I'm surprised no one has posted this yet. I'm doing this from memory, so if you were involved correct me.

Top 8

1st:   Gyro of the Ring
2nd:  Velindra Sepulchre
3rd/4th: Witch Doctor Koo'zar, Statia the Preserver
5th/6th/7th/8th: Savitir Skullsmasher, Kauno Stonehoof, Ryno the Wicked, Maleo the Blur

There was a total of 18 players. Speaking from the sidelines, I will say Statia the Perserver and the Witch Doctor Koo'zar decks impressed me. It was also surprising on their being rush in our meta and it doing relatively well.

We decided to reserve 9th place for Lanky.

I was pretty surprised by how many people showed up. I thought all indications were that it was gonna be a small turnout.

One of my losses in swiss was to that Koo'zar deck, it's pretty rough dealing with a crapload of berserking trolls.

This time I only barely squeaked into the top 8, after losing round 1 to a red paladin deck, at least partly because I apparently wasn't completely awake yet, and was channeling my inner retard. (When for 3 turns vs a paladin, I take allies out of MY GY with undercity instead of HIS, and then get beat up by stuff he recurred out of his GY, yeah, I so deserved to lose. rofl)

Once in top 8, since I was seeded #8, I had to play #1, which was a orgrimmar rogue deck. Tough matchup, and I lost one of the 3 games, but the deciding game, I got Regalia out, and he wasn't able to deal with that + baton.

Next round was against that Statia deck, who I'd heard was specifically designed to blow out mages, so I was pretty concerned. Game 1, my hands-down MVP was Undercity. I literally removed every single one of his allies in his deck from the game to heal myself, plus some of my own. This was another case of baton + regalia saving me too, and ultimately the game ended with him with 8 cards left in his library as he tried to spark me, but at that point, I'd gotten out 2 dethvirs, and between using their power he didn't have enough to finish me off, and dethvirs did him in. Game 2 was much faster, and I got blown to smithereens. Game 3, we had almost no time left for, it ended up going to sudden death, and I ended up winning by like 1 damage when I used my flip to take IP away from the achilla he had in play when he did spark on his turn.

Final round was against Gyro, and we actually played it out. We'd played last week too, and he'd beaten me in the swiss, and I'd beat him in top-8. Game 1 wasn't close, really. Game 2, he couldn't draw an answer to Rehgar, and it wasn't that close either. Game 3 was closer, but he pulled it out in the end.

So, I ended up 5-3, 2nd overall. I must admit, I'm pretty happy with the deck, it's got an awful lot of strengths. I think with some additional tweaking, it might be something I could take to Worlds, assuming I can find a way to afford to go.... Anyway, I had a bunch of good games, so thanks to everyone I played, for sure.

---

WOW TCG Judge: Level 1
Tournament Organizer: Level 1
Player Management: Level 1

Can you put any names to those decks?  Would be interested in who took the top spots.

---

Daniel (rogue) and Kevin (mage) were the top 2.  Gary (shaman) and Andrew (priest) were 3 and 4.

Gyro of the Ring - Daniel

Velindra Sepulchre - Kevin

Witch Doctor Koo'zar - Andrew

Statia the Preserver - Gary

Savitir Skullsmasher - Richard

Kauno Stonehoof - Don

Ryno the Wicked - Mike

Maleo the Blu - Patrick

I assume that the Koozar was Andrew P., and not Andrew C. right?

I didn't see Andrew C.'s UDE number on the tourney report.

---

Same Andrew that was running the searing light deck last week in Berkeley.

---

WOW TCG Judge: Level 1
Tournament Organizer: Level 1
Player Management: Level 1

Andrew B(artosh). Not P or C. Also known as me.

Anyhow, after my utter flub last week last week, and with my Adam Eternums still on loan to Daniel, I opted to screw around and just have some fun this week.

After much contemplation and some conversations with Daniel, I arrived at one conclusion. Wouldn't it be hilarious to punch someone in the face with a Vol'jin who had 100+ attack? Thus the deck concept was born.

Witch Doctor Koo'zar

Abilities
4x A Taste of Divinity
4x Lose Control
3x Shadow Word: Anguish
4x Mist of Corrosion
3x Vampiric Tendrils

Allies
4x Rensarth Shadowsun
4x Jee'zee
3x Jil'ti
3x Sepirion
4x Krayzin Firetusk
3x Vol'jin

Equipment
3x The Staff of Twin Worlds
3x Merciless Gladiator's Raiment

Quests
3x Rise and Be Recognized
3x Proving Grounds
3x The Ring of Blood: The Final Challenge
3x Uncatalogued Species

Locations
3x Alterac Valley

Side Deck
4x Disperse Magic
3x Horrify
3x Blue Suede Shoes

I finished the deck on the drive over to Illusive Comics, deciding at the last minute what I actually wanted to include.

On the whole, I was pretty shocked with the performance of the deck. But let's look more at the games to deal with that. Excuse my crappy memory. I was tired as hell. One day I'll take actual, useful notes.

Game 1 (vs Mike, w/ Ryno)
Mike's deck was not what I was expecting when I saw an opposing Warlock. Was DOT heavy, and ran with a combination of Curse of Fatigue/Damage DOTs/Staff of Twin Worlds to bring the pain. Whoops? Game one was a nailbiting affair once the Felshroud hit the table, as it became next to impossible to get an attack through. Unfortunately, I also remembered a little too late that Staff of Twin Worlds effected the whole board. Suddenly, those DOTs were a lot bigger of a deal for me. Managed to yank the game out at the last minute with a solid series of plays. Swing Krayzin in, get her bounced by Felshroud. Use Alterac Valley to recur Jee'zee, dump 4 damage on him, get him exhausted by Eye of the Storm. Play Jee'zee from hand, dump 4 damage on him, swing for the win.

Game 2 was an ugly affair. Mulled into a hand with two raiment, a staff, a Vol'jin and such. Got stomped.

Game 3 was fairly tense, with me ending up with two Curse of Fatigues and a Curse of Midnight. End up taking him from 0 to dead in one swing with a Staff backed Vol'jin.

Game 2 (vs Patrick w/ Maleo)
Welcome back to the game, Patrick. He certianly got a warm welcome back by his deck! Pretty much the standard Alamo/Tauren Druid beats stuff. Game 1 sees me losing 3 Mist of Corrosion and 1 Taste to Uncatalogued Species, and it basically goes downhill for me from there. End up being unable to hit enough removal to get board control back and fry.

Game 2 is textbook for me deck. Grab board control on turn 3 with a Jee'zee/Flip/Rensarth mess and smash with trolls. No fancy tricks needed.

Game 3 is pretty much the same as game 1. He hits early Alamos, I can't hit enough removal to handle things.

Game 3 (vs Gary w/ Statia)
Deck was basically inspiring presence shenanigans, with Spark as the big finisher. Unfortunately, it was also an absolute wash against me. Both games played out pretty much the same. Achillia/Gromble are absolute chumps, and easy bait to Taste once and run a troll into them. Despite valiant efforts to hang in the game with Blackout Trunches, Gary could just never get going against me.

Game 4 (vs Shaun w/ Addisyn)
Prot Pally! Must be Blessing of Kings! Game 1 is a simple affair. WotF allies die pretty easily to Taste + Troll attacks, and I just eventually wear him down, finishing the game off with a Staff backed Vol'jin.

Game 2 proves me an idiot twice as, not having seen BoK last game, I opt not to side. What follows is a long and drawn out game where he manages to drop the Blessing. I hang on for several turns thanks to the power of the Raiment, but he manages to keep me from taking advantage by repeatedly shutting down my attacks with Atonement and Eye of the Storm. He eventually finishes me off with a Samuel Harrison, powered by both BoK and Blessing of Trials. Ouch. And with time being called, I immensely regret not having conceded early.

Game 3 sudden death has be a bit stressed thanks to my absolute failure at it last week. The game plan is pretty simple though. Jee'zee and Taste/Rensarth pretty much win me the game. I mull for it, snag it, win.

Game 5 (vs Kevin w/ Velindra)
Will of the Forsaken mage, same as last week, presumably. Not much to say here. Both games see me with essentially textbook hands, while he gets a bit shorted on the draw. Without managing to get his control elements going fast enough, I pretty much walk all over the poor little mage.

Well. At this point, I've got to say, my success was pretty unexpected. Not only was this silly deck performing, but it was perfoming quite well. Taste was proving to be an absolute MVP, Krayzin functioned wonderfully and the suite of abilities I had could keep me afloat in a number of situations. Add in the abrupt finishing power the Staff or Vol'jin had, and add in the survival the Raiment allowed me to turn games around suddenly.

So, here I was, happy as a clam to be in the Top 8 this time.

Game 6 (vs Don w/ Kauno)
More Druidic beats. Both games were pretty identical. Don was (apparently?) a bit cowed by Brian's shenanigans with Wub's (and more than a little tired, it seemed) and opted to go second. He'd play some druids, I'd play some trolls, we'd trade around, board would empty, we'd go at it again. Then I drop the Raiment and he admits he pretty much has no answer to it. Bad news. I survive indefinitely off bounces and eventually get something to stick and win with it. Game 1 exlempifies this best, where Vol'jin swings for 44, effectively one-shotting BEAR DRUID. Not my goal of 100+, but it was close.

Game 7 (vs Daniel w/Gyro)
Match I'd been dreading all day. Can I have my Adams back now? >_>

Game 1 is an ugly affair. Adam with Eye by turn 3. I manage to Lose Control Victimize out of his hand. He answers most of my threats and I can't get anything to stick on the board to deal with Adam. A Deadliness deprives me of Rise and Be Recognized, and topdecking Staff/Vol'jin while one resource short for both sees me dead.

Game 2 is closer, but still pretty much the same. Turn 3 Adam/Eye. We both spend most of the game meeting each others threats. I recover pretty solidly from each Carnage/Deadliness, but eventually I just can't deal Eye of the Storm and peter out.

If anyone has any specific questions about things, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to actually answer. And maybe actually start taking notes at events so I can recall them later. >_>

No Loraala? I guess this was the easy RQ to go to, not very competitive.

---

Matthew "Modicai" Modica
Member of "TEAM DISCOUNT"
Played Since HoA Prerelease

I am going to assume that was some obscure sarcasm, otherwise you just identified yourself as uninformed. Just because a certain deck doesn't show some 20 person or less regional doesn't mean its any less competitive. The deck is strong but its so utterly format-defining that somehow it makes a statement of a field's skill level. Seattle didn't have a Loraala deck, so by your logic, the field must have been not very competitive.

I know we had at least one Loraala floating around, piloted by the other Mike.

2264578:

Andrew B(artosh). Not P or C. Also known as me.

Sorry about the name flub, I guess I've misheard your last name everytime we've met.

Congrats on your performance.

---

2264578:

Berserking troll list

I am intrigued by the list you had. What would you say is the biggest problem for the deck? Rogue's many answers to "normal" guys (as opposed to WOTF) clearly seemed to be an issue. Your description against maleo made it seem that poor draws were more the reason for the loss than it being the specific matchup.

Are there any other changes you'd make afterwards or was it as you were saying "just" a silly concept that happened to do well? I am always interested in more off-the-wall deck ideas that do well.

'Grats on the strong finish!

---

__________________________
wingedweasel on MWS/Lackey
winged weasel on xbl

1472832:

I am going to assume that was some obscure sarcasm, otherwise you just identified yourself as uninformed. Just because a certain deck doesn't show some 20 person or less regional doesn't mean its any less competitive. The deck is strong but its so utterly format-defining that somehow it makes a statement of a field's skill level. Seattle didn't have a Loraala deck, so by your logic, the field must have been not very competitive.

He's probably responding to:

http://entertainment.upperdeck.com/wow/community/forums/thread/1831442.aspx

It's more or less an attack back. There was another Loralaa by Norvic.

1112766:

I am intrigued by the list you had. What would you say is the biggest problem for the deck? Rogue's many answers to "normal" guys (as opposed to WOTF) clearly seemed to be an issue. Your description against maleo made it seem that poor draws were more the reason for the loss than it being the specific matchup.

Are there any other changes you'd make afterwards or was it as you were saying "just" a silly concept that happened to do well? I am always interested in more off-the-wall deck ideas that do well.

'Grats on the strong finish!

My lack of playtesting and my nigh mystical ability to mill four useful cards every time I used Uncatalogued Species was the deck's biggest problem. >_>

Kidding aside, the biggest problems for the deck were along these lines.

1. Tempo loss. The only sure-fire 2-for-1 in the deck is Vampiric Tendrils. While A Taste of Divinity can do absolutely amazing things, getting the most mileage out of it required me to have an attack capable ally on hand to polish off whatever remaining health the ally in question had. Same concept goes for Rensarth. He can do some amazing things, provided I've got another ally sitting out there to handle the punishment. This makes it very hard to deal with huge tempo gains like Victimize and Deadliness.

2. Lack of Eye of the Storm answer (and, largely, by extension, Adam Eternum answer). I really, really regret not finding room for Skumm. Eye of the Storm, on its own, was hugely problematic. The G2 loss to the Addisyn deck could easily have been averted if I could have turned off Eye at any point, and I think I could have managed to pull G2 against Daniel out if I could have shut it down as well. The ability to prevent me from squeezing the big hits out when I need them is ugly. Krayzin IS capable of handling Adam quite well (3 damage on her makes her an excellent deterrant), as is Rensarth, but only if I can get to him. Unless I can manage to chuck an empty Krayzin down with Rensarth in play and have a pile of resources available, killing Adam is not going to happen while Eye is available. Not the most likely circumstances.

3. The Staff of Twin Worlds. Yes, it won me a game (or two, debatably). Overall, I don't think it works well enough at all to be usable. It is absolute trash if I don't have something in play to benefit from it and, all too often, I found that the only "safe" time to put it down was when it would, specifically, win me the game. Otherwise, it speeds up Honor counter production and doubles a whole lot of text that I would much rather not see doubled, in all honesty. Raiment can handle the need to buff my trolls, while never really being a dead or suicidal card.

4. This only partially came up against David, but Regalia is almost entirely an auto-loss for me. If it hits the table, there is about a 99% chance I will lose the game.

Maleo, honestly, is a match I really should have been able to win. Patrick just had fantastic draws all around, while I was struggling to hit any removal not named Shadow Word: Anguish. Just... can't do much when he sees two early Alamo and I see jack to deal with it.

As far as changes go, the biggest one would obviously be tossing the Staff. While it is cute and can do some silly things, overall, I found myself rowing it almost every game. As it stands, I think I'd rather fill the slot with either Battlecast Pants and/or Battle Mage's Baton. Battlecast are absolutely fantastic for most of my trolls, allowing me to get sudden attacks in with trolls not named Jee'zee. The Baton provides a reusable source of removal. While it can't hit WotF, to be frank, I don't care. Taste/Anguish are more than enough for all of them. The added bonus of being able to nail abilities/equipment is a huge boon, as well.

I'd also like to find room to include 4 Skumm. As stated above, I need a trick to deal with Eye. Simple as that.

Beyond that, I'd, without question, ditch Uncatalogued Species to fill out +1 AV, +2 Quests. That quest was absolute, unmitigated garbage for me all of Saturday. At least three times I missed completely, depriving me not only of a beneficial troll, but also pitching exceptionally useful cards to the bottom of my deck. That quest is crap in this deck. The abilities are too important to risk losing.

I think I'd like to give the deck another go around, but, alas, I don't think I'm going to Worlds. I'm contemplating seeing if I can make it leap to Constructed somehow, but we'll have to see how that actually goes.