tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25690865329824250532024-03-05T05:12:31.560+01:00EDH: The Crazy 99EDH: The Crazy 99
An EDHer's take on EDH and MTG. (Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bombs.)Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-1433341959759966582015-03-12T18:00:00.000+01:002015-03-12T18:00:05.352+01:00When I was about 11-12, I was given this silly little book with strange cartoon characters splashed over the cover. It looked a bit geeky and I was reading something else so I put in the back of my bookshelf and forgot about it.<br />
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It must have been months later when I came across it again and, having nothing else to read, opened it up. I think it may have been the first book I read cover to cover without stopping much for paltry things like conversation, physical movements not directly related to comfort, doors, food, heck, even TV!!<br />
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When I surfaced, my mom asked me with a smile "Was your book good?" to which I replied the entire contents of said book simultaneously accomplishing 2 things: she never asked me that questions again and she started bring me to the book-shop more often (she says now it was to encourage me to read more but I secretly suspect it was just to stop me talking about the contents of those books.)<br />
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I have read every single item I could get my hands on by that author, he still remains my nostalgic favourite to this day. I can pin onto him my love of books, specifically his chosen genre, to this day. My daughters are reading him now too, starting with me introducing some of his more colourful characters during bed-time stories to picking up his books themselves and devouring them much as I did almost 30 years ago. I can't empty my library onto their bookshelves fast enough! I can only hope that, in introducing my children to the wonderful and
fantastic world I discovered as a child, they will also come to love reading and cultivating their imagination as I have.<br />
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While not an avid follower of the private lives of authors I read, it was hard not to note the solemn announcement some years ago of a degenerative illness this man was diagnosed with. Rather than hang up his pen, he persevered with his writing and lecturing until very recently and retained his intelligence and dignity in the face of dimentia.<br />
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I find myself deeply saddened by the passing of a man that I never met but that greatly touched my childhood and introduced me to interests I cultivate to this day. I'd like to thank him in my little way, in my little corner of the world for the fantastic world he opened up for me and my children.<br />
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Thank you, Mr Terry Pratchett, for giving me Mort and for everything that came next.<br />
<i></i>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-24625995055994459982014-01-22T17:53:00.002+01:002014-01-22T17:53:44.759+01:00Desperately foiling Susan... em, Bob.<br />
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Balthor Bob is foiling up!<br />
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This weekend these 6 will fall into my grubby mits<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhrbx9oFyPdQOxAfkg7s9yGXHyHOgrWHXQYsUfbt76t-O-04gStg3ZwztUThOJwvDOrT-PwI-XHpG-cHLRCLYOmiSBkPVU82RH9IkbuMLs2sI982tUlNq98W9cWLTrsuBEEeYB3I_5H_aKIWc7LueblHafGnWrpclzb8Nd3zi9oTICsCOXzxoJ89BfiV_4aZGxQbS_deYupZxwsQxkGZ_N8TDM68ehCM16pl5of6nbLTG2vqnOKywD1yxpM0opALG6gGA4x0ds37vmDdos=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MTG/NPH/en/nonfoil/SwordOfWarAndPeace.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black;">The rest..... One day: <br />Abhorrent Overlord</span>Crypt Ghast <br />
Nantuko Husk <br />
Disciple of Bolas <br />
Massacre Wurm<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhnfDZ4XNjmXXrU8gXRioOIeYlIEb4LNdraW9ZBeQdW_JZRo5R88RdKEQdrGITHd2JI3B6-L51Af9vIsJTuS8RFtBNzpR3KZtDEWT1N32NdymZV1O3LY3PnQkmzuQBUxG7-oyoYOpiRW1Rm5pmSel63DkZ7z4lSuRuQ1xu8w7SYk8ATfq3IQFglmFvDeyIBRnR4nQOG2gWRMeCdXUs95GQgYH0DzAJQfiqsebE2srwCRqk37w9-5NhJb11g2ENOjw=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MAGPRM/promoyawgmothswill.jpg" height="200" width="144" /></a><a href="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MTG/GTC/en/nonfoil/SepulchralPrimordial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MTG/GTC/en/nonfoil/SepulchralPrimordial.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a><span style="color: black;"> Shriekmaw <br /> Grotesque Hybrid <br /> Kokusho, the Evening Star <br />Mogis's Marauder <br /> Fleshbag Marauder <br /> Gray Merchant of Asphodel <br /> Mikaeus, the Unhallowed</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> Withered Wretch <br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Liliana of the Dark Realms </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Exquisite Blood <br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> Exsanguinate <br /> Beacon of Unrest <br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Coldsteel Heart </span><span style="color: black;">Twilight's Call </span><br />
Phyrexian Arena <br />
Phyrexian Altar <br />
<a href="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MAGPRM/cabalcoffers_FNM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://8e8460c4912582c4e519-11fcbfd88ed5b90cfb46edba899033c9.r65.cf1.rackcdn.com/sales/cardscans/MAGPRM/cabalcoffers_FNM.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a><span style="color: black;"> <br /> Mimic Vat <br /> Living Death <br /> Demonic Tutor <br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Pristine Talisman </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Fellwar Stone <br /> Oblivion Stone </span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Temple of the False God <br />Deserted Temple</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
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<span id="goog_2051086370"></span><span id="goog_2051086371"></span><br />Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-32648531057069422522013-05-20T16:53:00.000+02:002013-05-20T16:53:10.351+02:00Standard CookiesI've been asked to post this so, slave that I am to public pressure, here are my oatmeal cookies. The Caramel Slices recipe may or may not be printed at a later date.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lj32oDYlsjR34X2M8YA9ePqfChjULesN_4cmU1LqTrVSpmJod1Ojj0SHB8au9tGU0T7OFtslmcahKklDT_BZLFEPfWWumqv6n7CP3CaG9nI4LvFqZ6yFpJobqi6401Bjy9HOpt8vV-4/s1600/DSC07403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lj32oDYlsjR34X2M8YA9ePqfChjULesN_4cmU1LqTrVSpmJod1Ojj0SHB8au9tGU0T7OFtslmcahKklDT_BZLFEPfWWumqv6n7CP3CaG9nI4LvFqZ6yFpJobqi6401Bjy9HOpt8vV-4/s320/DSC07403.JPG" width="320" /></a> Recipes generally tell you to pre-heat your oven, but I prepare so slowly that doing so is a waste of electricity. At some point in your process you'll need your oven pre-heated to 170°. The other reason why you can hold off heating the oven is that you want your oatmeal to start absorbing the dampness of the mixture. The longer you leave the mixture uncooked, the softer your oatmeal will get. Don't be afraid to make these early in the day, leave the mixture in the fridge (there's fresh eggs so it's got to be in the fridge) to soak and then bake in the evening.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbBQrdY0qtQUWs-2ZGUYnCaNqL4jKHJmkibCxq5I1szL39xvWd8WGkWCdUPCZu0356C4IaAt8d0sDDlcGejfJPhZOLkLrVWZvYRFTYFBzhdr7v7Xe2ZUcYO5017UT_BYGYg4Aon8K-uY/s1600/DSC07404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbBQrdY0qtQUWs-2ZGUYnCaNqL4jKHJmkibCxq5I1szL39xvWd8WGkWCdUPCZu0356C4IaAt8d0sDDlcGejfJPhZOLkLrVWZvYRFTYFBzhdr7v7Xe2ZUcYO5017UT_BYGYg4Aon8K-uY/s320/DSC07404.JPG" width="320" /></a>Start with a bowl, a block of butter (about 250g), 200g of soft brown sugar and 75g of white sugar. Throw them in together. <br />
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Butter that you've taken out of the fridge is generally hard and difficult to mix in so either take it out early, cut it into cubes and leave it to soften or bung the block whole into the microwave for no more than 20 seconds.<br />
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Take a fork (not a whisk or blender or wooden spoon, just a good, old-fashioned fork) and mix everything in until it's a buttery, surgery paste. It's really important that it's properly mixed as patches without sugar result in unsweetened biscuits.<br />
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Once you're all mixed in, grab a couple of eggs and break them in. Mind you don't drop in any shells! Add in 2x coffee-spoon full of vanilla essence and start stirring again.<br />
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150g of cream or plain flour (not self-raising) goes in next. Mix it all up.<br />
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125g chopped Walnuts (or whatever nuts you like, pecan is great too!), 175g Chocolate chips and 260g oatmeal (porridge oats) go in next.<br />
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When you are finished mixing, you should get something like this. I can't stress how important it is to get an even mixture, not getting any nuts or, worse, chocolate, in your cookie is the total pits.<br />
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This recipe, like all good cookie recipes, spreads out once you bake it so, when you're seperating it out, roll nothing bigger than a golf-ball. I generally use 2 teaspoons to roll the balls. What I noticed when cooking is that the base tends to get very crispy so I branched out into silicon moulds for part of the mixture. These leave the cookies soft all over and are prefect for soft-cookie lovers or served with a scoop of ice-cream. The moulds are also a little more forgiving on your cooking time so if you let them go a little long because you're off playing cards or similar, you can get away with it.<br />
<br />
Personally I prefer a little crunch in my cookie so I'll eat up all the tray-baked ones if I've made both.<br />
<br />
This mix makes about 40 golf balls, a bit less with silicone moulds as they are a little larger. Bake for about 15mins, keeping an eye on them so you don't burn them. Probably better to shoot for a shorter cooking time, check them and leave them in if they aren't golden brown.<br />
<br />
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[This is where the pic would be..... </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
........if I had remembered to take </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
one of the baked cookie.<br />
Presentation fail, go me!]</div>
<br />
Leave them to cool on the tray for about 10-15 mins before moving them to a rack to cool completely or tuck in and savage them while they are still warm! You'll need napkins if you eat them warm, there's a pretty high butter content and you don't want your card sleeves sticking together!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!!<br />
<br />
<br />Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-79449123568580983422012-10-04T17:29:00.000+02:002012-10-04T17:29:29.433+02:00PUNY HUMANS!! The first steps in building a Human deck<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">[Another oldie going out there. Obviously the numbers are off in this kind of article and this post, more than than others, is going to feel truncated.]</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>opens <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Gatherer</a></i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>types <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?output=spoiler&method=visual&name=+[human]%7C%7Ctype%3d+[human]%7C%7Csubtype%3d+[human]%7C%7Ctext%3d+[human]" target="_blank">Human</a></i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">.......1369 results. Okaaaaay........</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>clicks [back], selects "Legendary" filter</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>curses at Gatherer</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>clicks Advanced Search</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>selects "Legendary", "Creature", "Human", wonders why same search doesn't work from front page</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">189 results. Hum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did anyone else know that "Human" is far and away the most represented creature type among Magic's Legendary community? Strange, in a game where everything is about the Sphinx, Dragon, Elf or Zombie of preference, that Human makes up for almost a full third of all Legends. A lot of that is down to the Portal legends and the early Legends who were overwhelmingly human (or became human after "Legend" became a type and each Legend needed an actual sub- or creature type).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With the upsurge of Humans and "human matters" cards in recent sets, I have a hankering to look at what the race can offer in terms of tribal support for an EDH deck. My first step to make a tribal deck would usually be to find a general and build from there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've mentioned before, I really like Tribal-deck Generals that care about their tribe. Boosting is good, tribe only abilities is even better. Zombies is a disappointment as there's not a single Zombie Legend that has a Zombie in its rules text: They just don't care. Balthor's reanimation ability is about the closest I can get thematically. Dragon Legends care: Scion, Karrthus and Bladewing all want lots of dragons in the game and you to be the (eventual) controller. Elves Legends care: there's 5 that help or create elves. What are those Human legends up to?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>clicks back, adds "human" to rules text</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Humans, unsurprisingly are selfish egotistical bastards: they don't give a damn about other humans. What am I going to do in my deck? I want a human who feels like a leader. Soldier feels a bit too much like "follower", there are no higher ranks in the subtype line and, surprisingly given that there is "Adviser", there's no "King" subtype. What about "Knight" or "Warrior"?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
><i>clicks back, cuts "human" from rules text</i><
<br />
><i>adds "or" "Knight" "or" "warrior" to subtype</i><
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legends....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legends....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Portal....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">D</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">aakon Blackblade.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jor Kadeen..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legends....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Norin...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Portal....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kresh...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rafiq......</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legends....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Portal....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Vhati....</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Ok, there's some stuff I can work with in there. I have to be honest, when I finished this search, I saw the guy I want leading my army right off the bat, mostly by eliminating the cards I didn't want or didn't own. In a choice between Jor Kadeen's RW and the UWG knight, Rafiq wins out every time. My old Rafiq deck, made to weather the Annihilator storm with the release of Rise of the Eldrazi has been retired for a while. He could do with a good dusting off.<br />
<br />
Onwards!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>Clicks back, adds "Human" into rules text and cuts "Legendary" & "Human" from type & subtype fields</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>after clicking search, facepalms, clicks back and adds "not" "red" and "not" "black" to colour filter</i>< </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Not" is always better in this search. If you just do "or" "UWG" you won't find any lands or artifacts that care about humans. Took me a while to figure that one out but it's the most efficient way to do this kind of search.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/avr/80muyhcqw4_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/avr/80muyhcqw4_en.jpg" width="228" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I starting out doing is looking at "human matters" creatures in my colours. Only 23 creatures out of 1368 Humans actually mention the word "Human" in their text box and only 10 of those are in Bant. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's not a lot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is my second big choice that needs making: Is this a strict "Humans only" deck or can I add either relevant human related non-humans (like Grave Titan in Zombies) or totally unconnected good cards in my colours. Where possible I avoid the third option, I could just make a good-stuff deck if I wanted to. The first is extremely restrictive that stops you using some really relevant creatures just because of the type line. Take Angel of Glory's Rise from the up-coming Avacyn Restored <span style="color: blue;">[You guessed it: this is an old article!]</span>: it's an angel that loves humans BUT it's an angel, not a human. How strict is that deck-building line? I think humans need a to believe in something greater than themselves to spur them on to greater feats of valour so thematically the Angel could easily get the nod.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I don't have a particular theme for a deck outside of a particular tribe, finding an identity can be annoying at times. There's a couple of options with someone like Rafiq. One, the longest is slogging through the CMCs one by one (with 1369 Humans there's a lot to slog though so you're better off breaking it down into managable parts) until your've filled out each CMC with playables and start cutting from there:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>Click's back, removes "Human" from subtype line, adds "CMC =1"</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>Click's back, removes "CMC=1" from subtype line, adds "CMC =2"</i><</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">><i>Click's back, removes "CMC=2" from subtype line, adds "CMC =3"</i><</span><br />
<br />
and so on. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">[And here is where I finished before that huge chunk of RL intervened. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">This post reflects one of the two major approaches I use when building decks: slogging through Gatherer for days in a more or less systematic manner until I see what I have to unearth from my boxes and binders. The more a deck sticks to a theme, the more I will build in this manner. Obviously I have a jumping off point, generally when cooking, "working" or driving; a moment of clarity where it becomes obvious that, in order for my life to be complete, I must build the ultimate Squirrel deck. Or whatever. Here it was humans and a deck that eventually never got built. Go figure.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">The other deck building process that I regularly employ is a good stuff approach trawling through my binders because I want to use X Legend or Y card in a deck. Gatherer generally figures somewhere in the mix in order to find that obscure instance of a creature that has this specific triggered ability, that particular land that bounces back to your hand or something along those lines.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">Feel free to share your personal deck-building tic, your tips for a more complete Gatherer experience or whatever cookie recipe you're brandishing at the moment.*]</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">*Shortbread base, caramel fudge layer, dark chocolate topping and, occasionally, I can be tricked into sprinkling mini-marshmallows on top while the chocolate is still liquid.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-19325036424911065162012-10-04T15:20:00.000+02:002012-10-04T15:20:01.109+02:00Animar - Soul of Elements: Just brainstorming silliness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue;">[This is another of those old articles that never got finished. Now it is (kind of) and I'm putting it out there. Enjoy!]</span> <br />
<br />
When talking to a couple of players recently they subject came up about "broken" Generals and how exactly is broken defined in this context. Apart from the joker that suggested Haakon, opinions varied a bit: <br />
<br />
One espoused Braids and Grand Arbiter Augustin IV who have board warping implications merely by being present.<br />
<br />
Another championed the Arcum, Sharuum, Zur & Azusa types who allowed repeated incremental advantage.<br />
<br />
Personally I plumped for Animar: If you consider the mana and additional costs of creatures to be the
baseline in what's considered "fair", Animar, just by being in play,
makes each successive creature spell more "unfair" by allowing you to pay
less for that spell than you should. You're breaking one of the 3 base
rules in the game: you pay less than cost price for your cards (the others base rules being draw one card per turn & play one land per turn). Animar also has the ancillary abilities allowing him to become infinitely large and two relevant protections to dodge some of the more common spot removal in the format.<br />
<br />
<br />
There's not really that many modes to Animar; you have "stupidly broken" and "durdling about not specifically trying to achieve stupidly broken but getting part of the way there". I suppose, in an effort to avoid both of these modes, you <i>could </i>take out all those cards that make the general merely an enabler for stupid things and aim for merely "pay less for my dudes", however even this can be considered a form of "trying to achieve stupid". Creatures have a cost to play, though some are more fairly costed than others, and that cost is a supposedly fixed element. When you start reducing that cost, you're getting something for less than you should. Start reducing that cost on a creature that's already aggressively costed and you start getting a lot of value where none normally exists.<br />
<br />
Generally the things that allow you to pay less for something only do that: Cloud Key, Etherium Sculptor etc. Animar gets very big and swings for damage while he's enabling cheaper stuff..<br />
<br />
<br />
If, when building your deck, you can add in effects that allow you to break the remaining 2 base rules (and I assure you that Blue, Green Red, & Artifact have an abundance of ways in which to do this even with the restriction that the desired effects should be attached to a creature), suddenly you're achieving the trifecta of effects that break the core tenets of the game at very little extra cost than the investment you've already made in getting Animar into play. The only question you need to ask yourself at this point is how much you're willing to push these boundaries to break the game (and how detrimental that will be to your playgroup?)<br />
<br />
<br />
So, I decided to build an Animar deck in one evening to illustrate my point of Animar's intrinsic brokenness to my group. Initially, I started with inspiration from Animar's rules text and planned on a 100% creature deck. While going through my folders to build the deck, I decided to place to one side all the non-creature cards I came across that I thought merited inclusion to see if I was willing to make that 100% creature call or not.<br />
<br />
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It became quickly clear that the choice wasn't simply a question of playing either "lots" of creatures or "all" creatures, it was also a question of power-level. I <i>could </i>build the all-creature deck but it wouldn't be the deck I promised to showcase to the doubting few. Aluren, Earthcraft and Cloudstone Curio are the sort of cards that change most decks, but here they turn it from a "just very good" deck to the aforementioned "stupid". When you are playing your under-costed threats, you're eventually going to run out of either mana or cards (or both). The first two of these three cards take care of the mana part, the third takes care of the problem of needing to draw cards by allowing you to re-use the same cards repeatedly for an effect. Working on the theory that you're only going to include creatures that advance some portion of your plan, and that all provide some sort of intrinsic value, re-using the same cards again and again for little or no cost just makes sense.<br />
<br />
So the decision taken was to go full-on silly season and see where it led me. <br />
<br />
My basic starting point to any deck-building exercise is 36 land, 5-6 mana rocks and some guys that go get lands (in Green or White). If this mix is off after playing the deck a few times I can change it but it's an excellent jumping off point. You may have to mix around some of the numbers if you are in colours that don't have a huge amount of card filtering or land search but the basics are the same. I find that with multiple colours this approach still works, though sometimes calls for a little more time getting the correct artifacts and searchers. Here's where I started with Animar (replace anything you don't own with basic lands):<br />
<br />
Coloured Mana:<br />
3 Duals<br />
3 Ravnica Shock-lands<br />
3 Ravnica Bounce-lands<br />
3 On-colour Fetch-lands<br />
3 M12 / Innistrad tap lands <br />
1 Command Tower<br />
1 Gaea's Cradle <br />
15 Mixed basics depending on your build <br />
<br />
Some specialist non-colour lands. Here I've only included 4 as I want as many lands as possible to produce coloured mana: <br />
1 Temple of the False Gods<br />
1 Alchemist's Refuge<br />
1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
1 Homeward Path <br />
<br />
To help out with the mana base I have 7 non-creature artifacts that search for or produce mana. My emphasis here was really on fixing multiple colours because of Animar's CC and the desire to get him down early hence the inclusion of the Signets, something I generally avoid:<br />
1 Sol Ring<br />
1 Armillary Sphere<br />
3 Ravnica Signets<br />
1 Darksteel Ingot<br />
1 Vessel of Endless Rest <span style="color: blue;">[This would have been Chromatic Lantern had it been out when I initially started this article]</span><br />
<br />
And rounding out the mana fixing section are 7 creatures that either tap for mana or search for lands. Generally in a deck like Animar I like to put the lands directly into play, even if they are tapped. Tender is initially an over-costed Llanowar Elf but becomes 3 turns of acceleration once Animar is in play:<br />
1 Bloom Tender<br />
1 Sakura Tribe Elder<br />
1 Wood Elves<br />
1 Sakura Triber Elder<br />
1 Yavimaya Elder<br />
1 Farhaven Elf<br />
1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
1 Primeval Titan <span style="color: blue;">[This was pre-banning, you'll have to improvise here!]</span><br />
<br />
If you add up all that you come to the total of 51 cards that either make or find mana, most of it coloured. When you have a tri-coloured deck that revolves around the general, you're dedicated to getting him out repeatedly which means you want to maximize your access to your colours. The other avenue of moxes & petals is a lot less attractive after the first couple of turns, this is going to be a deck here you really want to get a permanent mana presence rather than a flash shot. While powering Animar out turn 2 is great, having that land or signet available following a turn 3 Animar is more important than that extra turn. <br />
<br />
That's all the basic stuff, here's where we start to get silly.<br />
<br />
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Animar, Soul of Elements<br />
Cloudstone Curio<br />
Earthcraft<br />
Aluren<br />
<br />
Take these effects with any 2 additional creature cards with a single coloured mana cost. If it costs 4 or more you get to play each creature effectively for free by casting for the single coloured mana using a basic land, untapping that same land with Earthcraft, bouncing the second creature with the Curio and repeating for as often as you want or as your opponents allow you to. Should the creatures cost 3 or less you can do the same at instant speed and create infinite mana with Earthcraft. We have to keep in perspective that this is Magical X-mas Land with a 6 card combo. This won't happen every game, especially if your meta is wise to your funny tricks. The avalanche nature of the deck with Animar's effect means that this combination is potentially much more possible than any other deck. Given enough counters on Animar the deck effectively goes off.<br />
<br />
However, let's say you're missing one of the pieces:<br />
<br />
No Aluren still allows you to go infinite for enters the battleground abilities with the other two in play though no Earthcraft means you may have to pay 1 mana each time you play a creature restricting you to the amount of mana available for creatures costing over 4 (but not for those under if you control Aluren). The big loss is potentially no Cloudstone Curio, meaning you have to include creatures or permanents that have some sort of bounce ability to create a couple of loop effects.<br />
<br />
These areas are where we have to start looking for creatures that will fill holes in our strategy. One obvious addition is Equilibrium as it's essentially the paying version of Cloudstone Curio. While may may think it's fair to start paying for bounce effects especially when your general is giving you a price cut on your creatures, a few turns with an active Cloudstone Curio will quickly show how much of a pain it really is to have to actually tap mana to make your combo go off (unless you include a certain category of creatures, but I'll get to those in a minute). The real advantage of the Equilibrium is the ability to clear an opponent's board very cheaply. Imagine you are playing Man-o'-War with Animar (2 counters) in play. You can play the Man-o'-War for U, tap 1 additional for the Equilibrium and bounce an opponent's creature while targetting the Man-o'-War with its own ability to return it to your hand. Each repetition will gain you an additional counter on Animar and bounce an opposing creature. Add Earthcraft to taste.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=10682&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=10682&type=card" width="143" /></a><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=5671&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=5671&type=card" width="143" /></a>You're probably surprised it took me so long to mention them, but the Urza's "free" creatures are a natural fit for this deck. Each provides a marker for Animar making subsequent versions not only cheaper but also a net gain in mana. A Cloud of Faeries will give you +1 (minimum, excluding lands that tap for 2 or more), Peregrine Drake will provide anywhere from 4 additional mana and Great Whale and Palinchron will just get ridiculous very quickly.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=11588&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=11588&type=card" width="143" /></a><br />
I've mentioned Wood Elves already however they are worth mentioning again as many overlook the Forest coming into play untapped. It's also a "Forest Card" not a basic Forest so any Curio loop with the Wood Elves and 2 markers on Animar is essentially free on eth Wood Elves side where the total number of repetitions = the number of forests in your deck, even without Earthcraft or Aluren.<br />
<br />
After taking care of the basic mana and the potentially silly mana, you have to look at the cards that are going to advance your plan. This involves either helping you draw into your options or tutoring directly for them. In our colour combination we have 4 creature-based tutors that aren't concerned with a specific tribe:<br />
<br />
Imperial Recruiter<br />
Momir Vig, Simic Visionnary<br />
Fierce Empath<br />
Brutalizer Exarch<br />
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Each has it's own drawback and advantages. The recruiter can only search up smaller creatures however that allows it to create clone chains and boost your board dramatically while ratcheting up Animar. The $250 price tag is still a little steep for me right now so I'm going to leave it aside for today though, if you own him, use him. Momir Vig requires a second card to do anything but can tutor any creature and serves as a draw engine as a back-up. Fierce Empath is the reverse Imperial Recruiter, fetching your huge guys. Brutalizer Exarch can also fetch anything but is restricted by his initially hefty mana cost and the top of library clause. If you can loop him with anything, his second ability can clear the board of any pesky non-creature for a turn allowing you free reign.<br />
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That's an ability some players will particularly appreciate when used in conjunction with Whirlpool Warrior's activated ability. If there are non-creature permanents getting you down, bounce them to the top of your opponent's deck and Whirlpool them away. True they can potentially re-draw the same ones again however they need to get lucky to do that. I'm not going to mention that, when you loop the Exarch, you can potentially clean the board of every land permanent your opponents control and that subsequently Whirlpooling them away would probably not be well considered. <br />
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In addition to the Warrior, there's a couple of cards that don't give you direct card advantage but they will put you in position to see a lot more cards.<br />
<br />
Whirlpool Warrior<br />
Whirlpool Drake<br />
Augury Owl<br />
Sage Owl <br />
Garruk's Horde<br />
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Your objective here is not burning through your deck by drawing cards but by selecting and changing your hand as much as possible. Eventually you'll get one of the aforementioned tutors or just draw into your end-game cards. Then, of course, we come to the cards that actually replace themselves or better:<br />
<br />
Visionary Elf<br />
Wall of Blossoms<br />
Bloodbraid Elf<br />
Sea Gate Oracle<br />
Raven Familiar<br />
Mulldrifter<br />
Primordial Sage<br />
Soul of the Harvest <br />
<br />
These last two sections are the real meat of the deck and your goal is to use these cards to find the more broken enablers of Curio/Animar/ Equilibrium/Earthcraft and subsequently reuse these cards until you get to a winning position either with Animar or with the army you're slowly building. The small issue here is that these form only 1/8th of your deck and you really need to find them as they & the tutors form the oil for your deck's engine.<br />
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So we're going to look at our options to reuse them that we haven't already mentioned. The first option is the cards that want to recover your creatures from the graveyard or exiled in some way.<br />
<br />
Loaming Shaman<br />
Riftsweeper<br />
Body Double<br />
Eternal Witness<br />
Artisan of Kozilek<br />
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The most extreme is Loaming Shaman which will put cards back into your deck, as will Riftsweeper, either from exile or the graveyard. Loaming Shaman's advantage is that he can be used offensively as well as defensively by clearing out stacked graveyards your opponents control. Body Double, EWit & Artisan will either use a dead creature, return one to your hand or bring it directly into play. One of the huge disadvantages of the deck is that you really don't have a huge amount of room for sacrifice engines meaning that your creatures are ripe for being stolen and there's not a huge amount you can do about it.<br />
<br />
Venser, Shaper Savant<br />
Man-o'-War<br />
Phantsmal Image<br />
Phyrexian Metamorph<br />
Clone<br />
Deadeye Navigator<br />
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I've included two bounce creatures and 3 additional clones as well as Avacyn Restored's latest advantage engine to round out the re-usable package. Venser's "counterspell" ability surprisingly is much less impressive than his ability to "flash" in, partly the reason why Alchemist's Refuge was included. Deadeye Navigator is potentially massive allowing you to blink himself and his Soulbonded mate for 1U. I presume you can see where the advantages in that lie in a deck like this, not least in allowing, for a certain mana investment, your creatures to be protected from spot removal.<br />
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Speaking of protection, your deck will need some additional points to plug some gaps, preferably attached to creatures. I've gone for a second counterspell, some creature exile and Voidmage Husher.<br />
<br />
Lightning Greaves<br />
Duplicant<br />
Phrexian Duplicant<br />
Mystic Snake<br />
Voidmage Husher<br />
<br />
The advantages to the Husher, along with his countering ability, is again the flash and his return to hand ability. In a previous incarnation of this deck, I looked at cards like Timid Drake, Arctic Merfolk and Shrieking Drake solely for the ability to constantly bounce themselves or something back to your hand. In the end they essentially did nothing by themselves and were replaced by slightly better creatures. The Husher is always a threat and you're generally happy to see it bounce back.<br />
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We're now down to the final 10 cards. What we're looking to do here is provide "game winning solutions" in these last cards even if you can conceivably win the game with dorks much earlier. In the deck I initially put together, I went with Anger as a haste giver however this will be replaced by the Planechase II legend, Maelstrom Wanderer that grants everyone haste along with the double cascade. If we're going to win through combat, why not include Champion of Lambholt? It won't take very long to bring him to the point that only the largest creatures will be able to block yours. This is defiantly a debatable slot, we'll have to look into how this one works out.<br />
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I also like the 1-2 hit that Kozilek & Ulamog provide. They are not artifacts so you can loop them both around a Cloudstone Curio and, given enough +1/+1 markers on Animar, you can do this for free, drawing cards and destroying permanents as you see fit. You can, in fact, draw your entire deck in this manner which brings us to a slightly wacky win condition: Laboratory Maniac. In conjunction with other looped draw effects and Ulamog, this is a potentially fun way (for you) to finish off a table. It matches nicely with the recently released Primal Surge and the fact that we have yet to include a single non-permanent card in the deck. I think 10 mana is very do-able in the deck given the deck space we have dedicated to generating it.<br />
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The final 4 slots are really open to you. If you drop the Lab Maniac / Primal Surge plan, you start to open up options for Comet Storm & Mind's Desire to finish the game. I'm not sure I'd be forgiven for not mentioning Avenger of Zendikar & Terastodon in a deck that includes green though these are so played out, it would be nice to try to work without them. I'd probably look at adding to the earlier part of the curve, concentrating on smaller boosts or more control with Words of Wind, another of those cards that, when you get the upper hand, you just ensure you keep it: evoked Mulldrifter, add 1 for the Words, tap the Mulldrifter for Earthcraft mana (or just use some of your "free creature + Equilibrium / Curio" infinite mana), bounce the Mulldrifter, draw 1, allow the evoke sacrifice to fizzle, repeat until you're the only player with permanents in play.<br />
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To conclude: Animar is not bros, as the currently in vogue meme is so fond of saying. He's a combo general, quite capable of being a complete ass-hat and ruining games. Of course, if you've read down this far without puking, you've probably realised that. You do need certain cards for the deck to run in this manner, some of which are expensive, I make no apologies for that. Feel free to include or omit as your personal ethics dictate, much like the Exarch / Whirlpool combo.<br />
<br />
I've since brought this build in to play in our playgroup and knocked out a couple of 1v1s and four 4-player games. The 1v1s were against un-tuned decks and functioned really only to beat the kinks out (though I didn't actually make any changes as a result) so they didn't count for much. The exercise is more like goldfishing (though playing though a Pain Reflection made me pause in one of them). Of the 4-player games, they went pretty well, considering. Games 1 & 3 finished in or around turn 10-11 with advantage engines just powering out either a huge unblockable Animar (those protections again!) or a small army the wasn't dealt with immediately. Game 2 was over earlier with, going first, turn 4 Man-o'-War following Aluren onto the table.<br />
<br />
If you're not into magical masturbation this is not the deck for you. You will spend turns in your corner bouncing stuff while your friends have fun laughing about football, girls & life in general but I realise that there are some sad people (like me) out there that just want to go out for the evening and sit there interacting with no-one else.<br />
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Have, eh....fun? (Don't play this deck!)Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-3876246903994150212012-10-04T14:43:00.001+02:002012-10-04T14:43:01.055+02:00Blood Artist: Just a 0/1?Innistrad: October 2011.<br />
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Drafting B/x decks was quite fun during Innistrad if you managed to get your hand on a couple of Falkenrath Nobles. A 2/2 for 4, even with flying, is interesting while not being anything spectacular. However, adding a little ping of Drain Life that triggers on creatures dying and suddenly there's a huge amount more math that needs to be done around combat. Every creature that died negated a portion of an opposing attack and hurried that player closer to their demise. Having two on board was just heaven as you were generally going to come out ahead on life in any creature kerfuffle than when you went in.<br />
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While not the out and out bomb some cards are in limited, it got killed somewhat higher up the priority list than other creatures because of the potential for huge life-swings in the creature-centric matches limited games generally are.<br />
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Above and beyond drafts and sealed events though, the card was just not interesting. For the same cost you had better fliers or the same power at a cheaper cost. Until the format swings round to mass creature generation, it will probably watch from the outside.<br />
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Avacyn Restored : May 2012<br />
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Fast forward to the release of Avacyn Restored and the very curious case of exactly the same effect on a much smaller creature with no evasion.<br />
<br />
How desperate were WotC to get this effect into the stand-alone that they weren't willing to push off Falkenrath Noble but preferred to print exactly the same effect on what is essentially a much worse card in Blood Artist?<br />
<br />
But <i>is </i>it a worse card? No evasion, no power and about the lowest toughness you can go without automatically dying, all for 2 colourless mana less. It's a cheaper rip-off of a limited card. Who is going to play this?<br />
<br />
Actually the question is more likely "Who is going to kill this?" It's a 0/1 that falls over when another player sneezes. It dies to <i>everything</i>. Why waste a kill spell or effect when it will wither away at the slightest suggestion of a Wrath of God?<br />
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Well, as it turns out quite a few people, mainly because that Wrath of God will be a 20 point life swing in favour of the controller of the Blood Artist. The little dork no one wanted to kill has just taken out the lowest hanging fruit on your Wrath of God, made his controller more comfortable and will likely come back with Sun Titan in a couple of turns, something the Noble never did.<br />
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In a strange turn of events the student has become the master in our play group with the presence of quite a lot of token strategies. Stuff dies all the time and each one is a little ping here, another one there and so on until you wonder how that Ghave player could still be alive and why your neighbour is cloning 0/1 dorks like crazy.<br />
<br />
Rite of Replication, kicked, targetting Blood Artist? Sure, I've seen it happen.<br />
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Blood Artist: Not just a 0/1. <br />
<br />Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-15368342172348456872012-09-21T17:10:00.002+02:002012-09-21T17:10:55.510+02:00Willy Wonka<div class="Standard">
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(<span style="color: blue;"><b>Note:</b> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">I initially wrote the majority of this piece almost 1 full year ago after promising the guys at CommanderCast I'd do it. Then RL intervened and it, and the 8 or 9 other pieces I'd started, never got finished. Fuelled by an increasing desire to get it out there rather than dive back in to try to provide the most polished version possible, here it it in all its ugliness</span>.</i>)<br />
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You may not realise it, but this guy -> is probably sitting beside you at your Commander games.<br />
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He's definitely on the forums that you're reading. (No, I'm not talking about Joz, though the resemblance <i>is</i> uncanny!!)<br />
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It's certain that he'll appear in this post again without me needing to post the image. (It's kinda all about him and someone called Charlie but I'll get to that.) <br />
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What you don't know is that, for some of you, he is also the face that stares back at you when you're checking yourself out in any reflective surface you come across. Yes, my fellow EDH super-enthusiasts, we are fast becoming the principal consumers of green hair-dye, fake tanning cream and white dungarees and most of us never even realised it. In short, there's a lot of Oompa-Loompa's around.<br />
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Confused yet?<br />
<br />
First off, what the hell is an Oompa-Loompa? Wize Wiki tells us:<br />
<br />
<i>Oompa-Loompas come from Loompaland, which is a region of Loompa, a small isolated island in the Atlantic Ocean. </i><br />
<br />
Ok, sure<i>.</i><br />
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<i>The Oompa-Loompa would end up being preyed upon or attacked by Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers and Snozzywangers, which also lived there. </i><br />
<br />
Typical really, I never trusted those Snozzywangers.<i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>Wonka ended up inviting them to work at his factory and get away from their natural predators.</i> <i>As each bad child makes his/her exit, Oompa-Loompa sing moralising songs accompanied by a drum beat, and tend to speak in rhyme.</i></div>
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Or, to put it another way: they annoying, moralisizing little shits that live in a strange, enclosed world and speak funny.<br />
<br />
This is the 99% true story of Charlie (some very slight artificial licence), <span lang="EN-US">the luckiest boy in the entire world, who won the golden ticket to play <strike>Elder Dragon Highlander</strike> Commander because he likes playing magic with his friends when his mom let's him out and he was given a Commander pre-con for his birthday. Like I said, lucky boy.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Charlie tinkered about with his Kaalia deck a little bit, adding a couple of cards, taking some away and decided he was going to hit his LGS the following Saturday. Candy filled dreams of crushing angel/dragon/demon victories rocked Charlie gently to sleep that night.</span></div>
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Roll around Saturday and Charlie is finally there, the mecca known as "Know When to Hold 'em Games", and, how lucky, there's a Commander game about to get under way. Could Charlie possibly join in?</div>
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But of course, toothy grins reply! Charlie, stars in his eyes, sits down with the sharks.<span lang="EN-US"> Starting to his left we have Augustus playing GAA, IV; Veruca Salt playing Faeries; Violet playing Gaddock; and Mike, the resident Spike, playing Sharuum. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The game draws a crowd. (I mean, a couple of chicks playing Magic, why wouldn't it?)</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US">Augustus gets </span><span lang="EN-US">greedy, </span><span lang="EN-US">overextends and bites it early. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Violet, ignoring Sheldon's advice, knocks her soda over her deck and quits in a quite spectacular rage.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US">Veruca tangles with some squirrels and ends up falling to an Overrun. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US">Mike tries to go infinite infinite times and has to stop when he starts to bleed from his ears. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US">Charlie is left alone at the table, trying to get to 14 mana to replay his general. </span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"><br />And thoughout all this, everyone around has something to say about everthing transpiring in front of them: "<i>Tunnel Vision is a DB move!</i>", "<i>Girls don't have the temperament to play Magic!</i>", "<i>You don't fuck with the squirrels!</i>", "<i>Don't bring a knife to a battlecruiser fight!</i>" and, of course, " </span><img alt="\partial_t g_{ij}=-2 R_{ij}" class="tex" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/1/7/5/175a27477876784a10f590baabad1742.png" /> ".<br />
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<span lang="EN-US"> </span><br />
Personally, as I watched from the counter, I felt sorry for Charlie.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We had a chat afterwards to get his back-story but he was essentially an onlooker in his first ever game of "unprotected" Commander. He was only ever attacked or targetted as an after-thought, it was almost as if he just wasn't worth considering until the other sharks were dealt with.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Unfortunatly, I made the mistake of asking to look through his deck before the other Oompa-Loompas had cleared away (of course I'm an Oompa-Loompa too!) and they flocked round to begin the <i>real </i></span>beatdown in ernest. There was not a single Oompa-Loompa who refrained from moralising Charlie about his choice of deck, cards or even opponents. It very quickly became Charlie's "fault" that he had choosen to sit at a table at which players with "tiered" & "tuned" decks resided. How the hell was he to know? The kid had never played Commander in the store before and this was his reward.<br />
<br />
And, this is the kicker, no-one around was intentionally being mean or nasty to Charlie, they genuinely believed that they were good samaritans helping this lost soul, this Commander noob, tweak his deck, become a better Commander player, make better card selections.<br />
<br />
I could see his face slowly melting from a sort of inner pride that he hadn't necessarily embarassed himself during the game to a hollow, pasty pallor of someone who's been had the rug pulled out from under them and were afraid they were going to get dumped on their ass again.</div>
<br />
After waiting to see if there was anything really constructive in the offing, I stepped back in again and shooed the oompa-loompas away, to their huge annoyance<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">. I put the decks to the side and we got to talking about games and movies and cards and stuff that's cool. We talked about Magic </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">tournaments </span>and "competitive" level play. Charlie admitted that he'd come to the store expecting to feel that special Commander comraderie he'd read so much about, an acceptance of what he finds "cool", but instead found he was being judged against much stricter standards. As of that moment, he didn't have any particular desire to come back</span> to the store.<br />
<br />
The moralists, perfectionists and "strictly better" crowd had managed, in a single afternoon, to put a new player off the format by "helping".<br />
<br />
You see, the Willy Wonka Sweet Factory that is the Commander format is filled with a lot of great stuff but coming in from the outside with your pea-flicker and facing down the howitzers can be a harrowing experience. The store owner, Willy, offered to start up another game and sit down with the two us for something more convivial and suited to Charlie's current level, a 3 way Commander precon battle.<br />
<br />
He had a blast, we all had a blast and, even though Charlie didn't ultimately win the game, he'll remember it for the laughs and swingy plays that are the hallmark of the format and he'll remember it for being an integral and important part of the game, not just an afterthought.We got up from the table with his promise to come back in to play again sometime and then he headed for the door.<br />
<br />
There was an additional disappointing footnote to his afternoon in the shop though as another Oompa-Loompa (I swear that guy is part Whangdoodle!!), who had been watching the second game, started on what plays he should have made and what he should have dropped with Kaalia at what moment. Charlie mumbled his excuses and sidled out.<br />
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[Warning: here's my brief attempt at moralising!] At least Charlie got to go home with the keys to the factory, though, seeing how some people keep it, that's not necessarily always a good thing. I'd like to think me & Willy set him on the right path to enjoying the format, I'd like to think that he'll actually take some information and positives from the first game and the dissection he endured afterwards but I wasn't so sure about that at the time.<br />
<br />
I actually met Charlie on the street about 2 weeks after first meeting him in the shop and he seemed quite up-beat about the format. He'd convinced his friends to play a game (though he'd made the decks and, of course, the one he kept for himself was better and Kaalia whupped them easily) and thought he could get them to play more. He did admit that, had he left the shop before that second game he'd never have come back and he gets the idea about the relative levels of the decks at the initial table after inflicting similiar treatment on his own friends, albeit at a much scaled down level.<br />
<br />
Now that it's a year on after starting this piece, I can say that he <i>has </i>been back to play, not often but still some, though I've never seen him come in with any other kids. Maybe he spiked it a little too hard with his friends (or maybe they're just not that into Magic?) <br /><br />How we act at the table & after the table has a huge impact on young players coming into this game and an equally huge effect on players coming into the format. People with experience at Magic will be able to pick the format up easily enough however more inexperienced players will feel out of the loop in terms of card access, rules and interactions and general Magic knowledge.<br />
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While I don't want to say that it's our "duty" to help newer players out without moralising and lecturing, the future of the format and the overall enjoyment behoves us to encourage and nurture these players coming in.<br />
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This isn't exclusively for the under-prepared or card-shy players coming in to play with us as Charlie could easily have soaked up everything like a sponge from the first game and come back with the griefer deck to end all griefer decks, some sort of hybrid Azusa / Ad Nauseum nightmare-combo. That wouldn't have been very beneficial for him either as the general community (not represented by Violet, Veruca, Mike and Augustus or, for that matter, the Oompa-Loompas) wouldn't have taken kindly to yet another power gamer concentrating on the W and not the J (that's "Journey", btw)<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /><br />So this is where I bring my rambling to a close. I suppose the message is that sometimes your good intentions are not received in the way it's intended and you need to be as careful about how you present them as when you sit down at a table across from someone new.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />And, more importantly, stay away from the Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers and Snozzwangers!!</span><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-52088005597817386012012-03-16T11:41:00.000+01:002012-03-16T11:41:27.685+01:00[SCD] Cornelian Choices with Bad Cards: Phyrexian Portal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Probably
one of my favourite cards over time has been Invasion's Fact or
Fiction. It rewards everything from correct piling and correct pile choosing to building your deck to take advantage of a lot of cards going
into your graveyard. It even spawned an acronym to illustrate it's power
in conjunction with the mighty Psychatog: EOTFOFYL (End of turn: Fact
or Fiction. You lose!) Sometimes it spawned choices that meant you were
damned irregardless of how you split your opponent's piles, there was
essentially no good splits for you, just degrees of how bad it was going
to get. The card spawned pages and pages of internet ink debating the
ins and outs of the card on topics such as the benefits of the 1-4 split
and when you should go 3-2.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My
favourite part of the card, however, was not making the piles but
forcing the choice on my opponents and then turning their choices
into decisions that best reflected what I wanted at that time in the
game. I'm often surprised at the extra importance some players give to
certain cards: Why should I worry unduly about letting the 1-card Wrath
of God </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pile </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">disappear when the remaining cards will more easily win me the
game? Sometimes with Fact or Fiction, the 1-card pile is the right
answer because that's the one card that the opponent fears the most. With
Phyrexian Portal though, where they know the others aren't going to the
graveyard, the choice for you is harder. The psychology of the presented
piles is the game within the game.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unfortunately,
Fact or Fiction is not a Commander staple, though it does crop up from
time to time. What does a one shot of this sort in a 100 cards deck
serve you compared to the 3 or 4 copies that were de rigeur in 60 cards
decks when it was legal? Some would argue "not much" though there are
some compelling arguments for those who want to churn through cards and
fill graveyards. Sadly, it's not a card that has seen much love and I
miss it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=184564&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=184564&type=card" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In its absence, I've been finding a lot of joy in a very (very) bad junk rare from alliances: Phyrexian Portal.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now,
don't make any mistake here, this is a bad card, you probably shouldn't
ever play it. Some players, upon seeing it for the first time,
immediately look for a way to get around the potentially crushing exile
effect. As the exiled cards are exiled face up there are a couple of
possibilities depending on your color mix: Riftsweeper and Pull from
Eternity will both recover cards into your graveyard or library,
however, unless you’re able to churn the Riftsweeper through some sort
of loop, you’re probably not going to be able to rely on it. Add in that
Riftsweeper itself it could be one of the cards that is unwittingly exiled in a face down pile and you
may begin to see how unreliable such a solution is.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So yeah, bad card.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Before we go look at the what the card does, here's the Oracle Text:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3:
<i>If your library has ten or more cards in it, target opponent looks at
the top ten cards of your library and separates them into two face-down
piles. Exile one of those piles. Search the other pile for a card, put
it into your hand, then shuffle the rest of that pile into your library.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What it doesn't do like Fact or Fiction:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
It doesn't allow you to see both piles. You must make a blind choice
based solely on the number of cards in each pile and your read of your
opponent.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
It doesn't put the un-chosen cards into the graveyard. One of the
incidental strengths of Fact or Fiction was that the un-chosen pile was
put into the graveyard. Occasionally, given the format, it mattered more
what and how many cards you put into your graveyard than which cards
you chose to take into your hand. Here the un-chosen cards are pretty
much lost.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> It allows you to activate the effect multiple times.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What it does like Fact or Fiction:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
It forces your opponent to make a choice: into which of two groups of
cards should they put a particular card. They must not only make this
choice, but also make a decision on the size of each pile. Like Fact or
Fiction, Phyrexian Portal doesn't stipulate the size of the splits and
1-9 splits are as possible as 0-5 Fact or Fiction splits. 0-10 splits
are also possible, though I’m not sure why you’d want your opponent to
have a choice of 10 unless you’re colluding with them to try to overcome
a third player.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> It forces you to make a choice. Now that you have seen the two face-down piles, which one do you take?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Essentially
the entire fun behind the card is in these last two bullet-points: What
is your opponent going to do and what are you going to do with whatever
information you have gleaned from his process? If he splits it 1-9, is
the 1 card so dominating right now that it will win you the game right
there or is your opponent so good at mind games that he's just fucking
with you and placing a basic land apart with signals that it's some
über-spell? If you pass on the "1" pile, you're potentially missing out
on the exact card you need to win the game right now. Potentially. Is it
worth the risk of exiling the remaining 9 cards to find out?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I'd
say that the answer is "No" 99% of the time. I think you can allow for
yourself to get punked the once this actually crops up for better card
selection in the remaining pile, even if that pile is 9 basic lands. Your
chances of getting something worth playing are so much higher if you
take the larger pile. Imagine that you're running this out on the third
turn with no acceleration and play no land before activating on turn 4.
You have drawn 11 cards from your 99, 3 of which are lands. Given the
trend for about 40 mana sources in a deck, of the remaining 88 cards
there's 37 mana sources and 51 spells if you have no other mana sources
in hand. That gives you a rough ratio of 4 mana sources for every 10
cards revealed to your opponent off the Phyrexian Portal. Now, we all
know that bad luck laughs in the face of statistics such as this and you
can just as easily have a 10-spell reveal as a 10 mana-source reveal.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now
let's also assume that Phyrexian Portal is the worst card in your deck
(shouldn't be hard really!). Every card revealed to your opponent that's
not a mana source is now a spell worthy of having in your hand. As the
opponent choosing, if there is the aforementioned 1 great card and lots
of mana, the split is probably still better at something close to 5/5
than 9/1 as they are guaranteed to deprive you of at least 5 usable
cards, even if they are only mana sources. Having 2 great cards and lots
of mana make it easy to split with one in each pile. What do you do
when it's 6 great cards and 4 mana sources?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
you split them straight down the middle, you cut out half of the great
cards, as they will be exiled, but the remaining unchosen cards in the
taken pile will get shuffled back in to the library. Are you willing to
let that go? And, if so, which pile are you more willing to let go? Do
you maybe shunt over an additional mana source into the "better" split
to fake out your opponent into thinking that you don't care of they pick
the bulkier pile? What about a full-on psych-out by stacking all the
spells into the larger 6- or 7-card pile and keeping the mana sources in
a smaller 3- or 4-card pile?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don't
forget that the person activating the Portal doesn't see the cards as
they go into a pile as they would with a Fact or Fiction. You just see
the back of 10 card sleeves split into two piles. How good are your Jedi
mind tricks? And, in your multi-player group, knowing that it's closed
information, which opponent do you choose: The guy who knows what he's
doing or the guy who doesn't? If you pick a player who just randomly
flips the cards into 2 separate piles of 5, it's really just a
crap-shoot. You could be getting, and losing, anything. Someone who
tries to choose "correctly" but has a weaker grasp of the cards he's
looking at will be more inclined to make bad choices but you have to
read that bad choice correctly. Someone who knows exactly what they are
doing could play it straight up or try a bit of bluffing. You really
need to know your playgroup well to the get the best out of this card.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=4628&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=4628&type=card" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of
course, Phyrexian Portal is not all bad. You do have cards that can
help you decipher what is happening in the top ten cards of your
library. Ancestral Knowledge is an obvious one, but tends to be a
one-shot solution. Scroll Rack has much more promise as, with a large
enough hand size, you get to look at most, if not all, of the cards
you're putting on top of your library before your opponent looks at
them. This way you can control some of what could be exiled, though I
presume that most of the kind of players who would run something like
Phyrexian Portal are not the types of players who really care that much
what gets exiled!</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Many
thanks to Imshan for the rules spot that allows me to add in Mirror of
Fate. For 5 mana, Mirror of Fate allows you to cherry pick from the
exiled cards some of the more powerful ones that will help you win the
game in short order. If you can get it up and running with some sort of
artifact recursion support, there is potential there for a second or
third shot at the prize. It seems like a pretty delicate balance that
you’d need to strike between what you are exiling and what you’re bringing
back, but I can see a situation where you get some choice cards into
exile, pop the Mirror (which, very importantly, is not exiled with it’s
own effect), recur the Mirror and pop it again to bring back the next
pile of cards. </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is probably something I’d use in a U/x deck rather
than the Mono-R shell I’m currently using the Portal in as blue would
give you access to Academy Ruins and a little more draw to churn through
cards. I know people hate him, but I can see a very aggressive line of
play with Mirror, Jin Gitaxis and Academy Ruins allowing you to both
draw for the turn and draw 7 off Jin Gitaxis with each of the drawn cards being hand
picked from your face-up exiled zone in addition to the Academy Ruins recurred Mirror of Fate. Of course, you can have this
effect without the use of Phyrexian Portal, though planning for this
eventuality allows you to tutor through the Portal with a lot less care for what gets exiled.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At worst, I suppose you could always run Labratory Maniac and hope for the best!</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">May your splits always be favourable and your Jedi mind tricks never fall on a Toydarian opponent!</span><br />
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-23693718228281131162012-02-18T15:41:00.001+01:002012-02-18T15:41:14.065+01:00Grafdigger's Cage: Metagaming made easy.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Sometimes I feel a deck can reach a critical point when any improvements on it are just trolling your playgroup. You move past the “hard to beat” descriptions and moving into “just being unfair” territory. While many players don’t like intentionally building in weaknesses, sometimes you just have to step back and say “Ok, We’re going to have to do this “Dr. Evil” style and not “Scott Evil” style or people will just think I’m a jerk.” Allowing your deck to contain a big glass jaw isn't too much of a problem in any case when your opponents just don't play to beat that strategy.<br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's just not the way it's done, Scott!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I reached that critical point just after the release of Dark Ascension with the Teneb deck I had tweaked from Mr. Scotty Mac’s original “cheaty” build. His version was hell-bent on putting huge monsters into play for cheap or free but, while I kept some of the build as was originally intended, I tried to move the deck into a more comfortable territory for my playgroup.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Unfortunately, Wizards went and printed Mikaeus, the Unhallowed in Dark Ascension. Sometimes the temptation is too much.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Ok, my first impression was to be pretty impressed, both by the first look at the card and by the flavor. A legendary character in Innistrad killed off and zombified to come back in Dark Ascension? How cool is that?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">I lucked into a copy in a sealed event and put on my thinking cap as to what I could do with it. I could have just put it into my zombie deck, of course. The only other deck I have built with black is the aforementioned Teneb, a deck that really likes having things jump in and out of your graveyard. Hey! Mikaeus helps things jump right back out of my graveyard! Match made in ....eh, where-ever zombies and dragons and spirits all hang out together after the game.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
Surely, if I put Mikaeus into Teneb, it would be nice and synergistic and not some broken-ass engine, right?<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Surely.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolls eyes.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The following overreaction comes with the sad knowledge that your opponents have somehow allowed you to have Mikaeus, Greater Good and Reveillark together in play at the same time.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Things that I have learned from Mikaeus:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Eternal Witness is Human, thankfully, as the card is nutty enough as it is. So is Academy Rector, though this is rather incidental as you were unlikely to ever resolve Undying anyway unless his race was blanked in some way (such as being flipped by Ixidron) and his remove ability wouldn’t have triggered in any case. Sadly, Yavimaya Elder is also Human.
I think I’m more bummed with that than the prospect of EWit not continually bouncing back.<br /></li>
<li>>> Insert some sort of infinite damage combo with Triskelion here <<<br /></li>
<li>Reveillark is probably a card that the RC should be looking at very closely. It's already pretty OP with things like Karmic Guide (Yay for the Judge Promo!!) or Saffi and it's positively bonkers with Mikaeus, as are pretty much all the evoke creatures, with possibly its high evoke cost the only thing keeping it from being stupid as opposed to just extremely good. Changing colours quickly to mention Mikaeus with Evoke, Mulldrifter becomes a 3/3 flyer, draw 4 for 2U with the Legend in play. That's fair, right?<br /></li>
<li>Grafdigger's Cage wasn't just a nice in-set foil for Undying and Flashback: It's a necessary tool for keeping some balance in standard and essential for ensuring that all colours in all other formats have a cheap means to stop recursion engines of every sort.</li>
</ul>
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In a set that gives some nice flashback spells and a new graveyard based mechanic, it seems a little misplaced to find the Cage as it totally dominates those strategies. Currently in the Standard and block formats, in addition to getting your game in place, you must at all times and in all colours be able to remove the Cage. The flip side is that the cage is a blank card against you unless you need to use the graveyard as a resource.<br />
<br />
Sideboarding for Dummies:<br />
4 Grafdigger's Cage<br />
11 Other Cards<br />
<br />
Moving this into Commander, it's a bit trite to say that the sky is falling for recursion strategies as is being mentioned in Vintage, but this card is a kick in the teeth for Green-White (Sun Titan, Karmic Guide, Reveillark, Saffi among others), Black (where do I start?), Blue (Wrexial, Acquire, Bribery, Magus of the / Future / Sight), and even Red (Goblin Welder). So I guess that's a kick in the teeth for everyone. For one single, colourless mana, the Cage shouts "NO!!" for a very large portion of the format's favourite spells. It's cheap, tutorable with Trinket Mage and allows for very few work-arounds.<br />
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Essentially only effects that exile a card before it enters play from library or graveyard can side-step the Cage: Living Death (yay!), Tooth and Nail (Booo!) and Thada Adel (yay!) are a couple of more common examples but this list gets very short and unimpressive very, very quickly in comparison to all the cards that the Cage stops. The other work-around is just playing fair but we all know how unsuccessful that strategy is in Commander.</div>
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Something to remember: Grafdigger's Cage will swing from being a useless card to being the most dominant card in different games and at different points in games. Either way it's still essential and I'd go as far as to say is an auto-include (sorry!) for any deck that isn't intending to abuse graveyards or the top of their deck. It's also <i><u>not</u></i> a definitive answer. You will need something else to stop shennanigans so this should be part of a suite that looks at disrupting your opponent, not just a single card in a pile of 99. I've already had an opponent whine about being unable to stop Teneb despite having the Cage in his deck. Maybe he should have found the Cage with his Trinket Mage rather than Sensei's Divining Top, eh?<br />
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Enjoy your new toy, bring balance to the force and don’t call me Shirley.<br />
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<br /></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-44064667624050527782012-01-01T14:55:00.000+01:002012-01-01T14:55:04.794+01:00Flashback! - The best of Knowledge Pool in 2011<div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.15593648422509432"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Knowledge Pool is a team of bloggers (authors of this blog including) who work hard to give you the best casual Magic: the Gathering content on the net. Today I present you the highlights these guys produced in 2011 in an all-mighty Flashback.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/gbm6/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"What is Casual"</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Daryl Bockett on </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muse Vessel</span></a><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/gbm6/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best definition and analysis of casual Magic: the Gathering so far. Daryl tries to define what casual is about - and what not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other famous articles from Daryl include: “Security Curve Theory” (</span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/10/02/gbm37/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part I</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/gbm38/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part II</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/gbm29/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Worst Rule in Commander”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.commandercast.com/commandercast-s3e4-make-your-own-rules" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Make your Own Rules"</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/commandercast-s3e9-real-talk-redeux" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Real Talk Redeux"</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Andy aka GHoooSTS on </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CommanderCast.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These two podcast episodes feature Q&A with Alex Kenny aka Ban-ki-moon, a member of the MtG: Commander Rules Committee. He explains many of the reasons why Commander is the way it is today. He also gets across some motivations behind banning or not-banning certain cards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.cafeschoenleben.de/wordpress/?p=1259" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Trading In The Smartphone Age”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Dominik Schönleben on </span><a href="http://completelycasual.net/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CompletelyCasual.net</span></a><a href="http://www.cafeschoenleben.de/wordpress/?p=1259" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This article explains how trading Magiccards has changed recently through the diffusion of the smart phone. Dominik explains how haggling and “the good deal” have been lost through technology. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Politics, Complexity and Multiplayer Strategy” (</span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/gbm13/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part I</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/graveborn-musings-%E2%80%93-politics-complexity-and-multiplayer-strategy-part-ii/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part II</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/graveborn-musings-%E2%80%93-politics-complexity-and-multiplayer-strategy-part-ii/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finale</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)<br class="kix-line-break" />by Daryl Bockett on </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muse Vessel</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" />A sweeping blow about the diverse angles of politics that can happen in MtG: Commander. He separates politics from strategy and gives an in depth analysis.<br class="kix-line-break" /></span><a href="http://togedher.blogspot.com/2011/03/battle-to-defend-peaks.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"The Battle to Defend the Peaks"</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Owen aka Zimagic on </span><a href="http://togedher.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Crazy 99</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This little short story illustrates how an MtG: Commander game could look like when told from a narrative angle. Owen uses his imagination to tell the story that lies behind any match.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://threetotheface.blogspot.com/2011/08/oh-captain-my-captain_24.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Life is Worth Living!”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><a href="http://threetotheface.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Who Died and Made You F##king King of the Zombies!!!”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by C. R. Russell on </span><a href="http://threetotheface.blogspot.com/2011/08/oh-captain-my-captain_24.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three To The Face!!!</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you like checking out decks for exotic Generals to get inspired, like us, C.R. Russel is your man. These two pieces about [card]Daughter of Autumn[/card] and [card]Balthor the Defiled[/card] are his highlights from 2011.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the “Generally Speaking” series: </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/generally-speaking-03-homura-jedi-knight" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Homura, Jedi Knight”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/generally-speaking-04-erayo-clockwater-ascendant" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Erayo, Clockwater Ascendant”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Imshan aka Sinis on </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CommanderCast.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comparing these two articles could not be more controversial. In this article series Imshan normally surprises us with a wacky non-Magic related theme. [card]Homura, Human Ascendant[/card] aka Obi-Wan Kenobi as a prime example for this, stands in stark contrast to his very competitive variants of [card]Erayo, Soratami Ascendant[/card].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/09/horde-magic-a-new-way-to-play-magic-and-survive-zombie-invasions/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Horde Magic: A New Way to Play Magic and Survive Zombie Invasions”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Peter Knudson on </span><a href="http://www.quietspeculation.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">QuietSpeculation.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the Epic Design Fail form Kenneth Nagle in 2011, “Horde Magic” is taking over as the only viable one-vs-many variant Magic: the Gathering has to offer. In this article Peter Knudson explains the basics of his newly developed variant and how to built your own Horde-Deck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.commandercast.com/the-social-contractor-07-if-i-can-podcast-so-can-you" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If I Can Podcast, So Can You”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Andy aka GHoooSTS on </span><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CommanderCast.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You always thought CommanderCast is produced by a brilliant team of 20 professionals to be as awesome as it is - we have to disappoint you. Here Andy, the hard working producer behind the best MtG: Commander podcast on the Internet, explains to you “how to make your own podcast”. If you ever had the desire to get out there, follow his lead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/seedborn-musings-i-hate-sol-ring-and-all-that-it-taps-for/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I Hate Sol Ring and All that it Taps For”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Brandon Isleib on </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muse Vessel</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brandon does not like people who tell him what he has to play. Staples like Sol Ring are no exception. Find out why the obvious choice is not always the right one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other famous articles from Brandon include: </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/seedborn-musings-decktagon/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Decktagon”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/one-thing-leads-to-another/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“One Thing Leads to Another”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://manadeprived.com/2011/11/accumulated-knowledge-%E2%80%93-whiskey-identity.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Whiskey Identity”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Sean Patchen on </span><a href="http://manadeprived.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ManaDeprived.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you thought Magic: the Gathering and alcohol should not be combined, Sean proves you dead wrong. Sean, a true bon vivant, presents to you an exhaustive list of finer Whiskeys to go with each specific deck you have.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=9916" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Goblins and From the Vault: Legends”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Cassidy Silver</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This article relives a moment from Cassidy’s youth, where he had the one dream fulfilled every Magic: the Gathering player has (apart from winning the Pro Tour maybe): Meeting Richard Garfield, creator of the game we love. If you want to know why Richard Garfield first picked [card]Gobblin Digign Team[/card] in a Sixth Edition draft you must check out this piece.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/windborn-musings-call-of-the-nerd/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Call of the Nerd”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Bruce Richard on </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muse Vessel</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No best-off list for 2011 would be complete without an response article to </span><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5833787/my-brief-okcupid-affair-with-a-world-champion-magic-the-gathering-player" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alyssa Bereznak’s Gizmodo article</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about her date with World Champion Magic player Jon Finkel. Bruce gets on his soapbox and speaks up for the “nerds” she disses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other famous articles from Bruce include: </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/wbm-standing-up-for-sitting-back/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Standing Up for Sitting Back”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://musevessel.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/windborn-musings-%E2%80%9Care-you-done-yet%E2%80%9D/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Are you Done Yet?”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s it for Knowledge Pool in 2011. I hope you liked being flashbacked.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep it also casual next year, though 2012 it might be the end of days. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours Dominik Schönleben (Completelycasual.net)</span></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-66350369166416756612011-12-22T12:26:00.000+01:002011-12-22T12:26:56.161+01:00Rules changes conundrum<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: blue;"><b>Players other than the controller of a trigger are under no obligation to point out that a trigger has been missed, though they may do so if they wish.</b> <b><br />
</b></blockquote><br />
Is it me or do the rules changes for triggers spell trouble for all levels of Magic play, not just the higher RELs? The recent update to the Infraction Procedure Guide allows for a different proceedure for missed triggers and defines exactly what optional and non-optional triggers are.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=5572&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=5572&type=card" /></a></div>Why would I, casual Commander player, get my panties in a knot about this? These changes will be enforced from 01/01/12 and only in higher REL events. We avid followers of the Commander format know from long experience with the Commander RC that any statement from an official source, even with a pretty large caveat like "<i>in your own group, you don't need to do it like this</i>", will be taken as a de facto blanket change. After all, outside of the target events, there's no form of official enforcement to rule one way or another on any cases that come up. Whereas before, when there was one rule, it's either printed "may" on the card and thus skipped if forgotten, or it's printed "Do X", thus it's obligatory and it's everyone's responsbility to point it out.<br />
<br />
What's annoying in addition is being required to re-learn new complex rules in an era when Wizards are purportedly looking to make the game easier to access. We can cite the recent move by Wizards to move <i>away </i>from "may" triggers as they are deemed to confusing as a clear and relevant example. This change is effectively a complete U-turn on that policy making a huge swath of previously obligatory triggers effectively optional if a player or both players aren't vigilant enough. Worse still, they have set down criteria as to which triggers are optional and which are not. You'll see why I say "worse" a little later.<br />
<br />
I don't know about your playgroup, I can only comment on mine. We have a very casual playgroup but with time restraints. Our ongoing policy (now that Marc is gone!) is that "Go!" actually means "I've finished my turn and there's no take-backs." The triggered ability on a permanent that doesn't say "may" means that it <i>will</i> happen, even if it's initially missed by everybody and we need to rewind. This may seem a little strict for a very casual group but it's one of the best learning tools we can implement. No-one is afraid to dish out advice, detailed explainations are available before and after the fact and we're pretty honest as to what we consider douchy plays and, for the most part, we avoid inflicting them on our group. Outside of that, it's your responsability to know your deck and to pay attention. You snooze, you lose! <br />
<br />
Where it gets sticky is when a player decides that the new policy applies to our group. It's in the IPG after all. Who cares that Wizards say it's only for high REL events? Johnny had to play with these rules at the PTQ, the Grand Prix, States and the National Qualifier, why should it be any different here? Why do we blindly stick to the Commander rules & banned list if we're going to pick and mix other policies?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=106427&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=106427&type=card" /></a></div>To be honest, I think we'll manage to sort it out for our group though I'm not so sure that some of the more "competitive" commander groups will weather the changes so well. After all, who actually says, when they attack with Phage: "The ability triggers and you're dead"? No, they don't, they just attack and assume you're dead. I can see the scene already when Phage hits and the attacking player just plays a 2nd-Main-Phase land without announcing the resolution of the Phage's death trigger and is literally flummoxed when the player hit by Phage has the temerity to untap and draw as normal. Let's face it, everyone knows someone who, if they thought they could successfully argue their way out of leaving a game, they'd do it. Groups where the spirit of the rules is championed over rules lawyering should be able to resolve this without too much antagonism; other groups have just found an entirely new level of wrangling and there <i>will </i>be additional tension.<br />
<br />
Here's an annotated version of the definition of what now constitutes an optional ability with additional commentary on the "exceptions" (i.e.: those that seem optional but are not) <a href="http://manadeprived.com/2011/12/explanation-of-the-missed-trigger-policy-changes-or-how-magic-is-dying-part-783.html" target="_blank">courtesy of Jason Wong's excellent article</a> over on <a href="http://www.manadeprived.com/" target="_blank">www.manadeprived.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">An optional ability does one or more of the following things, and nothing else:<br />
<ul><li>Gains you life or causes an opponent to lose life. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Soul+Warden&width=223&height=310" name="">Soul Warden</a>)</li>
<li>Puts cards from your library, graveyard, or exile zones into your hand or onto the battlefield. This includes drawing cards. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Elvish+Visionary&width=223&height=310" name="">Elvish Visionary</a>)</li>
<li>Causes opponents to put objects from their hand or the battlefield into the library, graveyard or exile. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Ravenous+Rats&width=223&height=310" name="">Ravenous Rats</a>)</li>
<li>Puts a permanent into play under your control or gives you control of a permanent. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Sower+of+Temptation&width=223&height=310" name="">Sower of Temptation</a>)</li>
<li>Puts +x/+x counters, or counters linked to a beneficial effect, on a permanent you control. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Shrine+of+Burning+Rage&width=223&height=310" name="">Shrine of Burning Rage</a>)</li>
<li>Gives +x/+x or a beneficial ability to a target creature you control. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Chasm+Drake&width=223&height=310" name="">Chasm Drake</a>)</li>
<li>Exiles, damages, destroys, taps, or gives -x/-x to an opponent’s target permanent. If the ability could target your own permanents, it is not optional unless that ability could target an opponent. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Kor+Hookmaster&width=223&height=310" name="">Kor Hookmaster</a> is optional, <a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Acidic+Slime&width=223&height=310" name="">Acidic Slime</a> is not optional, <a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Inferno+Titan&width=223&height=310" name="">Inferno Titan</a> is optional)</li>
<li>Gives you additional turns or phases. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Lighthouse+Chronologist&width=223&height=310" name="">Lighthouse Chronologist</a>)</li>
<li>Counters a spell or conditionally counters a spell, but only when cast by an opponent. (<a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Chancellor+of+the+Annex&width=223&height=310" name="">Chancellor of the Annex</a>)</li>
</ul><br />
Abilities that trigger at the same point in each player’s turn and do something to “that player” (e.g. <a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Howling+Mine&width=223&height=310" name="">Howling Mine</a>) are never optional.<br />
<br />
Here are some abilities that you may think are optional, but are not:<br />
<ul><li><a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Frost+Titan&width=223&height=310" name="">Frost Titan</a>’s first ability – In the list of allowable actions for optional abilities, there is an entry that says “… conditionally counters a spell, but only when cast by an opponent.” Frost Titan’s ability does this when your opponent casts <a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Doom+Blade&width=223&height=310" name="">Doom Blade</a>, but not when your opponent activates <a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Royal+Assassin&width=223&height=310" name="">Royal Assassin</a>. Since it is not optional sometimes, it is never optional.</li>
<li><a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Dark+Confidant&width=223&height=310" name="">Dark Confidant</a> – The ability puts a card into your hand, but it also does something else. Since it doesn’t fit into exactly into the options listed, it is not optional.</li>
<li><a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Crypt+Cobra&width=223&height=310" name="">Crypt Cobra</a> – This follows the philosophy of optional abilities, but it is not covered in the list of acceptable actions.</li>
<li><a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Morkrut+Banshee&width=223&height=310" name="">Morkrut Banshee</a> – Like Acidic Slime, it can target permanents you control as well, while not being able to target your opponent.</li>
<li><a class="jTip" href="http://manadeprived.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-mtg-helper/mtg_helper_cardfinder.php?find=Manic+Vandal&width=223&height=310" name="">Manic Vandal</a> when only your opponent controls artifacts – The “optionalness” of an ability is not influenced by the game state. In a vacuum, Manic Vandal could target an artifact you control. Even though you don’t control any artifacts, the ability is not optional.</li>
</ul></blockquote><br />
Particularly confusing are the differences between effects like Inferno Titan and Acidic Slime/Manic Vandal. Why would damage be optional but destruction not be optional? Both are encompassed by the same definition but a difference is being made in the application of the definition. In the same definition, Manic Vandal is not optional because theoretically you <i>could </i>control artifacts even if you don't just right now. The issue I have with this is that all three cards are worded to say that it happens, not that you may choose. This was my "worse still": Complex game just got more complex.<br />
<br />
How about the +X/+X rule with something that gives multiple creatures +1/+1 counters like Mayael's Aria? If you put counters on <i>some </i>of your creatures but not all you've obviously not missed the trigger. Does that allow you to go back and complete the process for a creature you may have forgotten?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214349&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214349&type=card" /></a></div>Jason Wong went on to talk about how not to deck yourself with Jin-Gitaxias by "forgetting" as drawing cards from triggered abilities is now optional, irregardless of whether your opponent points it out. You're no longer required to draw 7 at the end of your turn with the Praetor and his "Draw 7" now technically reads "You <i>may</i> draw 7".<br />
<br />
The other side of the coin is that, if for some reason you forgot to draw your 7 cards, you don't get to rewind now. How many Commander playgroups are going to want to continue to implement the old ruling (which, I suppose, is still the <i>current </i>ruling seeing as Commander isn't concerned by the REL changes) when you can choose to implement the new ruling and have the Jin-Gitaxias player skip drawing those cards?<br />
<br />
I can say with some honesty: Not many.<br />
<br />
As a good man once said about Jin-Gitaxias, he's a Knut!!<br />
<br />
At least, I <i>think </i>that's what he said.Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-41157752706428381792011-12-20T16:51:00.000+01:002011-12-20T16:51:17.666+01:00The Best Blue Creature in Commander?Ok, here's a bold claim.<br />
<br />
We've a couple of players that have been rocking a Time Spiral Rare over the last few months and it has iced games multiple times when it has hit the field.<br />
<br />
While it's not exactly Primeval Titan level good, it's a great foil for the titan and any other non-vanilla creature, which is to say, pretty much the entire format. It's not Draining Whelk, it's not Deep-Sea Kraken nor, surprisingly enough, is it Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. My current top dog for best blue creatures in Commander is:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=124313&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=124313&type=card" /></a></div><br />
No direct damage to ping off that annoying creature that's just ruining your day? Ixidron<br />
<br />
Some general just running away with the game thanks to their activated abilities? Ixidron<br />
<br />
Lord of Extinction going to kill you next turn? Ixidron.<br />
<br />
The "problem" of leaving a pile of faceless 2/2's sitting around should be mitigated somewhat by your own upturned dudes fending off similiar sized attackers allowing you to be the biggest dog on the block for a turn or two. And that's what a blue deck wants after all, isn't it? A few extra turns of not being milled, targetted or beaten down by the format's diverse set of creature abilities.<br />
<br />
Oh and something else, death triggers don't trigger if something dies as a 2/2 morph. Suck it Reveillark!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Essentially the only ways players can get out of the Ixidron "lock" are:<br />
1. Have their creatures die in some manner and bring them back.<br />
2. Blink their creatures in some manner<br />
3. Morph their creatures (Maindeck Break Open ftw!) <br />
<br />
<br />
God forbid you managed to stick one onto a Mimic Vat. Everyone would be overpaying for vanilla 2/2s all over the place.Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-64816967726655910322011-12-16T15:14:00.000+01:002011-12-16T15:14:57.419+01:00Artifacts in Balthor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=29899&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=29899&type=card" width="143" /></a></div>Someone in my playgroup recently mentioned to me that I have a couple of funky artifacts in my Balthor deck and that, frankly, they both sucked.<br />
<br />
He was only half right.<br />
<br />
My Balthor deck gets added to and subtracted from pretty often so any given section is never nailed down. I get to make hard choices (If I add a Lake of the Dead, how many basic Swamps should I be running for it to be a hit every time?) and easy choices (Is Soulless One still worth it?*)<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the places where I do the most tinkering is the artifact section. As my deck is a top-down, flavour-driven Zombie deck (rather than a "best of Black" with some zombies thrown in) I get to make choices based on whether a Door of Destinies should really be present in a Zombie scene. Since posting my last defined list back in January** I've completely overhauled the Artifacts section.<br />
<br />
Things like Sensei's Divining Top are, flavourfully, very easy cuts to make because Zombies just aren't known for their divining or the ability to spin a top for that matter. Gameplay-wise this is a huge cut that, along with Vampiric Tutor, as effected my deck's ability to be consistent. Following on theme, that's an acceptable thing to happen though: zombies aren't always a full-on hoard from turn 2 or 3. It also forces me to play the deck differently as I'm not always going to the same outs. If this means that I'm losing more than usual, that's fine too.<br />
<br />
Of the original list, only 3 cards have survived the cuts up to now: Lightning Greaves, Expedition Map & Skullclamp. All the boosts, exile abilities and recurring tricks have been cut and boosts have been taken care of by the full compliment of 4 lords available to Mono-B.<br />
<br />
In their place, I have added in a couple of artifacts to help load the graveyards. A couple allow me to live the dream of a huge turn 3-4 zombie army but the statistical changes of that are ridiculously low. Here's the combo:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=30008&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=30008&type=card" width="143" /></a><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=202565&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=202565&type=card" width="145" /></a></div><br />
<br />
If you play a Mesmeric Orb and follow up with a Basalt Monolith, you can mill your entire deck just by tapping and untapping the Monolith. If you're lucky enough to have a Songs of the Damned or a Crypt of Agadeem (and the mana to use it, of course) you have enough mana to loop your Balthor to raise the Zombie Army you've always dreamed of. Of course, later in the game this is still a valid play allowing for the need to work around graveyard hates as that would seriously crimp your style.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247338&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247338&type=card" width="143" /></a>In the meantime Mesmeric Orb is a huge pain in the rear for a lot of decks, not everyone wants to mill for 4-6 every turn.<br />
<br />
The other artifacts I've added are Sol Ring, Charmed Pendant (an extremely dubious mana accellerant), Oblivion Stone/Nev's Disk (some necessary protection), and a Memory Jar. The Jar allows for some silly end of turn armies that you wouldn't otherwise be able to accellerate into. <br />
<br />
Despite these additions, even more space is needed for the Grimoire of the Dead so I'll have to go back into the tank for that.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=230792&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=230792&type=card" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space must be found</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
So, to sum up: Yes, Charmed Pendant sucks.<br />
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* Sadly, no. He's the muscle who's become just too vanilla. We now have cheaper and better options. Goodbye, Soulless One, you are now "Friendless One".<br />
<br />
** <span style="color: red;">Coat of Arms</span>, <span style="color: red;">Door of Destinies</span>, Brittle Effigy, Expedition Map, Sensei's Divining Top, Nim Death-Mantle, Skullclamp, Lightning GreavesZimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-45080601139339663182011-12-07T12:43:00.000+01:002011-12-07T12:43:05.816+01:00Goodbye, Daddy M.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJoPaQgbp1O90KsBb9r5DSkrXs_65NCkvATASMEbJY5u3aEbT4UiZPIqZGbADcRHfudMVAIjE15OKwk9_fFCaHinN0EySZoOXt93GG201qcofjY4ZD9DHm572PmCqwT9Cl0ln3GaMld8/s1600/MarcZombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJoPaQgbp1O90KsBb9r5DSkrXs_65NCkvATASMEbJY5u3aEbT4UiZPIqZGbADcRHfudMVAIjE15OKwk9_fFCaHinN0EySZoOXt93GG201qcofjY4ZD9DHm572PmCqwT9Cl0ln3GaMld8/s320/MarcZombie.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">This week a player left our playgroup. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Our principal magic playgroup is at our place of work during our lunch-hour. That's pretty neat if you can accept the various constraints, such as the strict time limit and that you could be playing your direct superior any given afternoon. While the nature of the company and commander, our favoured format allow for a certain measure of familiarity, you can't just call your boss a douchbag when he pulls out a questionable play. Luckily, despite him being one of the 3 bosses who partake in our group, this was never the case with Marc anyway.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">When he was called on to give his going-away speech, he covered the professional side pretty comprehensively but he skimped a bit on the gaming side so I’ve decided to list some of the Magic things that we’ll miss about Marc now that he’s gone.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Marc is a 40+ year old Timmy. There’s something really great about a guy who just loves his Timmy moments and really couldn’t give a damn what you think. It’s all about the full-on “Leerooooooooooyyy Jenkins!” and, now that he’s gone, we’re slowly realizing that he was pretty much the <i>only </i>full-on Timmy we had.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">The profile of Timmy caring more about the EPIC wins rather than the quantity of wins was especially true for Marc and he notched up as many war stories for his epic blowouts as for being epically blown out himself because he waited just one turn too long. He just wanted to go big all the time.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">One of the things that isn’t mentioned all that much about Timmys is their love for the red zone. For Marc, there was only one way to win: laying down the beats. So much so that the attack phase was renamed the “Yaaaarrrggghhhhhh” phase in his honor. Picture this jovial, middle-aged man up off his seat, turning his creatures, tokens, playmat and sandwiches sideways while shouting “Yaaaarrrggghhhhhh!!” often accompanied by diverse charging noises and other random battle sound effects while the rest of the company looks up from their lunch platter in bemusement. A full throated bellowing of The Flight of the Valkyeries a la Apocalypse Now was for those exceptional moments of face-smashery. That was Marc every day.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WP0u0MGXvlbifO7Q84f5SftcdVKt4nzXNQJe2c2rsaHMKLaTTbheFfmYMRYfMMpshwuagkdaSOhugtKaUpNQsLAHT_i4X2hnUCFKrbTcNHUOCIpiN_Ld3nbTvAe7woM_wfwAFTLqJUY/s1600/Sword.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WP0u0MGXvlbifO7Q84f5SftcdVKt4nzXNQJe2c2rsaHMKLaTTbheFfmYMRYfMMpshwuagkdaSOhugtKaUpNQsLAHT_i4X2hnUCFKrbTcNHUOCIpiN_Ld3nbTvAe7woM_wfwAFTLqJUY/s400/Sword.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Of course, these epic calls to war wouldn’t be half as memorable if there weren’t equally copious examples of “yyyaaaaaarrrrgggghhhh…….oooooooohhhhHHHHHSSSHHIITTOHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT” mixed right in there too. The attack was the “moment”, the pinnacle of all his hard work. It just that the execution didn’t always match the vision. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Still, on those occasions when when Rhys & Seedborn Muse both survive a full, mana-rich turn around the table to be boosted by Garruk & Overrun once it come back to Marc, there’s not a huge number of possible results: You either have the Fog (and he generally had it but no-one else did!) or there’s a lot of dead or critically wounded planeswalkers!</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Of course, timing was never really one of Marc’s strong suits. Picture the scene: the turn passes to Marc. He draws his card and goes deep into the tank calculating his potential damage. He realizes that he has just enough to deal lethal with cards in hand if the opponent does block but he’s got to finish the job because he’s wide open for the counter-strike. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">He thinks some more.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Finally he leans forward and gives us his patented “Yaaaarrrggghhhhhh!!” as he moves into his attack phase. The unlucky defending player(s) go into the tank and calculate damage and blockers and realize that, unless something funky happens, they will survive the turn and kill Marc when the turn comes round to them.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv740LlcRUTKZulFQeAm2ERv5JnETWHbszxSQ8qKYFE5kGN7npyPbtyGfsqpTYGE-m4rEyBcLX_cDNMkR5Z4hQritYys2DzHrzCVplzzyXcfbt0MbszjPE6m7D5p8_zmxS1fvHQ3AqXPw/s1600/Overrun+as+an+instant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv740LlcRUTKZulFQeAm2ERv5JnETWHbszxSQ8qKYFE5kGN7npyPbtyGfsqpTYGE-m4rEyBcLX_cDNMkR5Z4hQritYys2DzHrzCVplzzyXcfbt0MbszjPE6m7D5p8_zmxS1fvHQ3AqXPw/s1600/Overrun+as+an+instant.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much better like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">“No blockers,” they announce.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">“No blockers? Then….. [<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and here he’d pause, draw himself up majestically and shout</i>]… <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red;">OVERRUN</span></u></b>!!”</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">…</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Now, if this had happened once, maybe twice, it wouldn’t be interesting but it actually happened so often that it got to the point where we could tell if he had the Overrun and could stop him (or not, depending on our life totals) before he got into his attack phase. He even managed to accomplish this magnificent, speed-changing feat twice during the same game! Some humorous cad decided to print out a HD proxy of the card with “Sorcery” replaced by “Instant” and slide it into his deck just to mess with his head a bit and he was presented with a play set of these errata versions upon leaving the company. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">So, what do you get when you give a Timmy a Grand Arbiter Augustin IV and tell him to make a deck? </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">A full on Stax prison lock? Noooooo! Counterspells? Sure, a couple. Leviathans? Of course! But a rapid Rhino beatdown was probably <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> what you expected. We gave Marc a GAAIV and he gave us this:</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Turn 1: Land, Sol Ring, Pearl Medallion<br />
Turn 2: Land, GAAIV<br />
Turn 3: Land, Mirror Sigil Sergeant, go.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">When your opponent starts with a second turn Grand Arbiter, you know you’re in for a rough ride. Add everyone’s early game mana development torpor to a prison effect and garnish with a self-replicating rhinoceros across the table from you and it all spells >ouch<. Fastest table kill ever and he achieved it with just one creature.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=198524&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=198524&type=card" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">What about putting Celestial Mantle on a Battlegrace Angel before equipping on a Lightning Greaves and sending it into battle? I think we stopped counting at 3000+ life. There are games when you really need your Wrath of God to resolve and games where you really need to kill someone with your general. We didn’t get there with either solution and Marc stayed above 3000 from there on. He eventually ended up taking it out of his deck after repeated 2-for-1s but that never took anything away from that one occasion when it got there in a big way. From then on any significantly high life total has been regarded with distain and a “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pffff! Well, it’s not 3000+, is it?</i>” by the entire group.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">It wasn’t all good times though; Marc could be frustrating to play with and against. His turns would often take the following form:</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">“Ok, em, go! <br />
No, wait! Land, go! <br />
No, wait! Attack you for 15! <br />
Eh…… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>NOW</u></i> go!” </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">When it happens once in a blue moon, you can let this kind of thing slide but when it’s every other turn, it gets to be frustrating very, very quickly. Towards the end, if it seemed like it was one of those days, the table would gently nudge him along with innocent suggestions like “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How may lands do you have there, Marc?</i>” or “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gee, that’s a lot of creatures you’ve got there!!</i>” during his pre-combat main-phases. Those touched by the Beatdown Gods have their minds on higher matters and such minutia as phases and being aware of what's happening can often be beneath them. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Picture Marc as some sort of Beatdown Buddah (but with a lot less inner peace) and you’re half-way to knowing him already. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">With such great and ponderous thoughts of beatdown also comes the ability to realise belatedly what's actually going on and lead to last minute changes of mind. Being the beatdown is a complicated business. Do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> first or do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> first? Attack <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i> over here or attack <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i> over there? The number of takebacks our playgroup allows is actually pretty low with the exception of Marc who was constantly stuck on “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually, no, I</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">think I’ll do that instead</i>” mode.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">This, unfortunately, extended to stuff that uses the stack, which, in Magic, is quite a lot of stuff. Those dreaded words “In response….” engendered a flight instinct in Marc that Norin the Wary would have been proud of. The usual response to another player’s “In response….” was always “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In that case, no, I think I’ll do that instead</i>.” If you worked it enough, I’m sure you could achieve a state of perpetual take-backs even when holding only a hand full of land.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">That is until he got fed up and just pounded your face into the ground with 475 trampling damage from the pick’n’mix of creatures he had summoned. I suppose the moral to that story is not to bait the bear, the bear has claws.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">And we’ll miss you around the table, old bear!</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYharxDgcU47QCFEtAma2EvF5UafbL6fZ1ONJUsAoEKpGt9GXMKgW0iJErzEkhCBLHdsD8MLaL2qhog96iI1pzIx7KiWCexr2HfA7c_xZ4RozY67i0V-IOOpFmi94ej7CyQPiSFD-uOqY/s1600/Marc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYharxDgcU47QCFEtAma2EvF5UafbL6fZ1ONJUsAoEKpGt9GXMKgW0iJErzEkhCBLHdsD8MLaL2qhog96iI1pzIx7KiWCexr2HfA7c_xZ4RozY67i0V-IOOpFmi94ej7CyQPiSFD-uOqY/s640/Marc1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-65236166248457581362011-11-25T12:45:00.000+01:002011-11-25T12:45:50.036+01:00Maelstrom Wanderer: PT/Avenger enabler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/arcana/848_wvb9yfen4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>FR</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> </a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m not sure that the announcement of the upcoming Planechase 2012 product was all that exciting in and of itself as a format mechanic but a huge amount of interest has been gained from what was announced <i>in </i>the product and hinted at in addition to the product:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First up: cards exclusive to the Planechase product. The Commander pre-cons (and, I suppose, to a certain extent the recent changes in the core sets) have galvanized the community and led to a huge amount of interest in non-core products. If the 21 new & exclusive, planechase-product-only cards are anywhere near as awesome as the ones that went into the commander product, then Wizards will have scored another home run.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Second up: a cycle of multi-colored legendary creatures. They don’t confirm they will all be enemy wedge, but the mention of a cycle strongly suggests they will be. We know there’s at least one enemy wedge legend because they showed it to us:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">While I concede that this could be extremely cool, in only 24h of interweb fapping over Maelstrom Wanderer, the idea-mongers have managed to produce just 3 ideas that everyone keeps coming back to again, and again and again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And once more again because we’re now approaching 36 hours since the announcement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=48122&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=48122&type=card" /></a><u><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ways to do “cool stuff” with MW: The First</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b> </b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US">Fix the top of your deck to a Tooth & Nail.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Play Maelstrom Wanderer.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Cascade into the Tooth & Nail, paying 2 for Entwine. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Get Primeval Titan & Avenger of Zendikar.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Resolve second Cascade into whatever.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Resolve Maelstrom Wanderer.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Everything gets haste. Attack for 7+5+6+4X (where X is the number of lands you controlled when the Avenger triggered), so probably in the region of 50-ish damage.</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">>yawn!<</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=107506&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=107506&type=card" /></a><u><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ways to do “cool stuff” with MW: The Second</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Get Momir Vig, Simic Visionary into play.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US">Play Maelstrom Wanderer.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Stack the Momir Vig triggers so you draw first then tutor for an Avenger of Zendikar to put on top of the library (just hope you didn’t draw either it or PT).</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Resolve the first cascade into Avenger of Zendikar and play it.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> With the new Momir Vig trigger, tutor up Primeval Titan and put it on top of the library.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Resolve the second cascade into Primeval Titan and play it.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> With the new Momir Vig trigger, tutor up something else and put it on top of the library.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Resolve Maelstrom Wanderer. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Everything gets haste. Attack for 7+5+6+4X (where X is the number of lands you controlled when the Avenger triggered), so probably in the region of 50-ish damage. [Yes, I did just copy/Paste that]</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">>yawn!<</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=159235&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=159235&type=card" /></a><u><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ways to do “cool stuff” with MW: The Third</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US">Fix the top of your deck to a Jokulhaups or Devastation.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Play Maelstrom Wanderer.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Cascade into Jokulhaups or Devastation.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Either set up your second cascade into Primeval Titan or cascade blind.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US"> Have a fun game!!</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">>yawn!<</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">About the only suggestion that I saw that was in any way original was by putting a Selective Memory out there, exiling all those annoying little spells that you really need in your deck but are really not exceptional when you are cascading so you know that whatever you cascade into will be pure gold. That gets the thumbs-up for being ballsey from me even if the original poster was still intending to cascade into Primeval Titan / Avenger of Zendikar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=194700&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=194700&type=card" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, yeah, Maelstrom Wanderer will be huge and swingy and big and epic but only if some effort is made to make his cascades original. Otherwise he, like so many other cards, will merely become another route to Primeval Titan / Avenger of Zendikar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Another 6 months of this before we even get to <i>touch </i>the card.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">>yawn!<</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Third up: hints at another commander specific product.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So not only do we get more commanders, more cards, more new cards, we’re also getting additional commander product? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hell, yeah.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/arcana/848_wvb9yfen4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-75360158621328816852011-11-21T12:29:00.000+01:002011-11-21T12:29:31.784+01:00Gifts GivenAbout a year ago I got an IM on my MTGCommander.com account from some random scrub in Canada asking me if I was free the following weekend to talk on Skype about EDH. It seems this guy somehow got it into his head that there was a gap in the market for an EDH podcast, of all things.<br />
<br />
Well, much like the visionary Bill Gates, who managed to enlighten millions to a previously unknown void in their lives that could only be filled by <i>his </i>products, Andy, a.k.a. Ghooosts (that's 3 "O's" and plural, all over the internet), has likewise managed to convince millions (thousands) of EDH fanatics that their week is somehow incomplete without a 90-minute helping of Commandercast.<br />
<br />
I, like many of the guys (and gal) that have been involved in Commandercast in some form or another, have been blown away by Andy's dedication to the show, something he does for no benefit to himself and on top of his work and family responsabilities. Despite his busy schedule, he's brought together the EDH community every Monday and has not missed a show, all the more amazing because Magic/EDH is apparently not even Andy's favourite game! Andy put himself out there and answered a need and keeps doing it, just for you & me.<br />
<br />
That job in the bank must be terribly....what? He drives an ambulance for a living? Does this guy have <i>any </i>faults?!<br />
<br />
So, when an all round good guy and generally inspirational character goes and asks you to send him stuff for free, you generally just send it first and ask "Why?" later. The "Why?" this time is a very good "Why?" though and one that bears repeating to anyone who will listen:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="bbnr" style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/img/cpbnr_whatis.gif" /></div><div class="welcome" style="color: black;"><b>Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">Child’s Play</a>, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over 7 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America and the world have been collected since our inception.</b><br />
<b>This year, we have continued expanding across the country and the globe. With over 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every year, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play partners everywhere. Any items purchased through Amazon will be shipped directly to your hospital of choice, so please be sure to select their shipping address rather than your own.</b><br />
<br />
<b>When gamers give back, it makes a difference!</b></div><br />
<br />
For those of you, like me, who are a little caught up with daily life flashing past, watching your kids grow, taking care of your loved ones, enjoying your hobbies and building impressive collections of Magic cards, giving something back can often take a back seat. This is a charity that at once gives to those who need a little more fun and enjoyment in their lives and taps directly into our own interests as gamers.<br />
<br />
Andy has generously extended us this opportunity to participate in Child's Play directly through CommanderCast with his <a href="http://www.commandercast.com/contests/gifts-given-charity-drive">Gifts Given</a> programme, a drive that will donate all receipts directly to <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">Child's Play</a>.<br />
<br />
So, take a little time to decide if this opportunity is for you and if this is the way you, as a gamer, want to give something back.<br />
<br />
I've decided that Andy is going to get a small pile of cards from France to add to his offer in the knowledge that it all goes to a good cause.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8585/dsc03888j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8585/dsc03888j.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back Row: </span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hivis of the Scale; Lorthos, the Tidemaker (French); Godo, Bandit Warlord; <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Arid Mesa (Fr); Marsh Flats (Fr); Verdant Catacombs (Fr); Misty Rainforest; Scalding Tarn; Aven Shrine; Quest for Ula's Temple (Fr)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Centre Row:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Wooded Foothills; Windswepth Heath (Fr); Flooded Strand (Fr); Polluted Delta (Fr); Bloodstained Mire (Fr); </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Marrow-Gnawer (Japanese), Eight-and-a-half-tails (Jp); Possessed Portal (Jp); Dovescape (Foil/Jp); Sedraxis Specter (Foil)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ececec; color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Front Row: </span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ececec; color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wrexial, the Risen Deep (Fr); Braids, Drinker of Tears (Fr); Zur the Enchanter (Fr); Ib Halfheart, Nation; 2x Helm of Kaldra (Jp); Door to Nithingness (Jp); Heartbeat of Spring (Jp); Momentary Blink/Elvis (Fr/Alt. by Antoine)</span></span></span></span></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-70180811927397006222011-11-15T22:53:00.001+01:002011-11-16T09:27:02.022+01:00[CommanderCast Crossover] Grimgrin v Thrax : Grimgrin’s Gatling Gun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">November is Crossover Month at </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.commandercast.com/"><span lang="EN-GB">Commandercast</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">. Overlord Andy ordered his legion of writers to get out there onto the blogosphere, siteosphere and any other kind of -sphere they could find. Their mission: Spread the CommanderCast Word and send back writers to do the heavy lifting for them whilst they are chilling out as honoured guests on blogs such as The Crazy 99. My own Commander legionaire is Maxwell "Max" Kautsch, usually responsible for the Peasant Rebellion articles on the Commander mothership. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Welcome Max!</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grimgrin’s Gatling Gun</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247237&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247237&type=card" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">For Crossover month, Owen and I planned to look at the state of tribal Zombies in Commander now that we have Grimgrin, Corpse-Born in our lives. I was going to try to make a case for why you might play Zombie tribal with Grimmy rather than the defending multicolor Zombie champ, Thraximundar. So I started with Cassidy’s sweet “Grimgrin’s Zompocalypse” build and make it a little less Zombie-heavy and a little more combo/control oriented. I’ve always loved Cloudstone Curio and couldn’t resist pairing that with Rooftop Storm.</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Although the deck experienced some success, mostly on the back of Curio/Rooftop Storm/Grixis Slavedriver with a Vengeful Dead and Grimgrin on the field, the biggest issue the deck faced was classic B/U: no artifact or enchantment removal. Even the best of the bounce spells (Venser, Shaper Savant/Cryptic Command) and colourless removal (Oblivion Stone/Karn Liberated) did not seem to be cutting it often enough, leaving me wanting for the red in Thrax’s color identity. My inclination to just Thrax it up myself was bolstered by discussions on the intertrons resulting in the general consensus that Thrax is still the better Zombie general. After all, Thrax has haste, a shroud-proof sac ability, and red means MUCH better artifact hate than what a B/U deck offers. I’m not saying Zombie tribal with Grimgrin can’t be good; I mean, Cassidy’s awesome Future Sight/Rooftop Storm/Gravebane Zombie combo is easier to get into play because a U/B deck makes UUU more efficiently than a U/B/R one. And his build seems amazing. But as Cassidy himself mentions in the comments of that article, any truly desirable card in that deck, including Grimgrin, could just as easily be played in a Thrax build. Yup, Owen, you were right. :) </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So the question is, if Grimgrin isn’t optimal to lead your Zombie army, and if it’s doubtful he can unseat Wrexial, the Risen Deep as a better general for a traditional B/U control build, does Grimgrin really have a place in Commander other than as an auto-include in a Thrax Zombie tribal deck? </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=180595&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=180595&type=card" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">First, let’s remind ourselves why the two cards inspire comparisons. This is the entirety of the rules text on Thraximundar, a 6/6 for 7:</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Haste</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whenever Thraximundar attacks, defending player sacrifices a creature.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whenever a player sacrifices a creature, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Thraximundar.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">This is the third clause of rules text on Grimgrin, Corpse-Born, a 5/5 for 5:</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whenever Grimgrin attacks, destroy target creature defending player controls, then put a +1/+1 counter on Grimgrin.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Both cards cause opponents to lose creatures when they attack, and both get bigger for each creature that hits the yard. This means that the decks are likely to share cards that derive a benefit from creatures dying. Skullclamp, Grave Pact, Butcher of Malakir, Mimic Vat, and Nim Deathmantle would be probable includes in either. Grimgrin’s ability only results in destroying a creature if it is successfully targeted, which makes the ability vulnerable in a format rife with Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots, while Thrax’s triggers a sacrifice that doesn’t care about targeting (although Grimgrin has the advantage against a token deck because he can snipe). Grimgrin is cheaper, but ordinarily can’t swing until turn 6, where haste lets Thrax swing only a turn later. Given Thrax is not disrupted by something as common as Greaves, along with haste and access to red, I would agree that the fight goes to Thrax.</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Except that we forgot to mention the first and second clauses of Grimgrin’s rules text:</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grimgrin, Corpse-Born enters the battlefield tapped and doesn't untap during your untap step.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sacrifice another creature: Untap Grimgrin and put a +1/+1 counter on it. </span></i><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The knee-jerk reaction is to view these mostly as drawbacks. Yes, it is generally disadvantageous for a creature to enter the battlefield tapped. Yes, you are potentially looking at card disadvantage if you have to sacrifice one of your own creatures before Grimgrin can even attack. Yes, it’s too bad Grimgrin can’t sacrifice himself to prevent himself from getting tucked. What I find interesting about Grimgrin is not only that he first swings as a 7/7 and effectively gets two more +1/+1 tokens for each subsequent attack, but also that <i>he is the only general in print who can control when he untaps</i>. </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Hmmm. For starters, Paradise Mantle on Grimmy results in a de facto Phyrexian Altar, a card with a track record of Commander viability. After some Gathering, a deck started to come together; it just didn’t involve Zombies. So rather than bore you with a Grimgrin Zombie tribal deck when you should just read Cassidy’s article or pull out your Thraximundar, I bring you Grimgrin’s Gatling Gun.</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=46158&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=46158&type=card" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The deck really only needs three things to fire away, given adequate mana: Grimgrin (the gun), some tokens (ammunition), and Surestrike Trident (the pain). The Trident got some love when infect came out, for obvious reasons, but otherwise doesn’t seem to show up a whole lot. In addition to targeting your opponents, it gives the equipped creature first strike, which seems relevant for a general who can destroy creatures only if he risks a trip to the red zone. But how about that second ability with a pumpable general? </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Turns out, the Trident and Grimgrin happily provide the deck’s win condition without ever getting near the red zone as long as Grimgrin isn’t summoning sick and there are enough creatures to sacrifice. A couple of “shots” is usually all it takes, depending on how long Grimgrin has been allowed to accumulate counters or if the deck is in position to make him infinitely large (and no, you can’t use the Trident to inflict general damage). </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So how do we get there? The Trident costs 4 to equip, a relatively expensive thing to do at sorcery speed, so land fetchers like Wayfarer’s Bauble and Pilgrim’s Eye, along with and mana rocks and Tezzeret the Seeker, help out a lot. Ashnod’s Altar is great with tokens, and even better with Nim Deathmantle and an ETB token generating creature. Paradise Mantle can come in handy, too, and you can of course search it out with the ubiquitous Trinket Mage. Obviously the Mantle turns any old creature into a BOP, which is good, but the fun begins when it’s equipped to Grimgrin. When Grimgrin is wearing the Mantle, sacrifice a token to untap Grimgrin and give him a +1/+1 counter. He taps for mana, sac another creature, he untaps, gets another counter, and taps for another mana. Rinse and repeat. </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, what if you resolve an Army of the Damned under these circumstances? Means you get up to 13 sacrifice triggers, making Grimmy +1/+1 each time, while also making more than enough mana to tap him and unattach the Trident as many times as there are opponents. And then you can look blankly at your opponents, channel your inner Brick Tamland, and say “I killed a guy with a trident.” </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=154350&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=154350&type=card" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Killing guys (or troublesome planewalkers, if need be) with a trident makes for good fun with Grimgrin’s untap mechanics, but are there alternative effects for his Gat? Ultimately, only Banishing Knack makes the cut because it helps shore up the deck’s weaknesses against artifacts and enchantments. Casting this at the end of someone’s turn yields a lot of targets (and yuks) for only 1 blue mana as long as Grimgrin is accompanied by some tokens on the field. It is absolutely conceivable that you could bounce all your opponent’s non-land permanents right before your turn given enough tokens.</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Which brings us to an obviously important component of a deck like this: where are we going to get the tokens to feed a hungry Grimmy, and overcome the “card disadvantage” otherwise inherent in his ability? My personal favorite has always been creatures with ETB effects creating tokens, especially in black because of black’s ability to recur creatures and not much else. Blue fails when it comes to generating tokens via creatures, both black and artifacts have some good choices: </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grave Titan</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Wurmcoil Engine</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Marsh Flitter</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Skeletal Vampire</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Precursor Golem</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">For once Oona, Queen of the Fae is less combo finisher and more token generator, and cards like Reassembling Skeleton add to the stable of token-generating creatures for our “fodder” suite. I also included persist baddies Glen Elendra Archmage and Puppeteer Clique because they can trigger two sacrifices in a pinch, in addition to their killer abilities. Army of the Damned and Rite of Replication make oodles of guys, and watch out for the old kicked Rite on Precursor Golem. Otherwise, ETB creatures such as Mulldrifter, Trinket Mage and Snapcaster Mage make for palatable sacrifices. And then there’s the Mimic Vat, a “good stuff” addition that happens to be quite on-theme. </span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> The final necessary component is cards that provide benefits when creatures go the the graveyard, all of which fit nicely in Thrax as discussed above. The most important of those are of course Skullclamp and Gravepact. The one card I really wanted to get in but couldn’t was Falkenrath Noble. Probably win-more, but you’d think it would have its moments in a deck where the general can sacrifice any other creature for free at instant speed. </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Otherwise, the deck’s choices were determined by its needs for card draw, control, and mana fixing/acceleration. As you might expect, things like Consecrated Sphinx, Decree of Pain and Damnation made it. </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Graveborn Muse has nice synergy with Grimgrin and what’s left of the Zombie flavor in Grave Titan, Nim Deathmantle and Army of the Damned. Along with its ability to ramp, the aforementioned Ashnod’s Altar is one of a handful of sac outlets to help prevent Grimgrin from getting tucked; I also threw in High Market and Phyrexian Tower. Other key lands include Coffers/Urborg for ramp, Academy Ruins, and Shizo, Death’s Storehouse to give Grimgrin evasion if he needs it. Tolaria West searches out Pact of Negation, Maze of Ith or half of the Urborg/Coffers dream team. </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Finally, although the deck can’t deal with artifacts the way a red deck can, its ability to win without attacking allows for long range wins that may not require the same degree of removal as if the deck were forced to win with combat damage. Even so, Kederekt Leviathan and Steel Hellkite join Karn to help with board control. Life’s Finale rounds out the removal suite; love that card with Puppeteer Clique.</span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So maybe Grimgrin isn’t a better multicolored Zombie general than Thraximunder, but Cassidy showed he’s absolutely viable as the leader of a Zombie horde. While my sub-Zombie theme failed as per Owen’s prediction, I have found that Grimgrin’s Gatling Gun v1.0 makes for fun games and a unique win condition. I mean, if you don’t want to kill a guy with a trident....I don’t know what to tell you.</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Deck list here:</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grimgrin, Corpse-Born</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Skullclamp</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Lightning Greaves</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sword of Light and Shadow</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Surestrike Trident</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Paradise</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Mantle</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Nim Deathmantle</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Swiftfoot Boots</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Tezzeret the Seeker</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Karn Liberated</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214362&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214362&type=card" /></a></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Cryptic Command</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Venser, Shaper Savant</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Banishing Knack</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Pact of Negation</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Damnation</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Decree of Pain</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Life’s Finale</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Steel Hellkite</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Kederekt Leviathan</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Nether Traitor</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Bloodghast</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Reassembling Skeleton</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Marsh Flitter</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Precursor Golem</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Wurmcoil Engine</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grave Titan</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Myr Battlesphere</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Skeletal Vampire</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Oona, Queen of the Fae</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Mimic Vat</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Glen Elendra Archmage</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Puppeteer Clique</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Army of the Damned</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Rite of Replication</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Wayfarer's Bauble</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Expedition Map</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Armillary Sphere</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Memory Jar</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Coalition Relic</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Darksteel Ingot</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Thran Dynamo</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sol Ring</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grim Monolith</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Gilded Lotus</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Pilgrim's Eye</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Solemn Simulacrum</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Ashnod's Altar</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Dimir Signet</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247142&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247142&type=card" /></a></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Demonic Tutor</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Vampiric Tutor</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Rune-Scarred Demon</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Bribery</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sensei's Divining Top</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Consecrated Sphinx</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Mulldrifter</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Snapcaster Mage</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Trinket Mage</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Graveborn Muse</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Butcher of Malakir</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grave Pact</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">4x Island</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">6x Swamp</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Maze of Ith</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Dreadship Reef</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Phyrexian</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Tower</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Watery Grave</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Underground</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Sea</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Ancient Tomb</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Academy Ruins</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jwar Isle Refuge</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Polluted Delta</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Tolaria West</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Bojuka Bog</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Halimar Depths</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Temple</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> of the False God</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Dimir Aqueduct</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">High Market</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Volrath's Stronghold</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Minamo, School at Water's Edge</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Creeping Tar Pit</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Shizo, Death's Storehouse</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Seat of the Synod</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Vault of Whispers</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Reflecting Pool</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Darkwater Catacombs</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Drowned Catacomb</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Strip Mine</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">River</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> of Tears</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Cabal Coffers</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Buried Ruin</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="color: blue;">EDIT:</span> <a href="http://www.commandercast.com/grimgrin-grin-or-just-grim-2">Here's the otherside of the crossover article over on Commandercast</a>. <span style="color: blue;">Enjoy!</span></div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-7071779298493400252011-10-27T19:24:00.000+02:002011-10-27T19:24:44.341+02:00Finding the Key to the Zedruu PuzzleQuick Shot.<br />
<br />
I'm having a huge problem solving the Zedruu puzzle. That is, making a deck where she's important but the deck isn't just a lame donate duck. Mixing control with getting the engine going and eventually winning is quite a lot for that uneasy mix of colours.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I think I've found the key to the puzzle that allows Zedruu to give away crazy permanents ....... for benefit! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=49528&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=49528&type=card" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=113512&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=113512&type=card" /></a>Confusion in the Ranks effectively gives away almost every single non-land permanent you put into play. While your opponents will get the opportunity to fight over various permanents on the board, it's actually quite rare that, when your turn comes around, you're going to want to take one of your own permanents back. If your permanents fly back and forward between opponents, you don't care, it will still trigger Zedruu. Add in Norin the Wary and you're guarenteed to have Zedruu on your side of the board come your upkeep (if she's still alive) to pile up on those life points and free cards.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One obvious additional advantage to Confusion is that you don't need Bazar Trader, Donate or Zedruu to give away your nasty artifacts or enchantments, they just fly away automatically when they come into play. Other players are extremely unlikely to choose to pick up a Lich's Tomb or Illusions of Grandeur from some unfortunate victim which makes sure your gifts remain given.</div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-45765112732820886562011-10-19T09:41:00.000+02:002011-10-19T09:41:56.959+02:00Choosing the right Zombie general for you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYUr0vM1ELk8X_T-IHLSivy7bBKUJcxhZ1ie8abjAvjynaROBE8Cn26u7vCdkPGs60xMjDVTDXOHRSKcfUGwUAwpXQkS5uAZUxW3Lj1HHjNLJDkoAp7ACk4f2pPGLhEZdI7MjiuRIIZc/s1600/Balthor15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3844858796027766" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Building a Zombie deck</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So you’ve decided to build a Zombie deck. Who’s going to be your general? Let’s assume you’re not perverse and plumping a non-zombie, you have almost 14 legends to choose from. The reason you have “almost 14” instead of just “14” is that two of those legends are pointless to actually choose.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=122045&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=122045&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first non-general is</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=122045"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Haakon, Stromgald Scourge</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. He’s got good stats and a cool ability, allowing you to “zombify” knights in your graveyard back into play to fight for you after they have died the first time. The only issue with Haakon is his first line of rules text:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You may cast Haakon, Stromgald Scourge from your graveyard, but not from anywhere else.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unfortunately this includes the Command Zone. All the viable workarounds are out of color which means that you have a general you can never cast. And there’s not that many Zombie Knights anyways (14 including himself), none of which are lighting up Commander tables anywhere. Add it all up and you’ve got an unplayable General who interacts with very few zombies.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=106427&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=106427&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Right behind Haakon is</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=106427"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Phage the Untouchable</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Her first line of text is even more restrictive than Haakon’s:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Phage the Untouchable enters the battlefield, if you didn't cast it from your hand, you lose the game.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She may win you the game if she connects with an opponent during combat but you’ll never know as she’ll have killed you upon entering the battlefield. The reason she’s slightly more playable than Haakon is because there are work-arounds like Torpor Orb or Platinum Angel that will allow you to survive. Until you get those solutions to stick she’s stranded in your Command Zone doing her manicure. You’re also running the risk of some smart Johnny destroying your workaround in response to your spell eliminating you with your own Phage trigger.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Another reason to steer clear of Phage is that she’s not a “proper” Zombie. Initially she was a mere “minion”, only getting elevated to zombie status in The Grand Creature Type Update of 2007. (</span><a href="http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/feature/424a3"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/feature/424a3</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) You don’t want a wannabe fan-girl with issues heading up your army of walking dead, do you?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nah, didn’t think so.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After that you have a few choices. I’m going to break these down by color: mono-B (3), BG (2), BR (2), BU (2) or BRU (3). If you’re a little surprised, as I was, about the color breakdown, it’s interesting to note that Wizards, until Innistrad, considered Zombies to be essentially mono-Black and, to a large extent, they are. There are 35 multicolored Zombies in Magic, which accounts for just 14% of the 253 total zombie creature count (this excludes cards that make zombies but are not themselves zombies most of which are black anyway) but a staggering 64% of Zombie legends have an additional color and that’s including Phage and Haakon in that count! There seems to be a trend for Legendary Zombies to dabble in other colors, something of a mystery considering zombie’s, until recently, very strict mono-color adhesion. There’s clearly some housekeeping to be done to redress these numbers to something more along the lines of what Wizards claim their color alignment </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">should </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">be.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Keeping it real are Balthor Bob, Geth & Korlash. They represent the color of Zombiness and don’t make any apologies. In addition they are all pretty big hitters in their own way. Let’s meet the team:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=20842&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=20842&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First up is</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=20842"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Balthor the Defiled</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The little Dwarf Zombie who could, Bob, as a 2/2 for 4, isn’t going to be winning many general combat damage races any time soon but Balthor benefited hugely from the Command Zone rules in Commander. An exile ability in most other formats usually reads “one shot ability” but Balthor gets to do his thing and kick back in the Command Zone waiting for an encore. What’s great about Balthor is that he really </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">gets</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Zombies.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zombies die, they go to the graveyard and, in some very rare circumstances, can crawl out themselves or maybe a fellow zombie can give a helping hand to bring them back to your hand. Balthor takes </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of your zombies out of your graveyard and puts them into play. Crawling out of graves and eating braaaiiiiiiiiins are pretty much the “raison d’etre” of Zombies. He takes care of part one and lets the shambling hoards takes care of part 2.<br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />He also takes all of your other black creatures out of your graveyard too, he’s not picky. There’s a small catch in that he does it for your opponent’s creatures (and all red creatures, a cute flavor throwback to the living Balthor who was Red) but you can always rig it so that it’s a one sided effect, especially with cards like Noxious Ghoul. All you have to do is put zombies where they belong in the first place: into your graveyard.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The advantage to running Balthor over another zombie Legend is this repeatable Raise Dead ability that you can use at instant speed. If your deck doesn’t intend to take advantage of this ability multiple times, maybe he’s not the Legend for you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh, he gives minions +1/+1 too.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=215076&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=215076&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next we have</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=215076"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Geth, Lord of the Vault</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, another general very interested in filling up graveyards but, in direct opposition to Balthor, he wants to fill up opponent’s graveyards. Here’s where I start having one of my many doubts about Wizards ability to correctly apply Zombie color alignment. Geth, while being a very black-aligned, lich zombie in the storyline, has been given a blue/black ability. The “XB: Zombify a creature or artifact” is nailed on black but the mill ability that follows is very blue. Yes, there have been occasional black mill cards, most notably the recent Shared Trauma, however Wizards have been explicit that the milling of cards is flavorfully blue. With the chance to express this on a Legendary Zombie, a design space that’s not been a stranger to gold cards, the card remains mono-black with the majority of support cards directly related to fueling his ability remaining mono-blue.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This incongruity aside, his ability is strong: you get your opponent’s creature or artifact under your control directly from his graveyard. Again, as with Balthor, it’s an ability that he can use at instant speed, gazumping the spells and abilities opponents use to target their own graveyards. Using his ability gives you more targets to re-use his ability which in turn gives you more targets etc. etc. While not a single card strategy to himself, he can take advantage of some very powerful cards that a mono-black deck just does not have access to. You just need to kill them or mill them first, not usually an issue in mono-black or with Geth. A lot less “build around me” than Balthor, Geth is more incidentally powerful and very suited to a big black control deck (even if he’s a closet blue card).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh, he has intimidate too.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=136208&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=136208&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally we have big, dumb</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=136208"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Korlash, Heir to Blackblade</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Where Balthor’s stats are stuck at 2/2 for 2BB, Korlash gets to go big, generally having power and toughness each equal to the number of lands you control as Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth has enabled all your non-swamps. I’d have added “Oh, he has 1B: Regenerate too” but it’s actually quite a big deal keeping your beefcake alive long enough to be a relevant force in the game. There is one </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">huge</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> drawback to Korlash, however flavorful and brawny he may be: He has no evasion.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">0/1 goat tokens are chumping him all day. This means that, in addition to your dedication to playing Swamps, you also have to allow for some means to connect with your beat-stick. How much of the deck will that take up in addition to the common black staples? Do you really see him as a leader of men…. em, zombies?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you remember Goblin Goon? Korlash is a bit like that in some ways. He’s bigger and stronger than the others of his race but he’s really just a dumb beater when you get down to it. As one of many, he has a place but as the leader of your forces, he’s not going to provide you with either the army Balthor can or the pick of your opponent’s creatures that Geth can.<br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Being the Heir to Blackblade also doesn’t have anywhere near the cool cache that actually </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">being </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blackblade does. As if stealing the sword of some dead hero is enough, pwah!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next up is RB featuring an excellent Zombie for you if you happen to be running </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dragons</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and an old-school Legends Legend that makes </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Demon</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> tokens.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247401&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247401&type=card" /></a></div><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=247401"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bladewing the Risen</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> may seem over-costed at 3BBRR for “just” a 4/4 but he has evasion and two relevant abilities, just not very relevant for Zombies. You get a free Zombify tacked on to that body and you get the ability to boost all your dragon creatures multiple times with his mana ability. All in all that’s an excellent package and I’d play him in a shot if all instances of “Dragon” were replaced by “Zombie”. Regrowing a Zombie and having a scalable boost effect? Excellent!!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh, it’s for Dragons? Crap.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=201182&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=201182&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second RB Zombie legend is</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201182"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Boris Devilboon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> who suffers from being an old legend when legends weren’t always particularly aggressively costed. A 2/2 for 3BR needs a great ability but “2BR, T: Put a 1/1 Demon creature token onto the battlefield” wasn’t really what the doctor ordered. Occasionally the older legends are either flavorfully fun or actually good but Boris is not. <br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />His art is vomtastic too.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here’s where we’re going to take the hint from Boris and pause to reflect on the number of times the word “Zombie” appears in the rules text of each zombie Legend. I’ll actually save you the effort of checking because it’s exactly 0. Not one Zombie Legend actually gives a damn about any other zombies in your deck. That’s a huge fail no matter how you cut it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247237&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247237&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">U/B Zombies got a new toy to play with in Innistrad:</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=247237"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Grimgrin, Corpse-Born</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. I suppose </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> cares about Zombies because he likes eating them to untap and grow, though he can just as easily eat rats or anything else that’s around. What tempered the initial furor about getting a cool new Zombie Legend was the smart-ass who posted the combo featuring Grimgrin and Elemental Mastery:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 1: Tap Grimgrin to get lots of hasty elemental tokens;</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 2: Sac one hasty elemental token to untap Grimgrin;</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 3: Repeat as desired netting +1 token each time;</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 4: Profit!! (aka: “attack with infinite tokens and an infinitely huge Grimgrin.”)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hurp durp, legend ruined.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Yeah, I suppose you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">could</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> just run him and ignore the combo but there are a couple of UBR zombie legends out there and I’ve yet to see many players espousing their ballin’ new Grimgrin list. I’ve seen a lot of people posting more UBR lists, especially Thraximundar*, featuring the Grim/Mastery combo and very few are running Minamo, School at Water's Edge to work around his tapped drawback in a more consistent manner..</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">*May contain trace elements of Hurp Durp.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=113541&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=113541&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moving in a totally different direction is a very interesting (though not at all zombie themed) legend:</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=113541"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Dralnu, Lich Lord</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. A 3/3 for 3UB, this Zombie Wizard isn’t all that in the damage stakes, doubly so if you consider that if damage would be dealt to Dralnu, Lich Lord, you sacrifice that many permanents instead. Em, that’s terrible, what’s to like here?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While he’s particularly stinky on the attacking side of things, Dralnu is quite the control player’s friend allowing you to flashback a broken instant or sorcery from your graveyard with a mere tap. Balance out the potentially devastating damage drawback with the ability to play your instants and sorcerys twice and you have a control general worth spending mana on in colors that lend themselves very well to control.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Very “build around me”, not very “zombie” and hazardous for your health……if you like that sort of thing!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A very recent addition to the zombie legend stable is the Black/Green combination. This is actually surprising it’s taken so long given Wizards penchant for mixing the Zombie Legends in with other colors and the benefits green has to share. Dredge, the Golgari mechanic, suggested it already and Green fills a nice hole in fat, acceleration and resilience that black doesn’t cover very well alone.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214072&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214072&type=card" /></a></div><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=214072"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Glissa, the Traitor</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was our first taste of BG Zombies, thankfully avoiding Infect and having the potent First strike & deathtouch combination to compliment her acceptably-costed stats. She’s hard to block, makes for a great blocker and, most importantly, has a triggered ability that’s synergistic with her keywords:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, you may return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wizards put in the “opponent” clause to avoid her becoming an engine too easily, but with something as simple as an Executioner's Capsule and sufficient mana (and you’re in Green/Black, so that shouldn’t ever be an issue), she’s a machine gun. Add in a myriad of other small effects makes her deck tick over while there are always larger artifacts that you’re never unhappy about bringing back. In the unhappy event that your opponent doesn’t have any creatures for you to kill for her to trigger, throw a Forbidden Orchard or a Lifespark Spellbomb in and you’re ready to go again. The additional little joy to Glissa is that when someone wipes the board, Glissa, though dying herself, will “see” all the opponent’s creatures going to the graveyard and trigger allowing you to bring back that many artifacts to your hand. A very “Build around me” general and as simple or as complex you choose to build her, she still doesn’t really care about zombies.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, apart from Nim Replica maybe.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=236485&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=236485&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sliding in there beside Glissa is a new player from the Commander product:</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=236485"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Skullbriar, the Walking Grave</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. I don’t want to be reductive but he’s just a glorified “slith”. He starts small, grows a little each time you deal combat damage to a player and has the added bonuses of having haste and occasionally not losing his counters if he’s removed. That’s cute but, short of Doubling Season being in play, is really not very Legendary.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He also has the rarely relevant ability of being a zombie…..ah, who am I kidding?! Glissa is 10 times the general Skullbriar tries to be and has 2 relevant creature types: “Zombie” and the sadly much more useful “Elf”. Skullbriar doesn’t gain anything more from his colors than Glissa and we all know that dumb beaters just aren’t enough if they don’t have a way to evade blockers or some form of protection or resilience.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That 50/50 split brings us to the end of BG and on to the last section: UBR</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We saw how the addition of Red and blue gave us some nice legends if you like non-zombie combo, non-zombie control or Dragons (or demons), what happens when you add both colors to the mix?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=175111&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=175111&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First we have</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=175111"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Sedris, the Traitor King</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Let’s get on top of the flavor:</span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 35pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sedris was once a good and righteous king of Vithia during the early years following the sundering. It is unknown when exactly he fell from grace, but when demons tempted him with dreams of power, he submited. Sedris handed thousands of innocents over to the demons, killed his own family and advisors, and performed a</span><a href="http://www.magiccards.info/autocard.php?card=dark%20ritual"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dark ritual</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> that allowed his consciousness to continue into unlife.</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This sort of shit doesn’t happen every day so you have to hand it to Sedris for going all in. Like Balthor, Sedris wants to see your graveyard full so that he can give everyone another go on the battlefield. Not as suited to armies as Balthor, Sedris is king of the big one-shot hitters, though he prefers them to be 2-shot hitters (for a mere additional 2B). Like Balthor, he’s not picky about creature type and Sedris expands on color a little allowing Colourless and Blue on top of Balthor’s Red and Black. He’s still “all in” on his ability because there are notably few ways to get around the drawback of Unearth in these colors so he does create a certain tension in your deck.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=180595&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=180595&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Released in the same block as Sedris,</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=180595"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Thraximundar</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is an interesting choice. He’s a de-facto 7/7 Haste for 4UBR if you attack into a player with at least one blocker. After that he’s a sucker for sacrifice effects, not just ones you control or instigate but every Sakura Tribe Elder and Yavimaya Elder activation, as well as a myriad of others, will add to Thraximundar’s power. What’s appealing about Thraximundar and Sedris is that both allow you to build good stuff creature decks that may or may not have much direct interaction with your general. Sedris re-uses creatures while Thraximundar is the high-end threat in a deck that’s going to be looking to constantly apply pressure on your opponents.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">About their only relevance as Zombies is to benefit from whatever Zombie-related effects that you choose to add to your stack, most notably the recently released Rooftop Storm. If you can play your Thraximundar for 0 instead of 4UBR, or 2 instead of 6UBR, more power to you. Unfortunately, much like Grimgrin from the same set, Rooftop Storm is looking to be broken more than just providing some occasionally free Zombies. Lists running the enchantment seem to be running Thraximundar more as an incidentally beneficial General than any real dedication to the Zombie Nation.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=159096&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=159096&type=card" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our last Legend on the list is the flavor granddaddy of all Zombies:</span><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=159096"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord of Tresserhorn</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. In a time where 2/2s for 5cmc or 6cmc were more common, occasionally Wizards broke the mould if they felt the drawback warranted it. At a mere 1UBR Lor of Tresserhorn weighs in at 10/4 and has regeneration for just B.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Where’s the drawback?” you ask.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Yeah, I was just getting there: You lose 2 life, you sacrifice two creatures and target opponent draws two cards. Yikes!! That’s probably worth more than the difference in mana he would have cost. There are ways around these like, em, Life-gain, lots of tokens with Grave Pact and Underworld Dreams, but there’s no getting away from the fact that you need to build around him and he’s quite tricky to set up. The biggest drawback is probably the “sacrifice 2 creatures” requirement as any opponent can nix your general by killing one or both of the creatures you intended to use to pay his steep COTB triggers. You still lose the life, your opponent still draws 2 cards but you’ll end up sacrificing the Lord to his own effect essentially paying 4 to hurt yourself, help your opponent and add 2 to his cost. The Phage /Torpor Orb workaround is just as valid here allowing you to pay 4 with no drawback. I suggest you go that route!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He doesn’t really care about Zombies either but he’ll happily use some of the smaller ones as fodder knowing that they’ll eventually come back. The cool cache you get from running him and the mental hoops you need to jump through not only to build the deck but also to play him out repeatedly are probably worth the effort of choosing him as your general. It needs to be as, regeneration or not, he’s still vanilla as hell but in true flavor terms he comes onto the battlefield over the backs of his own slaughtered foot-troops and taunts opponents with additional cards. Will they be enough to defeat the Lord of Tresserhorn?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m not going to do a top 10 of these guys. You’ll have to choose one according to your style but, if you’re really serious about your deck being a <u><i>Zombie</i></u><i> </i>deck with a Zombie Legend, there’s really not much of a debate, is there?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYUr0vM1ELk8X_T-IHLSivy7bBKUJcxhZ1ie8abjAvjynaROBE8Cn26u7vCdkPGs60xMjDVTDXOHRSKcfUGwUAwpXQkS5uAZUxW3Lj1HHjNLJDkoAp7ACk4f2pPGLhEZdI7MjiuRIIZc/s1600/Balthor15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYUr0vM1ELk8X_T-IHLSivy7bBKUJcxhZ1ie8abjAvjynaROBE8Cn26u7vCdkPGs60xMjDVTDXOHRSKcfUGwUAwpXQkS5uAZUxW3Lj1HHjNLJDkoAp7ACk4f2pPGLhEZdI7MjiuRIIZc/s1600/Balthor15.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-91625318890363430232011-10-06T21:07:00.000+02:002011-10-06T21:07:13.870+02:00Swords of Schwing and Schwang - Musings & a Top 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=209280&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=209280&type=card" width="143" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">Swords of Schwing and Schwang.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">I’ve never had a huge amount of time for Equipment in Commander. Some is obviously great, others are occasionally helpful but, on the whole, it just seems like a lot of effort to turn things sideways with benefit and I’m pretty opposed to just throwing things out into the Red zone with only the hope of Step 4 happening (Yes, that’s the “Profit” step). Up until recently the only equipment ever I really played were Jitte, Greaves & Clamp.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">A very strange part of Commander is discovering that 100 cards is, in fact, not really a lot when you get down to it. Take the pre-build count of your average Commander deck, that being the obligatory 100 cards; slice off 40-ish cards for land & mana rocks; add a general; now take the entire history of magic and condense it into the kind of deck you want to play in just 60 remaining card slots……. You now have a deck.<br />
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The obvious problem here is that, in those 60 card slots, there’s really only so much you can do. You have your criteria for the deck you want to build and that’s going to form the greater part of these slots. If Equipment isn’t an integral part of that strategy, you need to have a very good reason to make room for it.<br />
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A lot has to come together to get "value" from equipment: A creature, the equipment and, usually, a successful attack step. Bearing in mind that the equipment (artifact) and the creature involved are the two most gunned-after card types in the format and there's a whole table of guys worried that whatever scariness you've cobbled together is coming <i>their</i> way. This makes for a very hostile environment.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247337&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247337&type=card" width="143" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">Probably the most played equipment in Commander is Lightning Greaves. It’s cheap, equips for free and grants two excellent abilities: Surprise and protection. The only-slightly-less-exciting version that M12 gave us, Swiftfoot Boots, trades off an additional 1-mana equip cost for the ability to interact with your own creature. I expect Lightning Greaves to stay top dog in the equipment stakes because general-centric decks really, really need to protect their general and "Das Boots" does this. (Amusing sidebar: Lightning Greaves has long been nicknamed “Das Boots” despite actually being a pair of greaves. Now that we actually have a functionally similar pair of <i>boots</i>, will we have to dub them “Das Greaves”?)<br />
<br />
Past fancy footwear, equipment is either incredibly niche or exceedingly high on the cost/benefit scale. Some form of protection or evasion is a minimum requirement and triggered abilities or granting some sort of stat/keyword that’s outside the usual remit of your colors is the bar against which successful EDH equipment is gauged.<br />
<br />
This leads to a very short list. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214359&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214359&type=card" width="143" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">One of the inherent drawbacks associated with equipment, the congruence of all the favourable elements, was addressed with the Living Weapon mechanic in New Phyrexia. Suddenly you didn't have to make a guy and protect it while you played your Axe and paid to equip it. By giving you the token, weak as it may be, you're essentially making a mana saving of "X+Y" where "X" is the cost of the creature and "Y" is the cost of equipping the Living Weapon and a card saving of whatever creature you’d have attached the non-living weapon version to. Sure, the creature you're given is a 0/0 but even a 0/0 has it’s uses, including dying piteously should the situation require it, and it can still attack (all living weapons grant a toughness boost of at least +1). A 0/0 with +10/+10 is still a 10/10. While the initial popularity for Living Weapons seems to have tapered off, we are still left with 3 that are getting some serious play: Bonehoard, Lashwrithe & Batterskull; essentially a huge beater, a huge beater and a one-man army.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span lang="EN-US">I have to admit that my main experience with equipment is Clamp, Greaves, Jitte and seeing small, cheap strength boosts, Banners and Jittes across the table in an aggressive deck or the occasional Sword in a 1v1 game but, on the whole, really nothing very overbearing.<br />
<br />
Then I completed a trade that finally saw me getting my hands on a Sword of Fire and Ice and, about 2 days later, I cracked a Sword of War and Peace and thus completed the full set of Swords of One-thing and Something-Else. The only small issue was what to do with them now that I had them?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=46429&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=46429&type=card" width="143" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> I initially thought about parceling them out between different decks or, possibly, constructing a new Voltron deck, though neither appealed to me all that much. In the end, time and utter laziness won over and I dropped them all into my Thada Adel deck, kicking out some of the less friendly artifact stuff. This was the only change I made to the deck overall so it was still theoretically a slow rolling artifact/control deck that can go big quick but generally turtles until it can swing some mid-game hay-makers and ride the tempo to victory. Needless to say, I didn’t expect the swords to make all that much difference to the deck as a whole.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"> <br />
What I didn't realise was that just adding 5 swords (with the possibility of a couple more in copy-artifact effects) turned Thada into an aggressive show stopper and it's all on the sholders of to those 5 Swords.<br />
<br />
Case in point: Yesterday playing a 4-man against Ghave Combo-Tokens, Sapling Good-Stuff and Glissa. A little explosiveness on my part allowed an early Consecrated Sphinx (backed up with Reliquary Tower) which survived a couple of turns around the table before getting killed. Its demise coincided with Ghave landing Aura Shards and destroying every non-land permanent I controlled. A couple of turns later, I passed my turn after landing a Myr Retriever and a Maze of Ith and possessing pretty much nothing else but a precarious life total and a large hand filled with land and spells that had nothing to do just at that time. <br />
<br />
Oh, and a Sword of War and Peace.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"> <br />
I then eliminated one player in each of my next three attack phases with that lowly 1/1.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Here's how it happened: </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe49_FR2eL9A7tItgERzQ1GMOZB_A4cb__XmuOHbrPgQ_7u1-NMipfoet5mPjfobRKcKi83tMNHy5PMt7jKNQmJu0uOvpy6IOHoUUE0C8vXe3REZl5SzT1Suj1BjDX3kZP7fgGyiiUWeM/s1600/Swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe49_FR2eL9A7tItgERzQ1GMOZB_A4cb__XmuOHbrPgQ_7u1-NMipfoet5mPjfobRKcKi83tMNHy5PMt7jKNQmJu0uOvpy6IOHoUUE0C8vXe3REZl5SzT1Suj1BjDX3kZP7fgGyiiUWeM/s400/Swords.jpg" width="146" /></a><span lang="EN-US">Ghave, after wrecking my board, fell low on life to a Massacre Wurm. Subsequent attack phases from Sapling and Glissa meant he would have perished before I untapped unless I saved him with my Maze of Ith, which I did.<br />
<br />
Leaving him on 1 life and no board to speak of allowed me to untap and drop the sword onto the mighty Myr gaining a boatload of life courtesy of a Reliquary Tower and the earlier Consecrated Sphinx and, most importantly eliminating the Aura Shards from the game. I played a Memory Jar and passed the turn<br />
<br />
Neither Sapling nor Glissa had the power on the table to finish me off on their turns and the turn came back to me. I cracked the Jar, drew into Sword of Feast and Famine and, with it, hit Glissa for exactly 12, enough to kill him. I untapped my land and added a second Sword of War and Peace in the form of a Sculpting Steel and passed the turn, recovering my exiled hand from the Jar.<br />
<br />
Sapling saw the writing on the wall with 17 damage heading his way and no means to block and conceded the game. <br />
<br />
Mighty Myr carried the day (and the Swords) with a victory that was facilitated in large part by a lot of card drawing but truly unlocked by the Swords themselves.<br />
<br />
The subsequent game went in a similar vein with Swords flying around between whoever could hold them and proving too much advantage in the red zone. With the level of search and recursion the deck has for artifacts anyway, adding 5 equipment has proven to be a very aggressive step for Thada allowing resources to be sandbagged elsewhere while all the relevant colored generals around the table worry about lowly merfolk swinging swords.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">I think I’m revising my stance about Equipment in Commander…..<br />
<br />
I don't usually do Top 10s but I thought I’d do one here to see what I could come up with. How do you balance cards that have hugely varying power-levels depending on the deck they are in? For example, Jitte is great in a creature-heavy build but doesn’t particularly suffer against creature decks ether so can go in any build that has enough creatures to support it, whereas a sword of the incorrect combination for your playgroup could end up being just a +2/+2 for your opponents' defenders to chump all day.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214040&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214040&type=card" width="143" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">10. Lashwrithe/ Bonehoard<br />
<br />
I put these up last because they are “only” Strength boosts. Both fail on evasion and suffer on cost but make up for it with the potential to go big. If your target creature has evasion already, that's half the battle. Bonehoard is slightly weaker because of the necessity of playing graveyard hate in Commander but Lashwrithe has a color drawback that restricts its use. Even Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth won't turn your General's color identity Black! I hesitated long about putting Loxodon Warhammer in here but, in the end, the Living Weapon aspect gives these the edge.<br />
<br />
9. Sword of Body and Mind<br />
8. Batterskull<br />
7. Sword of Light and Shadow<br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=233055&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=233055&type=card" width="143" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><br />
Being the least useful of the swords in commander (from a triggered ability rather than a protection standpoint), Sword of Body and Mind scores low in the top 10. It’s just behind Batterskull that scores on both resilience and Lifelink keywords but possibly loses out on cost. If you don't have either a lot of available mana or some means to cheat on costs, you're probably looking at a Time-Walk in anything but the late game and, while it may gain you some life, it doesn’t grant any protection. Rounding out this section is the Sword of Light and Shadow: It gains very relevant protections but once again the abilities are not as impressive as the other Swords. The ability to put a better creature than a 2/2 wolf back into your hand and subsequently into play is what gives it the edge over its blue/green brother.<br />
<br />
6. Sword of War and Peace <br />
5. Sword of Fire and Ice<br />
4. Skullclamp </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247201&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=247201&type=card" width="143" /></a><span lang="EN-US">Putting Swords of War, Peace, Fire and Ice into the Top 10 is a no-brainer but they have to be edged out by much, <i>much </i>better equipment as they are either huge on the damage stakes or huge on the card- / board-advantage stakes. <br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Here’s where it gets divisive: How do you relegate one of the most broken pieces of equipment to a mere 4<sup>th</sup> on the list of best Equipment in a format? An advantage to Skullclamp is that you don’t really need to build your deck around it to benefit. Once you have a decent creature count, it can do its thing peacefully enough because your creatures <i>will</i> die often during a game. Having a deck built specifically to takes advantage of ways to abuse it is why it got banned in the first place and it speaks of a power-level in Commander that’s extremely high. What could possibly beat one of the best and most controversial equipment ever to the top 3 spots?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Why, <i>more </i>"best" and "controversial" equipment, of course!!<br />
<br />
3. Sword of Feast and Famine<br />
2. Umezawa’s Jitte<br />
1. Lightning Greaves</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">This is roughly where everyone looks at the number one and says: "Holy-Moley!! He put Greaves in first!!" Simply put, it's not on the same power level as most of the rest of the top 10 but it's so </span><span class="ital-inline" style="color: black;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">ubiquitous, efficient and useful that it's hard <i>not </i>to put it into every single Commander deck you build. It protects your commander, it allows you to grant scary beasties haste and is generally one of the most annoying permanents in the early- to mid-game.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214070&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214070&type=card" width="143" /></a></div><span class="ital-inline" style="color: black;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">Coming hot on the heels of Das Boots are Sword of Feast and Famine and </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Umezawa’s Jitte. The Sword has been the subject of quite a lot of attention in recent Standard due to the ease of finding it with Stoneforge Mystic. It enables "double" turns by allowing you to play spells in your pre-combat main phase, attack and untap to allow you to play more spells either during your post-combat main phase or your opponent's turn. You got your cake and you ate it. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Two very relevant protection colors added to this "double turn" ability make this sword just as potent in Commander as outside. The only small downside is the second triggered ability, discarding an opponent's card, can often actually facilitate his gameplan.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">In compiling the list I had an issue not including things like Sunforger who’s restrictions are both color and build-based though, when you have those two combined, it’s very strong, arguably stronger than Bonehoard or Lashwrithe. Where do you think more specialised equipment like </span><span lang="EN-US">the Sunforger or, </span><span lang="EN-US">Loxodon Warhammer,</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">Blade of the Bloodchief, Darksteel Plate, Swiftfoot Boots, Konda’s Banner, Nim Deathmantle, Skullclamp, Thornbite Staff & Umbral Mantle fit in on the list of top equipment?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-71938436272722665142011-09-20T14:32:00.000+02:002011-09-20T14:32:59.026+02:00An open letter from Bob to MaRo<div dir="ltr" id="internal-source-marker_0.9400768957009457" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">666 Crumbling Remains</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Somewhere beneath Innistrad</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3b-xjoa7E-qH4MNZUcD1kmmRToOD3aqmxS9eK_st0b1mgbxRAPqcdMq63ZPkrq98mKmSZMOs_455js1GRvQMLPtEx6ioTc6unA8lXUUD0VvthP_Dw3bcGSAQdn4n5VauYoZSm8_vYKI/s1600/Zombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Residence of Mr. Balthor "Bob" Defiled, Esq.</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hey, Mark!! How's it hanging?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You're pretty good at dropping Magic bombshells, but I honestly never felt all that impacted. Sure, innovations would change things, and decks and colour trends come and go, but Zombies are, you know, hard to keep down. There's almost (</span><a href="http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr61"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">almost</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) always a Zombie in the set, sometimes there's even a non-Zombie that shares the love, (here's looking at you, Mr. G.T.!) and, even if we lose some pallor once in a while, it's never long until someone leaves a grave - or twenty - open by mistake, and we all come shambling out again. Even the occasional Undead Slayer can't keep the vitally challenged from our un-lives for very long. Hey, it's even a bit of a compliment that there's a dedicated hate card in an expansion with no particular Zombie theme; shows us you still care, you know?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, picture the scene a few months back, when you announced that you were coming to Innistrad to celebrate the classic "Horror Tropes". We were all very happy: we gave the tombs, coffins and general underworld a bit of a dusting; got the spiders working on some killer cobwebs; wiped the oil and grease off the door-hinges and rattled a few tombstones. You have to understand that there's a lot of expectation here. We're going to see new faces, do new things, get out and shake it all about, and for a few expansions, feast on some brains. The vitally challenged are BACK, BABY!! Right on!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/7ztfmaiul9_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/7ztfmaiul9_en.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, spoiler season comes around and</span><a href="http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/ftl/158"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Noel goes first</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: BOOM! Blue Zombies. WOW!! It's not like we've never had them before, (they are like the side of the family that doesn't get brought up much, except at Halloween when every-one's had much too much Alco-brains and that always ends up the same way: a 100-way game of "Which one is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">my</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Metatarsal") but, cool, this is a good thing, right? The scene has changed since Alara, Invasion and, eh, Homelands...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anyway, a Rooftop Storm? Frickin' AWE-SOME!! (though I failed to see the connection.) It means we have to work with that arrogant ass (assin) Thraximundar instead of me, but I'll happily take one for the team if it gets people clamouring to actually </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">become </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zombies just to join in the fun!! It's like we've become glamorous Vamps all of a sudden.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then on</span><a href="http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/159"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">September 5th, you drop the bomb.</span></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="color: blue; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I said that while I didn't mind having flesh golems, I still wanted the more traditional zombies. [snip] The </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dawn of the Dead</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> zombies could stay in black where they've always been. The Frankenstein's monsters / flesh golems, though, could play into a theme we wanted to explore in blue: the mad scientist. Blue has always been about knowledge, so the idea of crazy men doing horrific experiments in a search for knowledge felt perfect for blue.</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ok, so far so good.</span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As this was top-down design, we also realized that the two types of Zombies wanted to play differently. For the black Zombies, I was interested in building a Zombie deck I'd never seen. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Magic</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: blue;"> has had a few Zombie decks over the years, but they tend to be fast and aggressive (more like what are sometimes called zoombies). That's not how zombies work in an archetypal zombie apocalypse story. Zombies, individually, are slow and not particularly hard to kill</span>.</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Woah!! Wait, wut? We've never been "fast". Maybe a couple of guys got in close with some knights and horrors, but that's hardly representative of the entire Zombie Nation!</span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="color: blue; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2569086532982425053&postID=7193843627272266514"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Scathe Zombies</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> aren't scary, but how about thirteen</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2569086532982425053&postID=7193843627272266514"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Scathe Zombies</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? How about twenty-six? The "enter the battlefield tapped" text you'll see on a few of the Zombies is our attempt to convey the flavor of them being slow.</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Enter. The. Battlefield. Tapped.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What. The. Frick?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You take one of the two most debilitating come into play abilities in the history of competitive Magic, and you slap it on an entire type because you watched "Shaun of the Frickin' Dead" once too often?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you shitting me?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What's next? Merfolk getting "can't attack if opponent's don't control an Island"? Kithkin get -1/-1? Or wait, no, let's give "Ping" to elves because they have bows in Lord of the Rings!!! It's not like the colour-pie matters any more anyway, eh? Treefolk are physically </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rooted to the ground</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, even they don't have this new keyword: "Slow"!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/eld8jfmfs0_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/eld8jfmfs0_en.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Worse still, you run to twitter for some digital high-5s with the rest of the Anti-Zombie League over an 8-mana sorcery that does exactly nothing when it's played!! Adding the "Slow" mechanic to Army of the Damned makes an already expensive card unplayable. Who's going to "W00p!!" their top-decked, 8-mana sink "solution" if it's never a solution?</span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/maro254"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">maro254</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mark Rosewater</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm curious on everyone's thoughts on Army of the Damned. (I'm a longtime zombie fan if you were unaware.)</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/maro254/status/110577211735670785"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">5 Sep</span></a><a href="http://twitter.com/#"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Favorite</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Retweet</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Reply</span></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Woah!! Wait, wut?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(I'm a longtime zombie fan if you were unaware.)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Yeeaaaahh, we’ll just come back to that bit later.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The only saving grace is that you made Army of the Damned a Mythic, so, hopefully, the rarity value will keep it from ever getting played. Looking at it from another angle: You sacrificed a Mythic slot for this...... >shudder<... and we really </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LOVE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> sacrificing things. The other thing that got sacrificed is that awesome name! Army of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">DAMNED</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">!! I love it!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What's that? It's attached to the card that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">won't</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> save me? Hang on, I'm sure I've got a dead clown around here who'll do a frowny face for you.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQg6oGVWNoTWvebc66qlrklETiatinmC0SabnI0wNc5wlMJDk29xg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQg6oGVWNoTWvebc66qlrklETiatinmC0SabnI0wNc5wlMJDk29xg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ok, ok, I get it: You want to make the set </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">flavor</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-full. That's cute and all, but this is a burning brand to all my brethren. Go screw with Vampires! You've got Day/Night now, right? Make them burst into flames every second turn. Where's the "flavor" now? I'm not really savouring it if it gives to everyone else but screws around with just one group. At least you're not printing more cards that hurt Zombies..... </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3b-xjoa7E-qH4MNZUcD1kmmRToOD3aqmxS9eK_st0b1mgbxRAPqcdMq63ZPkrq98mKmSZMOs_455js1GRvQMLPtEx6ioTc6unA8lXUUD0VvthP_Dw3bcGSAQdn4n5VauYoZSm8_vYKI/s1600/Zombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3b-xjoa7E-qH4MNZUcD1kmmRToOD3aqmxS9eK_st0b1mgbxRAPqcdMq63ZPkrq98mKmSZMOs_455js1GRvQMLPtEx6ioTc6unA8lXUUD0VvthP_Dw3bcGSAQdn4n5VauYoZSm8_vYKI/s1600/Zombies.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.....Right? Coz you're a "fan".</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/d8tf9tr95e_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/d8tf9tr95e_en.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s surprising and, frankly stunningly obvious, is that you have yet to make any sort of mechanical reference to our dietary preference: munching on brains. Unless....no, wait! Did you give the mono-</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">blue</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rare Zombie, Undead Alchemist, one of those “Frankenstein monsters”, the expressly very “black” zombie mechanic (according to your own criteria) of draining an opponent’s deck, their “brains”, as it were? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What a shock!! Blue gets the black mechanic. What the hell is a Frankenstein Monster doing eating, or in any way encouraging others to eat, brains? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hang on: What’s going on with those interloping, Mono-Blue zombies anyway?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.) A mythic Mono-U Zombie, maybe a <i>little</i> under-costed. Oh, and it flies too.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2.) A similiar, uncommon trampler. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.) Another under-costed flier at common in the same vein. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cheap, flying and trampling for Zombies, eh? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number of Zombies in Gatherer: 240.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number of Zombies with flying: 15</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number of Zombies with trample: 2</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blue gets 3 with these in a single set. I guess that's fair.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolls eyes.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4.) The aforementioned "Brain Eater". </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5.) To accompany the “undercosted” theme, why not just go for “free”? Oh, you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">did</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Rooftop Storm!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Seriously, why don’t you just copy and paste “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">F**k you, Mono-B Zombies! And you COTB Tapped too! Ha-Ha!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” into their flavor text?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Could this have been even more of a slap in the face if you had actually tried? (And, no, that’s not an invitation!) But wait!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(I'm a longtime zombie fan if you were unaware.)</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No, seriously, start supporting Elves or Merfolk. “With friends like this”, and all that.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, yeah, have your fun, your little laugh, but let's not make a habit of it, eh? If this goes on, I’ll seriously have to think about being re-animated as a Demon or even >shudder< a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Horror!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And MaRo, when you're finally under </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">my</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> dominion, we can sit down and have a long talk about the flavour application of mechanics! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sincerely,</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXzbTXmAujuXS_ekK672PEVX48Eg0-thbRB2I90SCNrC5ZIsSqq6x1kUwNWwDzfuWOzjZOMHGbvb24rP_-_uAc26BmUlyhp71p5hL2Mz1Q6GXLbVVxL3WekwoVNke_gTSIJyQ3RVvq-E/s1600/Balthor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXzbTXmAujuXS_ekK672PEVX48Eg0-thbRB2I90SCNrC5ZIsSqq6x1kUwNWwDzfuWOzjZOMHGbvb24rP_-_uAc26BmUlyhp71p5hL2Mz1Q6GXLbVVxL3WekwoVNke_gTSIJyQ3RVvq-E/s1600/Balthor.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-24693742376066361232011-09-01T09:10:00.000+02:002011-09-01T09:10:53.637+02:00There's a STORM tonight, Oglor!!!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">RAISE THE LIGHTNING VANE!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/7ztfmaiul9_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/products/isd/7ztfmaiul9_en.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />
Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-13837516344653599462011-06-27T15:31:00.000+02:002011-06-27T15:31:42.514+02:00Balthor Says "Magic 2012 delivers!!!!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A 5/4 Deathtouch Zombie for 2BBB? That's a pretty good deal!!<br />
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A recurring targetted Dread effect from your graveyard tacked on for free.... That's just flabbered my ghast!!! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/mm/hcrtfgudjndhfrfjsfsdsfkjfs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/mm/hcrtfgudjndhfrfjsfsdsfkjfs.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Balthor says: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Me Likey!!</b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span>Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2569086532982425053.post-55237449938544910242011-06-23T15:46:00.000+02:002011-06-23T15:46:39.483+02:00Archenemy Sidebar<a href="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/perhaps-youve-met-my-cohort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/perhaps-youve-met-my-cohort.jpg" width="278" /></a><br />
Someone in work mentioned breaking out the Archenemy cards next week for a return to that brief period last year when we rocked them for about 3 weeks solid before a new release dragged out eyes away from them like a cat following a laser dot.<br />
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Since then, I've been thinking about whether to break out existing EDH decks and just pick the relevant schemes to go with that deck (which I'll proabably do for at least 2 decks) or whether to re-build an old, dismantled deck just to maximize on the effect of "Perhaps You've Met My cohort." There's nothing quite like the roulette of seeing which scheme you're getting and have it show up All Aces on Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, especially in the early game. Now our Nicol has a new friend to make that early choice just that little bit more interesting. I think the right choice is always going to be Bolas <i>then </i>Karn, but having the two allows you to draw one and not need to find your Jace or Scroll Rack to get in back in before a Scheme hits, especially if you're slow on mana.<br />
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The main reason why the deck got taken apart and the main block to rebuilding it is the toll it takes on the mana bases in my other decks. Removing duels and shocks from multiple decks just to fuel a single deck, is a huge pain.<br />
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<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=179441&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=179441&type=card" /></a><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214350&type=card" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=214350&type=card" /></a>I suppose I could get away with a full set of Fetch lands, Alara Shard fetches and a lot of land searching in Green to get over this but I wonder inflicting that restriction won't water the deck down so much that it would become unwieldy. As I've been itching to make a proliferate deck as well, I'm leaning towards actually getting this done. It's just a pity that there's not a proliferate scheme. As a "Super-Friends" deck goes, it's got potential to be a huge headache for my opponents. <br />
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<a href="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/plots-that-span-centuries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/plots-that-span-centuries.jpg" width="277" /></a>Irregardless of how I build the deck, which deck I build or whether the world is due to end tomorrow, there's a scheme that will always be included in any scheme pile I make as a 2-of: Plots That Span Centuries. This is the Twincasted Time Warp of Archenemy Schemes. You get to trade this turn's scheme doing basically nothing into a turbo-fuelled scheme turn the following turn. If your opponents are unfortunate enough to have you flip into the second copy on your next turn as one of the first 2 schemes, you'll end up getting 4 schemes in one turn.<br />
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Just as bad, if you flip it as your third scheme on that turn, you'll get 2 active schemes this turn and 3 guarenteed hits next turn (as both your "Plots" will be tucked under the scheme pile).<br />
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About the only downside to having multiple schemes flip on a single turn is that you have to be very careful how many X schemes you've included in your pile. It's all well and good to flip a "Plots....." early on only to subsequently flip 2x "Every Last Vestige Shall Rot" and 1x "My Genius Knows No Bounds" on a paltry 1 or 2 mana. That said, it's kinda hard not to include both as they are pretty crushing at the right moment given enough mana.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/my-genius-knows-no-bounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/my-genius-knows-no-bounds.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><a href="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/every-last-vestige-shall-rot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://magiccards.info/extras/scheme/archenemy/every-last-vestige-shall-rot.jpg" width="278" /></a><br />
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You are either drawing a lot of cards and gaining a lot of life, or you're wiping away the entire non-land board that someone has developed over subsequent turns but giving them nothing in return. Resolving multiples of either with sufficient mana during a game is essentially game over for those players as the nature of the Archenemy set-up invariably requires one player to over-extend. Wiping one away and repeating it on a second player is just a horrific amount of card advantage.<br />
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Back to setting up for next week, I have a set of schemes chosen for what was my Thada Adel deck, now Memnarch, and I think I'll run them as chosen:<br />
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2x Every Hope Shall Vanish<br />
2x Surrender Your Thoughts<br />
2x Only Blood Ends your Nightmares<br />
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2x I Delight in Your Convulsions<br />
2x Realms Befitting My Majesty<br />
2x Every Last Vestige Shall Rot<br />
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2x Your Puny Minds Cannot Fathom<br />
2x Plots that Span Centuries <br />
1x My Undead Horde Awekens<br />
1x I Bask in your Silent Awe<br />
1x Tooth, Claw & Tail<br />
1x Behold the Power of Destruction<br />
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This is pretty much my basic package for <i>any </i>deck with about 5-10 of the slots being mutable for flavour reasons. For example, while I'm quite likely to build a Scheme stack for my Balthor deck, I'll be pretty much obliged to start two copies each of "My Undead Hoard Awakens", "Mortal Flesh is Weak" (though nothing is mentioned about Undead flesh, so that's acceptable) and "The Dead Shall Serve".<br />
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So that's my Archenemy sidebar, I'm looking at playing Memnarch, Balthor and, if I have the patience and time to build it, a 5 colour Planeswalker/proliferate deck. If anyone else out there is still rocking Archenemy or has favourite individual Schemes or even a favourite full 20, let me know in the comments. I'll be back in about 2 weeks with a follow-up to tell you all how it went.Zimagic (Owen)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05165154656461321097noreply@blogger.com0