4 Round Swiss (3-0-1)
Top 4 (2-0-0)
Final record (5-0-1)
Preparation and sideboarding paid off, with myself and the deck emerging triumphant after six rounds, and claiming the Drana playmat.
Match 1 - BG Aristocrats
Record (2-1-0)
Opponent was using a Zulaport Cutthroat drain build. Languish was helpful in Game 3, but timely removal for Cutthroat basically shut down the deck. Loss in Game 2 due to flooding on land. Didn't see like a tough matchup otherwise. Opponent was an agonizingly slow player.
Match 2 - Abzan with Monastery Mentor
Record (2-0-0)
Opponent got some value off Mentor, but at the cost of not playing more powerful late game. Also he was not running Den Protector, and between Nissa, Kiora, and Den Protector, he just couldn't keep up.
Match 3 - BW Warriors
Record (2-1-0)
This match was tough, with the opponent getting off to very fast starts, typically with a Bloodsoaked Champion leading into a Chief of the Edge. Hangarback proved to be tough for him to beat with lots of 2/1 creatures, and Anafenza prevented recursion after board. Lost game 2 due to Sorin, and nearly lost game 3. Wound up going to turns and having to do 50+ damage over 3 turns to win game 3. If I got to 5 mana and dropped Whisperwood, he no longer really had a way to win.
Match 4 - RG Landfall
Intentional Draw into Top 4
Match 5 - Jund Goblins with Zada
Record (2-1-0)
Another tough match, with Zada making a wide tokens strategy very deadly. Opponent used Become Immense/Temur Battle Rage, as well as Tread Upon, and Touch of Moonglove to force damage through. Both games I won were nail-biters. Stratus Dancer proved very strong here, disrupting his combos, as long as I removed Zada ASAP. The creatures weren't very scary if the spell combos didn't go off. Siege Rhino and Hangarback were also very good.
Match 6 - BW Warriors
Record (2-1-0)
Played against the same person as in Match 3. Pretty similar result. Lost game 1 after stumbling on mana, sided into Whisperwood, Surge, Anafenza, Mastery of the Unseen and Languish. Game 2 I Languished 3 times over 4 turns thanks to Den Protector, destroying his board every time he rebuilt it. Eventually he ran out of cards. Game 3 I curved Hangarback, Deathmist, Nissa, Whisperwood, taking some early hits but winning out due to Whisperwood.
Overall, very happy with the deck's performance. Aggro is a touch matchup, but boarding into more early threats and removal made the deck a match for it. I can't sing Stratus Dancer's praises highly enough. The card is amazing, if nothing else for the shell game it lets you play to keep the opponent guessing which morph you put down.
I did have some concerns about the mana after bringing Languish in. Double black was challenging a few times, particularly with double green needed for the Raptors and the two being difficult to do at the same time. The lands might need some adjustment with Languish added to accommodate that.
Thank you everyone for your feedback and advice. The SB assistance really helped!
