The last qualifier in the Philippines, held last December 16. I wasn’t able to attend the Gold Rush the day before due to prior commitments, so this was my last tournament for the year.
I opened a pool with a lot of removal:
I built some deck with Goblins and Giants:
The pool is pretty ok I think, but no Shreikmaw makes me sad.
My first round matchup is against one of the more veteran players. He’s playing some R-B-W combination, fast aggro stuff. I’m faster in game 1 and manage to play Colfenor’s Plans, attracting some onlookers who told me it was a deathtrap. I had read about some pros liking it and wanted to try it out. The logic being, if you’re out of cards anyway, and you can only play one spell per turn anyway (the one you topdeck), and you can win with just a bit more push, might as well grab the next seven cards immediately. As one of the judges pointed out, I didn’t need to play the plans, it was plain greedy, since my opponent was at six and I had a flier and two Tar Pitchers out.
Game 2, I hit Footbottom Feast targetting Spiderwig Boggart then I put the Boggart in my hand then said, “draw a card from feast”. I looked at the top card before my opponent could stop me. Oops, of course the Boggart was already the draw from the feast, so I got a warning for looking at extra cards and the judge shuffles my deck. I’m glad it’s not a game loss, but it doesn’t matter as I lose to an aggressive Blades of Velis Vel.
Game 3, I mull to five and am unable to recover.
Round 1: 1-2 loss. Yes, not a good start.
Second round is… some guy. Don’t recall what he was playing. I win in 2 games.
Round 2: 2-0 win
Third round is a guy I’ve been up against a few times before. His deck is black-green but light on removal. I power out Giants, he stacks Treefolk on his side to keep me from attacking, dragging out the game. (I hate fighting Black Poplars!) but eventually I take it in 2 games.
Round 3: 2-0 win
Fourth round is against one of the better limited players around, he plays fast so somehow I’m forced to match his pace. I don’t remember his deck, though it must have had blue because I remember getting countered. We trade the first two games, and I draw no gas for game three.
Round 4: 1-2 loss
And I am X-2 once again. Sigh, it has not been a good limited PTQ season for me.
Round 5 was fun. He’s white-green. Game 1 I’m losing badly to his early creatures, but then I hit Spiderwig giving Axegrinder fear (six damage), sac the Spiderwig to Fodder Launch one of his guys (+5 damage). End of his turn I footbottom the Spiderwig to give the Axegrinder fear again, dealing 17 damage in two turns to win from behind.
Game 2 I get hit by the early aggro rush again and am unable to recover. I don’t remember game 3, but my notes tell me hit was pretty bad for him as I took no damage at all.
Round 5: 2-1 win
Round 6, my opponent is a merfolk deck with Springleaf Drum, Falloysage and Veteran of the Depths, which gets annoying quick. I hold on for a long time in game 1 before succumbing to School tokens. Game 2 I keep a hand with Adder-Staff, 2 Lash Outs and another creature. I play the Adder-Staff and Lash Out his first two creatures, which I soon regret as his third play is a Veteran that goes all the way.
Round 6: 0-2 loss
Sigh, I’m not even getting prizes anymore. I tick “Drop” on the result slip, then change my mind and cross it out. I want to play the last round to at least get some practice… hopefully my play skill can improve just a bit.
Round 7: 0-2 loss. Bleah. I think my play was tight, but he just drew better cards. I remember he had an Epic Proportions that stopped my Lash Outs.
A 3-4 finish, how terrible. Before this season I had actually envisioned myself as a decent limited player. Obviously, Lorwyn limited is hard, I need to do so much to improve my deck construction and technical play.
Next: Morningtide Release Events? I won’t be able to play in the prerelease since I’ll be out of town…
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