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[Angry Grimace]

WOTC must not be fans of Star Trek given that they gave Jace (a much maligned character) a beard in the story but then didn't give him a beard on the associated card.

 

[charlequin]

we will never get Western Magic, will we

Nah, we totes will. If you look at sets over time there's two recent trends that are pretty solid: they've been putting more effort into hitting popular fan-request concepts for sets, and that Rosewater hits people up for feedback about stuff they've already decided to do to see if they're on the right page about it. Wild West World hit the top ten most wanted set concepts in Maro's poll (shortly behind Egypt, Pirates, Kaladesh-before-the-block-was-announced, Steampunk, and Dinosaurs) and he's posted to Blogatog for years about what that might wind up looking like. It's probably running behind Viking World but not too far behind.

Someone decide for me. lol

All the trendlines on MTGO card prices are downwards, so the question is really just whether the direct utility you get from being able to play with them over the next, say, year outweighs the ongoing loss of value.

the issue being?

They describe the issue as guns being "too modern" but that's not exactly right. The actual problem has much more to do with how people tend to perceive guns:

• Because guns specifically had the role they did in history, they're in particular tools that push back against a lot of classic fantasy elements, like mounted knights on horseback or whatever. These elements already don't maybe make a ton of sense, but if you introduce guns you suddenly have a really visible anachronism that makes it harder to sell these to some people with a straight face.
• Pop-culture mythologizing has made people think of guns as ultra-powerful, and the Wild West definitely plays into this. You run the risk of having people feel like you've failed to execute correctly on the guns unless they're ludicrously powerful and dangerous (which obviously has its own problems.)
• One of the big things people associate with guns is them being a great equalizer. Because they're dangerous, and portable, and work at range, and are (after a point) relatively easy to use, they're seen as something that majorly advantages small forces against more powerful opponents. You don't really want this in a magic-oriented setting because you don't actually want to create a dynamic where something completely mundane lets regular people be on the same level as cool, magical stuff.
• Because of their association with time periods like the Industrial Revolution guns are seen as innately part of "technological progress" in a way that tons of other things (that equally should be) aren't. Nobody will look at a fantasy setting with glass windows and say "oh well if a few years pass why aren't there skyscrapers yet" but people will absolutely ask these kinds of dumbass questions with even really basic firearms.
• On a related note, because guns are very portable and the "secret" of gunpowder is seen as a trick that you can duplicate easily once you know it, nobody's ever gonna ask why no one is bringing plate glass or advanced hat technology from Innistrad to Naya or whatever but people will ask annoyingly and at length about why no one is going to the one plane with guns and bringing them somewhere else to exploit.

This is just one of the first links I found but this is the kind of thing everyone is thinking about when they make calls like this: https://mythcreants.com/blog/six-ways-guns-change-a-fantasy-setting/

 

[Justin]

beta update:

I sent a kind-but-confused reply to their "you're not actually in the program" email, including a quote of when I was sent an installer and password.

Two days later, a completely different CS agent sent me the exact same email I had just replied to, word for word. He then closed the ticket.

WOTC is freeing you from the shackles of their shitty platform. Why won't you accept their gift?

 

[jakonovski]

I want a Vraska and Jace Beleren card.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Gonna take a while for me to chew through all these points but thanks for writing them out charlequin. Except a lengthy reply within the next day.

The BETA is already over if that helps.


Sudden inspiration what would a PW ability w/o a value associated mean rules wise?
For instance could I write a triggered ability behind an up arrow that increases loyalty?

^ Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies put a loyalty counter on ~

 

[Justin]

WOTC must not be fans of Star Trek given that they gave Jace (a much maligned character) a beard in the story but then didn't give him a beard on the associated card.

Tried really hard to come up with a Vraska is the beard joke but couldn't... so here you go.

 

[Ashodin]

Steampunk Wild West would be fuckin' rad

 

[Poodlestrike]

Steampunk Wild West would be fuckin' rad

People keep saying that but every time anybody tries it comes out super, super dumb.

 

[traveler]

Gonna take a while for me to chew through all these points but thanks for writing them out charlequin. Except a lengthy reply within the next day.

The BETA is already over if that helps.


Sudden inspiration what would a PW ability w/o a value associated mean rules wise?
For instance could I write a triggered ability behind an up arrow that increases loyalty?

^ Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies put a loyalty counter on ~

I suspect you'd avoid using any element of the cost currently on the card, as even the up arrow is part of communicating the cost, which does not apply outside activated abilities. I suspect Wizards would use a template similar to what they've already done:

The additional text is set apart as if it were another ability (notice the background shading changes for the static commander text just like abilities) but no cost is listed at all.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

People keep saying that but every time anybody tries it comes out super, super dumb.

I suspect you'd avoid using any element of the cost currently on the card, as even the up arrow is part of communicating the cost, which does not apply outside activated abilities. I suspect Wizards would use a template similar to what they've already done:

The additional text is set apart as if it were another ability (notice the background shading changes for the static commander text just like abilities) but no cost is listed at all.

But that's something wizard doesn't want to do just yet. Just like spells with no cost you couldn't activate it because there is nothing to be paid. All the loyalty abilities on existing PWs still have the ":" behind it to signify it's an activated ability as well.

The ^ w/o the ":" would show that this ability is the way to up loyalty while keeping it closer to the design identity of a PW.

 

[Lucario]

yeah but hangarback walker doesn't have a gun

The BETA is already over if that helps.

Aw man. I accepted I'm not getting in after the customer service feedback loop, but it'd be nice if they'd just tell me "hey we fucked up and you're not actually in" instead of basically shrugging at me for five months.

 

[Santiako]

Case in point.

 

[Poodlestrike]

My point precisely.

 

[Ashodin]

Wicke

Wicke Wil Wild

Wicke Wild wild

WILD WEST

DESPERADO

ROUGH RIDA

NO YOU DONT WANT NADA

NONE OF THIS

SIX GUNNIN THIS

 

[TheBlackMarvel]

Wicke

Wicke Wil Wild

Wicke Wild wild

WILD WEST

DESPERADO

ROUGH RIDA

NO YOU DONT WANT NADA

NONE OF THIS

SIX GUNNIN THIS

 

[Poodlestrike]

Y'know what'd work is if they took a page out of the wildly underused Rise of Legends playbook and did a Clockpunk/Da Vinci plane.

Man that was a dope game.

 

[Hackworth]

Y'know what'd work is if they took a page out of the wildly underused Rise of Legends playbook and did a Clockpunk/Da Vinci plane.



Man that was a dope game.

Isn't that just Fiora?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Boy someone really wants Viking World in that poll.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Isn't that just Fiora?

My newguyness is showing here, lol. Yeah that looks about right.

 

[Joe Molotov]

People keep saying that but every time anybody tries it comes out super, super dumb.

Brisco County Jr. was awesome.

 

[blindrocket]

All the trendlines on MTGO card prices are downwards, so the question is really just whether the direct utility you get from being able to play with them over the next, say, year outweighs the ongoing loss of value.

It has this continual up and down cycle. I won't argue that it's overall trend is downward, however. My collection dropped in value $50 just overnight. But it's one of those things if there were some Modern coverage right now those cards would go up. I know that you know this. I know it will rebound some though and if I wait a bit more I can recoup the short term loss.

 

[Ashodin]

Boy someone really wants Viking World in that poll.

Either the viking storm world or snow viking land are fine with me

SNOW PERMANENTS

 

[FreedomFrisbee]

They should really make a christmas themed conspiracy set so they can print all the snow lands again.

 

[Imperfected]

Viking world is sort of like Theros in that it's just a great place for big dumb Legendary Creature type stuff. Fafnir, Nidhogg, Jormungand, Fenrir, etc.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

who cares about vikings I want freya as an angel

 

[duxstar]

Speaking of snow lands ..... it really bothers me that you cant use snow lands in standard. There are no snow matter cards legal right now and it hurts absolutely no one to say real quick "snow lands are legal for standard as basic plains.

The are on them is amazing , and thats all i want it for.

 

[Haly]

Viking World is just the Witcher.

 

[HK-47]

Viking World is just the Witcher.

Did you just mix up Scandinavian and Slavic?

 

[A Serious Man]

If viking world gives us a Jokulhaups reprint, I'm down.

 

[Boogiepop]

So, I'm pretty sure I've played enough that I've got the basic rules down (fringe cases with the stack or whatever could PROBABLY still prove tricky for me), but I'm probably still not all that great of a player at all. Going to an Ixalan prerelease, probably a midnight release, with some friends. Which in turn also has me a bit worried that it may be entirely the more hardcore crowd there. Any good tips on making plays that I may be missing to help level the playing field a bit? (I'll of course look into some proper tips on how to actually put together the deck, which'll obviously be a big part of it). Also, just out of curiousity, how rare are draws in these sort of things?

Certainly not expecting it as a certainty, but I'd like to at least feel like I have a shot at winning some extra packs (set-up is everybody pays 3 games, and a 2-1 record or better gets you some extra packs.)

 

[StrategyFan]

Did you just mix up Scandinavian and Slavic?

skellige specifically, not all of the witcher world

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

So, I'm pretty sure I've played enough that I've got the basic rules down (fringe cases with the stack or whatever could PROBABLY still prove tricky for me), but I'm probably still not all that great of a player at all. Going to an Ixalan prerelease, probably a midnight release, with some friends. Which in turn also has me a bit worried that it may be entirely the more hardcore crowd there. Any good tips on making plays that I may be missing to help level the playing field a bit? (I'll of course look into some proper tips on how to actually put together the deck, which'll obviously be a big part of it). Also, just out of curiousity, how rare are draws in these sort of things?

Certainly not expecting it as a certainty, but I'd like to at least feel like I have a shot at winning some extra packs (set-up is everybody pays 3 games, and a 2-1 record or better gets you some extra packs.)

Well the simplest things to do, which aren't always right,

is to do everything at the last possible moment. Instants in the opponents end step etc. Play your land and cards only post combat in the 2nd mainphase (unless you need them for a combat trick)

Hold excess lands in the late game unless you have manasinks (ways to put lots of mana to use be it draw a bunch of cards or repeatable activated abilities)

It's never a bad idea to look at all instant cards to know what tricks to expect during combat.

There isn't specific plays to highlight beyond that w/o going into extreme specifics that will probably never come up.
For instance if you have a card that reads "target opponent sacrifices an attacking creature" then you can set up blocks in such a way that you can cast it in the end of combat step after damage has been dealt to curtail the creature you wanted to get rid of

skellige specifically, not all of the witcher world

Skellige is more Ireland with a Nordic tint.

 

[SigmasonicX]

So, I'm pretty sure I've played enough that I've got the basic rules down (fringe cases with the stack or whatever could PROBABLY still prove tricky for me), but I'm probably still not all that great of a player at all. Going to an Ixalan prerelease, probably a midnight release, with some friends. Which in turn also has me a bit worried that it may be entirely the more hardcore crowd there. Any good tips on making plays that I may be missing to help level the playing field a bit? (I'll of course look into some proper tips on how to actually put together the deck, which'll obviously be a big part of it). Also, just out of curiousity, how rare are draws in these sort of things?

Certainly not expecting it as a certainty, but I'd like to at least feel like I have a shot at winning some extra packs (set-up is everybody pays 3 games, and a 2-1 record or better gets you some extra packs.)

The prerelease is a casual event, and a lot of players there will be sleepy and/or tipsy, so don't worry too much about high level play. Here are some tips.
* If you're at all confused about what's going on, ask a judge.
* Bring water and snacks.
* Probably best to bring your own lands. The store will offer their own, but you're expected to return them, and it's easy to forget to do so.
* Open packs quickly and throw away the packaging so there's no clutter. Your store will likely have everyone pass trash down the table to the trash can.
* Making your deck is half the battle. Separate your cards by color and by cost. A common strategy to make sure you play a color you can actually play is to specifically not look at your rares and mythic rares (they're always at the back of the booster pack, before the foil/token) and decide what color to go into based on your common and uncommon cards. Then, look at your rares, which may be good enough to make you change colors, but may not be.
* You can change your deck between matches if things don't work out. Feel free to experiment!

EDIT: Play your lands as soon as you can! Otherwise you'll very easily forget if you played it or not, and you don't want to ask your opponent if you did.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Gaby apparently just lost a game accidentally pressing F6 because she dropped a burrito.

 

[Violet_0]

So, I'm pretty sure I've played enough that I've got the basic rules down (fringe cases with the stack or whatever could PROBABLY still prove tricky for me), but I'm probably still not all that great of a player at all. Going to an Ixalan prerelease, probably a midnight release, with some friends. Which in turn also has me a bit worried that it may be entirely the more hardcore crowd there. Any good tips on making plays that I may be missing to help level the playing field a bit? (I'll of course look into some proper tips on how to actually put together the deck, which'll obviously be a big part of it). Also, just out of curiousity, how rare are draws in these sort of things?

Certainly not expecting it as a certainty, but I'd like to at least feel like I have a shot at winning some extra packs (set-up is everybody pays 3 games, and a 2-1 record or better gets you some extra packs.)

prereleases are as casual as it gets

also, check this out - http://draftsim.com/draft.php?mode=Sealed_XLN
lets you practice deck building and get familiarized with the cards (=less time wasted reading cards while building the deck)

 

[Ashodin]

the auto build thing is insane.


... I might try that during the prerelease and see what it comes up with

 

[Imperfected]

Viking World is just the Witcher.

I assume when people say "Viking World" what they mean is "Death Metal Album Cover Ragnarok Immigrant Song on Loop Viking Battle World."

If what people mean is, "Workaday Nordic Fantasy" ala Skyrim then that should probably be made clear and broken out into a different category called "Fantasy With a Viking Hat".

 

[Justin]

the auto build thing is insane.


... I might try that during the prerelease and see what it comes up with

How? It doesn't let you enter your own pool. It just generates random ones.

 

[Violet_0]

gods, dwarfes, "dark" elves, giants, valkyries, an equipment ring that makes creatures unblockable and then granting them more powers over time (where do you think Tolkien got the idea from, eh?), a really big serpent, and most interestingly a world tree that has the potental to connect a set of planes to each other in one block, also allowing non-planeswalkers to travel between the Nordic worlds and giving us a clusters of planes instead of just one - this has potential

 

[Ashodin]

How? It doesn't let you enter your own pool. It just generates random ones.

you leave that up to me

Also I'm getting good at "guessing" what colors that it will use. I wonder if that skill will serve me in building decks

ah shit I just made one with Vraska, Gishath, and Hostage Taker and it used ZERO of them lol

 

[HK-47]

Fuck Vikings and their stupid pointy hats they didn't actually wear. When we going back to Jamuraa?

 

[bigkrev]

Gaby apparently just lost a game accidentally pressing F6 because she dropped a burrito.

Wow it's like she's already married to LSV

 

[Imperfected]

To be honest dropping your burrito should be an automatic forfeit in every form of game, sport, and competition.

I'm glad someone's finally taking a stand on this.

 

[Hackworth]

That autobuilder really loves Trove of Temptation.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Wow it's like she's already married to LSV

LSV was doing stipulation drafts with her.

I think this one was "always take a Planeswalker if able."

 

[Ashodin]

Herald of Anguish is $2.00~

If you don't get in now don't say I didn't warn you

There's a BR discard/treasure deck out there

 

[HK-47]

LSV was doing stipulation drafts with her.

I think this one was "always take a Planeswalker if able."

Umm isn't that how you draft in modern cube anyways?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Umm isn't that how you draft in modern cube anyways?

I think they also had one with "no attacking" too.

 

[Violet_0]

I'm really liking UG in limited. Sure, red gets the uncommon 5 mana 5/5 haste trample dino but on average, the green cards feel pretty solid even without creature type synergy, and blue is quite alright too. Not that impressed with most pirates, though. Treasure tokens are a bit wasted on a tribe that is predestined for aggro. Explore seems kinda overpriced on many cards unless you luck into drawing land when you need one, even with the +1/+1 counter most creatures are mediocre at best*. I guess the main advantage is the free scry

*e: on second thought, I think you get most of them on curve plus a scry. I take it back

 

[Justin]

I suspect the treasure will be important in sealed because you are probably going to want to go 3 colors and there isn't anything like evolving wilds or travelers amulet to tutor up your splash color. I think the low cost explore creatures might end up being more powerful then they look especially in a slower format like sealed.