Messages

Since no match has been played at the moment I would be ok with it if olii posts his deckcode till 8 pm tomorrow (15th October 2014).

REMINDER:
Don't forget to sent me your decklist before your first match. Otherwise there is no proof that you play the right deck if somehow the deckcode doesn't match with the registered one.

Welcome to the Season XXII of the HLL.

We got 9 registered players. This means we are playing 4 rounds followed by a T4.

Following players have entered(including deck codes):

   

K0d013e4st	alecrsc5
goblinpiledriver	vcc4e1v9
MaQi	nr3e7o7h
TaZi	nt1b9o88
Vazdru	0kihcusb
ChristophO	4crl0909
Bat	lmjus2p9
captain-kaiiak	tu89rfvm
dsck	43a166dc

The winner has to post the result and a small report.

Pairings Round 1:

Vazdru	0-2	Bat
captain-kaiiak	1-2	dsck
TaZi	2-0	KOdO13e4st
ChristophO	2-0	Goblin Piledriver
Maqi	2-0	bye

Pairings Round 2:

dsck	0-2	ChristophO
TaZi	1-2	Maqi
Bat	1-2	captain-kaiiak
KOdO13e4st	0-2	Goblin Piledriver
Vazdru	2-0	bye

Pairings Round 3:

Maqi	0-2	ChristophO
Goblin Piledriver	0-2	dsck
captain-kaiiak	2-1	Vazdru
Bat	2-0	TaZi
KOdO13e4st	2-0	bye

Pairings Round 4:

ChristophO	0-0-3	captain-kaiiak
Maqi	2-0	dsck
Bat	1-2	KOdO13e4st
Goblin Piledriver	1-2	TaZi

Standings after 4th Round:

Place	Name	Points
1	ChristophO	10
2	Maqi	9
3	captain-kaiiak	7
4	dsck	6
5	KOdO13e4st	6
6	Tazi	6
7	Bat	6
8	Goblin Piledriver	3
9	Vazdru	3

Semi-Final

ChristophO	3-2	dsck
Maqi	0-3	captain-kaiiak

Final

ChristophO

2-3

captain-kaiiak

Please finish these games till Friday, 26th december.

1. Price of Progress
2. Mystical Tutor
3. Mana Drain

4enas7nh

Can someone give me a link to the new database?
thanks in advance

hitman (4C Blood-Midrange) vs ChristophO (Winter Orb Staxx)

G1: I took a free Mulligan and he kept his first seven
He won the roll and decided to play first. I kept a slow hand while he started with Acient Tomb + Signet followed by Chromatic Lantern and Sensei's Divining Top. Even without a second land he was able to let Humility hit the board on T3. My first play was a T4 Ajani to tap his Ancient Tomb but Sensei's found more lands. His Vraska + Ral Zarek took care of my planeswalkers. I tried to fight him down via 1/1 dudes but in the end a mix of Jace, the Mindsculptor + Future Sight + Top + Mana Stones + Upheavel lets me concede.

G2: I mulliganed to six and he kept his first hand
I kept a shaky hand with with three green spells but no green mana source. T2 I wasted his Volcanic Island and found Razorverge Thicket just in time to drop Lotus on T3. Garruk Relentless followed and started the token engine. T5 I topdecked Hymn to Tourach letting him discard Wrath of God and Humility and thanks to Golgari Charm I was able to "counter" his Supreme Verdict. Garruk Relentless evolved into Garruk Primal Hunter while my dudes baet him to five lifepoints. He still fought back via Demonic Tutor into Toxic Deluge. In the end Garruk found Arc Trail to end the Game. Lucky One

G3: I took a free Mulligan and he kept his first hand
He started with Mana Stones but a T3 Thoughtseize discards his only "real" spell Ral Zarek. From that point I start to build up some pressure while he played more Mana Stones. He searched for Memory Jar via Wargate but Qasali Pridemage destroyed his plan. My creatures start beat him down and he conceded.

G4: I kept my first seven and he mulliganed to six
Again I kept a hand without a green source but three lands + Hymn + Falkenrath. I topdecked Dark Confidant and decided to play him before Hymn. His first play was T3 Expedition Map. I played Hymn and via Map he searched for Mishra's Workshop in response. Hymn hit Workshop and Thran Dynamo and leaves him with Wildfire + Mindslaver + Toxic Deluge. Again a good one. Bob stil didn't reveal any lands and so we were both stuck on three mana. He was way better at finding mana sources and so he was able to play some mana stones and a Ral Zarek. Ral got handled via Dreadbore. After some turns I finally found land number four and Ajani Vengeant hit the board just in time before he reached six mana. Afterwards Qasali Pridemage + Green Sun's Zenith (Vithian Renegades) took care of his Signets and so he could play anything devastating before Ajani ticks up to his ultimate. Very close one.

3:1

hitman (4C Blood-Midrange) vs Nastaboi (5C Academy)

G1: We both kept our first seven
I won the roll and decided to play first. He has a very fast start with T1 City of Traitors + Signet and T2 Crop Rotation into Academy + Eorn Powerstone + Wasteland followed by T3 Demonic Tutor into Tezzeret, the Seeker but my T2 Sylvan Library found for everything in time and after Chandra Pyromaster hit the Board and start to generate card advantage. This plus the help of multiple Green Sun's Zenith I was able to win.

G2: I kept and he took a free Mulligan
A T1 Inquisition of Kozilek forced him to discard Sylvan Scrying and leave him with a hand of Lands + Manastone + Emrakul. He had some good draws with Shardless Agent and Wurmcoil Engine but Tidehollow Sculler (Vampire Hexmage), Xenagos the Reveler and Ajani Vengeant (forced Wurmcoil to stay tapped) build to much pressure before he played Kozilek, Butcher of Thruths and so I won this game.

G3: We both took a free Mulligan
He had a good start with Mana Stones and Shardless Agent into Worldly Tutor searching for Solemn Simulacrum to make sure he can play Channel on T5 followed by Myr Battlesphere + Batterskull. I tried to fight back via Dreadbore, Abrupt Decay, Thrun and Flametongue Kavu but in the end Kuldotha Forgemaster searching for Mindslaver seals the victory for Nastaboi.

G4: I kept and he took a free Mulligan
We both had good hands. I played a T2 Green Sun's Zenith for Deathrite Shaman so I can play a T3 Falkenrath Aristocrat. He had Toxic Deluge so my plan for straight aggro was ruined. He then used his T4 to play more Manastones while I flashed Aven Mindcensor into play. I used my turn to hit him on eleven lifepoints and without a 5th land I said go. Karn Libareted enters the battlefield going to ten and removing domri rade from my hand. Eot I played Eladamri's Call and decided to go aggro again with Bloodbraid Elf and the Thundermaw Hellkite I had in hand. I topdecked a land and Bloodbraid Elf found a Voice of Resurgence. The following attack puts him on six life. In his turn he dropped Wurmcoil Engine and then decided to remove Aven Mindcensor via Karn. At this point it seems like he totaly turned over the game. He had Karn with seven counters, three handcards, six lifepoints and a Wurmcoil Engine while I had only Thundermaw Hellkite + Liliana of the Veil in hand with five lands, voice and Bloodbraid in play. But fortune was in my side and I topdecked Maze of Ith and so I was able to achive victory.

f7qkrbif

I would also join if you have a free slot

18 Players -> 5 Rounds of swiss

1. Hauck, Christian   - 12 pts - 4C Blood Midrange
2. Stier, Thomas         - 10 pts - 4C Blood Midrange
3. Zengerling, Yannick - 9 pts - BUG Oath


Decklist are already on mtgpulse:
http://www.mtgpulse.com/event/15265#214133

hitman (Esper Control) vs Goblin Piledriver (bUG Recursion) -> 2:1
Dice Roll: me

G1: we both kept our hands
I held a hand with two lands(both produced blue), Mana Drain, Coalition Relic and Sorin and hoped he would play into Drain for an easy win but his first 'play' was a transmuted Tolria West into Wasteland on t4 after i missed landdrop 3+4. Again no land for me and i conceded quickly.
0:1

G2: we both kept our hands
The game started slow with t2 Baleful Strix for me and an expedition map + brainstorm on is side. In the replay I could see that his lands didn't fit to his spells (No UU for Mana Drain + Muddle the Mixture / GG for Garruk on board). I played a t3 Coalition Relic while he did nothing because he needed his Map for fixing. His Garruk was held back by Venser. Next turn I bribed his Primeval Titan wich got answered by his bribery on Wurmcoil Engine. But Phyrexian Metamorph into 2nd Venser was enough to win.
1:1

G3: we both kept our hands
His first play Lotus Cobra got countered by Force Spike (still love this card). Fauna Shaman was countered by Mana Leak. I accelerated myself afterwards with Chromatic Lantern so I could eat his Dryad Arbor with Shriekmaw. He animated his Fauna Shaman but got beaten slowly by Shriekmaw + Baleful Strix. He then discarded Avenger of Zendikar for his own Baleful Strix to stop the beatdown. My Shackles got countered but so I was able to play Crucible of Worlds and with the Wasteland from Expedition Map I started to destroy his landbase. He later stops the destruction via Demonic Tutor into Abrupt Decay but still gets beaten by Baleful Strix. My Tabernacle takes some of his lands out again and so his lately found Recurring Nightmare(only Avenger as target) didn't helped him out. He was forced to go all in and an eot Snapcaster Mage for his remaining two lifepoints seals the Deal.
2:1

Edit:
I played 34 Lands (6 Basics) + Maze + Tabernacle + 8 Manastones
He played 38 Lands (10 Basics) + 3 Manadudes
--> I strongly believe that 10 basics are way to much. Since you can't dig into your colors via spoils you have to play more multicolored lands in a three colored deck.

The games (not the first one with the shaky hand) were not decided in the early turns like its happen to often with Spoils Mulligan. Especially game three was very intense and close like games should be.

[1st Match:]

Here some of my first impressions of highlander without spoils mulligan.

At first some facts about the decks I played:

Staxx 33 lands + Maze + Tabernacle + around 12 Mana Artifacts
Rock 34 lands + Maze + 6 'Elves' + Tithe + Wall of Roots + Sylvan Ranger
RDW no changes to the normal state with 30 lands + Mox Diamond (laziness wins today)

To the matches:

1st Match: dice roll -> me
Maqi said the most. All I have to add is that he takes a free mulligan in game one and I went down to 6 cards in game three.

2nd Match: (He missed this I think)
4C Goodstuff (him) vs RDW - dice roll -> me

1st Game: I have a good start with some good dudes and finsh him off before he found his lifegainer.

2nd Game: I had a slow start and he managed to hold me back with Clique removing Magus of the Moon + Abrupt Decay + Witness (AD) + Ph. Image (Witness -> AD). Ruination destroyed all of his lands but he topdecked two of them and starts to beat me again with Image + Confindant. In the end I reached a draw with Flame Rift before his final attack.

3rd Game:
Not much memories but I believe I took a free mulligan and won.

RDW feels slower and I would definetly play at least 2 lands more. But in my oppinionn RDW is still getting stronger especially in game 2/3 when your opponent can dig for his silverbullets.

3rd Match: dice roll -> him
Maqi said everything. He violated me and had absolutly no chance to win. He simply cleaned the board, droped PW and countered when necessary. My Spotremoval was useless most of the time and the deck feelt extremly inferior.

4th Match: dice roll -> him
In game one I mulligained to 6 wich gets good at the point he started with t1 Black Vise + Rishadan Port. Game two I took a free mulligan again. The rest was said by Maqi.
The fact that even RDW is getting slower gave decks like Rock with their mix of Discard/Lifegain/Acellaration/Removal the opportunity to set themselves up in time to beat the ticking clock.

5th Match: dice roll -> him
1st game i decided to keep a greedy one-land-hand and gets punished right away. The other games felt easy. I believe 37+5 stones are too much in his deck.

My First Resume: ( I don't want to repeat everything I agree with Maqi)

1) Without the Spoils Mulligan games are getting slower

2) Green centered Elf-Decks are still playable! Not having the perfect curve isn't needed all time because your opponent is slower too.

3) The Dice Roll felt less important since early cruical plays are more limeted

4) Going down to 6 cards doesn't feel like an frustrating autoloss

All in all it was a first test and I don't want to overvalue my impressions, but at the moment it strengthens my oppinion that a free Mulligan is the right way to go.

Looking forward for new test sessions!
hitman

B > C >>>>>>>> A

only 8 Players (GP London + Carnival)

Final Standings

1.__Iacono, Giuseppe_____9__Bant
2.__Leuck, Marc__________6__5c-Staxx-Oath
3.__Lewis, Dominik_______6__Bw Control
4.__Hoischen, Boris_______6__Darkbant
5.__Lehmann, Ronald______3__RDW
6.__Hermann, Anna Jasmin_3__RG Beatz
7.__Müller, Martin________3__RBW Aggro
8.__Hermann, Jan Niclas___0__WW

Decklist 1st Place:
Gioseppe Iacono "The BAND"

1 Thragtusk
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Tarmogoyf
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Opposition
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Detention Sphere
1 Bribery
1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Eladamri's Call
1 Batterskull
1 Eternal Witness
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Primeval Titan
1 Harmonic Sliver
1 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Parallax Wave
1 Aven Mindcensor
1 Sylvan Library
1 Natural Order
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Brainstorm
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Mana Leak
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Restoration Angel
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Marsh Flats
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Windswept Heath
1 Arid Mesa
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Karakas
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Plains
1 Wasteland
1 Temple Garden
1 Mystic Gate
2 Island
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Savannah
1 Flooded Grove
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Tundra
1 Maze of Ith
1 Tropical Island
1 Breeding Pool
1 Hallowed Fountain
3 Forest
1 Mana Drain
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Cryptic Command
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Nature's Lore
1 Treachery
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Wall of Roots
1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
1 Three Visits
1 Acidic Slime
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Bant Charm
1 Jace Beleren
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Cultivate
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Wrath of God
1 Coalition Relic
1 Path to Exile
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Gideon Jura
1 Naturalize
1 Rhox War Monk

I strongly agree that the spoils mulligan needs a review. The most important things are said by LasH and ChristophO.

But there is still another point that annoys me. With the spoils mulligan games are getting more monotonous. this happens due to the fact that players are digging for the same cluster of game starting cards and toss away everything else. It is often said that all the creature based GWU+x decks are nearly the same even if they are focused on totally different strategies (beatdown, slow grind outs etc). In my oppinion this distortet view is caused by the spoils mulligan.

to the banned list

I am in the conception that there are still different kind of cards that should be banned. The first are cards that can be abused to simply overpower your opponent in the early game (Mishra's Workshop, Natural Order, Mana Drain). The second sort of cards are the ones that warb the whole game around them and make an easy win if the specific answer isn't found in time (Oath of Druids, Hermit Druid, Stoneforge Mystic). The last type are the i-win-on-resulotion cards (Scapeshift, Price of Progress).

I know it wouldnt be rational to ban all of these in a sudden but on the long run its not healthy to keep all of them. Right now I see Mana Drain, Natural Order and Stoneforge Mystic as the important ones to get precisely checked.