ManaGrind Tournament Wrap-Up: 11/05/13
by JR Cook - 10 years ago show comments
What has two thumbs, a dagger, and didn’t care about what anyone wanted this weekend? Valeera Sanguinar. It was touched upon yesterday, but Valeera Sanguinar took top honors in both the North American and European tournaments. Between the two tournaments, Rogue Decks were featured in four of the top seven spots. That’s a striking reversal from the situation just a couple of weeks ago.
Before we get too deep on that topic though, let’s take a look at the top eights for both tournaments.
Top eight – North America:
1. Kithros
2. Curl
3. Kickascii
4. Milkfat
5. Shermac
5. Woryk
5. DGC-Dienewb
5. Hakurai
Top eight – European:
1. p0rn – Team. +EV
2. Darkwonyx
3. Bimbz1
4. Stinkweed
5. Mongoose HS
5. Gela
5. FaceCheck
5. Aiit123
Who’s Got Next?
I wrote about it yesterday, but the aggro Rogue deck that’s been crushing people lately is suspiciously similar to Moon’s Mage deck, featuring an almost identical roster of neutral minions. Rogue profits from the lineup of minions because of its incredible speed when it comes to removal, where as Mage benefits because of its already terrifying damage output. My question is, which class takes advantage of these super strong minions next?
My guess is either Warlock or Paladin. In conjunction with a card such as Sword of Justice, Shattered Sun Cleric and Dark Iron Dwarf could pump minions up to an even more upsetting level. The tool set might not make it as fast as a Rogue, nor will there be the potential for as much direct damage as a Mage, but Paladin would have access to some potent stat buffing. Warlock has already made a mark on the competitive scene through the use of low cost, aggressive minions. It would stand to reason that, with a bit of a makeover from the Flavor of the Month club, Warlock could be incredibly aggressive, while sporting enough card draw to overrun an opponent. I suspect that, until these minions get changed, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of them on the competitive scene.
Stranger in a Strange Land
If you’re at all familiar with S2’S MOBA Heroes of Newerth, then you no doubt recognize the name Milkfat. S2’s Director of eSports not only made an appearance in this weekend’s North American tournament, he finished top 4. He’s the second big name I’ve noticed from the MOBA thus far, the other being Chu, a longtime terror of the competitive scene. It’ll be interesting to see other notables that appear as Hearthstone continues into open beta.
The Importance of Sideboarding
While switching decks was not an option this time around, sideboarding absolutely was, and it’s something players at all levels should consider. This week, we’ll look at quite possibly the most obvious sideboard card, Acidic Swamp Ooze.
When do you use this card?
Against classes with weapons. Acidic Swamp Ooze is actually not a bad aggressive creature in conjunction with The Coin on turn one, but if your opponent doesn’t have weapons, there are better options, such as Faerie Dragon or Amani Berserker. Generally speaking, you won’t know what you’re facing when you draw an opponent, unless it’s someone super famous or me (because I’m only ever going to running control Paladin, obviously) so it’s not a bad idea to have one of these floating around your deck. If, after one match, your facing a Priest, Mage, Warlock or Druid, take the one Ooze out and slide something else in. If you’re facing a Paladin, Rogue, or Warrior, take something else out and put in a second Ooze. Against Shamans or Hunters, it’s a judgment call, because it’s difficult to tell just what they’re running.
If you’re looking for more content about the competitive scene, be sure to check out ManaGrind’s Youtube channel here, and keep an eye on their Twitter account for more information about weekly tournaments. Are you a bad enough dude or dudette to come hang out and have a good time this Saturday? If so, consider signing up for ManaGrind’s weekly North American tournament this Saturday! Or, if you live in Europe, get in on the action this Sunday!
