One of my pals was trying out a BUG Leovold build that used JVP, Squee, and Survival. It was very grindy and did a lot of work once survival hit. You can tutor up Squee, then get as many other creatures as you want until grave hate hits. Getting out Leovold shut down a lot of options in my experience. Squee with JVP was also a nice touch.

@mediumsteve
I added it last minute for disruption. I found during testing that more disruption over controll helps the combo element of the deck. I never regretted it and it won me 2 games.

@walking-dude There are stores on Long Island and New Jersey that are not too far away (decent access by car) that hot regular Vintage tournaments. Unfortunately, none within NYC (the five boroughs) that organize it at least once a month, although I've spoken to a few store owners willing to try it.

The big issue is parking, as NYC doesn't have stores with access to free parking for large groups of players, and worrying about feeding the meter is a pain when you are in the middle of a round playing. With NYC being so packed and continuously building upward, it pushes parking availability out, which discourages players from out of the area (1+ hours away) from wanting to travel to play. That means lower tournament turnout, which leads to

Lower prize Support (the main draw for players) Fewer rounds played (which lowers the justification for paying for parking) Fewer skilled players (the main draw for competitors, and a big way to grow a scene aside from loading upo on prize support)

The last tournament I organized was at Kings Games back in 2005 or 6 for a Mox Emerald, and at the time, it only drew 22 players. The main issue was having to pay 8-10 bucks for parking or risk a 3+ hour communte from outside NYC via public transportation to an area not in Manhattan. And Manhattan commercial rents at that time were skyrocketting to the point where if I had to host a monthly, stores wanted me to rent the space for the day to do it. It was unsustainable.

Kudos to Nick Detwiler in helping grow a scene in NY. I couldn't.

@khahan said in Deal Me In Games 8/12/17 Vintage series #4 Results:

I also want to add a personal plug for Jason at Deal Me In Games here. The prize support we post is based on attendance of 30 people. I just want to note that Jason has NEVER once scaled prize support down. Even when we had 12, he offered full prize support (the top 8 basically begged and insisted on lesser support).

When he offered the Bazaar of Baghdad at 30 and we hit 24 - he still gave out the bazaar. I suggested he up the entry fee to $35 to use the extra $5 to offset the prize for the top 8 at the end of the year and he refused. So while I'm the visible face who does all the advertising, Jason is the one who takes all the financial risk and puts himself on the line. He never fails to be a stand-up TO and shopkeeper when it comes to prizes. So a big thanks to Jason for all his support for the T1 community this year!!

This in itself makes me want to drive the extra 1.5 hours for the next tournament to show this shop some love and support. I'm quite a distance away, but I'll make sure I can schedule to make one of these tournaments. People say they love Vintage, but the way to do it is to put your money where your mouth is.

As soon as I can get another manager for my facility, I will be scheduling time to come down.

Thanks for the report Steve. Love the theory section.

@Topical_Island Thanks! :) I'll PM you.

Permanent sources of disruption are so much better, I agree. Arcane Lab and such are back-breakers.

Nice work Jeff! Glad to see you back in action!

@Chiaroscuro No, per Ray's writeup:
"I got coverage streaming, but not recording and still no commentary."

Top 8 decklists:

1st Joe Brennan with Monkee Bizniss (planeswalker control)
1 black lotus
1 mox jet
1 mox ruby
1mox emerald
1 mox pearl
1 mox sapphire
1 time walk
1 ancestral recall
1 pyroblast
1 island
1 jace the mind sculptor
1 brainstorm
1 stripmine
1 treasure cruise
1 ponder
1 balance
1 mystical tutor
1 dig through time
1 library of alexandria
1 vendilion clique
1 karakas
1 chandra, torch of defiance
1 misty rainforest
1 polluted delta
2 scalding tarn
3 volcanic island
2 flooded strand
3 tundra
3 swords to plowshares
3 mental misstep
2 gitaxian probe
4 force of will
2 dack fayden
2 preordain
3 gush
3 jace vryn's prodigy
3 monastery mentor
1 engineered explosives
sb: 2 containment priest, 1 fragmentize, 2 rest in peace, 1 supreme verdict, 1 swords to plowshares, 2 pithing needle, 2 engineered explosives, 2 wear/tera, 2 pyroblast

2nd Stephen Nowakowski Gush Mentor
4 flooded strand
3 polluted delta
3 tundra
2 volcanic island
2 island
1 library of alexandria
1 strip mine
1 black lotus
1 mox sapphire
1 mox pearl
1 mox ruby
4 force of will
4 mental misstep
2 pyroblast
4 gitaxian probe
1 brainstorm
1 ponder
3 preordain
1 treasure cruise
1 dig through time
1 ancestral recall
1 time walk
1 snapcaster mage
1 jace the mindsculptor
2 jace vryn's prodigy
2 dack fayden
3 monastery mentor
1 stony silence
1 sudden shock
3 swords to plowshares
3 gush
sb: 1 pyroblast, 2 disenchant, 2 fragmentize, 1 balance, 1 plains, 1 wasteland, 1 stony silence, 1 rest in peace, 3 grafdiggers cage, 2 tormod's crypt

3rd Keith Seals Car shops
1 strip mine
1 tolarian academy
4 mishra's factory
4 wasteland
4 ancient tomb
4 mishra's workshop
1 mox jet
1 mox pearl
1 mox ruby
1 mox sapphire
1 mox emerald
1 black lotus
1 sol ring
1 mana crypt
4 tangle wire
4 sphere of resistance
4 thorn of amethyst
1 trinisphere
1 chalice of the void
4 fleetwheel cruiser
1 lodestone golem
1 karn, silver golem
2 hangarback walker
4 walking ballista
4 phyrexian revoker
4 arcbound ravager
sb: 3 crucible of worlds, 2 tormod's crypt, 2 wurmcoil engine, 1 pithing needle, 2 relic of progenitus, 4 grafdiggers cage, 1 dismember

4th Dan Barkon Car shops
1 strip mine
1 tolarian academy
4 mishra's factory
4 wasteland
4 ancient tomb
4 mishra's workshop
1 ghost quarter
1 mox jet
1 mox pearl
1 mox ruby
1 mox sapphire
1 mox emerald
1 black lotus
1 sol ring
1 mana crypt
4 tangle wire
4 sphere of resistance
4 thorn of amethyst
1 trinisphere
1 chalice of the void
4 fleetwheel cruiser
1 lodestone golem
2 hangarback walker
4 walking ballista
4 phyrexian revoker
4 arcbound ravager
sb: 4 grafdiggers cage, 2 relic of progenitus, 2 crucible of worlds, 2 dismember, 2 steel hellkite, 1 wurmcoil engine, 1 jester's cap, 1 ratchet bomb

5-8th

Greg Hoover on Paradoxical Gush
1 mox emerald
1 mox jet
1 mox opal
1 mox pearl
1 mox ruby
1 mox sapphire
1 black lotus
1 sol ring
1 mana crypt
1 mana vault
1 sensei's divining top
1 time vault
1 voltaic key
3 monastery mentor
1 blighsteel colossus
3 gush
3 paradoxical outcome
1 brainstorm
1 ancestral recall
1 dig through time
4 force of will
2 mental misstep
2 flusterstorm
1 mindbreak trap
1 ancient grudge
1 swords to plowshares
3 tundra
2 volcanic island
3 polluted delta
2 flooded strand
1 library of alexandria
1 jace the mindsculptor
1 dack fayden
1 nahiri the harbinger
1 treasure cruise
2 gitaxian probe
1 tinker
1 time walk
1 fragmentize
sb: 3x pithing needle, 2x swords to plowshares, 1x engineered explosives, 3x fragmentize, 1x tormod's crypt, 2x ancient grudge, 1 grafdiggers cage, 1 containment priest

Josh Barkon
1 strip mine
1 tolarian academy
4 mishra's factory
4 wasteland
4 ancient tomb
4 mishra's workshop
1 mox jet
1 mox pearl
1 mox ruby
1 mox sapphire
1 mox emerald
1 black lotus
1 sol ring
1 mana crypt
4 tangle wire
4 sphere of resistance
4 thorn of amethyst
1 trinisphere
1 chalice of the void
4 fleetwheel cruiser
1 lodestone golem
1 phyrexian metamorph
2 hangarback walker
4 walking ballista
4 phyrexian revoker
4 arcbound ravager
sb: 1 tormod's crypt, 4 grafdiggers cage, 2 relic of progenitus, 2 dismember, 3 crucible of worlds, 1 ratchet bomb, 1 steel hellkite, 1 wurmcoil engine

William Dayton Ravager shops
4 ancient tomb
2 inventor's fair
2 mishra's factor
4 mishra's workshop
1 strip mine
1 tolarian academy
4 wasteland
4 arcbound ravager
4 foundry inspector
1 lodestone golem
4 phyrexian revoker
1 steel hellkite
4 walking ballista
1 black lotus
1 chalice of the void
1 crucible of worlds
1 mana crypt
1 mox emerald
1 mox jet
1 mox ruby
1 mox sapphire
1 sol ring
4 sphere of resistance
1 spine of ish sah
4 tangle wire
4 thorn of amethyst
1 trinisphere
sb: 2 crucible of worlds, 4 grafdiggers cage, 2 hangarback walker, 1 phyrexian metamorph, 2 ratchet bomb, 3 tormod's crypt, 1 wurmcoil engine

Jeremy Beaver The hydra of trest (bug hydra)
3 tropical island
3 underground sea
1 forest
1 island
3 misty rainforest
2 verdant catacombs
2 polluted delta
1 library of alexandria
1 black lotus
1 mox emerald
1 mox jet
1 mox sapphire
3 deathrite shaman
2 jace vryn's prodigy
3 leovold, emissary of trest
3 managorger hydra
1 ancestral recall
1 brainstorm
1 demonic tutor
1 dig through time
1 flusterstorm
1 mindbreak trap
1 misdirection
1 time walk
1 treasure cruise
1 force of will
3 gush
3 mental misstep
3 preordain
2 abrupt decay
2 fatal push
1 jace the mind sculptor
2 null rod
sb: 1 abrupt decay, 1 murderous cut, 1 snuffout, 1 mindbreak trap, 1 virulent plague, 1 ravenous trap, 1 tormod's crypt, 2 yixlid jailer, 3 grafdiggers cage, 3 nature's claim

Thanks, I think I remember you we played way back in 2010 in Columbus. http://morphling.de/top8decks.php?id=1213&highlight=3#place3 I came in 3rd with dark times deck here. I'll consider your advice. Note that Paradoxical Storm is a very aggressive deck and I did use MBT 3 times on turn one, I just did not mention it.

Thanks for doing all this, @thecravenone!

@Ten-Ten said in The Deck is back! 3-1 at Vintage event @GP Utrecht:

@Joep Nice list and report. Have you considered Jace, Vryn's Prodigy alongside or in place of Snapcaster?

Thanks!

I have thought about it briefly, but never tested him out. The main reason is that right now the deck invalidates a lot of the removal opponents play as the creatures have already done their damage when they enter the battlefield. Jace, Vryn's Prodigy would change that and actively make any removal my opponent has good and worth fighting over, which means I'll be spending resources on a fight I would otherwise not have to.

On the other hand, the upside is pretty good. The looting does seem to be where I wanted to be with Dack, as drawing and discarding 1 or 2 cards is pretty much all I would need in this deck. The upside that it turns into another snapcaster is also awesome.

If I decide to play another planeswalker, this might just hit the sweet spot in terms of upside. I would not replace a snapcaster at this point, because those are too important with the Terminus package, and they also serve the role of surprise blocker. In addition, I run 2 Mental Missteps at this point, making Snapcaster a great addition.

That said, I am still a little hesistant given what I outlined earlier. Then again, it's a solid card that I might just give a spin to get a real feel for it other than theorizing over it.

BOAM! Mini 2 card muddy report!

4 Ancient Tomb 4 Mishra's Workshop 4 Cavern of Souls 2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Tolarian Academy 1 Mox Pearl 1 Black Lotus 1 Mana Vault 1 Sol Ring 1 Mana Crypt 1 Mox Jet 1 Mox Sapphire 1 Mox Ruby 1 Mox Emerald 1 Memory Jar 1 Mox Opal 1 Chalice of the Void 4 Serum Powder 4 Leyline of the Void 4 Helm of Obedience 4 Grindstone 1 Trinisphere 4 Thorn of Amethyst 4 Painter's Servant 1 Lodestone Golem 4 Kuldotha Forgemaster 2 Walking Ballista 1 Blightsteel Colossus SB: 2 Pithing Needle SB: 2 Phyrexian Revoker SB: 1 Sundering Titan SB: 2 Razormane Masticore SB: 1 Crucible of Worlds SB: 1 Platinum Angel SB: 1 Witchbane Orb SB: 4 Leyline of Sanctity SB: 1 Walking Ballista

r1 bye
r2 vs mono red: g1 I lose the die roll and my opening 7 is leyline, helm, painter, grindstone, workshop, ancient tomb, mox. unfortunately he has t1 blood moon and rabblemaster off of ancient tomb, ssg, black lotus and I cannot assemble anything fast enough. g2 he has the nuts off a mull to 6 with t1 null rod and a chewer for my razormane masticore. this definitely felt like my worst matchup in the room.

r3 vs shops: g1 I am on the play and mulligan to 6, keeping workshop, serum powder, 2 mox, painter, grindstone. I play out my entire hand in that order preparing for the turn 2 activation. unfortunately he has t1 revoker (his only main deck out) for the grindstone. I am unable to assemble another combo before I lose. g2 I fall to a null rod, needle, and 3 wastelands powered out by a t1 foundry inspector.

r4 vs w eldrazi: g1 I play out my entire opening 6 on turn 1: workshop, mox, lodestone golem, mox, mox, painter's servant. he only has lands that hurt him and no moxen to power out threats that can challenge LSG. g2 he has a t1 null rod and wastelands to prevent me from powering out anything meaningful.

g3 is the interesting one and deserves its own paragraph. I begin by serum powdering away 4 hands in a row - 28 cards. achievement unlocked. I powdered away 8 lands, 3 mox, lotus, sol ring, and a bunch of creatures, but notably only 4 combo pieces. The remaining 32 cards have 12 combo pieces, which seems great, but they're a bit mana light. 2 workshops, 2 tombs, 3 caverns, 3 mox, and mana crypt are the remaining mana sources (11 total). I then end up mulliganing to 4 keeping helm, helm, mana crypt, mox, scrying cavern to the top. Not ideal. Unfortunately for my opponent he kept a threat-light hand and I ended up winning off of a razormane masticore. Vintage magic, everyone.

for those keeping track at home: 0 combo kills, 2 beatdown kills. not exactly what I set out to do, but them's the breaks!

Lol @lhc
Thank you for the list.
How was Hope of Ghirapur for you?

Yeah, unfortunately my sleeping has been messed up lately where I'm having long periods of being awake followed by long periods of sleep. Still, that is an improvement from just long periods of sleep when my depression is in full force so yay to me. XD

I considered it, but chose to try it this way. I think next time I may run them main & see what happens.