Results December 18, 2009

We are looking at the last peasant tournament of the year! With 9 players, I'll be posting the top 4.

I was lucky enough to win a peasant tournament for the first time! :) I player a tweaked G/W cloak build, adding blue for Rhox War Monk. It looks like already the metagame is adapting to the aggro decks that were played last time.

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Results

1. Martijn Hennink (13 - Bant Cloak)
2. Maarten Jacobs (11 - Tortured Existence)
3. Jasper Boelens (9 - WUB AuraBlink)
4. Erik-Sander Kwebeman (7 - MBCu)
5. Martijn Labohm (6 - Mono Red)
6. Bart Holkenborg (6 - Faeries)
7. Oswin ten Brinke (6 - Graveriders)
8. Niels Gramser (6 - GwB Aggro)
9. Guus Venhuizen (3 - Firespout Aggro)

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Martijn Hennink - Bant Cloak
1st place (13 points)

Creatures
4 Kor Skyfisher
2 Llanowar Knight
4 Qasali Pridemage
4 Safehold Elite
2 Valeron Outlander
4 Aven Riftwatcher
3 Rhox War Monk (U)

Spells
2 Swords to Plowshares (U)
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Armadillo Cloak
4 Shield of the Oversoul

Lands
4 Irrigation Ditch
7 Forest
1 Island
7 Plains
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 1 Island
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Galina's Knight
SB: 3 Rune of Protection: Black
SB: 4 Holy Light

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Maarten Jacobs - Tortured Existence
2nd place (11 points)

Creatures
4 Spore Frog
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Crypt Rats
1 Eternal Witness (U)
2 Farhaven Elf
4 Golgari Brownscale
4 Stinkweed Imp
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Vampire Nighthawk (U)
3 Wickerbough Elder
1 Battlefield Scrounger
1 Krosan Tusker

Spells
4 Tortured Existence
3 Sylvan Library (U)

Lands
12 Forest
12 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 2 Grim Harvest
SB: 2 Mesmeric Fiend
SB: 4 Nausea
SB: 2 Night Soil
SB: 4 Nourish
SB: 1 Crypt Rats

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Jasper Boelens - WUB AuraBlink
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Ravenous Rats
4 Temple Acolyte
4 Auramancer
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Mulldrifter
4 Shriekmaw (U)
2 Æthersnipe

Spells
4 Angelic Renewal
4 Momentary Blink
1 Necromancy (U)
2 Seal of Doom

Lands
6 Island
8 Plains
5 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 3 Duress
SB: 2 Hydroblast
SB: 2 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Crimson Acolyte
SB: 4 Echoing Decay
SB: 2 Prismatic Strands

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Erik-Sander Kwebeman - MBCu
4th place (7 points)

Creatures
4 Chittering Rats
3 Crypt Rats
4 Mulldrifter

Spells
4 Innocent Blood
4 Diabolic Edict
1 Grim Harvest
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Probe
2 Deep Analysis
4 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Corrupt

Lands
3 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Esper Panorama
1 Grixis Panorama
2 Island
13 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 4 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 2 Infest (U)
SB: 3 Vampire Nighthawk (U)
SB: 2 Corrupt

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Results November 27, 2009

A respectable 16 people showed up in November, so here's some more decklists! There were a lot of aggro decks, but in light of the new bannings that is to be expected, since aggro is always the go-to in a new environment.

Note that we had to do pairings by hand for this tournament, so a definitive ranking is not available. Only seven players made a 3-2 or better record, and those are the listst I'll show you. The last undefeated player of the day was Guus, so he took first place.

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T8 Decklists

1. Guus Venhuizen (12 - Elves)
2. Anne Cnossen (12 - Dirty Kitty)
2. Jan Kotlarski (12 - RG Aggro)
2. Martijn Labohm (12 - Mono Red)
5. Erik-Sander Kwebeman (9 - Boros Landfall)
5. Martijn Beljaars (9 - Zoofall)
5. Martijn Hennink (9 - Rapid Eye Movement)

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Guus Venhuizen - Elves
1st place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Birchlore Ranger
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
4 Elvish Visionary
2 Quirion Sentinel
4 Thornweald Archer
1 Wren's Run Vanquisher (U)
4 Imperious Perfect (U)
4 Timberwatch Elf
4 Winnower Patrol

Spells
1 Vines of Vastwood
4 Wirewood Pride

Lands
12 Forest

Sideboard
SB: 3 Scattershot Archer
SB: 4 Gleeful Sabotage
SB: 4 Wellwisher
SB: 4 Wrap in Vigor

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Anne Cnossen - Dirty Kitty
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
2 Goblin Sledder
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Tinderwall
1 Wild Cantor
1 Goblin Recuiter (U)
4 Mogg War Marshal
4 Goblin Matron
1 Goblin Warchief (U)

Spells
4 Lotus Petal
4 Rite of Flame
1 Grapeshot
3 Fecundity (U)
4 Seething Song
4 Empty the Warrens

Lands
8 Forest
10 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 9 Swamp
SB: 1 Pyroblast
SB: 2 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Naturalize
SB: 2 Tin-Street Hooligan

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Jan Kotlarski - RG Aggro
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Kird Ape
4 Skyshroud Ridgeback
4 Horned Kavu
2 Rip-Clan Crasher
3 Scab-Clan Mauler
4 Bloodbraid Elf (U)
1 Phantom Centaur (U)

Spells
2 Disintegrate
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Rancor
4 Incinerate
4 Manamorphose

Lands
9 Forest
9 Mountain
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Hull Breach
SB: 4 Nacatl Outlander
SB: 3 Branching Bolt

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Martijn Labohm - Mono Red
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Keldon Marauders
3 Mogg Flunkies
4 Plated Geopede

Spells
3 Burst Lightning
3 Chain Lightning
3 Kaervek's Torch
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Incinerate
4 Rift Bolt
2 Fireblast

Lands
2 Desert
13 Mountain
4 Teetering Peaks

Sideboard
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 1 Kaervek's Torch
SB: 4 Punishing Fire (U)
SB: 3 Smash to Smithereens

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Erik-Sander Kwebeman - Boros Landfall
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
3 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Steppe Lynx
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Kor Skyfisher
4 Plated Geopede
3 Kor Hookmaster
4 Skyknight Legionnaire

Spells
3 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Journey to Nowhere

Lands
6 Mountain
2 Naya Panorama
8 Plains
4 Teetering Peaks
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 1 Magma Spray
SB: 1 Pyroblast
SB: 2 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Pyroclasm (U)
SB: 1 Intimidation Bolt (U)
SB: 3 Wispmare

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Martijn Beljaars - Zoofall
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
1 Kird Ape
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Steppe Lynx
4 Kor Skyfisher
4 Plated Geopede
3 Wooly Thoctar (U)

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rancor
2 Lightning Helix (U)
2 Zektar Shrine Expedition
2 Harrow

Lands
5 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Naya Panorama
4 Plains
2 Teetering Peaks
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 1 Bloodfire Dwarf
SB: 3 Hallow
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 1 Sandstorm
SB: 2 Vines of Vastwood
SB: 4 Qasali Pridemage

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Martijn Hennink - Rapid Eye Movement
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
2 Kor Skyfisher
4 Safehold Elite
4 Temple Acolyte
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Brackwater Elemental
2 Flickerwisp (U)
4 Mulldrifter
3 Noble Templar

Spells
4 Momentary Blink
3 Fieldmist Borderpost
3 Unmake
3 Dreams of the Dead (U)

Lands
3 Azorius Chancery
7 Island
10 Plains

Sideboard
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Rune of Protection: Black
SB: 3 Seal of Cleansing
SB: 3 Auramancer
SB: 3 Holy Light

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Apologies

I haven't come around to posting the decklists of last month's top 6. Apologies for that. Amongst others I have been studying for a TMap Next Foundation exam which I aced yesterday (well, okay, I got 90% of the questions right, close enough right?). So, I'm really happy and with a little bit of luck I'll have some more free time in december.

Anyway, you read it right. A top 6, because only 6 players showed up. A lot of regulars couldn't make it, so we're hoping this is not a trend. A few regulars moved out (of Groningen) or quit magic though in the past half year, so we are looking for fresh blood (queue vampire jokes).

Though I don't have the decklists, I can give you a quick summary of the tournament. There were 4 Thopter Foundry decks. Two standard affinity builds, one wUB affinity build (with basic lands?), and one combo build with Ashnod's Altar. The other two decks were a Taïga deck and my own B/R aggro hand build (with Hymn to Tourach, Blightning, Chittering Rats, and Funeral Charm, and 3 Vampire Nighthawk and 2 Torrent of Souls).

We did get the chance to play 5 rounds by playing each opponent once. I lost, as expected, to Taïga. The deck is too aggressive for my 4 Vampire Lacerators and 4 Carnophage. I also lost 1-2 in a really awkard match vs the weird affinity Thopter Foundry deck. The last game was really awful. I muliganned and kept an opener with 1 land, a Dark Ritual and some quick beats. I subsequently drew nearly every mana source in my deck and imagine I would have lost even to a Homelands sealed deck with that draw. I handily defeated the other three Thopter builds though, gleefully bashing up on artifact land with my sideboarded Gorilla Shaman and disrupting their hand with just a little bit too much discard spells.

My deck, off the top of my head, looked something like this. It plays pretty well, and the Rakdos Carnarium means your light land count doesn't really matter, because you'll reach that magical 5 mana to cast that devastating Torrent of Souls anyway. That card is sick by the way!

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Martijn Hennink - BR Hand
4th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Carnophage
4 Vampire Lacerator
4 Blind Creeper
4 Dauthi Slayer
4 Chittering Rats
3 Vampire Nighthawk (U)

Spells
4 Dark Ritual
4 Funeral Charm
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Blightning
2 Torrent of Souls (U)

Mana
4 Rakdos Carnarium
13 Swamp
4 Teetering Peaks

Sideboard
SB: 4 Gorilla Shaman
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Flaring Pain
SB: 2 Smash to Smithereens

Banned List Update

Yet again, there's been an update to the banned list. As of 14/11/2009 all the artifact lands are once again banned in peasant tournaments in Groningen. Despite all good intentions, Affinity has risen to the top again, and has been one of three tier 1 decks in the past half year. The lands were almost exclusively used in affinity, and using them in other strategies (such as Trinket Mage) hasn't been succesful. Instead of banning more pieces of the great artifact puzzle we decided that there is no love lost for the deck, and just rebanned the lands. We can merely learn from our mistakes, at least we tried.

Thopter Foundry has been a huge factor in the succes of the neo-Affinity decks, but without the lands we don't feel it is as dangerous anymore. Because the combo with Sword of the Meek (and Ashnod's Altar) still exist, we did decide to add it to the watchlist.

The second tier 1 deck has been Faeries. Basically there were two builds. One utilized Force of Will, a very powerful card to be sure. The other build abused Counterbalance. While the power level didn't differ much, the second build was considerably less fun to play against. In an attempt to revitalize the metagame and make it more fun we decided to ban Counterbalance.

The third tier 1 deck is Mono Black Control. The deck drifts in and out of competition, winning tournaments whenever aggro is the dominant archetype. In an attempt to make the deck more fair without neutering its core concept, we banned Skeletal Scrying. It is the only card in the metagame that consistently draws more than 3 cards, at instant speed, in a mono black deck. That gave MBC just a little bit too much reach, and we look forward to what uncommon MBC will play in its stead.

If you were thinking Demonic Tutor, think again. Another unfun deck, to play against at least, is the non-ineractive Grapeshot Combo deck. Demonic Consultation and Demonic Tutor were banned to make that deck less consistent in its draws, while at the same time making sure their storm count doesn't rack up as fast.

Two other popular combo decks, Dirty Kitty and ElfBall, were left untouched. They are a lot more interactive, and the past showed us that a wider range of decks can sideboard effectively against the two strategies. We are okay with combo decks, but they have to offer more interactivity and just a little bit less consistency to remain fun to play against.

Of course, banning the artifact lands has the side effect of other cards becoming much less impressive. As a result, Cranial Plating is unbanned as of 14/11/2009, and Disciple of the Vault has been removed from the watchlist.

We are eager to see if the bannings will have the desired results: a more varied metagame that is more fun to play than before. We do believe we made some steps in the right direction, neutering black-based Combo and MBC, and removing Affinity and Counterbalance from the metagame.

To see the full list of banned cards, click here.

Results September 25, 2009

13 people played in September, and I've got a new T8 for you. I'm missing some of the decklists, but Foundry Affinity and Grapeshot Storm are well known decks. I hope I'll get to see the UR Control list though, so I can post it. Blue control decks made a strong showing this time, with two different faerie builds, the UR Control deck, and another MUC deck that finished outside the T8. Needless to say, Gijsbert and I weren't happy campers with our combo decks...

Also, this marks the first time ever I played the same deck twice at a tournament. I'm quite proud of myself and my first steps to spikehood, but constructing new decks is still what draws me to Magic the Gathering, so we'll have to wait and see if this is a fluke or the dawn of a new psychographic profile ;)

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T8 Decklists

1. Martijn Beljaars (15 - Foundry Affinity)
2. Maarten Jacobs (12 - Countertop Faeries)
3. Niels Gramser (9 - UR Control)
4. Guus Venhuizen (9 - Elves)
5. Gijsbert Haaksman (9 - Grapeshot Storm)
6. Bart Holkenborg (9 - Faeries)
7. Oscar de Boer (9 - GW Aggro)
8. Martijn Hennink (7 - Arcane Tide)

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Martijn Beljaars - Foundry Affinity
1st place (15 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the vault
4 Glaze fiend
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Eenforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
4 Chromatic star
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf drum
1 Sword of the meek (U)
4 Thopter foundry (U)
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
3 Ancient den
4 Great furnace
4 Seat of the synod
4 Vault of whispers

Sideboard
SB: 3 Krark-Clan Shaman
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Ancient Grudge

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Maarten Jacobs - Countertop Faeries
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Sensei's Divining Top (U)
3 Counterbalance (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Leak
3 Snap
4 Gush

Lands
3 Desert
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Annul
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 3 Thornwind Faeries
SB: 4 Errant Ephemeron

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Niels Gramser - UR Control
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Trinket Mage
1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Mulldrifter
3 Spire Golem

Spells
1 Bonesplitter
4 Brainstorm
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
1 Sensei's Divining Top (U)
3 Skred
3 Counterbalance (U)
4 Counterspell
1 Echoing Truth
3 Incinerate
1 Firespout (U)

Lands
2 Desert
11 Snow-Covered Island
5 Snow-Covered Mountain
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Envelop
SB: 3 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Negate
SB: 1 Swirling Sandstorm

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Guus Venhuizen - Elves
4th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
3 Elvish Visionary
4 Thornweald Archer
1 Wren's Run Vanquisher (U)
4 Imperious Perfect (U)
2 Quirion Sentinel
4 Timberwatch Elves
3 Winnower Patrol

Spells
4 Wirewood Pride
3 Distant Melody

Lands
12 Forest

Sideboard
SB: 4 Gleeful Sabotage
SB: 3 Night Soil
SB: 4 Wellwisher
SB: 4 Wrap in Vigor

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Gijsbert Haaksman - Grapeshot Storm
5th place (9 points)

Spells
4 Lotus Petal
4 Chomatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Dark Ritual
1 Demonic Consultation (U)
4 Rite of Flames
3 Demonic Tutor (U)
4 Grapeshot
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Manamorphose
3 Words of Wisdom
4 Seething Song
1 Ignite Memories (U)

Lands
4 Anchient Spring
4 Irrigation Ditch
4 Island
4 Sulfur Vent

Sideboard
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 3 Duress
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Early Frost

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Bart Holkenborg - Faeries
6th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Force Spike
2 Spell Snare (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Leak
3 Snap
3 Force of Will (U)
4 Gush

Lands
3 Desert
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 3 Annul
SB: 3 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Disrupt
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Negate

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Oscar de Boer - GW Aggro
7th place (9 points)

Creatures
2 Thornscape Apprentice
4 Bant Sureblade
4 Safehold Elite
4 Qasali Pridemage
4 Blastoderm
3 Charging Troll (U)

Spells
4 Niveous Wisps
2 Phyrexian Vault (U)
4 Armadillo Cloak
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Shield of the Oversoul

Lands
11 Forest
10 Plains
2 Selesnya Sanctuary

Sideboard
SB: 4 Spore Frog
SB: 1 Llanowar Knight
SB: 4 Naturalize
SB: 2 Steward of Valeron
SB: 2 Valeron Outlander
SB: 2 Oblivion Ring

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Martijn Hennink - Arcane Tide
8th place (7 points)

Spells
1 Evermind (U)
4 Brainstorm
1 Gigadrowse
4 High Tide
4 Ponder
4 Reach Through Mists
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Dampen Thought (U)
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Peer Through Depths
4 Psychic Puppetry
2 Stream of Unconsciousness (U)
1 Oona's Grace

Lands
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 3 Gigadrowse
SB: 4 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Mystic Remora

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Results August 28, 2009

Fresh results are in! The holidays took its heaviest toll yet, only 10 people participated, with a lot of regulars missing. Hopefully we'll see more people show up come September. Low attendance means I will present you with a top 4 this time. Three well-known decks, and a new blink deck I concocted with a little gem from Ice Age as one of my uncommons! In case you don't get it: when you exile a reanimated or unearthed creature with Flickerwisp or Momentary Blink, it does return to play. So, I had a great time, even though we only had time for four games. It's also interesting to note that Astral Slide, Tortured Existence and MBC all finished outside the T4. We are adapting, we are... Enjoy!

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T4 Decklists

1. Martijn Labohm (10 - Foundry Affinity)
2. Martijn Hennink (9 - Rapid Eye Movement)
3. Bart Holkenborg (9 - Faeries)
4. Rob de Jonge (9 - Taïga)

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Martijn Labohm - Foundry Affinity
1st place (10 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Glaze Fiend
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
4 Chromatic Star
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf Drum
1 Shrapnel Blast (U)
4 Thopter Foundry (U)
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard
SB: 2 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Lightning Bolt
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 4 Holy Day

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Martijn Hennink - Rapid Eye Movement
2nd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Safehold Elite
4 Temple Acolyte
4 Aven Riftwatcher
1 Auramancer
4 Brackwater Elemental
3 Flickerwisp (U)
4 Mulldrifter
2 Noble Templar

Spells
4 Momentary Blink
2 Vulshok Morningstar
3 Fieldmist Borderpost
3 Unmake
2 Dreams of the Dead (U)

Lands
3 Azorius Chancery
7 Island
10 Plains

Sideboard
SB: 2 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Black
SB: 3 Rune of Protection: Black
SB: 2 Seal of Cleansing
SB: 4 Dust to Dust
SB: 2 Holy Light

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Bart Holkenborg - Faeries
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Force Spike
2 Spell Snare (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Leak
3 Snap
3 Force of Will (U)
4 Gush

Lands
3 Desert
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Annul
SB: 3 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Disrupt
SB: 2 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Negate

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Rob de Jonge - Taïga
4th place (9 points)

Creatures
2 Jungle Lion
4 Kird Ape
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Scab-Clan Mauler
1 Boggart Ram-Gang (U)
4 Bloodbraid Elf (U)

Spells
3 Seal of Fire
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Rancor
4 Incinerate
2 Fireblast

Lands
11 Forest
11 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 1 Overload
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Smash
SB: 1 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 4 Naturalize

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M2010 Set Review

Welcome to another installment of my peasant magic set reviews. We've had a while to play with M2010, and already some commons have seen play. My usual prediction on the playability of the cards will have to make place for actual facts in some cases! If you have been following this blog for a while, you know what'll happen next. Yes, I will once again pore over each common and label its playability or lack thereof. I'll end with a quick glance at some possible gems in the uncommon slot. Of course half of the cards are a known commodity, but that will only make the job easier for me, right? Alright, I promise I will not include any reprints in this review. Now let's move on!

For reference, you can find the full Visual Spoiler here!

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M2010 commons

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White

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Angel's Mercy
While 7 life is a lot, so is 4 mana. Renewed Faith is about 183 times better than this.
Verdict: Won't see play.

Blinding Mage
Master Decoy without a relevant creature type. Seeing that Master Decoy is already outclassed by its Kithkin sibling Goldmeadow Harrier, I foresee a life of embittered loneliness for this mage.
Verdict: Won't see play

Divine Verdict
A new name doesn't make Neck Snap any more playable.
Verdict: Won't see play

Glorious Charge
When would you ever play this above Kjeldoran War Cry or Surge of Thoughtweft?
Verdict: Won't see play

Griffin Sentinel
See Divine Verdict, but replace Neck Snap with Skyhunter Prowler.
Verdict: Won't see play

Lifelink
Look! A worse Spirit Link!
Verdict: Won't see play

Palace Guard
This card has some merit in limited, but in peasant it is too slow with not enough power to impact the board. Also, there are simply better soldiers to be found.
Verdict: Won't see play

Safe Passage
Can be brutal in limited play. This card will have to compete with Prismatic Strands though, and I just can't see this winning that fight, unless white becomes the best color in peasant or too many multicolor decks make the Strands too unreliable. For now I don't see that happening, but who knows?.
Verdict: Might see play

Siege Mastodon
Strictly for limited, but pretty good in that environment.
Verdict: Won't see play

Silvercoat Lion
The incredible unplayable Eager Cadets, without a relevant creature type!
Verdict: Won't see play

Divine Offering
Good sideboard option, pity it's a sorcery. I would have been all over this if this had been an instant!
Verdict: Might see play

Stormfront Pegasus
This is a pretty decent card. 2 power for 2 mana with evasion, sounds like Gaea's Skyfolk, and that saw play (admittedly mainly to trigger a certain mimic).
Verdict: Might see play

Veteran Armorsmith
Well, this is a very good card that should not be ignored if you want to run a soldier deck in peasant. Someone already did.
Verdict: Already saw play

Veteran Swordsmith
Well, this is a very good card that should not be ignored if you want to run a soldier deck in peasant. Someone already did.
Verdict: Already saw play.

Wall of Faith
Sometimes "Won't see play" means "You should never play these, so you can burn your copies with a clear conscience if you are out of chopped wood in the middle of winter and desperately in need of a fire."
Verdict: Won't see play

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Blue

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Convincing Mirage
Well... This is better than Phantasmal Terrain!
Verdict: Won't see play

Disorient
Riiiight.
Verdict: Won't see play

Divination
Counsel of the Soratami in disguise! Still vastly inferior to good old Mulldrifter.
Verdict: Won't see play

Essence Scatter
I would play this over Remove Soul for the incredible cool art. Remove Soul sees play from time to time, when blue rises to quell the tide of... well... things it seeks to quell I suppose.
Verdict: Might see play

Ice Cage
Euipment and pump spells are way too popular for this to really shine. Add to that (near) creatureless decks like MBC and Arcane Tide and you can see this is going nowhere.
Verdict: Won't see play

Illusionary Servant
The good news is, equipment can't target your guys, and most other targeted spells aim to kill anyway. This is actually a pretty good card that should put up a fight in blue-based aggro decks.
Verdict: Will see play

Serpent of the Endless Sea
Somewhere inside I feel the urge to build a peasant deck with this and Convincing Mirage... X/X [i]is[/i] a monster!
Verdict: Won't see play

Tome Scour
5 cards eh? Still looks like an inferior Vision Charm, but put enough of these cards together and you end up with genuine a mill deck! You need 12+ of these to reliably mill your opponent's whole deck in a timely fashion however, so I think I'll stick to Arcane Tide if I want to mill opponents to death.
Verdict: Won't see play

Zephyr Sprite
A Flying Men in a relevant tribe. I heard 1 power adds up in faeries?
Verdict: Might see play

---

Black

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Acolyte of Xathrid
If you want to win the game 1 point at a time, Onyx Goblet is probably the way to go in black. This card sure isn't.
Verdict: Won't see play

Child of Night
2 power for 2 mana is nice in black. Lifelink is actually a pretty useful ability, and I'm confident this card will find a home somewhere.
Verdict: Will see play

Disentomb
Raise Dead << Unearth in peasant magic.
Verdict: Won't see play

Doom Blade
Better then Terror in a world where affinity is Tier 1. You probably won't be surprised that it was included in one of last month's decks.
Verdict: Already saw play

Dread Warlock
Similarly, fear becomes much, much better, once you take out the artifact factor. Still, a 2/2 unblockable (there aren't that many black creatures in our meta) for three doesn't really translate into a clock, does it?
Verdict: Might see play

Kelinore Bat
Perfect for limited, perfect crap for constructed.
Verdict: Won't see play

Sign in Blood
A killer card draw spell! Adopted by MBC in the blink of an eye.
Verdict: Already saw play

Soul Bleed
Like I said, Onyx Goblet.
Verdict: Won't see play

Vampire Aristocrat
I still think zombie is a more relevant creature type, don't you? Zendikar might change that though, I heard it is chock full of blooddrinkers.
Verdict: Might see play

Warpath Ghoul
Currently one of the best deals a zombie deck can get a 3 mana. Yeah I know, peasant zombies still blows.
Verdict: Won't see play

Zombie Goliath
Case in point.
Verdict: Won't see play

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Red

---

Berserkers of Blood Ridge
That's a lot of power for a red common. Still, peasant is a fast format in which a 4/4 for 5 with a disadvantage shouldn't make the cut. I'ld be happy to be proven wrong though in this case, I love this card!
Verdict: Won't see play



Verdict:

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Green

---

Verdict:

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Artifact

---

Verdict:

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Hmm... that's a pretty impressive list! But it doesn't stop there, because this time there are some uncommons that might shake things up a bit! Let's discuss!

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M2010 Uncommons

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Verdict:

---

Very impressive! My predictions gave Conflux 6 commons and 3 uncommons that I though would see play, this time around it's 16 commons and 4 uncommons! To be fair, that does include the Borderpost cycle and Terminate. I hope you'll enjoy these cards just as much as I will. Still, I know I'm going to play me some Alara Reborn cards for a long while!

Hoping you'll enjoy this set as much as I will,

-Hennink

Results July 31st, 2009

It's been a while since I posted results. I've been rather busy lately, and somehow the update of last month's tournament took me a while to put on the net. Well, just in time for our next tournament, here are the results of July. Finally.

Anyway, it seems like we still didn't shift away from aggro. Jasper tweaked his MBC list with a little gem from M2010, and once again emerged victorious. With only 14 people in attendance, probably because of the holidays, I decided to exclude any lists with fewer than 9 points, leaving us with a T7 for the first time!

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T7 Decklists

1. Jasper Boelens (15 - MBC)
2. Martijn Labohm (12 - Foundry Affinity)
3. Jan Kotlarski (9 - MBC)
4. Martijn Hennink (9 - Countertop Faeries)
5. Douwe van Noordenburg (9 - Taïga)
6. Erik-Sander Kwebeman (9 - Subway Soldiers)
7. Arne Haak (9 - Arcane Tide)

---

Jasper Boelens - MBC
1st place (15 points)

Creatures
4 Crypt Rats

Spells
4 Innocent Blood
3 Skeletal Scrying (U)
4 Consume Spirit
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
4 Diabolic Edict
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Sign in Blood
4 Tendrils of Corruption
4 Corrupt

Lands
1 Cabal Coffers (U)
23 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 3 Wretched Banquet
SB: 4 Wrench Mind
SB: 2 Burden of Greed
SB: 2 Pewter Golem

---

Martijn Labohm - Foundry Affinity
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Glaze Fiend
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
4 Chromatic Star
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf Drum
1 Shrapnel Blast (U)
4 Thopter Foundry (U)
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard
SB: 2 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Lightning Bolt
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 4 Holy Day

---

Jan Kotlarski - MBC
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Crypt Rats

Spells
4 Innocent Blood
3 Skeletal Scrying (U)
4 Consume Spirit
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
4 Diabolic Edict
2 Echoing Decay
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Unmake
3 Tendrils of Corruption
4 Corrupt

Lands
1 Cabal Coffers (U)
23 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 4 Tanglebloom
SB: 1 Echoing Decay
SB: 4 Distress
SB: 2 Burden of Greed

---

Martijn Hennink - Countertop Faeries
4th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Sensei's Divining Top (U)
3 Counterbalance (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Echoing Truth
4 Mana Leak
3 Gush

Lands
4 Desert
16 Island

Sideboard
SB: 3 Annul
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Tanglebloom
SB: 1 Weatherseed Faeries
SB: 1 Hindering Touch
SB: 4 Rewind

---

Douwe van Noordenburg - Taïga
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
3 Jungle Lion
4 Kird Ape
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Scab-Clan Mauler
2 Boggart Ram-Gang (U)

Spells
4 Chain Lightning
2 Lava Dart
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Rancor
4 Reckless Charge
2 Incinerate

Lands
8 Forest
3 Gemstone Mine (U)
10 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 2 Bloodfire Dwarf
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 3 Ancient Grudge
SB: 2 Smash to Smithereens

---

Erik-Sander Kwebeman - Subway Soldiers
6th (9 points)

Creatures
4 Akrasan Squire
2 Auriok Glaivemaster
2 Elite Vanguard (U)
4 Soltari Foot Soldier
4 Aven Squire
4 Leonin Den-Guard
4 Veteran Armorsmith
4 Veteran Swordsmith
2 Gempalm Avenger

Spells
4 Bonesplitter
3 Harm's Way (U)
1 Oblivion Ring

Lands
19 Plains
3 Secluded Steppe

Sideboard
SB: 4 Honorable Scout
SB: 3 Rune of Protection: Black
SB: 3 Rune of Protection: Red
SB: 2 Oblivion Ring
SB: 3 Prismatic Strands

---

Arne Haak - Arcane Tide
7th place (9 points)

Spells
1 Evermind (U)
4 Brainstorm
1 Gigadrowse
4 High Tide
4 Ponder
4 Reach Through Mists
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Dampen Thought (U)
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Peer Through Depths
4 Psychic Puppetry
2 Stream of Consciousness (U)
1 Oona's Grace

Lands
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 4 Envelop
SB: 3 Gigadrowse
SB: 4 Hydroblast

---

Results June 26th, 2009

People came prepared for affinity this time. There were two different builds, but neither manages to score better than 3-2. With only two decks scoring more, I guess they're still a contender though! I managed to beat one of them with my Bloodbraid Aggro deck, but lost to Faeries (without Counterbalance) and amylynnlee1981's Arcane Tide deck that I tweaked over on magic-ville.fr's peasant forum. Ah well, it's always flattering to lose to your own deck!

Anyway, like one very observant reader commented last time around, MBC would be very good in our aggro-oriented metagame. Guess which deck came in first? Welcome back at the top! I'm doing a T9 this time, since 9th place also got a 3-2 record. Have fun perusing the decklists!

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T9 Decklists

1. Jasper Boelens (15 - MBC)
2. Bart Holkenborg (12 - Faeries)
3. Allard van der Made (9 - Neo Affinity)
4. Arne Haak (9 - Arcane Tide)
5. Martijn Hennink (9 - Bloodbraid Aggro)
6. Gijsbert Haaksman (9 - Taïga)
7. Erik-Sander Kwebeman (9 - WU Exalted)
8. Maarten Kwant (9 - Goblins)
9. Martijn Labohm (9 - Foundry Affinity)

---

Jasper Boelens - MBC
1st place (15 points)

Creatures
4 Crypt Rats

Spells
4 Innocent Blood
2 Skeletal Scrying (U)
4 Consume Spirit
2 Demonic Tutor (U)
4 Diabolic Edict
2 Echoing Decay
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Tendrils of Corruption
3 Unmake
4 Corrupt

Lands
1 Cabal Coffers (U)
23 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 4 Tangle Bloom
SB: 4 Distress
SB: 1 Echoing Decay
SB: 2 Burden of Greed

---

Bart Holkenborg - Faeries
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Force Spike
2 Spell Snare (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Leak
3 Snap
3 Force of Will (U)
4 Gush

Lands
2 Desert
18 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Annul
SB: 3 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Disrupt
SB: 2 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus

---

Allard van der Made - Behemoth Affinity
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Frogmite
4 Somber Hoverguard
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
3 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf Drum
3 Shrapnel Blast (U)
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Great Furnace
2 Mishra's Factory (U)
4 Seat of the Synod
2 Tree of Tales
2 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 3 Ancient Grudge
SB: 3 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Naturalize

---

Arne Haak - Arcane Tide
4th place (9 points)

Spells
1 Evermind (U)
4 Brainstorm
1 Gigadrowse
4 High Tide
4 Ponder
4 Reach Through Mists
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Dampen Thought (U)
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Peer Through Depths
4 Psychic Puppetry
2 Stream of Consciousness (U)
1 Oona's Grace

Lands
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 3 Gigadrowse
SB: 4 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Echoing Truth

---

Martijn Hennink - Bloodbraid Aggro
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Horned Kavu
4 Jund Hackblade
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Rip-Clan Crasher
2 Boggart Ram-Gang (U)
3 Ember Weaver
3 Tattermunge Duo
3 Bloodbraid Elf (U)

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Colossal Might
4 Predatory Strike
4 Firewild Borderpost

Lands
6 Forest
2 Gruul Turf
7 Mountain
2 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Undergrowth
SB: 4 Ancient Grudge
SB: 3 Flaring Pain

---

Gijsbert Haaksman - Taïga
6th place (9 points)

404: Decklist not found! I hope he'll send it to me.

Creatures

Spells

Lands

Sideboard
SB:

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Erik-Sander Kwebeman - WU Exalted
7th (9 points)

Creatures
4 Akrasan Squire
4 Aven Squire
4 Bant Sureblade
4 Esper Stormblade
4 Ethercaste Knight
3 Talon Trooper

Spells
3 Path to Exile (U)
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Hindering Light
2 Mask of Memory (U)
4 Steel of the Godhead

Lands
7 Island
2 Lonely Sandbar
9 Plains
2 Secluded Steppe

Sideboard
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 4 Deft Duelist
SB: 2 Echoing Truth
SB: 3 Seal of Cleansing
SB: 2 Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 Prismatic Strands

---

Maarten Kwant - Goblins
8th place (9 points)

Creatures
1 Goblin Sledder
4 Mogg Conscript
4 Mogg Fanatic
1 Mogg Raider
4 Mogg Flunkies
1 Mogg War Marshal
4 Goblin Matron
1 Goblin Warchief (U)
4 Mudbutton Torchrunner
4 Goblin Ringleader (U)

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
2 Fireblast

Lands
19 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Goblin Vandal
SB: 2 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Smash to Smithereens

---

Martijn Labohm - Foundry Affinity
9th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Glaze Fiend
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
4 Chromatic Star
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf Drum
1 Shrapnel Blast (U)
4 Thopter Foundry (U)
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard
SB: 2 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Lightning Bolt
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 4 Echoing Truth
SB: 4 Smash to Smithereens

---

Results May 30th, 2009

I forgot to write a tournament report for the last tournament, didn't I? This time I didn't scribble notes, but I do have some new decklists! Allard capitalized on the unbanned artifact lands and won with a new take on affinity. I happily got in 6th with the awesome Arcane Tide deck, losing to Vise Burn and Silly Simic. Enough talking, more decklists!

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T8 Decklists

1. Allard van der Made (15 - Behemoth Affinity)
2. Arne Haak (12 - Silly Simic)
3. Maarten Jacobs (9 - Resounding Borders)
4. Niels Gramser (9 - Bloodbraid Aggro)
5. Douwe van Noordenburg (9 - Taïga)
6. Martijn Hennink (9 - Arcane Tide)
7. Elske van der Vaart (9 - Naya Aggro)
8. Johan Rots (6 - GW Slivers)

---

Allard van der Made - Behemoth Affinity
1st place (15 points)

Creatures
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Frogmite
4 Somber Hoverguard
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Quicksilver Behemoth

Spells
1 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Springleaf Drum
3 Shrapnel Blast (U)
3 Tooth of Chiss-Goria
4 Thoughtcast

Lands
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Great Furnace
2 Mishra's Factory (U)
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Tree of Tales

Sideboard
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Lightning Bolt
SB: 3 Echoing Truth
SB: 3 Moment's Peact
SB: 4 Naturalize
SB: 1 Scale of Chiss-Goria

---

Arne Haak - Silly Simic
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Slippery Bogle
4 Shorecrasher Mimic
3 Lorescale Coatl (U)

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Daze
3 Favor of the Overbeing
3 Mana Leak
3 Snakeform
2 Force of Will (U)
4 Gush

Lands
6 Forest
14 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Echoing Truth
SB: 3 Wickerbough Elder

---

Maarten Jacobs - Resounding Borders
3rd place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Etched Oracle (U)
1 Mulldrifter
4 Krosan Tusker

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Dismantling Blow
4 Kodama's Reach
4 Resounding Thunder
4 Resounding Silence
4 Swirling Sandstorm
2 Ordered Migration
1 Vengeful Rebirth

Borderposts
2 Fieldmist Borderpost
1 Firewild Borderpost
2 Mistvein Borderpost
1 Veinfire Borderpost
2 Wildfield Borderpost

Lands
9 Forest
3 Island
2 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Swamp


Sideboard
SB: 4 Power Sink
SB: 3 Echoing Truth
SB: 4 Night Soil
SB: 1 Dismantling Blow
SB: 3 Matca Rioters

---

Niels Gramser - Bloodbraid Aggro
4th place (9 points)

Creatures
3 Llanowar Elves
4 Kird Ape
4 Mogg Fanatic
2 Hellspark Elemental (U)
4 Horned Kavu
4 Rip-Clan Crasher
3 Blastoderm
3 Bloodbraid Elf (U)

Spells
4 Chain Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Rancor

Lands
9 Forest
12 Mountain
1 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 4 Pyroblast
SB: 2 Naturalize
SB: 3 Ancient Grudge

---

Douwe van Noordenburg - Taïga
5th place (9 points)

Creatures
2 Ghazban Ogre
3 Jungle Lion
4 Kird Ape
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Scab-Clan Mauler

Spells
3 Chain Lightning
3 Lava Dart
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Rancor
4 Reckless Charge
2 Incinerate

Lands
2 Gemstone Mine (U)
8 Forest
11 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 3 Bloodfire Dwarf
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 2 Ancient Grudge
SB: 3 Compost (U)
SB: 3 Smash to Smittereens

---

Martijn Hennink - Arcane Tide
6th place (9 points)

Spells
1 Evermind (U)
4 Brainstorm
1 Gigadrowse
4 High Tide
4 Ponder
4 Reach Through Mists
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Dampen Thought (U)
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Peer Through Depths
4 Psychic Puppetry
2 Stream of Consciousness (U)
1 Oona's Grace

Lands
17 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 4 Envelop
SB: 3 Gigadrowse
SB: 4 Hydroblast

---

Elske van der Vaart - Naya Aggro
7th (9 points)

Creatures
4 Qasali Pride-Mage
4 Steward of Valeron
4 Werebear
2 Woolly Thoctar (U)
3 Gorger Wurm
3 Streetbreaker Wurm

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Armadillo Cloak
2 Behemoth Sledge (U)
4 Harrow
4 Oblivion Ring

Lands
5 Forest
4 Mountain
4 Naya Panorama
6 Plains
4 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Treetop Village (U)

Sideboard
SB: 3 Circle of Protection: Black
SB: 3 Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 4 Naturalize
SB: 3 Shelter
SB: 2 Wickerbough Elder

---

Johan Rots - GW Slivers
8th place (6 points)

Creatures
4 Plated Sliver
4 Sidewinder Sliver
4 Virulent Sliver
4 Muscle Sliver
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Spinneret Sliver
3 Talon Sliver
2 Victual Sliver (U)

Spells
4 Gather Courage
3 Thrill of the Hunt
4 Armadillo Cloak

Lands
8 Forest
8 Plains
3 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Tranquil Thicket

Sideboard
SB: 4 Hallow
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Ray of Revelation
SB: 3 Holy Light
SB: 3 Root Sliver (U)

---

Decks that didn't finish in the T8 included Esperzoa Affinity, GU Scepter, and Vise Burn.

Banned List Update

There's been an update to the banned list. As of 01/04/2009 all the artifact lands are no longer banned in peasant tournaments in Groningen. To prevent Affinity from becoming the menace it was before the bannings in June last year, Cranial Plating has been banned. The organizers feel this should keep affinity in check, while allowing other decks (Esper, Neo Affinity) and/or interactions (Tinker Mage) to come forward. Disciple of the Vault has been added to the watchlist, as its interaction with sac outlets like Atog still raises questioning eyebrows.

Empty the Warrens has been removed from the watchlist. In the last six months, a healthy amount of storm decks have seen play, most of which chose to play the watched card. While the deck booked some solid results with at least one win and some high finishes, the peasant invite showed that a prepared field can easily deal with the card without clogging up sideboards. Two decks were played in a field of 16 players, neither of them made the top 8.

To see the full list of banned cards, click here.

A final change concerns Wizard's new Gatherer (click here to open), which brings a few relevant updates. Amongst others, Mana Crypt is now listed with rarity "Special", instead of "Common", meaning you're no longer allowed to play it in peasant.

Alara Reborn Set Review

Welcome to my second set review for peasant. This time Alara Reborn is the brand new set, and my my, does it have some goodies for peasant! Once again I will pore over each card that might seem worthwile to the format as far as I can tell. Reborn being all-gold needs some way to structure, so I'll group the cards by allied color combination, or, in the case of tri- and enemy colors, by shard (even though those technically don't exist anymore). I hope you'll find this intuitive to read. Anyway, no dallying, this is what I think...

For reference, you can find the full Visual Spoiler here!

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Alara Reborn commons

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White/Blue

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Ethercaste Knight
So, a basic 1/3 exalted guy for two mana. How good can that be? It's decent on defense and it boosts your best attacker through exalted, but artifacts are fragile, it has no utility value, and it's somewhat difficult to cast. I think there are better options, but a quick Esper rush deck might surprise me.
Verdict: Won't see play

Ethersworn Shieldmage
An improved fog on a small body in Momentary Blink colors? In the right deck this can foil your opponent's combat math and direct damage time and time again. I like that you can fearlesly attack your board into any creature without losing your team.
Verdict: Might see play

Fieldmist Borderpost
Hey, what do you know! This is an auto-include in Esper W/U rush, if such an archetype is even viable. It's multicolor, helping a certain Stormblade, and an artifact, turning on the rest of the deck. Also, it effectively goes into your deck's land slots, as long as you play a few basics as well.
Verdict: Will see play

Glassdust Hulk
Five mana is a lot, though an Etherium Sculptor helps with this of course. For five mana however, you get a positive beast. A 4/5 unblockable will get the job done pretty fast, as long as you don't walk into any Ancient Grudges. I like it, though never as a 4-of.
Verdict: Might see play

Offering to Asha
I really like it when lifegain is tacked onto otherwise playable cards. If you're in a tight fight, even 2 life off an Aven Riftwatcher can make the difference. In W/U control decks this card fills the top curve in permision. 4 is a lot to pay extra, so it's not too easy to play around, and it gains you enough life that I think it's worth it.
Verdict: Might see play

Sanctum Plowbeast
So at the unplayable cost of 6 mana I get a 3/6 wall that's easily destroyed by all colors? That means I would have to play this for the landcycling only, and that's not worth it.
Verdict: Won't see play

Stormcaller's Boon
Hmmm... Cascade is cool, but the main effect of this card is not really worth it.
Verdict: Won't see play

Talon Trooper
French vanilla ftw? I'm torn. Decent stats by any means, for the cost anyways. I don't want to be excited about this one, but it turns on Esper Stormcaller and can fend of Mulldrifters, Aven Riftwatchers, Shrieking Grotesques, Hypnotic Specters, Guardian of the Guildpact, Faeries, Ninja of the Deep Hours and a lot more, all day long. Arg... Should I give this a try?
Verdict: Might see play

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Esper

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Arsenal Thresher
This curves in on turn 3 right after Etherium Sculptor. And wow, you can reveal artifact lands if you like! In the right deck this is easily a 5/5 for 3 mana. This might fight Myr Enforcer for the beatstick slot in affinity!
Verdict: Will see play

Esper Sojourners
Ick! An inefficient creature with a seemingly irrelevant leaves play ability and a very hard casting cost. The cycling ability is pretty in limited, but not enough to make this playable in peasant.
Verdict: Won't see play

Esper Stormblade
A 3/2 flyer for 2 mana, are you kidding? Great card, and there should be enough gold artifacts around by now to make this playable in affinity!
Verdict: Will see play

Vectis Dominator
Nah, you should never give your opponent a choice, since he will just choose the least annoying. Also, as a 0/2 it will do nothing on an empty board. Too bad really, I was hoping for a playable WB creature.
Verdict: Won't see play

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Blue/Black

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Architects of Will
A Hill Giant with a Sage Owl ability that cycles for cheap is perfect for limited, but I question its usefulness in peasant. Thing is, there are better utility creatures out there, and 3/3 isn't all that hot either.
Verdict: Won't see play

Brainbite
At 4 mana this is too expensive, even though it's a 2-for-1.
Verdict: Won't see play

Deny Reality
A sorcery-speed Boomerang at 5 mana. Deny Reality isn't off to a great start, and what's worse, the cascade won't often help you in the typical UB deck, which often plays at least 8 counterspell variants. Also, bouncing stuff, especially this late in the game, doesn't really solve any of your problems.
Verdict: Won't see play

Etherium Abomination
Hum. I don't really need to explain to you why this won't see play, right?
Verdict: Won't see play

Jhessian Zombies
At six mana I want better stats out of my land cyclers, maybe a 5/3 regenerator?
Verdict: Won't see play

Mistvein Borderpost
Once again, a borderpost in a color that cares about artifacts. Playable at any rate, it's even better in U/B, as long as you don't go all out on the Mirrodin artifact lands.
Verdict: Will see play

Soul Manipulation
Stunning common! This is the kind of affordable two-for-one any peasant player should be looking out for. Just be careful you don't go all out on the graveyard dependent cards like Accumulated Knowledge and Rune Snag, or else you will be wrecked by Relic of Progenitus.
Verdict: Will see play

Vedalken Ghoul
I'll tap my desert and take 1? If only it would be dangerous if it went unblocked as well...
Verdict: Won't see play

---

Grixis

---

Grixis Grimblade
Efficient creature, even though deathtouch is not really a constructed-worthy (though constructed-annoying) ability.
Verdict: Might see play

Grixis Sojourners
This one is actually playable. The cycling ability is just an expensive, though uncounterable, cremate, but the base stats are totally worth it. Besides, sometimes a cremate is just what you want in peasant!
Verdict: Might see play

Magefire Wings
Power increase and evasion on a cheap aura might actually make this playable. Even if you get only one hit out of this before they destroy the creature, it's still worth it.
Verdict: Might see play

Sewn-Eye Drake
Flying makes this so much better than Lightning Elemental. Still, at 1 toughness for four mana this is too fragile.
Verdict: Won't see play

---

Black/Red

---

Breath of Malfegor
Overcosted in a format with just one opponent.
Verdict: Won't see play

Demonic Dread
Even though cascade is probably best on a low CC, the effect of this card is awful.
Verdict: Won't see play

Igenous Pouncer
Six mana is still too much, but this at least packs some punch and can come in unexpected. Of course the surprise of you playing these is spoiled as soon as you cycle your first because six mana is nowhere in sight...
Verdict: Won't see play

Kathari Bomber
Incorrectly spoiled as an uncommon, this card still has one big weakness: Aven Riftwatcher. Only two decks played these in the last tournament however, so it seems like it's declining in popularity. Since it's a common now, I can play it besides Hypnotic Specter or Ashenmoor Gouger (I previously stated I'ld rather play these than the Bomber). That means this is actually a fairly efficient creature, sort of a Dragon Fodder stuck on a Firebolt. As an uncommon it wouldn't have seen play, as a common though...
Verdict: Might see play

Monstrous Carabid
Cycling can be relevant in certain decks, and this card is certainly playable in those decks, as long as they play both colors. Astral Slide and Lightning Rift are already popular choices. Usually these get paired with green for Tilling Treefolk, but maybe this will put some more beats in the deck?
Verdict: Might see play

Singe-Mind Ogre
Peasant is a speedy format, so most of the time you'll get 2 damage out of this at most. Then there's the times your up against a deck with Mulldrifters or Myr Enforcers in his or her hand and it burns for a lot more. Maybe. If this wasn't so unreliable I'ld run it. As is, I still want to test it.
Verdict: Might see play

Terminate
A reprint of a solid card that's already seeing play in Blightning Beatdown decks. Not much of a prediction here.
Verdict: Will see play

Veinfire Borderpost
Mana fixing in a color that can use it. Also this is another target for Shrapnel Blast.
Verdict: Will see play

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Jund

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Jund Hackblade
Huh! Insane if you can turn it on. Most of the times you'ld have to run uncommons or rares to do so (Tattermunge Maniac for example), but there's also the borderposts. B/R especially could run this. Wouldn't even be bad if it could attack only after you dropped down your Ashenmoor Gouger. Oh, did I mention you should play Veinfire Borderpost?
Verdict: Will see play

Jund Sojourners
Not bad, not bad. 3 power for 3 mana is right on the curve, and the cycling ability can actually be relevant. Still, you'ld want to drop this on turn three, and I don't know how consistent you could get those three colors together...
Verdict: Might see play

Putrid Leech
Well well well... A 4/4 for 2 mana, if that won't see play, nothing will! Fits in the (up till now nonexistent) B/G Mimic deck perfectly. Make sure you pack some lifegain somehow, cause this is going to hurt!
Verdict: Will see play

Sangrite Backlash
Meh, Ligthning Bolt, Last Gasp, and Agony Warp are more attractive options.
Verdict: Won't see play

---

Red/Green

---

Colossal Might
Excellent pump! The trample is crucial here. Fits right into Taiga-style decks.
Verdict: Will see play

Deadshot Minotaur
One mana too expensive, bummer! Perfect stats, a relevant ability (vs Faeries and Blink for example) and cycling. At 4 mana this would have been perfect, at 5 mana it's, well... One mana too expensive!
Verdict: Won't see play

Firewild Borderpost
Red/green usually has a lot of one-drops, some of which require basic lands (Kird Ape, Wild Nacatl), so I don't see this getting much airtime really. On the bright side, it's Shrapnel Blast fodder and fixes your mana really reliably.
Verdict: Will see play

Godtracker of Jund
If there were enough cheap 5-power creatures in the common slot this might see play. There aren't, so this won't.
Verdict: Won't see play

Gorger Wurm
Well, it's as cheap as a common 5-power creature is going to get. But no, still not competitive.
Verdict: Won't see play

Rhox Brute
Pretty efficient, not as good as the mad hatter (Wickerbough Elder) or Blastoderm.
Verdict: Won't see play

Valley Rannet
Well, these landcyclers certainly aren't anything to the peasant scene. Move along!
Verdict: Won't see play

Violent Outburst
The cascaded spell resolves before this, which means you really want to reveal that Rip-Clan Clasher! Very playable common!
Verdict: Will see play

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Naya

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Cerodon Yearling
A propos Rip-Clan Crasher? Go find a corner and cry, this is your new and improved brother! Of course, unlike G/R, R/W hasn't established itself as a playable archetype yet...
Verdict: Might see play

Naya Hushblade
Tech: the shroud only kicks in after you played the multicolor aura. I have never seen a more perfect target for Armadillo Cloak or Shield of the Oversoul!
Verdict: Will see play

Naya Sojourners
If only this had 4 toughness.
Verdict: Won't see play

Trace of Abundance
Currently there's not a deck that would want to play this. The only peasant deck I know of that used aura's like these was a G/U twiddle deck that actually needed to target a multiple enchanted land to generate massive amounts of mana.
Verdict: Won't see play

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Green/White

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Captured Sunlight
Four life eh? Here's the deal, you don't want to play lifegain unless it comes with some sort of utility or gains you a lot of life for a small cost (i.e. Nourish or Hallow). Cascade means you'll always get something else out of this, maybe an Armadillo Cloak? I think I like this card, but I still wonder if the slots aren't better spent on cards that actually win you the game.
Verdict: Might see play

Grizzled Leotau
Lol at the ridiculous toughness. This is Doran's best new friend! Luckily for us, Doran is a rare.
Verdict: Won't see play

Leonin Armorguard
Pretty decent army booster, though a Hill Giant body doesn't actually add that much too an effect like this.
Verdict: Won't see play

Pale Recluse
Anybody interested? No?
Verdict: Won't see play

Qasali Pridemage
Anybody interested? No? What's wrong with you! This is the best common since ages! The power of a Watchwolf and the utility of a Viridian Zealot combined put this common in the hall of fame as far as I'm concerned. If you're in G/W, there isn't a single reason to not play this. It's that good! I would consider this card even if I was playing G/W slivers! If not mainboard, then sideboard. Just wow!
Verdict: Will see play

Sigil of the Nayan Gods
This is a good aura. Problem is, G/W already has an abundance of great, stellar, and insane aura's. Armadillo Cloak this ain't.
Verdict: Won't see play

Sigil Behemoth
Too expensive.
Verdict: Won't see play

Wildfield Borderpost
I'ld wager there's a deck out there that really wants to play this stellar mana fixer.
Verdict: Will see play

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Bant

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Bant Sojourners
Too expensive for too small an effect
Verdict: Won't see play

Bant Sureblade
With great aura's like Shield of the Oversoul and Armadillo Cloak and excellent weenies like Qasali Pridemage (see below) and Steward of Valeron in G/W this is relatively easy to trigger. W/U gets a few solid commons in this set as well, though up until now there have been less playable multicolor commons in that color combination. That being said, a 3/2 first strike for 2 mana is excellent!
Verdict: Will see play

Crystallization
Why not just play Pacifism or Oblivion Ring? If your opponent destroys the Crystallization, you still haven't accomplished anything.
Verdict: Won't see play

Winged Coatl
Snakeform mark 2.0? Another removal spell in G/U, and a card that can unexpectantly grow Shorecrasher Mimic mid combat. I would have like this so much more as a 2/1 though...
Verdict: Might see play

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Hmm... that's a pretty impressive list! But it doesn't stop there, because this time there are some uncommons that might shake things up a bit! Let's discuss!

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Alara Reborn Uncommons

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Ardent Plea
A really nice cascade card. It does something relevant, and if you cascade out another exalted (which shouldn't be to hard too accomplish if you build your deck right) this can give you a pretty relevant bonus on your third turn.
Verdict: Might see play

Wall of Denial
People are all over this, and it surely is one of the most annoying walls ever made. It's still only a 0-power creature though, so all it will do is stall. I think you're better of playing Plumeveil, if you must play a wall that is.
Verdict: Won't see play

Illusory Demon
This is raw power! It will hit your opponent hard and mercyless! Since you don't want to be playing four, you even have two uncommon slots left for manlands! The downside is its 3 toughness, right in Lightning Bolt range. The upside is its cmc of 3, right in Unearth range!
Verdict: Will see play

Mask of Riddles
A deceptively powerful effect: combat triggered Curiosity + Fear on an equipment. There's so much powerful blue card drawing at the common level that I doubt this will see play though, simply because you don't need to spend an uncommon slot on this effect. If it triggered on any damage this might have been a whole different story.
Verdict: Won't see play

Mind Funeral
One of the most powerful milling effects we've seen in a while, at least at the common and uncommon rarity. Between this and the common mill cards (Drowner Initiate, Ink Dissolver, Memory Sluice, etc) your clock probably isn't fast enough though. I haven't done the math though, so by all means, try it out!
Verdict: Won't see play

Anathemancer
Very strong in any format that is dominated by nonbasics, such as the current standard. Depending on whether you use Crystalkeep or Gatherer as your official guide to what's common and what's uncommon, this might be the right choice. We, in Groningen, use Gatherer, so Mishra's Factory and Maze of Ith are uncommons. Other than that you'll mainly see basic lands, so we are not going to play this. Maybe the French will? By the by, if Wizards is ever going to make peasant an official format, they're definitely going to use gatherer, so using crystal keep has never been an option for us.
Verdict: Won't see play (in Groningen)

Bituminous Blast
A strong effect, but Terminate gets the job done better and costs 3 (!!!) mana less. Don't let the cascade fool you.
Verdict: Won't see play

Demonspine Whip
So, a recurring Enrage? Interesting! The equipment is cheap enough to be playable, and the effect can be pretty brutal. It doesn't even matter if you're a bit mana flooded, since this will only make your critters more powerful. I'ld give this a try.
Verdict: Might see play

Bloodbraid Elf
This card has been hailed as the best card in the set by several people in online discussion threads, even above rares and mythic rares. That says something about the power of this beauty! 3/2 haste is fine at 4 mana, though at the top of the curve, but cascade really does make a difference in a deck with this! RG aggro is where this would see play, meaning you'll cascade into a relevant creature or a burn spell every time. Lovely!
Verdict: Will see play

Mage Slayer
Very expensive, but so is Loxodon Warhammer, and that sees play in some slower decks. There are, however, only a handful of common creatures that trigger on dealing damage as opposed to combat damage, so the place to use this is on big creatures. In that case I think you're better of spending your six mana on a hard hitting creature instead.
Verdict: Won't see play

Vithian Renegades
A better Viridian Shaman, without a relevant creature type. This does take up a valuable unc slot, and you could just as easily play Tin Street Hooligan in these colors.
Verdict: Won't see play

Behemoth Sledge
Armadillo Cloak meets Loxodon Warhammer. This is a very powerfull effect, and if you were about to run the Warhammer in a GW deck, you might as well use this. Thing is, if you're in these colors, you can also simply play Armadillo Cloak and/or Shield of the Oversoul and spend you unc slot on something relevant like a Phantom Centaur.
Verdict: Won't see play

Reborn Hope
A nice utility card, but is this worth an uncommon slot? I can't tell, but I can guess. Probably not.
Verdict: Won't see play

Sigil Captain
Useless in multiples, but there are so many very useful 1/1 creatures in GW that I'ld play this as a 1- or 2-of. Imagine this with Silhana Ledgewalker, Essence or Soul Warden, token generators. Certainly a very powerful effect!
Verdict: Will see play

Zealous Persecution
Nausea sees wide play with the amount of 1-toughness creatures in the format (elves, faeries, goblins, etc), so this theoretically could see play as well. This suffers from the same problem as Behemoth Sledge though. There are common alternatives that are almost equal, or good enough to get the job done, so why waste an uncommon slot on it?
Verdict: Won't see play

Double Negative
Tricky. If cascade sees play, this is a nice answer. Cascade won't see play widely though, and with the exception of the 3/2 hasty elf, you don't really need to counter the original spell. Versus storm you can use Hindering Touch, which is a common. Basically it's see above.
Verdict: Won't see play

Lorescale Coatl
This is pretty nutsy! You'll never need to overcommit after laying this down, since it will eventually outgrow every other creature in the format! Blue has enough common card draw to accompany this as well. GU Mimic was very playable before, but lacked a solid uncommon slot. This will do very nicely.
Verdict: Will see play

Nulltread Gargantuan
But, if you can't afford to wait, you might also play the fattest cmc 3 currently available in the format. The drawback is super steep though, costing you board position and a draw. Still, I can imagine there are still people who'll want to abuse this with Coiling Oracle and Elvish Visionary to negate the drawback. And make no mistake, a 5/6 can go the distance.
Verdict: Might see play

Gloryscale Viashino
Why does it have to have 3 toughness? Lightning Bolt I hate you! Other than that, this will do some serious facebashery when you turn it on, not very difficult in these colors (how very nice this card combines with Armadillo Cloak and Shield of the Oversoul!).
Verdict: Might see play

Flurry of Wings
While potentially very cool (both on offense and defense), this is one difficult mana cost to accomplish! The amount of hate vs 1/1 creatures in the format due to goblins, elves, etc, doesn't help either. A pity, cause I want to like this card.
Verdict: Won't see play

Thopter Foundry
Cheap artifact, life gain, recycling of excess lands and Chromatic Spheres and Stars. Alara block has brought a few playable uncommons to affinity, and this is no exception.
Verdict: Might see play

---

Very impressive! My predictions gave Conflux 6 commons and 3 uncommons that I though would see play, this time around it's 16 commons and 4 uncommons! To be fair, that does include the Borderpost cycle and Terminate. I hope you'll enjoy these cards just as much as I will. Still, I know I'm going to play me some Alara Reborn cards for a long while!

Hoping you'll enjoy this set as much as I will,

-Hennink

Results April 24th, 2009

The second season is off to a fresh new start. I'll write up a tournament report later. Sadly my rogue deck didn't make T8 (I finished 9th). In total we had 18 participants, another nice turnout! One important change was the unbanning of artifact lands and the banning of Cranial Plating. There was one affinity deck, but it wasn't very succesful. So far it doesn't look like affinity will warp the meta like it used to do. Anyway, on to the decks that did make the top 8!

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T8 Decklists

1. Maarten Jacobs (12 - Tortured Existence)
2. Douwe van Noordenburg (12 - Taïga)
3. Wouter Scholtens (11 - GW Slivers)
4. Michiel Deunk (10 - RG Fires)
5. Gijsbert Haaksman (9 - Storm Combo)
6. Martijn Beljaars (9 - Quillspike Combo)
7. Allard van der Made (9 - WU Blink)
8. Rob de Jonge (9 - Blightning Beatdown)

---

Maarten Jacobs - Tortured Existence
1st place (12 points)

PS. I couldn't find Maarten's decklist between the paper lists, because he provided the decklist digitally. Here it is!

Creatures
3 Spore Frog
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Crypt Rats
2 Eternal Witness (U)
4 Golgari Brownscale
4 Stinkweed Imp
3 Yavimaya Elder
4 Wickerbough Elder
1 Krosan Tusker

Spells
4 Tortured Existence
1 Unearth
1 Grim Harvest
3 Sylvan Library (U)
1 Sylvan Bounty

Lands
11 Swamp
11 Forest

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 2 Grim Harvest
SB: 4 Nourish
SB: 1 Crypt Rats
SB: 4 Festercreep

---

Douwe van Noordenburg - Taïga
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
2 Ghazban Ogre
3 Jungle Lion
4 Kird Ape
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Scab-Clan Mauler

Spells
3 Chain Lightning
3 Lava Dart
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Rancor
4 Reckless Charge
2 Incinerate

Lands
2 Gemstone Mine (U)
9 Forest
10 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 3 Bloodfire Dwarf
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 2 Ancient Grudge
SB: 3 Compost (U)
SB: 3 Smash to Smittereens

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Wouter Scholtens - GW Slivers
3rd place (11 points)

Creatures
4 Plated Sliver
4 Sidewinder Sliver
4 Virulent Sliver
4 Muscle Sliver
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Spinneret Sliver
4 Talon Sliver
3 Victual Sliver (U)

Spells
3 Gather Courage
4 Thrill of the Hunt
3 Prismatic Strands

Lands
8 Forest
7 Plains
2 Secluded Steppe
2 Tranquil Thicket

Sideboard
SB: 3 Hallow
SB: 3 Obsidian Acolyte
SB: 3 Ray of Revelation
SB: 4 Holy Light
SB: 2 Root Sliver (U)

---

Michiel Deunk - RG Fires
4th place (10 points)

Creatures
3 Llanowar Elves
3 Kird Ape
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Horned Kavu
4 Scab-Clan Mauler
4 Blastoderm
2 Flametongue Kavu (U)

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Rancor
3 Fires of Yavimaya (U)
4 Rift Bolt

Lands
10 Forest
9 Mountain
3 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 3 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Naturalize
SB: 3 Rain of Embers
SB: 1 Smash to Smittereens
SB: 2 Smash

---

Gijsbert Haaksman - Storm Combo
5th place (9 points)

Spells
4 Lotus Petal
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Dark Ritual
1 Demonic Consultation (U)
4 Rite of Flame
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Grapeshot
4 Manamorphose
4 Words of Wisdom
4 Seething Song
4 Ignite Memories (U)

Lands
4 Ancient Spring
4 Irrigation Ditch
3 Island
4 Sulfur Vent

Sideboard
SB: 3 Disrupt
SB: 4 Force Spike
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Unsummon

---

Martijn Beljaars - Quillspike Combo
6th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Carrion Feeder
2 Essence Warden
4 Devoted Druid
4 Safehold Elite
4 Quillspike (U)
4 Rendclaw Trow

Spells
4 Commune with Nature
4 Rancor
4 Unearth
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
3 Rite of Consumption

Lands
4 Desert
8 Forest
6 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Hidden Spider
SB: 4 Echoing Decay
SB: 3 Moment's Peace
SB: 4 Naturalize
SB: 2 Phyrexian Ghoul

---

Allard van der Made - WU Blink
7th (9 points)

Creatures
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Temple Acolyte
3 Trinket Mage
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Mulldrifter

Spells
1 Æther Spellbomb
2 Brainstorm
2 Condescend
1 Dispeller's Capsule
1 Path to Exile (U)
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Repeal
4 Swords to Plowshares (U)
4 Momentary Blink

Lands
1 Ancient Den
1 Azorius Chancery
8 Island
8 Plains
1 Seat of the Synod
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 4 Icatian Javelineers
SB: 1 Disenchant
SB: 3 Divine Offering
SB: 3 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Hindering Light
SB: 1 Wispmare
SB: 1 Deep Analysis

---

Rob de Jonge - Blightning Beatdown
8th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Mogg Fanatic
2 Gobhobbler Rats
3 Keldon Marauders
2 Ravenous Rats
2 Rotting Rats
4 Ashenmoor Gouger (U)
1 Shambling Remains (U)

Spells
4 Duress
4 Lightning bolt
4 Unearth
4 Terminate
4 Blightning

Lands
11 Mountain
11 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Nausea
SB: 4 Smash to Smithereens

---

Decks that didn't finish in the T8 included Elfball, IsoMUC, and Affinity.

Results March 22nd, 2009

So, the finals! The invite! The epic showdown at the end of the season! Has it really been a year?

I expected a lot of goblin tokens and faeries this tournament, so I build a rogue deck with 4 maindeck Engineered Plague, powered out by 4 Dark Rituals. The decklist is included below, since I made T8. This time I wrote a short tournament report, so let's kick off with that.

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Round 1: 2-1 vs Jan (Mono Black Control). I lose game 1, but discard + pressure + Relic of Progenitus (nullifying Skeletal Scrying) win me game 2 en 3.

Round 2: 2-1 vs Douwe (Dirty Kitty). The weird thing is I didn't even see my Engineered Plagues in any of the games. Discard and echoing decay work wonders though if you can keep up the pressure. Two Dross Golems tend to end things fast if your opponent has no answers.

Round 3: 1-2 vs Wouter (Balance Faeries). I beat him handily in game 1, it wasn't even close! Then, somehow, it all went awry. Game 2 I had to mulligan to 5 and never could amount any pressure. Game 3 I kept Swamp, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Duress, Engineered Plague, Echoing Decay, Faerie Macabre and fail to draw a second Swamp the entire game. Eventually he drew an Echoing Truth to bounce Engineered Plague and start beating, a few turns later he has Counterbalance and Top online... and I still didn't draw a Swamp. This took him like 17 turns! Very frustrating, but isn't that how magic sometimes works? I was pretty miffed thought that this had to happen versus a very good matchup.

Round 4: 2-0 vs Maarten (Mono Black Control). Turn 1 Dark Ritual, Duress, Hymn. Turn 2 Hymn. Turn 3 Hymn. With a godhand like that you beat every deck. Game 2 went like the matchup versus Jan, Relic of Progenitus for the win.

Round 5: 0-2 vs Allard (W/U Blink). I had pretty high hopes at this point. 3-1 is a very nice start. Instead of winning I get paired up vs blink, which turns out to be a truly unwinnable matchup. I can't race him because of the ridiculous amount of life gain (blinking Temple Acolyte and Aven Riftwatcher) and both games end with Allard smothering me in card advantage.

Round 6: 0-2 vs Oswin (W/B Discard). I though I had a decent chance here, turns out CoP: Black sucks when you're mono black. I still think this is not unwinnable, especially with the golems (I was winning g2 until he ripped a CoP off the top of his deck), but it's certainly not in my favor.

---

In the end my predictions were not entirely correct, and I beat the snot out of Dirty Kitty without drawing a single Engineered Plague. In hindsight my unc slot could have been better spent. 3-3 wasn't really what I hoped to achieve either, but at least I T8'ed. In the end I managed to grab 7th place in the final standings as well. Not bad, considering that I played a different deck each time!

Also, I'm happy to have influenced the metagame somewhat. I first discovered and played Temple Acolyte, which has become a staple for blink decks. Also, I first built the W/B discard decks with Guardian of the Guildpact and Swords to Plowshares, further refined and piloted to a 2nd place in the finals by Oswin. I do take some pride in that :) Let's see if I can stumble upon similar gems in the coming season!

All in all we had 42 different players during the past season. Around 25 of those showed up more than once. I'm looking forward to the coming season, hopefully we will keep such a high attendance!

Enough of all that talk though, you were wondering about the other decks that made it into the T8, no doubt. Well, karma at least affirmed my prediction somewhat, as Faeries won the whole thing! As for the rest? Enjoy!

PS. The points haven't been published, so I don't know how many points each contestant got. Some I do know.

---

T8 Decklists

1. Wouter Scholtens (16 - Balance Faeries)
2. Oswin ten Brinke (? - WB Discard)
3. Allard van der Made (? - Trinket Blink)
4. Gijsbert Haaksman (12 - MUC)
5. Jasper Boelens (? - Psychatog)
6. Niels Gramser (? - Elfball)
7. Martijn Hennink (9 - Engineered Aggro)
8. Martijn Labohm (? - Blightning Beatdown)

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Wouter Scholtens - Balance Faeries
1st place (16 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Pestermite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Sensei's Divining Top (U)
3 Counterbalance (U)
4 Counterspell
3 Echoing Truth
4 Mana Leak
4 Gush

Lands
4 Desert
16 Island

Sideboard
SB: 3 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Viridian Longbow
SB: 1 Echoing Truth
SB: 4 Guerrilla Tactics

---

Oswin ten Brinke - WB Discard
2nd place (? points)

Creatures
4 Aven Riftwatcher
3 Faerie Macabre
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
2 Kami of the Ancient Law
1 Kitchen Finks (U)
3 Okiba-Gang Shinobi
2 Ronom Unicorn
3 Shrieking Grotesque

Spells
4 Bonesplitter
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
3 Swords to Plowshares (U)
4 Unearth
3 Unmake

Lands
2 Barren Moor
10 Plains
8 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Black
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 2 Disenchant
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Echoing Decay
SB: 3 Nausea
SB: 2 Relic of the Progenitus

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Allard van der Made - Trinket Blink
3rd place (? points)

Creatures
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Temple Acolyte
3 Trinket Mage
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Mulldrifter

Spells
1 Æther Spellbomb
2 Brainstorm
2 Condescend
1 Dispeller's Capsule
1 Path to Exile (U)
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Repeal
4 Swords to Plowshares (U)
4 Momentary Blink

Lands
1 Azorius Chancery
9 Island
9 Plains
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 1 Dispeller's Capsule
SB: 4 Icatian Javelineers
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Hindering Light
SB: 1 Wispmare
SB: 2 Deep Analysis

---

Gijsbert Haaksman - MUC
4th place (12 points)

Creatures
3 Spire Golem
3 Errant Ephemeron

Spells
4 Opt
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Counterspell
3 Echoing Truth
1 Isochron Scepter (U)
4 Rune Snag
3 Think Twice
1 Capsize
4 Propaganda (U)
3 Rewind

Lands
19 Island
4 Desert

Sideboard
SB: 4 Force spike
SB: 4 Relic of the Progenitus
SB: 4 Tangle Bloom
SB: 1 Echoing Truth
SB: 1 Capsize
SB: 1 Spire Golem

---

Jasper Boelens - Psychatog
5th place (? points)

Creatures
4 Crypt Rats
3 Psychatog (U)

Spells
4 Brainstorm
2 Condescend
4 Force Spike
3 Ghastly Demise
3 Mental Note
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Counterspell
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
1 Echoing Decay
1 Echoing Truth
1 Engineered Plague (U)
1 Deep Analysis
2 Gush
1 Mystical Teachings

Lands
2 Desert
2 Dimir Aqueduct
11 Island
6 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 4 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Mesmeric Fiend
SB: 3 Nausea

---

Niels Gramser - Elfball
6th place (? points)

Creatures
4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid (U)
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
3 Quirion Ranger
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Priest of Titania

Spells
1 Chromatic Star
2 Fireball
1 Instill Energy (U)
2 Kaervek's Torch
4 Land Grant
4 Manamorphose
4 Distant Melody

Lands
11 Forest

Sideboard
SB: 1 Kaervek's Torch
SB: 4 Magnify
SB: 2 Sandstorm
SB: 2 Echoing Truth
SB: 3 Naturalize
SB: 3 Nourish

---

Martijn Hennink - Plague Aggro
7th (9 points)

Creatures
4 Skittering Skirge
2 Crypt Rats
4 Faerie Macabre
4 Dross Golem

Spells
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Echoing Decay
4 Hymn to Tourach
2 Vulshok Morningstar
4 Engineered Plague (U)
1 Loxodon Warhammer (U)

Lands
23 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Tanglebloom
SB: 4 Diabolic Edict
SB: 1 Crypt Rats
SB: 2 Pewter Golem

---

Martijn Labohm - Blightning Beatdown
8th place (? points)

Creatures
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Keldon Marauders
2 Ravenous Rats
4 Ashenmoor Gouger (U)
1 Hypnotic Specter (U)

Spells
4 Duress
4 Lightning bolt
2 Shard Volley
4 Unearth
4 Terminate
4 Blightning
2 Fireblast

Lands
10 Mountain
11 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Hymn to Tourach
SB: 4 Nausea
SB: 3 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 3 Fearie Macabre

---

Results February 27, 2009

Last tournament before the invite! Since I was already placed I took some jank deck to a 2-3 finish. Blink decks continue to dominate, and we also see the return of some old favorites: Dirty Kitty, Tortured Existence and Burn. I still think Tortured Existence has too many draws and Burn faces too much lifegain, but Dirty Kitty? I guess everybody better be prepared for it come finals!

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T8

1. Gijsbert Haaksman (15 - Blink Riders)
2. Anne Cnossen (12 - Dirty Kitty)
3. Allard van der Made (12 - Trinket Blink)
4. Arne Haak (12 - Faeries)
5. Jan Kotlarski (10 - Tortured Existence)
6. Niels Gramser (9 - Raven's Rack)
6. Martijn Labohm (9 - Blightning Beatdown)
6. Douwe van Noordenburg (9 - Burn)
6. Jasper Boelens (9 - UG Madness)
6. Oswin ten Brinke (9 - WB Discard)

---

Decklists

Gijsbert Haaksman - Blink Riders
1st place (15 points)

Creatures
2 Aethersnipe
4 Auramancer
4 Avalanche Riders (U)
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Mulldrifter
1 Riftwing cloudskate (U)
4 Temple Acolyte

Spells
4 Angelic Renewal
2 Call to Heel
4 Momentary Blink
2 Seal of Cleansing
2 Seal of Fire

Lands
6 Island
5 Mountain
8 Plains
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 3 Blue elemental blast
SB: 4 Echoing truth
SB: 4 Psychic Purge
SB: 3 Relic of the progenitus
SB: 1 Seal of Cleansing

---

Anne Cnossen - Dirty Kitty
2nd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Goblin Matron
2 Goblin Sledder
1 Goblin Warchief (U)
4 Mogg War Marshal
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Tinder Wall
2 Wild Cantor

Spells
4 Empty the Warrens
4 Fecundity
1 Grapeshot
4 Lotus Petal
4 Rite of Flame
4 Seething Song

Lands
8 Forest
10 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 1 Flaring Pain
SB: 1 Grapeshot
SB: 4 Naturalize
SB: 3 Pyroblast
SB: 2 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus

---

Allard van der Made - Trinket Blink
3rd place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Aven Riftwatcher
2 Errant Ephemeron
4 Mulldrifter
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Temple Acolyte
4 Trinket Mage

Spells
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Dispeller's Capsule
1 Leonin Scimitar
4 Momentary Blink
1 Path to Exile (U)
3 Relic of Progenitus
4 Swords to Plowshares (U)

Lands
2 Azorius Chancery
8 Island
9 Plains
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 3 Deep Analysis
SB: 1 Disenchant
SB: 1 Dispeller's Capsule
SB: 3 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Hindering Light
SB: 4 Icatian Javelineers
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt

---

Arne Haak - Faeries
4th place (12 points)

Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Pestermite
4 Spellstutter Sprite

Spells
2 Bonesplitter
4 Brainstorm
2 Call to Heel
3 Counterbalance (U)
4 Counterspell
4 Gush
2 Sensei's Divining Top (U)
3 Snap

Lands
20 Island

Sideboard
SB: 4 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Mana Leak
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Snakeform
SB: 1 Weatherseed Faeries

---

Jan Kotlarski - Tortured Existence
5th place (10 points)

Creatures
1 Battlefield Scrounger
3 Crypt Rats
1 Elvish Skysweeper
3 Elvish Visionary
1 Eternal Witness (U)
4 Golgari Brownscale
2 Grave Scrabbler
2 Krosan Tusker
3 Spore Frog
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Stinkweed Imp
1 Tilling Treefolk

Spells
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
3 Sylvan Library (U)
4 Tortured Existence

Lands
9 Forest
10 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 4 Duress
SB: 1 Elvish Hexhunter
SB: 3 Faerie Macabre
SB: 4 Hymn to Tourach
SB: 2 Nantuko Vigilante
SB: 1 Scavenger Folk

---

Niels Gramser - Raven's Rack
6th-10th place (9 points)

Creatures
1 Blizzard Specter (U)
3 Crypt Rats
4 Trinket Mage

Spells
4 Accumulated Knowledge
1 AEther Spellbomb
4 Hymn to Tourach
1 Oona's Grace
4 Raven's Crime
4 Recoil
4 The Rack (U)
4 Wrench Mind

Lands
8 Island
14 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Deep Analysis
SB: 4 Hydroblast
SB: 4 Nausea
SB: 2 Relic of the Progenitus
SB: 2 Tanglebloom
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt

---

Martijn Labohm - Blightning Beatdown
6th-10th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Ashenmoor Gouger (U)
1 Hypnotic Specter (U)
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Mogg Fanatic
2 Mogg Flunkies
2 Ravenous Rats

Spells
4 Blightning
4 Duress
2 Fireblast
4 Lightning bolt
4 Terminate
4 Unearth

Lands
10 Mountain
11 Swamp

Sideboard
SB: 3 Fearie Macabre
SB: 1 Hymn to Tourach
SB: 4 Nausea
SB: 4 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Smash to Smithereens

---

Douwe van Noordenburg - Burn
6th-10th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Mogg Fanatic

Spells
4 Black Vise (U)
4 Chain Lightning
3 Fireblast
1 Flame Rift
4 Incinerate
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lava Spike
1 Magma Jet (U)
4 Rift Bolt
4 Shard Volley

Lands
19 Mountain

Sideboard
SB: 2 Bloodfire Dwarf
SB: 2 Flaring Pain
SB: 4 Guerilla Tactics
SB: 4 Martyr of Ashes
SB: 3 Smash to Smithereens

---

Jasper Boelens - UG Madness
6th-10th place (9 points)

Creatures
3 Basking Rootwalla
2 Man-o'-War
3 Phantom Centaur (U)
4 Werebear
3 Wild Mongrel

Spells
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Arcane Denial
4 Brainstorm
3 Echoing Truth
2 Fact or Fiction (U)
3 Memory Lapse
2 Mental Note
4 Rune Snag

Lands
7 Forest
10 Island
4 Terramorphic expanse

Sideboard
SB: 4 Aether burst
SB: 1 Counterspell
SB: 4 Hydroblast
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Snakeform

---

Oswin ten Brinke - WB Discard
6th-10th place (9 points)

Creatures
4 Aven Riftwatcher
3 Faerie Macabre
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
2 Kami of the Ancient Law
1 Kitchen Finks (U)
3 Okiba-Gang Shinobi
2 Ronom Unicorn
3 Shrieking Grotesque

Spells
4 Bonesplitter
1 Demonic Tutor (U)
3 Swords to Plowshares (U)
4 Unearth
3 Unmake

Lands
2 Barren Moor
10 Plains
8 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Black
SB: 2 Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 2 Disenchant
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Echoing Decay
SB: 3 Nausea
SB: 2 Relic of the Progenitus