This deck would have taken first, but we were restricted to a 5 turn limit halfway through our third game (the 6pm group was already settling in, but I feel like we should have been able to finish the 1st vs. 2nd match), and my opponent won the tie-breaker as a result. This was my first official DCI pre-release event, so I'm not complaining.. just curious if this situation could have been handled differently, and how other judges have handled longer finals matches --such as mine-- in the past. I played on 1/26/12, at the Gaurd Tower, in Columbus, Ohio. I was in the yellow group.
I might have swapped out a couple of cipher options from my sideboard, but I was very happy with the quickness of the early game removal, casting Dimir Charm, Devour Flesh, and Killing Glare to keep the opponent frustrated.. Coupled with one or two Duskmantle Guildmages in my opening hand, and hopefully a Deathcult Rogue (Never cracked any of the other unblockable creatures, such as the one-drop spirit, or the graveyard boosted Wight), or Simic Manipulator, I could easily begin to start laying out a late game pattern I used frequently, while playing this deck. I altered it as needed, but this it just an example of what I was going for:
I would almost always ask to go second.
1. Watery Grave, or Dimir Guildgate
2. If opponent didn't have a creature on the board: Duskmantle Guildmage would be cast. If he/she did have one, I might cast Devour Flesh, Killing Glare, or Dimir Charm depending on it's abilities, etc.
3. Cast Deathcult Rogue, or maybe Simic Manipulator. Swing opponent when/if able.
4. Grisly Spectacle (to begin the milling process, hit opponent for one, two, or three, and hopefully discard some lands), Soul Ransom (if the creature was worth it to the opponent, I would have card advantage.. if not, I had an extra hand/blocker in battle. I LOVED this card), Hands of Binding (just in case), or Call of the Nightwing (for an easy aerial assault/flying blocker, or even a cihper option. Cipher could easily be used as a stratagem to create a pretty convincing decoy in late game-play. I used it that way a few times). Call of the Nightwing, or Hands of Binding was Ciphered to the Rogue, Swing when/if able.
5. Balustrade Spy, followed by Death's Approach - I felt that Duskmantle Guildmage has a great ability, but it was too expensive by turn 5. Hopefully the opponent doesn't mill to a land too quickly, so Consuming Aberration looks a little more fierce, and can be played turn 6 with a bit of confidence. Even if my opponent makes me sack it, I can hold out until I need, or draw Midnight Recovery. Swing when/if able.
6. Rogue #2, Balustrade Spy, or a Guildmage.. and maybe Killing Glare, Devour Flesh, or Death's Approach. Might cast Consuming Aberration. Swing when/if able.
7. Pretty flexible, if I'm in control. Swing when/if able.
8. Control, Undercity Plague perhaps, cipher, creatures - kinda flexible here, as well. May even cast Aberration. I hope to have plenty of flyers that were used as blockers, or available to assault at this point, if Call of the Nightwing was cast on an unblockable rogue, or flyer. Swing when/if able.
9-on. Hold out for the second coming of Consuming Aberration, cast creatures, control, cipher, and hope to be able to pull my Balustrade Spies out of the graveyard for more ammunition. Consuming Aberration, followed by lots of flying creatures, and/or unblockable creatures were enough to make the opponent scoop.
I haven't seen many Dimir decks that placed well during the pre-release.. but I'd really like to see someone else's successful pre-release dimir deck. Please, link me!
Comments and +1's always welcome
