This is a half report, half journal of my time in China, specifically with regards to the World of Warcraft TCG. The most pertinent things you will need to know before we start are:

● I am a Chinese American player who lives/works in China.

● According to a source, China is the WoW TCG's second biggest market.

● Shanghai's Darkmoon Faire came and went with nary a whisper on WoW TCG's main website.

● I played in the tournament and finished 4th out of 123 players.

● Spectral Tigers are worth a great amount in China still. They are NOT given out for Shanghai's top 8.

● Realm Champ VIPs did not receive any sort of gift package that is supposed to be provided. I was told to email Cryptozoic or post on the forums.

I think that should cover the bases for basic information that will help. Let us get into greater detail with my report/journal. It all started because a good friend of mine moved to Shanghai this summer. I had originally planned on going to the DMF since the information was posted. My friend, living close by, gave me another excuse. When I came back to China in August, I brought only a few decks: Core [Zaritha] and Core Death Rattle. Those decks would not do for the tournament, because the OP in China lags behind the rest of the world for now, so I played [Jeremiah Karvok].

So the format was Chinese Core 2.0. What exactly does that mean? Here is the list of legal cards from the DMF info:

Chinese Core Constructed C 2.0 Environment

Chinese The Blood of War, Chinese Fields of Honor, Chinese Scourgewar, Chinese Wrath Gate, Chinese Archives, Chinese Icecrown, Chinese Worldbreaker, Chinese War of The Elements, Chinese Twilight of The Dragons, Chinese 2011 Starter Decks , including all promo cards released in China with Craft redemption, and holiday celebration tournaments between Chinese The Blood of War and Chinese Twilight of The Dragons.)

Speaking of new players, a quick aside:

The idea of a Darkmoon Faire is to visit exciting cities around the world, bringing tons of fun things and awesome prizes to win. I'd say Shanghai was successful in that endeavor. I'd also agree that good prizes were given (although it may be debatable). It's also a chance for new players to experience what the World of Warcraft TCG is all about. On Saturday, day 1 of the tournament, I saw an amazing thing happening here.

If half the hall was being used for the main tournament, at least a third of the hall was being used for new players. There must have been at least 150 people in the area for new players, most of which were playing. That's great, and it speaks to the average Chinese mentality towards games and World of Warcraft (I mean to say that there may be some sort of stigma with playing a WoW game in America that doesn't exist for the young 20-somethings in China).

All these people were excited to be playing a new game and to be interacting with cards with great art and interesting effects. Here's the problem: they were all using the same two decks. Every single table was Rogue and Hunter as these were the only 2 Starter Decks available. I see this as a problem and hope it is resolved soon. Stores are carrying large supplies of Rogue and Hunter decks because that’s all that is available.

The people playing those games all started with the same decks. They also paid 150 RMB (~25 dollars) for entry. This entry included a number of things:

● One of the 2 Class Starter Decks.

● A War of the Elements play-mat.

● A Booty Bay Treasure map (pretty cool, people had to go around to the different tables collecting stamps, and then when they were done received a goody bag and a chance at the wheel of loot).

● Several chances at winning some great loot cards, which have mainly not devalued in the way that American loot cards have.

That's a great amount of stuff, exciting for people who are unsure of what the game is. As a friend (a judge whose contract was not renewed) pointed out to me, even the people who came just for a chance at these loots were also playing the game. That's remarkable to me. That's remarkable because I've gone to Blizzcon. I know the lengths that people go to for free stuff. I know that people get in line at the WoW TCG booth and receive a prize that may make them happy, but many don’t seem interested in playing the game.

I’ll finish on this subject with one last point. While new Chinese players appreciated the great prize support and had fun in their first couple of games, they would soon become bored in later rounds as they realized with only 2 decks available that the games became repetitive and not representative of what the play experience can be with all the classes available. I hope this will be remedied in the future and I hope that the Chinese enthusiasm for the game rewarded as time goes on.

Back to my tournament, I played Warlock midrange. My friend lent me his deck because he wasn't going and I made a few changes with recommendations from the great Tim Rivera (Big props to by the way! The 4th [Undercity] was crucial) I didn't want to play Shaman because it was simply a terrible match with my play style. So I played what I knew (relatively) and brought Warlock:

Hero: [Jeremiah Karvok]

Master Hero: 1

1 [Kel'Thuzad]

Allies: 29

4 [Broderick Langforth]

1 [Azamoth Deathfang]

1 [Sardok]

2 [Abysswalker Rakax]

3 [Dreadsteed]

1 [Sava'gin the Reckless]

4 [Hesriana]

2 [Nathanos Blightcaller]

2 [Munkin Blackfist]

4 [Dethvir the Malignant]

1 [Timriv the Enforcer]

3 [Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen]

1 [Thrall, Warchief of the Horde]

Abilities: 16

2 [Summoning Portal]

4 [Drain Will]

3 [Lesson of the Nether]

4 [Tuskarr Kite]

2 [Victimize]

1 [Ritual of Summoning]

Equipment: 2

2 [Talisman of the Horde]

Locations: 4

4 [Undercity]

Quests: 8

3 [For Great Honor]

2 [Darkness Calling]

1 [The Torch of Retribution]

2 [Call to Arms: Arathi Basin]

Some last changes I made to the deck: Got rid of [Malfurion Stormrage] for a 4th [Undercity]. In my limited testing, Malfurion simply did nothing if I drew him late and needed something big (seems counter intuitive). He was great in long drawn out games, but my feeling was that I win those games more often than not without the need for resurrection. I cut a [Sava'gin the Reckless] and a [Skumm Baggo] in favor of the 4th [Tuskarr Kite] and 3rd [Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen]. With Tim’s blessing I was good to go. I never managed to use [Kel'Thuzad] or [Ritual of Summoning]. They were used on me, though, both in one game! (I lost that one)

My flight to Shanghai from Shenzhen (think South China to West central China ~ 2 hour flight) was 1460 RMB. That's about $220 for the round trip. My friend and I went to Morton's Shanghai for dinner (a wonderfully bloody New York Steak) later on Saturday night as well. That was just as expensive as my flight, but I had made top 8 so I was in a mood to celebrate. I asked someone who flew in from Beijing, which is about an hour flight, probably less than. His flight was the same price.

We stayed in a nice hotel for about 50 dollars a night. It was apparently built for the Shanghai Expo, and since then the patronage has probably decreased. We got a great room, the bathroom being twice the size of places I have stayed at in Hong Kong.

I arrived in Shanghai around midnight, took a shuttle bus and a taxi to the hotel, and ended up falling asleep around 3. Sleep is for prepared non-idiots.

We showed up an hour before it started. The tournament was being held in a multi-purpose convention hall on the top floor of the Super Brand Mall. The mall is the most impressive one I have ever graced with my presence. No, I have not been to the Mall of America. I waited in line to register, something my judge friend thought was foolish of me. I hate cutting in line and I never like to hurry, so there was no reason to invoke any VIP benefits.

The actual Mall didn't open until about 9 AM, so we had to walk around the place, looking for the service elevator that would take us up to the ninth floor. Gotta love China.

After free registration, I filled out my deck list, and then proceeded to fill out a Mage deck list for my friend. I included [Counterspell] in his deck. 10 points if you know why this is a problem, go ahead, I'll wait.

[Counterspell] is not legal in Chinese Core.

My friend got a game loss round 1 and decided his time was better spent wandering around the mall and scouting out a prime dinner location (Morton's would do). He did get a refund, so many thanks to the tournament organizer!

We started at about 11. You'll have to forgive me, my note taking was imprecise to say the least, and in several cases, simply does not include the end of the match. My losses have a frighteningly low amount of detail.

Round 1: Wu Jiayu playing Jeremiah with [Backlash]

The problem for me here is that his deck will win the long game, by virtue of the extra cards [Backlash] gives him. I lost the roll, and he opened with a Cairne/Broderick. My lone Broderick seemed less impressive. His turn two [Aftermath] did nothing since I used my turn to clear his board with attacks and play [Drain Will] (discarding a [Fel Blaze]). He used his third turn to [Summoning Portal] up a [Dethvir the Malignant]. I followed with a [Lesson of the Nether] to steal his Dethvir. Visibly deflated, he quested and played a less impressive [Sardok]. My Cairne/Kite was a better play I think.

[Nathanos Blightcaller] on turn 5 was a threat if I couldn't find anything worthwhile. I had [Hesriana] for his [Sardok], giving me a convenient out against his dogs. At this point he started attacking my guys to trigger backlash. He ended his turn 6 with a [Dreadsteed]. I played Nathanos to up the pressure, while knocking off his guys.

On 7 he [Hesriana]'d her twin sister, depriving me of my double duty pet. My turn 7 Dethvir looked a bit more impressive than the vanilla 2/3. His next turn he completed a quest, and did some damage to Dethvir, and then played Onnekra. At this point I was very confident. On 8, I used [Hesriana] on his mount and cleared his board. He had another [Onnekra Bloodfang]. [Thrall, Warchief of the Horde] came down the next turn for me and finished him off.

A relatively simple win, I'm not sure he had much experience with the deck, and the Onnekra's lead me to believe the deck was not something he spent much time on.

Round 2: 维亮 王 (Wei Liang Wang) playing Death Rattle Shaman

This matchup is okay, but my lack of answers for [Dagax the Butcher] was my biggest concern. Once I establish control, I have to be able to account for 5 or 10 Ferocity damage out of nowhere. Most of the Shaman decks playing him only had 2 though, so if I can [Undercity] them I should be okay.

I lost the roll and he opened with [All Things in Good Time] and passed. My Cairne is equally unimpressive. [Conversing the Depths] and [Grazzle Grubhook] met my turn 2 [Summoning Portal] for [Dreadsteed]. He uses Grazzle to discard a [Uruka the Cutthroat] putting me at 5 damage! He played a Ring of Blood and used the quest. I followed with my mount and [Undercity]. He played a turn 4 Dagax and Grazzle'd a [Stormstrike Mace] put me at 15!

I went into the tank and opted for turn 4 Nathanos. He followed with [Astral Recall] (damn!) and brought back Dagax, [Edge of Oblivion] and another [Astral Recall] to his hand. I was in trouble. He played a [Stormstrike Mace]. At this point I didn’t have many options, and my only goal is to reduce damage. I used [Talisman of the Horde] on his mace on my turn, healed some damage and played Broderick and finished with [Undercity] ready.

He threw a curve ball and hit me with Edge of Oblivion, putting me at 18. I missed my next row and played a Dethvir, trying my best to hold on. He started to run out of gas and is put further behind when I play a turn 7 Dethvir. My notes here get hazy, a direct result of me putting more effort into the game. I played [Azamoth Deathfang] at some point, and I think I used Timriv to establish control.

Either way I won, and it was very close with me going up to 26, and then back down to a questionably safe 23.

Round 3: 陆 立国 (Liu Wei Guo) playing Jeremiah Backlash

Another Warlock, but it seemed to not have Backlash! I lost the roll again and he opened with a Sava'gin and Broderick. So aggro! My For Great Honor was followed by his turn 2 and turn 3 Drain Wills. Great discard, but mitigated by my turn 2 Dreadsteed, turn 3 Kite. I also had the quest for Broderick. He had a turn 4 Talisman, and I had a turn 4 Dethvir.

He went into the tank, and decided on Summoning Portal for Cairne, and then Kite. I [Victimize]d him on the following turn and he discarded a quest and a Bloody Ritual. He came out turn 6 with Dethvir and a free Lesson. I had Undercity and then Lesson. I'm not sure what I took, but according to my notes I took sow or soul. It didn’t matter because his Nathanos the next turn was outmatched by my Dethvir and I grinded him out for the win.

Round 4: Kong De Xin playing Scimitar Warrior

This is the deck that my friend played with and won with in this year's APCC Tournament. I played games against him and knew the deck very well. I won the roll (WHAT!?) and mulliganed to celebrate. I get a great hand and open with [Darkness Calling] and Broderick. His [Naan the Selfless] is back breaking.

Turn 1 and I'm already demoralized. I had a turn 2 Dreadsteed which he tops with [Burly Berta]. I laid a resource and hit his protector for 2, and then finish it off with [Abysswalker Rakax] and then put two damage on Berta. His Turn 3 [Ashnaar, Frost Herald] and [Lady Bancroft] were a bit worrying as he cleared my side and lefts me with Broderick. The next turn I used [For Great Honor], and nailed a [Hesriana]. Thank god I'm playing 4. I used [Hesriana] on his Ashnaar and traded Broderick for Bancroft. His [Concerted Efforts] hits on [Death Wish] and killed my fancy pet.

My turn 5 had me [Calling the Darkness] and playing Talisman on his Death Wish. He followed the next turn with a [Heroic Throw] on my hero, pitching and then playing Scimitar of Sirocco, I go to 9 damage. I pay 6 for a Cairne- what's he going to do, [Execute] it!? He ran into it with his hero, going to 17, and then Bancroft does 2 more. [Adam Eternum] came down and hit my hero for 5, and enabled the hero flip to kill my Cow. The next turn I got lucky. I think I played Kite, dug for a quest, finally got one and hit Adam for 2 and finished him with my hero. No [Eye of the Storm] for the loss!

After that he used [Mortal Slash] on me twice but can't stop my card advantage machine.

(check back tomorrow for the remaining half of this report!)