1996 United States National Championship/Top 4 decks
| 1996 US Nationals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | July 7 and 8, 1996 | |||
| Location | Columbus, Ohio | |||
| Attendance |
122 650+ (including Open) | |||
| Format | Type II (Standard) | |||
| Winner |
Dennis Bentley George Baxter (finalist) Mike Long (semi-finalist) Matt Place (semi-finalist) | |||
| ||||
The Top 4 players from the 1996 US Nationals became the US team for the 1996 World Championships. Two of the four players playing the novel Turbo Stasis deck, designed to beat Necropotence made it to the semis, but it was Dennis Bentley's Necro Deck (which was tuned to fight the mirror) which came out on top.[1][2]
Dennis Bentley
Dennis Bentley played a 
Necropotence deck. He only played 3 of the namesake card, and eschewed the Nevinyrall's Disks that conventional decks ran as a safety valve. Instead he added in red for direct damage.
George Baxter
Runner-up George Baxter played a 
deck built around Titania's Song.
Mike Long
Mike Long played a Turbo Stasis deck.
Matt Place
Matt Place also played a Turbo Stasis deck. His version was similar to Long's, but he dropped the Land Tax and one City of Brass for two River Deltas. The sideboard likewise had a couple minor differences.
References
- ↑ MTG Top 8 (2025). "Nationals - US 1996 #1 Necropotence - Dennis Bentley (website)". MTG Top 8. Retrieved on June 5, 2025.
- ↑ Jeff L. Lin (September 1996). "Fireworks over Columbus (pdf)". Duelist Sideboard # 2, pp. 6,7. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved on July 2, 2025.