ScryDucks played The AbeySitters round one of the Team Draft League playoffs (AKA the Semi-Finals). The last three team drafts I’m 6-0. I draft blue and then another color. That’s my strategy. Sorry, Kibler (and, locally, Bathurst).
Abe showed up with a controversial new haircut and love for stale popcorn.
We started drafting. I got a third pick Courser of Kruphix and jumped into green after picking up Archetype of Flying and a Retraction Helix the previous two picks. I took two of the three Time to Feeds I was passed and all of the Griptides.
Here it is in text form:
Pheres-Band Imagination Hunters
Some notes: The entire Pheres-Band came to play in my deck. Double green is sometimes hard no matter how many Forests one plays. This isn’t a good Staunch-Hearted Warrior deck. Archetype of Flying is awesome and a must deal with card. Sometimes you draw a Nylea’s Disciple at the right time. People are afraid of Nessian Asp. You will table the third Reverent Hunter just like you tabled the previous two.
Round One vs. Jonathan
Jon’s mana screwed on a mull to five game one. He kept trying to decide whether or not to keep playing to see more of my deck or scoop so I see less of his deck. He eventually scooped.
Game two he tried to get in there with Timewalk Sphinx but it was blasted with a Griptide and he was obliterated.
Moments after this fantastic photograph was taken depicting what a good team The AbeySitters are (they work together the whole time!), Kadar Magma Jetted Abe knocking him to three life. I’d already won my match with Jon and was trying to help.His scry is something and a land. The previous game we said “the only thing that can beat us is a Stymied Hope,” which we both knew he had. Our plan was to get Abe to three with the Jet then Fanatic of Mogis the next turn for lethal. Kadar had four lands in play. Fanatic costs four mana. We needed to put the land on top for Kadar to easily win the next turn. We thought we were looking for a burn spell. We were wrong. Both cards go to the bottom of Kadar’s deck. He plays Fanatic on his turn, Abe Stymies it, Kadar looks bummed out. Had he kept the land on top, drawn it, played it, and played Fantic the match was Kadar’s. Instead, Abe found some outs to a horrific board state and won.
Round Two vs. Abe “Thraglusk”
The last time I defeated Abe in a game of Magic he was in diapers. Literally*.
We played three games and I won two of them. His deck wasn’t the sweetest deck he’s ever had. During the draft he kept saying “my teammates are gonna kill me”. I think he usually goes for some crazy heroic aggro deck and slaughters all who face him in battle.
UB Control may not be a tier one deck in Abe’s hands.
Regardless, is haircut remained quite aggro throughout our match.
Of note: people never really know whether or not to kill Courser of Kruphix when you’ve got another threat in play. Is me drawing two cards per turn better than you chumping a Nessian Asp or a lethal 5/5 Reverent Hunter? You will decide to not kill my Courser and he’ll dig me to cards of Nessian-Asp-power-level or better.
Round Three vs. Dylan
Dylan, seen here modeling the new www.mattjonesrules.com t-shirt I had made (email me if you want one, they’re $6 + shipping), is a great person to play Magic with. What a goof ball. We played three pretty good games. The main thing I remember is Dylan attacking with some shitty creature bestowed with Spiteful Returned and me saying “back it up to the declare attackers step please” as he’d blown right through it. “What the hell? You’ve been sandbagging a Griptide this whole time?! I think I just lose then.” He was correct. He’d seen most of my draws past turn three thank to Courser of Draw Cards and Griptide wasn’t one of them. Someone, probably a good player, most likely Hugh, told me to hang onto my tempo and removal cards until I needed them.
I am now 9-0 in my last three team drafts. The rest of the Ducks managed a 1-5 record so we lost the match and earned the privilege of competing for third place next week.
I just love your flashy ways, Courser. This deck was my favorite team draft deck in the BNG THS THS format. I loved it. Courser was the number one reason the deck ruled. I was so fond of this card I bought it off Dylan after the draft. So he basically he traded me a Courser of Kruphix for a t-shirt. Sweet deal.
Here we have the first of the finalists in Team Draft League Season One. Pretty awesome. They’re a great team. I hope they win the whole fucking thing.
I can’t wait til SEASON TWO! Do you want to participate? Are you a Magic player with a team interested in having fun and not being a douchebag? EMAIL ME! SIGN UP! WOO!!
Thanks for reading!
Love to all,
Matt Jones
MTGO: The_Obliterator
Twitter: Die_Obliterator
Twitch: twitch.tv/mattjonesrules
Matt Jones is a sometimes PWP grinder, all the time spell slinger, and one passionate dude. He started playing at the end of Revised and quit at Exodus. Upon sobriety and running out of self-help groups to join, Jones picked Magic back up at New Phyrexia, found his favorite non-Necropotence card, Phyrexian Obliterator, and earned himself a nickname. He loves Constructed and tolerates Limited.
*Like most of you I don’t know what “literally” means.