Subject: PTQ:Mainz, Detroit, Oct 26th Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 12:45:01 -0500 From: Michael Brisbin To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Hi there, my names Matt Stapleford, and this is the report of how the Detroit qualifier for Mainz went down. My freinds Scott Lumley and Bryan Wimalasekera left London (ya canada eh!) at about 5:30...6:30? (stupid time change) for Detroit. We roll in at a bout 8:30, so we have an hour to start. Scott and I say hi some scrubs running the tourney (silly name like donut... oh ya Donais), but seriously me and Scott love coming to Mike and Jeff's tournaments because they run smoooooth as silk! Scott complains to Jeff about the last qualifier he went to of Jeff's (Columbus, Oh) where he just got edged out and placed 9th, (and he placed 9th at the Tempest pre-release in Toronto) so he's a little bitter. But on to the tournament... We all get the sealed decks to open and register but only 10% will get them back to play. I open up in my 5th starter:winter orb, orcish squatters, and elvish archers with some decent uncommons and a fireball Pack #1: Archangel (fat-angel), and a fireblast Pack #2: Retribution of the Meek, and a rockslide in general, I would have liked to keep this, but what can u do? they called out who got the decks they opened, not me... Then they passed out the decks randomly, and i was more than pleased to see my own deck back in front of me :) My Deck: Erg Raider Raise Dead Fallen Askari Wake of Vultures Python Pestilence Ashes to Ashes (god card of the format!) Fireblast Errantry Bloodlust Rockslide Fireball Orcish Squatters Quicksand Knight of Valour Retribution of the Meek Archangel(mondo beat down!) Sun Clasp Shield Bearer Remedy X2 Healing Salve Angry Mob Longbow Archer 5 mountains 6 plains 6 swamps 41 cards total Round 1:Forgot my journal at home so i dont remember all the names. Despite my shortage of creatures, my ability to prevent oodles of damage helps me win in three hard fought duels (this person end's up in the top 8) Round 2:Opponent plays a 4 colour deck, should be a cake walk... first game beat him grudgingly down to 8, then I fireball for 8, he reverses it...AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am anable to recover. Game two, tables are turned I get down my Archangel and I open a gigantic can of whip-ass! Game three, I have almost all land in my opening hand, and an erg raider. Get out the erg and proceed to beat him down to 8, he is colour screwed, but casts a gauntlets of chaos!?!?!?!?!?! he is so screwed that he has to take my plains to cast a wall of swords. (hes at 6 now) I attack with the ergs, he blocks, i rockslide the wall. Next turn I attack, he Miraculously Recovers his wall (now 4/6) and turns my erg into a fine red mist. At this point, I've drawn almost nothing but land! But salvation arrives in the form of an Archangel. I cast it and we proceed to stare at each other, him behind his wall, I behind my fat-angel. I cast some weenies (knight of valour, and squatters) he does as well. Then he draws and smiles (uh-oh), and elven caches his gauntlets of chaos. (AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!)So i promptly attack with the Sangel and he blocks with the wall, I bloodlust the angel and both die. He is dissapointed as he wanted to administer some angel beatdown of his own. he casts the gauntlets but decides to wait. So, since all of his remaining creatures were weenies, I attck with the Knight of valour, he dropps to 4. I bait him into taking my knight. Looks bad for me, but now I use the ace up my sleeve, I raise dead the Archangel...and he looks less than impressed. I cast it and feel quite smug. He draws, smiles(again) and casts Gossamer Chains, AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!. By this time I've drawn my fireball, but he still has two plains untapped(reverse damage). We both have three creatures, he keeps attacking with one, (mountain goat, I'm at 16 or 17). but he can hold me off. Then I draw and smile, I ashes to ashes his two blockers and attack, he reverses the angel, chains one and takes two. He's now at 7, I look at my 8 untapped lands and promply frieball him for seven. Tough match. Round 3:This guy is no scrub, I've played him in T1 tourneys before. We both get our decks checked, but the match is still over in 20 min. First game he draws 2 islands over 7 turns, counters my erg raiders, but come turn 7...ARCHANGEL!!!!!!. I sunclasp her and beat him into submission. the only damage I take is my own ashes to ashes. Game 2:Only one creature seen all game by me. Knight of Valour, but with a sun clasp and Errantry, I beat him down to 2 before he can muster an adequate defence, then I top deck a fireball and ball him for 2 (only had an island untapped:))Feel bad for him, but it passes quickly. Round 4:Not going into details, suffice to say his only offence over the two games was a Craw giant, and were it not for the Retribution of the Meek in my hand, I might have been concerned. Intermission: At this point only myself, Gary Wise, Gabe Tsang, and Bryan Goethals (sorry if i butchered your name bryan) are undefeated and Gary tells me outright that I am going down. Round 5:I play Bryan, and unfortunately Gary is right. First game Bryan whips out an Air Elemental, and I see zero removal and a whole lot of land. Game two almost same thing, but I manage to get out my archangel and errantry her, i hit him for 8, but then he undo's her and one of his own weenies and that pretty much spells the end for me. Round 6:PLay Scott Champigne, Similar to last round, but more humiliating, killed by a Sea sprite, while i have a fireball, and a rock slide in my hand.(4,2,0) Round 7:I've got to win this one. First game is a slaughter, I emerge victorious from the carnage, second game, he gets out a first turn magma mine, gets it up to 11 counters, boom! I'm at 11, I die! NOT!, remedy once again comes to my rescue, and then i proceed to Instruct him in the fine art of bludgeoning someone to death. Final score:5 wins, 2 losses After the number crunching Jeff comes up to me with a pensive look in his eye, yes thats right, I have picked up where my friend scott has left off, I place 9th. Three of the top 8 were people I had faced that day, Bryan, Scott C., and my 1st rnd opponent. Bryan and Gary Wise both split the money and are going to Mainz, which is ok cause I counldn,t have gone if I'd won anyway. Overall I played well and had fun, but i am a tad bitter. Hang loose all! Matt Stapleford, DCI#115800