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Dragon Overseer
Landon C.
Richmond, Virginia
Friday Night Magic Sealed Deck
March 16, 2001
Amount of Participants: 15

    I arrived at Richmond Comix with my brother Austin at 7:20 P.M.  We
arrived early and talked to some people outside the shop until it opened at
7:30 P.M.  When we got inside I found out it was a sealed deck tournament,
and not a draft.  So I decided to play anyway. I have played in only 1 sealed
deck tournament before, so I do not have much experience.  I played a couple
games before we started and then went to my seat when everyone was ready.  I
was the youngest playing, and sat across from my brother and next to a guy
named Michael.  We were given two Plainshift packs and 1 Invasion deck.  I
received a Distorting Wake, Treva, the Renewer, and Phyrexian Alter in my
deck. In the boosters I got a Natural Emergence and Plainswalker's Mischief. 
I also received a foil Armadillo Cloak and the green and black battlemages. 
Keeping these in mind I set out to build a 40-card deck in 35 minutes. I
could not decide on going U/B/R or G/U/W.  I built two decks to decide on.

G/U/W deck:                                         U/B/R deck:
Treva, the Renewer                      Keldon Mantle      
Razorfoot Griffin                             Bog Down
Aggressive Urge                     Terminate
Sunscape Familiar                       Cavern Harpy
Sparring Golem                            Nightscape Familiar
Shimmering Wings                        Crosis's Charm
Treva's Charm                             Nightscape Apprentice
Sterling Grove                            Urborg Phantom
Fertile Ground                            Pouncing Kavu
Samite Pilgrim                           Smoldering Tar
Quirion Explorer                             Plague Spores
Stone Kavu                               Probe
Obsidian Acolyte                         Kavu Scout
Rampart Elephant                         Nightscape Battlemage
Thornscape Battlemage                    Firescreamer
Restrain                                 Phyrexian Bloodstock
Salum Djinn                          Thunderscape Apprentice
Gaea's Might                             Shoreline Raider
Aurora Griffin                           Shimmering Wings
Dismantling Blow                         Sparring Golem                      
               
Shoreline Raider                         Vodalian Merchant
Tangle                                                  Exotic Curse
Steel Leaf Paladin                        Tidal Visionary
Foil Armadillo Cloak                   
                                                Sulfur Vent
                                            Urborg Volcano     
6 Forest                                  4 Island
4 Island                                        5 Mountain
6 Plains                                  6 Swamp

Strategy:                                Strategy:
Get out dragon with                     Removal and win
the cloak to win.
This can be done with
Sterling Grove

Pros and Cons:                                  Pros and Cons:
Con: Almost no creature removal             Con: No strong creatures
Pro: Strong creatures                         Pro: Great Removal
Pro: Strong disruption                 

    So I was struggling to pick a deck to use. I tested my B/U/R against my
brother who used B/W/U. I did ok, but the creatures were terrible. I did not
think I could win with it. When the first round was called I listened for my
name. When I did not here myself called, I realized I had a Bye. That was
great for me to make a decision. So I spent time deciding on what to use and
I chose U/G/W.  I watched Michael play for a game and traded for a Lightning
Bolt, and an Incinerate.  Now I had my first match.

Match 1: Burt with R/B/U/G (around 10 P.M.)
    He use the lands like sulfur vapors to bring out things.

Game 1:
    We start laying down lands until I had a Thornscape Battlemage out and he
had a Nightscape Master. I started laying down creatures, such as my
griffins, with four lands, while he needed an island.  I traded off my
battlemage with the master. Then I overwhelmed him for the win.

Game 2:
    I started with 2 plains in my hand with other creatures and spells. I lay
down the Acolyte and he plays a Nightscape Familiar. Then next turn he plays
a Flametongue Kavu and kills my Acolyte. Then he plays a LAVA ZOMBIE and it
is all over. I only got the 2 plains the entire game because of mana screw.

Game 3:
    I take a mulligan in the beginning of the game. I put out a Quirion
Explorer followed by a Thornscape Battlemage. Then out comes that Zombie of
his. He attacks and I use a Treva's charm. He is mad now and I start building
forces. He also plays a couple men. I followed next with Acolyte cloaked. He
tries to destroy it with Crosis's charm, but it has black in it. He ended up
burning it away. Then out comes this 2/6 green landwalk with a Keldon Mantle.
Since I could not stop the landwalker, he ran through me in the end.
Games: 1/2/Bye

Match 2: a different Michael with G/B/R (around 11 P.M.)

Game 1:
    Well this game lasted 35 minutes. At the beginning we hit each other back
and forth. I got my Shoreline Raider out to block some kavus. He tried to
kill my Samite Piligrim but I used an Aggressive Urge on the forth turn. We
build up huge forces by mid-game. He had out 3 kavus, a Nightscape
Apprentice, and some green buddies.  I played a Treva, the Renewer, turning
the tables. Then next turn I cloaked it and boom, gained 8 life. I was going
to kill him next turn and he prayed for a topdeck. Well he drew a DEATH BOMB
causing my beautiful dragon to suffer. After that I never recovered. He
slowly removed my creatures and got more himself. In the end I lost again.

Game 2:
    The next game was over in about 8 turns. My Explorer and Battlemage
suffered by removal, and a Lava Zombie took me out fast. I had to many
enchantments in my hand, and no creatures to play.  
Games: 1/4/Bye

Match 3:some guy with U/G/W (around 12 A.M.)

Game 1:
    This lasted 35 minutes. It was stalemate city. We both started with some
creatures out and no one would attack. I built my forces and he built his. We
both had out about 10 creatures apiece when the wonderful Treva comes to
play. I sacrifice my Sterling Grove and cloak the dragon next turn. Then I
start gaining life while my Samite Pilgrim protects the dragon. He kept
blocking and I kept attacking. Then he removes my cloak and another stalemate
occurs. He also hobbles my dragon. I eventually draw a Dismantling blow and
remove hobble with a kicker to draw two cards. I realize I am going to deck
soon when there are 6 cards left. So I continue to attack with my flyers
making him chump block his. With 2 cards left I win by attacking with 3
flyers and dealing him two. I ended up with 28 life.

Game 2:
     Well this game also lasted for the rest of the round. We had a draw
because I made some very bad mistakes that cost me to lose. The same thing
happened the first game. Out comes dragon and I deal damage. When he is at 7
he makings all of my creatures white and does WASH OUT! It was terrible when
I got hit for 11. I play out my dragon and say go. Then he attacks thinking
he had me when out comes my pal TANGLE. Then next turn I cloak and gain most
of my life back. I also play back most of my creatures during this time. He
once again got red of my cloak. I eventually had low creatures and did a
desperate attack but failed. So I lost. Also he showed me a kind of counter
spell in his hand so I could not have won.
Games: 2/5/Bye

    Overall I should have gone 3 and 4 maybe. I may have been playing for 5
years, but I am very inexperienced at Tournament play. I also have a hard
time seeing everything. I hope my rank of 1604 does not go down too much. I
had fun though, and expect to do better in the draft next week.  I did not
leave until after 1 A.M. and also did not receive a door prize DCI Giant
Growth. My brother finished 1/6/Bye. He lost 3 games when the opponent had 1
life left and top decked. He also said that his sealed deck was bad.  I did
not get that great of stuff except for the cloak and dragon. So thanks for
reading and have a nice day.

Landon C.
agentofstormgald@cs.com