New Zealand Pro-Tour stalwart and internationally recognised player, Gene Brumby, runs you through the gauntlet of top decks in the Standard this week, to assist you in your prepartion for this weekends National Qualifier Tournaments.
This upcoming weekend is Nationals Qualifiers
Saturday 15th May
Auckland : Parnell Conference Centre
Doors open 9am
Start 10am Sat
Christchurch : Wizards Retreat
Doors open 10am
Start 11am Sat
Sunday May 16th
Hamilton : Contract Bridge Club
Doors open 9.30am
Start 10am Sun
Wellington : Turnbull House
Doors open 9am
Start 10am Sun
Whatever city you live in there is one close to you. If you want more details about events close to you, don't be afraid to email me.
If you are a magic player, this is something that should be important on your calender. Top 8 qualify for National Championships! Nats is in auckland this year in August 6-8th.
If you are a little behind on magic or just generally interested in what the metagame looks like. With some updates from the new set. Bear in mind this is going to be the format for nationals and Pro Tour Qualifiers for Amsterdam.
The biggest hype is all about Jund. Many knew there was going to be a lot of Jund since the block Pro Tour in Hawaii.
Jund
4 Forest
3 Mountain
3 Swamp
2 Dragonskull Summit
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Raging Ravine
1 Rootbound Crag
4 Savage Lands
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Broodmate Dragon
4 Putrid Leech
3 Siege-gang Commander
4 Sprouting Thrinax
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Terminate
4 Blightning
3 Maelstrom Pulse
sb
2 Anathemancer
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
2 Jund Charm
1 Terminate
4 Deathmark
1 Mind Rot
1 Thought Hemorrhage
This deck has a lot of good cards, a semi stable manabase and some Insane Draws!
Elf - Drazi
12 Forest
4 Oran-rief, The Vastwood
4 Stirring Wildwood
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Arbor Elf
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Nissa’s Chosen
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Leatherback Baloth
1 Joraga Warcaller
2 Ranger Of Eos
3 Wolfbriar Elemental
3 Nissa Revane
3 Eldrazi Monument
sb
3 Dauntless Escort
4 Great Sable Stag
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Refraction Trap
2 Vines Of Vastwood
The elves have always been strong. This deck has some explosive power and some great ways in the sideboard to make it easier to do what you do best.
UW Tap out
5 Island
6 Plains
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
3 Tectonic Edge
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Knight Of The White Orchid
4 Wall Of Omens
3 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
3 Everflowing Chalice
3 Fieldmist Borderpost
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Path To Exile
3 Day Of Judgment
1 Divination
4 Martial Coup
3 Mind Spring
sb
3 Kor Sanctifiers
4 Perimeter Captain
3 Luminarch Ascension
3 Flashfreeze
2 Negate
This is the deck that people are excited about because it smashes Jund. Blue players usually hate to tap out, but this deck is not afraid to.
Another way to play blue white
Planeswalker Control
4 Island
1 Mountain
5 Plains
3 Arid Mesa
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Tectonic Edge
4 Wall Of Omens
3 Ajani Vengeant
3 Elspeth, Knight-errant
3 Gideon Jura
3 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
3 Oblivion Ring
4 Spreading Seas
4 Path To Exile
2 Day Of Judgment
3 Divination
2 Martial Coup
sb
1 Kor Firewalker
2 Meddling Mage
3 Wall Of Denial
1 Celestial Purge
3 Flashfreeze
4 Negate
1 Day Of Judgment
This deck is very similar to the deck Hamish and I played at Pro Tour San Diego. Has a lot of power and hands the ownage to the Jund Decks.
Old Faithful - Red Deck Wins
12 Mountain
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Teetering Peaks
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Goblin Guide
4 Kargan Dragonlord
4 Plated Geopede
4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Searing Blaze
3 Staggershock
4 Devastating Summons
1 Forked Bolt
sb
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Unstable Footing
4 Earthquake
1 Forked Bolt
2 Traitorous Instinct
You just can't beat the way that old faithful just punishes slow draws. Turn 4 Win!
Open the Vaults
3 Marsh Flats
4 Plains
2 Swamp
6 Island
3 Glassdust Hulk
4 Angelsong
3 Safe Passage
4 Prophetic Prism
3 Kaladistone
4 Howling Mine
4 Open the Vaults
3 Everflowing Chalice
4 Time Warp
3 Time Sieve
4 Mistvein Borderpost
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
2 Tezzeret the Seeker
sb
4 Negate
4 Perimeter Captain
2 Into the Roil
2 Path to Exile
3 Thopter Foundry
A sick deck that has a very focused endgame, with control elements to get there.
Mythic Rare Sovereigns
5 Forest
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Arid Mesa
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Sejiri Steppe
2 Stirring Wildwood
3 Verdant Catacombs
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Birds Of Paradise
4 Knight Of The Reliquary
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Sovereigns Of Lost Alara
2 Elspeth, Knight-errant
3 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
2 Eldrazi Conscription
sb
2 Admonition Angel
3 Dauntless Escort
3 Qasali Pridemage
1 Sphinx Of Jwar Isle
1 Thornling
4 Negate
1 Telemin Performance
A funky deck that plays with a lot of mythics and gets to do cool stuff with a new card.
Here's a cool new deck that I played this week at Thrusday Night Magic
Elves with Drazis V1.0
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Eldrazi Temple
2 Eye of Ugin
3 Halimar Depths
2 Island
7 Forest
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Llanowar Elves
3 Joraga Treespeaker
3 Elvish Archdruid
2 Keeper of Progenitus
2 Elvish Piper
3 Djinn of Wishes
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
2 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Vines of Vastwood
1 Eldrazi Monument
sb
4 Summoning Trap
4 Negate
2 Vines of Vastwood
2 Into the Roil
3 All is Dust
This deck is an interesting way to look at the game. A take on the way the new mechanic can be utilized.
If you are missing any cards for this weekend, there is a good chance I have them all for sale.
Good Luck at this weekend
Gene Brumby
genis@paradise.net.nz
Good place to look for magic singles
http://forums.gameplayer.co.nz/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=229
