Subject: Shallow Miserable Shrieking Hermit Date: Mon, 1 Jun 1998 15:28:06 -0400 From: "Mike Ahern" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com I never done a tournament report before and I didn't intend to before this tourney, but it was a good time and I wanted to share it and ask for deck advice from whoever is willing and able. I've been playing Magic since the Dark came out but I'm a mediocre player at best. I just don't have the time to play more than a coupl of times per month. I rarely do well at tournaments - probably due to a combination of not playing enough, building my own decks which I don't have time to test, and perhaps worst of all, I love to play green. I can never seem to learn that my big green creatures will get Disked, Wrathed away, or countered. Anyway, As I was cruising through the DOJO looking for ideas I ran across Autrijus Tang's "Day of the Hermit". This sounded like a fun concept. So I had to try it. The first tournament I went to I tinkered too much with the deck. I took out dark rituals; I added 2 forests so I would not completely deck myself, I put in a couple of LLurgorfs. Anyway it flopped miserably. But I felt it still had promise. Here's the deck I used for this week's Gray Matter tournament in New Jersey that drew about 40 Type 2 players. It's much closer to his deck but not an exact copy. Lands : 19 cards (I was too scared to go to 17) 4 City of Brass 4 Undiscovered Paradise 4 Gemstone Mines 2 Reflecting Pools 2 Underground Rivers 2 Pine Barrens 1 Volrath's Stronghold Creatures: 25 cards 4 Hermit Druids 4 Shadow Guildmages 4 Birds of Paradise 4 Wall of Roots 3 Sage Owls 2 Ukatabi Orangutan 2 Necrotogs 1 Nekrataal (I admit copy this card in - what does 187 mean?) 1 Revenant (kept switching between 2 and the Nekrataal) Spells: 17 cards 4 Vampiric Tutors 4 Shallow Grave 3 Dark Rituals (considering 4) 2 Haunting Misery 2 Soulshriek (considering more) 2 Impulse (great card - too bad it's blue) Artifacts: 2 cards 1 Scroll Rack 1 Mox Diamond (all I have, If I get another, I take out 2 Undiscovered?) Total 63 cards Differences from other decks I'd seen were I had no counters, and I tried soulshrieks. I built the sideboard in about 15 minutes, suggested improvements requested 4 Cities of Solitude (my 2nd favorite card) 3 Warmth 3 Chill 2 Gloom 2 Light of Day (what was I thinking???) 1 Primal Rage (useless, never used it) I should have used pyroblasts and disenchants looking back. If you don't know, the idea to to get a Hermit in play ASAP. then cast shallow grave, haunting misery, or soulshriek with your entire library sitting in the graveyard. Seems simple enough. OK here we go - 6 rounds of Swiss. I didn't write down names I apoligize. Everything from memory, and I've been known to have lapses. Round 1 vs WW I found WW is an easy matchup for this deck. Wraths and Armagedons are a problem but turn 3-4 turn kills with the Hermit are good fun!! Game 1: He got out a Solatari Monk and was beating me down a little. I tutored for the Hermit on turn 1, played him on turn 2. And on turn 3 or 4, I cast Haunting Misery. He looks at the graveyard and says sure, I activate the Hermit and kill him. (I know - read on). Game 2: It got a little trickier. I got the Hermit in play. He played a Black Knight. I was about to play a Gloom but he played an Aura of Silence. He said that was in case I had ideas of playing Gloom. I showed him my Gloom. I have no Miseries but I draw a Shallow Grave. Unfortunately my Revanant is in my hand. Fortunately he attacked with the Black Knight. Cast Shallow Grave, activate the Hermit, dump the library into the graveyard, put the Necrotog on top, attack with the 'Tog. remove creatures from graveyard. Turn 4 or 5 - I don't remember. We called the judge to verify I can set the order of the graveyard and put the 'Tog on top. Matches 1-0, Games 2-0 Round 2 vs WGU Paul ? This was a counterspell, Gaia's Blessing, Gerard's Wisdom deck Game 1: He could not draw anything to save his life (literally). I think he countered 1 Hermit but I Shallowed Graved it, Haunting Misery with a Dark Ritual by turn 4 or so. I thought he would have another counter after an Impulse but he didn't. Game 2: He Paris mulligans twice. Then I think he got all land. This game was a little strange and must have been frustrating for him. I didn't get a Hermit or a Tutor so I literally beat him down with a Sage Owl, a Shadow Guildmage and eventually an Orangutan. The final blow was a Soulshriek on the Sage Owl for 1 (I had a Wall of Roots in the Graveyard). Matches 2-0, Games 4-0 Round 3 vs Pendrell Mists, Nature's Revolt, Propaganda This match was against a 15 or 16 year old kid (I guessing the age), who certainly knew more about Magic than me. But he seemed to have an attitude and was very smug about it. It seemed that he cared more about winning than having fun, but whatever. I did however learn some things from him so it wasn't a total waste. He knew immediately that I was playing "That Hermit Deck". Let me digress a little. Several people seemed to know completely my deck (Hell I didn't even know it as well as them), yet I heard of no one else amongst the 40 players using it. If they know all about it why aren't they playing it if a scrub like me can win with it? Plus it's a really fun deck. Ok, on to the match. Game 1: I get out the Hermit and I go to do the Haunting Misery thing and he Memory Lapses it. I try again next turn and he Memory Lapses again. 3rd times the charm and then he says hey it's too late to use the Hermit after the Haunting Misery because the creatures are a cost and there is nothing in the graveyard. (See, I told you he was smarter than me. It only took 2 Memory Lapses before he picked up on it). OK, so we call the judge and they rule in his favor; Now I'm upset because I'm sure I right, wasn't this in the Duelist. The judge says the Duelist is not the final authority and I can call the rules person on Monday if I want. I ask what good is that - I guess they keep records or something but it's no help to me. I say fine, whatever, I'm pissed (and I rarely get pissed). We had to call the judge back again to see if my Hermit had activated (leaving me with no library). I argued that because we backed up to complete the Haunting Misery I could no decide not to use my Hermit. The judge let me have it. It didn't matter because I lost this game. We also called the judge after he dropped Pendrell Mists to confirm that I can't use a creature to upkeep itself. (I told you I'm a scrub). Eventually he gets his Nature's Revolt going to clear my side out and he has a Sky Diamond to upkeep his island and beat me down. Game 2: I'm totally disgusted with Haunting Misery and side them both out (another unsmart thing to do - after all I'm bringing in 4 Cities of Solitude - duh). It doesn't matter because I get out the Hermit and Shallow Grave, Put the "tog on top - He says I can't do that - I say call the judge. Game Over. Game 3: I've got a lot of stuff out about 5 turns into the game. I don't remember if I had the combo but I was certainly close. He's got a Pendrell Mists down but no Diamonds. I think I was 1 mana short of Shallow grave, activate Hermit and pay some Propoganda. He seems panick and drops Nature's Revolt at that time. My side is cleared out but so is his. He thinks he'll get me because I went first. He counts both libraries (I guess his deck was more finely turned than mine - Gee I started with 63 cards). Anyway it turns out that we both have 1 Mox Diamond in our decks with a way to win. I wasn't even thinking of his land beatdown method. I had my own plan. Play a land, Dark Ritual and Shallow Grave a Necrotog. I start saving up the appropriate cards and I discard a Necro on top. Next turn I play a Land, I go to tap it for the Dark Ritual, but he says it has Summoning Sickness. Damn. that's at least 3 times he's been right and I've been wrong. OK so i wait for the other 'Tog. I hold it until I got the Mox Diamond, Then I discard the other 'Tog. Next turn play the Mox, Dark Ritual, Shallow Grave. Take that!!! I got to my Mox about 3 cards before he got to his, and since time was almost done the judge was sitting there watching us as we drew through our decks. Matches 3-0 Games 6-1 Afterward the judge came by and showed me the Duelist. It clearly said I had to activate the Hermit before casting Haunting Misery. I aplogized and asid thank you. I suddenly felt guilty about the 2 guys I had beaten previously. The WW didn't matter because he had no counters. But the judge said don't worry about it. Serious PROPS for the judges. I feel like calling the rules person just to compliment them. OK, what did I learn from that match - 1)how Haunting Misery and the Hermit work, 2)you can't upkeep a creature with itself, 3)lands have summoning sickness from Nature's Revolt, and 4) one more thing - my opponent was gracious enough to tell me why the scroll rack was in my deck - I said I thought it was to cycle through my deck for the right cards. He said yes but I can also use it to keep from decking myself with the Hermit as long as I have cards in hand - That in itself was worth the anguish of this match!! How many more things do I need to know to move up to "Scrub - Second Class"? Round 4 vs another Gerard's wisdom, Gaea's Blessing, Counter Spell deck Gene ? Gene and a friend of his are totally amazed that a Hermit Druid deck is 3-0. What do they know that I don't? Probably a lot ;-). They're pretty sure I must have played scrub opponents (maybe), gotten incredibly lucky (probably), and haven't come up against Sligh yet (true). There are a lot of really smart people playing Magic!! Game 1: I think I misplayed stuff here but I'm not sure. I ended up drawing a Shallow Grave, a Hermit that gets countered, a Revenant. I cast the Revenant, thinking I could then Shallow Grave the Hermit and attack with the Revanant, but he Incinerates the 2/2 Revenant. Then I draw a Haunting Misery. Ok I'll just Shallow Grave the Hermit and ..... oops, what's this stupid Revenant doing on top of the graveyard. Ok so I attack sheepishly with a 2/2 Revenant and than use a Guildmage to put it back in my hand like I planned it all along. I doubt I fooled him though. Anyway, things just don't seem to be working out as he Gaea's, and Gerard's his way to mucho cards and life - I resign. Gene says "yeah, that deck can't do more than 25 damage anyway can it?" I ask if I have to answer that. I decide to hold my tongue and hope for a Shallowed 'Tog with him at 40 life next game. BTW, I'm going to throw in my pet peeve here; players who play really fast and ask you if you are done the "instant" you stop to think. I've gotten used to it; I just "interrupt" them and say, "no, I'm thinking"; But it can be annoying and tends to make me go slower. I'm sure I am annoying when I play too slow but I don't think I'm that slow. And if I speed up too much I forget stuff like upkeep and putting Undiscovered Paradises back in my hand. If they are worried about time then don't play blue! If they are doing it for some sort of intimidation advantage I don't think that's sportsmanlike. Slow down and enjoy the game and try to be patient with the less experienced players. Game 2: Things are looking up as I cast a turn 3 City of Solitude. So why did a Tutor for another City before casting that one? I'm a DUMB, SCRUB that's why. If I Tutor for the combo I think I might have won this one. Instead I drag on looking for the combo and he eventually earthqukes me to death (me of the painlands). Matches 3-1, Games 6-3 Round 5 vs. Sligh Game 1: I get a GOD draw: 2 Dark Rituals, 1 Tutor, City of Brass, Haunting Misery, Shallow Grave. I play the city, tutor for the Hermit. Done. He plays a mountain. I cast the Hermit. He Incerates my Hermit. Turn 3. I play a DArk Ritual, Shallow Grave the Hermit. I activate him with the City of Brass (See I can learn how to play this game), I dump the library into the Graveyard ans cast Dark Ritual, Haunting Misery. Game 2: Nearly a repeat of game 1 - Unbelievable. My only land however was a Reflecting Pool. Let's Play!! I manage to topdeck a City of Brass. He actually made it a little closer with a turn 3 Ball Lightning, This time he Fanaticed (sp) my turn 2 Hermit. But turn 3 carbon copy of game 1. YES !! guys - I did beat a Sligh deck !!! BTW what am I supposed to side out when I put in the Chills and Warmths? Any advice - I never know what to take out. Matches 4-1 Games 8-3 Round 6 vs. yet another Wisdom, Gaea's blessing, counterspell deck This deck depends on Howling Mines and Winter Orbs and I think is trying to deck you to win. I figure it's a good match-up for me because I have lots of mana producers and putting lots of stuff in the graveyard can't be bad for me. Game 1: I don't see a Hermit or a Tutor for quite a while. I wonder if I need Worldly Tutors. I eventually try to tutor for Hermit, he mana leaks it, I Dark Ritual, He manaleaks, I Dark Ritual, He plays his 3rd manaleak. Geez. Then, when I'm all tapped out he plays a winter orb and a Wrath. (Oh he's got Diamonds as well so Winter Orb is no Problem for him). He's got Propoganda of course and everytime I get a couple mana producers out he Wraths. I resign. Btw this was a very long game. Only about 20 minutes left. But that's not a problem for the great Hermit Druid. In the middle of writing this my friend in my Baseball rotessirie league just called and we closed a deal. I traded Kerry Wood and Charles Johnson for Javy Lopez and Troy Glaus. BTW, in my world, hitters are Green and Pitchers are Blue - That's why I have Griffey,Bonds,Sheffield,Thome, but deal people like Kerry Wood and Roger Clemens. (See, there are other things in life besides Magic). Game 2. Turn 1 I play a City of Brass and a Bird of Paradise. He discards his only land and plays Mox Diamond. I play a land and tap out to play an Orangutan, brilliant that I am. Turn 3 I bring out the Hermit. Turn 4 Activate the Hermit. Attack with the Monkey and SoulShriek. Game. Game 3. GOD hand #3. Turn 1, City of Brass, Bird of Paradise, Mox Diamond, Tutor for the Hermit. Turn 2 I try to Monkey his Diamond again but he mana leaks it. Then I think I played a City of Solitude followed by a Hermit. Turn 4 or 5 Activate the Hermit, and Haunting Misery. Game. And with time to spare. Matches 5-1 Games 10-4 Remember: "Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while". It turns out I ended up 3rd of 40 after the tie breakers. The top 2 go on to booster draft with the winners of type 1, extended and sealed. As I watched them passing cards before I left I figured just as well I lost. I wouldn't know what to draft other than Hermit Druids and Shallow Graves. Strategy discussion: Looking for advice to improve my deck (Please hold the comments about improving my play). I looked through the following cards for potential: Blossoming Wreath (instead of Warmth?) Gravediggers(Bring back my Hermit to me, to me) Bone Harvest (similar idea, and prevents decking myself) Blood Pets (They can attack (soulshriek), where Wall of Roots cannot - and sacked at the right time add to the combo Bottle Gnomes Similar to Bloodpets Soulshriek (how many is right?) Worldly Tutor Elven Cache Isn't there an enchantment that let's you dump cards into the graveyard to prevent damage? I was originally worried about the attack "going through", hence the Primal Rage. This seems to be unfounded so things like Ebony Charm, Winter Blast are unnecessary. But how about Seedling Charm?