Finally, my first regional of the year comes around. The RIW events (FOP and AOP respectively) have both been high points for me each year, getting a first place at the FOP and Top 4 at the AOP. However, it’s no secret to any of my UFS friends that I didn’t play basically all summer, all the way up until around the end of November or beginning of December, so I was a bit nervous coming back in, especially given the caliber of players that were supposed to be showing up.
When getting back into the game, I had a few talks with Archimedes about what I should run, since I hadn’t built a deck since before the banning of Addes and it’s friends, and to my surprise, he named a deck that I had been looking to build before I quit: Victor. The deck list he sent to me was tri-symbol, where as my original idea was 1-2 symbols at most, but I really loved the idea. After a couple of changes to the deck here and there, I had my deck finished finally. The win condition for my deck was Reanimated + Mentally Unstable with Mega Spike. This usually happened after Darkness Blade + Reanimated to tap out opponent’s board.
I take a couple of friends with me, giving Chris my Earth Bishamon mill deck that I made for laughs so he can play, and we build Horth a deck. Grant decided to run his Air Raphael. We get to the site, say hi to Nyobari, meet the guys from Foxhound that made it down, and say hi to everyone as they show up. After getting all of the sign up stuff taken care of, and finding out we have less people than we were expecting (some people couldn’t make it, others decided not to play, and a few who said they would come just didn’t), we find out that the printer won’t be working, but Nyobari does all the stuff by hand, announces pairings for round one, and the tournament starts up.
Me: Tri Symbol Victor***
Round 1: Keith (Loki 5K) Chaos/Evil Ibuki::
So, I really didn’t know what to make of the deck originally, since my friends and I have thought of tons of ways to do this type of deck. After seeing a Midnight Pleasure tossed at me, I had a much better idea. Basically, I just had to keep playing nice and tight. After a while I was able to get a lockdown in and spring my Mental loop to clinch game one.
Game two he comes after me a bit more aggressively, and is able to gain some excellent position for attacks, but a Holding Ground (I believe I dropped it into play with Reanimated that turn, actually) was able to keep him out of range of the 25 or so damage needed to kill me.
1-0
Round 2: Mike (Link) Water Chun-Li
My second member of Foxhound on the day, which is OK with me, since I’d been wanting to test against people from out of the area more and more. Well, to be blunt, the first game does not go my way. My face hurts pretty bad after getting rocked game one. No shame in this one.
Game two on the other hand, goes much, much better. I get set up nicely, and during the game, I take only one point of damage before looping out.
Game three I’m in fairly good position, but don’t have the 3 difficulty foundation in play to Reanimate a Mentally Unstable into play to loop out, so we end up tying.
1-0-1
Round 3: Ray Andre. Chaos Nagase***
The deck Ray is using is one that one of our locals played against me, so I generally know what the deck does, but it has a few new tricks to it. Basically, game one I control the board decently, and loop out when I feel confident in it.
Game two goes mainly the same way, with me looping out just before time is called.
2-0-1
Round 4: Al Crocker. Water Sakura
This is where I made the one mistake I made all day. We have a back and forth position battle, with me battling through copies of Nature’s Force. I am getting ready to loop out, using Victor to keep a stream of cards in my hands to feed to Mental. I don’t pop off the Lesser of Many Evils I have in play, and a well placed Tag Along seals my fate.
Game 2 is very uneventful, as he just waits me out, with me being unable to just force through him.
2-1-1
Round 5: Jon Herr. Order/Spike Donovan
I get paired up against Jon. Not exactly the match you want to have to get into top cut. I can describe game one very quickly. He makes my face hurt. Badly. I scoop when I realize I am in an unwinnable situation.
Game two, on the other hand, is a bit more in my favor. After some back and forth, I get my loop and go off.
Game three is pretty hellish, with both of us vying for control of the board. I am simply not getting to my pieces fast enough to kill him, and he is. He goes for the kill, but the turn before he does, I am able to play a ton of defensive cards, and with the help of Reanimated, I am able to have enough defense, and pass the block I need against Ira Spinta to leave myself at 1 life. I force the tie.
2-1-2
After a lot of worrying about who will be getting in top 8 is announced. My 8 tiebreaker points get me into top cut, where I will be facing Tanner first round. Not the exact deck I wanted to face, but then again, none of the top 8 decks were anymore than a 50/50 chance with the players piloting them. After going to pick up dinner, and running to get through the terrible rain, we get back to the store and eat some of the food before top 8 starts. Then I settle down to go play my top 8 match up.
Top 8: Tanner Lang (Tannerface) Order Gill
Tanner was really worried about this match up, since we play each other a lot, and he knows what my deck can do when it gets rolling. However, his fears seem to be a bit unfounded. Even though my deck puts up a great fight, the lack of pulling more than one Red Lotus per game, and rarely keeping Destiny on the board long enough for it to matter, Tanner downs me 2 games to none with his insane commit down abilities coupled with recurring Juni’s Spiral Arrow. He just had my number this time.
I end the day 2-2-2 on rounds. Not exactly how I’d have liked to do, but it gets me the 5th place, since Tanner goes all the way.
Props:
Nyobari running a sweet tournament, as usual.
All of the guys from UFS house, always great to play and hang out with you guys.
The guys from Foxhound coming down and playing some awesome games.
Kin for taking the Wolf into top cut, even after one of his characters was banned.
Tanner, for taking Gill to a win.
Slops:
Too much rain.
Yugioh kids. ‘Nuff said? (anyone who was there knows what I mean.)