Subject: T2 New York States & Suicide Black Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 17:25:08 PST From: "wil jenkins" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com So everyone is concerned about Academy. Well, I was one of those that believed (from reading off the dojo) that Sphere of Resistance would help make life real difficult for it. I also did not believe it was all that great. Up until Saturday I had only read about the deck. What was particularly annoying (especially for me) was the number of counter/phoenix decks. This I had not prepared for at all. It's not enough. It slows them down, but not enough. It is was a very, very blue day for my very black deck. Deck list was the following: 4 carnophage 4 dauthi horror 4 dauthi slayer 4 black knight 4 knights of stromgald 4 sacromancy 4 dark ritual 4 durress 4 bad moon 3 cursed scroll 4 wasteland 17 swamp sideboard 4 wall of souls 4 sphere of resistance 2 perish 2 stromgald cabal 3 ashes to ashes 1st round vs. draw go game 1, fast creatures beat him down, I think he played grindtone game 2, he is at 16 life when he plays energy field, then he plays his kill card, grindstone, I play five creatures, he never gets double grind, he grinds me to the card I needed, durress, attack for 15 damage, he drew nothing, game 2nd round vs. academy game 1, ritual out 2 knights first turn, more creatures and bad moon, he had nothing and I saw little, I win game 2, sphere of resistance slows him down but he goes off on turn five game 3, as above, I lose 3rd round vs. counter/phoenix game 1, I am beating him down to 2 when he earthquakes for 7 and making the game a tie game 2 and 3 were all about him putting down land after land until there was little I could do, I lose 4th round vs. suicide black (YAAA!!!) game 1 was all him with huge unholy strength creatures to kill me, dead. But I am happy because I see Erg Raiders. game 2, I have him down to 2 before he gains control of the board with unholy strength creatures, but then I lucked out and drew a scroll, my game game 3, this time he does play Erg Raiders and I play wall of souls, this was mostly my game, I won 5th round, my opponent never showed 6th round, vs. red black/bridge game 1 he gets the bridge after I deal some damage and then I get a scroll and win the scroll race, I win game 2, I ritual 3 creatures and kill him before he can get three land after he Parised once, game 7th round, vs. counter/phoenix game 1, whatever, I get beat down after having my creatures wiped out, and countered game 2, as above Finished the day 3 wins, 3 losses, 1 no show Only thing different I could say is I would change my sideboard to deal with Academy, Lab, and Phoenix by adding to the sideboarding Pox, Bottomless Pit, Ankhs or Oppressions. This may have helped. My guess is not much though. This version also loses to Necro. Normally I would use Ankhs. Of the three, Ankhs are probably the best choice. Maybe 4 Ankhs and 2 Pox. When I sideboarded this in, it shattered Necro. Sure enough my fear of Academy weakened my deck against other strategies. Live and learn. Wil Jenkins angelpix@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com