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Magic: the GAFering |OT2|

T

ThLunarian

Member
An-Det said:
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.
Click to expand...

Good lord, that must be a really small cube, and the other players must be really averse to playing blue. Getting JTMS and Recall in a single draft is sick enough, but two in a row is just bonkers. Then Memory Adept is basically a 5-mana Blightsteel Colossus (in that you usually win the game the turn after it hits the board if it's not dealt with). In the first draft you probably didn't even need the green. Maybe not even the red.
 
B

blindrocket

Member
Does anyone know what caused Phyrexian Obliterator to skyrocket in price within the past few days?
Murderous Redcap as well. lol It jumped +439.00% assuming there isn't a glitch in the tracking data.
 
A

An-Det

Member
ThLunarian said:
Good lord, that must be a really small cube, and the other players must be really averse to playing blue. Getting JTMS and Recall in a single draft is sick enough, but two in a row is just bonkers. Then Memory Adept is basically a 5-mana Blightsteel Colossus (in that you usually win the game the turn after it hits the board if it's not dealt with). In the first draft you probably didn't even need the green. Maybe not even the red.
Click to expand...

It was just luck, I was passed the Jace in the first draft since the guy on my right takes dual lands first pick even over Jace, it was my p1p1 in the second draft though. The cube is big enough that we used entirely different sets of cards for each draft, but we separate the Lotus, Moxen, Recall, Time Walk, and Jace TMS and shuffle those into the new packs so they are always in the pool (poor Timetwister get's no love anymore).
 
K

Karakand

Member
Wynnebeck said:
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.
Click to expand...

You can get Hallowed Fountains, Godless Shrines, and Watery Graves for $6 - $8 on tcgplayer.com as long as you're not dead set on the Rob Alexander ones from the original Ravnica block.
 
J

joelseph

Member
Slow day at work

cv4IPEi.jpg
Click to expand...
 
G

"God's Beard!"

Member
Man, I really wish that Dimir Charm was this:

UB
Instant

Choose One - Counter target instant spell; or destroy target creature with toughness 2 or less; or target opponent puts the top 5 cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

edit:

Also, I'm having trouble deciding on a detroy spell.

I'm running Dimir, so Far // Away seems like the obvious choice. Beats any creature, doesn't give anything to my opponent and I can 2 for 1 at 5 mana.

But it's kinda slow, and targeting a big dude is tough if they have a bunch of creatures since I need to do Far into thoughtseize or Psychic Strike which is annoying.

I could just run 4 Devour Flesh and give my opponent health since it's a mill theme anyway, but that makes a huge difference in winning with unblockable aberration. It is nice because my turn two options are a bit dry.

I could also give up the potential 2 for 1 and use Hero's Downfall for the extra utility and just lose against hexproof and Blood Baron.


The final option is to pull the Pharika's Cures from my sideboard and add in one of the above options. My current sideboard:

4 Negate
4 Pharika's Cure
4 Lifebane Zombie
3 Pithing Needle


What do you guys think?
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
I've been playing a lot of the Theros 6-pack sealed Swiss queues lately, and I've come to realize that I am shit at sealed (which is one of the contributing factors to my recent plummet in MTGO limited rating). Sealed doesn't get much love in the community; hardly anybody writes about it or records videos about it, etc. I know it's a higher variance format than draft, but it's also clearly a skill format. And it is hard - I'm really bad at building decks from sealed pools and I want to get better at it.

So aside from practicing (which I'm doing, and learning a lot through losing), does anyone have any advice, or know of any good articles/videos to help me learn?
 
P

platypotamus

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
So aside from practicing (which I'm doing, and learning a lot through losing), does anyone have any advice, or know of any good articles/videos to help me learn?
Click to expand...

The biggest thing I've been working on to improve my Sealed game is called "No, you should really cut one of those colors, I don't care how good those couple of cards are"

I've got a pretty long way to go though
 
K

kirblar

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
I've been playing a lot of the Theros 6-pack sealed Swiss queues lately, and I've come to realize that I am shit at sealed (which is one of the contributing factors to my recent plummet in MTGO limited rating). Sealed doesn't get much love in the community; hardly anybody writes about it or records videos about it, etc. I know it's a higher variance format than draft, but it's also clearly a skill format. And it is hard - I'm really bad at building decks from sealed pools and I want to get better at it.

So aside from practicing (which I'm doing, and learning a lot through losing), does anyone have any advice, or know of any good articles/videos to help me learn?
Click to expand...
Ari mentioned in his article post-GP that he put an enormous amount of time into looking at what was making decks go 9-0 in Sealed events and built accordingly.
 
G

Grecco

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
I've been playing a lot of the Theros 6-pack sealed Swiss queues lately, and I've come to realize that I am shit at sealed (which is one of the contributing factors to my recent plummet in MTGO limited rating). Sealed doesn't get much love in the community; hardly anybody writes about it or records videos about it, etc. I know it's a higher variance format than draft, but it's also clearly a skill format. And it is hard - I'm really bad at building decks from sealed pools and I want to get better at it.

So aside from practicing (which I'm doing, and learning a lot through losing), does anyone have any advice, or know of any good articles/videos to help me learn?
Click to expand...

I like looking at the card pool after the tournament to see what I should have done



anyways can someone explain how regeneration works ? specifically after -x/-x effects like lash of the whip
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Grecco said:
anyways can someone explain how regeneration works ? specifically after -x/-x effects like lash of the whip
Click to expand...

First, let's talk about what regeneration is. It is a "shield" that is placed on a creature. If the creature would be destroyed or if it has lethal damage on it, you tap it, remove it from combat, and remove the regeneration shield instead of putting it in the graveyard. That's how regeneration works.

If you reduce a creature's toughness to zero, it doesn't matter how many regeneration shields it has on it. All that popping a regeneration shield does is remove damage, not restore toughness. So regeneration won't save a creature from having 0 or less toughness.

If you reduce a creature's toughness (Lash of the Whip), then shoot it with a lethal damage spell (Lightning Strike), and your opponent give it a regeneration shield in response (Boon of Erebos), the regeneration shield will pop and remove the damage, but the toughness will still be reduced.


kirblar said:
Ari mentioned in his article post-GP that he put an enormous amount of time into looking at what was making decks go 9-0 in Sealed events and built accordingly.
Click to expand...

That article is still premium unfortunately, but I like the idea of looking back over completed sealed events. I'll have to take some time to do that.
 
K

Karakand

Member
kirblar said:
I do about 80% of my MTG shopping through their portal.
Click to expand...

It's a great site. (I don't get too adventuresome, only buying from 99+% sellers, etc.) Like eBay in its competitive pricing but without so much work on the customer's end. I also appreciate that condition ratings are actually accurate, TrollAndToad really miffed me on my last purchase in that regard.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";93133399]Uggh, I think I'm gonna just run Devour Flesh over Far // Away. Pack Rat is too annoying and most of my cards are 3cmc which kinda cannibalize each other.[/QUOTE]

The split cards kinda obfuscate your mana curve, but it looked very peak/valley when you posted your TappedOut decklist.
 
G

"God's Beard!"

Member
Karakand said:
The split cards kinda obfuscate your mana curve, but it looked very peak/valley when you posted your TappedOut decklist.
Click to expand...

well, in terms of the most crucial cards:

4x 1cmc (thoughtseize)
0x 2cmc
15x 3 cmc (Away, Psychic Strike, Specter, Ashiok)
0x 4 cmc
10x 5cmc (Far // Away, Jace, Aberration)

vs

4x 1cmc (thoughtseize)
4x 2cmc (Devour Flesh)
11x 3 cmc (Psychic Strike, Specter, Ashiok)
0x 4 cmc
6x 5cmc (Jace, Aberration)

I can also more reliably play two spells on turn 4 if I use Devour Flesh over Far // Away. I'd probably stick with it if Far was U instead of 1U so I'd get a 4cmc play, but there's too many times where I don't get to wait to use both sides and the halves just aren't helpful enough. I mean, it's super cool against green because Far beats Advent of the Wurm and Away beats Hexproof... but I can sideboard in Lifebane Zombie against green anyway.


This is my ideal play(unless I'm drawing against mono black in which case I play the thoughtseize first):

  1. Deathrite Shaman
  2. Breaking + Thoughtseize
  3. Discretionary turn based on the deck I'm facing
  4. 5cmc city unless thoughtseize showed me bad times

I think Devour Flesh loosens up the deck in the early turns, which pretty much makes and breaks the game for me.
 
B

blindrocket

Member
Watching a stream of Modern 5C Zoo.
Fun deck!

So far it has beaten Tron, Splinter Twin, and is about to beat Junk. He lost game one because of a bestowed Boon Satyr out of nowhere of all things. lol
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
...and they've just announced that those high-EV sealed queues are going away with the next downtime. I want to get better at Sealed, but not enough to play terrible-value dailies to do so.
 
K

Karakand

Member
kirblar said:
I'm 4 Trops away from having the blue manabase done. (Aside from ONS fetchlands - waiting those out lol)
Click to expand...

Nice!

Are you hoping for a smaller, not-Standard-legal reprint or an all-format-eligible one in a new release? Bloodstained Mire, Wooded Foothills and Windswept Heath aren't that bad atm. (Thanks Modern?)
 
K

kirblar

Member
Karakand said:
Nice!

Are you hoping for a smaller, not-Standard-legal reprint or an all-format-eligible one in a new release? Bloodstained Mire, Wooded Foothills and Windswept Heath aren't that bad atm. (Thanks Modern?)
Click to expand...
They want them in Modern. They'll be in Standard. M15 would be insane in all the right ways.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Ugh; I've had two bizarre MTGO client errors in as many days. Yesterday I didn't get a second game in match one and was given a match loss. When I filed for reimbursement, they told me it was a misclick (doubtful, but whatever), but they were nice enough to reimburse me anyway. Today, in an incredibly laggy match, my Baleful Eidolon ended up bestowed onto his Reaper of the Wilds. How does that happen? And I was really careful to watch my clicks after yesterday.

I made a comment a few days ago about taking breaks from Magic from time to time. I think it's time I did that. My recent losing streak, coupled with the BS that the MTGO client has been given me over the past couple of days, has me seriously on tilt. I need to step back for a bit I think...

EDIT: Well, to end this on a positive note, once again Wizards reimbursed me. I honestly didn't expect that; it's a nice gesture on their behalf.
 
E

Exokell

Banned
Spent lots of money with mma draft, that format is so much fun. Anyway completed my sets of goyf clique and Bob. Gotta get rav Bob though, fucking mma Bob is horrendous. Anyway when do u guys think the daily tourneys will come back to mtgo?
 
K

kirblar

Member
Exokell said:
Spent lots of money with mma draft, that format is so much fun. Anyway completed my sets of goyf clique and Bob. Gotta get rav Bob though, fucking mma Bob is horrendous. Anyway when do u guys think the daily tourneys will come back to mtgo?
Click to expand...
Scroll up. They made an announcement today.
 
F

f0rk

Member
Just bought 4 Scalding Tarns and 3 Arid Mesa for £195. Guess I can actually play Modern now!
Scalding Tarns are usually out of stock at this site so I've got to imagine they didn't check the price on the Scalding Tarns properly, £30 is cheaper than magiccardmarket.

Now I'm short 2-3 Cryptics, a Kiki-Jiki and some cheaper sideboard rares / money uncommons for my initial UWR control list.
 
K

Karakand

Member
kirblar said:
They want them in Modern. They'll be in Standard. M15 would be insane in all the right ways.
Click to expand...

It seems a strange omission, especially for 10 years. I know the allied/enemy mana thing has been pushed to the limit by 2 full Ravnica blocks, but come on.

f0rk said:
Just bought 4 Scalding Tarns and 3 Arid Mesa for £195. Guess I can actually play Modern now!
Click to expand...

3vVcGg4.png


I also bought Mesas for too much money.
 
S

shrapnelmagnet

Member
Hey guys, I just have a quick question (only recently have been dabbling in some MtG). I was told that when a single colour appears on a card's ability (with no "Tap" requirement), it generally means that it can be treated as an "X" and use multiple lands / mana to increase the effect.

Anyway, when it concerns Goblin Legionnaire, the requirement is "R / W, Sacrifice" for 2 damage dealt / prevented. We've been playing with this as also allowing multiple lands so that you can deal more damage and then you sacrifice. It feels wrong to me (and I'm the one with the card!) and I wanted to verify how it's supposed to work.

I did a bunch of searching, but couldn't find a good answer to this specific question. I read a bunch of stuff about how the card "used to be better pre-M10", but not why or if this was related. Any help would be appreciated!

Let me know if I've explained this horribly, lol, and I'll try again.

Thanks!
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
shrapnelmagnet said:
Hey guys, I just have a quick question (only recently have been dabbling in some MtG). I was told that when a single colour appears on a card's ability (with no "Tap" requirement), it generally means that it can be treated as an "X" and use multiple lands / mana to increase the effect.

Anyway, when it concerns Goblin Legionnaire, the requirement is "R / W, Sacrifice" for 2 damage dealt / prevented. We've been playing with this as also allowing multiple lands so that you can deal more damage and then you sacrifice. It feels wrong to me (and I'm the one with the card!) and I wanted to verify how it's supposed to work.

I did a bunch of searching, but couldn't find a good answer to this specific question. I read a bunch of stuff about how the card "used to be better pre-M10", but not why or if this was related. Any help would be appreciated!

Let me know if I've explained this horribly, lol, and I'll try again.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Everything before the colon is the "cost" to activate the ability. If you want to activate the ability more than once, you have to pay the cost more than once.

In the case of the card you're talking about, sacrificing it is part of the cost. You can't activate the ability more than once because you can only sacrifice the creature once.
 
S

shrapnelmagnet

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
Everything before the colon is the "cost" to activate the ability. If you want to activate the ability more than once, you have to pay the cost more than once.

In the case of the card you're talking about, sacrificing it is part of the cost. You can't activate the ability more than once because you can only sacrifice the creature once.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I figured - I just wanted to be 100% sure. So if it was, "R / W : Sacrifice Goblin Legionnaire etc. etc. etc", it could be played multiple times?

Thanks guys! It definitely felt pretty damn powerful considering the cost of the card, haha. All that searching before I thought to myself, "Hold on, why the fuck don't I see if there's a GAF thread rather than sign up for msg board to post a question" :)
 
K

Karakand

Member
shrapnelmagnet said:
I did a bunch of searching, but couldn't find a good answer to this specific question. I read a bunch of stuff about how the card "used to be better pre-M10", but not why or if this was related. Any help would be appreciated!
Click to expand...

From Classic until M10 combat damage used to go on the stack, ergo you could sacrifice a Gobbo Legionnaire after it had put its combat damage on the stack to kill something (else) or save something else.
 
E

EsotericManiac

Banned
Got to play Alex Bertoncheatyface at that Allentown dual lands tournament. Definitely seems like he cleaned up his act a bit

mistakes were made on both sides but I came out victorious in the end.
 
K

kirblar

Member
EsotericManiac said:
Got to play Alex Bertoncheatyface at that Allentown dual lands tournament. Definitely seems like he cleaned up his act a bit

mistakes were made on both sides but I came out victorious in the end.
Click to expand...
I beat him after I'm pretty sure he Jaced twice in Game 2 at the SCG:DC... that he ended up winning. :(
 
E

EsotericManiac

Banned
kirblar said:
I beat him after I'm pretty sure he Jaced twice in Game 2 at the SCG:DC... that he ended up winning. :(
Click to expand...

his mistake g3 was amazing lol

i have a tapped stoneforge with a manriki on her and an unflipped delver. he attacks with snapcaster mage with a jitte on him. i block. they trade.

he remembers jitte trigger

he says "i'll kill your mystic"

i wait...wait...and say "ok" (obviously realizing that he things mystic is still a 1/2 and not a 2/4 which became a 0/2 until end of turn)

/25 seconds later

he says "OOOOOohhhhhh!" and calls a judge. he was trying to get one counter put back on the jitte but to no avail
 
C

Crocodile

Member
phazedplasma said:
So as someone very new to this game, how long can I use Theros cards for?

Like do they fall out of legal play after a while?
Click to expand...

Theros cards are good to use in the STANDARD constructed format until October 2015. You can use Theros cards in any non-rotating format (Modern, Legacy, Vintage, etc.) forever.
 
G

GoutPatrol

Forgotten in his cell
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";93137374]
  1. Deathrite Shaman
  2. Breaking + Thoughtseize
  3. Discretionary turn based on the deck I'm facing
  4. 5cmc city unless thoughtseize showed me bad times

I think Devour Flesh loosens up the deck in the early turns, which pretty much makes and breaks the game for me.[/QUOTE]

Why aren't you playing Nighthowler? Bestowing for 4 on your Deathrites turns them into killers if you had a good Breaking.
 
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