Finals: Jan Ang (1st Seed), Esper Dragons vs. Donovan Babiano (2nd Seed), Hangarback Abzan

Two players remain. One plane ticket to Barcelona and the last slot in the Philippine Team for this year's World Magic Cup at stake, the number one seed Jan Ang and number two seed Donovan 'Dons' Babiano prepare to cast their best spells and be called champion.

Game 1

Both players start with seven cards in hand. Jan opens the game with a Temple of Deceit. Both spend the next turns playing their second lands with no other action. Jan Thoughtseizes a DenProtector from Donovan's hand, then plays a Temple of Enlightenment. An Anafenza, the Foremost comes down for Donovan. By the time it attacked, it was Hero'sDownfalled. A post-combat Siege Rhino drained for three life.

Across the board, Jan summons Dragonlord Ojutai. Donovan on his turn started with an attack with his SiegeRhino, then follows up with a Thoughtseize to take Jan's Hero's Downfall. Jan plays Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver come his turn, and ups his loyalty to exile Anafenza, the Foremost, Fleecemane Lion and another non-creature spell from the top of the Donovan's library. An end of turn Abzan Charm drew Donovan two cards.

Another attack with the Rhino goes unblocked, and another Siege Rhino drains three! With only one land untapped for Donovan, it was an easier risk for Jan to take: to attack Dragonlord Ojutai without hexproof and hope for better cards from the top of his library after its triggered ability resolves. Post-combat, Jan also used Ashiok's second skill to animate Anafenza under his control. Both Dons' rhinos crash onto the red zone, one blocked by Anafenza and the other ready to deal four damage unopposed. Donovan attempts to close the game with a Bile Blight on the Anafenza to push lethal trampling damage, but Jan had a Silumgar's Scorn to spoil that route to victory... until a second Bile Blight resolves. Donovan takes game 1!

Donovan Babiano considering his scry. Photo by Johann Guasch

Game 2

Jan Ang again opts to play first. After seeing another set of great opening hands for the respective players, they decide to keep their first seven.

Jan plays a scry land on his turn. Donovan fires a Thoughtseize, another opportunity for the black sorcery to sculpt the opponent's hand, as it has carved its importance across formats. A Foul-Tongue Invocation goes to the bin. Intent on keeping the disruption route, Donovan casts a Duress the following turn, which met a Silumgar's Scorn.

A third-turn Ashiok immidiately mills three, but misses the creatures from the top of Donovan's library. Anafenza,the Foremost comes down as the first creature on the battlefield. Another '+2' activation from Ashiok exiles a Fleecemane Lion. Back on Donovan's turn, another mind-wrenching Thoughtseize pulls out a Crux of Fate, leaving Dragonlord Ojutai and a land on Jan's hand. An Anafenza attack followed, and a Fleecemane Lion summoning closed Donovan's turn.

Now heavily under fire, Jan put up his defenses by animating Fleecemane Lion exiled by Ashiok and by casting Dragonlord Ojutai, leaving him tapped out of mana. Donovan's attack pumped the Fleecemane lion with Anafenza's triggered ability, and both were left unblocked. Donovan presses his grip on the match with a post-combat Siege Rhino.

Jan draws then attacks with Ojutai, hitting for four and allowing him to look at the top three cards of his library. An Ashiok activation exiles 2 creatures, both Den Protectors. Jan passes the turn. Pre-combat, Jan fires a Foul-Tongue Invocation, gaining him precious life and removing an attacker. Poor Fleecemane lion was sacrificed. Attacking with the other two creatures, the +1/+1 counter from Anafenza was put on the Siege Rhino. The nightmare-woven Fleecemane Lion got on the way of Anafenza and died. A second Rhino came down.

Still looking for answers, Jan attacked again with Dragonlord Ojutai. A follow up Dig Though Time, netted him a Foul-Tongue Invocation. Tapped out of mana and every spell resolved, Jan saw the writing on the wall and promptly scooped his cards. The top two players shook hands as the champion had just been determined! Donovan Babiano completes the 2015 World Magic Cup Philippine Team! Congratulations!

The triumphant Dons Babiano. Photo by Johann Guasch

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Jan Ang

6 Creatures
4 Dragonlord Ojutai
2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death

27 Spells
4 Thoughtseize
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
3 Heroes Downfall
2 Bile Blight
2 Foul Tongue Invocation
1 Ultimate Price
4 Silumgar's Scorn
2 Dissolve
2 Crux of Fate
1 Languish
4 Dig Through Time

27 Lands
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
4 Dismal Backwater
2 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
1 Urborg, Town of Yawgmoth
2 Caves of Koilos
3 Island
2 Swamp

15 Sideboard
3 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2 Foul Tongue Invocation
2 Drown in Sorrow
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1 Dragonlord's Prerogative
1 Languish
1 Perilous Vault
1 Orbs of Warding
1 Dragonlord Silumgar

Donovan Babiano

20 Creatures
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Den Protector
4 Anafenza, the Foremost
4 Siege Rhino

15 Spells
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
3 Thoughtseize
4 Dromoka's Command
2 Bile Blight
1 Ultimate Price
3 Abzan Charm

25 Lands
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Windswept Heath
2 Forests
2 Plains
1 Urborg, Town of Yawgmoth
3 Llnowar Waste
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Temple of Malady
3 Temple of Silence

15 Sideboard
3 Self-Inflicted Wound
1 Ultimate Price
1 Bile Blight
1 Hero's Downfall
1 Thoughtseize
2 Duress
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
1 Herald of Torment
1 Feed the Clan
1 Drown in Sorrow
1 Gather Courage
1 Evolutionary Leap

Semi-Final Feature Match Between Jan Ang (1st Seed), Esper Dragons and Michael Joseph Villano (4th Seed), Jeskai Tempo

Jan Ang, the higher seeded player, opts to play first. Both players shuffled their respective decks then offered the other to add to the randomization of their cards. After seeing their opening hands, both settle with their starting seven.

Game 1

Both players used their opening turns to play scry lands, fixing their mana and draws. On Michael's following turn, he attempts a Jace, Vryn's Prodigy. It met Silumgar's Scorn. On Mr. Ang's turn however, he resolves Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver and wasted no time exiling the top three cards of Michael's deck. A second Jace from Michael sticks.

Mr. Ang missed his fourth land drop and simply passed the turn after Ashiok had done his milling, still exiling non-creatures. Michael, on his turn, loots with Jace, then points a Wild Slash at Ashiok, lowering its loyalty by two. During his end step, Mr. Ang attempts to hand Jace his Hero's Downfall but Michael's Jace kept standing with a Valorous Stance.  

Untapping and drawing for his turn, Mr. Ang upticks his Ashiok to exile yet another trio of non-creature cards. A follow-up Thoughtseize sees a Mantis Rider, Roast, Stoke the Flames, and Elspeth, Sun's Champion. Mantis Rider hits the bin together with Jace as Jan Ang made Vryn's Prodigy pay the Ultimate Price. Michael, still with only three lands too, drew for his turn and passed. Ashiok, on his next '+2' activation, got to exile a Soulfire Grand Master. Then another draw-go turn for the Jeskai player, now with four lands on his side. An end of turn Dig Through Time Prompted a Stoke the Flames at Ashiok, which was still at a healthy 5 loyalty counters.

Ashiok went to 3 loyalty and animated the exiled Soulfire Grand Master for Jan Ang, only to be Roasted on the following turn. Next in line for Ashiok's nightmare weaving is Jace, Vryn'sProdigy. Michael tried a Stormbreath Dragon but the spell got Dissolved. The nightmare weaving has long been hard at work, as now it was Jace that got animated under Jan Ang's control.

Michael finally stuck a non-land permanent on board in the form of a Soulfire Grand Master, then pointed a MagmaSpray at Jace. Mr. Ang responded with a Foul-Tongue Invocation which cleared the board of creatures again. Another creature went to the twilight zone of Ashiok: a Mantis Rider. A sixth land for Michael finally opened the chance for him to successfully cast Elspeth, Sun's Champion, if only Silumgar's Scorn wasn't on his opponent hand at the time.

With Michael tapped out and with no cards in hand, Mr. Ang brought in Silumgar, the Drifting Death himself. Mantis Rider came out of the exile zone to join the battlefield and punch three damage. A Lightning Strike finally ended the Nightmare Weaver. Alas, the following swing was enough to make Michael go look to his sideboard for game 2. Jan Ang Takes Game 1.

 

Jan Ang, focused in controlling his games. Photo by Johann Guasch 

Game 2

Both players started out the game with their own copies of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, though the earlier Jace of Michael stuck long enough to become the Telepath Unbound. It was joined by a Soulfire Grand Master. Jan removed the Grand Master on his turn. Quite some draw-go turns passed, and Jace grew to 9 loyalty.

Jan broke the ice by tapping out to cast a Dig Through Time at end of Michael's turn, which got Negated. No problem for Jan as he untapped to cast a main phase Dig Through Time again, which resolves. He then Thoughtseizes Michael's own copy of the eight-mana instant. The other cards he saw were two Mastery of the Unseen and an Elspeth, Sun'sChampion.

With enough loyalty, Michael activated Jace, Telepath Unbound's ultimate. He now had an emblem that put onto Jan Ang's graveyard the top five cards of his library every time he casts a spell, successful or not. Upon casting Mastery of the Unseen, a slew of cards went down the bin. And another five after the second Mastery was put on the stack.

Michael Joseph Villano, intent on milling out a rubber match. Photo by Johann Guasch

Jan did get to advance his board position with Dragonlord Ojutai, and a Silumgar's Scorn secured its presence longer after countering Michael's Elspeth, Sun's Champion. The Dragonlord swung for four, then anticipated a card. Jan tapped six mana for Silumgar, the Drifting Death. Michael attempts to survive with a dragon of his own, a Stormbreath, but it met Silumgar's Scorn. A wild slash milled another five cards.

Jan spent no time wasting with his turn back and swooped in with both dragons, taking a seven-damage chunk out of Michael's life total. Michael looked to the top of his library for an answer, and there was none. Michael extends his hand! Jan Ang moves to the Finals!  

Jan Ang

6 Creatures
4 Dragonlord Ojutai
2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death

27 Spells
4 Thoughtseize
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
3 Heroes Downfall
2 Bile Blight
2 Foul Tongue Invocation
1 Ultimate Price
4 Silumgar's Scorn
2 Dissolve
2 Crux of Fate
1 Languish
4 Dig Through Time

27 Lands
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
4 Dismal Backwater
2 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
1 Urborg, Town of Yawgmoth
2 Caves of Koilos
3 Island
2 Swamp

15 Sideboard
3 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2 Foul Tongue Invocation
2 Drown in Sorrow
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1 Dragonlord's Prerogative
1 Languish
1 Perilous Vault
1 Orbs of Warding
1 Dragonlord SilumgarDeck 2

Michael Villano

15 Creatures
2 Harbringer of Tides
3 Soulfire Grandmaster
4 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound
4 Mantis Rider
2 Stormbreath Dragon

20 Spells
1 Magma Spray
1 Roast
2 Wild Slash
3 Valorous Stance
3 Lightning Strike
1 Jeskai Charm
2 Stoke the Flames
3 Ojutai's Command
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
3 Dig Through Time

25 Lands
2 Battlefield Forge
4 Shivan Reef
3 Temple of Epiphany
3 Temple of Triumph
4 Flooded Strand
4 Mystic Monastery
1 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Island

15 Sideboard
3 Arashin Cleric
2 Tragic Arrogance
2 Negate
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Master of the Unseen
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Glare of Heresy
1 Revoke Existence
1 Rending Volley