It's been a rough couple of months for Green Moon and me. I thought it was dead. I thought it was over. I was willing to walk away, and even went as far as to play a G/W Taxes deck at SCG: Cincinnati a mere week prior to GP: Oklahoma City.

Green Moon is dead!

Long live Green Moon!!

An odd thing happened on the way to the funeral. My beloved deck rose again. As I wrote about some last week, this format and the decks that are seeing play have major vulnerabilities to Blood Moon. I knew I had to go that route, but I needed to put in some work to get to a reasonable point where I felt comfortable. I leaned on both my experience with the deck, and decks like it, as well as input from other people, most notably, Gerry Thompson and his suggestion to include Dismember as an answer to the X/5 issues I'd been having.

As the time drew near for me to make a decision, I finally settled on a plan. This is the 75 I took on my trek across the country:

There were some different choices I made here that differed from many of the previous versions. To start with, to make room for the Dismembers, I had to make cuts somewhere. I trimmed one Lightning Bolt and pushed the fourth copy of Blood Moon to the board. The matches where I really want to ensure I have a Blood Moon as soon as possible are relatively few, and in several matches, I kinda want to "hide it" until I get the proper opening.

One rather large change I made was to go with Utopia Sprawl over a second set of mana creatures. This was a pretty conscious choice I made strictly as a way to have a more durable mana accelerator. I wasn't looking to cast 4-drops on turn two, so there was never a consideration to play Arbor Elf. I only wanted to increase my ability to land a second turn three drop. Of course, going that route did mean I had to significantly modify the mana base, in order to be running enough Forests to meet the requirements for the Sprawl. I plan on discussing any modifications and such later.

Besides pushing a Blood Moon to the board, I also added Sowing Salt, as I thought there were several matchups where it could play a major factor. While obviously best when breaking up Tron, it can serve as a reasonable answer to various man-lands in the format as well. In order to make room for the new inclusions, I reduced the number of Banefire by one, and cut both Dragon's Claw completely.

Unlike some reports, full of fiascos, follies, and foibles encountered en route to some event, I have to say that we had none of that. I met up with my travel companion, Eric, bright and early at 7:00 Friday morning, and we had an absolutely uneventful 12-hour trip. We got into town, checked into the hotel, and checked into the tournament site. While there, we ran into Gerry Thompson, who was still undecided on a deck. I told him I had a list for him, to which he replied, "Right...but it's not like I have any of those cards."

We laughed, and, to be completely honest, he was correct. A lot of my card choices are a bit off the beaten path. There is usually not a huge demand for Giant Solifuge, which is why it can be had for a mere 55-cents, while cards like Snapcaster Mage run over $65.00. At that point, Eric and I started discussing how often cards I played would have to be read by my opponents. We set the line on the Over/Under at 18, figuring twice per match seemed close to appropriate. With the line put down and all the evening preliminaries out of the way, it was time for a quick dinner and sleep before the start of a long and busy weekend. Let's just right into the rounds.

GP: Oklahoma City Rounds

Round 1: U/W Control

I may not have mentioned this, or been adamant enough previously, but I love to play against U/W Control with this deck. I made a critical mistake in game one of this match, and attacked with Hellrider along with my Stormbreath Dragon, allowing it to die to a Dragonlord Ojutai to get in a single extra point of damage. I was unable to get my opponent down to zero in the next two attacks, and he ended the game at a single life, while I was stuck taking damage from dragons and Celestial Colonnade. This would be a mistake I would not repeat. I brought in the extra Blood Moon and both Banefire, while removing all three Bonfire of the Damned. Both the second and third games were quick and brutal. I played guys, beat down, forced a Supreme Verdict and then dropped more beaters with Haste. I also got the opportunity to explain how Wither works with Persist. (Pro-Tip: Wither wins.). 1-0

Round 2: Infect

I knew this would be a rough pairing. I don't think it is unwinnable by any means, but it does require the correct draw. Game one was a fairly close affair, as I was able to get some guys out, had removal for his first two guys, and got him down to six with lethal on board. He, sadly, had enough pump for his unblockable Blighted Agent to bring on my demise. Unfortunately, the second game turned into a complete blow out. I brought in Sowing Salt for the Stormbreath Dragons, was ready to go. He had the Spell Pierce when I tried to Dismember his Blighted Agent in response to a Might of Old Krosa, and he was able to get there with seven infect on his attack. I failed to draw another removal spell, and he swung back for lethal on his next turn. I'm not sure anyone has an amazing matchup against Infect. Of course, I'm guessing that the eventual winning deck of the GP, Lantern Control, gets there. 1-1

Round 3: U/W Control

Remember what I said earlier about this matchup? Sill applies. Game one, I got a second turn Boggart Ram-Gang and a third turn Blood Moon when he tapped low the next turn. He never cast another spell that game. I sideboard the same way as I did previously, and went to the second game. He held up counter magic most of the game, so I didn't jam my Blood Moon right away. When he had six lands in play, all of them non-basic, and I had four, I swung in with a Giant Solifuge. He responded by casting Snapcaster Mage, and targeting the Cryptic Command in his graveyard. Before blocks, I cast a Dismember on his Mage, which he snap countered with Cryptic. My Solifuge traded with his Mage, and I had an open window to Blood Moon. He didn't cast another spell. You could say that I got there. 2-1

Round 4: Grixis Control

Grixis Control was one of the decks that I was continually having issues beating in previous versions of my deck. While I can't say I think Dismember completely changes the matchup, I do believe it at least makes it better. My opponent was a bit mana light in game one, but had a handful of basics to go with a lone Blood Crypt. I did Dismember his Tasigur, the Golden Fang, and that would prove to be the only damage I took the entire game. I was able to Bonfire his team of Young Pyromancer and Elemental tokens away and swing with dudes put the game away. After seeing so many basics in the first game, I brought in Banefire for two Blood Moon, and ran with that. My first draw step was the misers Blood Moon. I held it for a while and played guys and traded my dudes for his dudes and removal. Oddly enough, this game he has all non-basics. When he finally tapped out to play Young Pyromancer, Snapcaster Mage, Serum Visions, and Gitaxian Probe all on his turn, I slammed the Moon, and that was game. 3-1

Round 5: Naya Burn

I would be remiss if I didn't bring up something here. This opponent was an old school player, and started playing about the same time I did. He was my only opponent all day who DID NOT need to read any of my cards. As such, he won the "Cool Opponent of the Day" award. Not to imply that none of my other opponents were cool. In fact, with one exception, everyone I played Saturday was completely awesome, and we had friendly matches. But, bonus points are awarded for knowing what all my cards did. :) This was an interesting match. We split the first two games, trading resources back and forth. Both games were close, and the third would be no exception. As for sideboarding, I bring in the three Trinisphere and removed both Dismembers and a lone Blood Moon. Blood Moon is still useful in this match, as they run many non-basics to support Deflecting Palm, Boros Charm, Atarka's Command, and (Lighting Helix). But, I don't want too many of them, and Trinisphere is pretty strong against a deck that cheats on lands. He got me game three, and I can honestly say, after talking to my friend Austin who was watching the third game, that it was completely my misplay that caused it. I was really low on life, while my opponent was at a healthy 15. I had a Stormbreath Dragon out, and played a Hellrider. I had to keep a blocker back on the chance that my opponent, with one card in hand, drew a haste creature. As I was at two, if he had a relevant burn spell in hand, I would have already been dead. I swung in with the Dragon, because it did an insignificant extra point of damage over the Hellrider, who I held back to block. My opponent ripped a Goblin Guide and swung in. I blocked, and he cast Searing Blaze, sans Landfall, killing my Hellrider. If I attack the opposite way, I have 2 guys, giving double Hellrider Triggers, the mana to Monstrous my Dragon, and the ability to swing for lethal on my next turn. Of course, all this assumes he swings in with the Goblin Guide if I leave Dragon back. He may or may not in that case, but he knows I have to block regardless. The point being, I went from having a chance to having no chance by my decision. I can also say that by being willing to listen and see where I made a mistake, I've improved as a Magic player. 10-12 years ago? I probably would have argued why my decision was better and chalked it up to luck. Glad to know I still have the ability to better myself. 3-2

Round 6: Affinity

It what should not be surprising at all, there was a significant chunk of Affinity played in OKC. In fact, it was the most common archetype to make Day 2, with roughly 14% of the field playing it. It makes sense. It's consistent, fairly durable, not outrageously priced, and it's probably the most fair deck that can randomly win on turn three. That being said, I'm not sold on it being a bad deck for me to play against. I'm not saying anything ridiculous like this being a 70-percenter for me, but I think it's a close match, and I'm possibly slightly favored after board, and even pre--board. Game one, I drew removal when I needed to, and was able to swing in with Exalted Giant Solifuge a few times. Once I got ahead on the damage race, a timely Bonfire sealed the deal. I bring in double Shatterstorm, double Ancient Grudge, and double Sowing Salt for all the Dismembers, and Blood Moons, as well as a lone Stormbreath Dragon. Game two started with a Vault Skirge suited up with Cranial Plating. I had the removal to take care of both, in the form of Ancient Grudge, with Flashback. He reloads with another Skirge and a few other guys, and I'm not able to get any other removal to spring forth from my deck. Another Plating, and the game ends with him at a healthy 34 life. Third game, I get a second turn Burning-Tree Shaman, and follow up with more removal and burn to the dome than he can handle. He eventually succumbs to an army of 3-power attackers. 4-2

Round 7: W/B Tokens

W/B Tokens is the reason you can never say anything is a "never lose." I have played against this deck multiple times with my various R/G builds, and experience has shown me that this is at least as close to a "never lose" and I've ever been. But we are not playing chess here. We are playing Magic, and there is an element of randomness and variance to the game. In all my rounds of Magic this weekend, this is the one and only time I truly felt like I just got extremely unlucky and that the Magic gods were out to get me. It happens, and if there is one match in 19 over the weekend that that happens, then so be it. I cruise to a quick game one win, with little resistance being put up by my opponent. There is nothing in my sideboard that I really want or need to bring in that is better than what I already have in the main. In the second game, I jump out to an early advantage. Blood Moon hinders his development, and I am able to get him into the low single digits before he recovers with some tokens, and a Sorin, Solemn Visitor. He gives his guys lifelink, but doesn't attack. I also hold back, and I have lots of outs that just win, and I didn't see the point if giving him life in trade for my threat. So, I was willing to sit back and wait if he was, as I had three Bonfires, two Bolts, and both Dragons that would have essentially ended the game. My next 5 draws were lands. While I was drawing that, he was playing action and was able to make more tokens and attack with his fliers to gain life. Once it got to where Bonfire was pretty much my only out, and he was at 16, the next land off the top put us to the next game. Third game, and I kept a hand with a couple lands, some guys, and a Bonfire. My mana developed very slowly, but I was able to get some guys out and swing. He again got his Sorin to pump and lifelink his guys. I couldn't block his fliers, so my attacking guys basically trade with his lifelink. When I'm down to a mere four life after a large hit by Sorin and Intangible Virtue pumped guys, I'm still waiting to get the all-important 5th land to enable the Bonfire for 2 in my hand and to clear his board. I draw. IT'S A LAND!! Umm...that's a Copperline Gorge. Game, set, match, and dead for Day 2. 4-3

Round 8: Affinity

Now I'm dead. Any pressure I may have had in trying to Day 2 was gone. So, it's time to play for Planeswalker Points. My opponent was on Affinity, and was forced to double-mulligan in the first game. He played a lone Skirge during the game, which I Bolted, and nothing else with power. His life total drops in large chunks and the game is quickly over. I sideboard the same way as before, and we head into the second game. He kept his full seven this time, but the draw was not overly explosive, or even very good. I got a creature advantage and just swung away, while he used his guys to block. He was able to create enough chump blockers to stay alive for several turns, but my bigger guys living through combat ended the game in short order. 5-3

Round 9: U/R Twin

Time for the last round. The big round to see if I would squeak into Day 2 had the event happened after January 1st, or if I would have remained on the outside, looking in, regardless of when the event was held. My opponent was straight U/R Twin. My opener didn't have a Burning-Tree Shaman, and my opponent overcame a mulligan to six on the play to turn four me. With the exception of his Remand on my second turn Boggart Ram-Gang, the game was completely non-interactive. I bring in Damping Matrix and Banefire from the board for all three Blood Moon and two Bonfires, and get set for game two. Early Burning-Tree followed by several 3-power guys after that, and my opponent was quickly in chump mode. When I Bolted in response to a Vendilion Clique, leaving me with two more three power attackers than he had blockers, he scooped up. Game three was one of those games you have on occasion. I wasn't mad, and I don't even consider it somewhat unlucky. It's part of the game. I mulligan a 1 lander with all 3-drops. I mulligan a zero lander. I mulligan another zero lander. I keep my 4-card hand, with double land, Bolt, Ram-Gang. In a shocking turn of events, the triple-mulligan does not get there, and I die to a steady stream of Bolts, Snapcaster + Bolt, and Cliques. 5-4

To say I was disappointed in my end result would be an understatement. But even with my disappointment, I was really happy with the deck, and kinda stoked that the deck itself played well, even if the pilot had issues. I was itching to play again, and see it the deck held up.

And for those of you who took the "Over" on the line: You won. Total read count was a robust 29. Considering I had one opponent read nothing, that's significantly higher that I bargained for.

After a dinner of awesome burgers and double dessert, as well as a few crass jokes, it was time to head back to the room and prepare for Sunday. Unexpectedly, and without warning, my inner 12-year-old came out on the elevator. Apparently, riding up to the 3rd floor in a 15-floor hotel was too much for me to remain an adult. I had to hit all the buttons. Eric and I exited the elevator after he made a comment possibly questioning my maturity, but all was well. Except when we got out, a lady was waiting to enter. As we were rounding the corner to our room, we heard the lady who entered the conveyor upon our departure exclaim, "What the HELL!?!?" We turned the corner and laughed hysterically. It was probably not as hilarious as my reaction made it out to be, but apparently full bellies, lack of sleep, and the sudden appearance of "Child-Carl" worked against any capacity I had to control my laughter or maintain any semblance of composure.

Once I finally got over my fit of joviality, and was able to show a little self-control, we made our plans for the next day. There were several events firing in the morning, as well as all day drafts and win-a-boxes. Immediately, though, I gravitated towards the Modern for Planeswalkers event. I really wanted to run it back and see how the deck would do. Eric, likewise, decided to play the same event, although he was going to make a few modifications to his deck that night before it was time to crash. A couple hours later, all was done, and it was time to sleep.

Getting up in the morning, I was greeted with awesome news. My good friend from Omaha, who made the trek to OKC with his sons, Steve Perigo, not only got a camera match in Round 10 of the GP, but also had his deck featured in an article that morning on the mothership. Steve was really proud of his deck and had been talking it up for a couple weeks, from our brief conversations leading up to the event, and I was glad that he had success with his own brew and did so well on the first day. So, please indulge me for a moment here, as I send out public congratulations to Steve. Great job, Steve.

I signed up for the Modern for Planeswalkers event and waited around for it to start. The going rumor was that this was only a five round event. Of course, historically, when this event was run at Standard or Limited GP's, they got around 60 or so participants. Who knew running a Modern side event on the Sunday of a Modern GP with almost 1500 people, over 1200 of which did NOT make Day 2, would have higher than the customary 60 people? Shocking, I tell you. Did not see that coming at all.

Anyway, after person 149 entered the fray, they were ready to kick off the event. It was time to play eight more rounds of Modern, plus a Top 8.

Modern for Planeswalkers Rounds

Round 1: Affinity

There's kind of a theme during this tournament. As we move along, I'm guessing you will be able to figure it out. My opponent is running a fairly stock list, and gets an aggressive start. I'm able to answer a few threats, but not enough in a timely manner, and he gets the first game. I sideboard the same way as I have all previously, and we go to the second game. I knock out a couple early threats with Ancient Grudge and Flashback, and develop my board of creatures. He is able to recover and starts building up his forces as well. He was Hellbent, and I started counting. My attack knocked him down to 2, and the only way I lose is if he draws a Thoughtcast and gets two artifacts with it. He only draws an artifact, and swings in with a Cranial Plated guy, and a couple other guys. I take 14 when I'm at 15, and he's dead on board. Game three, he has a flurry of artifacts hit the table, but none of them are creatures with power that matters. He's gets empty handed, and I have the Shatterstorm. Game over. 1-0

Round 2: U/W Retract Combo

Obviously, this deck won the first round, but I have no idea how. He had to double-mulligan in game one, and played an Island. He never played anything else. The only damage I took was from my own Shock land. I saw nothing else in his deck at all. Hmmm... Sideboarding, I took a chance. I figured he was a rogue deck that cheated on lands, so I brought in Trinisphere for the Blood Moons. He kept his opening seven and played a fetch for an Island turn one, and paid to cast Gitaxian Probe. I played a first turn Sprawl and a second turn Ram-Gang. He paid life via Noxious Revival to get his fetch back for a second land, and gets a Plains and passes. I have a second Ram-Gang, and he scoops one draw step later. I commiserated with him about his poor draws, and asked if he minded showing me what his deck was supposed to do. He was gracious enough to do so, and explained how he only ran 15 lands, 8 of which were fetch lands. At least I sideboarded correctly. 2-0

Round 3: Affinity

Remember earlier when I said that Affinity was the "fair" deck that occasionally wins on turn 3? I take that back. There is nothing fair about this. My opponent wins the roll and plays Darksteel Citadel, Ornithopter, Mox Opal, Springleaf Drum and Cranial Plating on his first turn. I had a land and a Sprawl. He plays a second Citadel on the second turn, Master of Etherium, and equips the Plating, and hits me for 8. I look at my hand of nothing relevant, and decide to scoop up for Game two, staring down lethal across the board. Same sideboard plan was implemented, and we go off to the second game. I had a hand of some removal, and an accelerator, so I kept. Funny thing happened on my way to having a chance at victory. My opponent's first turn Opal, Citadel, Drum led to a second turn Inkmoth, plus Ensoul Artifact on the Indestructible land. I put out some chump blockers for a few turns, but never got the all-important Sowing Salt to remove the land-creature, and I eventually was defeated. 2-1

Round 4: Merfolk

Merfolk is a deck I should have tested more against, but time constraints, and the fates of the TPR were conspiring against me. I have a rough plan, and like my chances, but don't feel this is a slam dunk by any means. Game one sees a Spreading Seas hit one of my lands, and then the legion of mer-men, mer-women, and mer-children come out to play. I did try to Dismember his Lord of Atlantis, but he had the Spell Pierce to thwart my attempt, and we went to sideboarding. From the first game, it was pretty obvious that my opponent didn't get the "Anti-Choke" memo, as he was all Islands, Mutavaults, and Cavern of Souls. I took out all the Blood Moons and Dismembers, and brought in Damping Matrix and Sowing Salt. He kept a really sketchy hand in the second game, and I had Hierarch, into Ram-Gang, into Hellrider. He played a creature to chump on his last turn, but I had the Bolt to kill it, and swing for lethal. We went on to the third game. After a quick mulligan, I was able to get a second turn Burning-Tree, into a third turn Sowing Salt, relieving my opponent of all of his Mutavaults. I took note that he had a Spell Pierce in hand. I went into beatdown mode, and played a man-land of my own. Rather than play any of the other spells I was drawing, I just pinged myself to activate my lands and swung in. The couple creatures he had did their best imitation of a speed bump, and my opponent was dispatched with relative ease. 3-1

Round 5: Ad Nauseum Combo

When you opponent wins the die roll, and goes "Land, suspend Lotus Bloom," there is only one possible deck you are playing against. When you are in a race, hoping your creatures can kill off your opponent before they combo, and two of your first three draws are Dismember, you probably lose that game. I did. I remove Bonfire and Dismember to bring in Trinisphere and Banefire, and shuffle up for the second. I get an aggressive creature draw, and follow up with Blood Moon and Trinisphere, both of which hamper my opponent significantly, and keep him from casting what he needs to. I have him down to 2 life, with Ram-Gang and Burning-Tree on board. He plays a Phyrexian Unlife. The Hellrider in my hand ensured he didn't get another turn, regardless, as I kill him with exacts on my next turn. In the third game, I went with second turn Burning-Tree, third Hellrider, and had the land and Stormbreath in my hand to be lethal the next turn, which would have been super cool to pull off. He had Supreme Verdict, so I could only Ram-Gang and play a man-land, bringing him down to 9. He had removal for the Ram-Gang, and took three from the land the next turn. Following that, he couldn't go off, and didn't have any of his Unlifes or Angel's Graces, so he attempted to cast a naked Lightning Storm to kill my Treetop Village. I was holding a land in hand, and sent it back to him, and he extended the hand. 4-1

Round 6: R/G Tron

I've been seeing more and more Tron decks floating around, which was one reason I considered going with Sowing Salt in the board after not playing it for a significant amount of time. After winning the roll, I was able to slam down a second turn Blood Moon, and follow up with a Ram-Gang. From there, I just continued to beat down, and tossed Bolts at my opponent. After much cycling of Chromatic Stars and Chromatic Spheres, he finally found his Nature's Claim, and killed off the Blood Moon. He then played a Wurmcoil Engine and passed the turn at a mere one life. A Hellrider from me ended the game before blockers. I bring in the fourth Blood Moon, and both Sowing Salt, and remove Dismember and a single Bonfire. I get a perfect start, with Hierarch into a turn two Sprawl and Ram-Gang. He played a Forest, Expedition Map and Ancient Stirrings, finding one of his Tron parts. I miss my third land drop, but swing in for another four and pass back. He completes Tron and plays an Oblivion Stone and passes back. I rip the Sowing Salt, and he suddenly has no more Urza's Towers available. He does remember to blow the Stone in response. Next turn, still with only 2 land, I play another Hierarch and Sprawl. I know he has Feed the Clan in hand from the Sowing Salt, so he's playing with additional life. I thankfully run into a land pocket, and deploy a Hellrider, and knock him to seven. He gets enough lands to hard cast Wurmcoil, so I wait a turn, and play out a Solifuge. He attacks with the Wurmcoil, and goes to 13. I play a second Hellrider, and with double Hellrider, Solifuge and Hierarch. He takes 8 on triggers, dropping to five. He Feeds his Clan, and jumps to 15, and takes 10 off the attack, back down to five. He attacks again with the Wurmcoil, and goes back to 11, and passes. I drop another Solifuge, activate a Treetop, and swing with the team. He's going to take 12 just off of triggers. He casts Nature's Claim on his own Wurmcoil to go to 15 before the triggers do their dozen. He looks and all the guys coming across and realizes that even blocking with the Lifelink guy, he's buried. Nothing like simply ignoring a modest 29 points of life gain from your opponent. Needless to say, at the conclusion of the match, my opponent was a little salty. Pun intended. 5-1

Round 7: Jund

You know what Jund decks really hate to see? Main deck Blood Moon. This was also a reason to not run four main. I open with a land and a Sprawl. My opponent casts a first turn Inquisition of Kozilek and takes the only card he can, a Burning-Tree Shaman. I play a land and play my freshly top-decked Ram-Gang and swing in. He plays a fetch, cracks it, and searches up a Blood Crypt, and Terminates the Ram-Gang. With him tapped out, I play Blood Moon from the top. He doesn't cast anything else, and I drop several fours and get there. I don't bring in anything and go to the next game. He is trying hard to play around a Blood Moon by keeping the ability to get Black and Green open whenever he passes the turn. Eventually, my creatures force a response, and he Terminates my Burning-Tree when it attacks, leaving open only a single Twilight Mire. Or perhaps, I should say only a single Mountain. As soon as he tapped and killed my guy, I couldn't play Blood Moon fast enough. He shook his head. "Man. Main deck Blood Moon. Who plays that?" he said, shaking his head and scooping his cards. 6-1

Round 8: ID against Affinity

I'm in 4th place when standings are posted, and I'm paired against the 2nd place guy. I get to our table, and the ID is pretty immediate. 6-1-1

The Top 8 decks are made up of 3 Affinity, 2 Merfolk, Burn and me. Sadly, I missed the 8th deck, so am unsure what it was. It did lose to Burn in the quarterfinals.

Top 8: Affinity

I go into the Top 8 as the 5th seed, and I'm paired against the guy I just ID'd with to get in. We talk some and have friendly conversation as we get started. He gets a slower start, and I'm dropping early 3's and 4's. My guys overwhelm him, and I win the race. I noticed his land base was a little different, as he was running multiple copies of various U/R lands. As such, I didn't bring in the Sowing Salt from the board, and instead went with cutting the Dismembers and the Dragons to add in the anti-artifact cards.

Remember, again, how I said earlier that Affinity was the most "fair" deck that can win on Turn 3? And then I said to ignore that? Yep...keep on ignoring that, because I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about. I shocked myself to play a Hierarch on turn one, and have only a tapped land to play on turn two, but I was cool with that, as I was set to have a third turn Shatterstorm. What were the chances I die on his third turn? Apparently, Inkmoth Nexus is pretty good. It's even better when there are both an active Arcbound Ravager and Steel Overseer in play. What's a friendly 10 poison among friends, right? If anything, the third game was rather anticlimactic. I drew removal and board wipes when I needed them, and beat him down with creatures. By the end of the game, he extended his hand with only a Blinkmoth Nexus in play. 7-1-1

The quarterfinals had the following results:

Burn > ?? (The deck I didn't get)

Affinity > Merfolk (my 4th round opponent)

Merfolk > Affinity

Green Moon > Affinity

Interesting conversational side note. While sitting there waiting for my semi-final opponent and talking with Eric, several bystanders were discussing the Top 8 decks, and what was advancing. Every deck had a name, and then they came to mine. There was a pause in the conversation, and the guy said, "...And....Red Green Rogue." Eric and I laughed, and Eric said he wondered what the guy was going to say when he got to me.

Top 4: Affinity

Against another Affinity deck. For those wondering the "Secret Theme" of this event: if you guessed Affinity, congratulations, you're a winner.

I wish I could have provided a more inspiring ending, but it was not to be. I had a few creatures, but didn't really draw what I needed. They got the Cranial Plating on their Etched Champion, and easily rumbled to victory. I used the standard sideboarding strategy that I had been using over the last couple days. My opponent was rather vocal in not knowing what to bring in, because apparently my deck was not in his gauntlet. He jokingly taunted his friend and test partner for not properly preparing him. In the end, it didn't matter. I did cast a Sowing Salt and he lost all of his Citadels, but he was able to get Plated Skirges going, so any damage I did was offset. At three life, I looked at my deck, then looked at my opponent and said, "OK...I have seven outs. If I get one, awesome. If not, it's over. I'm just going to flip the top card, and we'll see what happens."

And up came a Sowing Salt.

Doesn't matter. I had a great time, and finished 3rd overall. On the other side of the bracket, the Merfolk player won over the Burn deck, setting up a rematch in the finals between the two players. The Affinity deck was victorious in the Swiss, but I had no desire to stick around and witness the rematch. Having not eaten since breakfast, it was time for this fat guy to get some food. I collected my prizes and hit the door. 7-2-1

Evaluation

Hands down, this is the most fun I've had in Modern in months. The deck was insane, and playing in an event where essentially no one knew going in what I was on is always a fun experience. When you play the same thing, over and over again, your local metagame, or store, knows what you do, how you do it, and metagames against you. For someone like me, that usually plays a rogue deck, it's not conducive to effectiveness.

Reviewing the deck, there are a handful of changes I am considering, or would at least think about. The first thing I will do is absolutely swap out the Sowing Salt for Crumble to Dust. Making the swap, which allows me to lower my reliance on one double-red spell, seems like a no-brainer. Another reason for this change is the corner case where Infect decks can activate their Inkmoth Nexus in response to your spell and give it Pro-Red with Apostle's Blessing. That doesn't work with Devoid spells.

I'm also willing to consider a change to the lands. Perhaps it's just the salt from topping a Copperline Gorge when I needed one untapped land, but there is a consideration to make a swap. Rootbound Crag is a possibility, as the deck runs 14 total lands that count as a Forest or Mountain. That does mean there is a much higher than zero percent chance of need to mulligan away good hands because I have started with 2-3 of my non-Forest/non-Mountain lands. Karplusan Forest is another option. I would have to weigh, on average, the slight increase in self damage this would cause. On the positive side, it never enters tapped, regardless, and only forces me to take damage if it happens to be my only source of a color needed for a spell. The other option is to just not make a change at all, and accept that there may be times I lose as a result of a late drawn ETB-Tapped land.

One final consideration is if I want something like Ghost Quarter or Tectonic Edge, as a hedge against some decks in the main. The one immediate drawback is that it could cause me to not be able to cast a turn 2/turn 3 Ram-Gang. I would need to test it online before making that decision, and see exactly how often it becomes an issue. It does seem like a good move, though, to have some main deck interaction against man-lands and Tron.

I'm not going to do a matchup by matchup sideboarding guide this week. A lot of it is fairly self-explanatory, by reading the cards and understanding the matchup. If anyone has specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments. If there is enough of a calling for that type of an article, it may be coming in the future.

For months, I've been saying and feeling that Green Moon was dead. But this weekend has rekindled my love for the deck. I don't expect to be shuffling up anything different in a competitive Modern event any time in the near future.

Long live Green Moon.

Peace...

Carl Wilt