19/01/2023 Daimonji (CC) 3-0 (5-1)

Thursday once again, Daimonji once again, Dorinthea once again!!!

Mostly familiar faces and of course the hospitable store owner.

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https://fabrary.net/decks/01GNBD6578WD6TXVQQADGQ2QY6

Decklist remained the same as the last one, still feels good about it so no changes were made.

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Round 1 Dromai, Ash Artist

Equipment used: <Crown of Providence>, <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic>, <Braveforge Bracers> and <Refraction Bolters>

Before the game start, opponent commented that this is his first game against <Dorinthea, Ironsong> and that he’s worried I’ll just farm his dragons and get my <Dawnblade> very large, which indeed happened.

The game started with my opponent not drawing dragons and just blocking very well against my weapon swings as he was drawing on average 1 D-react every turn for the first 3 to 4 turns of the game.

The game, on the surface, start to swing in his favour when he starts to summon his dragons and forcing me to block to preserve my life total. However, I was able to hold onto a blue and a “Go Again” source and start to grow my <Dawnblade> counters by killing his dragons.

In about turn 10, I made a risky play of swing 12 power with “Go Again” at my opponent instead of at the <Nekria> on the arena because I was holding 2 +3 pumps in hand. Fortunately opponent couldn’t block out and I was able to maintain the counter and kill the <Nekria> with the follow up swing. The game was mostly over by that point because I had 5 counters on my <Dawnblade>.

The end game came when I had 6 counters on my <Dawnblade> and drew <Ironsong Determination> which I pitched earlier and I had <Run Through> in hand.

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Round 2 Fai, Rising Rebellion

Equipment used: <Crown of Providence>, <Courage of Bladehold>, <Braveforge Bracers> and <Refraction Bolters>

Opponent changed to <Searing Emberblade> and <Mask of the Pouncing Lynx> from the <Harmonized Kodachi> and <Mask of Momentum> in the last game we played and the result was very apparent, I felt way more pressured than the last time.

Opponent went first and I lost 5 points of life in the effort to preserve my <Warrior’s Valor> and my swing back was able to land a counter on my <Dawnblade>.

Opponent was having a life lead but my <Dawnblade> was growing and lucky for me he didn’t see his <Art of War> in the game and I could get a <Glistening Steelblade> going to get another counter on the <Dawnblade>.

The end game was opponent cracking his <Mask of Pouncing Lynx>, I had to block with 2 cards from hand to stay alive at 4 life, but what I had in hand was <Glistening Steelblade> and a blue and I had <Twinning Blade> in the arsenal. I still had my <Courage of Bladehold> and <Refraction Bolters> available. 

Opponent was at 15, my <Dawnblade> had 4 counters on it. So my turn went like <Glistening Steelblade> pitching a blue, cracking my <Courage of Bladehold>, swing for 7, opponent didn’t want to block because it’ll be game ending if he lose his hand and I can maintain the counters. Opponent took the hit and <Dawnblade> now swings for 9 with the activation of <Braveforge Bracers>. Opponent blocked for 2 to stay at 1 life, but since I had the <Twinning Blade> and <Refraction Bolters>, I went for the lethal third swing for 10 after getting 2 more counters.

Seeing all other tables still were in progress, we went for another spin. Opponent sees his <Art of War> this time round and the game was much closer, but I drew my <Steelblade Supremacy> and <Warrior’s Valor> early enough for me to have a tempo lead and started to build counters on my <Dawnblade> sooner than opponent could present lethal and force block. So I took the second game as well.

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Round 3 Bravo, Showstopper

Equipment used: <Crown of Providence>, <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic>, <Braveforge Bracers> and <Refraction Bolters>

Opponent is no stranger since we had quite a bit of conversation during the local tournaments like “Armoury” and “Road to Nationals” and we traded cards too. Out first game was last year(2022), not long after he started FaB. So it’s been almost half a year since we last played and honestly speaking, he has improved a lot in his game understanding and decision making as well as planning his game strategies.

The game started with respectful blocking from both sides of the table. Opponent was blocking with card and D-react when I present “Go Again” or threats like <Glistening Steelblade> and I respected his <Anothos> swing for 6 by throwing 2 cards, I even blocked with <Glistening Steelblade> and <Twinning Blade> during one of the early turns which nearly costed me the game.

The first important game point came in turn 3 where opponent played out his first <Tear Asunder> and swung for 7 with “Dominate”, to which I blocked with 1 card and took 4, dropped 2 cards from hand. My turn was just a naked swing for 3. On following turn, opponent once again played <Tear Asunder> and swung for 7, to which I again blocked only for 3 and threw 2 cards. The reason I highlight this decision is that, to me, <Tear Asunder> in the late game is much more threatening than early game. My game plan against <Bravo, Showstopper> has always been to <Steelblade Shunt> his big “Crush” cards like <Crippling Crush> and <Spinal Crush> while saving my armour block for his late game <Tear Asunder>. Seeing he played out 2 of his 3 <Tear Asunder> so early in the game, I was feeling confident in the end game portion and started to pitch some game winning red cards like <Warrior’s Valor> and <Rout>.

The game then went into the following sequence, I present threat, opponent blocks, he swings back with his <Anothos> and I block with either 1 or 2 cards depending on whether it’s 4 or 6. What I noticed is that opponent respected <Glistening Steelblade> a lot but his respect for <Steelblade Supremacy> was slightly less than necessary, so I took advantage of that and was able to land 2 counters on my <Dawnblade> with the help of <Steelblade Supremacy> and <Ironsong Pride>. then another critical turn came.

I had <Hit and Run>, <Ironsong Response> and a blue in hand and my <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic> was on 3 energy counters, opponent had no more equipment block and no arsenal card. I started the turn with <Hit and Run> pitching a blue and swung for 5, opponent blocks for 6 with 2 cards, I played <Ironsong Response> and goes over by 2, opponent takes the hit. What follows was my mistake that almost costed me the game. I had a <Steelblade Shunt> in the arsenal so I didn’t want to use my <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic> counter so I just swung again for 5 and opponent blocked with his 2 remaining cards for 5. What I had in mind was 5 or 6 both ask for 2 cards, but in fact <Bravo, Showstopper> plays quite a bit of 2 blocks in the likes of <Pummel> and <Rouse the Ancients>. Analysing the play pattern further, preserving the <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic> counter doesn’t really do too much in late game situations like this because we were both blocking with 2 cards and neither of us would have a super big turn anyway, pitching a cards for the <Steelblade Shunt> in my arsenal is not too detrimental after all. But luckily I got to keep the counters on my <Dawnblade> and still has tempo.

A couple of turns later, another punt took place.

I had <Singing Steelblade>, <Energy Potion>, <Glistening Steelblade> and  another blue in hand, my <Dawnblade> had 1 counter and my <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic> was on 3 energy counters. I started the turn with <Glistening Steelblade> pitching a blue and swing for 4, opponent blocked for 11 with all 4 cards from his hand. The correct play was to play <Singing Steelblade>, fetching another <Singing Steelblade> and with the second one grab red <Overpower> for a total of 12 to go over by 1. But for some reason I totally forgot about my <Fyendal’s Spring Tunic> resource and just told myself, I can’t pump it by 8 with 4 resources and <Singing Steelblade>, thereby missing the chance for a third counter.

The game ended with me drawing <Ironsong Determination> and push through enough damage that forces 3 card block from opponent from next turn onward and when I could draw my <Warrior’s Valor> and +3 pumps I got in for lethal.

Games against <Bravo, Showstopper> is almost always mentally taxing because there are so many decision points within the game, but properly planning the end game by feeling opponent’s play style is very important and truly rewarding when the end game works out exactly like how I planned it to be.

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Third CF <Arakni, Huntsman> in the bag, but since it was a split, money in the bag~~

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At this point, players hadn’t had enough for the evening and TO decided to pair another round for us to quench our thirst for FaB games, so onward to round 4.

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Round 4 Fai, Rising Rebellion

Equipment used: <Crown of Providence>, <Courage of Bladehold>, <Braveforge Bracers> and <Refraction Bolters>

Another Fai opponent, this time round he was on <Harmonized Kodachi> and <Mask of the Pouncing Lynx> and the games against him always give me the old-school <Katsu, the Wanderer> vibe of “Death by a thousand cuts”, also he plays <Double Strike>, so….. :(

We played 2 games since it’s <Fai, Rising Rebellion> (LOL) and both games were race to the end point. I lost the first and won the second.

Opponent’s deck performed very consistently damage wise and mine was functioning well too. The nature of his deck construction and play style puts me under pressure of which attacks should I block and whether he has enough to present lethal which is why I lost my first game too. Had I blocked with 1 less card, I would have gone down to 1 and present lethal.

Note to self: be braver against <Fai, Rising Rebellion>, life total is a resource! Another factor that contributed to me not being able to very logically analyse the situation  and making right plays might be because it’s a working day and this is the 6th game of the night (excuses, excuses…)

Anyway, well played Nick~~

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This is probably the longest armoury report I’ve written so far and the more I write the more I realise reflecting on my games helps me in running through the thought process and making tighter plays in future games.

After <Prism, Sculptor of Arc Light> achieved LL (f**k that b***h, :D), <Dorinthea, Ironsong> has improved quite a bit and no match up feels un-winnable. All it takes is a good pilot and properly built deck. Joshua Lau has built a fine <Dorinthea, Ironsong> deck, i only need to improve~

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Btw, the most recent “Pro-Quest” in Singapore was won by <Dorinthea, Ironsong> !! The pilot was also the National Champion back in September!!

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Onwards, Dorinthea!!!