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
Alex Tamblyn
Age:
27
Occupation:
Magic: The Gathering. Putting my hard earned bachelor’s degree to good work, or something.
Qualified via:
Top Points, at-large
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
2 Pro Tours, $4,000 winnings in scholarships, Player of the Year for last year’s Legacy Series. I also just won a 400 person Super Sunday Series a few weeks ago.
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Tin Fins every time.
How long have you been playing Legacy?
Since the start of these tournaments 4 or so years ago? When I borrowed RUG Delver with Nimble Mongoose and Sylvan Library and won my Underground Sea, which I still have.
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
I like unfair decks now. I used to play Shardless BUG when I first starting playing but combo has been winning my heart. It lets me put more thought into each play because the games end quicker. So basically, Tin Fins/Reanimator.
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
It affects my deck choice a great deal. I may totally switch it up and run a deck no one expects me too, since combo is better in tournaments with filler decks. I don’t expect too many of those in this small tournament.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
I’m fine with all the legacy cards. The format is super unfair, but has Force of Will to stop combos and an infinite amount of 1 mana spells or 0 mana spells that stop combos. I.e. Flusterstorm, Surgical Extraction, Grafdigger’s Cage-type cards. And only a few decks win turn 1.
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
My most memorable, although not a positive, was playing versus Josh Utter-Leyton in an SCG tournament years ago. I was played shardless bug and he was playing elves. He accidentally draws 7 off a mulligan and keeps his 5 cards when he’s forced to shuffle 2 back. I Thoughtseize to to see 5 lands, Goyf turn 2, Abrupt Decay his bounce combo to go with Visionary turn 3… turn 4 I Thoughtseize again and see 2 Natural Orders and die the following turn. Still one of the most insanely losses I’ve had. And, luckily I was able to exact my revenge on him at GP: Vegas.
Nathan Cardinell
Age:
25
Occupation:
Engineer
Qualified via:
Top Points, at-large
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Top 8ed the Phoenix SCG Legacy Open
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Mostly Lands. It’s the most consistent prison deck in the format. I’ve also played some Blood Moon Stompy, Painter, and MUD.
How long have you been playing Legacy?
A very long time
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
Probably Survival of the Fittest.
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
I expect a lot of blue decks and very few burn decks. It makes it really tempting to play something like Painter with 7 or 8 Red Elemental Blasts
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
Unban: Mind Twist, Black Vise, Goblin Recruiter, Mana Drain, Windfall, and Earthcraft
Ban: Show and Tell, and Counterbalance
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
Playing Painter against Kai Ruan in the Top 4 where he was on miracles and slow Grindstoning him out, or getting wrecked by main deck Back to Basics by Tyrel Knudsen.
Matthew Shaffer
Age:
31
Occupation:
Fedex Office
Qualified via:
Top Points, at-large
Previous Accomplishments (any MTG event, not just Legacy Series):
Nothing major just a few top 4/8 at previous AZ Magic Players events.
What has been your decks of choice this year at the Legacy Series?
Some sort of BUG Deck. Started off playing a BUG Counter top deck and more recently BUG Delver.
How long have you been playing Legacy?
I started getting into Legacy around Alara block but didn’t really get into the format seriously till about 5 years ago.
What is your favorite Legacy deck of all time?
My favorite Legacy deck I would say would be a BUG Planeswalker control deck when Mental Misstep was legal. The deck I have had the most fun playing though would have to be Natural Order RUG that deck was sweet.
How does knowing who is qualified affect your deck choice, if at all?
I have a reasonable guess as to what people might be playing, but I feel like playing a deck I am comfortable playing is more important. Honestly there’s no guarantee that people are playing the same deck still.
You are in charge of the next ban/unban. What changes do you make?
Standard I don’t play so nothing. Modern needs to consider taking some stuff off the list like Jace and Ancestral Vision but the format is fine I guess. Legacy there are some old cards that do nothing that can come off like Black Vise. Vintage seems fine too.
What is your most memorable Legacy moment (does not have to be Legacy Series-specific)?
My most memorable moments are really hanging out with great friends and good people playings some Legacy.