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Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2001–02

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2001–02 Pro Tour season
Pro Player of the YearGermany Kai Budde
Rookie of the YearFrance Farid Meraghni
World ChampionBrazil Carlos Romão
Pro Tours6
Grands Prix33
Masters4
Start of season18 August 2001
End of season18 August 2002

The 2001–02 Pro Tour season was the seventh season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. On 18 August 2001 the season began with parallel Grand Prixs in Kobe and Denver. It ended on 18 August 2002 with the conclusion of the 2002 World Championship in Sydney. The season consisted of 33 Grand Prixs and 6 Pro Tours, held in New York, New Orleans, San Diego, Osaka, Nice, and Sydney. Also Master Series tournaments were held at four Pro Tours. At the end of the season Kai Budde was proclaimed Pro Player of the Year, winning the title by a record margin.

Grand Prixs – Kobe, Denver, Santiago, Singapore, London

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Pro Tour – New York (7–9 September 2001)

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New York was the third time Pro Tour was held in the Team Limited format. Car Acrobatic Team who had been amongst the Top 4 at the previous team Pro Tour returned for another Top 4. The event was won by team Phoenix Foundation consisting of Kai Budde, Dirk Baberowski, and Marco Blume. It was Baberowski's second win and Budde's fourth.[1] The final was also a repeat to the final of Grand Prix London a week before, where Budde had already won against Nassif. Eventually Kai's renewed success led to some memorable quotes. Asked about the favorite to win amongst the final 4 several pros exclaimed something to the extent of the words Gary Wise pronounced, "Kai doesn't lose on Sunday".[2] Randy Buehler's comment "if he wins New Orleans, I guess he is" on the discussion whether Kai is the best player in the history of the game also became a classic when Kai indeed won PT New Orleans.[1]

Tournament data

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Prize pool: $202,200
Players: 426 (142 teams)
Format: Invasion Team Sealed (Invasion, Planeshift, Apocalypse) – first day, Invasion Team Rochester Draft (Invasion-Planeshift-Apocalypse) – final two days
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 4

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Semi-finals Finals
      
1 Illuminati 1
4 Les Plus Class 2
Les Plus Class 1
Phoenix Foundation 2
2 Phoenix Foundation 2
3 Car Acrobatic Team 1

Final standings

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Place Team Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Phoenix Foundation Germany Marco Blume $60,000 24
Germany Dirk Baberowski 24 3rd Final day, 2nd Pro Tour win
Germany Kai Budde 24 4th Final day, 4th Pro Tour win
2 Les Plus Class France Amiel Tenenbaum $30,000 18 Pro Tour debut
France Gabriel Nassif 18
France Nicolas Olivieri 18
3 Illuminati* United States Justin Gary $18,000 12 2nd Final day
United States Zvi Mowshowitz 12 4th Final day
United States Alex Shvartsman 12
4 Car Acrobatic Team United States Aaron Forsythe $15,000 12 2nd Final day
United States Andrew Cuneo 12 2nd Final day
United States Andrew Johnson 12 2nd Final day

* The team entered the tournament as "My Team Part 17", but decided they wanted to have more serious name as a Top4 team and changed it to "Illuminati".[4]

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 30
2 Germany Dirk Baberowski 24
Germany Marco Blume 24
4 France Gabriel Nassif 23
5 France Nicholas Olivieri 18
France Amiel Tenenbaum 18

Grand Prixs – Warsaw, Minneapolis, Oslo, Vienna, Cape Town, Shizuoka, Montreal, Brisbane

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Pro Tour – New Orleans (2–4 November 2001)

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After winning Pro Tour New York Kai Budde won New Orleans as well, making him the only player to win back to back Pro Tours. His fifth Pro Tour victory also made him the record money-earner and erased almost all doubt, that Budde is the best player in the history of the game.[5]

Tournament data

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Prize pool: $200,130
Players: 355
Format: Extended
Head Judge: Mike Guptil[3]

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Tomi Walamies 3
8 Benedikt Klauser 2
Tomi Walamies 3
Jelger Wiegersma 0
4 Raphael Gennari 1
5 Jelger Wiegersma 3
Tomi Walamies 2
Kai Budde 3
2 Anton Jonsson 2
7 Dave Humpherys 3
Dave Humpherys 0
Kai Budde 3
3 Kai Budde 3
6 Darwin Kastle 0

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Germany Kai Budde $30,000 32 5th Final day, 5th Pro Tour win
2 Finland Tomi Walamies $20,000 24
3 Netherlands Jelger Wiegersma $15,000 16
4 United States Dave Humpherys $13,000 16 3rd Final day
5 Sweden Anton Jonsson $9,500 12
6 Switzerland Raphaël Gennary $8,500 12 1st Swiss Player in a Top 8
7 United States Darwin Kastle $7,500 12 6th Final day
8 Austria Benedikt Klauser $6,500 12 4th Final day

Masters – Booster Draft

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1st Round 2nd Round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
               
1 Ben Rubin
32 Gabriel Tsang 2
Gabriel Tsang
Johan Sadeghpour 2
16 Justin Gary
17 Johan Sadeghpour 2
Johan Sadeghpour
Noah Boeken 2
8 Dan Clegg
25 Noah Boeken 2
Noah Boeken 2
Alex Shvartsman
9 Brock Parker
24 Alex Shvartsman 2
Noah Boeken
Michael Pustilnik 2
4 Zvi Mowshowitz 2
29 Alan Comer
Zvi Mowshowitz 2
Brian Hegstad
13 Rob Dougherty
20 Brian Hegstad 2
Zvi Mowshowitz
Michael Pustilnik 2
5 Michael Pustilnik 2
28 Matt Vienneau
Michael Pustilnik 2
Antoine Ruel
12 Antoine Ruel 2
21 Itaru Ishida
Michael Pustilnik 2
Chris Benafel
2 Kai Budde 2
31 Sol Malka
Kai Budde
Bob Maher, Jr. 2
15 Tom Van de Logt
18 Bob Maher, Jr. 2
Bob Maher, Jr. 2
Ryan Fuller
7 Ryan Fuller 2
26 Scott Johns
Ryan Fuller 2
Jon Finkel
10 Jon Finkel 2
23 Neil Reeves
Bob Maher, Jr.
Chris Benafel 2
3 Kamiel Cornelissen 2
30 Franck Canu
Kamiel Cornelissen
Nicholas Olivieri 2
14 Benedikt Klauser
19 Nicholas Olivieri 2
Nicholas Olivieri
Chris Benafel 2
6 Chris Benafel 2
27 Bram Snepvangers
Chris Benafel 2
Michael Gurney
11 Tsuyoshi Fujita
22 Michael Gurney 2

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 62
2 Finland Tomi Walamies 35
3 Germany Marco Blume 32
4 France Gabriel Nassif 28
5 United States Dave Humpherys 26

Grand Prixs – Hong Kong, Atlanta, Biarritz, Curitiba, Las Vegas, Sendai, Houston

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Pro Tour – San Diego (11–13 January 2002)

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The 2002 was won by the French Farid Meraghni. It was the first time a French player won a major tournament after several French players coming in second at Worlds and Pro Tours.[1] Also the tournament is known for Magic veteran Eric Taylor literally eating his hat due to losing a bet about Kai Budde winning Pro Tour New Orleans.[6] Canadian player Ryan Fuller won the Masters.[7]

Tournament data

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Players: 348
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Rochester Draft (Odyssey)
Head Judge: Mike Donais[3]

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Jeff Cunningham 0
8 Andrew Wolf 3
Andrew Wolf 0
Jens Thorén 3
4 Eric Froehlich 2
5 Jens Thorén 3
Jens Thorén 2
Farid Meraghni 3
2 Neil Reeves 1
7 Farid Meraghni 3
Farid Meragni 3
Donnie Gallitz 0
3 Frederico Bastos 2
6 Donnie Gallitz 3

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 France Farid Meraghni $30,000 32 1st Frenchmen to win a Pro Tour
2 Sweden Jens Thorén $20,000 24
3 United States Donnie Gallitz $15,000 16
4 United States Andrew Wolf $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Canada Jeff Cunningham $9,000 12
6 Portugal Frederico Bastos $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 United States Neil Reeves $8,000 12
8 United States Eric Froehlich $7,500 12

Masters – Standard

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1st Round 2nd Round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
               
1 Ben Rubin
32 Rob Dougherty 2
Rob Dougherty 2
Alan Comer
16 Joost Vollebregt
17 Alan Comer 2
Rob Dougherty 1
Tomi Walamies 2
8 Dan Clegg
25 Olivier Ruel 2
Olivier Ruel
Tomi Walamies 2
9 Jon Finkel
24 Tomi Walamies 2
Tomi Walamies 1
Dave Humpherys 2
4 Kamiel Cornelissen 2
29 Tom Guevin
Kamiel Cornelissen
Dave Humpherys 2
13 Anton Jonsson
20 Dave Humpherys 2
Dave Humpherys 2
Tsuyoshi Fujita 0
5 Tsuyoshi Fujita 2
28 David Jafari
Tsuyoshi Fujita 2
Jelger Wiegersma
12 Jelger Wiegersma 2
21 Chris Benafel
Dave Humpherys 0
Ryan Fuller 2
2 Zvi Mowshowitz
31 Darwin Kastle 2
Darwin Kastle 2
Benedikt Klauser
15 Markus Bell
18 Benedikt Klauser 2
Darwin Kastle 1
Brian Hegstad 2
7 Brock Parker 2
26 Alex Shvartsman
Brock Parker
Brian Hegstad 2
10 Brian Hegstad 2
23 Michael Pustilnik
Brian Hegstad 1
Ryan Fuller 2
3 Ryan Fuller 2
30 Roger Sorino
Ryan Fuller 2
Franck Canu
14 Franck Canu 2
19 Antoine Ruel
Ryan Fuller 2
Steve O'Mahoney-Schwartz 0
6 Tom Van de Logt
27 Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz 2
Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz 2
Patrick Mello
11 Patrick Mello 2
22 Kai Budde

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 80
2 Sweden Jens Thorén 40
3 France Farid Meraghni 38
4 Finland Tomi Walamies 34
5 Germany Marco Blume 33

Grand Prixs – Lisbon, Heidelberg, Fukuoka, Tampa, Antwerp

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Pro Tour – Osaka (15–17 March 2002)

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Tournament data

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Players: 277
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Block Constructed (Odyssey, Torment)
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Rob Dougherty 3
8 Christophe Haim 1
Rob Dougherty 0
Olivier Ruel 3
4 Nicholas Olivieri 2
5 Olivier Ruel 3
Olivier Ruel 2
Ken Ho 3
2 Sylvain Lauriol 2
7 Ken Ho 3
Ken Ho 3
Jens Thorén 1
3 Jens Thorén 3
6 Osyp Lebedowicz 2

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 United States Ken Ho $30,000 32
2 France Olivier Ruel $20,000 24
3 United States Rob Dougherty $15,000 16 4th Final day
4 Sweden Jens Thorén $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 France Sylvain Lauriol $9,000 12
6 France Nicholas Olivieri $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 United States Osyp Lebedowicz $8,000 12
8 France Christophe Haim $7,500 12

Masters – Team Rochester Draft

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Phoenix Foundation 2
8 Outland
Phoenix Foundation 2
Les Plus Class
4 Les Plus Class 2
5 Slay-Pillage-Massacre
Phoenix Foundation 2
Panzer Hunter 1
2 Your Move Games ?
7 Panzer Hunter 2
Panzer Hunter 2
www.star-maker.nl/lap
3 www.star-maker.nl/lap 2
6 Metagames ?
Team Player Team Player
Les Plus Class France Amiel Tenenbaum Phoenix Foundation Germany Dirk Baberowski
France Gabriel Nassif Germany Kai Budde
France Nicolas Olivieri Germany Marco Blume
Metagames France Wilfried Ranque Slay-Pillage-Massacre United States Scott McCord
France Raphaël Lévy United States Jon Sonne
France Franck Canu United States Eric Ziegler
Outland Norway Bjørn Jocumsen www.star-maker.nl/lap Netherlands Victor Van der Broek
Norway Eivind Nitter Netherlands Frank Karsten
Norway Nicolai Herzog Netherlands Jelger Wiegersma
Panzer Hunter Japan Itaru Ishida Your Move Games United States Dave Humpherys
Japan Kazuyaki Momose United States Rob Dougherty
Japan Reiji Andou United States Darwin Kastle

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 90
2 Sweden Jens Thorén 58
3 United States Alex Shvartsman 48
4 France Olivier Ruel 45
5 France Gabriel Nassif 42

Grand Prixs – Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur, Naples

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Pro Tour – Nice (3–5 May 2002)

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In Nice Kai Budde lost his first match on a Pro Tour Sunday, after winning his previous five Top 8.[1] His third final day appearance and ensuing 36-point-lead virtually secured him the Pro Player of the Year title, though. The Pro Tour was won by Norwegian Eivind Nitter, while the Masters Series title went to Alexander Witt from the Netherlands.

Tournament data

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Players: 332
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Block Booster Draft (Odyssey-Torment)
Head Judge: Cyril Grillon[3]

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Svend Geertsen 3
8 Benjamin Niedrig 1
Svend Geertsen 2
Eivind Nitter 3
4 Gary Talim 1
5 Eivind Nitter 3
Eivind Nitter 3
Bram Snepvangers 0
2 Anton Jonsson 2
7 Brian Davis 3
Brian Davis 2
Bram Snepvangers 3
3 Kai Budde 0
6 Bram Snepvangers 3

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Norway Eivind Nitter $30,000 32
2 Netherlands Bram Snepvangers $20,000 24
3 Denmark Svend Geertsen $15,000 16 4th Final day
4 United States Brian Davis $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Germany Kai Budde $9,000 12 6th Final day
6 Sweden Anton Jonsson $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 United States Gary Talim $8,000 12
8 Switzerland Benjamin Niedrig $7,500 12

Masters – Extended

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1st Round 2nd Round Quarter-final Semi-finals Finals
               
1 William Jensen
32 bye
William Jensen
Tomi Walamies 2
16 Kamiel Cornelissen
17 Tomi Walamies 2
Tomi Walamies
Justin Gary 2
8 Ken Ho 2
25 Franck Canu
Ken Ho
Justin Gary 2
9 Rob Dougherty
24 Justin Gary 2
Justin Gary 2
Antoine Ruel
4 Olivier Ruel 2
29 Brock Parker
Olivier Ruel
Antoine Ruel 2
13 Antoine Ruel 2
20 Ben Rubin
Antoine Ruel 2
Nicholas Olivieri
5 Dan Clegg
28 Nicholas Olivieri 2
Nicholas Olivieri 2
Jin Okamoto
12 Jelger Wiegersma
21 Jin Okamoto 2
Justin Gary
Alexander Witt 2
2 Kai Budde 2
31 Geoffrey Siron
Kai Budde 2
Gabriel Nassif
15 David Humpherys
18 Gabriel Nassif 2
Kai Budde 2
Patrick Mello
7 Alex Shvartsman 2
26 Alex Borteh
Alex Shvartsman
Patrick Mello 2
10 Patrick Mello 2
23 Brian Hegstad
Kai Budde
Alexander Witt 2
3 Jens Thorén 2
30 Osyb Lebedowicz
Jens Thorén 2
Chris Benafel
14 Chris Benafel 2
19 Gary Wise
Jens Thorén
Alexander Witt 2
6 Tom Van de Logt
27 Gerard Fabiano 2
Gerard Fabiano
Alexander Witt 2
11 Alan Comer
22 Alexander Witt 2

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 96
2 Sweden Jens Thorén 61
3 United States Alex Shvartsman 56
4 France Olivier Ruel 55
5 France Gabriel Nassif 47

Grand Prixs – Nagoya, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Sao Paulo, Taipei

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2002 World Championships – Sydney (14–18 August 2002)

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As Jens Thorén had not scored any points since Nice and he was not on his national team the Pro Tour Player of the Year going to Kai Budde was already a sure thing before the tournament. While Carlos Romão from Brazil became World Champion by defeating Mark Ziegner from Germany in the final, the German team also starring Mark Ziegner won the team competition.[8]

Tournament data

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Prize pool: $210,200 (individual) + $162,000 (national teams)
Players: 245
Formats: Standard, Odyssey Booster Draft (Odyssey-Torment-Judgment), Odyssey Block Constructed (Odyssey, Torment, Judgment)
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Diego Ostrovich 3
8 Ken Krouner 1
Diego Ostrovich 2
Carlos Romão 3
4 Tuomas Kotiranta 0
5 Carlos Romão 3
Carlos Romão 3
Mark Ziegner 2
2 Sim Han How 0
7 Mark Ziegner 3
Mark Ziegner 3
Dave Humpherys 1
3 John Larkin 1
6 Dave Humpherys 3

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Brazil Carlos Romão $35,000 32 1st Brazilian to win a Pro Tour
2 Germany Mark Ziegner $23,000 24
3 Argentina Diego Ostrovich $15,000 16 1st Argentinian in a Top 8
4 United States Dave Humpherys $13,000 16 4th Final day
5 Malaysia Sim Han How $9,000 12 1st Malaysian in a Top 8
6 Republic of Ireland John Larkin $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 Finland Tuomas Kotiranta $8,000 12
8 United States Ken Krouner $7,500 12

National team competition

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  1. Germany Germany (Mark Ziegner, Kai Budde, Felix Schneiders)
  2. United States United States (Andrew Ranks, Eugene Harvey, Eric Franz)

Pro Player of the year final standings

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After the World Championship Kai Budde was awarded the Pro Player of the year title. He thus became the only player to win the title more than once. Budde's 117 Pro Points in this season to date is still the only time that a player garnered more than 100 Pro Points in a season, and his lead of 42 Pro Points over the second place is still the greatest ever achieved at the end of a season.

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Germany Kai Budde 117
2 Sweden Jens Thorén 75
3 United States Alex Shvartsman 62
4 France Olivier Ruel 58
5 United States Dave Humpherys 52

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rosewater, Mark (9 August 2004). "On Tour, Part 2". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2 March 2009.
  2. ^ "2001 Pro Tour New York Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 9 September 2001. Archived from the original on 24 October 2001.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Head Judges of Pro Tours and World Championships". XS4ALL. 30 October 2009.
  4. ^ Wachter, Toby (9 September 2001). "Illuminati". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 18 November 2001.
  5. ^ "2001 Pro Tour New Orleans Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 4 January 2002. Archived from the original on 10 February 2002.
  6. ^ Bleiweiss, Ben (11 February 2002). "Eric Taylor eats his hat!". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2 March 2005.
  7. ^ "2002 Masters Series San Diego Coverage". 13 February 2002. Archived from the original on 17 January 2002.
  8. ^ "2002 World Championships Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 18 August 2002. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.