Subject: NCA Regionals Tournament Report "BottleNecro" Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 19:45:03 -0700 From: Brian Rodrigues To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com [Tournament NCA Regionals] This is my tournament report for the Northern California Regionals held at Match Play (Neutral Ground San Francisco) on Saturday, May 16. About 160~170 people showed up, 8 rounds of swiss. You can skip down to the whole Weissman scenario, it’s near the end. Pre-Tournament info that no one cares about anyway: Well I had my last high school swimming competition of the year the day before, followed by a barbecue/party that night to celebrate the end of the season, so basically I had no time to prepare this deck. I’ve been playing Necro consistently for the last month or so, each week with slight variations. Lately, I had been experimenting with a B/U control/utility type deck which was basically Steel Necro with blue stuff and whispers for the card drawing engine. At the last minute I realized that it was kinda weak, so decided to play a B/U Necropotence deck, which I built at 7 in the morning the day of the tournament, finished in the car on the way there, and built my surprisingly effective sideboard out of the random stack of cards I brought with me. Deck Information: Originally, It looked like Donias 5color Blue was going to be popular and strong, so I thought some main deck choking sands would be a strong choice. With practically every deck on the Dojo’s "Decks to Beat" being at least 3 colors and relying on undiscovereds/cities/gemstones, I could perhaps deny them a color or two by running 4 Choking Sands and 4 Wastelands main. This was a risky decision, because with White Weenie actually being the most popular deck present, Quicksands are very effective at getting rid of En-Kor and ProBlack buggers. Playing 2 colors and needing 3 of one of them restricted my ability to play with colorless producing lands, so I had to give up the Quicksands. Deck List: 4 Choking Sands (big mistake, didn’t face a single 5cU. They did help a little, but should be moved to sb. No more than 2 main.) 3 Necropotence (don’t want to Necro for a Necro) 3 Drain Life (I ended up siding the other one in after every game, should’ve ran 4 standard. Playing 2 colors I wasn’t sure how effective they were) 3 Lobotomy (SO GOOD) 4 Dark Ritual (yes 4. Always worth drawing) 4 Bottle Gnomes (one of the best creatures in Type 2. They just mess with so many decks and are awesome with black and especially Necro) 2 Necrosavant (recursive; beatdown; gets through dumb walls; nuff said) 4 Edict 1 Spinning Darkness 1 Nekrataal 4 Nevinyrral’s Disk (rarely drew them…usually great cards) 1 Corpse Dance (Bottle Gnomes can be game winners vs. Anyone other than blue) . 2 Funeral Charm (never a wasted card) 1 Nightmare 1 Uktabi Orangutan 12 Swamp 4 Island 4 Wasteland 2 Undiscovered 1 Gemstone 1 Volrath’s Stronghold Sideboard: 3 Perish 3 Dread of Night 2 Gloom 2 Rebound 1 Touchstone 1 Drain Life 1 Spinning Darkness 1 Sand Golem 1 Corpse Dance I read a tournament report earlier that week in which another B/U deck had used Rebound effectively, so I thought it may be a good idea to try it out. Traditionally, Necro has a hard time beating itself (if you want to call my deck Necro, that is). A rebounded stupor nets 3-1 card advantage and rebounding a big Drain Life or 5color Blue’s Fireballs can mean game. Besides, who expects a Necro deck to tap an Undiscovered and fling that edict back at your Steel Golem? So, on to the tournament report. I apologize for not taking names. Everyone was really nice to me and the only player who’s name I did happen to get happens to be the one who ended up being a big crybaby in the end. Round 1. Mono Blue Static Orb-Propaganda using one Silver Wyvern for kill. A very nice adult and a fair player. Game 1. I managed to squeeze off a lobotomy in the mid game, which is when I found that he was only relying on that one Wyvern to win the game. The funny part is that it was the top or second card of his library…so if I would’ve waited a turn or two I could’ve removed it from the game and he would have had no way to finish me. He got an early Wall of Tears out and it stopped my initial bottle gnomes attack. I eventually got a Necrosavant into play, but by then it was too late as the propaganda-static orb was out. He beat me down before I could finish him off. Game 2. Damn I hate it when I start off losing. I mean you have no idea how this guy’s tie breakers are going to end up and if I lose one match now it means I have to go undefeated for the rest of the day. Luckily for me, I managed to win games 2 and 3 J I remember he got mana screwed on one of them. It’s amazing how much damage a bottle gnome can do because blue has a hard time killing those guys. And Necrosavant has his own recursion if I don’t see my stronghold besides. The choking sands actually helped a little this match as he had Sylvelunite Temples (comes into play tapped, sac for two blue) and Quicksands for his only creature removal. Matches 1-0-0 Whew! It ends up this guy actually did win most of his matches and was still in it around rounds 6 or 7. Round 2. U/G/W Tradewind Geddon Game 1. Ah…always feels good to play someone younger than me. I guess he was around 14…hadn’t seen much tournament play, but he had a strong deck. Maybe a dojo copier…who knows. Anyway game 1 is a total shlacking. This guy draws 4 Uktabi Orangutans in his opening hand. Now anyone who’s ever played Necro knows how bad they can mess you up. Basically I actually drew some Nevinyrral’s but of course they all got raped by the Sex Monkey and then it was my turn when they came after me. Game 2. Well shit let’s hope he doesn’t draw that next time. Game 2 was one of the longest matches of the day. I got out a first turn Necro which eventually won me the game. I kinda over-extended myself and was hit with a 4th turn geddon leaving him a bird and wall of roots on the table and me with nothing but the ‘potence. He places an island and says go and I’m thinking okay here goes nothing hope he doesn’t have a mana leak. My turn swamp tap ritual ritual choking sands the blue. It goes through…he doesn’t have a counter. Spin the bird. Edict. Pow! Now who’s side is clear?! So anyway I want to get up and dance but this Necro has cost me a lot of life and I know it won’t be hard for him to get his mana up again. Unfortunately, he doesn’t recover in time and Necrosavant rolls him over. Game 3. I got a good start, his game wasn’t as hot. Necrosavant and some Choking sands slow him down enough to let me smash him down. Matches 2-0-0 Okay! Looking better! Maybe this deck will work after all? Round 3. My best friend Ben Blue playing R/G Cursed Sliver. Crap! Out of all these people…why my friend? I know he’s got Uktabi’s and Cursed Scrolls, the perfect combination for smashing me. Yet, it seems that every time we play in a tournament I always end up beating him. We spend about 5 minutes calculating points and then we decide to just take a draw. Basically, if you want to make top 8, you’ll need at least 19 points. If we had played, then one of us would have to play the rest of the day without losing, and the other could take one match loss and be okay. If we drew, then both of us could still take a match loss and be okay. 6-1-1 is about as low as you could go, but it would still make it. So anyway they weren’t giving us lunch breaks so we drew it out and went to Burger King. This was the first time I noticed that Magic pro Brian Weissman was playing in the tournament…wow….someone you only heard about in magazines…one of the greatest Magic players of all time. Well, I’m thinking they might as well call it top 7 because the creator of THE deck is a sure-in. Round 4. Speed Black with Cursed Scroll. A young gentleman who eventually made top 8. Game 1. Three cursed scrolls hit the table fairly quickly. Damn. He was sitting there with one swamp in hand scrolling me for 4 a turn. I actually got him all the way down to 4. I got mana screwed this game…only drawing two swamps. Less swamps than he got cursed scrolls…and I’m playing with over 3 times as many…sheesh. And on top of it I didn’t draw a single button. If I could’ve just gotten one out I would’ve had no problem making a comeback as he had no other permanents and just a swamp in hand. Anyway, I basically bend over and the scroll spells out my doom. Game 2. Damn…nothing to sideboard really. Black can’t kill black creatures! He gets out an early bad moon and some shadow guys. 2 scrolls hit the table as well. Still can’t find a Nevinyrral’s. Get smashed down even quicker than before. Matches 2-1-1 Well crap looks like I’ve got to win the next 4 straight. That round was over so quick, I spent like 45 minutes playing Marvel vs. Street Fighter…great way to boost my self-esteem. Round 5. Middle aged man playing Steel Necro. His first name was also Brian. Hey…another guy named Brian playing Necro…he even kinda looked like me… Game 1. He got land screwed. I choked a stalking stones and he played some mind stones to draw cards but never made it back. Game 2. I never thought Steel Necro was that effective. I sided in Sand Golems and Rebounds and was all fired up that I would actually get to use my weird sideboard stuff. Unfortunately, I never got any of it. I got a Necro out first, but his stupors and agonizings managed to keep the card count about even. He nevinyrraled then put out a necro of his own. I managed to disk it away, leaving me with no cards in hand but his full of stuff. Not good. I started Necrosavant recursion via Volrath’s Stronghold. I went through a couple edicts and other stuff that way, but eventually he dropped another Necro so I knew he would win this tradeoff. I took a chance and decided to draw a new card…Necro! Yes! The one card that could have saved me. I played it and drew 7 cards. A couple huge drains puts me back on top and Necrosavant returns to finish him. Matches 3-1-1 3 to go… Round 6. Another adult playing white weenie with geddon and incinerates. Game 1. My gosh! Finally a white weenie player after hearing from everyone else that that was all everyone was playing today. I went first game 1 and he started his turn with the infamous mox diamond tithe plains combo. Not too shabby! He makes the mistake of laying a white knight first, so my edict does it’s job. I funeral charmed a soltari priest and then spinning darkness a repentant blacksmith. Lobotomy hit next removing the rest of his blacksmiths (wish there was something else to take). I don’t remember seeing the armageddons at this point, so maybe he sided them in against me after this game. I did see the Auras though…the only thing I fear more than his Uktabiness. Necrosavant and Bottle Gnome damage adds up and I take the win. Game 2. Here come the Dreads and Glooms. Unfortunately for him, Light of Day doesn’t hurt me too much…I wonder if he thinks I’m running black knights and stuff. My draw starts with a lot of land a couple rituals and a Necro. I think okay just get the Necro out and draw the good stuff. He gets out two white knights and an En-Kor really quick. I edict him, removing the en-kor, then drop Necro and draw 2. Both were Spinning Darkness. Freakin protection I’ve got no targets! Necro for more land, the knights run me over. Game 3. Okay…lose this and it’s all over. I get an early Necro on the table and manage to destroy his early creature rush. He geddons fairly early and I’m thinking I’m okay I have Necro but then I look at my hand and there’s only one swamp looking at me. I have a bottle gnome on the table. He plays a land and says go. Feels a lot like the 2nd match as I drop my swamp and ritual out a choking sands to kill the plains. He plays another and we both sit at one land for some time. Unfortunately, I’m taking damage for each card I draw. Somehow he thinks I’m making a comeback when I play a second land so as soon as he gets his second he disenchants my Necro for me! That bottle gnome almost rode all the way doing about 12 damage throughout the course of the game. He made another mistake when I funeral charmed him. He had a gemstone on the table and a Sleight of Mind in hand. As I had not played any Dreads/Glooms yet he pitched the sleight. Next turn, I drew a wasteland. Tapped all 3 and played Gloom. Next turn wasteland his Gemstone and it was sealed. I got another gloom and a Dread of Night out soon after. Another bottle gnome joined the first and the damage was finally starting to add up. He played a mox diamond and incinerated both of my gnomes, but at that point it was too late and I managed to drain him to death. Matches 4-1-1 Rolling on through! Round 7. I was talking with Ben about Weissman before the round and apparently he was playing Prosper/Bloom. I remarked that it would be kinda funny if I actually got a chance to play against him. Be careful what you wish for. Round 7 pairings went up and I gasped…there it was. Brian Rodrigues and Brian Weissman. Fuck. But I couldn’t keep from smiling. I mean, if this was how I was to go, then this was the best way. Everyone knew I was dead and it was funny to have all the judges and spectators watching our game. I didn’t have much confidence in my ability to beat his deck, but at least it would be a memorable match. I finish shuffling and Weissman asks to shuffle my deck. Like I can say no? So anyway while he’s shuffling he accidentally flips over a couple of cards and there is a swamp staring up at him. Well now he knows what I’m playing…but like I could accuse HIM of cheating. Anyway, game 1 starts. I win the die roll…confidence builds. I draw my starting hand. Some land, a necro, a ritual, a lobotomy, some jank. Wait a minute! I did a double take. There it was…second turn Lobotomy…the first time I’d drawn it all day! And against THIS deck too! Oh man someone was helping me that day… Anyway I get the second turn Lobotomy and take the Cadaverous. Weissman swears a few times, but seems okay. Did I make the wrong choice? I get out a bottle gnome and Necro. He starts powering up…filling up his hand and getting the squandered out. He impulses 3 times and vampirics once. I drop a Necrosavant and he concedes. Game 2. Gosh I was so happy at this point. I loved this deck for coming together when it mattered. Game 2 I have a pretty nice hand but realize there’s no offense in it. The only way I can beat him (without a draw like 1st game, that is) is to get a Necrosavant out quickly and beat him down. So I mulligan and seeing a Necrosavant and plenty of land decide to stick with it. He plays a Gemstone first. I’m feeling powerful so I lay a 1st turn wasteland and strip it. Poor guy…it takes him 5 turns to get another one. I lay Necro and start drawing cards. He really doesn’t seem to care…spends his whole turn swearing and cursing the game. In the middle of my turn I’ll declare to be Necroing for some cards…place them on the Potence, adjust my life counter, etc. Have to play right vs. Weissman and with all the judges right there looking at me. And the bastard is in such a hurry to lose he just goes ahead and starts his turn before I even see the cards. He’s swearing at my deck the whole time and I’m starting to lose a lot of respect for this guy. I have a Necrosavant and Bottle Gnome on the table, attacking for 6 a turn. There’s a Necro on the table, but I decide not to use it and go any lower. I get him down to 2 and then the combo goes off. I’m thinking I should’ve Necroed more and maybe gotten a drain to finish him. The combo is working perfectly and he’s got tons of mana in his pool. He prosperity’s for 9, filling my hand. He natural balances, taking me to 4 untapped land. When he finally gets enough mana ready, he casts abeyance on me. I REBOUND. What? Rebound? That’s right Mr. Weissman, I change the target to you…you cannot play any instants, interrupts, or sorceries this turn… His temper boils but he has the power sink, discarding through Cadaverous to power it. Foolish Weissman. You underestimate the power of Dark Ritual. Never let me draw 9 cards! NEVER. Ha ha oh man I’m so happy and he mana burns to death. YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! I BEAT WEISSMAN I BEAT WEISSMAN I BEAT WEISSMAN And you have never seen someone throw more of a bitch fit. He threw a temper tantrum like a 2 year old. And well, seeing as I had already spanked him and had no pacifier, there was nothing to do but let him cry himself to sleep. He runs off to complain to his friends, but I need him to go confirm the report. So anyway I manage to track him down and see him openly criticizing my deck. And I quote: "Stupid slow Black Blue deck with kill cards like Necrosavant" Excuse me? Mr. Savant beat you down twice. I swear he must’ve said the F-word (not sure how much I’m allowed to print on Frank’s page) like a billion times in that half hour. SIDE NOTE ABOUT MARK JUSTICE: What’s up with the pros always being dickheads when they lose? I was up at Seattle last summer for the Wizards Gaming Summer Camp. It was around the time where Vanguard first came out, and pro Mark Justice was showing us how to play with them, etc. He had this really good Gerrard deck with land destruction and little green critters. Anyway, he was playing against some 10 year old who used Sisay and managed to fireball Justice a couple times and toast him. Now you can only imagine how happy that little guy was…miles from home playing Magic by himself with a weird new card and he beat Mark Justice. Justice threw a fit and yelled in the kid’s face. Something like what is this stupid crap fireball for hella that’s not magic yadda yadda yadda. Later the next day he challenged me to a game of War Craft as I was the War Craft champ of the group. He was very confident, yet whined when I didn’t want to play high resources. After I quickly romped over him, he was quite angered and tried to play it off. Saying flat out to my face "You have no life". Damn I was so happy that I was going to Magic camp and got to hang out with Mark Justice and here he was insulting me like a little child. To all the other good Magic players out there, Erik Lauer, Donias, Mike Flores, I hope you guys are decent people as well as Magic players. Matches 5-1-1 Wow! Only one more to go! Last Match. U/G Awakening Tradewind Capsize Okay this tournament report has gone on long enough so I’ll wrap this up quickly. Game 1 I got a lobotomy through, and he had 2 Mana Leaks and a Tradewind. I chose to get rid of the mana leaks, leaving him defenseless for a few turns and once the Necrosavant hit the table he was in trouble. He managed to get the awakening/capsize combo going…until I disked it away and dropped a second Necrosavant. Having 2 of those guys on the table is not pretty. Game 2 I almost had him before he got the combo set up. This game took forever. About half way through I realized that I had lost. Either attempt to stall it out or concede right there and try to get him in the 3rd. I made the wrong decision and he finally finished me with only 3 minutes to go. I should’ve surrendered…there was no way his slow deck could have killed me in like 20 minutes anyway. So I got another draw and ended up 5-1-2. If I would’ve won, then I would’ve made it. But…crap…needed more time. Oh well, I still walked out of there with $40 in cards so that wasn’t bad. The Good - Dark Ritual for saving my ass on several occasions. -Bottle Gnome for being the biggest beatdown in all of magic. -Ben for staying in the tournament to improve tiebreakers. The Bad - That dickhead who made fun of me in his tournament report. So what if he made Top 8? That gives him no right to mock my deck. -The Player 1 side of Marvel vs. Street Fighter. The Ugly - Whoever has to change little Weissman’s diaper. Look, I know I got lucky man, but as a person, you stink. I had a chance to face a respected champion and came away disappointed.