Game 2, I kept a not so awesome hand, playing a turn 2 Howling Mine which was responded to with an Aether Rift. I was able to build up mana and drop a Mycoslynth Lattice: the question is can I race to the finish?
My first step was to destroy Aether Rift with Echoing Ruin. My next turn involves Hellkite Tyrant and Slobad. He concedes next turn.
Game 3: An opening hand of 2 Mountain, Tree of Tails, Furnace, Heretic, Lattice. It's potentially workable so I keep it. He discards an Aether Rift on turn 1 so I know he's got a second. But despite two Faithless Lootings, his 3rd land isn't coming. This means I get the Lattice online before he has Aether Rift functioning. His Ulamog's Crusher comes out for free and I hit it with Echoing Ruin, then cast Furnace Celebration and then use Heretic to eat his Aether Rift. At this point, I am able to cast a Krark-Clan Ironworks and combo out, sacrificing everything for 12 damage. (It was a little overkill.)
That game I got lucky at: if there had been pressure, I don't know that I would have gotten the win. Wins because they got mana screwed are still wins but they don't generally provide meaningful data about my deck working. Jason likes the overall idea, which is always a good sign but we don't talk about what to do to make this better. Fortunately, my next matches with Fuz, playing a G/R/W humans aggro deck would give me that.
Game 1: turn 2 Skarrg Guildmage. I respond with the turn 3 Elder, ready for turn 4 Lattice but I'm taking beats...and then a Truefire Paladin appears. More beats and then I get the Lattice down.
Fuz's response to Lattice: "Things...are gonna get kinky, right?"
I'm down to 7 life when I drop the Hellkite. And it would've been OK if I had read what Truefire Paladin did. Sigh. But I died to the Guildmage at the prerelease, so I'm worried about and chose to block that...then die to a pumped Paladin. A perfect case of not living in the now and recognizing the board.
Game 2 I mulligan to 5 and die to the creature rush, including Madcap Skills on a Wasteland Viper. Fuz asks if I'd like to try the matchup again and I would.
Truefire Paladin, which swings for 2 and a Boros Elite follows, with a Viper
I take 9 next turn and Slobad gets Pathed.
I cast a Growth Spasm and once again, feel a level of hate for that card. It is not helping me and has not helped me in any game I've managed to cast it.
I draw a 3rd Lattice and wither beneath the beats.
Game 2.2: 3 lands, Lodestone Myr, Ironworks. I see another turn 2 Viper, turn 3 Paladin. For the first time, I do not have a turn 3 Elder, instead casting Growth Spasm for another Mountain: I can now cast the Ironworks. I shove the Token in front of the Paladin, desperate for time.
I put the Ironworks out, hoping that the Furnace Celebration can take out enough creatures to make my life better. I have to jump the gun a little early, when a Naturalize hits my Ironworks. I take out the Paladin in response but die to another Madcap'd Viper.
Things did not go well so it was clearly time to move to the next step. It's always best to collaborate on decks and this is why:
I show my lumbering build to Fuz who instantly suggests Shattering Sphere instead of Echoing Ruin. The light goes off in my head and I make that change. I tell him the Growth Spurts are maddening and he says: "Wall of Blossoms? Because you need more time and walls can give them to you. I know that I love walls and all..."
And I hate walls. But a good idea is a good idea and I seem to hate Growth Spurt more. Wall of Tanglecord is an artifact, has a great ass, and can block flying creatures for a mere green. Plus, it comes out a turn sooner so I have a blocker that can extend my time, as well as feed into my combo with both Lodestone Myr or Furnace Celebration, should the Lattice not appear. That's the next change, and we're off to testing again.
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