This post originally appeared on the KeyForge blog Cosmic Crucible where Zach was a guest author. We’ve posted it here to the KeyForge Public Radio blog for archival purposes.

Attending the first U.S. Grand Championships for KeyForge was a great experience, and I’m happy to have been a part of it. Our format was Sealed Triad, with Swiss rounds and a cut to top 16. My personal goal was 3-3, and I attended with my friend Asher, who is (spoiler alert) now ranked much higher than I am.

Before the Rounds – Deck Selection and GEM Troubles

As is standard and well-noted with large KeyForge tournaments, the GEM software was giving our tournament staff trouble and deck registration was a slow process. Reportedly, the convention hosting the tournament required use of their own volunteer judges instead of anyone associated with FFG; regardless, the staff did very well for being glaringly under-supported and under-prepped. Erich of Team SAS tactfully gave the staff pointers on a way to trick the system into scanning decks faster, improving the process for everyone. I was able to arrive early and receive my decks to start analyzing them. We would be banning one of our opponent’s three decks based on houses alone. The decks were as follows:

• Walker, Dewwold’s Sorcerer | Logos, Sanctum, Untamed
  • Seeing Aemberpsine Mongrel, Duskwitch, triple Sutterkin and triple Challe was exctiting. However, the only aember control was Aubade, Maruck, and Thinkdrones, the last being dramatically unreliable.
• The Ens. of Northbury | Sanctum, Shadows, Untamed
  • With two Untamed decks, I expected to play both of them most of the day, and that turned out to be true and to my advantage. With Proclamation 346E, the Sting, double Ronnie Wristclocks, and happily strong Untamed list, the Ensign performed well all day.
• Helix of Thoholar | Brobnar, Sanctum, Shadows
  • Double Drummernaut and Ganger Chieftan, double Hadreoth’s Wall and Grump Buggy? Yes please. Due to the house combination, this deck was banned every round except for round 6.

Round 1 vs. Matt from CT

With Helix banned, I opened with Walker’s high roll: a Duskwitch that my opponent was unable to answer, followed by two Professor Sutterkins. That sealed game 1.

In game 2, both of us struggled to get to the first key, as he had a Nyzyk Resonator out and I pulled Proclamation 346E early. The break point came when my 12 power Marmo Swarm (thanks to the Resonator keeping me from forging below 10 aember) swung into a Dominator after being given skirmish by Panpaca, Anga. I took the match 2-0 and Matt was a good opponent. Record: 1-0

Round 2 vs. Justin of Tabletop Royale

Justin and I traded strong wins in the first two games of the match. The real story is in the final moments of game 3, when I learned a very big lesson in competitive KeyForge: discard piles are open information, so always ask your opponent to see their discard pile to review all of their aember control cards as they get to the end of their deck. I was one turn ahead on aember and forging, with Justin right behind. I reaped up to 7 aember, and then was hit with Justin’s Burn the Stockpile – which I had the chance to know about earlier, and Justin was able to forge, taking the match. He was a great opponent who played really well and went to the Top 8 the next day – and be sure to check out the KeyForge stream he co-hosts with Nathan, TableTop Royale! Record: 1-1

Round 3 vs. Justin from ME

In game 1, I had my proudest plays of the game. While I had 8 aember and he 0, he played Binate Rupture and then Interdimensional Graft and I was almost sure there was no coming back from it. But I kept and then increased my board control, and managed to keep him from the last few aember for his third key until I was able to win.

In game 2, Walker performed perfectly. Turn 1 Duskwitch, unanswered, into three Professor Sutterkins, and soon literally my whole deck was in my hand. GG. Record: 2-1

Round 4 vs. Andy

Another opponent who went to the Top 16, Andy beat me 2-0 in this match piloting his Brobnar board control in both decks expertly. Record: 2-2

Round 5 vs. James from VA

James was hands down my most entertaining opponent – I wish I could have recorded the banter for posterity. We went to three nail-biting games, with a few mistakes from exhaustion.

In game three, he had trouble finding efficient answers for my threat cards like Duskwitch and Sutterkin, and may have prioritized the Sutterkins too highly after a point (but, who could blame him?). Record: 3-2

Round 6 vs. Kyle from The Land of Fairy Tales

Kyle was a great opponent, positive and friendly with great communication, and very forgiving when a certain exhausted opponent forgot to apply his chains to his end-of-turn card draw.

He was the only opponent to ban Northbury, and I have no doubt he benefited from that choice; not only did he not face Northbury, I had to beat him with a deck I hadn’t yet played.

We went to three games, and in the third, it was clear Kyle both possessed all the right answers for my tiny powerful creatures in Walker and held on to them for the right moments, taking the match 2-1. Record: 3-3

After the Swiss Rounds

My teammate Asher came in at 15, making the cut! We were both ecstatic and cheered upon viewing the standings. I came in at 28, solidifying a respectable Top 32 finish and receiving Bumblebird card sleeves. The next day, I had some time before watching Asher in the Top 16, so I cut together a video of us in the park as a hype video for my teammate.

My round 6 opponent, Kyle, had started the day 1-2, and ended 4-2, at position 16 – making the cut! We couldn’t let the moment pass without hearing the story from Kyle himself, so I conducted a short interview with him on the floor. We’ve included it here for you to enjoy below. The hairstyle I’m sporting in this video is called “14 hours of KeyForge and Sweat.”

Overall, the event was a blast. Meeting and learning from members of the community, either through listening to them or losing to them, was well worth the trip. I look forward to seeing everyone again at future events!