The Faes: My Golden Ticket to Nationals

Greetings everyone!

Hello Magic World! I’m Patrick Tirol; I would like to congratulate everyone who joined the Magic the Gathering Regional Tournament in Cebu for a stellar performance. Though not everybody was able to reach the top 4 national qualifier, our guys did a hell of a job out there! We Iloilo players have something to be proud of; I actually believe that our Ilonggo players have skills and talents that could compete with the international level; given the opportunity, time, and support, we can do wonders. We are just a sleeping giant just waiting to be awakened. So guys keep your heads up, focus on what you want, believe me, it will come!

Furthermore, I would like to salute my fellow top 4 teammate Rei who ended up 2nd in the Tournament and give our thanks to all those who supported our cause. Guys like Gian, Mark K., Emben (for delivering the cards), and others. My apologies to anyone I missed.

In addition, to be honest, I was kinda disappointed with the results, because I aimed for the championship itself. I had the best deck in the format and I had full confidence piloting the faes. Anyway, bottom line is bringing home part of the turkey. I’m going to the Nationals baby!

The Deck

Well, let’s just say I’m the kind of guy who bets on the odds on favorites. UB Faeries is the best deck in the format as of today. That’s my opinion, and 3 of my fellow teammates did share the same sentiments. Oliver, Mao, and Tonton (Mark Co) tried piloting the faes and they ended up in the Top 16, very respectable accomplishments.

Scion: I guess these "Faeries" needs some pumping and shroud. Sorry guys..

We spent hours of debating and discussing what type of faerie archetype we were going to pilot and it all came down to a deck with rune snags or a deck without rune snags. We ended up going for the deck with snags because it was the safer choice. Don’t get me wrong a UB faerie deck without snags is also a very formidable opponent and is no less powerful than the one with snags. It just “depends” upon the situation.

The setup is as follows, a copy of Alex Bertoncini’s back to back 1st placer in Richmond Virginia.

U/B Faeries
Back to back 1st place at Starcitygames.com $5,000 and $2,000 Standard Open tournament
by Alex Bertoncini
Main Deck
Lands (25)
4 Snow-covered Island
4 Faerie Conclave
4 Mutavault
4 River Of Tears
4 Secluded Glen
4 Underground River
1 Pendelhaven
Creatures (17)
4 Mistbind Clique
2 Pestermite
4 Scion Of Oona
3 Sower Of Temptation
4 Spellstutter Sprite

Spells (18)
3 Cryptic Command
4 Rune Snag
3 Terror
4 Ancestral Vision
4 Bitterblossom

Sideboard
4 Bottle Gnomes
2 Flashfreeze
2 Slaughter Pact
3 Damnation
4 Thoughtseize

Game Time!

Note: I don’t have a photographic memory. Same with Rei, I can’t give the exact pinpoint accuracy facts. Nevertheless, I will speak my mind.

Round 1 vs Ray Nava II playing Mono U Merfolks

Game 1: I believe Rey and I both had God hands. Unfortunately for me he won the die roll thus overrunning me with kataws, cruising to a 4th-5th turn kill, with matching counters in his hand.

Game 2: I boarded in my creature kills and killed his critters; I cruised to my win via Bitterblossom and Scion of Oona.

Game 3: Lucky for me time had expired coz Rey had this one in the bag. I had a lot of black cards in my hand with no black mana for quite a while but still I was able to survive. We ended up in a draw.

Games: 1-1-1
Matches: 0-0-1

Round 2 vs Allen playing RB Goblin Rogues

Game 1 and 2: Both games were pretty much the same; I was able to dominate the round with a Bitterblossom, following up with 3 Scion of Oonas and topping everything of with a Mistbind Clique.

Games: 3-1-1
Matches: 1-0-1

Round 3 vs Jonathan Te playing RDW

Game 1: I was really surprised how fast this player’s deck was. 1st turn maniac 2nd turn cohort, 3rd turn another cohort! I was knocked to critical condition and was not able to stop the inevitable burn due to not drawing my corresponding counters.

Game 2: I boarded in Bottle Gnomes, Flashfreeze, and Slaughter Pact. My sideboards kicked in this time and I was able to take control after the burn barrage.

Game 3: I believe my opponent played with a land, and had a lot of great cheap stuff. He got stuck with one or a few lands. I really can’t remember, amazingly I was able to survive the creatures and the flame! I took control and ran out of time. That sucks! Anyway I could just call it quits with regards to Round 1.

Games: 4-2-1
Matches: 1-0-2

Round 4 vs Jonathan Tabalina playing UW Lark

Honestly, I don’t like these matches where you have to face your friends and teammates and knock them off but it happens sometimes and the show must go on.

Jonathan gave me the win provided I give him a game.

Games: 6-3-2
Matches: 2-0-2

Round 5 vs Duane playing RDW

Game 1: I won the die roll and opened up with Visions, Blossom, Oona, Clique, and Counters, that’s very improbable to stop folks!

Game 2: As Duane said “If you have life gain, I lose!” which he eventually did. Life gain aided me in weathering the firestorm and get out of reach as breezed for the win with my flyers.

Games: 8-3-2
Matches: 3-0-2

Round 6 vs Mark Anthony Co playing UB Faeries

This match was a backbreaker for both of us knowing that we were together in this and both of us had the goal of being in the Nationals. Again, the show must go on.

Game 1: Tonx2 played first; we had a mirror ultimo draw. I made a mistake on the fourth turn just the turn before he was going to resolve his visions. I wasn’t paying attention, as he cast his Scion of Oona or was that a Mistbind Clique at my upkeep or at the end of my turn; I tapped mana to Terror the creature, but dropped a Spellstutter Sprite instead. That is an unacceptable error in a high stakes tournament, not looking at the card I’m dropping. Maybe I was just too comfortable with the deck, playing spells without looking at them! His visions resolved, mine did not, yet I was still able to hang on drawing a Pendelhaven, which had him stop his blossom attack. The game was taking too long without a victor and we had to draw game 1 and proceed to game 2 where the winner would advance.

Game 2: I won the die roll and opened up with an Ancestral Vision, he started taking out Bitterblossom with Thoughtsieze. He then dropped his Bitterblossom, fortunately for me he got stuck with 3 lands and I was able to resolve my Visions. I started gaining momentum by taking control of his Scion of Oona via Sower of Temptaion. I followed up with a Scion of Oona of my own or was that a Clique. Ton please correct me if I’m wrong. Well that was enough to secure the victory. We decided that I won via sweep to ensure the Top 8 entry.

Games: 10-3-2
Matches: 4-0-2

The Play-Offs

Top 8 vs Aga Suan playing GW Aggro

Game 1: It’s fantastic what a Bitterblossom can do against 3 Birds of Paradise and with matching Scion of Oona’s and Mistbind Cliques, my opponent had no chance at this game. I believe Aga had a bad hand and I was able to overwhelm him enough to proceed to game 2.

Game 2: This is by far the best play of the tournament, or arguably the best play of the year for us! Pulling of a Houdini put a very big feather on my cap! Guys I survived a third turn Oversoul of Dusk with my opponent playing first. Even with the monster avatar in play I did not hesitate to give him a Thoughtsieze. He had a Primal Command and Masked Admirers. I took out Primal. I was able to trade blows with the Oversoul with a Mistbind Clique of my own. I was able to stall for a couple of turns by tapping with Cryptic Command and blocking with my Mutavault. The play of the day comes from tapping myself out and bluffing by taking control of the Admirers with my Sower. I was down to 4 life same with him. He had 2 Treetops and an Oversoul waiting to crush me with and I had a tapped Mistbind Clique, a Sower, and a stolen Admirers. He attacked with all (2 Treetops and an Oversoul). Blockers were as follows; Admirers on Oversoul, Sower on Treetop, and as he declared trample 1 and 3 from the other Treetop I responded by showing him a Slaughter Pact! This play sealed the deal.

Games: 12-3-2
Matches: 5-0-2

Top 4 vs Ray Nava II playing Mono U Merfolk

Game1: Both of us were mana flooded and Rey got the better top decks. He blew me out in game 1.

Game 2: I drew down to six cards, and got stuck with 3 lands for a while it gave Rey enough time to setup and locks me out sweeping me out of the tournament.

I was very unlucky in this round. I’m not making any excuses; I had my fair share of good fortune in the tournament and the Cinderella Story had to end. In fairness, Ray is a very good player and I tip my hat off to him for a job well done.

Games: 12-5-2
Matches: 5-1-2

Conclusion

I’m very thankful that Rei and I are going to Nationals and I wished that more of us made it in the Top 4. Anyway there is always next year, keep up the good work guys! Next stop Nationals and please join Grand Prix Manila guys. That’s going to be a great experience! Btw, here are some of our pics:

The top 4 match with Rey Nava II.

Me presenting my booster prize.