Interesting read, but um hey, wall of text not so hot. One of the hardest things about cube drafting, and watching videos about cube drafting, is that I don't know all of the cards, having not been around when a lot of these cards were used, and I'm sure there are tons of people like me--interested but unfamiliar with the cards. So when discussing cube, please include card pictures! Thanks.
It's my current opinion that Time Spiral Block was the safe choice for the prize block for cube. WotC is probably still worried about the potential devaluing effect that cube drafting has on any pack that is used as a prize.
If cube drafting floods the market with Time Spiral block packs (and it has), no one is going to complain too loudly about their packs losing value. The packs were already devalued and the format has already deflated in price to the point where only Tarmogoyf remains as a rare draft pick of choice.
WotC can't drasting devalue something that is already drastically devalued.
WotC also has proved with the experiment that Cube is so much fun that players are willing to play it for pure entertainment value without the possibility of ending up ahead.
It's meaningless to complain. It's like asking a casino to increase the payout of the slot machines because some of the hard core poker players are interested in the flashy new slot machines.
I'm really looking to provide the best look at the meta I possibly can so I'm always open to suggestions to make improvements, I won't necessary make all suggested changes, but if I feel there has been good ones I will make changes (you'll see another this week, which is more of how I present the info)
I didnt bother going to the avr prere because my local store (outer planes, in santa rosa ca) is the worst store I have ever played tourneys in and I am boycotting them until they close down. But a bunch of my friends did and they were all extremely dissapointed. The helvault stuff they got was all junk that they neither needed nor wanted and has no trade value. Everyone would have preferred a promo mythic instead, which also would have cost wotc a lot less.
tsp block has - goyf, damnation, vesuva, and a few other cards worth a few bucks. Obv its not a money block.
But tsp block is also one of the best blocks ever for drafting, right up there with ravnica.It is extremely skill intensive, with very few blowouts, most games lasting until turn8 or later. TSP block really allows you to outplay your opp, instead of just out-mythic ing them.
Both of the stores I went to for the pre-release charged more due to the Helvault. One store charged $5 more than usual per person for their 24 person event. The other store gave you the option to be in the Helvault tournament or in the non-Helvault tournament. Their Helvault tournament cost $5 more than the non-Helvault tournament. In both of these situations you really can't claim that the prizes in the Helvault were "a bunch of extra free stuff" - people paid more money because of these prizes. At both stores people felt that they didn't receive value anywhere near the $5 extra that they paid for having the Helvault.
Personally it would be awesome with Madness cards. Basking Rootwalla, and others that have madness, i see it being strong draw for that kind of a deck.
Yes, I remember. I decided to eschew artifact mana though in this build, although bounce could have been good. It was especially good during Ravnica with the karoo lands - extra value from the theft.
I asked that players reaching the qualifications for a bounty of that type to PM me so I could come see and visually confirm; if I don't see it, it didn't happen. When I peeked in, that player was at 80+ life.
Whatchootalkin'bout, greyes? "didn't pick up any prizes"?!?! Pshaw! By my calculations, you picked up 14 tix bot credit between the two events: 2 at Alphabot, 2 at ValueBot, and 10 at Cardhoarder.
I played in both events. Played all rounds. Got punished by an odd amount of maindeck hate multiple rounds. Lost 9 consecutive Mana Crypt flips. Screwed over on breakers in each event, and bumped out of the US top 8 because I couldn't draw in. (You should have heard everyone crying - "No IDs!") I didn't pick any prizes up afterwards, but despite all this, I really did have a blast playing/watching some quality players, and was happy to partake in an event that was for such a good cause.
Ham On Wry was friggin' awesome, and a good time was had by all! We had 47 players in the Euro Event, and 118 in the US Event. Since I made it a stipulation that you have to play all rounds to be eligible for prizes, everyone who finished walked away with something. EVERYONE! Woo hoo!
Sponsors have been contacted with their appropriate payout info; now I just have to track down a few more stragglers to hand out one bounty and a few Tickets.
I agree with Kara, i'm done with pre events. I feel like they take advantage of our anticipation. I played 4 dka pre-re and when I was done i felt used, used and dirty.
I didn't play in any of the pre-releases in my area, and it seems I wasn't too disappointed. Maybe if they go back to having a mythic promo card, I'll go again.
Interesting read, but um hey, wall of text not so hot. One of the hardest things about cube drafting, and watching videos about cube drafting, is that I don't know all of the cards, having not been around when a lot of these cards were used, and I'm sure there are tons of people like me--interested but unfamiliar with the cards. So when discussing cube, please include card pictures! Thanks.
It's my current opinion that Time Spiral Block was the safe choice for the prize block for cube. WotC is probably still worried about the potential devaluing effect that cube drafting has on any pack that is used as a prize.
If cube drafting floods the market with Time Spiral block packs (and it has), no one is going to complain too loudly about their packs losing value. The packs were already devalued and the format has already deflated in price to the point where only Tarmogoyf remains as a rare draft pick of choice.
WotC can't drasting devalue something that is already drastically devalued.
WotC also has proved with the experiment that Cube is so much fun that players are willing to play it for pure entertainment value without the possibility of ending up ahead.
It's meaningless to complain. It's like asking a casino to increase the payout of the slot machines because some of the hard core poker players are interested in the flashy new slot machines.
I'm really looking to provide the best look at the meta I possibly can so I'm always open to suggestions to make improvements, I won't necessary make all suggested changes, but if I feel there has been good ones I will make changes (you'll see another this week, which is more of how I present the info)
Very glad that you're going to split up the two archetypes. Thanks for the article!
Hmmm I was rereading my article and noticed that I made an error in the second decklist. I left off the three Urza's Baubles.
Null Profusion *IS* Modern-legal.
I didnt bother going to the avr prere because my local store (outer planes, in santa rosa ca) is the worst store I have ever played tourneys in and I am boycotting them until they close down. But a bunch of my friends did and they were all extremely dissapointed. The helvault stuff they got was all junk that they neither needed nor wanted and has no trade value. Everyone would have preferred a promo mythic instead, which also would have cost wotc a lot less.
tsp block has - goyf, damnation, vesuva, and a few other cards worth a few bucks. Obv its not a money block.
But tsp block is also one of the best blocks ever for drafting, right up there with ravnica.It is extremely skill intensive, with very few blowouts, most games lasting until turn8 or later. TSP block really allows you to outplay your opp, instead of just out-mythic ing them.
that second deck is nice, I forgot about Null Profusion... maybe it could become Modern-legal
Both of the stores I went to for the pre-release charged more due to the Helvault. One store charged $5 more than usual per person for their 24 person event. The other store gave you the option to be in the Helvault tournament or in the non-Helvault tournament. Their Helvault tournament cost $5 more than the non-Helvault tournament. In both of these situations you really can't claim that the prizes in the Helvault were "a bunch of extra free stuff" - people paid more money because of these prizes. At both stores people felt that they didn't receive value anywhere near the $5 extra that they paid for having the Helvault.
You came in 24th, and receive 1 bot credit (Alphabot) + 1 bot credit (ValueBot).
Players, you can check out your final placement here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhLez4zEwHkIdHFTdnlsY25LVmh...
(you'll have to scroll waaayyy down to the end of the sheet)
I was dead tired and couldn't stick around for the top 8. Do you know if I won any prizes?
Thanks,
NarrowGate
BTW - this event was awesome, huge thanks to you for hosting it!
I started off 3-0, then got beat down by goblins and then Osrics deck.
Finished 3-2, but had tons of fun nonetheless.
Personally it would be awesome with Madness cards. Basking Rootwalla, and others that have madness, i see it being strong draw for that kind of a deck.
Yes, I remember. I decided to eschew artifact mana though in this build, although bounce could have been good. It was especially good during Ravnica with the karoo lands - extra value from the theft.
It was the single best match of Classic I have ever played :D
condemns, some Proudmates, what i could come up with on short notice. Oh yes Balance as well. :) was fun 84 hp was what i made it too!
White Control with Soul Sisters, Days, Plows, etc. Not sure of the exact list.
Nice. I didn't see that announcement. What deck was he or she running?
I asked that players reaching the qualifications for a bounty of that type to PM me so I could come see and visually confirm; if I don't see it, it didn't happen. When I peeked in, that player was at 80+ life.
It was amazing to see so many people show up for this event. The love from sponsors and players alike was fantastic. A worthy celebration indeed.
Out of curiosity, how did you know which person to give the bounty of 75 or more life to?
Whatchootalkin'bout, greyes? "didn't pick up any prizes"?!?! Pshaw! By my calculations, you picked up 14 tix bot credit between the two events: 2 at Alphabot, 2 at ValueBot, and 10 at Cardhoarder.
I played in both events. Played all rounds. Got punished by an odd amount of maindeck hate multiple rounds. Lost 9 consecutive Mana Crypt flips. Screwed over on breakers in each event, and bumped out of the US top 8 because I couldn't draw in. (You should have heard everyone crying - "No IDs!") I didn't pick any prizes up afterwards, but despite all this, I really did have a blast playing/watching some quality players, and was happy to partake in an event that was for such a good cause.
Ham On Wry was friggin' awesome, and a good time was had by all! We had 47 players in the Euro Event, and 118 in the US Event. Since I made it a stipulation that you have to play all rounds to be eligible for prizes, everyone who finished walked away with something. EVERYONE! Woo hoo!
Sponsors have been contacted with their appropriate payout info; now I just have to track down a few more stragglers to hand out one bounty and a few Tickets.
I agree with Kara, i'm done with pre events. I feel like they take advantage of our anticipation. I played 4 dka pre-re and when I was done i felt used, used and dirty.
I didn't play in any of the pre-releases in my area, and it seems I wasn't too disappointed. Maybe if they go back to having a mythic promo card, I'll go again.