FNM Oct 26 / RTR Game Day

I got to FNM late last Friday--got stuck at work late again. But I got off early enough to make Round 2, so Round 2 it was.

What I learned (and probably should have learned earlier) is that decks that split the difference between aggro and midrange just completely fold to Olivia Voldaren unless she dies quickly. Topdecking Arbor Elves when your only outs are Selesnya Charm or Angel of Serenity is basically the worst feeling. I want to keep experimenting with different decks for right now (more on that later). I also want to either take notes over the course of the matches or hold myself to writing these sooner so I can actually get value out of doing this blog. I ended up winning both matches that didn't involve Olivia, though.

Game Day was a bit better--I went 3-1-1 (the last being an intentional draw), making Top 8 (and then immediately losing in Top 8, but you can't win them all). Bant Control was extremely good against me, unfortunately.

On the topic of Game Day, maybe I'm missing something but Cryptborn Horror seems like the worst Game Day Top 8 card in a while. They almost all seem at least somewhat playable but I have a hard time imagining a world in which I could make Cryptborn Horror a high-value card and still want to cast it. It seems way worse than Magmaquake, Black Sun's Zenith, Tempered Steel, Elite Inquisitor, or Dungrove Elder. Even Zombie Apocalypse is at least EDH-playable and Killing Wave has seen a little play as a functional replacement for Falkenrath Aristocrat in Zombies. But Cryptborn Horror doesn't even seem all that great in EDH, where Tarmogoyf is a forgettable card. Also, just as a matter of personal preference, I wish that the regular and promo arts for Dryad Militant were reversed.

In the neverending search for good Temple Garden decks, I'll be playing this tomorrow night:


Creatures
3 Angel of Serenity
3 Arbor Elf
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
2 Borderland Ranger
1 Centaur Healer
1 Deathrite Shaman
2 Griselbrand
3 Restoration Angel
4 Thragtusk

Instants
4 Grisly Salvage

Sorceries
2 Lingering Souls
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites

Lands
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Overgrown Tomb
3 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Woodland Cemetery

5 Forest
2 Plains
1 Swamp


Sideboard
2 Centaur Healer
2 Lingering Souls
3 Oblivion Ring
1 Abrupt Decay
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Divine Reckoning
2 Duress
2 Sever the Bloodline

I've secretly always wanted Divine Reckoning to be a good card. Here's hoping!

On the EDH front, Ghave finally got some new toys--Twilight Mire rounding out his collection of filterlands, Sunpetal Grove doing the same for that megacycle. Corpsejack Menace also got a slot over Symbiotic Wurm. Isperia cashed out an Aether Tradewinds for a Cyclonic Rift. (Live the dream!)