Content creator, interviewer, and commentator, Matt di Marco a.k.a. WatchFlake is the host of the Instant Speed Podcast, has written content for our website, and is a regular member of the commentary team at Flesh and Blood events. Ahead of his appearance at Pro Tour: Baltimore, Matt is here to give you the rundown on what you should watch out for, whether you're competing in the main event or catching up from the comfort of your living room.
It seems like forever ago when Michael Hamilton claimed his surfboard-sized cheque at the World Championship in San Jose, California back in November of 2022. Since then we have been ripping packs of Dynasty and Outsiders, sharing stories of bad beats, and commiserating over the fact that I have still yet to open a Fable (can you believe it?!). The wait for pinnacle level competition finally ends this month, as all eyes will be on Baltimore for Pro Tour 3.
Major Tournament, Major Stakes
With the announcements of Battle Hardened and Calling tournaments continuing to roll out in the months ahead, we are certainly getting our fix of competitive card slinging, but the dates we circle on the calendar, both as players and spectators alike, are the majors; The big ones with the fat checks and glory. The third Pro Tour is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated events in Flesh and Blood history. With so many brilliant moments from past Pro Tours, I want to get you geared up for the weekend so you’re not missing a beat.
Lore in the Making
There won’t be any pyro, smoke machines, or ear-shattering entrance music for the contenders, but the show will bring its own moments of drama and heart-pounding action. The entire weekend centers around the Pro Tour Championship, where hundreds of players will toil through two days of mind-bending gameplay in two formats: Outsiders Draft and Classic Constructed. Early success is pivotal, as many players will see their entire championship hopes dissipate in the face of a sneaky Uzuri attack reaction, or a dominated Azalea arrow that is pumped sky high.
From the get-go, the intensity will be dialled up. So many names will fall from grace early, as is the nature of the tournament, but so many others will look to etch their names in Flesh and Blood lore. Pros from around the world will hunt for those moments that establish a legacy, such as when Pablo Pintor fought back from an 0-2 start at Pro Tour New Jersey to win the entire tournament on Chane. Or when Matthew Foulkes rode the Belittle/Minnowism combo to a convincing victory at Pro Tour Lille. These tournaments are made to add pages to the evolving tapestry of competitive Flesh and Blood, and this Pro Tour will be no different.
Draft Matters
A major aspect of the grind will be the draft. Outsiders has revitalized the limited scene with a truly significant set that co-designer Bryan Gottlieb has been heralding for months as being a titan of the format. Early reviews have come back sparkling, and players will have to temporarily shelve the comfort and familiarity of their Classic Constructed decks to delve into the uncertain waters of draft. From pack one, pick one onward, the field will agonize over every selection, and measure every signal they’re beaconing. With six total rounds of draft counting towards the inevitable chop to Top 8, you can be sure that a ton of the drama will lurk within the pitfalls of those three packs being passed around.
Though planning which hero you’ll play in a draft is a fool’s errand, players won’t be waltzing into the draft rounds without a solid foundation of draft strategy. Since the set was officially released merely weeks ago, tight-knit groups have allied to run draft camps to hone their skills. Every pack opened and passed is an opportunity to widen the gap between the true contenders, and those who are leaving their fate up to chance. Do you take that Codex of Frailty despite being on Ninja to deny the Ranger two seats over? Or do you scoop up that third red Head Jab to truly round out your combo lines? The decisions will weigh heavy on the minds of even the most seasoned drafter, as many championship hopes will go up in smoke.
Heroes to Watch
While Outsiders holds major significance at the upcoming Pro Tour, its impact goes beyond the six rounds of draft that factor into the cut to Top 8. The set itself has introduced new heroes to the mix, as well as air-dropping a slew of new toys for existing heroes to play with. Ninja, Ranger, and Assassin get a sizable upgrade that has professionals scratching their heads on what exactly the meta will shake out to be once the first rounds of Classic Constructed kick off on Friday, April 28th. The goodies range from the much talked about Codex of Frailty, which is already garnering widespread chirping from the masses as being one of the most powerful Majestics in print, to fresh new combo lines for Katsu to line up in a flurry of brutality suitable for a John Wick script. The new set hasn’t had much time to get settled before its impact is on full display.
The most waves originate from the much maligned original Ranger of Rathe: Azalea. In the same way fans vote to name a sea-worthy vessel Boaty McBoatface, players have rallied to celebrate Flesh and Blood’s most historically punchless hero. The Cult of Azalea’s prayers have been answered, as James White has truly made her “the business”. Sporting a fresh new equipment type, her quiver has been loaded with new arrows laced with all kinds of bad news. Crippling on-hit effects from cards like Red in the Ledger and Remorseless, along with new pumps like Premeditate and Lace With (choose your poison) have given Azalea a slew of options to put their opponent down and out. Oh, and she can play Codex of Frailty, need I say more? Chances are high that the storied Azalea bounty will be claimed at the Pro Tour, as she may finally tally her first Living Legend points.
While others may run and hide from the sky-high volley of arrows, an armada of dragons will soar well above their range. Dromai has always seemed to lag behind the meta, often everyone’s dark horse pick to steal a tournament should the winds blow favourably. Given the shifting landscape, Dromai may emerge as a true contender to win it all at the Pro Tour. A hungry horde of dragons is a tall task to answer by a single sharpened arrow, so control Dromai is a likely candidate to hunt down and punish the Azaleas. While not an easy hero to pilot, she was the most represented hero at the Realm Games Brawl in Chicago, the first major tournament post-Outsiders that was ultimately won by Brodie Spurlock over Levi Rauch in an Azalea mirror match. While no Dromais made the Top 8, the logic is sound. My suspicion is that with the added weeks of preparation and practice, the Dromai players will have a much more refined gameplan to weather the most vicious spray of arrow. The dragons may yet feast.
While Azalea and Dromai may set the pace, players will be positioning themselves to best exploit the meta. Those who refuse to fall into the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” category will angle to counter the meta from their best guesses. Call me old fashioned (emphasis on old), but there is still some fight left in Oldhim and his younger Guardian counterpart Bravo. Being defensively oriented into the go-tall gameplan that will ravage most of the field is a good comfort zone to fall back on. Digging into a list ripe with defence reactions can reward a patient player who catches Azalea with a bad hand. Though ice heroes have lost a skip in their step, they can still execute a solid late game cycle to turn the corner after withstanding a barrage of damage. Equipment that can cover up breakpoints is a massive advantage, and Guardians come equipped with one hell of an armor kit. While Oldhim can use Crown of Seeds to shore up their defence, Bravo will be a more imposing presence. Still bubble-wrapped for maximum protection, he can utilize his built-in dominate effect to punish the flimsy equipment of the standard Ranger. Throw in some disruptive effects from standard Guardian fare like Chokeslam and Spinal Crush, or try a new flavour by Pummeling a Crush Confidence to drive the point home. No matter the meta, there’s a card Guardian can lean on to buy momentum.
The aggro crowd may groan at the surge in heroes running robust, disruptive attacks, but they do have a couple heroes to root for in their go-wide-go-fast approach. Lexi has floated in the periphery for ages, seemingly never given her due respect. Finding it difficult to duplicate her day in the spotlight when Yuki Lee Bender won the 2021 Canadian National Championship on the hero, we may see a massive shift to the Elemental Ranger to do the dirty work of making opponents uncomfortable with nasty damage and on-hit relevance.
If arrows aren’t your jam, perhaps you’d prefer the smoke-and-mirrors trickery of the games newest and most sneaky Assassin Uzuri. Doubling down on combat tricks, Uzuri has the capability to keep an opponent on edge, cobbling together some very painful turns with just two cards. If any Assassin makes a splash at the Pro Tour, it will likely be off some timely switcheroos by a stealthy Uzuri.
With the rise of new faces dominating the metagame, we might see less of previous tournament stalwarts like Briar and Iyslander. While both haven’t really been tickled by the ban hammer, their position in the current meta is one that could heel to the top dogs. With the limited time to prepare, I suspect some die-hards will stick to their guns and bring these two heroes to the show, but it’ll take some crafty deck building and gameplay to be left standing when the dust settles.
My last hero to watch is the one that most players whisper about in the early rounds. Kano has such a devoted following, and such a high skill floor to match. It is the solution to certain metas, versus being the problem. Good Kano players find the perfect climate to sneak in and bring havoc on an unsuspecting field, and we never know what this dark horse is thinking. My guess is fire. Lots and lots of fire.
The Community Coming Together
The soul of the weekend will live in the games played at the venue. That is where we will crown a third Pro Tour Champion, and where the memories will be made for another page in Flesh and Blood history. Not everyone who attends will participate, and that is part of the wonder of these events, and something worth mentioning. This weekend is much bigger than a Top 8 and prizes; The weekend is about community.
I’ve been playing cards for 25 years, and can unequivocally say that these events mean more to me than competition. It is the gathering of people - friends, colleagues, family, rivals, allies - to share the joy and comfort of friendly competition. The laughter, the smiles, the stories of glory, and the miseries of defeat can all be commiserated together over a coffee, a dinner, a drink, or a midnight draft in the hotel lobby. The experience transcends the boundaries of the venue, and I invite everyone, attending or not, to explore the beauty that these events can nurture. The tweets, memes, jokes and stories that are shared through social media enhance and add to the lore of the game, so please join in. I’ll be there with an everlasting big dumb smile on my face as I get to once again immerse myself in something so trivial, yet so important: card games.
I look forward to seeing you all in Baltimore, marveling as the next chapter of Flesh and Blood unfolds.