Calling: Phuket Live Blog

The Calling Phuket - Wrap

It's time to call sunset on the best Calling yet.

Thanks for being part of it.

Go Azalea!

The Calling Phuket - Champion

Congratulations to Brodie 'Mr International' Spurlock (USA) playing Azalea, Ace in the Hole, who came, who saw, and who conquered. The odds were against Brodie - he booked a last minute trip, flew across the world, and played a hero who few were expecting to demonstrate the success Brodie has delivered today.

• Check out Brodie's Azalea, Ace in the Hole Decklist

Straight after the victory, we rushed down to the beach to celebrate in the paradise-like setting that has been the backdrop throughout The Calling Phuket. This has been the most beautiful Calling yet.

Brodie and Pudding played out an intense final that went back and forth, but ultimately the ranger was able to deliver a pivotal turn for 17 damage that swung the momentum towards Azalea. It was a matter of time from there, with the game flowing evenly until a timely Codex sealed the fate and allowed the visitor to wrestle the match from Pudding, and seal the championship.

Brodie is our newest Champion, taking out The Calling Phuket - and for his hard work he takes home $2400 USD, a Gold Cold Foil Balance of Justice, a Professional Tournament Invite, the trophy, and the attention of players everywhere.

This weekend Flesh and Blood might have been on holiday, but the $1,500,000 Organised Play program for 2024 never stops giving - this weekend just another step on the journey.

Speaking of journeys, Brodie has a long one back to Texas, USA, but he's already thinking about the next events - ready to start preparing for the Pro Quest: Amsterdam season, and thereafter: Nationals!

Battle Hardened Phuket - Champion

Congratulations to Teddy Tai (Hong Kong), playing Azalea, Ace in the Hole. In a gruelling match, with a huge crowd watching, we watched Teddy and Odi trade blows against each other in a frenzied attempt to be the next Battle Hardened Champion. There can only be one of course, and in the end it was an Azalea weekend, with Teddy able to deliver the Wounding Blow.

This is a well earned victory for the Hong Kong national, Teddy, winning a hard fought finals against the Indonesian challenger, Odi, and they will both go home with their bags a little bit heavier - weighted by $500 USD, an exclusive Battle Hardened Playmat, and a Professional Tournament Invite each. [Winner] will also walk away with a Gold Foil Legendary Black Envelope. What a great way to end a great weekend in Phuket.

The Battle Hardened Top 8 rounds were packed with excitement, with crowds gathering round their local heroes and cheering on their country's last hope to bring glory to their nation. It was about more than Levia vs Boltyn; it was about Singapore vs Indonesia, there was Kano vs Azalea; but there was also Singapore vs Hong Kong -- this was about who could bring pride to South East Asia and prove that their players were Battle Hardened, and perhaps... where is the best place to play Flesh and Blood in the region? As each match was resolved huge cheers rung out to celebrate... it was enthralling... it was everything great about why we play 100% great games in the Flesh and Blood.

The Calling Phuket - Top 8

We are here at the pointy end of the weekend, and we have ourselves a terrific Top 8. These are going to be some stellar matches to play out ahead of us. From across the world many came, but only eight are left here to fight it out for the grand prize. It is a huge prize too - we have for the winner: A Golden Cold Foil Balance of Justice; a Professional Tournament Invite; $2400 USD in cash; and, the honour of being The Calling Phuket Champion.

We have a lovely group of people here, who have given all of their sweat, blood, and tears to wade through 11 rounds of Classic Constructed to represent their heroes and their nations in this meeting of masters of the game.

1. 11-0 "Vespa" Chujitngamsuwong (Thailand) on Prism, Awakener of Sol
2. 9-2 Chu Heng Eng (Singapore) on Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
3. 9-2 Derk Hua Lee (Malaysia) on Dromai, Ash Artist
4. 9-2 Josiah Cheah (Malaysia) on Uzuri, Switchblade
5. 9-2 Brodie Spurlock (America) on Azalea, Ace in the Hole
6. 9-2 Pudding Tam (Hong Kong) on Katsu, the Wanderer
7. 8-3 Chanon Puttaree (Thailand) on Prism, Awakener of Sol
8. 8-3 CYK Lionel (Taiwan) on Dorinthea Ironsong

Let's go back to the prediction made on Saturday once we saw the metagame:
Top 8 this weekend: 2 Dorinthea, 2 Victor, 1 Katsu, 1 Kayo, 1 Dromai, and 1 Dash
So, we got it mostly right... but a few wrong. Swap out the 2 Victor for Prism, 1 Dash for Uzuri, and take 1 Dorinthea in favour of Azalea. Funnily enough, there was a Dorinthea who finished in 9th, having played Brodie in the 11th round - but Brodie's teched Azalea would ultimately cement the Ranger's spot in Top 8

We did get right the other 4, and we got right the overall theme that it would be a very even meta, with 6 different heroes represented, but oh goodness - what happened to Victor? The horseman only made 1 other spot in the Top 16.

This is going to be a terrific cap to the weekend - stay with us as we continue the journey, live from Patong Beach, here in Phuket.

Battle Hardened Phuket - Top 8

Following seven tough rounds of the best competition this side of the equator, we have our Top 8 for the Battle Hardened today. These players have established their skill throughout the weekend, and now it is time to resolve who will wear the crown of Battle Hardened Champion in our tropical paradise, Phuket.

We saw a very diverse meta game coming into the Battle Hardened, and this has been reflected right through at the Top 8, with seven different heroes represented by players from four different nations. There's only one chance here for Dromai to earn her Legendary status this weekend, with Rocko facing off against Boltyn in the quarter-finals.

1. 6-1 Jack Tang (Hong Kong) on Victor Goldmane, High and Mighty
2. 6-1 IG Davin (Malaysia) on Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
3. 6-1 Ho Wei Jie (Singapore) on Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
4. 6-1 Odi Winata (Indonesia) on Ser Boltyn, Breaker of Dawn
5. 6-1 Rocko Yan from (Hong Kong) on Dromai, Ash Artist
6. 6-1 Eugene Neo from (Singapore) on Kano, Dracai of Aether
7. 5-2 Teddy Tai from (Hong Kong) on Azalea, Ace in the Hole
8. 5-2 Sam Lau from (Singapore) on Levia, Shadowborn Abomination

There is great representation here from players in Hong Kong, and Singapore - can the other nations break through and establish their case? We will feature the winner and victory shot once the Battle Hardened is decided.

The Calling Phuket - Profile: Pudding

As we wait for the other semi-final of the Top 8 to play out, and the Battle Hardened to complete their seventh and final round of Classic Constructed, we bring you the player profile of Pudding Tam from Hong Kong, who wandered through Phuket on Katsu for a 9 wins and 2 losses record after the 11 Swiss rounds, and is relaxing after a win against Dromai in the quarter-finals, and against Kayo in the semi-finals.

Pudding took the time to share his thoughts on the hero, the journey to the semi-finals, and a reflection on the event:

• Pudding is a member of Team Blue Pitch, and they were joking with him as we sat down, teasing him that his hero has no text; he never uses Katsu's ability because he always draws the combo naturally!
• You've been playing Katsu for a long time - do you play other heroes?
  • I played Katsu through to Nationals season, but for Nationals I played Briar right through until when she was gone... then I switched back to Katsu
• Why do you like decks like Briar and Katsu?
  • They force the decision making on to the opponent - it makes them think about how to block
  • Katsu has lots of different routes to go down...
• When you were making choices in matches, what routes did you use?
  • I never sided out any of the combo; I sometimes took out Spinning Wheel Kick
• What has been the hardest matchup this weekend?
  • Victor - my team are all on Victor and they were thrashing me in testing
• What has been the matchup you felt best in?
  • None especially... maybe normal Dromai, not red-line Dromai
• On reflection - would you make any changes to your list?
  • Maybe 1-2 more Warmongers Diplomacy? I have 1 in the list... but I never played it - only blocked or pitched

Pudding is pictured here with his favourite cards from the deck

Wishing both Pudding and Brodie all the best for the Grand Finals of The Calling Phuket - this is sure to be an absolutely sizzling hot match. Luckily, the players can hit the water straight after - the beach is just across the road.

We'll be right back with the Battle Hardened Top 8.

Calling Phuket - Winning Moments

The main event is about to wrap up, but we have some amazing winning moments to share - this is all part of the beauty at The Calling. Today, these moments include the Alpha Draft; the Win a Merlion Sigil of Solace competition; and, the Gold Cold Foil Commoner.

We had eight winners, really - because these randomly selected participants were lucky enough to be seated together for a very special moment: 3 packs of Welcome to Rathe Alpha Booster Draft. These cards are so beautiful and special - it really takes one back to those early days many years ago now. Enough daydreaming... there was one who got the biggest prize of the box!

Alpha Draft - CYK Lionel

With the spare time he had in between making The Calling Top 8, and playing side events on Friday, CYK Lionel was lucky enough to be selected and on top of that cracked open the beautiful and only Cold Foil in the box - Ironrot Legs. Pairing that with an Alpha (aka pink) edition of Crippling Crush, he walked away with a huge smile on his face. Well done lad!

Win a Merlion Sigil of Solace

Congratulations to our winners, who shared with us some of the moments that made the trip down to Phuket special for them. Our winners were selected for:

• Geoffrey - on Facebook he shared a detailed tournament report, telling the story of his weekend, the highs, the lows, and the overall feeling. He also shared a second post about achieving a grail card - the Crucible of War superstar: Arknight Shard
• Chew - on Twitter he shared a lovely photo of his experience at Patong Beach here in Phuket, and really highlighted the holiday experience for The Calling Phuket. He also shared another post about meeting people and enjoying games together.

We are really glad to hear both these players enjoyed their time in Phuket, and Thailand - we had so many great stories over the weekend. This truly has been the best Calling yet.

Gold Cold Foil Commoner - Nova Chan

Congratulations to Nova - winner of our Commoner side event, expertly piloting his build of Iyslander in the format where anything goes - so long as it's available to the commoners of Rathe. For this effort, he takes home the envy of the local armory a Gold Cold Foil black envelope.

Keep tuned, as very shortly we bring you the Top 8 from our main event - The Calling Phuket, who will duke it out this afternoon for a share of $10,000 USD -- all part of Flesh and Blood's amazing $1,500,000 Organised Play program for 2024.

Gold Cold Foil Commoner

Following hot on the heels of Kasharn Rao's Dumpster Dive we have the amazing Commoner side event giving away another prestigious Gold Cold Foil. These black envelopes are the pinnacle of their collection for so many Flesh and Blood players, sitting proudly in a slab as part of the equipment or weaponry for their favourite deck.

Today we have 13 players rocking their favourite commoner edition decks, and it's going to be a wild ride as they fight their way through to the handshake and the black envelope. The decks registered were:

• 5x Ira, Crimson Haze
• 4x Iyslander
• 1x Chane
• 1x Dash
• 1x Dorinthea
• 1x Fai

The original Flesh and Blood hero, the Crimson Warrior, Ira remains dominant in the commoner format, and today she is the most popular hero bringing the constant aggression and brutal speed that is needed to close out a match quickly. Meanwhile, we have Iyslander standing opposite and nearly equally represented - looking to slow the game down to a glacial pace and freeze the opponents out.

While we get into the final round of The Calling, we are going to compile the entries from the Win a Merlion Sigil of Solace competition, and figure out which lucky entrants will go home with another treat from this spectacular weekend of Flesh and Blood.

Battle Hardened Phuket - Meta

There are 96 brave combatants seated and prepared to duke it out in today's Battle Hardened, this may not be the main event but it still carries all the prestige and reward of any major event - ELO, $USD cash prizes, Professional Tournament Invites, and the cherished Legendary Black Envelope.

We have got the meta game numbers in from our team, and it looks very similar to what we saw on Day 1 of The Calling - the distribution of heroes is very evenly spread, and this could be anyone's game. The big 5 heroes are exactly the same - Kayo (15 - 16%); Victor (12 - 13%); Azalea (11 - 12%); Dromai (10 - 11%); and, Dorinthea (10 - 11%), in total representing 60% of all the heroes registered today.

From there it is a sharp drop-off to the minnows, with the other 40% of players electing to represent 13 different heroes, including single player populations of Fai, Uzuri, Viserai, and Vynnset. The most surprising figure here is the sharp drop off of support for Fai, with the Draconic Ninja getting smoked completely out of Day 1 of The Calling there is very little love for him today.

Let's ride it out and see what happens as the 7 rounds of Classic Constructed progress - we'll continue the updates to show how our heroes are performing.

Up next, we have updates from the Gold Cold Foil Commoner, and then the prize draw for the Win a Merlion Sigil of Solace competition!

The Calling Phuket - Profile: 'Vespa'

While the Battle Hardened players are getting seated and handing in their decklists, we bring you a quick player profile with undefeated player, Thanthawat "Vespa" Chujitngamsuwong from Bangkok, Thailand, piloting his build of Prism, Awakener of Sol to an undefeated record at the close of Round 8.

Vespa sat down with us to answer a few questions about his deck, his preparation, and his experience so far this weekend:

• How does it feel to be playing The Calling in your home country?
  • So good, I love it being in Phuket
• What is the Thai community like for flesh and blood?
  • Really friendly and very close, we know each other well; we test together and play together a lot
• What made you decide to play Prism this weekend?
  • It was a decision between Prism and Dorinthea - I liked Dori after seeing how well it did at Pro Tour Los Angeles
  • I watched the sideboard guides on Rhea Adams' YouTube channel and felt much more comfortable bringing Prism
• What hero did you most want to play against this weekend?
  • Victor - it's my best match up
• What hero did you least want to play against this weekend?
  • I don't want to see Kayo - it's not fun
• What has been the hardest match you've played so far?
  • It was the match against Dromai on stream - Round 7
  • [Editor] Rewatch this match on YouTube Live Stream, Day 1
• How do you feel about your deck, your sideboard, would you make changes?
  • No - I am happy with my 80.

Keep following all the action live on the Flesh and Blood YouTube stream, live for Day 2, expertly made by our skilled production team and enchanting casters.

Last time he was at a Calling, 'Vespa' sadly missed out in 9th place. Today, fortunes look much better. There are just 3 rounds to go, but Vespa is a near certainty for Top 8 after this 8-0 record. We wish the Thai local success in his hometown Calling, as we go to the start of Round 9 of 11 for The Calling Phuket. Up next: Battle Hardened meta game.

The Calling Phuket - Welcome to Day 2

Yesterday we had a packed house, with over 200 players slinging cards and desperately trying to keep their hopes of a Day 2 finish alive. The last round saw a cut to the Top 48:

• 2 players undefeated at 7-0
• 10 players with one loss; 6-1
• 33 players with two losses; 5-2
• 3 players with three losses; 4-3

Today we have a further 4 rounds of Classic Constructed, and it is most likely that we will have a Top 8 cut made up of:

• 1 player undefeated at 11-0
• 6 players with up to two losses; 9-2 or better
• 1 player with three losses; 8-3

The meta game for Day 2 remains very spread, with 11 different heroes represented. If we examine the players with the best chances - those on 7 and 6 wins at the end of Day 1, the picture is equally spread across those 12 players:

• 3x Dromai, Ash Artist
• 2x Azalea, Ace in the Hole (1x 7-0 player)
• 2x Prism, Awakener of Sol (1x 7-0 player)
• 2x Dorinthea Ironsong
• 1x Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
• 1x Katsu, the Wanderer
• 1x Uzuri, Switchblade

Dromai is well represented, meaning the chances of a Living Legend finish for the Ash Artist are very real this weekend - between this event and the Battle Hardened, anything can happen!

Every win counts today. Players will be pushing their hardest to make every point of damage count, to make every card get maximum value, and to prove their strength against some of the best established players in the region.

In addition to The Calling, we have Battle Hardened Phuket kicking off, and later today the Gold Cold Foil Commoner event, and the prestigious Welcome To Rathe Alpha draft.

Stay with us as we bring the action - live from tropical Phuket.

Cosplay Feature

We had two fantastic cosplayers at The Calling Phuket, and it was wonderful to see the two iconic heroes on holiday; after spending that long in the Shadow, anyone would fancy an afternoon at the beach!

Thank you to both of our participants, for sharing their vision and work with us; it is always inspiring to see the effort and creativity invested in the quest to bring Flesh and Blood characters to life:

• mochi, from Singapore who brought us Vynnset
• Touran, from Osaka, Japan who brought us Young Levia

With that, dear readers, it is time to close the book on Day 1 of The Calling Phuket. Join us again tomorrow, as we complete the next 4 rounds of Classic Constructed to find out our Top 8 in the main event; find out who gets a second chance as they storm through the Battle Hardened, and enjoy the delightful side events like the Welcome to Rathe Alpha Draft, and the Gold Cold Foil Commoner!

The Calling Phuket - Day 2 Meta

Oh Gosh, Day 1 is all said all done. We have the final numbers in for Round 7 - and the meta game update is electrifying. This is beyond what many would have predicted. This is the creativity, innovation, and deep technical knowledge of the game that exists in South East Asia. Only a few visitors came, and fewer still survive the Top 48 cut to Day 2. We have just two undefeated players after 7 rounds of Classic Constructed.

Of the 19 unique heroes that we started out with, we are left with just 11 heroes surviving to Day 2 and 8 being eliminated entirely. Interestingly, the 8 that were eliminated were some of the lowest represented over the weekend, with the exceptions of Kano, Uzuri, and Prism. Nobody predicted the return of the infamous Illusionist, but it seems the fans here have well and truly managed to awaken Sol. It is a sad lesson for students of Fai, with the Draconic Ninja deceiving their hopes and clocking off for the day. Time to petition for Stubby Hammerers to come back?

• 14 Singaporean players progressed with 9 different heroes - 6-1 Chu Heng Eng on Kayo, was the top seed
• 7 Malaysian players progressed with 5 different heroes - 7-0 Jian Wei Tee on Azalea was the top seed
• 6 Hong Kong players progressed with 3 different heroes - 5-2 Nova Chan on Victor was the top seed
• 5 Taiwanese players progressed with 3 different heroes - 6-1 CYK Lionel on Dorinthea was the top seed
• 4 Thai players progressed with 3 different heroes - 7-0 "Vespa" Chujitngamsuwong on Prism was the top seed
• 3 Indonesia players progressed with 3 different heroes - 5-2 Justian Frederick on Uzuri was the top seed
• 3 American players progressed with 3 different heroes - 6-1 Brodie Spurlock on Azalea was the top seed
• 2 Vietnamese players progressed with 2 different heroes - 5-2 Khoi Dinh on Azalea was the top seed
• 1 Australian player progressed - 5-2 Kuan Li on Dromai
• 1 Austria player progressed - 4-3 Long Dao on Kayo
• 1 German player progressed - 5-2 Johannes Schorpp on Dash
• 1 British player progressed - 5-2 Peter Ward on Kayo
• Sadly for the Belgian, Japanese, and Philippines representatives - Day 1 is the end of the road, and they will have to try again in the Battle Hardened.

The day belongs to Jian Wei Tee (Malaysia) on Azalea - finding all the Aces she needed to top Day 1 of The Calling, and also to hometown hero "Vespa" (Thailand) also undefeated with Prism, Awakener of Sol that surprised everyone.

Congratulations to Brodie Spurlock, who led the visitor contingent with a 6-1 record on his Azalea build. Spectators are already asking for the deck list -- apparently there's some innovation... 3 of the 4 Americans made it through to Day 2; 3 of the 6 Europeans were able to scrape in on the Top 48 cut; and, just 1 of the Australians made it to the bitter end.

Up next is the Cosplay Feature - captured with the stellar backdrop of Patong Beach, here in Phuket Thailand. A reminder - this is the most beautiful Calling yet. Make sure to book for the next one!

The Calling Phuket - Round 6 Update

We are just one round away from the close of play in Day 1 of The Calling Phuket and it has been a lovely day playing in the pleasant cool of our grand room here at the Four Points in Phuket. It has been a day filled with great plays, tough match-ups, and exciting come backs, and the atmosphere has hit a fever high as players fight for their spot in Day 2 with the last rounds.

We have 3 players undefeated after these first six rounds, so it's going to come down to just two tables to see who will lead the day into the sunset. Our Top 8 prediction was: 2 Dorinthea, 2 Victor, 1 Katsu, 1 Kayo, 1 Dromai, and 1 Dash, so how is that looking after six rounds of Classic Constructed? Well... we did not anticipate seeing so many Prism or Azalea in the Top 16:

• 6-0 Jian Wei Tee (Malaysia) on Azalea
• 6-0 "Vespa" Chujitngamsuwong (Thailand) on Prism
• 6-0 Derk Hua Lee (Malaysia) on Dromai
• 5-1 Nova Chan (Hong Kong) on Victor
• 5-1 Chu Heng Eng (Singapore) on Kayo
• 5-1 Brodie Spurlock (USA) on Azalea
• 5-1 Chanon Puttaree (Thailand) on Prism
• 5-1 CYK Lionel (Taiwan) on Dorinthea
• 5-1 Michael Feng (USA) on Victor
• 5-1 Fee Sen Sei (Singapore) on Azalea
• 5-1 Prempracha Saensupar (Thailand) on Katsu
• 5-1 CHENG WANG (Taiwan) on Dromai
• 5-1 Brandon Peh (Singapore) on Boltyn
• 5-1 Soh zheng (Singapore) on Kayo
• 5-1 Pei-Tung Liao (Taiwan) on Dorinthea
• 5-1 Hochun Lai (Hong Kong) on Kayo

It looks like the dream may be all but dead for Dash, and Usury with one lone champion hanging on for each with 4 wins - and pushing for that 5th win to carry them on to Day 2.

The action is continuing all weekend, and we are streaming LIVE all weekend on the Flesh and Blood YouTube. Before we close out the day, we have coming up: a meta game update for the players progressing into Day 2, and entries from The Calling Phuket Cosplay Feature.

Shapeshifter Sealed

As The Calling Phuket runs hot, some are trying their luck elsewhere, with nearly 20 people sitting down to spend the afternoon as Shiyana, and play Shapeshifter Sealed. These players have the curious task of building a deck out of 6 booster packs - sounds easy right? Except... these boosters are from six different sets: Monarch, Dusk to Dawn, Tales of Aria, Dynasty, Uprising, and Outsiders.

In this format players may use any Class, Talent, or Generic Cards that are present in their card pool. So we are going to see some crazy stuff - imagine what is possible: Chane with Rune Gate?; Uzuri with Herald of Erudition?; Prism with Spectra + Dragons at the same time?! This is too bonkers... this format is as crazy as the colourful Phuket nightlife.

A quick update after round 4 of The Calling - we are racing towards the Day 2 cut; this is the time to master the Art of War. Just 13 players are left undefeated, and it's turning out not to be the Kayo party that many predicted, with only one arm raised in favour of the Brute on the undefeated tables.

• CYK Lionel (Taiwan) on Dorinthea
• Jian Wei Tee (Malaysia) on Azalea
• Malcolm Song (Singapore) on Dromai
• Chu Heng Eng (Singapore) on Kayo
• Chanon Puttaree (Thailand) on Prism
• Michael Feng (USA) on Victor
• Nova Chan (Hong Kong) on Victor
• Brodie Spurlock (USA) on Azalea
• Fee Sen Sei (Singapore) on Azalea
• "Vespa" Chujitngamsuwong (Thailand) on Prism
• Daryl Sham (Malaysia) on Boltyn
• FUNG CC (Hong Kong) on Victor
• Derk Hua Lee (Malaysia) on Dromai

The Calling Phuket - Round 3 Update

Team, we are cruising along here in the tropical heat of Thailand, but the games are incredibly tight. The skill, patience, and prowess of the players is demonstrable in every match we watch. Games are going down to the wire - this is exactly the way we love to see Flesh and Blood being played - 100% great games always.

We have standout performances from three of the furtherest visitors, with Michael Feng (USA) on Victor, Brodie Spurlock (USA) on Azalea, and Peter Ward (UK) on Kayo, all undefeated after the first three rounds. In total we have 25 players undefeated - with the other 22 coming from across South East Asia to champion their heroes and fight their way to the top.

Undefeated after Round 3 of The Calling Day 1

• 4x Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
• 4x Dorinthea Ironsong
• 4x Azalea, Ace in the Hole
• 3x Victor Goldmane, High and Mighty
• 3x Dromai, Ash Artist
• 2x Ser Boltyn, Breaker of Dawn
• 2x Prism, Awakener of Sol
• 2x Katsu, the Wanderer
• 1x Uzuri, Switchblade

The famous Thai hospitality continues to reward those who made the trek out to Phuket, with players taking a break from placing their wagers and clashing to enjoy some fresh and delicious lunch -- the banana in coconut milk was an absolute treat. We will be right back with more Flesh and Blood action after the break - stay tuned!

The Calling Phuket - Representation

Just like the diversity in the meta, we have many different players representing different nations here today. Flesh and Blood is truly an international game, and it is especially good to see Japan well represented - with 14 Japanese players here this weekend - ahead of the release of Part the Mistveil, the first booster product to be printed in Japanese language.

Shout out to Indonesia, also here in force - with 13 players taking up the mantle and representing their nation in The Calling. We have 6 brave Europeans from Austria (2), Germany (2), Belgium (1), and Britain (1) and 4 travelling from the USA to this beachside Calling. Though only 10 persons - these visitors include notable names such as Joshua Lau, Peter Ward, Michael Feng, Florin-Cristian Loghin, and Brodie Spurlock. The competition is white hot here - and only the most disciplined and skilled players will make it through to Day 2.

• 54 Singaporean players brought 15 different heroes - Victor was most popular .
• 36 Malaysian players brought 14 different heroes - Dromai was most popular.
• 29 Hong Kong players registered from bringing 10 different heroes - Victor was most popular.
• 19 Thai players brought 10 different heroes - Dromai was most popular.
• 16 Taiwanese players brought 10 different heroes - Dorinthea was most popular.
• 14 Japanese players brought 9 different heroes - Kayo was most popular.
• 13 Indonesian players brought 9 different heroes - Dromai was most popular.
• 8 Philippines players brought 6 different heroes - Kayo was most popular.
• 4 American players brought 4 different heroes - Azalea, Dorinthea, Dromai, and Victor.
• 4 Australian players brought4 different heroes - Boltyn, Dromai, Katsu, and Riptide.
• 3 Vietnamese players brought2 different heroes - Azalea was most popular.
• 2 Austrian players brought2 different heroes - Kayo, and Dorinthea.
• 2 German players brought 2 different heroes - Dorinthea, and Dash.
• 1 Belgian player brought Dorinthea.
• 1 British player brought Kayo.

The Calling Phuket - Meta

The numbers are in, readers, and we have a thrilling day in front of us if this breakdown is anything to go by. When we spoke to the players yesterday it felt like Kayo was the deck the room felt one needed to beat.

This is a wild meta - we have 19 different heroes, with a breakaway big 5 filled out by the dominant heroes right now: Kayo (31 - 15%); Dromai (29 - 14%); Victor (26 - 13%); Dorinthea (24 - 12%); and, Azalea (14 - 7%). Collectively those heroes are represented by 60% of the players here today, so they are very clearly favoured to make it through to the Top 8.

The predictions from yesterday appear true - Kayo is the deck to beat today, followed by Dromai, with the Heavy Hitting Brute and the Artistic Illusionist making up nearly a third of the decks registered this weekend. Many will be wondering - will this be the crowning weekend for Dromai to hit living legend, following on the back of Arthur Trehet's Pro Tour Los Angeles victory?

Let's make a bold prediction for the Top 8 this weekend: 2 Dorinthea, 2 Victor, 1 Katsu, 1 Kayo, 1 Dromai, and 1 Dash - stay tuned as we bring all the action LIVE.

The Calling Phuket - Welcome to Day 1

Welcome one, welcome all, we are in beautiful, majestic, and marvellous Phuket - Flesh and Blood is at the beach, but the players are not throwing sand today, they are throwing Heavy Hitters all day, with 206 champions registered for a shot at the Top 8 and a chance to be crowned as the next Calling Champion.

Our players are true warriors, ready for anything. They have taken the learnings from Pro Tour Los Angeles; they have added some local spice; and, they are ready to conquer! We have 7 rounds of Swiss Classic Constructed today, with a cut to the greater of Top 48 or all players with 5 wins (x-2) or better after round 7.

That will be followed by 4 rounds of Swiss Classic Constructed on Day 2, followed by a cut to the Top 8. The team are working hard to Seduce Secrets and compile the meta game breakdown - standby readers!

Fun Friday Flesh and Blood - Wrap

Well, we are almost at the end of a nice day of side events at The Calling Phuket, this weekend is going to be terrific if today is anything to go by. We have spent today practising for the main event, ripping Heavy Hitters packs by the dozen, and sharing great games together. This is what a weekend of Flesh and Blood looks like - there are so many reasons to get to The Calling - meeting friends; opening spectacular Marvels; and winning a share of the $1,500,000 Organised Play bounty on offer for 2024.

Ahead of tomorrow's Classic Constructed event, we asked a number of players scattered across the room for their thoughts on the meta game for The Calling Phuket.

Khoi - from Vietnam

• Finalist at The Calling Queenstown (2024)
• Vietnamese National Champion (2023)
• What's the deck to beat: Kayo
• What's the deck you're scared of: Prism
• What's the deck you smash: Hatchet Dorinthea

Sheng - from Hong Kong

• Worlds Barcelona Finalist (2023)
• Worlds San Jose Top 16 Finish (2022)
• What's the deck to beat: Kayo
• What's the deck you're scared of: Kayo
• What's the deck you smash: Azalea

Lexiss - from Malaysia

• What's the deck to beat: Kayo, followed by Dromai
• What's the deck you're scared of: Ninja - I'm playing Dromai
• What's the deck you smash: Kassai

Gordon - from Singapore

• Singaporean National Champion (2022 + 2023)
• Battle Hardened: Singapore Champion (2023)
• What's the deck to beat: Kayo
• What's the deck you're scared of: Kano
• What's the deck you smash: Dromai

Florin - from Austria

• Calling Barcelona Champion (2023)
• Calling Krakow Top 8 (2022)
• Pro Tour New Jersey Finalist
• What's the deck to beat: Kayo
• What's the deck you're scared of: Kayo
• What's the deck you smash: Azalea

Time to go and watch the beautiful Phuket sunset - this really is paradise.

Fun Friday - Super Armory Meta

There were over 60 people registered and willing to have one last night of practice before the main event tomorrow - choosing to forgo the Phuket sunset to instead smash through Victors, rehearse their game against Kayo, and perhaps train for the odd Prism or Kano. There was a quiet energy in the room once this event got down to business - with players knowing that going undefeated tonight would give them a huge boost in confidence for tomorrow.

NB: meta game was collected during Round 2 - dropped players not included

Looks like the top heroes remain fairly consistent - with Victor, Kayo, Dorinthea, and Kassai leading the pack. Traditionally Prism has been very popular in South East Asia, and it looks like the Awakener of Sol has captured the imagination of the people and is going to have a reasonable presence this weekend.

Even our casters got in on the action, with Pankaj pictured here on table 1 bringing his Kassai into the matchup against the opponent's Levia. To close the day we will capture some player feedback and predictions about tomorrow's meta game from across the room at The Calling Phuket.

Win a Merlion Sigil of Solace

For everyone here at The Calling Phuket, we have a special competition where one can win a sweet Merlion of Sigil of Solace - this card is so cool, and a great recognition of the success of Flesh and Blood in South East Asia and the respect Legend Story Studios has for the players in this region.

Simply post on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtags #CallingPhuket #fabtcg with a photo, story, or prediction -- share the experience with others. Show us what made The Calling Phuket a special trip. Tell us about the moments that brought joy, laughter, and made this event worthwhile. Surprise us with zany calls about how the weekend might end.

The judges will select 3 lucky winners for a Sigil of Solace - Merlion Promo, with 1 winner selected for each of the categories:

1. Picture - best photo capturing an experience in Phuket
2. Storytelling - best story sharing an adventure in Phuket
3. Prediction - best prediction about the weekend in Phuket

Rules

1. Entries will only be accepted if posted before 12pm, Sunday 7th April, Phuket time
2. Winners will be announced at the event by 2pm, Sunday 7th April, Phuket time
3. Posts must be on Facebook or Twitter and include the hashtags: #CallingPhuket #fabtcg
4. Selected winners are final and no correspondence will be entered into
5. Winners must be present at Phuket, and the promo must be collected in person
6. Prizes are not redeemable for cash or transferrable for any other prize

Fun Friday Flesh and Blood - Side Events

Fabblers, today may not be the main event but it is still a fun filled day of Flesh and Blood and after our heroes have taken rest at the buffet to fill their bellies it is time now to crack open some packs and smash out some sweet plays to win glorious tickets.

Every ticket is sold this afternoon, with over 200 players seated for the Ravenous Rabble Sealed Deck enjoying Flesh and Blood's runaway success - Heavy Hitters - a fun afternoon before they switch gears to the intensity of The Calling Phuket and the Classic Constructed format.

Everyone has the chance to be a Ticket Puncher at any The Calling weekend, with prize tickets available all weekend for the many side events on offer. Read more on the full side event schedule. We had more than 60 players earlier, drafting together in a single-elimination event to win through to a promo Merlion Sigil of Solace. The Heavy Hitters draft format is so much fun.

The payoff? Gold of course - and by gold, we mean prize tickets, which are being given away all weekend to give players a shot at one and all of the marvellous prizes on the prize wall; there are sparkling cold foils, oversized cards, 1st edition set booster packs, framed art prints, and much much more.

We'll be back next with an update on the meta game from the Super Armory, and the voice of the people in advance of the main event starting tomorrow.

Fun Friday Venue Tour

As players walk in to our fantastic venue they are hit with the inviting smells and sights of the buffet area, with drinks, snacks, hot food, and an open food hall providing a lovely area to relax in between rounds.

This is one of the things that makes The Calling weekend special - a chance to reconnect with old friends, share a coffee and memories, and come together through the common language of playing great games. These events are not just about a weekend away playing cards - they're about coming together, and why not do so over a yummy buffet?

Just up the escalator after the delicious buffet on offer at The Calling Phuket, we have our amazing vendor offerings - here to bring players the latest wares of Rathe and to ensure they can make the last minute changes to tech their deck for the expected meta game. An extra copy of Cleave for Dromai? How about Snag for the Warrior matchup? Grade the latest copy of Sigil of Solace in the quest for a sacred 10? These vendors have it all!

Ethan 'ManSant' Van Sant is diligently making the last checks and tweaks to get the live stream ready ahead of Day 1 of The Calling Phuket. This is going to be a memorable event, and we will have all of the action live on the Flesh and Blood YouTube stream.

Meanwhile, the side events are kicking off, with 60+ players seated for the Super Draft event, where 3-0 winners will pick up a stunning promo Merlion Sigil of Solace for their efforts, and everyone will go home with a stack of tickets after this Heavy Hitters single-elimination draft. Time to put the Money Where Ya Mouth Is!

Shortly we will be back with an update from the side events.

The Most Beautiful Calling Yet

Dear readers, we are at what may be the most beautiful location for The Calling, yet. We are writing live from Patong Beach, in Phuket, Thailand. This is the place to play Flesh and Blood. Imagine walking downstairs, past the buffet, and out to this beachside paradise.

Players are filing in to the event space for the treasure trove of side events on offer today. There is a really happy atmosphere in the room today - and why not? It's beautiful weather, a balmy 33c / 92f, but we've come together from across the world to play Flesh and Blood together. Play the game see the world.

The Four Points by Sheraton is the venue for The Calling this weekend, and it is a remarkable venue with carpeted floors, coffered ceilings featuring tiered chandeliers, and beautiful decorations on the walls.

Stay tuned as today we feature, a venue tour, updates on the side events, and the voice of the people regarding the state of the meta game prior to the main event kicking off tomorrow.

Welcome to the Calling: Phuket Mini Live Blog!

Stay tuned for exciting snapshots across the whole weekend...