Magic 2011 Sealed | An M11 Release Tournament Report

This past weekend I swung by my local gaming store to partake in some sealed action. Though sealed isn’t a format I love, due to the often swingy nature of opening the right bombs, I’ve been having such luck with this set – having opened a Grave Titan in my first draft, and a Primeval Titan in my second. Hoping to replicate this rare-cracking experience in a different format, I happily plopped down my $25, grabbed my six packs, and opened this relatively decent pool.

Now, between the two dual lands, the Day of Judgment, and a foil Lightning Bolt, I obviously did pretty okay in getting some of money back. Unfortunately though, aside from the wrath there weren’t much bombs to speak of. Still, it looked like the kind of pool that could easily do some damage given some consistent draws. The first color that jumped out at me was the red, which between the Bolt, two Outrages and a Fireball, seemed like an obvious color to play. There wasn’t much by way of creatures, but given the four pieces of burn I felt more than confident including Chandra’s Spitfire and the potential bomb Fire Servant, which I’ve seen blow out more than a few games when paired with Fireball.

Looking at the rest of my pool I wished that my green was more there, with 2 Giant Spiders and 2 Cultivates looking up at me sadly. Unfortunately though, the obvious second color here was white. Aside from the obvious power of Wrath of God, there were some decent flyers, the Knight package of Exemplar and the White Knight, as well as the two Siege Mastodons to hold the ground. From there, I put together this build.

I was very happily about the potential of Warlord’s Axe, especially at the prospect that it could make an otherwise unexciting Chandra’s Spitfire into a great beater. The Whispersilk Cloak on the other hand didn’t have the best targets, but honestly I can’t think of a situation where you don’t main this card, it’s just inevitability on a stick. I thought about trying to cram Volcanic Strength into the build, seemed great on either the flyers or either of the Knights. But with the two pieces of equipment I figured I was full up on creature enhancement.

Round 1:
This was disappointing as my opponent didn’t seem like he would be much of a threat, continuing to tap out before combat and making generally sloppy plays. Unfortunately, even the worst player can usually eek out a win against thirteen lands and five action cards. He led with a Black Knight to hold off my Knight Exemplar, then Quag Sicknessed the Gargoyle I was hoping would stop his onslaught. With me at 8 life or so I had to pitch great removal like Condemn at the minor guys he was throwing at me, only for him to draw and play Baneslayer Angel.

Game two was no better, this time me getting down to twelve life before using an Outrage and a Fireball to take out his entire team. I was holding Destructive Force with the mana to cast it, waiting for him to drop at least one creature on the empty board before I blew the world. Unfortunately, that creature was Vengeful Archon – much too big for me to deal with, and I was forced to concede, this time with twelve lands on the board and three action cards total drawn in the game.

Round 2:
Before Round 2 started I took out the Destructive Force, figuring I couldn’t really capitalize on its effect too well. Instead I brought in the Glacial Fortress, 1 Island, and the Foresee, hoping the powerful draw spell would dig me to my bombs. I wasn’t too worried about my opponent, a ten year old kid playing GW who had pretty much no idea what he was doing. Little did I know how savage his deck was.

This game really is the ultimate reminder to never underestimate an opponent. It takes no skill to know to keep dropping guys and keep beating face, and that’s exactly what this kid did. In game one I kept a two land hand featuring Day of Judgment, expecting it to be enough. Eventually though his board was clear simply from him having substandard guys and from me using up some of my burn, taking out everything he equipped a bothersome Sword of Vengeance to. I figured taking out his early game was enough, and once I put him in topdeck mode I figured the Day I was holding would be a fine reset button in case things got out of hand. That’s when he dropped Cudgel Troll, and my whole plan went to pot, watching as he then drew into Yavimaya Wurm. The ultimate insult? Me having to teach him how equipment works so he could beat me into the ground. No your sword does not go into the graveyard with your guy, yes you Infantry Veteran can put down the Sword so your newly drawn Cudgel Troll can beat me in the head. Yes you have won the game.

Game two I sided out War Priest for the Manic Vandal, hoping to blow up the sword. How happy I was to find myself holding the Vandal while a Pacifism kept my Assault Griffin back… additionally I now had to teach him about another card type, explaining how Planeswalkers work when he dropped an Ajani Goldmane! I felt confident however as he chose to just use the life gain ability, letting me kill the thing over two turns in the air with the Assault Griffin which eventually was pacified. He then topdecked a Serra Angel immediately afterward, and quickly beat in hard. I cursed my fate, assuming I was done for, only to narrowly topdeck a Condemn and eventually get my pair of Siege Mastodons through his team.

Game three I was ready to pack it up and go home, unable to believe that I was about to scrub out the tournament to the same kid who for some inexplicable reason thought in the first game that Day of Judgment read “put all creatures, lands and cards in your graveyard on the bottom of your library.” Facing down a Yavimaya Wurm, Cudgel Troll, and the Sword – I assumed my fate was sealed, only to topdeck a Fire Servant. I breathed a sigh of relief, pitched a Lightning Bolt and Fireball at his face and extended the hand. Honestly, his deck was the most powerful I saw all day. Too bad he wasn’t at the level of play skill to take advantage of it.

Round 3:
I ran home between rounds to grab my trade binder, some kid insistent on trading me a Fauna Shaman for Elvish Piper. Unfortunately, by the time I got back he was gone and I’d already lost game one. Shrugging I sat down to face my opponent, choosing the play and going to it. After he resolved a turn two Demons Horn I assumed this game would be quick, something quickly reinforced by the Blood Tithe he followed it up with. I ignored the minor life upswing he kept giving himself and continued to beat in with Siege Mastodons against his 2/2s and 4/2s. Game two went about the same, this time seeing a Dragons Eye as well. I punched him in the face until he stopped living, then took a good ten minute period to explain to him the inherent advantage of jamming creatures who can trade into your deck, as opposed to minor lifegain spells. I helped him put together what I thought was a much more powerful GB deck, featuring 2 Cultivates, Cudgel Troll, Spined Wurm and other solid green beats. I forgot to ask him how he did, but he sincerely appreciated the help.

Round 4:
Here I again found myself across from a 12 year old kid, but since he’d made a 2-1 record already I assumed the worst. His deck was a very controlling UW build, with Wall of Frost, the new Sea Serpent and an unreasonable amount of card draw. Luckily I started off Game One at a blindingly fast speed, with my turn two White Knight followed up by the knight lord, giving me a 3/3 Indestructible First Striker beating in. The Knight team eventually saw a Wall of Frost ahead, though the 3/3 combined with a Chandra’s Outrage helped take it out and put him to 3. Unfortunately, he answered with a very sturdy Harbor Serpent, a Blinding Mage and an Ice Cage on the Knight lord. I was holding Day of Judgment at this point, and wrathing the board would leave me with a 2/2 Knight beating him down to one. All I needed was that one point of burn, and drawing Outrage I had found it. At EOT, after he beat me down to 10 with his serpent, I pitched the burn at his Blinding Mage. For some reason though, he felt this bizarre need to tap something, and with White Knight already tapped he had only one, very bad option. It played out kind of like this.

Me: I pitch outrage at your Blinding Mage
Him (panicky): Uh, before it dies I get to tap something
Me: Ok…
Him: Ok, White Knight is already tapped. I guess I tap your Knight Exemplar
Me: Ok – Ice Cage falls off (Move to put the card in the graveyard – and giving me lethal swinging through without need for the wrath)
Him: *Epic facepalm*

I showed him I had the win anyway just because I didn’t want him to rage too hard, but there’s two important lessons here. One is that though in our minds, someone being about to die seems like they should only have a few seconds to fulfill their dying wishes. The truth is that a creature dying is the same as any other effect. Take your time to think it through. Additionally, and this should be obvious, fight those mental shortcuts! How many times have you had a Blinding Mage in play, and your only thought is – “Don’t forget to tap something damnit.” No! Don’t think that!” In most situations, yes, you want to get the most out of your Blinding Mage. But here we had a situation where the desire to use what is normally a positive effect resulted in nothing but an obvious misplay.

Game two he gave me the play, and I kept a hand with no early drops, but with the blue splash and Foresee in hand. Nothing happened until turn four, whereas I played my Foresee to pick up a Fire Servant and Wild Griffin with my second Plains on top, and he played his own Foresee in turn. The game was pretty simple from this point on.

Me: Tap out for Fire Servant
Him: Tap out for Serra Angel
Me: Chandra’s Outrage the Angel, put you to 16. Beat in, put you to 12.
Him: Play a bunch of cards, tap all my mana.
Me: Fireball for 12.
Him: Sad face

He was a bit of a sore loser about it, first went through my deck to try and question my deckbuilding skills (tried to give me crap for playing the Knight Lord before realizing it had First Strike), then later found me and said “I hope you like your four packs, cause I just opened a Primeval Titan!” But hell, I was probably just as bad when I was his age. Honestly, I don’t like playing against kids, because I don’t feel great when I win and I sure don’t feel great when I lose. Still, you have to treat them pretty much like any other competitor – to an extent. The biggest noobs to the game, kids who forget to tap land or try to cast sorceries mid-combat, I just patiently explain what they’ve done wrong, back up the game state, and let them go to it. I see a lot of guys who call the judge over because the ten year old they’re playing drew a card after their combat step, when all you really need to do is explain the post-combat main phase, but the card back on top and go about the rest of the game.

I had a good time, opened some solid rares in my pool, and in opening one of my four prize packs I found a Time Reversal which I promptly traded in for $10 credit (the card is garbage and you should all do the same before it completely tanks in value). Pretty happy with my experience and the set overall, though after this I think I’ll stick to draft. At least there I don’t have to worry about Timmy steamrolling me with the savage GW pile he opens…

Until next time!
Christopher Gesualdi