Grand Prix Columbus Trial Tournament Report - Billy Moreau (7/16/2012)

This article starts out a month and a half ago. I had intentions of writing a special article for my 40th article on Cardshark but couldn't wait to put another article up.

A month and a half ago I received an invitation to attend a Grand Prix Columbus Trial from Kirwan's in Catskill, NY. The Grand Prix format is Modern but the Trial was Standard. Normally I wouldn't attend a Grand Prix Trial for a Grand Prix I probably would not attend. My wife was off the day of the Trial so I knew she could watch our son so I figured why not play.

I sent a message to a few of my Magic playing friends on Facebook and 4 of them (Josh Keal, Holly Smalldridge, Zachary Rafferty, Larry Jordan) said they would play. Now it was time to work out a deck.

A few weeks ago I wrote an article about a few decks with Avacyn Restored cards included for Standard. That article can be found on Cardshark here:

http://www.cardshark.com/Articles/Magic-the-Gathering/Billy-Moreau/Three-Constructed-Decks-with-Avacyn-Restored/View-Article/4371

I decided I wanted to play a version of the Blue White Control deck I had posted. I started a chat up with a few friends on Facebook to decide what my sideboard would consist of. Here is the deck I decided to go with:

Creatures: 2
2: 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.)

Instants: 21
4: Dissipate

Dissipate
	Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: Richard Kane Ferguson Text: Counter target spell. Remove that spell card from the game.

1: Negate

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

2: Blue Sun's Zenith

Blue Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 20 Artist: Izzy Text: Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

1: 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: Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

4: 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: Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

1: White Sun's Zenith

White Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Mike Bierek Text: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

Sorcery: 10
4: Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

4: Ponder

Ponder
	Set: Lorwyn Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 79 Artist: Mark Tedin Text: Look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order. You may shuffle your library. Draw a card.

2: Timely Reinforcements

Timely Reinforcements
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tomasz Jedruszek Text: If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.

Planeswalkers: 1
1: Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Tamiyo Rarity: M Number: 79 Artist: Eric Deschamps Text: +1: Tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. -2: Draw a card for each tapped creature target player controls. -8: You get an emblem with "You have no maximum hand size" and "Whenever a card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, you may return it to your hand."

Artifact: 2
1: 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.

1: Ratchet Bomb

Ratchet Bomb
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 196 Artist: Austin Hsu Text: {T}: Put a charge counter on Ratchet Bomb. {T}, Sacrifice Ratchet Bomb: Destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb.

Land: 24
12: Island

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

6: Plains

Plains
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add 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.

2: Ghost Quarter

Ghost Quarter
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Rarity: U Number: 173 Artist: Heather Hudson

Sideboard: 15
1: Outwit

Outwit
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 70 Artist: Erica Yang Text: Counter target spell that targets a player.

1: Volition Reins

Volition Reins
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: U Number: 53 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Text: Enchant permanent When Volition Reins enters the battlefield, if enchanted permanent is tapped, untap it. You control enchanted permanent.

1: Revoke Existence

Revoke Existence
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 18 Artist: Allen Williams Text: Exile target artifact or enchantment.

1: Steel Sabotage

Steel Sabotage
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 33 Artist: Daarken Text: Choose one — Counter target artifact spell; or return target artifact to its owner's hand.

1: Divine Offering

Divine Offering
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Jeff A. Menges Text: Destroy target artifact. Gain an amount of life equal to that artifact's total casting cost.

2: Spellskite

Spellskite
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Horror Rarity: R Number: 159 Artist: Chippy Power: 0 Toughness: 4 Text: {(u/p)}: Change a target of target spell or ability to Spellskite. ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.)

2: Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

2: Celestial Purge

Celestial Purge
	Set: Conflux Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 5 Text: Remove target black or red permanent from the game.

2: 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.

1: Karn Liberated

Karn Liberated
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 7 Color: Colorless Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Karn Rarity: M Number: 1 Artist: Jason Chan Text: +4: Target player exiles a card from his or her hand. -3: Exile target permanent. -14: Restart the game, leaving in exile all non-Aura permanent cards exiled with Karn Liberated. Then put those cards onto the battlefield under your control.

1: Batterskull

Batterskull
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: M Number: 130 Artist: Mark Zug Text: Living weapon (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, put a 0/0 black Germ creature token onto the battlefield, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +4/+4 and has vigilance and lifelink. {3}: Return Batterskull to its owner's hand. Equip {5}

The day before the tournament I decided to add in the Ghost Quarter

Ghost Quarter
	Set: Dissension Color: Land Rarity: U Number: 173 Artist: Heather Hudson

s. I was unable to get the 4 Seachrome Coast

Seachrome Coast
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 229 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.

s that I wanted to put in to help the mana base.

The friends I went with played the following decks:


Josh (2244 Planeswalker Points, Level 34 Invoker):
Red White Aggro Humans
Creatures: 27
2: Doomed Traveler

Doomed Traveler
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: C Number: 11 Artist: Lars Grant-West Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Doomed Traveler dies, put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

4: Champion of the Parish

Champion of the Parish
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: R Number: 6 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever another Human enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Champion of the Parish.

3: Grand Abolisher

Grand Abolisher
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Cleric Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Eric Deschamps Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: During your turn, your opponents can't cast spells or activate abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments.

3: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: R Number: 24 Artist: Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: First strike Noncreature spells cost {1} more to cast.

2: Elite Inquisitor

Elite Inquisitor
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: R Number: 13 Artist: Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: First strike, vigilance Protection from Vampires, from Werewolves, and from Zombies

3: Silverblade Paladin

Silverblade Paladin

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Knight Rarity: R Number: 36 Artist: Jason Chan Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Soulbond (You may pair this creature with another unpaired creature when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them.) As long as Silverblade Paladin is paired with another creature, both creatures have double strike.

3: Lightning Mauler

Lightning Mauler

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Berserker Rarity: U Number: 144 Artist: Dave Kendall Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Soulbond (You may pair this creature with another unpaired creature when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them.) As long as Lightning Mauler is paired with another creature, both creatures have haste.

1: Zealous Conscripts

Zealous Conscripts
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Warrior Rarity: R Number: 166 Artist: Steve Prescott Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Haste When Zealous Conscripts enters the battlefield, gain control of target permanent until end of turn. Untap that permanent. It gains haste until end of turn.

4: Mirran Crusader

Mirran Crusader
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Knight Rarity: R Number: 14 Artist: Eric Deschamps Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Double strike, protection from black and from green

2: Hero of Bladehold

Hero of Bladehold
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Knight Rarity: M Number: 8 Artist: Austin Hsu Power: 3 Toughness: 4 Text: Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.) Whenever Hero of Bladehold attacks, put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.

Enchantments: 6
4: Honor of the Pure

Honor of the Pure
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 16 Artist: Greg Staples Text: White creatures you control get +1/+1.

2: Stony Silence

Stony Silence
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 36 Artist: Wayne England Text: Activated abilities of artifacts can't be activated.

Sorcery: 4
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.)

2: Gather the Townsfolk

Gather the Townsfolk
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 8 Artist: Dan Scott Text: Put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield. Fateful hour — If you have 5 or less life, put five of those tokens onto the battlefield instead.

Land: 23
7: Plains

Plains
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add W 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: Mountain

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

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.

2: Evolving Wilds

Evolving Wilds
	Set: Rise of the Eldrazi Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 228 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: {T}, Sacrifice Evolving Wilds: Search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.

2: Slayers' Stronghold

Slayers' Stronghold
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 229 Artist: Karl Kopinski Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {R}{W}, {T}: Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains vigilance and haste until end of turn.

Sideboard: 15
2: Whipflare

Whipflare
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 102 Artist: Johann Bodin Text: Whipflare deals 2 damage to each nonartifact creature.

1: Gather the Townsfolk

Gather the Townsfolk
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 8 Artist: Dan Scott Text: Put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield. Fateful hour — If you have 5 or less life, put five of those tokens onto the battlefield instead.

2: Fiend Hunter

Fiend Hunter
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Cleric Rarity: U Number: 15 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: When Fiend Hunter enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature. When Fiend Hunter leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.

2: 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.

s
1: Zealous Conscripts

Zealous Conscripts
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Warrior Rarity: R Number: 166 Artist: Steve Prescott Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Haste When Zealous Conscripts enters the battlefield, gain control of target permanent until end of turn. Untap that permanent. It gains haste until end of turn.

2: Divine Offering

Divine Offering
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Jeff A. Menges Text: Destroy target artifact. Gain an amount of life equal to that artifact's total casting cost.

2: Sword of War and Peace

Sword of War and Peace

Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: M Number: 161 Artist: Chris Rahn Text: Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from red and from white. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, Sword of War and Peace deals damage to that player equal to the number of cards in his or her hand and you gain 1 life for each card in your hand. Equip {2}

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.)

2: Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

Larry (Took too long to get back to me on Planeswalker points)
He also took too long to get back to me on his deck but it was a version of the deck I posted in the article linked above.


Zachary (154 Planeswalker Points, Level 17 Adept):
Red Green Aggro
Creatures: 30
2: 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.

1: Primeval Titan

Primeval Titan
	Set: Magic 2011 Cost: 6 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Giant Rarity: M Number: 192 Artist: Aleksi Briclot Power: 6 Toughness: 6 Text: Trample Whenever Primeval Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

2: Pyreheart Wolf

Pyreheart Wolf

Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Wolf Rarity: U Number: 101 Artist: Lars Grant-West Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Pyreheart Wolf attacks, each creature you control can't be blocked this turn except by two or more creatures. 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.)

4: Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Mana Birds Rarity: R Artist: Mark Poole Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

3: Llanowar Elves

Llanowar Elves
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elves Rarity: C Artist: Anson Maddocks Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add G to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

2: Hound of Griselbrand

Hound of Griselbrand
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 4 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Elemental Hound Rarity: R Number: 141 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Double strike 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.)

4: Lightning Mauler

Lightning Mauler

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Berserker Rarity: U Number: 144 Artist: Dave Kendall Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Soulbond (You may pair this creature with another unpaired creature when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them.) As long as Lightning Mauler is paired with another creature, both creatures have haste.

1: Zealous Conscripts

Zealous Conscripts
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Warrior Rarity: R Number: 166 Artist: Steve Prescott Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Haste When Zealous Conscripts enters the battlefield, gain control of target permanent until end of turn. Untap that permanent. It gains haste until end of turn.

3: 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.

4: Strangleroot Geist

Strangleroot Geist
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: U Number: 127 Artist: Jason Chan Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Haste 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.)

2: Wolfir Silverheart

Wolfir Silverheart

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wolf Warrior Rarity: R Number: 206 Artist: Raymond Swanland Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Soulbond (You may pair this creature with another unpaired creature when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them.) As long as Wolfir Silverheart is paired with another creature, each of those creatures gets +4/+4.

1: Acidic Slime

Acidic Slime
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Ooze Rarity: U Number: 165 Artist: Karl Kopinski Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Deathtouch (Creatures dealt damage by this creature are destroyed. You can divide this creature's combat damage among any of the creatures blocking or blocked by it.) When Acidic Slime enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.

1: Urabrask the Hidden

Urabrask the Hidden
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Praetor Rarity: M Number: 98 Artist: Brad Rigney Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Creatures you control have haste. Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.

Sorcery: 4
4: 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.)

Artifact: 3
3: Birthing Pod

Birthing Pod

Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 8 Color: Green Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 104 Artist: Daarken Text: ({(g/p)} can be paid with either {G} or 2 life.) {1}{(g/p)}, {T}, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost equal to 1 plus the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Land: 23
8: Forest

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

2: Kessig Wolf Run

Kessig Wolf Run
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 243 Artist: Eytan Zana Text: {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {X}{R}{G}, {T}: Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.

5: Mountain

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

4: Copperline Gorge

Copperline Gorge
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 225 Artist: Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai Text: Copperline Gorge enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {R} or {G} to your mana pool.

4: Rootbound Crag

Rootbound Crag
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 227 Artist: Matt Stewart Text: Rootbound Crag enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Mountain or a Forest.{T}: Add {R} or {G} to your mana pool.

Sideboard: 15
1: Acidic Slime

Acidic Slime
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Ooze Rarity: U Number: 165 Artist: Karl Kopinski Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Deathtouch (Creatures dealt damage by this creature are destroyed. You can divide this creature's combat damage among any of the creatures blocking or blocked by it.) When Acidic Slime enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.

1: Spellskite

Spellskite
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Horror Rarity: R Number: 159 Artist: Chippy Power: 0 Toughness: 4 Text: {(u/p)}: Change a target of target spell or ability to Spellskite. ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.)

3: Dismember

Dismember
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 11 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 57 Artist: Terese Nielsen Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn.

2: Whipflare

Whipflare
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 102 Artist: Johann Bodin Text: Whipflare deals 2 damage to each nonartifact creature.

2: Mental Misstep

Mental Misstep
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 38 Artist: Erica Yang Text: ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) Counter target spell with converted mana cost 1.

3: Ulvenwald Tracker

Ulvenwald Tracker
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Shaman Rarity: R Number: 200 Artist: Christopher Moeller Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: {1}{G}, {T}: Target creature you control fights another target creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)

3: Phyrexian Metamorph

Phyrexian Metamorph
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 8 Color: Blue Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Shapeshifter Rarity: R Number: 42 Artist: Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 0 Text: ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) You may have Phyrexian Metamorph enter the battlefield as a copy of any artifact or creature on the battlefield, except it's an artifact in addition to its other types.

Holly (Didn't remember DCI #)
Miracles
Planeswalkers: 3
3: Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Tamiyo Rarity: M Number: 79 Artist: Eric Deschamps Text: +1: Tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. -2: Draw a card for each tapped creature target player controls. -8: You get an emblem with "You have no maximum hand size" and "Whenever a card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, you may return it to your hand."

Sorcery: 14
4: Temporal Mastery

Temporal Mastery
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 7 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: M Number: 81 Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Text: Take an extra turn after this one. Exile Temporal Mastery. Miracle {1}{U} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

4: Entreat the Angels

Entreat the Angels
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: M Number: 20 Artist: Todd Lockwood Text: Put X 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. Miracle {X}{W}{W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

4: Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

2: Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

Instant: 15
3: 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.)

3: 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: Feeling of Dread

Feeling of Dread
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 14 Artist: John Stanko Text: Tap up to two target creatures. Flashback {1}{U} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

3: Crippling Chill

Crippling Chill
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 46 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Text: Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. Draw a card.

2: Banishing Stroke

Banishing Stroke
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 7 Artist: Igor Kieryluk Text: Put target artifact, creature, or enchantment on the bottom of its owner's library. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

Creatures: 5
3: Geist of Saint Traft

Geist of Saint Traft

Set: Innistrad Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Spirit Cleric Rarity: M Number: 213 Artist: Igor Kieryluk Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.) Whenever Geist of Saint Traft attacks, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield tapped and attacking. Exile that token at end of combat.

2: 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.)

Land: 23
5: Island

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

s
5: Plains

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

3: Seachrome Coast

Seachrome Coast
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 229 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {W} or {U} 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: Evolving Wilds

Evolving Wilds
	Set: Rise of the Eldrazi Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 228 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: {T}, Sacrifice Evolving Wilds: Search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.

2: Seraph Sanctuary

Seraph Sanctuary
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 228 Artist: David Palumbo Text: When Seraph Sanctuary enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life. Whenever an Angel enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.

Sideboard: 15
2: Elspeth Tirel

Elspeth Tirel
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 5 Color: White Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Elspeth Rarity: M Number: 6 Artist: Michael Komarck Text: +2: You gain 1 life for each creature you control. -2: Put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield. -5: Destroy all other permanents except for lands and tokens.

3: Negate

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

2: Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

1: 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.

3: Dissipate

Dissipate
	Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: Richard Kane Ferguson Text: Counter target spell. Remove that spell card from the game.

1: 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.)

1: Witchbane Orb

Witchbane Orb
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 236 Artist: John Avon Text: When Witchbane Orb enters the battlefield, destroy all Curses attached to you. You have hexproof. (You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control, including Aura spells.)

2: 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.

The morning of the tournament I got out of work at 9am after working my overnight and having been up since 3pm Friday afternoon, so I decided to go home to take a nap. After a two hour nap I woke up and started driving to Goblin Cavern to meet up with the other 4. On my way Josh called me to say another of our friends who was going to go canceled. That left just the 4 above going along with myself so we only needed to take one car. Since Josh and Holly lived close to me they said they would pick me up, so I headed home.

After getting picked up we headed to Catskill around 1pm. The drive would normally have been about an hour but Holly had a bit of a lead foot so we made it a little quicker.

When we got to Kirwan's we looked around trying to find the last minute cards we needed. I was unsuccessful at getting the 4 Seachrome Coast

Seachrome Coast
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 229 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.

s I wanted. Then I registered my deck and signed up for the tournament.

We expected to see a large turnout for the tournament (120+) but instead had a much smaller turnout of 29 people. The tournament started a little late, around 3:15pm when it was scheduled for 3pm. For fun I am listing everyone's Planeswalker Points and Level. I am at 7350 Planeswalker Points, Level 39 Sorcerer


Round 1 vs Adam Smith (1587 Planeswalker Points, Level 32 Invoker):
Blue White Delver
I felt good going into Round 1 vs Adam as soon as I found out he was playing Delver. I felt my deck should win 75% of the time against Delver during playtesting. Game 1 he gets a Delver out on turn 1 and starts the beatings. It doesn't flip until turn 4. By that time he was holding Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

s for my Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

's. He proceeded to beat me down with Delver and a 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.

Token. He did more damage to himself by casting Gitaxian Probe

Gitaxian Probe
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 35 Artist: Chippy Text: ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) Look at target player's hand. Draw a card.

and 2 Gut Shot

Gut Shot
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Greg Staples Text: ({(r/p)} can be paid with either {R} or 2 life.) Gut Shot deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

for their Phyrexian Mana cost.

Game 2 I side in Karn Liberated

Karn Liberated
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 7 Color: Colorless Type: Planeswalker Sub Type: Karn Rarity: M Number: 1 Artist: Jason Chan Text: +4: Target player exiles a card from his or her hand. -3: Exile target permanent. -14: Restart the game, leaving in exile all non-Aura permanent cards exiled with Karn Liberated. Then put those cards onto the battlefield under your control.

and 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

and side out Tamiyo, 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.

and a Timely Reinforcements

Timely Reinforcements
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tomasz Jedruszek Text: If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.

. I sided out Tamiyo in Favor of Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

because Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

would do more damage the turn it hit play. Game 2 doesn't see him do much as I get a turn 2 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.)

in play and beat down with him with plenty of counterspell backup in hand. At the end of game 2 he is down to 2 life and has a 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.)

in play equipped with a Sword of Feast and Famine

Sword of Feast and Famine
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: M Number: 138 Artist: Chris Rahn Text: Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from black and from green. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card and you untap all lands you control. Equip {2}

with a Sword of War and Peace

Sword of War and Peace

Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: M Number: 161 Artist: Chris Rahn Text: Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from red and from white. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, Sword of War and Peace deals damage to that player equal to the number of cards in his or her hand and you gain 1 life for each card in your hand. Equip {2}

in play. He attacks. I block with the 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.)

and redirect the last 2 points of damage back at him with Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

.

Game 3 I side in Revoke Existence

Revoke Existence
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 18 Artist: Allen Williams Text: Exile target artifact or enchantment.

and Divine Offering

Divine Offering
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Jeff A. Menges Text: Destroy target artifact. Gain an amount of life equal to that artifact's total casting cost.

since I never saw the Swords in game 1. I side out the 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

. Game 3 starts out slow for him but he is able to get a Geist of St Traft into play and start beating me down. Both times he attacks with the Geist and Angel token I am able to flash in a 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.)

as a blocker, but he Vapor Snag

Vapor Snag
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 48 Artist: Raymond Swanland Text: Return target creature to its owner's hand. Its controller loses 1 life.

s it both times. The following turn I have 8 Mana in play and do not draw a 9th to have Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

protection for Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

. I play Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

with 5 cards in hand including Blue Sun's Zenith

Blue Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 20 Artist: Izzy Text: Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

. He only has 1 card in hand. It is Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

, and he uses it on my Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

for the win. If I had been able to play a land that turn I would have had enough gas to outlast him for the win but I fell 1 land short. Afterwards I evaluated my final hand and realized I should have played the Ratchet Bomb

Ratchet Bomb
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 196 Artist: Austin Hsu Text: {T}: Put a charge counter on Ratchet Bomb. {T}, Sacrifice Ratchet Bomb: Destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb.

in my hand a few turns earlier to blow up the token that final turn when he attacked. That would have kept me alive until the next turn when I could have played Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

with Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

back up. So I start out 0-1 (1-2 games). Adam also made top 8 as only 1 of 2 Delver decks in the whole tournament.


Round 2 vs Richard Mencher (1180 Planeswalker Points, Level 31 Invoker):
Blue White Black Solar Flare

Flare
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Text: Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn.

At this point I'm already doing the math and see that at best a 3-2 has an outside shot at top 16. To make top 8 I would have to go 3-0-1 and hope there were not too many ties to throw things off. Josh is 1-0, Holly is 1-0 due to a round 1 bye, Zachary is 0-1 and Larry is 0-1. I told myself before the tournament to do research on what people will play so I know deck lists. I'm so glad I listened to myself. As soon as game 1 started I saw his three colors of mana by turn two. At that point I knew he was either playing Solar Flare

Flare
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Text: Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn.

or Esper Control. He ends up playing a turn 3 Forgotten Alchemy putting a land in his hand and putting a creature into the graveyard. He turns that creature into a Spirit

Spirit
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

token with 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.

. He has an Unburial Rites

Unburial Rites
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 122 Artist: Ryan Pancoast Text: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Flashback {3}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

and Elesh Norn in graveyard at that point. I expected him to play the Unburial Rites

Unburial Rites
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 122 Artist: Ryan Pancoast Text: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Flashback {3}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

next turn but he must have realized I was playing Blue White Control and he played around the Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

s. This game drags on with him hitting me with a Spirit

Spirit
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

Token and Elesh Norn a few times but me playing 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.

twice gaining 10 life and Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

ing his Elesh Norn to the bottom of his deck. After countering a bunch of spells and me at 23 life after a Timely Reinforcements

Timely Reinforcements
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tomasz Jedruszek Text: If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.

, he scooped to try to make sure he had a chance to finish 2 more games.

Since I now know he was playing Solar Flare

Flare
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Text: Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn.

I know he wasn't playing main deck counterspells but that they would probably be side boarded in. I was worried about Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

. I side in Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

, 2 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.

s and Volition Reins

Volition Reins
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: U Number: 53 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Text: Enchant permanent When Volition Reins enters the battlefield, if enchanted permanent is tapped, untap it. You control enchanted permanent.

. I side out Tamiyo, 2 Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

, and a Timely Reinforcements

Timely Reinforcements
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tomasz Jedruszek Text: If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.

. Again I think Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

fits better due to his recursion. Game 2 I use an 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.

early on turn 3 after I am short on land. He plays Lingering Souls

Lingering Souls
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 12 Artist: Bud Cook Text: Put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. Flashback {1}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

and hits me for 2 down to 23, then flashes it back then beats me for 4 3 turns in a row to knock me down to 11. He plays a Sun Titan

Sun Titan
	Set: Magic 2011 Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Giant Rarity: M Number: 35 Artist: Todd Lockwood Power: 6 Toughness: 6 Text: Vigilance Whenever Sun Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may return target permanent card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.

and hits me down to 1 then he plays Elesh Norn. My deck thrives at low life totals. I Miracle a Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

and start to beat him down with Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

and Soldier tokens after he plays more Spirit

Spirit
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

tokens. I play another 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.

and get back up to 6 life. At that point he is able to get Elesh Norn in play clearing my board and hitting me for 4 to put me at 2. I then Blue Sun's Zenith

Blue Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 20 Artist: Izzy Text: Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

him for the win making him draw the remaining cards in his deck. So now I am sitting at 1-1 (3-2 matches). I'm on the right track. Richard either didn't side in Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

or didn't draw them.


Round 3 vs Christopher Ferguson (38 Planeswalker Points, Level 8 Apprentice):
Mono White Angels
I'm 1-1 going into round 3. I knew I still had an uphill battle on my hands. Josh is sitting at 2-0 and is in the best shape to make top 8 out of our group. Game 1 my opponent played Seraph Sanctuary

Seraph Sanctuary
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 228 Artist: David Palumbo Text: When Seraph Sanctuary enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life. Whenever an Angel enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.

and gained some life. Then he played another and another and another. All along Angels were hitting the board, including Herald of War

Herald of War
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Angel Rarity: R Number: 24 Artist: Eric Deschamps Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying Whenever Herald of War attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Angel spells and Human spells you cast cost {1} less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Herald of War.

, 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.

and tokens from a Miracled Entreat the Angels

Entreat the Angels
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: M Number: 20 Artist: Todd Lockwood Text: Put X 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. Miracle {X}{W}{W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

. They all were hit by a Miracle and Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

put them on the bottom of the library. He managed to get me down to 5 life which I thankfully had due to 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.

. I stabilize at 5 life, drawing a lot of cards every turn with Blue Sun's Zenith

Blue Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 20 Artist: Izzy Text: Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

. Tamiyo enters play and 4 turns later I have a Tamiyo Emblem. He loses to 12 Cats a few turns later. He had gained 42 life this game.

Game 2 I side out 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.

and a Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

and side in 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

. He gets a turn two Phyrexian Revoker

Phyrexian Revoker
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Horror Rarity: R Number: 122 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: As Phyrexian Revoker enters the battlefield, name a nonland card. Activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can't be activated.

in play naming Tamiyo. A few turns later it dies to itself courtesy of Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

. This game was never close. He hits me a few times with Angel of Jubilation

Angel of Jubilation
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Angel Rarity: R Number: 2 Artist: Terese Nielsen Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying Other nonblack creatures you control get +1/+1. Players can't pay life or sacrifice creatures to cast spells or activate abilities.

while I hit him with Timely Reinforcement Tokens. I end the game at 15 life while 7 Cat tokens take him down. This game he gained 30 life! In total I was never really in danger in this matchup even though I had to do 112 points of damage for the wins. Game two he played 4 Seraph Sanctuary

Seraph Sanctuary
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: C Number: 228 Artist: David Palumbo Text: When Seraph Sanctuary enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life. Whenever an Angel enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.

's along with Emancipation Angel

Emancipation Angel
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Angel Rarity: U Number: 19 Artist: Scott Chou Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying When Emancipation Angel enters the battlefield, return a permanent you control to its owner's hand.

and 2 Conjurer's Closet

Conjurer's Closet
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 214 Artist: Jason Felix Text: At the beginning of your end step, you may exile target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.

and could have gained a ton of life if I had left creatures in play. Now I am 2-1 (5-2 matches) and know I have to win the next one to be able to split in round 5 to make top 8.

Round 4 vs David Dame (2714 Planeswalker Points, Level 35 Invoker):
Blue White Black Solar Flare

Flare
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Text: Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn.

Right now I am 2-1 and so is Josh. We are both on the bubble to make top 8, so we play on. In game 1 against David I didn't really see anything other than his lands. An end of turn White Sun's Zenith

White Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Mike Bierek Text: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

on turn 7 gives me 4 Cat tokens that end the game in 3 turns.

Not knowing if he is playing Solar Flare

Flare
	Set: Fifth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Text: Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn.

or Esper Control at that point I side nothing in. My mistake. I lose game 2 to Lingering Souls

Lingering Souls
	Set: Dark Ascension Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 12 Artist: Bud Cook Text: Put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. Flashback {1}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

tokens. I side out 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.

, Tamiyo and Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

. In goes Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

and 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

. Again I get Cat tokens in play, this time 2 of them. I take control early, getting him to 12 life while he gets me to 17 after 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.

gains me 5 back. At that point he plays defense and starts double blocking my Cat tokens to kill them which also clears his board. He then plays Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

. He removes a card from my hand. I respond on my turn by playing my Karn

Karn
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 3 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Power: +1 Toughness: +6 Text: Each of your noncreature artifacts is also an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost.

. A few turns later another White Sun's Zenith

White Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Mike Bierek Text: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

puts enough Cat tokens in play to win shortly after. So now I am 3-1 (7-3 matches) and so is Josh. We wait for the standings to see if we can split in round 5 to both get in. 10 people have a shot at top 8 but the bottom two of them have a draw each so they must play. That means out of the remaining 8, 7 will make top 8. I am currently sitting in 6th place and my opponent is in 5th.


Round 5 vs Shawn Lovelett (2451 Planeswalker Points, Level 34 Invoker):
Shawn is a little worried about splitting because he doesn't want to split then not make top 8. After talking with a few people we realize that the 7th and 8th place teams are playing. That means we are both in by splitting. We split. Then when he finds out what I was playing is happy we split because he said I would have beaten him. Josh also splits, he was sitting in 4th and his opponent in 3rd. So I finish the regular rounds at 3-1-1 (7-3-1 in matches). Now I can finally eat the pizza we ordered a round earlier. Now I am feeling much better.


Top 8 vs William Oleksiw (1253 Planeswalker Points, Level 31 Invoker):
Black White Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

I make top 8 in the 7th slot. Josh is 5th. Larry finishes in the top 16 in 16th, and Zachary makes top 16 in 15th. Game 1 against William I see he is playing Black White. At that point I'm not sure what he is playing. Then I see him cast a Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

. Now I know what to expect. I've seen Mono Black versions of his deck, but not Black White ones, so I was unsure what the white was for. He gets an early Doomed Traveler

Doomed Traveler
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: C Number: 11 Artist: Lars Grant-West Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Doomed Traveler dies, put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

and Falkenrath Noble

Falkenrath Noble
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 100 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever Falkenrath Noble or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

, hitting me to 10 before I Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

. I then gain 5 from 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.

to go to 15. He follows that up with a Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

and 2 Falkenrath Noble

Falkenrath Noble
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 100 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever Falkenrath Noble or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

. When he gets me down to 6 I Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

again and play White Sun's Zenith

White Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Mike Bierek Text: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

for 5 Cat tokens. 3 turns later I win the game.

I side nothing in as I know Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

will hurt me more than help me and I felt confident I could win without any help. Again I was wrong. He had his ultimate game in game 2. Turn 1 Land, 7 cards in hand. Turn 2 Land and Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

, 6 cards in hand. Turn 3 Land and Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

, 5 cards in hand. Turn 4 Land and Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

#3, 4 cards in hand. Turn 5 he plays a Falkenrath Noble

Falkenrath Noble
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 100 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever Falkenrath Noble or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

, 4 cards in hand. On my turn I decide to play Tamiyo after not worrying about countering any of the Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

s. I tap down his Falkenrath Noble

Falkenrath Noble
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 100 Artist: Slawomir Maniak Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever Falkenrath Noble or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

. On his turn he plays a Land, Doomed Traveler

Doomed Traveler
	Set: Innistrad Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Soldier Rarity: C Number: 11 Artist: Lars Grant-West Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Doomed Traveler dies, put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

and Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

, hitting my for 20 in one shot! That was rough. I was holding a Mana Leak

Mana Leak
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 36 Artist: Christopher Rush Text: Counter target spell unless its caster pays an additional 3.

I could have used on his Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

had I not cast Tamiyo.

I still do not sideboard. Game 3 he gets stuck on no Black Mana. When he finally does get a Swamp

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

I am able to keep it tapped with Tamiyo. I win a few turns later with Cat tokens. I am now on to the top 4! Total record 4-1-1 (9-4-1 in matches)

Top 4 vs Craig Rivet (3593 Planeswalker Points, Level 36 Sorcerer):
Blue White Mid Range Control
Josh also made top 4, so if either of us won we would be in the finals! Craig did not want to play against me. I thought my deck was ready for him since I play more counterspells. Unfortunately game 1 I dealt him no damage at all. He takes 2 damage casting Gitaxian Probe

Gitaxian Probe
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 35 Artist: Chippy Text: ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) Look at target player's hand. Draw a card.

for Phyrexian Mana and 2 damage bouncing his Blade Splicer

Blade Splicer
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Artificer Rarity: R Number: 4 Artist: Greg Staples Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Blade Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield. Golem creatures you control have first strike.

with Vapor Snag

Vapor Snag
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 48 Artist: Raymond Swanland Text: Return target creature to its owner's hand. Its controller loses 1 life.

two turns in a row when I cast Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

. I lose a few turns after that to a Blade Splicer

Blade Splicer
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Artificer Rarity: R Number: 4 Artist: Greg Staples Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Blade Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield. Golem creatures you control have first strike.

, Golem token and Gideon.

Game 2 I side in 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

s, 1 Outwit

Outwit
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 70 Artist: Erica Yang Text: Counter target spell that targets a player.

(thinking he was playing Blue Sun's Zenith

Blue Sun's Zenith
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 20 Artist: Izzy Text: Target player draws X cards. Shuffle Blue Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

), and Volition Reins

Volition Reins
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: U Number: 53 Artist: Svetlin Velinov Text: Enchant permanent When Volition Reins enters the battlefield, if enchanted permanent is tapped, untap it. You control enchanted permanent.

. I side out 2 Timely Reinforcements

Timely Reinforcements
	Set: Magic 2012 Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tomasz Jedruszek Text: If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.

, Tamiyo, and a Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

. Game 2 I realize he is playing Blue White Midrange Control with 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.

! I think that is a great idea. He played one naming Sphinx. I am unable to do much this game due to playing 6 islands for my first 6 lands. I ended up discarding Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

at one point and he Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

ed it. At that point I was a sitting duck relying on 2 Day of Judgment

Day of Judgment
	Set: Zendikar Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 9 Artist: Vincent Proce Text: Destroy all creatures.

as the only way to reset the board. I lost shortly after to tokens and a Sphinx. Josh also lost.


Overall I had a lot of fun playing in the tournament. I won 9 packs of Avacyn Restored for finishing 4th. Josh also won 9 packs for finishing 3rd. Larry and Zachary each won a pack for making top 16. Holly came so close but missed out on a prize.

Looking back on the tournament here is what I see:

1- 4 Seachrome Coast

Seachrome Coast
	Set: Scars of Mirrodin Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 229 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.

s would have helped since game 2 in the top 4 game my first 6 lands in play were all Island

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

s while I held 2 Terminus

Terminus
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 38 Artist: James Paick Text: Put all creatures on the bottom of their owners' libraries. Miracle {W} (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

.

2- My sideboard wasn't completely useful. I sided in Outwit

Outwit
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 70 Artist: Erica Yang Text: Counter target spell that targets a player.

but never played it. Steel Sabotage

Steel Sabotage
	Set: Mirrodin Besieged Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 33 Artist: Daarken Text: Choose one — Counter target artifact spell; or return target artifact to its owner's hand.

was never sided in. Spellskite

Spellskite
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Horror Rarity: R Number: 159 Artist: Chippy Power: 0 Toughness: 4 Text: {(u/p)}: Change a target of target spell or ability to Spellskite. ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.)

s also were not sided in, but would stay in in case of Wolf Run Ramp decks.

3- Though sleep deprived I cannot say lack of sleep affected my play at all. If I had a choice though I would have gotten a full night of sleep rather than depend on the caffeinated rush of Mountain

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

Dew all day. I didn't eat anything other than a pack of mini donuts between 3am and the end of the first round of the top 8. I also cannot say lack of food affected my play but next time will bring change for the vending machine that does not take credit cards.

4- Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

was the card I feared coming into the tournament and that card did affect a few games. Next time I may listen to Larry and play Mental Misstep

Mental Misstep
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 38 Artist: Erica Yang Text: ({(u/p)} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) Counter target spell with converted mana cost 1.

to prevent it. Or I can play my own Surgical Extraction

Surgical Extraction
	Set: New Phyrexia Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 74 Artist: Steven Belledin Text: ({(b/p)} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

s.

5- The nice thing to know is that the other 3 in the top 4 with me, Jared, Craig, and Josh helped me develop my sideboard for the tournament!.


Final standings for the top 16 were as follows:
1st Jared Boettcher (UW Control)
2nd Craig Rivet (UW Mid Range Control)
3rd Joshua Keal (RW Aggro Humans)
4th Billy Moreau (UW Control)
5th William Oleksiw (BW Blood Artist

Blood Artist
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Johannes Voss Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

)
6th Adam Smith (UW Delver)
7th Shawn Lovelett (BU Zombies I believe)
8th Andre Raffington (Unknown)
9th Eric de Luca
10th Mike Coyne
11th Liam Lonergan
12th John Stopera
13th Jack Milgram
14th Roy Winne
15th Zachary Rafferty
16th Larry Jordan

Overall I have to admit that even though my deck is a very slow and boring one to play against my opponents were all very friendly and good sports whether they were winning or losing. Sorry

Sorry
	Set: Unglued Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 27 Artist: Kaja Foglio Text: Before playing any spell, if a copy of that spell card is in any graveyard, the spell's caster may say Sorry. If he or she does not, any other player may counter the spell by saying Sorry as it is cast.If any player says Sorry at any other time, Sorry deals 2 damage to that player.

William for game 3 keeping your only Swamp

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

tapped for so long!

The play of the tournament in one of my matches goes to Christopher Ferguson in round 3. He attacks, pointing his creatures at Tamiyo. I use Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

to redirect it back at him. He uses Divine Deflection

Divine Deflection
	Set: Avacyn Restored Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 18 Artist: Steve Prescott Text: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and/or permanents you control this turn. If damage is prevented this way, Divine Deflection deals that much damage to target creature or player.

to send the damage back at Tamiyo! I loved seeing someone else play that card!

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