Tainted Arderial

I need to make this report quick and get myself to bed. However, I had the opportunity to test my Arderial deck against something BobbyDoc2 had put together tonight.

Delia went first and vellup swarmed as usual fetching a Sandstorm Orshaa on the end for the adept. BobbyDoc2 flipped over Dub. A Zungg started into the vellups along with a large and nasty Dark Cragnoc summoned by the Grubble, one Grubble came from the starting hand while the other was summoned using Dub's power. I had both surviving three energy Vellups finish off the Dark Cragnoc which had already used its power to get the Elder Vellup. The remaining Vellup went after the five energy Core creature to make it death for that creature should Dub use his power. In short order Dub took out Delia using a couple Raveled Drush, one played from the hand and the other summoned by Dub's power. Dub is looking like quite a powerful magi. Aderian Adept flipped and tossed down big. However, one of the creatures she played and left in play was the illusionary Sandstorm Orshaa. Normally, I would undream the orshaa at the end of the turn after processing the Storm Shield. However, seeing the potential of Dub's power, I chose to undream the Raveled Drush to reduce the total number of potential attacking creatures during BobbyDoc2's turn in an effort to save both the Xyx Minor I had in play. With some good play, Bobby Doc managed to attack and have it set so that all my creatures had only four energy, not counting the illusion. Two Core Grag later and Dub had taken out both Delia and the adept. This was not going good for my Arderial Deck. Ora flipped and tossed out several creatures and the other Storm Shield. This was my last ditch effort. BobbyDoc2 chose to play Secrets of the Book and draw cards. A wise choice. Ora took Dub out with little effort, however I was fighting the uphill battle at this point. One magi down and two to go. Spirit of the Core ended up taking the Xyx Minor, denying me the vast energy this little critter had built up. Agram placed out a small swarm and sacrificed the plaything to reduce my forces substantially. An Aurora Xyx snagged from me and beefed up by the Xyx Minor used its power and took out one of my two Brannix. I forgot about Agram's Armor on my turn when I attacked with the surviving Brannix against the Shadow Hyren. With a Shattershards, I corrected that mistake, and crushing spell early in the turn had barely claimed the Wudge. This left Agram with no energy and only a ROUS in play. The creature was without companionship and discarded itself, thus defeating Agram. While Ora did have two creatures in play at the end of the turn, she had no energy and no Storm Shield at this point to boost them back up. Ogar flipped as BobbyDoc2's last magi. As soon as she played a ROUS and a Dark Cragnoc, I knew it was game although the one energy Brannix actually was lost to Ogar's own effect instead. In after thought, I realize I should've done at least one or two things differently with Shimmer/adept. I should've either sacrificed one Xyx Minor to make the other big enough to go nuts on just its own power instead of trying to keep both in play to bounce off of each other, or I should've played a non-illusionary creature instead of the Sandstorm Orshaa. Either way, it's sort of a moot point right now and the game was still very enjoyable. I had fun. That's what is most important, right?

Well, I've spent more time typing this than I had in mind. I'll post it as is for now.