The turnout for the Mock was lighter than I would have hoped but probably on par for a last minute event. The participants were MichaelJ playing Fairie Wizards, Matt Ferrando playing a Tokens Update that was descended from his successful Regionals build, Tom Nugent playing the Demigod Deck Wins that Mike suggested on Five With Flores, Will Price playing some rogueish black-white build, and Asher playing a preposterous Doran/Fairies/mono Charms mashup. The odd number and light demands on my time meant I could jump in playing MattF’s Blightning Beatdown.

I played Flores in the first round and smashed him game one. He took the second but I did not realize we were sideboarding. Once Blightning Beatdown transformed into Beatdown Backed By Guttural Response Mike was pretty much cold. I want to play this deck just so I can hawk up all over Cryptic Commands all day.

Round two was something like a 12 game set against Tom and his more midrangy red deck. I think he won two of them. Tom was not playing Mike’s suggested version which had Bitterblossoms — something Mike claims would have reversed the numbers or at least evened them out.

Finally I played against Asher and took two out of three but he did take the next couple of games — just not the ones that counted.

Small sample size and all that bit if past Mocks are to be believed some version of Blightning Beatdown is the deck to play this weekend. Mike hates Shard Volley but had the uncanny knack for eeking out the final damage needed.

MattF’s Blightning Beatdown
3-0 Record
States Mock Tournament

4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Hells Thunder
4 Tarfire
4 Shard Volley
4 Incinerate
4 Blightnimg
4 Flame Javelin
4 Aunties Hovel
4 Ghitu Encampment
4 Graven Cairns
4 Mutavault
4 Sulfurous Springs
4 Mountain

Sideboard:
4 Guttural Response

I don’t think I am going to be able to playing in the States Mock Tournament tonight since I find it hard to play, podcast, and update the site. Theoretically we are going to be doing round by round coverage of the Mock with some deck lists, pictures, and match-up analysis. While everyone else is preparing for playing in States I will be preparing for my Top8Magic coverage duties. If I was going to play I would almost certainly be piloting an updated version of the Standard deck that was featured in the Berlin video coverage. For reference:

Fellowship of the Ring

Erik Ryding and Wilhelm Dubber

Pro Tour Berlin LCQ

4 Chandra Nalaar
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Sarkhan Vol
4 Wrath of God
2 Naya Charm
4 Fertile Ground
2 Mind Stone
4 Condemn
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rings of Brighthearth
3 Murderous Redcap
4 Treetop Village
4 Jungle Shrine
3 Reflecting Pool
3 Wooded Bastion
3 Fire-lit Thicket
2 Karplusan Forest
2 Battlefield Forge
2 Brushland

Sideboard:
1 Flameblast Dragon
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Burrenton Forge-Tender
1 Hallowed Burial
2 Guttural Response
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Raking Canopy

I have not played around with the decklist enough but Mike and I have been discussing how to fit Savor the Moment into the list. If any decklist was going to overcome the drawback of not untapping on your extra turn it is going to be the list with fourteen Planeswalkers — four of which are Garruck — and Fertile Ground. Of course I have a hard time imagining playing Fertile Ground without my opponent Cryptic Commanding it and bouncing my other Fertile Grounded land.