Posts Tagged ‘Grand Prix Boston-Worcester 2014’
Tempo-Twin for Grand Prix Boston-Worcester
Friday, July 25th, 2014
Greetings Magic the Gathering fans. This is my first actual article for Battlegroundgames.com and in it, I’m excited to be writing about the ever-evolving Modern format — a format I use to very much dislike. Thankfully, I found an archetype I can get behind and now fully support this really interesting format. Can you guess what it is?
Yup, that’s the one – Splinter Twin; the Blue-Red Tempo version, to be exact. There’s nothing more exciting that creating four-billion 2/1 or 1/4 creatures! This will be my weapon of choice for Grand Prix Boston-Worcester 2014 tomorrow morning.
The deck plays essentially like a control deck with a combo finish, utilizing the Splinter Twin (or Kiki-Jiki) plus Deceiver Exarch or Pestermite combo in order to make an infinite amount of token creatures. Here is the final decklist and sideboard:
Land:
5 Island
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Desolate Lighthouse
1 Stomping Ground
4 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures:
4 Deceiver Exarch
2 Pestermite
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Spellskite
Spells:
4 Splinter Twin
2 Electrolyze
2 Flame Slash
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Dispel
2 Cryptic Command
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
Sideboard:
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Blood Moon
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Keranos, God of Storms
1 Counterflux
1 Negate
1 Echoing Truth
1 Dispel
1 Batterskull
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Spellskite
Essentially, a fairly standard list, all things considered. When compared to most other versions out there, I have an extra Steam Vents (for the Vedalken Shackles in the sideboard); only one Spellskite; an additional Electrolyze; and no Peek/Gitaxian Probe. Spellskite seems to be increasingly mitigated of late as a lot of matchups are increasingly prepared for this card. However, having an 0/4 blocker can be useful and it’s redirect ability is still randomly useful and has a wide range of applications. Electrolyze has been amazing lately and I play the deck as a control deck that wins with a combo; Electrolyze helps with that goal. Finally, Peek/Probe felt far too low impact and often times, regardless of knowing my opponent’s hand, my lines of play were the same regardless.
Why Splinter Twin?
This goes back to Grand Prix Richmond 2013. After the banning of Deathrite Shaman, I immediately gravitated toward the Blue-White-Red Control deck that Shaun McLaren won Pro Tour Born of the Gods with. I’m a control player at heart and this deck felt perfect to me. Despite this, I put up a very disappointing 2-1-2 record and dropped, disappointed. What happened? The metagame had shifted; Lightning Helix just wasn’t cutting it and the deck has an awful lot of trouble actually finishing a game (hence the draws). So, I went back to the drawing board.
Never underestimate this little guy.
I knew I wanted to play something powerful, especially given the amount of combo decks in the format. I owned all the cards for Splinter Twin and I played the deck when it was Standard-legal. With that, I didn’t see that I had any other choice; Splinter Twin it is.
Ultimately – aside from card availability and basic familiarity – I chose the deck because it’s inherently powerful, consistent, and has positive match ups against the other combo decks (though Scapeshift is a bit closer) and Affinity. Furthermore, the mana is solid and allows for the use of Blood Moon (a very powerful trump in a lot of matchups, especially the Jund/Junk/Rock decks). I briefly tried the Tarmo-Twin deck popularized by German professional Magic player Patrick Dickmann, but I hate losing to my mana base, despite gaining some powerful cards and – I think – a better sideboard. Overall, consistency goes a long way to generating wins, especially in long tournaments.
Fin
I’m excited to be doing battle with Splinter Twin and very much looking forward to the Grand Prix. I’ve put a lot of practice into the deck, so I feel confident for big things. Wish me luck and look forward to an after-action report following the Grand Prix! If you’re in attendance, please say hello!
About the Author
Chris Alexander is the Online Store Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. He has a vast amount of experience in the industry having stints with other major internet companies. He is a lover of games and Islands. He dislikes Mountains and anything associated with them except for Splinter Twin. When he is not playing “Magic: The Gathering” or board games, he can be found with his two loving dogs; typically cleaning after them.
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Tags: Grand Prix Boston-Worcester 2014, Magic the Gathering, Modern, MTG, Splinter Twin, Tournament
Posted in Blog, Card Games, Events, Featured Author, Featured Post, Magic: The Gathering | No Comments »
Grand Prix Boston-Worcester Trial @ Plainville Results [DECKLISTS!]
Friday, June 20th, 2014
These are the results from the Modern GPT for Boston/Worcester. Thanks to those that came and congratulations to the winners! Don’t forget there is a Modern GPT: Boston/Worcester in Abington on June 29th.
Players: 25
Rounds: 5 before a cut to top 8
Top 8 PLayers:
1. Nicholas Blake
2. James Costello
3. Anthony Huynh
4. John Hadayia
5. David Nunez
6. Ken Briscoe
7. Chris Alexander
8. Devin Malko
Prizes:
1. $200 Store Credit
2. $150 Store Credit
3. $75 Store Credit
4. $75 Store Credit
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Top 8 Deck Lists:
(the top 4 players split)
Nicholas Blake
4x Wild Nacatl
4x Kird Ape
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Ghor-clan Rampager
2x Rancor
4x Experiment One
4x Tarmogoyf
1x Boros Charm
1x Lightning Helix
2x Path to Exile
4x Vexing Devil
3x Flinthoof Boar
4x Temple Garden
3x Stomping Ground
2x Sacred Foundry
2x Forest
1x Mountain
2x Verdant Catacombs
2x Marsh Flats
2x Arid Mesa
1x Misty Rainforest
Sideboard:
2x Destructive Revelry
1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Stony Silence
2x Aven Mindcensor
2x Path to Exile
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Grafdigger’s Cage
1x Aegis of the Gods
2x Scavenging Ooze
2x Torpor Orb
James Costello
4x Signal Pest
4x Ornithopter
3x Memnite
3x Steel Overseer
2x Master of Etherium
4x Vault Skirge
2x Etched Champion
4x Arcbound Ravager
4x Mox Opal
4x Springleaf Drum
4x Cranial Plating
2x Twisted Image
3x Galvanic Blast
1x Mountain
4x Blinkmoth Nexus
4x Glimmervoid
4x Darksteel Citadel
4x Inkmoth Nexus
Sideboard:
2x Spellskite
1x Spell Pierce
2x Whipflare
1x Rule of Law
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Ray of Revelation
1x Blood Moon
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Dispatch
1x Wear/Tear
2x Combust
Anthony Huynh
4x Spellstutter Sprite
4x Pack Rat
2x Vendilion Clique
3x Mistbind Clique
1x Snapcaster Mage
3x Thoughtseize
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Mana Leak
4x Cryptic Command
2x Disfigure
1x Smother
1x Dismember
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
4x Bitterblossom
3x Creeping Tar Pit
4x Mutavault
1x Tectonic Edge
4x Darkslick Shores
4x River of Tears
2x Watery Grave
3x Island
1x Swamp
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Marsh Flats
1x Sunken Ruins
Sideboard:
2x Jace Beleren
2x Grafdigger’s Cage
2x Engineered Explosives
1x Batterskull
1x Vendilion Clique
2x Go for the Throat
1x Disfigure
3x Sower of Temptation
1x Thoughtseize
John Hadayia
4x Expedition Map
4x Thirst for Knowledge
2x Fabricate
1x Treasure Mage
2x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Platinum Angel
1x Sundering Titan
2x Mindslaver
1x Oblivion Stone
2x Solemn Simulacrum
4x Remand
4x Condescend
3x Repeal
1x Spell Burst
3x Talisman of Dominance
2x Snapcaster Mage
4x Urza’s Tower
4x Urza’s Power Plant
4x Urza’s Mine
1x Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1x Tectonic Edge
1x Academy Ruins
8x Islands
Sideboard:
2x Aetherize
3x Squelch
3x Dismember
2x Relic of Progenitus
1x Repeal
1x Spellskite
2x Spell Snare
1x Spell Pierce
David Nunez
4x Delver of Secrets
4x Snapcaster Mage
4x Young Pyromancer
2x Sleight of Hand
2x Spell Snare
2x Elecrtolyze
2x Pillar of Flame
2x Vapor Snag
4x Lightning BOlt
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Serum Visions
4x Mana Leak
4x Remand
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Steam Vent
4x Island
1x Breading Pool
1x Mountain
Sideboard:
3x Spell Pierce
2x Flashfreeze
2x Combust
4x Ancient Grudge
4x Anger of the Gods
Ken Briscoe
2x Bitterblossom
2x Thoughtseize
1x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2x Disfigure
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Abrupt Decay
1x Slaughter Pact
2x Spell Snare
1x Maelstrom Pulse
3x Liliana of the Veil
4x Mana Leak
4x Dark Confidant
2x Scavenging Ooze
4x Tarmogoyf
1x Snapcaster Mage
3x Darkslick Shores
4x Misty Rainforest
2x Watery Grave
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Breeding Pool
1x Woodland Cemetery
2x Hinterland Harbor
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Island
1x Forest
1x Swamp
Sideboard:
1x Golgari Charm
1x Pithing Needle
2x Nature’s Claim
1x Disfigure
2x Creeping Corrosion
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
1x Obstinate Baloth
1x Dispel
1x Batterskull
2x Grafdigger’s Cage
1x Spellskite
1x Negate
Chris Alexander
4x Deciever Exarch
1x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
2x Pestermite
4x Snapcaster Mage
1x Spellskite
2x Vendilion Clique
1x Dispel
2x Cryptic Command
4x Remand
1x Peek
4x Serum Visions
1x Electrolyze
2x Flame Slash
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Splinter Twin
5x Island
1x Mountain
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Scalding Tarn
1x Desolate Lighthouse
3x Sulfur Falls
4x Steam Vents
4x Stomping Grounds
Sideboard:
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Blood Moon
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Keranos, God of Storms
1x Threads of Disloyalty
1x Negate
1x Dispel
2x Relic of Progenitus
1x Batterskull
1x Vedalken Shackles
1x Engineered Explosives
Devin Malko
4x Snapcaster Mage
3x Deceiver Exarch
3x Pestermite
4x Tarmogoyf
2x Scavenging Ooze
4x Splinter Twin
2x Gitazian Probe
4x Remand
4x Serum Visions
4x Lightning Bolt
2x Flame Slash
1x Elecrolyze
2x Cryptic Command
1x Mountain
2x Island
1x Forest
2x Sulfur Falls
2x Hinterland Harbor
3x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
1x Breeding Pool
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Scalding Tarn
Sideboard:
1x Combust
1x Batterskull
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Dismember
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Dispel
1x Spellskite
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Counterflux
1x Nature’s Claim
1x Negate
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Tags: Decklists, Grand Prix Boston-Worcester 2014, Grand Prix Trial, Magic the Gathering, Modern, MTG
Posted in Blog, Card Games, Events, Featured Post, Magic: The Gathering, Popular Posts, Store Related | No Comments »
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