by Mike Rosenberg

Seth Miner's Horde Hunter deck has served him well today. Not only does it have a powerful line-up of Horde allies, it also packs sixteen resources that can be turned face down at no cost with Emerald Tree Warder, giving him the card draw necessary to hit his late-game allies at little expense. Phillip Martin, however, is running a deck tailor made to prey upon mid-range decks such as these with one key ally: Parexia, Herald of the Shadows. Will Seth's Hunter be able to hold up against the chaotic power of Phillip's Priest?

Phillip won the die roll and chose to keep his hand, but Seth chose to ship his hand back. Phillip led with no face-up resources or plays on the first turn, while Seth opened with Warchief's Revenge. The expected Devout Aurastone Hammer came down for Phillip on turn 2 alongside Shadowfang Keep. Seth had a copy of the same location on turn 2 but no action. Phillip, surprisingly, passed on turn 3, and took his first damage from a Stashed Sava'gin the Reckless from Seth. The first ally of the match came down on turn 4 for Phillip, who played Parexia, Herald of the Shadows to rip Mazu'kon and Concussive Barrage out of Seth's hand.

With his second copy powered up, Seth used Concussive Barrage to put 4 damage onto Parexia. His next play, Emerald Tree Warder and a completed Warchief's Revenge, netted him a card and finished off the Priest ally. However, Phillip had another copy of Parexia to rid Seth of a Noxious Trap and Mazu'kon. Seth, however, had a third Mazu'kon, which forced Phillip to play a Power Word: Barrier. Vanessa VanCleef finished the wounded Mazu'kon off as Parexia went in for 3 points of damage. When Seth had a Boomer to pop the Barrier, Phillip played a second copy of his Discipline Talent to keep his board alive. Seth, not wanting to lose board advantage to the barrier, played a new Boomer to pop the Barrier again.

However, Phillip had a Gnash to clear away Boomer and Seth's Mazu'kon token. Phillip's allies piled more damage onto Seth, who quickly conceded.

Phillip - 1, Seth - 0

Seth chose to mulligan for his second game, while Phillip chose to keep. Seth led off with Warchief's Revenge. Phillip had no play, and a turn 2 Boomer gave Seth some power at the start, with Shadowfang Keep waiting to give Seth a boost later. Phillip had his Devout Aurastone Hammer on turn 2, as Seth pushed Phillip up to 5 damage before he played Sava'gin the Reckless.

He'd regret that play a turn later as Phillip Stashed his own copy of the ally, with the random 2 damage landing on the huge ally. Obsidian Drudge gave Phillip a way to potentially trade with Seth's Boomer. That did not happen, however, when Seth Stashed Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen to power up his Warchief's Revenge for 2 damage on the Drudge. Boomer did his thing, and an attack from the Hunter pet put Phillip's hero at 9 damage.

Phillip drew into Discerning Eye of the Beast, which gave him the necessary heirloom counter for his Hammer to power out a turn 4 Mazu'kon. The Ferocity-fueled nature ally took out Boomer, as Phillip passed back. Seth completed Warchief's Revenge and used Concussive Barrage to take out Mazu'kon, leaving him with the twin copy. Phillip played Amani Dragonhawk, naming ally, and attacked with Mazu'kon. However, Seth had a second Concussive Barrage for the Amani Dragonhawk. The Tauren token Seth finished off the Dragonhawk, while Seth's own Mazu'kon clashed with Phillip's token copy, leaving Seth with one copy to attack Phillip with for 6.

Phillip had the answer to Seth's token with Gnash, and a Bronze Warden gave him some protection.

Seth whiffed on a Sava'gin Stash, which went to Phillip's hero, and a 7/7 Avatar of the Wild token took out Phillip's Bronze Warden. Phillip used Seeds of their Demise to set up his draw, and then Gnash knocked the first damage onto Seth's hero. Cairne, Earthmother's Chosen gave Phillip some added beef on the board, as Seth sent his Tiger token into Gnash. Seth passed with one card in hand, and Phillip flipped his hero at the end of Seth's turn.

Phillip analyzed Seth's graveyard, thinking of possible cards he could have.  He sent Cairne in for 6 and then played Edwin VanCleef. Seth traded his Tiger token for Cairne, and then he played his own Edwin. Phillip chose to trade Edwins, one Thug traded with another, and Phillip attacked with his Devout Aurastone Hammer to finish the last Thug off. Noxious Trap took out the remaining token that attacked, as Phillip played Seeds of their Demise and passed. "Power house," Seth said, playing a not-so-beefy "Fungus Face" McGillicutty.

Phillip, who needed to draw allies to get back into the game, was left drawing Dispel Magics and an Obsidian Drudge. He attacked with his hero, only to be hit with Noxious Trap to put him closer to death. Seth put Phillip's hero to 25 with "Fungus Face". Phillip traded Drudge with McGillicutty, and passed, only for Seth to find Edwin VanCleef with Seeds of Their Demise.

Phillip ripped Gnash, which he used to clear away the tokens Edwin made. It was not enough though, as Seth ended the game with an Edwin attack and an 8/8 Tiger, courtesy of Avatar of the Wild.

Phillip - 1, Seth - 1

Phillip sent back his first opening hand, and Seth quickly joined him. Phillip had nothing for turn 1, while Seth only had a Warchief's Revenge. Phillip played Devout Aurastone Hammer on turn 2, while Seth dropped a Seeds of their Demise into play. He did not have Boomer, but instead had Lordann the Bloodreaver.

A Stashed Discerning Eye of the Beast gave Phillip his turn 3 Parexia, Herald of the Shadows, which ripped Sava'gin the Reckless and Avatar of the Wild out of Seth's hand. Seth, not wanting to lose too much ground, used Avatar of the Wild and his Lordann to trade with Parexia. Ouch.

Phillip didn't let up, Stashing another heirloom counter on the hammer so he could play Mazu'kon for three resources. When Seth responded on his fourth turn with Edwin VanCleef, Phillip had an end-of-turn Power Word: Barrier and Gnash to let his Mazu'kon take out Edwin. Seth had no action in the face of the Power Word, and Parexia robbed him of another Lordann and Avatar of the Wild, his last two cards in hand.

Vanessa VanCleef wouldn't do anything for Seth, and after attacks from Phillip, an Amani Dragonhawk locking down ally powers sealed the game.

Phillip Martin defeats Seth Miner, 2-1!