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Thursday
DMF Chicago had finally rolled around. I am a big fan of Limited Darkmoon Faires, so I was a little excited. After work I ran home to meet Niles Rowland at my place, pick up Kirk Buckendorf, and head to the airport. The flight to Chicago was completely full. Luckily for me, Niles is a master. I was sitting at the window seat and Niles was on the isle seat. At that point the plane was starting to get full as people were starting to fill in the last remaining seats. Most people see the combo of Tim and Niles bookending the middle seat and kept moving on, thanking the gods they are not stuck with that middle seat.
Niles’ eyes lit up when he saw the tiny Chinese woman enter the plane. He jumped to his feet and nearly escorted her to the seat between us, leaving both of us plenty of room for the flight. This time around I decided to function as a normal human being would and decided not to spill an entire soda on my lap. The only amusing thing that happened from the flight was when Niles was sleeping. He was completely passed out and dreaming. At one point, he lurched his left hand out into the isle as if diving to catch a fly ball. Kirk was across the isle and started laughing while other passengers looked on in confusion.
Kirk: “What was that?”
Niles: “I had to catch that softball, man.” He then proceeded to fall right back to sleep like nothing happened.
We landed in Chicago a little after midnight. We walked towards baggage claim and saw this shady looking fellow in a hoodie with his eyes and face covered, but tried to ignore him and get to the luggage carousel. To my surprise this shady fellow jumped down and started attacking me. I was quickly put on the defensive until I realized that it was Brad Watson. Brad was lucky that I realized it was him quickly as he was in for the ass kicking of his life. I wish I could say this ass kicking would have came at my hands, but being a wimp I would have screamed like a little girl and got my bodyguard Kirk to come to my rescue.
After grabbing our luggage we headed to the car. Matt Spreadbury and Eric Buckendorf greeted us at the door and escorted us to what would be our mode of transportation for the weekend. I was a little surprised to see we would be travelling in a 9 passanger van for the weekend. The van was awesome. It was every pedophiles’ dream. On the van there was an advertisement for Legacy Dance Studios (a dance studio run by Matt’s sister Jackie) on tinted black windows. Inside there were piles of candy, rope and ether.
On the way to Matt’s house, we stopped to get food. After what seemed like half an hour of hee and hawing we landed at a Burger King. Trust me, I don’t know how after 30 minutes of discussion Burger King was the place that was chosen. Matt decided that it was time to start making up his own promotions.
Matt: “Do you still have the 10 Whoppers for $10 deal?”
Clerk: “Um, no?”
Matt: “How about 5 Whoppers for $6?”
3 minutes later...
Clerk: “Sir, we have no promotions going on right now.”
A short drive after stopping for food we arrived at the Zoo (aka Matt’s House). My first impression of Matt’s house was that it was awesome. I think describing it at awesome would be selling it short. The house seemed to have an unlimited supply of rooms. As anyone who has been in a huge house knows, that with so much space you tend to get lonely quickly. You could go days without seeing another living being. The Spreadburys solved this problem. They decided if you shove 500 animals into a house, no matter where you turned you would see some form of life. I wish I could say that I was exaggerating. I opened the door to what I thought was Matt’s room only to find a closet full of cats. As I opened the door it was like an avalanche. The mountain of cats was collapsing and soon I was completely buried. What a way to go, buried in cats. I was not ready for death and dug myself out of my cat coffin. Able to breath again I entered the Dojo, otherwise known as Matt’s room.
Matt had a pretty sweet setup It was equipped with Dance Dance Revolution, 55” flat screen TVs, a sectional couch, multiple computers, basically anything you could ever want. We ate our food and it was getting late. We wanted to get ready for the iTournament the next day, but everyone was very indecisive. I decided to play a rather standard list. I took Stuart’s Walrock deck from Darkmoon Faire Orlando and added in two copies of Conqueror Yun’zon. Everyone else was content on being lazy and doing nothing. It was time to sleep.
Friday
We rolled out of bed the delicious breakfast that Matt’s mom made for us. She really went out of her way for us the entire weekend and I cannot thank her enough for that. Once everyone ate and showered we headed to the tournament site.
It took about 40 minutes to drive from Matt’s house to the tournament sit.The site of the Darkmoon Faire is always awesome. It’s the site of non stop gaming for the next three days. Below is the exact list I played in the iTournament.
Hero: [Jeremiah Karvok]
Allies: 39
4 [Broderick Langforth]
1 [Skumm Bag'go]
1 [Rhuunom]
1 [Sardok]
4 [Dreadsteed]
2 [Mias the Putrid]
3 [Vuz'din]
2 [Sava'gin the Reckless]
4 [Hesriana]
4 [Dethvir the Malignant]
3 [Munkin Blackfist]
2 [Conqueror Yun'zon]
3 [Saurfang the Younger, Kor'kron Warlord]
4 [Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen]
1 [Thrall, Warchief of the Horde]
Abilities: 12
4 [Tuskarr Kite]
3 [Lesson of the Nether]
3 [Bloody Ritual]
2 [Summoning Portal]
Locations: 3
3 [Kor'kron Vanguard]
Quests: 6
4 [For Great Honor]
2 [Darkness Calling]
I ended up in 5th place after the last round. I dream crushed Bobby Victory in the last round to give Matt a chance to win the tournament. The final standings we posted. Bobby Victory was in first, Matt was in second. Then the judge made a call, “Players there is an error, new standings will be up in a couple minutes.” After the wait, Bobby was still in first and Matt was in second.The judge came back and made another announcement, “Sorry players there is another error.” Once the third and final list was posted Matt was in first and Bobby was in second. Matt lived the dream and won tournament with Hunter. Congratulations Matt.
After the tournament we went to a place called the Tilted Kilt. The scene could not be set any better, we pulled up in the sweet dance studio van and all 7 of us exited the van. All the men standing outside probably got a kick out it. The Tilted Kilt is a bar where all the girls are wearing only short plaid skirts and bras barely covered by tight, white shirts tied up to show of their belly rings and tramp stamp tattoos. Needless to say it was a nice change of scenery from a room full of gamers. Brad tried to get a picture of our waitress's’ Tinker Bell tattoo, but she wouldn’t hold still.
After a healthy meal we went back to Matt’s house for a night of rest.
Saturday
It was finally time for the DMF. My card pool is below:
Death Knight
1 [Black Blood]
1 [Blood Chill]
1 [Frozen Blight]
1 [Horn of Winter]
Druid
1 [Rejuvenation]
1 [Celestial Moonfire]
1 [Healing Touch]
Hunter
1 [Noxious Trap]
Mage
2 [Arcane Foresight]
1 [Arcane Missiles]
2 [Flash Freeze]
1 [Draconic Flames]
Paladin
1 [Blessing of the Kindred]
1 [Divine Cleansing]
2 [Flash of Light]
1 [Inquisition]
Priest
1 [Oppress]
1 [Hymn of Hope]
1 [Shadow Word: Death]
Rogue
1 [Excessive Force]
1 [Tormenting Gouge]
Shaman
1 [Ancestral Purge]
1 [Ancestral Recovery]
1 [Blazing Elemental Totem]
1 [Chain Heal]
2 [Elemental Flames]
Warlock
1 [Demonic Soulstone]
1 [Fear]
1 [Fel Blaze]
1 [Nether Inversion]
Warrior
1 [Heroic Impulse]
1 [Raging Shout]
1 [Dauntless Defender]
2 [Intercept]
1 [Merciless Strikes]
Other Abilities
1 [Rocket Barrage]
1 [The Stonemother's Gift]
1 [The Windlor's Gift]
1 [Tidehunter's Gift]
Alliance Allies
1 [Adrienne the Inspiring]
1 [Aresha Thorncaller]
1 [Kalek Deepearth]
1 [Kirjen Fizzgar]
1 [Laenthor Shademoon]
1 [Loriam Argos]
1 [Marcus Dominar]
1 [Pyromancer Davins]
2 [Axar]
2 [Dominic Kandor]
1 [Erama]
1 [Gully Rustinax]
1 [Jerrick Valder]
1 [Nathar Wilderson]
2 [Nessera Gildenrose]
1 [Patricia Potter]
Horde Allies
1 [Boki Earthgaze]
1 [Cadon Thundershade]
1 [Jezziki Shinebog]
1 [Ruon Wildhoof]
1 [Drax Felfuse]
1 [Kizzli Grinderstub]
1 [Shaera Strikewing]
2 [Talaan Solaras]
1 [Hanu Skyhorn]
1 [Timriv the Enforcer]
1 [Tharuk Foulblade]
1 [Valytha Colton]
1 [Yoza'tsu]
Other Allies
1 [Emerald Emissary]
1 [Ruby Emissary]
1 [Ruby Enforcer]
1 [Ruby Flameblade]
1 [Ruby Stalker]
1 [Azure Captain]
1 [Azure Drake]
2 [Azure Magus]
1 [Azure Skyrazor]
1 [Bronze Drake]
1 [Bronze Drakonid]
1 [Bronze Emissary ]
2 [Bronze Warden]
1 [Bound Inferno]
Equipment
1 [Citadel Enforcer's Claymore]
1 [Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders]
Quest/Locations
1 [All That Rises]
1 [A Bird In Hand]
1 [Defending the Rift]
1 [Elemental Energy]
1 [Lightning in a Bottle]
1 [Skywall]
1 [The Witch's Bane]
1 [A Matter of Time]
1 [The Key to Freedom]
2 [Aessina's Miracle]
1 [Dragon, Unchained]
1 [Entrenched]
Below was the deck I registered.
Hero
[Kadus Frosthand]
Allies
2 [Azure Magus]
1 [Bronze Drakonid]
1 [Gully Rustinax]
1 [Loriam Argos]
1 [Jerrick Valder]
1 [Kalek Deepearth]
1 [Nessera Gildenrose]
1 [Ruby Enforcer]
1 [Patricia Potter]
2 [Axar]
1 [Azure Skyrazor]
1 [Aresha Thorncaller]
1 [Adrienne the Inspiring]
1 [Azure Captain]
1 [Marcus Dominar]
1 [Pyromancer Davins]
1 [Erama]
Abilities
1 [Arcane Missiles]
2 [Flash Freeze]
1 [Flash Freeze]
Quests
1 [The Witch's Bane]
1 [A Matter of Time]
1 [The Key to Freedom]
2 [Aessina's Miracle]
1 [Aessina's Miracle]
1 [Dragon, Unchained]
How would you have built the deck? There are a couple changes I would have made after playing the format. I would have ran [Bronze Drake] and [Kirjen Fizzgar].
My notes were destroyed so I do not have all the notes that I took throughout the tournament.
My two losses came at the hands of Andrew Trebing and Bobby Victory. My match against Andrew was featured on the main coverage.
Against Bobby he played multiple Elusive allies. My deck is very poor vs. Elusive allies and the result was them attacking me over and over again.
I ended up in 19th place. Three people in our group made top 8, Eric Buckendorf, Ben Isgur, and Brad Watson. To prepare them for the Top 8 we picked up some awesome pizza, and drafted. My deck was insane. It featured 2 [Withering Decay], [Troggbane, Axe of the Frostborne King], 2 [Death Strike], [Soridormi], and [Poisonfire Greatsword]. I would have 7-0’d the draft if we played it out.
Sunday
The last tournament of the weekend we chose to play in was the “Get Your Gencon On.” My deck was an average Alliance Warlock deck. The only thing going for it was the ton of Elusive allies which helped me go 5-1; good enough for 5th place. Niles ended up winning.
Overall it was a fun weekend. Someone in our group ended up winning the two big side events, we put three people in the Top 8, and I was able to see lots of good friends. Congrats to Dan Clark on getting his first Darkmoon Faire Championship. I predict he will win another one in the future.
- Tim Rivera
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