Modern Gameplay Review: 19 August 2014

Back with another gameplay coverage! 

Deck: 5C Ally Reanimator
Same deck, just that I made some adjustments to the sideboard. I also changed a few stuff around to give the deck more flexibility to survive against more decks.

Changes to the deck:
+4x Spell Pierce
+1x Ondu Cleric
+1x Island
+1x Swamp

-1x Blood Crypt
-1x Watery Grave
-3x Path to Exile
-1x Angel of Glory's Rise

Boseiju, Who Shelters All (Relegated to SB)
+1x Pithing Needle
+1x Sowing Salt
+1x Stony Silence
+2x Wear // Tear

-1x Aven Mindcensor
-2x Choke
-1x Engineered Explosives
-2x Kitchen Finks

Reason for the changes is simple; I'm playing combo and my priority is to protect my combo. Spell Pierce does the job well and really hits anything and everything. Except creatures of course, which well my allies are there to block.

Ondu Cleric is there to to help sustain the life count if the game goes too aggressive against my favor. Also, it hits burn decks. Any amount of life-gain foils their plans, really. 

Also, since I'm playing 1x Ondu Cleric, Kitchen Finks may not really be needed in the sideboard against burn/RDW match-ups. 

From the previous game experiences, my other sideboard cards like Choke and Engineered Explosives has very limited uses or restricted uses. Hence, they are replaced by more versatile cards like Pithing Needle and Stony Silence.

Boseiju, Who Shelters All was relegated to the sideboard as I didn't want too many tapped mana source when it comes into play. Also, it's irrelevant in many match-ups outside control matches.

Okay, so the deck is set, let's go! Let's see how I fare this time round!

Round 1: Melira Pod (0-2)

Game 1:

The first game is quick. I lost to the deck due to an early game disruption by Scavenging Ooze. It kept feeding on my graveyard, pumping itself and also, no combo pieces are drawn. Basically I have unlocked a new definition of "feeding" my opponent... The game actually ended up with my opponent having more life than what he started out with while wiping my board clean.

Game 2:

The second game saw more action; I went aggressive with the deck, managing to set up the combo pieces. However, the oppoent managed to activated the Redcap/Melira combo, giving him the win to the game and match. It was 1 more turn to activate my combo and no sideboard cards are coming out. to help disrupt the deck. Double whammy!

Round 2: Jund (1-2)

Game 1: 

Took the game by managing to pull off combo once, milling the opponent 42 cards (6 x7 triggers). He had Tarmogoyf and a few other creatures like Dark Confidant to put pressure on me. My creatures held back the attacks for awhile, sacrificing a few. 

Eventually, I manage to reanimate Angel of Glory's Rise, bringing back 6 Allies with her, triggering the finisher. If the mill doesn't kill the opponent, the next combat step would kill him.

Game 2:

Having a rich graveyard is not the best idea against any deck running Tarmogoyf... My opponent grew a 6/7 Goyf and that is a lot of pressure just by one card! 

Now, imagine being mana-jammed with only 1 vivid meadow. no shocks, reflecting pool or fetchlands to help filter the colours for 3 turns, while the opponent just landed threat after threat.. 

My hand had Spell Pierce and Rakdos Charm, which the latter could be used as a last-minute act of sacrifice to reduce the P/T of Tarmagoyf! Too bad for land and mana-jamming took the game down to the opponent's favour.

Game 3:

I had an aggressive start, but I eventually lost steam when the opponent's Tarmogoyf has gotten too big (5/6 - 6/7 again!). I managed to pull off the combo, but I did not win because there are no Halimar Excavators; hence, no milling win con. 

The beatdown strategy with Angel of Glory's Rise managed to reduce the opponent's life to 4. On his upkeep, Dark Confidant revealed an Abrupt Decay to reduced his life total to 2 life. However, the Abrupt Decay was drawn in time as that card and 2 other bolts removed off most of my bigger creatures and Chandra, Pyromaster stopped my blockers from blocking for that turn (My Spellskite was removed by a bolt after redirecting Pyromaster's ability in an earlier stage of the game). I was in the red zone at about 5 life or less at that point of time. So the last hit determined the victor. Unfortunately, not this time round.

Round 3: RUG Twin (2-1)

Game 1: 

Game 1 was rather fast. I combo-ed off at around turn 5-6. Also, I have to say it. Spell Pierce saved the day! It never felt so good to actually counter Splinter Twin on turn 4, which prevented the twin combo. It was because of the timely Spell Pierce, that I won this game.

(Note: I clearly remembered reanimating Angel of Glory's Rise twice in a single game, which led me to victory due to board dominance. I cannot exactly remember which round I pulled that off, but I assumed to be for this round. If I got my facts wrong, the explanation for Round 2: Jund, Game 1 is a direct exchange for this game. Other facts as mentioned are as far as possible, accurate to what/how was played.)

Game 2: 

For some reason, my deck decided to play aggressive this time round (for the 3rd-4th time alr!) In the end, I got played out by the opponent's beat down strategy with Huntmaster of the Fells, Deceiver Exarch, and Pestermite. Most of my creatures were either removed from battlefield by Huntmaster of the Fells or tapped out by Deceiver Exarch or Pestermite.  I had 1 or 2 combo pieces out but I wasn't ready to pull the combo to turn the tide.

Game 3:

This game saw my deck in a very defensive play. I started and tried to hold on to Spell Pierce on my opening hand as an immediate answer against Splintered Twin. In the end I used it against a Flame Slash, targeting my Spellskite but opponent paid the penalty cost. But at that point, we were at turn 5, so for the first 4 turns, I had Spellskite and 1 or 2 creatures which went for the beat-down option. Eventually I took the risk and combo-ed off 2 turns later, gaining the board advantage and mill win con when he tapped out for something (can't remember what he tried to do, but he tapped out on his turn, giving me an open play). It turns out he didn't draw the Splinter Twin combo.

Bounty loot: Engineered Explosives! 

 A few pointers for this week;

• The deck can go aggressive when the card odds permit. Most of the time I rather play the combo route, but needed, I have to practice on playing the aggressive beatdown.
• Reworked sideboard seems great! More testing with the current sideboard.
• 4x Spell Pierce mainboard is the perfect addition. That meant cutting back 1 Angel of Glory's Rise.
• Ghost Quarters became my pseudo-fetchlands, allowing me to fix colour and thin out my deck. The bare minimum is to have 4 mana to combo off. Any more is in excess and I don't mind losing land drops after 6 mana to thin out for my combo.