n00bcon tech and GP shoutout

It's been a hectic week and a half. I just started a new assignment in Oslo, and the weekend included both a birthday for a two-year old and a bachelor party in Gothenburg. It's quite a bit easier to travel to Gothenburg from Oslo than from Munich btw. Speaking of Munich; Alex, one of the Bavarian heroes that I played 93/94 with in Regensburg, asked me about additional lists from n00bcon. On that same note, a Philadelphia (Philadelphian?) old school player named Brian had that same request today, so I figure that it's high time for some more lists. I'll post four sweet decks today, and try to update with four more before the end of the week. I apologize that some of the pictures may look a little blurry, it is possible that the photographer had a beer or two during the event.

We'll start out with Glenn's RG burn list. This deck had the distinction of being the highest placed non-blue deck in the tournament (yeah, restricting Mana Drain was probably a good idea). The deck is incredibly fast, and relies much more on the early game than other traditional RG beats (which pretty much always supports Ehrnam). It lacks the power needed for first turn kills, but it can reliably win on turn 3-4. The deck handles lategame fairly well with bolts, and the fact that you never want to let a creature trough as long as Glenn has a few cards in hand a few mana up.

Turn three Channel Fireball is still Channel Fireball.

After the tiny dudes and small spells, we go big. The Eureka deck is kind of funny in this format, as there aren't any particularly awesome creatures (at least by the last 15 years' standard). Resolving an Eureka is still a very strong play, but it's not like the deck's pilot JhovalKing can win with Eureka and a single other card. Here it's more a strategy of overwhelming with multiple fatties than casting a single unbeatable monster. The deck is awesome regardless; what else could it be with cards like Sword of the Ages and Concordant Crossroads alongside Nicol Bolas and Colossi?

And Juzam. Good decks play Juzam.

Up next is one of my favourite strategies, the Deck-hater known as Electric Eel Aggro. The main idea is that Electric Eel is clearly an underplayed card, and the unfair decks will have real problems beating Energy Flux and Blood Moon. Add burn, serendibs and access to blasts of both colours, and you'll end up with a hate deck that can stand on it's own. A sweet thing with the deck is that it works well with few (or no) power (unlike e.g. the Deck, that relies on power). It can hence be a good budget alternative to start building on, and is easy to improve whenever opportunity to get expensive cards comes up.

Ancestral and Time Walk would probably be better than the moxes, but you play what you own. Don't miss the super-techy Inferno in the SB.

Lastly today we have the Dingus Egg Ponza. As some of you may know, Dingus Egg was on magic's first ever restricted list due to it's interaction with Armageddon, and this brewer combines it not only with Geddon, but with Kudzu as well. The deck eventually wins with the mox-killer Titania's Song, or with Underworld Dreams (or just with Dingus Egg, harsh stuff).

Land destruction from turn two, combined with both Swords and Terror. Everyone except Black Knight is in for a rough time.

In my next post I aim to show white weenie, power monolith, prison and Pefken's top4 ugr midrange, all from last n00bcon. I'm also looking forward to post some history and evolution of the Tax Edge deck in the near future.

Finally, there's a GP in Gothenburg this weekend! I wont have time to participate myself, but I will be in the city during the weekend. If anyone is going to the GP and want to play some old school at Saturday night, send me a mail and we'll sort something out :)