good coverage of the format.
i didn't realize that people were that aware of opposition-orb; i played mono-U opp-orb.
but i got completely smoked by pithing needles from the board.
i was expecting some people to be aware of the card, but not everyone and their mothers.
my snapping drake (LOL) + boomerangs from the sb were not enough to handle pithing needle.
i guess i'll add green.
Seriously arguing for a ban on crypt rats is idiotic. Most control decks don't even run the card, it's not crypt rats that makes mbcu insane. People that want the card banned probably don't understand the format and are the same people that would say wog in std should be banned. Crypt rats isn't even that great... it's not a true wrath it's very conditional and mana intensive. Top 8 of the pe this weekend, ONE mbcu. It's a good deck but for one it doesn't completely dominate the format and two crypt rats is not the card that makes it insane. I hope someone from wizards doesn't read this and seriously think crypt rats needs to be banned. If bitterblossom wasn't banned, there's no way crypt rats should be.
Sure you can run all sorts of things to help its weaknesses but every card only helps one aspect and adds more cards to the combo. Sure lightning greaves will let you attack the turn you combo but it wont save you from the in hand path.
Duress and thoughtsieze are great additions for the deck as well as chalice I am just not sure they make up for the decks inherent weaknesses.
The "nut draw" for the deck results in a turn 3 win if they don't have path, repeal, ghost, quarters, fliers, counters, bitterblossom etc and requires 3 specific cards to pull off. How many successful combo decks have been so disruptable, so inconsistent, and so average speed-wise.
Elves could turn 2 under counter wall but had a consistent turn 3 and didn't need to use the combat step. TEPS had a very consistent turn 4 that could only be stopped by comparatively specific hate(which remand sometimes prevented)
That was my take on it when I learned of the combo previously. Of course we have recently learned that several pros took this deck seriously and tried to innovate around its weaknesses. I certainly admire this and applaud them. I am curious if time will see this turn into a good deck after all. My original skepticism toward the deck is because a turn 3 win certainly isn't crazy and the number of cards that prevent this are numerous. In the end the combo/control direction taken by some players is probably the way to go and may be decent given the right control elements.
Ah, now that is what I want to hear. The visual style doesn't matter that much to me (not that it couldn't be improved), but function is very important. So if they're building with performance in mind from the beginning, I will be very pleased after all.
Yep, and at first glance, it appears to be a LOT less of a resource hog than V3 or even V2.
There are still some things that they're working out about how to keep performance high.
The key thing that I was impressed with is that they are worrying about that NOW, not after launch. They are making design and development decisions with very clear goals in mind instead of, well, what we got with V3.
Hugely different design philosophy from what caused us to get V3. There will be more cool stuff coming up with my interview, videos and other images. Very cool.
lauded? mitigated? whiffy the penguin is now whiffy the professor with all these big words! :)
Good read there, friend, I agree with most of the assessments. The only card I would have mentioned off the top of my head was Scythe Tiger - 3/2 Shroud for one mana guy (also must sac a land). It's hard to evaluate but this could easily be superior to Kird Ape, especially for a Legacy deck trying to get Ranger of Eos to work. It can remove Bridges easily enough at any rate.
I have actually thought about doing volver's as a deck one week coming up. Im not sure if doubling season would be necessary but door of destinies would be good as would prismatic omen. Then in my mind go with a domain subtheme for tribal flames and something..
Just like to point out that while mindbreak trap looks like jank to people who play std, it clearly isnt jank. It is going for about 14 in paper, and I would expect it to be one of the most wanted cards in the set.
Luckily for std players that means they can sell em quickly and make a few tix.
These were actually real, in silverlight, running.
One of the demos was to press a button that added random cards to the stack. I put over 200 items on, and put them into play. (For what it's worth, it handled it all, and it didn't implode or crash)
A lot of the stuff behind wasn't wired up, like the rules engine, etc.
But there was real interaction, with real UI elements.
good coverage of the format.
i didn't realize that people were that aware of opposition-orb; i played mono-U opp-orb.
but i got completely smoked by pithing needles from the board.
i was expecting some people to be aware of the card, but not everyone and their mothers.
my snapping drake (LOL) + boomerangs from the sb were not enough to handle pithing needle.
i guess i'll add green.
Seriously arguing for a ban on crypt rats is idiotic. Most control decks don't even run the card, it's not crypt rats that makes mbcu insane. People that want the card banned probably don't understand the format and are the same people that would say wog in std should be banned. Crypt rats isn't even that great... it's not a true wrath it's very conditional and mana intensive. Top 8 of the pe this weekend, ONE mbcu. It's a good deck but for one it doesn't completely dominate the format and two crypt rats is not the card that makes it insane. I hope someone from wizards doesn't read this and seriously think crypt rats needs to be banned. If bitterblossom wasn't banned, there's no way crypt rats should be.
Sure you can run all sorts of things to help its weaknesses but every card only helps one aspect and adds more cards to the combo. Sure lightning greaves will let you attack the turn you combo but it wont save you from the in hand path.
Duress and thoughtsieze are great additions for the deck as well as chalice I am just not sure they make up for the decks inherent weaknesses.
The "nut draw" for the deck results in a turn 3 win if they don't have path, repeal, ghost, quarters, fliers, counters, bitterblossom etc and requires 3 specific cards to pull off. How many successful combo decks have been so disruptable, so inconsistent, and so average speed-wise.
Elves could turn 2 under counter wall but had a consistent turn 3 and didn't need to use the combat step. TEPS had a very consistent turn 4 that could only be stopped by comparatively specific hate(which remand sometimes prevented)
That was my take on it when I learned of the combo previously. Of course we have recently learned that several pros took this deck seriously and tried to innovate around its weaknesses. I certainly admire this and applaud them. I am curious if time will see this turn into a good deck after all. My original skepticism toward the deck is because a turn 3 win certainly isn't crazy and the number of cards that prevent this are numerous. In the end the combo/control direction taken by some players is probably the way to go and may be decent given the right control elements.
New client is projected to be completed in mid-2010.
I liked reading the article. Upload a pic and keep writing.
Silverlight is being used for the prototype, but the client for the actual client has not yet been decided.
Ah, now that is what I want to hear. The visual style doesn't matter that much to me (not that it couldn't be improved), but function is very important. So if they're building with performance in mind from the beginning, I will be very pleased after all.
One more question, when is the release target for 3.5?
Yep, and at first glance, it appears to be a LOT less of a resource hog than V3 or even V2.
There are still some things that they're working out about how to keep performance high.
The key thing that I was impressed with is that they are worrying about that NOW, not after launch. They are making design and development decisions with very clear goals in mind instead of, well, what we got with V3.
Hugely different design philosophy from what caused us to get V3. There will be more cool stuff coming up with my interview, videos and other images. Very cool.
Huge improvements just at a first glance - glad to see something is going in the right direction!
lauded? mitigated? whiffy the penguin is now whiffy the professor with all these big words! :)
Good read there, friend, I agree with most of the assessments. The only card I would have mentioned off the top of my head was Scythe Tiger - 3/2 Shroud for one mana guy (also must sac a land). It's hard to evaluate but this could easily be superior to Kird Ape, especially for a Legacy deck trying to get Ranger of Eos to work. It can remove Bridges easily enough at any rate.
Man whiffy I have so many thoughts about this article, I'm gunna just say nicely done and I think you may have over looked a ton of cards :D
I have actually thought about doing volver's as a deck one week coming up. Im not sure if doubling season would be necessary but door of destinies would be good as would prismatic omen. Then in my mind go with a domain subtheme for tribal flames and something..
Even though I think crypt rats should be banned. I will just stick to playing standard card pooled PREs No crypt rats in there.
In Silverlight?!?
MTGO in the browser? **** me that is awesome.
Just like to point out that while mindbreak trap looks like jank to people who play std, it clearly isnt jank. It is going for about 14 in paper, and I would expect it to be one of the most wanted cards in the set.
Luckily for std players that means they can sell em quickly and make a few tix.
Nice article, great informations about the changes with the new set arrives.
sorry... Email is digitalghost2000@yahoo.com
hey man. Nice atricle. Nice to see u still write for pure. Email me asap
hey man. Nice atricle. Nice to see u still write for pure. Email me asap
These were actually real, in silverlight, running.
One of the demos was to press a button that added random cards to the stack. I put over 200 items on, and put them into play. (For what it's worth, it handled it all, and it didn't implode or crash)
A lot of the stuff behind wasn't wired up, like the rules engine, etc.
But there was real interaction, with real UI elements.
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These are actual playable in-game screenshots, right? Not a photoshopped "this is what we hope to design" kind of thing?
Overall it looks nice, but I'm worried about the small chat box. Looks way too small.
I approve (comparatively)
you can't be serious