By Tyson Leonard
Editor’s Note: Meet Tyson Leonard, our third contributor to the new, rotating Scrub Report! Tyson’s articles will appear over the next four Fridays, as he details the highs and lows of being new to MTG. If you’d like to write for The Scrub Report, send an email to ScrubReport@gmail.com
Read Reports From the North Part 1 and Reports From the North Part 2
Part 3: Tiny Leaders, Big Dreams
Like many, my introduction to Magic the Gathering was within the Standard format. I knew there were other ways to play, and other pools of cards, but as someone relatively new to trading card games, Standard seemed the easiest to grasp. Even now, it continues to be the format that I play most often. There’s a reason it’s called Standard.
Recently I’ve begun to branch out and experience the other formats. It’s not that I’m bored with Standard, far from it, it’s just that I’ve got that Ash Ketchum enthusiasm to experience it all. Conquering each new format is like earning a new badge.
” …that Ash Ketchum enthusiasm…”
I’ve played some pre-releases, drafted a few times, and built a couple of Commander and Modern decks. I’ve even watched some vintage and legacy, but haven’t dared to actually play any. Turn one Griselbrand is still a bit too intimidating. Cube drafting has to be one of my top formats. Pauper cubes in particular make for some interesting games.
The most recent format I’ve waded into is Tiny Leaders. If you haven’t heard of it yet check out the creator’s site for the rules and banlist. It’s basically two player Commander, with 50 card decks, and every card including your commander has to be 3cmc or lower. It was created not too long ago right here in Canada.
Tiny Leaders
The format has only recently picked up steam among players at my local store, but it’s since spread like wildfire. Almost everyone has a deck, or at least the beginnings of one. As of right now I fall into the latter category.
It took me a while just to choose a commander. I’m quite picky when it comes to these things. Not only does the commander have to fit my play-style, and be of a colour I like playing (anything but white and green), I also have to enjoy the flavour of the card. The only aspect of the card I don’t seem to be picky about is whether or not it’s any good.
After much deliberation I settled on Kuon, Orgre Ascendant. Mono-black has always had a place near to my heart. In Modern I’ve tried many times, albeit unsuccessfully, to build a competitive deck around Phyrexian Obliterator. And pure control has always been my favourite way to play.
“pure control has always been my favourite way to play”
With Kuon I get to play with what I assume are some Tiny Leaders staples, such as; Smother, Inquisition of Kozilek, and Black Sun’s Zenith. I jammed in as many sweepers and kill spells as I could find and proceeded to try it out. The win conditions at the moment are Shrieking Affliction, Bloodghast, and a few life drain spells.
I was testing it out against my girlfriend’s Anax and Cymede deck. The R/W deck was pretty much what you’d assume it would be, lots of small creatures with a bunch of pump spells.
Ultimately Kuon was just too slow. By the time I was in control it was usually too late. A few times I got lucky and played a Drown in Sorrow to flip Kuon, and from then on it was easy. Against a slower deck I may have a little more luck, but the playgroup at my local store leans heavily towards aggro. I have to mainboard four Drown in Sorrow just to play U/B control at FNM.
“I have to mainboard four Drown in Sorrow just to play U/B control at FNM.”
I’ll go back to the drawing board soon. I’m excited to try out some other leaders, as well as see what other people make of the format. As someone who loves to brew, half the fun of a new format is just figuring out what’s good and what’s junk.