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[The Technomancer]

So as a thought experiment I'm trying to figure out what the Anti-Alara would look like, i.e the wedges not just as decks but as thematic entities to design cards around. I've got them all roughly figured out except for UGB.

-BGW is the resource focused slow strategy, with lots of life manipulation, recursion, and slow inevitability.
-RWU is a midrange defensive strategy with lots of combat tricks, temporary board manipulation, efficient middle of the road creatures and defensive spells
-RUG is more of a midrange aggressive strategy with more of a focus on a few dissimilar creatures pumped, modified and defended as well as a more destructive style of enemy board control.
-RBW is a very aggressive style, very efficient low cost creatures but without much lategame, with the burst damage and destruction to finish up quickly

I've got no idea what UGB should look like. I figure its slow, probably the slowest out of all of them. But everything I can think of either skews too close to BGW or RUG, I can't work out what mechanical identity I could establish that overlaps between blue, black, and green without treading too close to the recursive control of BGW or the creature manipulation of RUG

 

[rCIZZLE]

If this ends up driving down the prices enough then I'll probably get my legacy deck on there too. Would be nice to finally play in real tournaments more than once or twice a month.

 

[Owlowiscious]

Found my deck at a card store. Yay~~~

 

[kirblar]

Yeah losing 4 Liliana would not be good.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more excited I am for this Vintage Masters thing. I will almost entirely be judging the price based on the quality of the limited experience. Modern Masters set the bar really high for a reprint set, and I will be expecting no less from this.

 

[OnPoint]

Found my deck at a card store. Yay~~~

You mean like someone took it and traded it in?

 

[Animal]

You mean like someone took it and traded it in?

That sucks if true

Too bad cards aren't printed with a unique ID#.

 

[OnPoint]

That sucks if true

Too bad cards aren't printed with a unique ID#.

Yeah, it really does. I'd be pissed if someone did that to me. Especially if it had 4 Lilianas.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I don't understand why anyone would ever want Ancestral Recall to exist in any format. No matter how many of them you get its completely broken. Its like playing with a cheat code.

 

[EsotericManiac]

I don't understand why anyone would ever want Ancestral Recall to exist in any format. No matter how many of them you get its completely broken. Its like playing with a cheat code.

tbh, casting brainstorm correctly is pretty darn close


it's so fun!

 

[Owlowiscious]

You mean like someone took it and traded it in?

No. Someone found it, gave it to the store owner as lost and found and the store owner held it until someone could identify it and claim it. Like I did. Over a month after I lost it. Hawaii's a wierd palce sometimes. This is the second time I've lost a great value of cards and was able to recover it at a LGS. Two separate LGSs.

 

[OnPoint]

No. Someone found it, gave it to the store owner as lost and found and the store owner held it until someone could identify it and claim it. Like I did. Over a month after I lost it. Hawaii's a wierd palce sometimes. This is the second time I've lost a great value of cards and was able to recover it at a LGS. Two separate LGSs.

Bad ass!

 

[blindrocket]

No. Someone found it, gave it to the store owner as lost and found and the store owner held it until someone could identify it and claim it. Like I did. Over a month after I lost it. Hawaii's a wierd palce sometimes. This is the second time I've lost a great value of cards and was able to recover it at a LGS. Two separate LGSs.

Awesome. Perhaps you should stop leaving your cards at the store.

 

[Angry Grimace]

tbh, casting brainstorm correctly is pretty darn close


it's so fun!

I just can't think of a scenario in which AR isn't entirely broken.

 

[JesseZao]

So I've avoided paper magic and MTGO because of the money sink it is, but I'm wondering how much enjoyment I'd get out of the starter set on MTGO for ten bucks. Obviously the interface is much better in DotP, but from what I can tell, you get the same cards as the latest game and can do much more with them.

I do like being able to make progress while playing a game, but from what I can tell, MTGO is just a substitute for paper magic and you just play to play. To earn things, you must put more money in. (I'm not really that familiar with the drafts and tournament tickets you get with a new account and how those could earn you more cards).

 

[ultron87]

So I've avoided paper magic and MTGO because of the money sink it is, but I'm wondering how much enjoyment I'd get out of the starter set on MTGO for ten bucks. Obviously the interface is much better in DotP, but from what I can tell, you get the same cards as the latest game and can do much more with them.

I do like being able to make progress while playing a game, but from what I can tell, MTGO is just a substitute for paper magic and you just play to play. To earn things, you must put more money in. (I'm not really that familiar with the drafts and tournament tickets you get with a new account and how those could earn you more cards).

The special set of cards you get with the starter set that only work in the New Players Room can actually lead to a decent amount of fun. You get some cool stuff with it. The only problem is that game type doesn't allow side boards so there is a lot of nonsense you can't really effectively combat. I played that format for several months off and on and really enjoyed it.

But as you said, you'll never really make 'progress' with just the ten bucks you put in.

 

[EsotericManiac]

I just can't think of a scenario in which AR isn't entirely broken.

misdirection?

lol

 

[OnPoint]

misdirection?

lol

I love it lol

 

[An-Det]

4-0'd the Legacy tonight at the store, getting first. It really wasn't fair though, since I played against (in order) Grixis Delver/Pyromancer, Merfolk, UWR Delver/Pyromancer, and Elves, all of which are matchups which range from pretty good to fantastic. I mean, game 2 vs Elves I fanned out 2x Grove of the Burnwillow, Badlands, Thoughtseize, Punishing Fire, Tarmogoyf, Maelstrom Pulse. You can't lose that even if you tried.

I don't understand why anyone would ever want Ancestral Recall to exist in any format. No matter how many of them you get its completely broken. Its like playing with a cheat code.

That's why it's so much fun. I mean, in anything but Vintage it'd be absurdly overpowered, but in Vintage it's only awesome given all the other fun things you can play with. Also, you haven't lived until you've imprinted Ancestral Recall onto an Isochron Scepter.

 

[WanderingWind]

Congrats An-Det. That's a fucking god hand if ever one existed...lol.

PS - Fuck Ashiok. Fuck Ashiok seven times seven. Piece of useless ass shit card.

 

[EsotericManiac]

man i wish we had more legacy events fire around here

 

["God's Beard!"]

PS - Fuck Ashiok. Fuck Ashiok seven times seven. Piece of useless ass shit card.

Art is cool though.

 

[Angry Grimace]

That's why it's so much fun. I mean, in anything but Vintage it'd be absurdly overpowered, but in Vintage it's only awesome given all the other fun things you can play with. Also, you haven't lived until you've imprinted Ancestral Recall onto an Isochron Scepter.

Now, I'm not a hardcore Vintage player, but I don't actually believe a counter exists to a 1CC draw-3 instant. Its Mana Drain levels of horribly broken.

 

[WanderingWind]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";87110458]Art is cool though.[/QUOTE]

Which is entirely why I bought into the hype...lol

 

[rCIZZLE]

man i wish we had more legacy events fire around here

Same. It's especially shitty that there are so many active legacy communities starting about 100 miles away in every direction from where I live but none here. Not really feasible to drive that kind of distance more than, at most, twice a month.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Which is entirely why I bought into the hype...lol

What are you even playing with it? Seems... weird.

4 Desecration Demon
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Lifebane Zombie
3 Shipwreck Singer
4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Thoughtsieze
4 Far//Away
3 Swan Song
2 Reap Intellect

2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2 Jace, Architect of Thought


2 Rogue's Passage
4 Watery Grave
10 Swamps
8 Islands

 

[WanderingWind]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";87116575]What are you even playing with it? Seems... weird.

4 Desecration Demon
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Lifebane Zombie
3 Shipwreck Singer
4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Thoughtsieze
4 Far//Away
3 Swan Song
2 Reap Intellect

2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2 Jace, Architect of Thought


2 Rogue's Passage
4 Watery Grave
10 Swamps
8 Islands[/QUOTE]

I was joking. The art is definitely great, but I bought into it for the same reason most people are. It's a 3cmc PW. But it's, at best, a mill 3 that nabs a couple of creatures before it gets attacked or Downfalled or D-sphere before it's done anything. I dropped him completely. Maybe something in Nyx or Born will give us more tools, but right now a PW has to have an immediate impact to really do anything, or at least be enough of a misdirect to let people sit on their downfalls. Oh, and by the way, his ultimate is utterly useless. Tormods Crypting a GY with no reanimation is dumb and by time you ultimate nobody will have more than 1-2 cards in their hand anyway. If that.

My esper list right now is

2 x Thoughtseize
4 x Ultimate Price
3 x Azorius Charm
1 x Far//Away
2 x Dissolve
4 x Hero's Downfall
3 x Detention Sphere
4 x Sphinx's Revelation
3 x Jace, AoT
4 x Supreme Verdict
2 x Blood Barion
1 x Aetherling

SB
1 x Aetherling
3 x Dark Betrayal
2 x Thoughtseize
3 x Far//Away
2 x Nightveil Specter
2 x Pithing Needle
2 x Ratchet Bomb

 

[JesseZao]

The special set of cards you get with the starter set that only work in the New Players Room can actually lead to a decent amount of fun. You get some cool stuff with it. The only problem is that game type doesn't allow side boards so there is a lot of nonsense you can't really effectively combat. I played that format for several months off and on and really enjoyed it.

But as you said, you'll never really make 'progress' with just the ten bucks you put in.

Yeah, playing the trial mode has been pretty one-sided. One out of 6 or 7 matches has even has reasonable back-and-forth strategy. I suppose I'll just play the trial mode for now. I really like Netrunner and I have a handful of the packs, but it's just not as convenient to find people to play against and I'm looking for a digital game to help with that (paper magic isn't an option for me either because I don't care to commit copious amounts of money to it).

I've been following the other upcoming digital card games and I guess I'll just wait for now. (I used to play Dominion online a lot, but the new official site is trash)

 

[acheron_xl]

Commander 2013 not releasing online until Dec 20 is bullshit.

 

[Exokell]

Lol I told everybody that ashiok sucks. Anyway can't Fucking wait for next set, hope there's gonna be a black sweeper.

 

[OnPoint]

Lol I told everybody that ashiok sucks. Anyway can't Fucking wait for next set, hope there's gonna be a black sweeper.

There were many theories before Theros that Damnation would see a reprint in this block. I wouldn't be shocked to see it happen honestly.

 

[Keru_Shiri]

Between mono-Black devotion and Esper control, reprinting Damnation would be brutal.

 

[OnPoint]

Maybe. But they had to have held it out of Modern Masters for a reason. Maybe they're holding it for MM2, or maybe we're going to see the power of the Theros underworld and black will get some respect from R&D for once.

 

[Keru_Shiri]

I remember reading in a blog post somewhere that MaRo felt that Black was getting the short end in quality cards lately and that they would be remedying that soon. I don't think Damnation would be broken, but I would rather see it in a Core Set and only deal with it for one year.

 

[WanderingWind]

Damnation right now would make monoblack basically the only viable deck to play, unless they reprinted some nice counters

And that's not gonna happen

 

[OnPoint]

Damnation right now would make monoblack basically the only viable deck to play, unless they reprinted some nice counters

And that's not gonna happen

Don't count your chickens. One of the main reasons Modern "has to" see so many bans is because there is no Force of Will equivalent in the format. There's a chance they might experiment with a "free" counterspell in Standard soon, to get it in and help police Modern.

Honestly, Damnation isn't a huge threat. The counters right now aren't bad. And Damnation is counterable, plus Boros Charm and Rootborn Defenses are floating about. Printed in a vacuum, yeah, I'd say Damnation would be a mistake in the current environment. But there's going to be at least 149 other cards that come along with it. We'll see.

 

[kirblar]

Misdirection was in M13. (I think as part of a full cycle.) It got pulled because of the Delver decks showing up.

 

[Lucario]

Misdirection was in M13. (I think as part of a full cycle.) It got pulled because of the Delver decks showing up.

Jesus christ that would've been terrifying

 

[Keru_Shiri]

Mental Misstep makes me think its still going to be a while before we see Wizards experiment with a free counterspell. And even then, the first attempt is going to be safe as hell.

 

[OnPoint]

Jesus christ that would've been terrifying

Between that and Snapcaster... yuck.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

Misdirection is fine for modern era Magic. I would really like to see it Modern legal, actually. Splinter Twin would get a lot more fun

 

[EsotericManiac]

There's some big tournament for legacy and vintage next week in Philly. An acquaintance asked to borrow a legacy deck. There's no way I'd lend him based purely on the fact he still has cards of mine after lending them to him over a year ago unless I go to the tournament as well.

Problem is he's going with a person that did me pretty dirty. I'll probably just stay home but it sounds very appealing (the tournament)

 

["God's Beard!"]

Don't count your chickens. One of the main reasons Modern "has to" see so many bans is because there is no Force of Will equivalent in the format.

Well, there's Pact of Negation. I don't think R&D wants to print many more cards you can play while you're tapped out.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Don't count your chickens. One of the main reasons Modern "has to" see so many bans is because there is no Force of Will equivalent in the format. There's a chance they might experiment with a "free" counterspell in Standard soon, to get it in and help police Modern.

Honestly, Damnation isn't a huge threat. The counters right now aren't bad. And Damnation is counterable, plus Boros Charm and Rootborn Defenses are floating about. Printed in a vacuum, yeah, I'd say Damnation would be a mistake in the current environment. But there's going to be at least 149 other cards that come along with it. We'll see.

Force of Will isn't on the reserved list right?

 

[narcosis219]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";87173191]Well, there's Pact of Negation. I don't think R&D wants to print many more cards you can play while you're tapped out.[/QUOTE]

Pact of negation doesn't do anything for the first 3-4 turns and you aren't guaranteed to have 4 lands by turn 4. That's why FoW is so amazing.

 

[kirblar]

Force of Will isn't on the reserved list right?

Nope. But they don't want it in Modern (for good reason.)

 

[WanderingWind]

There's some big tournament for legacy and vintage next week in Philly. An acquaintance asked to borrow a legacy deck. There's no way I'd lend him based purely on the fact he still has cards of mine after lending them to him over a year ago unless I go to the tournament as well.

Problem is he's going with a person that did me pretty dirty. I'll probably just stay home but it sounds very appealing (the tournament)

Easy fix. Show up yourself and X-0, Diddy dance on both of 'em

 

[EsotericManiac]

force of will is bad in attrition matches. it's specifically to battle against the unfair decks.

it does what it's supposed to do, but it's not quite what you guys are claiming it to be

 

["God's Beard!"]

Pact of negation doesn't do anything for the first 3-4 turns and you aren't guaranteed to have 4 lands by turn 4. That's why FoW is so amazing.

Man I don't even have blue mana in my deck with Pact of Negation. I just use it to protect the turn 2-3 kill combo.

reanimated Griselbrand + Fury of the Horde + Soul Spikes

 

[EsotericManiac]

Easy fix. Show up yourself and X-0, Diddy dance on both of 'em

haha thanks for the sentiment.

granted the one guy that is going i'm 14-1 against in sanctioned play