ProQuest Week 2 is complete and ice champions blew into top 8 like blizzards! Is Oldhim the best Flesh and Blood Champion? I talked to two local winners who think so. Should Crown of Seeds be banned? It's not for me to say!
Details
Winning Oldhim Decklist
Player: Nick Tucker
Location: Dream Wizards, Rockville MD
Player Count:47 Players
Top 8: Oldhim, Rhinar, Isylander, Dromai, Fai, Fai, Fai, Fai
Finals: Oldhim Vs Rhinar
Q: Why did you decide to play Oldhim?
A: I started playing FaB on Oldhim around PT 1 when Prism, Starvo and Chane were the kings of the meta. I love Oldhim's card pool and variety of playstyle, and I've always resonated with control/turtle style decks in other card games like Hearthstone or Legends of Runeterra.
Q: What matchups were you expecting?
A: I expected a lot of Fai, Oldhim, Bravo, Dromai and Iyslander, as those are some of the best picks in the meta. I expected some runeblade as it was prevalent in one of last week's PQs but there was almost none today.
Q: Any matchups you wanted to dodge?
A: I wanted to dodge any of the good Iyslander players while having as few guardian mirrors as possible, they're both very tight and skill expressive matchups that go down to the wire most of the time. I lost the only guardian mirror I played all day, case in point!
Q: What cards overperformed?
A: Channel Lake Frigid is so good. As ice heroes, there is a reason we see Oldhim and Iyslander at the top this PQ season and this card is a big part of it, allowing for tempo swings and there's not really a way for your opponent to play around it.
Q: What sideboard cards were most helpful?
A: I don't play a sideboard, I just take out the bad cards in varying matchups. I will say Blizzard saved my top 8 and top 4 games, both against Fai.
Q: What changes would you make for next week?
A: I'll likely just be looking to have fun with other decks now that I have an invite secured, but if I were to make changes on Oldhim I would likely take out my snapdragon scalers for either armor boots or Mage Master Boots + Tome of Fyendal (Guardian and slower matchups), as well as Crown of Providence for Fai. There's also the perpetual conundrum of Sledge of Anvilheim vs. Winter's Wail as the best weapon for guardian mirrors, so I might include Sledge as well.
Q: Did you change anything after seeing the week 1 meta?
A:Yes, I sided out a red Fate Foreseen and 2 blue Debilitates (used for Poppers and a blue block 3) to put in 2 yellow staunch for and a Heart of Fyendal to help in any guardian mirror or games where we are going to 2nd and later cycles. After the first Proquest I also added in 2 Red Crush the Weak for Fai.
Details
Winning Oldhim Decklist
Player: Haik Voskerchian
Location: Games and Stuff, Glen Burnie, MD
Player Count: 38
Top 8: Iyslander , Dromai, Kano, Viserai, Oldhim, Fai, Bravo, Rhinar
Finals: Oldhim Vs Oldhim
Q: Why did you decide to play Oldhim?
A: Oldhim as a fatigue deck has no especially horrendous matchups. Perhaps his worst and scariest matchup is Bravo, Dromai or Dash. However, there are silver bullet cards for many of those matches. For instance against Iyslander I bring in E pots, against Bravo, I bring in pulverize and sledge. No matchup is unwinnable.
Q:What cards over performed?
A: Nerves of steel and Imperial Warhorn were excellent. Imperial Warhorn was especially good into Briar to pop their channels after they've played it. Nerves of steel is good into many decks as well like Dromai or Fai.
Q: What changes would you make for next week?
A: I like blessings of patience, but there may not be room for it. I want to play more blue poppers, but I can't lower my red threat density. For now, I'm making no changes.
Q: What is your take on the meta so far?
A:The meta is excellent. It's diverse, and it's fun. I am surprised that briar is doing as well as she is whereas Iyslander doesn't have more representation. I am also a little chocked at Kano's conversion rates. his conversion rates into top 8 are usually around 50-100 percent. Even though Kano is underplayed and only played by a devoted fanbase, those numbers still mean something. I wouldn't come to a proquest without at least one red oasis respite in my 80.
Q: Did you change anything after seeing the week 1 meta?
A:Yes, I sided out a red Fate Foreseen and 2 blue Debilitates (used for Poppers and a blue block 3) to put in 2 yellow staunch for and a Heart of Fyendal to help in any guardian mirror or games where we are going to 2nd and later cycles. After the first ProQuest I also added in 2 Red Crush the Weak for Fai.