If Luis had an invitational card, it would be Sower of Temptation.
I was happy. Miserable, but happy. I had given up on Standard and settled on Red Deck Wins for Atlantic City. I wanted no part of the Thragtusk/Sphinx’s Revelation nonsense of this terrible, terrible format. I planned on nine rounds on the first day of going “Guy, guy, guy, Hellrider, do you have it?” And I was perfectly happy to keep repeating the same question.
Then Luis ruined me. He showed me Matt Nass’ list from the SCG Invitational. “That’s the deck, Li.”
When Ponder and Mana Leak went away, I gave up on Delver and his supporting cast. I began playing lands that weren’t Islands. I sold my Sphinx’s Revelations and I was happy to do it.
Happy, and miserable.
“That’s the deck, Li.” Luis would repeat even as I reported five-minute 2-0 wins in my favor with RDW. “That’s the deck.”
And I cracked. I traded the Sorin I was saving for post-Gatecrash to Chase and put the cards together.
“Block with Augur of Bolas. Restoration Angel. Blink Augur. Reveal Unsummon.”
I was having fun in Standard again. I was playing with the cards that I have been most intimate with since coming back to the game. Short of putting a couple of Yavimaya Coasts and a Wild Mongrel in my grip, there is no other deck that I know how to pilot better than one with Snapcaster Mage, Geist of Saint Traft, and Restoration Angel. And although I don’t have any actual tournament results to show for it yet, it just feels right. I am Blue at heart.
See you in Atlantic City.