A Feast on Legacy

Posted on December 1, 2010

"The Holiday Season" is a nebulous collection of commercialized sales and products, tradition and family involvement, and the expression of religious beliefs.

While I participate in all three I won't lie: the manufactured idea of gorging on a variety of delicious foods simply for the sake of doing it is something I really get behind. Food, cooked slowly and piled high on my plate, is the center of my seasonal experiences. So when I heard there was going to be a pot luck lunch that also happened to be a Magic event, put on by the good guys at 02Drop.com, and it was so reasonably close to home I felt almost compelled to go.

A quick check of the calendar later I was getting geared up to head out the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Originally the idea was to actually play Legacy, however upon considering the obvious facts:

Don't have a deck and would be playing a borrowed deck cold.

Haven't playtested anything in the format except for Burn (Read: I've played way too much RDW in my time).

I need to shed some more rust and practice playing correctly some (a ton) more.

Thusly I decided against throwing $25 to the wind.

But I showed up anyway knowing that I'd have the chance to share some of my not-yet-famous pumpkin pie (which I, of course, forgot to actually take with me) and meet up with some acquaintances old and new.

Winter is Upon Us

One of the most common ways I've met new players is in casual chatting outside the locked doors of a game shop. I'm an early arriver for most events and usually find that I'm not alone. This case was where the store was opening a little later than originally expected which resulted in a good dozen or so of us standing outside on a cold, breezy morning.

The chattering of teeth was only cut by the sips we were taking on our assortment of energy drinks and soda: gamers will be gamers after all. After what felt like "the longest 40 minutes ever" we were allowed to scurry into the heat and try to find the missing cards for decks. I managed to snag a few foils I wanted to my cube and stack – a great benefit of heading to a store that isn't simply the closest one: different selection – and quickly settled down to swap and update.

And eat. Did I mention there was food?

The location was Games & Stuff located in scenic Glen Burnie, MD and happened to have a pretty spacious place for everyone. While 26 players isn't exactly breaking any records there were quite a few names and faces I recognized: Eric Navarro (a Merfolk man), Dave "Rockstar" Heilker (Survival with Necrotic Ooze combo), Jarvis Yu (also a Survival/Necrotic combo), Connor Moran (with a lonesome Goblin's build), and Kurt Speiss (also Fish-ing it). My friend Tim Taylor brought the same deck he used to punch pretty well with at SCG Open Baltimore this year (Red Deck Wins).

And apologies for anyone who feels they are more well-known that I missed: drop a message and that should help my memory for next time!

If you're curious for a full breakdown of the decks for this event you're in luck:

Archetype	Count	% of Event
Storm	3	11.54%
Dredge	2	7.69%
Zoo	1	3.85%
RDW	1	3.85%
Team America	1	3.85%
Show and Tell	1	3.85%
Merfolk	3	11.54%
Affinity	1	3.85%
Survival	4	15.38%
Standstill	2	7.69%
Land	1	3.85%
Goblins	1	3.85%
Rogue/Unclassified	5	19.23%
TOTAL	26	100.00%

As you can see there was a diversity of things with clumps around Survival, Merfolk, and Storm – a rock, paper, scissors set within the top tier of the Legacy metagame – and a number of familiar decks within Legacy as a whole. The rogue collection just consisted of homebrewed severe deviations from five different classical archetypes: Stompy, White Stax, Lands, Mono Black Control, and GWB Junk.

Perhaps most telling about the feeling on Survival were two facts:

The players who had been running Survival opted for things like Merfolk and Storm

The Survival decks were being used by those relatively new to the deck and/or format.

I won't waste your eyes on matched through the rounds of Swiss, however I did take the time to choose some important matchups from the Top 8 to feature for you. If you want a glimpse of what a smaller model of the big Legacy events look like this will give you just that taste.

Also, there were some pretty sharp players with pretty sharp decks; there's certainly something useful to glean from these matches one way or another. For those interested in "Just the Top 8 deck lists PLZKTHNX!" you can find them at the end of the article.

Semifinals: Ben Friedman (Merfolk) v. Andrew Campbell (GWB Junk)

After a brief period of requisite shuffling thanks to the deck check, Friedman and Campbell settled into starting, Friedman going first after a "Snap keeps." crack. He fetched an Island for Cursecatcher, Friedman simply passing after playing a Verdant Catacombs.

Lord of Atlantis joined Friedman's team after fetching aTundra, and Campbell dropped to 18 from the attack. After playing a Matrch Flats, Campbell double-fetched for Bayou and Scrubland and fell to 16. Mox Diamond, dropping a Scrubland, resolved. Hymn to Tourach followed, which pitched Friedman's Wasteland and Merrow Reejery. Campbell continued with a Sensei's Diving Top thereafter, which Friedman allowed to resolve.

Friedman drew and tanked for a minute before swinging across for four more. Silvergill Adept, revealing Coralhelm Commander, Mutavault and an AEther Vial began to pile up the board favorably for the Fish man.

Campbell untapped and paused as well before choosing not to activate his Top. Pernicious Deed came down and Friedman didn't seem fazed considering Campbell was nearly tapped out for the turn. Friedman used his turn to add a counter to his Vial then swing with his full team, including the Mutavault, and dropped Campbell to a precarious two life.

Campbell popped his Second Catacombs, slipping to just one life, to fetch a Scrubland before spinning his Top. Campbell Hymn's again, dropping the Coralhelm to Friedman's bin and passing, and left Campell with sufficient mana to use his Deed for great Justice.

Campbell popped the Deed during Friedman's attack step and wiped away some of the progress the fish had made, but it left behind an unactivated Mutavault to which Campbell failed to find an answer so the game went to sideboards.

Friedman 1 – Campbell 0

As they sideboarded I regaled some of my stories from doing coverage for US Nationals, including the one where Cedric chirped his Might Leaps into a game winning concession and where I watched over an hour of judge discussion and deliberation on back-to-back judge calls from both Ochoa and Colos in their playoff match.

"That's pretty sick you get to go raidbird like that." Friedman quipped.

"Yeah, pretty much." I chimed as Campbell bobbed his head in agreement.

"Do you get to go to Worlds?" Friedman followed.

"No, but I wish. Paris would be pretty sweet since ‘Je parle un peu de francais' and all that."

Friedman only shook his head and smiled.

After sufficient randomization Campbell had opted to go first and started things off with a Scrubland. A Polluted Delta was Friedman's play before passing as well. Campbell had a Bayou on his, and Friedman cracked the Delta for Tundra at the end of the turn.

Wasteland came down on Friedman's turn, then Silvergill Adept (revealing Lord of Atlantis). Campbell cast a Confidant but Friedman played Force of Will against it, pitching the revealed Lord of Atlantis. Marsh Flats sat lonely as Campbell passed back. Friedman attacked with the Adept, then dropped a Standstill to Complicate things for Campbell. Before passing, Friedman used his Wasteland on Campbell's Bayou.

Campbell could only drop in a Verdant Catacombs before passing back again. Friedman activated his Mutavault and swung across, dropping Campbell to 13. Marsh Flats became Plains and Campbell played a second Bayou before casting Knight of the Reliquary, netting Friedman three cards from the broken Standstill.

Friedman had a second Force of Will however, this one for the Knight, and exiled a Merrow Reejery. Campbell could only pass back to the growing edge Friedman was building again. He had another Merrow Reejery, which he played to let him send the other Silvergill Adept over to drop Campbell to 10. AEther Vial was the follow up in the second main.

Campbell untapped and life checked, tanking for a minute before playing Deed and cracking his Catacombs for a Forest. Friedman was still unfazed and attacked with the Reejery, Adept, and a Mutavault which dropped Campbell to just one life.

Campbell wasted little time playing a Wasteland, then Hymn to Tourach, nailing a Submerge and Island. Friedman cracked his Flooded Strand to grab another Tundra when Campbell passed back. During the obligatory attack of Reejery and Adept, Campbell popped his Deed and cleared them away along with the Vial. Friedman followed up with Reejery.

Campbell needed an answer and thought things out again. Knight of the Reliquary was the choice and when that was okay'd Campbell also played his Tarmogoyf before passing. Friedman didn't seem too happy with the draw before passing it back doing nothing.

Campbell had a 5/5 Knight and 6/7 Goyf to work with, but one life didn't afford any mistakes. Gofy came over to drop Friedman to 10 in Campbell's first attack of the match. Silvergill Adept dropped down for Friedman, paid the hard way without a reveal, which tapped the Knight thanks to the Reejery. Campbell responded by using the Knight to sac a Forest for Maze of Ith, solving the Reejery's attack for the turn without blockers.

However he could only draw and pass back. Friedman did the same, except Campbell used his Knight to transform a Plains into Scrubland. However, he only repeated his draw-pass process. As did Friedman, and this time a Scrubland became a Scrubland, incrementally growing the Knight with each turn.

Campbell drew, then quickly leveled a Vindicate on Reejery. Friedman could only moan "No!" as the Rejerry hit the bin. However, deciding whether to attack took a lot more time. He opted not to attack and simply passed again. Friedman, took, drew and passed, and the Knight continued to transform things, this time a Scrubland into a Swamp. However Friedman also moved and exiled the Knight with Swords to Plowshares, sending Campbell back up to 10.

Campbell sent a Tarmogoyf over, taking Friedman to four when he didn't block, and Friedman passed back. Campbell repeated, but Friedman chose to block this time. Friedman then played a Silvergill Adept and AEther Vial, but the ‘Goyf ate the Adept on a chump block after that.

One more draw and Friedman had run out of fish to swim with.

Freidman 1 - Campbell 1

"I would have won if I went first. That Deed would have been a turn too late!" Friedman rued.

"Yeah. I've done that with other Merfolk decks before." Campbell admitted. "It's close."

Friedman naturally opted to go first, leading Flooded Strand. Campbell had a Swamp, after which the Stand fetched a Tundra. Mutavault joined and made a Standstill for Ben.

Campbell had just a Plains before Friedman got the chance to send Mutavault in. Campbell then cast a Dark Confidant, popping the Standstill but Bob resolved despite the extra cards for Friedman. A Sensei's Divining Top tried to appear but Spell Peirce was Friedman's resolute "No.". Swords to Plowshares sent the Confidant away before Silvergill Adept came down and Wasteland took out a Bayou.

Campbell continues to draw-pass as a Reejery came in to boost Friedmans. When it attacked Campbell introduced it to farming as well.

"You're getting mana screwed." Friedman pointed out as Campbell sat on Plains and Swamp after a few missed land drops. Campbell immediately ripped a Maze of Ith that helped a bit when Lord of Atlantis came in and pumped the Mutavault and Adept, but with another landless draw Campbell could only shake his head as his luck ran out and the hands extended.

Friedman 2 – Campbell 1

Quarterfinals: Ben Friedman (Merfolk) v. Jeff Miller (Zoo)

Miller just finished defeating a Dredge deck, a solid showing for the only Zoo player in the room. Friedman's Merfolk were running just as strong, taking down what he had felt was a bad matchup against Campbell's Junk deck.

Friedman won the die roll and chose to go first and keep, then opened with Mutavault for AEther Vial. Miller had a Windswept Heath. Friedman added a counter to the Vial, dropped an Island and played Standstill. The Heath became a Taiga before Miller untapped and laid a Plateau. Qasali Pridemage broke the card-drawing enchantment but Friedman allowed it to resolve.

Friedman added a Tundra and used Swords to Plowshares on the Pridemage while Miller was tapped out. Coralhelm Commander through the Vial dropped in as well. Horizon Canopy joined Miller's side before Chain Lightning sent the Commander packing.

Friedman got his untap and paused to consider things, choosing not to add a counter for his Vial and hardcast his Merry Reejery instead, which Miller promptly Bolted. Miller took his turn and added a Tarmogoyf which was allowed to come into play, after which Friedman Vial'd in the Lord of Atlantis. After adding an Island to his side and calculating Gofy strength, he Vial'd another Commander in and began to level him up. When Miller tried to Bolt the Commander, Friedman used a Force of Will. When the last counter tried to get on Miller played Fireblast on the Commander, Miller sacrificed his lands with the Mountain subtype to destroy the blue lord.

Untapping and adding a Taiga (to join his now lonesome Canopy) and swung across with the Goyf. A bad double-block by Friedman – he miscalculated Tarmogyf's toughness – knocked away the Merfolk defenders and Friedman failed to draw an answer.

Friedman 0 – Miller 1

"I'll choose to go first again!" Friedman jumped in as he scooped up his board. With "Good luck!" exchanged from both sides and randomization complete Miller took a mulligan while Friedman got to keep.

Friedman led a Tundra into an AEther Vial while Friedman had a Wooded Foothill turn into a Mountain. Miller tried to make a Grim Lavamancer but Daze was there for Friedman, who added a counter to his ever-present Vial and played a Flooded Strand. Miller had Horizon Canopy, and Friedman cracked his fetchland for an Island before he dropped a Mutavault.

Miller added a Taiga and tried for Lavamancer again, and this one stuck. Friedman added a Wasteland and passed back. Miller dropped in an Arid Mesa but when he tried to crack it Friedman cast Submerge on the Lavamancer. In response Miller used it to Shock Friedman's life total. The Taiga from the Mesa appeared and Miller went for the Knight of the Reliquary, but Daze was there again. A second Wasteland from Friedman allowed him to strip the twin Taiga away.

Mutavault from Friedman dropped Miller to 16, then 14 on the following turn where a Cursecatcher came down as well. Stuck on two lands, Wild Nacatl came in for Miller. However, Friedman had a Commander off his Vial which he wasted no time leveling up to four, then attack-step dropped Miller to 9.

Miller seemed confident when he attacked, and Friedman accepted the hit to go to 16. When Miller tried to use Swords to Plowshares, Cursecatcher took care of it for the Fish Man. With lethal on the board Miller admitted defeat.

Friedman 1 – Miller 1

"Maybe I should have kept my opening hand." Miller questioned.

"Why? What was it?" Friedman queried.

"It was two Horizon Canopy. I could have cast my spells but Wld Nacatl is kinda pointless there." Miller explained.

"Yeah." Friedman agreed.

Some additional siding occurred along with plenty of shuffling, and Miller opened with Savannah into Steppe Lynx. Friedman had a Polluted Strand into Tundra for Submerge when the Lynx attacked after Miller played and cracked a fetchland for Taiga.

Miller tried for a Qasali Pridemage but it met Friedman's Daze. Tundra reappeared for Friedman but Miller added a Plateau and tried for Knight of the Reliquary, which Friedman allowed. Friedman had a Mutavault then played Absolute Law. Miller added a Forest, then a now anemic looking Grim Lavamancer. Friedman had a second Mutavault, then AEther Vial. Miller could only find a Windswept Heath.

Friedman got to untap and add a counter to the Vial before playing a Silvergill Adept. Miller had a Bolt for Friedman's face at the end of the turn. Pithing Needle was Miller's play, which was allowed, and Mutavault was named. Cursecatcher came in off of the Vial at the end of turn, then Friedman upped the Vial counters to two.

A Coralhelm Commander came in and immediately leveled up to four, but no attack came. Miller fetched at the end of the turn for another Plateau, then used his Knight of the Reliquary to get a Horizon Canopy to draw a card.

Wild Nacatl came down for Miller, followed by a second Needle – this one named Umezawa's Jitte. Friedman untapped and thought before simply swinging for 5 with the Commander. At the end of the turn Miller's Knight transformed a Forest into a Horizon Canopy, which then became a card in hand for. The Lavamancer Shocked Benn down to 12.

Miller's turn added a Taiga and thought for a bit, then sent his 6/6 Knight over at Friedman, who used his Vial to drop a Silvergill Adept and draw a card. A 3/3 Cursecatcher and a 4/3 Adept traded with the green-White Knight, and Miller merely passed after that.

Friedman started calculating attack damage against Miller's life total, deciding to send in a 5/5 Commander and 4/3 Adept. Wild Nacatl traded with the Adept and Miller dropped to 8. Miller had a Lightning Bolt and Lavamancer activation for Friedman directly at the end of the turn, taking him down to 7. Miller made another Knight of the Reliquary, Friedman fetched in response (for Island).

Friedman let the Knight come in and untapped, then played a Lord of Atlantis to tap the Knight and swing for victory.

I could see double Chain Lightning in Miller's hand at the end of the game.

"What was in your hand?" I asked Friedman.

"Force of Will, Silvergill Adept, and Daze." Friedman grimly confirmed my suspicions: Miller would have been short on both mana and burn if he had gone that route instead of playing the Knight.

Friedman 2 – Miller 1

Finals: Friedman Friedman (Merfolk) v. Kurt Spiess (Landstill)

"So we have to play this out?" Friedman asked, looking over at the Undergound Seas and Force of Will laid out for them, "We could just split."

"Let's just play this out." Spiess said nonchalantly.

"Alright then, let's do this."

Friedman won the die and chose the obvious path of going first; Spiess had to take two mulligans. Friedman had a Mutavault for AEther Vial while Spiess had a Scalding Tarn. A counter on the Vial and Friedman passed without a second land.

Speiss cracked the Tarn for Tropical Rainforest, untaped and added an Underground Sea before casting Life from the Loam. A second counter on the Vial let Friedman play a Coralhelm Commander which he used his Mutavault to level before dropping down a Scalding Tarn.

Another Tarn from Spiess and he passed back, to which Friedman added a third counter, cracked his own Tarn, and cast a Standstill. In response, Spiess cast a Brainstorm, then Spell Snare against the card drawing enchantment while it was still on the stack. Friedman had a Force of Will, removing a Merrow Reejery, to ensure the Standstill hit play.

Friedman swung in with the Commander after adding two counters, dropping Spiess to 17 which became 16 when he fetched a Tundra. A Mishra's Factory came down and Spiess went for a Pernicious Deed, but Friedman had another Force, this time pitching a Standstill. At the end of the turn Friedman Vial'd in a Merrow Reejery. Friedman's Wasteland took out Speiss's Tundra (he floated a white mana) and when Friedman tried to move out of the main phase, Spiess tried Swords. Daze, with Friedman floating blue, stopped that, then Standstill joined in before five damage came across against Spiess.

Spiess had a Misty Rainforest before passing back to the Dominate Ben. Adding two level counters to the Commander, he swung in and dropped Speiss to 7. Wasteland from Spiess ripped away Friedman's Mutavault, but Ban untapped and made his Commander level 4 and swung in with that and the Reejery.

Spiess responded by cracking his Tarn for a Tundra, then tried to Swords to Plowshares the Lord. It happened, and Friedman jumped up to 23. The Factory for Spiess jumped up and traded with the attacking Merfolk. Spiess untapped and dredged back his Loam, cast it for Underground Sea, Wasteland, and Tundra. Wasteland took our Friedman's Tundra, but he had an Island and AEther Vial to add.

Spiess played a land and passed back, then used a Spell Snare when Friedman tried Silvergill Adept the old-fashioned way. With the turn back Spiess Loam'd again, getting back Wasteland, Misty Rainforest, and Scalding Tarn. Friedman flashed in a Coralhelm Commander and added a level counter before passing again.

Spiess had a grip full of lands when he tried to make Jace, the Mind Sculptor. Friedman would have none of it and Force'd it pitching Silvergill Adept. Friedman got to level his Commander and attack, dropping Spiess to just three life.

Spiess considered his graveyard before drawing for the turn and tried for his second big Jace. This one succeeded and Spiess chose to bounce the Commander which immediately reappeared in a Flash. With enough mana to level the Commander to lethal, Spiess packed the game in.

Friedman 1 – Spiess 0

Spiess chose to play, then had to take a mulligan against Friedman's keep seven. Tropical Island came down for Spiess, as did a Tundra for Ben. Spiess didn't have a second land but Friedman's Wasteland took out the Tropical nevertheless. Spiess found an Underground Sea but Friedman's second Wasteland left Spiess without lands as he was forced to discard two turns in a row.

Friedman, meanwhile, used a Cursecatcher then added a Silvergill Adept to attack into the empty board of Spiess. A third turn of discarding left nothing for Spiess to do. A Lord of Atlantis sealed the deal and Spiess extended the anticlimactic hand.

Friedman 2 – Spiess 0

Congratulations to Ben on his winning take of a playset of Underground Sea – and Kurt's set of Force of Will didn't seem to shabby either. There were a lot more prizes than that courtesy of the generosity of Ed, owner of Games and Stuff. Thanks to his generosity and 02Drop's hard work there was plenty of food, fun, and awesome Magic.

A Feast on Legacy

"Ad Nauseam Tendrils - Adam Alabrash"

"Ad Nauseam Tendrils - James Peyton"

"Dredge - Chris Allulis"

"Merfolk - Ben Friedman"

"Junk - Andrew Campbell"

"Zoo - Jeff Miller"

"Landstill - Nick DiTizio"

"Landstill - Kurt Spiess"

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