What a disappointing showing for 4 Color Energy. I ended the night going 3-2, losing out to one control match that I should have won pretty handily. Let’s break down the rounds.
Round 1 vs Mono Green stompy; 2-0
This guy had some rose colored glasses for Theros Standard and the devotion era of magic. Unfortunately we don’t have a Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx to ramp out all the high-end creatures that the new dinosaur deck features. Sure there are a couple of ramp spells and mana dorks sitting at the 1 and 2 CMC slot, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the constant plays I was making with my Temur deck. Had the round wrapped up in two matches, didn’t get to see any of the huge threats that mono green usually promises.
Round 2 vs Ramunap Red; 0-2
I was absolutely decimated both games. After match one I sided in a lot more removal and drew it, but never got my life gain answer to sort of stabilize. It was pretty awful not having anything to combat this deck with. I sort of don’t even remember what happened because it was just over so damn fast. I remember getting burned out game one, down to like five for a Shock and Lightning Strike finish. Game two it lasted a little bit longer because of the removal I sided in, but lack of stabilization really just prolonged the game a little until I was nuked again with a handful of burn.
Round 3 vs WU Tower Control; 1-2
I’ve never seen Dovin Baan do so much work for a player. It was a super frustrating matchup between him and me. Game one was great; I kept the tempo and wasn’t stalled nearly as much as I was in the following games. I took round one pretty easily. Now round two after his whole side board must have come in because I felt like there was nothing I could do right. In game two there I realized too late that with my Chandra, Torch of Defiance on the board, I should have just exiled/shocked for those last few hit points too late in the match. Several spells and tower triggers later, I was zapped. There were a lot of early creatures like Toolcraft Exemplar on his side that weren’t too easy to out-value, but in games two and three I got Dusk / Dawn enough times to just want to cry. The round ended turn 4/5 after time had been called. I unfortunately got towered for the big L.
Round 4 vs No one; 2-0
Not a by, but my opponent had dropped, really missed out playing a whole round. I need to learn and this was a missed opportunity.
Round 5 vs Blue/Black 2-0
While we both wanted to win in hopes that our record would net some gain, it was all for naught. It was this game I learned the value of Cartouche of Ambition. Throwing it on Rhonas the Indomitable meant that I had an indestructible 6/6 death-touch lifelink and could pretty much just only bother attacking with him. I like that a lot, but going forward I may drop black and stick with OG Temur for less variance.
