Game #223: Daghatar the Ancient

Game #223: Daghatar the Ancient
Date: 2017-01-24
Location: Red Castle Games, Portland OR
Vs. Kiki-Jiki; General Tazri
Result:   Unfun Loss

vs

This one went pretty long, as the Allies deck took long turns to figure stuff out and had a Mana Echoes. Kiki-Jiki got a Koth emblem early, had two Valakuts, and got to Karn’s Ultimate range with an Ulamog.  There was an All is Dust that also wrecked the board.  I didn’t really get to do any thing exciting or fun in the game, just play catch up.  Cool things that were on the table for me included a turn 1 Rogue Elephant, a Tusk-Caller up to level 2, and Daghatar got cast twice.   Really though, I think this is a game where I would have scooped to speed things up, but I was still sticking with my “No Scooping Resolution,” which made me grumpy.

About the Deck

Elephants are amazing animals.  There isn’t a non-silver bordered Elephant Legend, so Daghatar gets to be the guy.  The rest of the deck is lots of elephants and loxodon, and a few +1/+1 counters things (but mostly just all of the elephants, or things that make elephants).

Game #177: Teneb the Harvester

Game #177: Teneb the Harvester
Date: 2015-06-24 (Last Game in MD)
Location: Family Game Store, Savage, MD
Vs: Titania; Captain Sisay; Karona (Squirrels)
Result: Fun (I think?) Loss

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This was my final night playing at the Family Game Store in Savage Mill (in Savage MD) before I moved to Portland, OR, so I wanted to make sure I got at least one new deck played there.

I started with 3 land (I think all forests?) but I think I drew into a plains somewhere. I know I was able to Mortify Titania’s early Azusa. Sisay had played Dosan, and Titiania Stripmined an Island from Karona, who followed that with a Mirari’s Wake.

I used a Priest of Gix to play a Phyrexian Plaguelord. Sisay dropped a Karametra and Jedit of Efrava. Titania played Exploration, a Zuran Orb and Parallel Lives (which was troubling). Cast Unearth on Priest of Gix to get the mana to play Teneb and then cast Necromantic Selection on the next turn, returning my own Teneb. Teneb harvested a Solemn Simulacrum, and a Deranged Hermit (which helped pay the convoke to Endless Obedience out Jedit).

It seemed like I was in a good spot. Sisay started rebuilding with Heroes Podium and Karona was doing things with Tiling Treefolk and Strands of Night. Karona was at really low life but dropped Parallel Evolution, Parallel Lives (up to 72 squirrels) and then a Goblin Bombardment. I play Death Frenzy and Karona casts Riot Control (for 30) in response, and then also Kills me.

Rest of the Night: I switched tables with Karona’s player so we could play some last games with Gisa/Ihsan. I played one game with my Tariel and the Seven (Legendary) Samurai deck. I had a Neko-Te on Kumano, Master Yamabushi (which is fun times), I came really close to winning, but Squirrels happened. I ended the night with my very first deck (from this project, and ever, which was recently featured on the Mothership site), Kangee the Aerie Keeper. I don’t really remember what happened in the game, being more focused on one last game with some really good friends.

About the Deck:  This is just big dumb reanimation. It doesn’t stray far from the theme of it’s commander. Stuff goes to the graveyard, and I get it back.  There might be combos, but I don’t even remember.  I think it forked from building another deck.

NOTE:  This game was played at the end of June. I haven’t built any new decks since then due to a cross country move and not yet being settled in permanent housing (I’ve been swapping decks to my backpack from the trunk of my car).  I have new decks in the works and found a new place to play.  I anticipate recording some new games around October.  Finances might keep me from hitting 200 decks as soon as I’d like,  but it will happen.

Game #163: Anafenza the Foremost

Game #163: Anafenza the Foremost
Date: 2015-04-18
Location: The Family Game Store
vs. Karador, Ghost Chieftain; Gisa
Result: Fun Loss

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I had perfect starting lands, and led off with a Llanowar Reborn. Next turn was Warden of the First Tree (with a counter) and an Orzhov Basilica (refreshing the Reborn), which Leveled-up the Warden. Then I played a forest and Anafenza (with a reborn counter). Karador played a bunch of mana dorks, and Gisa had a ton of Artifact Mana and a Necropotence.

Then I proceeded to get out the Holy Trinity (Tuskgaurd Captain, Ainok Bond-Kin, Mer-Ek Nightblade) to make my guys super-ultra deadly, and started to Outlast what I could.

However, Gisa duplicanted away the Warden, and Karador had built up a pretty sizeable army including a Silverblade Paladin souldbonded to a Silverglade Elemental for style.  Gisa was below 20 life, all but two of which was due to Necropotence. Gisa made a bunch of Zombies and slammed me for 26, and a Phyrexian Plaguelord killed Anafenza so that Karador could safely put a Massacre Wurm in his ‘yard and Karador it back, which hurt my board and killed Ghost Anafenza before I could bolster anything. He swung at Gisa. Gisa responded with a Toxic Deluge and had a Huge Gaurdian Beast (due to Strata Scythe)

I had a Raid triggered Hordemate get back the Bond-Kin, recast Anafenza and also a Fleecemane Lion, but I was at 6 and I got crushed by a Double Striking Karador

About the Deck (tapped-out someday)

A mix of Warrior and Spirit Token tribal with a bit of a +1/+1 counter theme. (that plays differently from  other counters/tokens decks I have).  Anafenza is just a good cheap beater, and graveyard shenanigan nerfing is gravy. I considered trying to make it a Tarkir-only deck, but there were just enough other cool things I wanted to add to make it not worth it.  I think this deck actually started as a fork off of a Teneb deck that I haven’t quite finished yet.

Game #36 : Ghave, Guru of Spores

Game #36 : Ghave,  Guru of Spores
Date: 2013-07-09
Location: Friend’s house in Duluth
vs: Talrand, the Sky Summoner; Teysa, Orzhov Scion; Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer
Result: Neutral Loss

 

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After a somewhat disheartening early-exit (and some binder shopping) I decided to play a recently re-tooled Ghave deck.  I had a strong opening hand with 3 lands, Cultivate, Forgotten Ancient and Pollenbright Wings.

Teysa had an early Land Tax and Reveillark, Jor Kadeen had a shadow creature and Talrand was mostly “non-threatening” (at least on the board).  Like most games, there were Swords of Stuff and Things littering the board.

There was, not, however, much creature removal.  A PollenBright Forgotten Ancient got me about 14 or so Saprolings over the course of two attacks, until I had to slow down due to a Soul Wardern. The Forgotten one himself got up to almost 30/30, but by then the Wings had been disenchanted.  Ghave hit the board, as did a Black Market, and I was pretty pumped to be able to start doing some tricks with Ghave, the Ancient, and also a Hunter of Eyeblights.

I would not get another chance to do so. Talrand worked himself into a multiple(but not infinite) extra-turns chain and built up a large squadron of Drakes (and a Grand Architect).

Talrand cast Innundate (a spell I’d never seen before). Teysa scooped, Jor Kadeen had turned around to attend an important “World of Tanks” practice on his computer (but he’s, like, nationally ranked at the game, so it was legitimately and important practice).  I sacrificed as many tokens as I could afford, to bump up my Black Market, hoping to draw something big and at least have a chance to hang on. Then I peeked at my next draw, saw that it was inconsequential, and conceded.

It was a game with a lot of promise that ended with watching a Fishbowl (Drakebowl?). To Talrand’s credit, he only needed 3 extra turns to build up for a beatdown victory.

About the Deck: (http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/ghave-nectar/)

I recently re-did this deck. The things I pulled out, to make it slightly less combo-tastic/centric, are in the “Sideboard” on tapped out.  They were pulled to make room for cards from Return to Ravnica block.  I am considering putting Geralf’s Messenger back in as a combo piece (because, dang if I don’t love me my Ashnod’s Altars).

Ghave is a good centerpiece in the deck. The fact that he can manipulate counters on creatures other than himself is one that I sometimes forget.  Forgotten Ancient, Mr. Babycakes himself, is another favorite card in the deck.  Other notable cards in it include the Foil Promo Doubling Season (because Ghave deserves it), and one of my least favorite cards ever: Aura Shards.

I like this deck, but don’t play it often due to the amount of token and counter bookkeeping.

Game # 31.1, 31.2: Doran the Siege Tower

Game # 31.1, 31.2: Doran the Siege Tower
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: A Friend’s House in Duluth
vs: Glissa the Traitor
Result:  Redo, Loss

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After a lopsided win in Thrun v. Kira, we decided to get one more game in. I switched to Doran, and my opponent switched to Glissa.

I start out with a Murmuring Boskand and a Forest in hand. Since Doran comes down cheap, I figure this is okay. I am wrong.  I miss the rest of my land drops.  Glissa, on the other hand has tons of artifact-based ramp (Thran Dynamo, Krark Clan Iron Works, Palladium Myr, Mind Stone, etc).  A Steel Overseer, some Precursor Golems, a Mimic Vat… all are things that combine to kill me and my two lands.  Since I didn’t even get to play anything other than a Slagwurm Armor, I decide that I get a Do-Over…

On to Game Two.  This time around I start with a Swamp, Forest, and draw a Selesnya Sanctuary.  I play a Treefolk Harbinger for a Timber Protector.  Then my Sanctuary is Strip-Mined.  I manage to get a Somberwald Dryad on the table, and then I die to a Berserk-ed 7/7 Infect creature.  The end.

I really enjoy this deck, so I’m kind of bummed that it bombed out like this.

About the Deck (http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/doran-sees-the-forest-for-the-trees/)

Despite what it seems like from the reports above, this deck does run an appropriate number of lands.  I call it “Big Dumb Treefolk,” because that’s what it is about. Treefolk with big Toughness, Toughness boosters, and Doran.  There’s a minor “creatures of the Forest” theme: Squirrels, and the Doran-improved Joven’s Ferrets, and a few  Dryads.

Game #3: Karador, Ghost Chieftain

Game #3: Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Date: 2013-03-17
Location: Family Game Store, Savage, MD
vs: Bruna, Light of Alabaster; Karona, the False God
Result: Extra Unsatisfying Loss

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This was the deck’s maiden voyage, and I was really, really excited to try it out. I had a good start. The deck runs smoothly on 3 lands, which I had, plus some mana rocks, into a Jar of Eyeballs and a Champion of Lambholt. Then, Bruna untapped on turn 6 or 7, cast Sovereigns of Lost Alara, swung and searched up Eldrazi Conscription and dropped Corrupted Conscience from hand. Now I have to wait 97 games to try this deck out again. Thankfully, the game ended quickly. Maybe the next one would be fun…

About the Deck: (http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/three-is-the-magic-number/)

Inspired by This Article on the Wizards site. I had already built an All 2-CMC deck (Ashling, the Pilgrim) and an All 1-CMC deck (Isamaru, Hound of Konda), and liked the idea of Immortal Servituding every creature from my graveyard, so every card in the deck has a CMC of 3.  Techinically Karador isn’t 3-CMC, but I had a Doran deck already, and Doran doesn’t work nicely with this deck. Plus,  Karador can be cast for 3 mana (so that’s the only way I’ll cast him in this deck) AND plays very nicely with the idea of the deck.  In test draws it was a lot of fun to try to build into the combo, but it will be a while now before I find out if it works.