Challenge Accepted - Billy Mitchell (12/27/2012)

Let's get right into it! We have a lot of stuff to get into this week!

As you all know, I've been throwing down with Esper Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

for the past few weeks. After playing game after game against Rakdos Aggro, I decided that I needed to try something else. Nephalia Drownyard

Nephalia Drownyard
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 245 Artist: Cliff Childs Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {1}{U}{B}, {T}: Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

simply does nothing in the matchup. While it does improve the Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

matchup some, with the addition of Elixir of Immortality

Elixir of Immortality
	Set: Magic 2011 Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 206 Artist: Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai Text: {2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into your library.

, even that is a dicey proposition.

Honestly, Nephalia Drownyard

Nephalia Drownyard
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 245 Artist: Cliff Childs Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {1}{U}{B}, {T}: Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

in multiples seems to be more of a liability to the manabase than anything. I really wanted a deck with flexible mana. If I had access to a duo of Hallowed Fountain

Hallowed Fountain
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Rarity: R Number: 174 Artist: Rob Alexander

along with either Watery Grave

Watery Grave
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Island Swamp Rarity: R Number: 286 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (T: Add U or B to your mana pool.) As Watery Grave comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Watery Grave comes into play tapped instead.

or Godless Shrine

Godless Shrine
	Set: Guildpact Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Plains Swamp Rarity: R Number: 157 Text: (T: Add W or B to your mana pool.) As Godless Shrine comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Godless Shrine comes into play tapped instead.

, playing 2 or 3 Nephalia Drownyard

Nephalia Drownyard
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 245 Artist: Cliff Childs Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {1}{U}{B}, {T}: Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

would be easy. But alas! Neither card is available in Standard until Gatecrash hits store in February.

If I want to play two shocklands with the UW Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

shell, I currently have two options. If I play Temple Garden

Temple Garden
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Forest Plains Rarity: R Number: 284 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (T: Add G or W to your mana pool.) As Temple Garden comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Temple Garden comes into play tapped instead.

, I can play Thragtusk

Thragtusk
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: R Number: 193 Artist: Nils Hamm Power: 5 Toughness: 3 Text: When Thragtusk enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life. When Thragtusk leaves the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.

along with Restoration Angel

Restoration Angel
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Angel Rarity: R Number: 32 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 3 Toughness: 4 Text: Flash Flying When Restoration Angel enters the battlefield, you may exile target non-Angel creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.

to make every game I play last forever. My other option would be playing Steam Vents

Steam Vents
	Set: Guildpact Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Island Mountain Rarity: R Number: 164 Text: (T: Add U or R to your mana pool.) As Steam Vents comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Steam Vents comes into play tapped instead.

and putting me on a similar plan to what Gerry Thompson has been playing over the past few weeks. After vowing to abstain from Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

Control for as long as I can, I gathered the cards I needed to play American Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

.


Billy Mitchell
December 8th, 2012
American Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

Creatures (11)
4: Augur of Bolas

Augur of Bolas
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Merfolk Wizard Rarity: U Number: 43 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: When Augur of Bolas enters the battlefield, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an instant or sorcery card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

3: Snapcaster Mage

Snapcaster Mage

Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: R Number: 78 Artist: Volkan Baga Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Flash When Snapcaster Mage enters the battlefield, target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost. (You may cast that card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

4: Restoration Angel

Restoration Angel
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Angel Rarity: R Number: 32 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 3 Toughness: 4 Text: Flash Flying When Restoration Angel enters the battlefield, you may exile target non-Angel creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.

Instants and Sorceries (23)
2: Counterflux

Counterflux
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 153 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Text: Counterflux can't be countered by spells or abilities. Counter target spell you don't control. Overload {1}{U}{U}{R} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.")

1: Rewind

Rewind
	Set: Urza's Saga Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 93 Artist: Carl Critchlow Text: Counter target spell. Untap up to four lands.

2: Think Twice

Think Twice
	Set: Time Spiral Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 86 Artist: Jim Nelson Text: Draw a card. Flashback 2U (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)

4: Thought Scour

Thought Scour
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 52 Artist: David Rapoza Text: Target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Draw a card.

4: Pillar of Flame

Pillar of Flame
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 149 Artist: Karl Kopinski Text: Pillar of Flame deals 2 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

4: Azorius Charm

Azorius Charm
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: Multicolor Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 145 Artist: Zoltan Boros Text: Choose one — Creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn; or draw a card; or put target attacking or blocking creature on top of its owner's library.

3: Sphinx's Revelation

Sphinx's Revelation
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Instant Rarity: M Number: 200 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Text: You gain X life and draw X cards.

1: Izzet Charm

Izzet Charm
	Set: Duel Decks Izzet vs. Golgari Cost: 2 Color: Multicolor Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 21 Artist: Zoltan Boros Text: Choose one — Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {2}; or Izzet Charm deals 2 damage to target creature; or draw two cards, then discard two cards.

1: Syncopate

Syncopate
	Set: Odyssey Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 103 Artist: Pete Venters Text: Counter target spell unless its controller pays X. If that spell is countered this way, remove it from the game instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard.

1: Supreme Verdict

Supreme Verdict
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 201 Artist: Sam Burley Text: Supreme Verdict can't be countered. Destroy all creatures.

Artifact (1)
1: Runechanter's Pike

Runechanter's Pike
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: R Number: 231 Artist: John Avon Text: Equipped creature has first strike and gets +X/+0, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Equip {2}

Lands (25)
4: Clifftop Retreat

Clifftop Retreat
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 238 Artist: John Avon Text: Clifftop Retreat enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Mountain or a Plains. {T}: Add {R} or {W} to your mana pool.

4: Glacial Fortress

Glacial Fortress
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 226 Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Text: Glacial Fortress enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Plains or an Island.{T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.

4: Hallowed Fountain

Hallowed Fountain
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Rarity: R Number: 174 Artist: Rob Alexander

2: Island

Island
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add U to your mana pool.

1: Moorland Haunt

Moorland Haunt
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 244 Artist: James Paick Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {W}{U}, {T}, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

1: Mountain

Mountain
	Set: Arabian Nights Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Artist: Douglas Shuler Text: Tap to add R to your mana pool.

1: Plains

Plains
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add W to your mana pool.

4: Steam Vents

Steam Vents
	Set: Guildpact Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Island Mountain Rarity: R Number: 164 Text: (T: Add U or R to your mana pool.) As Steam Vents comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Steam Vents comes into play tapped instead.

4: Sulfur Falls

Sulfur Falls
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 248 Artist: Cliff Childs Text: Sulfur Falls enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island or a Mountain. {T}: Add {U} or {R} to your mana pool.

Sideboard (15)
1: Curse of Echoes

Curse of Echoes
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Curse Rarity: R Number: 34 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Text: Enchant player Whenever enchanted player casts an instant or sorcery spell, each other player may copy that spell and may choose new targets for the copy he or she controls.

1: Detention Sphere

Detention Sphere

Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 155 Artist: Kev Walker Text: When Detention Sphere enters the battlefield, you may exile target nonland permanent not named Detention Sphere and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent. When Detention Sphere leaves the battlefield, return the exiled cards to the battlefield under their owner's control.

1: Oblivion Ring

Oblivion Ring
	Set: Lorwyn Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: C Number: 34 Artist: Wayne England Text: When Oblivion Ring comes into play, remove another target nonland permanent from the game. When Oblivion Ring leaves play, return the removed card to play under its owner's control.

2: Dispel

Dispel
	Set: Worldwake Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 26 Artist: Vance Kovacs Text: Counter target instant spell.

1: Drogskol Reaver

Drogskol Reaver
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 7 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: M Number: 137 Artist: Vincent Proce Power: 3 Toughness: 5 Text: Flying, double strike, lifelink Whenever you gain life, draw a card.

4: Izzet Staticaster

Izzet Staticaster
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: U Number: 173 Artist: Scott M. Fischer Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) Haste {T}: Izzet Staticaster deals 1 damage to target creature and each other creature with the same name as that creature.

1: Negate

Negate
	Set: Morningtide Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 43 Artist: Jeremy Jarvis Text: Counter target noncreature spell.

2: Rest in Peace

Rest in Peace
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Terese Nielsen Text: When Rest in Peace enters the battlefield, exile all cards from all graveyards. If a card or token would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.

1: Jace, Memory Adept

Jace, Memory Adept
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Jace Rarity: M Number: 58 Artist: D. Alexander Gregory Text: +1: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard. 0: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. -7: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.

1: Supreme Verdict

Supreme Verdict
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 201 Artist: Sam Burley Text: Supreme Verdict can't be countered. Destroy all creatures.

This list is a 72 of the 75 cards Gerry Thompson played at the most recent TCGPlayer Invitational event. You'll find each version of UW Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

will play very similar to each other. If you've played one then you've played them all. General advice: if you decide to switch decks with short notice, you should play something within the same archetype. I very rarely play aggro decks simply because I am not aware with the interactions I could encounter. If I can play something strategically familiar, I can more circumvent a bit of the learning curve.

I'm not going stick you with another tournament report for two articles in a row. Instead I'll highlight my takeaways from the event. Before I get too ahead of myself, I would like to give a couple shout outs to The Encounter in Allentown, PA, who put on quite an event this past weekend. Aside from being an event for their yearlong championship series, The Encounter went the extra mile to make this a Grand Prix Trial for Atlantic City. Stores like The Encounter raise the bar from what I expect whenever going to any event from a weekly event up to a Pro Tour Qualifier.

In two of my first 3 rounds I faced Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

Control. If you happen to play or sit down against this deck, you should play as quickly as possible. These games are liable to go super-long; my games ranged from 30 minutes to 42 minutes. Between UWx Flash

Flash
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 67 Artist: David Ho Text: Put a creature card from your hand into play. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to 2. If you don't, sacrifice it.

and Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

Control, Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

is without a doubt more equipped to play the long game which subjects you to the uncomfortable role as the beatdown. Moorland Haunt

Moorland Haunt
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 244 Artist: James Paick Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {W}{U}, {T}, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

and Runechanter's Pike

Runechanter's Pike
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: R Number: 231 Artist: John Avon Text: Equipped creature has first strike and gets +X/+0, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Equip {2}

go a long way in this matchup.

This is one of the only matchups where the default target for Thought Scour

Thought Scour
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 52 Artist: David Rapoza Text: Target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Draw a card.

is your opponent. If you plan on killing them with a Runechanter's Pike

Runechanter's Pike
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: R Number: 231 Artist: John Avon Text: Equipped creature has first strike and gets +X/+0, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Equip {2}

on that turn, sure target yourself and win the game. If you cannot, you are more likely to make an impact by ridding the opponent of their powerful cards. Pound for pound the fight isn't fair. If you are lucky enough to mill the opponent's single Elixir, you're in good shape. While on the topic, counter Elixir of Immortality

Elixir of Immortality
	Set: Magic 2011 Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 206 Artist: Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai Text: {2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into your library.

at any cost. It seems innocuous but it will kill you. Obviously, not by itself but the game is likely to get to a point where you can't afford to cast Sphinx's Revelation

Sphinx's Revelation
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Instant Rarity: M Number: 200 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Text: You gain X life and draw X cards.

for much value and you will fall too far behind on card advantage.

I have heard whispers that Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

Control is on the decline but I beg to disagree. While the deck may not have a great game against the Rakdos and Rakdos Red (essentially the same deck but focused to slay its namesake), it feasts upon the remainder of the format. At this event in particular, Bant

Bant

Set: Planechase Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: All creatures have exalted. (Whenever a creature attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents its controller controls.) Whenever you roll {C}, put a divinity counter on target green, white, or blue creature. That creature is indestructible as long as it has a divinity counter on it.

Control occupied half of the Top 8.

I stated some time ago that Huntmaster of the Fells

Huntmaster of the Fells

Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Werewolf Rarity: M Number: 140 Artist: Chris Rahn Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever this creature enters the battlefield or transforms into Huntmaster of the Fells, put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield and you gain 2 life. At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Huntmaster of the Fells.

would be making a comeback and, at least locally, it has made its presence felt. Without opening Pandora's Box, this card is what midrange green-based decks should be doing right about now. Huntmaster of the Fells

Huntmaster of the Fells

Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Werewolf Rarity: M Number: 140 Artist: Chris Rahn Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever this creature enters the battlefield or transforms into Huntmaster of the Fells, put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield and you gain 2 life. At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Huntmaster of the Fells.

stops the bleeding against the Rakdos decks, easily flips against control lists and gobbles every small creature it can get it paws on. Expect to see a lot more of him in the future, especially when Breeding Pool

Breeding Pool
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 172 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: Forest Island, (T: Add G or U to your mana pool.) As Breeding Pool comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, Breeding Pool comes into play tapped instead.

and Stomping Ground

Stomping Ground
	Set: Guildpact Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Mountain Forest Rarity: R Number: 165 Text: (T: Add R or G to your mana pool.) As Stomping Ground comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Stomping Ground comes into play tapped instead.

s enter the format. For now, he is happy to live in Jund

Jund

Set: Planechase 2012 Edition Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 20 Artist: Aleksi Briclot Text: Whenever a player casts a black, red, or green creature spell, it gains devour 5. (As the creature enters the battlefield, its controller may sacrifice any number of creatures. The creature enters the battlefield with five times that many +1/+1 counters on it.) Whenever you roll chaos, put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens onto the battlefield.

midrange lists along with Olivia Voldaren

Olivia Voldaren

Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: M Number: 215 Artist: Eric Deschamps Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying {1}{R}: Olivia Voldaren deals 1 damage to another target creature. That creature becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types. Put a +1/+1 counter on Olivia Voldaren. {3}{B}{B}: Gain control of target Vampire for as long as you control Olivia Voldaren.

and Thragtusk

Thragtusk
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: R Number: 193 Artist: Nils Hamm Power: 5 Toughness: 3 Text: When Thragtusk enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life. When Thragtusk leaves the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.

.

Always the fan of innovation, I feel the need to acknowledge a Rakdos Red innovator. For those who haven't seen this new inbred concoction, let's take a peek:

Murae Ryuji
December 8th, 2012
Rakdos Red
4th Place Grand Prix Nagoya

Creatures (26)
4: Ash Zealot

Ash Zealot
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Warrior Rarity: R Number: 86 Artist: Eric Deschamps Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: First strike, haste Whenever a player casts a spell from a graveyard, Ash Zealot deals 3 damage to that player.

4: Falkenrath Aristocrat

Falkenrath Aristocrat
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: M Number: 138 Artist: Igor Kieryluk Power: 4 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying, haste Sacrifice a creature: Falkenrath Aristocrat is indestructible this turn. If the sacrificed creature was a Human, put a +1/+1 counter on Falkenrath Aristocrat.

3: Hellrider

Hellrider
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 4 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Devil Rarity: R Number: 93 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Haste Whenever a creature you control attacks, Hellrider deals 1 damage to defending player.

4: Knight of Infamy

Knight of Infamy
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Knight Rarity: U Number: 96 Artist: Peter Mohrbacher Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Protection from white (This creature can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything white.) Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)

4: Rakdos Cackler

Rakdos Cackler
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Devil Rarity: U Number: 220 Artist: Ryan Barger Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)

4: Stromkirk Noble

Stromkirk Noble
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: R Number: 164 Artist: James Ryman Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Stromkirk Noble can't be blocked by Humans. Whenever Stromkirk Noble deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it.

3: Thundermaw Hellkite

Thundermaw Hellkite
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Dragon Rarity: M Number: 150 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Power: 5 Toughness: 5 Text: Flying Haste (This creature can attack and {T} as soon as it comes under your control.) When Thundermaw Hellkite enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to each creature with flying your opponents control. Tap those creatures.

Spells (10)
4: Searing Spear

Searing Spear
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 147 Artist: Chris Rahn Text: Searing Spear deals 3 damage to target creature or player.

2: Bonfire of the Damned

Bonfire of the Damned
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: M Number: 129 Artist: James Paick Text: Bonfire of the Damned deals X damage to target player and each creature he or she controls. Miracle {X}{R} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

4: Pillar of Flame

Pillar of Flame
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 149 Artist: Karl Kopinski Text: Pillar of Flame deals 2 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

Lands (24)
8: Mountain

Mountain
	Set: Arabian Nights Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: C Artist: Douglas Shuler Text: Tap to add R to your mana pool.

1: Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

4: Blood Crypt

Blood Crypt
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 171 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: Swamp Mountain, (T: Add B or R to your mana pool.) As Blood Crypt comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, Blood Crypt comes into play tapped instead.

3: Cathedral of War

Cathedral of War
	Set: Magic 2013 Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 221 Artist: Kekai Kotaki Text: Cathedral of War enters the battlefield tapped. Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.

4: Cavern of Souls

Cavern of Souls
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 226 Artist: Cliff Childs Text: As Cavern of Souls enters the battlefield, choose a creature type. {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell of the chosen type, and that spell can't be countered.

4: Dragonskull Summit

Dragonskull Summit
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 223 Artist: Jon Foster Text: Dragonskull Summit enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Swamp or a Mountain. {T}: Add {B} or {R} to your mana pool.

Sideboard (15)
2: Tormod's Crypt

Tormod's Crypt
	Set: Chronicles Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Artist: Christopher Rush Text: T: Sacrifice Tormod's Crypt to remove all cards in target player's graveyard from the game.

2: Volcanic Strength

Volcanic Strength
	Set: Magic 2011 Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: C Number: 158 Artist: Izzy Text: Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has mountainwalk. (It's unblockable as long as defending player controls a Mountain.)

2: Annihilating Fire

Annihilating Fire
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 85 Artist: Clint Cearley Text: Annihilating Fire deals 3 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

2: Tragic Slip

Tragic Slip
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 76 Artist: Christopher Moeller Text: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Morbid — That creature gets -13/-13 until end of turn instead if a creature died this turn.

1: Ultimate Price

Ultimate Price
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 82 Artist: Karl Kopinski Text: Destroy target monocolored creature.

1: Appetite for Brains

Appetite for Brains
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 84 Artist: Michael C. Hayes Text: Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a card from it with converted mana cost 4 or greater and exile that card.

1: Bonfire of the Damned

Bonfire of the Damned
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: M Number: 129 Artist: James Paick Text: Bonfire of the Damned deals X damage to target player and each creature he or she controls. Miracle {X}{R} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

1: Dreadbore

Dreadbore
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: Multicolor Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 157 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: Destroy target creature or planeswalker.

1: Duress

Duress
	Set: Urza's Saga Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 132 Artist: Lawrence Snelly Text: Look at target opponent's hand and choose a noncreature, nonland card there. That player discards that card.

2: Mizzium Mortars

Mizzium Mortars
	Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 101 Artist: Noah Bradley Text: Mizzium Mortars deals 4 damage to target creature you don't control. Overload {3}{R}{R}{R} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.")

Murae Ryuji wasn't the innovator by the way. He was busy in Japan putting up a solid finish at Grand Prix Nagoya and qualifying for the Pro Tour. The individual in question (which is the fancy way of saying I never got his name) played Hellhole Flailer

Hellhole Flailer

Set: Return to Ravnica Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Ogre Warrior Rarity: U Number: 167 Artist: Steve Prescott Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.) {2}{B}{R}, Sacrifice Hellhole Flailer: Hellhole Flailer deals damage equal to its power to target player.

in his 75. The pilot and his lot of zombies and friends ran over his quarterfinals opponent. Without having played his exact list, the card seems to fit snugly as a formidable 3-drop, replacing Geralf's Messenger

Geralf's Messenger

Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: R Number: 63 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Geralf's Messenger enters the battlefield tapped. When Geralf's Messenger enters the battlefield, target opponent loses 2 life. Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)

from the blueprint Rakdos strategy.

Moving Forward
If you are not aware, the current Planeswalker Point season ends on December 16th. For those not in the know, the Planeswalker Points System rewards you with byes for Grand Prix and entry for the World Magic Cup qualifiers held around the country. I am expecting to end the season with about 300 points, below the 400-point threshold to obtain a one-round bye for Grand Prix Atlantic City and Pittsburgh this upcoming season.

Perhaps it's my personal game or maybe it's all the support I have been receiving lately. Either way, I'm setting my sights high. My goal is to obtain at least two byes by the end of the next season, which will end sometime around mid- April. In order to achieve my goal, I will need a whopping 750 points. A closer look at the number show that's not actually too hard.

Like your average tournament, you obtain 3 points for every match win, 1 for every draw and 0 for each loss. The kicker is participation points and multipliers. Participation points are just that. If you show up, you get points. The multipliers are the bang for your buck. Here are my Planeswalker Point earnings from Grand Prix Philadelphia:


Grand Prix Philadelphia 2012
Event Type: Magic Grand Prix
Event Multiplier: x8
Players: 1987
Participation Points: 64
Format: Sealed

Match History:
1 Win (+24)
2 Loss (+0)
3 Win (+24)
4 Loss (+0)
5 Win (+24)
6 Loss (+0)


First, I got 64 points for showing up! I could have withdrawn immediately after receiving my sealed deck. I still would have earned 16% of the points needed to earn a one- round bye. After ending my day early, it had earned 136 points, good for more than a third of the points for a one- round bye. If you can play three Grand Prix and win half the time, then you've got a bye waiting for you at your next event.

While the mythical x8 multiplier is exclusively for Grand Prix, Grand Prix Trials and SCG Open events provide 3x multipliers and Pro Tour Qualifiers provide a 5x multiplier. If I attend and win about half my matches at two Grand Prix (~150 points each), 2 SCG Opens, 3 Grand Prix Trials (~50 each), and 4 Pro Tour Qualifiers (~75 each), I would earn more than enough points to pass my goal.

This plan seems solid. Stick to the plan, earn byes. There is a slight problem. The PTQ has switched to from Sealed to Modern. Now what should I play? Jund

Jund

Set: Planechase 2012 Edition Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Plane Sub Type: Alara Rarity: C Number: 20 Artist: Aleksi Briclot Text: Whenever a player casts a black, red, or green creature spell, it gains devour 5. (As the creature enters the battlefield, its controller may sacrifice any number of creatures. The creature enters the battlefield with five times that many +1/+1 counters on it.) Whenever you roll chaos, put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens onto the battlefield.

? Storm? Splinter Twin

Splinter Twin
	Set: Rise of the Eldrazi Cost: 4 Color: Red Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: R Number: 165 Artist: Goran Josic Text: Enchant creature Enchanted creature has "{T}: Put a token that's a copy of this creature onto the battlefield. That token has haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step."

? How about GW Little Kid? Melira Pod sounds cool. There's something to think about.


Game on,
Billy Mitchell

Badluckbandit on MTGO
@badluckbandit on twitter

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