Hello! I've been away for quite a long time due to "mysterious" reasons (which probably had to do with trying to assemble a real life Pikmin army) but I am almost settled and ready to make more posts. It's Elder Dragon Sunday so here I am to offer up another report on the matches that MGR and I have been conducting.

Today it's two new decks: Lyzolda (MGR) vs Reaper King (Me). Both powerful additions added to the ever increasing roster of EDH decks we own and actively use. Fortunately we've set a hard ceiling on the total number of decks in contention for the year so we won't ruin our ability to see which is the top deck. Unfortunately, that year ends in just two months and we've already added 5 or 6 new decks. EDH sure does inspire fun new builds that can be relatively cheap. More on that process in a future article I'm sure.

So MGR piloted the aggressive, sacrificial, land hating Lyzolda of the Rakdos Guild and I piloted the artifact and land loving Reaper King. Seems like a funny battle of resources. Will Lyzolda waste the lands before Reaper King reaps and sows? We'll find out after the break!

This break brought to you by Random Card of the Day. Hey it fits!

...Okay break over. Game 1 was not the best showing for Lyzolda. Stuck on two lands for a while, MGR was unable to destroy lands nor start his Lyzolda card advantage engine while I just ramped more and more till I was able to drop Reaper King unmolested and eventually win. These games are the worst showcases of a deck's ability and unfortunately sometimes that just happens with variance. But we're not here to showcase fixed games and thus Game 1 counted and went to Reaper King.

He didn't do much this time but he's an all-star in Lyzolda.

Game 2 fared much better for MGR in the mana and land destruction department. However, I was able to draw into Summer Bloom and other sources of additional land plays and make the single land destruction spells less effective. Eventualy I controlled the board with the Sunforger and charm package and won.

A great card when you can't afford Exploration or Azusa.

Result: Lyzolda vs Reaper King: 0-2

This wasn't the best opening act for Lyzolda but later matches will prove that her land destruction abilities are rather potent and demand that you not keep a shaky hand with too high a curve. This game also displayed just how powerful Sunforger is if you can afford the mana to equip and use it within the same turn. And at 5 mana, that's not that tough. Especially versatile with access to all five colors. This match showed MGR it's power and he's decided to it into one of his EDH decks as well. A great card that I'll talk about more this Tuesday as that's when I'll post Reaper King's deck tech article.

Elder Dragon Sunday: Progenitus' Downfall

Alright! It's Elder Dragon Sunday and that means more updates about our Round Robin Adventure. Today I'll report on matches 8 to 11. Some exciting stories and upsets including a possible dark horse contender.

Match 8: Kaalia (MGR) v Rhys (QSP): 1 - 2

Game 1: MGR wins the die roll and off to the races we go. MGR is stuck on karoo lands and their crazy "drawbacks" on the first couple turns giving me plenty of time to build a board with Rhys. And when Kaalia finally drops into play, she swings and drops... a Shattered Angel. Her reverse landfall ability coupled with a 3/3 body and no backup tried valiantly to bring me down in health but it was to no avail as my one woman army of Hero of Bladehold won the game handily and negated all the random life gain the angel was able to produce.

Game 2: I got Rhys out early and tried mounting an army but a random Master Warcraft from MGR forced a 2/2 zombie creature to attack and have Rhys block! What?! I've never seen that card perform so well. Then there was a board stall until MGR drops an Angel of War and Peace, we both declared war, and I lost said war.

Game 3: Rhys dominated this game. I could keep overextending thanks to Marshal's Anthem, lots of mana, then Ashnod's Altar and Martial Coup. It was silly.

In the end, I was surprised at how well the stock Kaalia list is performing. I hope she comes to win it all! Dark horse indeed.

Match 9: Progenitus (MGR) v Rafiq (QSP)

MGR will be doing the report for this game. Wait for it!

Match 10: Rhys (MGR) v Progenitus (QSP): 2 - 0

Game 1: I kept a shaky hand with some but not all the right mana producers and MGR started strong with turn 1 Rhys  and eventually turn 4 Hero of Bladehold. Without an answer, I was doomed to the one woman army again.

Game 2: Had to mulligan to 4 and had my fate decided by one again turn 1 Rhys. A turn 2 Skullclamp sealed the deal that MGR would be too far ahead. Surprisingly, I stayed alive for a couple more turns and might have been able to come back had I drawn perfectly but it was not meant to be. Mulligans can be tough folks! I've got to know when to pitch colorless utility lands. Good lesson.

Match 11: Vela (MGR) v Progenitus (QSP): 2 - 1

I couldn't have my favorite deck on such a losing streak! It was time to try and come back against the current lowest seed deck, Vela.

Game 1: I was confidant going into this game that Progenitus would do well and when Gideon Jura dropped to control against Vela's low power creatures, it decided things quickly.

Game 2: I-I don't know what happened. Vela won and I have no notes. Did I faint from losing all my planeswalkers?

Game 3: Pokecenter/Carl's Jr healed my super friends and I was back for the deciding game! And what an exciting game it was. I land an early Jace, Architect of Thought against the lower power creatures and manage to hold them back well. Even with the curiosity enabling Tandem Lookout, I was able to stay in the game because the paired creature had one power and couldn't push through. I thought this game was in the bag but yet again it stalled as we were both not able to get anything super powerful to stick.

Eventually, we get to the end game. I drop an Eternal Witness returning my Humility to stop potential lethal/card advantage engine that is ninjas. Their tricky ninjitsu ways happened to get around Maze of Ith! If only I didn't have to copy an Island of all things with my turn 3 Vesuva. I was out of cards in hand so this was my final stand. MGR casts an Inspiration and what was the top card but a miraculous Vanishment to top my Humility. Then a snapback cast for free the Eternal Witness, my only blocker. On his turn, he swings and ninjitsus a ninja for exactly lethal damage as my Maze of Ith sat back very sad.

Oh no! Progenitus is now bottom seed but I'm not too worried. Based on our system, he has 10 more matches to go and could still do very well. It goes to show that this system has the hilarious side effect of not really having a good way to pair decks together to show swiss style progress but does have the advantage of possibly seeing a low tier deck topple a top tier one. Which is what happened this match. Don't worry Progenitus! You will fight again. Now let's go to the pokecenter and rest up.*

*Fortunately this analogy to Pokemon didn't hold up completely true as MGR did not take half my money. That game is pretty brutal when you think about it.