WIN Your Skirmish with Kai'Sa (Ryan Miles Top 4 SCG CON Deck Tech)

Summary

Ryan Miles, a top-four finisher at SCGCon Las Vegas, shares insights into his successful Kai’Sa deck. With a background in game development, he discusses his approach to building the deck, from early-game plays to mid-game strategy and sideboard tech. Ryan highlights key card choices like *Porro* and *Main Deck Retreat*, explains his sideboard tech against specific matchups, and reveals his battlefield strategies for outmaneuvering opponents. His deck focuses on tempo, consistency, and adaptability, with an emphasis on intuitive gameplay and strategic rune management, making it a formidable choice in high-level play.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ryan Miles, a game developer for Star Wars Unlimited, shares insights into his top-4 Kai'Sa deck at SCGCon Las Vegas.
• 😀 Ryan believes **Kai'Sa** is the best deck in the format, heavily influenced by Omega Zero's Chinese National Championship-winning list.
• 😀 Early game consistency is key in Kai'Sa decks, with Ryan opting for three **Watchful Sentry**, three **Raven Bloom**, and two **Porro** for better mirror matchups.
• 😀 Ryan prioritizes having reliable **two-drops** in his deck, particularly valuing **Porro** over other early plays for board presence.
• 😀 **Retreat** (x3) is a standout card in Ryan's deck, providing ramp and protecting key units, especially when paired with **Dreaming Tree**.
• 😀 **Falling Star** (x3) is another essential card, often considered the best in the game due to its ability to clear threats and provide value.
• 😀 Ryan incorporates **Time Warp** (x2) over **Athenian Rain** in his main deck, believing it to be more consistent for closing out games.
• 😀 Ryan's sideboard includes **Brinhir Thunder Song** (x2) for purple decks, which shuts down combat tricks and provides significant board presence.
• 😀 **Mundo** is used in the sideboard to counter larger creatures in **Kai'Sa** mirrors and high-HP decks, like **Dead Bloom**.
• 😀 Ryan relies on unconventional battlefield selections like **Vile Mall Layer** and **Zon Warren** to disrupt opponents' strategies, especially in the **Kai'Sa** mirror.

Q & A

What was the inspiration behind Ryan's choice to play the Kai'Sa deck at SCGCon Las Vegas?

Ryan chose to play Kai'Sa because it was the best deck available for the event. He had been considering switching it up but ultimately decided to play the top-tier deck for consistency and a strong chance at success.

Why did Ryan prefer Porro over Raven Bloom for his early drops?

Ryan opted for two Porros instead of Raven Bloom because Porro was better in the mirror match and offered more consistency, particularly against other Kai'Sa decks. He felt Raven Bloom was not as effective in his build.

What role does 'Retreat' play in Ryan's Kai'Sa deck?

'Retreat' serves as a defensive tool to protect units, generate ramp, and keep resources flowing without engaging in combat. Ryan views it as one of the most powerful cards in the game because it can save his units and ramp simultaneously.

Why did Ryan choose Time Warp over Athenian Rain in his main deck?

Ryan felt Time Warp was more consistent at winning games, especially given his deck's focus on ramp and building board presence. He opted for only one Athenian Rain, keeping it in the sideboard for non-Kai'Sa matchups.

What specific matchup scenarios did Ryan use Athenian Rain for in his sideboard?

Ryan used Athenian Rain from the sideboard for non-Kai'Sa decks, especially those that don’t run Unyielding Spirit. This included decks like Victor, Mundo, and certain other non-Orange decks.

Why did Ryan include Brinhir, Thunder Song in his sideboard, and against which matchups was it most useful?

Ryan included Brinhir, Thunder Song in his sideboard to counter purple decks, particularly those using combat tricks like Ride the Wind. It was also effective against Y and provided a 5 Might unit to maintain board pressure.

What was Ryan's reasoning behind choosing Dreaming Tree as his primary battlefield in the Kai'Sa mirror match?

Ryan chose Dreaming Tree for game 1 of the Kai'Sa mirror match because it provides Kai'Sa with a solid advantage, allowing for easier tempo and resource management. He considered saving Dreaming Tree for the play, especially in mirror matchups where some players might side out Cleaves.

How did Ryan approach battlefield choices in general, and why did he favor more unconventional ones?

Ryan favored unconventional battlefields like Vile Mall Layer and Zon Warren to catch opponents off guard, especially those who were used to more standard choices like Godwillow Grove. He believed these non-standard choices would force opponents to adapt, giving him an edge.

What is Ryan's take on the card Sprite Mother, and why didn't he include it in his deck?

Ryan didn't include Sprite Mother in his deck because he felt it wasn't effective at accelerating Kai'Sa early enough. He preferred to play Kai'Sa at the right time rather than try to speed up the process, as getting stuck on 7 power could be detrimental.

How did Ryan's rune split (6 blue and 6 red) impact his deck's performance?

Ryan opted for a 6/6 split between blue and red runes to ensure he had the flexibility to cast spells like Time Warp while also maintaining a strong early game with red runes. He felt this balance allowed for better consistency, though he considered switching to a 7/5 split.