Report – Dinrova Tron – Top8 Paupergeddon Milan 2019

Hey everyone, Alessandro Moretti here from the Top 8 of Paupergeddon Milan 2019!

I ended up with a 6-1-1 record with Dinrova Tron after losing to the eventual winner of the event who played Red Deck Wins.

I opted to play Dinrova Tron for a couple of reasons: it’s easy to play (/s) and the one I enjoy the most, plus I wanted another good placement with the deck.
It was an additional plus the fact that the deck is well placed in the meta-game (since Boros is pretty popular) as long as you setup the deck accordingly.

These are the Top 16 lists.

I’ve been playing this list since basically November 2017, with a few changes when needed:

Dinrova Tron by Alessandro Moretti, Top8

Lands (23)
Bojuka Bog
Island
Remote Isle
Swiftwater Cliffs
Unknown Shores
Urza's Mine
Urza's Power Plant
Urza's Tower
Thornwood Falls

Creatures (8)
Mnemonic Wall
Mulldrifter
Dinrova Horror

Spells (29)
Condescend
Forbidden Alchemy
Ghostly Flicker
Mystical Teachings
Prohibit
Pulse of Murasa
Rolling Thunder
Expedition Map
Prophetic Prism
Crop rotation
Moment's Peace
Doom Blade
Echoing Decay
Dimir Signet
Exclude
Compulsive Research
Unwind
Fire//Ice
Sideboard (15)
Ancient Grudge
Electrickery
Hydroblast
Moment's Peace
Pyroblast
Dispel
Lightning Axe
Doom Blade
Fangren Marauder
Ulamog's Crusher

During the swiss rounds I faced:

  • Boros Monarch 2-0

  • Izzet Blitz 2-0

  • UB Alchemy 2-0

  • Burn 2-1

  • Elves 1-2

  • UB Delver 1-1

  • Rakdos Monarch 2-1

Of these matches Boros, UB Alchemy and Burn I would say I was favored, Izzet Blitz and Rakdos unfavorable while Elves and UB Delver can go either way based on how the games unfold.

I’m sorry because I don’t recall the names of my opponents due to sleep deprivation, but if you want them added to the report just say who you are!

Now, onto the matches themselves.

Match 1: Boros Monarch

The match-up is generally favorable for Tron because even with a weak start you can get back into the game.
The main things to watch out for in the match-up are:

  1. Palace Sentinels

  2. Sideboard cards already in the main deck (such as Relic of Progenitus, often seen in Italian deck lists)

  3. A very aggro start with a ton of burn spells.

Game 1

Not knowing what I was up against I keep a slow hand, but luckily for me he has no red mana in the first few turns so all he does is Kor Skyfisher on turn 2 and Glint Hawk on turn 3.
Little happens until my 6th/7th turn when I find the third Tron land and between draws and tutors I end up with the Mnemonic Wall + Dinrova + Flicker loop.

Side in/out

Playing defense against Monarch is often wrong given we play a limited amount of removal and virtually no answers to a Monarch emblem.
We take for granted that out opponent will play something like 4 Pyroblast and 2 Relic of Progenitus to limit our sources of Card Advantage and counter-magic for Palace Sentinels.

Since Boros doesn’t usually start off very aggressive, I like to dilute the answers to aggro and play some aggressive cards myself.

  • -2 Fire//Ice: a pretty mediocre card since most of his dudes have 2+ toughness

  • -1 Doom Blade: since it’s only really useful against Kor Skyfisher, I’d rather have something else while keeping Echoing Decay for Battle Screech

  • -1 Ghostly Flicker: not really an amazing cards on its own, drawing multiples isn’t really good especially after a resolved Relic of Progenitus that will force us to play around it.

  • +2 Ulamog’s Crusher: one of the aggressive cards I was talking about. I play 2 copies to deal with exile effects on their part if they Journey or Oblivion Ring it early, while also hoping to play one in the first few turns off a quick Tron.

  • +1 Ancient Grudge: Relic is still an issue. I’ll hardly ever target lands: only when I get the Dinrova Horror loop going to speed up the process.

  • +1 Fangren Marauder: it helps with slowing them down gaining 5 life for every card they draw off a Clue token or at the very least will eat a couple burn spells that aren’t going to my face.

Game 2

I start the game pretty well with an early Tron and double Dinrova Horror with Mnemonic Wall.

The first Horror will be dealt with by a Journey to Nowhere after bouncing a Boros Garrison, the second one will target that Journey while I keep his aggression at bay with trading, Echoing Decay and the game will soon end after I Mystical Teachings for a Ghostly Flicker to keep him out of mana.

MVP

Match 2: Izzet Kiln Fiend

One of the historically worse match-ups for Tron.

The deck is too fast and we lack early answers to his game plan and game 1 is always lost even if played well.
This time tho my opponent is really unlucky.

Game 1

I keep 6 or 7 while he mulls down to 5.

All I see is a few cantrips, a Gitaxian Probe and once I Condescend one to keep him out of the game he concedes without showing me the second color.

Side in/out

Since I don’t know what my opponent is actually playing, I’m guessing either UW Tribe, UB Delver or Kiln. I opt for an hybrid sideboard plan, keeping in mind UB Delver because it is the most likely deck given the recent evolution of the meta-game

I don’t recall the card-for-card sideboard, but I was playing Dispel, Lightning Axe and Pyroblast.

Out goes Moment’s Peace, Exclude, Unwind and maybe Prohibit (3 mana cmc counters are bad and have been subbed for more efficient answers).

Game 2

I keep a decent hand with a couple of answers and mana to play them.

When I see the red mana I turn pale.

On his 3rd end step an Alchemy of mine eats a Pyroblast but my opponent isn’t too sure about the play.

He then goes for a Nivix Cyclops that I let trough having 2 Pyroblast in hand.

On my turn a Pyroblast resolves and the Cyclops is gone, then comes a Kiln Fiend that will probably kill me but I draw a Lightning Axe.

At that point my board is Power Plant, Mine, Gainland, Island, Shores and my hand Crop Rotation, Lightning Axe, Pyroblast.

I can either discard Crop Rotation to Lightning Axe with Pyro backup or Crop for Tower, Lightning Axe with 6 mana, the problem is if Crop gets Dispelled, I’m done.
I opt for the second choice and turns out in my favor.

Then comes and unexpected Thermo-Alchemist that doesn’t do much, despite my opponent having a full grip.

I save a Doom Blade for more threatening creatures that won’t come, since he keeps doing nothing and concedes soon after killed by mana flood.

MVP

While this kind of matches against them is NOT the norm, our best cards are Hydroblast, Pyroblast, Doom Blade and Lightning Axe.
The match-up verges on surviving by playing as many removals and as much colored mana as possible.
Completing the Urzatron isn’t a priority unless we need to speed the game up via mana and card advantage.

The worse cards are for sure Dinrova Horrors and costly counter-magic and to a certain extent Moment’s Peace too since our opponents will most likely side some amount of Flaring Pains in.

Match 3: Dimir Alchemy

The match-up usually favors the Tron player already and I’m playing an higher amount of counter-magic which is a good place to be in to avoid a draw due to time constraints.
Not entirely sure of the matches, I might have details wrong.

Game 1

The game stales for quite some time as expected for the match-up until I manage to loop Horrors to delete his mana base.

Side in/out

Having no actual race nor burn spells Alchemy will rely mostly on Gurmag Anglers to close the game along with a mix of card advantage and removal. Which is fine for me, since the engine of Flicker Tron is much better.

With that in mind, anti-aggro cards will go in favor of additional counter-magic and answers to Gurmag.

Game 2

Nothing happens barring a turn 2 (or 3?) Duress from him, followed by a Mulldrifter on both sides that trade in combat.

A couple Augur of Bolas show up but Pulse of Murasa, Mnemonic Wall and recursive Mulldrifter keep me ahead and he concedes when I Dinrova Horror his Gurmag to his empty hand.

MVP

In this match-up we are always the control deck and have a shell better suited to do so, having more mana, better engine and better late game.

  • Exclude: not going down cards to answer a Mulldrifter or Gurmag is huge.

  • Pyroblast: answering with 1 mana to his 5 mana sorcery (Mulldrifters or Probe) is also huge.

  • Unwind: another match where being able to use counter-magic and then Teachings or Alchemy is key to keep ahead.

Match 4: Burn

With Dinrova Tron or Murasa Tron, Burn is quite an easy match if played correctly.

Having no removal will put you at a disadvantage, but playing as little as 4 will make the games much better being able to deal with Thermo-Alchemist, Firebrand Archer and Ghitu Lavarunner although the latter isn’t particularly good against Flicker Tron.

In all 3 game we both keep very good hands showing why both decks are at the top of the meta-game.

Game 1

His Gitaxian Probe on turn 1 depresses me a bit because I thought I’d have to play against another blue-based decks but I cheer when I see him Lava Spiking me.

I keep with 2 out of 3 Tron lands and naturally draw the 3rd one.

My line of play is Mine-Plant-Prism and Tower on my 3rd turn. I then crack Map for Remote Isle with Mystical Teachings in had.

On the other side just Lavarunner and double Curse of the Pierced Heart.

On my 4th turn I’m at 6 life and my only line of play is to Teachings for Pulse to recover Remote Isle in my turn, hoping none of his 3 cards in hand is instant speed burn.

When I attempt the play, they burn me with Lightning Bolt + Fireblast.

Side in/out

Post side we need to slow him down as much as possible to reach a mid to late game where we can Pulse of Murasa back to a comfortable life total.

An early Urzatron is irrelevant in the match-up since we need colored mana to interact with them

Game 2

I god-hand him with natural Tron on 4th turn with evoked Mulldrifter and Pulse of Murasa.

I Pulsed at least three times this game while removing all his Curses with no problems.

Game 3

I keep with Mulldrifter, Gainland, Urza’s Tower, Hydroblast, Dispel, Doom Blade.

Proceed to draw the missing Urza Lands.

Same as the previous game, I have a pretty good hand with double coloured mana by turn 4.
After trading spells and creatures for a few turns I end up with a low life total but I’m able to Teachings for a Pulse of Murasa to seal the deal.

MVP

Match 5: Elves

The match-up is usually unwinnable barring incredibly lucky draws or playing a different setup with Flame Slash, Lightning Bolt and Electrickery since it’s a race to who can go bigger the fastest but Tron is just too slow.

The removals I play are geared tot he Delver and Boros match-up but I can luck out and draw as many as I can.

Game 1

Another god hand with natural Tron and Prism, to fuel a Rolling Thunder cleaning Priest of Titania, Birchlore Ranger and Quirion Ranger that looks like the safest line of play.

On the next turn I Doom Blade a Lys Alana Huntmaster.

My opponent folds when I counter his last card in hand: Lead the Stampede.

Side in/out

Siding is pretty easy: get rid of all the counter-magic and cram as many removals and Moment’s Peace in there.

We also need to account for Viridian Longbow, Spidersilk Armor and cards like Mob Justice, Gruesome Fate or Harsh Sustenance.

Wellwisher isn’t a problem in real life like it’s on MTGO since it won’t stop you from winning quickly.

Game 2

I keep a greedy hand with Gainland, natural Tron, Remote Isle and Moment’s Peace but nothing else relevant.

I proceed to forfeit around turn 7 when an unanswered Ulamog’s Crusher has the best of me and my board.

I only draw Doom Blade, Expedition Map and a Mnemonic Wall in the whole game.

Game 3

This has been the worse of the 3 games, never finding the 3rd Urza land nor answers for Ulamog’s Crusher.

I kept with Moment’s Peace but didn’t draw the right answers to fight Elves.

MVP

Match 6: Burn

Another easy match-up

Game 1

It’s over on turn 4 due to natural Tron that allows me to Teachings for Pulse of Murasa and win off that.

Game 2

I keep with 2 lands, Dimir Signet and multiple answers.

2nd turn Thermo Alchemist survives so I can play Dimir Signet and is followed by a 2nd Alchemist that will meet Hydroblast + Doom Blade on my 3rd turn but with no land drop on my side.

The game continues with me finding more lands (no Tron) in the classic URx Control vs Burn match-up where I trade counter-magic for his damage while drawing cards whenever possible.

I tap low to play a Mulldrifter while on a safe life total that will net me something like 10-12 damage over the next few turns.

We reach a point where my opponent is top-decking and I let 2 Curse of the Pierced Heart resolve because I can keep up with Pulse of Murasa and gainlands.

I close the game with triple Mulldrifter beat down and a Fire//Ice to finish him off.

Match 7: UB Delver

I know what he’s on since we played close the turns before.

I think my UB match-up is good.

He thinks his Tron match-up is good.

Let’s see who’s right!

Game 1

I keep a good hand with card-draw and at least two lands, while he wastes the first couple turns with cantrips.

On the 3rd turn I have two different Urza lands, untapped Thornwood Falls with Crop Rotation, Mulldrifter and Prophetic Prism in hand.
I reckon that leaving him more time to set up a race while I do nothing won’t be optimal so I risk the Crop Rotation that resolves, followed by Prism and Mulldrifter.

This quickly puts me in the driver’s seat and my opponent realizes quickly that I’m too far ahead and concedes.

Side in/out

I’d usually side in Ancient Grudge but this time I want to focus on removal and counter-magic for this match-up, adding a second Doom Blade since an early Delver is their best win condition

Game 2

I keep my 7 with a few gainlands and some card draw, giving my opponent some credit and knowing he most likely sided Daze out.

Urzatron is far to come, around 7th turn, but I can quickly solve Delvers and set up my game plan.

The first Gurmag Angler is dealt with via Lightning Axe, the second one with Dinrova Horror.

During all this, my opponent is on 10 due to Mulldrifter beats.

I misplay trying to trade a Gurmag that I try and Echoing Decay after blocks, but my opponent has double counter-magic and I just lose the Horror. After this, my opponent plays a Relic of Progenitus with me out of mana.

Since I wanted to kill Gurmag because I was afraid of going too low on life total I should’ve played that differently and Echoing Decayed before blockers, that led me to forget about the possibility of a Relic of Progenitus that late into the game.

Relic will basically be the card that wins him the game on the spot since when he untaps with it in play, it exiles 2 Forbidden Alchemy and a Mystical Teachings that made me die to a bit of flood and no ways to generate any answer or card advantage.

Game 3

The 3rd game starts with only 10 minutes left on the clock which means I’ll probably draw this one out.

I’m forced to keep at 6 due to time constraints with a single land and Dimir Signet but luckily the Scry shows me a land on top.

He goes double Delver, I answer with double removal.

The game goes on for a while with weak hands on both sides until a Gurmag Angler is answered with a Dinrova Horror.

When time is over I’m at 5 and I just block and remove creatures and chimp like a madman.

On the last possible turn he’s on 2 Angler and I’m with Dinrova, Mnemonic Wall and another piece I don’t remember.

He needs a Snuff Out to get trough with a Gurmag Angler but both the draw for the turn and for cracking a Relic give him nothing useful and the game ends in a draw.

MVP

The match-up isn’t one-sided as some may think.

It’s a very interactive game focused around trades of resources, where Tron aims to generate card advantage and buy time while UB Delver needs a quick race.

The most threatening card in the match-up is probably Delver since it attacks one of Tron’s weakest point in the game: the first few turns where we set up.

Which in turns makes Gurmag Angler much more threatening.

  • Lightning Axe: the cheapest answer to Gurmag that doesn’t force me into another color

  • Dinrova Horror: UB Delver doesn’t have answers to it and it always buys us a bit of time by slowing their race

  • Fire//Ice: tapping mana in upkeep against a deck that plays with 2-3 lands at most can be quite backbreaking.

    Fun fact: I once killed double Delver in another event.

Turn 8: Rakdos Monarch

This midrange deck is designed to prey on Tron archetypes because it keeps attacking the hand and graveyard, but I played the match-up extensively on both sides and know that my best bet is overkill card advantage and Rolling Thunder.

Game 1

I keep with 2 lands, Map, Prism but my Map gets Duressed, followed by double Chittering Rats, Raven’s Crime, Blightning and Liliana’s Specter.

While this happens, I keep on building my Urzatron and chain Pulse of Murasa into Mnemonic Wall to keep me safe for a while.

The game turns on its head after my opponent plays a Bojuka Bog that exiles Rolling Thunder, a Pulse and the second Wall.

I manage to keep a Pulse of Murasa, Ghostly Flicker and Prohibit in hand that allows me to avoid him playing a Thorn of the Black Rose while I draw multiple cards a turn with Flicker on Wall and Prism.

He quickly concedes soon after.

Side in/out

I will only win if I either put too much pressure on him or if I chain too many Mulldrifters.

Post board he’ll probably be on Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Pyroblast and/or Rancid Earth (and eventually the real threat: Okiba-Gang Shinobi).

  • +2 Ulamog’s Crusher: not the best card in the match-up but something they can’t kill with Pyroblast and has chances to live more than a single turn.

  • +2 Hydroblast: I need some more countermagic for Blightning that really hurts early on.

  • -2 Moment’s Peace

  • -2 Fire//Ice: I could’ve kept these in but they just tap Gurmag Angler and can’t kill Thorn of the Black Rose

  • -1 Ghostly Flicker: my board will most likely be empty so I won’t really have many uses for it.

  • -1 Doom Blade.

Game 2

5th turn Thorn of the Black Rose with Pyroblast backup.

‘Nuff said.

I concede quickly after.

Game 3

Shame this game wasn’t streamed because it was kind of unbelievable.

I get hit by:

5 Raven’s Crime

3 Blightning

3 Chittering Rats

2 Liliana’s Specter

2 Duress

I end up with an early Urzatron but my hands is already empty, I end up stealing his Monarchy somehow and keeping his board as empty as I can.

The first Crusher comes when he’s on only 1 Chittering Rats, I’m ready to move it to the graveyard but weirdly enough it survives.

I tell him «Now I’m expecting a Thorn of the Black Rose».

And here we go: Night’s Whisper first, Thorn of the Black Rose, go.

My turn: I play Mulldrifter and I draw the second Ulamog’s Crusher

The first eldrazi just die on thorn, he second went discarded via Blightning. :'(

I get out of that with a couple Mulldrifters, Mnemonic Wall and becoming the monarch in quick succession.

Shortly after my opponent is on 14 life, I have 13 mana with Power Plant and Rolling Thunder in hand.

I can either clear the board and deal some damage to him, keep both in hand, got to 3 life from his attack and hoping for a good top deck even when my opponent has Raven’s Crime in the graveyard.

I decide to luck it out by going to 3 life, he plays Raven’s Crime once and I discard Urza’s Power-Plant keeping only Rolling Thunder in hand.

My only out tot he game is Urza’s Tower.

Promptly I draw one and Rolling Thunder him for 14. Sweet victory.

MVP
  • Anything that generates card advantage is key in the match-up

  • Bojuka Bog because Raven’s Crime.

Top 8

Awesome! Brand new play mat for me!

I really hope to face Burn or some other decent match-ups in this quarter final.

Instead I face RDW which is probably the worst match-up I could find in this Top 8.

Hoping for some quick Echoing Decays and Moment’s Peace, I shuffle up.

Quarterfinals: RDW

Game 1

Unknowing of what my opponent’s playing, I keep a slow hand with just some card draw and a couple counters with 3 lands.

He goes turn 1 Goblin Cohort, turn 2 Goblin Cohort with no land drops, nothing on turn 3.

I opt not to keep mana up for Condescend and play a mana rock, but he draw the second land and goes Burning-Tree Emissary and Valley Dasher and I lose soon after.

Side in/out

I just need cheap, quick answers to aggro and that’s it.

Game 2

I keep 6 cards with Hydroblast, natural Tron, Thornwood Falls, card draw.

He starts with 1 drop into Valley Dasher, I Hydroblast the Dasher.

I follow it up with Doom Blade, Echoing Decay and some lands but no black mana.

Swift dead.

MVP

Not sure if there are cards that can effectively swing the match-up much other than Moment’s Peace and Hydroblast, the best option would be Stonehorn Dignitary because it circumvents the Flaring Pains they probably play.

Other than that, just hope they draw badly.

Conclusions

One last paragraph to give my last impressions about the whole tournament: the environment is growing bigger and bigger and while I played forward and won more games I clearly felt the players getting better and better.

Even Burn players were pretty good, for as much as one can be playing Burn.

Despite that people were calm and friendly, like every other Italian tournament.

I was pretty happy to see old and new faces and knowing interesting people.

I guess I can now go back and try to achieve my bachelor.

Original article by Alessandro Moretti (AdeptoTerra)
Translation by Niko Leporati (Jiaozy)