TNT FNM *4-1 3rd* 2/25/11

Hello everyone! For the first time since I started this blog I played the same deck at FNM 2 weeks strait. And yes, I did go back and double check all my FNM reports. You can too if you feel so inclined. I played  the same archetype, USA Allies, but I was playtesting and tweaking the deck all week, and this is what I came up with:

4x Kabira Evangel
4x Kazandu Blademaster
2x Hero of Oxid Ridge
4x Akoum Battlesinger
4x Hada Freeblade

2x Sphere of the Suns
2x Venser, the Sojouner
3x Lightning Bolt
2x Spell Pierce
2x Mana Leak
3x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4x Preordain

4x Seachrome Coast
3x Glacial Fortress
3x Plains
3x Island
3x Mountain
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Arid Mesa

Sideboard:
3x Talus Paladin
3x Spreading Seas
4x Arc Trail
1x Lightning Bolt
1x Journey to Nowhere
3x Tuktuk Scrapper

Round 1: MW Lifegain
Game 1 started off with him getting the nuttiest of draws that included a Soul's Attendant and 3 Serra Ascendants. His life total went up all game, and mine went down, including a 12 point drop when he swung in with 2 6/6s. I can't exactly what the situation was, but I know he was at 28 life with his 3 Serra Ascendats in play who couldn't block because of my Kazandu Blademasters, and I had a Lightning Bolt in hand with Sphere of the Suns up. I was planning on blowing him out by Bolting him if he gained another 2 life and then attacked with 6/6 flyers, but for whatever reason I was unable to do that, and I lost because of it.
Game 2 started in much the same fashion when I quickly found myself down to 3 life and he had a 1/1 in play. Big papa Jace came through for me though as he let me do some unsummoning anough times to stabelize at 1 life and take him from 20 down to nothing.
Game 3 was simply a blowout as I easily won the game at 38 life thanks to strongly curving out. There really isn't much to say except that when allies curve out, there are almost no decks that can beat it.

2-1
1-0

Round 2: vs Charlotte, Elves
For this round I was against Charlotte, who always plays elves, which is an incredibly good matchup for me thanks to Talus Paladin and Kabira Evangel. Game 1 I kept a 1-lander that I couldn't resist thanks to a pair each of Hada Freeblades and Akoum Battlesingers. My next 2 draws were land, and I killed her in just 3 swings.
Game 2 was much more interesting as we both were able to set up decent board positions, and she blanked by Arc Trail in hand by having Ezuri and Elvish Archdruid in play together (Ezuri is a 3/3, so I can't kill him, but Archdruid can be regenerated). I was able to break through at one point to hit for 10 lifelink damage to bring the scores to 28-11. She then effictively conceided but decided to go down swinging, hitting me for 23 damage! I felt very lucky because I didn't calculate the swingback when I bashed, and it could have been lethal.

2-0
2-0

Round 3: vs ADB, Caw-Blade
I always get a big rush of adrenaline when I am paired against a member of Team Toys, and most would consider ADB the overall best player in the store. I quickly discovered he was playing Caw-Blade, which is supposed to be what the deck is designed to beat, but this is my first time playing against it. Game 1 was a heartbreaking loss as I bashed him down to 3, and I needed just 1 decent spell to close the books on it, but I drew 2 strait lands and was shipping right off to game 2.
I won games 2 and 3, through a ton of attacking (game 2 ended 20-0, game 3 ended 18-0) but over the course of the 2 games a couple significant plays of note happened (although I can't remember which game these all happened in):
On 2 seperate occasions (maybe once per game, maybe the same game, I can't remember...) I had Spell Pierce for Day of Judgement and Mana Leak for Day of Judegement and he didn't have the counter backup. The major reason for those counterspells is to crush players who try to take games back by tapping out for DoJ, and when it works it's seriously backbreaking.
Another significant play was my decision to bring in Tuktuk Scrapper to destroy his equipment. I played the Scrapper on turn 4 when he only had 1 mana up, and destroyed his Sword of Feast & Famine. He didn't realize how the Scrapper worked, so he played and equipped Sylvok Lifestaff to his Stoneforge. I played another Ally, destroyed the Lifestaff, Arc Trailed the Stoneforge, then swung in for a bunch. He commented afterwards how his only other play there was Squack Hawk, but it wouldn't have changed anything becuase I would have just Arc Trailed the bird too.
ADB was a ringer for the night, so by beating him I won a free pack and opened..... Mitotic Manipulation.... I'm pretty sure I just left it on the table and didn't even bother putting it in my bulk rares box.

2-1
3-0

Round 4: Tron, MB Infect
This was one of the fastest rounds I have ever played in my life. Tron and I have been working together on eachother's decks all last week, and so we both really knew eachother's decks, and we also both knew the match rested on whether or not Phyrexian Crusader made an appearance. Game 1 he did not and I killed him on turn 4. Game 2 he didn't show up either, but a turn 1 Inquisition of Kozelik stripped me of my Lightning Bolt, and he won by equipping his Plague Stinger with 2 Piston Sledges and bashing. Game 3 the Crusader finally made appearance and I couldn't find my 1 out - Jace TMS. Crusader swung, and I had to take, but instead of just grinding out a 5 turn victory Tron just double Vampire's Bite-d the Crusader, putting me to 8, and then killed me on the next swing.

1-2
3-1

Round 5: Jimbo, UB Forgemaster
Game 1 was dominated by Tezzeret, who animated a pair of artifacts and quickly killed me, while my board was held down by a Tumble Magnet. I felt good about my post-board chances though as I brought in the 3 Tuktuks. I can't remember what happened in game 2 specifically, but I won 19-0. Game 3 was blazingly fast though, and progressed like this:

Him: Creeping Tar Pit
Me: Plains, Hada Freeblade

Him: Swamp, Sphere of the Suns
Me: Mountain, Battlesinger, swing for 5 (15)

Him: Tezzeret, +1 grab Forgemaster
Me: Kazandu Blademaster, swing for 4 at Tezz, 2 at face (13)

Him: Kuldotha Forgemaster
Me: Tuktuk Scrapper, destroy Forgemaster, ping for 4 (9), swing for 11, GG

2-1
4-1

I wound up finishing 3rd behind Tron and the guy who I beat in round 6 last week. I'm pretty sure it was Tron's first time winning an FNM, which is awesome for him! His deck was simply nutty. Another notable finish was Charlotte finishing 4th, which is the first time she has prized.

Immediatly after the FNM ended I cut the 2 Sphere of the Suns and the 2 Vensers for a pair each of Jwari Shapeshifter and Umara Raptor. I have found that when this deck curves out it is simply unbeatable! So here is how our curve looks now:

1 - Hada Freeblade
2 - Jwari Shapeshifter, Kazandu Blademaster, Akoum Battlesinger
3 - Umara Raptor, Kabira Evangel
4 - Talus Paladin, Tuktuk Scrapper, Hero of Oxid Ridge (although I usually only have 1 of these in the main at a time depending on what I'm playing)

Someone suggested to me I try Kazuul Warlord, and I think it would be an insane card, and I may add 1 to try out with evenually, because he can make everything go nuts!

I really like this deck still and I will probably keep on playing it in FNM for the next couple weeks. Of the deck does well enough consistantly I may consider bringing it to an SCG Open or other large events where I can take the suprise factor of the deck back. If the meta becomes more artifact-centric, then I may move the Scrappers to the main, which can only make the deck even better!

Until next time, stay classy!