Now without further ado:
Game One
Turns 1-3
My opening hand consists of a Murder of Crows, a Silent Departure, A Curse of the Bloody Tome, 2 Islands and 2 Mountains. We both lay lands on our first two turns with Chris getting an extra one from a Rampant Growth. On turn three I curse myself with the Curse of the Bloody Tome and Chris responds with a Reassembling Skeleton.
Turn 4
The Curse Mills an Into the Maw of Hell and an Island and I summon a Fortress Crab. Chris sacrifices the Skeleton in order to play an Altar’s Reap to draw 2 cards. Chris admits that he misses the Skeleton and taps two to bring him back.
Turn 5
An Island and a Deranged Assistant get milled by the Curse and I draw a mountain. I tap the Fortress Crab and send him in for first blood and follow up with the Murder of Crows. Chris attacks with the Skeleton on his turn and, like a fool, I block it with the Crows. I completely forgot about his deck’s mechanic and under-estimated Chris here. I figured (without too much thinking on my part) that he hadn’t noticed the Birds on my side of the field (!?). The crows suffer for my mistake when he busts out a Morkrut Banshee – the morbid activated effect ending my aerial threat. The crows’ ability did allow me to draw a Rolling Temblor and Pitch my Silent Departure though.
Turn 6
Another Island and a Fortress Crab hit the graveyard and I draw my foil rare, the Sturmgeist, which hits the battlefield as a 3/3. Chris casts Demonmail Hauberk and that pesky skeleton makes a sheepish return to the battlefield.
Turn 7
“NOOOOOOOOO” – The curse puts a Burning Vengeance and an Island into the graveyard. Sad times. I draw a Grasp of Phantoms and send the Sturmgeist in for 4 damage, which takes Chris down to 15 and lets me draw another grasp of phantoms. I then proceed to make a play I immediately regret – using the Grasp Of Phantoms to return his Morkut Banshee to the top of his library. Bounce removal’s not so hot when the creatures have ‘enters the battlefield’ abilities. I think Chris forgot about his Demonmail here as he uses a Prey Upon (Sturmgeist vs Skeleton) to activate Morbid, in any case the effect is the same and back comes the Morkut Banshee to take down another flyer. Sorry Sturmgeist, my bad.
Turn 8
A mountain goes to the graveyard along with a Desperate Ravings, then I play another grasp of phantom returning the Banshee to his deck again. I promptly forget to attack with the Fortress Crab and pass to Chris.
Chris’s skeleton makes its way back to the field and is joined by a Devouring Swarm.
Turn 9
I mill another desperate ravings and an Island. I play a freshly drawn Cellar Door. Your move Chris. The Skeleton Perishes in preparation for outfitting the Demonmail to the Swarm I quickly put the Devouring Swarm on to the Harvest Pyre in response. Just to be sure, I exile 12 cards to pay for it. He then plays a Woodland Sleuth whose morbid ability allows him to return a creature card at random to the field; sadly it’s the Devouring Swarm (as opposed to the Skeleton). Before the end of his turn I activate Cellar Door to mill a Silent Departure from the bottom of my library,
Turn 10
Two islands hit the graveyard at the beginning of my upkeep. I flashback desperate ravings to draw a Ghoulcaller’s Bell and my other rare: the Charmbreaker Devils. The Scourge of Geier Reach reach is randomly discarded. Over to Chris and the earth shakes as the Moldgraf Monstrosity is summoned. Chris then taps the Swarm to hit me for 2 and I’m down to 18. We are now at 18 – 15. I activate the Cellar once more and turn a deranged assistant into a 2/2 Zombie.
Turn 11
I mill a mountain and a Dream Twist and tap six lands to bring out the Charmbreaker Devils. Chris brings out the Lumberknot which could be an issue; its Hexproof means that I can’t simply bounce it back into his hand when it grows too big (heh). The skeleton makes a brief return and then perishes whilst outfitting the Demonmail to the Devouring Swarm. I’m not sure what a Swarm of insects would do with a suit of armour but it seems to grant them great strength. The Swarm is now a 6/2 and the Lumberknot becomes a 2/2 due to the sacrificed Skeleton. Chris sends in the Swarm and, with no aerial blockers I’m down to 12.
Turn 12
The Charmbreaker Devils return a Silent Departure back to my hand, the curse mills a Murder of Crows and a Deranged Assistant. I cast a Ghoul Caller’s Bell and then Flashback a silent departure to return the Molgraf Monstrosity to Chris’s hand, making the Charmbreakers 8/4. I grow it further by casting a Silent Departure the old fashioned way to bounce back his Woodland Sleuth making my Devils a 12/4. The Devils and the Zombie token turn sideways, the Lumberknot chumps the Devils and the Zombie scratches Chris for two. Over to Chris, who’s Skeleton makes another brief visit only to be Devoured by the Swarm (making them 7/3) which then proceed to nip at my health with fervour. I’m down to 5. With Morbid active his Woodland Sleuth comes back and brings with it a creature from the graveyard.
Turn 13
I’m feeling fairly confident here; Chris is on 14 life so I should be able to bounce his only defender back to his hand and cast enough spells to grow the Devils power and send them in for lethal. Charmbreakers return a grasp of phantoms, the curse mills 2 lands. I cast the grasp to put the Sleuth on Chris’s Library and grow the Devils to 8/4. I activate the Ghoulcaller’s Bell to rid the game of the Sleuth, I mill a Merfolk Mesmerist. A Think Twice lets me draw a Geistflame growing the Devils to 12/4. I then attack with the Devils and the Zombie for 14. Aha! Victory…
…almost. Before the Devils can do their nasty work they get ambushed by a Viper with Flash and deathtouch. Ach So close! On Chris’s turn I’m powerless to stop the swarm and they finish me off. First match to Mr Chris!
Game 2
Turns 1-3
I Dream Twist a Desperate Ravings, Island and Armored Skaab into the graveyard. Chris then returns fire with a Typhoid Rats. I manage only land on my second turn and Chris plays a Skirsdag High Priest on his. He also sends the Rat in for 1 point of damage. On my third turn, I cast Burning Vengeance; hoping that I will see some action from the deck’s showcase combo. Chris attacks with both the rats and the Priest and I’m down to 17.
Turn 4
I pass to Chris after laying land and he attacks with both creatures again. I take the 2 damage and hit Chris with 2 of my own damage when I flashback my dream twist. A Ghoulcaller’s Bell, Cellar Door and a Mountain get milled before I play Think Twice from my hand to draw a Merfolk Mesmerist.
Turn 5
I play Rolling Temblor to wipe out Chris’s Rat/Cleric double act. Chris squeezes one more bit of use out of the Rats by sacrificing them to an Altar’s Reap and draws 2 cards. I summon a Merfolk Mesmerist. Chris’s summons a Reassembling Skeleton.
Turn 6
I’m pleased to see a Deranged Assistant make his way into my hand and eagerly cast him. I send the Merfolk Mesmerist into the Red Zone to take Chris down to 17. Over to Chris who attempts to make his Skeleton fight my Deranged Assistant with a Prey Upon. To save my Assistant I flashback a think twice and use the Burning Vengeance damage to take down the skeleton before the Prey Upon resolves. I get an Island from the think twice. Chris still gets the desired result as the death of the Skeleton causes Morbid to go live, allowing Chris’s Woodland Sleuth to randomly return a creature to his hand. After the creature is randomly (and secretly) returned from the graveyard I rejoice when I see it is not the Preist.
Turn 7
I tap the Assistant for Colourless mana and mill a Grasp of Phantoms which gets flashbacked (Burning Vengeance Damage goes straight to Chris’ face) and the Sleuth sleuths back to the top of his library. I attack Chris with my Merfolk taking him down to 14. Chris’s turn. He casts a Reassembling Skeleton from his hand (the Woodland Sleuth’s effect must have returned said Skeleton) and passes to me.
Turn 8
I draw a Silent Departure and flashback desperate ravings doing 2 damage to Chris’s life a la Burning Vengeance. A murder of Crows and a Mountain get drawn and my Harvest Pyre gets discarded. I silently depart the Skeleton, the deranged assistant mills an island, the merfolk mesmerist attacks Chris for 1 and I summon a murder (of crows). Chris Dead Weights the Murder of Crows making it a slightly less fearsome 2/2 and re-summons his Skeleton. At the end of the turn its 15-11 to me.
Turn 9
Fortress Crab hits my hand.*sigh* Now is not the time for a defensive play dammit! With all the bounce in my hand and graveyard, not to mention the burn increments I get from burning vengeance, what I really want are some beaters. I attack with the Mesmerist and the Crows taking Chris down to 8. I then play a Silent Departure to bounce the dead weighted crows who immediately get replayed. I much prefer them in their 4/4 state. Chris elects to attack with his Skeleton, I block with the deranged assistant, activating its ability on its way out to mill a desperate ravings. The dead Assistant and Skeleton trigger the Crow’s ability twice. In my eagerness to use the Crow’s ability I lose it again, to the same trick from game one! The Morkrut Banshee makes her first appearance this game and gleefully Murders my murder, again. In retaliation I flashback desperate ravings drawing a mountain and a Pitchburn Devils and discarding said mountain. Chris takes two more direct damage.
Turn 10
I draw a Mountain, I summon Pitchburn Devils. Over to Chris who returns the Skeleton to the field and summons a Woodland Sleuth, no Morbid triggered recursion this time. Before the end of Chris’ turn I activate the Merfolk’s ability to Mill a Think Twice and an Armored Skaab.
Turn 11
I draw a Grasp Of Phantoms which I use to return the Morkrut Banshee to the top of his deck, I flashback silent departure to return the Sleuth to his hand and 2 damage bringing Chris down to 4 and with his Skeleton still tapped Chris has no blockers to stop the Mesmerist and the Devils from attacking for lethal. Game 2 to me and we’re tied at 1-a-piece.
Game Three; Match Point
Turns 1-2
Chris has no turn one play. I manage a Ghoulcaller’s Bell which makes Chris mill an Ambush viper on his turn; good to know that’s not lurking in his hand. I mill an Island. I cast Desperate Ravings on my turn – drawing a Deranged Assistant and a mountain. I discard an Island.
Turn 3
Chris has hit all three of his land drops so far, however none have been swamps. I tap the ghoulcaller’s bell again to force myself and Chris to mill a Geistflame and Devouring Swarm respectively. I play an Armored Skaab milling a Curse of The Bloody Tome, Think Twice, Silent Departure and a Mountain (not a bad haul of Flashy-backers)!
Turn 4
“Hurr-aaay” Chris hits his first swamp and immediately turns it into a Disciple Of Grieselbrand. Over to me and I draw a Deranged Assistant and send the Armored Skaab in for 1. Chris opts to block the Skaab with his Disciple, then, activate the disciple’s ability to sacrifice it and give Chris one life I summon a fortress crab and pass.
Turns 5-8
Over the next few turns Chris does not make any plays. He’s stuck on two swamps and is waiting for a third. Over the course of the turns I summon a Deranged Assistant and another Fortress Crab attacking him each turn with the mighty power 1 creatures. I contend myself by playing various draw/mill cards such as Desperate Ravings and Think Twice and remember to activate Ghoul Caller’s bell each turn which , infuriatingly for him, makes Chris mill many, many swamps. On turn 8 Chris casts a Rampant Growth and gets the third land he’s been waiting for (Though it comes into play tapped – “Next turn”, he vows). I finally get a proper beater in the form of a Shiny Sturmgeist which comes into play as a healthy 4/4.
Turn 9
Chris’s first turn with three swamps. He’s been waiting for a suitable Doom Blade victim to activate Morbid for his Morkrut Banshee. Like a magnet to metal the Doom Blade rushes for my Sturmgeist. Chris follows up with the Banshee who gives -4/-4 to my deranged assistant. He then uses prey upon to force my Armored Skaab to fight his banshee. Just like that, in one turn I’ve gone from 5 creatures to 2. I ring the Ghoulcaller’s bell and we both mill land. My turn and I put Chris’ banshee on top of his library with a grasp of phantoms, and complete the removal by ringing the bell yet again and making him mill it. I mill a merfolk mesmerist and send in the Fortress Crab twins for 2 taking Chris down to 6.
Turn 10
Chris enchants one of the crabs with a dead weight – making it a 0/2. He then summons a Festerhide Boar to try and get some board presence. Before the end of Chris’ go I cast a Desperate Ravings (drawing a mountain and Charmbreaker Devils and discarding land. I cast said Charmbreaker Devils on my turn and decide to put Chris’ boar on the Harvest Pyre (exiling 6 cards to be sure). Chris sacs it off with Altar’s Reap before the Pyre gets near. I then attack Chris for 1 with the healthy crab and he’s on 5. (Getting there!)
Turn 11
Chris plays another Deadweight; this one finds the Charmbreaker Devils making it a 2/2. Next he summons a Hollowhenge Scavenger. But it’s too little too late, all I need to do is cast grasp of phantoms on his lone blocker which pumps the Devils to 6/2 and send them in for lethal. Game three to me.
Fedger’s Thoughts
Its main weakness (as demonstrated perfectly in the third game is its lack of offense). Chris’s only defence for 9 turns was a lonely disciple of greisband and yet I was only able to chip away at him slowly with power one creatures.
It takes some patience to get the combo going and there will be games where both burning vengeances and charmbreaker devils get milled but when used right it is both rewarding and a damned fun deck to play.
Check out my next blog on 13/02/2012 where I’ll be replacing some cards in this deck with others from Inistrad and Magic 2012 to really maximise the synergy between the cards.
See you then and thanks for reading!
Fedger
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