Winter is Coming

It's time for some new hours for the cold months. All of our events will stay the same except for the chaos drafts. They will now be upon request, simply message me on Facebook and I will open the doors on a Tuesday for you as long as we have enough interest in the event. Also if our close time falls before the end of an event we will of course stay open through the event and likely for a while afterward. With that info lets take a look at our winter schedule.

Effective November 1st

Monday: 5pm-11pm

Tuesday: CLOSED

Wednesday: 5pm-11pm

Thursday: 5pm-11pm

Friday: Noon-1am

Saturday: 1pm-9pm

Sunday: Noon-5:30pm

If you have any questions please let us know via Facebook or phone call.

Making Mediocre Mythics Meaningful

I am sure many of you read the cardboard crack comics and saw their recent one about writing an article to try to boost the price of a junk mythic. If you've been reading my articles on Wizardden.com for awhile you know I was that guy who wrote an article on The Great Aurora. While I would still call it a junk mythic I assure you I legitimately play it and have grown to love it. Since the original article I wrote on the deck I have evolved the strategy thanks to local input from Ian Brune and fellow Aurora caster Rob VanNostrand as well as some Japanese pro players and their crazy deck lists. Many of you have been asking about my current list and today I will share it. I wanted to wait until I was happy with the list and sure of the direction I want to go.

Planeswalker (5)
1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2x Ob Nixilis Reignited
2x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

Creature (8)
4x Arashin Cleric
2x Nissa, Vastwood Seer
2x Ugin's Construct

Enchantment (5)
3x Demonic Pact
2x Retreat to Kazandu

Sorcery (13)
2x End Hostilities
3x Explosive Vegetation
4x Languish
1x Ruinous Path
3x The Great Aurora

Instant (3)
3x Abzan Charm

Land (26)
2x Blighted Woodland
2x Canopy Vista
1x Caves of Koilos
2x Fertile Thicket
4x Forest
2x Llanowar Wastes
3x Plains
4x Sandsteppe Citadel
2x Shambling Vent
4x Swamp

Sideboard
3x Dromoka's Command
1x End Hostilities
2x Felidar Sovereign
2x Gaea's Revenge
1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2x Rakshasa Deathdealer
1x Ruinous Path
1x Tragic Arrogance
2x Utter End

The first thing you probably noticed is the inclusion of Demonic Pact. That came for those crazy guys over seas, however they were all in on that plan and had next to no back up plan. While it is amazing and represents an 'Aurora count' of plus five if you use all three modes and kill a creature with it, I wanted to keep the control aspects of the deck in favoring wrath over ramp spells making the deck slower but more reliable. I'm not going to recap all the basic ideas of the archetype, you can find those in the original article here. What you do need to know is this deck involves a lot of counting. It is played best when you know the number of cards in both players hands and libraries without having to ask as well as the 'Aurora count' for each player at any given moment. Your life total is also an extremely important resource as it represents the number of turns you can wait to make your big play. Your goal here is to get to seven cards over them before popping your first Aurora to ensure a favorable post Aurora board. Prior to the release of Battle for Zendikar I had already made the change to Abzan to better answer some parts of the format and include the Pacts, but the new set added a whole new dimension to the deck.

Take a moment and read the Ob Nixilis emblem above and then do the math on the resolution of a Great Aurora. Sure an emblem isn't a reliable  main game plan, but it happens faster than people expect thanks to all the wrath and removal impeding their ability to stop the demon's ultimate. Gideon and Nissa also add a level of interaction to my early plays that the prerotation version was missing. The surprise all star I want to highlight the most though is Retreat to Kazandu. This whole deck is based on me trying to relive the glory days of Sphinx's Revelation through The Great Aurora but with the loss of Radiant Fountain the life gain was gone, well too bad Wizards because I made my own Radiant Fountains with the green Retreat and now they're even better because I can search them out with ramp spells and tap them for colors.

So far I have only dropped a single match with this deck, but before I can brag about my X-1 record you should know I haven't played as many events as I usually do this month. Going forward I am looking at adding Gideon's Reproach and Ultimate Price somewhere in here to better deal with the new version of Atarka Red since Arashin Cleric doesn't stump them like it used to. Be sure to check out Wizardden.com's new $10 Win-a-Box FNMS and our competitive thursday night standards where I will be playing the Demonic Aurora almost every week.

Weekly Win-a-Box

That's right, Wizardden.com is now hosting a weekly Win-a-Box event. This will be our Friday Night Magic 7pm Standard event. Last week we did this as a welcome back to Magic the Gathering for our owner Nick Crabbs but when we asked if people wanted to see more events like that we received a resounding yes. So here it is, check out our new FNM structure:

$10 Entry

Standard Format

Regular Rule Enforcement

Rounds based on attendance (5 round maximum)

1st place prize: Box or $108 credit

Everyone gets at least one pack

Additional prizes based on attendance and awarded to those with a positive record

FNM promo to 1st, 2nd and three random players

If $5 standard is more your thing we do have competitive standard on Thursdays. These are usually four rounds with a cut to top four and everyone gets a promo. Come on down and train with the best, join the ranks of players who keep placing higher and higher at pptqs and other local competitive events.

Big Weekend: Win-a-Box and Two PPTQs

 For those of you who don't know Wizardden.com's owner Nick Crabbs runs another business and this other business has devoured all of his free time to the point he hasn't played magic at all for most of this year. That's all about to change though, Nick is making time in his busy life to come back to our community at least for FNM. To celebrate this on the 16th we are hosting a Win-a-Box FNM, check out all the details below.

7:00pm

$10 Entry

Standard Format

Increased general prize support

Box of Battle for Zendikar to first place

FNM promos to 1st, 2nd, and three random players

3 boosters packs to anyone who beats Nick Crabbs

Swiss Rounds (no top cut)

Regular Rule Enforcement

Pizza provided by Nick

That is only the beginning though, Wizardden.com and Phoenix Fire Games have once again teamed up to bring you a double header PPTQ weekend. First up at Wizard Den on Saturday the 17th we have a $35 Sealed PPTQ. Remember that under the recent procedure update you get to keep the pool you open so no need to drop just because you see something super shiny in your packs. Phoenix Fire Games in Meridian will then be hosting a $25 Standard PPTQ on Sunday the 18th. As with all our team up weekends there is a discount special, it will only cost you $50 if you register for both events at the same time. This can be done at either store, but you must register for both events at once if you want the discount. The key points of each event are below.

Sealed PPTQ

10/17/15

Wizard Den

$35 entry

11am Registration

Noon Player Meeting

Competitive Rule Enforcement

Top 8 Draft

$200 First Place Travel Stipend

Standard PPTQ

10/18/15

Phoenix Fire Games in Meridian

$25 Entry

11am Registration

Noon Player Meeting

Competitive Rule Enforcement

Top 8 Cut

$200 First Place Travel Stipend

$50 Combined Entry can be purchased at either store.

PPTQ Recap and a Look at Week 1 Standard

Hey everyone, Josh here with wizardden.com. What a week it has been! The excitement of the prerelease is still in the air, week one of standard is in the books, and here in Boise we had our first BFZ limited PPTQ which I am happy to say I took down. I look forward to traveling back to the RPTQ and am hopeful that I'll be able to finally achieve my goal of reaching the Pro Tour.

Today I would like to briefly touch on some of the lessons I learned at the PPTQ as well as some of the cards and archetypes that can lead to great success in BFZ draft. I'd also like to talk a little about the first SCG Open that happened in Indianapolis over the weekend. It is my hope that this content will drive your BFZ experiences in both limited and constructed to be...

We'll start with the PPTQ. I showed up at the first shop I ever played at, All About Games, at 9AM, the event started at 10 but after having moved out of the direct Boise area I really wanted to try to add a little extra time to be able to see my Boise friends and RogueT3ch teammates. I felt light and bubbly like I always do at a limited event until I got passed my pool. My great friend and someone I consider my limited mentor Tim Z ended up shipping his pool to me during deck swap and after glancing over the pool I started to re-evaluate my relationship with Tim. My rares consisted of 2x Beastcaller Savant, 2x Sanctum of Ugin, Zada, Hedron Grinder, and Defiant Bloodlord. My thoughts were as follows: "Tim is a wizard. He controls the packs and what is inside of them. Why would he do this to me unless he has my downfall in his sights??" I shrugged it off and gave him grief after building a R/G Landfall deck that splashed for Skyrider Elf. After both of us had a fair laugh at my expense I went outside to swear at the sun for my misfortune.

Round 1 I played a fellow who I had seen his name but never met, Gene Chandler I believe. we had a great match of magic with both of us playing a R/G Landfall deck. Not a lot of heavy hitting happened but the games all came down to the wire and I walked away feeling very lucky to have started my day 1-0.

1-0

Round 2 I found myself playing good friend and former teammate from the old Team Pro Soul days, Matt Englebart. Matt has played on the Pro Tour a few times and is always very precise in his games of magic. His deck didn't disappoint either, all six of his rares made his deck in some way or another and cards like Endless One as well as Serpentine Spike were giving me the shakes the whole match. Somehow (I'm still trying to work out all the details myself) my double Beastcaller Savant as my only rare in the deck pulled off the win in two games and I was feeling much better about my odds of at least getting to draft.

2-0

Round 3 another friend Charlie Hodges and I squared off. I took my first loss of the five round event to a deck that both Charlie and I agreed wasn't great but sure had some staying power. Game one I had him at two 2-3 times, however, incremental life-gain via Ondu Rising and Courier Griffin was enough to turn the tides and allow him to pull of game one. Game two was underwhelming but more or less the same, Charlie gained life and went very wide and I just couldn't keep up.

2-1

Round 4 I played against Shannon who's last name slips my mind. She was on a U/B control deck that I had no business winning against. Game one she decimated me with removal and efficient creatures and game two a string of 1/1's and lands led to a quick concession on my behalf.

2-2

With a fairly low turn out at PPTQ's in our area I knew 3-2 could still make top 8. I wasn't overly excited to see I was paired against Kyle Monson who has been playing for years and is a very talented player. He was very underwhelmed by his deck as well and our games went my way. I was quite nervous about getting the win and didn't note much about his deck as this round had to be all business for my tournament to continue. I felt lucky to have won here which boosted my confidence going in to the draft.

3-2 7th Seed for Top 8 draft.

With draft time coming up I realized I hadn't drafted this set, I hadn't even thought about drafting this set as the last article I had written was  prerelease primer for wizardden.com all about the Battle for Zendikar sealed format. I asked my only loss during prerelease weekend Alex Starr if he had drafted and what the format was like. I didn't get a lot of answers but I at least felt better talking about the format then going in completely blind.

Pack one I found myself with a very weak pack and took Sunken Hollow as a "well at least I get a rare if everything goes south from here." I then found myself drafting blue flier after blue flier and coupling it with some great fliers in black and getting some removal as well. The real highlight of my deck was the singleton Halimar Tidecaller and double Clutch of Currents. I was able to use these to tempo my opponents out and keep flying over until my opponent hit 0. All of my matches went as planned. I had to fight through Evan Nelson who went in as the two seed round one. He was on a U/R devoid deck that was able to take me to a game three where I was able to come out way ahead with my tempo spells, winning with two removal spells and another flier in hand.

Round two was a grind and included what was probably the best game of magic I had played all day. Dan Brubaker is a guy I always enjoy playing as it is always all fun and smiles. Game one I was able to get ahead with my fliers early despite being on the draw and produced far too much board presence for Dan to keep up. Game two things didn't go so well, I found myself at two life while Dan was sitting on a cool 20. He exerted a lot of force and cards in the early game which allowed me to stabilize, I made a great triple block on a Vestige of Emrakul when he had Stasis snare in hand which allowed me two 1.5 for 1 myself and get back ahead on board. Several turns later the game had turned around and I had 2-0'd my way into the finals.

I sit down across from Jim Greaves who laughs and says "Rematch from the Pre-Release finals." I guess it is I though after having squared off against Jim in the finals of the midnight prerelease. Our games were very close but the power of Halimar Tidecaller showed. I was able to get two lands in the air among my arsenal of fliers and was able to take down the match 2-0 and lock myself in for the first RPTQ of 2016.

I learned a lot about the draft format and a lot of my inclinations were correct. Fliers are huge in this set. A lot of the efficient creatures spend their time on the ground and it is very hard for those decks to handle an arsenal of fliers. This makes cards like Giant Mantis great as well as Eldrazi Skyspawner, Windrider Patrol, Malakir Familiar and pretty much any flier other than Kitesail Scout. I also learned that removal is great but don't over prioritize it. You'll get your Demon's Grasps late and should really only be prioritizing the good stuff (Complete Disregard, Touch of the Void, Grip of Desolation, Stasis Snare, Unnatural Aggression) 3-5 removal spells will make your deck sound and paired with a few fliers and a great ground game you'll find yourself in a great position.

I would like to briefly touch on standard now that we have the results of the first major tournament. Abzan is still in the heezy as they would say with more copies of Abzan aggro making day 2 of the event than any other deck. Does this mean that Abzan is still going to be the wrecking force it was last season? My answer would have to be no. The format is still in it's infancy and it is easy for players to revisit an old favorite when a set comes out. You know the cards are good and you can find functional reprints of the cards that are now devoid (get it, devoid) from the deck. This theory is backed by the fact that only one Abzan variant (control) made the top 8 and was promptly eliminated.
The decks that a lot of people will be gearing up for will be Michael Majors G/W megamorph as well as the explosive Atarka Red that Brian Demars championed at the event. I've listed the two decks below for reference.

 Brian Demar's Atarka Red

4x Abbot of Keral Keep
2x Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh
2x Lightning Berserker
1x Makindi Sliderunner
4x Monastery Swiftspear
4x Zurgo Bellstriker
4x Atarka's Command
3x Become Immense
3x Temur Battle Rage
4x Titan's Strength
4x Wild Slash
4x Dragon Fodder
4x Bloodstained Mire
2x Cinder Glade
1x Forest
8x Mountain
2x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills

Sideboard

3x Arc Lightning
2x Fiery Impulse
2x Goblin Heelcutter
4x Hangarback Walker
2x Roast
2x Thunderbreak Regent


Michael Major's G/W Megamorph

4x Deathmist Raptor
4x Den Protector
4x Hangarback Walker
2x Hidden Dragonslayer
3x Nissa, Vastwood Seer
4x Warden of the First Tree
3x Wingmate Roc
4x Dromoka's Command
3x Valorous Stance
4x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1x Blighted Steppe
3x Canopy Vista
3x Flooded Strand
6x Forest
4x Plains
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills

Sideboard

3x Arashin Cleric
3x Evolutionary Leap
1x Mastery of the Unseen
1x Radiant Purge
2x Silkwrap
2x Tragic Arrogance
1x Valorous Stance
2x Whisperwood Elemental

Personally, I am a fan of Major's deck. I didn't get a lot of time to brew up a new standard but the one deck I put a lot of hope in was G/W Mastery of the Unseen. Cards like Dromoka's Command, Den Protector, Deathmist Raptor, Hidden Dragonslayer, and the new diamond in the rough Felidar Sovereign were all things that peaked my interest after having played the original for several weeks last season. I realized that a lot of the decks losses came from simply not having enough time to win once you reached 100 life. Felidar Sovereign would put a stop to that.

While it wasn't the exact list that Major's took to the finals I brewed a similar list at the end of spoiler season. I think that there are a few variations that can be made to give the deck game against the entire field. I've tinkered with my original list and made a hybrid of the deck I originally brewed and Major's powerhouse. I think that this is where the list will turn in order to have a lot more game and to get a lot more free wins.

G/W Megamorph

4x Deathmist Raptor
4x Den Protector
2x Felidar Sovereign
3x Hidden Dragonslayer
3x Nissa, Vastwood Seer
4x Warden of the First Tree
4x Whisperwood Elemental
4x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
4x Dromoka's Command
3x Mastery of the Unseen
1x Blighted Steppe
4x Canopy Vista
2x Flooded Strand
8x Forest
4x Plains
4x Windswept Heath
2x Wooded Foothills

Sideboard

3x Arashin Cleric
3x Evolutionary Leap
3x Radiant Purge
3x Stasis Snare
3x Valorous Stance

I hope that this information on both limited and standard will give you a jump start on winning in your local area or on Magic Online when the set drops on Friday. I'd love to hear any critique to the Megamorph deck so feel free to drop me some comments on here or tappedout.net.

Thanks for the read and happy battles,

Josh Kreiter