Another unique finals for the Open Series featured Domri Naya looking to close out the event with a win against G/R Aggro, a matchup Kibler himself has cited as troubling for his World Championship creation. Would Adam pull off the upset?
Adam's looking forward to a beatdown mirror after a grueling semifinals.
Game 1
Adam keeps his opening seven while Andrew mulligans down to four. Turn 1 Stomping+Grounds and Avacyn’s Pilgrim is still a strong start, but Forest and Arbor Elf from Adam matched it. Turn 2 Domri+Rade on Andrew’s side hoped to make up for the lost cards, but the planeswalker was quickly under pressure from Flinthoof+Boar.
Domri found Andrew another Pilgrim, and he played it alongside Voice+of+Resurgence on the following turn. Adam was shy the second red required for most of his other hasted attackers, but he did attack Domri once more with Flinthoof+Boar. Andrew elected to just block with Voice, gaining an Elemental token that had a good shot at fighting Boar to death if he drew a creature... except that Mizzium+Mortars slew it on Adam’s second main.
Scavenging+Ooze joined the party, and now it looked like Andrew’s tough start was going to bury him after all. Domri into his own Ooze gave him the superior creature, becoming a 3/3 on the spot, and he ended the turn after casting his third Avacyn’s Pilgrim. MIzzium+Mortars took out Andrew’s Ooze as well, however, and Adam’s follow-up assault forced Andrew to double chump if he wanted to save Domri+Rade. He declined.
A new Domri off the top failed to find a creature and seemed destined for the same fate as the last one. The Scavenging+Ooze got to work, and once Thundermaw+Hellkite joined the board it was all but over.
Adam 1, Andrew 0
Andrew studies his opponent's decklist for an edge between games.
Game 2
Adam took a mulligan in game 2, while Andrew kept seven and started on Avacyn’s Pilgrim. No mana accelerant for Adam, and Andrew got to work with Flinthoof+Boar on turn 2, though he had no Mountain. Adam had his own on the following turn, but Andrew removed it with Mizzium+Mortars before jamming Voice+of+Resurgence onto the board as well.
Facing the two beaters and a Pilgrim, Adam made his third land drop and cast Flames+of+the+Firebrand, taking advantage of Andrew’s missing Mountain to kill the Pilgrim and the Boar. He attacked with Voice and hardcast Ghor-Clan+Rampager, but Adam fired back with his own 4/4.
Despite the aggressive start, Andrew hadn’t gotten in much damage—still, he decided to keep the pressure up and Oblivion+Ring the Rampager to get it out of the way and knock Adam to 8 life. A second one dropped in front of him on the next turn, so Andrew dropped Gavony+Township and jammed both creatures into the red zone. The Rampager blocked the Voice, and Andrew allowed it to die in order to cast another Voice.
On 4 life, Adam needed to muster a blocker for both the Elemental and the Rampager, or kill one of them right now. Domri+Rade would do the trick but leave him vulnerable to a lot of topdecks, but that was already the case—after all, a Thundermaw+Hellkite was game over on the spot. Casting Boar and suiting it up with Volcanic+Strength, Adam could only block his way down to 1 life before conceding on the next turn.
Adam 1, Andrew 1
Game 3
Two one-sided games led to the third, and Adam kicked it off... with a mulligan. Andrew kept seven, and each player had a mana guy on turn 1 to threaten an explosive start. Adam went to 18 to make Flinthoof+Boar a 3/3 attacker on turn 2, leaving Andrew the option of playing a creature of his own or Mortars on the Boar. He decided on his own Boar, keeping the Mortars for a later threat.
Adam punished him with Volcanic+Strength, putting Andrew to 10 and leaving him looking for Selesnya+Charm—but all he cast was Scavenging+Ooze. Adam tried to get the kill with Thundermaw+Hellkite, but Ray+of+Revelation took the Boar’s aura away and allowed Andrew to trade 3/3s while going to 5 life.
He could survive one more hit from Hellkite thanks to the life gain on Ooze... but would Adam peel one of his many outs for the kill? Attacking for 4, Andrew played Boros+Reckoner and crossed his fingers... but Adam had two Rampagers to seal the deal.
Adam 2, Andrew 1
