I should mention that I've universally lost in games where I started Imp'ing from the graveyard before I had TE online. I believe you commented on this last time.
I guess it's true what they say...Imping ain't easy.
When I said "You should write about WW" I actually meant WWK. There are a few impactful cards in there.
I'm running the Imps as basically 5th and 6th Brownscales. I admit they're basically the 59th and 60th cards, and I can't remember ever casting them, now that I think about it. I specifically remember once, and then regretting it...it's better in the yard, with a dog online. But once TE is on the board, they're gas at getting dudes into the yard. Every madness you bury gets flipped right onto the board. In fact if there was a creature that read "you can't cast this. Dredge 8" I would play it over the Imp, the way I've been playing it.
What I'm saying is the imps have been really helping me vs. say Goblins. They're all "trade 2/2's or sac dudes vs Scrabbler/Rootwalla" and I'm all "Play from my graveyard, ggs."
For those intested (I assure you it's not a virus... but for anyone that is worried about viruses always make sure to scan your rar's before unpacking them)
Pauper has relatively few instant-speed shuffle effects (generally control decks running fetch lands pop them T1 or T2 versus MBC) so the time walk analogy is solid in my opinion.
In all my time playing MBC, I've never seen a deck against which I would take out chittering rats, so the "must have card" list is probably more like 20 swamps, 3 chittering rats.
My sincerest apologies everyone. There is in fact a problem with the puzzle. In the effort to add more red herrings to distract you, I neglected the fact that benevolent bodyguard cannot target creatures that you do not control. I added unnecessary complexity that eventually ruined the puzzle itself.
To make the puzzle solvable, assume that benevolent bodyguard can target ANY creature. If you work with that assumption, the puzzle has a clear answer.
Most people posting have been focusing on the wrong things, which is good. I'll ask that you please do not keep posting details about the answer though. The puzzle 100% works now and was confirmed from multiple sources.
Again, I'm very sorry about the bodyguard oversight.
We definitely have the tools to get around the Buzzard problem, but I still don't see the solution thanks to summoning sickness and shroud - assuming the opponent plays correctly. I'll be curious to see the solution.
Right, I realize you aren't defending 43 as much as playing devil's advocate for the time factor, and that we basically agree. I just used your comment as a jumping off point for a general rebuttal on the time defense of 43. Many people simply parrot the "Swiss takes longer" and "hourly rate" arguments without thinking it through from a "true dead time" standpoint or a "what am I really buying here?" standpoint.
"I see you bought a quart of strawberries. Well, I prefer to pay the same price for a pint of strawberries because they take half as long to eat."
* Playing Swiss to ensure three matches, which will give you a lot more feedback on your deck and draft.
* Reading the article about raredrafting I cited above: http://puremtgo.com/articles/ev-raredrafting-and-you
* Not playing Silence in M10 draft. It's basically unplayable, as preventing an opponent from casting spells for a turn just isn't worth the high cost of a card.
I think I see what you intended as the solution, but the opponent can stop it from qorking.
To fix the scenario, I would have the Spellsputter Sprite equipped with a Floating Shield set to black.
If you do that, there is an unpreventable solution to the puzzle.
Otherwise, the opponent can stop the scenrio by activating the Crypt Rats to kill the Death's Head Buzzard and eliminating most of your and ALL of his creatures except the Warren Pilferers.
Hey there Gwyned, I do consider you to be a significantly above average standard pauper player, don't sell yourself short. I have never played a swiss queue, it sounds interesting. I consider myself a fair magic player, I have played several online drafts (usually 4-3-2-2's because I thought they were more economical) but I have never even won a match in them. Even drafts that I considered to have been successful, have resulted in a loss to a better crafted deck. I even lost in a triple m10 draft where I grabbed a Garruk, 2 Great Sable Stag's, 3 Silence, one Overrun and a howl of the night pack! Despite my weaknesses, I like to draft because I feel like it is more of an interactive way to experience the game than fighting through netdecks in constructed that might as well be played by bots. With that as background, I wonder what you (or anyone else) thinks of rare drafting in any draft format. I see it like this, the tourney costs you 3.5 packs (essentially). When you grab a Verdant Catacombs, you get value for one pack back (maybe more if you put out a classified listing for it afterwards). Grabbing the scalding tarn in pack 3 would get you another pack's value. If you consider the rest of your deck to be worth about a pack (with the oracle, and I would have gone with the scute mob). you are almost whole, winning the first match gets you about 4 packs of value right there (I didn't see you use the burst lightning that you took over the tarn in that match)
you never want to ban a card to take away a deck in the eternel formats, instead you ban the pieces around it so the deck is playable. Why do you think they didn't ban donate or illusions in the donate/illusions trixs deck?
Turn 1 goblin lackey needs to be met by removal or it's pretty much over. a turn 2 seige gang and pile driver is normally turn 3 gg
Survival of the fittest is another one with elves thats realllllllly stupidly crazy
I don't see a way around the Buzzard. Whenever you give priority to the opponent he can blow the rats killing the buzzard, which I don't see any way to prevent. This decimates your team at which point I don't see a way to do the remaining 6 damage necessary to win this turn as the stated goal requires.
Looking at the puzzle I do not see the win if the opponent did not f6. I know the answer lies in playing the journeys and bouncing the skyfisher to play them again and perm remove the blockers. But the problem is that the opponent will use the crypt rats as soon and either the crypt rats or the buzzard are targeted. The rats kill the dualists you can not save them since they have shroud, body guard 1 will target the buzzrd to prevent it from shrinking the team. The other body guard can save the sprite. I am not on my system know so can not test this, can the skyfisher attack after being blinked? I think it would have summoning sickness. Enen if it could you are left with 5 damage and opp at 6 life.
Since you happen to be the Enchantment Guru, I was wondering about your idea on this deck...
4 Mesa Enchantress
4 Greater Auramancy
4 Paradox Haze
2 Honden of Cleansing Fire
3 Honden of Seeing Winds
3 Barren Glory
2 Worldpurge
4 Oblivion Ring
3 Reality Strobe
3 Chronomantic Expanse
3 Myojin of Cleansing Fire
2 Myojin of Seeing Winds
4 Azorius Chancery
4 Adarkar Wastes
8 Plains
7 Island
Its a similar idea to the deck you faced in 2hg, but with a combo finish involving Worldpurge, Barren Glory, and Oblivion Ring.
I should mention that I've universally lost in games where I started Imp'ing from the graveyard before I had TE online. I believe you commented on this last time.
I guess it's true what they say...Imping ain't easy.
When I said "You should write about WW" I actually meant WWK. There are a few impactful cards in there.
I'm running the Imps as basically 5th and 6th Brownscales. I admit they're basically the 59th and 60th cards, and I can't remember ever casting them, now that I think about it. I specifically remember once, and then regretting it...it's better in the yard, with a dog online. But once TE is on the board, they're gas at getting dudes into the yard. Every madness you bury gets flipped right onto the board. In fact if there was a creature that read "you can't cast this. Dredge 8" I would play it over the Imp, the way I've been playing it.
What I'm saying is the imps have been really helping me vs. say Goblins. They're all "trade 2/2's or sac dudes vs Scrabbler/Rootwalla" and I'm all "Play from my graveyard, ggs."
Lol at strawberries.
For those intested (I assure you it's not a virus... but for anyone that is worried about viruses always make sure to scan your rar's before unpacking them)
http://sites.google.com/site/whatisfgh/draft-ev-program
Allows for incremental (de/in)creases in difficulty as rounds progress, customized etc's...
Pauper has relatively few instant-speed shuffle effects (generally control decks running fetch lands pop them T1 or T2 versus MBC) so the time walk analogy is solid in my opinion.
In all my time playing MBC, I've never seen a deck against which I would take out chittering rats, so the "must have card" list is probably more like 20 swamps, 3 chittering rats.
Good article as always.
Props to the cat deck for running Jareth. If there is any way they could squeeze Doran in there, I'm guessing it might be a little more powerful.
Artificer deck looks like fun as well!
The solution definitely works even if the opponent plays correctly, you just need to force her to act first... ;)
My sincerest apologies everyone. There is in fact a problem with the puzzle. In the effort to add more red herrings to distract you, I neglected the fact that benevolent bodyguard cannot target creatures that you do not control. I added unnecessary complexity that eventually ruined the puzzle itself.
To make the puzzle solvable, assume that benevolent bodyguard can target ANY creature. If you work with that assumption, the puzzle has a clear answer.
Most people posting have been focusing on the wrong things, which is good. I'll ask that you please do not keep posting details about the answer though. The puzzle 100% works now and was confirmed from multiple sources.
Again, I'm very sorry about the bodyguard oversight.
Yeah, that doesn't work if the opponent responds to the spell or trigger, so I assumed it was a red herring.
The win is by your opponent making a mistake(not F6'ing, a play mistake) and if your opponent has 10,000,000 life you would still win game.
We definitely have the tools to get around the Buzzard problem, but I still don't see the solution thanks to summoning sickness and shroud - assuming the opponent plays correctly. I'll be curious to see the solution.
Not everything is a time walk, damnit.
Right, I realize you aren't defending 43 as much as playing devil's advocate for the time factor, and that we basically agree. I just used your comment as a jumping off point for a general rebuttal on the time defense of 43. Many people simply parrot the "Swiss takes longer" and "hourly rate" arguments without thinking it through from a "true dead time" standpoint or a "what am I really buying here?" standpoint.
"I see you bought a quart of strawberries. Well, I prefer to pay the same price for a pint of strawberries because they take half as long to eat."
Hey Mathu,
Based on your post, I strongly suggest:
* Playing Swiss to ensure three matches, which will give you a lot more feedback on your deck and draft.
* Reading the article about raredrafting I cited above: http://puremtgo.com/articles/ev-raredrafting-and-you
* Not playing Silence in M10 draft. It's basically unplayable, as preventing an opponent from casting spells for a turn just isn't worth the high cost of a card.
I solved the puzzle...want to post answer, must stop typing...anyways its easy once you start looking past the obvious.
I think I see what you intended as the solution, but the opponent can stop it from qorking.
To fix the scenario, I would have the Spellsputter Sprite equipped with a Floating Shield set to black.
If you do that, there is an unpreventable solution to the puzzle.
Otherwise, the opponent can stop the scenrio by activating the Crypt Rats to kill the Death's Head Buzzard and eliminating most of your and ALL of his creatures except the Warren Pilferers.
Hey there Gwyned, I do consider you to be a significantly above average standard pauper player, don't sell yourself short. I have never played a swiss queue, it sounds interesting. I consider myself a fair magic player, I have played several online drafts (usually 4-3-2-2's because I thought they were more economical) but I have never even won a match in them. Even drafts that I considered to have been successful, have resulted in a loss to a better crafted deck. I even lost in a triple m10 draft where I grabbed a Garruk, 2 Great Sable Stag's, 3 Silence, one Overrun and a howl of the night pack! Despite my weaknesses, I like to draft because I feel like it is more of an interactive way to experience the game than fighting through netdecks in constructed that might as well be played by bots. With that as background, I wonder what you (or anyone else) thinks of rare drafting in any draft format. I see it like this, the tourney costs you 3.5 packs (essentially). When you grab a Verdant Catacombs, you get value for one pack back (maybe more if you put out a classified listing for it afterwards). Grabbing the scalding tarn in pack 3 would get you another pack's value. If you consider the rest of your deck to be worth about a pack (with the oracle, and I would have gone with the scute mob). you are almost whole, winning the first match gets you about 4 packs of value right there (I didn't see you use the burst lightning that you took over the tarn in that match)
I like the cats deck, but how could it have possibly won a match with only 19 lands? Is that a typo?
you never want to ban a card to take away a deck in the eternel formats, instead you ban the pieces around it so the deck is playable. Why do you think they didn't ban donate or illusions in the donate/illusions trixs deck?
Turn 1 goblin lackey needs to be met by removal or it's pretty much over. a turn 2 seige gang and pile driver is normally turn 3 gg
Survival of the fittest is another one with elves thats realllllllly stupidly crazy
Well that makes it even worse since the buzzard will shrink everything killing the bodyguards and sprite give you a max of 3 damage.
I don't see a way around the Buzzard. Whenever you give priority to the opponent he can blow the rats killing the buzzard, which I don't see any way to prevent. This decimates your team at which point I don't see a way to do the remaining 6 damage necessary to win this turn as the stated goal requires.
You can't bodyguard the Buzzard. You can only use it on creatures you control.
Hmmmmm.
Hmmmmm.
Looking at the puzzle I do not see the win if the opponent did not f6. I know the answer lies in playing the journeys and bouncing the skyfisher to play them again and perm remove the blockers. But the problem is that the opponent will use the crypt rats as soon and either the crypt rats or the buzzard are targeted. The rats kill the dualists you can not save them since they have shroud, body guard 1 will target the buzzrd to prevent it from shrinking the team. The other body guard can save the sprite. I am not on my system know so can not test this, can the skyfisher attack after being blinked? I think it would have summoning sickness. Enen if it could you are left with 5 damage and opp at 6 life.
Since you happen to be the Enchantment Guru, I was wondering about your idea on this deck...
4 Mesa Enchantress
4 Greater Auramancy
4 Paradox Haze
2 Honden of Cleansing Fire
3 Honden of Seeing Winds
3 Barren Glory
2 Worldpurge
4 Oblivion Ring
3 Reality Strobe
3 Chronomantic Expanse
3 Myojin of Cleansing Fire
2 Myojin of Seeing Winds
4 Azorius Chancery
4 Adarkar Wastes
8 Plains
7 Island
Its a similar idea to the deck you faced in 2hg, but with a combo finish involving Worldpurge, Barren Glory, and Oblivion Ring.