Very Nice. I really enjoyed the coverage :). For the commentary for the videos you might want to try to make more sugestions on what they are trying to go for. For example in the first one when he played Sanctum Gargoyle to get the capsule back and didn't replay the capsule it could have been noted.
This is why the release events are so profitable. This one is especially good because it's a base set. I was 2-0 in one and my opponent went turn 1 Telepathy and turn 2 Tome Scour. I do think everyone should brag about it though. :)
Ive got 2 in so far and I must say that its fun but I still prefer ACR. As a previous post mentioned- signals fail. Ive sent many white signals to my left and grabbed one of the 2 green in the pack and the next pak came, no green came. Had to jump to another color which was red and got 2 bolts artillery. Ive come to realize that One needs at least 16-7 creatures in order to survive unless its PURE control. Paper draft I draftd UW and got smakd down due to lower creature count which was at around 11-2. Thoght it would be fine and dandy since i had tons of removal. Went 2-2
Ive had an Ajani, Stag, 2 fireballs and still managed to lose my 1st game. I was able to play the mountain, just not the 2 fireballs nor the ajani. Shouldve went 3-0 but went 2-1.
Like 30 min ago I had a jank dek besides pyromancer and artillery and went 2-0 then lost last game. I had 17 creatures this time around.
While I agree with all the conveniences of MTGO, it lack all the person-ability of the paper game. Plus its a lot of fun playing multi-player with 6+ people, the conversations, and the ever so dramatic TOP DECKING are what the game is about.
No matter haw hard they try MTGO will always feel like im playing a bot, a bot who concedes or disconnects three tuns in because he hasn't seen the cards he needs. That right there ruins my will to continue. Give me a room full of laughter every time.
Deluge generally wins me at least one game in any draft where I get one. It's a solid card.
I also have to say, Vedalken Mastermind is a very strong and underappreciated card. Having the first pick Gravedigger makes him even stronger, and worth considering P1P2, though admittedly Incinerate is one of the strongest cards in 10th in the abstract.
Once you did get the Mastermind, that should have pushed your picks a bit towards black over red. The Spitting Earth is only strong if you make red one of your two main colors, the Incinerate is certainly splashable, and abusing comes-into-play creatures should be a goal with Mastermind in your deck. You could have picked up the Highway Robber later, which with Gravedigger, Recover, and Vedalken Mastermind makes for some nice recursion. Admittedly, with another hill giant and incinerate coming your way plus some solid cards, the red may have been flowing a bit better than the black. But you passed some Mass of Ghouls and Highway Robber, Festering Goblin can be handy to recur and even a No Rest For the Wicked to enchance the recursion suite! Can't argue with a 3-0 record, but I wonder if blue/black could have gotten there too, especially splashing red for two Incinerate.
Of course I think some people underappreciate the 3/X creatures too, and loading up on them is usually pretty strong in 10th. In M10, probably less so - we'll see!
I beg to disagree. I wont list out the facts but paper MTG is still the best way for socializing. Cmown.. the pizza's more delicious with someone to share it with. And for you guys out there, it's still a way to get laid.. errr rather meet girls (who play MTG of course).
You know, I almost gave that particular decision some "air time" but decided to move on and come back if I had time, which I didn't.
First, not every card I put aside is "unplayable," but every unplayable card should be put aside. Enormous Baloth falls into the category of cards I'd like to avoid playing if I can.
I don't particularly like Craw Wurm either (couldn't he be a 6/5?), but I knew I didn't want to run both Craw Wurm and Enormous Baloth, and I went with the cheaper one. If the Craw Wurm had not been in the pool, I probably would have grdugingly run the 7/7. Expensive creatures are just too easily nullified not only by removal, but by cheaper containment creatures, like small creatures with regenerate or deathtouch, or tappers.
The difference between six and seven mana may not seem like too much, but assuming you are a bit flooded and are hitting every land drop, the Craw Wurm hitting play a turn earlier can be significant.
Then consider the "average" situation where, with 42.5% lands in my deck, I will need to see 16.5 cards (7/.425)in my deck before hitting 7 lands. That means it will be about turn 9-11 on average, depending on play or draw, before I can cast the 7/7. I need to go about 14 cards deep before I will see 6 lands, on average, or 7 or 8 turns. Having a 6/4 2.5 turns earlier than a 7/7 seems better to me.
There are fixer/accelerator factors to consider as well, but in the end, when considering the five-and-up mana cards, you can generally think of one mana up in casting cost as taking 2+ turns longer on average to play. Not to mention the higher chance that you just won't hit seven mana as opposed to the chance you just won't hit six.
Given that, my rule of thumb with seven drops is that I want them to either win or single-handedly take-over games when they resolve. Sphinx Ambassador, for example, qualifies, while a vanilla 7/7 does not. Too chumpable, and usually too late to the party to matter much.
Super work Ryan! One question from the article. When you sorted Green initially, why did you set aside Enormus Baloth as unplayable? I was a bit surprised.
I know that he is overcosted, vulnrable to a single Doom Blade, and has no activated abilities (a major minus for a seven mana drop for sure). Having said that (and those are a lot of minuses), the thing is a massive beat stick/wall of beef. While you would certainly not be thrilled to have it in an opening hand, it seems like an ok-good late game pull when both players may be top-decking.
So from my naive MTG perspective, I thought it might rate a C- or even C overall in limited. I would intuitively prefer it over Craw Wurm (one extra mana, but one less colored mana and a +1/+3 improvement), which made your cut.
Not at all trying to nit-pick here, but just curious as to your rationale, as I am going to try to give limited a go a bit more seriously.
personally i feel that MUC has mutated into more of a MUbC from my personal experiences in the queues. You lose consistency but gain hand disruption and can deal with a threat on the board.
I must admit I only looked at your article because of the number of replys. I dont even play pauper but cant resist the chance for a free pulse. I shall now go back and have a read it would be rude not too.
How can any "MTGO is better than paper Magic" article NOT mention the true best reason? The reason that's been quoted on the MTGO forums for years now?
I really think that the commander theme decks being released later this month should have been a discussion topic. The cards are listed for them online already. Besides including sweet cards like Fact or Fiction, Eternal Witness, Mirari's Wake and Enlightened Tutor there are MED3 cards in there like All Hallows Eve and Chain Lightning.
I had one that was so bad I don't even remember what I got that particular draft. All I remember is my first round opponent in mono white had four Soul Wardens four Blinding Mages (I'm guessing four because I saw three of them), and with just that you get the picture. Everything I did was one step forward, two steps back. I even forced red in game two to side in a Pyroclasm and was able to cast it, but it was too late. The worst part was he didn't end up winning the whole thing. I felt like a chump ha ha.
Besides that I have really been enjoying M10. Good riddance ACR.
after reading thru your recap of round 4 game 3 in detail, i am utterly stunned.
looks like your opponent figured out only path to defeat when the other 99 paths all led to victory.
Nice pools...your a quite solid sealed player : )
I drafted it last nite, and my experience with m10 limited is that the format is dominated by uncommons (overrun, fireball, serra angel, slep.......). I really enjoyed this factor. The best color is green by a long shot, and i topped the draft pool with GUr, including mind control, overrun, and fireball. I was skeptical at first, but m10 draft is a great format. even if this post is somewhat off topic.
My very first one was an exercise in ulcer-creation.
Bombs in my deck and I couldn't buy a game. Ended 1-2. With Ajani, Planar Cleansing, green accel and beef.
Just horrible.
My second draft roxxor'd despite it being 'jank', wherein I drafted almost Mono-Black, with some fliers and few removals, but won on the back of solid interactions with my Zombie Exiling Lord of Doom and Destruction (aka ZELoDaD, obv). Winning my swiss and netting me my first QP of July. Sweet.
I think there's a lot more intracies in M10 than any other core set, which is probably catching quite a few people off guard. It's not just 'grab the power cards', it's also about finding some synergies that can be abused...
I'm glad you like the M10 drafts. I've been screwed pretty good so far in them. No signals, color cut off, then play a first opponnent who got passed the nutz. I'm sure I'll do better but my first blush has been "meh"
Very Nice. I really enjoyed the coverage :). For the commentary for the videos you might want to try to make more sugestions on what they are trying to go for. For example in the first one when he played Sanctum Gargoyle to get the capsule back and didn't replay the capsule it could have been noted.
This is why the release events are so profitable. This one is especially good because it's a base set. I was 2-0 in one and my opponent went turn 1 Telepathy and turn 2 Tome Scour. I do think everyone should brag about it though. :)
I thought jump was the awesomeestestness card around...
Dang it!
Anyways- Good pool= good win. And u had good pools. Nice games. Keep the articles coming.
Ive got 2 in so far and I must say that its fun but I still prefer ACR. As a previous post mentioned- signals fail. Ive sent many white signals to my left and grabbed one of the 2 green in the pack and the next pak came, no green came. Had to jump to another color which was red and got 2 bolts artillery. Ive come to realize that One needs at least 16-7 creatures in order to survive unless its PURE control. Paper draft I draftd UW and got smakd down due to lower creature count which was at around 11-2. Thoght it would be fine and dandy since i had tons of removal. Went 2-2
Ive had an Ajani, Stag, 2 fireballs and still managed to lose my 1st game. I was able to play the mountain, just not the 2 fireballs nor the ajani. Shouldve went 3-0 but went 2-1.
Like 30 min ago I had a jank dek besides pyromancer and artillery and went 2-0 then lost last game. I had 17 creatures this time around.
While I agree with all the conveniences of MTGO, it lack all the person-ability of the paper game. Plus its a lot of fun playing multi-player with 6+ people, the conversations, and the ever so dramatic TOP DECKING are what the game is about.
No matter haw hard they try MTGO will always feel like im playing a bot, a bot who concedes or disconnects three tuns in because he hasn't seen the cards he needs. That right there ruins my will to continue. Give me a room full of laughter every time.
good players just don't play jump and angel's mercy. sorry.
Deluge generally wins me at least one game in any draft where I get one. It's a solid card.
I also have to say, Vedalken Mastermind is a very strong and underappreciated card. Having the first pick Gravedigger makes him even stronger, and worth considering P1P2, though admittedly Incinerate is one of the strongest cards in 10th in the abstract.
Once you did get the Mastermind, that should have pushed your picks a bit towards black over red. The Spitting Earth is only strong if you make red one of your two main colors, the Incinerate is certainly splashable, and abusing comes-into-play creatures should be a goal with Mastermind in your deck. You could have picked up the Highway Robber later, which with Gravedigger, Recover, and Vedalken Mastermind makes for some nice recursion. Admittedly, with another hill giant and incinerate coming your way plus some solid cards, the red may have been flowing a bit better than the black. But you passed some Mass of Ghouls and Highway Robber, Festering Goblin can be handy to recur and even a No Rest For the Wicked to enchance the recursion suite! Can't argue with a 3-0 record, but I wonder if blue/black could have gotten there too, especially splashing red for two Incinerate.
Of course I think some people underappreciate the 3/X creatures too, and loading up on them is usually pretty strong in 10th. In M10, probably less so - we'll see!
I beg to disagree. I wont list out the facts but paper MTG is still the best way for socializing. Cmown.. the pizza's more delicious with someone to share it with. And for you guys out there, it's still a way to get laid.. errr rather meet girls (who play MTG of course).
You know, I almost gave that particular decision some "air time" but decided to move on and come back if I had time, which I didn't.
First, not every card I put aside is "unplayable," but every unplayable card should be put aside. Enormous Baloth falls into the category of cards I'd like to avoid playing if I can.
I don't particularly like Craw Wurm either (couldn't he be a 6/5?), but I knew I didn't want to run both Craw Wurm and Enormous Baloth, and I went with the cheaper one. If the Craw Wurm had not been in the pool, I probably would have grdugingly run the 7/7. Expensive creatures are just too easily nullified not only by removal, but by cheaper containment creatures, like small creatures with regenerate or deathtouch, or tappers.
The difference between six and seven mana may not seem like too much, but assuming you are a bit flooded and are hitting every land drop, the Craw Wurm hitting play a turn earlier can be significant.
Then consider the "average" situation where, with 42.5% lands in my deck, I will need to see 16.5 cards (7/.425)in my deck before hitting 7 lands. That means it will be about turn 9-11 on average, depending on play or draw, before I can cast the 7/7. I need to go about 14 cards deep before I will see 6 lands, on average, or 7 or 8 turns. Having a 6/4 2.5 turns earlier than a 7/7 seems better to me.
There are fixer/accelerator factors to consider as well, but in the end, when considering the five-and-up mana cards, you can generally think of one mana up in casting cost as taking 2+ turns longer on average to play. Not to mention the higher chance that you just won't hit seven mana as opposed to the chance you just won't hit six.
Given that, my rule of thumb with seven drops is that I want them to either win or single-handedly take-over games when they resolve. Sphinx Ambassador, for example, qualifies, while a vanilla 7/7 does not. Too chumpable, and usually too late to the party to matter much.
Super work Ryan! One question from the article. When you sorted Green initially, why did you set aside Enormus Baloth as unplayable? I was a bit surprised.
I know that he is overcosted, vulnrable to a single Doom Blade, and has no activated abilities (a major minus for a seven mana drop for sure). Having said that (and those are a lot of minuses), the thing is a massive beat stick/wall of beef. While you would certainly not be thrilled to have it in an opening hand, it seems like an ok-good late game pull when both players may be top-decking.
So from my naive MTG perspective, I thought it might rate a C- or even C overall in limited. I would intuitively prefer it over Craw Wurm (one extra mana, but one less colored mana and a +1/+3 improvement), which made your cut.
Not at all trying to nit-pick here, but just curious as to your rationale, as I am going to try to give limited a go a bit more seriously.
Cheers,
Mark
personally i feel that MUC has mutated into more of a MUbC from my personal experiences in the queues. You lose consistency but gain hand disruption and can deal with a threat on the board.
I must admit I only looked at your article because of the number of replys. I dont even play pauper but cant resist the chance for a free pulse. I shall now go back and have a read it would be rude not too.
How can any "MTGO is better than paper Magic" article NOT mention the true best reason? The reason that's been quoted on the MTGO forums for years now?
"MTGO > MTG, because MTGO = MTG without pants."
I really think that the commander theme decks being released later this month should have been a discussion topic. The cards are listed for them online already. Besides including sweet cards like Fact or Fiction, Eternal Witness, Mirari's Wake and Enlightened Tutor there are MED3 cards in there like All Hallows Eve and Chain Lightning.
I had one that was so bad I don't even remember what I got that particular draft. All I remember is my first round opponent in mono white had four Soul Wardens four Blinding Mages (I'm guessing four because I saw three of them), and with just that you get the picture. Everything I did was one step forward, two steps back. I even forced red in game two to side in a Pyroclasm and was able to cast it, but it was too late. The worst part was he didn't end up winning the whole thing. I felt like a chump ha ha.
Besides that I have really been enjoying M10. Good riddance ACR.
after reading thru your recap of round 4 game 3 in detail, i am utterly stunned.
looks like your opponent figured out only path to defeat when the other 99 paths all led to victory.
"It has problems with some cards that have punctuation in the names, like Horobi's Whisper."
It's a straight-quote curly-quote thing, FYI.
I agree, multiple posts encourages bad behavior and is poor game design ;)
Nice pools...your a quite solid sealed player : )
I drafted it last nite, and my experience with m10 limited is that the format is dominated by uncommons (overrun, fireball, serra angel, slep.......). I really enjoyed this factor. The best color is green by a long shot, and i topped the draft pool with GUr, including mind control, overrun, and fireball. I was skeptical at first, but m10 draft is a great format. even if this post is somewhat off topic.
My very first one was an exercise in ulcer-creation.
Bombs in my deck and I couldn't buy a game. Ended 1-2. With Ajani, Planar Cleansing, green accel and beef.
Just horrible.
My second draft roxxor'd despite it being 'jank', wherein I drafted almost Mono-Black, with some fliers and few removals, but won on the back of solid interactions with my Zombie Exiling Lord of Doom and Destruction (aka ZELoDaD, obv). Winning my swiss and netting me my first QP of July. Sweet.
I think there's a lot more intracies in M10 than any other core set, which is probably catching quite a few people off guard. It's not just 'grab the power cards', it's also about finding some synergies that can be abused...
I think, so far, maybe.
I'm glad you like the M10 drafts. I've been screwed pretty good so far in them. No signals, color cut off, then play a first opponnent who got passed the nutz. I'm sure I'll do better but my first blush has been "meh"
Agreed. I can see me drafting M10 until Zen shows up, and maybe even after that, depending on how Zen plays.
M10 Drafts are way better than I expected them to be.
Way, way better. Score!
m10 is so far so good, no issues from me other than not cracking the nuts!
two drafts in, so long acr
No worries. Nice bomby pools you had in the pre-releases. I played in three and went 4-0, 3-1, 2-2.
You just need those bombs to compete.
I don't have my scribbled notes but it was probably turn 3 Wind Drake turn 4 Snapping Drake.