Ghost Dad's Circus Stampede
Standard*
SCORE: 71 | 64 COMMENTS | 19523 VIEWS | IN 35 FOLDERS Top 8: 05/10
3/15 FNM Report! —March 16, 2013
Went 3-3 on the third week of this deck at FNM and first for this specific list. Went 3-1 then lost the last 2 rounds. Since there were 6 rounds, I believe there were roughly 32 players give or take a few. This deck placed 14th after 6th round.
R1: BR Zombies (W 2-1)
The same BR zombies that I played against before. Lost the first game to Geralf's Messenger and Diregraf Ghoul and morbidded Brimstone Volley. Just couldn't draw anything useful all game. He didn't have much to do second game other than a couple creatures that I promptly removed. I eventually took over from 9 life to 17 with Thragtusk and more of it. Pretty much the same happened in the third game. He had to take a few hits from Centaur Healer while my spirits token held my side of the board and by the time he was able to cast something it was way too late.
R2: Jund Aggro (L 0-2)
I have to say this was the most potent aggro list I've ever witnessed in standard. It isn't as fast as Naya Blitz (pretty much nothing is) but it has the beef to both take over the board AND remove whatever's on the other side. I just got blown out by Experiment One, Burning-Tree Emissary, Flinthoof Boar, and lastly Falkenrath Aristocrat. It wasn't very fun. On the bright side, the guy went on the rest of the night undefeated and drew to 1st place so good for him.
R3: Esper Control (W 2-1)
I believe I played against this list two FNMs ago. Your average garden variety Esper Control deck that aims to stall out and uses Nephalia Drownyard as the win-con. Got milled first game when the first few Drownyard activations hit my draws in the testicles, basically making me draw up empty for the rest of the game before he finished me with more draws. Game two he just couldn't get anything going and wasn't running into many board sweeps and spirit tokens just took over. Pretty much same thing happened game 3. The thanks went to Lingering Souls and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad for the win.
R4: BUG Delver (W 2-1)
A BUG deck that contains Delver of Secrets Flip, Duskmantle Seer, and a suite of digging mechanics like Grisly Salvage, Mulch, and counterspells. Won game one quite handily when he drew into nothing but lands for several turns. Once again, Lingering Souls and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad did the work. Game 2 went to him when I was the one drawing dead this time and his delvers and Lotleth Troll just went to town on my life total. Game 3 was back and forth for a few turns until I was able to wade through all the counterspells and removals and still come out with more creatures to bash face with.
R5: Junk Rites
Ah, junk deck. Once again, your usual junk rites with Unburial Rites, Craterhoof Behemoth and other diggy dig cards that just tosses his deck into the graveyard so he can reanimate things back for cheap. Game one was just nasty. His first Mulch got him enough lands up for him to have to toss Craterhoof Behemoth AND Unburial Rites by turn 2 and flashed it back for 16 damage on turn 4. Could not come back from that. Game two took extremely long. I was able to stay alive with Vault of the Archangel gaining me 13-14 life every turn with his tokens on the field and Craterhoof Behemoth threatening to be cast, but he was never able to swing in for lethal since he was below 10 life and had to block with at least a token every turn so he was constantly losing power for the behemoth to swing with. Time was eventually called and I was only able to get him down to 6 (within one turn's attack) on turn 5 and he just passed turn for the win since he got the first game.
R6: Jund Midrange (L 0-2)
Ouch. Out of all the decks I could run into round 6, it had to be the jund. Lost first game when he got to draw 5 twice with two Garruk, Primal Hunters and just blew out with card advantage alone. I had one in my hand, but I needed the triple green to cast him and I kept drawing into my BW lands. Second game he had all the right kill spells at the perfect time to remove my beaters and yep surely enough he finished it off with Olivia Voldaren. I hate that card even more now.
All in all, going 3-1 before R5 gave me hope of winning round 5 and just draw out to top 8, but luck wasn't on my side tonight and I just lost out. Pretty sure I wouldn't have made top 8 even if I went 4-2 after R6, since the jund guy got 9th, but who knows? I did lose to the 1st place deck so my tiebreaker was looking pretty decent.
This list is definitely getting to the sweet spot and with a few minor improvements and luck, this deck is definitely capable of contending with the top-tier lists.
I will be participating in the Orlando 5k MTG tournament tomorrow (today) along with Jimhawk so wish us luck and I will return with a report and possibly top 8!
Thanks for checking out my deck!