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[Wulfric]

Im super glad to see the warm welcome. Coming from hearthstone i was worried you guys would look down on us ccg folk, but im trying my darndest to read your standard discussion to learn. Hoping to go to my first friday night magic next week.

Welcome! FNM is the perfect place to learn Magic. Everyone is still trying to figure out the new Zendikar standard, so you will probably see a variety of homebrew decks until the pros figure out what works. If you're interested in what those competitive decks will look like, the standard Pro Tour Milwaukee is coming up next weekend.

 

[Socat]

We're at peak Origins supply now and, if this SCG Open is any indication, she's seeing moderate use in the new Standard so I wouldn't expect any significant depreciation for a while. If you're not in any rush she'll slide gradually but I wouldn't expect her to find her way under $10 regularly until the set after Oath.



It's not just a Fat Pack issue and Wizards has already said they'll replace them, thankfully. So far the right side damage/roughness seems to be a pretty common issue across the board with the Expeditions.

Is there any information on how to start the process of getting a replacement?

 

["God's Beard!"]

I love the Jeskai Black deck's repeatable late game board states. It's not new or something that happens often, but it still makes me giggle every time it pops up.

Looping two jaces with Ojutai's Commands in the yard.
Rebuying Crackling Doom or Jeskai Charm every turn to lock out your opponent from ever playing creatures.

Just some fun interactions.

 

[Jhriad]

Is there any information on how to start the process of getting a replacement?

If you're in the United States:

• Go to https://wizards.custhelp.com/
• Click 'Email Us'
• In the drop down options there is a 'Defective Product' option, select that and 'Magic: The Gathering TCG' for the other drop down menu.
• Describe your issue in the text box and make sure to include the information they list here.
• For expediency I would also attach a photo of your receipt, if you still have it, and the damaged product(s).

Follow those steps and they'll get back to you in a few days with a pickup time frame for when FedEx will come by and grab your packed item(s).

 

[WanderingWind]

The lone store an hour from me laughed when I asked if they had fat packs.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I got a french one if you like. Also got a french nissa.

I do speak french but I spent as much as I am willing to part with for this month on BfZ fat packs and display.

 

[shrapnelmagnet]

The lone store an hour from me laughed when I asked if they had fat packs.

lol

One I called didn't let me finish my sentence. I got the feeling that he had answered the question a couple times already

 

[Boogalogist]

You guys should've preordered the day they announced full art lands are inside the fat packs. Now, let's just hope there's a second wave of stocks for fat packs.

 

[WanderingWind]

Eh. The lands themselves will drop in price. It's still a good value, but I have a good amount from the original Zendikar, so I don't need that many. A fat pack would about do it.

 

[The Technomancer]

Eh. The lands themselves will drop in price. It's still a good value, but I have a good amount from the original Zendikar, so I don't need that many. A fat pack would about do it.

Look at my rares a few pages back. You're more likely to pull like I did than to get a foil Gideon :/

 

[WanderingWind]

Look at my rares a few pages back. You're more likely to pull like I did than to get a foil Gideon :/

That's just it, I literally want nothing from BFZ besides the lands. I'd be buying the fat pack just for those.

 

[Little Old Man]

Still no dispatch for my Fat Pack. I hope the supplier has stock and they're not just holding onto my money!

So is this going to be the general MTG thread going forward? I'm jumping back in, though mainly to Modern. I've also grabbed last year's Red Commander pre-con, because I've always wanted to try out the format!

Any advice for a Commander newbie? The most difficult thing I've facing is even with my pre-con is evaluating what it can do/strategies/etc, given that the format is obviously based around only one copy of any non basic land card. Though I guess this is something that generally forms with experience of the format?

 

[Ashodin]

Commander is all about playing the most broken cards and combos. Also mana dorks and rocks.

 

[Firemind]

Commander is all about playing the most broken cards and combos. Also mana dorks and rocks.

no it's not

 

[SigmasonicX]

Still no dispatch for my Fat Pack. I hope the supplier has stock and they're not just holding onto my money!

So is this going to be the general MTG thread going forward? I'm jumping back in, though mainly to Modern. I've also grabbed last year's Red Commander pre-con, because I've always wanted to try out the format!

Any advice for a Commander newbie? The most difficult thing I've facing is even with my pre-con is evaluating what it can do/strategies/etc, given that the format is obviously based around only one copy of any non basic land card. Though I guess this is something that generally forms with experience of the format?

Yes, this is the general MTG thread. The idea is that this thread will be moved over to Community in a bit, then get brought back to OT for new product releases. Previously, we stuck solely to Community (links to previous threads are in the OP).

Speaking of which, charlequin, when are we moving to Community anyway? It might be a good time for a new thread title, like "Magic: the Gathering |OT| Lands Matter (and nothing else)"

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";180768658]I love the Jeskai Black deck's repeatable late game board states. It's not new or something that happens often, but it still makes me giggle every time it pops up.

Looping two jaces with Ojutai's Commands in the yard.
Rebuying Crackling Doom or Jeskai Charm every turn to lock out your opponent from ever playing creatures.

Just some fun interactions.[/QUOTE]

I found that a lot funnier with Stubborn Denial/a Counterspell.

I feel bad for y'all on the Fat Pack issue but I ended up getting a lot of "free" packs by just selling the sealed land packs inside for like $20 (I bought Fat Packs at $35).

 

[ultron87]

Found a Fat Pack at Target. I expect the big box stores are the best bet at this point.

Ob Nixilis, Kiora, Foil (non-expedition) Canopy Vista.

Brags.

 

[Bandini]

Still no dispatch for my Fat Pack. I hope the supplier has stock and they're not just holding onto my money!

So is this going to be the general MTG thread going forward? I'm jumping back in, though mainly to Modern. I've also grabbed last year's Red Commander pre-con, because I've always wanted to try out the format!

Any advice for a Commander newbie? The most difficult thing I've facing is even with my pre-con is evaluating what it can do/strategies/etc, given that the format is obviously based around only one copy of any non basic land card. Though I guess this is something that generally forms with experience of the format?

Just play with your friends and adjust your deck in the downtime accordingly. You want your deck to be around the same power levels as everyone else's... If there's a big power imbalance it's not a lot of fun for anyone.

Daretti is actually a great starting deck, and it's one I play quite a bit. Lots of nice artifacts out there to augment it with, Crucible of Worlds is really nice for example because it lets you play lands out of your graveyard you discarded with Daretti. Mindslaver is probably my favorite addition I've made to my Daretti deck.

 

[kirblar]

Traditionally the move is a month after release. (So we'll probably be hopping back and forth a lot.)

 

[kirblar]

Cascade Bluffs is $20+. Grove of the Burnwillows is $50+. :lol

Those are pre mythic sets though.

Not while they were in std

 

["God's Beard!"]

Speaking of Commander, here's my list if any of you EDH nuts have advice or fun ideas for me. It's got tokens and Dark Confidant so I'm sure Grimace would like it if he liked Commander.

Teysa, Orzhov Scion(altered)

Creatures(13):

• Herald of Anafenza
• Blood Artist
• Zulaport Cutthroat
• Suture Priest
• Dark Confidant
• Stoneforge Mystic
• Skirsdag High Priest
• Pack Rat
• Vampire Hexmage
• Frontline Medic
• Xathrid Necromancer
• Marsh Flitter
• Geist-Honored Monk

Instants/Sorceries(28):

-Token Makers:

• Spoils of Blood
• Raise the Alarm
• Gather the Townsfolk
• Midnight Haunting
• Spectral Procession
• Lingering Souls
• Cenn's Enlistment
• Battle Screech
• Conqueror's Pledge
• Triplicate Spirits
• Decree of Justice
• Martial Coup
• Launch the Fleet
• Secure the Wastes

-Control Spells:

• Retribution of the Meek
• Council's Judgement
• 2013 Vindicate (the only acceptable version)
• Utter End
• Day of Judgement
• Wrath of God
• Hour of Reckoning

-Synergy/Other:

• Vampiric Tutor
• Demonic Tutor
• Zealous Persecution
• Sign in Blood
• Read the Bones
• Obzedat's Aid
• Return to the Ranks

Artifacts(6):

• Skullclamp
• Sol Ring
• Sensei's Divining Top (altered)
• Meekstone
• Orzhov Signet
• Batterskull

Enchantments(10):

• Leyline of the Meek
• Darkest Hour
• Luminarch Ascension
• Intangible Virtue
• Bitterblossom
• Curse of Shallow Graves
• Oblivion Ring
• Banishing Light
• Spear of Heliod
• Cathar's Crusade

Planeswalkers(4):

• Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
• Sorin, Solemn Visitor
• Elspeth, Knight-Errant
• Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Land(38)

• Opal Palace
• Evolving Wilds
• Temple of Silence
• Orzhov Basilica
• Orzhov Guildgate
• Scoured Barrens
• Godless Shrine
• Isolated Chapel
• Caves of Koilos
• City of Brass
• Mana Confluence
• Tainted Field
• 9 Swamp
• Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• Mortuary Mire
• 7 Plains
• Remote Farm
• Spawning Bed
• Foundry of the Consuls
• Thespian's Stage
• Blighted Steppe
• Kjeldoran outpost
• Vault of the Archangel
• Dark Depths

I'm missing an Elspeth :-(

My rule on powerful, expensive Standard cards is that I don't use them for EDH until rotation so no Drana or Gideon for now.

I have all the tokens except Faerie Rogues and Marit Lage, nobody wants to trade me one.

 

[Haines]

Welcome! FNM is the perfect place to learn Magic. Everyone is still trying to figure out the new Zendikar standard, so you will probably see a variety of homebrew decks until the pros figure out what works. If you're interested in what those competitive decks will look like, the standard Pro Tour Milwaukee is coming up next weekend.

I should have clarified. Im going to a draft. Going to practice lots with my booster packs this week and try and study the cards online.. Wishing i bought a fat pack, but i didnt even know what fat pack contained til today when my buddy showed me his. I assume they keep selling fat packs post release right! Just not at the preorder price. Maybe ill grab one for the those lands.

I think im done with hearthstone til they make some serious balance/qol updates so magic will be my new home.

Would you guys reccomend i buy a couple cheap playmats or are they not neccesary.

 

[SigmasonicX]

I should have clarified. Im going to a draft. Going to practice lots with my booster packs this week and try and study the cards online.. Wishing i bought a fat pack, but i didnt even know what fat pack contained til today when my buddy showed me his. I assume they keep selling fat packs post release right! Just not at the preorder price. Maybe ill grab one for the those lands.

I think im done with hearthstone til they make some serious balance/qol updates so magic will be my new home.

Would you guys reccomend i buy a couple cheap playmats or are they not neccesary.

Playmats are not necessary at all, especially if you're already using card sleeves. People just like to show off their favorite anime girls.

 

[Bandini]

@GB Cathars' Crusade for sure. Counters for days.

Secure the Wastes is another great token generator.

 

[Haines]

Playmats are not necessary at all, especially if you're already using card sleeves. People just like to show off their favorite anime girls.

Ok, i kind of was thinking they were more cosmetic. Trying to play on a budget as this stuff can be pricey super quick. Like anything i guess

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";180779720]Speaking of Commander, here's my list if any of you EDH nuts have advice or fun ideas for me. It's got tokens and Dark Confidant so I'm sure Grimace would like it if he liked Commander.

Teysa, Orzhov Scion(altered)

Creatures(14):

• Herald of Anafenza
• Blood Artist
• Zulaport Cutthroat
• Suture Priest
• Dark Confidant
• Stoneforge Mystic
• Skirsdag High Priest
• Pack Rat
• Vampire Hexmage
• Thraben Doomsayer
• Frontline Medic
• Xathrid Necromancer
• Marsh Flitter
• Geist-Honored Monk

Instants/Sorceries(28):

-Token Makers:

• Spoils of Blood
• Raise the Alarm
• Gather the Townsfolk
• Midnight Haunting
• Spectral Procession
• Lingering Souls
• Cenn's Enlistment
• Battle Screech
• Conqueror's Pledge
• Triplicate Spirits
• Decree of Justice
• Martial Coup
• Launch the Fleet

-Control Spells:

• Retribution of the Meek
• Council's Judgement
• 2013 Vindicate (the only acceptable version)
• Utter End
• Day of Judgement
• Wrath of God
• End Hostilities
• Hour of Reckoning

-Synergy/Other:

• Vampiric Tutor
• Demonic Tutor
• Zealous Persecution
• Sign in Blood
• Read the Bones
• Obzedat's Aid
• Return to the Ranks

Artifacts(6):

• Skullclamp
• Sol Ring
• Sensei's Divining Top (altered)
• Meekstone
• Orzhov Signet
• Batterskull

Enchantments(9):

• Leyline of the Meek
• Darkest Hour
• Luminarch Ascension
• Intangible Virtue
• Bitterblossom
• Curse of Shallow Graves
• Oblivion Ring
• Banishing Light
• Spear of Heliod

Planeswalkers(4):

• Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
• Sorin, Solemn Visitor
• Elspeth, Knight-Errant
• Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Land(38)

• Opal Palace
• Evolving Wilds
• Temple of Silence
• Orzhov Basilica
• Orzhov Guildgate
• Scoured Barrens
• Godless Shrine
• Isolated Chapel
• Caves of Koilos
• City of Brass
• Mana Confluence
• Tainted Field
• 9 Swamp
• Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• Mortuary Mire
• 7 Plains
• Remote Farm
• Spawning Bed
• Foundry of the Consuls
• Thespian's Stage
• Blighted Steppe
• Kjeldoran outpost
• Vault of the Archangel
• Dark Depths

I'm missing an Elspeth :-(

My rule on powerful, expensive Standard cards is that I don't use them for EDH until rotation so no Drana or Gideon for now.

I have all the tokens except Faerie Rogues and Marit Lage, nobody wants to trade me one.[/QUOTE]

Commander is the worst. Faerie Rogues are pretty cheap, but the new ones from MM2015 were crappier than the original Morningtide ones.

But yeah, I like that deck since I play tokens in Modern. The only meaningful suggestion I would have is that you almost assuredly want Gideon, Ally of Zendikar in your list.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Commander is the worst. Faerie Rogues are pretty cheap, but the new ones from MM2015 were crappier than the original Morningtide ones.

But yeah, I like that deck since I play tokens in Modern. The only meaningful suggestion I would have is that you almost assuredly want Gideon, Ally of Zendikar in your list.

Yeah, Gideon and Hangarback and Drana are all great, but I'm gonna wait on them because there's no competitive incentive for me to put new expensive cards in an EDH deck right away.

I missed ordering the Faeries last time I ordered tokens and haven't gotten around to getting any, but I'll add them to today's order since I need some stuff.

Commander is all about playing the most broken cards and combos. Also mana dorks and rocks.

Actually, Commander is about showing off your alters and foil commons that don't see play in any other format.

@GB Cathars' Crusade for sure. Counters for days.

Secure the Wastes is another great token generator.

Good call on the Crusade, forgot all about that one. Secure the Wastes is out of stock everywhere that has everything else I need for now, so it's gonna have to wait a bit.

 

[MjFrancis]

I picked up two Battle for Zendikar fat packs on Friday, but I don't have any pulls to brag about because I'm saving the packs for drafting with friends. I broke open the fat pack lands to use them for drafts too, despite the temptation to sell them. I'll sell the packs to friends for the draft, probably at $9/head. That's $45 back, I get three packs, three hours of drafting, 160 full art lands and two fat pack boxes to store cards in. Not a bad deal to me.

And like everyone else who didn't get them already, I'm a little disappointed that I missed out on Baby Jace now that it's clear he's a four-of in the majority of builds you can think of for Standard. I just find it nuts that he's worth however-much more than what I can buy a Snapcaster Mage for right now.

 

[Firemind]

Just play with your friends and adjust your deck in the downtime accordingly. You want your deck to be around the same power levels as everyone else's... If there's a big power imbalance it's not a lot of fun for anyone.

Daretti is actually a great starting deck, and it's one I play quite a bit. Lots of nice artifacts out there to augment it with, Crucible of Worlds is really nice for example because it lets you play lands out of your graveyard you discarded with Daretti. Mindslaver is probably my favorite addition I've made to my Daretti deck.

To expound on this, pick a theme you want to do, then pick the appropriate commander and work out synergies. Then add/remove cards as you see fit after playing sessions. Daretti for example is home to an artifact themed deck. If you want graveyard interactions (zombies!), pick Karador, Mimeoplasm, Sedris etc. If you want swarming (kekeke), there's Prossh, Rhys etc. If you just want to sit back and chill, well, there are a lot of commanders that can do that.

It's good to pick themes because it gives the deck an identity and because it gives restrictions so you don't need to pick 65 cards out of a million cards. For example, I'm currently building a Barbarian-themed deck. What are barbarians good at? Raiding and pillaging! So I have a land/artifact destruction theme going. I also have a small equipment theme to bolster my barbarians since they're rather small compared to dragons and demons and stuff. Plus it's rad to equip them with big ass swords. A dragon picking up a sword? Not so much.

 

[OnPoint]

It's good to pick themes because it gives the deck an identity and because it gives restrictions so you don't need to pick 65 cards out of a million cards. For example, I'm currently building a Barbarian-themed deck. What are barbarians good at? Raiding and pillaging! So I have a land/artifact destruction theme going. I also have a small equipment theme to bolster my barbarians since they're rather small compared to dragons and demons and stuff. Plus it's rad to equip them with big ass swords. A dragon picking up a sword? Not so much.

You just made me want to build a Conquer the World deck where I steal everyone's lands.

Damn you.

 

[Firemind]

My go-to combo will be to equip a Darksteel Plate and Worldslayer to a barbarian and attack.

insert joker gif

 

[Jhriad]

Playmats are not necessary at all, especially if you're already using card sleeves. People just like to show off their favorite anime girls.

Mats protect your sleeves from the grime on whatever playing surface you're using. At some stores that can be pretty important. I'd much rather put my mat in the wash than have to wipe down my sleeves frequently. Necessary? No, of course not. They are a nice accessory that insures you're playing on a clean surface though. You'd only really ever need a single playmat and you can find plain mats for under $10 so if you're ever looking for a budget option they are out there. Start with some sleeves and work your way up to a mat if you find your sleeves getting dirty a little too quickly. Or if your LGS is full of disgusting slobs that use the play tables for drinks, food, and various bodily fluids.

 

[red13th]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";180779720][*]2013 Vindicate (the only acceptable version)[/QUOTE]

eww

 

[cory64]

Big box stores around me are sold out of fat packs. Not too many boosters left either

 

[Haines]

Mats protect your sleeves from the grime on whatever playing surface you're using. At some stores that can be pretty important. I'd much rather put my mat in the wash than have to wipe down my sleeves frequently. Necessary? No, of course not. They are a nice accessory that insures you're playing on a clean surface though. You'd only really ever need a single playmat and you can find plain mats for under $10 so if you're ever looking for a budget option they are out there. Start with some sleeves and work your way up to a mat if you find your sleeves getting dirty a little too quickly. Or if your LGS is full of disgusting slobs that use the play tables for drinks, food, and various bodily fluids.

Fair points! Im just using some cheepo sleeves for now.

Is there a popular online store for magic stuff that I could look at getting reasonable prices or do you guys generally just buy from your local shop.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

eww

The 2013 is the judge promo, no? That's hands-down the classiest Vindicate.

 

["God's Beard!"]

The 2013 is the judge promo, no? That's hands-down the classiest Vindicate.

It's inarguable.

 

[Firemind]

The 2013 is the judge promo, no? That's hands-down the classiest Vindicate.

If you're a Twilight enthusiast.

 

[Angry Grimace]

With the huge spike in Jace prices, I wonder if redemption actually becomes worth it. I mean, you have to be able to actually sell the cards for it to be worth it, of course.

 

[ultron87]

If you're a Twilight enthusiast.

It is better than "cool guys/ships don't look at explosions".

 

[inthrall]

With the huge spike in Jace prices, I wonder if redemption actually becomes worth it. I mean, you have to be able to actually sell the cards for it to be worth it, of course.

http://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/by-the-numbers-battle-for-zendikar-week-one

This article says no, but if you have enough of the set already it may be worth looking into

 

[gai_shain]

no it's not

agreed, its about locking the enemy out of doing anything

 

[Etrian Oddity]

If you're a Twilight enthusiast.

Except Sorin has more in common with vampires from The Lost Boys and Blade than the vampires in Twilight.

 

[Angry Grimace]

We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out with the PT and all, but decks running 12 fetchlands and 4 colors has to be some kind of disaster for the design and development teams. They were simply out of their fucking minds to print no nonbasic land hate in this set.

It would have made perfect sense for the Eldrazi to hate on non-basic lands too, they could have had a blood moon like card which hates on fetchlands or lands that don't have basic types.

 

["God's Beard!"]

We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out with the PT and all, but decks running 12 fetchlands and 4 colors has to be some kind of disaster for the design and development teams. They were simply out of their fucking minds to print no nonbasic land hate in this set.

It would have made perfect sense for the Eldrazi to hate on non-basic lands too, they could have had a blood moon like card which hates on fetchlands or lands that don't have basic types.

"When you cast Oblivion Sower, gain control of target nonbasic land."

 

[kirblar]

We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out with the PT and all, but decks running 12 fetchlands and 4 colors has to be some kind of disaster for the design and development teams. They were simply out of their fucking minds to print no nonbasic land hate in this set.

It would have made perfect sense for the Eldrazi to hate on non-basic lands too, they could have had a blood moon like card which hates on fetchlands or lands that don't have basic types.

Sowing Salt is in the set, why do people keep saying this even though its not true?

They haven't printed 4cc LD in FOREVER.

 

[Firemind]

Sowing Salt is in the set, why do people keep saying this even though its not true?

They haven't printed 4cc LD in FOREVER.

Demolish is in Origins and Theros.

 

[kirblar]

Demolish is in Origins and Theros.

Ah, shows how much I play limited (and how much play that card sees.)

I stand by my statement re: good 4cc LD though

 

[Etrian Oddity]

Sowing Salt is in the set, why do people keep saying this even though its not true?

They haven't printed 4cc LD in FOREVER.

Also this

 

[Angry Grimace]

Sowing Salt is in the set, why do people keep saying this even though its not true?

They haven't printed 4cc LD in FOREVER.

Sowing Salt is a bad card that does nothing useful to your opponent playing a one-of Sunken Hollow (who can, of course just fetch a Smoldering Marsh or some other battleland that has the colors), so why are you even mentioning it? Are you suggesting Sowing Salt, or Demolish is going to see play? Because I highly doubt it. You're also just wrong, they've had 4CMC land destruction in Standard for quite a while with Demolish/Desecration Plague, etc.

It's an irrelevant technical argument which is besides the point: if their design goal with Battlelands was to restrict 4C and 5C lands, they probably failed. If you really need that point clarified, you could just read it as "why didn't they print any good nonbasic land hate?" Now, if they just didn't care, okay then, but that seems to contradict Maro's stated design goal with Battlelands was that they wanted them to be less good in 4C and 5C decks and the normal WOTC design philosophy for standard.