RtR gameday report:

Local store ran 5 rounds + top 8

Match 1:

Paired up against a Selesnya lifegain deck that splashed black for Lingering Souls ' flashback. I managed to get trample on my Brushstrider s, which made his 1/1 spirits almost useless at blocking which, I ended up killing him before I saw any of the lifegain. In the second game he had sided in Golgari Charm , which if he had had a black mana would have wiped my side of the board. In the end I got two turn 5 wins

Match 2:

Paired up against an aggressive rakdos deck. Even though I had initially thought this to be a good matchup with both vigilance and prot black in my deck I ended up losing both games. The first game I was stuck on two mana, and could only get a single threat out at a time, which he had just enough removal to get rid of. The second game I managed to find myself in a similar situation, but this time stuck on a single white mana, with two silverblade paladins, and an elite inquisitor on hand. Having Gavony Township ended up losing me the game. Getting the right colors can be very very important in this deck.

Match 3:

I'm up against green-black zombies, which I think is one of my best matchups. Game 1 I get a Knight of Glory to attack for 6 turn 3 with Silverblade Paladin , followed by another 16 damage turn 4 from Rancor + a Selesnya Charm . Game two I cast a Fencing Ace , and with my opponent being low on cards, I risk throwing a bunch of enchantments on it attacking for 16 turn 3. My opponent scoops.

Match 4:

Up against a similar Selesnya aggro deck, this one featuring Loxodon Smiter and Sublime Archangel instead of my enchantment package. We end up attacking eachother back and forth a few times. Each winning the match where he got to play first. His Sublime Archangel worked very well against my deck, as I would not remove stuff from the battlefield, merely rendering them unable to attack. While I was faster, he had the higher top on the curve. I ended up winning 2-1, likely because I won the dice roll.

Match 5:

I draw in to top 8.

Top 8, match 1:Restoration Angel + Thragtusk we end up racing a bit. I never got my vigilant creatures out, but win 2-1. Incidentally we both win the ones were we start. Doesn't feel as satisfactory as it could have.

Top 8, match 2:Up against yet another Selesnya player. This one running a lifegain theme. I can't handle the lifegain from card:Trostani, Selesnya's Voice, followed by an Armada Wurm moving him up from 1 hp to a somewhat comfortable 11

All in all, I had a lot of fun. I think I'll see if I can get a Sublime Archangel in to the deck as a one or two of, and I got to reevaluate the value of the Gavony Township . As it can easily get in the way of an efficient 3-4 turn kill due to missing colored mana.