Finalist at SWU SEC Store Showdown at Fire & Dice Games
2025/01/31: Minor deck list update from CBG Store Showdown.
My TCGPlayer link to support: https://partner.tcgplayer.com/LumiMouse
Table of Contents
1/31 - Store Showdown at Fire & Dice Games
Format: 5 Bo3 Swiss rounds (in reality, it was 4 rounds; played until there was only one undefeated), Top Cut of 8, 26 players;
http://melee.gg/Tournament/View/398252
Swiss rounds: I went 3-1.
Top Cut rounds: I made finals.
My prizing: 8 regular packs + 3 Carbonite packs + the participation stuff (First Light promo & 2 OP packs).
I brought my camera gear, but I didn’t record. In hindsight, I definitely could’ve set it up, given how much open table space there was. Oh wells.
Also, despite having judged all three PQs that were held at this store, this was my first time playing in an event here. The chairs are too low for me (I’m 5’8”). Normally in these types of situations, I would’ve sat on my backpack for the height boost. However, I had my camera gear so I couldn’t. This practice is nothing new, I’ve done this at previous events with picture proof:
GC: https://www.lumimouse.com/i/169484887/the-not-so-good-stuff
Set 2 Vegas PQ: https://www.lumimouse.com/i/150342435/minor-feedback-the-wooden-tables-are-too-tall-for-the-standard-chairs
Deck - SHD Han ECL
Basically the same deck from the 1/24 CBG Store Showdown, with one minor change:
- 1 SOR R2-D2
+ 1 Cham Syndulla
After seeing so few Cad and Tarkintown decks in general from the CBG Store Showdown, I felt that I didn’t need SOR R2-D2 at three copies.
My Matchups
Round 1: Vs JTL Luke Tarkintown 0-2
I knew going into this match that it was going to be rough for me.
I think in both games they had Cinta Kaz for their leader deploy, iirc.
With how many players there were (26), I knew that I couldn’t lose another match to make top cut. I also knew that losing round 1 meant my tiebreakers were going to be 💩, so that was a bit disheartening during the event.
Sideboarding iirc:
- 2 Grogu
- 1 Cham Syndulla
- 3 Wrecker
+ 3 Sundari Peacekeeper
+ 3 Bright Hope
Round 2: Vs Yoda Data Vault 2-0
I knew I was favored going into this matchup, so I wasn’t too worried.
Game 2, they missed their turn 1 play.
Sideboarding iirc:
- 2 Outer Rim Constable
+ 2 Cham Syndulla
Round 3: Vs Piett Red 2-1
I was really worried going into this matchup as I felt this matchup is basically a 50/50 tossup. With such low interaction in the space arena, I had to hope they draw badly.
Game 3: They whiffed on two The Invisible Hand triggers.
In the post-match discussion, regarding game 3, they said how the first The Invisible Hand trigger sent all of their Overwhelming Barrages to the bottom of the deck.
Sideboarding iirc:
- 2 Outer Rim Constable
- 3 Grogu
- 3 Red Five?
+ 2 Cham Syndulla
+ 3 Bright Hope
+ 3 Sundari Peacekeeper
Round 4: Vs JTL Boba Data Vault 2-0
One of the games was really close as I had perfect lethal on the last turn.
They played Cinta Kaz; they never played Topple the Summit. They didn’t ramp at all iirc.
Sideboarding iirc:
- 3 Grogu
- 3 Wrecker
- 2 ??
+ 2 Cham Syndulla
+ 3 Bright Hope
+ 3 Sundari Peacekeeper
Top Cut
Round 1: Vs JTL Boba Lake Country 2-0
This player is a subscriber, so that’s pretty cool.
I was quite surprised upon seeing this leader base combo. Them not having the green aspect meant I didn’t have to fear ramp or Overwhelming Barrage.
One thing I realized after this match was that LOF Grogu is actually decent in this matchup. I’m able to allocate so much indirect damage onto it. I didn’t realize this in my Swiss round 4 match (I didn’t have a LOF Grogu start) and had sideboarded it for game 2.
For anyone who is interested, the player posted their decklist on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/starwarsunlimited/comments/1qu3mb2/showdown_top_8_boba_lc/
Sideboarding iirc:
- 3 Wrecker
- 5 ??
+ 2 Cham Syndulla
+ 3 Bright Hope
+ 3 Sundari Peacekeeper
Round 2: Qi’ra Red 2-0
This player made a comment how I must be good luck, because they made top cut at this set’s Fire & Dice Games’ PQ when I was judging for it and they made top cut again (at this event) with me there. I was like “oh haha/lols.”
I had spectated this deck prior, so I knew it was a hard control shell (Bounty Hunter Crew + Restock loop).
The main thing I was keeping in mind was that Qi’Ra leader deploy + Topple the Summit would basically clear my board. The only units that would survive would be Queen Amidala (sacrificing an official) and 1 HP units.
They did their leader deploy + Topple the Summit combo both games, but late.
Game 1: I wasn’t able to deal any damage to their base until the resource 5 turn.
Game 2: Being more aware of the combo, I played my Outer Rim Constable for its 1 HP stat. I was also able to get Cham value at least twice when I stopped resourcing, but they kept resourcing. The extra resources from Cham were relevant.
I totally derped in one of the games. I smuggled out my Timely Intervention, thinking that I had a SHD Poe Dameron or Wrecker in my hand to ambush into their leader. I then proceeded to look at my hand and didn’t see either one. So, I just undid it and put Timely Intervention back face down (I didn’t do the smuggle replacement).
Sideboarding iirc:
- 3 Grogu
- 2 General’s Blade
+ 2 Cham Syndulla
+ 3 Bright Hope
Round 3: SHD Han Blue 1-2
Going into this matchup, I felt ok because I knew that I didn’t have to deal with LOF Chirrut. But Village Protectors and SEC Captain Rex were annoying.
In both games where I lost, I didn’t draw into Wrecker. In one of those games, I misresourced a K-2SO, leaving no Aggression aspect for disclosing purposes for the Karis Nemik on board. I got punished for it.
Sideboarding iirc:
- 1 Outer Rim Constable
- 1 Cham Syndulla
+ 2 Modded Cohort
Conclusion + Tangent Story Leading Up to the Event
I’m glad I performed as well as I did. Cool to see my friend also making top cut. I was really hoping for them to win their way through top cut so we can play against each other in the finals for the lols.
The tangent story:
So, my friend texted me early in the morning. The event starts at 1PM. I just happened to wake up at ~8AM and saw the message. They were willing to pick up/drop me off.
I was thinking about what deck I could bring, because I lent out several R/L cards out for the Kyber Cup event that was happening at San Diego county that same weekend (3 Karis Nemiks, 2 Queen Amidalas, and 6 K-2SOs).
Kyber Cup was an 80 player community-led event comprising of eight teams, where each of the team captains drafted their players and a heroism/villainy leader aspect (each player on that team must play a leader from those aspects). Kyber Cup Discord: https://discord.gg/H3uwZHgwQE.At the time, I had SOR Palpatine Colossus, Piett Red, and a slightly gutted SHD Han ECL decks built.
My friend then asked if they can borrow a SOR Palpatine Yellow deck. I told them that I didn’t have any Legacy Runs and they said that they’ll get it from Odyssey Games or Fire & Dice Games. I built the rest of the deck without that card.
I was considering between the already built Piett Red or build a Cad Tarkintown deck. Then I looked at my SHD Han ECL deck again. It turns out I was only missing 1 Karis Nemik in total. I asked my friend to see if Odyssey Games has any of it (they didn’t).
Fire & Dice Games opens at 11AM on Saturdays. At 11:08AM, I called them. They had a regular and prestige foil available. I asked them to hold the regular copy for me. I still brought a Kelleran Beq just in case I couldn’t get my third Karis Nemik.
During the car ride, I asked my friend if they wanted me to sleeve their deck. They said it’s fine. Okie ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Our eta was 12:59PM. I messaged Georges (Fire & Dice Games employee / head judge for Fire & Dice Games’ PQs) on Discord to let them know that we may be arriving a bit late just in case. After a while, still no reply, so my friend called the store to let them know that we may be coming late. A familiar voice answered the phone - it was Georges.
Georges asked: “What’s your friend’s name?”
My friend replied: “Jerry.”
Georges asked: “Judge Jerry?”
My friend replied: “Yeah.”
After the phone call, we both remarked at the “Judge Jerry” part lol.
We basically arrived right at 1PM. Players were already at their seats and shuffling. We were told that we could pay our entries after we finish round 1. The timers had started.
I handed the SOR Palpatine Yellow deck to my friend while I quickly went to go pay for the reserved Karis Nemik. My friend still needed to sleeve their deck. Luckily, they got a round 1 bye, so they be chilling. I swapped Kelleran Beq for the newly bought Karis Nemik and started shuffling for my round 1.