Brodie is from Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas, United States, and has been playing Flesh and Blood since Tales of Aria was released. His favourite set so far has been Outsiders, with Bright Lights boosting in at a close second - both sets he rated highly for their draft experience, and the challenge of figuring out the heroes. Even before winning the Celebrational, Brodie has established himself as a household name with his competitive prowess, including most recently winning The Realm Rumble in December 2023.
We sat down with Brodie to talk about life, the Celebrational, seeing the world, and how Heavy Hitters will impact Classic Constructed!
Life
What impact has Flesh and Blood had on your life?
At first I was looking for a creative outlet then quickly I got hooked and was going to Armory Events every day - looking to get more and more competitive. I started climbing through the steps of the competitive circuit, through to the first Pro Tour in New Jersey.
More than all of that, I have made incredible friends who are some of the people I’m closest to now. It’s pretty special, travelling to these events almost every weekend and being in a different city or even country and seeing familiar faces. It’s been rewarding to spend the time on Flesh and Blood, see it pay off, and form relationships.
Who are some of the players you look up to as role models?
Two of my teammates, Michael Feng and Michael Hamilton, are some of the best in the world - both of them inspire me. There are too many great players to name, and I feel like I can learn something from all of them.
The Celebrational
What was the hardest format you played?
Heavy Hitters Solo Constructed because we didn’t have time to prepare; we had to balance the fun stuff in Queenstown with building and testing - so the limited time and the brand new cards… there was a lot to unpack.
What format did you enjoy playing the most?
Same answer - Heavy Hitters Solo Constructed!
What will your card, Silent Auction, do to the metagame?
I am hoping it will be a strong choice for some decks, but without being too crazy or too oppressive, so it will consistently show up in decklists. The card has some interesting uses versus fatigue. As we finalise the design… I want to make sure it’s not too good against fatigue. My goal in design was to have a lot of options and things to think about when playing it.
(the above submission is a draft concept designed by the Celebrational champion. It will be developed into a final card that will be released in a future product)
Seeing the world
What have you enjoyed most about this week in Queenstown?
The best part has been hanging out with everyone in the Celebrational, friends at Legend Story Studios, and meeting new people. The community is incredible. Queenstown is the most beautiful place I’ve been to, and we’ve gotten to do so many incredible activities.
What has been your favourite Flesh and Blood destination?
Officially - Queenstown!
Where would you like to see Flesh and Blood go next - other than your hometown?
I would love to travel to Japan - if we got a Worlds, Pro Tour, or even a Calling… that would be amazing!
What’s your plan for the $1,500,000 Pro Play Circuit this year?
I am hoping to do even more than last year; I want to make it to as many tournaments as possible - I played 61 Tier 2+ events last year, including every major event (Callings, Pro Tour, Worlds), so I’d love to hit 70 in 2024.
Classic Constructed
What’s your prediction for the top three heroes now that Heavy Hitters is in the mix?
Azalea - Historically she has struggled into Guardians, but she’s up there for me.
Kayo - I haven’t tested it in Classic Constructed at all yet, but there’s promising Brute support.
Kassai - She could be really powerful with her ability to create allies, but there's been no testing yet either.
What cards from Heavy Hitters do you think will impact Classic Constructed the most?
Send Packing - Brute doesn’t have a lot of on-hit effects, so something that they can end their chain with is great.
Raise an Army - It has the potential to be one of the strongest cards in the format, creating above-rate allies that can swing every turn.
Balance of Justice - This is an interesting new option to combat several power cards.
Which hero from Heavy Hitters would you most like to see succeed?
Kayo - When I played him in Solo, I really enjoyed it. I will keep playing Azalea for now, but I'm interested to explore Kayo and Kassai.
Which hero will win Pro Tour: Los Angeles?
Azalea!
