Over the weekend, Magic: The Gathering Arena players competed in the July 2021 Arena Open for their chance to win $2,000 and a Qualifier Weekend invitation, and Twitch streamer Stephen “crockeyz” Croke dominated the two-day Standard competition and won the ultimate prize.
Crockeyz showed the proof of his top finish on Twitter, showing a screenshot of his $2,000 USD reward for staying undefeated in both days of the Arena Open. What’s more impressive is that he was able to win the open without a delay during his livestream, which most streamers usually have to avoid opponents stream-sniping their hand.
Crokeyz’s Standard Gruul Deck
Crockeyz played an aggressive Gruul (red/green) Standard deck with the adventure package from Throne of Eldraine like
Edgewall Innkeeper
Edgewall Innkeeper
Whenever you cast a creature spell that has an Adventure, draw a card. (It doesn't need to have gone on the adventure first.)
,
Bonecrusher Giant
Bonecrusher Giant
Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell, this creature deals 2 damage to that spell's controller.
, and
Lovestruck Beast
Lovestruck Beast
This creature can't attack unless you control a 1/1 creature.
while taking advantage of the power of newer cards like
Werewolf Pack Leader
Werewolf Pack Leader
Pack tactics — Whenever this creature attacks, if you attacked with creatures with total power 6 or greater this combat, draw a card.
{3}{G}: Until end of turn, this creature has base power and toughness 5/3, gains trample, and isn't a Human.
,
Ranger Class
Ranger Class
(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.)
When this Class enters, create a 2/2 green Wolf creature token.
{1}{G}: Level 2
Whenever you attack, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature.
{3}{G}: Level 3
You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may cast creature spells from the top of your library.
, and
Goldspan Dragon
Goldspan Dragon
Flying, haste
Whenever this creature attacks or becomes the target of a spell, create a Treasure token.
Treasures you control have "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add two mana of any one color."
. The deck also runs copies of
Jaspera Sentinel
Jaspera Sentinel
Reach
{T}, Tap an untapped creature you control: Add one mana of any color.
and
Magda, Brazen Outlaw
Magda, Brazen Outlaw
Other Dwarves you control get +1/+0.
Whenever a Dwarf you control becomes tapped, create a Treasure token.
Sacrifice five Treasures: Search your library for an artifact or Dragon card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
to help ramp up mana to play the bigger spells like
Embercleave
Embercleave
Flash
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each attacking creature you control.
When Embercleave enters, attach it to target creature you control.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has double strike and trample.
Equip {3}
and
The Great Henge
The Great Henge
This spell costs {X} less to cast, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
{T}: Add {G}{G}. You gain 2 life.
Whenever a nontoken creature you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on it and draw a card.
.
Check out Crockeyz’s winning deck here via his Twitter here:
As you can see, his sideboard is packed with burn spells like Redcap Melee, Blazing Volley and Burning Handsto deal with his opponents’ creatures. Against graveyard strategies, Crokeyz uses Soul-Guide Lantern, Weathered Runestone, and Klothys, God of Destiny.
A couple of Ox of Agonas can also help him gain card advantage, especially in grindy midrange games while Roiling Vortex is a Control player’s nightmare as it is difficult to deal with once it’s resolved as the one-to-cast red enchantment deals 1 damage to every player in each of their upkeeps while having the ability to prevent them from gaining life.
Related: MTG Arena Mobile ‘Exceeded All Expectations’, Wizards of the Coast’s Revenue ‘More Than Doubled’
The Team Liquid star has proven once again that he has what it takes to dominate a high-level tournament on MTG Arena. It would be interesting to see Crockeyz compete against other Magic professional players in other high-level tournaments.