By Niels Viaene

12 players joined for the 15th edition of the Gentry Weekly. We welcomed two new players, both of which brought original decks or blasts from the past. The leaderboard is settling a little bit but scores are still all over the place due to people not playing every event. Those that have will get lower yields from future finishes, so it is very possible to catch up, and as there are still 6 events to go, you can still jump in and contend for that top position!

4-0 Renzo Verkooren
Golgari Midrange

Deck (60)
Elder Gargaroth
Swamp
Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
Forest
Golgari Findbroker
Rankle, Master of Pranks
Agonizing Remorse
Fierce Witchstalker
Destiny Spinner
Llanowar Visionary
Blade Juggler
Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate
Golgari Guildgate
Jungle Hollow
Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty
Omen of the Dead
Eliminate
Netcaster Spider
Questing Beast
Barkhide Troll
Sideboard (15)
Duress
Mind Rot
Mire’s Grasp
Return to Nature
Murder
Suffocating Fumes
Netcaster Spider
Finishing Blow

Renzo brought a deck to the tournament that we have not really seen so far. Self-replacing reasonably sized creatures with moderate disruption and versatility was all it took for him to take the undefeated crown in this event. Notice all his creatures are immune to Cry of the Carnarium or draw a card when they enter the battlefield, making for a card advantage battle with the one one one removal that control decks are playing. Add to that the 3-1 Thanh Van
Mono-Red Aggro [deck]Companion
1 Obosh, the Preypiercer

Deck
3 Dwarven Mine
4 Goblin Arsonist
18 Mountain
4 Grim Initiate
4 Scorch Spitter
4 Anax, Hardened in the Forge
2 Storm Caller
3 Weaponize the Monsters
1 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame
1 Phoenix of Ash
4 Light Up the Stage
4 Heraldic Banner
1 Shadowspear
4 Footlight Fiend
3 Shock

Sideboard
1 Obosh, the Preypiercer
2 Act of Treason
2 Skewer the Critics
3 Blazing Volley
2 Irreverent Revelers
1 Sarkhan’s Catharsis
4 Scorching Dragonfire
[/deck]

Many considered this deck to be completely unplayable, especially the version that uses Obosh, ever since the nerfs to Companions. Thanh did not care for such nay-saying and brought this deck to his first Gentry Arena event and proceeded to smash face. There is a lot to say about this deck, choosing to drop [c]Cavalcade of Calamity">Destiny Spinner[c] to shut down countermagic and you have a recipe for disaster for your control opponent.

3-1 Thanh Van
Mono-Red Aggro

[deck]Companion
1 Obosh, the Preypiercer

Deck
3 Dwarven Mine
4 Goblin Arsonist
18 Mountain
4 Grim Initiate
4 Scorch Spitter
4 Anax, Hardened in the Forge
2 Storm Caller
3 Weaponize the Monsters
1 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame
1 Phoenix of Ash
4 Light Up the Stage
4 Heraldic Banner
1 Shadowspear
4 Footlight Fiend
3 Shock

Sideboard
1 Obosh, the Preypiercer
2 Act of Treason
2 Skewer the Critics
3 Blazing Volley
2 Irreverent Revelers
1 Sarkhan’s Catharsis
4 Scorching Dragonfire
[/deck]

Many considered this deck to be completely unplayable, especially the version that uses Obosh, ever since the nerfs to Companions. Thanh did not care for such nay-saying and brought this deck to his first Gentry Arena event and proceeded to smash face. There is a lot to say about this deck, choosing to drop [c]Cavalcade of Calamity in favor of Weaponise the Monsters, effective giving a deck that is usually all aggro an alternative strategy that belongs more in sacrifice engines. With the Cat-Oven combo broken by the banning of Cauldron Familiar, this may be the deck to turn to is you like that kind of strategy.

The Metagame

Control was most of the metagame, with 8 out of 12 decks being Dimir Control, Azorius Control, or a flavor of Izzet but they were more leaning on the aggressive side than the control side. On average, the proactive decks outperformed the control decks in this edition of the Gentry Weekly even though the two other 3-1 players were on Dimir control. Did Renzo and Thanh reopen the metagame or was this just a flash in the pan? Only the future will tell.

Have fun brewing,
Niels

Niels Viaene came into contact with Magic first through the Kazz & Zakk starter set in 1996, but it wouldn’t be until 2000, around the time Prophecy came out that he actually started playing magic thanks to his nephew. Niels’ Magic career has been a roller coaster up to now, including Grand Prix Paris 2009 top 8, Pro Tour San Diego 2010 top 8, becoming a L3 Magic Judge in 2015 and managing the community effort that is the League of New and Beginning Magic: the Gathering Players, the birthing ground for Gentry since 2012. All this comes from a deep love for the game that is far from diminishing.

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