Discussion Forum

PT Nagoya is finished, and I think the constructed portion is fairly interesting.
http://ggxgames.blogspot.com/2011/06/pro-tour-nagoya-and-new-face-of.html

The standings at the end of constructed matches were:
1st: 4 Color Control
2nd: Mono Black Infect
3rd: White Tempered Steel
4th: White Tempered Steel
5th: White Aggro
6th: Red Aggro
7th: White Aggro
8th: Red Aggro

I think the 4CC deck that placed in first is very interesting, but I don't think it is nearly powerful enough outside of a Block match to go anywhere. In other words, I don't think we'll be seeing it place anywhere come October.

The Black Infect deck is pretty interesting. The Piston Sledge is a strange choice, I wouldn't think Black would be able to hold onto its creatures long enough for Piston Sledge to matter, but then again he might only play it as a Giant Growth once he sees that the coast is clear with a Gitaxian Probe or Despise.

The 4 white decks are probably what we'll be seeing a lot of in Standard come rotation. Lots of Artifact creatures with Tempered Steel, or lots of White Weenies running around with Swords. Same story with the Red Decks, Mirrodin block certainly didn't make Red aggro decks any slower, and the Shrine of Burning Rage gives them an awesome "off-color" burn spell.

My predictions for Standard come October are that we will basically be seeing this exact breakdown in Top 8s. 4 White aggros, 2 Red aggros, and a couple stragglers that made it in.

Anyone here follow Block format enough to think it's odd that a certain deck didn't make it in? Anything I missed?

More importantly, does anyone think that there's a "Stoneforge Mystic" in this block that is currently sitting down in the bargain bins and is going to shoot up in price once all the drafts are done?