Day 0:
I get there at around 8:30, meet up with Glace and alexmf2 to do some playtesting. I get wrecked my Glace twice (one of the times three catcher were prized >_>) and then beat alexmf2 once. I manage to first every single game, which kind of surprised me since I literally NEVER go first (before this tournament, I was 4 out of 16 for going first, and it gets worse.) I then went straight to bed.
Day 1:
I arrive early and do some more playtesting against Machamp the Champion and some other random people, all of the games of which I win. I then find out that there are NINE rounds for masters, so it was going to be a long day. Pairings go up, and it begins.
I'm playing Empoleon/Terrakion.
Round 1 vs. Logan w/ Rayeels
I start Piplup and go second. He gets a pretty good start with two Tynamos and a Raikou. I can't get the T1 Emolga, but I manage to get three Piplup turn 1 anyway. He proceeds to get both eels out his next turn, so I'm pretty scared at this point. Luckily, he can't get enough energy on Raikou to start KO'ing Piplups, so I'm safe for at least another turn. I don't get the T2 Empoleon, so I'm forced to just grab the Emolga, retreat out my Piplup, and Call for a Terrakion. I did get a Prinplup though, so I'm prepared for next turn. I don't fully remember what happened during his next turn, but he STILL can't get any energy in the discard and he doesn't draw anything even remotely helpful. I proceed to get two Empoleons the next turn, although I unfortunately whiff the catcher so I'm forced to hit his Raikou for some damage. The game pretty much continues like this. I have to use Retaliate for 60 at one point on his Raikou, finally KO'ing it with an Empoleon after getting a switch. He manages to KO an Empoleon and stall for a bit with Thunder Fang + Victini, but he can't stop my onslaught after the Raikou is dead as I proceed to take out both Eels. He gets a Rayquaza EX up with a few energy on it and hits for some damage late game, and that's really the end of him doing anything. I attack command for 80, then use my final switch to my fully charged Terrakion for the game.
1-0
YAY, I continued my streak of winning the first game of every tournament I've been too. Unfortunately, I've always lost the second match too, so I have to hope to break that streak next round.
Round 2 vs. Gino Lombardi w/ Terrakion EX/Terrakion/Roserade
This wasn't much of a game, unfortunately. He starts Terrakion EX and goes first. He gets a decent start, but he fills his whole bench early so I'm confident I can win. That is, until I have to do a massive T1 combo to get my Emolga out due to me starting Terrakion, leaving me with no cards in my hand. I don't topdeck anything, so he just KO's the crap out of my Piplups. I manage to actually get an Empoleon up late game off of an N that I topdeck, but his Mewtwo with 6 energy kind of puts me in a checkmate position. I try to kill it with Mew, but my plan fails and he has a Juniper in his small hand anyway, so he's free to take his last prize with Mewtwo.
1-1
The streak continues...well, I have also lost every Round 3 and all of the tournaments I have been too, so I can still pull myself out of that. I grab lunch first, then race back before the round begins.
Round 3 vs. Garchomp/Altaria
When she went first, I was SCARED. I had never tested this matchup because I couldn't find anyone to test against who had it. She get's two Gible and an Swablu T1, so it's very possible that a T2 Garchomp could completely destroy me. I started Emolga though, so I'm not in too bad of a position. That is, until I call for family and see that TWO Piplup are prized. My Rayquaza, however, is not, so I know I can grab that via a Communication or Ultra Ball later. I'm really concerned about the T2 Garchomp at this point because if she gets it, I'm done. However, she gets absolutely nothing the next turn besides for another Swablu, so I'm safe for a little while. I don't get the T2 Empoleon, but I get Prinplup and Rayquaza out. I then catcher a Swablu and Static Shock it with Emolga for the knockout. She STILL doesn't get the Garchomp the next turn, although she get's a Gabite, a Swablu, and an Altaria. I proceed to KO the Gabite with Rayquaza. She spams sand attack to try and stall, but after flipping tails once I retreat to my Rayquaza and sweep her field. I flip heads on the rest of the Sand Attacks, so she literally cannot do anything as I OHKO everything for my last 4 prizes.
2-1
I broke the streak
.
Round 4 vs. Darkrai/Hydreigon
He goes first, so I'm scared silly about the T2 Hydreigon. He doesn't get it though, and even though I start Terrakion I get a fantastic start. After my T2 Empoleon and catchering his Deino, he had a lot of difficulties. He managed to get two more Deino out but I catchered them before they could do anything. I proceeded to sweep the rest of his field with Empoleon and a fully charged Terrakion.
3-1
Round 5 vs. Rayeels
I forgot to place my prizes DDDD: so I get a multi-prize loss and he takes three prizes T1. It turns out his Thundurus was prized too :/. Not really a lot to say, he killed all the Piplups I got with his Raikou and took his last three prizes to win. I probably wouldn't have won anyway, considering I couldn't get an Empoleon out, but I still felt really bad that I lost because of such a dumb, easily correctable mistake.
3-2
So, I have to win my next 4 rounds in a row to guarantee cut.
Round 6 vs. Entei/Garbodor
LOLOLOLOLOLOL. I almost felt bad for him after I wen't first with Emolga and got an Empoleon going T3. Water beats fire, is there much more to say? He managed to get 4 prizes from catchers and annoying burn flips and from me whiffing because of the lack of Diving Draw, but this game was over before it started.
4-2
Round 7 vs. Rayeels
Rayeels AGAIN. And he ran TWO THUNDURUS. WHYYYYYYYYY...not to mention he goes first with possibly the BEST start I have ever seen in a Rayeels deck. I somehow manage to make a comeback with N and Terrakion spamming, but I simply lost the prize trade in the end, despite me getting down to one prize.
4-3
Round 8 vs. Darkrai/Terrakion/Hammers
One of my best matchups, she didn't really have a chance unless she could get a Darkrai going constantly throughout the match. Sure, she flipped heads on a lot of hammers, but I got a T2 Empoleon and she had enough things on her bench for me to wreck her whole field. I never whiffed the energy, and when time was called and I was up 5-1, there was nothing she could do.
5-3
Round 9 vs. Aaron Zheng w/ Darkrai/Hydreigon
I start Terrakion :/ and after he goes first, I can't get a Piplup out T1. This allows him to get Hydreigon out fast and I couldn't really do anything. We prize trade a bunch and I get to kill a Darkrai with Terrakion, but when time was called I simply didn't have enough basics left in my deck for my Mew EX to kill his Mewtwo with 6 energy on it. I would have gotten some CP too :[
5-4
Overall, at least I went positive. I improve my match record every time, so maybe some time in the near future I'll actually make cut...that is if I can ever manage to go first, considering I'm now 7 for 25 for going first, which is nearly half of what probability dictates.
I also buy a pack at the end, because I always do at tournaments, and I pull a Goodchomp, so that could have been worse.
Beach members seen:
- Glace
- alexmf2
- Machamp the Champion
- EmmetCHH22
- iisnumber12
- RogueChomp
- Afro-G
- Zangoose
Props:
Going positive
Meeting people
Beating my worst matchup with two of my main attackers prized (with a tech I was considering dropping)
Good pack
Slops:
Not placing prize cards
Losing out of cut, then losing out of CP
Crazy long day because of 9 rounds
Still not going first even close to 50% of the time
I get there at around 8:30, meet up with Glace and alexmf2 to do some playtesting. I get wrecked my Glace twice (one of the times three catcher were prized >_>) and then beat alexmf2 once. I manage to first every single game, which kind of surprised me since I literally NEVER go first (before this tournament, I was 4 out of 16 for going first, and it gets worse.) I then went straight to bed.
Day 1:
I arrive early and do some more playtesting against Machamp the Champion and some other random people, all of the games of which I win. I then find out that there are NINE rounds for masters, so it was going to be a long day. Pairings go up, and it begins.
I'm playing Empoleon/Terrakion.
Round 1 vs. Logan w/ Rayeels
I start Piplup and go second. He gets a pretty good start with two Tynamos and a Raikou. I can't get the T1 Emolga, but I manage to get three Piplup turn 1 anyway. He proceeds to get both eels out his next turn, so I'm pretty scared at this point. Luckily, he can't get enough energy on Raikou to start KO'ing Piplups, so I'm safe for at least another turn. I don't get the T2 Empoleon, so I'm forced to just grab the Emolga, retreat out my Piplup, and Call for a Terrakion. I did get a Prinplup though, so I'm prepared for next turn. I don't fully remember what happened during his next turn, but he STILL can't get any energy in the discard and he doesn't draw anything even remotely helpful. I proceed to get two Empoleons the next turn, although I unfortunately whiff the catcher so I'm forced to hit his Raikou for some damage. The game pretty much continues like this. I have to use Retaliate for 60 at one point on his Raikou, finally KO'ing it with an Empoleon after getting a switch. He manages to KO an Empoleon and stall for a bit with Thunder Fang + Victini, but he can't stop my onslaught after the Raikou is dead as I proceed to take out both Eels. He gets a Rayquaza EX up with a few energy on it and hits for some damage late game, and that's really the end of him doing anything. I attack command for 80, then use my final switch to my fully charged Terrakion for the game.
1-0
YAY, I continued my streak of winning the first game of every tournament I've been too. Unfortunately, I've always lost the second match too, so I have to hope to break that streak next round.
Round 2 vs. Gino Lombardi w/ Terrakion EX/Terrakion/Roserade
This wasn't much of a game, unfortunately. He starts Terrakion EX and goes first. He gets a decent start, but he fills his whole bench early so I'm confident I can win. That is, until I have to do a massive T1 combo to get my Emolga out due to me starting Terrakion, leaving me with no cards in my hand. I don't topdeck anything, so he just KO's the crap out of my Piplups. I manage to actually get an Empoleon up late game off of an N that I topdeck, but his Mewtwo with 6 energy kind of puts me in a checkmate position. I try to kill it with Mew, but my plan fails and he has a Juniper in his small hand anyway, so he's free to take his last prize with Mewtwo.
1-1
The streak continues...well, I have also lost every Round 3 and all of the tournaments I have been too, so I can still pull myself out of that. I grab lunch first, then race back before the round begins.
Round 3 vs. Garchomp/Altaria
When she went first, I was SCARED. I had never tested this matchup because I couldn't find anyone to test against who had it. She get's two Gible and an Swablu T1, so it's very possible that a T2 Garchomp could completely destroy me. I started Emolga though, so I'm not in too bad of a position. That is, until I call for family and see that TWO Piplup are prized. My Rayquaza, however, is not, so I know I can grab that via a Communication or Ultra Ball later. I'm really concerned about the T2 Garchomp at this point because if she gets it, I'm done. However, she gets absolutely nothing the next turn besides for another Swablu, so I'm safe for a little while. I don't get the T2 Empoleon, but I get Prinplup and Rayquaza out. I then catcher a Swablu and Static Shock it with Emolga for the knockout. She STILL doesn't get the Garchomp the next turn, although she get's a Gabite, a Swablu, and an Altaria. I proceed to KO the Gabite with Rayquaza. She spams sand attack to try and stall, but after flipping tails once I retreat to my Rayquaza and sweep her field. I flip heads on the rest of the Sand Attacks, so she literally cannot do anything as I OHKO everything for my last 4 prizes.
2-1
I broke the streak
. Round 4 vs. Darkrai/Hydreigon
He goes first, so I'm scared silly about the T2 Hydreigon. He doesn't get it though, and even though I start Terrakion I get a fantastic start. After my T2 Empoleon and catchering his Deino, he had a lot of difficulties. He managed to get two more Deino out but I catchered them before they could do anything. I proceeded to sweep the rest of his field with Empoleon and a fully charged Terrakion.
3-1
Round 5 vs. Rayeels
I forgot to place my prizes DDDD: so I get a multi-prize loss and he takes three prizes T1. It turns out his Thundurus was prized too :/. Not really a lot to say, he killed all the Piplups I got with his Raikou and took his last three prizes to win. I probably wouldn't have won anyway, considering I couldn't get an Empoleon out, but I still felt really bad that I lost because of such a dumb, easily correctable mistake.
3-2
So, I have to win my next 4 rounds in a row to guarantee cut.
Round 6 vs. Entei/Garbodor
LOLOLOLOLOLOL. I almost felt bad for him after I wen't first with Emolga and got an Empoleon going T3. Water beats fire, is there much more to say? He managed to get 4 prizes from catchers and annoying burn flips and from me whiffing because of the lack of Diving Draw, but this game was over before it started.
4-2
Round 7 vs. Rayeels
Rayeels AGAIN. And he ran TWO THUNDURUS. WHYYYYYYYYY...not to mention he goes first with possibly the BEST start I have ever seen in a Rayeels deck. I somehow manage to make a comeback with N and Terrakion spamming, but I simply lost the prize trade in the end, despite me getting down to one prize.
4-3
Round 8 vs. Darkrai/Terrakion/Hammers
One of my best matchups, she didn't really have a chance unless she could get a Darkrai going constantly throughout the match. Sure, she flipped heads on a lot of hammers, but I got a T2 Empoleon and she had enough things on her bench for me to wreck her whole field. I never whiffed the energy, and when time was called and I was up 5-1, there was nothing she could do.
5-3
Round 9 vs. Aaron Zheng w/ Darkrai/Hydreigon
I start Terrakion :/ and after he goes first, I can't get a Piplup out T1. This allows him to get Hydreigon out fast and I couldn't really do anything. We prize trade a bunch and I get to kill a Darkrai with Terrakion, but when time was called I simply didn't have enough basics left in my deck for my Mew EX to kill his Mewtwo with 6 energy on it. I would have gotten some CP too :[
5-4
Overall, at least I went positive. I improve my match record every time, so maybe some time in the near future I'll actually make cut
...that is if I can ever manage to go first, considering I'm now 7 for 25 for going first, which is nearly half of what probability dictates.I also buy a pack at the end, because I always do at tournaments, and I pull a Goodchomp, so that could have been worse.
Beach members seen:
- Glace
- alexmf2
- Machamp the Champion
- EmmetCHH22
- iisnumber12
- RogueChomp
- Afro-G
- Zangoose
Props:
Going positive
Meeting people
Beating my worst matchup with two of my main attackers prized (with a tech I was considering dropping)
Good pack
Slops:
Not placing prize cards
Losing out of cut, then losing out of CP
Crazy long day because of 9 rounds
Still not going first even close to 50% of the time