Games Haven Monthly $1K Series 2019
8th Sept 2019
Games Haven Paya Lebar
Turns out that all you needed for healthy attendance at Modern events was a healthy format! Who would have thought? We had our biggest turnout for a Modern 1K event ever, with 52 people celebrating the ban of our boogeyman Hogaak and the unbanning of the bane of New Phyrexia Standard, Stoneforge Mystic. With this banlist update, along with the lesser lauded but no less significant ban of Faithless Looting, the Modern community worldwide has been testing and testing and testing ever since the 26th of August. What does Modern look like now?
Stoneforge Mystic is poised to give many decks an incredible shot in the arm that promises to be just what they need to turn a "fair" Modern deck into the next big thing. Any player with Legacy and/or Cawblade experience knows that the strength of the Stoneforge package is not just that the unassuming Kor circumvents mana costs for your most broken equipment, but also that a player doesn't need to jump through too many hoops to make it effective. The Stoneforge package consists of a mere 6-7 cards (4 SFMs and 2-3 equipment cards that can get you out of any sticky situation), and is extremely self-contained and immensely compact, allowing for a great deal of flexibility in shell selection. Over the couple of weeks since Stoneforge Mystic has been legal, the Stoneforge package has appeared in a smorgasbord of shells across the Internet, from Stoneblade builds as close to the Legacy version as they can get (Modern has no Jitte, so we make do with Swords), to things like Abzan Rock, Bant Coco, BW Eldrazi and Taxes, you name it.
Stoneforge Mystic definitely overperformed in the event, despite (and maybe because of) the fact that it's been a VERY LONG TIME since Cawblade, and some of our players were not even playing during the Cawblade era. This unbanning is an extremely impactful one, a result that is also evident in the wider swaths of Magic events worldwide, and savvy players should be ready for a new top contender.
From the unban, we go to the bans. The banning of Hogaak and Faithless Looting in our local context means that Mono-Red Phoenix is no longer the island's favourite Lightning Bolt deck any more. We all know what this means, no matter how much we try to run from it. This means that we will have to face our old flame (heh) Burn again. Burn was once again at pre-Hogaak numbers in the event on Sunday, commanding an impressive showing and making Stoneforge players race to stabilize with Batterskull.
Besides Burn, the exiling of Hogaak also meant that Tron was once again unshackled and free to run rampant, kept only in check by (of course) Burn. This also meant that a few decks enjoyed a resurgence to capitalize on a predicted metagame with loads of Burn, Tron and greedy Stoneforge decks. We had classic Dredge make a return with a new tech, Tome Scour, to replace Faithless Looting. Mono-Red Phoenix didn't quite rise from the ashes, but regressed to a lesser self as the Kiln Fiend deck of old. 5C Humans and Amulet Titan enjoyed upticks in play as well, being unable to utilize Stoneforge Mystic effectively, and largely not caring about metagame shifts involving Hogaak and Faithless Looting. We did see a dramatic plunge in graveyard hate though, perhaps a bit too much.
One notable standout is Hardened Scales Affinity, a deck touted by some pros to be one of the top aggressive decks in the new Modern. It is fast, resilient, and short of a Terminus or Hurkyl's Recall, is very adept at maintaining pressure. It also can outgrind Stoneforge Mystic midrange decks once in a while with the right draws, so it has that going for it as well.
As a whole, despite the great number of Burn decks, it was amazing to see how different the tables looked from last month's event. The banlist update looks extremely promising for the format, and early impressions are cautiously good. All sorts of archetypes have their chance to flourish at the moment, and Modern actually does look like it's at its most exciting in recent memory. It's not quite the mass tears of joy after Eye of Ugin got banned, but it is still a breath of fresh air.
From Lightning Bolt decks, to Stoneforge Mystic, to old standouts, to decks that wished they had Faithless Looting back, our Top 8 had it all. And finally, at the end of the day, Chandra and Karn propelled one Conrad Dungan to the absolute top with RG Ponza! Many congratulations to all of our Top 8!!
Top 8 Decklists
1st Place - Conrad Dungan
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Red Green Ponza
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Blood Moon, because turning all nonbasic lands into Mountains makes a FUN and
INTERACTIVE game of Magic, especially when it is one-sided.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Courser of Kruphix, as it helped me ensure land drops every turn and gave me life
against Burn.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
This deck requires aggressive mulligans to have a turn-two Blood Moon or land destruction.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Almost died against Infect, but I topdecked Karn and fetched Engineered Explosives to deal with a Blighted Agent
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
Stoneforge Mystic, because I sold my playset hahahahaha
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
So long, suckers! Shoutout to my teams Mana Lords and Chambaleros! Peenoise gaming for life!
RG Ponza - Main Deck
7x Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Mountain
3x Stomping Ground
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills
4x Arbor Elf
2x Birds of Paradise
2x Courser of Kruohix
2x Tireless Tracker
2x Glorybringer
2x Inferno Titan
4x Pillage
4x Stone Rain
2x Sweltering Suns
4x Utopia Sprawl
4x Blood Moon
2x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4x Karn, the Great Creator
1x Chandra, Awakened Inferno
Sideboard
1x Chandra, Awakened Inferno
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Ancient Grudge
3x Kitchen Finks
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Liquimetal Coating
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Mycosynth Lattice
1x Sorcerous Spyglass
1x Ensnaring Bridge
2nd Place - Alex Keng
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
UW GeistBlade
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
GST, because gonna be 9% soon! [Editor's Note: Please no, I don't wanna pay 19%
at Haidilao]
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Sword of Feast and Famine, my Stoneforge Mystic's first choice of weapon! So relevant
against my opponents Bant Soulherder, Amulet Titan and Valakut, enroute to the Top 8.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Everything was problematic. 1st time piloting SFM and a main deck without Supreme Verdict.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Vs Treasure Hunt, in Game 1, my opponent was on the play. I kept my 7, he mulled to 6, then to 5, then to 4, then to......1, then conceded the game. He proceeded to present the deck for Game 2. I asked if he was going to sideboard, to which he replied, "I don't know what you're playing." LOL!
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
Graveyard synergy cards.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
So sad! Now Trons are out to play!
UW Geistblade - Main Deck
4x Field of Ruin
3x Celestial Colonnade
4x Flooded Strand
2x Glacial Fortress
2x Hallowed Fountain
5x Island
3x Plains
1x Prairie Stream
2x Geist of Saint Traft
2x Restoration Angel
3x Snapcaster Mage
2x Spell Queller
4x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Vendilion Clique
2x Cryptic Command
2x Force of Negation
2x Mana Leak
4x Opt
4x Path to Exile
2x Spell Snare
1x Batterskull
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
2x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2x Teferi, Time Raveler
Sideboard
2x Celestial Purge
2x Ceremonious Rejection
1x Disdainful Stroke
1x Disenchant
1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1x Hurkyl's Recall
2x Rest in Peace
1x Settle the Wreckage
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Sword of Truth and Justice
1x Timely Reinforcements
1x Vendilion Clique
Top 4 - Randy Yeoh
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Hardened Scales
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Arcbound Ravager
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Walking Ballista
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Not drawing Ravager
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Mull to 4 and still win
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
More artifacts
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
Yay
Hardened Scales Affinity – Main Deck
4x Inkmoth Nexus
4x Darksteel Citadel
1x Pendelhaven
2x Llanowar Reborn
1x Blast Zone
1x Nurturing Peatland
7x Forest
3x Arcbound Worker
4x Arcbound Ravager
4x Hangarback Walker
4x Walking Ballista
1x Metallic Mimic
2x Steel Overseer
4x Ancient Stirrings
3x Welding Jar
4x Mox Opal
4x Mishra's Bauble
2x Animation Module
1x Throne of Geth
4x Hardened Scales
Sideboard
3x Dismember
4x Nature's Claim
1x Force of Vigor
1x Tormod's Crypt
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Animation Module
1x Grafdigger's Cage
3x Damping Sphere
Top 4 - Kenny Loke
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Grixis Death's Shadow
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Temur Battle Rage
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Claim//Fame. Steals the game.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Preserving the HP total against Burn players.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Snapcaster beatdown.
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
More OP planeswalkers and spells.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
No need 4x Leyline of the Void in sideboard!
Grixis Death's Shadow - Main Deck
2x Blood Crypt
4x Bloodstained Mire
1x Island
4x Polluted Delta
2x Scalding tarn
1x Steam Vents
1x Swamp
2x Watery Grave
4x Death's Shadow
4x Gurmag Angler
3x Snapcaster Mage
4x Street Wraith
1x Dismember
3x Fatal Push
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Kolaghan's Command
1x Lightning Bolt
3x Serum Visions
3x Stubborn Denial
2x Temur Battle Rage
4x Thought Scour
4x Thoughtseize
1x Claim//Fame
3x Mishra's Bauble
Sideboard
1x Abrade
1x Anger of the Gods
1x Ashiok, Dream Render
1x Ceremonious Rejection
2x Collective Brutality
1x Disdainful Stroke
1x Kolaghan's Command
1x Liliana, the Last Hope
2x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Plague Engineer
1x Shenanigans
2x Surgical Extraction
Top 8 - Daston Lam
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
RG Titanshift
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. My Mountains become Lightning Bolts.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Mwonvuli Acid-Moss. Timely help when facing down a lethal Inkmoth Nexus.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Faster combo and aggro decks. Game 1 I don't have much disruption/answers, so I am easily steamrolled by faster decks.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Arcbound Ravager + Inkmoth Nexus for lethal out of nowhere.
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
More artifact/enchantment hate.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
It's ok, we can still be friends in Legacy! Also thanks Jason.
RG Valakut - Main Deck
4x Wooded Foothills
1x Windswept Heath
3x Misty Rainforest
4x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
3x Cinder Glade
4x Stomping Ground
6x Mountain
2x Forest
1x Obstinate Baloth
1x Courser of Kruphix
4x Sakura-Tribe Elder
4x Primeval Titan
1x Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
2x Explore
2x Sweltering Suns
2x Summoner's Pact
3x Farseek
4x Search for Tomorrow
4x Scapeshift
4x Lightning Bolt
1x Khalni Heart Expedition
Sideboard
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Tireless Tracker
2x Obstinate Baloth
2x Damping Sphere
2x Veil of Summer
2x Fry
3x Ancient Grudge
Top 8 - Andrew "Lakondegai" Sim
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Mandai Zoo
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Ayataka Green Tea [Atarka's Command], pushes damage for lethal
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Path to Exile, best removal in the format.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Not drawing fetchlands into colour screw.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Topdecking my only basic Plains to cast Lightning Helix for lethal.
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
Gingerbread Man, then I can convert Zoo into Shrek Zoo.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! FAITHLESS LOOTING!!!
Naya Zoo Aggro - Main Deck
4x Wooded Foothills
3x Bloodstained Mire
3x Windswept Heath
1x Sunbaked Canyon
1x Nurturing Peatland
1x Blood Crypt
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
1x Forest
1x Plains
2x Mountain
4x Pelt Collector
4x Wild Nacatl
4x Goblin Guide
4x Vexing Devil
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Reckless Bushwhacker
4x Seasoned Pyromancer
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Lightning Helix
4x Atarka's Command
Sideboard
3x Engineered Explosives
3x Boros Charm
2x Path to Exile
2x Veil of Summer
2x Destructive Revelry
1x Abrupt Decay
1x Legion's End
1x Assassin's Trophy
Top 8 - Melvin Cheng
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Dredge
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Forgotten Caves, it became the graveyard card I could get back and dredge again
with Life from the Loam.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Tome Scour, because it doesn't do anything in the graveyard but it's so good in the
opening hand.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Not much, graveyard hate cards were on a vacation.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
None.
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
Stoneforge Mystic reprint.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
Hogaak was expected. Faithless left me literally faithless.
Dredge - Main Deck
1x Mountain
1x Blood Crypt
3x Forgotten Cave
1x Copperline Gorge
1x Gemstone Mine
2x City of Brass
2x Steam Vents
2x Stomping Ground
3x Bloodstained Mire
4x Wooded Foothills
4x Narcomoeba
4x Bloodghast
2x Golgari Thug
4x Stinkweed Impt
4x Prized Amalgam
4x Tome Scour
2x Conflagrate
4x Life from the Loam
4x Cathartic Reunion
4x Creeping Chill
4x Shriekhorn
Sideboard
3x Lightning Axe
3x Nature's Claim
1x Blast Zone
2x Alpine Moon
2x Assassin's Trophy
1x Collective Brutality
1x Shenanigans
2x Ancient Grudge
Top 8 - Calvin Chen
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Red Prowess
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Light Up the Stage. Burying your opponent in card advantage with a red deck is pretty
dope.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Saheeli, created a lot of value and blockers against Jund. Brought me a lot of time
to draw burn spells.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Land flooding, I miss you Faithless Looting.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Against Burn, we had a board of 3 Dragon's Claw on my side and 2 Kor Firewalkers on my opponent's. Game ended with my life total at 55. Used Crash Through to make my creatures trample through the blockers for tons of damage.
What are you hoping for Modern from Throne of Eldraine?
A new looting effect.
Hogaak and Faithless Looting are banned! Give us your best reaction!
[CENSORED] Hogaak.
Mono-Red Prowess - Main Deck
2x Fiery Islet
2x Prismatic Vista
14x Snow-Covered Mountain
3x Bedlam Reveler
3x Kiln Fiend
4x Monastery Swiftspear
4x Soul-Scar Mage
2x Burst Lightning
4x Crash Through
2x Forked Bolt
4x Lava Dart
4x Lava Spike
4x Light Up the Stage
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Manamorphose
Sideboard
2x Abrade
2x Alpine Moon
1x Dismember
3x Dragon's Claw
2x Hazoret the Fervent
2x Kozilek's Return
2x Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
1x Shenanigans
