Trials of the Zodiac Braves: Trial 6 - Zodiark

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We reached our final Trial last weekend--a pretty busy weekend for everyone in the community, it seems, with the NA Fire Crystal Cup that was also underway!  But, we still managed to get 19 players to come to Isle of Gamers and fight for their last chance to make it into the Championship.



Like our last event, we saw a wide range of decks being played, from Earth/Wind, to Mono Earth, Mono Lightning, Mono Fire, Water/Earth, and even a couple of Ice/X varieties.  Five smooth rounds of Swiss quickly brought us to our Top cuts, with Top 8 as follows:

Bryan Lue (1) [Water/Earth] vs John Whitney (8) [Mono Lightning]

Phillip Marciano (2) [Ice/Wind] vs Peter Wong (7) [Mono Fire]

Jonathan Bauer (3) [Earth/Wind] vs Nghia Tran (6) [Ice/Fire]

Jeff Lazzarini (4) [Mono Fire] vs Jimmy Le (5) [Mono Earth]



Bryan's Veritas recursions proved to be too much for John's removal-focused Lightning deck and his own Veritas.  Meanwhile, Nghia managed to squeak out a victory against Jonathan's Earth/Wind deck despite the unfavorable matchup, going full speed ahead with forwards like Ark Angel HM to bring in the damage and others like Bablizz and Fritt to bring some value upon leaving the field.  Phillip overpowered Peter's aggressive Fire deck, with things like Scale Toad and Zidane to attack Peter's hand and a devastating Nidhogg to boot.  Finally, Jeff's Mono Fire deck emerged victorious after facing Jimmy's Mono Earth EX deck, a deck that has previously been fondly referred to as the "NorCal Special" by some of the locals.




Top 4 of the Trial brought us:

Bryan Lue vs Jeff Lazzarini

Phillip Marciano vs Nghia Tran

It didn't take long for these pros to duke it out and bring us to our final match:

Nghia Tran vs Bryan Lue


Getting this far was not unfamiliar territory for either of these two.  Nghia tried his best to outrace Bryan, but unfortunately his smaller forwards and aggro deck style was not favorably matched against Bryan's big Earth forwards or his Veritas loops.  In the end, first place went to Bryan, and he secured his spot in the Championship--congratulations!

That concludes our final Trial of the season, with a different champion at each Trial.  This Saturday we will be having our final Championship at Galaxy Games.  Thanks to all who came out so far this season, thank you to all hosts (including Isle of Gamers this time around), thank you to everyone who shows our circuit your support, and thank you to all who helped us behind the scenes with running the circuit, especially the one and only Jared Walters!  

This is the man who makes the magic happen, folks.

We look forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday at Galaxy Games.  Not only will Champs be held there, we will also have a side event, The Coliseum, as well as a Trivia event during the Championship for all those who did not qualify for Champs but still want to come hang out and have a good time!  Look to our Facebook page for more information about the side events!  Hope to see you all there!  

And, of course, here you go--decklists:

1st Place
Bryan Lue
Deck Type: Water/Earth

Forward(20):
  • 2 Noctis (7-077)
  • 3 Zidane (8-115)
  • 3 Cecil (5-086)
  • 3 Porom (5-135)
  • 2 Wol (5-075)
  • 2 Cloud of Darkness (1-158)
  • 1 Kam'lanaut (5-148)
  • 1 Ardyn (8-068)
  • 3 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
Summon(9):
  • 2 Hecatoncheir (1-117)
  • 2 Hecatoncheir (4-093)
  • 2 Bismarck (5-133)
  • 3 Famfrit, the Darkening Cloud (3-123)
Backup(19):
  • 1 Minfilia (6-079)
  • 1 Shantotto (1-107)
  • 3 Star Sibyl (5-091)
  • 2 Eiko (3-126)
  • 3 Miner (5-082)
  • 3 Claidie (5-128)
  • 3 Yuna (1-177)
  • 2 Scholar (1-157)
  • 1 Chaos (1-184)
Monster(2):
  • 2 Luminous Puma (8-080)

2nd Place
Nghia Tran
Deck Name: Tiger Balm
Deck Type: Ice/Fire

Forward(26):
  • 3 Genesis (3-033)
  • 3 Zargabaath (2-034)
  • 3 Aigis (7-002)
  • 3 Reynn (7-021)
  • 3 Fritt (7-004)
  • 3 Bablizz (7-038)
  • 3 Ark Angel HM (8-001)
  • 2 Imaginary Brawler (3-005)
  • 2 Sol (7-012)
  • 1 Warrior of Light (7-131)
Summon(9):
  • 3 Belias, the Gigas (2-019)
  • 3 Ifrit (2-002)
  • 3 Shiva (8-032)
Backup(15):
  • 3 Jihl Nabaat (1-193)
  • 3 Cocytus (8-031)
  • 3 Sage (2-005)
  • 3 Ninja (5-017)
  • 3 Snow (7-033)
Monster(0):

Semifinalist
Phillip Marciano
Deck Name: Wind Chill
Deck Type: Ice/Wind

Forward(22):
  • 1 Palom (8-041)
  • 2 Aerith (8-049)
  • 1 Galdes (7-129)
  • 1 Garland (IX) (8-026)
  • 2 Y'shtola (5-068)
  • 2 Zidane (3-056)
  • 3 Celes (4-038)
  • 2 Rinoa (6-041)
  • 2 Squall (8-035)
  • 2 Fina (8-060)
  • 3 Sephiroth (7-034)
  • 1 Nidhogg (6-130)
Summon(6):
  • 3 Glasya Labolas (5-032)
  • 3 Shiva (8-032)
Backup(18):
  • 2 Cu Chaspel (7-025)
  • 2 Harley (3-044)
  • 3 Sherlotta (8-053)
  • 3 Waltrill (8-047)
  • 3 Edward (5-031)
  • 2 Devout (1-048)
  • 3 Norschtalen (8-058)
Monster(4):
  • 2 Deathgaze (IX) (8-056)
  • 2 Scale Toad (8-034)

Semifinalist
Jeff Lazzarini
Deck Name: Not Earth
Deck Type: Mono Fire

Forward(22):
  • 2 Ark Angel HM (8-001)
  • 3 Edgar (4-004)
  • 3 Duncan (8-014)
  • 3 Cyan (4-007)
  • 3 Sabin (4-021)
  • 2 Lyse (8-139)
  • 3 Luneth (5-024)
  • 1 Jecht (7-010)
  • 2 Marche (8-018)
Summon(8):
  • 3 Belias, the Gigas (2-019)
  • 2 Ifrit (7-005)
  • 3 Bahamut (8-015)
Backup(15):
  • 3 Red Mage (8-002)
  • 1 Vermilion Bird l'Cie Caetuna (6-010)
  • 3 Samurai (7-009)
  • 2 Selphie (2-009)
  • 1 Sage (2-005)
  • 1 Red Mage (1-003)
  • 2 Yotsuyu (8-020)
  • 2 Lebreau (1-030)
Monster(5):
  • 3 Lava Spider (8-022)
  • 2 Goblin (4-012)

Quarterfinalist
Jonathan Bauer
Deck Type: Earth/Wind

Forward(20):

  • 1 Ranger (7-048)
  • 1 Galdes (7-129)
  • 2 Y'shtola (5-068)
  • 2 Noctis (7-077)
  • 3 Zidane (3-056)
  • 3 Dadaluma (4-085)
  • 2 Wol (5-075)
  • 3 Cecil (5-086)
  • 1 Kam'lanaut (5-148)
  • 1 Fina (8-060)
  • 1 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)

Summon(9):

  • 3 Hecatoncheir (4-093)
  • 3 Alexander (8-046)
  • 3 Diabolos (5-062)

Backup(17):

  • 1 Chaos (1-184)
  • 3 Moogle (XI) (6-058)
  • 2 Ninja (8-057)
  • 3 Semih Lafihna (5-059)
  • 2 Miner (5-082)
  • 3 Star Sibyl (5-091)
  • 1 Apururu (8-069)
  • 1 Minfilia (6-079)
  • 1 Shantotto (1-107)

Monster(4):

  • 3 Cactuar (4-058)
  • 1 Luminous Puma (8-080)


Quarterfinalist
Jimmy Le
Deck Name: Turn One Vaan
Deck Type: Mono Earth

Forward(29):
  • 3 Cecil (5-086)
  • 3 Ursula (3-073)
  • 3 Yang (3-095)
  • 3 Wol (5-075)
  • 2 Noctis (8-079)
  • 3 Yuffie (3-069)
  • 3 Vincent (2-077)
  • 3 Gladiolus (8-074)
  • 1 Gippal (1-101)
  • 2 Dadaluma (4-085)
  • 3 Vanille (2-076)
Summon(16):
  • 2 Hecatoncheir (4-093)
  • 3 Yojimbo (7-084)
  • 3 Atomos (4-073)
  • 3 Cockatrice (5-081)
  • 2 Odin (1-124)
  • 3 Titan (6-075)
Backup(5):
  • 2 Mustadio (1-118)
  • 1 Raubahn (2-093)
  • 2 Prompto (8-082)
Monster(0):

Quarterfinalist
Peter Wong
Deck Type: Mono Fire

Forward(27):
  • 2 Palom (2-015)
  • 3 Warrior (5-014)
  • 3 Aigis (7-002)
  • 3 Sol (7-012)
  • 2 Warrior of Light (7-131)
  • 3 Firion (7-132)
  • 3 Ark Angel HM (8-001)
  • 2 Cloud (8-006)
  • 1 Amodar (5-149)
  • 1 Luneth (5-024)
  • 3 Marche (8-018)
  • 1 Yuri (7-128)
Summon(5):
  • 1 Bahamut (1-018)
  • 2 Phoenix (3-020)
  • 2 Phoenix (5-019)
Backup(16):
  • 1 Lebreau (1-030)
  • 1 Red Mage (1-003)
  • 1 Meeth (7-017)
  • 1 Lulu (7-020)
  • 2 Montblanc (4-022)
  • 1 Yotsuyu (8-020)
  • 3 Vivi (3-018)
  • 3 Ninja (5-017)
  • 1 Vermilion Bird l'Cie Caetuna (6-010)
  • 2 Sarah (MOBIUS) (5-085)
Monster(2):
  • 2 Lava Spider (8-022)

Quarterfinalist
John Whitney
Deck Type: Mono Lightning

Forward(25):
  • 2 Rygdea (1-211)
  • 2 Alba (8-091)
  • 3 Hildibrand (4-109)
  • 3 Illua (5-099)
  • 2 Onion Knight (1-125)
  • 1 Shango (8-098)
  • 3 Al-Cid (2-097)
  • 1 Jinnai (8-100)
  • 2 Estinien (6-088)
  • 2 Sakura (8-096)
  • 3 Edea (2-099)
  • 1 Veritas of the Dark (8-136)
Summon(8):
  • 2 Odin (5-100)
  • 2 Ramuh (6-102)
  • 2 Odin (1-123)
  • 2 Ramuh (7-103)
Backup(17):
  • 2 Alphinaud (5-162)
  • 1 Black Mage (8-095)
  • 2 Nashu (4-107)
  • 1 Cid of Clan Gully (5-103)
  • 1 Gramis (2-106)
  • 3 Louisoix (5-120)
  • 3 Lulu (1-150)
  • 1 Lid (8-105)
  • 3 Cid Previa (7-095)
Monster(0):


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