Waiting for Godot: ACR #4 – Swiss – Rd 3

R3G1

Onward! My seven on the play:

Having a good three drop in the opener is so great for this deck. Keep!

By turn two, I’ve drawn (Fiery Fall). Cycle the fall or play the (Armillary Sphere)?

(Fiery Fall) ensures a turn three 3/3, and is the correct play. If I can draw a land in the next two pulls, the sphere will be a solid use of my fourth turn. He makes a 4/4 (Matca Rioters) on his, and I have found a second Mountain. I’ll be playing out the (Armillary Sphere) for sure, but do I want to attack or sit back?

There is a bluff opportunity here: I can front pump and swing in, and if he's a good player, he won't block. If he does block, I have the (Path to Exile)/cycle (Valley Rannet) backup plan that still ensures a T5 (Rakeclaw Gargantuan).

The problem is, I don't know if he's a good player, and I really want to make it to six and hopefully seven mana on time with this hand. Slipping in three extra damage doesn't seem worth potentially burning my (Path to Exile) and screwing up T6 and T7, so I play the sphere and pass the turn.

He drops a second Plains, and casts (Rhox Meditant). I could path the rioters in response to prevent the card draw, but I again, my eyes are on turns five plus, and that means cracking the sphere. I do at the beginning of the end step, draw (Mage Slayer), play the gargantuan, and pass.

He casts (Elvish Visionary) and sends in the 4/4. Do I block and try to trade with my 5/3?

This is a tough call. I want the rakeclaw around for first strike, but having first strike activation means not playing a six drop. Taking it drops me to 12, which is still fairly safe, and if he has pump, blocking is going to put me way behind. With first strike/(Path to Exile) mana up on turn six, I can dig my heels in fairly well, so I take it. He drops a second (Matca Rioters) and the pressure is on.

I figured I would be casting the (Mage Slayer) because I could, but I draw much better in (Cylian Sunsinger). He has an imposing board, but I’m feeling good with my options after dropping the elf shaman.

He gets off an annoying (Spore Burst) for four, but crucially, he does not attack or kill any of my men, so I’m stabilizing. I draw a Mountain, which frees me up to play a (Sigiled Behemoth) with a Plains up, and pass. He taps seven mana…and you have to hate it when your limited opponent taps seven mana. It usually means you are about to lose.

(Titanic Ultimatum)? Yeah, gg. Good info, though. I need to watch for ultimatum mana, and recognize that a long game favors him, not me.

R3G2

Seven on the play, please.

Nayatron, early removal, (Where Ancients Tread), and ways to abuse it. Looks good.

Not much happens early, he cycles for land and plays an (Elvish Visionary) not worth burning. My first play is casting a T4 (Armillary Sphere). He casts a (Bloodbraid Elf) that finds a glorious borderpost, and I take 4 so I can crack the sphere and set up (Where Ancients Tread).

He cycles (Jungle Weaver) pre-combat, which is a good sign that he’s out of obvious plays. I take another 4 and he drops a (Matca Rioters), but I’m about to go nuts. Tap out for the (Enlisted Wurm) or play (Rakeclaw Gargantuan) with (Magma Spray) mana?

Both plays are so powerful it almost doesn’t matter, but the allure of cascade is strong, and I make (Enlisted Wurm). In retrospect I like the play that for sure takes out two of his guys, which is rakeclaw and spray. It works out, though, as I hit (Naya Sojourners) off the cascade, and it turns into a slaughter.

I mistakenly go to the face with the 5 damage from the wurm coming into play, reasoning that I had a (Magma Spray) for the (Bloodbraid Elf). This is true, but that still leaves him with the (Elvish Visionary) to chump and prevent 5 later. Unless you have removal for the last creature on board, or you really intend to win through (Where Ancients Tread) triggers to the head, always go for board control over face damage.

He makes a (Grizzled Leotau) and (Spore Burst), and I take out the leotau when I cast (Rakeclaw Gargantuan). All those tokens mean some work for me, and after a little chumping, he puts a (Sigil of the Nayan Gods) on one of them to make a 6/6. Annoying, but he attacks with it, and I take it, going to 6.

I've drawn into a (Matca Rioters) and (Marisi's Twinclaws), and have the (Fiery Fall). What's the plan?

These are so many ways to play this spot. I’m presuming he doesn’t have removal right now, or he would have used it. It is also worth noting the impact my decision to go to the face has had on this turn, both good and bad. He has a bigger guy and more chumps, but with the threat of (Where Ancients Tread), he’s at a virtual 10 life right now as opposed to a virtual 15.

He still only has five mana to the ultimatum, so I have a little time, but I can’t sit back on defense for too long or I’ll just lose to the (Titanic Ultimatum). I haven’t even advanced the replay yet, and I don’t remember what I did here. Looking at it now, I like attacking with two and forcing him to chump at least one. Then play both the twinclaws and the rioters, leaving one mana up. That leaves the threat of 7 first strike on defense, plus a 3/3. He has to draw removal to be able to attack into that.

That’s what I decide with lots of time to think, now let’s see what I did under the pressure of the clock…

I don’t attack with anyone, and I pass the turn, opting for the massive wall of first strike, and use (Fiery Fall) at his end-of-turn. I don’t like the play because we really want to use (Fiery Fall) on the sigiled saproling, and right now the fall can’t even kill it.

This is the kind of overly-conservative play that people gravitate towards when things become complicated. It’s an understandable tendency—mistakes of conservatism usually result in a game that goes on longer than it should have, while mistakes of aggression can lose the game on your opponent’s next turn.

He puts me to the test with an (Obelisk of Alara) on his next turn, with the red, black, and green abilities possible.

Yikes, that’s a game-changer. He effectively has me at 3 now, and if he untaps with the obelisk in play, he wins. In these spots, you have to consider your outs. What can you draw to not lose? I have only one out, (Vithian Renegades). Assuming I draw it, what will I wish I had done with the (Fiery Fall)? Taken out the (Rhox Meditant), so that’s what I do. Untap, draw:

That is a sick topdeck right there. I play it out and force him to use it on my head precombat, then make another slightly conservative mistake by attacking with one when I could have attacked with two. He doesn’t block and goes to 10 before I drop another guy. He produces ultimatum mana but no ultimatum, and I draw a (Sigiled Behemoth). That triggers for five damage to his 5/5, and his remaining chumps eventually give way to victory.

R3G3

All the marbles time. Seven on the play:

Looks fine, if he doesn’t kill the (Cylian Sunsinger), I can at least activate it for damage on T3 and T4 if I don’t draw a play. I drop the sunsinger and hit for 5 on T3, he makes 3/3 (Matca Rioters) on T3 and T4 to get the race on. I draw into (Vithian Renegades). I need to treat the renegades like artifact removal with an (Obelisk of Alara) in his deck somewhere. The question is, attack or play defense?

I decide to play defense, because his rioters could easily become 4/4s during his next attack. I even forgo all attempts at deceit and pump the (Cylian Elf) during his upkeep in case he draws burn.

He sticks a (Quietus Spike) and passes. I draw a (Magma Spray) and once again have options.

I swing in with the sunsinger and dare him to double block, but he declines. Since he was unable to find four to domain last turn, I take out the (Quietus Spike) with the renegades and get a three-power body I’d happily trade for a rioters or a combat trick. Unfortunately, he has (Fiery Fall) to fetch a Plains at my end step. He summons (Messenger Falcons) precombat looking for a trick and attacks for 8. I have no choice but to take it at this point, but I burn out his falcons at least.

Here’s what I’m looking at on first main:

I can cast the (Bloodpyre Elemental) to ensure the death of a rioters (barring a trick), but I think he would have used removal if he’d had it, so the (Enlisted Wurm) ought to hold off his team barring a topdeck. I can decide how I want to attack after I see the flip, which is (Mage Slayer). Not what I would have picked, but it immediately puts him from 13 life to a virtual 8 if he can’t take out the wurm. Now, what’s the combat plan?

I’m in a pretty good position, but I’m facing the conservative vs. aggressive dilemma again. I’m assuming control of this game, and attacking might set up a win one turn earlier, but if he outdraws me or has been sandbagging removal, it could cost me the game to leave myself one or two blockers lighter. I pass. I think the next few turns favor me strongly, so I want to make sure I get to see them.

He plays a Plains and passes his next turn with three cards in hand. This seems pretty great for me, although there is a chance of a nasty trick. What’s the play?

I could suit up the wurm with the slayer, activate the elf, and swing with everything. If he has nothing in hand, he would go to 8 off the slayer, and have to chump my 5/5s with his rioters. If I know for certain he's holding three lands, this is the correct play.

I don't know that, though, and the safer play is to cast (Bloodpyre Elemental) and attempt to take out a rioters. If successful, I will be in fantastic shape, highly likely to render the game unwinnable for him the following turn. If he has pump, I will have flushed out his trick, also a great result. I take the conservative route and make the (Bloodpyre Elemental) play.

He has no response, leaving me free to attack with the wurm now and hit him even harder next turn. He takes it and dumps an (Elvish Visionary) and two (Firewild Borderpost)s. This puts (Titanic Ultimatum) mana on the board, but it’s a turn too late if he has it. He can’t prevent taking 8 unless he has a (Path to Exile) for the lone Plains he has up. Speaking of PtE, I draw into mine, ending it for sure.

We exchange ggs, and he tells me he does have the (Titanic Ultimatum), but doesn’t actually show me his hand.

4-0 to start in ACR drafting feels good. I’ve had my share of lucky rips in these drafts, but that’s the flow of the game for you. Right now, everything seems to be coming up Godot, and I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

The Future of the Column

I've been doing full play-by-play walkthroughs so far because I've enjoyed doing it, and I've managed to make the time for it. 6,000 words a week is an unrealistic pace for me, though, and I've been considering how to approach this column in a more sustainable way.

The quiz-style play-by-play has been well-received, and will be the cornerstone of the column. I can keep the column manageable while adhering to this cornerstone in a few different ways. Primarily, I won't do a full play-by-play for each game in a multi-match draft, I'll pick the two or three most interesting ones for a breakdown and summarize the rest.

Also, I won't always do a draft walkthrough. One alternative I'd like to try is breaking down tough decisions sent in by readers. If you encounter a decision during a limited match you think would make for a good breakdown, send the following information about the scenario to modogodot@gmail.com:

• Format (Set, and 84/43/Swiss)
• Your decklist in Magic Online's text format
• Known cards in opponent's deck
• Read (if any) on your opponent's skill level
• A screen shot at the point of the tough decision (include the match chat window showing the recent actions and turn info)
• A screen shot showing how the tough decision turned out
• Extra credit: key cards you passed in the draft that might be in this player's deck

Draft decks are autosaved to C:\Documents and Settings\[WINDOWSUSERNAME]\Application Data\Wizards of the Coast\Magic Online\3.0\Decks\TournamentDecks.