So this weekend I was planning on attending the new Magic: Origins per-release held by a local game store. I was planning on attending all 3 events today they were holding starting at 8:00AM.
Unfortunately living an hour and a half away (yes this literally is the closest magic store for me) away this meant I have to wake up and be on the road by no later than 6:30AM, by now you’re likely assuming what I did not accomplish (hey it was Saturday night, what do you expect me to do?)
So I missed the first per-release and didn’t wake up till roughly 11AM, this meant I wasn’t going to be able to attend the noon per-release as well. However checking the store calender they conveniently post on their website I discover they have a Legacy tournament that same day. This meant I could still attend something at the time and hopefully have a good time.
However I was concerned because I like a lot of people didn’t have a legacy deck. I was a modern player.
This was an issue largely resolved when my brother offered to let me borrow his modern burn deck, of which $120 and a 12 cards later I turned it into a pretty decent looking legacy burn deck (I think) and proceed to pay my $5 measly dollars to expect to lose horribly and be told my deck sucks (I play in a very Johnnyish modern/standard meta).
This was completely, and entire different from what I experienced. My first match was against an individual playing a very different deck from what I’m used to playing against and I still haven’t quite figured it out to be honest. He was playing Mishra’s Factory in a mono blue shell. I figured he was playing some form of a lands deck. Then on game 2 he drops a Phyrexian Dreadnaught on me turn 3 and stifles the ETB trigger….
Yep I was introduced to legacy all right, I lost horribly and could’ve felt horribly. However during the course of the entire game my opponent and I talked and joked the whole game. I even told him about my day (of which he quickly apologized that he had to be the first player I played).
This alone kept me in good hopes even though I got my ass rather thoroughly kicked.
Game 2 I played what I assume to be a variant of Loam Aggro.
Fair deck vs fair deck? This’ll be good for me I hope. It was.
Lighted I didn’t blow the player out of the water we traded blows up till game 3 with me ultimately winning the match (each game we ended below 5 life). This not only helped feed my secret inner Johnny (I won a match after all) but realized my little $100 burn deck could actually compete.
Then I met counter top on match 3. Boy I heard about this combo and didn’t think much, then I played it. Light I don’t think this guy was playing miracles because all I ever saw were cantrips, counters, top, counterbalance, and monastery mentor. Lighted I was competitive the entire game I kept the pressure on (I think) that only a burn deck can do.
I discovered that the top is really hard to kill (cause well, it can defend itself with it’s second ability) So i gave up and decided to try to play around it. Unfortunately I lost….. However I still had a great time.
Game 4 I was playing for fun at this point. I’ve had a great time so far and even though I was playing for the honorarily of a booster pack given to every player who signed up I still wanted a competitive match up against a great deck, although I was playing in the gutter rounds.
Well guess what. I got what I wanted, I played Show and Tell.
I was expecting some deck I would trample all over (like whenever I got into the gutter rounds in modern) and be sad because I was left with that (I feel disappointed whenever I play against a horrible deck with an “okayish” deck).
Turn 3 Emrakul anyone? Holy crap.
Well game 1 I was blown out of the water obviously. On game 2 I boarded in all my blue hate (only 4 pyroblast) and threw in my 2 smash to smithereens just in case ( I have every game so far after all). Boy I surprised him on game 2 with that (no one expects the red counter right? He conceded afterwards)
Game 3 it was down to the wire, I kept a hand with 2 mountains, 1 pyroblast, 2 burn spells (had to mulligan twice due to no mana sadly). I played semi conservatively and even proceeded to draw an additional pyroblast (I was feeling good).
Drops the Show and Tell, I pyroblast, he counters with Daze, I counter again with the other Pyroblast. Boom he drops Force of Will. He gets the Omniscience, I drop an Eidolon of the Great Revel.
He dropped Emrakul getting an extra turn. He attacks I take going to 4 (he’s at 3) I sacrifice my board to annihilator and hope to draw a mountain for the lightning bolt in my hand.
Doesn’t happen. He proceeds to draw his library and win.
What did I learn? Burn sucks and I shoulda dropped $1000 on a deck right?
Nope I learned that even though I didn’t win much match wise I could compete in Legacy (all my matches went to round 3, well except the first one) and I was excited.
I liked playing Legacy (likely due to all my opponents I had a great interaction with). They made playing in Legacy great for me. In fact I even discovered that I liked playing legacy burn more than modern burn!
Next week the same store I went to will be hosting a tournament for an Autism Benefit, I don’t expect to win, but I’m gonna go and play and hope I do a better job next time. I think I’ll need some Pithing Needles for this time so make a few refinements and lets see how far I get!
Big thanks for Epic Loot Comics & Games in Centerville, Ohio for hosting a Legacy tournament in the middle of per-release I had a great time.
Disclaimer:
This article was posted by an individual who decided to wake up and spontaneously play a format he knew nothing about. Don‘t take anything posted in this article as playing advice or even relatively seriously).
-Joshua Lee
10leej Rants, Raves, Rages 