The Draft:

I went into the draft wanting to pull mud, having successfully piloted a sealed version of it to 4-0. Ready and willing to adapt as needed but w/ a build in mind.

Over the course of the draft I managed to build up a decent mud back bone, but felt a bit light on the top end. Around pack two or early pack three I managed to pick up the [[dreadwing]] and then those who linger along with two [[den of evil]]. Meaning I'd be three element, but able to sneak some large threats without worrying about threshold as much.

Game 1 Cameron on [[Spellslinger]]:

I was going second, against another spell slinger iirc. He opened with a two drop. I had [[bitten]] in my hand, left my front square open opting to build to the side hoping to slow the game down to reach my bigger threats. He took my front square moved his 2 power minion up and dropped another 3 power minion in front of me. I ripped [[Instigator imp]] off the top, dropped two bodies down while removing his board. A play that caught him so off guard he couldn't help but express his... bewilderment. From there I wrapped my sites in a U around his froward site. Then I managed to build up some decent threats including [[Failed Mutation]], which he had no way to deal with. Eventually I got [[bull whip]] out my on avatar which allowed me to deal with a lot of skeletons efficiently while also getting effective trades. Bullwhip almost didn't make the cut, but ended up being huge for this game in allowing me to deal with the very wide boards Cameron threw at me.

Game 2 (Justin I think?) on [[Persecutor]]:

I don't remember the early game as well, but know that my opponent didn't put out many early game threats which was a huge boon for my build. The board ended up building to my right, his left because of how I wanted to position my [[peculiar port]]. We made some incremental trades and I started to take board control, leading into him dropping his first real threat, an [[undesirables]]. He ended up using a [[stage coach]] to move that away from the fight on the right. A play that had me cautious, because it left him open to taking damage that put him close to door. He opted to start swinging in to my center site with his [[persecutor]] his [[undesirables]] behind him. I felt as though I hadn't seen much removal so was hesitant but willing to drop the [[Ten-tonne slug]] on his face. Putting him in a position where he was 100% going to door the following turn. He gave me one last surprise by opting to swing at an the open site to the left with his avatar, allowing me to door him on his turn. He then swung in with his undesirables for 5 and followed it up w/ desecrate. I went close to door but not quite and had enough threats surrounding him that the game was over.

The Finals

Game 3 John aka FooPossum on [[Harbinger]]:

Another game where I lost the die roll. Meaning I'd be on the back foot but against a non-spell slinger flush with options and knowledge. I did not expect what was one of the craziest openers I've ever seen of a turn 2 [[greater blood demon]]. I did thankfully have a decent amount of anti-aggro tech, sitting on a [[holy warrior]] and [[hyper parasite]] in hand. I was hoping to pick up the demon and slay it before it dealt to much if any damage.

The turn 3 follow up of a [[Hollow one]] changed my perspective. Knowing when my warrior died it would enable the hollow one that was sitting on the site in front of me. Looking at my hand I have a [[Penitent Knight]] and [[Crawler]], and I know this is a play I can not mess up. I need to play the crawler to help ensure my [[holy warrior]] survives. Keeping his hollow one at bay. Doing my best to keep my poker face on because I want him to swing in with the GBD, knowing I'll go to 4 mana next turn to disable it with [[hyper parasite]].

I also know that if the holy warrior dies too soon the board will turn against me fast. I pass the turn with a warded holy warrior and crawler facing down a GBD and disabled hollow one. Praying he doesn't have a trail by fire, or another way to remove the warrior once it's bare. He swings with GBD, my holy warrior lays bare, I anxiously await to see my fate. Foo follows it up with a Ravenous werewolf for 4, a very unexpected play from my side. It trades with the crawler keeping the hollow one still disabled and unable to trade with my hyper parasite. I managed to take the right gambit. He passes I draw, immediately deal with the GBD by swinging at the disable minion with the parasite and holy warrior, successfully flipping the board.

I then follow that up by playing a forward site to the right and dropping dread wing, opting to take the damage. The following turn he manages to kill my holy warrior to turn on his hollow one and attempts to remove the hyper parasite. I opt to block with my dreadwing, knowing that with no mana left next turn the hyper parasite can land a hit on his site making his next blocks awkward. From there I continue to build a larger board through turns dropping a Penitent knight, failed mutation to get him to door. He does drop an Earl along with some willing tributes but I don't take the bait for trades and push damage. He goes out with a bang by managing to hit for a solid amount of damage with the Earl sac'ing one tribute but it's not enough to door me. I rip a bitten off the top, move units into position and beat a dead horse by also wiping the board including the earl with bull whip + bitten.

The next day a thought popped into my head for my favorite trade of all time. I signed my hyper parasite and traded it for the signed GBD by John. A card that I will forever cherish as a good memory and that I hope John can too.

GenCon 26 Limited Grand Contest 1st - Forecast

@nattu