15 Mountains - Most popular relevent activation cost
15 Swamps - Second most popular relevent activation cost, though there are lots of these land walkers
10 Plains - Best Null land least number of creatures having landwalk of this type
10 Forests - Most popular landwalk not many with G need for actiavtions
10 Islands - Not many critters with this Landwalk, HOWEVER! the ones that do are KILLERS +4 power
Now I do tend to like to go more of the aggressive approuch on creatures. My thoughts on that is its better to make the other person look for answers then to be looking for answers yourself.
Great first article. Red and black are the most competitive colors in pauper classic so testing the pilgrims was ok. If you run them or their cousins I'd maindeck pro-black and board pro-red. Monoblack is very common and crypt rats are super annoying.
Biggest change:
+3 or 4 terramorphic expanse
+1 or 2 izzet bounceland
+2 or 3 azorious bounceland
play 1 island and adjust accordingly
don't play ponder. Late ponders really don't do much. Brainstorm is better but still blue should just be a splash for blink and maybe mulldrifter.
Better yet just play 3 or 4 journeys. They are almost always good and on color.
Maybe this
4x Aven Riftwatcher
4x Keldon Marauders
2x Mulldrifter
4x Pilgrim of Justice
4x Kor Skyfisher
3x Guardian of the Guildpact
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Burst Lightning
2x Incinerate
3x Journey To Nowhere
3x Momentary Blink
I did not mean to define casual, it's not the problem. I am saying that accepting a concieding oponent as just a victory would solve a lot of casual room problems. It's when you start calling decks or cards too powerfull when people get defensive and conflicts start.
I did not mean to define casual, it's not the problem. I am saying that accepting a concieding oponent as just a victory would solve a lot of casual room problems. It's when you start calling decks or cards too powerfull when people get defensive and conflicts start.
I also recommend Next Level Mormir. It's Mormir + Johira + Stonehewer. Like the previous poster said, adding Johira adds much more strategy. Having more than one play per turn is very fun. (Move equipment? Make a guy? Cast 2 sorceries? So good!)
Not seeing how they are exactly the same is the problem. Do you think your opinion that his deck was a turney combo any different then his? Does you assuming it's a turney deck based of two cards, which could have been singleton, and him expecting the same from a garuk any different? I think the problem with the casual room is peoples justification for concieding. Everyone quits and your justifications and acusations is what causes all the conflict. You both quit because you did not want to play a casual game with what you see on the field. That is all, just like concieding at the start for having to maligan too much. It wasn't fun and they quit the game.
Yes, you are twice as likely to get a Kuro Pitlord as you are a copy of Inky. Gold bordered cards count, too. Offline cards and Urza's Saga do not count.
If you point at a creature token, you can see the expansion symbol in the hover text. That's how you can tell which version of Kuro you got.
I'm pretty sure I played that guy too...except I used a Wrecking Ball on some random critter. Almost the exact same three lines of text followed, but at the end I was blocked in addition to the concession.
I'm not someone who sets out to piss on others and laugh about it, but I couldn't help but smile after that happened.
The problem with shooting for a Platinum Angel is that there are a lot more creatures at 7 than at 8. Your odds are better at 8 of finding a board sweeper or something else that will help you.
Player A: casts befoul targeting Serra Angel
Player B: I said no LD
Player A: I didnt use LD I hit a creature
Player B: You would have used it on a land if you could...
Player B Concedes
I agree with most of your evaluation of the crab but I think you might be undervaluing it a bit. In the wrong deck (like the UR aggro'ish deck you played vs) it's pretty bad but for say UW decks packing bounce and flying threats of its own, it has a pretty high power level. In those decks, it's a card that either wins you the game via mil or forces them to waste removal on.
In my experience the ascension is pretty poor in this format. ZZZ is too fast for the ascension to activate and if you build a defensive deck around it, bounce/enchant removal wrecks you.
I didn't make the list, just reported on it. I was confused when I first saw it though, the mana base threw me off a little bit. I def see myself running some type of EvaGreen once legacy hits. Also have my eyes on that dark depths list if depths ever dips to a reasonable price.
The thing you have to realize is that everyone has their own definition of "casual". I've made casual decks with cryptic command in them, and strictly used it without the "counter target spell" mode in the casual room and *still* had people quit on sight of the card.
I also know that more than one new player has actually assumed that you should play in the casual room unless you are actually testing a deck for a specific tournament! I, actually happen to think that that is a pretty good definition of "casual" but that is beside the point. No matter what you play in the casual room, *someone* will think it is not fun to play against. Keep this in mind if you don't like your current opponent's definition of "casual".
I have a little different strategy. I go for the draw, then I wait until my opponent has a creature that needs a blocker before I cast my first creature. Generally, bigger is better and this way I always top out with creatures that are one bigger than my opponent. Games are usually decided with creatures that have special abilities or are unblockable (and how you use those creatures). I view most other creatures as blockers. If you have a 1/1 and a 3/3, against an opponent's two 2/2 creatures, they are most useful as blockers, not attackers.
Currently I play the deck suggested by Lord Erman:
Nice article, aside the epileptic seizure i almost got reading the Eva-green list.
Good breakdown of the card used.
Top 5
Tarmo
Jailer
Bob
Gargadon
Pridemage
If I can have 9 mana available I feel a lot more comfortable. Than at least I have the option of landing a Blazing Archon. Also, If you are in a seriously bad board position, playing for 7 mana is viable becuase therin hides the Platinum Angel.
The recent addition of some new 0 cost junk has really cut into the value of trying for a dryad arbor.
I personally have no problems with walkers in casual, I'm just playing devil's advocate (I think...) and trying to present reasons why some people act the way they do.
For your statistic, that depends heavily on what format you are in. Obviously in legacy/vintage, the number is probably higher than 95.
In ext, probably at least 80. (elspeth (zoo somtimes), garruk(death cloud), sorrin(What ever mr. woods put it in?))
I just did a quick run down from the decks of the week for std (only the first 10 events though I don't have infinite time either)
total decks shown = 174
Decks with at least one planes walker = 73
% = 42 (so 58%)
total number of planes walkers played (main) = 179
so approx 1 walker per person total
or 2.5 walkers per deck that was running one.
mind you these are only the placing decks, and only 10 evenets (two top 8's, eight 4 rounds)
This is just done for information, I don't think it will actually change many people's perceptions of what they think is casual worthy or not.
Darn it Hammy, have you just been sitting around with your feet up all week? :-)
I think that's the opposite of true. Aside from Jace at Mythic, WW is pretty bad for money rares.
My preference for land make up is as follows.
15 Mountains - Most popular relevent activation cost
15 Swamps - Second most popular relevent activation cost, though there are lots of these land walkers
10 Plains - Best Null land least number of creatures having landwalk of this type
10 Forests - Most popular landwalk not many with G need for actiavtions
10 Islands - Not many critters with this Landwalk, HOWEVER! the ones that do are KILLERS +4 power
Now I do tend to like to go more of the aggressive approuch on creatures. My thoughts on that is its better to make the other person look for answers then to be looking for answers yourself.
Also worldwake has a high average value per pack since the # of chase rares is extremely high for a small set.
Great first article. Red and black are the most competitive colors in pauper classic so testing the pilgrims was ok. If you run them or their cousins I'd maindeck pro-black and board pro-red. Monoblack is very common and crypt rats are super annoying.
Biggest change:
+3 or 4 terramorphic expanse
+1 or 2 izzet bounceland
+2 or 3 azorious bounceland
play 1 island and adjust accordingly
don't play ponder. Late ponders really don't do much. Brainstorm is better but still blue should just be a splash for blink and maybe mulldrifter.
Better yet just play 3 or 4 journeys. They are almost always good and on color.
Maybe this
4x Aven Riftwatcher
4x Keldon Marauders
2x Mulldrifter
4x Pilgrim of Justice
4x Kor Skyfisher
3x Guardian of the Guildpact
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Burst Lightning
2x Incinerate
3x Journey To Nowhere
3x Momentary Blink
1x Island
8x Mountain
8x Plains
3x U/W bounceland
3x Terramorphic Expanse
I don't like this list but it'd be competitive enough
I did not mean to define casual, it's not the problem. I am saying that accepting a concieding oponent as just a victory would solve a lot of casual room problems. It's when you start calling decks or cards too powerfull when people get defensive and conflicts start.
I did not mean to define casual, it's not the problem. I am saying that accepting a concieding oponent as just a victory would solve a lot of casual room problems. It's when you start calling decks or cards too powerfull when people get defensive and conflicts start.
I also recommend Next Level Mormir. It's Mormir + Johira + Stonehewer. Like the previous poster said, adding Johira adds much more strategy. Having more than one play per turn is very fun. (Move equipment? Make a guy? Cast 2 sorceries? So good!)
Not seeing how they are exactly the same is the problem. Do you think your opinion that his deck was a turney combo any different then his? Does you assuming it's a turney deck based of two cards, which could have been singleton, and him expecting the same from a garuk any different? I think the problem with the casual room is peoples justification for concieding. Everyone quits and your justifications and acusations is what causes all the conflict. You both quit because you did not want to play a casual game with what you see on the field. That is all, just like concieding at the start for having to maligan too much. It wasn't fun and they quit the game.
Yes, you are twice as likely to get a Kuro Pitlord as you are a copy of Inky. Gold bordered cards count, too. Offline cards and Urza's Saga do not count.
If you point at a creature token, you can see the expansion symbol in the hover text. That's how you can tell which version of Kuro you got.
I'm pretty sure I played that guy too...except I used a Wrecking Ball on some random critter. Almost the exact same three lines of text followed, but at the end I was blocked in addition to the concession.
I'm not someone who sets out to piss on others and laugh about it, but I couldn't help but smile after that happened.
The problem with shooting for a Platinum Angel is that there are a lot more creatures at 7 than at 8. Your odds are better at 8 of finding a board sweeper or something else that will help you.
lol yea i know what you mean, I've had people concede to turn 1 Hedron Crab
the best are always the nonsense quits
Player A: casts befoul targeting Serra Angel
Player B: I said no LD
Player A: I didnt use LD I hit a creature
Player B: You would have used it on a land if you could...
Player B Concedes
I agree with most of your evaluation of the crab but I think you might be undervaluing it a bit. In the wrong deck (like the UR aggro'ish deck you played vs) it's pretty bad but for say UW decks packing bounce and flying threats of its own, it has a pretty high power level. In those decks, it's a card that either wins you the game via mil or forces them to waste removal on.
In my experience the ascension is pretty poor in this format. ZZZ is too fast for the ascension to activate and if you build a defensive deck around it, bounce/enchant removal wrecks you.
Don't take the criticism about classic badly, it's meant to improve your articles, not as criticism of your writing.
I didn't make the list, just reported on it. I was confused when I first saw it though, the mana base threw me off a little bit. I def see myself running some type of EvaGreen once legacy hits. Also have my eyes on that dark depths list if depths ever dips to a reasonable price.
Ah, the old "what is casual" discussion.
The thing you have to realize is that everyone has their own definition of "casual". I've made casual decks with cryptic command in them, and strictly used it without the "counter target spell" mode in the casual room and *still* had people quit on sight of the card.
I also know that more than one new player has actually assumed that you should play in the casual room unless you are actually testing a deck for a specific tournament! I, actually happen to think that that is a pretty good definition of "casual" but that is beside the point. No matter what you play in the casual room, *someone* will think it is not fun to play against. Keep this in mind if you don't like your current opponent's definition of "casual".
I have a little different strategy. I go for the draw, then I wait until my opponent has a creature that needs a blocker before I cast my first creature. Generally, bigger is better and this way I always top out with creatures that are one bigger than my opponent. Games are usually decided with creatures that have special abilities or are unblockable (and how you use those creatures). I view most other creatures as blockers. If you have a 1/1 and a 3/3, against an opponent's two 2/2 creatures, they are most useful as blockers, not attackers.
Currently I play the deck suggested by Lord Erman:
http://puremtgo.com/articles/rogue-play-basics-momir-basic
10 Plains
11 Islands
14 Swamps
15 Mountains
10 Forests
Islands are always the last land I drop. When your opponent drops a Sea Monster all they have is a wall if you don't have any Islands in play.
fantastic thanks for taking the time to look it up
Nice article, aside the epileptic seizure i almost got reading the Eva-green list.
Good breakdown of the card used.
Top 5
Tarmo
Jailer
Bob
Gargadon
Pridemage
If I can have 9 mana available I feel a lot more comfortable. Than at least I have the option of landing a Blazing Archon. Also, If you are in a seriously bad board position, playing for 7 mana is viable becuase therin hides the Platinum Angel.
The recent addition of some new 0 cost junk has really cut into the value of trying for a dryad arbor.
I personally have no problems with walkers in casual, I'm just playing devil's advocate (I think...) and trying to present reasons why some people act the way they do.
For your statistic, that depends heavily on what format you are in. Obviously in legacy/vintage, the number is probably higher than 95.
In ext, probably at least 80. (elspeth (zoo somtimes), garruk(death cloud), sorrin(What ever mr. woods put it in?))
I just did a quick run down from the decks of the week for std (only the first 10 events though I don't have infinite time either)
total decks shown = 174
Decks with at least one planes walker = 73
% = 42 (so 58%)
total number of planes walkers played (main) = 179
so approx 1 walker per person total
or 2.5 walkers per deck that was running one.
mind you these are only the placing decks, and only 10 evenets (two top 8's, eight 4 rounds)
This is just done for information, I don't think it will actually change many people's perceptions of what they think is casual worthy or not.
You will just have to wait and see. You are right on some, but not on all!
Goyf, Bob, Tombstalker, Hierarch, Trinket Mage