Nubian God
03-13-2011, 10:22 PM
This is a loose recap of my Singles experience at the Austin PTC using my original art print Omar.
Round 1 vs Earth Kaden (ROTBI)
I've known ROTBI since The Next Level was released, so already I was treating this round as a exhibition. Nevermind this would be the first Kaden I've come across and ROTBI has a habit of making unconventional decks, I was feeling a little goofy (the shark hat I was wearing probably helped, too).
I win the roll, go first, and lay out a Cobra Twist... to check a 3. He builds, I play catch-up, and he proceeds to body me with Powerful attacks turn 3. 2nd game I choose to go first again, playing it more casually this time and actually establishing a staging area. I'm so focused on this that I don't bother to hold onto enough high blocks and he repeats the 1st game and serves up moar Powerfuls. Fail!
Results: 0-2 (0-1 overall)
Round 2 vs Air Reese
Being slapped around by ROTBI got my head back in the game, so I stock up on foundations first turn before laying out attacks from then on, sniping Reese's Playboys and other card pool clearing cards with No Forgiveness!. Still, Reese is pretty beast on his own and kept drawing cards and clearing attacks when I couldn't fully block his Sovereigns. Applying pressure with Templars almost every turn I attack didn't help me any, either. Even so, my defense held out long enough both games for me to win both games.
Results: 2-0 (1-1 overall)
Round 3 vs All Ulrik (James)
James is friends with ROTBI and another guy I've known for as long. Lucky for me, though, I managed to keep my focus this time around. It was a bad match-up for James as I was able to draw into at least one Torn Hero both games and his attack line up was very similar to the Reese I've just faced, so I had a good idea of what to expect.
Even with all of that, he put on lots of hurt with Ulrik's recursion and ability to limit my damage/speed redux on his crucial attacks. Once again, however, No Forgiveness! took out his remaining relative support.
Results: 2-0 (2-1 overall)
Round 4 vs Air Tira (Aaron)
I've heard a lot of stories about Tira and her new tools with Red Horizon. Since I've only faced ONE Tira since 5 star Standard format (and none since RH) I was pretty apprehensive about this match-up. Luckly I won the roll so I went first and established my staging area. Aaron got a healthy amount of clearing and drawing tools out, but I managed to draw into another No Forgiveness! so I immediately hated on his Playboy and Among Friends. After an intense tug-o-war, I finally manage to KO'd him.
In hindsight, he panicked a little at me having a throw build and switched to Nina for game 2. It went a little like game 1 except for him tossing my attacks into the discard using her F. Even with the lower hand size Aaron was able to draw into enough attacks to drop me to 4 before I KO'd him the next turn.
Results: 2-0 (3-1 overall)
With this record and the other Omar going 2-1-1, I made top cuts. In a strange twist, not only did Aaron make top but he was paired against me on the first round. =S
Top 8 vs Air Tira (Aaron) ...again
A little wiser to my tricks and strategies, Aaron was a little more level headed this go around. Winning the roll, he goes first and proceeded to lay out the blueprint to my doom. I get my set up and manage to slow him down considerably, but all for naught as he manages to get the KO.
Going first, I manage to get a spectacular staging area and by turn 3 I'm armed with 2 Ka Techniques, 2 Know Your Objectives, 3 Mishima Family Bloodlines, and played No Forgiveness! 4 times. Things got tricky when I used both Ka Techniques only to have him pitch the attack (tricky!), but I was able to block his slew of Shredding Vibratos and secure game 2 next turn.
Turn 3 he wisely kept with Tira but had a slower start this time. I had less hang ups and secured my defenses, weathered his Templars and ruthless attacks, and wrapped it up.
Results: 2-1
It was at this point that the bombshell was dropped that Hamayachop's Padma ousted Trips seven's Jin deck. That aside, I now had to face 2nd seed. None other than...
Top 4 vs Void Eva (Raikou)
Of course not playing tournaments since Worlds, this is the first time I've come across this build (or Eva altogether). I manage to win the roll and go first, but it mattered little as all of my anti-discard was in my sideboard. Nevertheless I manage to blank his War between Sisters and chip him to 5 before he nukes my hand and rolls me.
Second turn I side in my Laughables and Tieh Leis, go first, and build a damn near perfect first turn staging area. Of course, not only do I not draw into a Tieh Lei all game, but I never SEE one either. For some reason I suspect that he has some discard in his hand, so I go into his turn with 2 cards. Stupid of me, the 2nd card was Torn Hero... I manage to block his Harnessing Chaos with an Omar, clear it out and draw 2 with Mishima, and fully block his Piercing Howl twice. After that, he threw his last two attacks and manages to KO me by 2 (if I would have had a block card instead of Torn Hero, I could've survived by using Laughable).
Results: 0-2
Overall, I had an awesome time. All of the people I ran into were cool and fun to play against and it was a good experience to have under my belt. Can't wait for the next regional!
Round 1 vs Earth Kaden (ROTBI)
I've known ROTBI since The Next Level was released, so already I was treating this round as a exhibition. Nevermind this would be the first Kaden I've come across and ROTBI has a habit of making unconventional decks, I was feeling a little goofy (the shark hat I was wearing probably helped, too).
I win the roll, go first, and lay out a Cobra Twist... to check a 3. He builds, I play catch-up, and he proceeds to body me with Powerful attacks turn 3. 2nd game I choose to go first again, playing it more casually this time and actually establishing a staging area. I'm so focused on this that I don't bother to hold onto enough high blocks and he repeats the 1st game and serves up moar Powerfuls. Fail!
Results: 0-2 (0-1 overall)
Round 2 vs Air Reese
Being slapped around by ROTBI got my head back in the game, so I stock up on foundations first turn before laying out attacks from then on, sniping Reese's Playboys and other card pool clearing cards with No Forgiveness!. Still, Reese is pretty beast on his own and kept drawing cards and clearing attacks when I couldn't fully block his Sovereigns. Applying pressure with Templars almost every turn I attack didn't help me any, either. Even so, my defense held out long enough both games for me to win both games.
Results: 2-0 (1-1 overall)
Round 3 vs All Ulrik (James)
James is friends with ROTBI and another guy I've known for as long. Lucky for me, though, I managed to keep my focus this time around. It was a bad match-up for James as I was able to draw into at least one Torn Hero both games and his attack line up was very similar to the Reese I've just faced, so I had a good idea of what to expect.
Even with all of that, he put on lots of hurt with Ulrik's recursion and ability to limit my damage/speed redux on his crucial attacks. Once again, however, No Forgiveness! took out his remaining relative support.
Results: 2-0 (2-1 overall)
Round 4 vs Air Tira (Aaron)
I've heard a lot of stories about Tira and her new tools with Red Horizon. Since I've only faced ONE Tira since 5 star Standard format (and none since RH) I was pretty apprehensive about this match-up. Luckly I won the roll so I went first and established my staging area. Aaron got a healthy amount of clearing and drawing tools out, but I managed to draw into another No Forgiveness! so I immediately hated on his Playboy and Among Friends. After an intense tug-o-war, I finally manage to KO'd him.
In hindsight, he panicked a little at me having a throw build and switched to Nina for game 2. It went a little like game 1 except for him tossing my attacks into the discard using her F. Even with the lower hand size Aaron was able to draw into enough attacks to drop me to 4 before I KO'd him the next turn.
Results: 2-0 (3-1 overall)
With this record and the other Omar going 2-1-1, I made top cuts. In a strange twist, not only did Aaron make top but he was paired against me on the first round. =S
Top 8 vs Air Tira (Aaron) ...again
A little wiser to my tricks and strategies, Aaron was a little more level headed this go around. Winning the roll, he goes first and proceeded to lay out the blueprint to my doom. I get my set up and manage to slow him down considerably, but all for naught as he manages to get the KO.
Going first, I manage to get a spectacular staging area and by turn 3 I'm armed with 2 Ka Techniques, 2 Know Your Objectives, 3 Mishima Family Bloodlines, and played No Forgiveness! 4 times. Things got tricky when I used both Ka Techniques only to have him pitch the attack (tricky!), but I was able to block his slew of Shredding Vibratos and secure game 2 next turn.
Turn 3 he wisely kept with Tira but had a slower start this time. I had less hang ups and secured my defenses, weathered his Templars and ruthless attacks, and wrapped it up.
Results: 2-1
It was at this point that the bombshell was dropped that Hamayachop's Padma ousted Trips seven's Jin deck. That aside, I now had to face 2nd seed. None other than...
Top 4 vs Void Eva (Raikou)
Of course not playing tournaments since Worlds, this is the first time I've come across this build (or Eva altogether). I manage to win the roll and go first, but it mattered little as all of my anti-discard was in my sideboard. Nevertheless I manage to blank his War between Sisters and chip him to 5 before he nukes my hand and rolls me.
Second turn I side in my Laughables and Tieh Leis, go first, and build a damn near perfect first turn staging area. Of course, not only do I not draw into a Tieh Lei all game, but I never SEE one either. For some reason I suspect that he has some discard in his hand, so I go into his turn with 2 cards. Stupid of me, the 2nd card was Torn Hero... I manage to block his Harnessing Chaos with an Omar, clear it out and draw 2 with Mishima, and fully block his Piercing Howl twice. After that, he threw his last two attacks and manages to KO me by 2 (if I would have had a block card instead of Torn Hero, I could've survived by using Laughable).
Results: 0-2
Overall, I had an awesome time. All of the people I ran into were cool and fun to play against and it was a good experience to have under my belt. Can't wait for the next regional!