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| Featuring Torreth and Mundisv !! |
Traditions... You'll find season 23 winner Interview, Mundisv, here.
Mundisv' wins again this season, big congratulations mate !!!
This time we have the Winner of the MPDC Season 24 "Worlds" Event, and that's TORRETH. Thanks for taking some time answering these questions in English, mate !
- In few words, who are you in real life, Torreth?
My name is Lucas, I’m from Argentina, and I’m a 31 years old
“veteran” MTG player.
- How did you hear of MTGO?
I’d been in touch with old friends, back from the day when we played paper MTG, and they kept playing online, since the paper version is really expansive in my country, so it’s really restrictive to have a good player base at the local store, most of them just use the online version.
- Do you play Paper Mtg? Since when?
Well, I started playing approximately when Tempest came out. I played until 2001 and then became a student, sold my collection (which I deeply regret ) and never went back except for some casual or limited event.
- For how long have you been playing on MTGO?
I think I created the account about a year ago and with the help of my friends, purchased some Pauper decks to learn the interface and started playing casually.
- How much do you spend in MTGO per month?
I believe besides my initial purchase, I bought 10 tix before getting to know Player Run Events, just fell in love with them, and tried my luck with the great PRE prize system.
- What is your favorite format there and why?
Well, I really like all the budget formats, especially STD Pauper, Pauper, Heirloom and SilverBlack. I think they are the fairer formats, anyone being able to try and play any deck.
- Do you think MTGO STD Pauper Online Metagame reflects what it can be at a local store?
Oh yes, I think the Meta is deeply explored and tested by the Online community, especially by MPDC players, Brennon from mtgostrat.com with his Standard Pauper Gauntlet, Mundisv and his articles from puremtgo.com, various clan mates with theirs respective blogs, Gwyned or DrChrisBakerDC for example, had created a very large Information base, that any group from a local store who wants to run this type of event will benefit from.
- What kind of player are you, do you like aggro or control most?
Back in the days of Tempest and Urza’s saga I really enjoyed Mono Blue Control (when Masticore was broken good). So I stuck to Control, but I really enjoy playing both types.
- What are your favorite colors?
Blue, Black, Green, White and Red. In that particular order.
- Why did you choose to join a clan on MTGO and how did that come to happen?
Well you (Adner) invited me to join and I gladly did because it’s one of my favorite formats and all the clan mates are really nice people, with whom we share some fun hours every Monday.
- What's the added value of being in a MTGO Clan from your point of view?
It’s really good to be in a clan with people sharing something with you, and this one can help new people to know this format, which is great to someone just starting out MTGO.
- Are you a rogue deck brewer or do you like playing the best performing deck in the format?
I’m not much of a brewer myself, but I like to always take a look at the existing deck for some improvements. I really liked BigBee White Weenie from last season, and with BoG seemed natural to add the Akroan Skyguard and the Nyxborn Shieldmates to his base, and the deck perfomed really well for most of the season, until people started to adapt to it, with celestial flare and other edict effects especially. Then
the UW aggro brew by DrChrisBakerDC seemed really resilient to that metagame adaptation by swarming and carrying Dispel on the SB, the only thing I changed was replacing the Syndic of Tithes for the more tempo-based Azorius Arrester.
- You have been performing so well all season 24 long with various lists, how would you explain that?
Well, like always in MTG luck is a big factor, but I think testing almost every good deck throughout the season really helped me out. That way I could feel their strengths and weaknesses, and I believe that can give you an edge when facing such decks.
- Do you think everyone can make a meteoric rise to fame with the std pauper format, just like you did with WW and UW heroics? What would the best skill requirements be to achieve that?
Yes, if there’s a format that lets you learn, adapt, test and brew it’s STD Pauper. With almost every card available to everyone, if you have the time, you have nearly no restriction to go for the prize.
- As MPDC Season 24 third player on points, it looks like attending a whole season is challenging for you? Why?
I have missed some tournaments due to real life issues, and I think I was late for one due to some summer timezone change in the USA, haha. But I enjoyed each and every one I played and I want to congratulate Mundisv for the first prize in the season scoreboard, as well as gwyned for hosting every event.
- What were your favorite 5 cards this season with Theros and Born of the gods ?
Well Akroan Skyguard and Nyxborn Shieldmate, with the always feared Gods Willing backup. The Loyal Pegasus for the flyers/swarm strategy. And the everlasting, undisputed, lord of the black: Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
- What competitive archetypes could emerge this forthcoming Season 25 with the addition of Journey Into Nyx?
I think Hubris and War-Wing Siren are nice additions to blue, especially for gwyned’s azorius control. There are some interesting heroic creatures too, like Bloodcrazed Hoplite and satyr Hoplite, just to name a few.
- What will you be playing for Season 25?
Time will tell, but with Journey into Nyx there are some nice additions to existing decks, and maybe some room for new brews.
- Could you please make a quick recap' of your path to victory in MPDC Season 24 Worlds, round after round and as far as you can remember since the matchup results are not available yet on PDCMagic ?
Round 1: Bye :D
Round 2: vs rremedio1 W 2-0 Stubborn Heroes
2nd Round was against the GW heroic variant, rremedio1 included Deadly Recluse in the main deck, but fortunately I was able to play around them and exploit the flyers advantage, lucky for me the SB really helped out in this one.
Round 3: vs SickThunder W 2-0
Sorry, I can’t remember his deck, my apologies to SickThunder.
Round 4: vs Gordani (WRB Control) W 2-1
Oh boy, that deck scares me! Packing 20 removals maindeck, plus 6 more on the SB, including shrivel. I don’t remember much of the first game, but somehow I was able to win. 2nd game I was stuck on lands, unable to leave free mana for protection effects, and under beating until it was too late.
On the 3rd game I was on the play, and he had to spend some turns in mana fixers, so I was able to provide an early beating that finished with 2 heroic guys with Strings ciphered and protection.
Top 8: vs Adner (MBC) W 2-0
In my experience I think the Azorius have the advantage, but not by much, especially now that MBC is packing shrivel in the SB.
Game 1: was really close, he drew only 1 removal, and despite playing Grey Merchant on turn 5 and 6, the Azorius Arrester and the Hidden Strings provided me with a safe passage to win the race.
Game 2: He killed my first 3 drops before they could tap, and played grey merchant on turn 5. Things were looking grim, but I managed to top deck a Windsteed Rider, with 2 Hidden Strings and 2 Mizzium Skins in my hand, next turn drew a Raptor giving me the edict protection, to seal the match.
Top 4: vs Gordani (WRB Control) W 2-1
Nooo, this deck again!. I remember one game going to me because he missed some early land drops. Another he just crushed me with removal and I think 3 white Gatekeepers.
In the third game I believe, I was really lucky he wasn’t able to profit with the shrivels, because my raptor evolved out of reach, so he only 2 for 2 me, and I was with enough gas on my hand to win the game, with the help of some gods willing and dispels.
I think I was truly fortunate to be able to win vs Gordani twice; he is a really good player and, in my opinion, his deck had the upper hand.
Finals: vs ScionOfJustice (WW) W 2-1
First game went to him; I kept a 2 land hand, and just drew like 7 or 8 more lands.
On the second I had to mulligan to 5, kept a 1 lander, but was lucky enough to draw my second land on time. I think with Sideboard this deck has an edge vs WW, bringing the Celestial Flares and Dispels can really disrupt his game plan, plus his Gods Willings suffer from the “disenchant” effect, unlike the ciphers cards. The final game I think he kept a sketchy hand, because his first play was an Auramancer without graveyard target, and I went ahead with the help of removal and flyers.
- Thanks a lot Torreth for the precious time you spent answering those questions, and for sharing your experience in the game with our readers and members. I have no doubt you will keep on performing well for MPDC Season 25.
Thanks all for reading and see you next time, here or online ! !
