GP Sydney 2018 Finalists
Preface:
This tournament report was originally posted to Reddit, but I've decided to move it here as my first blog post.
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| Aidan, James, and I in the Top 4. |
Greetings all. Over the weekend I had the privilege and good fortune to be able to make the finals of GP Sydney with my teammates while piloting affinity. My teammates were on GR Tron and Grixis Control, and we had a fantastic time both preparing for and playing in the tournament, and are looking forward to playing on the PT as a result of our finish (which is still taking a while to sink in). I thought I'd write up a bit of a tournament report and discuss some of my deckbuilding/sideboarding choices. You can find a link to deck lists here (scroll down to the bottom).
The Deck
I made a few choices in building my deck based on our expected meta and where Affinity is at the moment. I've been playing the deck for a couple of years now and love the versatility and the edge that you can gain by tweaking small parts of the 75. An important thing to bear in mind while discussing this is that we were preparing for a team GP, which is slightly different in that it forces a slightly wider variety of decks to be played, and we're at most 33% to play against each of the possible hateful sideboard options from our opponents. I'll mostly be skirting around side boarding specifics, those will be up in another blog post. The main decisions I made in deck building are as follows:
- 1 Welding Jar main, 1 in the board.
- 1 Thoughtcast, 1 Crane, 2 Galvanic Blast.
- 3 Master, 2 Champion main, 2 Champion in the board.
- 3 Steel Overseer.
- No whipflare in the board.
- 2 Spell Pierce in the board.
- Hazoret the Fervent.
Going through these one by one, we start with the jars. Jar has become a relatively important way for affinity to survive with so many blood braid elves running around cascading into rude things like kolaghan's command. It fuels MOpals, turns KCommand into a 1-for-1 by making your opponent shatter/shock the same thing if they really want it dead, and then trades for another removal spell. Despite this, it's very weak in multiples, and doesn't help enough against decks such as Humans. Thus, I wanted access to 1 in the main, 1 in the board.
Next up, coloured spells. Since I first picked up the deck, I've been firmly in the 4x Galvanic Blast camp. The card is busted, and lets you win some games you have no rights winning. Despite this, it's not the card I want to see every game in the current meta. Most matches don't come down to opponents stabilising on 4 or less life like they used to, and they don't have individual threats that need dealing with. Games instead regularly have a quick flurry of early damage with some large hits getting one player down to about half their life total, followed by positioning in the mid game while someone tries to find a spot to with with another large, all out attack. Although blast is still fine in this type of game, thought cast and glint nest crane are much better. Frank Karsten suggested to me on twitter that I try the 1-1 split, and I have been blown away by it. The two cards are quite different in terms of the rolls they fill. Thought cast is for high velocity racing, whereas crane offers you a value play in the mid game with great card selection. Due to their different roles, I think it's important to have one of each, as it allows you to sideboard usefully against different decks.
Master/Champion splits are always interesting to look at. In the lead up to the event I was playing 3/2 champ/master main with 1/1 in the board. This was a concession to both UW and Jund being quite popular both online and in paper after the unbannings. As the weekend approached, however, it became apparent that Jace and BBE weren't going to have the impact we expected, and we decided that a 2/3 split would be better. Despite this, I never leave home without 4 champions in the 75. 3 mana progenitus is always a card I'm interested in.
In order to make room for an extra flex slot than the normal affinity deck has access to, I had to find a cut somewhere. Steel overseer ended up taking one for the team, as it's quite poorly positioned at the moment. It excels in metagames where it doesn't die immediately every time, or when taking a couple of turns to get your creatures big enough to punch through a board stall is a good plan. Unfortunately, with the exact nature of the format's main control and aggro decks, both of these scenarios are rare in modern at the moment.
In making our side boarding guide, my team and I realised that whip flare was only good in matchups that i was already heavily favoured (mardu pyromancer) or matchups that we didn't expect to see much of. Sideboard space is too tight for a card like that.
This is the normal countermagic/hand disruption slot for the board. Since Aidan was on grins control, he had the thoughtsiezes, and we decided to go with spell pierce to help protect against Stony Silence, and also give me a bit of protection against some of the more off the wall combo decks like Ad Nauseam that we thought there was a chance of facing given that it was a team event.
Hazoret was phenomenal all weekend. Of all the games I drew her, I only lost 2. The first time I was dead on board and don't think any card in the deck could have won, the second I whiffed on the 4th mana source 4 turns in a row after my storm opponent shatter stormed me twice. I hit it eventually, but a turn before he was able to kill me with electromancer beats/casting 4 spells and a grapeshot.
Next up, coloured spells. Since I first picked up the deck, I've been firmly in the 4x Galvanic Blast camp. The card is busted, and lets you win some games you have no rights winning. Despite this, it's not the card I want to see every game in the current meta. Most matches don't come down to opponents stabilising on 4 or less life like they used to, and they don't have individual threats that need dealing with. Games instead regularly have a quick flurry of early damage with some large hits getting one player down to about half their life total, followed by positioning in the mid game while someone tries to find a spot to with with another large, all out attack. Although blast is still fine in this type of game, thought cast and glint nest crane are much better. Frank Karsten suggested to me on twitter that I try the 1-1 split, and I have been blown away by it. The two cards are quite different in terms of the rolls they fill. Thought cast is for high velocity racing, whereas crane offers you a value play in the mid game with great card selection. Due to their different roles, I think it's important to have one of each, as it allows you to sideboard usefully against different decks.
Master/Champion splits are always interesting to look at. In the lead up to the event I was playing 3/2 champ/master main with 1/1 in the board. This was a concession to both UW and Jund being quite popular both online and in paper after the unbannings. As the weekend approached, however, it became apparent that Jace and BBE weren't going to have the impact we expected, and we decided that a 2/3 split would be better. Despite this, I never leave home without 4 champions in the 75. 3 mana progenitus is always a card I'm interested in.
In order to make room for an extra flex slot than the normal affinity deck has access to, I had to find a cut somewhere. Steel overseer ended up taking one for the team, as it's quite poorly positioned at the moment. It excels in metagames where it doesn't die immediately every time, or when taking a couple of turns to get your creatures big enough to punch through a board stall is a good plan. Unfortunately, with the exact nature of the format's main control and aggro decks, both of these scenarios are rare in modern at the moment.
In making our side boarding guide, my team and I realised that whip flare was only good in matchups that i was already heavily favoured (mardu pyromancer) or matchups that we didn't expect to see much of. Sideboard space is too tight for a card like that.
This is the normal countermagic/hand disruption slot for the board. Since Aidan was on grins control, he had the thoughtsiezes, and we decided to go with spell pierce to help protect against Stony Silence, and also give me a bit of protection against some of the more off the wall combo decks like Ad Nauseam that we thought there was a chance of facing given that it was a team event.
Hazoret was phenomenal all weekend. Of all the games I drew her, I only lost 2. The first time I was dead on board and don't think any card in the deck could have won, the second I whiffed on the 4th mana source 4 turns in a row after my storm opponent shatter stormed me twice. I hit it eventually, but a turn before he was able to kill me with electromancer beats/casting 4 spells and a grapeshot.
What we played against
My memory is definitely not great when it comes to these matches, exacerbated by the fact that a decent number of my matches didn't finish, and when they did I immediately started watching another match with completely different decks. I don't even remember whether or not I won or lost each individual match, it wasn't at all important to us. I won't comment on all of them, just the interesting ones, and I apologise if I make any mistakes in my recollection. For reference, we had Tron in the A seat, me in the B seat, and Grixis in C.
Day 1
Humans - storm - Jund, W
Having a teammate (Aidan) who knew exactly how the current storm configuration and gifts piles work was incredibly helpful, as he was able to tell me exactly when I was dead and should concede. It didn't matter though, James began his crusade against the human menace and Aidan won the JtMS v BBE grudge match.
Having a teammate (Aidan) who knew exactly how the current storm configuration and gifts piles work was incredibly helpful, as he was able to tell me exactly when I was dead and should concede. It didn't matter though, James began his crusade against the human menace and Aidan won the JtMS v BBE grudge match.
KCI - Bant Company - Jund, L
I misidentified my opponent as being on bant knightfall and sideboarded a bit incorrectly. This round it was my turn to be the expert in how the combo deck worked, and I was able to inform James exactly when he was dead to KCI (on turn 3 through his turn 3 Karn).
I misidentified my opponent as being on bant knightfall and sideboarded a bit incorrectly. This round it was my turn to be the expert in how the combo deck worked, and I was able to inform James exactly when he was dead to KCI (on turn 3 through his turn 3 Karn).
Storm- 4c shadow - Humans, W
3 Mana progenitus (Etched Champion) wasn't bad, and Aidan proved that Snapcaster is the best human by far.
3 Mana progenitus (Etched Champion) wasn't bad, and Aidan proved that Snapcaster is the best human by far.
Eldrazi tron - burn - Lantern, W
I misplayed slightly against my opponent, playing a blinkmoth on turn 2 instead of a darksteel citadel. This left my turn 3 master at 3 toughness, and it died immediately to a searing blaze. I am able to win the match though, and Aidan gets to tell his Lantern opponent what they're allowed to draw with the help of his friend and mine, JtMS.
I misplayed slightly against my opponent, playing a blinkmoth on turn 2 instead of a darksteel citadel. This left my turn 3 master at 3 toughness, and it died immediately to a searing blaze. I am able to win the match though, and Aidan gets to tell his Lantern opponent what they're allowed to draw with the help of his friend and mine, JtMS.
Gb tron - Jund - bogles, W
Humans - ponza- burn, W
This was pretty tight, coming down to me v ponza. I was able to sit back on a champion long enough to build up a board state and he's a few mana short of being able to trample over my progenitus with kessig wolf run.
This was pretty tight, coming down to me v ponza. I was able to sit back on a champion long enough to build up a board state and he's a few mana short of being able to trample over my progenitus with kessig wolf run.
Hollow one - Humans- g tron, W
We lock up Day 2 by beating the eventual winners of the GP in an intense game 2 against humans where I have to go all in on an inkmoth as my only permanent while facing down Kataki. My hands are shaking from nerves as I manage to draw runner runner darksteel citadels to keep attacking and he runs out of blockers.
We lock up Day 2 by beating the eventual winners of the GP in an intense game 2 against humans where I have to go all in on an inkmoth as my only permanent while facing down Kataki. My hands are shaking from nerves as I manage to draw runner runner darksteel citadels to keep attacking and he runs out of blockers.
Humans - g tron - hollow one, W
I equipped Hazoret with cranial plating. It was amazing. 10/10, would recommend.
I equipped Hazoret with cranial plating. It was amazing. 10/10, would recommend.
We finished day 1 at 7-1, in really good standing and looking forward to the next day. We had a nice dinner with some fellow Canberrans and headed back to bed.
Day 2
Bogles - blue moon - lantern, W
This was a really tight match against blue moon. His moons did a lot of work game one, but didn't do anything game 2 and we get there.
This was a really tight match against blue moon. His moons did a lot of work game one, but didn't do anything game 2 and we get there.
Dredge - Storm - Eldrazi & taxes, W
A really interesting matchup in all three seats. I die because of the aforementioned whiff on a 4th mana to Hazoret, and we all crowd around for a really intense matchup of Grixis Control v Eldrazi and taxes, where we have to think really hard about how we're going to beat each of the cards in his hand after a T1 Thoughtsieze and subsequent Vendillion Cliques.
A really interesting matchup in all three seats. I die because of the aforementioned whiff on a 4th mana to Hazoret, and we all crowd around for a really intense matchup of Grixis Control v Eldrazi and taxes, where we have to think really hard about how we're going to beat each of the cards in his hand after a T1 Thoughtsieze and subsequent Vendillion Cliques.
Titanshift - Dredge - Humans, L
These guys were on a rampage all weekend, and finished at x-1 I believe. We faced them again in the quarter finals. I got there against dredge thanks to Rest in Peace, but Aidan draws 7 lands in a row against Humans and we fall to x-2.
These guys were on a rampage all weekend, and finished at x-1 I believe. We faced them again in the quarter finals. I got there against dredge thanks to Rest in Peace, but Aidan draws 7 lands in a row against Humans and we fall to x-2.
Grishoalbrand - G Tron - Humans, W
This wasn't fun at all, as these guys are all good friends from Canberra. I played with 2 of them in the last GP Sydney (as Aidan and James are nerds and don't like limited), and we were all dreading having to face each other. I'm able to push through tron, and we watch Aidan win a soul-crushing game against humans where both players mulligan and our friend on the other side of the table Lachlan couldn't quite find enough gas.
This wasn't fun at all, as these guys are all good friends from Canberra. I played with 2 of them in the last GP Sydney (as Aidan and James are nerds and don't like limited), and we were all dreading having to face each other. I'm able to push through tron, and we watch Aidan win a soul-crushing game against humans where both players mulligan and our friend on the other side of the table Lachlan couldn't quite find enough gas.
Humans - Jund - Affinity, W
3 Mana progenitus did work and we get to 11-2, we think we're locked, but...
3 Mana progenitus did work and we get to 11-2, we think we're locked, but...
Living End - Madcap Moon - Humans, L
We get paired down into a team that has to win to lock up top 4, so can't ID. We lose a tight one. I didn't see the madcap experiments coming out of the board, and play a bit too conservatively in game 3, taking an extra turn to go for lethal in an attempt to play around cryptic. He slams Empyrion and I have a bad time. I also didn't attack with a Cranial Plated Vault Skirge, not knowing that I'd still gain life despite the empyrion. I'm a bit flustered going into game 3 and forget to re-sideboard, and so don't have grudges for g3 like I should have. We die to another Empyrion just as time is called. Our other friends and fellow Canberrans Jim, Simon, and Ivan who won the last team GP in Sydney are also on a win and in and are paired against the leaders of the swiss. They get dream crushed, which is a real shame, but it opens up the window for us to sneak in on our breakers, which had been fantastic all weekend. After an excruciating 45 minute wait spent pestering our friends on the Judging staff, we finally hear that we made it in, and are immediately swamped by friends coming to congratulate us.
We get paired down into a team that has to win to lock up top 4, so can't ID. We lose a tight one. I didn't see the madcap experiments coming out of the board, and play a bit too conservatively in game 3, taking an extra turn to go for lethal in an attempt to play around cryptic. He slams Empyrion and I have a bad time. I also didn't attack with a Cranial Plated Vault Skirge, not knowing that I'd still gain life despite the empyrion. I'm a bit flustered going into game 3 and forget to re-sideboard, and so don't have grudges for g3 like I should have. We die to another Empyrion just as time is called. Our other friends and fellow Canberrans Jim, Simon, and Ivan who won the last team GP in Sydney are also on a win and in and are paired against the leaders of the swiss. They get dream crushed, which is a real shame, but it opens up the window for us to sneak in on our breakers, which had been fantastic all weekend. After an excruciating 45 minute wait spent pestering our friends on the Judging staff, we finally hear that we made it in, and are immediately swamped by friends coming to congratulate us.
Top 4
The quarter finals is a rematch against the Titanshift - Dredge - Humans lineup that had been crushing all weekend. I am unable to cast rest in peace before my opponent develops a board of 3/3s and 2/2s, and I die. Lukily, James gets there after playing his 7 mana double stone rains (Karn) against Titanshift, and we watch a nail biter of a game 2 and then game 3 as Aidan attempts to win us each 1.5k usd. We fetch and shock down to 15 on turn one on the draw to thought seize and get a look at our opponents hand of 4 lands after they played out a vial. We're able to craft a careful gameplan around our assumption that Aidan would play well by drawing infinite removal spells, and he skilfully ignores all of the lines of play that I suggest because I'm stressed and he's a master at playing grixis.
The finals beckon, and we set up against our opponents from round 7 on Hollow one - Humans- g tron. The tron player is another Canberra local, and the other two were Sidneysiders who we've all played multiple times at various PPTQs and at Nationals. This is a really tense match, with each player focusing basically on their own match and not being able to offer much assistance to their teammates. I'm able to get a game up agains humans (despite his really cool play of casting phantasmal image as a copy of my Etched Champion), but he equalises in another tight game where I struggle to keep up and he's able to stay ahead the whole way. We go to game 3, and see that all our teammates are also shuffling up, and 3 game 3s start together. This time, my perfectly serviceable hand doesn't have a ravager, and I play a turn 3 master and hope he doesn't play the Kataki. He does, and I'm not quite able to hang on. Just as I'm about to extend my hand I hear Aidan say that he died, and James' opponent Jessica swings for lethal. We congratulate the winning team on a job well done and are once again met by all our friends.
Wrapping Up
Despite the Grand Prix Finalist plaque that is currently sitting on my shelf, it still hasn't quite sunk in yet. This probably isn't helped by the fact that after a celebratory dinner with our friends from round 12 we had to drive all the way home because someone (James) had classes the next day. Overall, the weekend was amazing, and I had a fantastic time playing sweet magic alongside (and unfortunately against) some of my best friends. We put a lot of effort into preparing for the event, and it was a relief and a surprise to see it all pay off so well. I also didn't have to play against Stony Silence once, which is pretty insane. I want to thank all of our opponents for the weekend. They were almost all lovely human beings who pushed us to play some of the best magic we've ever played, and many of them came up to us late in the tournament to check how we were doing and to congratulate us on our successes. The judging staff for the event were also great, as normal, and were a fantastic help all weekend. Thanks also to the entire Canberran contingent at the GP, our community is awesome and the support you gave us was much appreciated, especially our carpool buddies Phil and Tyler for the endless banter. Lastly, and most of all, thanks to my teammates for being the best there ever was, and absolutely crushing it. We're looking forward to the PT where I'll most likely be running back a similar 75, and hope to be able to continue this success.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this, I know it's a bit of a long one :). If you have any questions about my list/sideboarding choices, feel free to ask. If you have any questions about my teammates' lists, feel free to ask too and I'll pass them on. James has started a thread on the Tron subreddit here, Aidan has also done a write up from his perspective playing grixis control here, and I'll be posting the full sideboard guide we came up with for Affinity in a later blogpost.
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