Trials of the Zodiac Braves: Trial 5 - Belias

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Hello again!  Last weekend, a whopping twenty players attended Trial 5, Belias, hosted at Galaxy Games.  Along with our regular players, we are happy to welcome new player Eric Blake, as well as welcome back some familiar faces we haven't seen in a while: David Corey, Jon Connolly, and Darayl Clemons.  Good to have everyone join us at the first local circuit event of Opus VIII!



Being our first event of the newly released set, everyone was itching to bring some new and exciting decks to the table.  This time around, we still saw a good deal of Mono Water decks, but also saw a mix of Fire/Ice, Water/Earth, Ice/Earth, Wind/Water, Ice/Water, Mono Lightning, Mono Earth, tax decks, and a whole lotta Veritas!  ...But surprisingly no Mono Wind...


After five rounds of Swiss, our Top 8 came down to:

Jonathan Bauer (1) [Mono Water] vs Phillip Marciano (8) [Ice/Earth]

John Whitney (2) [Mono Water] vs Jared Walters (7) [Mono Lightning]

Bryan Lue (3) [Water/Earth] vs Michael Mamon (6) [Mono Lightning]

Anson Quach (4) [Fire/Ice] vs Brian Gerbi (5) [Mono Water]



Top 4 was neither a quick nor easy road, as all matches went to game 3, and though their opponents gave it their all, the following players remained:

John Whitney vs Michael Mamon

Phillip Marciano vs Anson Quach


While John had managed to grind it out to 3 rounds in his match against Jared, Michael's Mono Lightning dragoon deck quickly rushed John down in the next round, and Michael secured his spot in Top 2.  Meanwhile, Phillip and Anson battled it out, with Anson trying to play around the taxing/discarding and Phillip trying to bide his time until an opportunity for a board clear arose.  In the end, the aggression of fire and the tempo stall of ice helped Anson take the win and meet Michael in the finals.  

Anson Quach vs Michael Mamon


Though they have been practicing with each other for Crystal Cups, it was still a tough struggle between friends in this final match.  But, Anson ended up taking it all the way to 1st and claiming his first victory at the top of our local circuit.  Congratulations to Anson, our Trial 5 Champion!  

Congratulations too to Michael for his first appearance in the finals, and everyone else who made it to top cuts.  Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to Brian Ng for running the event!  Also thank you to Galaxy Games for hosting, and to Kellen for all the promos and dice (you don't know how long we've waited).  

Of course, no tournament day is complete without some dinner at the end with your friends.  Our crew took to Bahamut Wild Wings Buffalo Wild Wings this time around, and look forward to the next time we are in Dublin again for our Championships.  


Still a different champion at each event so far, and only 1 more Trial left until our Championships.  Will you be one of the Zodiac Braves?  Come out for the final chance to score some points and make it into Top 12, or maybe even Top 4.  Our next Trial will be held at Isle of Gamers, and Champs will be hosted again by Galaxy Games.  

Hope to see you next time!

For now, behold!  Decklists below!

1st Place
Anson Quach
Deck Name: Fire/Ice
Deck Type: Fire/Ice

Forward(26):
  • 1 Sin (7-130)
  • 1 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
  • 1 Kam'lanaut (5-148)
  • 3 Vivi (3-017)
  • 2 Time Mage (7-037)
  • 2 Garland (IX) (8-026)
  • 2 Imperio (8-025)
  • 1 Amarant (8-010)
  • 2 Dark Fina (8-042)
  • 2 Cloud (8-006)
  • 1 Rinoa (6-041)
  • 2 Red Mage (7-003)
  • 3 Lasswell (8-043)
  • 2 Cid Raines (1-192)
  • 1 Serah (1-195)
Summon(5):
  • 3 Phoenix (5-019)
  • 2 Shiva (8-032)
Backup(16):
  • 1 Chaos (1-184)
  • 1 Time Mage (3-043)
  • 1 The Emperor (7-134)
  • 1 Jihl Nabaat (2-037)
  • 1 Meeth (7-017)
  • 1 Yotsuyu (8-020)
  • 3 Black Mage (8-007)
  • 3 Edward (5-031)
  • 1 Mog (XIII-2) (1-196)
  • 1 Ysayle (6-022)
  • 2 Devout (1-048)
Monster(3):
  • 3 Scale Toad (8-034)


2nd Place
Michael Mamon
Deck Name: Dragoons
Deck Type: Mono Lightning

Forward(23):
  • 2 Zapt (7-093)
  • 3 Kain (6-090)
  • 3 Dragoon (6-105)
  • 3 Dragoon (8-107)
  • 2 Dragoon (8-106)
  • 3 Illua (5-099)
  • 3 Barbara (7-097)
  • 1 Kam'lanaut (5-148)
  • 1 Galdes (7-129)
  • 2 Estinien (6-088)
Summon(9):
  • 3 Ramuh (7-103)
  • 3 Ramuh (6-102)
  • 3 Odin (1-124)
Backup(16):
  • 1 Chaos (1-184)
  • 2 Lid (8-105)
  • 1 Exdeath (7-087)
  • 3 Reno (8-110)
  • 3 Lulu (1-150)
  • 3 Seymour (7-094)
  • 3 King of Burmecia (4-110)
Monster(2):
  • 2 Dragon (4-106)

Semifinalist
John Whitney
Deck Name: Mono Water
Deck Type: Mono Water

Forward(25):
  • 3 Knight (3-139)
  • 3 Cagnazzo (3-130)
  • 2 Freya (8-126)
  • 3 Rain (8-134)
  • 2 Refia (5-141)
  • 3 Viking (4-133)
  • 3 Leila (6-126)
  • 2 Nichol (8-123)
  • 2 Cloud of Darkness (5-126)
  • 2 Lenna (3-144)
Summon(8):
  • 2 Bismarck (5-133)
  • 3 Famfrit, the Darkening Cloud (3-123)
  • 3 Leviathan (8-130)
Backup(17):
  • 2 Gladiator (4-126)
  • 3 Scholar (1-157)
  • 2 White Mage (8-117)
  • 3 Yuna (1-177)
  • 2 Minwu (1-171)
  • 3 Wakka (1-180)
  • 2 Lunafreya (8-132)
Monster(0):

Semi Finalist
Phillip Marciano
Deck Name: Tax Tax Tax
Deck Type: Ice/Earth

Forward(22):
  • 1 Cid Raines (1-192)
  • 2 Lasswell (7-042)
  • 3 Dadaluma (4-085)
  • 3 Genesis (3-033)
  • 1 Nacht (8-078)
  • 1 Vayne (2-026)
  • 3 Wol (5-075)
  • 3 Cecil (5-086)
  • 2 Cid Aulstyne (3-036)
  • 2 Kuja (6-027)
  • 1 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
Summon(3):
  • 3 Glasya Labolas (5-032)
Backup(18):
  • 2 Arcanist (5-028)
  • 1 Cait Sith (XIV) (6-072)
  • 2 Cocytus (8-031)
  • 2 Jihl Nabaat (1-193)
  • 1 Layle (8-088)
  • 3 Edward (5-031)
  • 1 Jessie (1-204)
  • 1 Masked Woman (3-076)
  • 3 Miner (5-082)
  • 1 Minfilia (6-079)
  • 1 Shantotto (1-107)
Monster(7):
  • 3 Flandit (5-088)
  • 3 Scale Toad (8-034)
  • 1 Calbrena (5-079)

Quarterfinalist
Jonathan Bauer
Deck Name: Blue Corn
Deck Type: Mono Water

Forward(23):
  • 2 Ephemeral Summoner (3-125)
  • 3 Knight (3-139)
  • 2 Zidane (8-115)
  • 3 Cagnazzo (3-130)
  • 2 Tidus (7-116)
  • 2 Nichol (8-123)
  • 2 Porom (5-135)
  • 2 Cloud of Darkness (5-126)
  • 3 Lenna (3-144)
  • 2 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
Summon(9):
  • 3 Famfrit, the Darkening Cloud (3-123)
  • 3 Leviathan (8-130)
  • 3 Bismarck (5-133)
Backup(18):
  • 2 Gladiator (4-126)
  • 2 Paladin (8-121)
  • 2 Scholar (1-157)
  • 2 White Mage (8-117)
  • 3 Yuna (1-177)
  • 2 Brahne (4-134)
  • 3 Wakka (1-180)
  • 2 Lunafreya (8-132)
Monster(0):

Quarterfinalist
Bryan Lue
Deck Name: Blue Cancer
Deck Type: Water/Earth

Forward(19):
  • 3 Zidane (8-115)
  • 2 Noctis (7-077)
  • 2 Porom (5-135)
  • 2 Wol (5-075)
  • 3 Cecil (5-086)
  • 1 Kam'lanaut (5-148)
  • 2 Cloud of Darkness (1-158)
  • 3 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
  • 1 Ardyn (8-068)
Summon(9):
  • 2 Bismarck (5-133)
  • 2 Hecatoncheir (1-117)
  • 2 Hecatoncheir (4-093)
  • 3 Famfrit, the Darkening Cloud (3-123)
Backup(19):
  • 1 Chaos (1-184)
  • 3 Claidie (5-128)
  • 2 Eiko (3-127)
  • 2 Scholar (1-157)
  • 3 Yuna (1-177)
  • 3 Miner (5-082)
  • 3 Star Sibyl (5-091)
  • 1 Minfilia (6-079)
  • 1 Shantotto (1-107)
Monster(3):
  • 3 Luminous Puma (8-080)

Quarterfinalist
Brian Gerbi
Deck Name: Something Something %
Deck Type: Mono Water

Forward(24):
  • 1 Famed Mimic Gogo (3-142)
  • 3 Knight (3-139)
  • 3 Zidane (8-115)
  • 3 Cagnazzo (3-130)
  • 3 Tidus (7-116)
  • 1 Viking (4-133)
  • 2 Nichol (8-123)
  • 2 Porom (5-135)
  • 1 Steiner (4-129)
  • 2 Cloud of Darkness (5-126)
  • 2 Lenna (3-144)
  • 1 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
Summon(9):
  • 3 Leviathan (5-139)
  • 3 Bismarck (5-133)
  • 3 Leviathan (8-130)
Backup(17):
  • 3 Astrologian (2-130)
  • 2 Gladiator (4-126)
  • 2 Scholar (1-157)
  • 3 Yuna (1-177)
  • 2 White Mage (8-117)
  • 2 Minwu (1-171)
  • 3 Wakka (1-180)
Monster(0):

Quarterfinalist
Jared Walters
Deck Name: Galileo
Deck Type: Mono Lightning

Forward(25):
  • 1 Zemus (5-108)
  • 2 Onion Knight (1-125)
  • 2 Estinien (6-088)
  • 1 Seifer (6-094)
  • 1 Alba (8-091)
  • 1 Jinnai (8-100)
  • 1 Sakura (8-096)
  • 2 Rain (8-134)
  • 1 Fordola (8-147)
  • 2 Rygdea (1-211)
  • 3 Al-Cid (2-097)
  • 3 Edea (2-099)
  • 3 Illua (5-099)
  • 2 Ravager (5-113)
Summon(7):
  • 2 Ramuh (7-103)
  • 3 Ramuh (6-102)
  • 1 Odin (1-124)
  • 1 Exodus, the Judge-Sal (3-112)
Backup(18):
  • 1 Gramis (2-106)
  • 1 Cid of Clan Gully (5-103)
  • 2 Louisoix (5-120)
  • 3 Cid Previa (7-095)
  • 2 Alphinaud (5-162)
  • 3 Lulu (1-150)
  • 1 Duke Goltanna (1-134)
  • 2 Red Mage (1-121)
  • 2 Black Mage (8-095)
  • 1 Lid (8-105)
Decklists for this event may also be found here at FF Decks.

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