First off, id like to say how cool this first year has been, just learning the ins and outs of the game on a whole new level and making so many new friends =) That being said, these are my results from my first 5 tournaments of the season, and a detailed recap of Michigan States, which was my first State Championship ever attended. So without further ado, let me bring you up to speed on my deck choices and finishes at earlier tourneys this year:
Fort Wayne Winter Regionals
Deck: Yveltal/Darkrai/Seismitoad
Record/Finish: 3-4-2, 203rd/404
Notable Opponents: Long Bui, James Stumbo
North Olmsted, OH, City Championships
Deck: Yveltal/Darkrai/Seismitoad
Record/Finish: 2-4, 23rd/34
Notable Opponents: Chris Fulop
Doswell Spring Regionals
Deck: Virizion/Genesect
Record/Finish: 4-4-1, 126th/334
Notable Opponents: Brandon Salazar
Michigan State Championships League Challenge
Deck: Virizion/Genesect
Record/Finish: 3-2, 9th/24
ok, so now that i have the league challenge and the previous tournaments out of the way, let me start by saying that for pretty much all the tournaments up until now, ive been stuck building a deck 15 minutes before every event starts (save cities) and just playing an incomplete deck. I really wanted to break that habit, so I decided to build an Yveltal/Toad list the night before after watching how well it playtested against metal, which i expected to see a lot more of than i actually did, i built a list i felt comfortable with. I wont put it here, but notable inclusions in the deck were seismitoad ex as a 3 of and a gold potion as a budget ace spec that i borrowed from a friend, seeing as i had none, and ace specs at this point are just really too valuable to be without, especially being abusable with trump card as they were. By round, this is how it went:
Round 1- Dustin Zimmerman (Seismitoad/Bats)
I get smacked in both games in this one. I get off to 3-0 leads both games, but the lock eventually does me in and i wind up getting 'dusted' (no pun intended, happy accident)
LL 0-1-0
Round 2-Matthew Koo (Seismitoad/Leafeon)
I never really had a chance in this one. I lost the flip and wound up getting beat bad.
LL 0-2-0
Its worth noting at this point that my opening in both games was a darkrai ex, and the only yveltals i saw were babies save game 1 of the first round, in which i saw one Yveltal EX that traded 2 for 2.
Round 3- Joni Heredia (M Gardevoir/Xerneas/Aromatisse)
I was pleasantly surprised to be playing a lady in round 3, and dreadful at the same time when i saw gardevoir ex flip over. I got beat again, as Mega Gardevoir took advantage of early geomancies and rocked me. I did almost steal game 2, temporarily being up 5-4, but lost shortly thereafter. The Virbank/Laser combo kept me in this match, and i feel like i could have won it had i gone into the match with a different strategy, perhaps attacking xerneas straight away instead of waiting for the lysandres on aromatisse.
LL 0-3-0
Round 4- Jeff Moses (Blastoise/Keldeo/Primal Kyogre)
I swept this match easily. The lasers did the heavy work and i finally saw Yveltal EX when it counted. My opponent's deck was well built, but a few bad misplays did him in, on top of the fact that i feel like i played well this match, not conceding a prize in either game.
WW 1-3-0
Round 5- Taylor Hardoin (Jolteon PLF/ Bats)
It was an interesting deck choice for my opponent to say the least. I didnt play great, but i didnt need to, the lack of N's in the deck as well as Jolteon's flimsy HP served me well here.
WW 2-3-0
Round 6- ?? ( Pyroar)
So this game was easily the most intense game of the whole tournament for me, as my opponent played Pyroar, which i was NOT expecting to see any of at all. My opponent takes game 1 easily, and i donk him back in game 2. In game 3, I get my lasers, but my opponent drops 2 pyroars in one turn late and keeps forcing switchouts on my end to keep me off balance. Failure to draw a laser dooms me and a timely lysandre from my opponent finishes me off.
LWL 2-4-0
Round 7- ?? (Night March)
To this date in any of my tournaments i had not run into a night march deck. I knew the matchup was more beneficial to me since i had lasers but still in his favor. Luckily for me he dead draws and i sweep him 2-0. Moral of the story? kill bugs with lasers xD
WW 3-4-0
Round 8- ?? (Donphan/Groudon EX)
I would have loved to play against this deck, but as my opponent was tired, he gave me the match so he could do other things instead that round. Lucky me, that win broke me even and put me right smack in the middle of my car group by record xD
(concede) 4-4-0 final standing: 59th/154
Recap: I was happy with the deck i played, and my finish was my highest to date. Even though i dont feel i played particularly well, i can say that 3 back to back 50% or better finishes are a sign of improvement. Hopefully I get to attend Ohio states and try my luck in wooster, i feel i will be much more ready and much better against the metagame. Thanks for reading, i know its just campfire stories and nothing more, but i had a great time. I can't wait for Nats and Fall regionals xD
Fort Wayne Winter Regionals
Deck: Yveltal/Darkrai/Seismitoad
Record/Finish: 3-4-2, 203rd/404
Notable Opponents: Long Bui, James Stumbo
North Olmsted, OH, City Championships
Deck: Yveltal/Darkrai/Seismitoad
Record/Finish: 2-4, 23rd/34
Notable Opponents: Chris Fulop
Doswell Spring Regionals
Deck: Virizion/Genesect
Record/Finish: 4-4-1, 126th/334
Notable Opponents: Brandon Salazar
Michigan State Championships League Challenge
Deck: Virizion/Genesect
Record/Finish: 3-2, 9th/24
ok, so now that i have the league challenge and the previous tournaments out of the way, let me start by saying that for pretty much all the tournaments up until now, ive been stuck building a deck 15 minutes before every event starts (save cities) and just playing an incomplete deck. I really wanted to break that habit, so I decided to build an Yveltal/Toad list the night before after watching how well it playtested against metal, which i expected to see a lot more of than i actually did, i built a list i felt comfortable with. I wont put it here, but notable inclusions in the deck were seismitoad ex as a 3 of and a gold potion as a budget ace spec that i borrowed from a friend, seeing as i had none, and ace specs at this point are just really too valuable to be without, especially being abusable with trump card as they were. By round, this is how it went:
Round 1- Dustin Zimmerman (Seismitoad/Bats)
I get smacked in both games in this one. I get off to 3-0 leads both games, but the lock eventually does me in and i wind up getting 'dusted' (no pun intended, happy accident)
LL 0-1-0
Round 2-Matthew Koo (Seismitoad/Leafeon)
I never really had a chance in this one. I lost the flip and wound up getting beat bad.
LL 0-2-0
Its worth noting at this point that my opening in both games was a darkrai ex, and the only yveltals i saw were babies save game 1 of the first round, in which i saw one Yveltal EX that traded 2 for 2.
Round 3- Joni Heredia (M Gardevoir/Xerneas/Aromatisse)
I was pleasantly surprised to be playing a lady in round 3, and dreadful at the same time when i saw gardevoir ex flip over. I got beat again, as Mega Gardevoir took advantage of early geomancies and rocked me. I did almost steal game 2, temporarily being up 5-4, but lost shortly thereafter. The Virbank/Laser combo kept me in this match, and i feel like i could have won it had i gone into the match with a different strategy, perhaps attacking xerneas straight away instead of waiting for the lysandres on aromatisse.
LL 0-3-0
Round 4- Jeff Moses (Blastoise/Keldeo/Primal Kyogre)
I swept this match easily. The lasers did the heavy work and i finally saw Yveltal EX when it counted. My opponent's deck was well built, but a few bad misplays did him in, on top of the fact that i feel like i played well this match, not conceding a prize in either game.
WW 1-3-0
Round 5- Taylor Hardoin (Jolteon PLF/ Bats)
It was an interesting deck choice for my opponent to say the least. I didnt play great, but i didnt need to, the lack of N's in the deck as well as Jolteon's flimsy HP served me well here.
WW 2-3-0
Round 6- ?? ( Pyroar)
So this game was easily the most intense game of the whole tournament for me, as my opponent played Pyroar, which i was NOT expecting to see any of at all. My opponent takes game 1 easily, and i donk him back in game 2. In game 3, I get my lasers, but my opponent drops 2 pyroars in one turn late and keeps forcing switchouts on my end to keep me off balance. Failure to draw a laser dooms me and a timely lysandre from my opponent finishes me off.
LWL 2-4-0
Round 7- ?? (Night March)
To this date in any of my tournaments i had not run into a night march deck. I knew the matchup was more beneficial to me since i had lasers but still in his favor. Luckily for me he dead draws and i sweep him 2-0. Moral of the story? kill bugs with lasers xD
WW 3-4-0
Round 8- ?? (Donphan/Groudon EX)
I would have loved to play against this deck, but as my opponent was tired, he gave me the match so he could do other things instead that round. Lucky me, that win broke me even and put me right smack in the middle of my car group by record xD
(concede) 4-4-0 final standing: 59th/154
Recap: I was happy with the deck i played, and my finish was my highest to date. Even though i dont feel i played particularly well, i can say that 3 back to back 50% or better finishes are a sign of improvement. Hopefully I get to attend Ohio states and try my luck in wooster, i feel i will be much more ready and much better against the metagame. Thanks for reading, i know its just campfire stories and nothing more, but i had a great time. I can't wait for Nats and Fall regionals xD