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[WanderingWind]

Marketing surveys are fun.

 

[The Technomancer]

I got like, four of the painlands to rate. All that I rated differently was the artwork (because really, Battlefield Forge is fugly)

 

[WanderingWind]

I got like, four of the painlands to rate. All that I rated differently was the artwork (because really, Battlefield Forge is fugly)

I got four as well. Caves is just so damn boring, but Wastes is sufficiently cool.

I find it interesting that they're exploring the possibility of slowing or speeding up standard rotation. Personally, I feel it sticks around just a bit too long. Like, at this point, we're all just a little sick of MB, before that it was Thrag and Resto, before that Delver, etc, etc.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Okay, its time to update my Naya Aggro list for M15:

CREATURES

4 Dryad Militant
3 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
1 Keening Apparition
3 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Voice of Resurgence

SPELLS

3 Boros Charm
4 Brave the Elements
2 Giant Growth
4 Selesnya Charm

PLANESWALKER

2 Ajani, Caller of the Pride

LANDS

4 Mana Confluence
2 Plains
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
1 Temple of Abandon
3 Temple of Plenty

SIDEBOARD

2 Ajani's Presence
1 Boros Charm
2 Glare of Heresy
1 Gods Willing
1 Keening Apparition
1 Giant Growth
4 Mizzium Mortars
3 Fiendslayer Paladin

I'm thinking that Keening Apparition in the sideboard should just be removed for Back to Nature since I'm running exactly 0 enchantments, but that I should keep the mainboard one for creature density?

The other issue is the mana base. I'm probably going to remove the basics for the R/W painland, but I'm not sure really sure what to do with the Scrylands. 90% of the time, coming into play tapped sucks. I've even thought of just putting some basics in to replace them. Thoughts?

 

[The Technomancer]

Could Three Block Standard work? Now that no-one plays Extended I think its worth considering

 

[platypotamus]

That was a l-o-n-g survey

Most interesting to me were all the questions about length of time cards are in Standard. I answered for all of them that I think Standard rotates a little too fast.

I don't play standard, so I didn't get any of those questions.

I got like, four of the painlands to rate. All that I rated differently was the artwork (because really, Battlefield Forge is fugly)

I got 2 different Forests, haha

 

[Negator]

I was truthful and stated I only played Magic once a month for the past six months and the survey ended immediately. lolol

 

[Angry Grimace]

Could Three Block Standard work? Now that no-one plays Extended I think its worth considering

I think it would be hard to balance because you'd start having to ban shit in Standard a lot more often.

Monoblack would be pretty damn oppressive if Innistrad was still around, for example.

 

[keeblerdrow]

Welp, I cracked my dopamine box at lunch today. Highlights? 1 chandra, 1 jace, 1 liliana, 1 soul of zendikar, soul of shalandar, perilous vault, & a foil each of soul of new phyrexia and hushwing gryff. This is the most mythic dense box I've ever opened. The only way my dopamine levels could have been higher was a nissa in box.

 

[OnPoint]

Could Three Block Standard work? Now that no-one plays Extended I think its worth considering

I would imagine they'd change how they structure things, how certain cards get printed, and power levels for sure. They'd also have to print things longer, so values would change dramatically.

 

[rexor0717]

I know people are suspicious of the market research that goes into the game, so here's a survey that went up on the main site so you can participate yourself.

LOL I got to rate Island.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I would imagine they'd change how they structure things, how certain cards get printed, and power levels for sure. They'd also have to print things longer, so values would change dramatically.

Sometimes I think it would be cool if they had a "super standard" where its more than 2 blocks, and less than Modern, and then I realize that idea is just Extended and nobody played it anyways.

 

[The Technomancer]

LOL I got to rate Island.

Gameplay Value: 5

 

[bigkrev]

I'd be totally fine with a permanent "Large Standard"- So when Khans came out, only RTR rotates out, then Gatecrash in the Winter, Dragon's Maze in Spring, M14 in Summer, ect. I like the gigantic card pool. They also might be more willing to ban cards every now and then.

 

[Scythesurge]

Okay, its time to update my Naya Aggro list for M15:

CREATURES

4 Dryad Militant
3 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
1 Keening Apparition
3 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Voice of Resurgence

SPELLS

3 Boros Charm
4 Brave the Elements
2 Giant Growth
4 Selesnya Charm

PLANESWALKER

2 Ajani, Caller of the Pride

LANDS

4 Mana Confluence
2 Plains
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
1 Temple of Abandon
3 Temple of Plenty

SIDEBOARD

2 Ajani's Presence
1 Boros Charm
2 Glare of Heresy
1 Gods Willing
1 Keening Apparition
1 Giant Growth
4 Mizzium Mortars
3 Fiendslayer Paladin

I'm thinking that Keening Apparition in the sideboard should just be removed for Back to Nature since I'm running exactly 0 enchantments, but that I should keep the mainboard one for creature density?

The other issue is the mana base. I'm probably going to remove the basics for the R/W painland, but I'm not sure really sure what to do with the Scrylands. 90% of the time, coming into play tapped sucks. I've even thought of just putting some basics in to replace them. Thoughts?

I think Keening Apparition fits particularly into that deck for two reasons: it's a creature and it's also white. Back to Nature would potentially take care of more enchantments but the most value seems to come out of Apparition.

For the lands, I think I would run 0 scrylands in this deck because it wants to be most efficient, and waiting a turn for a land to untap would be too slow. When I was playing Brave Naya a couple months ago I was using basics to round out the lands but now I would definitely consider painlands.

 

[ultron87]

I think Standard is about right, if it is going to be a rotating format. I can buy Theros cards right now that probably won't ever make it in Modern and not feel super bad about it because I'll be able to use them for a year. If it was shorter that would start to feel crappier and crappier. But it also isn't so long that the card pool becomes super stagnant or can get dominated by any one strategy for a super long amount of time.

That said, I am super tired of playing essentially the same control deck for almost two years now with various Verdict/Rev/Sphere shells. Even though I totally recognize that that really isn't true since the Innistrad/Ravnica version I played with Resto Angel, Snapcaster, and Runechanter's Pike was super different then the current deck. (Oh Rewind + Angel, how I miss you.) That is really just more on me and getting bored of the same thing than the card pool.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I think Keening Apparition fits particularly into that deck for two reasons: it's a creature and it's also white. Back to Nature would potentially take care of more enchantments but the most value seems to come out of Apparition.

For the lands, I think I would run 0 scrylands in this deck because it wants to be most efficient, and waiting a turn for a land to untap would be too slow. When I was playing Brave Naya a couple months ago I was using basics to round out the lands but now I would definitely consider painlands.

My thought is that I almost never actually want to side in the extra Apparitions. The only case where I would I probably would prefer to blow up a lot of Banishing Lights, Detention Sphere, etc. But I'll probably just keep it the same for now unless I really start feeling the push to blow up multiples.

I think Standard is about right, if it is going to be a rotating format. I can buy Theros cards right now that probably won't ever make it in Modern and not feel super bad about it because I'll be able to use them for a year. If it was shorter that would start to feel crappier and crappier. But it also isn't so long that the card pool becomes super stagnant or can get dominated by any one strategy for a super long amount of time.

That said, I am super tired of playing essentially the same control deck for almost two years now with various Verdict/Rev/Sphere shells. Even though I totally recognize that that really isn't true since the Innistrad/Ravnica version I played with Resto Angel, Snapcaster, and Runechanter's Pike was super different then the current deck. (Oh Rewind + Angel, how I miss you.) That is really just more on me and getting bored of the same thing than the card pool.

The good thing is that Standard is comparatively cheap to buy into unless something like Jace, the Wallet Sculptor is sitting around in the format. You often can just trade into a different archetype pretty easily.

 

[Jaeyden]

So I've been brewing a bunch of different Vintage decks just to have fun. Tonight I'm playing a Quicken/Tendrils brew that want's to try to use the opponent's storm count to beat them. I draw a pretty janky hand game one, I duress him and see an ass load of pyromancers and countermagic/fuel so I concede. I sideboard in Oath/Blightsteel because my board is made up of fun silly stuff like curfew, outwit and mindgames. I fight some early countermagic and land an oath on turn three. We go into stalemate mode and lob shit at each other for a while. I burn my last two remaining cards thinking I'm going to resolve a Yawmoth's Will by cracking Lion's Eye Diamond and it gets countered. He has 5 cards in hand, we draw go because of my Oath for another turn and I draw my Blightsteel, he then immediately drops two Delvers. I want to say he was gambling but fuck me if that's not something else. Props to that dude.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Necropotence is such a fun card in Vintage. Too bad its broken and tells you the cards you're drawing.

 

["God's Beard!"]

You might want to try Reclamation Sage to replace the 1-of Apparition. Costs 1 more, but leaves a body behind after blowing up their d-sphere or whatever. I don't know which benefit is better.

Also, it makes me sad to see that deck not run Fabled Hero but I'm sure there's good reason. Without him, though, I think the 4th Boros Charm main is probably better than the 4th Selesnya Charm. And you might try playing around with Gather Courage over Giant Growths, depending on how tight your curve is. It'd take some testing to know for sure.

Definitely move around some painlands. Maybe take out the Temples for 2 Forges and 2 Forests? That'd keep your mana ratios pretty close.

Saito started....

For that person who wanted a Standard Sliver deck (really like the idea of having a toolbox of slivers to grab with Yisan)

Yisan is leagues worse than Chord of Calling in a Slivers deck, and some of the other choices are weird, too.

 

[Jaeyden]

Necropotence is such a fun card in Vintage. Too bad its broken and tells you the cards you're drawing.

This one felt like he could see my hand. Trust me, I don't give shit about losing in Vintage but it was weird cause we went back and forth and the second I drew my Oath target he emptied his hand.

 

[Angry Grimace]

This one felt like he could see my hand. Trust me, I don't give shit about losing in Vintage but it was weird cause we went back and forth and the second I drew my Oath target he emptied his hand.

The opponent typically can't, but you can. Not sure why.

I remember when Necropotence came out and nobody gave a shit about it for like a year and a half. And then everyone like a decade later was like "why was everyone so dumb and thought Necropotence was bad?" The answer was that everyone was running a fuckload of Black Vise at the time and you would actually die if you used Necropotence.

I'm thinking Gush Storm is probably better than what I'm running now, but Gush turns take like 5 minutes even when you don't end up going off.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";121657516]You might want to try Reclamation Sage to replace the 1-of Apparition. Costs 1 more, but leaves a body behind after blowing up their d-sphere or whatever. I don't know which benefit is better.

Also, it makes me sad to see that deck not run Fabled Hero but I'm sure there's good reason. Without him, though, I think the 4th Boros Charm main is probably better than the 4th Selesnya Charm. And you might try playing around with Gather Courage over Giant Growths, depending on how tight your curve is. It'd take some testing to know for sure.

Definitely move around some painlands. Maybe take out the Temples for 2 Forges and 2 Forests? That'd keep your mana ratios pretty close.

[/QUOTE]

I switched them out because Fabled Hero dies to Anger of the Gods, Bile Blight and Lightning Strike, mostly. I think Brimaz has more upside, because Fabled Hero makes the deck a lot more reliant on a combo finish. Sure, I win explosively on Turn 4 less than I did when I ran Fabled Hero, but I also win more in general. You can still get that big explosive finish with Ajani, too, because hitting his -2 requires no mana, so I can actually use a pump, plus get the DS and flying on the same turn, sometimes while holding a Brave or Charm to protect my guy.

As for Charms, I've never felt like I wanted less than 4. All three modes are too good and always relevant.

 

[Zocano]

I rated Islands, Plains, and Swamps. Felt like I rated more than 15 cards but w/e.

The only thing consistent with reviewing M15 is that most of the art is just really boring. I understand plainswalkers cause it's art of a specific character but even then I wish card art was a little cookier and stylized (e.g. Stasis). I haven't been playing consistently long enough to know when that shift happened but card art generally just feels pretty whatever. I don't mind the realism most of the time but, especially with Theros and Ravnica, the subjects were just very plain and boring and even the Gods didn't look all that interesting.

At least with stuff like Mirrodin and New Phyrexia, even though they still lean on the realism, the subject matter is weird and obtuse enough for artists to make some weird ass shit (eg. Elesh Norn).

Ah well.

Also, I'll say I feel standard also feels "about right". I would prefer another format instead of upheaving standard into something else. I would like to see something like extended again just to see how a bigger card pool ends up working, but I think standard as it is doesn't really need changes.

Also, the cards I pre-ordered off Amazon haven't arrived yet so I'm not gonna be able to go to FNM tonight to try out some jank ass artifact deck ):

 

[The Technomancer]

I doubt we're ever going back to quite Stasis levels of abstraction, but I do wish we got more cards like Wheel of Sun and Moon

 

[Firemind]

I think it had more to do with the flavour of the block. Apparently, Raymond Swanland did artwork for Theros, but if you pointed out the art I wouldn't know it was him. He did some great art in previous blocks, especially Shards of Alara. He has a very distinct signature style for monster/beast art. Reminds me of Ron Spencer. Sliver Queen and Lightning Dragon are some of the most iconic mtg art in my opinion. Wish he still did artwork.

 

[kirblar]

They usually don't send preorders out until the Weds/Thurs/Fri of release, to avoid WotC problems.

 

[Zocano]

They usually don't send preorders out until the Weds/Thurs/Fri of release, to avoid WotC problems.

oh okay, thanks. Was getting worried.

 

[Grakl]

drafting this format is so fun, theros was miserable in comparison

 

["God's Beard!"]

drafting this format is so fun, theros was miserable in comparison

I love Theros draft. Core sets are always stale to me.

 

[Yeef]

First M15 draft tonight. Had a fun GW deck (splashing red for Kird Chieftain and Soul of Shandalar). Didn't lose any games:

1x Triplicate Spirits
3x Kinsbaile Skirmisher
2x Oreskos Swiftclaw
1x Kird Chieftain
1x Soul of Shandalar
2x Shaman of Spring
1x Roaring Primadox
1x Raise the Alarm
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Gargoyle Sentinel
1x Sunblade Elf

1x Emepheral Shields
2x Marked by Honor
1x Restock
2x Devouring Light
1x Verdant Haven
2x Sanctified Charge

2x Evolving Wilds
+ Basics

 

[ultron87]

I drafted a Welkin Turn, Frost Lynx, double blue Paragon deck tonight. It worked pretty well.

 

["God's Beard!"]

My girlfriend put Scuttling Doom Engines in her Golgari deck. If she ever gets to toss one of those things with Jarad, fuck everything. Desecration Demon was already evil, but potential 18 damage in one attack phase off one dude is gross.

Speaking of updates, here's my new Esper list post M15.

Added an Aetherspouts as the 5th Verdict and replaced the Godless Shrines with Caves of Koilos. Pretty slight adjustments, but the deck is still solid.

 

[Dimefan3]

2nd Beginners tournament today, managed to finally win two games. I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I like how prices for cards are identical on MODO despite the fact that there are clearly a dramatically lower number of players on.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

I like how prices for cards are identical on MODO despite the fact that there are clearly a dramatically lower number of players on.

Venders aren't willing to start losing money yet.

The leading indicator would be buylist prices; I would imagine that the bot chains are buying for less than they otherwise would right now.

 

["God's Beard!"]

New control deck idea I'm playing around with:

UBg Superfriends

Sorceries(4):

• 4x Thoughtseize

Instants(17):

• 3x Devour Flesh
• 2x Abrupt Decay
• 4x Hero's Downfall
• 4x Psychic Strike
• 4x Aetherspouts

Planeswalkers(10):

• 3x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
• 2x Kiora, the Crashing Wave
• 3x Jace, Architect of Thought
• 1x Liliana Vess
• 1x Garruk, Apex Predator

Enchantments(2):

• 2x Underworld Connections

Creatures(1):

• 1x AEtherling

Land(26)

• 1 Urborg, tomb of Yawgmoth
• 4 Mutavault
• 2 Llanowar Wastes
• 4 Watery Grave
• 4 Temple of Deceit
• 4 Temple of Malady
• 4 Temple of Mystery
• 1 Island
• 2 Swamp

Sideboard(15):

• 1 Jace, Memory Adept
• 4 Nightveil Specter
• 4 Duress
• 2 Negate
• 1 Erebos, God of the Dead
• 3 Ultimate Price

The deck is built around using the synergy between Ashiok with Aetherspouts, as well as Liliana and Underworld Connections.

Basically, cutting white from Esper and reducing the damand on our blue sources gives us access to Downfall and mutavaults without dying to our manabase, whereas the green splash gives us some extremely strong additions to our superfriends.

 

[duxstar]

True story, I've been having a horrible 2 days , but last night one of my LGS gave away a box and me and another guy won. So I got 18 free packs , normally not a big deal normally but after the last 2 days it meant a lot to me.

Ended up getting Nissa, Garruk, Ajani, and a foil Soul of Shandalar in only 18 packs , my buddy who bought a box didn't get anything nearly as good, I felt a little bad.

 

[Negator]

So. Fetchlands definitely in Khans of Tarkir, right? I mean, it's so obvious...RIGHT?

Shocks and Deathrite Shaman will be out of Standard. It's time.

 

[WanderingWind]

So. Fetchlands definitely in Khans of Tarkir, right? I mean, it's so obvious...RIGHT?

Shocks and Deathrite Shaman will be out of Standard. It's time.

Return to Zendikar isn't that far away though...

 

[TheSeks]

I'm not sure how I feel about the new UI for Magic: Online. :/

Speaking of which: Vintage drafts are now $6/6 tix without product. Muuuch more reasonable, Wizards. But: Do I keep any of the cards I draft from this or do I have to win to keep them unlike the ones that require the product?

 

[Wichu]

So. Fetchlands definitely in Khans of Tarkir, right? I mean, it's so obvious...RIGHT?

Return to Zendikar isn't that far away though...

2015. Believe.

Also I'm eagerly awaiting a new Nicol Bolas next spring.

Spoiler

I am not known for my clairvoyance

 

[rexor0717]

So. Fetchlands definitely in Khans of Tarkir, right? I mean, it's so obvious...RIGHT?

Shocks and Deathrite Shaman will be out of Standard. It's time.

It'll probably be in the Zendikar block after Khans.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Venders aren't willing to start losing money yet.

The leading indicator would be buylist prices; I would imagine that the bot chains are buying for less than they otherwise would right now.

The bigger issue is that I can't find events that will actually fire. It takes like half an hour for a Modern Masters draft to start.

 

[OnPoint]

So. Fetchlands definitely in Khans of Tarkir, right? I mean, it's so obvious...RIGHT?

Shocks and Deathrite Shaman will be out of Standard. It's time.

Them splitting the pain lands makes me think they might print the allied ones in Khans and the enemy ones in Return to Zendikar

 

[Snaku]

Hey Magicgaf, what's the best 2015 set to buy for a beginner? The deck builder? A handful of booster packs? Playing DotP for a few years has finally pushed me to try out playing it with others but I don't know where to start.

 

[Firemind]

Them splitting the pain lands makes me think they might print the allied ones in Khans and the enemy ones in Return to Zendikar

Ten fetches in Standard? Highly improbable methinks.

 

[kirblar]

Hey Magicgaf, what's the best 2015 set to buy for a beginner? The deck builder? A handful of booster packs? Playing DotP for a few years has finally pushed me to try out playing it with others but I don't know where to start.

Clash Pack, is like a beginner level duel deck.

 

[bigkrev]

Clash Pack, is like a beginner level duel deck.

Only issue is the documentation that it comes with is lacking. No how to play or reference stuff, just a foldout with deck lists and a paragraph of strategy, and a list to combine the 2 decks to make a FNM list with Sideboard. Deck builders Toolkit has always had awesome documentation

 

[Angry Grimace]

Them splitting the pain lands makes me think they might print the allied ones in Khans and the enemy ones in Return to Zendikar

Stop trying to make fetch happen.

 

[WanderingWind]

Kirbs, when I get hired by WotC, I'm going to try to get you on board too as the official prognosticator and man of the people.