Remember, remember the fifth of September…that’s how it goes, right? Regardless, the fifth of September marks a momentous day for AZMagicPlayers – the 2015 Legacy Series Masters! Players have gone to event after event in an effort to qualify for this one tournament. We’ve reached out to a number of them, let’s get to know them!
- Legacy Series Masters Interviews, Part One
- Legacy Series Masters Interviews, Part Two
- Legacy Series Masters Interviews, Part Three
- Legacy Series Masters Interviews, Part Four
- Legacy Series Masters Interviews, Part Five
Kyle Henriksen
Age:
19
Occupation:
Student
Qualified via:
3 2015 Legacy Series Top 8s
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Won a PPTQ?
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Miracles
How long have you been playing Legacy?
Almost 2 Years
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
I actually really liked the first UWR delver decks when they played Geist of Saint Traft because True-Name Nemesis had not been printed.
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
With Miracles, knowing half of the field is very effective, but I am still undecided on whether or not I will play miracles.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
The only cards that I would ban are Sensei’s Divining Top and Dig Through Time. Sensei’s Divining Top because it causes too many draws, but Dig is just a very powerful card that I think has pushed the blue decks into a higher range.
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
The most memorable Legacy moment for me was probably in the February Top 4. It was Miracles vs. Storm heading to game 3. I proceeded to mulligan to 4 and kept a hand of Island, Sensei’s Divining Top, Rest in Peace, and Force of Will. I played top and passed and he durressed me taking rest in peace. I drew Venser and passed the turn back. He Duressed me again and took Force of Will so now my hand was Venser. I spun end of turn and saw Island, Counterbalance and Vendilion clique. I drew Island for turn and tapped Top to draw Counterbalance and immediately played it. The following turn I was able to replay Top and draw a couple more lands resulting in me flashing in both Vendilion Clique and Venser and killing him on a mull to four with double Duress.
Bryan Kinsman
Age:
24
Occupation:
Philosophy student/corporate slave
Qualified via:
Top Points, at-large
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Playing a Tarfire on a 0/1 Tarmogoyf and watching it turn into a 2/3. Also attacking an opponent for 48 with 4 Phyrexian Dreadnoughts.
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Decks that make my opponent fall asleep.
How long have you been playing Legacy?
12 years
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
Dreadstill
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
Expecting a few of the veteran players to come in with some unique meta calls, so maybe switching up sideboard plans could pay off.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
Ban Show and Tell. Also ban Metalworker. And Eye of Ugin. And Krosan Grip. And Abrupt Decay. And Liliana of the Veil.
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
Tapping a Tundra (which was my only white source) to Swords a Tarmogoyf, casting an Engineered Explosives for 0, Dazing my Engineered Explosives, replaying the Tundra, and casting another Swords.
Joshua Granado
Age:
21
Occupation:
Retail/Firefighter-in-progress
Qualified via:
Top Points, at-large
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Top 4 in SCG Vegas Open
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Death and Taxes for life
How long have you been playing Legacy?
Since my Top 4 achievement, I had to for the SCG Invitational
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
Close between Maverick and Death and Taxes
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
Since there is a lot of blue players, I just hope they have enough lands to cast through Thalia and Wastelands. But for the next event, I’m playing abzan death blade with some super spice in the board.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
I would ban Sensei’s Divining Top; it prolongs the game adding more time to the clock that blue decks don’t normally have.
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
My most memorable moment was when I was at the Invitational in Richmond and my opponent was on the play and cast Brainstorm, I played Mother of Runes, his second turn he played Manipulate Fate. I saw this card only once EVER. He exiled Misthollow Griffin and two other cards. I went to my turn and I played Phyrexian Revoker. He seemed to want to counter it but my face was so puzzled so I think he assumed I didn’t know what he was playing and he let it resolve. I had to think for a good second, out of just the back of my mind I named Food Chain. He seemed shocked and on his third turn he played Food Chain, I proceeded to crush him.
Kyle Fader
Age:
29
Occupation:
Samurai Comics Magic Guy
Qualified via:
2015 Legacy Series Spring Champion
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Day Two GP San Diego
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
My decks of choice this have been Elves and Death & Taxes
How long have you been playing Legacy?
I’ve been playing Legacy for about three years now. The first deck i built was U/B Reanimator.
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
I haven’t been playing Magic for that long but after hearing some old war stories from some veterans and reading past articles, I’ve really come to love Squirrel Opposition. I know it may not be a top tier Legacy deck, but its playstyle is something that just suits me.
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
Everyone who is qualified are all exceptionally good Magic players that will be playing their best decks. So I’m just going to jam four Thalia, four Vryn Wingmare, and four Glowrider and call it a day.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
UNBAN CHAOS ORB!!!!!
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
While I have had some most interesting legacy moments (Grim Lavamancer killing True-Name for the win), the one that stands out the most is winning the Spring Championship against Gary with Baneslayer Angel.