There were no dragons in BG1, and two blacks in 2, one at the end of a shadow themed dungeon, the other near the end of the game. Both were unpronounceable. :D
I think your friend may be interested in Great Sable Stag after having had a bad experience with Counter Spells.
One thing that would make it more even when you play paper would be to use the duel decks to start with, that way you are both on the same power level.
Very nice drafts, I tend to be too committed to my deck idea to turn to rogue if things start to go grim, and tend to miss those opportunities.
At my current skill level I think I would have missed both decks.
Nice job.
AJ, I cannot remember whether it was BG2 or BG1, and I most certainly don't remember the name, but I do remember that it was an extra powerful black Dragon. Oh and we will meet this weekend again to play at his house. I will then show him the article. He knows that I write about Magic but doesn't have any idea about the details. This weekend he will learn that too.
About my approach: I played exactly the way he remembered me; I was a still noob when he quit and I played like a noob against him last weekend. I became a much more better player in time (obviously) but he had no idea about that. As a matter of fact, he doesn't know any other way of playing Magic. "Playing better" is a term that has no meaning for him at the moment.
And losing on purpose is always a good plan; I know that from my wife as well. The hardest thing is that you must pretend like you're trying to win. That's a hard thing to do, but I think I'm also good at role playing :).
About the black deck: Yeah, I do agree that it was a bit too much. I switched on time otherwise I could have ruined the whole day.
I believe my first ever fatty, way back in '96 was a fourth edition Leviathan - and boy did it grab my attention! I don't think I ever actually managed to cast it, however. Phyrexian Dreadnought started doing the rounds shortly I started after but it never held quite as much appeal for me.
I really enjoyed the article - as a player who has been away from M:TG for a long time (About a decade, now that I think about it) and one that is slowly finding their way back via MTGO. It is a bit of a shock, having never paid too much attention to the Magic economy, to find out that I flat-out cannot afford the Demonic Tutor and Sol Ring online that made my mono-black so wicked to play way back when. But seeing so many old cards I enjoyed playing with as well as the power of some of many of the new cards has encouraged me to dip my toe into the proverbial cardpool once more.
I have to say I am not pleased with your approach. Your friend did not understand you were playing him or he would probably have felt manipulated and used and perhaps shamed into quitting forever. You took a huge risk both for your friendship and your goal. Also I believe you risk even more exposing your deception.
I always find that new (or returning, in this case) players tend to get hooked by one specific card which has done something amazing for them. It does often tend to be a huge green creature!
I remember, when I first started playing, It was the foil Rhox on the starter set for me. If you just waited until you had 9 lands (and our games ALWAYS went on that long), he was like an unkillable, unblockable 5/5!
My girlfriend was never too interested in magic until one day she agreed to play 2HG as my partner, and cast harrow in our opponents declare attackers phase with a Rampant Baloth in play. It is now impossible to prize those baloths out of her hands.
For my brother it was Razor Golem, bizarrely. We all thought it was rubbish at the time, but in retrospect, a 3-mana 3/4 vigilance is a lot better than rhox! Unfortunately, he doesn't play much anymore, but he was very interested when I showed him Lux Cannon...
I thought this was an interesting read, a nice change of pace from the usual fare. It's great that you got him back into the game and now you guys can sling some cards while the wives go watch "Grey's Anatomy" or talk about fall fashions.
Green has definitely gotten some love during the last sets and even though cards like Vengevine, Lotus Cobra, Fauna Shaman, and Primeval Titan may not be advantageous for him to play with at this moment, there are a lot of good Timmy cards you could show him. Liege of the Tangle, Avenger of Zendikar, Khalni Hydra, Gaea's Revenge, and even the Eldrazi which play like green creatures would probably interest him.
a couple of comments/questions about the grading:
- for me the first 3 rows are measuring the same thing from different angle
- now you have 'draft performance' over there. what happens, when you'll play something else (sealed, constructed)?
- how do you grade the 'improvement of play'? is that just subjective feeling?
Yep. Only the Mtgo secondary market is csapable of completely invalidating an article overnight. Given the very recent price changes I would price the deck at around $25... BAH!
It is a given that EDH/Commander decks run a high number of nonbasics. Only Mono colored decks escape this problem and even then they run special lands often enough to have some worries. The complaint is that one shouldn't have to deal with Ruination/Armageddon. Your comment is typical of spiky tourney players and is not considerate of the nonspikey casual aspect of commander/edh. I am not saying you are wrong (in fact it is stupid to play a game on magic online and expect any kind of compassion or kindness as many players are adolescent, angry, asshats etc...Sure there are plenty of mature, nice, supportive players out there but that isn't the majority.) While I agree with the sentiment that one should be prepared for anything I do not see how it is necessarily something one should accept.
I've always liked decks like the first one in limited, it lets me splash anything annoyingly good getting passed around but still be consistent since most stuff is colorless but ya I agree the blue was fairly silly to splash.
Dunno why, neither of those are particularly evil unless you're following the leyline with Helm of Obedience. In which case, stick with formats where that kind of nastiness is expected :D
I agree that Ruination can be a virtual Armageddon for some decks, but that's the point! Like you said, players have to take into consideration what their decks are weak to. If you choose to run a high number of non-basics, or if your deck relies on non-basics for it to function properly, you should accept that you will get hosed by Ruination and the likes.
I mostly play Commander. I'm a latecomer to Magic and I can afford singles and love seeing the big plays but I learnt quickly that, "I win" isn't always the most amount fun.
Really I don't mind what you bring to the table as long as you don't mind me leaving when it's no longer fun. The black Myojin is probably one card I really dislike, though I live in hope that one day I'll get to hit one with Sudden Death.
Also, it's always a bad idea to run anything you don't want pointed at you. Seeing an opponent conceed to a Bribery is alway amusing, as is the combo deck so fragile that it falls over to a Jester's Cap. I won't run Time Stretch myself but the following stack (must find the screenie) made me giggle:
Time Stretch
Wild Richochet
Force of Will
Commandeer
I have fun winning games with less than ideal decks so Tooth and Nail fetches Kiki and Hellkite Overlord, rather than Emrakul and Madrush Cyclops. Still quite brutal but hardly game breaking. Having Eldrazi pop out from under a Spinerock Knoll is just a little bit too much.
Mostly I just want to see new stuff. Seeing Momir Vig find Teferi and Seedborn Muse again just makes me want to pluck my eyes out. As does Sharuum finding his Magister Sphinx. But if you can assemble your six card combo to crush the board more power to you, especially if you've used "bad" cards to do it.
you do realize that csual make up the vast majority of magic players right? and that r&d have admitted to making sure there are cards designed for both the competitive and casual playgroups right? oh nevermind I just saw that you have always been a blue player. i didnt realize the disabilities you have to put up with...
Thanks for the procs. I realy had fun trying to get that deck idea to work well.. if offen kills turn 5 sometimes turn 4 why i never added putrafax, the deck dose reall bad against black vamps though seem to be its bane.
You can grind your way to the $$$ cards with a good tier 2 deck and solid ability. It can take a good deal of time, but it is very doable. It's even easier if you don't go blowing your earnings on drafts. I wouldn't suggest someone drop $200+ on their first competitive deck, they might discover competitive magic isn't for them and have just wasted money.
There were no dragons in BG1, and two blacks in 2, one at the end of a shadow themed dungeon, the other near the end of the game. Both were unpronounceable. :D
Elves and Merfolk might be posible as well, not sure I would have to look when I'm in game next.
I think your friend may be interested in Great Sable Stag after having had a bad experience with Counter Spells.
One thing that would make it more even when you play paper would be to use the duel decks to start with, that way you are both on the same power level.
good listen. loved the fallen angel joke!
If it was me that you pulled that on we would never speak again. Not big on lies.
Very nice drafts, I tend to be too committed to my deck idea to turn to rogue if things start to go grim, and tend to miss those opportunities.
At my current skill level I think I would have missed both decks.
Nice job.
Hi guys and thanks for the comments.
AJ, I cannot remember whether it was BG2 or BG1, and I most certainly don't remember the name, but I do remember that it was an extra powerful black Dragon. Oh and we will meet this weekend again to play at his house. I will then show him the article. He knows that I write about Magic but doesn't have any idea about the details. This weekend he will learn that too.
About my approach: I played exactly the way he remembered me; I was a still noob when he quit and I played like a noob against him last weekend. I became a much more better player in time (obviously) but he had no idea about that. As a matter of fact, he doesn't know any other way of playing Magic. "Playing better" is a term that has no meaning for him at the moment.
And losing on purpose is always a good plan; I know that from my wife as well. The hardest thing is that you must pretend like you're trying to win. That's a hard thing to do, but I think I'm also good at role playing :).
About the black deck: Yeah, I do agree that it was a bit too much. I switched on time otherwise I could have ruined the whole day.
LE
I really enjoyed the read LE but seems when you played the black deck you hadn't learnt your lesson!
yes sure he said ok he hasn't played for 11 years but on the other hand you have and you should have known the outcome.
Then you change to a goblin deck and let him win... what is he learning? what are you both learning?
I believe my first ever fatty, way back in '96 was a fourth edition Leviathan - and boy did it grab my attention! I don't think I ever actually managed to cast it, however. Phyrexian Dreadnought started doing the rounds shortly I started after but it never held quite as much appeal for me.
I really enjoyed the article - as a player who has been away from M:TG for a long time (About a decade, now that I think about it) and one that is slowly finding their way back via MTGO. It is a bit of a shock, having never paid too much attention to the Magic economy, to find out that I flat-out cannot afford the Demonic Tutor and Sol Ring online that made my mono-black so wicked to play way back when. But seeing so many old cards I enjoyed playing with as well as the power of some of many of the new cards has encouraged me to dip my toe into the proverbial cardpool once more.
I have to say I am not pleased with your approach. Your friend did not understand you were playing him or he would probably have felt manipulated and used and perhaps shamed into quitting forever. You took a huge risk both for your friendship and your goal. Also I believe you risk even more exposing your deception.
I always find that new (or returning, in this case) players tend to get hooked by one specific card which has done something amazing for them. It does often tend to be a huge green creature!
I remember, when I first started playing, It was the foil Rhox on the starter set for me. If you just waited until you had 9 lands (and our games ALWAYS went on that long), he was like an unkillable, unblockable 5/5!
My girlfriend was never too interested in magic until one day she agreed to play 2HG as my partner, and cast harrow in our opponents declare attackers phase with a Rampant Baloth in play. It is now impossible to prize those baloths out of her hands.
For my brother it was Razor Golem, bizarrely. We all thought it was rubbish at the time, but in retrospect, a 3-mana 3/4 vigilance is a lot better than rhox! Unfortunately, he doesn't play much anymore, but he was very interested when I showed him Lux Cannon...
The BG2 fight was with Kangaxx the Demilich, at a guess. What are the chances of your friend reading this article?
I already showed him Liege of the Tangle. He wants four :).
LE
I thought this was an interesting read, a nice change of pace from the usual fare. It's great that you got him back into the game and now you guys can sling some cards while the wives go watch "Grey's Anatomy" or talk about fall fashions.
Green has definitely gotten some love during the last sets and even though cards like Vengevine, Lotus Cobra, Fauna Shaman, and Primeval Titan may not be advantageous for him to play with at this moment, there are a lot of good Timmy cards you could show him. Liege of the Tangle, Avenger of Zendikar, Khalni Hydra, Gaea's Revenge, and even the Eldrazi which play like green creatures would probably interest him.
i really enjoy reading your quest back2modo.
a couple of comments/questions about the grading:
- for me the first 3 rows are measuring the same thing from different angle
- now you have 'draft performance' over there. what happens, when you'll play something else (sealed, constructed)?
- how do you grade the 'improvement of play'? is that just subjective feeling?
regards & GL
t :)
Yep. Only the Mtgo secondary market is csapable of completely invalidating an article overnight. Given the very recent price changes I would price the deck at around $25... BAH!
1 month is more than 4 weeks.
this is not 100% accurate either, but a year is 52 weeks and 12 months
thus it's 15*52/12 = 65/month :)
It is a given that EDH/Commander decks run a high number of nonbasics. Only Mono colored decks escape this problem and even then they run special lands often enough to have some worries. The complaint is that one shouldn't have to deal with Ruination/Armageddon. Your comment is typical of spiky tourney players and is not considerate of the nonspikey casual aspect of commander/edh. I am not saying you are wrong (in fact it is stupid to play a game on magic online and expect any kind of compassion or kindness as many players are adolescent, angry, asshats etc...Sure there are plenty of mature, nice, supportive players out there but that isn't the majority.) While I agree with the sentiment that one should be prepared for anything I do not see how it is necessarily something one should accept.
I've always liked decks like the first one in limited, it lets me splash anything annoyingly good getting passed around but still be consistent since most stuff is colorless but ya I agree the blue was fairly silly to splash.
X-
Dunno why, neither of those are particularly evil unless you're following the leyline with Helm of Obedience. In which case, stick with formats where that kind of nastiness is expected :D
I agree that Ruination can be a virtual Armageddon for some decks, but that's the point! Like you said, players have to take into consideration what their decks are weak to. If you choose to run a high number of non-basics, or if your deck relies on non-basics for it to function properly, you should accept that you will get hosed by Ruination and the likes.
I mostly play Commander. I'm a latecomer to Magic and I can afford singles and love seeing the big plays but I learnt quickly that, "I win" isn't always the most amount fun.
Really I don't mind what you bring to the table as long as you don't mind me leaving when it's no longer fun. The black Myojin is probably one card I really dislike, though I live in hope that one day I'll get to hit one with Sudden Death.
Also, it's always a bad idea to run anything you don't want pointed at you. Seeing an opponent conceed to a Bribery is alway amusing, as is the combo deck so fragile that it falls over to a Jester's Cap. I won't run Time Stretch myself but the following stack (must find the screenie) made me giggle:
Time Stretch
Wild Richochet
Force of Will
Commandeer
I have fun winning games with less than ideal decks so Tooth and Nail fetches Kiki and Hellkite Overlord, rather than Emrakul and Madrush Cyclops. Still quite brutal but hardly game breaking. Having Eldrazi pop out from under a Spinerock Knoll is just a little bit too much.
Mostly I just want to see new stuff. Seeing Momir Vig find Teferi and Seedborn Muse again just makes me want to pluck my eyes out. As does Sharuum finding his Magister Sphinx. But if you can assemble your six card combo to crush the board more power to you, especially if you've used "bad" cards to do it.
you do realize that csual make up the vast majority of magic players right? and that r&d have admitted to making sure there are cards designed for both the competitive and casual playgroups right? oh nevermind I just saw that you have always been a blue player. i didnt realize the disabilities you have to put up with...
Thanks for the procs. I realy had fun trying to get that deck idea to work well.. if offen kills turn 5 sometimes turn 4 why i never added putrafax, the deck dose reall bad against black vamps though seem to be its bane.
You can grind your way to the $$$ cards with a good tier 2 deck and solid ability. It can take a good deal of time, but it is very doable. It's even easier if you don't go blowing your earnings on drafts. I wouldn't suggest someone drop $200+ on their first competitive deck, they might discover competitive magic isn't for them and have just wasted money.