The night was a great chance to test the viability of the new build, last minute changes were the inclusion of the Rabid Bite's as a 3 of, and the removal of Oran Rief, The Vastwood, which I cut for the sake of sheer consistency. My record was 3-1 in four rounds, and my loss was in round 2. Here are the details.
Round One: VS.Jeskai Control
This one was against a good friend of mine, a little frustrating honestly, 2 weeks in a row now we've been paired in round one. So I kinda know when to press my advantages better since I just know a bit more about how he plays. He also has an intimate knowledge of my list. I had him game one with a very good start featuring Dryad Militant as my turn 1 play, which really hurt his snapcaster potential. In game 2, I kept a slower hand and he resolved a turn 3 Geist of Saint Traft. I conceded due to time and hoped to come back in game three which I did, handily. On to Round 2
Round 2: VS. Merfolk
I knew this would be tough, but I had hoped to just get out ahead and force some favorable fights, but alas, this player is an extremely seasoned Fish player who I also play with regularly outside of our LGS. I had a very impressive board in game one, with 3 Experiment One with 4 +1/+1 counters on each. I lost game one to a Master of Waves and no Rabid Bite to shut off the tokens. Game two, Two forests got hit with Spreading Seas and Sea's claim...in the same turn...with a Natural State in Hand...but while tapped out...and I didn't draw another land.
Round 3: VS. Tron
This I was not expecting, I cut my Mwonvoli Acid Moss because I hadn't seen tron at my LGS in weeks. I seriously doubted that I could race this deck at the outset but that is exactly what I did. Game one I got him down to six life before he cast a timely Pyroclasm, which might have been enough but Strangleroot + kicked Vines of Vastwood on the following turn got me there. Game two, on the draw I fire off a Natural State to hit his turn zero Expedition Map. From there on I beat down, and cast an aspect of Hydra in response to a Kozilek's Return, put him to 5, saving my 5/3 Experiment One and he couldn't find another answer. Got it in 2 with 25 minutes in the round to spare, felt real good.
Round 4: VS. Affinity
It all came down to this, not only was this my first time playing against Affinity, I also had cut Creeping Corrosion from my sideboard since I never run into this matchup. I kept a disastrous hand in game one that I was certain would cost me the round. I kept my head up, brought in my 3 Natural State and Ratchet Bomb. I finally got to see Rabid Bite in action, easily picking off targets suited up with a Cranial Plating. His Etched Champion couldn't trade with any of my beatsticks. We went to game three and I somehow managed to scrape by with some phenomenal top decks. Avatar of the resolute showed up three times to keep me from dying to his inkmoth nexus, and stonewalling his Vault Skirge. I nearly threw the game when I crashed in on the final turn thinking I had lethal but forgetting a 3/3 Vault Skirge would save him. Despite his imposing board state I could block lethal with a top deck Dryad Militant. As my opponent drew a worthless Springleaf Drum and graciously conceded, I finally achieved 3 and 1 with prize support, and it was a struggle to be sure.
Thanks for reading all, be on the lookout for this deck and Rabid Bite, the One-Punch Fight is so real. ;-)
