-1. It was getting hot in there - still no AC or fans. Ugh.

Round 3 vs. Chris playing Golgari with R
Nice guy. Played the LOL Troll on turn 3. Woof. Proceeded to discard and put scavenge counters on it. Luckily, I had the Judgement to exile it. Got in with flyers.
Game 2 was over quick. We were racing but he played Stab Wound on my Logger Crew (2 dam per turn) and then had Traitorous Instinct to steal my block. Ouch.
Game 3 I got in again with flyers and burned his threats. That was a close one.

Round 4 vs.Stephen playing Golgari
Asked if he would take a split. He said yes. We would play for the win, but split the 14 packs.
He had Desecration Demon, a 6/6 flyer that could be tapped if I sac'd a dude. Geez. But I was able to exile it with the Judgement. He also had a Deadbridge Goliath. That card is crazy. 5/5 for 4? And Scavenge? Pleez! I was able to Annihilate Fire it after blocking it and it's exiled too. Whew!
But both games 2 & 3, I mulliganed and he rolled me with the Goliath again. It's too good!

Russell also split the final round for 8 (winner) and 6 (loser) and he lost, so I ended up winning the most packs in our group. And these guys are good!

Props:
WOTC for the nice Guild boxes and goodies within.
Opening a mythic rare in my guild (Niv). Dragon are fun!
My opponents were all cool guys - no hotheads or in-your-face hyper dudes.

Slops:
No parking validations at SS - they ran out - what?
That Deadbridge guy - a 5/5 for 4... seriously?
Hot and stinky - good when roasting garlic, but not for a pre-release.

Next up: Sunday pre at Mythic in Santa Cruz. Going Azorius. But I am loving the Izzet troop!!

Tues Night Woodstocks M13 Draft 9/18/12

Another Tuesday, another draft at Woodstock's.
Except we didn't do it last week.
Except we drafted at Mythic the week before that.
But last night was at the Wood. And what a night it was...

Nearing the end of the M13 draft season, it was hard to get the standard 8 players.
Ryan wanted to play, but had to leave around 9. Sean K. wanted to play, but couldn't get there until 6:30. And everyone was waiting on Top.

But play we did - it was Ian, Paul, Boland, Sean, Shawn, Greg, Top and me.
My first pick was Silklash Spider. Feeling the green love. Then Timber Wolf and Elvis (Elvish Visionary).
But will I be mono? Got a Tome and Archmancer. Then some spiders (Sentinel & Recluse). A Divination and Scroll Thief later made me start thinking UG. Pack 2 had another Wolf and Rancor. Pack 3 had another Wolf and Rancor. What?? Ah geez. Sweet green beats! A lot of blue was going around. Tricks of the Trade, Wind Drake and a Kitesail rounded out the goodness. In the build, I went back and forth with Fungal Sprouting. I could be pumping my dudes with the Rancors and the green ring I pulled too. Okay, let's try it.

Round one: Ian's RW deck.
He played small dudes and I played big one. Got him game one on the back of a Rancor. Game 2 we beat back and forth but when I was down to 11 life, he Trumpet Blasted his 4 guys into lethal damage. Ouch! In game 3, I was more defensive and eventually got there with a Rancored, Kitesailed Forecemage.

Round two: Boland's UW flyers.
My Recluse kept his flyers at bay until my other green dudes got in with Rancor. That card is so unfair.
Game 2 it was the Silklash's turn to shoot flyers out of the sky, but his Sphinx had a big ol' butt. And I forgot he returned a Show of Valor from his graveyard with the Archmancer and played it again to save one. But I shot it the next turn.

Round three finals: Greg's BW token deck.
I write token since he had double Captain's Call and the Crusader, which got hella big.
We each won a game and were stalled in game three which seemed forever. Then I played Tricks and double Rancor on my Scroll Thief to do damage and drew cards. But it was pointed out that I should have played them on the Forcemage, who's one more point of power would have won the game a turn earlier.

3-0! First time in forever! First pick planeswalker! Nothing of note after that, tho...

Wins: Liliana, Staff of Nin, Sands of Delirium & Phyactery Lich.

Props:
All my opponents - they played with wit and charm
Silklash & Rancors - like I didn't know they were good
The Giants - the Magic Number is getting smaller every game
Woodstock coupons - $5 off a XL and free cinnabread (urp)

Slops:
Trumpet Blast out of nowhere (well, it should be expected in RW weinie decks)
Waiting until 6:30 to start the draft - but it's usually earlier than that