by David Sutcliffe
This is a match worth featuring not just on its own merits, but for what has gone before. Yesterday, Stuart Wright and Jeremie Tiano faced each other in the feature match arena, with Stuart comfortably taking Jeremie’s Spark/Elekk combo deck apart with his Rogue concoction. From there, Stuart has stumbled slightly while Jeremie has clawed his way back into contention. Coming out of the second draft pod, this was the Last Chance Saloon for both players. Win, and the Top 8 was achievable. Lose, and you should have taken up horseshoes or hand grenades instead, because close wouldn’t be much consolation this time.
And the extra spice in the mix? Revenge, as Jeremie was very quick to point out. “I prefer to play with this deck against your deck than with my Shaman deck against your Rogue deck, from yesterday." “That’s fair!” agreed Stuart. His hero is the Alliance Shaman, Prometha, while Jeremie is bringing the Fury of Ivan, Bladewind Brute.
Zealot Kalinov was Stuart‘s opening gambit, but Jeremie revealed a card that made Stu’s heart sink--a Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive--and dropped 2 damage onto the Zealot. Stu followed up with Trixie Boltclunker, while Jeremie played an Azjol-anak Webweaver. Even though it had happened a couple of turns ago, Stuart still seemed unhappy about having to deal with the Throwing Glaive. “Its not that good!” said Jeremie, defending his rare weapon.
"It’s pretty good!" replied Stuart. “It’s better as Rogue, I admit. And you know, I’m not saying it's as good as my rare either,” he added, playing Feral Spirit to bring a pair of 4/4 Spirit Wolves into play! That definitely put Jeremie on the back foot--he aimed a Throwing Glaive at one of the Spirit Wolf tokens and added Hulstom, Servant of the Light to his board, but it was immediately torn apart by Stuart’s Spirit Wolves. Stuart played Mardun Valorhearth, but Jeremie immediately aimed a Ruination at the big Paladin before using his Webweaver to trade with one of the Spirit Wolves.
While that sounded positive, it left Jeremie with nothing in play against three of Stuart’s allies: a Spirit Wolf with 3 damage on it, Zealot Kalinov with 2 damage, and Trixie Boltclunker. Wasting little time, the Brit hammered Jeremie again, putting him on 17 damage. Trixie protected when Jeremie attempted to attack his Spirit Wolf with the Throwing Glaive. A turn later it was over, and Stuart was a game ahead.
Wright - 1, Tiano - 0
“I suppose I can’t complain about your Glaive if I have Feral Spirit,” conceded Stuart. “I think you had the best draw you could have there”, challenged Jeremie, and he certainly had to hope that was true. “Yeah, it was pretty good.” “Please don’t play Feral Spirit on turn 4 in game 2," Jeremie pleaded. "So the game can be fair."
Jeremie took the first turn and ran with it! Lady Bancroft turn 1, Plasu on 2, and an Azjol-anak Webweaver on 3. Jeremie had three allies in play and attacking before Stuart had even been able to play a single card! His Shaman mustered an Incendiary Totem to trade with the Webweaver, but Jeremie showed no intention of slowing his assault. He added Hurdan the Everlasting before flinging his Throwing Glaive at Stuart’s hero. Stuart had already taken 13 damage!
“No Feral Spirit!” chanted Jeremie, as Stuart laid his fourth resource. “Yes, I‘m playing it. Sorry," Stuart said. "But to be fair, I really need it this time, and you got your rare again!”
For the second game in a row, Stuart Wright brought Spirit Wolves to the table on his fourth turn. This time, Jeremie flung his allies at the Spirit Wolves, with Lady Bancroft and Plasu accounting for one while Hurdan and the Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive killed the other. That turn had answered the Spirit Wolves, but it was a 3-for-1 trade that had destroyed the Frenchman’s aggressive tempo. Beginning to rebuild his forces for a fresh offensive, Jeremie produced Hulstom, Servant of the Light before passing turn.
The problem that Stuart Wright faced now was keeping any of his allies in play against the Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive. He needed allies with a lot of health, and started with the 2/5 Blazemistress Lindsey. Without hesitation, Jeremie flung his Throwing Glaive at Lindsay and used a Requite from his hand to finish her off. Petreus Roffe was Stuart’s next attempt to stop the riot, and the 3/3 protector finally accounted for Jeremie’s attackers. The Frenchman stepped back and spent a turn completing quests to draw cards.
With a little breathing room finally gained, Stuart found Mioma Shadowflint. The 4/6 with Mend 2 would heal his hero out of the danger zone unless answered quickly. Jeremie’s turn of completing quests had fed him a new army though--a Starli and an Azjol-anak Champion--but they were traded unprofitably for Mioma Shadowflint, successfully downing the Dwarf.
Now it was Stu’s turn to throw down some offense. Nethermaven Donna Chastain brought some muscle, flanked by Mardun Valorhearth. Skaala of the Somber Watch denied Jeremie the use of his Throwing Glaive. All that Jeremie had to play was his Skull-Clad Cleaver, but even the biggest weapon in Wrathgate was neutralized by Skaala’s power. Worse yet, it didn’t look like Jeremie had realized what Skaala did as he attempted to strike with his big axe as Stuart attacked.
“Oh!” Jeremie picked up Skaala to read her for the first time, and was hit by the sudden realization that his best plan was now no plan at all. “Attack you for 16?” offered Stuart, and in return Jeremie offered his hand in defeat. The turn 4 Feral Spirit had blunted his attack just as Jeremie was looking to seal victory, and from that point forward Stuart had inched his way back to a level footing before finally taking a crushing lead.
Wright - 2, Tiano - 0
Jeremie Tiano’s revenge must wait for now. Stuart Wright is just one win away from the Top 8 of the European Union Continental Championships!
And the extra spice in the mix? Revenge, as Jeremie was very quick to point out. “I prefer to play with this deck against your deck than with my Shaman deck against your Rogue deck, from yesterday." “That’s fair!” agreed Stuart. His hero is the Alliance Shaman, Prometha, while Jeremie is bringing the Fury of Ivan, Bladewind Brute.
Zealot Kalinov was Stuart‘s opening gambit, but Jeremie revealed a card that made Stu’s heart sink--a Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive--and dropped 2 damage onto the Zealot. Stu followed up with Trixie Boltclunker, while Jeremie played an Azjol-anak Webweaver. Even though it had happened a couple of turns ago, Stuart still seemed unhappy about having to deal with the Throwing Glaive. “Its not that good!” said Jeremie, defending his rare weapon.
"It’s pretty good!" replied Stuart. “It’s better as Rogue, I admit. And you know, I’m not saying it's as good as my rare either,” he added, playing Feral Spirit to bring a pair of 4/4 Spirit Wolves into play! That definitely put Jeremie on the back foot--he aimed a Throwing Glaive at one of the Spirit Wolf tokens and added Hulstom, Servant of the Light to his board, but it was immediately torn apart by Stuart’s Spirit Wolves. Stuart played Mardun Valorhearth, but Jeremie immediately aimed a Ruination at the big Paladin before using his Webweaver to trade with one of the Spirit Wolves.
While that sounded positive, it left Jeremie with nothing in play against three of Stuart’s allies: a Spirit Wolf with 3 damage on it, Zealot Kalinov with 2 damage, and Trixie Boltclunker. Wasting little time, the Brit hammered Jeremie again, putting him on 17 damage. Trixie protected when Jeremie attempted to attack his Spirit Wolf with the Throwing Glaive. A turn later it was over, and Stuart was a game ahead.
Wright - 1, Tiano - 0
“I suppose I can’t complain about your Glaive if I have Feral Spirit,” conceded Stuart. “I think you had the best draw you could have there”, challenged Jeremie, and he certainly had to hope that was true. “Yeah, it was pretty good.” “Please don’t play Feral Spirit on turn 4 in game 2," Jeremie pleaded. "So the game can be fair."
“No Feral Spirit!” chanted Jeremie, as Stuart laid his fourth resource. “Yes, I‘m playing it. Sorry," Stuart said. "But to be fair, I really need it this time, and you got your rare again!”
For the second game in a row, Stuart Wright brought Spirit Wolves to the table on his fourth turn. This time, Jeremie flung his allies at the Spirit Wolves, with Lady Bancroft and Plasu accounting for one while Hurdan and the Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive killed the other. That turn had answered the Spirit Wolves, but it was a 3-for-1 trade that had destroyed the Frenchman’s aggressive tempo. Beginning to rebuild his forces for a fresh offensive, Jeremie produced Hulstom, Servant of the Light before passing turn.
The problem that Stuart Wright faced now was keeping any of his allies in play against the Fleshwerk Throwing Glaive. He needed allies with a lot of health, and started with the 2/5 Blazemistress Lindsey. Without hesitation, Jeremie flung his Throwing Glaive at Lindsay and used a Requite from his hand to finish her off. Petreus Roffe was Stuart’s next attempt to stop the riot, and the 3/3 protector finally accounted for Jeremie’s attackers. The Frenchman stepped back and spent a turn completing quests to draw cards.
With a little breathing room finally gained, Stuart found Mioma Shadowflint. The 4/6 with Mend 2 would heal his hero out of the danger zone unless answered quickly. Jeremie’s turn of completing quests had fed him a new army though--a Starli and an Azjol-anak Champion--but they were traded unprofitably for Mioma Shadowflint, successfully downing the Dwarf.
Now it was Stu’s turn to throw down some offense. Nethermaven Donna Chastain brought some muscle, flanked by Mardun Valorhearth. Skaala of the Somber Watch denied Jeremie the use of his Throwing Glaive. All that Jeremie had to play was his Skull-Clad Cleaver, but even the biggest weapon in Wrathgate was neutralized by Skaala’s power. Worse yet, it didn’t look like Jeremie had realized what Skaala did as he attempted to strike with his big axe as Stuart attacked.
“Oh!” Jeremie picked up Skaala to read her for the first time, and was hit by the sudden realization that his best plan was now no plan at all. “Attack you for 16?” offered Stuart, and in return Jeremie offered his hand in defeat. The turn 4 Feral Spirit had blunted his attack just as Jeremie was looking to seal victory, and from that point forward Stuart had inched his way back to a level footing before finally taking a crushing lead.
Wright - 2, Tiano - 0
Jeremie Tiano’s revenge must wait for now. Stuart Wright is just one win away from the Top 8 of the European Union Continental Championships!
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