Season 13 Top 8 Player Showcase
It’s the final week of Season 13! This week is different from the others, as the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will be played in the same week, meaning players will have to play up to three matches against different opponents instead of just one. Foundations is legal for this week, meaning we could see some new cards and decks. Today I interviewed the remaining eight players about their decks, goals, and favorite cards from the set.
Sammy
Sammy is playing in her first season, and has played a different deck almost every week so far. She brought Grixis Donation this week, a new deck from Foundations using Demonic Pact and Harmless Offering.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
I tested a lot of decks using the new Foundations cards, including Elf + Koma, Boros Leyline Axe, Omniscience Builders Talent, Zombify, Kiora + Proft’s Eidetic Memory, Shark Azorius Control, Boros Burn, updated Insidious Roots, normal Golgari, Orzhov Raise the Past, and Grixis Donation. I ultimately decided on that last one because it felt like it had a high ceiling while being very fun to play.
How do you feel about your remaining matches?
Since I’m guaranteed the play until at least the finals, I’m feeling generally good about my matches. I’ve practiced the Gruul matchup a lot, and I’m very experienced with the otters deck, so I feel good about playing both. I’m not sure what to expect in the finals from the other side of the bracket, but I’ll worry about that if I make it that far.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
I’m a big fan of big splashy build arounds, so I’ve been having fun playing with Omniscience, Zombify, and ofc Demonic Pact. The color hosing cards are exciting as sideboard options for the long term, as well as the new strategies enabled by the generically strong cards like Llanowar Elves.
What was your hardest match this season?
My Mono Black deck vs Crowtaur’s Domain in week 6 was definitely my hardest match. I had somehow convinced myself that this version of midrange was the exception that would be good into Domain, but further testing after the decklist submission deadline revealed how wrong I was. I mentioned in my coverage question responses for that week that it would take getting lucky with my discard effects lining up correctly into their draws to have a chance at winning, and that’s pretty much what happened. Honorable mention to last week’s match of Otters vs Dimir. It’s supposed to be a favorable matchup, but it’s incredible how much being on the draw guaranteed changes things.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
This season has been the most thought I’ve ever put into my constructed play, and it’s had a tremendous impact on my skills as a player. Particularly, my ability to prepare for matchups has improved, as I’ve spent a lot of time talking through and playing with my girlfriend Kate and friend Andrew.
Maria Tagi-Zade
This is Maria’s 4th season, and second time making playoffs. She’s played primarily Black-based Midrange decks and is sticking to that with Dimir Midrange.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
I wanted to play something solid and universally good in top 8, and Dimir Midrange ticks it all out. It is a flexible enough deck to tune for an expected meta game without losing its potency, and I did so predicting more of a midrange/slower field.
How do you feel about your remaining matches?
We have an interesting meta game in top8, with upper and lower branches being extremely different: mine is on a midrange side, and another is a combo one. I expect difficult and skill-intensive games, but I feel confident.
Does your testing process change this week compared to other weeks?
Not really, this season I had a wonderful testing team which still remains active to a certain extent. I play-tested with my husband Eldar, and with all feedback combined I made my decision for the top 8.
What are your goals for Magic after this season?
I am extremely happy to have made top 8 this season, which gave me an RC and VML Championship qualifications. I’m not able to grind tabletop RCQs due to family reasons, so this is a big deal for me, and hopefully next stop is a Pro Tour!
Cora Sabriel Stobie
This is Cora’s 5th season, and 5th time in playoffs but first time in the top 8. This week she’s playing Azorius Flash.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
Crowtaur from the Innkeepers team posted an Azorius flash list in our testing team discord, and I took it for a spin in the metagame challenge after some tweaks and completely reworking the sideboard. I got two trophies and a 6-1 with it, which was far better than the brews I had been intending to try. I had also thought my opponent might pick BG midrange, and I felt favoured in that matchup, with reasonable matchups against much of the field.
How do you feel about your remaining matches?
I feel like my quarterfinal match will be really close and scrappy! Being on the draw for each of the remaining matches isn’t the best – I have a slight edge in g1 of the quarterfinals as my opponent has pre-boarded for a control matchup. If I can make it through the quarterfinals then the semis will be against either Selesnya Beans or another Dimir matchup. I feel my odds aren’t terrible either way, though Selesnya has some very cool tools for the match. The other side of the bracket are the decks I would have preferred playing against, though Otters is always terrifying so I guess it’s a good thing both Otter decks are playing each other now!
What cards are you most excited to play with from Foundations?
Llanowar Elves in a vacuum, perhaps! I have a soft spot for Demonic Pact too. In terms of cards in my deck, Lyra Dawnbringer and Aetherize are both old favourites of mine.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
I’ve had a lot of really amazing games with fantastic players which I think have helped me a lot. There’s also been an incredible amount of strategic understanding of the format that is required – every season makes me feel like I know the format extremely well. This season I’ve also been fortunate to have had an amazing testing team which dissected our plays and choices in minute detail, which I thrive on. I’ve also hugely appreciated their support and validation of some of my more innovative brews.
What are your goals in Magic after this season?
Try my best at the VML Championship and the Prague RC! I’d love to push a little further. I’ve also rediscovered my joy in deckbuilding for the format, and would love to continue with that too.
Gdinut
Playing in their 4th season is Gdinut. They’ve played a variety of decks this season and are once again playing a new deck in Selesnya Ramp.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
My friend who also plays the VML (JZJaws) was brewing a selesnya ramp deck in case he made the top 8, unfortunately, we had to play in the round of 16 and I defeated him but decided to still go along with his dream and play the Selesnya ramp deck in his honor.
How do you feel about your remaining matches?
I’m worried, my next opponent is this year’s Canada RC champion and someone tough to beat, they have been in the playoffs every season they have participated in the VML. If I beat them. Then there is a 50% chance that I must play my friend and teammate Maria Tagi-Zade in the semis. I haven’t even considered making it to the finals. But if I get there, I think it would be nice to have a rematch with Autumn.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
Llanowar Elves for Standard, the artifact lands and Thoughtcast for Historic.
What does the VML mean to you?
It’s a fun and safe space to play MTG in a competitive setting. I enjoy the people involved. Its hard to talk about things I’ve seen over the years, but I’m happy a league like this exists.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
Even though I am the leader of a testing team, I have learned a lot from the other members, we have a collaborative environment in which everyone gets a say, and every opinion is valuable, and that has caused the group as a whole to grow and improve. In my group, 6 people made it to the playoffs and two into the top 8. Which is great. I’m happy to have such a great group.
Autumn
Autumn played mostly Carekater’s Talent control decks in the first half of the season, but has played a different deck almost every week since then. This week, it registered Temur Otters.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
The three decks I respect the most in Standard are Mono-Red, Dimir Tempo and Temur Otters. I felt like it was likely my quarterfinals opponent Nicole would register Otters, and Dimir is awful against that deck so did not seem like a good option. If I made it past Nicole I would likely be on the draw for the rest of Top 8 which made Red less appealing than normal. As a result I went with Otters!
Does your testing process change this week compared to other weeks?
The further I’ve made it in the tournament the more serious testing I have been doing! For this week some friends helped me practice my match-up once I’d settled on my decklist which was very helpful.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
I’ve been enjoying play Llanowar Elves and Soulstone Sanctuary in various decks.
What does the VML mean to you?
The VML is such a great tournament series, and I love the opportunities it gives to marginalised players. For me personally I have been keen to get back into high-level play and VML seemed like a great gateway to that.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
I’ve been actively changing decks a lot throughout Season 13 so that I can metagame against my opponents and not be too susceptible to their metagaming against me. Doing this has forced me to play decks I might not usually choose or play, widening my range in the process!
Ashame
Ashame is playing their third time in playoffs in three seasons. They played exclusively Dimir MIdrange all season long and see no reason to play something different.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
It’s never let me down this season, why stop now?
Does your testing process change this week compared to other weeks?
Nah. It’s just another match in my mind.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
I didn’t play it this week, but people are excited about Faebloom Trick in UB. I am curious to test it out.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
I think it made me take digital Magic a little more seriously. I used to play much tighter in paper compared to online, but having higher stakes on Arena has caused me to tighten up my online play a little more.
What are your goals for Magic after this season?
My long-term goal for Magic is to play a tournament perfectly. Even in tournaments I’ve performed well in, there have always been moments I notice that I could have done better. I prefer to set a performance-oriented goal rather than a results-oriented one because I think results follow with performance.
The Moon Sage
The Moon Sage is in their second season, and first time in playoffs. Like Ashame, they’ve played the same deck almost every week, this time with Gruul Prowess.
Why did you choose your deck this week?
I chose to play Gruul Prowess this week because it is the deck that I am most confident in piloting well when it comes to high level tournament play.
How do you feel about your remaining matches?
I am very thankful to make it this far, and despite being nervous about my remaining matches my mice and I will show no mercy.
Does your testing process change this week compared to other weeks?
I placed higher priority testing with my VML team this week when compared to previous weeks, and I am hoping it pays off.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
I don’t feel like there’s much for Gruul Prowess from Foundations aside from Burst Lightning. That being said I am excited to test out Boros Prowess with Boros Charm since Slickshot Show-off seems like a really fun target for it.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
The VML has helped improve me as a player by giving me the opportunity to play against some very skilled players while giving me experience in an open-decklist tournament where metagaming is important.
Nicole Dubin
This is Nicole’s sixth season and fifth time in playoffs. She played Temur Otters the past two weeks, and is running it back again for the finals
Why did you choose your deck this week?
Temur otters is the deck I feel most comfortable with in the format right now. I’m going to be on the draw for top 8, and I feel like Temur Otters gives me the best chance on the draw for the entirety of top 8.
How does your testing process change this week compared to other weeks?
My testing process did not change this week compared to other weeks.
What cards from Foundations are you most excited to play with?
Obviously Burst Lightning is a really nice Shock improvement for Mono Red, but I’m curious about all the reprints and new cards from the starter kit that have been added to the Standard environment.
How has the VML helped you improve as a player?
I’ve learned how to tune decks more closely, and more importantly networking and forming relationships and friendships and finding good testing partners.
What are your goals for Magic after this season?
I am qualified for Pro Tour Aetherdrift, and my goal is to make day 2 and requalify for the next Pro Tour.