Battle Report – March 30, 2008: WoW 4k

Battle Report – March 30, 2008: WoW 4k
Format: Lazy Peon (19 players, 6 preliminary rounds + Quarter + Semi + Finals)

Hero: Ta'zo
Tourney rank: 3rd
Final score: 7-1

It's been a few weeks since the last time my Sunday afternoon was free so I was glad I could join this tournament. Problem was, I had no idea what decks players were going to bring to the tourney. All I knew was that this was going to be one of the biggest tournaments of the year in terms of attendance and one of the longest. True enough, an unprecedented number of players joined and we played for at least 5 hours straight - well, at least for me.

I didn't have time to playtest so I just took out my trusty mage burn deck and replaced the rares. It's probably not the best deck out there but I like its speed and consistency plus I had a fair amount of experience with it.

The 6 preliminary rounds were pretty straightforward affairs. I planned to win majority of my games to gain a spot in the top 8 but I somehow managed to win all 6 rounds. This was a good sign. Of the top 8 remaining players, I had already played against 5 which meant I went with the right deck choice.

However, 5 of the top 8 were Team Gago members so I knew the road to the finals was going to get bumpy. Team Gago members practice constantly and are pretty strong players overall. But I had already faced 4 in the prelims so I liked my chances. My first opponent in the top 8 was Dudes. Yep, Team Gago member. I won the round in 3 games.

The semi-final round was the one I lost. I was matched up again versus JP Kuan (Team Gago as well), whom I faced him in the 5th round. He too went Horde mage. But his hero was Exaura, the undead mage, so I knew he was packing Cannibalize.

I guess I should have mulliganed for a Fizzle or a Nether Fracture but I had neither in our previous matchup and I won that one anyway. Also, the curve was there in my hand. So, when the game started, I got down to business and the game went pretty much my way until he completed One Draenei's Junk. I knew what he was digging for and, sure enough, he got Cannibalize. I couldn't find one Fizzle/Nether Fracture and he healed 22 points of damage to zero damage (he had 7 allies in his graveyard and I had 4 in mine - the bastards). I dealt another 22 points of damage to him once again but couldn't finish. The 2nd game went to me and the 3rd to him. Good game.

Round 1: vs Kennard - Bloody Mary
Result: win

Round 2: vs Edber - Grennan
Result: win

Round 3: vs Orlando - Dizdemona
Result: win

Round 4: vs John Ma - Zenith
Result: win

Round 5: vs JP Kuan - Exaura
Result: win

Round 6: vs Adam - Omedus
Result: win

Quarter-finals: vs Dudes - Grennan
Result: win

Semi-finals: vs JP Kuan - Exaura
Result: loss

Tournament winner: Orlando
Tournament runner-up: JP Kuan

Congratulations to Team Gago. Your preparation sure paid off. Cheers.