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I could not get out to the Saturday Alara Reborn Pre-Release but did manage to make it out to the Sunday one. I was happy to find that we did have more than enough players (to make it a DCI sanctioned event) and several players who were playing in the tourney the previous day but simply could not get enough of the new card goodness.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjyTGD5pyBYAwQ_MumXI-421NKx87pTvgH-lT3B2S1Xv343x1mvarAA5rRsI0wVWpPDFUmSVFj1hJRgHh7F7Hg_YM_5ZR9jZlhdVQ-F-fTuBmaONpfUGFPgnArbHAbP5lHUo-LI83q3w/s320/reborn.jpg)
Here is the Match summary ( 2 - 2 ) . . .
Match One (Stewart) : Game 1 - Win, Game 2 - Win.
Match Two (Brian) : Game 1 - Win, Game 2 - Loss, Game 3 - Win.
Match Three (Mike) : Game 1 - Win, Game 2 - Loss, Game 3 - Loss.
Match Four (Pat) : Game 1 - Loss, Game 2 - Win, Game 3 - Loss.
Winning decks in this tournament were typically a Jund build - unfortunately, I had put together and Bant deck. I am totally ineffective in the sealed environment but must admit that I may have played only less than a dozen times or so. Having said that, I must also admit that I am seeing some marginal improvement. I thoroughly enjoy building decks and play-testing these in the constructed standard environment but realise that variety is good.
You can check out this video summary of the Alara Reborn Pre-Release and see the notes below.
This is the build I went with . . .
BANT BUILD (G/W/U) - 40 Cards
17 LANDS : 5 x Forrest, 6 x Plains, 5 x Island, Seaside Citadel![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnsqdIlyvfdbDehStid8yBnHg350M760OElT2OaYXEo3kl82SBVFZuJ9Jp8fMeu62SapYm4RtHYUqCXGdq-mhF_glGfaAdeMEwSienDhx1JSda85HhA46bZKI6DJ1yevRMg8ouZ4eIP8/s200/Knotvine+Paladin.jpg)
2 Drops : Knotvine Palladin, Steward of Valeron, Esper Stormblade, Cylian Elf, Call to Heel, Aven Squire
3 Drops : 2 x Rhox Warmonk, Lorescale Coatle, Winged Coatl, Guardian of Akarasa, Parasitic Strix, Obelisk of Bant
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsVq2XWnAKQzZEE5bm6X4e6G_QcSUOjpFqQydkUqMu0CEIqg3GM4YkTNKwhHBl6u_XJrsoNRTw2h-GQR0uutExYXXEl4JvKN8GPbEDKFtFDjFpC7kFsxVq3q5plGNMW0349SZ9kzajRw/s200/Rhox+War+Monk.jpg)
5 Drops : Waveskimmer Aven
6 Drops : Sigiled Behemoth
7 Drops : Rockcaster Platoon, Yoked Ploughbeast
8 Drops : Kederekt Leviathan
Hindsight is a beeotch - After the event, I went home, grabbed a beverage and looked at the card pool again. This is what I should have played . . .
ALTERNATE JUND BUILD (B/R/G) - 40 Cards
17 Lands : 6 x Swamps, 6 x Mountains, 5 x Forests![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9fFrPZXVpNVJObaHUscBVApdc1HmzDxkENUWZa0C-YyXF4zTtC8vZll3SOwtUaMprtA07ay6scR5LSMBbd9h_WOBKVUSCzGBviOJALRF5uH__HGJxIe-zfn9-tI4ZRqXj4rSsdIUYvQ/s200/Nyxathid.jpg)
2 Drops : Jund Hackblade, 2 x Goblin Outlander, Maniacal Rage, Dragon fodder
3 Drops : Nyxathid, Knotvine Mystic, Matca Rioters, Savage Hunger, Branching Bolt, Wandering Goblins, Dark Temper, Llightning Talons, Resounding Thunder, Pestilent Kathari
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRgXe-kO_RpgU_v-bhJdTw0XLmdHmm2M5WjKtQKsFqpti3fndU-166KzLa_zNLLKGmmxDbioaRuDG48y4rZpH0joLJ5xGCfBZiRhyphenhyphentPLLXG3B_x4xOSdD35Y2LiSg-7PmN-cukuKxOMA/s200/Voracious+Dragon.jpg)
5 Drops : Voracious Dragon
6 Drops : Morbid Bloom, Valley Rannet
Hey - I might even make it out to the proper Alara Reborn Release event (because I am salivating for that Knight of New Alara) and be much wiser for the above silliness. I did bring home a pack I won which provided me a Filigree Angel so I guess the day was not a complete loss.
. . . by-the-way - Does anyone else think that the art on both pre-release cards is worse than the regular cards ?