Nice article! Could you expand on what you info do you have on the "sideboarding" tab of your spreadsheet? Also, do you have a template for that spreadsheet? All these years and still don't have one...this might be the time to do it, so thanks for the inspiration!
My Dad's house is a converted old farmhouse as well..he put a lot of work into restoring it and converting it to be more livable. My sympathies. So I guess Robo-you didn't take your place and get the job done then :p I keep running into that Standard Green beats deck. Very popular in juff.
The people at wotc wanted to have scouting in mtg before, and not before that, today we dont know what they want, might depend on time or persons, even mood of head judge, and even that Sheldon Menery phones the tournament scene to put in orders.
Treachery and the cantrip bans really surprised me. I think it was pretty clear that Vial had to go, but I figured fast mana and tutors would go before the cantrips.
Also my commentary had nothing to do with anything. I am not Alex or a format gatekeeper. I am constantly ignored by wotc and community members because I am a never was. I just do what I like to do.
I guess your unrelenting commentary + the record of vial smasher wins was enough in the end. Kind of sad about Treachery. Watch it tank now that I have one. :(
While I've seen some players go Necro midrange in mono black fashion often in our cubes we draft BW Midrange more or less right away. That is actually quite powerful and often other people do not really pick the cards the deck needs. It can go two ways -> more towards Necropotence/Bargain Midrange or more creature based midrange deck that still plays the same control cards but usually runs planeswalkers and some tokens to protect them or stall long enough for a wrath effect to happen and then play some expensive finisher.
Interesting to see artifacts as underrated archetype. For me it always seemed that there is usually 1-2 players actually drafting it. I wouldn't say it is underrated. The problem with this is that it is very fragile, there is a reason to stay out of the archetype. It's either insane or dies easily depending on card availability in the pool and where people end up (I mean in what archetypes). I certainly had some funny games with it. Once I played Mindslaver on t2 and wonder if I should activate it. My opponent would have played Natural Order into Progenitus next turn so I was very glad I actually used it! This deck also likes looting and card draw. So Dack Fayden, Thirst for Knowledge/Compulsive Research etc are good. Also Wildfire effects are not bad^_~.
Most of the time though I played UWb Artifacts deck with some reanimation. That's my favorite deck of all time in Vintage Cube.
White or Boros is also something that works. It's either more WW style or more RDW style but is very potent nonetheless but I understand that it's pretty boring to play, it's not something one would decide to play in Vintage Cube usually ^_~
BTW here's one of the best decks I've seen drafted by one of our Vintage Cube players. He won all his matches since we tried to play Vintage Cube Limited and he was more like playing Vintage Constructed^_^. It started well for him since he opened a Mox, was passed another one (the pack contained 2) and in pack 3 he first picked Time Walk. Someone got lucky.
Hi Spencer, I feel like what you are saying is valid for some people but not for everyone. Not everyone WANTS to be the "best". I do think joining together is better than standing apart, and participation is better than not. And asking for and accepting criticism can be great for growth but not everyone gives good critiques and not everyone takes it well. In fact many people find even the smallest criticism to be crushing.
That said, I like that you are attempting to a) be positive and b) encourage others to be positive. That certainly can't hurt as long as it isn't an oppressive "YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH!" kind of thing. I am glad people are posting stuff like this too. I posted a number of articles (before I started the fftr podcast) talking about philosophy and magic and I think it is wonderful more people are doing this now.
One other thing about improvement and magic: Sometimes like in Chess or Music or any at least partially cerebral activity you can reach a plateau not through complacence but just because this is human nature to plateau and need breaks so as to avoid burn out and fatigue. Even at the top levels. (Of anything.) I think it is important to recognize when this is happening and ask for advice from others or at least use others as a sounding board so you can check your observations against a more objective background. (I realize that no one will be completely objective about this but you can seek strong counselors for this.)
The midrange necro deck is actually good if you pull it off and one of my favourites to draft (I was a necro player back when it was in Standard). One of the key parts which you didn't mention was Pack Rat. This card is INSANE with the card draw from Necropotence and just wins you the game.
You mentioned mono white tokens but I quite like black-white tokens as well. It's not as consistent as mono white but with Bitterblossom, Pack Rat and some anthems you can build a very strong deck.
I don't know if you would call it autopilot or not, but for me personally, what I felt sometimes playing mtg was the "inertia" or most commonly known as "laziness" to think in certain situations.
Sure,sometimes it's because we are tired but what I found with experience was many times it was because I already have given up on that particular match or had the lack of confidence to keep searching for the winning play. For example, when things start to get complicated on the board, you get so overwhelmed sometimes you just think "screw it" and see where it leads...other times you were just thinking about the last matchup and your results and that it's useless to play anymore because you won't top8 anyway...
I totally agree with your video man. If you want to improve, just don't give up, play as much as you can and take things slowly. Always keep looking for that winning play and how you can improve. My lesson, particularly, was learning patience, because in many situations you won't remember your games and mistakes. You won't know the answer right away. But that's alright. Keep playing and you will learn and you will get better! Trust the process sounds cliche...but if you are patient, things will work out for you!
Also, I love how you mentioned to enjoy your victories and achievements but also other's people successes. Make other players around you stronger will make you so much stronger too...you will learn and succeed as exponentially as your surroundings do. Anyway, enough talk. These were my two cents. Keep it up! Cool vidz
There is a need to take that passion to the next level. People expect a lot. - Mark Zokle
Many would love to sponsor. Especially the best ones. - Mark Zokle
There is fun in the game. That is why people work hard for it. - HomeLife Warranty Protection
It would be fun to make it move. Certain details has to. -HomeLife Warranty Protection
It would be nice to play the game. It has something to do with experience. - HomeLife Warranty Protection
I have no idea why I am doing this, but please instead of trying to drag one of my friends through the mud, list some sources for your claims.
Nice article! Could you expand on what you info do you have on the "sideboarding" tab of your spreadsheet? Also, do you have a template for that spreadsheet? All these years and still don't have one...this might be the time to do it, so thanks for the inspiration!
Has already happened.
Well it's not happening in your time or my time or anyone's time. So you do not have anything to be concerned about!
But if he did, those orders would be obeyed, and we do not know of the future and what people want.
My Dad's house is a converted old farmhouse as well..he put a lot of work into restoring it and converting it to be more livable. My sympathies. So I guess Robo-you didn't take your place and get the job done then :p I keep running into that Standard Green beats deck. Very popular in juff.
Sheldon is retired and not phoning anyone to put in judge orders.
The people at wotc wanted to have scouting in mtg before, and not before that, today we dont know what they want, might depend on time or persons, even mood of head judge, and even that Sheldon Menery phones the tournament scene to put in orders.
Treachery and the cantrip bans really surprised me. I think it was pretty clear that Vial had to go, but I figured fast mana and tutors would go before the cantrips.
Also my commentary had nothing to do with anything. I am not Alex or a format gatekeeper. I am constantly ignored by wotc and community members because I am a never was. I just do what I like to do.
I guess your unrelenting commentary + the record of vial smasher wins was enough in the end. Kind of sad about Treachery. Watch it tank now that I have one. :(
Ugh, also the child of alara deck needs a replacement for Brainstorm and Ponder. Booooooo
Vial Smasher was banned. That's good, I also learned that Vial Smasher is a she.
Treachery was banned, and I am okay with that as well.
Brainstorm, Ponder, and Preordain is a bold move and hopefully that keeps Baral in check. Was not expecting those bans at all.
Somehow Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox and Ancient Tomb live to battle another day. That's weird.
Nice article!
While I've seen some players go Necro midrange in mono black fashion often in our cubes we draft BW Midrange more or less right away. That is actually quite powerful and often other people do not really pick the cards the deck needs. It can go two ways -> more towards Necropotence/Bargain Midrange or more creature based midrange deck that still plays the same control cards but usually runs planeswalkers and some tokens to protect them or stall long enough for a wrath effect to happen and then play some expensive finisher.
Interesting to see artifacts as underrated archetype. For me it always seemed that there is usually 1-2 players actually drafting it. I wouldn't say it is underrated. The problem with this is that it is very fragile, there is a reason to stay out of the archetype. It's either insane or dies easily depending on card availability in the pool and where people end up (I mean in what archetypes). I certainly had some funny games with it. Once I played Mindslaver on t2 and wonder if I should activate it. My opponent would have played Natural Order into Progenitus next turn so I was very glad I actually used it! This deck also likes looting and card draw. So Dack Fayden, Thirst for Knowledge/Compulsive Research etc are good. Also Wildfire effects are not bad^_~.
Most of the time though I played UWb Artifacts deck with some reanimation. That's my favorite deck of all time in Vintage Cube.
White or Boros is also something that works. It's either more WW style or more RDW style but is very potent nonetheless but I understand that it's pretty boring to play, it's not something one would decide to play in Vintage Cube usually ^_~
BTW here's one of the best decks I've seen drafted by one of our Vintage Cube players. He won all his matches since we tried to play Vintage Cube Limited and he was more like playing Vintage Constructed^_^. It started well for him since he opened a Mox, was passed another one (the pack contained 2) and in pack 3 he first picked Time Walk. Someone got lucky.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-95liVtomF9Q/WVpEJJU_hcI/AAAAAAAARbg/6OJ2OX5qY...
I see only this post, so if you posted a question earlier you will have to post it again for me to see it.
Redundant post
Thank you, glad it helped.
Extremely insightful and useful article, thanks once again Stsung :D
Hi Spencer, I feel like what you are saying is valid for some people but not for everyone. Not everyone WANTS to be the "best". I do think joining together is better than standing apart, and participation is better than not. And asking for and accepting criticism can be great for growth but not everyone gives good critiques and not everyone takes it well. In fact many people find even the smallest criticism to be crushing.
That said, I like that you are attempting to a) be positive and b) encourage others to be positive. That certainly can't hurt as long as it isn't an oppressive "YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH!" kind of thing. I am glad people are posting stuff like this too. I posted a number of articles (before I started the fftr podcast) talking about philosophy and magic and I think it is wonderful more people are doing this now.
One other thing about improvement and magic: Sometimes like in Chess or Music or any at least partially cerebral activity you can reach a plateau not through complacence but just because this is human nature to plateau and need breaks so as to avoid burn out and fatigue. Even at the top levels. (Of anything.) I think it is important to recognize when this is happening and ask for advice from others or at least use others as a sounding board so you can check your observations against a more objective background. (I realize that no one will be completely objective about this but you can seek strong counselors for this.)
Keep making videos and mtg content! :)
PEL
Love the spotlight on the lesser archetypes.
The midrange necro deck is actually good if you pull it off and one of my favourites to draft (I was a necro player back when it was in Standard). One of the key parts which you didn't mention was Pack Rat. This card is INSANE with the card draw from Necropotence and just wins you the game.
You mentioned mono white tokens but I quite like black-white tokens as well. It's not as consistent as mono white but with Bitterblossom, Pack Rat and some anthems you can build a very strong deck.
I don't know if you would call it autopilot or not, but for me personally, what I felt sometimes playing mtg was the "inertia" or most commonly known as "laziness" to think in certain situations.
Sure,sometimes it's because we are tired but what I found with experience was many times it was because I already have given up on that particular match or had the lack of confidence to keep searching for the winning play. For example, when things start to get complicated on the board, you get so overwhelmed sometimes you just think "screw it" and see where it leads...other times you were just thinking about the last matchup and your results and that it's useless to play anymore because you won't top8 anyway...
I totally agree with your video man. If you want to improve, just don't give up, play as much as you can and take things slowly. Always keep looking for that winning play and how you can improve. My lesson, particularly, was learning patience, because in many situations you won't remember your games and mistakes. You won't know the answer right away. But that's alright. Keep playing and you will learn and you will get better! Trust the process sounds cliche...but if you are patient, things will work out for you!
Also, I love how you mentioned to enjoy your victories and achievements but also other's people successes. Make other players around you stronger will make you so much stronger too...you will learn and succeed as exponentially as your surroundings do. Anyway, enough talk. These were my two cents. Keep it up! Cool vidz