World of Warcraft TCG- WARNING, LOTS OF CCG RELATED BLATHERING HERE. For those interested, since I know there are Magic players, I will try to use terminology familiar to you. If there are actual WoW TCG players here... well, you should play me on MWS at some point. Anyhow.
21 folks showed up at the Realm Qualifiers. I was running an undertested deck in a metagame I wasn't too familiar with yet. A winning combination.
After a few last minute adjustments courtesy of friends, I was ready to go. I myself was playing "Black Ice" Fizzlefreeze, an Alliance Frost Mage. The deck itself was built around the combination of Myriam Starcaller (an untargetable ally who deals significant direct damage to a hero by tapping) and Frost Mage (a Frost Mage only ally who could tap to do damage to all opposing heroes and allies, as well as prevent the damaged ones from attacking). It also runs numerous protectors (think blockers) to guard Water Elemental and Myriam, inspire allies (allies who untap things in your possession at the start of your opponent's turn) and Nether Fracture (a Counterspell for everything). The deck is very fierce if it gets going and can lock a game down quick. The main problem is that a faster deck can keep it from ever getting a board going.
To save time and space, my first three matches were against Kil'zin of the Bloodscalp, a Horde Traitor Shaman. To put it simply, this is an awful match-up for me, as the deck is incredibly fast and the Shaman's cheap burn is nearly impossible to play my normally durable protectors around (think a very fierce rush/burn deck). If I can actually get Water Elemental or Myriam to stick, I can win the game. The problem is that relies almost entirely on Kil'zin running out of steam early or making mistakes. Thankfully, that's what I got.
Match 1 my opponent makes a mistake and misses a kill which gives me game 1. Game 2 he edges it out. Game 3 I edge it out.
Match 2 is pretty straightforward. Better draw wins the game. Him game 1 and 3, me game 2.
Match 3 goes to time and hits sudden death with us at 1-1. My opponent makes a huge mistake and loses in sudden death, despite the game being his based on his draw.
Next up I face Lionar, Horde Traitor Warrior. Its a pretty straight forward deck that controls the board, puts precious on with aggressive allies and then drops a fatty like Ishanah to win the game. Game 1 I managed to stall out and deal almost 20 damage with Water Elemental alone. However, he proceeds to drop A'dal (0/10 ally who prevents all damage). I have no real answer and hope Sayge (remove the top card of their deck from the game and you can play it) will hit one. He gets out Ishanah (at the start of my turn, I have to give him one of my allies) and I opt to fold. Game 2 plays out like the first one, except he never gets the chance to stabalize with A'dal. Game 3 is... ugly. He hits all his ally removal very quickly and I can never get a board against him.
Match 5 is a Rogue which is... pretty uneventful. Frankly, the deck had absolutely no way to deal with Water Elemental once it hit the table, and no way to win if it was active. Game, set, match.
At this point, 3-2 with 21 people, I figure I'm done, but hang around just in case. Turns out the guy I beat Match 3 places 4th, which gives me killer tie breakers. We also have very few 5-0's (1) and 4-1's (3?) which puts me solidly in 5th. Whoah. Top 8 it is. We move from Swiss to single elimination.
Match 1, the Return of Kil'zin. Same guy I played in Match 3 of the Swiss stuff. We both play a lot better this time. We drag it out to game 3, where he hits a total shit draw. Without solid answers, he fries.
Match 2, the Return of Lionar. Same guy I played in Match 4. Game 1 is a pretty clean shut out. Game 2 is... interesting. Much more aware of his deck this time, I keep an opening hand with my own Ishanah, and play carefully, watching for the danger turns (8+ for Ishanah and 10+ for A'dal). Thanks to my preparedness, I'm ready to drop my own Ishanah as soon as A'dal hits the table. Nevertheless, he still figures he's set and plays Sayge to mill my deck and hopefully deny me answers... then remembers I'm going to gain control of it unless he has another ally to pass off. Thus he plays Brok Bloodcaller (4/4 Ferocity[Haste] that dies at the end of the turn if it has no damage on it). Then remembers that its going to explode at the end of his turn. The rest of the game is slow and hilarious as he decks himself digging for a way to solve the problem of my board.
Match 3, the Return of Kil'zin, Mark II. Same guy as Match 2. It plays pretty much the same. Game 3 was particular ugly as he hits a hideously good draw and top decks a solution to my Elemental before it can go off.
However, this still puts me in second, which is still solid prizes (6 packs, a sexy deckbox, extended art cards and an invite to the Regional Championship in Seattle).
Whew.
