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Magic: the GAFering |OT2|

Y

y2dvd

Member
Went 2-1 tonight with G/R, but I don't mind because of the crazy rare drafting I was doing. I usually get the shaft but this is from drafting alone. Opened a Hero's Downfall and Stormbreath Dragon. Got passed a Temple of Mystery, Anger of Gods, Reverent Hunter, and a Sylvan Caryatid.

G/R was pretty strong. It lacks evasiveness though. The B/U I lost to was able to keep chump blocking and eventually stabilized.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
So I didn't notice it at first, but the Triple Innistrad drafts that they're bringing back have had the priced jacked up by a ticket. It's almost insulting in a way, especially considering the state of MTGO as a whole right now.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Grecco said:
what is jund ?
Click to expand...

Jund is one of the five "Shards of Alara" from the Alara block. The other four are Bant, Esper, Grixis, and Naya.

The conceit of the block was that the plane of Alara had split into five "shards," and each of the shards was missing two of the five forms of mana, leaving only three behind. We use the five shard names still today as shorthand for those five color combinations:

Jund: Green/Red/Black
Bant: Blue/White/Green
Esper: White/Blue/Black
Grixis: Black/Red/Blue
Naya: Red/Green/White
 
B

blindrocket

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
It's a very high-level overview that ignores a lot of the true nuances of the secondary market, but it is interesting.

And honestly, the prices have dropped a lot less than I thought they would. It's only the Standard stuff that's been dropping; the Modern and Legacy staples have stayed constant.
Click to expand...

They are saying that "now is the time to buy into MTGO" but I haven't really seen enough of a drop to get super excited about it. I want to purchase Modern Jund in MTGO and will do so probably within the next month or two.

I don't know the ETA for them to have things fixed up but I won't lose sleep if I miss out on this window.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Maybe if we get Return to Alara,= or BizzaroInvasion (since they already printed those wedge dragons).
 
K

kirblar

Member
WBR = primordial heaven vs hell area. Just go full out Rapture.

(Living Death that only brings back Dragons, Demons and Angels is going into my semi-custom cube.)

UGB = Phyrexian colors. Unending growth.
 
B

bigkrev

Member
The Technomancer said:
Why is BGW Junk anyway?



I've been trying to figure out a good thematic identity for each of the wedges. I've got a pretty good handle on UGR, RUW and BWG and I think I know where I could take BWR but I have no idea what to do with UGB. Anyone got any ideas? What does that represent?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure it's because it just gets to play all the good cards, making the deck "junk".

Doran is another term for WBG
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
kirblar said:
WBR = primordial heaven vs hell area. Just go full out Rapture.

(Living Death that only brings back Dragons, Demons and Angels is going into my semi-custom cube.)

UGB = Phyrexian colors. Unending growth.
Click to expand...

Hm, maybe. Here's what I've got for the other three:

UWR: The "shining civilization": strong laws but full of compassion, filled with appreciation for its artists, defended by a zealous army that truly believes in what they're protecting. A little bant but with more emphasis both on art and on burning passion

UGR: The visual inspiration I keep coming back to here is the tropics: sunny coasts, shining oceans, vibrant forests teeming with life. Creatures of all sizes and shapes and abilities. The blue aspect I'm pulling from here isn't control or even manipulation so much as its thirst for knowledge and exploration.

BGW: I've tried to avoid doing direct guild mashups but I really do think this one works best as Selesnya-cross-Orzhov, Insular, xenophobic cult, maybe even a hive mind
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
The Technomancer said:
Hm, maybe. Here's what I've got for the other three:

UWR: The "shining civilization": strong laws but full of compassion, filled with appreciation for its artists, defended by a zealous army that truly believes in what they're protecting. A little bant but with more emphasis both on art and on burning passion
Click to expand...
american-flag.jpg
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
The Technomancer said:
Nono, I said they appreciate the arts
Click to expand...

Pardonnez moi.
french-flag-640.jpg
Click to expand...

(I think the best way to go about this is to use the Ravnica guilds. Consider Bant. The corresponding guilds are Azorius, Simic and Selesnya. But Bant isn't really Simic at all, it's the intersection of Selesnya and Azorius. When defining UGR, I think it makes the most sense to think of it as Simic meets Izzet which results in the boundless search for knowledge. Alternatively, it could be seen as the way Blue interacts with RG, again, as the role of a researcher tht doesn't discriminate between creatures and spells.)
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
The Shards were defined not by what they were, but what they weren't. For example, Esper lacked green and red mana, which means they lacked growth and emotion - hence the arifact theme.

I would believe that the wedge theme would work the same way. Try using that for inspiration. For example, how would a world without any red or white mana look?
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
divisionbyzorro said:
The Shards were defined not by what they were, but what they weren't. For example, Esper lacked green and red mana, which means they lacked growth and emotion - hence the arifact theme.

I would believe that the wedge theme would work the same way. Try using that for inspiration. For example, how would a world without any red or white mana look?
Click to expand...
Complete lack of zeal? That kind of ties into the Phyrexian idea I suppose, slow and inevitable and detached.

I think the biggest problem I'm having is distinguishing between UGB and WGB. I'm not sure what the core distinction between W and U (or the lack of RW or RU) does that makes them feel like very distinct entities and not variations on the theme of "slow growth with a Golgari feel"
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Phyrexia is all about religious fervor though, I mean, that's their entire gig. They're a self propagating cult that reveres machinery and the assimilation of all life. Even the original Phyrexians were like this.

They are obsessed to the max.
 
P

platypotamus

Member
Speaking of themes, but shifting more to mechanics.... when I went to the Theros prerelease, I got a nifty little card that described 2-color deck archetypes for G + whatever (since I went Green). Anyone happen to know if those live online somewhere? I think they would be handy tools for the newb I'm trying to teach.
 
Y

Yeef

Member
The Technomancer said:
Complete lack of zeal? That kind of ties into the Phyrexian idea I suppose, slow and inevitable and detached.

I think the biggest problem I'm having is distinguishing between UGB and WGB. I'm not sure what the core distinction between W and U (or the lack of RW or RU) does that makes them feel like very distinct entities and not variations on the theme of "slow growth with a Golgari feel"
Click to expand...
Blue is all about the power of knowledge and personal growth, while white is all about the community and sacrificing individuality for the greater good.

In broad strokes, I see BUG best personified by a character like Daniel Plainview. He's out for himself (black), doesn't mind healthy competition (green) since he sees it as a way to prove his own capability and expertise and come out on top (blue).

As far as BGW, I envision something like as Rorschach from Watchmen (though he arguably has a strong red component). He accepts that things are the way they are and that, at it's core, human nature is an ugly, powerful thing (green). In his mind he works for the good of society as a whole (white), but he does so for without regard for anyone's laws or morals but his own (black).
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
Mhm, I'm just trying to think of what a BUG and a BGW society look like. The Phyrexian comparison kind of helps for BUG but its also pretty close to what I had in mind for BGW (cult-like xenophobes) so I'm not sure how to distinguish them on a societal level.
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Been out of the Magic series loop for a while now- What're the latest and upcoming new cards and where can I read about them?
 
A

Azn_Boy

Neo Member
divisionbyzorro said:
It's a very high-level overview that ignores a lot of the true nuances of the secondary market, but it is interesting.

And honestly, the prices have dropped a lot less than I thought they would. It's only the Standard stuff that's been dropping; the Modern and Legacy staples have stayed constant.
Click to expand...

Boosters have also risen in prices because all the standard grinders have gone over to limited.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
I highly recommend Caleb Durward's latest "Legacy Weapon" entry on Channel Fireball, specifically the back half of the article starting with the title "A Thanksgiving Miracle:"

http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/legacy-weapon-in-the-books/

The relevant quote (which is even more powerful after reading the rest of the article):

This is why I don't get the fetishization of Top 8s. The difference between getting there and not can be so incredibly small. Drawing a single card out of order can make the difference, but as we saw it can also be a single card in another match entirely.
Click to expand...

EDIT:

Two drafts tonight. The first was a green/black Gorgon deck that was pretty sweet, but lost in round two to Windsteed Rider and drawing the half of my deck that couldn't answer it. So in the second draft I decided that I would be the jerk with the aggressive heroic deck:

jaz5yqE.png


2-0, 2-1, 2-0, and I crushed the mirror match in the finals. This deck is my one complaint about the Theros format; I beat a much "better" deck in round 2 by playing T1 Hoplite, T2 Ordeal, T3 Chosen by Heliod. Wasn't even close or fair.
 
Y

y2dvd

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
I highly recommend Caleb Durward's latest "Legacy Weapon" entry on Channel Fireball, specifically the back half of the article starting with the title "A Thanksgiving Miracle:"

http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/legacy-weapon-in-the-books/

The relevant quote (which is even more powerful after reading the rest of the article):



EDIT:

Two drafts tonight. The first was a green/black Gorgon deck that was pretty sweet, but lost in round two to Windsteed Rider and drawing the half of my deck that couldn't answer it. So in the second draft I decided that I would be the jerk with the aggressive heroic deck:

jaz5yqE.png


2-0, 2-1, 2-0, and I crushed the mirror match in the finals. This deck is my one complaint about the Theros format; I beat a much "better" deck in round 2 by playing T1 Hoplite, T2 Ordeal, T3 Chosen by Heliod. Wasn't even close or fair.
Click to expand...

Hahaha I wouldn't call anyone a jerk about playing aggressive. It's just looked like you drafted a great deck and got the nut draws. No undermining that deck. I've lost against and won with boros by turn 5 a few times already. I think U/B matches up great against it. Returned Phalanx is a huge ground body. Pharika's Cure for the weenies, plus B got some 2/4 bodies. Shipwreck Singer, I can't say enough good things about it. Griptide and Voyager's End to bounce enchantments off or gain tempo.
 
B

bigkrev

Member
Tizoc said:
Been out of the Magic series loop for a while now- What're the latest and upcoming new cards and where can I read about them?
Click to expand...

The most popular websites are Dailymtg.com (official website, has comprehensive tournament coverage of Grand Prix and Pro Toursand articles from the developers of the game), Starcitygames.com (comprehensive coverage of SCG Open tournaments, top strategy articles, but many are locked behind a paywall for 30 days), and Channelfireball.com (lots of draft videos from top MTG pros, but articles have no schedule).

The current set is Theros, a set based on Greek Mythology.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Took down my draft pod at FNM tonight with a UW Heroic deck. Three Heliod's and one Thassa's Emissary, three Hopeful Eidolons, Phalanx Leader, Battlewise Hoplite, Wingsteed Rider, two Cavalary Pegasus, and assorted other goodies. My opponents had some pretty good decks, but my rounds one and two opponents were green-based and were weak to my fliers backed up by Emissaries. My third round opponent had a really solid mono-blue deck with Prognostic Sphinx at the top end, and in game one he blew me out with multiple Voyage's End. Game two he mulled to five and quickly lost, and game three he simply didn't draw the Voyage's End and lost to my army getting huge off of the back of the Phalanx Leader.

Good times.
 
Y

y2dvd

Member
Were you passed all those emissaries? Your opponents better be money drafting to pass those ups. Emissaries are awesome.
 
K

Kacar

Member
So last FNM this guy was doing something I've never heard of with a Regeneration shield. I killed a creature with a spell, in response he sacrificed him to give his Varolsj a "regeneration shield" and then attacked me with him, I blocked him thinking a trade would happen and all creatures would die. Instead he said my guy died since his had a regeneration shield. I thought you had to regenerate a creature right when the kill is applied and you tap the creature and remove him from combat? Was this legal?
 
Y

Yeef

Member
Kacar said:
So last FNM this guy was doing something I've never heard of with a Regeneration shield. I killed a creature with a spell, in response he sacrificed him to give his Varolsj a "regeneration shield" and then attacked me with him, I blocked him thinking a trade would happen and all creatures would die. Instead he said my guy died since his had a regeneration shield. I thought you had to regenerate a creature right when the kill is applied and you tap the creature and remove him from combat? Was this legal?
Click to expand...
Yes, it's perfectly legal.

The way regeneration works is when you regenerate a creation it gets a regeneration "shield" until the end of the turn. If it would be destroyed while it has a regeneration shield, the shield is used up instead and all damage is removed from the creature and it's tapped and removed from combat.
 
U

ultron87

Member
Kacar said:
So last FNM this guy was doing something I've never heard of with a Regeneration shield. I killed a creature with a spell, in response he sacrificed him to give his Varolsj a "regeneration shield" and then attacked me with him, I blocked him thinking a trade would happen and all creatures would die. Instead he said my guy died since his had a regeneration shield. I thought you had to regenerate a creature right when the kill is applied and you tap the creature and remove him from combat? Was this legal?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that works. You can regenerate something at any time (and actually need to do it before the thing that kills it resolves).

The actual regeneration gives your creature a one time use shield that lasts for the rest of the turn that says "the next time this would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and remove it from combat."
 
K

Kacar

Member
Yeef said:
Yes, it's perfectly legal.

The way regeneration works is when you regenerate a creation it gets a regeneration "shield" until the end of the turn. If it would be destroyed while it has a regeneration shield, the shield is used up instead and all damage is removed from the creature and it's tapped and removed from combat.
Click to expand...

ultron87 said:
Yeah, that works. You can regenerate something at any time (and actually need to do it before the thing that kills it resolves).

The actual regeneration gives your creature a one time use shield that lasts for the rest of the turn that says "the next time this would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and remove it from combat."
Click to expand...

Got it, guess I never really understood regeneration, thanks.
 
A

acheron_xl

Member
Kacar said:
So last FNM this guy was doing something I've never heard of with a Regeneration shield. I killed a creature with a spell, in response he sacrificed him to give his Varolsj a "regeneration shield" and then attacked me with him, I blocked him thinking a trade would happen and all creatures would die. Instead he said my guy died since his had a regeneration shield. I thought you had to regenerate a creature right when the kill is applied and you tap the creature and remove him from combat? Was this legal?
Click to expand...

This was the way it worked in the beginning. I think it was changed in 6th Edition or a bit earlier.
 
S

sammich

Member
Ha i forgot the key word there.. i already have a full play set of regular shocks. I was referring to a FOIL playset of shocks. Hence the crazy.
 
I

inanutshell

Member
acheron_xl said:
This was the way it worked in the beginning. I think it was changed in 6th Edition or a bit earlier.
Click to expand...

Yeah, pretty sure they changed it during the big 6th edition revision of the ruleset. If you play the old shandalar game you can only regenerate during the damage prevention phase.
 
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