State of the Program for November 15th, 2023

MTGO Socials: Daybreak has set up forums for MTGO, which you can find here. In addition to the Forums, Daybreak has set up a Discord for MTGO.  You can get the invite here. MTGO has a Twitter account, and can now add an account for Facebook and Instagram. 

Two-Factor Authentication:  This is in Account Settings.  To turn it on you will be asked for your account password and a 6-digit code sent to the email associated with your account.  You can use either an email or authenticator based system.  This will help keep your accounts secure, you can read about the system here.

Redemption:  Redemption is up and running!  Remember that redemption runs now until supply is gone. Currently being redeemed are Premium versions of Dominaria United and both versions of Wilds of Eldraine. The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Redemption Tokens will go on sale on December 6th.  As of May 23, 2023, Redemption Tokens are non-refundable! You can check the new redemption page here.

New Foil Tech on MTGO:  Aaron Penfold had an interview and overview of how foils on Magic Online have gotten an upgrade, and talks with Cody Hubbard on the use of shader technology for computer graphics and how the base foiling treatment has improved online and how the Cosmium Neon Ink cards came to be on the client.  In addition the Neon Ink Bundle will be in store for Cyber Monday on November 27th.  You can get the bundle for $20 USD, and receive one of five different randomly selected colors.  Red is 10%, Purple is 15%, Blue is 20%, Green is 25%, and Yellow is 20%.  This bundle will be out until Murders at Karlov Manor.  The Tri-Color Cosmium Neon Ink cards will also be available in the form of a giveway over the Cyber Monday Weekend.  Make a $4.99 purchase in the store, join and play in a league match or compete in a scheduled event.  Doing one of these will get you in a drawing for one of the Tri-Color Cavern of Souls or Mana Crypt.  There is a maximum of one entry per eligible accounts.  50 of each card will be given away.  You can read it here!

Quality of Life improvements:  You can set timers in Casual Play now, with timers starting as low as 15 minutes to high as 60.  You can the clocks in 5 minute increments.  The Buddy Challenge interface has been refreshed.  Prompt boxes highlight when you have priority as well.  You can also keybind spacebar now. 

New in Store:  Jurassic World Bundle 12 Basic Lands, 20 Brand new cards.  Will not be in Treasure Chests and only available until Murders at Karlov Manor.  Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ Special Edition cards (specifically the 24 scene box cards, the 5 from Jumpstart, the poster cards, the Borderless Brothers Hildebrandt and Showcase Scrolls Commander cards) are in Treasure chests now. 

Patch Notes: You can check out the notes for this update here.

Standard:  This is different from Azorius Soldiers because there are more creature types in it.  It's a most stable but grinding Azoris Aggro deck I think.
 

Azorius Aggro

 

4 Adarkar Wastes 4 Plains 4 Seachrome Coast 2 Deserted Beach 2 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 2 Faerie Mastermind 4 Fortified Beachhead 3 Harbin, Vanguard Aviator 4 Knight-Errant of Eos 4 Lunarch Veteran 4 Make Disappear 2 Mirrex 2 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Recruitment Officer

4 Resolute Reinforcements 1 Virtue of Loyalty 4 Wedding Announcement 2 Werefox Bodyguard 4 Zephyr Sentinel

Sideboard: 3 Destroy Evil 2 Lantern Flare 1 Loran of the Third Path 4 Protect the Negotiators 1 Surge of Salvation 2 The Wandering Emperor 2 Tocasia's Welcome

Legacy: 

Temur Stiflenought

 

1 Brazen Borrower 4 Phyrexian Dreadnought 3 Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath 4 Brainstorm 4 Daze 4 Force of Will 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Stifle 4 Ponder 1 Island 4 Polluted Delta 4 Scalding Tarn 2 Tropical Island 3 Volcanic Island 4 Wasteland 4 Dragon's Rage Channeler

4 Dress Down 2 Murktide Regent

Sideboard: 1 Blue Elemental Blast 2 Force of Negation 2 Pyroblast 1 Red Elemental Blast 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Wilt 1 Meltdown 2 Carpet of Flowers 1 Null Rod 1 Brotherhood's End 1 Maddening Hex

Modern: Two Modern decks as well this week.  This sweet list looks to blow up your own lands with Cleansing Wildfire, ramping into Bust side, leaving your opponent with no lands and you with a board full of lands to get out of sleep with Rise and Shine. 

Artifact Land Aggro

 

1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance 2 Fire // Ice 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Spell Pierce 4 Boom // Bust 1 Pithing Needle 1 Relic of Progenitus 1 Shadowspear 4 Darksteel Citadel 2 Island 1 Mountain 4 Scalding Tarn 3 Steam Vents 4 Cleansing Wildfire 4 Fury 4 Rise and Shine 2 Rustvale Bridge

4 Silverbluff Bridge 4 Subtlety 4 The One Ring 4 Urza's Saga

Sideboard: 1 Ceremonious Rejection 2 Anger of the Gods 3 Geomancer's Gambit 1 Elixir of Immortality 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Zuran Orb 1 Cast into the Fire 2 Stern Scolding 1 Stone of Erech 2 Test of Talents

Modern 2:  I like the inclusion of the Talismen here to get the best options from Beseech the Mirror.  I thought that was clever. 

Mono Black Coffers

 

1 Emrakul, the Promised End 4 Karn, the Great Creator 2 Cling to Dust 4 Fatal Push 1 Damnation 4 Thoughtseize 1 Talisman of Dominance 1 Talisman of Hierarchy 1 Talisman of Indulgence 4 Cabal Coffers 4 Field of Ruin 10 Swamp 4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Beseech the Mirror 3 Demolition Field 4 March of Wretched Sorrow 4 Orcish Bowmasters

2 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse 2 Sheoldred's Edict 3 The One Ring

Sideboard: 1 Sundering Titan 1 Damnation 4 Leyline of the Void 1 Chalice of the Void 1 Cursed Totem 1 Engineered Explosives 1 Ensnaring Bridge 1 Liquimetal Coating 1 Oblivion Stone 1 Cityscape Leveler 1 The One Ring 1 The Stone Brain

Legacy 2:   We hear all the time (and by we, I mean me) that Rick, Steadfast Leader is a Legacy playable and I just so happy to see it here! 

Boros Initiative

 

2 Simian Spirit Guide 2 Thalia, Heretic Cathar 4 Swords to Plowshares 4 Chrome Mox 4 Lotus Petal 4 Ancient Tomb 4 Cavern of Souls 4 City of Traitors 1 Karakas 1 Mountain 1 Plains 4 Plateau 4 Anointed Peacekeeper 2 Boromir, Warden of the Tower 4 Brutal Cathar 4 Caves of Chaos Adventurer

1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 1 Éowyn, Fearless Knight 4 Forth Eorlingas! 1 Rick, Steadfast Leader 4 Seasoned Dungeoneer

Sideboard: 2 Containment Priest 2 Faerie Macabre 2 Magus of the Moon 2 Palace Jailer 1 Zealous Conscripts 1 Mindbreak Trap 2 Meltdown 1 Loran of the Third Path 2 Soul Partition

 

The Winner's Circle is where I will recognize winners of the past events on MTGO. 

Challenge Winners

Friday Modern - marceliiine - Rakdos Evoke
Friday Pioneer - tchuco - Rakdos Sac

Saturday Legacy - burrarun - Boros Initiative
Saturday Modern - HousOfManaMTG - AmuLIT
Saturday Modern - Patxi - Rakdos Evoke
Saturday Pauper - LuffyDoChapeuDePalha - Grixis Affinity
Saturday Pioneer - Jaberwocki - Rakdos Sac
Saturday Standard -  ThaisM - Azorius Aggro
Saturday Vintage - karatedom

Sunday Legacy - Tulio_Jaudy - Boros Initiative
Sunday Modern - Bayesta_93 - Rakdos Evoke
Sunday Pauper - Brivenix - Mono Blue Delver
Sunday Pioneer - claudioh - Azorius Control
Sunday Standard - Ignotus97 - Esper Control
Sunday Vintage - shir kahn

I have been since since last Monday, and now I have an ear infection to go along with getting a lot of orders ready for the Lost Caverns release this week.  I am tired all the time.  That is also why I did not do the prices section this week.  Sick and lazy and also burned out. 

This series is an ongoing tribute to Erik “Hamtastic” Friborg.