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Magic: The Gathering |OT3| Enchantment Under the Siege

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E

ElyrionX

Member
Finally assembled my Esper Control deck after hitting up a bunch of LGS. Spent about $350. Now for FNM.

What do people usually use for counters such as for life, loyalty and power? 20-sided and 6-sided dies?

And I know one round is typically 50-mins for three games and that some rounds end with only one game played. Is there any time limit with regards to deciding whether to counter a spell or not? Or is it generally ok to take your time to think things through?
 
W

WanderingWind

Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
ElyrionX said:
Finally assembled my Esper Control deck after hitting up a bunch of LGS. Spent about $350. Now for FNM.

What do people usually use for counters such as for life, loyalty and power? 20-sided and 6-sided dies?

And I know one round is typically 50-mins for three games and that some rounds end with only one game played. Is there any time limit with regards to deciding whether to counter a spell or not? Or is it generally ok to take your time to think things through?
Click to expand...

20 side dice are common for life totals but the best way is still a pen and paper. Get a little 50 cent notepad or take a look at something like the cool little notepads from Sign in Blood. If there is ever a discrepancy or dispute about life totals, having a running written log can save your ass.
 
Y

Yeef

Member
ElyrionX said:
And I know one round is typically 50-mins for three games and that some rounds end with only one game played. Is there any time limit with regards to deciding whether to counter a spell or not? Or is it generally ok to take your time to think things through?
Click to expand...
There's no hard and fast rules, but "slow play" is technically against the rules. If you're taking to long on your actions your opponent can call a judge and say as much.
 
I

ironmang

Member
WanderingWind said:
20 side dice are common for life totals but the best way is still a pen and paper. Get a little 50 cent notepad or take a look at something like the cool little notepads from Sign in Blood. If there is ever a discrepancy or dispute about life totals, having a running written log can save your ass.
Click to expand...

Can't tell you how many times I've prevented an opponent from getting a free life or two by reciting exactly all the damage that's been dealt since the game started.
 
G

"God's Beard!"

Member
I usually just keep everything in my head and announce the totals every time they change. I don't write anything down when I thoughtseize people at FNM either. It's good practice for me to not lose track of things. At bigger tournaments I'll write stuff down sometimes.

ElyrionX said:
Finally assembled my Esper Control deck after hitting up a bunch of LGS. Spent about $350. Now for FNM.

What do people usually use for counters such as for life, loyalty and power? 20-sided and 6-sided dies?

And I know one round is typically 50-mins for three games and that some rounds end with only one game played. Is there any time limit with regards to deciding whether to counter a spell or not? Or is it generally ok to take your time to think things through?
Click to expand...

What list did you wind up with?
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";120304288]I usually just keep everything in my head and announce the totals every time they change. I don't write anything down when I thoughtseize people at FNM either. It's good practice for me to not lose track of things. At bigger tournaments I'll write stuff down sometimes.



What list did you wind up with?[/QUOTE]

Something that is very close to what you posted except for the sideboard as I didn't want to spend on Nightveil or Baron since those are rotating soon. My sideboard is in a mess now since I'm not sure what to put in there.

I am still deciding between 2 or 3 Elspeth but I am leaning towards 3 since I'm not running Mutavault and probably need something to hit with.
 
G

"God's Beard!"

Member
2 vs 3 Elspeths is really a skill call. If you run three you can generally fuck up and still find another. With 2 your deck is gonna be on a more consistent curve but you have to really know how to protect it.

Esper players went from 1 to 3, then mostly settled back on 2. Having 8 six+ mana cards in your deck as a control player between Aetherling, Elspeth and Revs sucks, and opening hands with 3 lands, 2 elspeth, xxx and a sphinx are just unkeepable.

If you don't know what to put in your sideboard due to cost/rotation, use this:

1 Pithing Needle
2 Dispel
3 Negate
2 Doom Blade
2 Dark Betrayal
1 Blind Obedience
4 Nyx-Fleece Ram

It'll at least keep you from getting blown out in most matchups since it's not very skill-intensive and should only run you a few bucks.

If cost isn't the main issue and you just want block cards you might consider Ashiok and Brimaz.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Why do people keep writing essay-length posts on Reddit about how fetchlands should be banned in Modern?

Why do people keep upvoting those asinine posts?
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";120306364]2 vs 3 Elspeths is really a skill call. If you run three you can generally fuck up and still find another. With 2 your deck is gonna be on a more consistent curve but you have to really know how to protect it.

Esper players went from 1 to 3, then mostly settled back on 2. Having 8 six+ mana cards in your deck as a control player between Aetherling, Elspeth and Revs sucks, and opening hands with 3 lands, 2 elspeth, xxx and a sphinx are just unkeepable.

If you don't know what to put in your sideboard due to cost/rotation, use this:

1 Pithing Needle
2 Dispel
3 Negate
2 Doom Blade
2 Dark Betrayal
1 Blind Obedience
4 Nyx-Fleece Ram

It'll at least keep you from getting blown out in most matchups since it's not very skill-intensive and should only run you a few bucks.

If cost isn't the main issue and you just want block cards you might consider Ashiok and Brimaz.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the tips. This is what my main deck looks like:

Instant (14)

4x Sphinx's Revelation
4x Dissolve
2x Syncopate
2x Last Breath
2x Ultimate Price


Sorcery (7)

4x Supreme Verdict
3x Thoughtseize


Enchantment (4)

1x Banishing Light
3x Detention Sphere


Planeswalker (7)

3x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4x Jace, Architect of Thought


Creature (1)

1x AEtherling


Land (27)

2x Godless Shrine
2x Watery Grave
4x Hallowed Fountain
5x Island
2x Plains
4x Temple of Deceit
4x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Temple of Silence

Working on my sideboard now.
 
I

ironmang

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
Why do people keep writing essay-length posts on Reddit about how fetchlands should be banned in Modern?

Why do people keep upvoting those asinine posts?
Click to expand...

People on reddit only care about themselves which is unsurprising given how important personal "upvotes" are there. They don't care if it hurts other players and even WOTC as long as they think they'll save a few bucks.
 
L

Lucario

Member
SigmasonicX said:
Comic Con exclusives

We're getting the black planeswalker cards again, and we're also getting a Nerf Garruk's Axe.
Click to expand...

Awesome! Last year's black planeswalkers looked great in-person, I was hoping they'd repeat this. Definitely picking up a set this year again.

divisionbyzorro said:
Why do people keep writing essay-length posts on Reddit about how fetchlands should be banned in Modern?

Why do people keep upvoting those asinine posts?
Click to expand...

Because it's reddit. :p
 
Z

Zocano

Member
Seeing that new set of SDCC promos made me go check the old ones on ebay. Just sort of laughed and closed the tab.

Gonna try and watch the hasbro store like a hawk to snag one of these new ones.
 
G

"God's Beard!"

Member
Since we're on the subject of sideboards, what match-ups for your decks do you think is improved the most after sideboarding?

For mine, it's burn:

burnreliefkhs7u.jpg
Click to expand...

Note the Morbacher-island good-luck charm and esper-cycle of D20s ^_^


Game 1 is probably 60% in my opponent's favor, but I swap in a whopping 13 cards for game two. It also has the benefit of dropping the average CMC of my deck down a whole point. I have basically no dead draws in the deck after board, and it just feels unbeatable. I feel favored 75% or more in games 2/3.
 
J

Jaeyden

Member
Looks like P9 prices are starting to go up again after that announcement. Think I'll grab a Pearl tonight and be done. Lotus has gone up over 70 tix the last two days.
 
K

keeblerdrow

Member
I'm not sure which deck I want to stick with after m15. I spent all of this past season just jumping from deck to deck trying them all out. I have, fully built, UW control with both esper and bant variants, mono blue, mono black, white weenie, red aggro, black aggro, BG dredge/constellation, and mono green/oops worldspine worm to choose from. I find myself more of a timmy at times in that I love obscure win cons. But I'm also having a hard time settling on one deck I can just learn. But I want to do that with super-standard.

Any advice or opinions on how to make this decision? I haven't been playing long enough to know my deck "type".
 
C

Cagey

Banned
Magic-GAF, my friend and I are going to get our quarterly prerelease fix this weekend. We're signing up for a Two-headed Giant prerelease event.

We're both experienced old-timey casual + local tournament players so going into these set limited events blind to the new cards is a blast, but one thing we have zero experience or knowledge with his Two-headed Giant. We know you play as a team annnnd that's it.

I read a primer which was partly helpful and partly confusing.

Any key points, tips and tricks, rules etc. we should know heading into this?
 
G

GamerKingFaiz

Member
Oh wow, I was looking through my MTGO collection and I have two of those full art Pain Seer foil promos.

Does anyone know where I got these from? Is this from winning dailies?
 
S

shrapnelmagnet

Member
Grakl said:
tumblr_n2v086LGVj1tugsjdo1_400.jpg


shitty magic alters aren't usually shitty, just cute and hilarious http://shittymagicalters.tumblr.com
Click to expand...

lol, hadn't seen this. Fuckin' rad.

Also: What is your guys' recommendation on getting a bunch of snow-covered lands? Do you think a physical store would be the best bet? Obvs, pricing-dependent, but just something I'm considering. I love snow land and have been considering trying to justify it somehow... AND I've been trying to make a casual wall deck. I noticed Drift of the Dead and it feels like it's time :)

Any bulk options?
 
J

Jaeyden

Member
shrapnelmagnet said:
lol, hadn't seen this. Fuckin' rad.

Also: What is your guys' recommendation on getting a bunch of snow-covered lands? Do you think a physical store would be the best bet? Obvs, pricing-dependent, but just something I'm considering. I love snow land and have been considering trying to justify it somehow... AND I've been trying to make a casual wall deck. I noticed Drift of the Dead and it feels like it's time :)

Any bulk options?
Click to expand...

This will justify Snow lands

Image.ashx


Get em online. It'll probably be hit or miss with your LGS's.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Ready for some whiplash?

Wizards just announced that VMA events will follow the previously announced schedule - they will now be available online until the release of Khans.
 
J

Jaeyden

Member
Tell me about it. I'm still chuffed that Hurkyl's Recall, a $5 dollar paper card is now $60 online. You can buy Mox's for a few dollars more.

Oh and in other news, fuck Workshop. Workshop should be restricted, how the fuck artifact decks get 4 repeatable Black Lotus is beyond me.


Edit: Wait? WTF? Those guys need to get their fucking heads out of their asses.
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
I've got no experience playing with planeswalkers so I've been reading up on the rules for them. Just to clarify on the redirection of noncombat damage from player to planeswalker. From what I understood, damage outside of combat that targets a player can be redirected (only by the aggressor) to damage a planeswalker controlled by that player instead. And this is done at the resolution step, ie. if it is an instant or sorcery spell, the defending player will not be able to counter the spell anymore. Is that correct?
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
ElyrionX said:
I've got no experience playing with planeswalkers so I've been reading up on the rules for them. Just to clarify on the redirection of noncombat damage from player to planeswalker. From what I understood, damage outside of combat that targets a player can be redirected (only by the aggressor) to damage a planeswalker controlled by that player instead. And this is done at the resolution step, ie. if it is an instant or sorcery spell, the defending player will not be able to counter the spell anymore. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

Yes. Its essentially a way for them to allow you to bolt planeswalkers without errating every old card to read "player or planeswalker"

There are a very few weird interactions, but you have the gist of it
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
The Technomancer said:
Yes. Its essentially a way for them to allow you to bolt planeswalkers without errating every old card to read "player or planeswalker"

There are a very few weird interactions, but you have the gist of it
Click to expand...

But this is slightly different, especially for control players, because as a defending player the decision whether to counter a spell or not also hinges on the probability of the aggressor redirecting it to the pw. So if I have a pw out and I need to protect him then that means I effectively need to counter all burn spells directed at myself (even if I have ample life to take the damage) just to be on the safe side. Is my thinking correct?
 
M

MjFrancis

Member
I have one prerelease spot at $20 for Saturday with the option of taking another at $20 earlier in the day. That will probably be a last minute decision. Picking black or blue... going white last time did me no favors. I didn't even want most of the cards I got and never bothered drafting the last set.

I did preorder a few singles online. Just 4x Polymorphist's Jest @ 83 cents each and 4x Shivan's Reefs @ $2.90 each. Both of those have been slipping slowly these past few days. Most of the set has, actually. I just thought I should buy in before anything spikes, and those are the only playsets I'd really regret missing out on, except for maybe Liliana or Chandra. Those are cheap right now. Poor Liliana's under four bucks.
 
U

ultron87

Member
ElyrionX said:
But this is slightly different, especially for control players, because as a defending player the decision whether to counter a spell or not also hinges on the probability of the aggressor redirecting it to the pw. So if I have a pw out and I need to protect him then that means I effectively need to counter all burn spells directed at myself (even if I have ample life to take the damage) just to be on the safe side. Is my thinking correct?
Click to expand...
Yeah. Most of the time people will just shortcut it and say "bolt Jace" but it is entirely legal to say "bolt you" and then after you say "okay" and let it resolve they say "cool, redirect to Jace". You can't do the opposite, however where you pretend to shoot the Planeswalker and then go "ha ha! Actually I'm not redirecting!" unless the opponent does something in response.
 
I

ironmang

Member
So I traded for a pack of new Modern Event sleeves tonight in preparation for GP Boston. Now I'm trying to think of the best way to present this booby trap deck moments after meeting my opponents. I'm thinking using my beat up SCG box would blow my cover so I'm looking for ideas. Best I could come up with is keeping the sleeved deck in my pocket.

I don't actually believe this will work. Might get a few laughs from my opponents though when their suspicions that I am not, in fact, playing BW tokens are confirmed.
 
N

noquarter

Member
rexor0717 said:
How much do you think a pack of vintage masters would go for IRL?
Click to expand...
How limited is it? If it was a non limited ser, I could see it getting $10 a pack easy with almost no complaints. Limited like MM? Probably $40-$50 a pack. I mean, it would be only the fourth set that would allow you to open a Black Lotus.

GamerKingFaiz said:
Oh wow, I was looking through my MTGO collection and I have two of those full art Pain Seer foil promos.

Does anyone know where I got these from? Is this from winning dailies?
Click to expand...
I don't know when this promo is from, but sounds like a Magic Online Promo that is given out monthly. You get a chance to earn a foil and non-foil for both playing in events (I believe any event that has 8 or more qualifies, and how many determines what you get) and for spending money in the store, with $40(?) being the total. So you have a chance to earn a play set of one card every month.

Old system was a lot better in my opinion, where you climbed a ladder getting promos the same way, but every month had like 8 promos. Problem was you never would get a play set.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";120448513]Wall tribal is gonna happen.[/QUOTE]
That sounds so shitty. Wouldn't surprise me though.
 
W

WanderingWind

Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
I got some big news, brehs. Some real, put my money where my mouth is. Can't say much at the moment or it could evaporate, but the phrase "living the dream" comes to mind.
 
D

divisionbyzorro

Member
Final JBT draft - ever - was tonight at FNM. I had already planned to "go deep," as it were, and after first picking a scryfish, I was passed Thassa's Devourer and immediately knew what I was doing. And I left the Journey pack with three Devourers, two Pin to the Earth, and two Countermand. When it was all done, the deck was sick - green/blue control, with all manner of ways to mill my opponents to death.

I won match one and three by milling my opponents. Believe it or not, Evanescent Intellect was key to victory in each match. I used it for value on Wavecrash Triton and Chorus of the Tides, and then just rode it to victory behind stalled board states.

But I lost match two - in the best way possible:

Game One: My opponent casts Whims of the Fates. We each put all of our stuff in one pile (it was a friend of mine; we've always agreed that we would do this if it happened). My roll went poorly.

Game Two: Even though I was milling, he played and kept activating a Pixis of Pandemonium (he was also on the "go deep" plan for our farewell draft). On his upkeep, with an empty library, he cracks the Pixis and burns me to death with a Gray Merchant.

I'm glad my final JBT draft was so sweet. I got to do stupid stuff, and I got to lose to stupid stuff. I know there were divergent opinions of this format, but I really, really liked it. I'll be sad to see it go.
 
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