You seem to be completely forgetting about the marketing value.
These players are given a standing invite because WotC wants them to show up and play. They are recognized names in the community, and it's quite common for someone to pick up a new deck after watching a pro they like play it at a PT.
Their continued presence also does a *lot* to maintain the pro tour's image as elite best of the best players, as it tends to lead to somewhat regular top appearances by the named stars of the game.
HoF slots don't take up slots for other players, just as many players qualify for the PT. In fact they give a BETTER opportunity for other players to qualify for the PT. Could you imagine you're a 4-slot tournament and your end boss is Kai Budde? That's not an issue since he's auto qualified.
Hall of Fame should not be a club for life long auto Qing for the PT.
The club just gets bigger and bigger and eats up spots for players that try to Q for the PT.
The value of it commercial wise is 0.
The mtg HoF could be something wotc uses at GPs to have earlier top players sit around chatting with newer players of the game, entertain them and teach some mtg. WotC should have some special suits made for them, booth etc. Travel fees and hotel covered ofc, and then some (pocketmoney) - ambassadors. They could be used as commentators as well, better than just hearing Hagon and co all the time.
"Some tribes are strong in Underdog, sure, but they wouldn't be played at all in Regular, either because they aren't strong enough overall, or because there's similar but better options there."
This is obvious, but I feel that by cutting three or so tribes from underdog, while those tribes would be effectively eliminated from a competitive standpoint from the Big Boy formats, you would be giving life to ten to fifty new tribes that aren't competitive in the Underdog event because of those three tribes that are too fast and streamlined.
-3 + 30 is good math for the format, in my opinion. Since that's apparently not yours, I thank you for at least having listened.
Ah, the joys of forced country switching. You have my sympathy and empathy. Delighted to see you back online, and I sincerely hope your documentation issues resolve quickly and painlessly.
The Underdog list (this one) is fixed now. Or better, it changes only when the meta strongly demands it, like it did when Monk was reclassified to the Major League after the tribe got so many powerful additions that it made no sense anymore as part of the Underdog subformat. What we need to be careful about is to give each tribe a home. Some tribes are strong in Underdog, sure, but they wouldn't be played at all in Regular, either because they aren't strong enough overall, or because there's similar but better options there.
Hallowed Moonlight: Did you notice that, unlike Containment Priest, it kills Marit Lage? (Or any token, really. It's great in response to stuff like Hornet Queen or Timely Reinforcements).
Cool beans! I have a SurfStick now, but use Skyline and Bahnhof hot spots for data intensive stuff, like WYWSIWIG editing. Gimme a time frame and I'll make it point to be near the 'Güterplatz' entrance. :) And I'll bring the Bloodcrank.
4 x Coiling Oracle
2 x Winged Coatl
3 x Strangleroot Geist
1 x Zameck Guildmage
2 x Glen Elendra Archmage
2 x Gyre Sage
1 x Chasm Skulker
1 x Cytoplast Manipulator
4 x Plaxcaster Frogling
4 x Scarscale Ritual
2 x Beast Within
2 x Cyclonic Rift
4 x Hardened Scales
1 x Island
2 x Forest
4 x Hinterland Harbor
4 x Breeding Pool
3 x Evolving Wilds
2 x Tectonic Edge
4 x Llanowar Reborn
Although Aether Vial is pricey in paper, in the absence of a lot of counterspell decks, they can be replaced without losing a lot. They latest addition to the deck was the Cytoplast Manipulator. I like the interaction between it and Power Conduit (Add a +1/+1 to their critter with conduit, then steal it = fun times)
Being part Austrian I don't mind being considered austrian (though there are a dozen other ethnicities in there too). Sorry to hear you left CA for Germany only to be homeless. I am sure there is a much lengthier and terrifying story in there between those lines but I tried very hard not to read that part.
Hemmingway indeed.
Glad you are well and still able to write wonderful prose.
I have a roof over my head, a lock on my door, food in my belly, and I'm able to communicate with the outside world, and work. Relatively speaking, I'm doing OK. :)
I was thinking the same thing with the manabase but I decided to just go simple. Cavern seems great against the control decks and making sure your Goblin Piledriver doesn't get countered on the way down is pretty big - though there are some minor downsides as you have mentioned. Mutavault is also a card that seems like a great fit but may cause some mana awkwardness. I like Mutavault but not sure how many we want unless we increase the size of the manabase.
Earwig Squad is pretty cool sideboard tech - never tried that one out.
Atarka's Command could be very good with Goblins. I've yet to have a chance to play with the card but certainly seems like a solid choice.
4x Caverns of Souls is a no-brainer for that particular Goblins list (the only downside is needing a first-turn Bolt with no other lands or having two Caverns, no other lands, and Dragon Fodder or War Marshall upkeep - these pale in comparison to uncounterability). To Mutavault or not to Mutavault - that is the question. Even if it means upping the land count slightly or taking up sideboard realty, I think the answer is probably yes, at least to a couple. Then again, the control matchups might already be favorable. Caverns also helps get Earwig Squad for the sideboard to help fight combo decks (Auntie's Hovel can also give untapped R/B mana).
Still maybe better is fetches and Stomping Ground for Atarka's Command which is an all-star for the deck, and Destructive Revelry and Tin-Street Hooligan from the sideboard. Alternatively, Foundry gives access to Path and Helix.
Sideboard Potentials: Molten Rain, Earwig Squad, Searing Blaze (but probably not with Caverns/Mutavault), Sulfur Elemental, Skullcrack, graveyard hate (2x Grafdigger's Cage best as also good against Elves?), Flame Slash or Titan's strength to beat up Goyfs, and a single Goblin King when mountainwalk is relevant.
:The value of it commercial wise is 0.
You seem to be completely forgetting about the marketing value.
These players are given a standing invite because WotC wants them to show up and play. They are recognized names in the community, and it's quite common for someone to pick up a new deck after watching a pro they like play it at a PT.
Their continued presence also does a *lot* to maintain the pro tour's image as elite best of the best players, as it tends to lead to somewhat regular top appearances by the named stars of the game.
I dont understand what you are saying.
"...just as many players q for the PT" ???
"...BETTER opportunities" ???
"...dillutes" ?
If Kai wants to play PTQs then let him.
HoF slots don't take up slots for other players, just as many players qualify for the PT. In fact they give a BETTER opportunity for other players to qualify for the PT. Could you imagine you're a 4-slot tournament and your end boss is Kai Budde? That's not an issue since he's auto qualified.
HoF merely dilutes the slot.
Hall of Fame should not be a club for life long auto Qing for the PT.
The club just gets bigger and bigger and eats up spots for players that try to Q for the PT.
The value of it commercial wise is 0.
The mtg HoF could be something wotc uses at GPs to have earlier top players sit around chatting with newer players of the game, entertain them and teach some mtg. WotC should have some special suits made for them, booth etc. Travel fees and hotel covered ofc, and then some (pocketmoney) - ambassadors. They could be used as commentators as well, better than just hearing Hagon and co all the time.
I assume you forgot to update the calendar rather than you included them there for historical reference.
Also, did you do a column on Phantom Flashbacks rather than Keeper Flashbacks?
"Some tribes are strong in Underdog, sure, but they wouldn't be played at all in Regular, either because they aren't strong enough overall, or because there's similar but better options there."
This is obvious, but I feel that by cutting three or so tribes from underdog, while those tribes would be effectively eliminated from a competitive standpoint from the Big Boy formats, you would be giving life to ten to fifty new tribes that aren't competitive in the Underdog event because of those three tribes that are too fast and streamlined.
-3 + 30 is good math for the format, in my opinion. Since that's apparently not yours, I thank you for at least having listened.
Thank you. :)
Ah, the joys of forced country switching. You have my sympathy and empathy. Delighted to see you back online, and I sincerely hope your documentation issues resolve quickly and painlessly.
The Underdog list (this one) is fixed now. Or better, it changes only when the meta strongly demands it, like it did when Monk was reclassified to the Major League after the tribe got so many powerful additions that it made no sense anymore as part of the Underdog subformat. What we need to be careful about is to give each tribe a home. Some tribes are strong in Underdog, sure, but they wouldn't be played at all in Regular, either because they aren't strong enough overall, or because there's similar but better options there.
Thank you. :)
:) I was tempted to go the horrifying route, but decided to gloss over. I didn't have a choice in coming here, and everyone I knew is dead.
Ja, in der Bürokratie sind wir leider ganz groß. Drücke die Daumen!
Hallowed Moonlight: Did you notice that, unlike Containment Priest, it kills Marit Lage? (Or any token, really. It's great in response to stuff like Hornet Queen or Timely Reinforcements).
Cool beans! I have a SurfStick now, but use Skyline and Bahnhof hot spots for data intensive stuff, like WYWSIWIG editing. Gimme a time frame and I'll make it point to be near the 'Güterplatz' entrance. :) And I'll bring the Bloodcrank.
Yeah, the cost of Wasteland is unacceptable. The effect is among the most basic staples of Eternal formats.
Good luck man!
I am in Frankfurt on Tuesday. I will look out for the old man with a laptop and a Chinese bloodcrank deck. Are you still connecting at Skyline?
4 x Power Conduit
4 x Æther Vial
4 x Coiling Oracle
2 x Winged Coatl
3 x Strangleroot Geist
1 x Zameck Guildmage
2 x Glen Elendra Archmage
2 x Gyre Sage
1 x Chasm Skulker
1 x Cytoplast Manipulator
4 x Plaxcaster Frogling
4 x Scarscale Ritual
2 x Beast Within
2 x Cyclonic Rift
4 x Hardened Scales
1 x Island
2 x Forest
4 x Hinterland Harbor
4 x Breeding Pool
3 x Evolving Wilds
2 x Tectonic Edge
4 x Llanowar Reborn
Although Aether Vial is pricey in paper, in the absence of a lot of counterspell decks, they can be replaced without losing a lot. They latest addition to the deck was the Cytoplast Manipulator. I like the interaction between it and Power Conduit (Add a +1/+1 to their critter with conduit, then steal it = fun times)
Being part Austrian I don't mind being considered austrian (though there are a dozen other ethnicities in there too). Sorry to hear you left CA for Germany only to be homeless. I am sure there is a much lengthier and terrifying story in there between those lines but I tried very hard not to read that part.
Hemmingway indeed.
Glad you are well and still able to write wonderful prose.
I have a roof over my head, a lock on my door, food in my belly, and I'm able to communicate with the outside world, and work. Relatively speaking, I'm doing OK. :)
Such bureaucracy! Nochimmer keine Staatsangehörigkeit, aber bin schon am arbeiten mit meine Kunden aus USA.
I did not get the story- but welcome in weird Germany! Hope, things dort out soon!!
Greetz from the Bodensee
I missed reading your articles. Good to hear from you.
Excellent comment, thanks.
I was thinking the same thing with the manabase but I decided to just go simple. Cavern seems great against the control decks and making sure your Goblin Piledriver doesn't get countered on the way down is pretty big - though there are some minor downsides as you have mentioned. Mutavault is also a card that seems like a great fit but may cause some mana awkwardness. I like Mutavault but not sure how many we want unless we increase the size of the manabase.
Earwig Squad is pretty cool sideboard tech - never tried that one out.
Atarka's Command could be very good with Goblins. I've yet to have a chance to play with the card but certainly seems like a solid choice.
Nice sideboard options too!
4x Caverns of Souls is a no-brainer for that particular Goblins list (the only downside is needing a first-turn Bolt with no other lands or having two Caverns, no other lands, and Dragon Fodder or War Marshall upkeep - these pale in comparison to uncounterability). To Mutavault or not to Mutavault - that is the question. Even if it means upping the land count slightly or taking up sideboard realty, I think the answer is probably yes, at least to a couple. Then again, the control matchups might already be favorable. Caverns also helps get Earwig Squad for the sideboard to help fight combo decks (Auntie's Hovel can also give untapped R/B mana).
Still maybe better is fetches and Stomping Ground for Atarka's Command which is an all-star for the deck, and Destructive Revelry and Tin-Street Hooligan from the sideboard. Alternatively, Foundry gives access to Path and Helix.
Sideboard Potentials: Molten Rain, Earwig Squad, Searing Blaze (but probably not with Caverns/Mutavault), Sulfur Elemental, Skullcrack, graveyard hate (2x Grafdigger's Cage best as also good against Elves?), Flame Slash or Titan's strength to beat up Goyfs, and a single Goblin King when mountainwalk is relevant.