Report: Crystal Cup - Toronto

I wanted to participate in at least one Crystal Cup this season. Through happenstance, the best option for me turned out to be driving to Toronto. This is a report on my experiences, what I learned, and what I would change (spoiler: I'd change nothing).

Travel and Lodging

With a new job, and no vacation time, the biggest hurdle for me was how to best use my paid-time-off and get the most out of travel. Initially, I wrote off Toronto outright, because it felt the worst option. After realizing every other Crystal Cup was going to be too far to drive, and too expensive to book a flight, I reconsidered driving to Canada. On the way up, we ran into DC traffic, which cost us an hour or so, but the trip was easy.

One of the Returners in my car is a native of Nova Scotia, so he helped us navigate through customs. They asked me where we were headed, and I confidently announced "Ontario." I thought I was being helpful and specific. My Canadian friend felt compelled to apologize for my dumb American comment, clarified we were going to Toronto, and we got through customs without further issue.

We snagged a killer AirBnB, about 20 minutes away from the tournament. 

deck choices

After a bit of thought and play, I wanted to play the Returners version of Three Color Monsters. I am going to post my list next week, as we have a regional tournament and I know at least one person is planning to run it.

I spent the past four weeks testing and prepping how to play my chosen deck. One of my travel companions had spent a few nights specifically building decks against it, as well as jamming games against archetypes we knew and expected to be popular. I came into Toronto with a very thorough understanding of my deck.

If you're a listener to RVA Returner's Podcast, you've heard that some of us always bring more than one deck option, as a strict rule. While I did not, several of our party did. I am not saying this is a bad strategy at all, but I was locked and loaded. The benefit to having several deck choices is to eliminate any doubt, concern, or worry you have around a certain deck. If choosing an alternative one makes you feel more comfortable, then you should go with that choice. Play what you know.

My process worked well enough for me to find some good results, and I would recommend testing with as much empathy as possible. If you know all the answers to what you're playing, and you know your lines, then you can take some pressure off yourself during the big day.

tournament prep and play

I finished Day 1 with a 5 win, 1 loss record. That record was good for 4th overall, and an invite to the Day 2 tournament. In short, I felt the decks people would bring to the tournament would not include consistent answers to monsters, and I was correct.

You can view Day 1's stream here, and Day 2's stream here.

There were a few extra curricular factors worth mentioning. Number one, it was very hot in the convention hall. I guess Canada does not have the same A/C needs that we do, but for whatever reason, that heat was not going away. Our party ended up detaching from the tables as soon as our match was over, and standing at a far wall where it was better vented. This also gave us a chance to eat and drink, which is a factor in tournaments that can be easy to overlook. Advice: pack snacks and don't ignore nutrition to the best of your ability. It could be an advantage you have over your opponent.

Another factor on the day was the sheer size and energy at Anime North. There were thousands of people, and the hype level for several other nearby events was high. If you watch the stream, you can hear just how loud it was in the room, and that was probably the quieter part of the convention.

This was my first major Final Fantasy TCG tournament, and my second time making cuts in a TCG. If you are inexperienced in major tournaments, the first thing to do is trust yourself. The game does not change, and while the competition level is higher, it's just like any other time playing. If you cannot get out of that head space, then it will come with experience. Know your deck, stick to your lines of play, and try to have as much fun as possible.

I came into Day 1 like a Monster, ready to activate. Unfortunately for me, I came into Day 2 like a backup, and entered play dull. My goal was to make Day 2, and that goal was accomplished, but I ran out of gas to go further.

Your brain is a muscle. When your legs get tired, you feel fatigue or pain, and your body forces you to adjust. When your brain gets tired, if you don't pay close attention, you may not even notice. Keeping yourself mentally sharp during a long tournament is its own skill, and I bring my 3DS and chat with friends about low-intensity stuff in between matches. It really helps me in a profound way to leave the field of play, for one reason or another, and return when new pairings are announced. Finding what works for you can help you stay sharp and play your best game.

highlights and experiences

The best part about Final Fantasy TCG is easily the community. Unlike other TCGs, everyone in this game has a deep and shared interest in the intellectual property beyond the card game. And if you never played the core games, you are still accepted.

In addition to the joys of meeting people I had seen post on Facebook, and getting to hang out with people who all appreciate this franchise as much or more than I do, this is a list of our favorite parts of the Crystal Cup, and why we would recommend attending.

• Unique buy-in prizes are worth the value of entry
• The creators of the game are there, and you can play against them or get signatures
• More people are there to make trades
• Side events are creative and enjoyable
• You get to go places you've never been before, and travel is fun

My own personal highlight from the weekend was meeting Kageyama-san, and playing a game against him. He even signed a playmat and some cards for me. Interacting with him, and hearing him speak and seeing how he played the game, you can tell that he has an absolute joy for what he does. I guess, at very least, that makes him fit in perfectly with everyone else who came to play.