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Destroying Dreams
 
 
 
 
Written by Dan Bretherton
 

Hey people. Some of you may know me some of you may not. My name is Dan Bretherton or as some people call me Destructor Dan. My first tournament was the Stronghold Pre-release and I’ve been playing competitively ever since (with a few breaks here and there). The name Destructor came about when I was about the only decent junior on the New Zealand magic scene (This was Before Cole, B.C. for short). The big boys couldn’t believe it when I smashed them so the name Destructor was coined. Andrew Plinston came up with it and Dave Williams kept it going.

Before I start I’d like to add that I have never written a tournament report before, so bear with me.  In fact I’m only writing this one because last weekend was possibly the best weekend I have ever had playing Magic. It started at FLM where I managed to go 3-0 with Ravager. While on the subject I’d just like to say that FLM is the best thing ever to happen to Hamilton Magic. The level of play here has increased so much in the last year or so. Once upon a time I was the only good junior in Hamilton. Now we have players like Andrew MacIntyre, Henry Gammon, Hemi Witehira and lots of others who are getting better with every game. There are also the slightly older guys like Nico Johnston, Leighton Archer and Morgan Baines (just to name a few) who have all stepped up a level. Above them is “the old guard” keeping things together. Players like Tony Wooton, Dave Williams and Grant Anderson are the foundation on which this scene has been built on. By the way, I’m sorry if I missed any names out there are so many players to name (Hi Gavin J). All in all it is a very healthy scene with old and young, boys and girls and most importantly big turnouts.

Back to the report. So Friday night was over and I was feeling reasonably chuffed with a 3-0. At that point I pretty much decided to keep the deck the same. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. In hindsight I would have changed this deck quite a bit (I knew about Furnace Dragon tech but didn’t play it) but that’s a different story which I will talk about later. Anyway heres what I played:

Ravager.dec

 4 Ornithopter
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Frogmite

4 Myr Enforcer

4 Welding Jar
4 Skullclamp
4 Pyrite Spellbomb
4 Tooth of Chris-Goria
4 Shrapnel Blast

4 Glimmervoid
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Great Furnace
4 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard:

4 Tree of Tales
4 Oxidise
4 Genesis Chamber
3 Stabiliser

Pretty standard BR ravager really. I decided to go for the all out aggro version not seeing the point in playing blue for Thoughtcast (just to draw an extra card). I still don’t think it is worth it unless you’re playing stuff like Aether Spellbomb, Seething Song, Furnace Dragon and Mana Leak. I’ll list a revised build later.

So Sunday morning I wake up still half pissed from the night before (after multiple dreams about Glissa). It was a friend’s 2lst and I swore I wasn’t going to get too pissed (Good one Dan). The 1st thought that came to my head was Magic. Then sleep. Then Magic. And so on until I finally dragged myself out of bed.  It also happened to be Mother’s Day. It went something like this:

“Please make me breakfast”

Mum makes breakfast

Eat breakfast

“Happy Mother’s Day!”

Hand over gift and card

“Thanks Dan”

“Now drive me to Hamilton”

So I got there pretty early. Henboy was there trading with his little groupies. I looked at Henboy. Then I looked at the nice grassy lawn. The grassy lawn looked like the better option so I lay down. Why I was getting intimate with the lawn people started to arrive. 54 people to be exact. The Hamilton Regionals were just about to begin.

Round 1 – Sebastian playing Goblin Bidding

While we were shuffling we talked a bit of shit (like how they didn’t spell his name properly). I was still sobering up and was actually a bit worried about how this game would go. A loss in Round 1 really sucks.

Game 1 I smashed him.

Game 2 I smashed him.

It was a very one-sided match. He didn’t deal me one point of damage. My men came out while his didn’t. Smash smash. Game over. I felt kind of sorry for Sebastian because he seemed like a nice guy. But then I remembered I was 1-0 up and all my sympathy disappeared.

Matches 1-0 Games 2-0

Round 2 – Nico playing BRU Ravager

This was going to be close. But fun. Yes the Ravager mirror is fun people. We talked a bit while shuffling. Shuffling is a great time to talk. Sometimes I shuffle a bit more just to talk a bit more. After finishing shuffling I pulled out my monkey mask. He crapped his pants. The game was already won.

Game 1: I play men. He plays men. I have more men. Go to smash his face with tub tub and a ravager. He takes it. Next turn he attacks with a 6/6 ravager and a tub tub putting me on 10. Double shrapnel blast. I loose.

I whine a bit and call Nico a luck sack. Side in Trees and Oxidise.

Game 2: I go first. Get aggro draw. Next few turns I play Frog, Frog, Tub Tub, Ravager, Disciple, that kind of thing. He plays land. He dies.

Game 3: Pretty much a repeat of Game 2 except I get something stupid like 3 Disciples of the Vault. Disciple is key in the mirror.

All I remember was this game was fun. Probably because I won. But it seemed fun even after the 1st match. My notes are kind of brief. But I think that’s how the games went. We sat and talked a bit after the match. Nico was a good sport and took the loss really well. I tell him I’ll keep winning to keep his resistance high and that he’ll qualify for sure.

Matches 2-0 Games 4-1

Between rounds 2 and 3 I traded a Broodstar for a Mirrodin Players Guide. You might think that’s stupid but the Players Guide had the biggest picture of Glissa ever on the front. It was so sweet… anyway I got the guide and gave my baby a kiss. We were meant to be together. O.K. O.K.  I’ll keep the Glissa talk to a minimum.

Round 3 – Colin playing Elves

I could hardly keep my hands off Glissa. I was torn between playing this game or kissing Glissa. Glissa told me Colin was playing Elves and that I had better look out. I gave her one last kiss and grudgingly put her down. With a tear in my eye I began to shuffle. Colin is a cool little dude who has the cut of doom. He forced me to mulligan to 6. He did the cut of doom again forcing me to mulligan to 5. I said keep and the game began.

Game 1: He starts with Elvish Pioneer. I only had 5 cards in hand, which made for a really slow start. He begins to summon multiple wirewood symbiotes along with a wellwisher, timberwatch elf and a treetop scout. I can’t keep up and hes gaining something like 5 life a turn. I can’t even kill his elves with the symbiotes out. He puts me out of my misery with a 14/14 Treetop Scout.

At this stage I wish I still had Pyroclasm and Goblin Sharpshooter in the board. 

Game 2: I go first and lay artifact after artifact quickly summoning frogs and tub tubs. He dies just as quickly.

Game 3: He goes first. I get a good start and smash him around before he stabilises with a 6/9 Forgotten Ancient. I have a Ravager and Thopter out. Block the Ancient with the Ravager killing both. An 11/13 Ornithopter = Game.

I breathe a sigh of relief. I apologise to Colin for being tough on him but that I didn’t want to reward him for bad play. This guy shows real promise so look out for him and his cut of doom.

Matches 3-0 Games 6-2

Round 4 – Andrew playing Tooth and Nail

This was the match up I was most worried about. I knew Andrew had been testing this deck for ages and would know it inside out. That didn’t deter me too much though as Glissa was on my side. I look over to James White on the other table and tell him hes next. He laughs and says something like only if I win.

Game 1: I smash Andrew until hes on 7 life. He plays Platinum Angel. I concede.

Game 2: I go first. I think it went something like 1st turn Disciple 2nd turn Ravager and Frog. Sac lots to Ravager. Win a bit later.

Game 3: I have a good hand with 0 costing stuff, land a tub tub and a ravager. Andrew goes first laying down a cloudpost and a chalice for 0. I frown and draw a card. I play a land and disciple. He lays down another post. I draw an oxidise and play a ravager. He plays a chalice for 2. I lay a land cast oxidise on the chalice for 0, playing 3 0 costing artifacts. Play tub tub for free. Then sac all my land and 0 costers to Ravager. I win turn 4.

Andrew sucks.

Matches 4-0 Games 8-3

At this stage I was feeling pretty damn good with a top 8 almost guaranteed. I go chill outside for a bit and say hello to my friend the lawn.

Round 5 – George playing Mono White

Before we start playing we talk about the possibility of IDing. George was really keen on the idea, as he wanted to guarantee himself an invite. I really wanted to play but didn’t want to kick George out of the top 8. I said even if one of us looses that we’d probably still get in the top 8. I also wanted to play James in the final round. So we end up playing.

Game 1: I smash George pretty quickly. All I see of his deck is a skullclamp and an eternal dragon.

Game 2: He survives the initial attack and smashes me back with an angel and a dragon.

Game 3: I attack with a big fat ravager and cast 2 shrapnel blast for the win.

George and Hamish decide to ID next round, which meant all of us are in the Top 8. Good times.

Matches 5-0 Games 10-4

In between rounds I talk to James. He asks if I’ve tested the mirror much. I say a little bit. He’d obviously done lots and mentions that the ravager mirror is the most important match up to test in the environment but that no one seems to test it.   

Round 6 – James White playing BRU Ravager

James White is possibly the best player in New Zealand. He has been to 2 Worlds and went with Scott Richards to the DCI Invitational in South Africa. Apart from that he is a really nice guy who had lots of time for me when I was just a junior. I have so much respect for him that it actually felt like an honour to be playing him in the final. 

Game 1: I have to mulligan to 5 while James keeps a hand of 7. I have skullclamp and manage to do pretty well but in the end James wins.

In comes the sideboard.

Game 2: I get an aggro start and start to smash James. His only real threat was a tub tub which was quickly oxidised. He plays a Furnace Dragon but its too late as my 2 Disciples turn sideways for the kill.

By this stage lots of people are crowded around us and there is that final type atmosphere.

Game 3: I get the more aggressive start and start to smash him. He casts furnace dragon and clears the board. The dragon starts to attack. After a few turns I’m on 4 life when I topdeck a shrapnel blast to kill the dragon. I stabilise and cast a disciple and a tub tub over the next few turns. He plays Furnace Dragon #2 and it is all over.

You know it’s a great game when you loose yet you still feel good. This game was tight and enjoyable. James was playing the better deck and deserved to win. The Furnace Dragon made all the difference.  In hindsight heres the deck I should have played (pretty much James’ deck):

Ravager.dec

 4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Enforcer

2 Chromatic Spheres
4 Skullclamp
4 Pyrite Spellbomb
4 Aether Spellbomb
4 Thoughtcast
4 Shrapnel Blast

2 Darksteel Citadel
4 Glimmervoid
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Great Furnace
4 Vault of Whispers

Sideboard:

4 Mana Leak
4 Sulfuric Vortex
4 Seething Song
3 Furnace Dragon

James was nice enough to drop after kicking my ass leaving me in 1st place and the rest of the Top 8 was as follows:


2. George Zhang - MWC
3. Josh Tutaki - Burn
4. Hamish Reeve - MWC
5. Andrew MacIntyre – Tooth and Nail
6. Nico Johnston - Ravager
7. Kirk Allen – Goblin Bidding
8. Nigel Lee – GW Control

It was a truly awesome weekend thanks to Dave Williams and his team from running it and congratulations to the other guys who qualified. Lets kick some ass at the Nationals!

Destructor Dan

 


 

 
 
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