This is something that I think MTGO is missing out on. They have a great potential for allowing something like this to happen. Since the super ultra premium version wouldn't be functionally different than the standard counterpart the only drive to get the super version is collectibility. Something that MTG has been doing already with the rarity distributions, the premium versions and the special promo versions of cards for playing in events. This seems like a natural progression at some point. Hopefully we could get something like this online at some point.
I'd like a Worth Wollpert signed Tundra. That'd be sweet.
Great article - Id like to comment about the UGw Singleton deck. I find it odd that Etched Oracle is in the SB when there is no possibility to sunburst 4 - hence benefiting from the draw option. At best this will be a 3/3 Vanilla Creature! Is this an error in the decklist or am i missing a trick?
I don't know how familiar you are with the sports cards market. but one of the main draws for me is now they have cards that have a piece of a player's jersey or they are actually signed cards in packs.. (the back speaks for the the "authenticity".. but anyways) I've been wondering why don't they do this in paper magic (or online) to prove the authenticity of the cards you can do a special foil pattern plus cards signed by designers or artists.. .. I think it would add to the collectability of the cards.. or maybe they could do a numbered series like do a set number of cards then number them on the card.. I think many collectors would love stuff like this..
Although, they started doing stuff like this with the "flavor text" additions or "reminder text removed" cards from Xth foils.
That's a neat concept you came up with for Sway of the Stars. I'm one of tose guys who tries to win with "underpowered" cards, so I enjoyed the article. I might just try it out for myself =)
Good job; I look forward to future articles from you.
I agree with most of what Java is saying here. Flash is awesome. Probably the best deck right now, due to not being overplayed. In a perfect meta, it's one of the top 3 decks in any field. Right now is a perfect time to play it, as it can beat the slower aggro decks. However, if it gains popularity, then it will worsen (the same as with most decks), as it has to start packing "bad" cards to fight mirror-matchs, leylines are always present, and control and thresh can be stronger decks. Anyways, I like flash a lot, it's just that I play a lot've aggro (I like turning guys sideways).
Ok guys. Sorry about the delay. Java, eventually I'll write a Flash article, but honestly, that's ONLY if someone else doesn't first. I agree it's def the no. 1 deck right now (not by a ton, but feels like the best in almost every matchup). However, I don't play it much, and I don't have the experience with it that you among others do.
Chainer's is strictly superior. Run them if you have them (I do, I just put Cruel as it's cheaper on the budget, and I only flashed Chainer's back 1-2 times during testing.)
Damnation is also better than Mut as IA4L mentions, but I wanna make sure I'm giving plenty of options.
I have a love/hate relationship with the editor. I don't mean for any of it to be bolded, and I keep turning it off, and it keeps hitting me... sorry about that.
they used to be cheap.. by why no equipment?.. they serve the purpose of your enchantments but don't go away due to a deso giant.. Loxodon Warhammers (I know they are 2.50 plus right now.. i picked mine up way before they jumped) makes more since.. then at least the spirit loops and undying rages.
why not something like Ressurection? or something like Claws of Gix where you can gain a few life as the creatures are dying.. Seems like the Changling Hero would be a good fit for the deck.. when used with the CITP vanashing creatures it can serve multiple purposes. Oblivion Stone is pretty much a necessity right now.. gets rid of problematic anythings.
I should preface this by saying that I like playing Vanguard because the decks are broken, so my idea of TOO broken may be different from yours.
I think the time you are talking about is when people combined the Undertaker avatar (which allows you to sac a creature to bring one back from the graveyard) with Kamigawa dragons to lock the game on turn 3. Over the past year, things have been more fair. Dragonstorm, Oni, and Mirri were all nerfed, losing a card each. There are no degenerate combo decks right now. Oni is still the fastest deck (I think), and wins on turn 4ish, so you have time to play your cards.
Normally, I would say the best way to get a sense of the format would be to stop by on Saturday and watch games, but with replays down that's not possible. Another way may be to watch games in the Tournament Practice room where some people play on Friday night/Saturday morning.
I haven't played Vanguard since they were giving away BoP avatars for the very first Van tourney.
It seems like you have a really good handle on the meta and what decks are doing what. I know that one of the big concerns of the format is the 'brokenness' of the decks. Is that much of a concernt to you?
Great job! Please keep it up. I am though glad that tribal continues to require 20 creatures. I hate combo decks and tribal is my refuge. Relaxing the 20-creature requirement would have ruined the format for me. And I am a regular PE player.
At .14 each, the Giant Harbinger is a completely necessary card, especially since your kickered giant costs RRWW2 it fits the curve nicely.
I've been working on a giant deck myself, and the think I've noticed about it is that it's really hard to survive that long with the deck. Lorwyn seems to have an inordinate ammount of global creature pump effects that make small creatures hard to kill with cards like Pyroclasm.
Merfolk have their lord, Green and white both have global +1/+1 effects as well as lords, and Elementals really fast.
The deck will need acceleration + something to do with that accelerated mana later: Mind Stone (.86 each for now, but I expect they'll drop with Weatherlight bringing them at common).
You should definitely splash either red or black in your merfolk deck, but not both. That destabilises your main colours and you essentially have twice as many splash cards to colourscrew yoruself with.
I would go with a single colour splash, black since the removal is better and inversion is tutorable.
Changes from your deck: + 1 Swamp + 1 Vivid Creek + 1 Shimmering Grotto - 2 Plains - 2 Island
I liked the article overall btu find the deck to be pretty meh. Desolation Giant is a fine "build around me" card but it's no Mind's Desire. The deck needs other things to make it work and raw synergy is not always the answer. For example, the Marauders. Sure the work well with the Lions and are not affected by the giant but this is no aggro deck. Rough/Tumble is fine but is it needed with the giants for mass removal?
As you mentioned with Stuffy Doll, many cards in the deck seem to be in here simply because they don't care about desolation giant. Sure you get Spirit Loop back but why run one in the first place? Wouldn't running fewer creatures be an easy way to have synergy with the giant instead of running sub par cards like Spirit Link and Marauders.
Where to take the deck? Not sure could make it more giant tribal using Lorwyn cards. Could also make a more controlling deck with fewer creatures but making them larger. Oblvion Ring also seems to an auto-include post Lorwyn.
Thanks Andy for your deck list. I will go and try that out. That idea didn't even come to mind, I had thought of splashing for red or black, but not both. I am looking forward to see how the deck plays out now.
Thx for the compliment about the article. The quote you are referring to is more directed at the first game of the match when you are almost at the mercy of all their activated abilities, Treetop Village, Siege-Gang etc. Your best bet in general is to try and get the game over quickly since they pack so many threats but Bottle Gnomes can be crazy good when you can get them recurring for life gain and Damnations help keep the board from getting out of control. Which means going longer in the other two games isn't as large a problem. The Vensers are good at what you describe but don't forget about the Riftwing and even the instant speed Riftwings thanks to Mannequin. Thanks for the comments I see I was definitely a little unclear here, something to work on.
What is needed more than the Negators are 2/2s for B one is Exodus forget other, think Tempest. Also what does Mutilate have to do with suicide black? Low mana cost aggro decks tend to avoid 4 mana control cards.
As far as Edict v Edict Chainers is better will get flashbacked maybe 1 in 10 times you cast it (in Classic). If you want the best deck get it, if you want to save a few bucks that is also cool. Damnation > Mutilate. There are many reasons but the biggest one is Tarmogoyf. You can easily need 5 or 6 Swamps to hit this two mana creature which Damnation does not need.
Over all I liked this. I thought same thing about desert in the Sonic Boom matchup.
My main issue is while I have not played it your advice vs RG big mana makes no sense.
You want to win ASAP but post boarding you bring out eight cards that win the game and bring in eight that slow it down?
Also: "If you are able to win this game quick and make your card advantage work for you it is a winnable matchup" Isn't your card advantage whats going to win you the long game not the quick tempo one?
Again I havn't tested the matchup but Venser seems great. He can remand a big mana spell or bounce a land enchanted with Feratal Ground for card advantage+major tempo. Bottle Gomes seems awful, 3 life isn't gonna save you and if you're aiming forBottle Gnome + Grim Harvest isn't that the long game which you said favors RG?
Sorry its just I can't make heads or tales of that part of the article.
This is something that I think MTGO is missing out on. They have a great potential for allowing something like this to happen. Since the super ultra premium version wouldn't be functionally different than the standard counterpart the only drive to get the super version is collectibility. Something that MTG has been doing already with the rarity distributions, the premium versions and the special promo versions of cards for playing in events. This seems like a natural progression at some point. Hopefully we could get something like this online at some point.
I'd like a Worth Wollpert signed Tundra. That'd be sweet.
Great article - Id like to comment about the UGw Singleton deck. I find it odd that Etched Oracle is in the SB when there is no possibility to sunburst 4 - hence benefiting from the draw option. At best this will be a 3/3 Vanilla Creature! Is this an error in the decklist or am i missing a trick?
Thanks for the article, that was a fun read. It's amazing what a little bit of synergy can do as a win condition.
Looking forward to the next article in the series
oops i meant oblivion ring...not stone..heh
I don't know how familiar you are with the sports cards market. but one of the main draws for me is now they have cards that have a piece of a player's jersey or they are actually signed cards in packs.. (the back speaks for the the "authenticity".. but anyways) I've been wondering why don't they do this in paper magic (or online) to prove the authenticity of the cards you can do a special foil pattern plus cards signed by designers or artists.. .. I think it would add to the collectability of the cards.. or maybe they could do a numbered series like do a set number of cards then number them on the card.. I think many collectors would love stuff like this..
Although, they started doing stuff like this with the "flavor text" additions or "reminder text removed" cards from Xth foils.
That's a neat concept you came up with for Sway of the Stars. I'm one of tose guys who tries to win with "underpowered" cards, so I enjoyed the article. I might just try it out for myself =)
Good job; I look forward to future articles from you.
I agree with most of what Java is saying here. Flash is awesome. Probably the best deck right now, due to not being overplayed. In a perfect meta, it's one of the top 3 decks in any field. Right now is a perfect time to play it, as it can beat the slower aggro decks. However, if it gains popularity, then it will worsen (the same as with most decks), as it has to start packing "bad" cards to fight mirror-matchs, leylines are always present, and control and thresh can be stronger decks. Anyways, I like flash a lot, it's just that I play a lot've aggro (I like turning guys sideways).
Ok guys. Sorry about the delay. Java, eventually I'll write a Flash article, but honestly, that's ONLY if someone else doesn't first. I agree it's def the no. 1 deck right now (not by a ton, but feels like the best in almost every matchup). However, I don't play it much, and I don't have the experience with it that you among others do.
Chainer's is strictly superior. Run them if you have them (I do, I just put Cruel as it's cheaper on the budget, and I only flashed Chainer's back 1-2 times during testing.)
Damnation is also better than Mut as IA4L mentions, but I wanna make sure I'm giving plenty of options.
I have a love/hate relationship with the editor. I don't mean for any of it to be bolded, and I keep turning it off, and it keeps hitting me... sorry about that.
they used to be cheap.. by why no equipment?.. they serve the purpose of your enchantments but don't go away due to a deso giant.. Loxodon Warhammers (I know they are 2.50 plus right now.. i picked mine up way before they jumped) makes more since.. then at least the spirit loops and undying rages.
why not something like Ressurection? or something like Claws of Gix where you can gain a few life as the creatures are dying.. Seems like the Changling Hero would be a good fit for the deck.. when used with the CITP vanashing creatures it can serve multiple purposes. Oblivion Stone is pretty much a necessity right now.. gets rid of problematic anythings.
I should preface this by saying that I like playing Vanguard because the decks are broken, so my idea of TOO broken may be different from yours.
I think the time you are talking about is when people combined the Undertaker avatar (which allows you to sac a creature to bring one back from the graveyard) with Kamigawa dragons to lock the game on turn 3. Over the past year, things have been more fair. Dragonstorm, Oni, and Mirri were all nerfed, losing a card each. There are no degenerate combo decks right now. Oni is still the fastest deck (I think), and wins on turn 4ish, so you have time to play your cards.
Normally, I would say the best way to get a sense of the format would be to stop by on Saturday and watch games, but with replays down that's not possible. Another way may be to watch games in the Tournament Practice room where some people play on Friday night/Saturday morning.
I haven't played Vanguard since they were giving away BoP avatars for the very first Van tourney.
It seems like you have a really good handle on the meta and what decks are doing what. I know that one of the big concerns of the format is the 'brokenness' of the decks. Is that much of a concernt to you?
Good article all around though!
Great job! Please keep it up. I am though glad that tribal continues to require 20 creatures. I hate combo decks and tribal is my refuge. Relaxing the 20-creature requirement would have ruined the format for me. And I am a regular PE player.
At .14 each, the Giant Harbinger is a completely necessary card, especially since your kickered giant costs RRWW2 it fits the curve nicely.
I've been working on a giant deck myself, and the think I've noticed about it is that it's really hard to survive that long with the deck. Lorwyn seems to have an inordinate ammount of global creature pump effects that make small creatures hard to kill with cards like Pyroclasm.
Merfolk have their lord, Green and white both have global +1/+1 effects as well as lords, and Elementals really fast.
The deck will need acceleration + something to do with that accelerated mana later: Mind Stone (.86 each for now, but I expect they'll drop with Weatherlight bringing them at common).
Fun deck though!
Oops. Keep the 9th plains.
You should definitely splash either red or black in your merfolk deck, but not both. That destabilises your main colours and you essentially have twice as many splash cards to colourscrew yoruself with.
I would go with a single colour splash, black since the removal is better and inversion is tutorable.
Changes from your deck:
+ 1 Swamp
+ 1 Vivid Creek
+ 1 Shimmering Grotto
- 2 Plains
- 2 Island
- Burrenton Forge-Tender
- Springjack Knight
+ Eyeblight's Ending
+ Nameless Inversion
Making this deck:
Runed Stalactite
Wings of Velis Vel
Nameless Inversion
Eyeblight's Ending
Oblivion Ring
Summon the School
Broken Ambitions
Goldmeadow Harrier
Deeptread Merrow
Stonybrook Angler
Judge of Currents
Silvergill Douser
Kithkin Greatheart
Drowner of Secrets
Paperfin Rascal
Hillcomber Giant
2x Merrow Harbinger
Inkfathom Divers
Plover Knights
Purity
Æthersnipe
8 Plains
7 Island
1 Swamp
1 Vivid Creek
1 Shimmering Grotto
I liked the article overall btu find the deck to be pretty meh. Desolation Giant is a fine "build around me" card but it's no Mind's Desire. The deck needs other things to make it work and raw synergy is not always the answer. For example, the Marauders. Sure the work well with the Lions and are not affected by the giant but this is no aggro deck. Rough/Tumble is fine but is it needed with the giants for mass removal?
As you mentioned with Stuffy Doll, many cards in the deck seem to be in here simply because they don't care about desolation giant. Sure you get Spirit Loop back but why run one in the first place? Wouldn't running fewer creatures be an easy way to have synergy with the giant instead of running sub par cards like Spirit Link and Marauders.
Where to take the deck? Not sure could make it more giant tribal using Lorwyn cards. Could also make a more controlling deck with fewer creatures but making them larger. Oblvion Ring also seems to an auto-include post Lorwyn.
Good luck with the deck hope it turns out well.
Thanks Andy for your deck list. I will go and try that out. That idea didn't even come to mind, I had thought of splashing for red or black, but not both. I am looking forward to see how the deck plays out now.
You really got to find a less bald picture of yourself.
I have the power to control your cranium. Mohahahah (Coruscating with power)
Am I missing something or are there only 3 ways to get Blindspot Giant and Crush Underfoot working? If so they should not be in there at all.
This is the build I would take(splash for power/removal):
Crittres(15)
1cc: Harrier
2cc: Judge, Deeptread Merrow, Silvergill, Stoneybrook
3cc: Drowner, Paperfin, Springjack
4cc: Hillcomber, x2 M. Harbinger
5cc: Plover Knights, Inkfathom Divers
6+cc: Aethersnipe, Purity
Spells(8)
Runed Stlagtite, Tarfire
Wings of..., Lash Out
O. Ring, Nameless Inversion,
Eyeblight's Ending, Summon the School
Land(17)
7 Plains
6 Islands
1 Mountain
1 Swamp
1 Vivid Creek
1 Shimmering Grotto
Regards,
Andy
Holy crap that is funny.
Thx for the compliment about the article. The quote you are referring to is more directed at the first game of the match when you are almost at the mercy of all their activated abilities, Treetop Village, Siege-Gang etc. Your best bet in general is to try and get the game over quickly since they pack so many threats but Bottle Gnomes can be crazy good when you can get them recurring for life gain and Damnations help keep the board from getting out of control. Which means going longer in the other two games isn't as large a problem. The Vensers are good at what you describe but don't forget about the Riftwing and even the instant speed Riftwings thanks to Mannequin. Thanks for the comments I see I was definitely a little unclear here, something to work on.
What is needed more than the Negators are 2/2s for B one is Exodus forget other, think Tempest. Also what does Mutilate have to do with suicide black? Low mana cost aggro decks tend to avoid 4 mana control cards.
As far as Edict v Edict Chainers is better will get flashbacked maybe 1 in 10 times you cast it (in Classic). If you want the best deck get it, if you want to save a few bucks that is also cool. Damnation > Mutilate. There are many reasons but the biggest one is Tarmogoyf. You can easily need 5 or 6 Swamps to hit this two mana creature which Damnation does not need.
Over all I liked this. I thought same thing about desert in the Sonic Boom matchup.
My main issue is while I have not played it your advice vs RG big mana makes no sense.
You want to win ASAP but post boarding you bring out eight cards that win the game and bring in eight that slow it down?
Also: "If you are able to win this game quick and make your card advantage work for you it is a winnable matchup" Isn't your card advantage whats going to win you the long game not the quick tempo one?
Again I havn't tested the matchup but Venser seems great. He can remand a big mana spell or bounce a land enchanted with Feratal Ground for card advantage+major tempo. Bottle Gomes seems awful, 3 life isn't gonna save you and if you're aiming forBottle Gnome + Grim Harvest isn't that the long game which you said favors RG?
Sorry its just I can't make heads or tales of that part of the article.
I stopped reading this article after the comments about Mannequin which is one of my favourite films of all time.
So your obviously clueless and nothing you write can possibly be worth reading.
Ok, so I'll read the article, but c'mon Mannequin was cool, and back then Kim was so God damn hot.
And Andrew McCarthy was funny.
NOW Mannequin 2..... ya can rip the crap outta that lame piece of turtle pooh all ya want.