Howdy folks! Joe again here with another recap of this past week's Team Vintage Super League!
We're knee deep into Round 2 of the VSL, with the second 1-0 teams The Academy (Rich Shay, Brian Kelly, Andy Markiton) vs The Scottsdale Foundation (Paul Rietzl, David Williams, Matt Sperling, (alternate: Bob Maher))!
As always you can check out the decklists for each week on the Wizards website.
Week 6 Recap - The Academy vs Scottsdale
You can watch the VOD for this week here:
Continuing the Rules for Round 2 of each team submitting 5 decklists with no bans taking place, both teams submitted some sweet lists including a Landstill list (with The Academy going off the wall with Embalm creatures!!) and Dredge list on each team. Also making an appearance is a Paradoxical Outcome deck on both sides.
Off the bat Paul Rietzl takes the stage on Paradoxical Mentor vs Andy Markiton on Ravager Shops! Paul starts things off with a T1 Mana Vault, Defense Grid, Mox Opal, and Voltaic Key, drawing a Paradoxical Outcome off the followup Ancestral Recall. Markiton goes on a hard Turn 1 as well, landing both a Thorn of Amethyst and a Steel Overseer. Paul dumps a second basic land into play off a Preordain to avoid Wasteland and then into Time Walk. On his extra turn, Paul goes right into a Gush into Paradoxical Outcome and draws a ton of cards. This pays off hard as Paul manages to establish a Hurkyl's Recall, using Force of Will to counter the the Thorn on the way back down. Paul manages to get the combo of Time Vault / Voltaic Key to take infinite turns, drawing Tezzeret the Seeker as a victory condition, taking the game.
On the play now, Andy Markiton has the potential for a Turn 1 Sphere of Resistance, but it gets countered, where Paul makes another Mana Vault and Voltaic Key. Andy accidentall runs his own Walking Ballista into his Chalice of the Void on zero counters. Paul Gush'es, drawing into a Hurkyl's Recall and further into a Merchant Scroll while Markiton has double Chief of the Foundry. Paul goes deep into the Recall, snagging Paradoxical Outcome with the Scroll, drawing 4 into a Sol Ring. He Vampiric Tutors for Time Vault, getting out of the Mana Crypt / Mana Vault damage to go infinite turns, taking the match!
Paul Rietzl puts Scottsdale on the map at 1-0 with a 2-0 finish!
The Good Doctor Rich Shay jumps into the fray, playing his Jeskai Xerox deck, winning the die roll on a Turn 1 Time Walk, effectively making Turn 1 Dack Fayden. Paul leads on a Turn 1 Library of Alexandria to try and gain some card advantage, getting it promptly Strip Mine'ed. Rich draws into a Young Pyromancer, dropping it into play. Paul runs out a Mana Crypt which gets promptly stolen by Dack. Rich gets a Snapcaster Mage into play with Time Walk flashback, prompting the scoop by Paul.
Paul mulls to 5 to a poor 6 card hand, looking for gas off a Ponder, getting a Scalding Tarn in response. He tries for Brainstorm but gets it Mental Misstep'ed. Rich makes a Young Pyromancer and passes turn to Paul, who Demonic Tutor's for Ancestral Recall. Rich casts Shattering Spree hitting Voltaic Key and Mox Jet, holding up Pyroblast. Paul goes into Yawgmoth's Will going for Ancestral Recall again, getting it promptly countered. However, Paul manages to establish enough gas with Dig Through Time to be able to eventually Paradoxical with Flusterstorm backup. Rich goes for his own Dig Through Time but gets it countered by Force of Will. Paul floats a ton of mana, getting into the Paradoxical, drawing into Monastery Mentor into a Repeal which draws him another Paradoxical, prompting the concession by Rich.
Rich starts off with Gitaxian Probe, seeing a hand of Voltaic Key + Sensei's Divining Top on Paul's side. Paul starts off with double Mox + Top, drawing an Ancestral Recall with Top. Rich Shattering Spree's Paul's Mox Sapphire into Time Walk and on his followup turn Snapcaster Mage's to replicate Shattering Spree to deal with the rest of Paul's Moxen. Paul's Brainstorm however draws him into the best possible outcome by Demonic Tutor for a Black Lotus to enable the Vault/Key combo to take the match.
Scottsdale Foundation rises up in the lead to 2-0!
Brian Kelly leads the charge for the Academy on EMBALMSTILL!!! This deck is super killer, playing creatures like Glyph Keeper and Champion of Wits! Paul Rietzl starts things off with a Sensei's Divining Top, but otherwise has a fairly slow hand with no fast mana other than Grim Monolith. Brian makes a Time Walk into attempting to try and get a Standstill, prompting a Force of Will from Paul, which gets another Force from Brian's side, winning the war for the Standstill. Paul goes for Paradoxical Outcome, whiffing on additional land vs Brian's Strip Mine, losing his Underground Sea. Paul manages to get a Library of Alexandria in play. Brian casts Dig Through Time, resolving it to hit another Wasteland to snag the Library. Paul has nothing to do, and Brian attempts to make Jace, Vryn's Prodigy but gets it countered by Force. Brian Brainstorm's, going to discard and dumping Sunscourge Champion. Paul continues to find no land, while Brian makes Containment Priest and tries to resolve Standstill, which gets countered by another Force. Brian takes the aggressive stance, forcing Paul off balance into a concession.
Paul starts things off the bat with Sol Ring into Grim Monolith, with Brian making a Flooded Strand and passing. Paul makes a Time Walk and Brian resolves an Ancestral Recall. Paul tries to go deep into Paradoxical Outcome but gets it Mindbreak Trap'ed by Brian. Brian goes into his turn and plays Damping Sphere, new toy from Dominaria! In addition, he has a Lotus in play to be able to cast Mana Drain. Paul walks into the Drain with his Paradoxical, giving Brian 4 colorless on his next turn. Brian uses this to resolve Jace, the Mind Sculptor, putting him into a solid position with a followup Mox Pearl and Wasteland on Paul's Tundra. Paul draws into a Force of Will, prompting a concession to give Brian Kelly the match!
The Academy steps onto the board at 1-2!
Matt Sperling jumps in for Scottsdale, taking out Stax for a spin! He goes for a Turn 1 Sphere of Resistance prompting a Force of Will from Brian. Matt tries for a Turn 2 Smokestack that gets countered into an Ensnaring Bridge that doesn't. Brian resolves a Standstill, but his Mishra's Factory gets snagged by Wasteland. Both players spin their wheels for quite some time under the Standstill. Matt takes out two of Brian's lands with Ghost Quarter and Wasteland, cracking the Standstill to resolve Smokestack and Thorn of Amethyst. Brian bricks somewhat off the Standstill, hitting no countermagic. Brian dumps Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, bluffing that he potentially has a Mana Drain. Matt makes a second Thorn of Amethyst, rolling into a Crucible of Worlds with a Ghost Quarter into Phyrexian Revoker naming the Flip Jace. Brian casts Swords to Plowshares to hit the Revoker. Matt follows up with another Phyrexian Metamorph to copy another Thorn of Amethyst, prompting a concession from Brian.
Brian kicks things off in Game 2 with a Time Walk into a Lotus, with Matt dumping into a Sphere of Resistance. Brian plays a Damping Sphere, to which Matt responds with a Crucible of Worlds. However, the Sphere cuts Matt's mana off enough that he is unable to cast a Wurmcoil Engine. Matt has nothing to do until he draws a Sorcerous Spyglass to shut off Brian's Jace. Both players are off to the races with Brian's Snapcaster Mage providing a beat plan while Matt's Ancient Tomb's cut off of providing CC. Matt concedes to Game 3.
Matt kicks things off with a Turn 1 Sphere of Resistance, a very strong start into a Turn 2 Crucible of Worlds. With a Tolarian Academy in play, Matt tries to resolve a Smokestack, getting it promptly smacked by Steel Sabotage. Brian responds on cutting off Matt's manabase with Sol Ring into Damping Sphere, pulling him back into the game. He sticks a Jace, the Mind Sculptor, drawing out of the game in fantastic fashion. Matt tries to get a Precursor Golem, but it gets Forced out, allowing Brian to untap with a Time Walk and a Jace. He pushes through a Snapcaster Mage on his followup turn to take another turn with Time Walk, drawing into Rest in Peace for shutting off Matt's Crucible, into Standstill. Brian starts ticking Jace up, presenting a real clock. Matt uses his Inventors' Fair to resolve a Sorcerous Spyglass. Brian resolves a Sunscourge Champion for sheer value, prompting Matt into a concession.
The Academy takes it 2-2!
The Master Chef himself David Williams leaps into the cooking fire (Sorry David, had to!) with UR Pyromancer! Both players start off in a very fair fashion, with no busted starts, but David unable to find a second land vs Brian's Strip Mine. David finds no mana sources, and is unable to cast anything. Brian drops a Moat onto the stack but gets countered by Force of Will. However, he contiues to draw no mana sources. He manages to get back into things with a Scalding Tarn into Ancestral Recall. Brian has mostly nothing. but Wasteland's a Volcanic Island. David casts an upkeep Dig Through Time. Brian casts Glyph Keeper, because Embalm creatures. David's hand is absurdly stacked with crazy amounts of card draw and damage spells, coming up with Young Pyromancer and Snapcaster Mage into Ancestral Recall. Brian baits David into action to fight a Swords to Plowshares, which David fights with Force of Will. Brian just jams Standstill, forcing David into needing to have an answer. David end-step Bolts, creating enough tokens with Young Pyromancer to take the game.
Brian opens up Game 2 on a T1 Library of Alexandria, but it gets promptly Strip Mine'ed. David opens up into a very simple fair setup by just running out basic lands. He runs out Young Pyromancer who runs into countermagic, but David has two others in hand. However, he opts to defend the one to run Brian out of countermagic. Brian manages to resolve Jace, Vryn's Prodigy through David's Wasteland. David draws into Time Walk, getting a second Young Pyromancer into play. Brian blocks with the Jace, and David walks away with the game.
The Scottsdale Foundation moves up to 3-2!
Andy Markiton jumps in deep with Dredge, turning to the DARK SIDE. Andy has a Turn zero Leyline of the Void, and opens the die roll on an Unmask on David. David allows it to resolve, stealing his Ponder. Andy plays Bazaar of Baghdad, getting it Wasteland'ed, activating Bazaar to hit a Stinkweed Imp. His draw step dredge is huge, working him into a Golgari Grave-Troll and a Narcomoeba. David plays a Polluted Delta and passes. Andy hits another Narcomoeba and swings with some dudes. David Opt's at end of turn, while Andy has run out of Dredgers in the yard. Draw step reveals a land to get Bloodghast and sends in his team. David decides to not block with his Young Pyromancer. David digs for a bit, but finds no answers and concedes to Game 2.
David opens up on a great hand with Grafdigger's Cage, but his only land is Library of Alexandria. Andy leads on Undiscovered Paradise. David draws a Mox Sapphire but opts to go on the Library plan. He makes a second Cage, but Andy has an Ingot Chewer to eat one of the Cages, making a Zombie with Bridge from Below. David dumps a Young Pyromancer into play and passes. Andy makes some Dredge action, and then casts Abrupt Decay on the other Cage, allowing him to go off on the races with Bazaar. He flashes back Cabal Therapy, making a bunch of Zombies with Bridge from Below. David opts to Mental Misstep the Therapy, holding up Force of Will to hit Andy's followup Dread Return. David makes a second Young Pyromancer and passes turn, holding up Abrade mana. Andy dredges hard, hitting an Ichorid trigger and also hits Narcomoeba. David ascertains there's no way to win, and concedes the match.
The Academy steps up to 3-3!
Matt Sperling jumps up in the final match on LANDSTILL! A deck with an absurd matchup vs Dredge with main deck GY hate. Andy mulligans terribly, but makes a Turn 1 Bazaar of Baghdad. Matt opens on Turn 1 Grafdigger's Cage. Andy opts to try and draw with Bazaar, dumping some dredgers and Bloodghast, but it isn't enough to beat the Cage.
Andy on the play makes a Turn 1 Hollow One off Bazaar of Baghdad, while Matt opens on Turn 1 Rest in Peace + Grafdigger's Cage, however the RIP eats a Nature's Claim. Matt holds on an Ancestral Recall while Andy tries to hit Cage with a second Claim. Matt Ancestrals and hits Force of Will to keep Cage around. Andy presses the damage, swinging in with Hollow One and attempts to Abrupt Decay the Cage. Matt drops Containment Priest with a second in hand. Andy continues to swing, with Matt dropping to 4. Andy continues swinging, blocking with double Containment Priest, triggering Bridge from Below to allow Andy to make 2 Zombies. Matt finds a Mishra's Factory but it's only stemming the bleeding and goes to Game 3.
Matt has a solid open on Turn 1 Grafdiffer's Cage. Andy jumps onto a Turn 1 Hollow One, with Matt sitting on a Swords to Plowshares. Matt takes the hit from the Hollow One, plowing it at end of turn in hopes there isn't a response Nature's Claim. There isn't and he makes a Standstill and a second Grafdigger's Cage. Andy cracks the Standstill with Nature's Claim, but Mental Misstep drawn off the Standstill causes it to go bye-bye. Matt makes a THIRD Grafdigger's Cage followed up with Wasteland on Andy's Bazaar. Andy hardcasts Stinkweed Imp to establish something of a plan. He dredges again and makes a SECOND Stinkweed Imp (I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING!!!) that gets Mana Drain'ed by Matt. Andy sets up with Dakmor Salvage to follow up on getting another Stinkweed Imp the next turn. One of the Imps gets hit by Swords to Plowshares, but hard casts a second. ANOTHER STINKWEED IMP ENTERS THE FRAY, with Andy having an Abrupt Decay in hand to make Zombies off one of the Stinkweed Imp's. Andy hard casts Golgari Thug while Matt continues to brick on draws. Andy lines up a Cabal Therapy, which gets Mistepped by Matt. Andy continues the beat plan, swinging for the fences and the match.
THE ACADEMY SWEEPS THE TEAM SERIES AT 4-3!!!!!!
Notable Decklists - The Academy
The Academy certainly brought us some teaching moments, with some crazy cool lists and their unique take on Landstill.
Brian Kelly's "Embalmstill" | Team Vintage Super League
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Glyph Keeper
1 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
1 Containment Priest
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Sunscourge Champion
1 Champion of Wits
1 Time Walk
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Mental Misstep
2 Mindbreak Trap
3 Swords to Plowshares
1 Flusterstorm
1 Dig Through Time
1 Disenchant
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal
1 Moat
4 Standstill
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Misty Rainforest
4 Tundra
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Karakas
1 Mishra's Factory
1 Strip Mine
2 Wasteland
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Polluted Delta
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Flusterstorm
2 Containment Priest
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Fragmentize
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Stony Silence
1 Rest in Peace
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Plains
1 Damping Sphere
This deck is super sweet. I am totally in love with the sweet ideas this deck has, and would be super interesting to see it tuned further. Awesome ideas, Mr. Kelly.
And of course, we wouldn't be able to finish this without showcasing the Showstopper Match of Dredge.
Andy Markiton's Dredge | Team Vintage Super League
3 Ichorid
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Flame-Kin Zealot
3 Golgari Thug
4 Narcomoeba
4 Bloodghast
4 Stinkweed Imp
2 Dread Return
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Unmask
4 Serum Powder
3 Leyline of the Void
4 Bridge from Below
2 Dakmor Salvage
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Mana Confluence
1 Petrified Field
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Hollow One
3 Nature's Claim
1 Cabal Pit
3 Abrupt Decay
Great list, and a lot of fun to watch (especially since I personally play Dredge on MTGO in Vintage). Worth noting that this list on stream was using cards from Andy's actual account and was entirely in FOIL.
Notable Decklists - Scottsdale Foundation
While the lists Scottsdale brought this week weren't hyper spicy, they were strong and pretty consistent.
David William's UR Pyromancer | Team Vintage Super League
3 Dack Fayden
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Preordain
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Time Walk
1 Ponder
1 Gitaxian Probe
4 Force of Will
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Spell Pierce
3 Abrade
1 Brainstorm
3 Opt
1 Mental Misstep
1 Gush
1 Dig Through Time
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Flusterstorm
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Black Lotus
2 Null Rod
4 Volcanic Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
1 Polluted Delta
1 Flusterstorm
4 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Smash to Smithereens
3 Pyroblast
1 Anger of the Gods
3 Shattering Spree
1 Pulverize
1 Mindbreak Trap
Very powerful deck, with lots of solid action. Abrade in main deck was really cool to see here.
Matt Sperling's Landstill | Team Vintage Super League
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Containment Priest
1 Fragmentize
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Time Walk
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Flusterstorm
1 Mindbreak Trap
4 Force of Will
2 Disenchant
2 Mana Drain
2 Swords to Plowshares
4 Mental Misstep
1 Dig Through Time
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
2 Grafdigger's Cage
4 Standstill
4 Tundra
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Polluted Delta
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Flooded Strand
1 Plains
2 Island
3 Mishra's Factory
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
2 Flusterstorm
1 Mindbreak Trap
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Rest in Peace
2 Energy Flux
2 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Stony Silence
Not as spicy as Embalmstill, but still heavily spicy and despite being pre-boarded for Dredge, this deck ended up losing to the Dark Arts!
Wrapping Up
That's all the time we have this week folks! We're inching along to the end of Round 2, but The Academy and Snapcardster have both earned 2-0 wins directly into the Top 4, so they get to sit pretty while everyone else continues to slog it out.
The rest of the Round 2 Schedule is as follows:
- May 24 - Blue Crab Club vs ChannelFireball
- June 7 - Cardsphere.com vs Hornet Queens
Until next time, may all your Magic be Eternal!
