by David Sutcliffe
For Great Honor and with Concerted Efforts, Luca Magni of Italy and Anssi Alkio of Finland had each dispatched the final two British hopes in the quarterfinals, setting up an intriguing semifinal between two different builds of the Fury Warrior deck.
Anssi won the die roll and placed A Rare Bean. On his first turn, Luca placed a Bane of the Illidari, and revealed his Guardian’s Plate Bracers from hand. That armor was a crucial edge in this matchup. Both players followed up with a Death Wish, but it was his Plate Bracers that allowed Luca to actually take advantage and begin the slugfest. On his third turn, Anssi Alkio trumped the Guardian’s Plate Bracers with some Greaves of Ancient Evil, while Luca threw down a Vindicator’s Brand. Alkio answered with his own Vindicator’s Brand!
This was turning into something of an arms race, with both players preparing for the proverbial finish lone but neither willing to trigger what could be a global meltdown. Although slightly behind on the board, as his Bracers were strictly worse that Alkio’s Greaves, Luca Magni had good reason to be confident--he had laid 4 quests, while Anssi had already placed 3 resources facedown. Anssi attempted to utilize his Keys to the Armory, but Luca had a Shuriken of Negation in the hand to foil that plan, and the Italian swiftly moved to attack with the Shuriken, dealing 2 more damage and returning it to hand for the next turn.
Placing yet another quest, Luca sprang onto the attack again, striking with his Vindicator’s Brand and fueling his hate with a Death Wish. Alkio soaked the damage as best he could with the Greaves of Ancient Evil but went up to 8 damage on his hero. Drawing a card from Bane of the Illidari, Luca then used A Rare Bean to call for a rare card, pulling up Tanks For Everything, Dalaran--another critical step in this arms race. Luca then played his own Greaves of Ancient Evil.
This game seemed to be nearing an end as Magni built a sizeable advantage, but the Italian was always cautious in pushing his lead only as far as he knew was safe. A second Rare Bean handed him the Girdle of Razuvious, and on his next turn Magni played a Vindicator’s Brand to remove Anssi’s Greaves and went on the offensive, putting the Finn on 11 damage. Alkio needed to find an answer, and quickly. A second Vindicator’s Brand would help, destroying Luca's Death Wish, but A Rare Bean immediately found him a replacement. There would be no respite from Luca Magni’s assault--this time he attacked for 3 damage with Death Wish, then readied his hero with the Greaves and played a Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive to strike for another 5 damage, putting Anssi on 19 damage and surely just a single turn from a messy demise.
On the ropes, Alkio sunk everything into revealing himself to be Kel’thuzad, but with no allies in Luca’s hand or graveyard, he could only hide behind a lone Dethvir the Malignant. Luca wasted little time in slaughtering his treacherous former ally--he then readied his hero with the Greaves of Ancient Evil and played the Girdle of Razuvious to search the Betrayer of Humanity into play. That huge axe first served to destroy his Vindicator’s Brand, then sliced Kel’thuzad in half to give the Italian the first game.
Magni - 1, Alkio - 0
Game 2, and Anssi had the first turn again, but again he found himself behind on tempo immediately--Luca Magni had his Guardian’s Plate Bracers in hand for a second time, trumping Anssi’s Perdition’s Blade. On his third turn, Anssi played his Greaves of Ancient Evil but was unable to attack, while Luca’s third turn was just a humble Broderick Langforth.
Both players played identical turn 4s, passing the turn and then using Darkness Calling--Anssi discarded a Keys to the Armory while Luca disposed of a Netherbane. Turn 5 passed from Anssi and still no play, while Luca was content to put down a second Broderick Langforth and wait for the Finn to make the first move. Alkio finally did make a move on his next turn, playing a Death Wish to draw out Luca Magni’s Shuriken of Negation, then quickly aiming a Puncture at the Shuriken before Magni could summon it back to his hand. That was a smart move, and meant that Alkio didn’t need to worry so much about his abilities being interrupted. Taking this opportunity to build a few points of damage, Luca sent his Brodericks into the fray, dealing 2 damage. Anssi had a Pummel on hand to interrupt Luca’s Death Wish, but nothing for a Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive and a further 2 points went onto Benjamin Tremendouson. On his next turn Anssi had nothing to do but pass the board back to his Italian opponent, and Luca sent his Brodericks forward for a second time. This time, Alkio struck back with his Perdition’s Blade to kill one of the two allies.
Luca then used a Keys to the Armory to find his Bulwark of the Ancient Kings, and Alkio responded by aiming a Smash at the Guardian’s Plate Bracers. Another passed turn was not a good sign for Anssi Alkio, though. He had cards in hand to burn, but only a Perdition’s Blade and Greaves of Ancient Evil in play. Across the table, Luca Magni protected himself behind a Guardian’s Plate Bracers and his own Greaves of Ancient Evil, as well as that Bulwark of the Ancient Kings.
But still, neither player had a clear advantage, and certainly neither was near victory. Playing a Vindicator’s Brand and choosing to keep his Perdition’s Blade, Alkio removed the Bulwark of Ancient Kings, with a Shuriken of Negation spare to interrupt Luca Magni’s Puncture. The threat from Alkio was clear--on 9 resources, he was only a turn away from Kel’thuzad. He only had 2 cards in hand, so Luca had to be wondering if he even had the Master Hero at his disposal?
Those 2 cards became 1 when Anssi used a Pummel on Magni’s attempt to Reconstruct his Shuriken of Negation. A Rare Bean provided the Finn with Guardian’s Plate Bracers, and he then played his own Shuriken of Negation and attacked to finally remove Luca’s second Broderick. Things were tightly poised now. Both players had Bracers and Greaves, while Anssi Alkio had a Perdition’s Blade and Magni had Tanks For Everything, Dalaran.
Then Alkio drew a card that could potentially change everything: Bloody Ritual. Gladly accepting the 4 damage on his hero, he sucked up a whole new hand of cards. With Anssi having Shuriken of Negation waiting in his hand, Luca Magni would never be able to get his own Bloody Ritual to resolve even if he drew it. Vindicator’s Brand removed Luca’s Greaves, and a turn later Anssi revealed that he had finally found Kel’thuzad and brought the lich to the board, calling Dethvir and Broderick to do his bidding.
This was now a one-way battle, and when Anssi Alkio played Jin’rohk, the Great Apocalypse on his next turn, Luca Magni conceded defeat.
Magni - 1, Alkio - 1
The deciding game would determine who went on to the finals, with the whole EUCC title on the line. Luca Magni began it exactly as he had the previous two games, with a Guardian’s Plate Bracers, this time matched with a Broderick Langforth. Anssi Alkio played a Death Wish that allowed him to kill Broderick, then a Vindicator’s Brand. Responding in kind with his own Vindicator’s Brand, Luca was unable to really take advantage of the situation as Alkio donned some Greaves of Ancient Evil to match the Italian for 3 DEF of armor apiece.
The tension on both players was palpable now--you could almost feel that the instincts of the two players were opposed. Luca Magni was looking for the opening that would win him the match, while the cooler Anssi Alkio was happy to wait and deflect his opponent’s blows until he could get an edge. In keeping with that, Magni braved playing a Bloody Ritual, but it was interrupted by Alkio’s Pummel. Stealing his opponent’s idea, Anssi went for his own Bloody Ritual. When Luca attempted to Pummel it, the Finn revealed a second Pummel of his own to ensure that he got to draw his four cards. He then used Keys to the Armory to search up his Shuriken of Negation.
That little exchange certainly seemed to have handed an edge to the Finn, and Magni again seemed moved to speed the game to a conclusion. Not waiting for Anssi to get his Shuriken available, Luca threw his abilities down--Puncture on Anssi’s Greaves, Death Wish into play, and his own Shuriken with Keys to the Armory.
Still looking to play the control game, Anssi spent his turn laying a Ring of Blood: Brokentoe, playing a second Vindicator’s Brand to remove Luca’s Death Wish, and then leaving open enough resources to Shuriken whatever the Italian had to offer. What the Italian had to offer was his Fleshwork Throwing Glaive though, and he snuck in for a few points of damage. Through all this fencing for position, Anssi had been leaking damage points here and there, not the least of which he'd dealt himself with the Ritual. He had a sizable 13 damage on his hero, and needed to get moving.
The first step was to play some more armor. Bonefist Gauntlets not only offered protection from the Throwing Glaive but also gave Luca Magni reason to worry about the arrival of Jin’rohk a little earlier than usual. With Guardian’s Plate Bracers as his only piece of armor, he could find himself dangerously exposed as soon as Jin’rohk, the Great Apocalypse hit play! It would discard Anssi's Brand and destroy Magni's only armor.
But however much he might worry about Jin’rohk, what Luca Magni didn’t have was an answer available. The best he could do was continue to attempt attacking the Finn, getting another 2 points of damage through. On Anssi’s next turn, the Italian’s worst fears were realized--Girdle of Razuvious arrived, bringing with it Anssi’s Jin’rohk. Luca struck back with his Vindicator’s Brand, but only 1 point got past Anssi’s armor as he lost 3 resources to the blow. Another turn of Jin’rohk damage would be crippling for the Italian, but the damage that Anssi had taken from bringing his Jin’rohk into play had put him near death as well!
Striking with his Vindicator’s Brand, Luca Magni put the Finn on 26 damage and then played a Netherbane to replace his Brand and remove Jin’rohk from play. With Jin’rohk gone, would Anssi Alkio pay the ultimate price for having dealt 11 damage to himself during the course of the game?
Putting some extra distance between himself and death, Alkio played Kel’thuzad, not only increasing his hero’s health to 33 but also pulling a Dethvir the Malignant and Broderick Langforth to his side in the bargain. Luca hit back with a Death Wish and Throwing Glaive to remove Dethvir. Readying his resources for the first time as Kel’thuzad, Anssi Alkio now had a simple goal--avoid dying. He was firmly in control of the game, and far ahead on cards and resources, but only 7 damage from a horrid demise. He still had to do 23 damage to his opponent.
Alkio began the offensive, attacking for 3 with his hero, but Luca showed that the nerves had perhaps begun to get to him--he played a Vindicator’s Brand, accidentally sacrificing his Netherbane instead of the Brand. Reconstructing his Jin’rohk, Alkio wasted little time in taking advantage and hit back, this time for 6 damage thanks to Kel'thuzad's natural strength. It was a mortal blow from which Luca Magni could not recover. He offered his hand--despite his best efforts, it would be Anssi Alkio who advanced to the final!
Magni - 1, Alkio - 2
Anssi Alkio advances!
Anssi won the die roll and placed A Rare Bean. On his first turn, Luca placed a Bane of the Illidari, and revealed his Guardian’s Plate Bracers from hand. That armor was a crucial edge in this matchup. Both players followed up with a Death Wish, but it was his Plate Bracers that allowed Luca to actually take advantage and begin the slugfest. On his third turn, Anssi Alkio trumped the Guardian’s Plate Bracers with some Greaves of Ancient Evil, while Luca threw down a Vindicator’s Brand. Alkio answered with his own Vindicator’s Brand!
This was turning into something of an arms race, with both players preparing for the proverbial finish lone but neither willing to trigger what could be a global meltdown. Although slightly behind on the board, as his Bracers were strictly worse that Alkio’s Greaves, Luca Magni had good reason to be confident--he had laid 4 quests, while Anssi had already placed 3 resources facedown. Anssi attempted to utilize his Keys to the Armory, but Luca had a Shuriken of Negation in the hand to foil that plan, and the Italian swiftly moved to attack with the Shuriken, dealing 2 more damage and returning it to hand for the next turn.
Placing yet another quest, Luca sprang onto the attack again, striking with his Vindicator’s Brand and fueling his hate with a Death Wish. Alkio soaked the damage as best he could with the Greaves of Ancient Evil but went up to 8 damage on his hero. Drawing a card from Bane of the Illidari, Luca then used A Rare Bean to call for a rare card, pulling up Tanks For Everything, Dalaran--another critical step in this arms race. Luca then played his own Greaves of Ancient Evil.
This game seemed to be nearing an end as Magni built a sizeable advantage, but the Italian was always cautious in pushing his lead only as far as he knew was safe. A second Rare Bean handed him the Girdle of Razuvious, and on his next turn Magni played a Vindicator’s Brand to remove Anssi’s Greaves and went on the offensive, putting the Finn on 11 damage. Alkio needed to find an answer, and quickly. A second Vindicator’s Brand would help, destroying Luca's Death Wish, but A Rare Bean immediately found him a replacement. There would be no respite from Luca Magni’s assault--this time he attacked for 3 damage with Death Wish, then readied his hero with the Greaves and played a Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive to strike for another 5 damage, putting Anssi on 19 damage and surely just a single turn from a messy demise.
On the ropes, Alkio sunk everything into revealing himself to be Kel’thuzad, but with no allies in Luca’s hand or graveyard, he could only hide behind a lone Dethvir the Malignant. Luca wasted little time in slaughtering his treacherous former ally--he then readied his hero with the Greaves of Ancient Evil and played the Girdle of Razuvious to search the Betrayer of Humanity into play. That huge axe first served to destroy his Vindicator’s Brand, then sliced Kel’thuzad in half to give the Italian the first game.
Magni - 1, Alkio - 0
Game 2, and Anssi had the first turn again, but again he found himself behind on tempo immediately--Luca Magni had his Guardian’s Plate Bracers in hand for a second time, trumping Anssi’s Perdition’s Blade. On his third turn, Anssi played his Greaves of Ancient Evil but was unable to attack, while Luca’s third turn was just a humble Broderick Langforth.
Luca then used a Keys to the Armory to find his Bulwark of the Ancient Kings, and Alkio responded by aiming a Smash at the Guardian’s Plate Bracers. Another passed turn was not a good sign for Anssi Alkio, though. He had cards in hand to burn, but only a Perdition’s Blade and Greaves of Ancient Evil in play. Across the table, Luca Magni protected himself behind a Guardian’s Plate Bracers and his own Greaves of Ancient Evil, as well as that Bulwark of the Ancient Kings.
But still, neither player had a clear advantage, and certainly neither was near victory. Playing a Vindicator’s Brand and choosing to keep his Perdition’s Blade, Alkio removed the Bulwark of Ancient Kings, with a Shuriken of Negation spare to interrupt Luca Magni’s Puncture. The threat from Alkio was clear--on 9 resources, he was only a turn away from Kel’thuzad. He only had 2 cards in hand, so Luca had to be wondering if he even had the Master Hero at his disposal?
Those 2 cards became 1 when Anssi used a Pummel on Magni’s attempt to Reconstruct his Shuriken of Negation. A Rare Bean provided the Finn with Guardian’s Plate Bracers, and he then played his own Shuriken of Negation and attacked to finally remove Luca’s second Broderick. Things were tightly poised now. Both players had Bracers and Greaves, while Anssi Alkio had a Perdition’s Blade and Magni had Tanks For Everything, Dalaran.
Then Alkio drew a card that could potentially change everything: Bloody Ritual. Gladly accepting the 4 damage on his hero, he sucked up a whole new hand of cards. With Anssi having Shuriken of Negation waiting in his hand, Luca Magni would never be able to get his own Bloody Ritual to resolve even if he drew it. Vindicator’s Brand removed Luca’s Greaves, and a turn later Anssi revealed that he had finally found Kel’thuzad and brought the lich to the board, calling Dethvir and Broderick to do his bidding.
This was now a one-way battle, and when Anssi Alkio played Jin’rohk, the Great Apocalypse on his next turn, Luca Magni conceded defeat.
Magni - 1, Alkio - 1
The deciding game would determine who went on to the finals, with the whole EUCC title on the line. Luca Magni began it exactly as he had the previous two games, with a Guardian’s Plate Bracers, this time matched with a Broderick Langforth. Anssi Alkio played a Death Wish that allowed him to kill Broderick, then a Vindicator’s Brand. Responding in kind with his own Vindicator’s Brand, Luca was unable to really take advantage of the situation as Alkio donned some Greaves of Ancient Evil to match the Italian for 3 DEF of armor apiece.
The tension on both players was palpable now--you could almost feel that the instincts of the two players were opposed. Luca Magni was looking for the opening that would win him the match, while the cooler Anssi Alkio was happy to wait and deflect his opponent’s blows until he could get an edge. In keeping with that, Magni braved playing a Bloody Ritual, but it was interrupted by Alkio’s Pummel. Stealing his opponent’s idea, Anssi went for his own Bloody Ritual. When Luca attempted to Pummel it, the Finn revealed a second Pummel of his own to ensure that he got to draw his four cards. He then used Keys to the Armory to search up his Shuriken of Negation.
That little exchange certainly seemed to have handed an edge to the Finn, and Magni again seemed moved to speed the game to a conclusion. Not waiting for Anssi to get his Shuriken available, Luca threw his abilities down--Puncture on Anssi’s Greaves, Death Wish into play, and his own Shuriken with Keys to the Armory.
The first step was to play some more armor. Bonefist Gauntlets not only offered protection from the Throwing Glaive but also gave Luca Magni reason to worry about the arrival of Jin’rohk a little earlier than usual. With Guardian’s Plate Bracers as his only piece of armor, he could find himself dangerously exposed as soon as Jin’rohk, the Great Apocalypse hit play! It would discard Anssi's Brand and destroy Magni's only armor.
But however much he might worry about Jin’rohk, what Luca Magni didn’t have was an answer available. The best he could do was continue to attempt attacking the Finn, getting another 2 points of damage through. On Anssi’s next turn, the Italian’s worst fears were realized--Girdle of Razuvious arrived, bringing with it Anssi’s Jin’rohk. Luca struck back with his Vindicator’s Brand, but only 1 point got past Anssi’s armor as he lost 3 resources to the blow. Another turn of Jin’rohk damage would be crippling for the Italian, but the damage that Anssi had taken from bringing his Jin’rohk into play had put him near death as well!
Striking with his Vindicator’s Brand, Luca Magni put the Finn on 26 damage and then played a Netherbane to replace his Brand and remove Jin’rohk from play. With Jin’rohk gone, would Anssi Alkio pay the ultimate price for having dealt 11 damage to himself during the course of the game?
Putting some extra distance between himself and death, Alkio played Kel’thuzad, not only increasing his hero’s health to 33 but also pulling a Dethvir the Malignant and Broderick Langforth to his side in the bargain. Luca hit back with a Death Wish and Throwing Glaive to remove Dethvir. Readying his resources for the first time as Kel’thuzad, Anssi Alkio now had a simple goal--avoid dying. He was firmly in control of the game, and far ahead on cards and resources, but only 7 damage from a horrid demise. He still had to do 23 damage to his opponent.
Alkio began the offensive, attacking for 3 with his hero, but Luca showed that the nerves had perhaps begun to get to him--he played a Vindicator’s Brand, accidentally sacrificing his Netherbane instead of the Brand. Reconstructing his Jin’rohk, Alkio wasted little time in taking advantage and hit back, this time for 6 damage thanks to Kel'thuzad's natural strength. It was a mortal blow from which Luca Magni could not recover. He offered his hand--despite his best efforts, it would be Anssi Alkio who advanced to the final!
Magni - 1, Alkio - 2
Anssi Alkio advances!
That boy needs to cut and wash his greasy hair...
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