Are You Ready For Ben's Deck Challenge?
For more information about my deck challenge, click here.
THE DECKS:
1) Little Green Men
Little Green Men is the Elf deck of the tournament. It features Elves of all shapes and sizes, many of which are eager to prove their worth in Santa’s Workshop. The prize for winning with Little Green Men is 4x Deranged Hermit and 4x Aluren — after all, Elves need friends too!
2) Ralph, Lord of the Zombies
Everyone knows that Ralph is in fact Lord of the Undead in disguise, and he wants to drive the zombies to greater victory through the consumption of flesh. If you can lead Ralph and his army of the unliving to victory, 4 Khabal Ghouls will be yours!
3) 10-4
Ten-hut! This soldier deck utilizes the very best in both offensive and defensive soldiers, as it looks to outflank your opponent at every turn. Top prize for wining with the Soldier deck? None other than 4 Decree of Justice and 4 Crusade!
4) Hi, We’re the Goblins
Goblins attack! Goblins smash! Goblins not too smart! Goblins win 4x Goblin Piledriver and 4x Siege-Gang Commander if Goblins win!
5) Hi, we’re not the Goblins
This deck is classified at this time, but it’s prize isn’t! Win with this deck and receive 4 Chrome Mox, straight from Mirrodin!
6) Fish Tank
This mono-blue deck utilizes only the freshest of Merfolk from the deep blue ocean. And of course, what’s a Merfolk deck without the lure of 4 Force of Will and 4 Standstill as a prize?
7) Johnny & Kai
This Blue/Black deck may or may not have anything to do with past invitational winners. Win with this deck, and you’ll receive 4 of every other invitational winner card ever: That’s 4x Rootwater Thief, 4x Avalanche Riders, 4x Meddling Mage, 4x Solemn Simulacrum, and 4x Sylvan Safekeeper!
8) Medic!
Who doesn’t love Clerics? Ok, who else aside from Jedit doesn’t love Clerics? I thought so — and what better to pump up your Cleric deck than winning 4x Rotlung Reanimator, 4x Academy Rector and 4x Lightning Greaves?
9) Enter the Arena
MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!! Or maybe this is just the beast deck, with Contested Cliffs clearing the way for huge monsters. 4x Starstorm, 4x Ravenous Baloth and 4x Hammer of Bogardan go to the player who wins with this deck!
) Erhnam’ and Burnem’
A classic from “ye olde days” of constructed, circa 1822 b.c. It’s got burn. It’s got Erhn. What more could it ask for? How about 4x Birds of Paradise to add to the deck after you’ve swept away the competition?
11) Key & Vault
Key & Vault. Vault & Key. It’s a lot like getting your peanut butter in my chocolate — or your belt buckle over and around my latch. However you look at it, this Affinity deck will roxxor your boxxor — and it will hopefully bring home the bacon in the form of 4x Glimmervoid and 4x Skullclamp!
12) When Walls Attack...
When Walls attack, everyone quakes in fear. These walls are Blue and White, and come crashing across the Plains and Islands to bash the opponent’s head in. Of course, if you’re the winner of my deck challenge, they’ll be crashing across 4x Tundras as well....
13) Chimera my Dreams
This deck has Chimeras. This deck has Arcbound creatures. This deck has Tinker main and knows how to use it — though the creatures might be a little slow, powerful silver bullets power this deck to victory — and towards 4x Arcbound Ravagers!
14) Zuberi & Friends
Griffins are the oft-maligned children of white decks. That’s why we’ve added a few helper spells to make sure that your Griffins won’t be maligned by pesky things like attacking creatures, or combat damage. If you can pilot the friendly skies to an absolute win, then your Griffins will be joined by 4x Exalted Angels.
15) Fire & Ice
Counter-burn by any other name is still Counter-burn. If you can’t kill it, counter it. If you can’t counter it, kill it. If you can’t do either, then you ain’t got no skill brother! What’s a counter-burn deck without the nifty prize of 4x Misdirection and 4 Squee, Goblin Nabob?
16) ARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
ARRRRRRR MATEY! PREPARE TO BE BOARDED BY PIRATES! YER PLUNDER? 4x RISHADAN PORT! ARRRRRRRRRRRR!
17) Cateran, Kansas
Located in rustic Kansas, this small town features many disreputable mercenaries, all of whom are up to naughtiness. If they win, then I forsee 4x Phyrexian Negator and 4x Bad Moon coming to town.
18) Ramosian, Illinois
Located in the hills of Illinois, this town has declared war on a certain town in Kansas, and will rebel against the evil empire! Win, and both glory and 4x Lin Sivvi are yours! Oh, and you might get paid a visit by 4x Eternal Dragon as well — Lin Sivvi’s got a new pet baby!
19) Secret Quick Brooding Horned Root Muscle #4
You might have several 6/6 trampling uncounterable play-as-an-instant creature generating slivers in play. You might also get 4 copies of a certain 5 color Sliver from Stronghold if you pilot the mean green machine to a clean victory.
20) Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Mushroom Mushroom!
In honor of Bob Maher’s invitational card, this poison deck will attempt to win through means other than damage. How novel! I bet that winning 4x Bayou would help smooth the mana base a little as well....
21) Home is Where the Heart is
Another mystery deck, but if you win — then 4x Mox Diamond will be yours!
22) Orc & Dorks
Goblins by any other name would be Sligh, and this is Sligh classic style — Orcish Artillery is going to get medieval on your @$$. 4x Cursed Scrolls are the prize for winning with this classic!
23) Theater of Stomp
Stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp pitch Elvish Spirit Guide stomp stomp stomp stomp thanks for the win stomp stomp stomp 4x Gaea’s Cradle are now mine yay!
24) Land Ahoy!
There is only one type of Magic card in this deck, and you ain’t getting’ more than one guess as to what type it is. Don’t be fooled — just because they are lands doesn’t meant they won’t whup your butt! First prize for the man-land deck is 4x Blinkmoth Nexus and 4x Wasteland — move and countermove, appropriately.
25) Sunburst.....now with 100% less 5th Dawn!
Invasion block was the 5-color block. Now Wizards is making 5th Dawn the five color set. Well, hearken back to the old days of domain decks, and you could win yourself a BOX of 5th Dawn! NOTE: The box of 5th Dawn will be awarded on June 4th, 2004 (the release date of 5th Dawn)
26) Equipinator
You really don’t even want to know. Let’s just say that the winner of this deck will walk away with 4x Sword of Fire & Ice and 4x Sword of Light & Shadow. And one of each of those swords will be FOIL!
27) The Ophidio Show
This mono-blue deck uses a lot of creatures from Mirage block. That’s ironic, given that first prize for piloting this deck to victory are 4x Morphling.
28) PT 10
This isn’t the Pro Tour — it’s the power and toughness = 10 deck! Yeah, your creatures are going to be large. But what’s even larger is the suite of prizes you can win using this deck. Are you ready? The prize for this deck is one of each of the following: Archangel, Balduvian Horde, Baron Sengir, Demonic Hordes, Dragon Mage, Furnace Dragon, Great Whale, Kilnmouth Dragon, Quicksilver Dragon, Rathi Dragon, Shivan Dragon, Sol’Kanar the Swamp King, Teeka’s Dragon, Thundermare, and Vampiric Dragon. Wooooooooo!
29) Comblander
Don’t ask. You really don’t want to know. Just know that you’ll be getting 4x Vampiric Tutors if you can solve this puzzle of an enigma of a deck.
30) Rats!
In honor of today’s rant, we bring to you a deck filled with rats, rats, and more rats. What is better than more rats? 4x Coat of Arms to make your rats even rattier!
31) Phelddagrif Nation
Every card in this deck is a 3-color gold card. Every card in the sideboard is a card relating to one of these 3-color gold cards. Every prize for this deck is a land with which to cast these three color gold cards — one of each Adarkar Wastes, Brushland, City of Brass, Gemstone Mine, Savannah, Tropical Island, Tundra, Undiscovered Paradise, and Yavimaya Coast!
32) Tim-may!
Another mystery deck. As you may have guessed, the first place prize for this deck is 4x Masticore!
I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday! We still have a scant few slots open for this tournament, so stop by the store Friday, Saturday or Sunday (space willing) to get one of the last few entries into my Deck Challenge!
Ben Bleiweiss
Magic Card Manager, Starcitygames.com
About Ben Bleiweiss
Ben is one of the foremost Magic: The Gathering financial experts in the world. His accomplishments over his 15+ year involvement with Magic include two tenures as a weekly columnist for Wizards of the Coast, global travel as both a Pro Tour player and reporter, and his position as General Manager for StarCityGames.com.