So I took it along in its current form to my LGS for FNM.
Went 3-0-1.
First round was against a UW Flash deck of sorts with a relatively inexperienced opponent. Not much trouble here, SnapRift being the worst of my worries there. Game 1 we had a long and drawn out match where both decks were pretty much doing what they were supposed to do, which ended in my favour.
The second game was not so dragged out. Got the Stalker/Armor out on Turn 3, opponent Flashes in 3 consecutive Restoration Angels in each of my following end phases, each being Detention Sphere'd in my own following turn to build up the Stalker and go in for the kill.
2-0 to me.
Don't remember the second round all that well, but the gist was a 2-0 to me after going to time on the round.
Played a Stuffy Doll UR combo deck in 3. Obviously not the best matchup for me as it negates a large number of my cards, but pulled through the first game after getting lucky with pulling 2x Ethereal Armour off the top to stick on a Stalker.
Post-board, Game 2 dragged out a lot. Nevermore was almost always on the battlefield, naming either Stuffy Doll or Blasphemous Act and I never, unfortunately, had the Rootborn Defenses in hand when he'd go for a kill on my Stalkers with his various other board wipes. In the end, with me on 2 life and with a lethal Invisible Stalker finally stuck on board, my opponent top-decks Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius for the win, with both of us at fewer than twenty cards in library, at that!
Game 3 ended pretty soon as time on the round ran out - 1-1 draw.
Round 4 was against a WB Exalted, which was pretty easy to deal with even in spite of him getting me down to 3 life in the first game. Stab Wound proved itself to be a good choice when it took out a Knight of Infamy for which I have no other pre-board answer. Eventually filibustered the opponent after he ran out of steam.
Game 2 saw something of a god-draw for the match-up. Every turn he would plant a creature and every turn I would grab the pseudo-removal for it. About ten turns in, after three Think Twices fully spent, I sit there with three Ethereal Armors and a Righteous Authority in hand. A Revelation for 5 resolves, drawing me the last Armor and a two Stalkers.
I plant the Stalker on the next turn, pass, get turn passed back to me, shove everything onto the Stalker and swing for 72. Good times.
2-0.
So yes, it has changed again, but Stab Wound does the job. Removing Stuffy Doll and Knight of Infamy were huge benefits, and the 2 life lost per turn is not too shabby when you consider that this is a deck which relies on two important pieces coming together, which can take some time.
Playing it in this form again tonight so maybe there'll be another update tomorrow. Anything could happen!
