by Phil Cape

Having eliminated Silas Reinagel and Kyle McGinty from the Top 16, Niles Rowland and Seth Miner meet in the Quarter-Finals. While Niles is running Grand Crusader, it’s a very different deck to the Horde rush build, instead packing the combo of Crime Scene Alarm-o-Bot and Winter Veil Disguise Kit to shut down attackers. Seth is the lone Hunter of the Top 8, and is running the Goblin Gaxtro, Bilgewater Marksman.

Seth won the die roll and elected to play first, giving him the early edge. The two players engaged in friendly chatter as they shuffled up, and Seth almost instantly kept his opener. Niles seemed to be going back and forth on his own hand, but ultimately decided to follow suit. Seth Stashed Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen before passing. Niles’ first turn saw a face down and a Bronze Warden, poised to eat up the little Tauren. A second Cairne joined Seth’s row. Seth sent his first token into the Warden, the dropped Boomer and finished the Dragonkin off. Niles again had a facedown, followed by a less than impressive “your turn.” Seth wasted no time beating Niles’ hero to five damage and plopping Sava’gin the Reckless onto the board, threatening a huge thirteen damage next turn.

Niles buried his chin in his hand as he tried to figure out his response. He finally settled on Grand Crusader on his empty board, leaving himself wide open to Seth’s aggression. Niles went to eighteen and Seth added “Fungus Face” McGillicutty to his commanding board.  Bottled Light for the Bronze Warden, followed by a face down and a second Warden put Niles to a more comfortable twelve damage, but “Fungus Face” ate up a Warden and Grand Crusader, and a Boomer activation and token attack took down the second Warden. Sava’gin and Boomer both hit Niles hard, putting him to twenty five damage and facing lethal. Seth shrugged and passed the turn. Niles summoned Burly Berta, hoping to draw Seth’s Savagin, then played a Bottled Light for another Warden and a second copy of Berta, but Seth’s end of turn Jaron, Herald of the Hunt represented lethal damage regardless of who Sava’gin attacked. Niles didn’t want to give him the satisfaction and picked up his cards.

Seth Miner – 1, Niles Rowland - 0

Between games Seth discussed how often he’s been actually playing his Sava’gins this tournament, then added “this is still a bad matchup for me.” It seemed cold comfort for Niles, who remained relaxed and focused. Playing first, Niles kept his initial offering, and Seth decided his hand was good enough as well. A face down and a Crime Scene Alarm-o-Bot kicked off the action, and Seth had merely a resource for his first turn. A Stashed Magni, the Mountain King, Bronze Warden, and Bronze Drake gave Niles a full board, and he risked a Trap to hit Gaxtro for one. Concussive Barrage took out the Warden, and Boomer on Seth’s turn two took out the Drake. Niles had Grand Crusader to trade his Magni token for Boomer and hit Seth for two with his robot, but “Fungus Face” from Seth threatened to end those shenanigans quickly. Turn four for Niles brought Burly Berta and Winter Veil Disguise Kit, and Seth simply passed on his third turn, flipping on Berta when it attacked to deny Niles a card draw. The bot crashed in for two, and Niles passed the turn with no play. Boomer came down, and “Fungus Face” hit Niles after the bot was exhausted by Boomer’s power inside the attack. Seth went to thirteen damage on Niles’ turn, and Saria flipped to take out Seth’s second Boomer. A turn six Mazu’kon from Seth was fairly unimpressive as it stared impotently at the powerful Winter Veil combo, and Niles’ Sinestra was enough to earn the concession from Seth.

Seth Miner – 1, Niles Rowland - 1

Seth began the deciding game by again keeping his initial hand, while Niles decided to exercise his right to a mulligan. Seth had Seeds of Their Demise for turn one, while Niles had Twilight Citadel and a Crime Scene Alarm-o-Bot. Seth Stashed Sava’gin and hit Niles’ hero for two, and Boomer again followed on the second turn, pinging the bot for one. A Stashed Magni and Twilight Citadel activation from Niles enabled a three counter Shalug’doom, the Axe of Unmaking, which killed the Boomer.

Seth had more Seeds along with Emerald Tree Warder for his turn three. Niles attacked the Green Dragonkin, prompting Seth to complete both quests, netting him two cards and plenty of selection. Alarm-o-Bot and Burly Berta added to Niles’ board, but Seth seemed unconcerned, setting a resource and passing the turn. Berta ate a Jaron to the face, but Berta’s Death Rattle trigger allowed the Alarm-o-Bot to kill Jaron without dying. Niles poured out a Bottled Light to return Berta, then played a second Alarm-o-Bot. Seth used Concussive Barrage at the end of the turn to finish off the damaged bot, and played Sava’gin to threaten Niles.

Niles tried for Grand Crusader, but Seth was having none of it and played a second Barrage to kill Berta again. Alarm-o-Bot hit for four (thanks to Berta’s Death Rattle) and Niles activated his Citadel and destroyed his Bottle to return Berta once more. Seth had Mazu’kon to eat the Alarm-o-Bot, and Sava’gin randomly hit Burly Berta. The board simplified, Niles went for Seth directly, putting him to 13 damage, before adding a second Twilight Dragonkin token and, you guessed it, Burly Berta. Seth’s first Mazu’kon killed Berta, and the second he played killed a Citadel token. The board was slipping away from Niles and he thought long and hard about his next play. He attacked Seth’s hero again, putting him to 19, before adding a Bronze Drake and another Dragonkin token. Seth surveyed the board, and traded his Mazu’kons for the Crusader-pumped Dragonkin, then sent both the resulting tokens at Niles, putting him to 17 damage. Al’Akir the Windlord came down for Seth, and he looked to have locked up a commanding lead. Niles drew his card, surveyed the board, and offered the handshake.

Seth Miner defeats Niles Rowland, 2-1!