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Cross-posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HighlanderEurope

Clamp in preliminary testing has been warping decks towards smaller creatures, tutoring and anti-clamp tech. It seems to be a card that we can maybe contain with enough hate, unless something really broken comes along. After all, you typically do not have access to more than one clamp.

The question is, even if we can contain it, is it worth it? I have so many decks that I simply cannot play at the moment as they will take a hit from all the anti-clamp meta and in all honesty aren't as good as abusing clamp anyway. These decks were completely passable in the format prior, but no way I can play them in the current state of the format.

If things end up in the place I predict, we are having decks in few different categories 1) Goodstuffs with a heavy slant on dealing with artifacts and/or x/1 creatures, 2) Combo decks that try to punish people going all-in on clamp or anti-clamp and 3) Control with huge hosers to deal with everything and slamming down Night of Souls' Betrayals and Rest in Peaces to shut down entire strategies. This boils down to chaotic format where outcomes of the games are decided by the matchup and individual cards. Either, one player finds Clamp and rides it to victory as one player has no answer, or the other player plays Leovold.

These meta-game warping cards have already been unfun to play against in the past, Leovolds, Teferis, Okos and Opposition Agents are just game deciding on their own, interesting game play stops in the presence of these cards. Now, this is magnified to a whole new scale as the tutors for these cards increase. You need to find the Clamp if you are playing the Clamp deck, or you need to find a hate card for your opponent's broken plays. Tutors of all sizes will see more play and games that are solely decided by these silver bullets will increase.

I feel like the card pool of playable cards have gone down significantly in the last couple of years and now it is even more narrow. I don't think fair aggressive strategies are playable as you do not have access to tutors to do broken things or stop your opponent from doing that.

I do think part of the blame should be placed on tutors. Imperial Seal is an example of a card that either doesn't see play in the format, or sees play everywhere. I just do not think either scenario is good for the format.

Fate Reforged and German Highlander

Comments are welcome. Either here or in this thread.

[1. The combos in the deck:]

I've recieved few questions about the deck, so I figured might as well start a new thread in case there are more people wondering what is it all about. It really helps me to put all this text in to words anyway, so might as well share. If you have more questions, I am more than happy to answer them. New card suggestions are also welcome. I've tried so many cards over the course of making the deck, I might have answer ready why something isn't in the deck, but it just as likely that you present me something I've never though of. Just leave a comment here or send me a PM and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Current decklist:

// Lands
   1 Tropical Island
   1 Savannah
   1 Underground Sea
   1 Tundra
   1 Scrubland
   1 Bayou
   1 Verdant Catacombs
   1 Arid Mesa
   1 Marsh Flats
   1 Misty Rainforest
   1 Bloodstained Mire
   1 Tree of Tales
   1 Island
   1 Seat of the Synod
   1 Polluted Delta
   1 Flooded Strand
   1 Windswept Heath
   1 Scalding Tarn
   1 Plains
   1 Ancient Den
   1 Vault of Whispers
   1 Tolarian Academy
   1 Ancient Tomb
   1 Tolaria West
   1 City of Traitors
   1 Darksteel Citadel
   1 Great Furnace
   1 Wooded Foothills
   1 Deserted Temple
   1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
   1 Volcanic Island
   1 Crystal Vein
   1 Horizon Canopy

// Some more mana
   1 Candelabra of Tawnos
   1 Jeweled Amulet
   1 Tooth of Ramos
   1 Mind Stone
   1 Mox Diamond
   1 Mox Opal
   1 Lotus Bloom
   1 Lotus Petal

// Sunrises
   1 Second Sunrise
   1 Open the Vaults
   1 Faith's Reward

// Eggs
   1 Elsewhere Flask
   1 Prophetic Prism
   1 Kaleidostone
   1 Nihil Spellbomb
   1 Conjurer's Bauble
   1 Darkwater Egg
   1 Mossfire Egg
   1 Skycloud Egg
   1 Shadowblood Egg
   1 Sungrass Egg
   1 Chromatic Sphere
   1 Chromatic Star
   1 Scroll of Avacyn
   1 Sunbeam Spellbomb
   1 Necrogen Spellbomb
   1 AEther Spellbomb
   1 Phyrexian Furnace
   1 Ichor Wellspring
   1 Lifespark Spellbomb
   1 Scrabbling Claws

// Tutors
   1 Crop Rotation
   1 Enlightened Tutor
   1 Muddle the Mixture
   1 Mystical Tutor
   1 Wargate
   1 Fabricate
   1 Tezzeret the Seeker
   1 Expedition Map
   1 Reshape
   1 Transmute Artifact
   1 Artificer's Intuition
   1 Tainted Pact
   1 Demonic Tutor
   1 Trinket Mage
   1 Sylvan Scrying

// Draw 7
   1 Time Spiral
   1 Timetwister
   1 Wheel of Fortune
   1 Memory Jar
   1 Windfall
   1 Diminsihing Returns

// C-c-c-combo
   1 Lion's Eye Diamond
   1 Thopter Foundry
   1 Sword of the Meek
   1 Auriok Salvagers
   1 Rings of Brighthearth
   1 Codex Shredder
   1 Zuran Orb
   1 Pyrite Spellbomb

// Random value stuff
   1 Voltaic Key
   1 Obelisk of Undoing
   1 Scroll Rack
   1 Defense Grid
   1 Brainstorm
   1 Sensei's Divining Top
   1 Thoughtcast
   1 Capsize

So the recent changes have been: -Flagstones of Trokair -Thirst for Knowledge // +Sylvan Scrying +Diminishing Returns


1. The combos in the deck:

Rings of Brighthearth & Deserted Temple/Minamo - You untap Academy and copy the ability to target itself. If you have 4+ artifacts, you generate infinite blue mana. If you combo with Deserted Temple, you can also untap all other lands you have, generating infinite amount of other colors as well. Same can be achieved with Candelabra of Tawnos + Voltaic Key/Obelisk of Undoing (copy the ability of the Key/Obelisk onto itself as well as the Candelabra), if you don't have an untapping land. Then you usually sac some eggs and if you sacrifice spellbombs or similar, you can copy the card draw as well. Eggs themselves cannot be copied since they are mana abilities.

Rings of Brighthearth + Infinite mana + Sensei's Divining Top - will draw you your deck, just keep copying the card draw which draws you a random card + Top. Rings also is a wondrous value card against slower decks, so it's really important card all around. In a stalemate situation having Top + Rings is just nuts, if you have Academy you can draw a whole bunch of cards every turn. Voltaic Key + Sensei's Top is also pretty good combination and the latter is fetchable with Artificer's Intuition.

Another infinite combo is Zuran Orb + Second Sunrise/Faith's Reward + Codex Shredder. If your lands generate nine mana, sac them all to Zorb and use the Shredder to bring back Second Sunrise and you gain inifinite mana and life. Add an egg, and you can draw your deck.

Candelabra + Capsize + Academy has the potential to yield infinite mana if you have 9+ artifacts, which isn't that hard to do. Capsize also straight up wins in that position, be it that you just bounce everything they have and then keep replaying Kaleidostone or another cantripping thing to draw the deck.

Thopter/Sword is usually the go-to combo when playing against monored or other fast aggro. Academy goes nuts with the tokens as they are also artifacts. I used to have Krark-Clan Ironworks in the deck, which would go inifinite with the Thopter/Sword, but I don't think the card is necessary, even though it's pretty good. I suggest you trying Ironworks for yourself once you get more comfortable with the deck as I might just have a personal bias against the card.

LED + Salvagers is kind of a "oops, I win" - combo since you don't have that many tutors for Salvagers. He is a pretty good value guy even when he is not going off, so I consider that combo to be almost free anyway.

You usually kill with Pyrite Spellbomb. Looping it with Salvagers or Conjurer's Bauble. Infinite Thopters will also do the trick especially if you have Capsize going, so getting Pyrite exiled is not a huge deal.


2. How to get to the combos:

One really important role player is Artificer's Intuition. It can find Academy (through Expedition Map), mana when you have Academy (Candelabra + Voltaic Key/Obelisk of Undoing), Regrowth (Codex Shredder), mini-combo (Top + Voltaic Key) or a combo piece (LED). Having Academy in play and Open the Vaults in hand is incredible if you have Intuition going. You can stack the graveyard with LED + Lotus Bloom + Lotus Petal + some artifact lands + Zorb + Codex Shredder to go infinite with the Open the Vaults.

Sunrise is very often used as a simple value card in mid-game. Just sac a bunch of stuff to draw a few cards to get a little bit deeper with your deck and the card has filled it's role. They also bring back lands, so you can ramp up with fetchlands as well. Zuran Orb + Sunrise is very good against monored. Just gaining 8 life and still having Zuran Orb in play is really valuable in that matchup and buys you a ton of time. Especially if you can ramp with fetches to have even more lifegain available later on.


3. Matchups

If you play against aggro, you need to mulligan into a hand that will have some form of draw 7, a combo piece and/or a tutor. You cannot durdle around too long and your early game is pretty much just dropping down some artifacts, so there is not too much room to maneuver. Against control or slower decks it is fine to keep a hand with no action. The deck is incredibly redundant, since half of the deck cycles and if you have time, you will mass enough mana and cards soon enough to overrun a counterwall. Draw sevens are incredible. If you play a bunch of cheap artifacts in the early turns and then cast a Timetwister, you have access to huge amount of cards next turn. This is perfectly viable plan against aggro as well. Just cast them as soon as possible against fast decks and burn through counters with other spells first against control.

I feel that aggro is around 50-50, Naya is slightly more problematic because of some hatebears are just the nuts. Control I like facing. I have so many cards they need to counter and I have so much mana once I find the Academy that I can easily play bunch of those problematic cards on the same turn.


4. Some of the questions answered

Why especially Tooth of Ramos?

It provides the double white for Open the Vaults and Second Sunrise. It can help to get the loop (with Codex Shredder) going if the double white is hard to come by.

Why no Terrarion?

This probably goes back in now that my main focus has shifted from being Sunrise specific to include more combos. Terrarion can't loop things with Sunrises, but having one egg that doesn't do it seems fine now. I am going to test this once I find room.

Is Thopter Foundry really necessary?

I feel it is. It is somewhat late introduction to the deck, but in order to have a good aggro matchup, I think you need it. I actually also felt exactly the same way, long time it just felt unnecessary. It's pretty effective against any other deck as well, even if it doesn't kill instantly. It can make some dorks to put pressure and if your control opponent deals with it, they probably had to use some resources to sweep the board and get rid of Foundry all the while you used all the mana to make more flying pests and stock up on cards ready to throw them all out if endless army of 1/1 fliers didn't get there.

Why play Flagstones?

Flagstones of Trokair was in the deck (I recently took it out) when I realized I needed more lands and it was next on my "might as well try it if I find room" - list. It seemed somewhat cute with Zuran Orb, especially if you back that up with Sunrise, but I never really believed it would be important card anyway. It might come back again if I find the current land count to be too few, which I honestly feel like it is. Obviously, if I stumble across a better value land or feel the need to add Plateau, then Flagstones will go down couple of slots.

[Format Staple]

Now that everyone is excited about M15 spoilers and Conspiracy is almost forgotten little summer set, it's a great time to write a set review for it, right?

Cards are in no particular order, I mean there were like 50 new ones and dozen or so were cards that we can't even play outside of draft.

Link to the visual spoiler:

The grading scale I use for this review:

Format Staple - Sees play in numerous decks, sometimes even an autoinclusion in decks that run the required colors. Examples: Mana Drain, Demonic Tutor

Archetype Staple - Will see a lot of play in an established deck or two, but is not powerful enough to break free from the deck type it is mostly associated with. Examples: Goblin Guide, Fact or Fiction

Potential - Sometimes appears in an established decks, but is not considered to be automatically included in any deck. Examples: Bonfire of the Damned, Harmonize

Niche - Doesn't fit to any current archetypes or those archetypes aren't strong enough to be playable, but there is a chance you see this played against you should a lot of things come together. Only for professional drivers on a closed track. Lot of the cards I highlight fall into this category, because I am just that type of sicko. Also there wouldn't be much to talk about if I didn't include cards of this category. Examples: Spiteful Returned, Scroll of Avacyn

Unplayable - Should not see play at all. If I don't review a card, it means that I don't think it is playable (or I brain-farted), but sometimes I talk about unplayable cards because I have a horrible pun or the card looks playable, but might be a bit deceiving if you are unfamiliar with the deck or format. Examples: Lost in the Woods


Dack Fayden

The big one.

First ability isn't terrible in a generic control deck. Sure, it probably doesn't generate straight up card advantage, but you do see a lot of cards every turn. This eliminates some of the problem control decks have that you simply draw the wrong part of your deck. Of course, if you happen to be able to abuse graveyard in some form or fashion, Dack becomes pretty incredible.

The second ability is massively powerful in HL. Not only we have artifact centric decks (hello Academy) that could very easily fall apart when you steal their most important toy, but pretty much every deck plays at least some artifacts and stealing freshly played sword of somethingsomething from an aggro opponent saves you a lot of headache even when you are unable to equip your own guys. He even hits the curve to steal an opposing signet when you are on the play. That is a huge swing. Dack even survives if you activate this ability first thing when he hits the table. What this effectively means is that you can hold casting him if you other things to do before you get ready to steal something. I mean, stealing premium artifacts is kinda hard when opponents refuse to play them to the open maw of Dack. This is the ability you want Dack for most of the time, everything else is there just to s(t)eal the deal.

Ultimate is kinda useless. It's hard to target stuff without destroying them or bouncing them. Dack isn't good enough reason to start playing bad cards. The one redeeming thing is that you can sometimes target opposing finishers with red removal spells that otherwise cannot kill them, but opponents can play around that possibility pretty easily. Lightning Bolts also never target the planeswalkers even when it reduces their loyalty, so no luck there either. It is however nice to be able to bolt opponents Solemn Simulacrums and be the one to draw the card, but I assume the continuous Careful Study is more often simply the better play.

The real nice thing about the ultimate is that when it's good, it's really good. These rare occurrences make good stories to share with your friends between the rounds. I personally look forward to recite some epic Dack Tales. #woohoo.

Verdict: Archetype Staple

---

Council's Judgment

Wait what? So, kill anything for three mana? Actually no, not kill, EXILE anything. And I do mean A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, from True-Name Nemesis to Elspeth, Knight-Errant to Helix Pinnacle, you just declare that it's gone and *poof*. I love Oblivion Ring and this is O-Ring on steroids. At the end of the day, this is still _just_ a removal spell, but I would argue that this is even more flexible than Vindicate. Getting through untargetable things and exiling is a big deal and arguably more relevant than killing a land. Doesn't really matter what I type, or argue about irrelevant little things, I judge this to be a format staple.

I do want to point the slight drawback that probably comes up sometimes, although it is so easy to miss that not everybody is remembers to exercise that possibility. I am of course talking about the fact that you can choose to exile a liable card when your opponent casts this. Just try to remember this the next time you are about to die to your Dark Confidant and your opponent casts Council's Judgement.

Verdict: Format Staple

---

Custodi Soulbinders

The posterchild for win more - the movie premiering this summer.

Verdict: Unplayable

---

Muzzio, Visionary Architect

I... don't... hate him. I mean, I don't like him either. Artifacts are able to manipulate the top the deck via Scroll Rack and Sensei's Top, so you can cheat a little, but even when you are not, he still should hit decently every once in a while. Ability costs a lot and you need expensive artifacts, but that is pretty much what the Academy decks do nowadays anyway and cards like these that generate card advantage and impact the board are premium in that deck. I do not think this goes into every Academy build, or it might never go to one once we figure out the "optimal" way to build the deck, but I am not ready to dismiss Muzzio until we have settled with more or less commonly accepted "best" Academy deck. I grade him probably somewhere around useless training wheels and a niche card. Either way, probably worth testing out if you are a brewer.

Verdict: Niche

---

Plea for Power

I've played Concentrate, I don't mind playing another one in certain decks (combo). This will pop up here and there, but probably doesn't matter to most players.

Verdict: Niche

---

Tyrant's Choice

Two mana four damage to the face is playable in a red deck, in BR aggro this could work if you want cheap and fast burn just to finish the game. Mono black aggro probably wants to win with their creatures, but this is quite efficient burn spell for them should the need arise.

In short, this effect is playable in the format, but the deck that wants to do black burn spells might not be.

Verdict: Niche

---

Scourge of the Throne

Good chance that Dragonstorm for this and Hellkite Overlord will be enough, but nine mana is probably still a bit too steep. You also probably want to play more dragons just to play around spot removal, random life loss from your opponent or drawing one of your combo pieces.

With Mystical in the format there might be a shot for Dragonstorm to do something, but I feel like we have better combo-options anyway. A bit shame really.

Verdict: Unplayable

---

Treasonous Ogre

Very unique ability. Not that it matters too much as this is a horrible deal and bad body. I am not going to write this one off just because there only needs to be some weird lifegain card that gains you four or more life for one mana for this to go infinite and then all the bets are off.

Verdict: Niche

---

Dack's Duplicate

I was going to make a joke about recent trend of Wizards printing clones for about every set, but couldn't think of an original one.

Four mana just might not be the thing for clones. Phyrexian Metamorph and Phantasmal Image have been so successful because they are relatively cheap. I reserve some right for this one, since Haste is quite an ability, randomly growing is nice little bonus too.

Verdict: Niche

---

Grenzo, Dungeon Warden

Hey. Not bad. Seems right at home in Goblin deck, Grenzo being goblin and all that jazz, but also the ability is quite decent mana sink whenever you fail to hit the perfect curve, which is a decent problem with the goblin deck with the new mulligan. He is primarily a two drop, but nice for him to scale with the turn you cast it too. Just think of this a pretty good two drop in creature-heavy decks (great one in Goblins), but don't forget that he can be much bigger later on. Also creates interesting scenarios when you need to figure out how big you need him to be and should you purposely make him smaller so that you can activate him immediately.

Verdict: Archetype Staple

---

Marchesa, the Black Rose


Powerful, but slow. Also kinda hard to cast and weakish body to CMC ratio make me very unlikely to ever consider this in any kind of serious fashion. Also, she triggers in the next end step, means that you can't go straight up infinite with her ever, so if you want this effect, Lifeline is still probably the card to go to and the last time Lifeline has seen play was back when everybody were really worried about the Y2K.

Verdict: Unplayable

---

Selvala, Explorer Returned


Just looking at the mana cost, ability and stats made me relatively unimpressed. You hate giving your opponents cards, you hate unreliable mana producers (see: Mul Daya Channelers) and you really hate unreliable life gain when you absolutely need it. It really doesn't help that she is very good even if you don't hit exactly perfect with her against aggressive decks, but it is suspect to put all your chips in the center and tap this to desperately try to get two mana to cast some big green dude. This guy also hates Sensei's Divining Top with a scorching passion.

On the other hand...

Pyyhttu pointed to me that she is an elf. This is very much relevant as elves as a combo-aggro deck (or even pure combo) has problems if they cannot start drawing cards and with multiple untappers Selvala can go through most of your deck all the while generating mana and life. I think she either is a slam dunk for the elves in general or she might even get the pure combo version that much closer to playablity. She also wins with Mind Over Matter, but that is a combo that probably never gets assembled outside of Elder Dragon Commander.

I am going to say she is an archetype staple, but I have little to no experience of elves in this format, so I cannot say if I am being very generous or not. In short, I don't like her in decks that cannot untap her with decent reliability.

Verdict: Archetype Staple

---

Magister of Worth

I don't like six mana wraths at all, but they usually don't come with 4/4 flyer attached. Also, this is very much abusable, as you can reanimate him (her?) and get the board wipe going. This probably still won't make it to very many decks, six mana just is too much, but it can be quite nice option for decks that can abuse kind of ETB (Read: Reanimator) or want to overload on sweepers anyway (Read: Stax).

Verdict: Niche

EDIT: Formatted to make the text little bit more readable

[Format Staple]

Hello world. This time I add final verdicts of the cards I review. This should help you understand how playable I think the card is since random wall of text isn't always the best possible way to get the message across. I am not going to give number ratings, because those really don't mean anything. The grading system I use is as follows:

Format Staple - Sees play in numerous decks, sometimes even an autoinclusion in decks that run the required colors. Examples: Mana Drain, Demonic Tutor

Archetype Staple - Will see a lot of play in an established deck or two, but is not powerful enough to break free from the deck type it is mostly associated with. Examples: Goblin Guide, Fact or Fiction

Potential - Sometimes appears in an established decks, but is not considered to be automatically included in any deck. Examples: Bonfire of the Damned, Harmonize

Niche - Doesn't fit to any current archetypes or those archetypes aren't strong enough to be playable, but there is a chance you see this played against you should a lot of things come together. Only for professional drivers on a closed track. Lot of the cards I highlight fall into this category, because I am just that type of sicko. Also there wouldn't be much to talk about if I didn't include cards of this category. Examples: Spiteful Returned, Scroll of Avacyn

Unplayable - Should not see play at all. If I don't review a card, it means that I don't think it is playble (or I brain-farted), but sometimes I talk about unplayble cards because I have a horrible pun or the card looks playable, but might be a bit deceiving if you are unfamiliar with the deck or format. Examples: Lost in the Woods

Link to the visual spoiler. Should make following this review easier: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/journeyintonyx/cig


- WHITE -

Card Name:   Aegis of the Gods
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   1W
Type & Class:    Enchantment Creature - Human Soldier
Pow/Tou:   2/1
Card Text:   You have hexproof.

True Believer isn't playable, neither is this.

Verdict: Unplayable
                           
                           

Card Name:   Banishing Light
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   2W
Type & Class:   Enchantment
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   When Banishing Light enters the battlefield, exile target nonland permanent an opponent controls until Banishing Light leaves the battlefield.

Yep. Oblivion Ring is pretty darn sweet Magic card. Not only is it powerful, it is also largely fair. Having more of these will make any format better.

Verdict: Format Staple

                           

Card Name:   Eidolon of Rhetoric
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   2W
Type & Class:   Enchantment Creature - Spirit
Pow/Tou:   1/4
Card Text:   Each player can't cast more than one spell each turn.

I am really baffled by the stats on this guy. I see no reason to make him a Horned Turtle. I mean, were this more aggressively costed he would have been able to beat down and provide problems for combo decks. Probably a modern plant to dodge a Lightning Bolt, but still a decent hoser to the Storm combo.

Verdict: Unplayable

Card Name:   Font of Vigor
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   1W
Type & Class:   Enchantment
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   2W, Sacrifice Font of Vigor: You gain 7 life.

Michael Hetrick pointed out that it is more expensive to gain 7 life that it is to Rampant Growth or to draw two cards. And that worries me. I mean, this is not a good message to show to the younger generation.

Verdict: Unplayble
                           

Card Name:   Launch the Fleet
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   W
Type & Class:   Sorcery
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Strive - Launch the Fleet costs 1 more to cast for each target beyond the first.
Until end of turn, any number of target creatures each gain "Whenever this creature attacks, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield tapped and attacking."

If you can make use of tokens, this is quite good. Anthems make these tokens pretty devastating and the card only requires one colored mana. It still need other cards to work, so it's not a card I would play in WW for example as that deck really doesn't want any cards that might not do anything. Reserve this to straight token decks.

Verdict: Niche

Card Name:   Nyx-Fleece Ram
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   1W
Type & Class:   Enchantment Creature - Sheep
Pow/Tou:   0/5
Card Text:   At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 1 life.

I tried to count the number of unplayable cards in this set, but I always fell asleep at this point.

Verdict: Unplayable
                           

Card Name:   Oppressive Rays
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   W
Type & Class:   Enchantment - Aura
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays {3}. Activated abilities of enchanted creature cost {3} more to activate.

Well, playing three mana is a lot. This is close enough to kill spell that it might be worth running if you can gain advantage of this being an enchantment. I wish enchantress was a playable deck.

verdict: Niche

Card Name:   Skybind
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   3WW
Type & Class:   Enchantment
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Constellation - Whenever Skybind or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, exile target non-enchantment permanent. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.

I like how Wizards makes that every card with this mechanic is clearly flawed in some form or fashion to prevent it seeing play. Skybinds of this set should get constellation prize for trying though.

Verdict: Unplayable

Card Name:   Tethmos High Priest
Card Color:   W
Mana Cost:   2W
Type & Class:   Creature - Cat Cleric
Pow/Tou:   2/3
Card Text:   Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Tethmos High Priest, return target creature card with converted mana cost 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.

I don't believe there is a combo with this, but if there ever will be... well, you know the drill.

Verdict: Niche


- BLUE -

Card Name:   Battlefield Thaumaturge
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   1U
Type & Class:   Creature - Human Wizard
Pow/Tou:   2/1
Card Text:   Each instant and sorcery spell you cast costs 1 less to cast for each creature it targets.
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Battlefield Thaumaturge, Battlefield Thaumaturge gains hexproof until end of turn.

Wizards were a supported tribe back in the olden days and we have cards like Patron Wizard (Also, pretty nice with devotion. Master of Waves is also a wizard, btw) that are just begging to have enough playable wizards around to have their time in the sun. Battlefield Thaumaturge has decent stats and not a horrible ability considering the deck type he might go to. Aggro-control really likes to have their removal or bounce cheapened. Too bad that the two slot of playable wizards is quite packed and this might not be powerful enough to make the cut.

That is, if the deck becomes even remotely playable in the first place.

Verdict: Niche

                           

Card Name:   Dakra Mystic
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   U
Type & Class:   Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Pow/Tou:   1/1
Card Text:   U,T: Each player reveals the top card of his or her library. You may put the revealed cards into their owners' graveyards. If you don't, each player draws a card.

I really don't know about this one. The body is largely irrelevant and the ability requires mana, so I am voting no. It even has the perfect creature types to make the grading a little bit harder, but I trust my gut feeling still.

Verdict: Unplayable
                           
                           

Card Name:   Dictate of Kruphix
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   1UU
Type & Class:   Enchantment
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Flash
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional card.

Howling Mine becomes a lot better if you get the first card. You can also keep countermagic open until you choose to pull the trigger and start to draw some cards. Howling Mine decks haven't been that playable recently, but HL probably has enough copies of the namesake card that it could work in some level.

Verdict: Niche

Card Name:   Interpret the Signs
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   5U
Type & Class:   Sorcery
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Scry 3, then reveal the top card of your library. Draw cards equal to that card's converted mana cost.

If you plan to chain card draw together this is quite good. All you need is to have some form of engine going (I'd suggest Omniscience, Dream Halls or Mind over Matter) and this should be a decent card in the deck.

Verdict: Niche

                           

Card Name:   Pull from the Deep
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   2UU
Type & Class:   Sorcery
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   Return up to one target instant card and up to one target sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. Exile Pull from the Deep.

See previous entry. In a deck like that this could do some things.

Verdict: Niche
                         

Card Name:   Thassa's Ire
Card Color:   U
Mana Cost:   U
Type & Class:   Enchantment
Pow/Tou:   
Card Text:   3U: You may tap or untap target creature.

If this can somehow generate infinite mana and not require two other cards, it is quite powerful. The effect has uses when you are not comboing and it is cheap as hell. Wirewood Channeler is probably the most elegant way and comes close of being straight up two card combo, but I don't know would you really want to run this in an elf deck anyway. Most likely not playable now and... well probably never, but there is a non-zero chance for this.

Verdict: Niche

[Brimaz, King of Oreskos]

Felt like doing a set review and considering how few playables we have, the task wasn't too daunting. We did get some spicy ones and lot of cards that could see play once in blue moon, should every star in the universe align right, but I guess that is the case with every set.


Link to the visual spoiler if that helps people to follow this: http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/bornofthegods/cig

Name:   Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Cost:    1ww
Type:    Legendary Creature — Cat Soldier
Pow/Tgh:    3/4
Rules Text:    Vigilance
Whenever Brimaz, King of Oreskos attacks, put a 1/1 white Cat Soldier creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield attacking.
Whenever Brimaz blocks a creature, put a 1/1 white Cat Soldier creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield blocking that creature.

Brimaz is probably the card of the set. Not only is it an autoslam into any aggro that can produce the double white on turn three with ease, but it's also a good one to have against aggro. I could see some of the control decks picking this up since it's hard to attack into with most of the aggro creatures and it finishes games quickly if opponent stumbles, or when you stabilize. Vigilance is quite the nice one to sneak a few free attacks here and there.

It should also be noted how these triggers behave with planeswalkers, as you can declare Brimaz attacking an opponent and when the trigger resolves, your kitty-cat is free to attack any planeswalkers they control if you so choose. This can even get by stuff Gideon Jura. Same goes for Hero of Bladehold. This is actually sometimes relevant in HL, so bear that in mind.

It's not going to be a new Kitchen Finks or anything as removal is still one for one trade, unless you get to swing with it, but the power is clearly there.

Name:   Fated Retribution
Cost:    4WWW
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Destroy all creatures and planeswalkers. If it's your turn, scry 2.

Akroma's vengeance is a super powerful card. The main reason it sees so little play is that there aren't enough cards that mimic it. After all, playing cheap artifact acceleration is a bit of a liability when you want to clear them and if you only have say one Akroma's Vengeance in your deck, you are playing weaker version of a deck for no particular reason. Fated Retribution is not nearly as powerful as Nevinyrral's Disk, Planar Cleansing or Vengeance, but there is a very slight chance for it. After all, it does deal with planeswalkers, which is very useful for a sweeper and Scry 2 in a seven mana spell is easily worth something like a card.

I am really doubtful, but we might have the critical mass of these sweepers at some point and retribution could theoretically be one of them.

Name:   Spirit of the Labyrinth
Cost:    1W
Type:    Enchantment Creature — Spirit
Pow/Tgh:    3/1
Rules Text:    Each player can't draw more than one card each turn.

This has the legacy crowd excited and for a good reason: It's an excellent answer to the most powerful card in the format: Brainstrom.

It's much weaker in HL, but here the 3/1 body doesn't raise suspicisions as the sideboards of Legacy are already quite capable of taking down opposing 3/1's for some reason. In any case, it's still pretty good hate bear that will kill stumbling combo/control decks in quick fashion if not dealt with. Tutorable with Enlightened Tutor is probably straight up bonus as the decks you want this against probably don't have too many ways to destroy enchantments specifically.

Name:   Fated Infatuation
Cost:    UUU
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature you control. If it's your turn, scry 2.

Cackling Counterpart doesn't see play and making it harder to cast is a good way to make sure the fate of this card is sealed. Shame really.

Name:   Perplexing Chimera
Cost:    4u
Type:    Enchantment Creature — Chimera
Pow/Tgh:    3/3
Rules Text:    Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may exchange control of Perplexing Chimera and that spell. If you do, you may choose new targets for the spell. (If the spell becomes a permanent, you control that permanent.)

What a Perplexing card. At first I thought this could be another Spellskite in your combodeck that has decent uses, but it is very powerful when you are ahead. Any card your opponent has can just be stolen, so they really can't climb back into the game with something like a planeswalker while this is in play. Sweepers still work perfectly fine. It's also pretty nice to have in counterspell wars. Opposing Misdirection at will is super annoying when you have two counterspells on the stack.

The fact that it's pretty weak when you are losing is probably what makes him ultimately not worth the slot, but it sure looks like fun little number.

Name:   Retraction Helix
Cost:    u
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Until end of turn, target creature gains "{T}: Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand."

I love Puresight Merrow, but this card just doesn't quite pack enough punch on it's own. Guess I need to stick with Opposition.

Name:   Stratus Walk
Cost:    1u
Type:    Enchantment — Aura
Rules Text:    Enchant creature
When Stratus Walk enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Enchanted creature has flying.
Enchanted creature can block only creatures with flying.

There are decent value for cheap cantripping permanents. If you can bounce them or you have Argothian Enchantress in play, there is always some cheap ways to gain some CA. Not that I expect Stratus Walk to be enchantress staple, but all it takes is some weird card to come along and change things.

Name:   Drown in Sorrow
Cost:    1BB
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Scry 1.

Infest could be an okay spell and this one does something even if you don't need it. Granted the effect is super minimal, but it's still miles better than stone nothing.

Also, killing two creatures and Scrying for one is incredibly good for three mana.

Name:   Gild
Cost:    3b
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Exile target creature. Put a colorless artifact token named Gold onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."

Nope. Four mana spot removal isn't the thing. The upside just isn't good enough. Seize the Soul is miles better and it sees no play.

Name:   Odunos River Trawler
Cost:    2b
Type:    Creature — Zombie
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    When Odunos River Trawler enters the battlefield, return target enchantment creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
{W}, Sacrifice Odunos River Trawler: Return target enchantment creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

I have no idea what kind of deck would want this, but if there is one, this is really good in it. Maybe deck that has bunch of enchantment based removal? Get in there Blightcaster.

Name:   Pain Seer
Cost:    1B
Type:    Creature — Human Wizard
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:   Inspired — Whenever Pain Seer becomes untapped, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to that card's converted mana cost.

It's clearly not Dark Confidant, but we don't have too many of those anyway. It's not strictly worse either, you can pretty much choose if don't want to activate this and that beats losing when it matters. 90% of the time you are playing Dark Confidant and not this, but again, that's not nothing.

Name:   Sanguimancy
Cost:    4b
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is your devotion to black.

Probably not worth it even in MBC. You don't have enough control over how much life you lose and when you want to draw a bunch of spells, you might not have the choice to do that. MBC has enough good card draw that there is no need to resort to this.

Also, pretty classic example of a "win more" card.

Name:   Spiteful Returned
Cost:    1B
Type:    Enchantment Creature — Zombie
Pow/Tgh:    1/1
Rules Text:    Bestow {3}{B}
Whenever Spiteful Returned or enchanted creature attacks, defending player loses 2 life.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.

Well this potential is 4 damage for four mana, no matter how big is the opposing army. It's pretty decent two drop as well and Bestowaway cost is more than reasonable. I could see this being playable, or even pretty good part of an aggressive black deck. Wei Ambush Force is a card I've actually played not too long ago and this is clearly superior in multiple ways.

Name:   Archetype of Aggression
Cost:    1RR
Type:    Enchantment Creature — Human Warrior
Pow/Tgh:    3/2
Rules Text:    Creatures you control have trample.
Creatures your opponents control lose trample and can't have or gain trample.

Is this playable? I feel like it's just below the line. 3/2 Trample is not quite on par with red three drops, but it's not far. Giving trample to your other guys is a decent bonus, but red creatures tend not to care too much. Could be pretty cool in a RG aggro. The the last line of the oracle text is practically part of flavor text, so judge accordingly.

Name:   Bolt of Keranos
Cost:    1RR
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Bolt of Keranos deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Scry 1.

Had this been printed as an instant it might have had a shot to appear somewhere. Sadly it isn't.

Name:   Reckless Reveler
Cost:    1R
Type:    Creature — Satyr
Pow/Tgh:    2/1
Rules Text:    {R}, Sacrifice Reckless Reveler: Destroy target artifact.

I like Torch Fiend. Playing two seems like a pretty decent idea with all these Academy decks running around and now we get to.

Name:   Searing Blood
Cost:    RR
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Searing Blood deals 2 damage to target creature. When that creature dies this turn, Searing Blood deals 3 damage to that creature's controller.

It's annoying when the creature needs to actually die for you to shoot your opponent, but that being said I'd say this is RDW-worty easily. While Searing Blaze is better in your opener, this is actually an instant so it's not strictly worse. Better top deck later in the game as well. Two damage is enough to kill lots of relevant things and three to dome while you are clearing a blocker out of the way feels so good.

[1. Janne Öhman - Arabian Nights Special]

Five rounds of swiss, no top8. Very sizeable HL tournament considering this was just a one attraction in a convention with a GPT and PTQ tossed into the mix.

Metagame was full of RDW, few Zoo players here and there and the rest seemed to be scattered. I might get more info from the organizers later on about this.

Results:

Code Select Expand

1       Öhman, Janne             15      60      90.9091 57.5974
2       Simola, Joonas           12      66.6    72.7273 61.7553
3       Kilappa, Vantte          12      59.3333 64.1026 57.5397
4       Eskelinen, Jani          12      58.6    69.2308 57.1775
5       Pyyhtiä, Tuomas          12      53.2    66.6667 42.1795
6       Tiilikainen, Jussi       11      58.6667 60.6061 56.345
7       Teittinen, Mikael        10      64      59.5238 61.6783
8       Lagerspetz, Simo         10      52      66.6667 50.9206
9       Rinkinen, Jarkko         10      49.3333 56.6667 49.8485
10      Ojala, Annukka           10      49.2667 53.8462 44.9692
11      Manninen, Riku           9       65.3333 58.3333 57.55
12      Hyvarinen, Mikko         9       60      58.3333 55.8418
13      Heikinheimo, Mikael      9       58.6    54.5455 55.671
14      Alkio, Anssi             9       55.9333 57.1429 48.6344
15      Envall, Tapio            9       54      61.1111 50.2808
16      Antikainen, Tomi         9       51.9333 63.6364 45.5125
17      Lehtinen, Markus         9       49.2667 63.6364 39.041
18      Juntti, Juho             7       50.6    54.5455 44.1
19      Airikainen, Antti        7       49.2667 50      44.3468
20      Mutru, Jesse             7       46.6    41.6667 42.8975
21      Kriikku, Mikko           6       53.25   44.4444 51.3034
22      Oljakka, Jarno           6       50.6    42.8571 51.6492
23      Ripatti, Jani            6       50.6    41.6667 50.0043
24      Laitinen, Ville          6       50.6    37.037  50.0758
25      Kähärä, Ville            6       45.9333 40      43.2828
26      Koskivirta, Jasu         6       45.2667 41.0256 46.2346
27      Vilpola, Pekko           4       48.3333 42.4242 49.5833
28      Karilahti, Mikko         3       66.5556 42.8571 56.0295
29      Ekman, Axel              3       53.2222 42.8571 47.3545
30      Moisio, Alex             3       51.9333 25      46.2424
31      Kaipainen, Anttu         3       51      28.5714 49.5455
32      Silvast, Tero            3       50.75   40      44.0438
33      Ahonen, Pekka            3       46.6667 37.5    47.4053
34      Ovaskainen, Kari         3       46.5556 42.8571 40.1831
35      Lukkarinen, Ossi         3       44.3333 50      36.3636
36      Sormunen, Pekka          3       43.1667 20.8333 39.3875
37      Hakosalo, Joose          1       44.8333 26.6667 36.3663
38      Ahtiainen, Olli          1       43.25   23.3333 45.303
39      Kiukas, Jani             0       57.7778 0       60.101
40      Savolainen, Sami         0       46.6667 14.2857 49.3867
41      Ahokas, Jussi            0       40      33.3333 41.9414
42      Pylkk?, Arttu            0       33.1667 20      33.9286

Top 8 - decklists:

1. Janne Öhman - Arabian Nights Special

17x Plains
6x Snow-Covered Plains
Windbrisk Heights
Contested War Zone
Karakas
Horizon Canopy
Eiganjo Castle
Mutavault
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland

Champion of the Parish
Mother of Runes
Icatian Javelineers
Dryad Militant
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Judge's Familiar
Elite Vanguard
Savannah Lions
Goldmeadow Harrier
Figure of Destiny
Gideon's Lawkeeper
Student of Warfare

Knight of the White Orchid
Precinct Captain
Spectral Rider
Soltari Priest
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Kor Aeronaut
Mistral Charger
Leonin Arbiter
Stoneforge Mystic
Soltari Trooper
Grand Abolisher
Serra Avenger
Kor Skyfisher
Accorder Paladin
Soltari Monk
Knight of Glory
Stormfront Pegasus
Leonin Skyhunter
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Sigiled Paladin
Leonin Relic-Warder

Mirran Crusader
Porcelain Legionnaire
Aven Mindcensor
Blade Splicer
Flickerwisp
Stillmoon Cavalier
Fiend Hunter
Soltari Champion
Kitchen Finks
Silverblade Paladin

Angel of Jubilation
Hero of Bladehold

Chrome Mox
Shrine of Loyal Legions
Sword of Fire and Ice
Cursed Scroll
Rlsprth, Knight Brrant
Ajani, Caller of the Pride
Ajani Goldmane
Brave the Elements
Sunlance
Battle Screech
Spectral Procession
Mana Tithe
Angelic Destiny
Oblivion Ring
Path of Exile
Swords to Plowshares
Dismember
Journey to Nowhere

Glorious Anthem
Honor of the Pure
Crusade
Jihad
Shahrazad

2. Joonas Simola - RDW

20 Mountain
Mishra's Factory
Teetering Peaks
Ghitu Encampment
Wasteland
Mutavault
Scalding Tarn
Wooded Foothills
Arid Mesa
Bloodstained Mire
Barbarian Ring

Vexing Devil
Rakdos Cacler
Grim Lavamancer
Ball Lightning
Mogg Fanatic
Frenzied Goblin
Magus of the Scroll
Recless Waif
Boggart Ram-Gang
Ember Hauler
Gore-House Chainwalker
Ash Zealot
Kargan Dragonlord
Tattermunge Maniac
Goblin Guide
Porcelain Legionare
Spark Elemental
Hell's Thunder
Keldon Marauders
Stromkirk Noble
Blood Knight
Scorched Rusalka
Slith Firewalker
Figure of Destiny
Torch Fiend
Magus of the Moon
Jackal Pup
Hellspark Elemental
Furnace Scamp

Cursed Scroll
Shrine of the Burning Rage
Black Vise
Ankh of Mishra
Koth of the Hammer
Flame Jet
Thunderous Wrath
Searing Spear
Staggershock
Sulfuric Vortex
Flames of the Bloodhand
Fireblast
Thunderbolt
Molten Rain
Rift Bolt
Char
Incinerate
Shard Volley
Lightning Bolt
Arc Trail
Rhystic Lightning
Lava Spike
Firebolt
Searing Blaze
Chain Lightning
Chain of Plasma
Landslide
Fire Ambush
Volcanic Hammer
Flame Javelin
Price of Progress
Pillar Of Flame
Forked Bolt
Bonfire of the Damned
Smash to Smithereens
Flame Rift
Burst Lightning
Flamebreak
Pulse of the Forge
Magma Jet

3. Vantte Kilappa - UR-Bullshit

8 Island
6 Mountain
Volcanic Island
Wooded Foothills
Flooded Strand
Shivan Reef
Seat of the Synod
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Great Furnace
Dimir Aqueduct
Izzet Boilerworks
Steam Vents
Rakdos Carnarium
Academy Ruins
Terramorphic Expanse
Tolaria West
Cascade Bluffs
Crumbling Necropolis
Gargoyle Castle
Arid Mesa
Misty Rainforest
Scalding Tarn
Evolving Wilds

Flametongue Kavu
Trinket Mage
Arc-Slogger
Crater Hellion
Solemn Simulacrum
Bogardan Hellkite
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Venser, Shaper Savant
Nucklavee
Sphinx of Lost Truths
Inferno Titan
Consecrated Sphinx
Snapcaster Mage
Charmbreaker Devils

Remove Soul
Thirst for Knowledge
Counterspell
Prophetic Bolt
Mana Drain
Engineered Explosives
Rolling Thunder
Mana Leak
Starstorm
Control Magic
Thran Dynamo
Intuition
Darksteel Ingot
Capsize
Exclude
Stroke of Genius
Forbid
Dissipate
Force of Will
Jilt
Dismiss
Fire/Ice
Sensei's Divining Top
Shattering Pulse
Treachery
Condescend
Future Sight
Worn Powerstone
Ghitu Fire
Misdirection
Mind Stone
Dimir Signet
Izzet Signet
Repeal
Rakdos Signet
Ancestral Vision
Mystical Teachings
Coalition Relic
Cryptic Command
Relic of Progenitus
Tezzeret the Seeker
Fact or Fiction
Banefire
Comet Storm
Everflowing Chalice
Blue Sun's Zenith
Slagstorm

Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Karn Liberated

4. Jani Eskelinen - RDW

27 Mountain
Barbarian Ring
Ghitu Encampment
Teetering Peeks
Mishra's Factory

Creature: 25
1cc - 9
Rakdos Cackler
Jackal Pup
Furnace Scamp
Tattermunge Maniac
Frenzied Goblin
Mogg Fanatic
Grim Lavamancer
Reckless Waif
Stromkirk Noble

2cc - 6
Ash Zealot
Keldon Marauders
Hellspark Elemental
Gorehouse Chainwalker
Torch Fiend
Stormblood Berzerker

3cc - 6
Zo-Zu The Punisher
Boggart Ram Gang
Guttersnipe
Ashenmoor Gouger
Chandra's Phoenix
Hell's Thunder

4cc - 4
Keldon Champion
Flametongue Kavu
Giant Solifuge
Hero of Oxid Ridge

Instant: 22
Lightning Bolt
Shard Volley
Sonic Seizure
Skullcrack
Sonic Burst
Galvanic Blast
Burst Lightning
Barbed Lightning
Incinerate
Thunderbolt
Price of Progress
Magma Jet
Searing Blaze
Brimstone Volley
Flames of the Bloodhand
Char
Flame Javelin
Volcanic Fallout
Fiery Temper
Fireblast
Thunderous Wrath

Sorcery:  14
Chain Lightning
Pillar of Flame
Forked Bolt
Firebolt
Flame Jet
Flame Rift
Lava Spike
Volcanic Hammer
Rift Bolt
Flamebreak
Browbeat
Flames of the Firebrand
Ruination
Breath of Darigaaz
Reforge the Soul

Artifact 4
Ankh Of Mishra
Black Vise
Cursed Scroll
Shrine of Burning Rage

Enchantment 2
Blood Moon
Sulfuric Vortex

Planeswalker 1
Koth of the Hammer

5. Tuomas Pyyhtiä - Hermit Druid Combo

1 Savannah
1 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Tropical Island
1 Scrubland
1 Taiga
1 Volcanic Island
1 Badlands
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Windswept Heath
1 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
1 Marsh Flats
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Breeding Pool
1 Watery Grave
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Underground River
1 Yavimaya Coast
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Tendo Ice Bridge
1 Gemstone Mine
1 City of Brass

Some more mana (:

1 Elvish Spirit Guide
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lotus Petal
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Birds of Paradise
+1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Wall of Roots
?1 Simian Spirit Guide (If mana is to cut, this is to go)

Disrupt & Counter (25):

1 Mental Misstep (lots of targets in the format, unexpected)
1 Cabal Therapy (if a keycard in hand after milling, this is the discard outlet)
1 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Spell Pierce
1 Flusterstorm
1 Stifle
1 Spell Snare
1 Dispel
!1 Disrupt
1 Force Spike
1 Daze
+1 Prohibit
1 Miscalculation
1 Mana Leak
1 Delay
1 Evasive Action
1 Remand
1 Spellskite
1 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Mesmeric Fiend
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Force of Will
1 Misdirection

Draw & Tutor (19):

1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Portent
1 Preordain
1 Sylvan Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Personal Tutor
1 Eladamri's Call (justifies w splash)
1 Demonic Tutor
?1 Tainted Pact (used with caution, instant as a bonus, horrible if hits combo pieces)
1 Imperial Recruiter
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Lim-Dûl's Vault
!1 Izzet Charm (pretty much only one that allows to discard combo pieces)
1 Muddle the Mixture
1 Shred Memory
?1 Dimir Infiltrator (bad if you're tutoring for Shallow Grave for Hermit in grave)
1 Intuition


Reanimate (7):

1 Dread Return
1 Unearth
1 Reanimate
1 Life/Death (life also enables Dread Return)
1 Shallow Grave (gives haste)
1 Postmortem Lunge
?1 Corpse Dance (May cost one mana too much)

Combo (4):

1 Hermit Druid
1 Karmic Guide
1 Kiki Jiki, the Mirror Breaker (Mogg Fanatic/Necrotic Ooze)
1 Deceiver Exarch

Utility (:

1 Gitaxian Probe (+cabal therapy)
1 Noxious Revival
1 Snapcaster Mage
+1 Abrupt Decay
1 Memory's Journey (Enables to go off EOT even if no reanimator spell in hand, random grave hate)
1 Eternal Witness
1 Fatestitcher (free guy, untaps desired land)
1 Narcomoeba

6. Jussi Tiilikainen - Ghetto UW

Creatures:
==========
Weathered Wayfarer

Phantasmal Image
Snapcaster Mage
Stoneforge Mystic

Blade Splicer
Court Hussar
Geist of Saint Traft
Vendilion Clique
Wall of Denial

Grand Arbiter Augusting IV
Restoration Angel
Venser, Shaper Savant

Baneslayer Angel
Reveillark
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir

Consecrated Sphinx

Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Walkers:
========
Jace Beleren

Elspeth, Knight Errant
Jace, the Mind Sculptor

Gideon Jura
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Spells:
=======
Ancestrall Vision

Brainstorm
Gitaxian Probe
Path to Exile
Ponder
Preordain
Spell Snare
Swords to Plowshares

Azorius Signet
Counterspell
Disenchant
Fellwar Stone
Into the Roil
Mana Leak
Memory Lapse
Muddle the Mixture
Seal of Cleansing
Talisman of Progress

Coalition Relic
Compulsive Research
Dissipate
Forbid
Hinder
Oblivion Ring
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sword of War and Peace
Vedalken Shackles
Wipe Away

Cryptic Command
Day of Judgment
Fact ot Fiction
Supreme Verdict
Wrath of God

Force of Will
Future Sight

Repeal
Blue Sun's Zenith
Sphinx's Revelation


Lands:
======
Adarkar Wastes
Azorius Chancery
Calciform Pools
Celestial COlonnade
Dust Bowl
Glacial Fortress
Hallowed Fountain
Homeward Path
Kor Haven
Seachrome Coast
Sejiri Refuge
Skycloud Expanse
Tectonic Edge
Temple of the False God
Tundra
Wasteland
Island x15
Plains x9

7. Mikael Teittinen - Zoo

Plateau
Taiga
Savannah
Bayou
Temple Garden
Sacred Foundry
Stomping Ground
Scalding Tarn
Misty Rainforest
Arid Mesa
Marsh Flats
Verdant Catacombs
Flooded Strand
Wooded Foothills
Bloodstained Mire
Windswepth Heath
2 Forest
2 Plains
Mountain
Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Wooded Bastion
Stirring wildwood
Raging Ravine
Treetop Village
Wasteland
Tectonic Edge
Kessig Wolf Run
Grove of the Burnwillows
Horizon Canopy
Sunpetal Grove
Rootbound Crag
Copperline Gorge
Razorverge Thicket
Dryad Arbor

Avacyn's Pilgrim
Aven Mindcensor
Birs of Paradise
Bloodbraid Elf
Boros Reckoner
Deathrite Shaman
Eternal Witness
Fauna Shaman
Figure of Destiny
Flametongue Kavu
Fyndhorn Elves
Huntmaster of the Fells
Kitchen Finks
Knight of the Reliquary
Llanowar Elves
Loxodon Smiter
Mother of Runes
Noble Hierarch
Phyrexian Metamorph
Primeval Titan
Qasali Pridemage
Ranger of Eos
Restoration Angel
Scavenging Ooze
Silverblade Paladin
Stoneforge Mystic
Strangleroot Geist
Tarmogoyf
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Thragtusk
Thundermaw Hellkite
Ulvenwald Tracker
Vengevine
Vithian Renegades
Wickerbough Elder
Wild Nacatl
Woolly Thoctar
Flinthoof Boar

Obvilion Ring
Sylvain Library

Burst Lightning
Chord of Calling
Eladamri's Call
Incinerate
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Helix
Path to Exile
Punishing Fire
Selesnya Charm
Swords to Plowshares

Arc Trail
Chain Lightining
Firebolt
Green Sun's Zenith
Natural Order

Ajani Vengeant
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Garruk Relentless
Garruk Wildspeaker

Batterskull
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sword of Fire and Ice

8. Simo Lagerspetz - MBC

31x Swamp
Cabal Coffers
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Tectonic Edge
Urborg
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Dust Bowl
Stalking Stones

Guul Draz Assassin
Ghost-Lit Stalker
Nezumi Shortfang
Nezumi Graverobber
Nantuko Shade
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Hypnotic Specter
Vampire Nighthawk
Bloodhusk Ritualist
Crypt Rats
Bane of the Living
Shriekmaw
Kagemaro, First to Suffer
Grave Titan
Kokusho, the Evening Star

Profane Command
Soul Burn
Drain Life
Death Cloud
Corrupt
Consume Spirit

Inquisition of Kozilek
Duress
Thoughtseize
Mind Sludge
Mind Shatter
Hymn to Tourach

Slaughter Pact
Unmake
Barter in Blood
Befoul
Chainer's Edict
Diabolic Edict
Damnation
Decree of Pain
Innocent Blood
Infest
Mutilate
Sudden Death
Black Sun's Zenith

Necropotence
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Diabolic Tutor
Demonic Tutor
Beseech the Queen
Liliana Vess
Skeletal Scrying
Phyrexian Arena
Sign in Blood
Null Profusion
Sensei's Divining Top
Extraplanar Lens
Eveflowing Chalice
Strata Scythe
Bitterblossom
Icy Manipulator
Phyrexian Totem
Sorin Markov
Animate Dead
Necromancy
Beacon of Unrest

I've been wondering the reason why the mulligan only allows one "spoils" mulligan (probably better known as "poker mulligan" in Finland) per game? Is it because the game it was borrowed from had this exact system, or is there a specific reason for this rule?

In any case, I would like to rise a debate if this is the optimal procedure. I hate when games go "leave birds and SDT in hand, mulligan five to look for a single land after which I am golden" into draw five spells and forced mulligan to crappy six. In my experience, starting the game with one less card already puts you into a big disadvantage in this format. No need to make those six completely random assortment of cards just to add insult to the injury.

My proposed solution would be: Just allow people to spoil even if they failed that with their seven cards and had to paris to six (or even lower). I've been experimenting with this in some test games and it makes the games go much more reasonable. This would also be more simpler rule and easier to explain to new players.

I also can't think of anything negative about this change. I doubt the time issues would be too much. Nobody wants to start the game with six cards, so this should still happen only occasionally. Only thing I could think of would be the fact that it could give an edge to some decks, but I really can't think of any degenerate decks that would work significantly better just because they can be bit more risky with their mulligan. And even if someone managed to build a sick Goblin Charbelcher deck that can work only because they can mulligan a bit more freely, you can congratulate them and then proceed to ban the key piece. As for the decktype that would benefit this rules change the most, I am not sure. In any case, I think it would only be a minor boost and shouldn't really count too much.

Is there something I am just not seeing, or would this change be worth of considering?

[10 ) Sensei's Divining Top]

I've kinda wanted to do this for a while now. Took me sometime to figure out all of the cards I wanted to talk about.

The order of these is pretty abstract, so please don't comment about that. That is beside the point. Comments about something being better than I give it credit for are welcome. Flame away

And please note that with the exception of one card in the list, I think all of these are playables, but they just aren't as good as generally believed.


10 ) Sensei's Divining Top

I know I am one the people who tends to do this, but just because I like to point out how I think it should be in pretty much any deck, doesn't mean it is generally overrated. Sure, having it most likely makes your deck better, but you can still beat players that play it on their first turn even if you don't have the luxury.

On the other hand, it's kinda underrated card as well. People are hastily pointing out how it rewards play skill, and that is only kinda true. If your opponent doesn't know when is the proper time to not to use it (when they want to tapout to a spell), or when they want to use it (they don't want to tapout for something or have nothing to tapout into), you gain advantage. It's not exactly an overly complicated card to figure out how to operate once you get some games with it, so that isn't too big of an issue. Most of the time I see someone playing it wrong, is when the player has played the game for less than couple of years. Just because you need to take account a number of things before deducting what is the best card to draw next turn, doesn't mean the decision is especially hard.


9 ) Blood Moon

The reason this being here is the fact that many players consider this a card they lose to every time it's played. Unless you run five or four colors and/or don't keep in mind that you just mostly splash for the third color, you can easily make Blood Moon not a very threatening card.

I would not play this in monored aggro simply because it is bad against good portion of the decks and even against the decks it's supposed to be good, it can just be a dead card. If they are ahead on the board, you need to have something good as a follow up even if this card were to shut down the rest of their deck.

There are certainly a number of times where I find myself relieved when my monored opponent plays Blood Moon on their third turn shutting down my second main color rather than applying more pressure on the board.

The reason it's not any higher on the list, is because I am a minority on this case, but I well and truly believe it's not a very good card.

Magus of the Moon I don't like to play either, but at least he can smash face. Oh, and Price of Progress is the absolutely best way to punish non-basics in a red deck. It does whatever you are already trying to accomplish, isn't dead later in the game, and much harder to play around or to counter.


8 ) Baneslayer Angel

Once acclaimed as a card that shouldn't have been printed just isn't that good anymore. Wizards themselves printed this card just to see how good you can make a card if it doesn't grant card advantage. Turns out the creatures that give the card advantage are just too good to ignore. Baneslayer dominated standard for a while, but then they printed effective answer for it: Jace, the Mind Sculptor. Quickly after that, Stoneforge trumped Baneslayer as the default white creature card of the choice after the dawn of Caw-Blade.

It's still decent card, but against non-aggro it's unimpressive if your opponent just taps out to play a Titan or Wurmcoil on their next turn. Being a five mana card does give it a good spot on the curve, though. There are not very many good five mana creatures in white, so if you have a Pod deck, or you just want to tap out on turn five to play a legimate threat, she can certainly still deliver.

My point basically is: don't play this in aggro. If your opponent has a Bribery, it's really bad and even if they don't, you are usually better off playing a hasted creature, or a burn spell. And they don't usually cost five.


7 ) Counterspells

Not Counterspell, but them in general. Mana Drain, Cryptic Command and Force of Will excluded. The rest of the counterspells are certainly playable, but you need a game plan that backs them up in order to run them. Standard hasn't been a format where blue mages get to play the game on the opponent's turn for ages, and that reflects to HL because the same cards that have seen play in the last three to four years in standard have become a significant part of the HL.

Counterspells are bad because they don't allow you to turn a bad situation into a good one. The creatures nowadays are usually perfectly capable of winning the game themselfs in a matter of turns. If one of them slips through, you need to be able to deal it quickly. It doesn't help that those cards sometimes even provide something when they come into the play, making the blue mage lose card advantage which is excatly the opposite of their game plan.

They are good, obviously, because they are answer to anything and they are really good when you are already winning, or the opponent is running a scary card that you just lose to. After the FoW, CC and Mana Drain, the quality of the counters drop significantly. Black discard does mostly the same thing, costs less, and provides information, so I think you are generally just better off tapping out with your blue deck.


6 ) Ghostly Prison/Propaganda

I understand the appeal of these cards, but as a HL player, I have plenty of mana to spend on this when it is profitable to do so. If this doesn't come in bundle with mana denial, slowing aggressive people down is just a noble effort. An effort which can be achieved close enough with a spot removal and that might even take the pressure off completely. Removal in general costs less than this and is mostly instant speed, which have been known to be relevant. Once you want to attack, removal can also clear the path, so they are not restricted to be purely defensive spells.

These are not horrible cards per se, but unless you plan to deal with opposing lands quickly, making them spend some mana isn't excatly the greatest of plans. These suffer from the same problem as the rest of the "opponent chooses" - cards. They can choose not to deal two damage and improve their board, which saves you two damage, but that is because it's worse for you than him or her playing something else.

Just don't play these in your average UW-control deck, and get your face smashed in with a Kitchen Finks equipped with a Sword of Feast and Famine.

Also, planeswalkers.


5 ) AEther Vial

If a card is good legacy, it should be noted and tested in HL, BUT it shouldn't be something you mindlessly slam into your deck. This point comes up surprisingly often in this list.

Vial is card disadvantage, so pure aggrodecks run out of gas faster in they have an early vial. This is especially relevant when both players gets the spoils mulligan and tend to trade resources and grind small advantage over the course of several turn. Rarely the games are just pure blowout and tempo doesn't play as huge role as it does in other, especially in older formats.

There are decks that unquestionably can make use of Vial. It's not unplayable by any means. Those decks are usually blue and tend to be some form of a fish deck. I don't think it's a card you want to play in your average Bant-list, for example.

This is card is great in legacy because most of the legacy players are allergic to lands and the format is all about mana efficiency. In HL, we usually have the time to drop titans so Vial is not nearly as important here.


4 ) Moxes, Chrome and Diamond

All right, all right, I preach about card advantage all the time, but believe it or not, it's a cornerstone of the "how a game of Magic: The Gathering is won" - theory. I love me some Noble Hierarchs and other green one drops, so acceleration is very close to my heart, but the moxes give away a card and they do not even attack or wield swords after I am through tapping tapping them for mana.

Mox Diamond is just the saddest of the pandas when you are stuck on land. Every time a general "good stuff" - list plays this, I frown. Just like Vial, the tempo it generates just isn't big enough to justify playing it in a deck that just looks to cheat a few mana symbols here and there. If you want acceleration, play green one drops. If you are some sort of stax list that tries to kill every land in play at some point, I can understand running this. They usually want to drop another mana artifact on turn one anyway.

Chrome doesn't have that many downsides, but it's still a card that should only be played if you have a good reason to do so. Eating a non-land card is significant, but at least it's not like a insult to injury when mana screwed. Again, a card I reserve only when playing a certain kind of combo or in a deck with lots of Armageddons.


3 ) Progenitus

Again, the same legacy argument here. Natural Order into Progenitus is a serious threat, sure. It's probably the hardest of all the creatures to remove, but not impossible in HL, as opposed to legacy where it usually cannot be dealt with before sideboarding. Wrath of Gods and their variants, Damnations, Phantasmal Images/Metamorphs are popular cards that deal with it, so it's not like you can rely on it to survive indefinitely.

On the other hand, it gives you the worst topdeck of your deck and it gives opponent card advantage if they manage to remove it. Primeval Titan, and Terastodon to lesser extend, are both not only castable, but also usually more than enough to win the game if Natural Ordered into on turn three (or turn ten). They both also give CA as soon as they hit the board. Both of those things combined means that I much rather have a card that is easier to remove, but provide very close to the same end result.

In short, Natural Order isn't overrated, but Progenitus as it's target, is.


2 ) Rancor

This just shouldn't be in any list. +2/+0 just isn't that big of a deal and if the opponent is not tapped out, you might just get two-for-onned. If they can't remove your guy... well let's just say that the dudes we get to play these days can do the deed by themselves. Why not to run another one of those instead of this? No potential card disadvantages and certainly not dead on an empty board.

Rancor is like a bad Bonesplitter, which doesn't give trample, but trample isn't the thing why Rancor was a good card in the past. Oh, and bonesplitter is pretty awful also, so don't get any ideas there.

Time hasn't treated this card well enough. I mean, if you really want this type of effect play a sword. Any one of them will do. For example, Sword of Light and Shadow used to be such a good card, but people don't play it anymore because we have better options. The same should apply to Rancor.


1 ) Tarmogoyf

As long as the format is not Legacy or something akin to that, Tarmogoyf just isn't that impressive. Aggro can't usually make this guy big enough, fast enough for it to be good. Two mana, two powered vanilla guy just isn't hugely dominant threat. They often hit 3/4 or 4/5 soon enough, but at that point the slower deck is just about to play something that impacts more than any two or three drop. The fact that this gets bigger later is of course good, but almost always it comes with a scenario "Tap two of my seven lands, play a 5/6 Goyf. Your turn." Mana efficency just isn't that important in late game of HL. Legacy players want to hold their lands to get extra value from Brainstorm, so they rarely have more than four-five lands in play even if the game goes long. Tarmogoyf wasn't bonkers in standard and was overrated there after it got the recognition in legacy and extended.

Tarmogoyf also forces you to play cards in a way you don't want them to be played. Wasting a removal at a creature you don't otherwise want to, just to make this bigger is often the right play, but you can't be ecstatic about the deal. Especially if the opponent then proceeds to kill your Goyf.

In control, you are just better off trying to play cards that do something immediately when played to squeeze some advantage out of it. This is the direction I want to go with most of my aggro decks as well these days.

The fact that it's bad against GY-hate is irrelevant at this point, since nobody are playing them, but that might make this even worse card if Innistrad impacts more than I expect it to. I think good old Tarmo is good against red aggro, but if you want to hate specifically that deck, you have plenty of better options, especially in green.

Goyf is a playable card, but an aggro card it's not. Control with green usually can find better alternatives, but there still are decks that want to play this. They just come in less numbers than majority thinks.

[Pros:]

First of all, I DO NOT campaign for the banning of these cards. I aim only to find opinions and input. I think discussing these things is really good as it also gives council some idea what the people want the format to be. These cards are what defines the format, so discussing about them is something that I think should happen eventually.

The cards in question are the five Onslaught fetchlands (Polluted Delta, Flooded Strand, Wooded Foothills, Bloodstained Mire, Windswept Heath), and the five Zendikar fetchlands (Scalding Tarn, Misty Rainforest, Marsh Flats, Arid Mesa, Verdant Catacombs).

Without further ado, a simple pros/cons -list to kick things off:

Pros:

+ Building the manabase of any HL deck becomes more skill intensive. Right now, it might not need any thought.
+ Makes splashing for the best cards harder, the weaknesses and strengths of the colors matter more. Also, splashing a color in monocolored decks is no longer automatically correct.
+ Tournament times will shorten, ~5 shuffles less each game means a significant drop in round times.
+ The early game is not a one big shuffle for the first few turns. It gets tedious after few games, affects especially testing and casual matches.
+ Can affect the banning of SDT and Life from the Loam.
+ Increases variance and card pool.

Cons:

- Makes some decks unplayable (mostly 5 colored decks).
- The banned list, IMO at least, should be as short as possible. Adding 10 cards that clearly aren't "broken", is not very optimal for that goal.
- Fetching is somewhat skill dependent (either go for all-duals, rather than play around Blood Moon, or other way around).


I especially want to know what the council thinks about this.

-- WHITE --

Name:    Accorder Paladin
Cost:    1{W}
Type:    Creature - Human Knight
Pow/Tgh:    3/1
Rules Text:    Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)

Decent guy for aggressive token decks, but I doubt this is something WW or other aggro decks want.

Name:    Hero of Bladehold
Cost:    2{W}{W}
Type:    Creature - Human Knight
Pow/Tgh:    3/4
Rules Text:    Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)

Whenever Hero of Bladehold attacks, put two 1/1 white soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.

Again, the aforementioned token decks can find this useful, but 4 mana is probably too much for a guy that doesn't do anything until he swings.

Name:    Leonin Relic-Warder
Cost:    {W}{W}
Type:    Creature - Cat Cleric
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    When Leonin Relic-Warder enters the battlefield, you may exile target artifact or enchantment.
When Leonin Relic-Warder leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.

I like this one in WW. The "may" - word in that ability is really, really important.

Name:    Mirran Crusader
Cost:    1{W}{W}
Type:    Creature - Human Knight
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    Double strike, protection from black and from green

I remember the time when I played Paladin en-vec. Such innocent times. That being said, this is very solid beater and goes well with equipment, namely Sword of Fire and Ice. I might need to put Steelshaper's Gift back to my WW.

Name:    Phyrexian Rebirth
Cost:    4{W}{W}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Destroy all creatures, then put an X/X colorless Horror artifact creature token onto the battlefield, where X is the number of creatures destroyed this way.

Six mana wrath is too slow. Despite leaving you with 2/2 or 3/3, it's still not very good. Even jackpotting with this and getting like 6/6 the game is still far from over.

Name:    White Sun's Zenith
Cost:    X{W}{W}{W}
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Put X 2/2 Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

Probably too restrictive and expensive, but the power is still there. With six mana, you get six power as an instant, which is not a bad deal and anything more than that is a bonus.


- BLUE -

Name:    Blue Sun's Zenith
Cost:    X{U}{U}{U}
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

Well, draw X is draw X. Good in certain comboes, but useless in everywhere else.

Name:    Consecrated Sphinx
Cost:    4{U}{U}
Type:    Creature - Sphinx
Pow/Tgh:    4/6
Rules Text:    Flying
Whenever an opponent draws a card, you may draw two cards.

Really needs to have a flash or something to be even consider as playable. Too many things need to go right for you to get value and with six mana, you really should get value right away.

Name:    Distant Memories
Cost:    2{U}{U}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Search your library for a card, exile it, then shuffle your library. An opponent may have you put that card into your hand. If no player does, you draw three cards.

A bad Concentrate isn't excatly what I look forward to cast. If this were an instant, it might see play, but even then it would take away the a card you want to draw.

Name:    Mirran Spy
Cost:    2{U}
Type:    Creature - Drone
Pow/Tgh:    1/3
Rules Text:    Flying
Whenever you cast an artifact spell, you may untap target creature.

I don't think this comboes well enough with anything, but you never know what they print next.

Name:    Mitotic Manipulation
Cost:    1{U}{U}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Look at the top seven cards of your library. You may put one of those cards onto the battlefield if it has the same name as a permanent. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

Blue Rampant Growth. How sick is that???!?

So, yeah. Sarcasm and stuff.

Name:    Neurok Commando
Cost:    1{U}{U}
Type:    Creature - Human Rogue
Pow/Tgh:    2/1
Rules Text:    Shroud
Whenever Neurok Commando deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card.

This can be really, really annoying against midrange or control decks not running many utility guys. Nothing too spectacular, but nice Ophidian variant.

Name:    Oculus
Cost:    1{U}
Type:    Creature - Homunculus
Pow/Tgh:    1/1
Rules Text:    When Oculus is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may draw a card.

Could see play theoretically. Needs a buttload of synergy, but it shines when it can trade with savannah lions.

Name:    Steel Sabotage
Cost:    {U}
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Choose one - counter target artifact spell; or return target artifact to its owner's hand.

Eternal formats will find some use for this, us Highlanders do not.

Name:    Treasure Mage
Cost:    2{U}
Type:    Creature - Human Wizard
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    When Treasure Mage enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 6 or greater, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.

I am really happy that they made this card. Powerful, sure. But only in decks that aren't a problem. I suspect this seeing play every once in a while fetching Mindslavers and Wurmcoil Engines. Not an universal inclusion as his smaller brother, but playable.

Name:    Vedalken Infuser
Cost:    3{U}
Type:    Creature - Vedalken Wizard
Pow/Tgh:    1/4
Rules Text:    At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a charge counter on target artifact.

Awww, come on. Why this doesn't proliferate? Could have find some use for it in block. Not playable.

Name:    Vivisection
Cost:    3{U}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    As an additional cost to cast Vivisection, sacrifice a creature.
Draw three cards.

Speaking of bad Concentrates, this is even worse.


-- BLACK --

Name:    Black Sun's Zenith
Cost:    X{B}{B}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Put X -1/-1 counters on each creature. Shuffle Black Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

I'm still rather unsure. Five mana does decimate the board pretty well, but it might not be enough to put you out of harm's way. It really feels like a card that is good against decks that black control already crushes, if it wants to. But then again, it's a respectable sweeper.

I do think it's really, really good in UB that plays ThopterSword along with all the two mana transmute spells. This allows you to have like four sweepers in the price of one, and that makes this unbelieavably valuable, even better than Damnation in that deck IMO. Because it also shuffles back, it can be fetched for encore too. Beseech the Queen also finds this in turn three, which makes both cards better.

Name:    Go for the Throat
Cost:    1{B}
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Destroy target nonartifact creature.

Slightly better than Doom Blade in HL. So, playable.

Name:    Gruesome Encore
Cost:    2{B}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Put target creature card from an opponent's graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If that creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else.

I'm not sure what kind of deck would want this, but it's not too bad. Just hope opponent is playing reanimator.

Name:    Phyrexian Crusader
Cost:    1{B}{B}
Type:    Creature - Zombie Knight
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    First strike

Protection from red and from white.

Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in form of -1/-1 counters and to players in form of poison counters.)

Infect is a drawback, so pretty weak.

Name:    Sangromancer
Cost:    2{B}{B}
Type:    Creature - Vampire Shaman
Pow/Tgh:    3/3
Rules Text:    Flying
Whenever a creature an opponent controls is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may gain 3 life.
Whenever an opponent discards a card, you may gain 3 life.

I want to cast Death Cloud while I have this in play. Not really a playable, though.



- RED -

Name:    Crush
Cost:    {R}
Type:    Instant
Rules Text:    Destroy target noncreature artifact.

Cheap, but Shatter is better and Shatter has been outclassed pretty badly for the last ten years or so.

Name:    Goblin Wardriver
Cost:    {R}{R}
Type:    Creature - Goblin Warrior
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)

I think Goblins want this and I think this is really good there, but I don't know the deck well enough make absolute claims.

Name:    Hero of Oxid Ridge
Cost:    2{R}{R}
Type:    Creature - Human Knight
Pow/Tgh:    4/2
Rules Text:    Haste
Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)
Whenever Hero of Oxid Ridge attacks, creatures with power 1 or less can't block this turn.

Not too shabby, little random perhaps, but that's what usually gets you in HL. Stats are okay, haste and battle cry alone makes this playable in RG or RW, IMO. The last ability can make some Walls and utility creatures very unhappy (or very happy, as they probably prefer to live).

Name:    Red Sun's Zenith
Cost:    X{R}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Red Sun's Zenith deals X damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would be put into a graveyard this turn, exile it instead. Shuffle Red Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

The good thing about this card is that when you cast a red X-spell, you usually want to cast more of them, making this a solid card to draw. Other than the minor upside, this isn't that exciting, and not good enough to be in decks that don't normally plan on casting red X's.

Name:    Slagstorm
Cost:    1{R}{R}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Choose one - Slagstorm deals 3 damage to each creature; or Slagstorm deals 3 damage to each player.

Sweet sweeper that also can take out planeswalkers or finish the deed? Very nice. Double red does make this impossible to just to splash, but it still pretty nice in r/X -controls.


- GREEN-

Name:    Green Sun's Zenith
Cost:    X{G}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Search your library for a green creature card with converted mana cost X or less and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library. Shuffle Green Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

Oh wow. This should be in every green deck that runs creatures. One mana more is prefectly reasonable to pay for such versatility. And besides, paying four mana for a Knight of the Reliquary is still pretty darn nice deal. Despite popular belief however, this does not make (god forbid) Dryad Arbor playable. The card should not be wasted on turn one Llanowar Elves as this get way better in mid- and lategame. Dryad Arbor sees no play right now and for good reasons. Zentih would make it better, sure, but I am pretty sure you are playing this card wrong if you want it to be just a Llanowar Elves.

Name:    Lead the Stampede
Cost:    2{G}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal any number of creature cards from among them and put the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

Does elves or something want this? Hitting two guys is good, three is very good. I suspect that this could be okay, but once you play like 15 noncreature, nonland cards, this becomes rather unreliable.

Name:    Praetor's Counsel
Cost:    5{G}{G}{G}
Type:    Sorcery
Rules Text:    Return all cards from your graveyard to your hand. Exile Praetor's Counsel. You have no maximum hand size for the rest of the game.

Well this wins with Dream Halls, but so does Conflux. Too expensive for any other deck.

Name:    Thrun, the Last Troll
Cost:    2{G}{G}
Type:    Legendary Creature - Troll Shaman
Pow/Tgh:    4/4
Rules Text:    Thrun, the Last Troll can't be countered.
Thrun can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
{1}{G}: Regenerate Thrun.

This is it. The last one of those damn trolls.

Kinda mediocre, I think. Black has more than enough removal to deal with him and rest of the colors can just chump until they find a bigger creature or Wrath. Still, can put them in tough spot even alone. Good in green aggro, especially with equipment.

Name:    Viridian Emissary
Cost:    1{G}
Type:    Creature - Elf Scout
Pow/Tgh:    2/1
Rules Text:    When Viridian Emissary is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may search your library for a basic land card and put that card onto the battlefield tapped. If you do, shuffle your library.

Meh. I don't think this ever dies when you need it to. It's great guy to trade with, but with so many exiling removal it might never even trigger. I don't think this is playable.

Since there has been some interest of how this deck works (hi mom!), I am going to make some comments about the card choices and the deck as a whole.

First off, the list:

// Lands
    1 [R] Bayou
    1 [R] Savannah
    1 [R] Scrubland
    1 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
    1 [ZEN] Marsh Flats
    1 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
    1 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
    1 [ON] Bloodstained Mire
    1 [ON] Polluted Delta
    1 [ON] Flooded Strand
    1 [ON] Wooded Foothills
    1 [ON] Windswept Heath
    1 [RAV] Overgrown Tomb
    1 [SH] Volrath's Stronghold
    1 [RAV] Temple Garden
    1 [TE] Wasteland
    1 [SHM] Plains
    2 [UG] Swamp
    1 [GP] Godless Shrine
    1 [FUT] Horizon Canopy
    1 [US] Gaea's Cradle
    1 [US] Phyrexian Tower
    1 [IA] Snow-Covered Swamp
    2 [IA] Snow-Covered Forest
    1 [IA] Snow-Covered Plains
    2 [ZEN] Forest
    1 [M10] Sunpetal Grove
    1 [AP] Caves of Koilos
    1 [IA] Brushland
    1 [AP] Llanowar Wastes
    1 [WWK] Stirring Wildwood // ETB tapped, but fixes, and is a solid body that can be Natural Ordered. I think it's good enough, but this can go either way.

// Creatures
    1 [CHK] Sakura-Tribe Elder
    1 [SC] Carrion Feeder
    1 [ROE] Bloodthrone Vampire
    1 [MI] Wall of Roots
    1 [MOR] Reveillark
    1 [FUT] Tarmogoyf // Not critical, but nice offensive/defensive card, probably needed in the aggro metagame.
    1 [UD] Yavimaya Elder
    1 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
    1 [UD] Academy Rector
    1 [ROE] Wall of Omens
    1 [SH] Wall of Blossoms
    1 [FD] Eternal Witness
    1 [10E] Birds of Paradise
    1 [CFX] Noble Hierarch
    1 [IA] Fyndhorn Elves
    1 [FNM] Llanowar Elves
    1 [ON] Nantuko Husk
    1 [US] Phyrexian Ghoul
    1 [M10] Vampire Aristocrat
    1 [ALA] Tidehollow Sculler
    1 [RAV] Dimir House Guard
    1 [DK] Elves of Deep Shadow
    1 [CFX] Knight of the Reliquary
    1 [ZEN] Lotus Cobra
    1 [LRW] Shriekmaw
    1 [ARB] Qasali Pridemage
    1 [WWK] Arbor Elf
    1 [FUT] Fleshwrither // AcademyRectorcycling, I love it.
    1 [CS] Boreal Druid // You need, and want all of these. Even this one. Trust me.
    1 [TSP] Saffi Eriksdotter
    1 [TO] Mesmeric Fiend // Too weak, perhaps? Has a nice synergy, but miserable without outlets.
    1 [CHK] Yosei, the Morning Star
    1 [UL] Karmic Guide
    1 [WWK] Terastodon
    1 [M10] Elvish Visionary // Might be better off as a Sylvan Ranger
    1 [M11] Fauna Shaman // MVP, quite the powerhouse in this deck.
    1 [M11] Viscera Seer
    1 [DIS] Protean Hulk
    1 [M11] Obstinate Baloth // Metagame call, not needed in heavy control/combo environment.

// Spells
    1 [ROE] Eldrazi Conscription
    1 [VI] Natural Order
    1 [IA] Swords to Plowshares
    1 [LRW] Thoughtseize
    1 [M10] Duress
    1 [UD] Pattern of Rebirth
    1 [PS] Eladamri's Call
    1 [EX] Recurring Nightmare
    1 [MOR] Idyllic Tutor
    1 [R] Demonic Tutor
    1 [ARB] Maelstrom Pulse
    1 [AP] Vindicate
    1 [TE] Living Death
    1 [PS] Diabolic Intent
    1 [PT] Sylvan Tutor
    1 [MI] Worldly Tutor
    1 [UD] Yawgmoth's Bargain
    1 [FD] Night's Whisper
    1 [ZEN] Grim Discovery
    1 [LRW] Primal Command
    1 [OD] Tainted Pact
    1 [ROE] Inquisition of Kozilek // Very good discard that I originally was unsure of. Now I think it's almost as good as Duress in this format.
    1 [UL] Crop Rotation
    1 [AP] Phyrexian Arena // A metagame call, can be Loxodon Hierarch or something if you expect lot of aggro.
    1 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
    1 [JU] Cabal Therapy // you have so many discard spells that this can reliably get two cards. Sometimes just gaining information is good enough. Shame that Peek is a blue card.
    1 [RAV] Chord of Calling // I had this couple of times in my hand, but I never had enough creatures or mana to make it work properly. I still think this needs to stay in the deck. Just always mulligan it away.


This is not far from the list I played at Tampere, but there are some inclusions from m11, and with the unbanning of the Hulk, you can go combo off.

The combo might not be obvious just by looking at the list. It basically goes like this:

1)Get Hulk into play with an sacrifice outlet
2)Sacrifice it, and fetch karmic Guide (targeting Hulk) and one mana sacrifice outlet (just to be sure)
3)Sacrifice Hulk, fetch Saffi Eriksdottir, Tidehollow Sculler, and Mesmeric Fiend
4)Sacrifice the Sculler/Fiend duo while their abilities are on the stack so they remove the cards permanently (this step makes sure you don't need to play around anything)
5)Sacrifice Saffi with her own ability, targetting the Karmic Guide and then sacrifice the Guide, which reanimates Hulk
6)Sacrifice Hulk, and get Reveillark
7)Sacrifice Guide and then Reveillark to reanimate Saffi and Guide (targetting Reveillark)
8)Sacrifice Saffi with her own ability, targetting the Karmic Guide and then sacrifice the Guide, which reanimates the creature whose ETB-ability you want to abuse

Rince and repeat.

With the current creatures in the deck, you are able to gain infinite life (Kitchen Finks, Obstinate Baloth), infinite power and toughness (Nantuko Husk, Carrion Feeder), infinite green mana (Wall of Roots), infinite card draw (Wall of Blossoms), infinite lockdown (Yosei), infinite hand disruption (Tidehollow Sculler), and infinite permanent destruction (Terastodon, Shriekmaw).

Even though you can't usually win on the same turn, the game should be unloseable at this point.

Additional targets for Pattern, Rector and Natural Order are:

- Terastodon (I hate Progenitus with passion as I am always unable to cast him, and all he does is bring a hard to deal clock, which is pretty miserable against decks with wraths, moats, edicts and/or combo kill. Naturally there are a number situations where The Don is just worse than Progenitus, but unless your metagame is really bizarre, stick with this)
- Eldrazi Conscription (Sometimes, you have like Phyrexian Tower as your only means to sacrifice a creature, or you have critical combo piece stuck in your hand. This is for those situations, just fetch and bash)
- Yawgmoth's Bargain (Against control. I am still unsure of this being corret card choice for the matchup, but if you are not able to combo off, or don't want to go off against untapped mana or something, this should bring the card advantage you need to close the deal.)

The decklist feels rather solid, there are several cards you can change depending of the expected decks. At the nationals, I expected more of midrange and control decks and thus this list is light on anti-aggro. I was really glad to see the meta filled with aggro as this is not very common thing in Finland, despite the fact my deck was not geared towards dealing with decks like Naya.

I had couple of good things going for me though: combo is traditionally good against field of aggro, and most game ones saw me combo off before opponent even realized they were in a short clock. This obviously gave me unbelievable advantages as I lost the second game every time I was playing against fast aggro, with the exception of monored burn, which still gave me hard time on the second game, but I managed to Natural Order Obstinate Baloth in the nick of time.

Landbase is far from perfect. Many losses I had were caused by not being able to find green mana, or that at least decimated the rest of my chances to mount a comeback after an aggressive start from the opposition. I am unsure which direction to take the lands, or should I add nonland cards to combat the mana screw (e.g. Sylvan Ranger could be decent here). Needs more testing. There are good number of nonbasics as your mana dorks are able to get you out of the blood moon/back to basics range before it can be played, and sometimes you even have the luxury of fetching nothing but basics. You could probably squeeze one or two more of those though.

Not playing Gifts Ungiven is probably just plain wrong. I am going to try cutting a forest and adding Tropical Island to enable this splash.

If you have questions, comments, and/or criticism, don't be afraid to post them.

[Tuomas Pyyhtiä - Aluren-Swans]

Code Select Expand

Tie 1 Tie 2 Tie 3 Matches
Rank No. Name Points OMW% PGW% OGW% P/W/D/B
1 10 Lehtinen, Jukka 13 48,0000 72,7273 54,4156 5/4/1/0
2 5 Pyyhtiä, Tuomas 11 71,6667 85,7143 67,8048 4/2/2/1
3 15 li, fabien 11 50,6667 85,7143 53,7070 5/3/2/0
4 7 Haapa, Mikko 10 57,3333 60,0000 63,2678 5/3/1/0
5 6 Öhman, Janne 10 53,3333 75,0000 52,2828 5/3/1/0
6 1 Soloviev, Valentin 10 48,0000 64,1026 46,8718 5/3/1/0
7 2 Kekki, Niilo 10 45,3333 63,6364 47,7692 5/3/1/0
8 9 Kursti, Pekka 10 44,0000 61,1111 45,2001 5/3/1/0
9 22 Oksanen, Roope 9 54,6667 52,7778 57,5958 5/3/0/0
10 4 Louhio, Jaakko 9 48,0000 66,6667 46,4122 5/3/0/0
11 20 Niemi, Joni 9 48,0000 60,0000 48,7257 5/3/0/0
12 24 Ihonen, Juha V 9 46,6667 52,7778 47,3155 5/3/0/0
13 3 Syrjätie, Markus 7 58,6667 41,0256 58,3256 5/2/1/0
14 21 Hirvonen, Sebastian D 6 64,0000 36,3636 56,5960 5/2/0/0
15 17 Rikola, Markku 6 60,0000 43,3333 62,0924 5/2/0/0
16 12 Kilappa, Vantte 6 56,6667 46,1538 55,6420 4/1/0/1
17 13 Kuva, Jukka 6 45,3333 36,3636 46,4949 5/2/0/0
18 19 Saarinen, Eeli 6 45,0000 46,1538 53,8004 4/1/0/1
19 14 Haukka, Aleksi 4 55,0000 36,1111 50,6507 4/0/1/1
20 16 Airaksinen, Mikko 3 66,6667 50,0000 55,5556 3/1/0/0
21 23 Matikainen, Lasse 3 59,2593 44,4444 56,5256 3/1/0/0
22 11 Tähkä, Henri 3 48,1481 37,5000 48,8095 3/1/0/0
23 25 Vänni, Tommi 0 77,7778 14,2857 69,3122 3/0/0/0
24 18 Osala, Arto A 0 66,6667 29,1667 55,5556 3/0/0/0
25 8 Räsänen, Ilkka T 0 52,0833 20,0000 51,7361 4/0/0/0


After five rounds of swiss, we played top 8.

Top 8 players and results:

Jukka Lehtinen 4-0-1 (RGW Zoo)
Tuomas Pyyhtiä 3-0-2 (Aluren Swans)
Fabien Li 3-0-2 (MonoU Skies)
Mikko Haapa 3-1-1 (RB Goblins)
Janne Öhman 3-1-1 (Pattern Rector)
Valentin Soloviev 3-1-1 (UR Tempo)
Niilo Kekki 3-1-1 (RBW Aggro)
Pekka Hursti 3-1-1 (Bant Aggro)


Quarterfinals:
Lehtinen - Hursti 1-2
Öhman - Haapa 2-0
Li - Soloviev 1-2
Kekki - Pyyhtiä 0-2

Semifinals:
Soloviev - Pyyhtiä 0-2
Hursti - Öhman 0-2


Pyyhtiä - Öhman SPLIT


Top 8 Decklists:



Tuomas Pyyhtiä - Aluren-Swans


http://shelli.fi/~pyyhttu/magic/highlander/aluren-swans.txt


Janne Öhman - Patter-Rector


Bayou
Savannah
Scrubland
Arid Mesa
Marsh Flats
Verdant Catacombs
Misty Rainforest
Bloodstained Mire
Polluted Delta
Flooded Strand
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
Twilight Mire
Wooded Bastion
Overgrown Tomb
Volrath's Stronghold
Temple Garden
Stirring Wildwood
Wasteland
Godless Shrine
Horizon Canopy
Gaea's Cradle
Phyrexian Tower
3 Forest
3 Snow-Covered Forest
2 Swamp
Snow-Covered Swamp
Plains
Snow-Covered Plains

Sakura-Tribe Elder
Carrion Feeder
Bloodthrone Vampire
Wall of Roots
Reveillark
Tarmogoyf
Yavimaya Elder
Kitchen Finks
Academy Rector
Wall of Omens
Wall of Blossoms
Eternal Witness
Birds of Paradise
Noble Hierarch
Fyndhorn Elves
Llanowar Elves
Nantuko Husk
Phyrexian Ghoul
Vampire Aristocrat
Tidehollow Sculler
Dimir House Guard
Elves of Deep Shadow
Knight of the Reliquary
Lotus Cobra
Shriekmaw
Qasali Pridemage
Arbor Elf
Boreal Druid
Saffi Eriksdotter
Ranger of Eos
Mesmeric Fiend
Yosei, the Morning Star
Loxodon Hierarch
Bone Shredder
Karmic Guide
Ravenous Baloth
Viridian Shaman
Terastodon
Phyrexian Rager
Elvish Visionary
Fleshwrither
Deranged Hermit

Eldrazi Conscription
Natural Order
Swords to Plowshares
Thoughtseize
Duress
Pattern of Rebirth
Eladamri's Call
Recurring Nightmare
Idyllic Tutor
Demonic Tutor
Maelstrom Pulse
Vindicate
Living Death
Diabolic Intent
Chord of Calling
Path to Exile
Worldly Tutor
Mortify
Cabal Therapy
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Night's Whisper
Grim Discovery
Primal Command
Tainted Pact


Valentin Soloviev - UR Tempo


Brainstorm
Burst Lightning
Ancestral Vision
Mogg Fanatic
Ponder
Chain Lightning
Lightning Bolt
Sensei's Divining Top
Rift Bolt
Disrupt
Grim Lavamancer
Firebolt
Flame Slash
Plated Geopede
Price of Progress
Remand
Into the Roil
Kiln Fiend
Mana Drain
Lash Out
Sygg, River Cutthroat
Memory Lapse
Miscalculation
Fire/Ice
Standstill
Magma Jet
Looter Il-Kor
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Searing Blaze
Spellstutter Sprite
Smash to Smithereens
Vexing Sphinx
Repulse
Tangle Wire
Vendilion Clique
Vedalken Shackles
Magus of the Moon
Flame Javelin
Staggershock
Wee Dragonauts
Man-o'-War
Sword of Fire and Ice
Intuition
Pestermite
Electrolyze
Jace Beleren
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Char
Psionic Blast
Gifts Ungiven
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Cryptic Command
Sower of Temptation
Venser, Shaper Savant
Fact or Fiction
Flametongue Kavu
Hidetsugu's Second Rite
Arc-Slogger
Mulldrifter
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Future Sight
Repeal
Daze
Chrome Mox
Gush
Force of Will
Condescend

Faerie Conclave
Steam Vents
Cascade Bluffs
Volcanic Island
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Tectonic Edge
Mutavault
Arid Mesa
Wooded Foothills
Flooded Strand
Polluted Delta
Misty Rainforest
Scalding Tarn
Bloodstained Mire
10 Island
Snow-Covered Island
8 Mountain


Pekka Hursti - Bant aggro


Coiling Oracle
Mystic Snake
Trickbind
Impulse
Sword of Fire and Ice
Stoneforge Mystic
Baneslayer Angel
Sejiri Merfolk
Path to Exile
Ranger of Eos
Force of Will
AEther Vial
Chrome Mox
Gifts Ungiven
Wickerbough Elder
Grafted Wargear
Mulldrifter
Trygon Predator
Mana Leak
Aura Mutation
Ponder
Sword of Light and Shadow
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Birds of Paradise
Overgrown Battlement
Borderland Ranger
Ohran Viper
Indrik Stomphowler
Garruk Wildspeaker
Loxodon Hierarch
Rafiq of the Many
Oversoul of Dusk
Court Hussar
Aven Mindcensor
Llanowar Elves
Congregation at Dawn
Skyshroud Elite
Momentary Blink
Brainstorm
Stonecloaker
Kitchen Finks
Man-o'-war
Noble Hierarch
Miscalculation
Cryptic Command
Gaddock Teeg
Lotus Cobra
Troll Ascetic
Watchwolf
Enlisted Wurm
Lorescale Coatl
Qasali Pridemage
Sower of Temptation
Worldly Tutor
Sensei's Divining Top
Chord of Calling
Oblivion Ring
Swords to Plowshares
Call of the Herd
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Knight of the Reliquary
Bant Charm
Tarmogoyf
Eternal Witness
Rhox War Monk
Wrath of God

Polluted Delta
Glacial Fortress
Arid Mesa
Wasteland
Yavimaya Coast
Treetop Village
Windswept Heath
Reflecting Pool
Sunpetal Grove
Mystic Gate
Flooded Strand
Misty Rainforest
Temple Garden
Breeding Pool
Brushland
Adarkar Wastes
Flooded Grove
Krosan Verge
Seaside Citadel
Hallowed Fountain
Mutavault
5 Forest
4 Plains
4 Island


Niilo Kekki - RBW Discard Aggro


Emeria Angel
Stoneforge Mystic
Magus of the Moon
Savannah Lions
Demonic Tutor
Grim Lavamancer
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Winter Orb
Ajani Goldmane
Dark Confidant
Lightning Helix
Tidehollow Sculler
Aven Mindcensor
Blood Moon
Ranger of Eos
Jötun Grunt
Sword of Fire and Ice
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Flametongue Kavu
AEther Vial
Lightning Bolt
Inquisition of Kozilek
Duress
Lash Out
Flame Javelin
Smash to Smithereens
Murderous Redcap
Stonecloaker
Ajani Vengeant
Tainted Pact
Goblin Guide
Ronom Unicorn
Shriekmaw
Mother of Runes
Elite Vanguard
Countryside Crusher
Char
Searing Blaze
Magma Jet
Mesmeric Fiend
Vampire Lacerator
Gerrard's Verdict
Firebolt
Chrome Mox
Kitchen Finks
Oblivion Ring
Incinerate
Spectral Procession
Plated Geopede
Unearth
Vindicate
Figure of Destiny
Staggershock
Veinfire Borderpost
Browbeat
Tangle Wire
Student of Warfare
Armageddon
Consuming vapors
Thoughtseize
Kor Skyfisher
Blightning
Corrupted Zendikon
Burst Lightning
Goblin Bushwhacker
Sword of Light and Shadow
Kor Hookmaster
Steppe Lynx

Godless Shrine
Badlands
Wasteland
Blood Crypt
Scrubland
Lavaclaw Reaches
Dragonskull Summit
Plateau
Sacred Foundry
Polluted Delta
Bloodstained Mire
Flooded Strand
Verdant Catacombs
Arid Mesa
Marsh Flats
Scalding Tarn
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
5 Mountain
5 Plains
4 Swamp


Mikko Haapa - BR Goblins


Goblin Guide
Goblin Sledder
Skirk Prospector
Mogg Fanatic
Tattermunge Maniac
Goblin Vandal
Goblin Lackey
Frenzied Goblin
Knucklebone Witch
Mogg Raider
Goblin Taskmaster
Goblin Arsonist
Vexing Shusher
Weirding Shaman
Goblin Recruiter
Frogtosser Banneret
Auntie's Snitch
Warren Instigator
Squeaking Pie Sneak
Goblin Deathraiders
Goblin Piledriver
Gempalm Incinerator
Goblin Tinkerer
Dark Confidant
Sparksmith
Goblin Warchief
Taurean Mauler
Goblin Sharpshooter
Goblin Matron
Mad Auntie
Boggart Harbinger
Goblin King
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Earwig Squad
Goblin Chieftain
Imperial Recruiter
Goblin Ringleader
Murderous Redcap
Wort, Boggart Auntie
Tuktuk Scrapper
Moggcatcher
Siege-Gang Commander

Chrome Mox
Lotus Petal
Slaughter Pact
AEther Vial
Forked Bolt
Lightning Bolt
Chain Lightning
Goblin Grenade
Magma Jet
Incinerate
Volcanic Hammer
Price of Progress
Terminate
Demonic Tutor
Warren Weirding
Char
Blood Moon
Sword of Fire and Ice
Tangle Wire
Grafted Wargear
Fodder Launch
Living Death
Patriarch's Bidding

Badlands
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Scalding Tarn
Blood Crypt
Graven Cairns
Bloodstained Mire
Auntie's Hovel
Wasteland
Volrath's Stronghold
Dragonskull Summit
Barbarian Ring
Mishra's Factory
Wooded Foothills
Arid Mesa
Polluted Delta
City of Traitors
Mutavault
Lavaclaw Reaches
6 Swamp
11 Mountain


Jukka Lehtinen - Naya


4x Plains
3x Forest
2x Mountain
Plateau
Taiga
Savannah
Sacred Foundry
Stomping Grounds
Temple Garden
Scalding Tarn
Verdant Catacombs
Misty Rainforest
Marsh Flats
Arid Mesa
Flooded Strand
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
Bloodstained Mire
Fire-Lit Thicket
Wooded Bastion
Rugged Prairie
Rootbound Crag
Sunpetal Grove
Horizon Canopy
Reflecting Pool
Karakas
Raging Ravine
Treetop Village
Mishra’s Factory

Mother of Runes
Elite Vanguard
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Savannah Lions
Loam Lion
Figure of Destiny
Goblin Guide
Kird Ape
Grim Lavamancer
Jungle Lion
Wild Nacatl
Skyshroud Elite
Granger Guildmage
Kor Skyfisher
Stoneforge Mystic
Kami of Ancient Law
Serra Avenger
Tin Street Hooligan
Keldon Marauders
River Boa
Mire Boa
Lotus Cobra
Tarmogoyf
Viridian Zealot
Scab-Clan Mauler
Qasali Pridemage
Gaddock Teeg
Watchwolf
Loaming Shaman
Troll Ascetic
Eternal Witness
Kitchen Finks
Knight of the Reliquary
Woolly Thoctar
Ranger of Eos
Flametongue Kavu
Bloodbraid Elf
Baneslayer Angel

Lightning Bolt
Chain Lightning
Firebolt
Burst Lightning
Incinerate
Volcanic Hammer
Sudden Shock
Magma Jet
Lightning Helix
Firebolt
Staggershock
Char

Berserk
Rancor
Path to Exile
Swords to Plowshares
Journey to Nowhere
Hull Breach
Oblivion Ring
Pillage
Molten Rain
Fires of Yavimaya
Armageddon
Æther Vial
Bonesplitter
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow


Fabien Li - MonoU Skies


    16 Island
    1 Wasteland
    1 Rishadan Port
    1 Faerie Conclave
    1 Mutavault
    1 Mishra's Factory
    1 Blinkmoth Nexus
    1 Izzet Boilerworks
    1 Dimir Aqueduct
    1 Azorius Chancery
    1 Simic Growth Chamber
    1 Dust Bowl
    1 Scalding Tarn
    1 Misty Rainforest
    1 Polluted Delta
    1 Flooded Strand
    1 Tectonic Edge
    1 Gargoyle Castle

// Creatures (22)

    1 Spellstutter Sprite
    1 Sygg, River Cutthroat
    1 Spiketail Hatchling
    1 Looter il-Kor
    1 Fathom Seer
    1 Lighthouse Chronologist

    1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
    1 Vendilion Clique
    1 Sower of Temptation
    1 Pestermite
    1 Man-o'-War
    1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
    1 Wake Thrasher
    1 Trinket Mage

    1 Venser, Shaper Savant
    1 Masticore
    1 Glen Elendra Archmage

    1 Riftwing Cloudskate
    1 Mulldrifter
    1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
    1 Razormane Masticore


// Counters (21)

    1 Stifle
    1 Spell Snare
    1 Force Spike
    1 Disrupt
    1 Spell Pierce
    1 Divert

    1 Remand
    1 Daze
    1 Memory Lapse
    1 Mana Drain
    1 Counterspell
    1 Negate
    1 Mana Leak
    1 Miscalculation
    1 Deprive

    1 Cryptic Command
    1 Thwart
    1 Foil

    1 Misdirection
    1 Force of Will
    1 Commandeer

// Other (24)

    1 Chrome Mox

    1 Pithing Needle
    1 Relic of Progenitus
    1 Ancestral Vision
    1 Sensei's Divining Top

    1 Winter Orb
    1 Mind Stone
    1 Guardian Idol
    1 Talisman of Dominance
    1 Talisman of Progress
    1 Into the Roil
    1 Legacy's Allure

    1 Psionic Blast
    1 Sword of Fire and Ice
    1 Vedalken Shackles
    1 Back to Basics
    1 Sword of Light and Shadow
    1 Thirst for Knowledge
    1 Jace Beleren

    1 Control Magic
    1 Fact or Fiction
    1 Gifts Ungiven

    1 Gush
    1 Mind Spring

Since I don't have the time test drive this beast in the upcoming weeks, I ask for the whole community to take a stab at it, and report results. Alternatively, try a different approach on the combo. The goal is to create a deck that is broken enough to justify banning of buried alive.

Here is the deck list that malz77 gave me. It's NOT a list that eventually influenced the ban, nor was the list was entirely finished, so this is probably not the 100% optimal build, but a list that seems solid enough to provide enough info of the combo.




// Lands
   1 [IA] Snow-Covered Plains
   1 [EX] City of Traitors
   1 [MI] Crystal Vein
   1 [IN] Geothermal Crevice
   1 [IN] Island
   1 [IN] Swamp
   1 [IN] Plains
   1 [IA] Snow-Covered Island
   1 [TE] Ancient Tomb
   1 [IA] Snow-Covered Swamp
   1 [SHM] Sunken Ruins
   1 [FUT] River of Tears
   1 [IA] Underground River
   1 [TSP] Gemstone Caverns
   1 [FE] Ebon Stronghold
   1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
   1 [ON] Polluted Delta
   1 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
   1 [ON] Flooded Strand
   1 [ON] Bloodstained Mire
   1 [ON] Windswept Heath
   1 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
   1 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
   1 [ZEN] Marsh Flats
   1 [IN] Ancient Spring
   1 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
   1 [R] Underground Sea
   1 [R] Tundra
   1 [R] Scrubland
   1 [DIS] Hallowed Fountain
   1 [GP] Godless Shrine
   1 [RAV] Watery Grave

// Creatures
   1 [TSP] Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
   1 [CHK] Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
   1 [UL] Karmic Guide
   1 [LRW] Pestermite
   1 [DIS] Sky Hussar
   1 [MOR] Reveillark
   1 [RAV] Drift of Phantasms

// Spells
   1 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
   1 [MR] Chrome Mox
   1 [TO] Breakthrough
   1 [AL] Lat-Nam's Legacy
   1 [TO] Insidious Dreams
   1 [OD] Careful Study
   1 [OD] Buried Alive
   1 [CHK] Gifts Ungiven
   1 [A] Timetwister
   1 [IN] Fact or Fiction
   1 [MI] Shallow Grave
   1 [RAV] Compulsive Research
   1 [IA] Diabolic Vision
   1 [SOK] Footsteps of the Goryo
   1 [RAV] Perplex
   1 [RAV] Dimir Machinations
   1 [PS] Orim's Chant
   1 [M10] Silence
   1 [WL] Abeyance
   1 [TE] Intuition
   1 [AP] Life/Death
   1 [R] Animate Dead
   1 [IA] Dance of the Dead
   1 [VI] Necromancy
   1 [TE] Reanimate
   1 [MM] Dark Ritual
   1 [MM] Misdirection
   1 [PT] Cruel Tutor
   1 [R] Demonic Tutor
   1 [PT] Personal Tutor
   1 [FUT] Pact of Negation
   1 [RAV] Remand
   1 [ST] Grim Tutor
   1 [LG] Mana Drain
   1 [AL] Force of Will
   1 [M10] Duress
   1 [LRW] Thoughtseize
   1 [SH] Mox Diamond
   1 [OD] Tainted Pact
   1 [P2] Sleight of Hand
   1 [VI] Impulse
   1 [M10] Ponder
   1 [OD] Peek
   1 [IA] Brainstorm
   1 [IN] Opt
   1 [PY] Rhystic Tutor
   1 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
   1 [AL] Lim-Dul's Vault
   1 [TSP] Mystical Teachings
   1 [HL] Merchant Scroll
   1 [M10] Diabolic Tutor




The list was missing 10 cards, so I added these:

- Sorcerous Sight (Worse than Peek, but Peek seems really good in this deck)
- Makeshift Mannequin
- Bazaar of Baghdad (Could be really bad, but it's a way to get rid of unwanted cards.)
- Library of Alexandria
- Pithing Needle
- Trinket Mage
- Portent (Seems like a safe filler. Just as good as Ponder in the first couple of turns)
- Mulldrifter (Evoke cost makes this a great reanimator target)
- Shriekmaw (See above. This also gets those problematic creatures like Grim Lavamancer, Ronom Unicorn...)
- Peer Through Depths (should be self-explanatory, probably not that great though)


Cards I consider cutting:

- Mystical Teachings (seems so slow, great against control though)
- Pestermite/sky Hussar (It's nice to have a backup in the deck, in case you draw either one, but I rather draw some action)


I took this one for a spin, but not often enough for me to claim this is absolute truth or anything. Here is what I think:

At a first glance, it looks like your typical combo deck with a faster kill, only with an more easily disrupted combo. But don't let that fool you, it's not that fast.

Most of the time aggro decks just run over you and while you sometimes have the opportunity to go off before that, you don't have the luxury to protect your kill in any way, you just need to try it. And especially after the opponent knows the deal, they will leave instant burn spell just for this occasion.

Against midrange decks with no counters or effective disruption, this deck is good. Once they tap out to play whatever, just go for it. As long as they have only instant speed removal and no pressure, you can get around that in no time. White Weenie is another decent matchup as they rarely have an instant answer, and they are generally slow enough for you kill you, before you go off. They, however tend do play some annoying permanents that will cause problems and worst case scenarios (relic of progenitus, karakas) will usually delay the kill for several turns.

Against blue-based control, you should be able to accumulate enough disruption to force through a wall of counters, but any permanent that gives you trouble, is a serious problem. You can't go off against an active relic of progenitus, vedalken shackles or the like and finding answers to something like that AND trying to get that through a sea of counterspells, before control finds their finisher or locks the game down, is incredibly hard.

There were games where I wished this deck had huge monsters instead of a fragile combo kill. Buried Aliving something along the lines of Iona, Empyrial and Bogardan Hellkite would have been usually better than crossing your fingers. Especially against fast aggro decks, you are better off playing a regular reanimator deck.

Now, a hybrid BA-combo and reanimator deck could theoretically work, but there are not that many MUs where this combo is good enough to justify putting three to four, essentially dead draws in the deck. Also you would have to seriously cut down the protective department, so the combo isn't probably doing that much either.


My verdict (although only with limited testing and probably not an optimal deck list):

I would not take this deck, in it's current form, to a tournament in which I try to succeed. The deck seems like it's a weaker than Aluren or Dream Halls - combos. The latter is a great example, as it does not need to dodge nearly as much problematic cardboard and essentially costs about the same as BA + reanimation spell. It's a fun little deck that has some hands that can win out of nowhere if and when the opponent taps out. It's a great pick against field full of midrange and slow aggro, but so is every other combo deck as well. I would take Aluren (http://www.trader-online.de/turniere/Decks/2009-8-1.jpg) over this any day.

It's kinda fun to play and whenever your opponent has a card(s) you don't know of, you need to figure out wheater you can combo off and if you do, what can you play around. In the hands of a good player, this deck could provide constant positive record, but tournament winner this is not.


I challenged my goldfish in ten quick games, just to give you some data. Sample size is small, but so is my lunch break.

In all of these, I mulliganed away all my protective spells and just tried to combo off as fast as humanly possible without playing around of anything)

First I list the turn I was able to successfully reanimating (does not always mean the turn when won), then some notes about the game.

- 5 (no protection when buried aliving, on the next turn reanimaion spell with silence backup.)
- 4 (no protection when buried aliving, or on the next turn when reanimating.)
- 5 (duressing on the same turn when buried aliving, but no protection when reanimating. insidious dreamed two turns before, leaving no cards in hand. Good thing it was not countered)
- 3 (played both on the same turn with BA + reanimate. no protection before or when comboing. Still, a very nice draw. Demonic tutor and reanimate on the opening hand, drew chrome mox right away.)
- 4 (played both on the same turn, misdirection back up. Glad Wanda was unable to deal my first turn ancient spring.)
- 6 (played both on the same turn, remand back up. had to assume my opponent could not have paid for the rhystic tutor in turn 5.)
- 5 (played BA without protection. Next turn Pact of Negation back up. Since I drew Karmic Guide, I was forced to go off with reveillark, which puts the actual combo turn in turn 6. This also makes the pact of negation protection irrelevant since I only hand three lands.)
- 4 (played both on the same turn, no protection. Drew karmic guide, so actual kill was on turn 5.)
- 7 (played both on the same turn, peeked on the first turn, otherwise no protection.)
- 5 (no protection when buried aliving, and no protection turn after when reanimating.)

Average: 5.0, when calculating with the actual kill turn. 4.8, otherwise.

In all of these games, I would have been 2-3 turns slower if opponent would have wastelanded on turn 1 or 2. You can probably dodge this by optimizing your mana. You an get away playin more basics anyway, since you need to stop tainted pacting, if you hit Kiki-Jiki or something. Most of these games (8 out of 10), I tapped out (or had no protection) when playing a tutor before the combo turn, meaning I was very vulnerable to a discard spell.

EDIT -- You can find the deck in MWS format here: http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~a0800628/

Click with right mouse button, choose "save as" and open in Magic Workstation.

[1. Rauli Laatikainen - Zoo]

Nahkahousukinkerit, Standings after round 5

                                            Tie 1    Tie 2    Tie 3  Matches
Rank Name                         Points     OMW%     PGW%     OGW%  P/W/D/B

   1 Laatikainen, Rauli A             13  65,3333  80,0000  61,5540  5/4/1/0
   2 Hakosalo, Joose                  13  53,3333  88,8889  51,7509  5/4/1/0
   3 Jormanainen, Mikko               12  56,0000  72,7273  55,0609  5/4/0/0
   4 Öhman, Janne                     12  55,3333  81,8182  50,5641  5/4/0/0
   5 Ahvenainen, Miro                 10  68,6667  58,9744  67,7599  5/3/1/0
   6 Kilappa, Vantte                  10  68,0000  64,1026  64,1026  5/3/1/0
   7 Qvist, Ville                     10  52,0000  69,4444  50,2875  5/3/1/0
   8 Jaakkola, Pyry                   10  50,6667  61,1111  50,9052  5/3/1/0
   9 Ekman, Axel A                     9  62,6667  61,5385  58,8306  5/3/0/0
  10 Parviainen, Henri                 9  54,6667  53,8462  53,3893  5/3/0/0
  11 Ahonen, Pekka                     9  52,0000  54,5455  53,5198  5/3/0/0
  12 Teittinen, Mikael                 9  50,6667  54,5455  48,9044  5/3/0/0
  13 Pyyhtiä, Tuomas                   9  48,0000  50,0000  51,1783  5/3/0/0
  14 Tarkiainen, Petteri               6  56,0000  38,4615  59,6581  5/2/0/0
  15 Kuva, Jukka                       6  54,6667  33,3333  57,6612  5/2/0/0
  16 Humalamaki, Antti                 6  53,3333  45,4545  53,7879  4/1/0/1
  17 Leppä, Oskari                     6  50,6667  46,1538  48,6869  5/2/0/0
  18 Kilappa, Elina                    6  50,6667  36,3636  51,0967  5/2/0/0
  19 Korhonen, Jani                    6  48,0000  45,4545  47,8283  5/2/0/0
  20 Kasa, Pekka                       3  75,0000  40,0000  80,0000  2/1/0/0
  21 Himanen, Teemu                    3  69,4444  25,0000  64,4444  3/0/0/1
  22 Aalto, Tero                       3  66,6667  58,3333  58,3333  2/1/0/0
  23 Suutari, Ville                    3  66,6667  42,8571  63,4921  3/1/0/0
  24 Suvela, Santeri                   3  55,5556  50,0000  44,4444  3/1/0/0
  25 Moisio, Erkka                     3  55,5556  44,4444  48,6111  3/1/0/0
  26 Matikainen, Lasse                 3  55,5556  28,5714  50,9921  3/1/0/0
  27 Ahokas, Jussi                     3  50,0000  42,8571  46,6667  3/1/0/0
  28 Siiki, Ilkka                      3  38,8889  25,0000  45,9596  3/0/0/1
  29 Vartiainen, Sami                  0  75,0000  33,3333  65,0000  2/0/0/0
  30 Niiranen, Esko                    0  50,0000  20,0000  50,0000  2/0/0/0
  31 Kilappa, Tatu                     0  50,0000  20,0000  45,0000  2/0/0/0
  32 Mäkinen, Juho                     0  38,8889  14,2857  44,8413  3/0/0/0



Top 8 Decklists:


1. Rauli Laatikainen - Zoo


Battlefield Forge
Taiga
Sacred Foundry
Stomping Ground
Wasteland
Verdant Catacombs
Wooded Foothills
Horizon Canopy
Temple Garden
Plateau
Plains
Mountain
Forest
Misty Rainforest
Marsh Flats
Brushland
Gemstone Mine
City of Brass
Savannah
Karplusan Forest
Bloodstained Mire
Mutavault
Windswept Heath
Arid Mesa
Scalding Tarn
Flooded Strand
Mishra's Factory
Barbarian Ring

Mother of Runes
Wild Dogs
Savannah Lions
Hidden Gibbons
Hidden Herd
Basking Rootwalla
Mtenda Lion
Ghazban Ogre
Goblin Guide
Kird Ape
Figure of Destiny
Grim Lavamancer
Tattermunge Maniac
Jackal Pup
Wild Nacatl
Granger Guildmage
Goblin Bushwhacker
Skyshroud Elite
Jungle Lion
Loam Lion
Elite Vanguard
Mogg Fanatic
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Goblin Legionnaire
Albino Troll
Kami of Ancient Law
Gaddock Teeg
Wild Mongrel
Tin Street Hooligan
Hellspark Elemental
Keldon Marauders
Mogg Flunkies
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Watchwolf
Scab-clan Mauler
Qasali Pridemage
River Boa
Ronom Unicorn
Tarmogoyf
Safehold Elite
Cerodon Yearling
Serra Avenger
Gathan Raiders
Woolly Thoctar
Mox Diamond
Grafted Wargear
Reckless Abandon
Reckless Charge
Shard Volley
Lightning Bolt
Tarfire
Chain Lightning
Firebolt
Burst Lightning
Sudden Shock
Incinerate
Lightning Helix
Price of Progress
Volcanic Hammer
Fire Ambush
Magma Jet
Rift Bolt
Flames of the Blood Hand
Char
Rhystic Lightning
Sulfuric Vortex
Fireblast
Giant Growth
Berserk
Brute Force
Might of Old Krosa
Rancor


2. Joose Hakosalo - Bazaar.dec


Academy Ruins
Barren Moor
Bayou
Bloodstained Mire
Breeding Pool
Flooded Strand
Forbidden Orchard
Forest
Island
Lonely Sandbar
Marsh Flats
Maze of Ith
Misty Rainforest
Overgrown TOmb
Polluted Delta
Scalding Tarn
Snow-covered Forest
Snow-covered Island
Snow-covered Swamp
Swamp
Library of Alexandria
Tolaria West
Tranquil Thicket
Tropical Island
Underground Sea
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Verdant Catacombs
Wasteland
Watery Grave
Windswept Heath
Wooded Foothills

Chrome Mox
Tormod's Crypt
Engineered Explosives
Mox Diamond
Birds of Paradise
Noble Hierarch
Brainstorm
Reanimate
Thoughtseize
Crop Rotation
Entomb
Sensei's Divining Top
Duress
Pithing Needle
Hermit Druid
Looter il-kor
Merfolk Looter
Sakura-Tribe ELder
Thought COurier
Waterfront Bouncer
Wild Mongrel
Life from the Loam
Exhume
Sylvan Scrying
Tainted Pact
Life/Death
Mana Leak
Oath of Druids
Stitch Together
Zombie Infestation
Mana Drain
Daze
Survival of the Fittest
Dance of the Dead
Demonic Tutor
Animate Dead
Eternal Witness
Psychatog
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Show and Tell
Necromancy
Frantic Search
Pernicious Deed
Intuition
Recurring Nightmare
Krosan Grip
Thirst for Knowledge
Zombify
Makeshift Mannequin
Gifts Ungiven
Fact or Fiction
Wickerbough Elder
Body Double
Living Death
Force of Will
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Ancestor's Chosen
Angel of Despair
Phantom Nishoba
Simic Sky Swallower
Bogardan Hellkite
Empyrial Archangel
Kederekt Leviathan
Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Sundering Titan
Woodfall Primus
Blazing Archon
Inkwell Leviathan
Iona, Shield of Emeria


3. Mikko Jormanainen - Naya


2 Plains
3 Mountain
8 Forest
Verdant Catacombs
Arid Mesa
Misty Rainforest
Marsh Flats
Flooded Strand
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
Bloodstained Mire
Taiga
Savannah
Scalding Tarn
Plateau
Stomping Ground
Temple Garden
Sacred Foundry
Mutavault
Treetop Village
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Barbarian Ring
Horizon Canopy
Karakas

Swords to Plowshares
Banefire
Goblin Bushwhacker
Wilt-Leaf Liege
Lightning Bolt
Iwamori of the Open Fist
Blastoderm
River Boa
Woolly Thoctar
Armadillo Cloak
Kor Skyfisher
Firebolt
Lightning Helix
Loxodon Hierarch
Troll Ascetic
Boartusk Liege
Ranger of Eos
Arc Lightning
Steward of Valeron
Tin Street Hooligan
Ajani Vengeant
Magma Jet
Oblivion Ring
Flametongue Kavu
Krosan Grip
Dauntless Escort
Boggart Ram-Gang
Qasali Pridemage
Tarmogoyf
Burst Lightning
Scute Mob
Chain Lightning
Incinerate
Phantom Centaur
Call of the Herd
Fyndhorn Elves
Giant Solifuge
Armageddon
Noble Hierarch
Sudden Shock
Knotvine Paladin
Watchwolf
Plated Geopede
Great Sable Stag
Serra Avenger
Demonfire
Thornscape Familiar
Garruk Wildspeaker
Bloodbraid Elf
Llanowar Elves
Burning-Tree Shaman
Sword of Fire and Ice
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Birds of Paradise
Anurid Brushhopper
Wild Nacatl
Path To Exile
Knight of the Reliquary
Kitchen Finks
Rancor
Spellbreaker Behemoth
Grim Lavamancer
Loaming Shaman
Vithian Renegades
Price of Progress


4. Janne Öhman - Naya


3 Mountain
2 Plains
5 Forest
Windswept Heath
Arid Mesa
Flooded Strand
Wooded Foothills
Verdant Catacombs
Treetop Village
Horizon Canopy
Mutavault
Scalding Tarn
Marsh Flats
Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Savannah
Misty Rainforest
Bloodstained Mire
Plateau
Taiga
Sacred Foundry
Temple Garden
Stomping Ground
Barbarian Ring
Karakas
Stirring Wildwood
Raging Ravine

Great Sable Stag
Troll Ascetic
Kitchen Finks
Tarmogoyf
Bloodbraid Elf
Baneslayer Angel
Knight of the Reliquary
Qasali Pridemage
Birds of Paradise
Woolly Thoctar
Leatherback Baloth
Watchwolf
Noble Hierarch
Loaming Shaman
Iwamori of the Open Fist
Vithian Renegades
Tin Street Hooligan
Dauntless Escort
Wild Nacatl
Ranger of Eos
Anurid Brushhopper
Steward of Valeron
Spellbreaker Behemoth
Scute Mob
Lotus Cobra
Knotvine Paladin
Burning-Tree Shaman
Giant Solifuge
Loxodon Hierarch
Boggart Ram-Gang
Civic Wayfinder
Borderland Ranger
Blastoderm
Uktabi Drake
Phantom Centaur
Arbor Elf
Stoneforge Mystic
Fyndhorn Elves
Llanowar Elves
Gaddock Teeg

Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Ajani Vengeant
Sword of Fire and Ice
Garruk Wildspeaker
Swords to Plowshares
Oblivion Ring
Lightning Helix
Lightning Bolt
Magma Jet
Call of the Herd
Sudden Shock
Firebolt
Incinerate
Harm's Way
Rancor
Colossal Might
Chain Lightning
Armadillo Cloak
Arc Lightning
Path to Exile
Krosan Grip
Burst Lightning
Rhystic Lightning
Sword of Light and Shadow
Journey to Nowhere
Chrome Mox


5. Miro Ahvenainen - UW Control



Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Wall of Denial
Glen Elendra Archmage
Vendilion Clique
Eternal Dragon
Sphinx of Lost Truths
Mulldrifter
Pulse of the Fields
Academy Rector
Path to Exile
Cryptic Command
Time Spiral
Oblivion Ring
Ghostly Prison
Tidings
Condescend
Remand
Razormane Masticore
Azorius Signet
Brainstorm
Exalted Angel
Force of Will
Stroke of Genius
Pithing Needle
Spell Snare
Counterspell
Ponder
Back to Basics
Dismantling Blow
Gifts Ungiven
Negate
Take Possession
Decree of Justice
Rite of Replication
Fact or Fiction
Trinket Mage
Repeal
Kitchen Finks
Future Sight
Control Magic
Faith's Fetters
Return to Dust
Journey to Nowhere
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Vedalken Shackles
Wall of Reverence
Wrath of God
Spell Pierce
Courier's Capsule
Talisman of Progress
Sensei's Divining Top
Scepter of Dominance
Crucible of Worlds
Solemn Simulacrum
Day of Judgment
Impulse
Mana Leak
Teferi's Moat
Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Swords to Plowshares
Relic of Progenitus
Jace Beleren

Sejiri Refuge
Azorius Chancery
Glacial FOrtress
Academy Ruins
Misty Rainforest
Tectonic Edge
Wasteland
Mishra's Factory
Hallowed Fountain
Tundra
Kor Haven
Adarkar Wastes
Marsh Flats
Flooded Strand
Polluted Delta
11 Island
9 Plains


6. Vantte Kilappa - UR-Bullshitlander


6 Mountain
9 Island
Dissipate
Rakdos Signet
Aeon Chronicler
Candles of Leng
Relic of Progenitus
Tolaria West
Worn Powerstone
Shivan Reef
Mind Stone
Earthquake
Arid Mesa
Cryptic Command
Starstorm
Prophetic Bolt
Gifts Ungiven
Spell Burst
Scalding Tarn
Mystical Teachings
Misty Rainforest
Trinket Mage
Crumbling Necropolis
Condescend
Comet Storm
Shattering Pulse
Cascade Bluffs
Izzet Signet
Exclude
Fact or Fiction
Capsize
Dimir Signet
Flooded Strand
Wasteland
Coalition Relic
Venser, Shaper Savant
Future Sight
Sensei's Divining Top
Darksteel Ingot
Mana Leak
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Jilt
Wooded Foothills
Flametongue Kavu
Great Furnace
Dimir Aqueduct
Crater Hellion
Nucklavee
Repeal
Forbid
Honden of Seeing Winds
Mindbreak Trap
Everflowing Chalice
Library of Alexandria
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Remove Soul
Banefire
Thirst for Knowledge
Terramorphic Expanse
Seat of the Synod
Volcanic Island
Counterspell
Rakdos Carnarium
Sphinx of Lost Truths
Mulldrifter
Thran Dynamo
Fanning the Flames
Demonfire
Keiga, the Tide Star
Gargoyle Castle
Bogardan Hellkite
Academy Ruins
Mind Spring
Treachery
Illuminate
Fireball
Fire/Ice
Dismiss
Firespout
Intuition
Rolling Thunder
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Draining Whelk
Steam Vents
Control Magic
Izzet Boilerworks
Mana Drain


7. Ville Qvist - BW


Duress
Bitterblossom
Hymn to Tourach
Sign in Blood
Wrench Mind
Phyrexian Arena
Slaughter Pact
Carnophage
Vampire Lacerator
Dark Confidant
Pit Keeper
Nezumi Graverobber
Thoughtseize
Withered Wretch
Hand of Cruelty
Black Knight
Dauthi Slayer
Order of the Ebon Hand
Phyrexian Rager
Dusk Urchins
Hypnotic Specter
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Plague Sliver
Howling banshee
Murderous Redcap
Night's Whisper
Icatian javelineers
Mother of Runes
Savannah Lions
Kami of Ancient law
Soltari Trooper
Ethersworn Canonist
Knight of the White Orchid
Sigiled Paladin
White Shield Crusader
Soltari Monk
Order of Leitbur
Kor Aeronaut
Samurai of the Pale Curtain
White Knight
Serra Avenger
Knight of the Holy Nimbus
Soltari Priest
Knight of Meadowgrain
Stonecloaker
Aven Mindcensor
Kor Sanctifiers
Armageddon
Parallax Wave
Calciderm
Path to Exile
Swords to Plowshares
Journey to Nowhere
Oblivion Ring
Ajani Goldmane
Tidehollow Sculler
Necrotic Sliver
Stillmoon Cavalier
Unmake
Gerrard's Verdict
Castigate
Mortify
Vindicate
Winter Orb
Sword of Fire and Ice
AEther Vial
Bonesplitter

Mishra's Factory
Wasteland
Scrubland
Godless Shrine
Bloodstained Mire
Caves of Koilos
Marsh Flats
Orzhov Basilica
Arid Mesa
Flagstones of Trokair
Polluted Delta
12 Plains
10 Swamp


8. Pyry Jaakkola - UWR-Stäxi


Crumbling Sanctuary
Volcanic Island
Flagstones of Trokair
Karakas
Dream Tides
Argivian Restoration
Parallax Tide
Godless Shrine
Static ORb
Tolaria West
Flooded Strand
Scalding Tarn
Gilded Lotus
Mishra's Helix
Voltaic Key
Venser, Shaper Savant
Prismatic Lens
Icy Manipulator
Crystal Shard
Cascade Bluffs
Smokestack
Thirst for Knowledge
Propaganda
Pendrell Mists
Wasteland
Boros Signet
Upheaval
Tangle Wire
Collective Restraint
Relic Barrier
Transmute Artifact
Jace Beleren
Crucible of Worlds
Gifts Ungiven
Ghostly Prison
Mindslaver
Copy Artifact
Great Furnace
Tundra
Rishadan Port
Impulse
Talisman of Progress
Force of Will
Decree of Justice
Thoughtcast
Parallax Wave
Tezzeret the Seeker
Armageddon
Trash for Treasure
Sacred Foundry
Worn Powerstone
Fact or Fiction
Hallowed Fountain
Condescend
Maze of Ith
Remand
Glimmervoid
Ancient Den
Mystic Gate
Grim Monolith
Frozen AEther
Day of Judgment
Izzet Signet
Wildfire
Academy Ruins
Coalition Relic
Watery Grave
Seat of the Synod
Compulsive Research
Coldsteel Heart
Sensei's Divining Top
Ajani Vengeant
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Zuran Orb
Fabricate
Dust Bowl
Steam Vents
Deep Analysis
Mountain
Goblin Welder
Ring of Gix
Trinket Mage
Intuition
Tidings
Vesuva
Wrath of God
Magus of the Tabernacle
WInter Orb
Blinkmoth Well
Kor Haven
Gods' Eye, Gate to the Reikai
Ancient Tomb
Thran Dynamo
Sun Droplet

3 Snow-covered Island
2 Island
2 Plains




During the first round of the tournament, I sat down against local Antti Humalamäki, who proceeded to win the main event (national qualifer) second time in succession, and he starts by saying something along the lines of "I forgot to sign my deck list, but you'll know which one is mine."

"...ok"

Antti plays Plains and passes the turn.

I play a land and pass.

Reflecting Pool, Ondu Cleric, gain one, go.

"...ok"



Antti Humalamäki - Ally


Reflecting Pool
Mountain
Island
Bayou
Boros Signet
Selesnya Signet
Ghostway
Seascape aerialist
Anger
Victimize
Vastwood Animist
Gifts Ungiven
Tuktuk Grunts
Krosan Grip
Harabaz Druid
Badlands
Stonework Puma (!)
Scalding Tarn
Mirror Entity
Hada Freeblade
Noble Hierarch
Jwari Shapeshifter
Tajuru Archer
Horizon Canopy
Trace of Abundance
Plains
Tundra
Exotic Orchard
Highland Berserker
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Bojuka Brigand
Misty Rainforest
Mystic Gate
Halimar Excavator
Recurring Nightmare (!!)
Tropical Island
Nimana Sell-Sword
Graypelt Hunter
Qasali Pridemage
Armillary Sphere
Reap and Sow
Island
Join the Ranks
Volrath's Stronghold
Garruk Wildspeaker
Thoughtseize
Birds of Paradise
Ondu Cleric
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Akoum Battlesinger
Makindi Shieldmate
Goblin War Paint (!!!)
Savannah
Bala Ged Thief
Rite of Replication
Forest
Wooded Bastion
Forest
Volcanic Island
Wasteland
Talus Paladin
Windswept Heath
Ajani Goldmane
Turntimber Ranger
Zealous Persecution
Overrun
Mox Diamond
Ancient Ziggurat
Agadeem Occultist
Tuktuk Scrapper
Murasa Pyromancer
Dust Bowl
Survival of the Fittest
Swamp
Kazuul Warlord
Umara Raptor
Root-Kin Ally (asdf!)
Behemoth Sledge
Plains
Plains
Marsh Flats
Joraga Bard
Forest
Plateau
Bloodstained Mire
Swamp
Sea Gate Loremaster
Kabira Evangel
Scrubland
Mountain
Kazandu Blademaster
Living Death
Fire-Lit Thicket
Forest
Crucible of Worlds
Coalition Relic
Momentary Blink
Jace, the Mind Sculptor


Random funny business from the same tournament:

- Hypergenesis is suspended against an opposing counterbalance, all the while the counterbalance player kept drawing lands. When the Hypergenesis finally enters the stack, the counterbalance reveals Sensei's Diving Top.

- A resolved Gifts Ungiven results in Goblin War Paint and Umara Raptor to be put into the graveyard.

- "What a rotten luck to have that cascade hit Hypergenesis, at the exact same time you to have all those big creatures in hand."