Do you see the prices going up even with the new wave of War of the Spark boxes coming out soon? A friend at my LGS says that there will more supply at that time, thus the prices of individual cards should come down.
(I already know the answer to this, but my bullheaded self needs to hear it from others.)
What do you think about buying Teferi, Time Raveler and Karn, the Great Creator? My LGS is selling Teferi at $18 and Karn at $14, which is way higher than I can get elsewhere. But I have a bunch of Store Credit, so I almost don't care. Then again, I have no need for them any time soon. I need 3 more Karn and 3 more Teferi, as I was able to buy them at $10 a piece at another store, but that's all they had in stock.
Somewhat related, I don't know why wizards created arclight phoenix, prized amalgam, or hollow one, cards that enable recursive graveyard strategies. Dredge was already problematic.
They don't test for Modern.
Arclight Phoenix made an archetype in Standard and even Prized Amalgam was in a fun Standard deck (UR Zombies). Had a local 12-0 at a GP into 12-3 with UR Zombies during its Standard run. Skaab Stitching or something like that, lol. They may have thought that Hollow One could do something in Standard?
Wizards literally does not think at all about other formats. London Mulligan? That's terrible news for Modern and Legacy, the 2 formats I play the most.
Round 1 vs. Jeskai? He said he hadn't played in a while. In both games, I drew 14+ cards and couldn't find Nourishing Shoal, losing to my own Pacts on my upkeep. Turn 1 in the first game and turn 3 in Game 2. In game 2, he said he could have done Dovin's Veto, but did Spell Queller instead. Big mistake, as I had Pact of Negation. Didn't matter as 14 cards and then a Street Wraith could NOT find Shoal. 0-2.
Round 2 vs. Merfolk. Another newer player. In the first game, he got a Lord and a 1/1, but I finally find a 2nd land on turn 3 and go off, killing him. In the next game, he has Deprive for my Manamorphose since I didn't draw a land and have to go for it with Simian Spirit Guide, but I have Pact of Negation. He makes a mistake, not doing Vapor Snag on Griselbrand, but it turned out that I drew all the right cards, chaining Shoals with Autochthon Wurms to win easily. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Grixis Shadow. Terrible matchup. Fetch, shock Thoughtseize, taking my Allosaurus Rider, leaving me with double Manamorphose, which find 2 Neoform. I can't find Dinosaur or Pact. In the next game, I get Griselbrand on turn 1. He does Fetch/Shock/Thoughtseize and I only have Simian Spirit Guide in hand, but I don't want to take a chance, so I draw cards until I can Pact of Negation. I have too many Pacts to pay next turn anyway, but go off pretty easily to dome him for damage with Lightning Storm. In the next game, he does Shock/Fetch/Thoughtseize and takes Eldritch Evolution. I draw Neoform on turn 2 and win. He has Dismember for Griselbrand, but only 1. I end up getting there and he shows me 5 land in hand as his only cards. He kept because Thoughtseize. That's how scary this deck is, even in the face of a poor matchup. Speed kills. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. RG Breach. Finally a good matchup! My friend who I tested Hogaak Vine before the tournament with. In the first game, I keep with Rider, Serum Visions, double Green cards, and some land. I go to work trying to find Neoform or Eldritch Evolution. I don't and die to 2 Prime Times. Even with Nourishing Shoal and Wurm, that's only 15 life and he has double Prime Time. In the next game, I turn 1 Griselbrand. I swing 3 times. In the final game, I get turn 2 Griselbrand and he has no way to beat that, scooping. 2-1.
I go 3-1 with the deck, putting it to 14-2. I think this deck is pretty insane. Nobody in the current meta is running countermagic or discard, although Humans can rear its ugly head. There are so many gimmes for this deck though.
I played against the AltarVine deck a lot with several different archetypes. Comparing this to Eldrazi with Eye is utterly ridiculous. I suspect people just want to play their pet decks (which aren’t well positioned) and that’s it. We’ve got lots of powerful options (all of them with different strategies) in Modern. The new piece of candy is only one of them.
I have played both decks fairly extensively. I played UR Eldrazi during the whole Eldrazi Winter. That deck is definitely more busted and nearly impossible to hate on without giving up your matchup to nearly every other deck in the meta (which probably is worth it at the time in my opinion). Eye of Ugin was seriously busted. I first realized this when I mulliganed to Eye, Eldrazi Temple, Thought-Knot Seer, and Eldrazi Mimic and thoroughly slaughtered my opponent. I had never slaughtered an opponent on 4 cards. I had won a few close ones sometimes, but never like this.
As for BridgeVine, I have played it in a lot of forms and this form with Hogaak, which I have tested the past 3 days, is pretty insane. I did have some poor draws before the tournament vs. Amulet with Devoted Druid (a friend) and only won 3 of 5 games. This deck can be hurt slightly by multiple pieces of hate.
I predict Grafdigger's Cage going up in value. It also shuts down NeoBrand, a deck that I'm now 14-2 with. So, these are the cards that I expect to see more play.
1. Grafdigger's Cage
2. Ravenous Trap
and to a lesser extent, Leyline of the Void.
I personally will always assume my opponent has Ravenous Trap in games 2 and 3 when I'm on Hogaak Vine unless I've seen different when I milled them out.
it feels like modern is increasing in power level. Is phoenix considered a "normal" strength deck now, while Hogaak is the new overpowered deck that people are calling for bans?
I personally believe so. It is a very beatable deck and I definitely would NOT say so 2 months ago.
I also assumed that you had "Burn type decks" in your meta, so I didn't question the 3 Nurturing Peatland. In that case, I personally do believe that 3 is correct. You don't ever really want 2 of those out as your only lands ever. I have felt that pain before, mostly with Devoted Druid Company.
Me personally, I'd side my 2 Dismember and my 2 Surgical Extraction. I personally don't think that Damping Sphere does enough and it further waters down Company, which I hate, hate, hate to take out ever.
I know for sure this is not the best current SB. I personally would make sure every deck I play runs 2-3 Ravenous Trap, as the Hogaak Vine deck is insane. I'm not sure what else I'd do to reconfigure the SB, as I don't play Elves regularly. I usually play the other 2 decks or Humans.
I guess I should clarify that the first 4 cards should not be necessary in a GP meta. My meta has tons of people trying to interact, although occasionally those people "disappear" and it becomes not so much like this.
I know. I don't know what I'll really do without this place. This was the main place I would go to blow off steam and take my mind off more important matters (not always smart to avoid them, but ...)
Meddling Mage naming Allosaurus Rider is good against Neoform too, but I guess that deck's been deemed bad. I don't mind. I am 11-1 at this point with NeoBrand.
Monday Night Magic! (for the first time in months) - 17 people. Tournament organizer decides to do London Mulligan. Good for me. I already decided on NeoBrand.
Round 1 vs. UR Phoenix. He does a Thing in the Ice, but I get Griselbrand. He has Echoing Truth at EoT, but I respond by finding what I need to win and then doing that next turn. Easy matchup for me, as Spell Pierce and Surgical Extraction if I'm not careful are all I worry about. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Grixis Control. In the first game, we sit doing nothing, but he also misses some land drops. When I'm at 8 cards, I discard a Lab Man. The next turn, I play a Nourishing Shoal with Autochthon Wurm and he does Logic Knot. I then run out Allosaurus Rider and Neoform it for Griselbrand. He probably thought I didn't have it, so why let me gain 15? In the next game, I go for it with Pact of Negation to counter his Spell Snare. Then I end up doing 3 Summoner's Pact and 1 more Pact of Negation with the "paying Pact of Negation" on the stack on turn 3 to beat him with Lightning Storm. He thought he had me with Logic Knot, but I had Simian Spirit Guide and technically could have drawn the last 7 cards of my library to find another SSG AND a Pact of Negation. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Eldrazi Aggro. He mulls to 4 since he saw what I was playing. Chalice of the Void on 0 and a turn 2 Eldrazi Mimic the turn before I win hardly do anything. I have Griselbrand with a +1/+1 counter and there is no reason not to just swing away with him until he scoops. In the next game, he has turn 2 Trinisphere, but I have Dissenter's Deliverance and draw a 3rd land on turn 3. Then he also added a Damping Sphere, but I drew a 4th land on turn 4 to do Allosaurus Rider and Eldritch Evolution. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Burn. 0-0-3. We split prizes and I agree to give him the win for PW points. We play for fun. I win the first game, having to respond to Pact by gaining life, drawing cards, and doing a Lightning Storm. In the next game, it takes a couple of turns to find something, and he has Skullcrack when I do Nourishing Shoal after drawing 7 life to put me at 7 life. Ugh. Combination of things, allowing Red Control to get there. The next game is similar. I have 2 Nourishing Shoals in hand, but can't get something to go with them. I have Griselbrand with a +1/+1 counter, but Deflecting Palm gets me. Thank god most Burn players don't run Deflecting Palm anymore. 1-2.
I go 3-1 with the deck. The last round was rough, but him having Skillcrack and Deflecting Palm in games 2 and 3 while I had to go down in life to those levels, I didn't deserve to win. The guy let me borrow 2 Hogaak for Friday, so I just need 2 more. THAT is a win!!!
How is the London Mulligan with this deck? Amazing, but perhaps not as huge as I initially thought it would be. I assumed this deck to be Tier 2 without and Tier 1 with. But it's close. Putting Griselbrand, Lab Man, Lightning Storm on the bottom before the game starts after London Mulliganing is good, especially since you reshuffle anyway with Neoform or Eldritch Evolution.
Compare with Hogaak, the Arisen Necropolis, which has also spiked to around $30. For anyone that really, really needs them, you can get them for around $25 on tcgplayer. I considered it myself, but am taking a hiatus from Magic starting on the 15th, which is 1 day before they can ship. So there's really no point, especially since the card can only go down from here.
Oh yes, I know. I have played Titanshift (which admittedly is slightly better against Elves than Breach) for probably 2 years all together. It's one of the easiest matches for the deck.
I was just a bit upset because he saw what I was going to play in Round 1 and then chose to play his own deck after he begged me to play GB Rock. He audibled because he was scared of Elves. Then I had a plan to play around Anger of the Gods, which seemed doable with land, mana dork, double Elvish Archdruid. Then I had a plan in Game 2 to try to Company into a single Lord. But then again, Company is a card that has a lot of variance. I have to be willing to live and die by that card. I guess I could have let him sweep my board, then Company into two 1/1s and try to beat him with that? (or worse, Company into a Lord after my board was wiped)
As for me, regarding Nurturing Peatland, I will replace the 4 Horizon Canopy with 4 Nurturing Peatland. The card is a godsend, considering how many times I have Canopies out, but can't cast Shaman of the Pack.
16 person FNM, small... I kept SIX 1 land hands (and mulled another one) in my first 3 rounds.
Round 1 vs. RG Breach. I loaned out GB Rock to this friend, but he got scared of the pointy eared bois and went with his own RG Breach instead. In the first game, I kept on 1 land, dork X 2, 2 Elvish Archdruid. I draw a 3rd Archdruid, but don't find a 2nd land, so I can't drop Archdruids like crazy. I lose to a turn 3 Breached Titan because I have no way to win before his next turn, while at 2 life. In the next game, he goes turn 3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance into RR and Firespout. Lol. I have 2 Lords in play and try to hit more with Company. I hit 3 dorks and 3 lands and scoop. Two 1/1s after a board wipe aren't winning anyway, right? 0-2.
Round 2 vs. Jund. I get Junded out with a 1 land keep. I can only play 1 mana dudes that die to a flurry of Bolts, Fatal Pushes, and an Assassin's Trophy on my Blooming Marsh (when there was a land on top randomly, lol). In the next game, I peel a 2nd land and go to work. Honestly I just outdrew him here, even after I drew Shaper's Sanctuary with 3 Bolts in his graveyard. His Liliana, the Last Hope still got me many cards and with Lords, I was able to stay alive and resolve an average Company into drawing Lead the Stampede. Some people have all the luck! The next game is similar, but my draws were just very good. I knew he had Liliana of the Veil in hand and I went mana dork into mana dork and Dwynen's Elite. I get Lords and also have Westvale Abbey. I slow roll to see if he has Damnation and then fetch 2 more Elvish Clancaller EoT into a lethal swing. 2-1.
Round 3 vs. GB Rock. In the first game, I keep on 1 land, but I draw enough gas after he just makes discard and 1 Goyf. In the next game, he draws Damnation in time with Liliana the Last Hope in play and he Junds me out. I can never get something going, especially with Snoozes so big. In the final game, I am the first to Scooze and eat 2 dudes to make it a 4/4. He reveals Fatal Push with Dark Confidant and kills the Scooze, but I draw all the power houses in this game and he falls behind, although he DOES kill an Ezuri. I have another Ezuri in hand and 2 Elvish Archdruid in play. I draw a 3rd land and SLAM Ezuri. He scoops. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. 8 Rack. In the first game, I get Smallpoxed, but draw Ezuri to play land, Dwynen's Elite to go with Heritage Druid, tap for Ezuri. I draw Company after this and he gets double Shaman of the Pack when I Company. Ouch! The next game is similar and I ignore a Liliana the Last Hope and swing with so many dudes. Three 3/3s swing him with him at 3 and Field of Ruin and Marsh Flats up with 2 cards in hand. I literally drew a 4th land that very turn to possibly play 2 Elvish Clancaller, but I didn't want to rub it in and it certainly looked like lethal. Can anyone figure out what set of 2 cards from 8 Rack could have beaten me here? 2-0.
I go 3-1 for 5th place. Had to creep out of the 0-1, (0-2) hole...
Never have I seen more than 1 round that included Liliana, the Last Hope, let alone 2 SD Convention versions in different rounds. Lol.
Went looking at Fetch prices as I want to brew a fun Jund sacrifice deck, and...wow. Verdant Catacombs at $70 is a joke, and Scalding Tarn back up to $120 as the best colour pair should be, is just gross.
Time for some reprints.
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. Whenever something goes down because of reprints, something else goes way up. I'm personally at the point where my will to sell out because of these prices is trumping my laziness to put up a list of the cards I want to sell.
(Most of this is reserve list spikes, as opposed to Modern though.)
It really depends, as I choose a huge variety of decks.
But usually if I'm playing seriously, Tron is normally a good matchup for me. I also tend to hedge a bit against Burn, so I don't usually mind much playing there. But I've also had problems against Tron whenever I try a new, fun deck. And Burn has caused problems for me in the past or to be more specific - the card Eidolon of the Great Revel.
I am not like most others. I don't usually enjoy playing against BGx. Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek into Dark Confidant into Liliana of the Veil is not fun for me, win or lose. It's like playing against 8 Rack on a smaller scale. I can beat them, but to do so isn't going to be normally how my deck wins. Also I've probably heard the most complaints here, "If I only drew removal..." Sure, but then you also drew fewer discard spells or fewer Tarmogoyfs or fewer Liliana of the Veil. Obviously the complaints are sometimes spot on, but their deck construction is a certain way for a reason and things happen. (I also wished my opponent didn't draw 3 Tireless Tracker on an open board sometimes.)
What do you think about buying Teferi, Time Raveler and Karn, the Great Creator? My LGS is selling Teferi at $18 and Karn at $14, which is way higher than I can get elsewhere. But I have a bunch of Store Credit, so I almost don't care. Then again, I have no need for them any time soon. I need 3 more Karn and 3 more Teferi, as I was able to buy them at $10 a piece at another store, but that's all they had in stock.
They don't test for Modern.
Arclight Phoenix made an archetype in Standard and even Prized Amalgam was in a fun Standard deck (UR Zombies). Had a local 12-0 at a GP into 12-3 with UR Zombies during its Standard run. Skaab Stitching or something like that, lol. They may have thought that Hollow One could do something in Standard?
Wizards literally does not think at all about other formats. London Mulligan? That's terrible news for Modern and Legacy, the 2 formats I play the most.
Round 1 vs. Jeskai? He said he hadn't played in a while. In both games, I drew 14+ cards and couldn't find Nourishing Shoal, losing to my own Pacts on my upkeep. Turn 1 in the first game and turn 3 in Game 2. In game 2, he said he could have done Dovin's Veto, but did Spell Queller instead. Big mistake, as I had Pact of Negation. Didn't matter as 14 cards and then a Street Wraith could NOT find Shoal. 0-2.
Round 2 vs. Merfolk. Another newer player. In the first game, he got a Lord and a 1/1, but I finally find a 2nd land on turn 3 and go off, killing him. In the next game, he has Deprive for my Manamorphose since I didn't draw a land and have to go for it with Simian Spirit Guide, but I have Pact of Negation. He makes a mistake, not doing Vapor Snag on Griselbrand, but it turned out that I drew all the right cards, chaining Shoals with Autochthon Wurms to win easily. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Grixis Shadow. Terrible matchup. Fetch, shock Thoughtseize, taking my Allosaurus Rider, leaving me with double Manamorphose, which find 2 Neoform. I can't find Dinosaur or Pact. In the next game, I get Griselbrand on turn 1. He does Fetch/Shock/Thoughtseize and I only have Simian Spirit Guide in hand, but I don't want to take a chance, so I draw cards until I can Pact of Negation. I have too many Pacts to pay next turn anyway, but go off pretty easily to dome him for damage with Lightning Storm. In the next game, he does Shock/Fetch/Thoughtseize and takes Eldritch Evolution. I draw Neoform on turn 2 and win. He has Dismember for Griselbrand, but only 1. I end up getting there and he shows me 5 land in hand as his only cards. He kept because Thoughtseize. That's how scary this deck is, even in the face of a poor matchup. Speed kills. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. RG Breach. Finally a good matchup! My friend who I tested Hogaak Vine before the tournament with. In the first game, I keep with Rider, Serum Visions, double Green cards, and some land. I go to work trying to find Neoform or Eldritch Evolution. I don't and die to 2 Prime Times. Even with Nourishing Shoal and Wurm, that's only 15 life and he has double Prime Time. In the next game, I turn 1 Griselbrand. I swing 3 times. In the final game, I get turn 2 Griselbrand and he has no way to beat that, scooping. 2-1.
I go 3-1 with the deck, putting it to 14-2. I think this deck is pretty insane. Nobody in the current meta is running countermagic or discard, although Humans can rear its ugly head. There are so many gimmes for this deck though.
I have played both decks fairly extensively. I played UR Eldrazi during the whole Eldrazi Winter. That deck is definitely more busted and nearly impossible to hate on without giving up your matchup to nearly every other deck in the meta (which probably is worth it at the time in my opinion). Eye of Ugin was seriously busted. I first realized this when I mulliganed to Eye, Eldrazi Temple, Thought-Knot Seer, and Eldrazi Mimic and thoroughly slaughtered my opponent. I had never slaughtered an opponent on 4 cards. I had won a few close ones sometimes, but never like this.
As for BridgeVine, I have played it in a lot of forms and this form with Hogaak, which I have tested the past 3 days, is pretty insane. I did have some poor draws before the tournament vs. Amulet with Devoted Druid (a friend) and only won 3 of 5 games. This deck can be hurt slightly by multiple pieces of hate.
I predict Grafdigger's Cage going up in value. It also shuts down NeoBrand, a deck that I'm now 14-2 with. So, these are the cards that I expect to see more play.
1. Grafdigger's Cage
2. Ravenous Trap
and to a lesser extent, Leyline of the Void.
I personally will always assume my opponent has Ravenous Trap in games 2 and 3 when I'm on Hogaak Vine unless I've seen different when I milled them out.
I personally believe so. It is a very beatable deck and I definitely would NOT say so 2 months ago.
Me personally, I'd side my 2 Dismember and my 2 Surgical Extraction. I personally don't think that Damping Sphere does enough and it further waters down Company, which I hate, hate, hate to take out ever.
My current SB is
2 Heroic Intervention
1 Fracturing Gust
2 Dismember
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Essence Warden
2 Reclamation Sage
2 Damping Sphere
I know for sure this is not the best current SB. I personally would make sure every deck I play runs 2-3 Ravenous Trap, as the Hogaak Vine deck is insane. I'm not sure what else I'd do to reconfigure the SB, as I don't play Elves regularly. I usually play the other 2 decks or Humans.
I guess I should clarify that the first 4 cards should not be necessary in a GP meta. My meta has tons of people trying to interact, although occasionally those people "disappear" and it becomes not so much like this.
Round 1 vs. UR Phoenix. He does a Thing in the Ice, but I get Griselbrand. He has Echoing Truth at EoT, but I respond by finding what I need to win and then doing that next turn. Easy matchup for me, as Spell Pierce and Surgical Extraction if I'm not careful are all I worry about. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Grixis Control. In the first game, we sit doing nothing, but he also misses some land drops. When I'm at 8 cards, I discard a Lab Man. The next turn, I play a Nourishing Shoal with Autochthon Wurm and he does Logic Knot. I then run out Allosaurus Rider and Neoform it for Griselbrand. He probably thought I didn't have it, so why let me gain 15? In the next game, I go for it with Pact of Negation to counter his Spell Snare. Then I end up doing 3 Summoner's Pact and 1 more Pact of Negation with the "paying Pact of Negation" on the stack on turn 3 to beat him with Lightning Storm. He thought he had me with Logic Knot, but I had Simian Spirit Guide and technically could have drawn the last 7 cards of my library to find another SSG AND a Pact of Negation. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Eldrazi Aggro. He mulls to 4 since he saw what I was playing. Chalice of the Void on 0 and a turn 2 Eldrazi Mimic the turn before I win hardly do anything. I have Griselbrand with a +1/+1 counter and there is no reason not to just swing away with him until he scoops. In the next game, he has turn 2 Trinisphere, but I have Dissenter's Deliverance and draw a 3rd land on turn 3. Then he also added a Damping Sphere, but I drew a 4th land on turn 4 to do Allosaurus Rider and Eldritch Evolution. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Burn. 0-0-3. We split prizes and I agree to give him the win for PW points. We play for fun. I win the first game, having to respond to Pact by gaining life, drawing cards, and doing a Lightning Storm. In the next game, it takes a couple of turns to find something, and he has Skullcrack when I do Nourishing Shoal after drawing 7 life to put me at 7 life. Ugh. Combination of things, allowing Red Control to get there. The next game is similar. I have 2 Nourishing Shoals in hand, but can't get something to go with them. I have Griselbrand with a +1/+1 counter, but Deflecting Palm gets me. Thank god most Burn players don't run Deflecting Palm anymore. 1-2.
I go 3-1 with the deck. The last round was rough, but him having Skillcrack and Deflecting Palm in games 2 and 3 while I had to go down in life to those levels, I didn't deserve to win. The guy let me borrow 2 Hogaak for Friday, so I just need 2 more. THAT is a win!!!
How is the London Mulligan with this deck? Amazing, but perhaps not as huge as I initially thought it would be. I assumed this deck to be Tier 2 without and Tier 1 with. But it's close. Putting Griselbrand, Lab Man, Lightning Storm on the bottom before the game starts after London Mulliganing is good, especially since you reshuffle anyway with Neoform or Eldritch Evolution.
I was just a bit upset because he saw what I was going to play in Round 1 and then chose to play his own deck after he begged me to play GB Rock. He audibled because he was scared of Elves. Then I had a plan to play around Anger of the Gods, which seemed doable with land, mana dork, double Elvish Archdruid. Then I had a plan in Game 2 to try to Company into a single Lord. But then again, Company is a card that has a lot of variance. I have to be willing to live and die by that card. I guess I could have let him sweep my board, then Company into two 1/1s and try to beat him with that? (or worse, Company into a Lord after my board was wiped)
As for me, regarding Nurturing Peatland, I will replace the 4 Horizon Canopy with 4 Nurturing Peatland. The card is a godsend, considering how many times I have Canopies out, but can't cast Shaman of the Pack.
My land base, for what it's worth.
4 Horizon Canopy
4 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Blooming Marsh
1 Pendelhaven
1 Westvale Abbey
Round 1 vs. RG Breach. I loaned out GB Rock to this friend, but he got scared of the pointy eared bois and went with his own RG Breach instead. In the first game, I kept on 1 land, dork X 2, 2 Elvish Archdruid. I draw a 3rd Archdruid, but don't find a 2nd land, so I can't drop Archdruids like crazy. I lose to a turn 3 Breached Titan because I have no way to win before his next turn, while at 2 life. In the next game, he goes turn 3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance into RR and Firespout. Lol. I have 2 Lords in play and try to hit more with Company. I hit 3 dorks and 3 lands and scoop. Two 1/1s after a board wipe aren't winning anyway, right? 0-2.
Round 2 vs. Jund. I get Junded out with a 1 land keep. I can only play 1 mana dudes that die to a flurry of Bolts, Fatal Pushes, and an Assassin's Trophy on my Blooming Marsh (when there was a land on top randomly, lol). In the next game, I peel a 2nd land and go to work. Honestly I just outdrew him here, even after I drew Shaper's Sanctuary with 3 Bolts in his graveyard. His Liliana, the Last Hope still got me many cards and with Lords, I was able to stay alive and resolve an average Company into drawing Lead the Stampede. Some people have all the luck! The next game is similar, but my draws were just very good. I knew he had Liliana of the Veil in hand and I went mana dork into mana dork and Dwynen's Elite. I get Lords and also have Westvale Abbey. I slow roll to see if he has Damnation and then fetch 2 more Elvish Clancaller EoT into a lethal swing. 2-1.
Round 3 vs. GB Rock. In the first game, I keep on 1 land, but I draw enough gas after he just makes discard and 1 Goyf. In the next game, he draws Damnation in time with Liliana the Last Hope in play and he Junds me out. I can never get something going, especially with Snoozes so big. In the final game, I am the first to Scooze and eat 2 dudes to make it a 4/4. He reveals Fatal Push with Dark Confidant and kills the Scooze, but I draw all the power houses in this game and he falls behind, although he DOES kill an Ezuri. I have another Ezuri in hand and 2 Elvish Archdruid in play. I draw a 3rd land and SLAM Ezuri. He scoops. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. 8 Rack. In the first game, I get Smallpoxed, but draw Ezuri to play land, Dwynen's Elite to go with Heritage Druid, tap for Ezuri. I draw Company after this and he gets double Shaman of the Pack when I Company. Ouch! The next game is similar and I ignore a Liliana the Last Hope and swing with so many dudes. Three 3/3s swing him with him at 3 and Field of Ruin and Marsh Flats up with 2 cards in hand. I literally drew a 4th land that very turn to possibly play 2 Elvish Clancaller, but I didn't want to rub it in and it certainly looked like lethal. Can anyone figure out what set of 2 cards from 8 Rack could have beaten me here? 2-0.
I go 3-1 for 5th place. Had to creep out of the 0-1, (0-2) hole...
Never have I seen more than 1 round that included Liliana, the Last Hope, let alone 2 SD Convention versions in different rounds. Lol.
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. Whenever something goes down because of reprints, something else goes way up. I'm personally at the point where my will to sell out because of these prices is trumping my laziness to put up a list of the cards I want to sell.
(Most of this is reserve list spikes, as opposed to Modern though.)
But usually if I'm playing seriously, Tron is normally a good matchup for me. I also tend to hedge a bit against Burn, so I don't usually mind much playing there. But I've also had problems against Tron whenever I try a new, fun deck. And Burn has caused problems for me in the past or to be more specific - the card Eidolon of the Great Revel.
I am not like most others. I don't usually enjoy playing against BGx. Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek into Dark Confidant into Liliana of the Veil is not fun for me, win or lose. It's like playing against 8 Rack on a smaller scale. I can beat them, but to do so isn't going to be normally how my deck wins. Also I've probably heard the most complaints here, "If I only drew removal..." Sure, but then you also drew fewer discard spells or fewer Tarmogoyfs or fewer Liliana of the Veil. Obviously the complaints are sometimes spot on, but their deck construction is a certain way for a reason and things happen. (I also wished my opponent didn't draw 3 Tireless Tracker on an open board sometimes.)