They say it’s not about the Magic it’s about The Gathering. You test for big tournaments with your friends and then revel in victory and console each other in defeat.
Well, when the dust settled on the Face to Face Games Modern Open+ on Saturday two close friends met in the finals.
David Goldfarb versus Edgar Magalhaes.
Burn versus Amulet Titan.
And in the end, the person on maybe the single greatest heater in the entire country prevailed.
Edgar of course Top 8’d multiple GPs last season and secured Gold Pro Status for the upcoming two professional cycles at least. At this event, he played Amulet Titan, his pet Modern deck that put his name on the map in first place.
At this event Edgar experimented with [Card]Adventurous Impulse[/Card] and [Card]Emrakul, the Promised End[/Card] in his list and told me that both were stellar for him throughout the event.
Perhaps my highlight from watching him play, was watching him reveal his hand to Goldfarb on the second turn of game two of the Finals. He had access to double [Card]Amulet of Vigor[/Card], [Card]Primeval Titan[/Card] and Azusa for a a nice turn-two-kill to snatch the trophy.
Won the @FaceToFaceGames modern 5k open+ with trusty #amuLIT featuring some new tech. Thanks to @fpawluszmtg for some of the ideas. Gotta focus on standard so probably running something close at #GPAtlanta Thanks to @F2FToronto for running a great event.
— Edgar Magalhaes (@EdgarMTG) October 14, 2018
As far as the rest of the tournament, at least in terms of sheer numbers, this was the coming out party for [Card]Assassin’s Trophy[/Card] in various Black/Green/X strategies in Modern. There were a ton of Jund decks in the room and two copies in the Top 8. It’s still yet to be seen if this will be the case going forward, but if you’re playing the Modern Showdown at Face to Face Games Toronto next weekend — be prepared for some midrange decks.
One of those Jund decks was piloted by Chris Ha another Toronto local coming off a recent Grand Prix Top 8 at GP Montreal. Chris told me he liked the Trophy’s all day long, and is high on Black/Green in Modern going forward. Not that he’s ever not been high on playing his foil [Card]Tarmogoyf[/Card]s.
The rest of the Top 8 was about what you’d expect from Modern. There were a diverse set of linear strategies that had success all day long. Face to Face Toronto regular McCowell made the elimination rounds with Living End, Zane Mitchell piloted trusty old Humans and there were also copies of [Card]Hollow One[/Card], Ironworks Combo and Martyr Proc in the Top 8.
Congratulations to everyone who had success on Sunday in Toronto and to Edgar on yet another trophy. An extra special thank you also goes out to the sponsor of the Open Series, Ultimate Guard, who provided some sweet gear to our Top 8 players. If you’re looking to follow the facetofacegames.com Open Series join us next weekend in Ottawa! Click here to register.
First Place, Edgar Magalhaes – Amulet Titan
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Chromia Skin Sidewinder Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Boros Garrison
1 Cavern of Souls
3 Forest
4 Gemstone Mine
1 Ghost Quarter
4 Gruul Turf
1 Khalni Garden
1 Radiant Fountain
4 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Slayers’ Stronghold
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
3 Tolaria West
1 Vesuva
[/Lands]
[Spells]
3 Adventurous Impulse
4 Amulet of Vigor
4 Ancient Stirrings
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Explore
1 Pact of Negation
4 Summoner’s Pact
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
4 Primeval Titan
1 Reclamation Sage
4 Sakura-Tribe Scout
1 Walking Ballista
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Hornet Queen
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Emrakul, the Promised End
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Abrade
2 Firespout
3 Spell Pierce
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Second Place, David Goldfarb – Burn
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Twin Flip n’ Tray Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
1 Arid Mesa
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Inspiring Vantage
3 Mountain
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Scalding Tarn
4 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]
[Spells]
4 Boros Charm
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lightning Helix
4 Rift Bolt
4 Searing Blaze
2 Skullcrack
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
1 Skullcrack
2 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Path to Exile
3 Searing Blood
2 Exquisite Firecraft
2 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
1 Smash to Smithereens
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Third Place, Steven Mayes – Hollow One
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Mini American ZipFolio
[deck]
[Lands]
2 Arid Mesa
3 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Mountain
1 Stomping Ground
1 Swamp
2 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]
[Spells]
4 Burning Inquiry
2 Collective Brutality
4 Faithless Looting
4 Goblin Lore
4 Lightning Bolt
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Flameblade Adept
4 Flamewake Phoenix
3 Gurmag Angler
4 Hollow One
4 Street Wraith
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
3 Fatal Push
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Thoughtseize
4 Leyline of the Void
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Fourth Place, Dominic Harvey – Ironworks Combo
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Ultimate Guard Arkhive
[deck]
[Lands]
2 Blooming Marsh
2 Botanical Sanctum
2 Buried Ruin
1 Darkslick Shores
4 Darksteel Citadel
2 Inventors’ Fair
1 Island
4 Spire of Industry
1 Yavimaya Coast
[/Lands]
[Spells]
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Chromatic Star
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Ichor Wellspring
4 Krark-Clan Ironworks
3 Mind Stone
4 Mox Opal
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
3 Sword of the Meek
4 Terrarion
4 Thopter Foundry
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Scrap Trawler
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
4 Fatal Push
4 Nature’s Claim
3 Metallic Rebuke
3 Sai, Master Thopterist
1 Island
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Fifth Place, Chris Ha – Jund
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Purple Sidewinder Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
3 Bloodstained Mire
2 Forest
1 Mountain
2 Overgrown Tomb
3 Raging Ravine
1 Stomping Ground
2 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]
[Spells]
3 Assassin’s Trophy
2 Fatal Push
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Kolaghan’s Command
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Liliana of the Veil
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
3 Thoughtseize
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Dark Confidant
3 Scavenging Ooze
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Tireless Tracker
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Damnation
2 Collective Brutality
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Leyline of the Void
2 Ancient Grudge
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Sixth Place, Cody McCowell – Living End
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Sidewinder Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
2 Copperline Gorge
1 Forbidden Orchard
1 Forest
1 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Stomping Ground
2 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
[/Lands]
[Spells]
2 Beast Within
4 Demonic Dread
3 Living End
4 Violent Outburst
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Archfiend of Ifnir
4 Desert Cerodon
4 Fulminator Mage
4 Horror of the Broken Lands
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Street Wraith
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
1 Dead // Gone
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Gnaw to the Bone
1 Bow of Nylea
1 Boil
2 Krosan Grip
2 Ricochet Trap
2 Shriekmaw
4 Leyline of the Void
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Seventh Place, Zane Mitchell – 5C Humans
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Chromia Skin Sidewinder Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
4 Ancient Ziggurat
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Horizon Canopy
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Seachrome Coast
4 Unclaimed Territory
[/Lands]
[Spells]
4 Aether Vial
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
4 Champion of the Parish
1 Kessig Malcontents
4 Kitesail Freebooter
4 Mantis Rider
3 Meddling Mage
3 Militia Bugler
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Phantasmal Image
3 Reflector Mage
4 Thalia’s Lieutenant
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
2 Knight of Autumn
2 Dismember
2 Auriok Champion
2 Sin Collector
2 Riders of Gavony
2 Damping Sphere
2 Izzet Staticaster
1 Reflector Mage
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
Eighth Place, Kory Whitten – Martyr Proc
Favourite Ultimate Guard product: Chromia Skin Sidewinder Deck Box
[deck]
[Lands]
1 Cavern of Souls
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Field of Ruin
3 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Ghost Quarter
2 Mistveil Plains
8 Plains
[/Lands]
[Spells]
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Day of Judgment
1 Hallowed Burial
4 Path to Exile
2 Proclamation of Rebirth
1 Runed Halo
2 Wrath of God
[/Spells]
[Creatures]
1 Archangel Avacyn
1 Kami of False Hope
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Squadron Hawk
1 Sun Titan
4 Thraben Inspector
1 Walking Ballista
[/Creatures]
[Sideboard]
1 Hex Parasite
1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1 Disenchant
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Cleansing Nova
2 Stony Silence
1 Aven Mindcensor
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Damping Sphere
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Rest in Peace
1 Archangel Avacyn
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]