Jacob Pearson
Age: 21
Occupation: Card Shop Owner
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Beating Cayle McCreath in a Guardian after losing 40-0 to him the first time.
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira, Crimson Haze. She plays very similar to the old Classic Constructed decks I used to play. I'm very comfortable with it over many rounds.
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Sigil of Solace
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
The eventual winner WON'T be wearing red.
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
The deckbuilding decisions. You have to create a deck that has game against everything. No wild west decks here raw consistency reigns Supreme.
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Pumping the trophy into the air feeling the weight fall from my shoulders.
What has surprised you most during the main event?
Aaron Curtis, a player I'd never heard of throwing me for a loop in top 8. What a lovely gentleman certainly taught me a lesson for not scouting the top players in Swiss.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
Bring more snacks and have more sleep beforehand!
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Cleric - Love me some life gain fatigue action.
Aaron Curtis
Age: 27
Occupation: IT Sales
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Pulling 3 Fabled in 12 boxes/coming 2nd
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira, because she's better than Benji (RIP)
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Flic Flak is God Tier
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Thought Kano would be more prevalent than Ira
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
It's fast, events are 3 hours but play lots of people, and have a great time doing it. So efficient as a game.
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Coming 2nd, and being able to compete with the big boys.
What has surprised you most during the main event?
How well I did, but the lack of Kano. Thought there would be more than Iras
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
My team sealed selection 🙈🙈🙈
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
NECRO BABY!!!!
Jordan James Nelson-Fussell
Age: 24
Occupation: Part time entrepreneur, full time Ninja
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
WAS selling a CF kayo for $1300, but now 3rd at The Calling Auckland 2021
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira. Is easily the best and most consistent deck right now.
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Flic Flak. Card is insane when you get value from it.
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Blue Unmovable is bad.
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
Not as much dash control as constructed and only need to buy 2 copies of foils
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Hearing my name being called out for the 8th seed in top 8.
What has surprised you most during the main event?
How easy the wizard match up can be.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
2nd red Leg Tap > Herons flight.
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Another ninja. We dont have enough.
Calum Gittins
Age: 34
Occupation: Actor
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Top 8 Both events of first Calling 2021
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira, Crimson Haze because I love flexibility.
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Flic Flak
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
People play way too scared against Wizard
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
I’ve never really played Classic Constructed so I’m not the best to answer this!
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Seeing my teammate Jordan take down the mighty Matt Rogers
What has surprised you most during the main event?
The seven hundred different ways you can build Ira
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
I’d spend more time trying to come up with something that beat Ira.
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Engineer/Blacksmith. I wanna throw equipment at people and recycle it from the graveyard.
Matt Rogers
Age: 30
Occupation: TCG Distributor
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Winning a Trophy in Flesh and Blood
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Flic Flak
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Redline Ranger to make the FINALS!
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
Watching Kano flipping off the top
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
My teammate winning 2-0 in the finals to become a calling champion
What has surprised you most during the main event?
Blue unmovable in Wizard
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
Would have slept between rounds.
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Alchemist!!
Kieran McEntegart
Age: 30
Occupation: Student
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Top 8ing both Constructed "The Callings" (2nd and 5th/6th) and NZ Nationals (3rd)!
What hero are you playing today and why?
Ira, because I spent all my time testing Claws Brute with Karol and we couldn't quite get it over the line. Ira just seemed like the only top tier deck with "pick up and play" potential considering we'd played it a little bit to help out our team test their decks. It's super consistent, powerful, and pretty much always lets you play to your gameplan (plus Flic Flak is kinda busted let's be real).
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Flic Flak
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Chains of Eminence in Warrior might've been some tech for the Ira matchup.* A lot of Ira players tended to only have 1-2 non-Flic Flak defence reactions. Saving it in arsenal for a turn you need to force Reprise or go over the top with Ironsong Determination seems decent (in theory anyway!). Also Matt and Jacob running red Life for a Life in their Ira list was an excellent metagame decision. *Not a qualified Warrior player
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
Every decision is critically important (even moreso than Classic) due to the lower starting life totals. One bad decision in any given turn cycle can straight up lose you the game, even if you don't realise it til later!
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Finding out two of my friends/testing partners also made the Top 8! Shout out to Rohan Khanna, wizard extraordinaire, whose tiebreakers unfortunately landed him in 9th.
What has surprised you most during the main event?
The sheer amount of Iras at the top tables. I thought Wizard and Runeblade might help keep the deck in check a bit more.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
Take out Tome + 2 cards and add 2 Life for a Life and 1 Flying Kick to my deck!
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Bard or Alchemist!
Jason Thomson-Sheck
Age: 28
Occupation: Dolphin Guardian
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Top 8 Nationals 2020
What hero are you playing today and why?
Dorinthea. She's was the first starter deck I picked up and never put her down.
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Drone of Brutality
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Ira is not unbeatable. Just very very difficult
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
Creativity. Not having a sideboard means you need to be versatile against all classes which makes deck building slightly harder but we get to explore a lot more than we normally would with sideboarding.
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
The room erupting when Jordans name was called at 8th place.
What has surprised you most during the main event?
The amount of Dorinthea players. GO THE WARRIORS
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
Stick to my guns and not change 2 cards two nights before the event.
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Alchemist
Jasin Long
Age: 30
Occupation: Consulting Engineer
What is your Flesh and Blood claim to fame?
Have made the top 8 of every calling I've attended
What hero are you playing today and why?
Kano
What do you think is the most important card in the format?
Sigil of Solace
What is your “hot take” for the main event?
Learn to count cards
What is your favourite thing about the Blitz format?
The speed of the games
What has been the best moment of the weekend for you?
Winning seven games straight to make the top eight by the slimmest margin
What has surprised you most during the main event?
The lack of innovation
If you had to do it all over again, what would you change if anything?
Drink another V before my final match against Matt Rogers to improve brain function
What class are you hoping to see in the next booster set, Monarch?
Assassin