5 rounds of Modern at the Game Preserve with Mardu Aristocrats.
Round 1 - Abzan Collected Company Combo
-Game 1: Ramped into turn 3 coco, hit Eternal Witness returned coco, cast again next turn, combo'd off
OUT: Vampiric Rites, Mogg War Marshal
IN: Pithing Needle,Zealous Persecution
-Game 2: Zealous Persecution cleared his board, allowing twin Falkenrath Aristocrats to crash through for victory.
-Game 3: Interrupted combo with Path to Exile on Melira, Sylvok Outcast then used Zealous Persecution to push for lethal with Cartel Aristocrat, Falkenrath, and Spirit tokens.
Round 2: B/U Eldrazi
-Game 1: Leyline of the Void before the game started. He ramped into Kozilek, the Great Distortion
OUT: Vampiric Rites
IN: Pithing Needle, Zealous Persecution
-Game 2: Illness in the Ranks then Liliana of the Veil meant I couldn't keep anything worth something on the table.
Round 3: Elementals
-Game 1: Lightning Bolted Smokebraider in response to Champion trigger from Nova Chaser. Took the game shortly after
OUT: Vampiric Rites
IN: Zealous Persecution
Game 2: Bolted Smokebraider and Generator Servant and overwhelmed him.
Round 4: Shape Anew
Game 1: Got out tempo'd and lost to tons of Thopters coming over top
OUT: Vampiric Rites (noticing a trend...)
IN: Zealous Persecution, Pithing Needle, Kataki, War's Wage
Game 2: Zealous Persecution to protect a 6/3 Falkenrath (who had eaten a Doomed Traveler and Cartel Aristocrat) from a Lighing Bolt. Use a Bolt of my own to finish off his Restoration Angel who had suffered -1/-1
Game 3: Went to time, opponent conceded to give me a chance at prizes
Round 5: U/W Eldrazi
Game 1: Turn 2 Thought-Knot Seer taking Lingering Souls. Flooded out
OUT: Vampiric Rites, Cartel Aristocrat
IN: Zealous Persecution, Pithing Needle
Game 2: Misplay versus Eldrazi Displacer allowed a 3 for nothing in my opponent's favor. Tried to stabilize with tokens standing in front of a Reality Smasher getting Blood Artist triggers.
Can the deck beat Eldrazi? I think we need to game our Sideboard to really help the matchup. Ensnaring Bridge helps a lot with having 1/1 fliers coming overhead and then emptying my hand. Crackling Doom needs to be in the side, too, as it allows us to kill Drowner of Hope or Oblivion Sower or Reality Smasher without discarding too many cards. Vampiric Rites is too bad of a card to use it turns out. I did pick up 4x Dark Confidants so I want to try him out for the card draw. I am also going to try Butcher of the Hordes over Falkenrath for a few matches to see if the bigger body with potential Lifelink and even Vigilance is worth trying out.
