Five With Flores

Brett Blackman just won the 2008 Pennsylvania State Championship with Faeries, battling through three Faeries mirrors in the Top 8. In this video, Brett outlines his strategy for winning the Faeries mirror as well as changes he would make to his State Championship-winning deck list.

Here is Brett’s Pennsylvania State Championship-winning deck list:

1 Loxodon Warhammer

4 Bitterblossom
3 Thoughtseize

3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Mistbind Clique
2 Ponder
4 Scion of Oona
4 Spellstutter Sprite
1 Sower of Temptation
3 Vendilion Clique

3 Agony Warp

3 Faerie Conclave
3 Island
4 Mutavault
4 Secluded Glen
3 Sunken Ruins
3 Swamp
4 Underground River

Sideboard
1 Thoughtseize
1 Loxodon Warhammer
2 Razormane Masticore
2 Jace Beleren
3 Infest
2 Shriekmaw
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
2 Puppeteer Clique

Changes:
No changes to the main deck.

-1 Loxodon Warhammer
-2 Razormane Masticore
-2 Puppeteer Clique

+1 Infest
+1 Shriekmaw
+2 Negate
+1 Agony Warp

Brett’s keys to winning the mirror:

The key cards are Bitterblossom and Thoughtseize. Bitterblossom is the true threat, and Thoughtseize is there to steal the opponent’s Bitterblossom. Brett advocates aggressive mulligans to obtain these strategic cards or proxies for therm.

On the play only, you can keep a hand with Broken Ambitions so as to counter the opponent’s turn two Bitterblossom.

Ponder allows you to keep otherwise weak hands, and even hide a Bitterblossom one deep, so that the opponent’ can’t Thoughtseize yours.

Should you find yourself up against a Bitterblossom with none of your own, the 2008 Pennsylvania State Champion suggests using Agony Warp to set up a two-for-one in the hopes of putting the opponent behind on the board.

I know this video is a little different, but I hope you liked it. Thanks and congratulations to the newly-minted 2008 Pennsylvania State Champion!

LOVE
MIKE

Just in time for the State Championships! This is the third of three videos featuring the qualifying decks from the Pro Tour Berlin Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). This Top 2 Faeries deck was played by Jorge Pinazo.

Like the previous two videos, this one was also built for this week’s Top Decks at magicthegathering.com.

So… another preview for you!

Enjoy!

Jorge’s Faeries Deck:

4 Bitterblossom

4 Cryptic Command
4 Mistbind Clique
4 Ponder
4 Sage’s Dousing
4 Scion of Oona
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Stonybrook Banneret
4 Vendilion Clique

4 Faerie Conclave
3 Island
4 Mutavault
4 Secluded Glen
4 Sunken Ruins
1 Swamp
4 Underground River

Sideboard
4 Infest
2 Puppeteer Clique
4 Thoughtseize
2 Sower of Temptation
3 Agony Warp

Gigantic switcheroo on this deck…

Jorge actually hybridized a Wizards sub-theme onto his deck with Stonybrook Banneret and Sage’s Dousing. Sage’s Dousing is actually better than it might look at first blush as Mistbind Clique, Vendilion Clique, and the beautiful Spellstutter Sprite are all Wizards in addition to being Faeries.

There is literally no reason to believe Faeries won’t be a top deck this weekend.

Did you see how they snuck up on Extended even, putting someone in the Top 8 with a “Block” deck (more or less)? You had best be prepared for the little Blue men!

Just a reminder I will be updating here on FiveWithFlores before Saturday whereas I’m not sure if I will have time to post a pre-States video about my deck choice on YouTube. So make sure to check back. I hope you loved the videos!

LOVE
MIKE