Shadow Era: Worlds Round One

My opponent in the first round, xColdSteelx, was a pretty solid Banebow player, which is an obnoxious opponent for most any matchup. I got in a game just prior to the event with a fellow BP guildmate, learning the hard way the power the deck provides. He advised I play Lance, and given Achilles is my main list right now, I gave it a shot. As I feared/guessed, my opponent elected to use Banebow first and foremost.

Round 1, First half: DnD (Lance) VS. ColdSteel (Banebow) G1

Steel got the first turn, but didn't do much with it. I had no Puwen, so a T2 Nightshade into T3 Priest of the Light had to do. He made an excellent play with Death Mage Thaddeus into a Banebow Trigger and Shadow Knight on the fifth turn, but I stuck an Ill-Gotten Gains on the board the turn before and completely negated that advantage. He had a Shriek for my IGG a few turns later, but I ripped another off the top, then stuck an Aeon and threw Jasmine, Raven, and Aldon behind him. From that point it was a slow grind to the finish, but Lance did work and controlled the game the whole way.

Round 1, First half: DnD (Lance) VS. ColdSteel (Banebow) G2

This game starts off quite differently than the last, and lasts much longer as well. I start things off with a Puwen on the second turn to tank his Dark Flayer, followed by Jasmine and then Aldon. He made good use of Banebow's ability and the arrows to subdue/clear my weenies, but while he was preoccupied I manage to stick the first IGG of the game on turn five, and with one card left in  my hand. A few turns later, he DOES play both Ley Line Nexus and Shriek of Vengeance in the same turn, but the last two cards in my hand at that point are two more Ill-Gotten Gains. My lack of threats and his Ogloth, Molten Destroyer n Co. let him take the board, however, and after a few turns of distracting with small allies and occasionally hurting something, I get to haste out a Jasmine, charm his MD and assassinate his Ogloth to regain control at 15. At this point, I start building up a hand again and he's playing off the top of the deck, but still holding me back. Finally, with but six cards left in my deck, I land an Aeon on the table with a few threats behind him and ColdSteel just can't keep up.

After winning the first half, it's time to switch decks. Having no idea what he could be playing (I never bothered scouting too much, I don't personally care for doing so), I went with a fairly universal deck I've been playing recently- Eladwen rush. A fairly simplistic list without Ley Line Nexus or other cards that one would expect, it's evident that the deck wasn't fairly tuned. Just as long as I don't see a Spelleater Bands, I should be fine.

1x Eladwen Frostmire
4x Kristoffer Wyld
4x Puwen Bloodhelm
3x Jasmine Rosecult
1x Aldon the Brave
4x Fireball
4x Lightning Strike
4x Research
4x Supernova
4x Retreat!
4x Bad Santa
3x Dagger of Unmaking

Round 1, Second half: DnD (Eladwen) VS. ColdSteel (Gwenneth) G1


I should have expected another hunter, but solo Gwen I did not. He went first and I missed my 2-drop, meaning I lost out on early damage and Gwen quickly cleared my field with a buffed SS, then Noghtprowlered away a hand full of burn while under ITF protection. She stole I think five cards from me, then finished me off with my own assortment of supernovas, fireballs, and lightning strikes.

Round 1, Second half: DnD (Eladwen) VS. ColdSteel (Gwenneth) G2


This game went much better than the last. I got an aggressive start, she fueled my beats with a T2 Bazaar, and I finished Gwen off before you could say Soul Seeker. He finally hit some protection in the form of a Rain Delay on the final turn, but no Into the Forest. It was too late for Gwen, though, and a pair of soggy fireballs beat through for the win.

Final Result: DnD (3) VS. ColdSteel (1)


He played exceptionally well, and if I wasn't playing Lance I probably would have lost the first set. He well deserved that crushing victory in the second half. They were (mostly) good games all around, and I wish ColdSteel luck in the remainder of the event.

Boweh out.