The first week of Pro Quest Singapore was not the only hit of rated events to happen last weekend. We got Battle Hardened Santa Clara as the last high level event before the departure of Zen and Enigma.
In this article, we're going to spotlight the Top 8 Decks, how they're as we can expect from a Top 8 in this current meta, and how it vastly, vastly differs.
The Line Up
The Top 8 featured: 2 hnt001-arakni-marionette-the-hunted-booster, 2 ast001-aurora-shooting-star-armory-deck-aurora-shooting-star-precon, aio001-dash-io-armory-deck-dash-io-precon, 2 mst025-enigma-ledger-of-ancestry-part-the-mistveil-booster, and ros019-oscilio-constella-intelligence-rosetta-booster.
This is the last hurrah for the Ledger of Ancestry. She will not be legal for the remaining Pro Quest Season or for the next rated event: Battle Hardened Minneapolis on May 2nd.
The 5th Placers
Arakni, Marionette
This is the first real competitive showing that "Mario" or "Markni" has had since The Hunted released. Franche Tan's version of Mario looks to truly pressure the opponent with consistently strong Stealth attacks every single turn. out012-infiltrate-1-outsiders-booster seeks to gain card advantage every turn while mst104-persuasive-prognosis-3-part-the-mistveil-booster looks to take cards consistently from your opponent.
There look to be more than enough attack reactions, from cards such as hnt023-stains-of-the-redback-1-the-hunted-booster and hnt014-take-up-the-mantle-2-the-hunted-booster to enable mst103-bonds-of-agony-3-part-the-mistveil-booster.
There are lots of incidental synergies all around Marking from hnt046-reapers-call-3-the-hunted-booster and fab124-gf-flick-knives-premier-organized-play-outsiders-promo flicking your hnt009-hunters-klaive-the-hunted-booster.
A lot of Mario's deck building has been somewhat under explored, so seeing this deck do well, not once but twice, in the same Top 8.
Aurora
At this point, the standard array for Aurora is pretty solved. It's all depending on how many copies of the combo cards they're playing. This particular version, has the pairing of 1hv004-aether-ironweave-viserai-blitz-deck-precon and dyn234-cf-crown-of-dominion-dynasty-booster for extra sources of Go Again. However there are only 2 copies of ele065-flicker-wisp-2-tales-of-aria-booster. Go figure!
Dash I/O
Dash I/O was the break-out deck during Worlds in Osaka, but after the banning of arc006-high-octane-1-arcane-rising-booster, players had to get creative.
The inclusion of amx012-sprocket-rocket-1-armory-deck-maxx-the-hype-nitro-precon is another zero cost 4 power Go Again attack, while running both Red and Blue 1hd014-throttle-1-dash-blitz-deck-precon is a popper against dtd001-prism-awakener-of-sol-dusk-till-dawn-booster.
There's an interesting consideration for the flexible gameplan in this version. A lot of Dash I/O players have been switching to dyn088-hanabi-blaster-dynasty-booster ever since High Octane was banned. This version features both it and aio002-symbiosis-shot-armory-deck-dash-io-precon to convert additional action points into extra shots to pressure Enigma.
Oscilio
Former Legends of Runeterra Pro Player, and now current Wizard Master Majinbae, put up a serious placement on Oscilio. His story time on YouTube is a fun watch, and it shows how strongly he understands the Wizard class to take this Oscilio list to such a strong finish.
Oscilio's gameplan can, at times, closely resemble Aurora's as it sends some of the same 0 for 4 Lightning attacks, with the same instant speed shenanigans with ros076-gone-in-a-flash-1-rosetta-booster. It all adds up to additional Amp on your signature weapon, osc002-volzar-the-lightning-rod-rosetta-blitz-deck-oscilio-precon. This all adds up to sending cards like dyn194-mind-warp-2-dynasty-booster and lgs335-cf-comet-storm-shock-1-armory-season-14-oscilio-promo for absurd damage.
The tech that Majin included features cru182-snag-3-crucible-of-war-booster to handle the Assassin match, 1hp387-sigil-of-solace-1-history-pack-1-booster to make the ratios work, and ele173-cf-shock-charmers-tales-of-aria-booster to be Spellvoid 2. Wizard players respect other Wizard players.
The 3rd Placers
Enigma
Brodie Spurlock's third place finish on this Enigma List is still something we can expect from one of the game's greatest players.
He's playing all 9 Chi (as Pablo Pintor's Pro Tour winning list did not run eng025-a-drop-in-the-ocean-3-inner-chi-3-enigma-blitz-deck-precon). He's also including evr137-crown-of-reflection-everfest-booster to round out Arcane Barrier 3, as in an open event like a Battle Hardened, you're way more likely to see Kano, as opposed to an invite only event like the Pro Tour.
He's running the pairing of 1hk006-mage-master-boots-kano-blitz-deck-precon and mst131-10000-year-reunion-1-part-the-mistveil-booster to handle decks that durdle. The standard 12 Defence Reactions, and the correct number of copies of ros219-truce-3-rosetta-booster.
Aurora
There's only so much innovation left to be done with an Aurora decklist. It's always worth noting how deep on the combo each pilot chooses to go, and which Blues they choose.
For this event, John Cooper only ran two ele065-flicker-wisp-2-tales-of-aria-booster but none of the equipment that pairs well with it. He also ran, what I'd consider, to be the most optimal Blues: ros074-current-funnel-3-rosetta-booster and ast027-written-in-the-stars-3-armory-deck-aurora-shooting-star-precon.
Finalist
Enigma
The last top 8 Enigma will ever have in a Classic Constructed event. It's noteworthy to see how solved certain decks are. In my own Enigma play, ros250-calming-gesture-rosetta-booster has often been the only Arms equipment worth registering. Including fng005-blade-beckoner-gauntlets-the-hunted-blitz-deck-fang-precon has the blocking utility that a midrange deck like Enigma leads.
hvy209-ripple-away-3-heavy-hitters-booster has game into the mirror and to Assassins, but not as many as you think.
Winner
Arakni, Marionette
The second Mario of Battle Hardened Santa Clara. The big Assassin from The Hunted has been largely dwarfed by "Slippy", but there looks to be a version that has been solved.
Taotao Chu's version looks incredibly toolboxy. With a slight hedge on the number of Defence Reactions, and only one copy of mst105-just-a-nick-1-part-the-mistveil-booster because there are so few cards that can target it.
It's clear that this version of the deck is well teched for both Enigma and Prism. The inclusion of cards like eng007-battlefront-bastion-1-enigma-blitz-deck-precon and r-wtr188-raging-onslaught-1-welcome-to-rathe-unlimited-revised-booster. Because they're 7 power, they get around effects like mon008-herald-of-triumph-1-monarch-booster.
hnt202-cut-from-the-same-cloth-1-the-hunted-booster works very well into the mirror, and other Assassins, while hnt013-under-the-trap-door-3-the-hunted-booster is the best way to recycle the specific trap for the situation.
With Enigma gone from the format, future Mario decks will need to rethink their card distributions, likely cutting mst129-pick-to-pieces-3-part-the-mistveil-booster as it's no longer necessary.
Wrap Up
As stated, this was Enigma's final Top 8. The metagame will look vastly different after Friday 25th, with her and Zen gone, Aurora will run rampant until her ascension. Then it's anybody's guess as to what the wider meta will look like.
Keep an eye on reports on all aspects of FaBTCG right here on DotGG Media.
