I was totally going to write this last night but I bought a bottle of Don Julio Reposado instead. Tequila > Magic. My tumbly is rumbly.
Reaper King EDH strikes me as the most tedious deck to play ever.
"And then I will play my general"
"Counter it."
"I will play my general again."
"Kill it."
"I will play my general, paying 14."
"Steal it"
"Dammit Edna!"
Did you know Clutch of the Undercity is tech versus Stealy Stealy? Of course blue has the best answers to blue! Why wouldn't it?
I still have done a grand total of 3 Shadowmoor drafts, one of those being a bizarre 4 man, where 2 people went RG and 2 UW.
You should look elsewhere for Regionals tech. Or you should be a good pro and play Quick 'n Toast.
Ugh. I really have nothing this week, because I don't want to talk about Reaper King before I play it. Go away.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Possible Shadowmoor Additions to the Cube
Well, we done had a BBQ at Scoop_Phase's place for Memorial Day. It was nice. There was EDH. And I forgot to bring the Cube. When I left the house I was trying to figure out how to email 40 megs of real estate pictures to my father. (Tip: Don't put them in a .ZIP file and try to send them via an attachment. I'm a genius.) I got distracted. But it would have been great, because it's free and we haven't Cubed in way too long. That got me thinking about our options for Shadowmoor additions to the Cube. I have a non-exhaustive list of potential candidates and would love to hear some feedback. There are lots of powerful cards in Shadowmoor (especially at the uncommon level) that kind of change the expected math that we use to evaluate cards. Is a 3/3 with haste and wither for three mana good enough? What if all the mana is colored? What if the card can still be played consistently in a two color deck despite the colored mana restriction? These are the sort of questions we haven't had to answer very often in the past.
Keep in mind we had only seven additions for Morningtide. I would guess that number is probably about right for Shadowoor as well, maybe even fewer. The stuff in the Cube is REALLY good, arguably the best cards in the last ten years or so of Magic (we don't run Power, so we can't claim to go all the way back to Alpha). Additions need to surpass this already excellent card quality. Oh, because of the multicolor slant to Shadowmoor, please recall that our Cube has absolutely juiced G/W already. I don't know why it worked that way, but it just did. G/W cards have an even higher standard. Kitchen Finks is still at the top of my list, but I'm just sayin'. Here is the latest Cube list, and the Morningtide additions, for reference.
White
Armored Ascension
Ballynock Cohort
Niveous Wisps
Prison Term
Runed Halo
Twilight Shepherd
Blue
Cursecatcher
Savor the Moment
Black
Beseech the Queen
Faerie Macabre
Dusk Urchins
Midnight Banshee
Red
Flame Javelin
Furystoke Giant
Intimidator Initiate
Green
Crabapple Cohort
Devoted Druid
Prismatic Omen
Tower Above
Artifact
Elsewhere Flask
Grim Poppet
Painter's Servant (Only if we add Grindstone!)
Multicolor
Aethertow
Augury Adept
Godhead of Awe
Mirrorweave
Mistmeadow Witch
Plumeveil
Thoughtweft Gambit
Somnomancer
Swans of Bryn Argoll
Inkfathom Infiltator
Inkfathom Witch
Oona, Queen of the Fae
River's Grasp
Scarscale Ritual
Wasp Lancer
Ashenmoor Gouger
Murderous Redcap
Din of the Fireherd
Fulminator Mage
Boggart Ram-Gang
Deus of Calamity
Firespout
Tattermunge Maniac
Tattermunge Witch
Vexing Shusher
Wort, the Raidmother
Dawnglow Infusion
Kitchen Finks
Mercy Killing
Oracle of Nectars
Oversoul of Dusk
***
Can we cut that down to 5-7 cards? Including the cards that are awesome that I am sure to have missed? I think maybe top ten lists would be worthwhile, so we can (hopefully) come to a consensus. I seem to like lists lately. Post yours in comments. Mine would run like this:
1. Kitchen Finks
2. Oona, Queen of the Fae
3. Swans of Bryn Argoll
4. Boggart Ram-Gang
5. Tattermunge Maniac
6. Firespout
7. Beseech the Queen
8. Flame Javelin
9. Murderous Redcap
10. Godhead of Awe
Keep in mind we had only seven additions for Morningtide. I would guess that number is probably about right for Shadowoor as well, maybe even fewer. The stuff in the Cube is REALLY good, arguably the best cards in the last ten years or so of Magic (we don't run Power, so we can't claim to go all the way back to Alpha). Additions need to surpass this already excellent card quality. Oh, because of the multicolor slant to Shadowmoor, please recall that our Cube has absolutely juiced G/W already. I don't know why it worked that way, but it just did. G/W cards have an even higher standard. Kitchen Finks is still at the top of my list, but I'm just sayin'. Here is the latest Cube list, and the Morningtide additions, for reference.
White
Armored Ascension
Ballynock Cohort
Niveous Wisps
Prison Term
Runed Halo
Twilight Shepherd
Blue
Cursecatcher
Savor the Moment
Black
Beseech the Queen
Faerie Macabre
Dusk Urchins
Midnight Banshee
Red
Flame Javelin
Furystoke Giant
Intimidator Initiate
Green
Crabapple Cohort
Devoted Druid
Prismatic Omen
Tower Above
Artifact
Elsewhere Flask
Grim Poppet
Painter's Servant (Only if we add Grindstone!)
Multicolor
Aethertow
Augury Adept
Godhead of Awe
Mirrorweave
Mistmeadow Witch
Plumeveil
Thoughtweft Gambit
Somnomancer
Swans of Bryn Argoll
Inkfathom Infiltator
Inkfathom Witch
Oona, Queen of the Fae
River's Grasp
Scarscale Ritual
Wasp Lancer
Ashenmoor Gouger
Murderous Redcap
Din of the Fireherd
Fulminator Mage
Boggart Ram-Gang
Deus of Calamity
Firespout
Tattermunge Maniac
Tattermunge Witch
Vexing Shusher
Wort, the Raidmother
Dawnglow Infusion
Kitchen Finks
Mercy Killing
Oracle of Nectars
Oversoul of Dusk
***
Can we cut that down to 5-7 cards? Including the cards that are awesome that I am sure to have missed? I think maybe top ten lists would be worthwhile, so we can (hopefully) come to a consensus. I seem to like lists lately. Post yours in comments. Mine would run like this:
1. Kitchen Finks
2. Oona, Queen of the Fae
3. Swans of Bryn Argoll
4. Boggart Ram-Gang
5. Tattermunge Maniac
6. Firespout
7. Beseech the Queen
8. Flame Javelin
9. Murderous Redcap
10. Godhead of Awe
Old Fart Regionals Playtesting
i will be at game universe for old fart tonight. seeing how its the last week and i dont have a deck for it... i will be looking to play t2 if anyone is interested.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Top 30 Shadowmoor Cards- EDH
Lookit me, I'm a Captain Bondage Goth! In Bizarro World maybe.
I'm doing top ten lists here for Shadowmoor EDH; one for commons, uncommons and rares. See if you agree.
Commons:
10 Safewright Quest - Search up your green or white dual for 1 mana. Could be worse.
9 Turn to Mist - Dodge removal (mass or targeted), use as a combat trick, abuse CIP effects.
8 Manamorphose - Mana fix, cantrip.
7 Niveous Wisps - It's one mana, and it taps Akroma. Cantrip.
6 Faerie Macabre - No one will see this coming until after they cast the Regrowth.
5 Strip Bare - Goodbye equipment! (Except, uh, SoLaS and Lightning Greaves)
4 Last Breath - Gets those pesky utility guys for good.
3 Gloomwidow's Feast - One more than Wing Snare, but it's instant and you get another speed bump for fliers. Really not too bad for killing say, a dragon.
2 Mine Excavation - There will be targets. Getting the conspire is pure gravy.
1 Crimson Wisps - Would you pay one more mana to give your bomb haste and make it cantrip?
Uncommons:
10 Firespout- Hey, it's probably removal and card advantage.
9 Spiteflame Witch - About four or five damage for 2 mana is pretty good, even though you'll pissing people off.
8 Tower Above - It's just a combat trick I know, but it's still pretty damn good one, especially at 3 mana.
7 Mercy Killing - Is it Chainer's Edict? No. But You're playing G/W. It'll do. I'd still rather have 11 1/1s swinging at me and a Darksteel Colossus in some one's library than having to deal with indestructible dudes.
6 Thoughtweft Gambit - This taps every one's creatures but the caster's. I imagine there are ways to abuse this. Multiple Time Walks, anyone?
5 Prison Term - Makes opponents think twice about playing creatures, even shuts off activated abilities. Bites it to mass removal, unfortunately.
4 Reknit - But I really like my enchantment (or land/artifact/planeswalker). I don't want it to go...
3 Mistmeadow Witch - Sick things start to happen at 8 mana.
2 Torrent of Souls - Paying both R and B is really good in a format with bomb creatures and sweepers that routinely hit before summoning sickness wears off.
1 Beseech the Queen - Was there any doubt? This tutor is sick.
Rares:
10 Fire-Lit Thicket, Graven Cairns, Mystic Gate, Sunken Ruins, Wooded Bastion, and Reflecting Pool. Let's get them out of the way, shall we? In a three color deck, they really are amazing.
9 Fracturing Gust - Bomb. This will wreck EDH games all over at instant speed. The life gain is occasionally relevant.
8 Memory Plunder - The spells you are potentially casting get juicier in a format with numerous graveyards and bomby spells.
7 Din of the Fireherd - It "only" hits one player, or it would be higher on the list. Kingmaker anyone?
6 River Kelpie - I will predict you will be drawing lots of cards.
5 Rage Reflection/Mana Reflection- This is cheating, but they're both awesome. 6 mana is a lot to invest but I believe that both of these enchantments are worth it, not least because enchantments stay around longer than most permanents in EDH.
4 Puppeteer Clique - Haste, graveyard hosing, reusability, evasion, the list goes on. The real deal.
3 Polluted Bonds - This needs an answer quick, before things get out of hand.
2 Twilight Shepherd - Wrath Insurance. Sol'Kanar's got nothing on this bitch.
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae - The new hot General. RFG FTW, people.
Top 1 lists.
Top 1 most annoying thing to hear stupid people say: "It is what it is." Yes. This technically applies to everything in the universe. Congratulations. Unless there is some other meaning that can be intuited from making this statement, please don't.
Top 1 everyday occurrence that makes me feel like I'm being anally violated: Being thankful that I'm "only" paying $3.95 for regular unleaded. Thank you mister OPEC! May I have another? I never thought I'd have to write that.
Top 1 best track to be trippin' balls to: I have made this known elsewhere. "Your Face is a Mess" by Gel Abril. Try the Deetron remix for extra paranoia. I was going to do a list about what track is best the best soundtrack for getting high on every illicit drug I could think of but then I remembered what I do for a living and decided I prefer to keep my job instead.
Top 1 worst idea for a post on this blog: a loosely autobiographical short story titled "The adventures of Salty McMonster." Me whining for ten pages, anyone? Oh wait, you were all probably there when the whining actually happened.
Night kids.
T
I'm doing top ten lists here for Shadowmoor EDH; one for commons, uncommons and rares. See if you agree.
Commons:
10 Safewright Quest - Search up your green or white dual for 1 mana. Could be worse.
9 Turn to Mist - Dodge removal (mass or targeted), use as a combat trick, abuse CIP effects.
8 Manamorphose - Mana fix, cantrip.
7 Niveous Wisps - It's one mana, and it taps Akroma. Cantrip.
6 Faerie Macabre - No one will see this coming until after they cast the Regrowth.
5 Strip Bare - Goodbye equipment! (Except, uh, SoLaS and Lightning Greaves)
4 Last Breath - Gets those pesky utility guys for good.
3 Gloomwidow's Feast - One more than Wing Snare, but it's instant and you get another speed bump for fliers. Really not too bad for killing say, a dragon.
2 Mine Excavation - There will be targets. Getting the conspire is pure gravy.
1 Crimson Wisps - Would you pay one more mana to give your bomb haste and make it cantrip?
Uncommons:
10 Firespout- Hey, it's probably removal and card advantage.
9 Spiteflame Witch - About four or five damage for 2 mana is pretty good, even though you'll pissing people off.
8 Tower Above - It's just a combat trick I know, but it's still pretty damn good one, especially at 3 mana.
7 Mercy Killing - Is it Chainer's Edict? No. But You're playing G/W. It'll do. I'd still rather have 11 1/1s swinging at me and a Darksteel Colossus in some one's library than having to deal with indestructible dudes.
6 Thoughtweft Gambit - This taps every one's creatures but the caster's. I imagine there are ways to abuse this. Multiple Time Walks, anyone?
5 Prison Term - Makes opponents think twice about playing creatures, even shuts off activated abilities. Bites it to mass removal, unfortunately.
4 Reknit - But I really like my enchantment (or land/artifact/planeswalker). I don't want it to go...
3 Mistmeadow Witch - Sick things start to happen at 8 mana.
2 Torrent of Souls - Paying both R and B is really good in a format with bomb creatures and sweepers that routinely hit before summoning sickness wears off.
1 Beseech the Queen - Was there any doubt? This tutor is sick.
Rares:
10 Fire-Lit Thicket, Graven Cairns, Mystic Gate, Sunken Ruins, Wooded Bastion, and Reflecting Pool. Let's get them out of the way, shall we? In a three color deck, they really are amazing.
9 Fracturing Gust - Bomb. This will wreck EDH games all over at instant speed. The life gain is occasionally relevant.
8 Memory Plunder - The spells you are potentially casting get juicier in a format with numerous graveyards and bomby spells.
7 Din of the Fireherd - It "only" hits one player, or it would be higher on the list. Kingmaker anyone?
6 River Kelpie - I will predict you will be drawing lots of cards.
5 Rage Reflection/Mana Reflection- This is cheating, but they're both awesome. 6 mana is a lot to invest but I believe that both of these enchantments are worth it, not least because enchantments stay around longer than most permanents in EDH.
4 Puppeteer Clique - Haste, graveyard hosing, reusability, evasion, the list goes on. The real deal.
3 Polluted Bonds - This needs an answer quick, before things get out of hand.
2 Twilight Shepherd - Wrath Insurance. Sol'Kanar's got nothing on this bitch.
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae - The new hot General. RFG FTW, people.
Top 1 lists.
Top 1 most annoying thing to hear stupid people say: "It is what it is." Yes. This technically applies to everything in the universe. Congratulations. Unless there is some other meaning that can be intuited from making this statement, please don't.
Top 1 everyday occurrence that makes me feel like I'm being anally violated: Being thankful that I'm "only" paying $3.95 for regular unleaded. Thank you mister OPEC! May I have another? I never thought I'd have to write that.
Top 1 best track to be trippin' balls to: I have made this known elsewhere. "Your Face is a Mess" by Gel Abril. Try the Deetron remix for extra paranoia. I was going to do a list about what track is best the best soundtrack for getting high on every illicit drug I could think of but then I remembered what I do for a living and decided I prefer to keep my job instead.
Top 1 worst idea for a post on this blog: a loosely autobiographical short story titled "The adventures of Salty McMonster." Me whining for ten pages, anyone? Oh wait, you were all probably there when the whining actually happened.
Night kids.
T
Shadowmoor Sealed, Week 3
I can’t wait for May to be over. May has been nothing but bad week followed by worse week. So this past weekend I head back up to the Twin Cities Friday night for my brother’s graduation from law school (by the way Hamline has a really beautiful campus) only to have to drive back Saturday night so I can be back at work on Sunday. I finally thought that we had gotten over the hump, but we always manage to find a way to shoot ourselves in the foot.
To further complicate things, I am train my counterpart from Irwindale (near LA, CA) on the BrewAS tool that I use. It has moderately increased the amount of time I am spending at work this week, but at least the scenery is nice.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to the store on Tuesday, but did make it down to TS place Tuesday night for a cook out and a few games of EDH (I didn’t get done at work until after 6 pm). One conclusion I can draw in two player is that the person on the draw wins ~80% of the time (that extra card is a huge advantage).
I do intend to try to make it down to the store next Tuesday, but with the way things have been going, I won’t hold my breath. Well until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
To further complicate things, I am train my counterpart from Irwindale (near LA, CA) on the BrewAS tool that I use. It has moderately increased the amount of time I am spending at work this week, but at least the scenery is nice.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to the store on Tuesday, but did make it down to TS place Tuesday night for a cook out and a few games of EDH (I didn’t get done at work until after 6 pm). One conclusion I can draw in two player is that the person on the draw wins ~80% of the time (that extra card is a huge advantage).
I do intend to try to make it down to the store next Tuesday, but with the way things have been going, I won’t hold my breath. Well until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
There is justice in this world
I know that Lou Pearlman isn't going to jail for 25 years for spawning all those 80's and 90's boy bands, but I'd like to think that he's getting what he deserves one way or another. Kizzarma!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
TooSarcastic is dead
I killed him with a gun made of salami and Sunken Hope. Actually, he just asked me to step in and do the post for tonight because he is tired and he doesn't wanna talk about it. I think he has a headache and needs to wash his hair. It's not you, it's him. When you look back on this relationship, I hope you can remember the good times.
I have no idea what to talk about.
I am officially a Magic player now. Somebody just shipped me super secret tech for the very first time. No, I am not going to spill it. Apparently, it's going to hit SCG before the PT, but I ain't publishing shit 'til it's actually out.
Some chica asked me to dance on Saturday. That's never happened before. Very strange. Also, awesome, because while not completely smokin' she was definitely worth the effort. Of course I said yes, you ass.
I may go to Regionals and play EDH. I'll spend the $30 I would have blown on entry on a U Sea instead. Who's with me?
Oh, there's a good topic. Let's do the next EDH in July sometime. I can't do the 20th or 27th, but earlier in the month would be fine.
Reaper King is the next deck. I am thinking about including some five color cycles for fun. Maybe all the Genju and all the one mana tutors. Obv all the changelings and Shadowmoor scarecrows make it in. I wish I had a brain.
Nobody commented on my short story in any way. I hate you all.
Standard is officially stupid. I just wanna draft in my basement and drink.
Fuck yeah
I have no idea what to talk about.
I am officially a Magic player now. Somebody just shipped me super secret tech for the very first time. No, I am not going to spill it. Apparently, it's going to hit SCG before the PT, but I ain't publishing shit 'til it's actually out.
Some chica asked me to dance on Saturday. That's never happened before. Very strange. Also, awesome, because while not completely smokin' she was definitely worth the effort. Of course I said yes, you ass.
I may go to Regionals and play EDH. I'll spend the $30 I would have blown on entry on a U Sea instead. Who's with me?
Oh, there's a good topic. Let's do the next EDH in July sometime. I can't do the 20th or 27th, but earlier in the month would be fine.
Reaper King is the next deck. I am thinking about including some five color cycles for fun. Maybe all the Genju and all the one mana tutors. Obv all the changelings and Shadowmoor scarecrows make it in. I wish I had a brain.
Nobody commented on my short story in any way. I hate you all.
Standard is officially stupid. I just wanna draft in my basement and drink.
Fuck yeah
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Gun goes 3-0, 6-0
I don't know if any of you have read any limited articles about the Gun but in case you haven't I will tell you what is involved.
The Gun is a two card combo based around a creature with an untap ability, and an aura that gives the creature a tap ability.
Let's look at some untappers:
Silkbind Faerie
Pili-Pala
Leech Bonder (works as long as there are counters to move Note from the editor: this works even if there are no counters to move. As long as you have two legal targets, it's fine. RTFC, Tabasco. Kisses.)
Puresight Merrow
Merrow Grimeblotters
Safehold Sentry
The Auras
Presence of Gond
Power of Fire
Pili-Pala is great because it is cheap and it only costs 1 to untap after the first activation, it also mana fixes. Silkbind Faerie is probably the best untapper in the set.
Getting the untappers is the hardest part about the deck. Presence of Gond and Power of Fire will be floating around in the later picks. Silkbind is pretty much only 1st or 2nd pick. and people who are drafting blue or white will be scooping up the good untappers. Pili-pala see no love, he is a lowly 1/1 so he dies to any removal, but they have to remove him fast or you will get there quickly.
a quick report from FNM
Round 1-against U/B
G1- I get a turn 2 Pili-Pala followed by a turn 3 Presence of Gond for my Pili-Pala. His first drop is a turn 4 Rootcutters. Elves>Rootcutters
G2- I got a turn 2 Boggart Ram-Gang after a Manamorphose (I had 2 mountains and an island)
followed by The R/G unblockable Hill Giant (in this matchup he was unblockable) I got there soon after his guys were smaller than mine and I stole one with Biting Tethers.
Round 2 against R/G/b
G1- I get a Gun going around turn 4 and he answers it with his Power of Fire, but not before taking 5 damage from the Gun. I then get another Gun and start throwing elves into play, and it is soon too much for him to handle. Unfortunately he has Spiteful Visions and Knollspine Invocation in play and drew nothing but lands.
G2-I get a turn 3 Gun and start shooting him in the face while building up cards in hand. he drops Spiteful Visions after he is behind. (Looking for an answer?) This basically ensures I have land drops and adds to the fire. He dies in a fire and I move into the finals.
Round 3-against B/R
I know from seeing his match next to mine round 1 that he has a Demigod of Revenge
G1- I start off with a turn 2 Pili-Pala, he misses land drops and is stuck on 2. I build some 3/3's and he has lowly 1/1's. Bigger dudes win.
G2-Is much the same as game one except he gets more mana this time. He ran his 1/1 fear into my artifact Scuttlemutt after making it red. I have to assume he forgot it is still an artifact even if you change its color.
I end up walking away with Fulminator Mage, Vexing Shusher, a Draft Set, and my entry fee plus 2 dollars in store credit. (I money drafted because i didn't think my deck would be as good as it was)
I think the Gun has potential, you need to be in U/R/G or G/R/w or G/W/r for it to be most effective Silkbind Faerie is the nuts.
See you guys tomorrow at the EDH Open!
Hot Sauce
The Gun is a two card combo based around a creature with an untap ability, and an aura that gives the creature a tap ability.
Let's look at some untappers:
Silkbind Faerie
Pili-Pala
Leech Bonder (works as long as there are counters to move Note from the editor: this works even if there are no counters to move. As long as you have two legal targets, it's fine. RTFC, Tabasco. Kisses.)
Puresight Merrow
Merrow Grimeblotters
Safehold Sentry
The Auras
Presence of Gond
Power of Fire
Pili-Pala is great because it is cheap and it only costs 1 to untap after the first activation, it also mana fixes. Silkbind Faerie is probably the best untapper in the set.
Getting the untappers is the hardest part about the deck. Presence of Gond and Power of Fire will be floating around in the later picks. Silkbind is pretty much only 1st or 2nd pick. and people who are drafting blue or white will be scooping up the good untappers. Pili-pala see no love, he is a lowly 1/1 so he dies to any removal, but they have to remove him fast or you will get there quickly.
a quick report from FNM
Round 1-against U/B
G1- I get a turn 2 Pili-Pala followed by a turn 3 Presence of Gond for my Pili-Pala. His first drop is a turn 4 Rootcutters. Elves>Rootcutters
G2- I got a turn 2 Boggart Ram-Gang after a Manamorphose (I had 2 mountains and an island)
followed by The R/G unblockable Hill Giant (in this matchup he was unblockable) I got there soon after his guys were smaller than mine and I stole one with Biting Tethers.
Round 2 against R/G/b
G1- I get a Gun going around turn 4 and he answers it with his Power of Fire, but not before taking 5 damage from the Gun. I then get another Gun and start throwing elves into play, and it is soon too much for him to handle. Unfortunately he has Spiteful Visions and Knollspine Invocation in play and drew nothing but lands.
G2-I get a turn 3 Gun and start shooting him in the face while building up cards in hand. he drops Spiteful Visions after he is behind. (Looking for an answer?) This basically ensures I have land drops and adds to the fire. He dies in a fire and I move into the finals.
Round 3-against B/R
I know from seeing his match next to mine round 1 that he has a Demigod of Revenge
G1- I start off with a turn 2 Pili-Pala, he misses land drops and is stuck on 2. I build some 3/3's and he has lowly 1/1's. Bigger dudes win.
G2-Is much the same as game one except he gets more mana this time. He ran his 1/1 fear into my artifact Scuttlemutt after making it red. I have to assume he forgot it is still an artifact even if you change its color.
I end up walking away with Fulminator Mage, Vexing Shusher, a Draft Set, and my entry fee plus 2 dollars in store credit. (I money drafted because i didn't think my deck would be as good as it was)
I think the Gun has potential, you need to be in U/R/G or G/R/w or G/W/r for it to be most effective Silkbind Faerie is the nuts.
See you guys tomorrow at the EDH Open!
Hot Sauce
Friday, May 16, 2008
Regionals testing
I think I really pissed Tabasco off Tuesday, which wasn't my intention. I built a Rg warriors deck that I wanted to test. Obviously, I threw it up against Alex Bertoncini's Faeries list. Here's my list.
4 Tattermunge Maniac
3 Firespout
3 Greater Gargadon
4 Obsidian Battle-Axe
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Boggart Ram-Gang
4 Stingscourger
4 Lash Out
4 Flame Javelin
4 Brighthearth Banneret
4 Fire-lit Thicket
4 Karplusan Forest
11 Mountain
3 Mutavault
The good: (1)Banneret. Dropping Battle-Axe, followed by Stingscourger and swinging for 4 is basically the reason to play the deck. Well, that or Keldon Marauders. Is that 12 damage from a single Marauders? Yes. Yes it is. (2) Lash Out is really solid right now.
The bad: (1)Mutavault. This deck really, really, really wants its colored mana. I'd almost rather have Monkeytown since it (a) powers Thicket and (b) doesn't get chump blocked or countered. (2)Gargadon. Hot Sauce says should be Mogg Fanatic. I agree. (3)Firespout. I am a Limited player at heart, and the fact that I didn't immediately recognize this as trash in Constructed says all you need to know about how good a player I am.
The ugly: 0-5 vs. Faeries, 1-4 vs. Hot Sauce's RGoyf anti-faeries list.
I am giving up on this in its present form. Battle Axe is insane on turn 2, much less so on turn 3. I may run RedGoyf as I have most of the cards and it seems good. I do like the idea of maindeck Magus Moon (Man Cow).
------
Maybe I should just play Faeries. Or I could shoot myself in the face. That sounds fun.
------
coyoeuglly and I were talking and he made some comment about Shadow Guildmage being virtual card advantage. I didn't know what the heck he was talking about because (say it with me) CBG is bad at magic. Once he explained it, I talked about my unnatural love for Liege of the Pit and we promptly made this spicy little sauce monster.
Dirty Aggro
4 Shadow Guildmage
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Inkfathom Infiltrator
4 Dauthi Slayer
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Flame Javelin
4 Lash Out
4 Rift Bolt
3 Liege of the Pit
3 Gathan Raiders
4 Graven Cairns
4 Sulfurous Springs
4 Mountain
10 Swamp
I don't know if the lands are right. Maybe one runs more mountains + 2 or 3 Urborg to get there. I think I will at least throw it out there and see how it does. It couldn't possibly be worse than Warriors.
------
Tabasco and I have different views on testing. This is because he is good at magic and can figure out what is wrong with a deck after a couple games. I need a little more time with it in my hands just to get the kinks out. Losing tends to be my own misplays as much as anything else so deck doctoring is pretty tough for me. I hope I don't have to forfeit writing on the blog just because I admitted I am complete trash at magic and now have proof.
------
My current Constructed rating : 1504
------
I don't deny that the correct strategy for the EDH is to gang up on me and kill me dead. I just hope you all hate yourselves while doing it. No mercy. I will attempt to kill you. Actually, right now I just wanna Tunnel Vision coyoeuglly after he inexplicably activates his Mistveil Plains. Who does that?
4 Tattermunge Maniac
3 Firespout
3 Greater Gargadon
4 Obsidian Battle-Axe
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Boggart Ram-Gang
4 Stingscourger
4 Lash Out
4 Flame Javelin
4 Brighthearth Banneret
4 Fire-lit Thicket
4 Karplusan Forest
11 Mountain
3 Mutavault
The good: (1)Banneret. Dropping Battle-Axe, followed by Stingscourger and swinging for 4 is basically the reason to play the deck. Well, that or Keldon Marauders. Is that 12 damage from a single Marauders? Yes. Yes it is. (2) Lash Out is really solid right now.
The bad: (1)Mutavault. This deck really, really, really wants its colored mana. I'd almost rather have Monkeytown since it (a) powers Thicket and (b) doesn't get chump blocked or countered. (2)Gargadon. Hot Sauce says should be Mogg Fanatic. I agree. (3)Firespout. I am a Limited player at heart, and the fact that I didn't immediately recognize this as trash in Constructed says all you need to know about how good a player I am.
The ugly: 0-5 vs. Faeries, 1-4 vs. Hot Sauce's RGoyf anti-faeries list.
I am giving up on this in its present form. Battle Axe is insane on turn 2, much less so on turn 3. I may run RedGoyf as I have most of the cards and it seems good. I do like the idea of maindeck Magus Moon (Man Cow).
------
Maybe I should just play Faeries. Or I could shoot myself in the face. That sounds fun.
------
coyoeuglly and I were talking and he made some comment about Shadow Guildmage being virtual card advantage. I didn't know what the heck he was talking about because (say it with me) CBG is bad at magic. Once he explained it, I talked about my unnatural love for Liege of the Pit and we promptly made this spicy little sauce monster.
Dirty Aggro
4 Shadow Guildmage
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Inkfathom Infiltrator
4 Dauthi Slayer
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Flame Javelin
4 Lash Out
4 Rift Bolt
3 Liege of the Pit
3 Gathan Raiders
4 Graven Cairns
4 Sulfurous Springs
4 Mountain
10 Swamp
I don't know if the lands are right. Maybe one runs more mountains + 2 or 3 Urborg to get there. I think I will at least throw it out there and see how it does. It couldn't possibly be worse than Warriors.
------
Tabasco and I have different views on testing. This is because he is good at magic and can figure out what is wrong with a deck after a couple games. I need a little more time with it in my hands just to get the kinks out. Losing tends to be my own misplays as much as anything else so deck doctoring is pretty tough for me. I hope I don't have to forfeit writing on the blog just because I admitted I am complete trash at magic and now have proof.
------
My current Constructed rating : 1504
------
I don't deny that the correct strategy for the EDH is to gang up on me and kill me dead. I just hope you all hate yourselves while doing it. No mercy. I will attempt to kill you. Actually, right now I just wanna Tunnel Vision coyoeuglly after he inexplicably activates his Mistveil Plains. Who does that?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Shadowmoor Sealed, Week 2
Red-Green Beats, literally. Those four words best describe or Shadowmoor league right now. I am not sure if it is just because of the ridiculous cards many of us have opened in those colors or if they are really that good, but here we are.
I myself am glad to have access to both the Black-Red hybrid and White-Green hybrid cards in my Red-Green deck. I am also very pleased to have access to both the best and second best two ability combinations in my colors. What are the best and second best two ability combinations? (Thank you voices in my head) Well I’m glad you asked. After some discussion with the Captain, we agreed upon the best two ability combinations both being in Red-Green.
The best is Wither and First Strike. Sending in your wither/first strike guys makes for some very touch blocking decisions for your opponent. As Scoop-Phase can attest to from the prerelease, first striking wither guys will win the ground stall. I know that I am very fortunate to have multiple Bloodmark Mentors to go with my multiple Boggart Ram-Gangs.
The second best (a very close second) is Double Strike & Trample. At current there is only one card in the set that enables it (Runes of the Deus) and that is why it isn’t the best. However, it is still amazing to crack back with a huge beastie that has both double strike and trample.
As my previous words alluded to, I found much success with my red-green beats deck, but also found many challenges in the two mirror matches.
For next week, here is the pack I opened:
Cinderhaze Wretch
Silkbind Faerie
Wanderwine Rootcutters
Scar
Boggart Arsonists
Presence of the Gond
Goldenglow Moth
Zealous Guardian
Loch Korrigan
Embergale
Niveous Wisps
Seedcradle Witch
Sapseep Forest
Fossil Find
Demigod of Revenge
Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
I myself am glad to have access to both the Black-Red hybrid and White-Green hybrid cards in my Red-Green deck. I am also very pleased to have access to both the best and second best two ability combinations in my colors. What are the best and second best two ability combinations? (Thank you voices in my head) Well I’m glad you asked. After some discussion with the Captain, we agreed upon the best two ability combinations both being in Red-Green.
The best is Wither and First Strike. Sending in your wither/first strike guys makes for some very touch blocking decisions for your opponent. As Scoop-Phase can attest to from the prerelease, first striking wither guys will win the ground stall. I know that I am very fortunate to have multiple Bloodmark Mentors to go with my multiple Boggart Ram-Gangs.
The second best (a very close second) is Double Strike & Trample. At current there is only one card in the set that enables it (Runes of the Deus) and that is why it isn’t the best. However, it is still amazing to crack back with a huge beastie that has both double strike and trample.
As my previous words alluded to, I found much success with my red-green beats deck, but also found many challenges in the two mirror matches.
For next week, here is the pack I opened:
Cinderhaze Wretch
Silkbind Faerie
Wanderwine Rootcutters
Scar
Boggart Arsonists
Presence of the Gond
Goldenglow Moth
Zealous Guardian
Loch Korrigan
Embergale
Niveous Wisps
Seedcradle Witch
Sapseep Forest
Fossil Find
Demigod of Revenge
Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
Jesus Christ!
Bitterblossoms are up to $30 on SCG...They last time we saw a trend like this it was Tarmogoyf?
Anyone for bets on whether or not Bitterblossom hits a Grant like the Lhurgoyf before it?
Anyone for bets on whether or not Bitterblossom hits a Grant like the Lhurgoyf before it?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
This dude has got nothing on Fugie
This article by the loveable pug-nosed Rich Hagon on Starcity features a five color Reaper King Scarecrow deck (scroll down to draft 3) that is very reminiscent of our blog's namesake. Time to move on from Horde of Notions.dec to Reaper King.dec, F.
T
T
Conclusions and Hypothesis
If Edds sister is reading this my number is 262-613-0405.
Moments after this was posted:
canntspell2 (2:25:34 PM): hit refreash... i just changed a couple things
WizrdOfEdd (2:25:56 PM): dick
WizrdOfEdd (2:25:58 PM): ;p
I've come to the conclusion recently that I'm an asshole about everything. Not that this is shocking to anyone but me. I just felt like sharing. While examining the inner workings of my brain upon realizing this conclusion. I feel it is something I have always known subconsciously and just recently realized consciously. I have always realized that I was definitely an asshole, I just didn't realize how all encompassing it was. What was this epiphany you ask? Probably it is best left unsaid. Let's just say it involves vagoo.
It is fun to watch CBG bitch while he is getting destroyed.
While typing the first paragraph I also realized how much it sucks to accidentally click the "add to dictionary" option when you have misspelled a word. Than I have to go look it up on a dictionary website. Highly annoying. Damn interweb and your
Dragons are scary. They eat Princesses.
Doran is a house. I'm pretty convinced there is no better turn two play in T2 than Doran. Also I would love to be able to play this deck for T2 on Saturday this week. Updated list:
2 Treefolk Harbinger
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Tarmogoyf
2 Kitchen Finks
3 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
2 Wilt-Leaf Liege
3 Terror
2 Nameless Inversion
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Primal Command
3 Profane Command
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Horizan Canopy
2 Glit-Leaf Palace
4 Llanowar Wastes
3 Murmuring Bosk
3 Treetop Village
3 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Caves of Kolios
Sideboard:
3 Primal Rage
4 Eyes of the Wisent
3 Mindshatter
3 Thoughtseize
2 Spring Cleaning
I've been working with Bagha on the list. And we have pretty similar ones.
Garruk: Completely up in the air on this. Sometimes its amazing... sometimes its crap.
3 Goyf: While yes the card is stupid... It kind of just mopes around for awhile early without Thoughtseize main.
2 Harbinger: Yes this card is still very very good. But after cutting the Crib Swap and the Colossus and going back up to four Doran, there you don't really want four anymore.
Primal Rage: Chump block this Bitterblossom.
Spring Cleaning: I just don't think there are enough relevant artifacts in the format. The main deck Oblivion Rings have been enough for that.
Eyes of the Wisent: Combos with Primal Rage against Faeries.
Questions I have about the list:
1. Is Garruk good enough? He is really bad against Faeries and red decks. Which I am expecting to be the most popular decks are Regionals.
2. 22 or 23 land? I think 22 is enough. But I want 23. Mostly because Treetop is the suck in your opening hand. But the nuts on turn 4. There should be haves in the mana world.
3. Does the land base need work?
If anyone is showing up Saturday I would greatly appreciate being able to borrow the following:
2 Llanowar Elves
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Tarmogoyf
2 Kitchen Finks (I have 1 but it is MIA)
3 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
3 Terror
1 Oblivion Ring
3 Horizon Canopy
1 Llanowar Wastes
2 Treetop Village
1 Caves of Kolios
3 Primal Rage
4 Eyes of the Wisent
1 Mindshatter
2 Spring Cleaning
Thanks in advance any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Just because there was some confusion at the store Saturday about what days things are this week. Triple Shadowmoor Draft Friday. Shadowmoor Standard Saturday. EDH Open Sunday. Haaker is an ijet.
I drafted at the store Saturday. I definitely walked out with a Woodfell Primus, Vexing Shusher (3rd), Wilt-Leaf Liedge, and Oversoul of Dusk and two other rares I can't think of. Along with a bunch of Constructed playables.
Scroll down the page a little to the Completely Off Topic entry and post your list. I am curious to see them. For the record Pong is 6th on my list. You haven't live until you start betting 20s on pong.
So here is my biggest problem when writing one of these, I never know how to end them.
Flash is still dumb. Even if everything in the deck is restricted.
Moments after this was posted:
canntspell2 (2:25:34 PM): hit refreash... i just changed a couple things
WizrdOfEdd (2:25:56 PM): dick
WizrdOfEdd (2:25:58 PM): ;p
I've come to the conclusion recently that I'm an asshole about everything. Not that this is shocking to anyone but me. I just felt like sharing. While examining the inner workings of my brain upon realizing this conclusion. I feel it is something I have always known subconsciously and just recently realized consciously. I have always realized that I was definitely an asshole, I just didn't realize how all encompassing it was. What was this epiphany you ask? Probably it is best left unsaid. Let's just say it involves vagoo.
It is fun to watch CBG bitch while he is getting destroyed.
While typing the first paragraph I also realized how much it sucks to accidentally click the "add to dictionary" option when you have misspelled a word. Than I have to go look it up on a dictionary website. Highly annoying. Damn interweb and your
Dragons are scary. They eat Princesses.
Doran is a house. I'm pretty convinced there is no better turn two play in T2 than Doran. Also I would love to be able to play this deck for T2 on Saturday this week. Updated list:
2 Treefolk Harbinger
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Tarmogoyf
2 Kitchen Finks
3 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
2 Wilt-Leaf Liege
3 Terror
2 Nameless Inversion
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Primal Command
3 Profane Command
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Horizan Canopy
2 Glit-Leaf Palace
4 Llanowar Wastes
3 Murmuring Bosk
3 Treetop Village
3 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Caves of Kolios
Sideboard:
3 Primal Rage
4 Eyes of the Wisent
3 Mindshatter
3 Thoughtseize
2 Spring Cleaning
I've been working with Bagha on the list. And we have pretty similar ones.
Garruk: Completely up in the air on this. Sometimes its amazing... sometimes its crap.
3 Goyf: While yes the card is stupid... It kind of just mopes around for awhile early without Thoughtseize main.
2 Harbinger: Yes this card is still very very good. But after cutting the Crib Swap and the Colossus and going back up to four Doran, there you don't really want four anymore.
Primal Rage: Chump block this Bitterblossom.
Spring Cleaning: I just don't think there are enough relevant artifacts in the format. The main deck Oblivion Rings have been enough for that.
Eyes of the Wisent: Combos with Primal Rage against Faeries.
Questions I have about the list:
1. Is Garruk good enough? He is really bad against Faeries and red decks. Which I am expecting to be the most popular decks are Regionals.
2. 22 or 23 land? I think 22 is enough. But I want 23. Mostly because Treetop is the suck in your opening hand. But the nuts on turn 4. There should be haves in the mana world.
3. Does the land base need work?
If anyone is showing up Saturday I would greatly appreciate being able to borrow the following:
2 Llanowar Elves
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Tarmogoyf
2 Kitchen Finks (I have 1 but it is MIA)
3 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
3 Terror
1 Oblivion Ring
3 Horizon Canopy
1 Llanowar Wastes
2 Treetop Village
1 Caves of Kolios
3 Primal Rage
4 Eyes of the Wisent
1 Mindshatter
2 Spring Cleaning
Thanks in advance any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Just because there was some confusion at the store Saturday about what days things are this week. Triple Shadowmoor Draft Friday. Shadowmoor Standard Saturday. EDH Open Sunday. Haaker is an ijet.
I drafted at the store Saturday. I definitely walked out with a Woodfell Primus, Vexing Shusher (3rd), Wilt-Leaf Liedge, and Oversoul of Dusk and two other rares I can't think of. Along with a bunch of Constructed playables.
Scroll down the page a little to the Completely Off Topic entry and post your list. I am curious to see them. For the record Pong is 6th on my list. You haven't live until you start betting 20s on pong.
So here is my biggest problem when writing one of these, I never know how to end them.
Flash is still dumb. Even if everything in the deck is restricted.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Elder Dragon Highlander: Hating the Players, Not the Game
Inspiration often comes at strange moments. I was in the shower fiddling with the hot and cold dials when I stumbled upon what I later learned to be one of the most basic rules of live DJing: The best way to boost the bass of a song is NOT to turn up the bass- it’s to turn DOWN the mid and treble levels. This is because you have twice as much control over the bass level- you’re turning two dials instead of one. Counterintuitive, but true.
It’s fitting that my Magic epiphany occurred while doing DJ stuff- scrounging the digital record crates online. I was looking for some tracks to fill in a new mix I’m working on. One largely inspired by Jacob London DJ Dave Pezzner’s recent mix, which features a very Black (not just the more politically correct African American; I believe some of these tracks were produced in Africa) vibe with forward sounding, futuristic synths. It has really blown my mind. I couldn’t find tracks to match that feel that I was looking for- they were all either too loungy or not sleek and futuristic enough.
I still haven’t solved that DJing problem, but at that moment I did solve another one running through my mind- why Fugie’s new Intet Elder Dragon Highlander deck has been kicking the snot out of people lately. Like Pezzner’s mix, he’s got these seemingly incongruous pieces; taxing effects like Propaganda, Ghostly Prison, Rhystic Study, Crystal Shard, etc, and then a combo win with three TimeWarp effects, and E-Witness (or Izzet Chronarch) with Erratic Portal and Crystal Shard for the bouncy recursion of said dudes. Fugie can then take as many turns as necessary to kill everyone else dead. So what, it’s a combo deck? But with a twist! Just like Pezzner’s track list, it’s the little things that make the difference. Know how Mind’s Eye is teh nutzzz in EDH? Because it draws you cards when you can pay for it? Well Rhystic Study is similar- but the opponent has to pay for you to NOT draw. A big difference. Many of Fugie’s support cards are similar. If he has Propaganda, Rhystic Study and Crystal Shard out, it’s quite likely you’ll have to pay mana to do ANYTHING. Or let the good Ol Fugie McWizard get a benefit from you. Most of the time, it’s worth it to pay- but that’s the trap. Once Fugie starts to combo out you have even less mana available to disrupt him.
This all relates to the upcoming EDH open (this Sunday!). Normally in multiplayer combo decks are kept in check by the societal forces- no one wants to play with a player who always wins on turn zero. But at the upcoming EDH tourney combo is perfect- a player can take the metagame by storm for two rounds (no sideboards even!) and then have a decent shot at comboing out before the other four (combo) players at the top table do so in the finals. Playing combo seems like so strong an option that the only reason not to play without a combo would be to avoid a gang-up in the second round once everyone knows what you’re up to. But that strategy is basically asking to get beat in round one, so it hardly seems like a good idea.
The rest of this article is devoted to hating out the known combo decks in the metagame. Don’t fret combo players; you will want to be running many of the hate cards I discuss too, for your own combo-slinging competitors!
Let’s start at the top of the food chain.
FUGIE: Playing Intet.
We’ve gone over the combo above- as many Time Walks as it takes to win by cycling either Time Warp, Time Stretch, or Capture of Jingzhou using Eternal Witness or Izzet Chronarch (there may be a third Regrowth on legs in here, I don’t know) via Crystal Shard or Erratic Portal.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, with the ideal targets being Crystal Shard, Erratic Portal, and Research and Development. Fugie was planning the R&D as tech, to make sure none of his combo pieces are removed from the game permanently, but if you can take either his bouncies OR his Regrowths on legs IN ADDITION TO his way to get the removed from game cards back into his library, I think he’s neutered. Obviously your Cap targets will vary based on what’s already been drawn. If he already has Research in hand then you still force him to burn it by taking all of one part of the combo. It should slow him down at least two turns, during which time someone should have…
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: We’re looking ideally at instant speed artifact or creature removal. Many of these cards are excellent against all decks and will not be a wasted slot by any means. Return to Dust, Altar's Light, Duplicant, Carbonize or Yamabushi’s Flame, Last Breath (surprisingly good), and the always awesome Swords to Plowshares. Note that the otherwise stellar Krosan Grip will likely only buy a turn against Fugie, because of the recursion. Other solid non-instant answers would be Shatterstorm effects (Dust to Dust will always have targets) and Wrath effects, like Final Judgment and Decree of Annihilation, that RFTG. A timely Tormod’s Crypt (ideally with all copies of one part of the combo, like his bounce effects, butt he’ll try to get you to use it prematurely) can screw Fugie, but even getting one of his Time Walks will buy probably two turns.
COUNTERSPELLS: Like all good combo decks, Fugie has outs against counterspelling. Counterspell both the E-witness and the Chronarch, if possible, since he will have to dig up a Regrowth or something before recommencing his combo. Unfortunately his recursion piece of the combo makes it difficult to keep something in the graveyard for long. So remove things from the game instead! Faerie Trickery, Dissipate and Spelljack are quality disruption against Fugie (again, getting a Research with these spells would make him cry). Time Stop on one of his Time Walks is a beating, because it also will remove any card that is still on the stack from the game. Fugie will have to dig up another Time Walk to lock everyone else out. Trickbind or Stifle only delays going off for a turn, not useful. Commandeer on a Time Walk may not be a total backbreaker but is certainly enjoyable and is wholeheartedly recommended.
RESOURCE DENIAL: At the least Fugie needs 9 mana available to go off (5 for the Time Warp, 3 for the E-Wit, 1 for the bounce activation). Armageddon and other land-D will slow the man down.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Swords to Plowshares, Return to Dust, Time Stop and other RFTG counters, Tormod’s Crypt.
CAPTAIN BONDAGE GOTH: Playing something U/B/R.
I have never faced CBG’s fabled multi combo concoction, but helped him develop a few of them, so I have a little insight. One combo uses a Brighthearth Banneret and some other cost reducers to make Grinning Ignus’s mana production ability go infinite. The kill is either Empty the Warrens with Fervor in play, or Grapeshot for whatever, or Tendrils of Agony for whatever, or just Fireball everyone for 40. He may have Brain Freeze as well. There’s another infi man combo with the Monoliths (Grim and Basalt) but I can’t for the life of me remember how it works. I think there was an Intruder Alarm in there somewhere. Then there’s rumor of a Djinn Illuninatus and Pact of the Titan to make a million 4/4s, all with Fervor for the haste part. I had no hand in creating that, but it seems awesome. Note that the hasty creatures and the Fireball will kill all other player AT ONCE. That means CBG gets the only points in the pod, and all the tie break points and everyone else ties for fourth in the pod. Seems like a scenario worth avoiding.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming either all the mana producers the (Monoliths and Ignus) or Grapeshot, Tendrils of Agony and Fervor. The first plan hoses all his early kills- now the table just needs to kill CBG before he resolves an Illuminatus. The second plan leaves his only insta-kill option as Brain Freeze (which he may or may not even run). He will either have to Fireball (which is vulnerable to counterspells in ways that Storm spells are not) or wait a turn to attack honestly with his 500,000 goblin tokens. Hopefully someone will cast a Wrath effect in the intervening turn. Without haste his Pact tokens are useless.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: CBG has both artifact and enchantments that are key to some of his combos. Mass artifact and enchantment removal will likely screw him. Krosan Grip on a Monolith will not stop CBG from adding mana to his pool with an activated ability, but it will stop an untap ability from being put on the stack, so that seems golden. Without green his recursion options are limited to black’s reanimation strategies, so those pesky Monoliths and Fervor will probably stay dead. No need to remove them from the game. The creatures may be another story. Kill Banneret type effects on sight, as CBG does not need to pass turn once an Ignus resolves. Any creature kill will do, preferably at instant speed. You know the usual suspects, Eyeblight’s Ending, Terror, a million other black targeted removal spells, Swords to Plowshares, Pongify, Lightning Bolt, Sulfurous Blast and/or Rout (bye-bye tokens!) etc., etc. Every color except green should have a way to deal with CBG’s creatures at instant speed. Tormod’s Crypt is probably moot against him, unless you can Crypt away an Illuminatus or some such thing that he might try to reanimate.
COUNTERSPELLS: Storm laughs at counterspells, so don’t bother. Except for Time Stop, of course, which laughs at Storm. Trickbinding the appropriate Storm copy- yadda yadda, you all know how to do that. Note that Djinn Illuminatis’ replicate copies are put onto the stack, not played, so they will not help CBG resolve his Storm cards, only his Pact of the Titan. PLEASE counterspell his Fireball for a million (he may be smart enough to not even run it, lest it backfire). That would be enjoyable. Again, Commandeer would be so delicious.
RESOURCE DENIAL: CBG and I made sure that at least the first of his combos could work with only four mana, so unless Myojin of Night’s Reach can rip apart his hand, there’s not a lot else to stop him. Land-D won’t be useful.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Any instant speed creature removal, Any instant speed Disenchant cards, Sulfurous Blast, Trickbind, Time Stop.
THE CAPTAIN: Playing Five color Flash Hulk Combo
The Captain may not be playing this deck, but if there was ever a time to be competitive playing EDH, this is it. Even if the Captain decides to run his Jhoira of the Ghitu deck instead (another combo deck!), there will probably be some Spike who turns up with a five color General and tries to run this, so it’s worth discussing. I’m not quite sure what the perfect combo would look like, but there’s no reason why The Captain couldn’t run the Karmic Guide/Carrion Feeder/Kiki-Jiki kill. Flash out Protean Hulk, when it goes to the graveyard get Karmic Guide/Carrion Feeder. Bring back the Hulk, sac to the Feeder, this time tutoring up Kiki Jiki, Mirror Breaker, which copies the Guide, then gets sacrificed with the copy effect on the stack. The effect resolves, The Captain gets a Guide token, which brings back Kiki Jiki. Now you can loop the Goblin and the Spirit until you have an arbitrary large number of hasty Spirit tokens. Let me know if this is not correct. Is there another option with Reveillark/Body Double/Mogg Fanatic? I am not up on my Standard tournament deck lists. If The Captain wins through combat damage, he would take all the points in the round. Pinging players to death would technically allow for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. Keep in mind this thing probably consistently goldfishes around turn four-ish, with a turn one kill possible.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming either Kiki Jiki, Karmic Guide and Carrion Feeder, or Reveillark, Body Double, and whatever kill condition he has. I think. I am not 100% on what to name here, but I think looking through the deck would provide the answer. Jester’s Cap seems to wreck Hulk Flash. Assuming the game gets to turn 5, a big assumption.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: We are dealing with a creature only combo that can go off in one turn, so instant-speed creature removal is key. But any targeted removal can be countered simply be sacrificing to Carrion Feeder. Once Carrion Feeder is on board Sudden Death on the Feeder is one of only a few outs. I also like Sulfurous Blast or Squall Line for 2 during the combat step, if someone can get to four mana in time. Turn two signet never seemed so key, so you can hit that fourth mana on turn three. Rout on his turn is WAAAY too pricey, unfortunately. Tormod’s Crypt is probably the best out combo as it gets in every deck and is cheapest card that can hate. Tormod’s Crypt with Hulk in the bin for the first time and his put into the graveyard trigger on the stack pretty much screws The Captain as well, because I don’t think he can go off without returning the Hulk to play at least once. Anyone ballsy enough to run a singleton Leyline of the Void in EDH just to hose Flash Hulk should be rewarded by getting it into play turn zero at least once, right? Actually, I hear Fugie dislikes that Leyline as well. It may well be playable…
COUNTERSPELLS: These work against Flash- and nothing else. No other card in the combo is actually cast. So get your Force of Wills out, boys. Turn one Pact of Negation is not recommended. But Trickbind/Stifle on the first Hulk trigger makes The Captain a sad panda.
RESOURCE DENIAL: Umm, Extract for whatever part of the combo isn’t in his hand turn one? That’s all I got.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! (I can dream, okay?), Sudden Death, Sulfurous Blast, Squall Line, Tormod’s Crypt, Leyline of the Void, Force of Will, Trickbind, and Stifle.
Swizz Dizzle: Playing Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
The deck revolves around an obscene amount of mana ramping into the Firemind himself, along with Curiosity or some way of untapping Niv-Mizzet infinitely. Again, help with alternate combos would be much obliged. If I am correct about this, I think that Swizz can only deal about 80 points of damage before decking himself. So this might not clear an entire table of players on its own. Swizz might need to slowroll this, to make sure that he can wipe everyone after some infighting has already occurred. He runs Propaganda-style effects to discourage too much attention fall on himself as well. Keep in mind this can be as simple as a two card combo, and Swizz has access to one of those cards at all times. Be careful.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming Curiosity and whatever other kill conditions he has in there. Jester’s Cap alone could do Swizz in, I am not sure how many win conditions he has in his deck.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: Instant speed creature removal. His General will come back anyway, but his creature enchantments may not. Swords to Plowshares, Pongify, Terror, Terminate, even Turn to Mist effects will wreck him. Just beware possible counterspell backup, and know that Niv will hit play again.
COUNTERSPELLS: Don’t waste them on Niv-Mizzet, holding them for the kill condition. Any counterspell will work, as long as he doesn’t counter your counter. I think once something is in his graveyard it will stay there (he’s R/U after all), so no need to worry about removing things from the game. Swizz’s deck would really hate to see Pact of Negation or Force of Will because then he has to rethink when it is safe to go off. Trickbind on the Niv-Mizzet trigger that deals one damage is tech as well, but only for the turn, so someone better find some removal before the dragon genius untaps again.
RESOURCE DENIAL: Swizz has so much acceleration that really only Jokulhaups style board sweepers give any relief. I once witnessed Swizz cast Niv-Mizzet on turn 2! Shatterstorm would at least give him a run for his money, though, as most of his mana sources are artifacts.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Pact of Negation, Force of Will, Trickbind, Shatterstorm, any instant speed creature removal.
Don’t get into a Prisoner’s Dilemma mindset where you think that everyone else will play with combo hate and you won’t have to. I guarantee that running anti-combo cards will make your deck stronger. Here is the start of a short list of cards that are useful in numerous situations. There are cards in all the colors and most are good in plenty of other situations.
JESTER’S CAP! Run this card! At the very worst, it takes out three potential answers for your threats.
Tormod’s Crypt. It’s already in your deck, right?
Swords to Plowshares
Return to Dust
Krosan Grip
Squall Line
Sudden Death
Shatterstorm
Rout
Sulfurous Blast
Trickbind
Time Stop
Leyline of the Void
Faerie Trickery
Dissipate
Spelljack
More than other posts, please correct any errors in my reasoning or obvious things that I am missing. It is late. And feel free to dissect my Numot build (christened Hammer Time by CBG), if you want, too, for fairness! Oh, and one last thing: I do have super secret tech against much of the combo field. But you’ll have to wait until Sunday to see that in action!
T
Pezzner's Spring Opening at the Polyclinic 2008 Mix
It’s fitting that my Magic epiphany occurred while doing DJ stuff- scrounging the digital record crates online. I was looking for some tracks to fill in a new mix I’m working on. One largely inspired by Jacob London DJ Dave Pezzner’s recent mix, which features a very Black (not just the more politically correct African American; I believe some of these tracks were produced in Africa) vibe with forward sounding, futuristic synths. It has really blown my mind. I couldn’t find tracks to match that feel that I was looking for- they were all either too loungy or not sleek and futuristic enough.
I still haven’t solved that DJing problem, but at that moment I did solve another one running through my mind- why Fugie’s new Intet Elder Dragon Highlander deck has been kicking the snot out of people lately. Like Pezzner’s mix, he’s got these seemingly incongruous pieces; taxing effects like Propaganda, Ghostly Prison, Rhystic Study, Crystal Shard, etc, and then a combo win with three TimeWarp effects, and E-Witness (or Izzet Chronarch) with Erratic Portal and Crystal Shard for the bouncy recursion of said dudes. Fugie can then take as many turns as necessary to kill everyone else dead. So what, it’s a combo deck? But with a twist! Just like Pezzner’s track list, it’s the little things that make the difference. Know how Mind’s Eye is teh nutzzz in EDH? Because it draws you cards when you can pay for it? Well Rhystic Study is similar- but the opponent has to pay for you to NOT draw. A big difference. Many of Fugie’s support cards are similar. If he has Propaganda, Rhystic Study and Crystal Shard out, it’s quite likely you’ll have to pay mana to do ANYTHING. Or let the good Ol Fugie McWizard get a benefit from you. Most of the time, it’s worth it to pay- but that’s the trap. Once Fugie starts to combo out you have even less mana available to disrupt him.
This all relates to the upcoming EDH open (this Sunday!). Normally in multiplayer combo decks are kept in check by the societal forces- no one wants to play with a player who always wins on turn zero. But at the upcoming EDH tourney combo is perfect- a player can take the metagame by storm for two rounds (no sideboards even!) and then have a decent shot at comboing out before the other four (combo) players at the top table do so in the finals. Playing combo seems like so strong an option that the only reason not to play without a combo would be to avoid a gang-up in the second round once everyone knows what you’re up to. But that strategy is basically asking to get beat in round one, so it hardly seems like a good idea.
The rest of this article is devoted to hating out the known combo decks in the metagame. Don’t fret combo players; you will want to be running many of the hate cards I discuss too, for your own combo-slinging competitors!
Let’s start at the top of the food chain.
FUGIE: Playing Intet.
We’ve gone over the combo above- as many Time Walks as it takes to win by cycling either Time Warp, Time Stretch, or Capture of Jingzhou using Eternal Witness or Izzet Chronarch (there may be a third Regrowth on legs in here, I don’t know) via Crystal Shard or Erratic Portal.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, with the ideal targets being Crystal Shard, Erratic Portal, and Research and Development. Fugie was planning the R&D as tech, to make sure none of his combo pieces are removed from the game permanently, but if you can take either his bouncies OR his Regrowths on legs IN ADDITION TO his way to get the removed from game cards back into his library, I think he’s neutered. Obviously your Cap targets will vary based on what’s already been drawn. If he already has Research in hand then you still force him to burn it by taking all of one part of the combo. It should slow him down at least two turns, during which time someone should have…
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: We’re looking ideally at instant speed artifact or creature removal. Many of these cards are excellent against all decks and will not be a wasted slot by any means. Return to Dust, Altar's Light, Duplicant, Carbonize or Yamabushi’s Flame, Last Breath (surprisingly good), and the always awesome Swords to Plowshares. Note that the otherwise stellar Krosan Grip will likely only buy a turn against Fugie, because of the recursion. Other solid non-instant answers would be Shatterstorm effects (Dust to Dust will always have targets) and Wrath effects, like Final Judgment and Decree of Annihilation, that RFTG. A timely Tormod’s Crypt (ideally with all copies of one part of the combo, like his bounce effects, butt he’ll try to get you to use it prematurely) can screw Fugie, but even getting one of his Time Walks will buy probably two turns.
COUNTERSPELLS: Like all good combo decks, Fugie has outs against counterspelling. Counterspell both the E-witness and the Chronarch, if possible, since he will have to dig up a Regrowth or something before recommencing his combo. Unfortunately his recursion piece of the combo makes it difficult to keep something in the graveyard for long. So remove things from the game instead! Faerie Trickery, Dissipate and Spelljack are quality disruption against Fugie (again, getting a Research with these spells would make him cry). Time Stop on one of his Time Walks is a beating, because it also will remove any card that is still on the stack from the game. Fugie will have to dig up another Time Walk to lock everyone else out. Trickbind or Stifle only delays going off for a turn, not useful. Commandeer on a Time Walk may not be a total backbreaker but is certainly enjoyable and is wholeheartedly recommended.
RESOURCE DENIAL: At the least Fugie needs 9 mana available to go off (5 for the Time Warp, 3 for the E-Wit, 1 for the bounce activation). Armageddon and other land-D will slow the man down.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Swords to Plowshares, Return to Dust, Time Stop and other RFTG counters, Tormod’s Crypt.
CAPTAIN BONDAGE GOTH: Playing something U/B/R.
I have never faced CBG’s fabled multi combo concoction, but helped him develop a few of them, so I have a little insight. One combo uses a Brighthearth Banneret and some other cost reducers to make Grinning Ignus’s mana production ability go infinite. The kill is either Empty the Warrens with Fervor in play, or Grapeshot for whatever, or Tendrils of Agony for whatever, or just Fireball everyone for 40. He may have Brain Freeze as well. There’s another infi man combo with the Monoliths (Grim and Basalt) but I can’t for the life of me remember how it works. I think there was an Intruder Alarm in there somewhere. Then there’s rumor of a Djinn Illuninatus and Pact of the Titan to make a million 4/4s, all with Fervor for the haste part. I had no hand in creating that, but it seems awesome. Note that the hasty creatures and the Fireball will kill all other player AT ONCE. That means CBG gets the only points in the pod, and all the tie break points and everyone else ties for fourth in the pod. Seems like a scenario worth avoiding.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming either all the mana producers the (Monoliths and Ignus) or Grapeshot, Tendrils of Agony and Fervor. The first plan hoses all his early kills- now the table just needs to kill CBG before he resolves an Illuminatus. The second plan leaves his only insta-kill option as Brain Freeze (which he may or may not even run). He will either have to Fireball (which is vulnerable to counterspells in ways that Storm spells are not) or wait a turn to attack honestly with his 500,000 goblin tokens. Hopefully someone will cast a Wrath effect in the intervening turn. Without haste his Pact tokens are useless.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: CBG has both artifact and enchantments that are key to some of his combos. Mass artifact and enchantment removal will likely screw him. Krosan Grip on a Monolith will not stop CBG from adding mana to his pool with an activated ability, but it will stop an untap ability from being put on the stack, so that seems golden. Without green his recursion options are limited to black’s reanimation strategies, so those pesky Monoliths and Fervor will probably stay dead. No need to remove them from the game. The creatures may be another story. Kill Banneret type effects on sight, as CBG does not need to pass turn once an Ignus resolves. Any creature kill will do, preferably at instant speed. You know the usual suspects, Eyeblight’s Ending, Terror, a million other black targeted removal spells, Swords to Plowshares, Pongify, Lightning Bolt, Sulfurous Blast and/or Rout (bye-bye tokens!) etc., etc. Every color except green should have a way to deal with CBG’s creatures at instant speed. Tormod’s Crypt is probably moot against him, unless you can Crypt away an Illuminatus or some such thing that he might try to reanimate.
COUNTERSPELLS: Storm laughs at counterspells, so don’t bother. Except for Time Stop, of course, which laughs at Storm. Trickbinding the appropriate Storm copy- yadda yadda, you all know how to do that. Note that Djinn Illuminatis’ replicate copies are put onto the stack, not played, so they will not help CBG resolve his Storm cards, only his Pact of the Titan. PLEASE counterspell his Fireball for a million (he may be smart enough to not even run it, lest it backfire). That would be enjoyable. Again, Commandeer would be so delicious.
RESOURCE DENIAL: CBG and I made sure that at least the first of his combos could work with only four mana, so unless Myojin of Night’s Reach can rip apart his hand, there’s not a lot else to stop him. Land-D won’t be useful.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Any instant speed creature removal, Any instant speed Disenchant cards, Sulfurous Blast, Trickbind, Time Stop.
THE CAPTAIN: Playing Five color Flash Hulk Combo
The Captain may not be playing this deck, but if there was ever a time to be competitive playing EDH, this is it. Even if the Captain decides to run his Jhoira of the Ghitu deck instead (another combo deck!), there will probably be some Spike who turns up with a five color General and tries to run this, so it’s worth discussing. I’m not quite sure what the perfect combo would look like, but there’s no reason why The Captain couldn’t run the Karmic Guide/Carrion Feeder/Kiki-Jiki kill. Flash out Protean Hulk, when it goes to the graveyard get Karmic Guide/Carrion Feeder. Bring back the Hulk, sac to the Feeder, this time tutoring up Kiki Jiki, Mirror Breaker, which copies the Guide, then gets sacrificed with the copy effect on the stack. The effect resolves, The Captain gets a Guide token, which brings back Kiki Jiki. Now you can loop the Goblin and the Spirit until you have an arbitrary large number of hasty Spirit tokens. Let me know if this is not correct. Is there another option with Reveillark/Body Double/Mogg Fanatic? I am not up on my Standard tournament deck lists. If The Captain wins through combat damage, he would take all the points in the round. Pinging players to death would technically allow for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. Keep in mind this thing probably consistently goldfishes around turn four-ish, with a turn one kill possible.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming either Kiki Jiki, Karmic Guide and Carrion Feeder, or Reveillark, Body Double, and whatever kill condition he has. I think. I am not 100% on what to name here, but I think looking through the deck would provide the answer. Jester’s Cap seems to wreck Hulk Flash. Assuming the game gets to turn 5, a big assumption.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: We are dealing with a creature only combo that can go off in one turn, so instant-speed creature removal is key. But any targeted removal can be countered simply be sacrificing to Carrion Feeder. Once Carrion Feeder is on board Sudden Death on the Feeder is one of only a few outs. I also like Sulfurous Blast or Squall Line for 2 during the combat step, if someone can get to four mana in time. Turn two signet never seemed so key, so you can hit that fourth mana on turn three. Rout on his turn is WAAAY too pricey, unfortunately. Tormod’s Crypt is probably the best out combo as it gets in every deck and is cheapest card that can hate. Tormod’s Crypt with Hulk in the bin for the first time and his put into the graveyard trigger on the stack pretty much screws The Captain as well, because I don’t think he can go off without returning the Hulk to play at least once. Anyone ballsy enough to run a singleton Leyline of the Void in EDH just to hose Flash Hulk should be rewarded by getting it into play turn zero at least once, right? Actually, I hear Fugie dislikes that Leyline as well. It may well be playable…
COUNTERSPELLS: These work against Flash- and nothing else. No other card in the combo is actually cast. So get your Force of Wills out, boys. Turn one Pact of Negation is not recommended. But Trickbind/Stifle on the first Hulk trigger makes The Captain a sad panda.
RESOURCE DENIAL: Umm, Extract for whatever part of the combo isn’t in his hand turn one? That’s all I got.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! (I can dream, okay?), Sudden Death, Sulfurous Blast, Squall Line, Tormod’s Crypt, Leyline of the Void, Force of Will, Trickbind, and Stifle.
Swizz Dizzle: Playing Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
The deck revolves around an obscene amount of mana ramping into the Firemind himself, along with Curiosity or some way of untapping Niv-Mizzet infinitely. Again, help with alternate combos would be much obliged. If I am correct about this, I think that Swizz can only deal about 80 points of damage before decking himself. So this might not clear an entire table of players on its own. Swizz might need to slowroll this, to make sure that he can wipe everyone after some infighting has already occurred. He runs Propaganda-style effects to discourage too much attention fall on himself as well. Keep in mind this can be as simple as a two card combo, and Swizz has access to one of those cards at all times. Be careful.
How to Beat It:
JESTER’S CAP, naming Curiosity and whatever other kill conditions he has in there. Jester’s Cap alone could do Swizz in, I am not sure how many win conditions he has in his deck.
OTHER REMOVAL CARDS: Instant speed creature removal. His General will come back anyway, but his creature enchantments may not. Swords to Plowshares, Pongify, Terror, Terminate, even Turn to Mist effects will wreck him. Just beware possible counterspell backup, and know that Niv will hit play again.
COUNTERSPELLS: Don’t waste them on Niv-Mizzet, holding them for the kill condition. Any counterspell will work, as long as he doesn’t counter your counter. I think once something is in his graveyard it will stay there (he’s R/U after all), so no need to worry about removing things from the game. Swizz’s deck would really hate to see Pact of Negation or Force of Will because then he has to rethink when it is safe to go off. Trickbind on the Niv-Mizzet trigger that deals one damage is tech as well, but only for the turn, so someone better find some removal before the dragon genius untaps again.
RESOURCE DENIAL: Swizz has so much acceleration that really only Jokulhaups style board sweepers give any relief. I once witnessed Swizz cast Niv-Mizzet on turn 2! Shatterstorm would at least give him a run for his money, though, as most of his mana sources are artifacts.
Key Hate Cards: JESTER’S CAP! Pact of Negation, Force of Will, Trickbind, Shatterstorm, any instant speed creature removal.
Don’t get into a Prisoner’s Dilemma mindset where you think that everyone else will play with combo hate and you won’t have to. I guarantee that running anti-combo cards will make your deck stronger. Here is the start of a short list of cards that are useful in numerous situations. There are cards in all the colors and most are good in plenty of other situations.
JESTER’S CAP! Run this card! At the very worst, it takes out three potential answers for your threats.
Tormod’s Crypt. It’s already in your deck, right?
Swords to Plowshares
Return to Dust
Krosan Grip
Squall Line
Sudden Death
Shatterstorm
Rout
Sulfurous Blast
Trickbind
Time Stop
Leyline of the Void
Faerie Trickery
Dissipate
Spelljack
More than other posts, please correct any errors in my reasoning or obvious things that I am missing. It is late. And feel free to dissect my Numot build (christened Hammer Time by CBG), if you want, too, for fairness! Oh, and one last thing: I do have super secret tech against much of the combo field. But you’ll have to wait until Sunday to see that in action!
T
Pezzner's Spring Opening at the Polyclinic 2008 Mix
Completely Off Topic
Me and my brother had a lively discussion the other day about what is the best video game and what is the best video game series of all time. I am curious to hear what other people think. Mine are:
Game
1. Super Mario Brothers
2. Tetris
3. EverQuest
4. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
5. Goldeneye 007 (Halo doesn't have shit on this game.)
Series
1. Legend of Zelda
2. Super Smash Brothers
3. Final Fantasy
Game
1. Super Mario Brothers
2. Tetris
3. EverQuest
4. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
5. Goldeneye 007 (Halo doesn't have shit on this game.)
Series
1. Legend of Zelda
2. Super Smash Brothers
3. Final Fantasy
Friday, May 9, 2008
Evan Erwin is hot for The Captain
Man, you win one Vintage Tournament with a metagame breaking deck and it pays dividens for years after! Our own The Captain has had his G/R Beats decklist posted on the Magic show. Erwin recommends the list for Vintage budget players. This will help me justify my impending losses to The Captain at draft tables in the near future.
T
T
Oh crap.
I totally clicked over to the blog this morning to see the new content.
Internal monologue: Hey, what's on the blog? Oh, the Friday asshole hasn't posted yet. Wait. I'm the Friday asshole. Curse, you Aquascum!
Let's take a look at the big events coming up in the Greater Midwest. Also, Memphis.
Regionals is on Saturday, June 7, down in Chicago (disclaimer:The presence of Chicago in Regionals Chicago is neither explicit nor implied). Actually, it's in St. Charles at the Dupage Eckspo (sry, that's Expo) Center. I may go as Wife of Captain Bondage Goth will be in Houston and Sister of Captain Bondage Goth lives in the vicinity and may be able to provide amusement for Child of Captain Bondage Goth. It's Standard, and the best deck plays like 5 different double digit money cards as 4-ofs. Can CBG buy a match win? Stay tuned!
GP:Indian City (wait, that's Indianapolis (note to self: parenthetical asides? not funny)) is coming up June 19-20 in the great state of Indianania. I have relatives in the area and may be going down. The format is Shadowmoor Sealed, my favorite format. Well, not Shadowmoor sealed. Just sealed in general. Should be a huge tournout as Indianapolis is quite a bit closer to those East Coasters than STL and that had like 460. OTOH, I may not be going down. It is summer. I am busy.
Then, we get Nationals on August 1-3. L2s get an invite. T4 at Regionals get an invite. Where is that? Oh right. Chicago. Here's hoping it's actually, you know, in Chicago. Not that Chicago is all that great, but it beats the ever-loving fuck out of St. Charles.
I just read that link. It's in Chicago. How refreshing.
View Larger Map
I expect to be there, doing PTQs and Car Tourneys and whatever else I can get my hands on.
And then there is Worlds in Memphis, but that ain't til like December, so screw that noise. Peace out.
---CBG-Dog
Internal monologue: Hey, what's on the blog? Oh, the Friday asshole hasn't posted yet. Wait. I'm the Friday asshole. Curse, you Aquascum!
Let's take a look at the big events coming up in the Greater Midwest. Also, Memphis.
Regionals is on Saturday, June 7, down in Chicago (disclaimer:The presence of Chicago in Regionals Chicago is neither explicit nor implied). Actually, it's in St. Charles at the Dupage Eckspo (sry, that's Expo) Center. I may go as Wife of Captain Bondage Goth will be in Houston and Sister of Captain Bondage Goth lives in the vicinity and may be able to provide amusement for Child of Captain Bondage Goth. It's Standard, and the best deck plays like 5 different double digit money cards as 4-ofs. Can CBG buy a match win? Stay tuned!
GP:Indian City (wait, that's Indianapolis (note to self: parenthetical asides? not funny)) is coming up June 19-20 in the great state of Indianania. I have relatives in the area and may be going down. The format is Shadowmoor Sealed, my favorite format. Well, not Shadowmoor sealed. Just sealed in general. Should be a huge tournout as Indianapolis is quite a bit closer to those East Coasters than STL and that had like 460. OTOH, I may not be going down. It is summer. I am busy.
Then, we get Nationals on August 1-3. L2s get an invite. T4 at Regionals get an invite. Where is that? Oh right. Chicago. Here's hoping it's actually, you know, in Chicago. Not that Chicago is all that great, but it beats the ever-loving fuck out of St. Charles.
I just read that link. It's in Chicago. How refreshing.
View Larger Map
I expect to be there, doing PTQs and Car Tourneys and whatever else I can get my hands on.
And then there is Worlds in Memphis, but that ain't til like December, so screw that noise. Peace out.
---CBG-Dog
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Shadowmoor Sealed, Week 1
What a difference a week makes. Last week there were very few people (or so I’ve been told) and this week there were at least eight of us by 6 pm. I just guess a new set will do that, but I am also inclined to believe people are sick of Morningtide/Lorwyn sealed.
This week I opened fairly well, a solid Red/Green deck, with the possibility to tap into some White/Green cards if necessary. Without further ado, here is what I played this past Tuesday.
Creatures:
Blistering Dieflyn
Bloodmark Mentor (2)
Boggart Arsonists
Boggart Ram-Gang
Crabapple Cohort
Cultbrand Cinder
Elvish Hexhunter
Juvenile Gloomwidow
Kulrath Knight
Morselhoarder
Mossbridge Troll
Scrapbasket
Sootwalkers (2)
Tatermunge Duo
Spells:
Fists of the Demigod
Jaws of Stone
Puncture Bolt
Scar
Tower Above (2)
Trip Noose
Lands:
Mountain (9)
Forest (7)
Reflecting Pool
A couple of quick comments about some card selections. Blistering Dieflyn is very sub optimal and is the 16th guy in the deck. Also for those who are not aware, Tower Above is amazing!!!
Overall the deck was fairly aggressive and was able to push past the slower more controlling decks as needed. The toughest match up was against Mark’s Red/Green deck as he had way more removal than I could handle (something about getting Puncture Bolted three times in one game). As far are the rest of the games that I saw, I do vaguely remember the Captain getting blown out by Prison Term coming down on his 4/4 indestructible lifeline critter enabling her to swing for just enough, but I’ll let the Captain tell the story of how he got beat down by a girl (no offense to Kerstin as her game play has improved dramatically over the past few months and she has the potential to beat any person at any time).
Here is the pack for next week (I currently can’t find the rest of my pool, but it should turn up):
Safehold Duo
Scuttlemutt
Medicine Runner
Ghastly Discovery
Wildslayer Elves
Woeleecher
Prismwake Merrow
Crimson Wisps
Viridescent Wisps
Cinderbones
Boggart Ram-Gang
Trip Noose
Sapseep Forest
Dusk Urchins
Smash to Smithereens (foil)
Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
This week I opened fairly well, a solid Red/Green deck, with the possibility to tap into some White/Green cards if necessary. Without further ado, here is what I played this past Tuesday.
Creatures:
Blistering Dieflyn
Bloodmark Mentor (2)
Boggart Arsonists
Boggart Ram-Gang
Crabapple Cohort
Cultbrand Cinder
Elvish Hexhunter
Juvenile Gloomwidow
Kulrath Knight
Morselhoarder
Mossbridge Troll
Scrapbasket
Sootwalkers (2)
Tatermunge Duo
Spells:
Fists of the Demigod
Jaws of Stone
Puncture Bolt
Scar
Tower Above (2)
Trip Noose
Lands:
Mountain (9)
Forest (7)
Reflecting Pool
A couple of quick comments about some card selections. Blistering Dieflyn is very sub optimal and is the 16th guy in the deck. Also for those who are not aware, Tower Above is amazing!!!
Overall the deck was fairly aggressive and was able to push past the slower more controlling decks as needed. The toughest match up was against Mark’s Red/Green deck as he had way more removal than I could handle (something about getting Puncture Bolted three times in one game). As far are the rest of the games that I saw, I do vaguely remember the Captain getting blown out by Prison Term coming down on his 4/4 indestructible lifeline critter enabling her to swing for just enough, but I’ll let the Captain tell the story of how he got beat down by a girl (no offense to Kerstin as her game play has improved dramatically over the past few months and she has the potential to beat any person at any time).
Here is the pack for next week (I currently can’t find the rest of my pool, but it should turn up):
Safehold Duo
Scuttlemutt
Medicine Runner
Ghastly Discovery
Wildslayer Elves
Woeleecher
Prismwake Merrow
Crimson Wisps
Viridescent Wisps
Cinderbones
Boggart Ram-Gang
Trip Noose
Sapseep Forest
Dusk Urchins
Smash to Smithereens (foil)
Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.
Shadowmoor Review.... Naked Britney Spears... And General Amusement.... Maybe Just the Last One....
Since the page is apparently dead today. Click here to bring some joy to your workday.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tips and Tricks
I just made these.
It is fun. Save your tips and tricks cards for me. Yes, all of them. I am addicted. Also, read coyoe's post. It is awesome.
It is fun. Save your tips and tricks cards for me. Yes, all of them. I am addicted. Also, read coyoe's post. It is awesome.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Looking Ahead To Regionals 2008
Regionals is almost here, a mere five weeks away. So I guess that means I should pick a deck and start to play test. Although after Hollywood, it is anyones guess what the format will look like. But with a mere two weeks between Hollywood and Regionals, might as well pick a deck now.
My goal this year is to avoid my historically terrible performance in this event. My DCI history doesn't have last years event on it. But I played B/W/r Slivers and didn't do great.
2006 I think I played Heartbeat and finished 208/256. Ironically I finished a heartbreaking 9th on tiebreakers in a GPT for Toronto that same day.
2005 was apparently unmemorable enough for me to not even remember what I played. I remember I wanted to play a B/g aggro deck me and Fugie interdependently developed. (I remembered what I played while I was typing this up. It a was Mono U Tron deck that came out of Brazil.) Finished 341/361 bleh.
2004 I played Affinity and got destroyed round one by RGHate.dec. Round two I punted against Tooth and Nail. Don't remember anything after that except it was the worst event I ever attended due to the massive number of people. It was at the old Pasttimes location, and something like 90+ degrees out. You had to go outside to cool down, and get away from the smell because the air conditioner did not keep up. Finish was 548/611.
2003 was my first sanctioned tournament ever. I was playing MBC Control. Round one I got pair against Greg Seaverson (better known as Ryan Seacrest). I got game one, he got game two. Game two I had cast a Skeletal Scrying for one and promptly pulled a TooSarcastic and got a game loss for round three. Welcome to tournament Magic me. I have not yet managed to pull a TooSarcastic off a second time, so lesson learned apparently. 395/443 go me.
So needless to say this is consistently my worst event of the year. According to the DCI I have never been able to get out of the bottom 50. My goal this year I consider modest. Stay in contention through round four. I don't have to Top 8 to consider regionals a success this year. I just want the monkey off my back. Round five and beyond I am considering a bonus.
My criteria for deck choice is pretty simple:
1. I want to play aggro.
2. I want to play something that is extremely consistent and doesn't the exact same thing every game.
3. A deck that top decks well.
4. A deck that doesn't just lose to the combo decks in the format. Preferably by playing Terror (to beat Swans) and Thoughtseize (to beat Dragonstorm).
5. A deck I can actually get the cards for. This could pose a serious problem as I have next to zero cards for the either of the two decks I would like to play.
So time to pick my pony as they say. These are the two decks that are vying for my love and attention. First up the deck I would prefer to play Aggro Doran.
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Treefolk Harbinger
2 Llanowar Elves
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Chameleon Colossus
4 Nameless Inversion
3 Profane Command
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Terror
1 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Murmuring Bosk
1 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Treetop Village
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Horizon Canopy
3 Forest
Sideboard (Guaranteed to change):
4 Squall Line
4 Thoughtseize
2 Darkheart Sliver
2 Riftsweeper
2 Mind Shatter
1 Spring Cleaning
Pretty normal build. The only card that is really unconventional is Treefolk Harbinger. Personally I think this guy is a must play. He gives you perfect mana by getting Murmuring Bosk. Allows you to play the full four Murmuring Bosk without ever having them come into play tapped (15 Treefolk in the deck). Finds you Nameless Inversion when you need removal. Doran or Chameleon Colossus when you want a dooder. Blocks Tattermunge Maniac all day long. Gets in for three with a Doran in play. And is a general joy to have at parties.
Other cards up for consideration in the main or side are:
Bitterblossom
Order of White Clay
Oversoul of Dusk
Shield of the Oversoul
Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
Wilt-Leaf Liege
Roughshod Mentor
Next up is the backup ELVES!
2 Boreal Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Imperious Perfect
3 Civic Wayfinder
2 Chameleon Collossus
2 Shriekmaw
4 Profane Command
4 Nameless Inversion
4 Thoughtseize
4 Glit Leaf Palace
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Treetop Village
4 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Mutavault
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Pendalhaven
Sideboard
2 Spring Cleaning
2 Shriekmaw
2 Mind Shatter
2 Primal Command
2 Cloudthresher
2 Squall Line
3 Kitchen Finks
This list is probably subject to change after PT: Hollywood based on how the person that gave it to me does. I am not really going to put a ton of work into until after Hollywood as I intend to just barn the updated list at that point.
But those are what I am going from for now. Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, or advice?
My goal this year is to avoid my historically terrible performance in this event. My DCI history doesn't have last years event on it. But I played B/W/r Slivers and didn't do great.
2006 I think I played Heartbeat and finished 208/256. Ironically I finished a heartbreaking 9th on tiebreakers in a GPT for Toronto that same day.
2005 was apparently unmemorable enough for me to not even remember what I played. I remember I wanted to play a B/g aggro deck me and Fugie interdependently developed. (I remembered what I played while I was typing this up. It a was Mono U Tron deck that came out of Brazil.) Finished 341/361 bleh.
2004 I played Affinity and got destroyed round one by RGHate.dec. Round two I punted against Tooth and Nail. Don't remember anything after that except it was the worst event I ever attended due to the massive number of people. It was at the old Pasttimes location, and something like 90+ degrees out. You had to go outside to cool down, and get away from the smell because the air conditioner did not keep up. Finish was 548/611.
2003 was my first sanctioned tournament ever. I was playing MBC Control. Round one I got pair against Greg Seaverson (better known as Ryan Seacrest). I got game one, he got game two. Game two I had cast a Skeletal Scrying for one and promptly pulled a TooSarcastic and got a game loss for round three. Welcome to tournament Magic me. I have not yet managed to pull a TooSarcastic off a second time, so lesson learned apparently. 395/443 go me.
So needless to say this is consistently my worst event of the year. According to the DCI I have never been able to get out of the bottom 50. My goal this year I consider modest. Stay in contention through round four. I don't have to Top 8 to consider regionals a success this year. I just want the monkey off my back. Round five and beyond I am considering a bonus.
My criteria for deck choice is pretty simple:
1. I want to play aggro.
2. I want to play something that is extremely consistent and doesn't the exact same thing every game.
3. A deck that top decks well.
4. A deck that doesn't just lose to the combo decks in the format. Preferably by playing Terror (to beat Swans) and Thoughtseize (to beat Dragonstorm).
5. A deck I can actually get the cards for. This could pose a serious problem as I have next to zero cards for the either of the two decks I would like to play.
So time to pick my pony as they say. These are the two decks that are vying for my love and attention. First up the deck I would prefer to play Aggro Doran.
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Treefolk Harbinger
2 Llanowar Elves
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Chameleon Colossus
4 Nameless Inversion
3 Profane Command
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Terror
1 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Murmuring Bosk
1 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Treetop Village
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Horizon Canopy
3 Forest
Sideboard (Guaranteed to change):
4 Squall Line
4 Thoughtseize
2 Darkheart Sliver
2 Riftsweeper
2 Mind Shatter
1 Spring Cleaning
Pretty normal build. The only card that is really unconventional is Treefolk Harbinger. Personally I think this guy is a must play. He gives you perfect mana by getting Murmuring Bosk. Allows you to play the full four Murmuring Bosk without ever having them come into play tapped (15 Treefolk in the deck). Finds you Nameless Inversion when you need removal. Doran or Chameleon Colossus when you want a dooder. Blocks Tattermunge Maniac all day long. Gets in for three with a Doran in play. And is a general joy to have at parties.
Other cards up for consideration in the main or side are:
Bitterblossom
Order of White Clay
Oversoul of Dusk
Shield of the Oversoul
Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
Wilt-Leaf Liege
Roughshod Mentor
Next up is the backup ELVES!
2 Boreal Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Imperious Perfect
3 Civic Wayfinder
2 Chameleon Collossus
2 Shriekmaw
4 Profane Command
4 Nameless Inversion
4 Thoughtseize
4 Glit Leaf Palace
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Treetop Village
4 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Mutavault
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Pendalhaven
Sideboard
2 Spring Cleaning
2 Shriekmaw
2 Mind Shatter
2 Primal Command
2 Cloudthresher
2 Squall Line
3 Kitchen Finks
This list is probably subject to change after PT: Hollywood based on how the person that gave it to me does. I am not really going to put a ton of work into until after Hollywood as I intend to just barn the updated list at that point.
But those are what I am going from for now. Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, or advice?
Monday, May 5, 2008
Evaluating the Middle Tier of Playable Cards in Shadowmoor Limited
The Shadowmoor Release Tourney was this Sunday and it’s safe to say that at this point we all know what the amazing bomb common and uncommon cards are for Shadowmoor Limited. I could list them, but it would be boring. I also don’t care which is better, Kitchen Finks or Aethertow (But just to get the comments rolling, Finks is the correct answer). What I do care about is filling in the15-20 non-obvious cards of a Limited deck. And that requires knowledge of how playable the middle tier cards are. I will list bullet points for a few common and uncommon cards, along with my opinion of their playablility, if I have any. Unfortunately most of these cards will not simply be lumped into “playable” or “unplayable” columns. Our understanding of Shadowmoor tech has advanced beyond that stage already. When are these cards playable, and when would they be better in the sideboard? Comments, good sirs.
Trip Noose
This card seems like a boon in a removal-light environment; after all, it gets in any deck! So what deck really wouldn’t mind paying 2 a turn to neutralize the scariest creature across the table? What about a tempo-based beatdown deck, at the end of a race? Or a control deck, before stabilizing? To be honest I think this card is better than people think.
Repel Intruders/Torrent of Souls/River’s Grasp/Dawnglow Infusion/Firespout
Okay, Firespout is really a no brainer. But Firespout aside… Is there any one you would run with only ONE of the colors, not both? Dawnglow Infusion seems like utter trash (no disrespect, Stream of Life!) in any deck but a G/W one. And Repel Intruders is decidedly suboptimal if only blue or white comes to party. Maybe Torrent of Souls in a B/x deck? What about River’s Grasp in a U/x deck? I would lean toward yes for the former and no for the latter.
Leech Bonder
Was great for my controlling U/B draft deck, but I saw 0 copies of him played on Sunday. Is he just not fast enough? Even in sealed?
Gnarled Effigy
Too slow? Too slow. Sideboard only against control decks? Is there a time to be happy playing this in the main? It is removal, after all.
Merrow Grimeblotter
This card has gotten mixed reviews from every person I’ve asked. After playing two of them in a U/W draft deck, I tend to lean toward thinking they’re not very good. Yes, they will trade with a 4-butt (or a couple 2 power guys, which I hear there are a lot of in this format), but if they do, then they die and do nothing else. The best case scenario for Merrow Grimeblotter’s controller is for it to not be blocked because an opponent either a) has no large guys, in which case, congrats you’re winning anyway, or b) has The Fear and lets you plink away for 2 a turn, totally ruining their combat math on the swingback, in which case, congrats, you’re playing a donkey. But most players will simply double block or trade a bigger guy to force the ability to be used on the attack. And rightly so, since Merrow Grimeblotter’s less useful that way. I don’t like him.
Blowfly Infestation
Seems like one hell of a gamble, even in a deck that is built around it. But, grumble, grumble, it IS removal…
Reknit
Terrible combat trick? Or reasonable combat trick in a weak card pool? Is it ever correct to run it to specifically regenerate non-creature permanents? I hear there are a few enchantments that are worth keeping around…
Hungry Spriggan
Hungry? So hungry! This Sunday I heard probably three players with a losing record remarking on how amazing Hungry Spriggan is. And several players in that made Top 8 (Asshole Jason and Tabasco) told me that it was not at all good. It does, after all die to any removal. But it was great for me! (You have a Godhead of Awe? Heh. I’ll just race you with this common.) Does that make me…? Don’t answer that.
Giantbaiting
Again I have heard differing opinions here. Asshole Jason (who, after thrashing me took a look at my pool) was not a fan (“It’s basically a really crappy removal spell, or at best direct damage, but your opponent chooses which one.”) but I think turning a few 2 power dudes into a few 4 power dudes for the turn is just fine. I would run this in an aggressive R/G or R/B deck. Would I be wrong to do so?
Elsewhere Flask
Man, they like this card on the MTG podcasts of GP Brussels, but what does Rich Hagon know about playing Magics? (Answer: Probably more than I do.) It juices Corrupt and Jaws of Stone! It cantrips! It turns on both sides of Firespout (if you tap carefully)! It slices! Dices! Feeds your dog! Gosh, when DON’T you run this amazing bomb ass artifact that does not in any way affect the board on its own? There’s a reason they call me TooSarcastic, folks.
The Duos
I wanted to end with these because I think they illustrate well how difficult it is to evaluate card power in the abstract. Of course a player can safely run a Safehold Duo in a W/G deck. What about a W/R deck? A G/B deck? How many cards does a player need to activate a duo before it becomes worth adding? Asshole Jason and (I believe) The Captain were advocating that I add 2 Thistledown Duos and a Somnomancer to my W/G sealed deck to speed it up. This would have put the total blue cards to 6 (I was playing 2 Curse of Chains and a Silkbind Faerie already) and my white card total to 13. Asshole Jason (who was really quite nice the whole day- it’s just a nickname) argued that the Duo would often be a 3/3 for 3 mana, and sometimes have flying. But doing the math, I would draw a card to trigger the white half of Thistledown Duo (assuming I drew and played the Duo already) a little less than a third of the time. If I start with Thistledown Duo in hand (obviously the best case scenario) then I will statistically have only one other white card in my opener as well (this is on the play, again, the best case scenario for an aggressive deck). This just does not seem good enough. But after I failed to side them in I lost both the last two rounds*, so maybe I’m mistaken. What do you think?
T
*The final round against Captain Essex was particularly awful since after a quick game where he was manascrewed we had a marathon second game that saw both of us with surreal life totals (Me, 50. Essex, 90 something). I scooped after it was clear he actually could kill me (either with damage or decking) with the 15 minutes left in the round. In a hurried game 3 where Essex was ahead on the board he cast Last Breath on one of my creatures. I moved it to the removed from game zone… where a creature that he had Last Breathed in game 2 was still sitting. Essex told me to shuffle it in my library, but I called a judge, by which I mean THE judge, e.g. The Fugitive Wizard. Fugie gave a game loss to the player who presented as illegal deck (that would be me, for having only 39 cards), and it turned into a match loss, which put Essex into top 8. I seemed less concerned than everyone else (Essex was not happy to make top 8 this way, and I think he would have taken the last game by his own effort), but I was tired (and hung over) and was not too disappointed in having to go home just then. Fugie obviously made the correct call, and the only reason I called a judge in the first place was because I didn’t feel like forcing Fugie to DQ me by trying to cover it up, if things ended up badly. Just to muddy the ethical waters I bit, I will note that Essex was playing on Fugie’s dime, and any prizes that Essex won he agreed to give to Fugie. Just out of curiosity, if there were other judges available, would you have let another official handle the ruling, Fugie? Or should it not matter? At any rate, my only regret about the whole day is that I worked very hard to play tight Magic for four or so rounds and then had my effort wasted by my own thoughtless errors. I obviously don’t play in large tourneys often, because I don’t deal well with the fatigue when I am forced to play more than four rounds. I considered writing the whole post as a tournament report, but I realized that people are far less interested in the tragic tale of a player who can’t break .500 at a release event than in finding out things that might actually be of use to them.
Trip Noose
This card seems like a boon in a removal-light environment; after all, it gets in any deck! So what deck really wouldn’t mind paying 2 a turn to neutralize the scariest creature across the table? What about a tempo-based beatdown deck, at the end of a race? Or a control deck, before stabilizing? To be honest I think this card is better than people think.
Repel Intruders/Torrent of Souls/River’s Grasp/Dawnglow Infusion/Firespout
Okay, Firespout is really a no brainer. But Firespout aside… Is there any one you would run with only ONE of the colors, not both? Dawnglow Infusion seems like utter trash (no disrespect, Stream of Life!) in any deck but a G/W one. And Repel Intruders is decidedly suboptimal if only blue or white comes to party. Maybe Torrent of Souls in a B/x deck? What about River’s Grasp in a U/x deck? I would lean toward yes for the former and no for the latter.
Leech Bonder
Was great for my controlling U/B draft deck, but I saw 0 copies of him played on Sunday. Is he just not fast enough? Even in sealed?
Gnarled Effigy
Too slow? Too slow. Sideboard only against control decks? Is there a time to be happy playing this in the main? It is removal, after all.
Merrow Grimeblotter
This card has gotten mixed reviews from every person I’ve asked. After playing two of them in a U/W draft deck, I tend to lean toward thinking they’re not very good. Yes, they will trade with a 4-butt (or a couple 2 power guys, which I hear there are a lot of in this format), but if they do, then they die and do nothing else. The best case scenario for Merrow Grimeblotter’s controller is for it to not be blocked because an opponent either a) has no large guys, in which case, congrats you’re winning anyway, or b) has The Fear and lets you plink away for 2 a turn, totally ruining their combat math on the swingback, in which case, congrats, you’re playing a donkey. But most players will simply double block or trade a bigger guy to force the ability to be used on the attack. And rightly so, since Merrow Grimeblotter’s less useful that way. I don’t like him.
Blowfly Infestation
Seems like one hell of a gamble, even in a deck that is built around it. But, grumble, grumble, it IS removal…
Reknit
Terrible combat trick? Or reasonable combat trick in a weak card pool? Is it ever correct to run it to specifically regenerate non-creature permanents? I hear there are a few enchantments that are worth keeping around…
Hungry Spriggan
Hungry? So hungry! This Sunday I heard probably three players with a losing record remarking on how amazing Hungry Spriggan is. And several players in that made Top 8 (Asshole Jason and Tabasco) told me that it was not at all good. It does, after all die to any removal. But it was great for me! (You have a Godhead of Awe? Heh. I’ll just race you with this common.) Does that make me…? Don’t answer that.
Giantbaiting
Again I have heard differing opinions here. Asshole Jason (who, after thrashing me took a look at my pool) was not a fan (“It’s basically a really crappy removal spell, or at best direct damage, but your opponent chooses which one.”) but I think turning a few 2 power dudes into a few 4 power dudes for the turn is just fine. I would run this in an aggressive R/G or R/B deck. Would I be wrong to do so?
Elsewhere Flask
Man, they like this card on the MTG podcasts of GP Brussels, but what does Rich Hagon know about playing Magics? (Answer: Probably more than I do.) It juices Corrupt and Jaws of Stone! It cantrips! It turns on both sides of Firespout (if you tap carefully)! It slices! Dices! Feeds your dog! Gosh, when DON’T you run this amazing bomb ass artifact that does not in any way affect the board on its own? There’s a reason they call me TooSarcastic, folks.
The Duos
I wanted to end with these because I think they illustrate well how difficult it is to evaluate card power in the abstract. Of course a player can safely run a Safehold Duo in a W/G deck. What about a W/R deck? A G/B deck? How many cards does a player need to activate a duo before it becomes worth adding? Asshole Jason and (I believe) The Captain were advocating that I add 2 Thistledown Duos and a Somnomancer to my W/G sealed deck to speed it up. This would have put the total blue cards to 6 (I was playing 2 Curse of Chains and a Silkbind Faerie already) and my white card total to 13. Asshole Jason (who was really quite nice the whole day- it’s just a nickname) argued that the Duo would often be a 3/3 for 3 mana, and sometimes have flying. But doing the math, I would draw a card to trigger the white half of Thistledown Duo (assuming I drew and played the Duo already) a little less than a third of the time. If I start with Thistledown Duo in hand (obviously the best case scenario) then I will statistically have only one other white card in my opener as well (this is on the play, again, the best case scenario for an aggressive deck). This just does not seem good enough. But after I failed to side them in I lost both the last two rounds*, so maybe I’m mistaken. What do you think?
T
*The final round against Captain Essex was particularly awful since after a quick game where he was manascrewed we had a marathon second game that saw both of us with surreal life totals (Me, 50. Essex, 90 something). I scooped after it was clear he actually could kill me (either with damage or decking) with the 15 minutes left in the round. In a hurried game 3 where Essex was ahead on the board he cast Last Breath on one of my creatures. I moved it to the removed from game zone… where a creature that he had Last Breathed in game 2 was still sitting. Essex told me to shuffle it in my library, but I called a judge, by which I mean THE judge, e.g. The Fugitive Wizard. Fugie gave a game loss to the player who presented as illegal deck (that would be me, for having only 39 cards), and it turned into a match loss, which put Essex into top 8. I seemed less concerned than everyone else (Essex was not happy to make top 8 this way, and I think he would have taken the last game by his own effort), but I was tired (and hung over) and was not too disappointed in having to go home just then. Fugie obviously made the correct call, and the only reason I called a judge in the first place was because I didn’t feel like forcing Fugie to DQ me by trying to cover it up, if things ended up badly. Just to muddy the ethical waters I bit, I will note that Essex was playing on Fugie’s dime, and any prizes that Essex won he agreed to give to Fugie. Just out of curiosity, if there were other judges available, would you have let another official handle the ruling, Fugie? Or should it not matter? At any rate, my only regret about the whole day is that I worked very hard to play tight Magic for four or so rounds and then had my effort wasted by my own thoughtless errors. I obviously don’t play in large tourneys often, because I don’t deal well with the fatigue when I am forced to play more than four rounds. I considered writing the whole post as a tournament report, but I realized that people are far less interested in the tragic tale of a player who can’t break .500 at a release event than in finding out things that might actually be of use to them.
Friday, May 2, 2008
CBG likes video blogging...
...or vlogging, as the kids say. Stupid kids. Fugie is hosting a release draft at the store tonight, just as this post goes up. Fugie is crazay. Wish I could be there, but my sleep brain needs rest.
Here is my super awesome post for the week.
So what do you say? Would everybody quit Magic if the wrappers were recyclable? I say nay, but only if they don't reprint Masques block. Frickin' Masques block.
-----
And here's a special bonus. I am in the process of cleaning out my attic and I found a short story which I wrote in high school. I found it amusing, and present it here to you, without commercial interruption.
Here is my super awesome post for the week.
So what do you say? Would everybody quit Magic if the wrappers were recyclable? I say nay, but only if they don't reprint Masques block. Frickin' Masques block.
-----
And here's a special bonus. I am in the process of cleaning out my attic and I found a short story which I wrote in high school. I found it amusing, and present it here to you, without commercial interruption.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Just Absolutely Sick
I know most people here are not really into altered cards that much, preferring foils, if anything. But these are by far the best altered cards I have ever seen... they're just absolutely sick. The Ancestral Recall
Last month of Morningtide Sealed, Part 5
Well as can be expected, by the time the fifth week rolled around I wasn’t in the mood to play any more Morningtide limited, with the release of Shadowmoor at the end of the week. I did manage to make it down to Game Universe (GU), but decided a few days before to draft Shadowmoor instead. We; namely myself, CBG, Too Sarcastic (TS) & Scoop Phase (SP); managed to put together a four man over at Genesis (For those of you who aren’t familiar, Genesis is a Greek-style family type restaurant up the street from GU. The food is decent and moderately priced and they are very good about letting us hang out and draft after we are done eating). One other thing of note is how busy they were on a Tuesday at 1800. I understand a dinner rush, but every table in the non-smoking section was full on a Tuesday.
Anyways, TS & headed over and met up with SP and got a table and had no more than given our menus back to the waitress and CBG shows up. I am still impressed with your innate ability to show up at the last minute even though you had the shortest distance to travel, but I digress. So while we are waiting for our food we take care of the draft. For ease we decided to draft as we were seated at the table when we ordered (in the past we have switch the seating order after we order and it is kind of mean to the wait staff) with TS to my immediate left, SP across from me, and CBG to my right.
As far as overall picks I only remember a few key ones. Pack 1 pick 1 was a Burn Trail with my second pick being a Mercy Killing. From pack 2, I first picked a Flame Javelin only to have Puncture Bolt come back on the lap. As far as the rest of the draft, I took as much red/green removal as I saw and all of the green fat I could muster. One other note, the black we opened was terrible which leads to my next point. As could be expected in a four man it is highly likely that the person sitting across from you is in the same colors. Well, we managed one better, with both SP and I in red/green & CGB and TS in blue/white.
I will be the first to admit that my deck wasn’t very good nor was the curve great, but it was good enough to go 3-0. I will also not that I had enough removal and curved out enough times to play my 8 drop in three of the first four games by turn nine. Well without further ado, here is what I played.
Creatures:
Intimidator Initiate
Rustrazor Butcher
Crabapple Cohort (2)
Devoted Druid
Foxfire Oak (2)
Gloomwidow
Juvenile Gloomwidow
Woodfall Primus
Sootwalkers
Mudbrawler Raiders
Scuzzback Marauders
Scuzzback Scrapper
Safehold Elite
Spells:
Burn Trail
Flame Javelin
Power of Fire
Puncture Bolt
Runes of the Deus
Mercy Killing (2)
Blight Sickle
Lands:
Sapseep Forest
Forest (8)
Mountain (8)
Other cards of note from the side board:
Ember Gale
Smash to Smithereens
Gloomwidow’s Feast
As far as the matches, I played SP first and managed to turn 8 and turn 9 Woodfall Primus to hit a key artifact and win soon there after. I also may have managed to put Runes of Deus on Mudbrawler Raiders and swing for 13 on turn five.
In the second round I played TS who drafted a very controlling blue/white/black deck with lots of bounce and tap effects. I got the first game due to pure agro combined with four removal spells (including the combination of Blight Sickle and Power of Fire too off his weenies). For the second game I brought in Gloomwidow’s Feast taking out Runes of the Deus (it didn’t out right kill anyone and set me up for a two for one). But missed my third and fourth land drops to die to multiple weenies. In the third game he got mana screwed and I had a slow start (didn’t play anything until turn four). I did have enough removal to take care of his first few plays and managed to beat down with random guy (also not that I never say a green source but managed to see six of my eight mountains).
The last round was me versus CBG and it wasn’t very close with him scooping to me when I managed to get better threats to his many land draws.
Well that’s all for this week and I look forward to next week and Morningtide Sealed league.
Anyways, TS & headed over and met up with SP and got a table and had no more than given our menus back to the waitress and CBG shows up. I am still impressed with your innate ability to show up at the last minute even though you had the shortest distance to travel, but I digress. So while we are waiting for our food we take care of the draft. For ease we decided to draft as we were seated at the table when we ordered (in the past we have switch the seating order after we order and it is kind of mean to the wait staff) with TS to my immediate left, SP across from me, and CBG to my right.
As far as overall picks I only remember a few key ones. Pack 1 pick 1 was a Burn Trail with my second pick being a Mercy Killing. From pack 2, I first picked a Flame Javelin only to have Puncture Bolt come back on the lap. As far as the rest of the draft, I took as much red/green removal as I saw and all of the green fat I could muster. One other note, the black we opened was terrible which leads to my next point. As could be expected in a four man it is highly likely that the person sitting across from you is in the same colors. Well, we managed one better, with both SP and I in red/green & CGB and TS in blue/white.
I will be the first to admit that my deck wasn’t very good nor was the curve great, but it was good enough to go 3-0. I will also not that I had enough removal and curved out enough times to play my 8 drop in three of the first four games by turn nine. Well without further ado, here is what I played.
Creatures:
Intimidator Initiate
Rustrazor Butcher
Crabapple Cohort (2)
Devoted Druid
Foxfire Oak (2)
Gloomwidow
Juvenile Gloomwidow
Woodfall Primus
Sootwalkers
Mudbrawler Raiders
Scuzzback Marauders
Scuzzback Scrapper
Safehold Elite
Spells:
Burn Trail
Flame Javelin
Power of Fire
Puncture Bolt
Runes of the Deus
Mercy Killing (2)
Blight Sickle
Lands:
Sapseep Forest
Forest (8)
Mountain (8)
Other cards of note from the side board:
Ember Gale
Smash to Smithereens
Gloomwidow’s Feast
As far as the matches, I played SP first and managed to turn 8 and turn 9 Woodfall Primus to hit a key artifact and win soon there after. I also may have managed to put Runes of Deus on Mudbrawler Raiders and swing for 13 on turn five.
In the second round I played TS who drafted a very controlling blue/white/black deck with lots of bounce and tap effects. I got the first game due to pure agro combined with four removal spells (including the combination of Blight Sickle and Power of Fire too off his weenies). For the second game I brought in Gloomwidow’s Feast taking out Runes of the Deus (it didn’t out right kill anyone and set me up for a two for one). But missed my third and fourth land drops to die to multiple weenies. In the third game he got mana screwed and I had a slow start (didn’t play anything until turn four). I did have enough removal to take care of his first few plays and managed to beat down with random guy (also not that I never say a green source but managed to see six of my eight mountains).
The last round was me versus CBG and it wasn’t very close with him scooping to me when I managed to get better threats to his many land draws.
Well that’s all for this week and I look forward to next week and Morningtide Sealed league.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)