Saturday, August 13, 2011

Bloodcrank at Main Street Comics and Games, Springfield, OH

My local games store runs standard on Thursdays!  So, two days ago, I gave my deck idea a try.  I've slowly been putting together a deck based around the beautiful mindcrank-bloodchief ascension synergy.  Also there's lots of red-black removal.

The deck is far from well-built (list to be supplied later) but there aren't enough staggershock and I failed to add any doom blade.  Or pyroclasm.  Oops.

Round 1: versus Robert and his efficient Red-Green creatures.  These were two quick games.  Both games opened with me getting a quick ascension, both eaten by acidic slime on his turn 4.  I handled obstinate baloth, but couldn't stand up to inferno titan swinging for megadamage.  Oof.  Games: 0-2.  Rounds: 0-1.

Round 2: Charles came at me next with his red-green-black deck, very similar to Robert's.  I died to different big creatures this time.  In game 1, I met my end to a few hits from a grave titan.  In game 2, I had a chance, but blew it.  I managed to get two ascensions on the board.  Before they could become relevant, however, along came acidic slimes 1 and 2.  I missed the chance to take out one of his mana-producing monkeys (Llanowar or BoP).  I did get two mindcranks and another ascension on the board, but had no artillery to finish the deal.  Grave Titan followed by primordeal hydra finished me off.  Games: 0-4.  Rounds: 0-2.

Round 3: I faced off against Brent and his mono-black vampires.  Sidenote: I'm not sure I'll keep hideous end in the main deck in future trials.  In game 1 we both mulligan down to 4.  I get two ascensions with one counter each but his tormented souls lead to bloodthirsted vampire outcasts which I couldn't handle.  Game 2 was a lot more interesting.  His plays were similar, though slower.  Just two turns before I was set to die, I had two ascensions, each with 3 counters and ready to go.  I'd been short on land---only two swamps---and drew a mindcrank.  Also in hand were a gatekeeper of malakir and a lightning bolt.  Brent hadn't seen me play mindcrank yet, so I stupidly played the gatekeeper, hoping to draw into a mountain or red source.  Next turn, I draw a swamp.  Oops: failure!  Had I played the mindcrank, then taken a bit more damage, the kicked gatekeeper would have won me the game.  Rounds: 0-3; Games 0-6.

There were five rounds, but my sleep schedule had taken some dino damage, so I sat down for my final round against Storm.  He knew my plan and straight up claimed he would out race me.  Awesome! :)  In game 1, I didn't have a chance; his red goblins swarmed me before I could get anything going.  Game 2 was a different story.  I had the ascension turn one, with lightning bolt and staggershock cast the next two turns.  On his third turn, he knocks me down to 9, but with less than 5 swingable damage showing on the board for next turn.  Turn 4, I drop a mindcrank; a gatekeeper is hiding out in my hand for next turn.  Sadly, Storm pulled out the hastey goblin for the next turn.  My last chance, shut down!  Rounds: 0-4; games: 0-8. 

Harsh.  I do think this combo deck has way more potential than it showed.  Looking back, I think I might include volt charge to help get counters on the ascension.  Unfortunately, I don't know a good way to protect the cranks and ascensions from hate.

The big story here is that all my opponents were very cool; this store is an excellent place to play! :)