So got to play around with the original set of suggestions including Purphoros, God of the Forge, but frankly they didn't work out as well as I had hoped. I don't want to go into deep specifics unprompted, but needless to say FNM was a bad night for Riddle and the mill train. But what I will be able to do is provide feedback on changes that were made in response to the terrible showing in prep for a free standard.
What I did was change the focus of Outpost Siege to that of a card advantage engine, plus it counts as a permanent for purposes of the Altar. So here's what got dropped:
3x Purphoros, God of the Forge;
X copies of Triplicate Spirits;
X copies of Kill Shot;
4x Defiant Strike and I think that's it.
I added:
3x Magma Jet
3x Lightning Strike
3x Kurkesh
2x Valorous Stance.
Now to the tourney report from Saturday!
Round 1 vs G/W effectively Pauper
I felt bad wrecking the poor kid. He had little more than a draft deck. The scariest thing was like a 4/4 or something like that. Won 2-0 via Mill
Round 2 vs Sultai Walkers
Got really close in Game 1 as I ended matters with him at 16 cards left in deck and me with 2 Altars. A fortunate kill spell getting rid of a Clock carried the day until Garruk came through and finished it. Got color screwed Game 2 and was easily beat into submission. Lost 2-0.
Round 3 vs Red Deck Wins variant
He had me by the seat of my pants Game 1, but careful blocks and the like allowed me to stabilize and eventually play enough tokens to push through the 20 damage. Game 2 went a bit better as he didn't have quite the nuts opening. Mill deck wins again. 2-0 via damage
Round 4 vs Mardu Tokens
We I.D. as we had the points required to both make Top 8. But being Magic players, decided to play it out. Game 1 I mull to 5 and figure out what the heck he has going on, but that wasn't enough to save. Game 2 the mill engine got going and he scooped after I milled him for 20 with easy capability of doing it again, or minimum 10 due to 2 clocks at 5 and a Kurkesh. Game 3 I misplayed by not wrathing, thinking that by doing so would free his Butcher of the Horde from a Banishing Light. Lost Practice 2-1.
Top 8 vs U/W Heroic
Game 1 stood no chance. He gives protection and such and it just didn't work out too well. Game 2 I get mill going a bit, but all his card advantage was too much for me to overcome. Lost 2-0.
Overall I'd consider it a success. I'm super stoked about GameDay Saturday and hopeful I won't face 3/4 aggro decks. The changes to the board are simply my remembering and are probably differ in some aspects from actuality.
