What does having all the same art do?
Magic: the GAFering |OT2|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
- Start date
What does having all the same art do?
So if you reveal your hand and there's a Mountain, and then on the next turn you draw and play a Mountain with different art your opponent knows that one of the cards left in your hand is still a Mountain. If all your Mountains are the same art you don't give away this info.
Oh, makes sense.
EsotericManiac
Banned
ok, this makes sense now
but couldn't this also work in reverse?
EX: oppponent looks at your hand and sees a basic land. you brainstorm after the reveal and put back, and shuffle the land away
but then you draw another basic, same type and play it
your opponent would think you still have it in your hand, no?
granted, this isn't 100% but it would still suggest it
CorruptShadow
Member
Correct, it's also a good idea in to have all your cards be of one type from the same set. Type being don't run 3 regular and 1 foil of a card. And set being obvious, though it only really applies in eternal formats.
I really appreciated that article, that kind of point is something we dont see often in articles. I saw his tweet last week and laughed since I've been doing it for ages, but it's definitely not initially intuitive.
Yep, this is probably the best piece of little advice I would give to anyone. If you don't want to be super anal about it, make sure all of your lands are from the same set- I tend to use all Urza Saga or ChK Mountains, for example. Each block has a distinctive look- A RTR land looks alot different from a M14 land.
And while it's not mentioned, the same thing with foils also applies to signed cards. If 1 of the 4 copies of a card in your deck are signed, it's pretty easy to tell what your doing! Be careful with some online stores in regard to this- some of them will count signed cards as SP. I ordered my last Mox Opal from channelfireball last month, and chose to save 5 bucks and get SP, because in the past I have found them sticklers for quality, often calling something mint SP. I got back a gem mint signed card- not exactly what I wanted!
The last thing I would mention is that if your are very familiar with your sideboard and your sideboarding plans, start by shuffling your sideboard into your deck, and then remove the 15 cards. Your opponent won't know how many cards you side in. This helps alot even when you don't have anything to side in against someone- put the idea in their head you have a plan to stop them!
EsotericManiac
Banned
where'd he get them?
One of my friends does a lot of alters, he probably did these. Will have to ask though, these are really nice.
lawlohwhat
Banned
Just fyi, walgreens has their inventory of magic as buy one get one free. Also, booster battle packs are on clearance and ringing up for $6. I was able to get 4 battle packs and two boosters of gatecrash for less than $16.
blindrocket
Member
I went by my local Walgreens and they had no mention of the sale, and really only had two packs of M14 hanging up anyway. Meh.
That flavor is amazing. Love it. Fits right with the cards.
I bought 40 packs of Theros boosters for $86 after tax. I don't even know what I'm going to do with them, I just knew it would be stupid not to buy them at that price.
blindrocket
Member
The average booster value is pretty low. $2.30 unopened.
I have one card in hand. You Thoughtseize me and I reveal an Island with Art A.
On my turn I draw a card, shuffle them around a bit and play a Island with Art B. What is the one card I have left?
Now imagine the same situation if I draw, shuffle them around and play an Island with Art A.
It isn't the biggest advantage ever and you can be plenty successful in the game without ever worrying about it, but if you want every little advantage it is something going to think about.
I understand now makes sense thanks
platypotamus
Member
Why wouldn't you just play the one you already had in your hand?
Because you're not going to be paying attention to that. It lets you not worry about it and concentrate on things that matter.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I'm telling you guys, milling is relevant in standard.
Well, eventually you'll have to play the one with the different art. In an aggro v. control game the control player would love to know your second or third draw wasn't a threat or a piece of soft control.
At the level of play most players will stay in this isn't really a bfd, this was a SCG premium article.
blindrocket
Member
I can't remember his name, the designer that left Wizards so he could go back to competition...
I saw an interview with him where Ashiok was being criticized as a "bad card". He basically ended up saying, trust me, if it's a bad card and it's really cheap, buy all of them up. This gave me the thought that Wizards is planning on putting out cards that really support what that Planeswalker does.
I saw an interview with him where Ashiok was being criticized as a "bad card". He basically ended up saying, trust me, if it's a bad card and it's really cheap, buy all of them up. This gave me the thought that Wizards is planning on putting out cards that really support what that Planeswalker does.
platypotamus
Member
Ok that makes a bit more sense.
Oh, Zac? He's the one we're sure wasn't fired, lol. He went to some school start-up.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I'm excited now, I beat a bunch of players prepping typical decks for SCG tomorrow. I didn't lose the first set against anybody. I didn't enter FNM because I had thought my deck was weak and the rest of my sideboard hasn't arrived, but I really think milling is serious.
It's so good. I beat a mono red player prepping for SCG open with no permanents but Ashioks.
I don't think it's super strong, but my deck can definitely fight what's going on right now.
It's so good. I beat a mono red player prepping for SCG open with no permanents but Ashioks.
I don't think it's super strong, but my deck can definitely fight what's going on right now.
divisionbyzorro
Member
One of the interesting things about the Modern Masters format (and one of the things that makes it so good) is that there truly is no dominant archetype. Even the nuts version of a given archetype has a glaring weakness, generally to a common.
So, for example, if you do what I just did and draft a BW Rebels deck, with 6 (!!!) searchers and multiple Trappers, Avian Changelings, and Bound in Silences, plus some other sweet stuff like a Redcap and a couple of Scullers, you still have a glaring weakness. Specifically, as I just learned, you can never beat a deck that takes advantage of this card.
(Especially when he also has Scion of Oona both games - ugh).
Even though it was incredibly frustrating to get crushed by that faeries deck, it really did make me appreciate just how well designed the set is. And it's not like the nuts Fae deck has no weaknesses either; a well-built green fatties deck or Domain deck is perfectly capable of stomping all over it. And so on and so on.
(And I just checked; I've been doing terribly over the past couple of weeks and my limited rating is in the toilet - it's actually dipped below 1700 for the first time in a very long time. Ugh. I was never amazing; it had been hovering around 1730-50, but I've been on quite the losing streak lately.)
EDIT: #$@@#$!!!@#$! And then I lose to Thundercloud Shaman two games in a row. Holy shit - Modern Masters hates me this week! This was what I drafted:
It's not the best Rebels deck I've ever seen (there are no real bombs to speak of, and the imps are kinda meh). But it's certainly better than the 0-4 showing it gave me.
So, for example, if you do what I just did and draft a BW Rebels deck, with 6 (!!!) searchers and multiple Trappers, Avian Changelings, and Bound in Silences, plus some other sweet stuff like a Redcap and a couple of Scullers, you still have a glaring weakness. Specifically, as I just learned, you can never beat a deck that takes advantage of this card.
(Especially when he also has Scion of Oona both games - ugh).
Even though it was incredibly frustrating to get crushed by that faeries deck, it really did make me appreciate just how well designed the set is. And it's not like the nuts Fae deck has no weaknesses either; a well-built green fatties deck or Domain deck is perfectly capable of stomping all over it. And so on and so on.
(And I just checked; I've been doing terribly over the past couple of weeks and my limited rating is in the toilet - it's actually dipped below 1700 for the first time in a very long time. Ugh. I was never amazing; it had been hovering around 1730-50, but I've been on quite the losing streak lately.)
EDIT: #$@@#$!!!@#$! And then I lose to Thundercloud Shaman two games in a row. Holy shit - Modern Masters hates me this week! This was what I drafted:
It's not the best Rebels deck I've ever seen (there are no real bombs to speak of, and the imps are kinda meh). But it's certainly better than the 0-4 showing it gave me.
CorruptShadow
Member
Anyone going to SCG Open Oakland tomorrow?
Also a question for anyone familiar with SCG opens, are there any card vendors other than SCG at the opens? For example I went to a GP a while back and although it was hosted by ChannelFireball there were 7 or 8 other card shops there.
Also a question for anyone familiar with SCG opens, are there any card vendors other than SCG at the opens? For example I went to a GP a while back and although it was hosted by ChannelFireball there were 7 or 8 other card shops there.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I made a rundown so I don't have to post my milling deck for critiques another half-dozen times ^_^
I wish ;_;
I'm in SF too, but I have to woooork.
I wish ;_;
I'm in SF too, but I have to woooork.
SCG is just SCG because...it's run by SCG.
GPs have comparison shopping.GB- Dimir Charm out of the board maybe?
CorruptShadow
Member
SCG is just SCG because...it's run by SCG.
That's unfortunate, I don't want to pay SCG prices for cards, I guess trading among the players is all I will be doing.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I tried running Dimir Charm for a while, and it just wasn't doing enough in any matchup. The first and third abilities weren't relevant and I'd rather use Pharika's Cure for the second.
When I was running it with white I had Azorius Charm, which was way more helpful. Whit also gave me Supreme Verdict that filled a major weakness, but the deck wound up becoming control instead of midrange, which isn't very much fun for me.
great rebel deck, and sucks about the thundercloud shaman (I know I've had 'guaranteed' 3-0s that got rekt by that card), but is there any reason you aren't playing that blinding beam? Card is good.
Also, don't worry about your rating. I was beyond terrible at theros and fell ~150 points when it came out, but climbed back up just fine. It's a game of variance, you'll eventually end up where you should be. If a 1750 is average for you, you're still good and shouldn't worry too much about it. Hell, most streamers I see have a score in the mid 1700s when they look at their profile.
divisionbyzorro
Member
I sat there staring at Test of Faith and Blinding Beam for a good minute; I really didn't think I had room to run both, so I had to make a call on one over the other. I had to decide if I thought that saving something with Test of Faith (and possibly making it into a real win condition) was better than an instant speed Sleep that only really hits 2 creatures (theoretically more if you back it up with Rathi Trapper for more mana).
In the end, my concern was I would run into too many situations where I drew Blinding Beam and all I could do was fog them for a couple of turns and peck with a couple of changelings. I want my Blinding Beams to have the ability to win the game, not just delay the end. I felt it would be too dead too often without a real punch behind it, while Test of Faith was cheaper and could be used to not only save a creature but possibly turn it into a win condition at the same time.
Maybe it wasn't correct, but at least I did have an actual reason for it
Sigh. Went 1-3-1 last night with my Esper deck I've been fiddling around with. Since I only have one Shockland (Hallowed Fountain) and the rest Guildgates and basic lands, I really get stuck behind turns waiting to have mana to do stuff. Any online stores selling shocks and scrys for cheap? My local shop is charging $10-11.50 per card and that shit adds up quick especially with the amount of lands this deck is supposed to run.
divisionbyzorro
Member
So someone put together a website that calculates the expected value of currently running queues on Magic Online.
http://www.magicev.com/
It lets you take a look at how your win percentage affects which queues you should (or shouldn't) be joining, as well as including (or excluding) the value of opening the packs.
Apparently, if you care about value, M14 is the set you should be drafting right now, not Theros. And it's a reminder about how good the value of constructed daily events is; it's the only event with positive EV if you're winning at 50%.
http://www.magicev.com/
It lets you take a look at how your win percentage affects which queues you should (or shouldn't) be joining, as well as including (or excluding) the value of opening the packs.
Apparently, if you care about value, M14 is the set you should be drafting right now, not Theros. And it's a reminder about how good the value of constructed daily events is; it's the only event with positive EV if you're winning at 50%.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I couldn't go because of work so I just went to my LGS yesterday to play the people preparing. :/
One of the dudes from our store won a feature match though.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Zorro's Theros Sealed Pool of the Day!
I don't think it's the most exciting sealed pool; but then again, when I see a sealed pool, I usually only see one or maybe two builds (splashes and specific card choices notwithstanding). I was able to take this pool to a 2-1 finish in an 8-man Swiss Sealed; I'm curious to see if what I built is anything close to what you guys would have built.
For reference, you can click here to see how I built it
I don't think it's the most exciting sealed pool; but then again, when I see a sealed pool, I usually only see one or maybe two builds (splashes and specific card choices notwithstanding). I was able to take this pool to a 2-1 finish in an 8-man Swiss Sealed; I'm curious to see if what I built is anything close to what you guys would have built.
For reference, you can click here to see how I built it
I got Walmart to price match yesterday, was like pulling teeth but it worked.
We did a pair of cube drafts today with the Power Cube. In the first one I drafted a RUG thingy with Jace TMS, Black Lotus, Ancestral Recall, 2 Moxen, Natural Order->Craterhoof, Inferno Titan, and various other things to round it out. Ended up winning 3-0 and won the Myr Battlesphere and tokens that I really wanted. We then did another one and I went for UW Control, with Jace TMS, Elspeth Tirel, Jace, Memory Adept, Ancestral Recall and Visions, 2 moxen, Wrath and Supreme Verdict, FoW, Cryptic, Counterspell, O Ring, Celestial Colonnade, and Venser plus other stuff. I haven't played a true control deck in a while but this was a lot of fun to play. I went 2-1 with it, losing the third round to not drawing enough lands against the reanimator deck, since almost all of my cards are answers against it.