In the News

Organized Play:  On Thursday, Wizards of the Coast announced the return of the Pro Tour!  It looks like a mishmash of some of the old systems.  It included Regional Championship Qualifier, Regional Championships, the Pro Tour, and Worlds.  It does not appear to include Grand Prix anymore.  You can qualifiy with MTGO play, and news about that will be out later in April.  You can read the document for it here. 
 

This is a list of things we have been promised, or we just want to see coming back. Another good source for dates and times is the calendar and the weekly blog, while the best source for known bugs is the bug blog which appears sporadically on MTGO.com. Not listed, but important: Wizards offers either one or two online MCQs each weekend, with qualifiers for limited MCQs running the days immediately prior to the MCQ.
 

Complete details, including schedule, rules, and which online events qualify you for which online or paper events is here. In addition, Wizards will be offering these special formats:

Ongoing - Super Jump!
 

Upcoming Events on MTGO

April 2 - Vintage Showcase Challenge
April 3 - Legacy Showcase Challenge
April 3 - 6 MOCS Last Chance Events 

April 13 - Masters 25 Flashback Draft
April 20 - Kamigawa Remix

Magic Online Format Challenges

These are high stakes events that happen every weekend. They cost 30 Tix / 300 play points, and last a number of rounds based on participation (assume 5-8), plus a single elimination Top 8. Details, including prize payouts, are here. Start times are:

TIME (PT)	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
12:00 a.m.		Vintage Challenge
2:00 a.m.	Pauper Challenge
4:00 a.m.	Legacy Challenge	Modern Challenge
6:00 a.m.	Standard Challenge	Pioneer Challenge
8:00 a.m.	Modern Challenge	Legacy Challenge
10:00 a.m.	Vintage Challenge	Pauper Challenge
2:00 p.m.	Pioneer Challenge	Standard Challenge

 

Standard:   We're not used to combo decks in Standard winning as soon as turn 1 any more, and I thought we left that behind with the rotation of Urza's Block.  However, they must have missed Exodia construct cards.  Sure sometimes you draw your entire deck taking a long time to play a game by yourself but if this deck clicks it more than makes up for high rate of failure on turn 1.  Also make sure you check out the winning animation when you get all of the Exodia cards in your hand!  It's super cool! 


Legacy:  Simple enough, play tamers, control the board and finish them off with multiple attacks from the hybrids.  A very powerful deck to be sure. 


Modern: It appears that we're back to getting a new set and rotating Modern.  Gengar V is a powerful attacker, knocking out a fair amount of creatures in it's path for three Dark Energy.  Sure you put damage counters on it, but if you're drawing prize cards who really cares about that? 


Pauper:  Do you think a deck with Locke, Terra and Shiva, Lady of Frost is going to be bad?  No way, put up those mountains, it's time for a new Ice Age! 

Pioneer:  Good ole Priest control, it's been gosh 9 years it feels like, since we last saw Priest play a part of the metagame, but thankfully, Pioneer has made sure the popular archetype has been reborn.  Make sure you check out the hero of this deck, Xerandaal, Shade Servitor who has a nice bit of damage attached to their ability.