Planeswalkers, "Gather" Here: a M:TG discussion

[david.atwell]

What's your poison? Kithkins? Goblins? Zombies? Are you a single-color blue, or a three-color Esper? Shards of Alara or Lorwyn? What was your most exciting victory? What defeat did you not mind too much, because it was so awesome?

I tap three mana and create this thread.

[Mike Ryan]

First of all, what is the converted mana cost of this thread? If it was red, then I definetly pay (1) and using gain one life, thank you

If it became a question of Shards of Alara or Lorywin, I would have to say neither. I am a huge Mirrodin fan, and I hold my 'halfway to the Tezzerator' deck near by. However, when it comes to casual play I will be the first to say I will always run by Rebecca Guay Unhinged deck

As for Zombies, Kithkins, and all of that fun stuff I am going with Rogues. Here is a very fun Rogue deck that I recommend any new player run:

4x Frogtosser Banneret

4x Oona's Blackguard (Or blaggerd for short)

4x Prickly Boggart

4x Nightshade Stinger

4x Stinkdrinker Bandit

4x Cloak and Dagger

4x Nameless Inversion

4x Earwig Squad

4x Morsel Theft

4x Bitterblossom (Or, for all money purposes you can use Inkfathom Inflitrator)

20x Swamps (If you have the money, use 16 swamps and 4 Mutavaults)

The best part about that Rogue deck is it teaches a player how to use strategy and how to familarize themselves with coordinating turns. As well, once the player becomes more comfortable with the deck they can achieve turn four or five wins pretty easily.

As for me, this is my current deck that I plan on running in the Pro Tour and in my school's magic tournament tonight:

4x Ad Nauseam

4x Angel's Grace

4x Demonic Tutor

4x Simian Spirit Guide

4x Rite of Flame

4x Desperate Ritual

4x Seething Song

4x Manamorphose

4x Mana Tithe

4x Thoughtsieze

2x Grapeshot

2x Brain Freeze

4x Godless Shrine

4x Blood Crypt

4x Sacred Foundry

Sideboard:

4x Smash

4x Relic of Progenitus

2x Grapeshot

2x Brainfreeze

3x Stifle

This deck isn't for the new player, but I love it. You mana combo into 2 black, 1 white, and three red so as to play a Angel's Grace then the Ad Nauseam. You then get the entire deck into your hand and you start a 25-30 card storm combo to top it off with a grapeshot or brain freeze. The deck wins turn one or turn two, and I love it

[Crimson]

Your Ad Nauseam deck doesn't look very cheap....

I've always a fan of good old-fashioned burn. Maybe a touch of blue, for control. Of course, if I was able to play at all, I would probably HAVE a burn deck to show off.

But I've found something like this to be quite interesting.

4 Pandemonium

4 Flamekin Harbinger

4 Incandescent Soulstoke

4 Mulldrifter

3 Nevermaker

4 Nova Chaser

3 Supreme Exemplar

4 Smokebraider

4 Browbeat

4 Spitebellows

6 Island

16 Mountain

It won't win on the first turn. But from what I've seen, it will by the seventh or eighth.

[Mike Ryan]

what do you mean doesn't look cheap? The Rogue deck? It should only be 20-30$, but then again I didn't actually check to find out the cost.

Elementals are always fun. Right before Christmas break I was running a pure burn deck. I don't know, it could win very quickly, or it could be slow and methodical. Perhaps because of that I stopped running it after a few days. The power of it all seemed a bit unfair for the people I was playing with at the time. Here is what it consisted of:

4x Lightning Bolt

4x Rite of Flame

4x Desperate Ritual

4x Seething Song

4x Chandra Nalaar

4x Hostility

4x Tarfire

12x Mountains

Yes, I am a fan of the flame rituals mainely because I inhereted those cards from a friend who moved away about two weeks into my Magic timeline. They always somehow find a way into my decks.

[Mike Ryan]

Also, if anybody is interested, you should download and install Magic Workstation (Evaluation Version) so that we can play a few online matches against each other. I think it would be fun

[Crimson]

I haven't played a competent player in half a year. I'd get...well, to put it bluntly, pwned.

Oh heck, I'll do it. Is there a certain player number or username that I can use to find any of you?

[Mike Ryan]

Well, my Nauseating Storm deck won the tournament, and I just got finished with a little 10 player 'Pauper' tournement. It is a format that consists of a 60 card deck with only common cards installed. Again, I won. However, the deck I won with was actualy the Nauseating Storm deck with some heavy modifications, and so this deck is what I call the 'Combo on a Budget' deck. This time I actually checked the prices, and it looks like Rite of Flame (2.50) and the Seething Song (1.25) are the most expensive cards, with everything else being around the fifty cent area. I would estimate this deck to be around thirty dollars, and a very fun experience:

4x Through Mists

4x Manamorphose

4x Rite of Flame

4x Desperate Ritual

4x Seething Song

4x Simian Spirit Guide

3x Logic Knot

4x Wee Dragonaut

3x Psychotic Fury

3x Index

4x Grapeshot

4x Izzet Boilerworks (Land)

8x Island

8x Mountain

It is pretty much getting Wee Dragonaut on the field second turn and then storm with around four to five storm counters using Psychotic Fury and a Grapeshot. That way, you 9/3 doublestriking Wee Dragonaut plus the four to five damage from the grapeshot can pack in a very heavy punch and win the game. One thing you should notice here is a huge card advantage as well. From Index to Through Mists to Manamorphose, setting up the cards you are going to draw and then drawing them is very crucial, however very exciting and gives you an edge over the other player. Some fun options I toyed around with were blue 'Bounce target nonland permanent' cards. I kept a few in the sideboard and used them from time to time.

Now I have a very cool Shards of Alara playing mat and ten dollars. I think for a four dollar entry fee it all went pretty well. If you make this deck on your own, tell me how it goes

[bEPIK]

Is there some sort of app (like the one that MikeR posted) that lets you choose the specific person you want to play chess with. It would be nice to play someone on the forums, then slap them in the face with the metaphorical hand of embarrassment

[BoltBait]

If you didn't already know, I'm also a mod over at http://www.magictraders.com which is the BEST site on the net to trade Magic cards.

Here are some pictures of my collection:

Sets in binders, singles loose in the drawers below...

Here are some of the more expensive cards in my collection:

I have a nice Lightning Bolt collection that includes a Summer "Edgar" bolt (shown above). Here is my latest addition to the bolt collection:

I also have a complete set of 4x all the Revised Dual Lands.

Here is a picture of my all foil deck:

If you're ever in the Sacramento area, bring a deck and we'll play!

[david.atwell]

Ditto to you if you're ever in Indianapolis.

[Crimson]

Seething Song is more than a buck!? I have, about....seven of them.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey BB, mind posting the deck formula for the one in that picture? I noticed some fun looking burn and land destruction.

Also, if for some god-forsaken reason you find yourself in Mobile, Alabama I am probably playing. Unless, of course, it is this Saturday. I will be playing at the Extended tournament (the whole reason for the 'practice' extended tournament at my school)

[Simon Brown]

Is there some sort of app (like the one that MikeR posted) that lets you choose the specific person you want to play chess with. It would be nice to play someone on the forums, then slap them in the face with the metaphorical hand of embarrassment

I believe you meant to press the new thread button. As for your question, I *think* Windows Live Messenger allows this.

[Mike Ryan]

Conflux visual spoiler: http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/Articl ... ux/spoiler

I cannot wait for the Prerelease event, and from that list of cards it is becoming more and more appearant that Bant is by far the most superior shard, featuring mana acceleration, control, big nasties, and early wins.

[david.atwell]

Anyone picked up Conflux yet? I bought a precon Bant and Esper deck.

Giltspire Avenger is pretty nice. A 2/2 for 3, with Exalted and "Tap: Destroy target creature that dealt damage to you this turn."

Muahaahaaa. :-)

[Mike Ryan]

I haven't baught any pf the precons, but I have opened up arounda booster box's worth of boosters just from tourny prizes. Some of my favorite cards:

Master Transmuter - a 1/2 Artifact creature that, somehow with an increased cost, outbests the Elvish Piper on many points. In fact, my PTQ deck I plan on playing with in June revolves around the Master Transmuter and hopefully some goodies that Alara Reborn brings to the table.

Noble Hierarch - Once upon a time Wizards took the concept of Birds of Paradise, removed the face of burn and destruction from it, and gave it creature boost. In the end you have an 'almost as good as the BoP' alternative that rocks the Bant side of life.

Path to Exile - I have about 6 Path to Exiles, including my recent premium DCI Foil Path that I won at a 2HG tourny. I like her in my 'I have Elspeths' deck because it lets me really generate mana. Also, it is a hard hitter in your pregame. It really likes to get rid of Sower of Temptations and Figure of Destinies. Hehe.

Matca Rioters - Ok, I don't like Matca Rioters. I like domain! I built a domain deck for a buddy of mine and man, having that 15/15 trampling hunk of 'Oh bloody potato' coming at you on fifth turn is a scary feeling. But then again, when is Magic the Gathering not scary?

Of course, with any good set there are sure to be let downs:

Giltspire Avenger - (Sorry David) A 3 costing 2/2 creature destruction exalted boosting creature is cool stuff. But there is a developement problem with it. The point of an exalted deck is to build up amounts of creatures, each showing off its cool Exalted t-shirt, only to have one creature swing. Thus, if I have a 5/5 figure of destiny come at me, I am not going to let it hit me only to be able to destroy it. I am going to chump block it with an Akrasan Squire. Giltspire let me down.

Nicol Bolas - Wait. I love this guy! Oh yeah, he isn't playable... thats why I don't like him >.>

There are a few others, but at this point I am just ranting.

[BoltBait]

Hey BB, mind posting the deck formula for the one in that picture? I noticed some fun looking burn and land destruction.

Top row:

2x Juggernaut

2x Lightning Dragon

4x Keldon Champion

4x Avalanche Riders

4x Flailing Soldier

4x Mogg Fanatic

Xx Mountains

Bottom row:

1x Volcanic Guyser

1x Earthquake

4x Lightning Bolt

4x Incenerate

4x Pillage

4x Stone Rain

1x Wasteland (need 3 more)

[david.atwell]

Giltspire Avenger - (Sorry David) A 3 costing 2/2 creature destruction exalted boosting creature is cool stuff. But there is a developement problem with it. The point of an exalted deck is to build up amounts of creatures, each showing off its cool Exalted t-shirt, only to have one creature swing. Thus, if I have a 5/5 figure of destiny come at me, I am not going to let it hit me only to be able to destroy it. I am going to chump block it with an Akrasan Squire. Giltspire let me down.

That's why you attack with another creature during your attack phase (allowing Exalted to have its full effect), then tap to use its activated ability at the end of your opponent's turn to destroy the Beacon Behemoth he just used to deal five damage to you. Very effective against green decks that rely on one or two massive creatures.

[Mike Ryan]

I was talking to David the other night when the idea hit me to create a budget Zoo deck. I took my zoo deck, subtracted the expensive cards than any cards that were tied to the expense, then filled in the blanks with some really overlooked cards. I got a chance to play with it today, and it worked better than my non-budget zoo deck. I am really happy with how this deck performs! The idea is simple: play cheap creatures that either A) buff themselves, or get buffed my spells. Here it is:

4x Kird Ape

4x Wooly Thoctar

4x Wild Nacatl

4x Qsali Ambusher

2x Cliffrunner Behemoth

2x Bull Cerodon

4x Congregation at Dawn

4x Naya Charm

4x Brute Force

4x Giant Growth

2x Loxodon Warhammer

2x Overrun

4x Terramorphic Expanse

4x Jungle Shrine

2x Plains

5x Forest

5x Mountain

Cards that I felt were hard to replace but were over a dollar were limited to two a piece. Other than that, go for it!

[Crimson]

I love listening to my little brother (8) and his friends play this game.

Dude, I'm so going to lose! I only have 2 mythic rares in this deck!

[Mike Ryan]

Oh dear lord, I could only imagine (all puns intended) what it would be like to listen to younger children play this game! I am assuming they ignore phrases like 'in response' and stack timing?

You should teach them how to play penny magic. Its easy, just play with commons.

[Crimson]

"In response" and stack timing? They don't even know how first strike works.

[david.atwell]

I play with someone who hates the stack. I'll admit, it has burned me on occasion. Mostly because I'm really not 100% sure on when the stack actually starts getting depleted, especially in the Attack Phase of the turn. If they declare attackers, and I declare defenders, and then we start assessing damage, can they then play Instants to buff their creatures' strengths? Another friend of mine killed Chandra that way, and I'm wondering if it was legal.

[Crimson]

If the instants are played before damage is applied (so, right after blockers are declared), yes, he is able to do that.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh my, stack timing. When I became a Level 1 judge, (very recently, albeit) stack timing became second to hardest thing for me to try and remember (with the first being state based, static, and triggered ability layering [don't ever ask me questions about layering, I won't know the real answer])

Anyways, David, to answer your question: Combat phase is dealt in many subphases. Priority is passed to every player before and after each of these phases:

Beginning of Combat Phase

Declare Attackers

Declare Blockers

First Strike Combat (Damage is put onto the stack, priority is passed, damage resolves)

Normal Combat (Damage is put onto the stack, priority is passed, damage resolves)

End of Combat Phase

Putting combat damage on the stack is one of the few in-game triggers that actually uses the stack and passes priority. Your friend made a legal move killing Chandra in response to damage hitting the stack.

As well, the Stack begins to resolve once no other players put any other instants or abilities on the stack. Once the stack is cleared, the active player can choose to pass phases or to put Sorceries or Creatures onto the stack (if it is pre or post combat mainphase, that is), followed by the ingame ability of playing a land card.

I had better stop here before I hurt myself.