The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Zendikar was awesome. Landfall is tied with Suspend for my favorite mechanic ever and Zendikar had some nifty stuff going on with allies and quests and stuff
Magic: the GAFering |OT2|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
- Start date
Zendikar was awesome. Landfall is tied with Suspend for my favorite mechanic ever and Zendikar had some nifty stuff going on with allies and quests and stuff
"God's Beard!"
Member
My favorite keyword mechanic is either Hexproof or Annihilator.
But I played Mythic Conscription so what do I know.
But I played Mythic Conscription so what do I know.
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";113981671]My favorite keyword mechanic is either Hexproof or Annihilator.[/QUOTE]
I think Annihilator is fine. Its only on super expensive cards, and is flavorful, as a giant monster should leave some destruction in it's wake.
I've made my opinions on Hexproof public. I hope it dies of SIDS or something.
I think Annihilator is fine. Its only on super expensive cards, and is flavorful, as a giant monster should leave some destruction in it's wake.
I've made my opinions on Hexproof public. I hope it dies of SIDS or something.
"God's Beard!"
Member
What about conditional hexproof like Prognostic Sphinx or Tromokratis?
"God's Beard!"
Member
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";113985043]Rumored M15 reprints:
Slippery Bogle
Daybreak Coronet[/QUOTE]
Yeah right.
Slippery Bogle
Daybreak Coronet[/QUOTE]
Yeah right.
"God's Beard!"
Member
New Standard puzzle: What's the cut? 61 cards:
Planeswalker (6)
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4x Jace, Architect of Thought
Sorcery (7)
4x Supreme Verdict
3x Thoughtseize
Instant (13)
4x Sphinx's Revelation
4x Dissolve
2x Syncopate
1x Doom Blade
1x Last Breath
1x Ultimate Price
Creature (3)
1x AEtherling
2x Blood Baron of Vizkopa
Enchantment (5)
1x Banishing Light
4x Detention Sphere
Land (27)
1x Godless Shrine
2x Watery Grave
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Temple of Deceit
4x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Temple of Silence
5x Island
3x Plains
Sideboard (15)
1x Blind Obedience
1x Thassa's Ire
3x Dark Betrayal
1x Doom Blade
2x Fiendslayer Paladin
2x Gainsay
3x Nightveil Specter
1x Pithing Needle
1x Thoughtseize
Cut Thoughts:
Uhh, I was obviously joking to aggravate him.
Planeswalker (6)
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4x Jace, Architect of Thought
Sorcery (7)
4x Supreme Verdict
3x Thoughtseize
Instant (13)
4x Sphinx's Revelation
4x Dissolve
2x Syncopate
1x Doom Blade
1x Last Breath
1x Ultimate Price
Creature (3)
1x AEtherling
2x Blood Baron of Vizkopa
Enchantment (5)
1x Banishing Light
4x Detention Sphere
Land (27)
1x Godless Shrine
2x Watery Grave
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Temple of Deceit
4x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Temple of Silence
5x Island
3x Plains
Sideboard (15)
1x Blind Obedience
1x Thassa's Ire
3x Dark Betrayal
1x Doom Blade
2x Fiendslayer Paladin
2x Gainsay
3x Nightveil Specter
1x Pithing Needle
1x Thoughtseize
Cut Thoughts:
- Last Breath is probably the removal spell with the least targets, but cutting the amount of 2-drop removal any further is probably too rough and it's randomly insane against Chandra's Phoenix. Gaining 4 health with Elspeth Tokens/Nightveils is also very relevant against burn. Also one of the only spells that hits Mutavault in my deck.
- Third Thoughtseize could be argued for, but disruption is really awesome at slowing games down. Now that there are more cards that see play that are hard to deal with like Abrupt Decay, stripping them from your opponent's hand is more important than ever. Cutting one also makes the sideboard a bit awkward.
- 27th land is a notorious cutting point for Esper players, and having Barons and an extra thoughtseize mainboard lowers my mana curve slightly enough that it doesn't hurt too bad. However, I err on the side of flooding with mana.
- Fourth Detention Sphere is a popular cut these days, but I get so much mileage out of my o-rings that I'm always wanting more, not less. 5 has served me very well and pre-emptive siding against enchantment hate along with bringing in extra creatures can make your opponent misread your plan pretty often.
- Some people only use three Jace but they're also insane.
Uhh, I was obviously joking to aggravate him.
keeblerdrow
Member
I just put something together that's super similar and I cut the D Sphere. But I also cut the Last Breath and Ultimate Price and main decked 2 Ashioks, so what do I know?
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Monoblack and GB means Doom Blade is almost always a sideboard option for me. I'd cut that one.
"God's Beard!"
Member
Ashiok is really good when you have a lot of G/R Monsters in your meta and control players only run one copy of each win condition. It's gotten less strong now that most Monsters players moved to Jund or Naya and Control typically runs three Elspeth and no Elixir.
It always has targets with Mutavault around, and I'd rather sideboard the card that hits 1/6 colors than the other way. Doom Blade is always relevant to some extent, and I just don't have the sideboard slots for another doom blade, and ultimate price actually has less targets than Doom Blade with Brave Naya and Rakdos Aggro being huge parts of my local metas.
Furthermore, mainboard Blood Barons is already a huge hedge against the black menace.
It always has targets with Mutavault around, and I'd rather sideboard the card that hits 1/6 colors than the other way. Doom Blade is always relevant to some extent, and I just don't have the sideboard slots for another doom blade, and ultimate price actually has less targets than Doom Blade with Brave Naya and Rakdos Aggro being huge parts of my local metas.
Furthermore, mainboard Blood Barons is already a huge hedge against the black menace.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
I'm of the mind that any one of has to always have an immediate impact on the game, and that just isn't Doom Blade at this moment. I'm sticking with my cut.
"God's Beard!"
Member
Agreed, but Doom blade isn't strictly functioning as a one-of. It's part of an overlapping 2-drop removal suite with Last Breath and Ultimate Price that gives me early game against faster decks. Cutting it means I only have two functioning cheap removal and turning it into an ultimate price or last breath is cutting out relevant target potential for turn two.
Note that Mutavault is one of the most notorius targets for control players and cutting Doom Blade gives me one spell before turn 5 that can kill a mutavault. It also kills both Mistcutter Hydra and Stormbreath Dragon at the top end, and Fleecemane Lion in the mid-game before my naya opponent can monstrous or otherwise make indestructible.
Doom Blade is only irrelevant against an MBD player in the first game on the chance they never draw mutavault. Which is not entirely uncommon, but Mono Black has so few relevant immediate threats that changing around my 2-drop suite for the matchup at the cost of others is hardly efficient, especially when I'm dropping 2/3 of those cards for Dark Betrayals in the second game.
There's an argument for turning it into an Azorius Charm, but I like being able to hit SotP, Stormbreath and Mistcutter. Azorius Charm is also so horrendous against haste creatures that I stopped running them entirely. I run enough lifegain in the 75 that one charm will never be relevant for that purpose and a two mana cantrip isn't exactly what I'm in the market for.
SigmasonicX
Member
Well this is interesting.
Usually Mark Rosewater just outright rejects proposals for giving red an easier way to deal with enchantments, but he seems to be somewhat open to this notion. I do think it could be interesting for red to be able to redirect aura spells like it already can with instants and sorceries, and the idea of red transferring a Pacifism onto an opponent's creature, even just temporarily, does seem appealing. Though neither of those ideas would help red with a Banishing Light, which I suppose could be more a feature than a bug.
Usually Mark Rosewater just outright rejects proposals for giving red an easier way to deal with enchantments, but he seems to be somewhat open to this notion. I do think it could be interesting for red to be able to redirect aura spells like it already can with instants and sorceries, and the idea of red transferring a Pacifism onto an opponent's creature, even just temporarily, does seem appealing. Though neither of those ideas would help red with a Banishing Light, which I suppose could be more a feature than a bug.
My girlfriend and I are thinking of getting into this. We both have quite a bit of experience with the Xbox/iPad version of Magic DotP but not much with the physical card game. I have a couple of really old decks from way back (more than a decade ago) as well as a few Championship decks back when they were still being released but other than that I never really dived deep into this.
What's the best way to start now? Do we both buy an Intro Pack each or do we buy just one Deckbuilder's Toolkit? How about a Duel deck or even the Modern Event Deck?
What's the best way to start now? Do we both buy an Intro Pack each or do we buy just one Deckbuilder's Toolkit? How about a Duel deck or even the Modern Event Deck?
Works for me, I guess.
Wow. Won my fnm tonight. Went 5-0, didn't lose a single match. Was playing UW control and it just drew perfectly. There were times I had no cards in hand and would draw a revaltion off the top or opponent would have pack rat and demon and 2 mutavaults and I drew verdict. Won $30 and tormented hero(I really wanted dissolve). Then the cherry on top was playing against this guy who always accuses me of playing "rares and lands only" in my edh decks. I've been tweaking them a lot over the past few weeks after playing my friends every week for hours. Well me and this guy went 1v1, with him playing a tribal rakdos demon deck and me playing geist of saint traft. I trounced him twice badly. I admit when I first got into edh I did just throw rares of similar color together but playing so often with my competitive friends has really elevated my deck building and gameplay.
"God's Beard!"
Member
So I decided to go with the Thoughtseize cut tonight, and honestly was pretty unhappy with it. I got 3rd, losing to Bg Devotion in top 4 semifinals off the back of a double mulligan. Had to fight the whole Thoughtseize suite today, with 5/6 decks being black-based:
So, hedging against Naya Aggro(half of last week's FNM, which I won) with 5 O-ring effects was pretty bad against the flurry of Abrupt Decays I fought tonight. Definitely opening a sideboard slot for either Deicide or a third Blood Baron to combat the black menace, and bringing back my third Thoughtseize. Ashiok actually isn't terrible either as a one-of in the side, but top decking it is just so horrendous that I don't think it's worth the risk.
- MBD
- uB Devotion
- Red Deck Wins
- GB Rock
- Bg Devotion
- Bg Devotion
So, hedging against Naya Aggro(half of last week's FNM, which I won) with 5 O-ring effects was pretty bad against the flurry of Abrupt Decays I fought tonight. Definitely opening a sideboard slot for either Deicide or a third Blood Baron to combat the black menace, and bringing back my third Thoughtseize. Ashiok actually isn't terrible either as a one-of in the side, but top decking it is just so horrendous that I don't think it's worth the risk.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Hilariously, Jace AOT is still 14 tix online, despite the Duel Deck being on there, as well. That's just because no one actually buys them, though.
Headed down to a local shop today and picked up a 2014 Deckbuilder Toolkit, couple of boosters from the most recent three blocks and got two free quick start decks (Green and Black). We created two decks from whatever cards we got and ended up with a WG token deck and a BU mill/discard deck. It was fun for a while but after a few matches I got bored. Coming from DotP, the decks are clearly not syngergized or optimized well due to the limited card pool. I don't even think I have a single set of four cards for any spells. Now, I'm wondering how we proceed from here.
Should I pick up the Event decks and use it as a base to build another deck? The guy at the shop said that the Duel packs are more for fun and aren't really competitive so I didn't pick that up. He also said it would probably be better to go online and look for decks and buy singles using those decklists instead of buying boosters.
Any advice, GAF?
blindrocket
Member
When I got back into it the easiest thing was to get an event or starter deck (whatever those are called) and expand on it from there.
Buying boosters is almost never worth it if your goal is deck building. I'll buy them occasionally but I liken it to buying a lotto scratcher.
I've only been into it hard core for a year now but I've amassed a sizeable standard and modern collection.
Have no shame in net decking.
And for cheaper thrills there are some really fun pauper deck lists.
Buying boosters is almost never worth it if your goal is deck building. I'll buy them occasionally but I liken it to buying a lotto scratcher.
I've only been into it hard core for a year now but I've amassed a sizeable standard and modern collection.
Have no shame in net decking.
And for cheaper thrills there are some really fun pauper deck lists.
Jace is rotating soon, has zero modern appeal, and isn't as popular in Standard as he once was.
SigmasonicX
Member
Well, if your goal is to participate in tournaments and win, then yeah, just go ahead and netdeck (build decks based on ones you see online) and buy singles. If you're just going to be playing with friends, then I feel there's more fun in using prebuilt decks as bases and modifying them based on how they do against your friends.
blindrocket
Member
And as a suggestion I buy singles from eBay or tcgplayer.com
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
It depends how you define "competitive."
Oh and yay, my opponent in round one of this booster draft has King Macar, Gild and Agent of the Fates, and played them all in his first four turns.
Oh and yay, my opponent in round one of this booster draft has King Macar, Gild and Agent of the Fates, and played them all in his first four turns.
Buy singles. Opening packs is never a good idea unless you're drafting.
I just realized cube season is open again and 3-0'd my first draft. Tried to force mono red, but ended up with U/W control. I'm still of the opinion that Tangle Wire is the best card you can open in an unpowered cube. Aggro wants to deny mana to overrun the enemy and control wants to... deny mana and take over the late game. It's like how Strip Mine fits in any deck. Tangle Wire is like 4/3/2/1 Strip Mines in one. One time I played turn two Epocrasite, turn three Tinker into Thran Dynamo into Tangle Wire. Game was over before it started. The other time I cast Upheaval while Tangle Wire was at zero counters, so I can cast it again. Suffice to say my opponent never recovered.
I wish mana denial was a thing again in Standard. Hopefully in Khans of Tharkir. Hopefully.
I just realized cube season is open again and 3-0'd my first draft. Tried to force mono red, but ended up with U/W control. I'm still of the opinion that Tangle Wire is the best card you can open in an unpowered cube. Aggro wants to deny mana to overrun the enemy and control wants to... deny mana and take over the late game. It's like how Strip Mine fits in any deck. Tangle Wire is like 4/3/2/1 Strip Mines in one. One time I played turn two Epocrasite, turn three Tinker into Thran Dynamo into Tangle Wire. Game was over before it started. The other time I cast Upheaval while Tangle Wire was at zero counters, so I can cast it again. Suffice to say my opponent never recovered.
I wish mana denial was a thing again in Standard. Hopefully in Khans of Tharkir. Hopefully.
"God's Beard!"
Member
Speaking of singles, I just ordered my new Commander:
My old decks are Erebos and Lu Bu so I thought I'd combine the decks and see if I can't come up with something cool.
My old decks are Erebos and Lu Bu so I thought I'd combine the decks and see if I can't come up with something cool.
blindrocket
Member
Cool Commander.
I'm still looking at updating my Prossh deck and building one for Oona, Queen of the Fae.
I'm still looking at updating my Prossh deck and building one for Oona, Queen of the Fae.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";114208624]Speaking of singles, I just ordered my new Commander:
My old decks are Erebos and Lu Bu so I thought I'd combine the decks and see if I can't come up with something cool.[/QUOTE]
Dies to Ramirez DiPietro
My old decks are Erebos and Lu Bu so I thought I'd combine the decks and see if I can't come up with something cool.[/QUOTE]
Dies to Ramirez DiPietro
Thanks for the replies guys. I spoke to my gf about it and she said she prefers to build a deck from a pool of cards instead of netdecking or buying preconstructed decks. Since we started this as an activity that we can do together, we're just going to be building up our card pool by buying 6 boosters each week (2 from each of the 3 latest blocks) and playing with whatever decks we can construct from this expanding pool.
If I do want to get more serious about this, I'll just netdeck with singles in the future and enter some local competitions or something.
If I do want to get more serious about this, I'll just netdeck with singles in the future and enter some local competitions or something.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Full Vintage Masters spoiler:
http://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/2703ih/vintage_masters_actual_visual_spoiler/
Love seeing Blazing Specter and Prophetic Bolt at uncommon. Storm actually looks somewhat playable with rituals at common and uncommon, although I think we'll be seeing Dark Ritual enabling more "all-in" plays than Storm plays (the thought of Dark Ritual'ing out a Blazing Specter on turn two is kinda turning me on).
The set in general looks pretty awesome; much like how Modern Masters was a "greatest hits" of Modern limited formats, this looks like that but applied to pre-Modern-era Magic.
http://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/2703ih/vintage_masters_actual_visual_spoiler/
Love seeing Blazing Specter and Prophetic Bolt at uncommon. Storm actually looks somewhat playable with rituals at common and uncommon, although I think we'll be seeing Dark Ritual enabling more "all-in" plays than Storm plays (the thought of Dark Ritual'ing out a Blazing Specter on turn two is kinda turning me on).
The set in general looks pretty awesome; much like how Modern Masters was a "greatest hits" of Modern limited formats, this looks like that but applied to pre-Modern-era Magic.
acheron_xl
Member
I'm not even through the white yet, and some of the rarity swaps (and there are a ton) just make me scratch my head. Radiant, Archangel, Pianna and Sidar JIbari are all uncommons, along with Mystic Zealot and Devout Witness (both up from common), but Spirit Cairn is a rare? Whatever.
edit: Sea Drake is rare and Serendib Efreet is uncommon? Is that because Sea Drake is better in some theoretical High Tide/Fastbond deck? I don't even know.
divisionbyzorro
Member
It's all about the limited archetypes I would guess.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Consider getting some Duel Deck packs if you want to play with her as well, and breaking them down and throwing them in the pool.
I'd imagine Sea Drake is higher because of the incredibly remote possibility of playing it turn 1 with Ancient Tomb and Mox Sapphire with no comes into play penalty, but that's still tenuous. The rarities in the set are just wacky.
SigmasonicX
Member
A combined video of all the Theros set promos has been released, and there is a lot of new footage in the Journey Into Nyx section, including shots of Elspeth's past at the beginning, and at the very end, a scene of Ajani carrying her corpse and a shot of her gold burial mask in the underworld.
And Doug Beyer clarifies what the nature of Elspeth's death is:
And Doug Beyer clarifies what the nature of Elspeth's death is:
Here too:
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Hm. I just don't know what to think about this Vintage Masters thing. I want the dual lands but without knowing if this is going to lead to vintage being a sustainable thing on MTGO it could literally be throwing money down the drain.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
I suspect MTGO Legacy PTQs will be coming in the (far) future.
blindrocket
Member
I bought the cards I needed for 8 Rack. Looks like fun. 
Besides that Waste Not card that releases with M15 should be great in it.
Besides that Waste Not card that releases with M15 should be great in it.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
The best way to summarize is that Elspeth is only mostly dead.
platypotamus
Member
You can do a winchester draft with her with those 6 boosters too before you add them to your general pool
blindrocket
Member
Quick, find Miracle Max.
When will Conspiracy be fully spoiled? It releases in less than a week!
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Clearly she needs to learn how to bluff
I'm guessing tonight
Between Conspiracy and Vintage Masters, WoTC is definitely giving Odyssey Block the attention it deserves.... those two cards probably shouldn't be near each other though
I'm still amazed by how good of a set Torment is. It's like the entire set is eternal format playables or EDH/casual staples. Would really like to see some of the mechanics from that block revisited again soon.