Return to Ravnica Prerelease Recap - Event #1

elderdurdlehighlander:

So my store hosted a midnight shindig, and right now I’m completely totaled from going all the way to 8 in the morning and only sleeping until 1:30. However, somehow I’m conscious so that has to speak to something, right?

This prerelease was insane. We had 80 people, the largest prerelease I’ve ever been to by far. (Considering I don’t live in a thriving Magic community, given that we only really have two stores that organize prereleases…yeah, it was an accomplishment.)

We sat down, got our product, and opened up. First, let me say how neat the little guild packs are. You get the cute little sticker, a guild die, and the nice little box. It’s an adorable little package, and it helps give you an idea of how everyone’s playing the night.

As I went up, I noticed a vast majority of the players in the event (a good 60-75% of them, in fact) were playing G/X, whether it be Golgari or Selesnya. Apparently, most of the tryhards thought Selesnya was the way to go for winning your Sealed event (and I guess because our first place guy picked Selesnya that was sorta true), but honestly I thought Azorius was the safer pick for a clean first place, and literally out of the 80 people who did the event I think maybe 4-5 went Azorius.

What did I go?
Izzet, of course. :3

Basically, every card I need from this set for EDH is in Izzet; I need virtually every rare in that guild except for Nivmagus Elemental. I’ve created my initial U/R EDH list for now, and it contains all of those rares in it.

So, what does my guild pack contain?

…Nivmagus Elemental, of course.

It was disappointing, for sure, but I didn’t open TERRIBLE. My rares ended up being:
-Nivmagus Elemental
-Firemind’s Foresight
-Rakdos, Lord of Riots
-Hypersonic Dragon
-Temple Garden
-Supreme Verdict

So as you can see, the EDH player in me went giddy with delight; I made out like a bandit. I can make a Rakdos EDH deck super easy (though doing it without infinite combos will be painstakingly difficult), and Zedruu will love Supreme Verdict. My Niv-Mizzet now gets the option to run either promo or non-promo Hypersonic Dragon, and opening 2 is pretty good from a Limited standpoint.

I felt like running Grixis was the option here. I had strong Unleash creatures, a Stab Wound, and getting Rakdos out would truly be living the dream.

Round 1 - vs. (I always forget his name! >.<) (Golgari/Rakdos)

This guy is a familiar face, but because I always end up completely braindead from all the overtaxing of my brain, I always forget what his name is. Solid guy, great attitude.

He was playing Jund, but because he didn’t play either Corpsejack Menace or Carnival Hellsteed I honestly forget what guild pack he got. Regardless, game 1 was a nightmare for me because he spammed Unleash creatures and stomped me. So I knew I had to find a way out of this mess.

I looked to my sideboard, finding a Lobber Crew, the 0/6 flying defender, and not one, but two Doorkeepers. That and the -4/-0 overload card were easy additions.

Game 2, he could not for the life of him punch through my walls, and by the time I started dropping fliers he needed to Launch Party his only attackers at me. It wasn’t enough, though, and eventually my burn spells to the face won me the game.

Game 3, he got horribly landscrewed and I dropped Hypersonic Dragon while he was on 3 lands. Vs. Jund, hard to come back from.

1-0

Game 2: vs. Viktor (Azorius)

Good LORD, this game was stupid. His pool was the absolute motherfucking nuts; he opened Hypersonic Dragon, Isperia, Supreme Verdict and Detention Sphere in addition to the Archon. One of the most busted pools I’ve ever seen, it was seriously so nuts. I had absolutely no chance here, but I managed to get him on a mistake he made in game 2 that at least got me a point for not getting smashed.

A memorable play was finally getting Rakdos out on the field only to have him Traitorous Instinct it. Sometimes, I hate my life.

1-1

Decided to go the route of RUG after that, seeing as in 6 games I cast Rakdos once despite holding him 5 times. I had another defender, two Plummets, and some other goodies in green, anyway, and it seemed much more consistent.

Game 3: vs. (the only random of the night) (Selesnya)

This poor kid looked like one of the new guys. I completely smashed him. It was awful because in game 1 I went Doorkeeper-Doorkeeper, Explosive Impacted his Loxodon Smiter, and bounced his Grove token. I got the god-draw that game and I honestly felt bad.

2-1

Game 4: vs. Justin (Izzet)

Justin had the silliest deck ever. Double Nivmagus Elemental.

Game 1 I lost to - you guessed it - Traitorous Instinct. I drew nothing but lands when I needed ANY of my X/4’s to hold off the assault.

Game 2 I was on the backburner because I got stuck on lands, and by the time I curved out his board position was too strong. It’s silly because I mulled to 6 and kept a 3-lander and didn’t see land for four turns after I dropped that third land. So dumb.

2-2

Game 5: vs. Andrew (Golgari)

Andrew’s deck was weird; he was playing Jund, but he had a Defender subtheme with 2 Axebane Guardian and the guy who can attack if you have Gates. The problem was, I had all the right spot removal for his creatures and when my Ooze token-maker made an 8/8 in game 2 after I dropped double Dragon he knew he was in deep shit. Eventually, I got him down and won in 2 games, but it was heavily influenced by how tired he was; by this point it was 5:30 AM and we were all looking pretty damn knocked out. Still, I have a knack for keeping focused when the time calls for it.

3-2

Game 6: vs. (Andrew’s friend) (Golgari)

PACK RATS OP HOLY SHIT

sided in another Electrickery game 2. Didn’t see the Rats game 2 or 3, so I just killed every threat he played and double Dragon / milling him out got me there.

4-2

Game 7: vs. David (Selesnya)

I haven’t played against David in a while and we were both pretty happy to be playing each other in the final round.

He got me game 1 by Populating the Grove token in response to me attempting to bounce it. Twice.

Games 2 and 3 were all about playing the right defenders to survive the onslaught, and I eventually did, using Lobber Crew to deal him about 12 points of damage.

5-2

So as prizes were divvied out, I ended up with 4 packs. I opened:

-Hypersonic Dragon
-Conjured Currency
-Grove of the Guardian
-Slaughter Games

which is depressing as fuck tbh.

Can’t complain; I cruised through yet another Sealed event, like I have a reputation for. My absolute pile of Defenders + Dragons got me to 5-2, so I’m happy.

I leave for the next prerelease event in an hour. Wish me luck! <3

(Also, if you have any crazy plays from your prerelease, feel free to submit them!)