A Magical Huffalump Resides Here: May 2007

A Magical Huffalump Resides Here

My name is Ed, I am a programmer. Just another dude with another blog. I like MTG, Open Source (more towards FREE software). I like sports, and eventually I hope to do business and do good for the world in general. This blog is gonna be about Magic The Gathering. Decklists and snippets will be posted here. It may lead somewhere or nowhere, as with all things arcane, that was bloody obvious =)

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Flash - Ban or No Ban ?

Well....



GP Colombus is over.



I bought my sleeves =)


So the world has turned.



Should Flash be banned?

Many have clamoured for blood.




But i dunno.




The Flash deck that won, played against the possibly the WORST prepared deck. I.e. The dude was'nt prepared.

To the goblin player, Flash is just another combo. His own words.


So it was hardly a fair game.


But that is all water under the bridge.

Pre FS - will always find it difficult to combo quick and early.

So if one were to say, given the current decks should Flash be banned?


My answer would be no.


One deck or another will always be dominant. Format warping. Whatever.



But post FS. Where 0/1st turn kills are about 12% (Someone did the math).

That is a little disconcerting.



The problem with 0th turn kill is this. My only defense is FOW. Nothing else. And the Flash dude has pact.

And with FS the Flash deck can do this more consistently and that is really where the trouble begins.


Though one must ask if 12% is bad enough for a banning???



I do not know.



But lets keep things in perspective.

To attain 0th kill. One must play gemstone caverns, a card that is royally bad beyond the zeroth or first turn. Flash haters would be quick to point out that by then it DOES"NT matter. I would agree 12% of the time.

Thing is this. To get a kill, a flash player must play out about 5-6 cards. If you can disrupt, GG.


Of course only blue or black has this ability. Then again Leyline of the void is actually free. So long as you begin the game with it.

If the flash deck goes the slow route, then really there is nothing left to worry about.

Should flash be banned? I actually believe that Legacy will still be as healthy as ever. Just that mabbe the side board will be devoted to neutering Flash. Is that bad? Well not too long ago the sideboards were geared towards solidarity or goblins. So someone will always be hated against where the SB is concerned.


The main reason I can see for the banning of Flash, is actually the zeroth turn itself, that makes games a little dicey. Literally. If the void is out, then bye bye flash. If not, and if the flash can pull off 0th kill, then bye bye opponent. Not too much fun. The combo is amazing the first time =) but beyond that....

but all combo decks suffer from this problem =P


I think Legacy will survive. But much I think depends on what the majority of the players think. That and whether WOTC cares enough about the players in Legacy. (Of course my assumption here is based on what I have heard on the Net, and on the Net it is always the vocal ones that stand out - the trouble is the vocal ones may not be representitive.) - For example, I am not totally set on Flash getting banned, though I can live with it =P But I find it hard to say anything on the forum and really do not care to get into circular arguments, hence my silence on this issue on the forums.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Why I like Ultra Pro Dragon CLEAR sleeves

I am so N00B.


sigh.


So I like clear sleeves. Yes I know I know thats N00B.


But I really hate these new Japanese sleeves. Nothing against Japan. Just the sleeves.

They are so soft. Ultra Pro ones are rigid. They may damage your cards if you are too rough when sleeving (but then again which sleeve would'nt??)

What I like about the Ultra Pro clear sleeves is that they are rigid and mano to mano, your cards are better protected.

Yes they are alot of times miscut.

But hey, for any given box they are miscut the same way.

Side I don't really play tourney that much so I am only worrid about protection.

But today I did the impossible and decided to buy some RED sleeves.


I want BRIGHT RED... or PASTEL RED.

Sighs... but there was only a shiny maroonish red.

I still bought them as the Ultra Pro sleeves don't seem to be coming in anytime soon.

I did try to book 10 boxes (yes I am stocking up).

In the meantime I shall only buy Japanese Red shiny Sleeves.

Or pastel red if I can find em' but they must be a reliable resource..... sighs

Sunday, May 06, 2007

9 Boxes

Well so we have it.

Nine boxes.


Pity though, i suspect FS is a little larger than the normal set or Ihave really bad luck as I think I went through like 4

boxes and only 1 pact of negation =(

When i went through 8 I had only 4. The last box has a pact of negation as well.


It was'nt that it was all bad though, as there were plenty of duals and sliver legion =) Fan favourite!


Below is a breakdown of what I got.


I will be posting as i type, and i might take awhile =P


meanwhile if there is anything you want and you are willing to like pay me something I CANNOT refuse. well make me an offer

=P But if you are looking for a bargain well... I'll tell you straight off that I either do trades or expect my cards to have

a good return =) So ... no you are not likely to find a bargain deal from me =P

That said its bragging time or mourning time depending on how you look at it =/




Box 1 + FAT pack


2 summoner's pact
quagnoth
baru
heartwood story teller
magus of the vineyard
muraganda petrpglyphs


intervention pact
barren glory
Imperial mask
Seth's tiger

Shimian spectre
Gibbering Descent
bridge from below
2 Nihilith
bitter ordeal
Tombstalker

shapeshifter's marrow
Linessa
Foil delay!
Venser
2 magus of the future
maelstorm Djinn


Shah
Molten disaster
Thunderblade charge
pact of the titan
2 Scourge of kher ridges
magus of the moon
Foil Homing sliver


whetwheel
cloud key
2 epochrasite
veilstone amulet
Akroma's memorial


Sliver legion
glittering wish


Grove of the burnwillows
Foil! Horizon canopy
graven cairns
river of tears


+++++++++++++++++++++

box 2

horizon canopy
nimbus maze
river of tears


scourge of kher rideges
Tarox
Magus of the moon
2 Steamflogger boss (1 FOIL)


Jhoira
glittering wish

Nihilith
slaughter pact
bridge from below
korlash
shimian spectre

coalition relic
epochrasite
cloud key
darksteel garrision


magus of the moat
daybreak coronet
oriss
angel of salvation
intervention pact
imperial mask
scouts warning

summoner's pact
baru
rites of flourishing
muraganda petroglyphs

spellweaver volute
pact of negation
take possesion
2 linessa (1 foil)
Venser
magus of the fture
shapeshifter's marrow
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

box 3

force of savagery
heartwood storyteller
muraganda
quagnoth
baru
magus of the vineyard

pyromancer's swath
molten disaster
pact of the titan
thunderblade charge
shah

2 magus of the moat (1 FOIL)
angel of salvation
seth's tiger
barren glory
imperial mask

grove of the burnwillows
River
graven

cloud key
veilstone amulet
sword of the meek (FOIL)
coalition relic


Jhoira
sliver legion

Gibbering
slaughter
Magus of the abyss
bitter ordeal
2 tombstalker
bridge


venser
take possession
linessa
Maelstorm
shapeshifter's marrow


++++++++++++++++++++++


Box 4

Imperial Mask
intervention Pact
Magus of the moat
Seth's T
Angel

Slaughter pact
Bridge
bitter
2 tombstalker
Magus of the Abyss

Grove
Graven
river

Cloud key
Epochrasite

Jhoira
Glittering Wish

molten
Magus of the moon
2 Shah (1 foil)
pyromancer's swath
Thunderblade charge
Scourge

Magus of the vineyard
Summoner's Pact
Rites
Sprout Swarm FOIL
Thornweald Archer FOIL
Force
Baru
Muraganda
Quagnoth

Maelstorm
Magus of the future
Venser
Shapeshifter's Marrow
linessa



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Box 5

venser
spellweaver volute
maelstorm
take poss
nix

oriss
2 angel
Seth's
daybreak
barren
magus of the moat

veilstone
coalition
darksteel

gibbering
slaughter
bitter
Foil tombstalker
foil street wraith
magus of the abyss
korlash

2 tarmogoyf
heartwood
force
Quagnoth
magus of the vineyard

storm entity foil
pact of the titan
steamflogger
molten
pyromancer's

Horizon
grove
graven


jhoira
sliver legion

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Box 6

sliver legion

grove
nimbus
graven


Darksteel
akroma
veilstone
coalition

molten
shah
pact of the titan
steamflogger
Tarox
pyromancer's

Spellweaver
maelstorm
pact of negation
take
nix

intervention
oriss
scout's
seth
magus of the moat
daybreak

2 nihilith
2 bitter ordeal 1 foil
gibbering
korlash
shimian

quag
heartwood
summoner
force
tarmo

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
box 7

whetwheel
darksteel
coalition
akroma
cloud
epo


linessa
PON
shape
MOtF
foil venser's diffusion
take

sliver legion
glittering
jhoira

steamflogger
2 Tarox 1 foil
thunder
pyro
foil bogarden lancer
MOtMoon

rites
quag
foil sprout swarm
baru
mura
summoner
force
korlash
nihilith
bridge
shimian
intervention
daybreak
imperial
MOTMoat
scout

river
Nimbus maze crimped
horizon
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

box 8

spellweaVer
linessa
shape
PON
venser
take

scout
oriss
daybreak
angel
barren

MOTMoon
steamflogger
POTT
Tarox
foil arc blade

heartwood
foil llanowar mentor
rites
baru
mura

MOTAbyss
korlash
shimian
slaughter
gibbering
bridge

whet
sliversmith foil
darksteel
akroma
coalition
foil cloud key
veilstone
cloud key

horzon
nimbus
river

sliver legion
jhoira

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

box 9


graven
horizon
grove

sliver
glittering

whet
veilstone
akroma
darksteel
epo

bitter
korlash
gibbering
shimian
nihilith

nix
venser foil
cloudseeder foil
PON
maelstorm
MOTFuture
spellweaver
oriss
imperial
barren
seth's
intervention
scout

thunderblade
molten
pyro
scourge
POTT
Shah

quag
foil thornweald archer
MOTV
heartwood
tarmo

Thursday, May 03, 2007

E.S.P. a.k.a. HULK Flash

Oki doki, this is a deck that has been running around in the legacy forum for a while now.


There are two version from the original poster (Complete_Jank from mtg sally)

19 Setup/Protection
4 Flash
4 Summoner's Pact
4 Pact of Negation
4 Brainstorm
3 Mystical Tutor

11 Ammo Creatures
4 Phyrexian Walker
4 Ornithopter
3 Shield Sphere

12 Key Creatures
4 Protean Hulk
2 Academy Rector
2 Carrion Feeder
3 Disciple of the Vault
1 Arcbound Ravager

2 Enchantments
2 Goblin Bombardment

17 Mana
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Lotus Petal
5 Island
4 Chrome Mox


15 Side Board
1 Accursed Centaur
3 Chain of Vapor
3 Show and Tell
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Lich
2 Children of Korlis
2 Tendrils of Agony

The second version is actually the one that I am trying out cos I am a sick sick combo man.

19 Mana
4 Gemstone Cavern
3 SSG
4 ESG
4 Islands
4 Lotus Petal

20 Support
4 Summoner's pact
4 Flash
4 Mystical Tutors
4 Pact of negation
4 Force of Will

21 Creatures
1 Clone
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Protean Hulk
4 Phryxian Marauders
4 Shifting Walls.
4 Street Wraith




But seriously, both decks kill on turn 0.


No. Seriously.




I have only tried the second, but feel free to test the first, the concept is similar.


Essentially the combo is

Flash + Protean Hulk

The key point is at as of the time of writing, Flash works as originally worded (yay I can use the real card as a reference weee!!!)


So having said that if you flash out a Protean Hulk, it will cost 2 less that it's CC, but if you do not pay it goes to the grave.

The key point is that the Hulk actually is in play. Since it is in play, it going to the grave will cause it's effect to trigger. When it triggers, you get to fetch all the 0/0 critters into play together with the diciples of the vault. (yeah the evil dudes who brought you Ravager).

The 0/0 critters come into play and the dudes die from state based effects.
(I wish they would reerrata Phyrexian Dreadnought so that it would still work with Pandemonium).


So how does a turn 0 kill go?


Step 1: have a flash + Hulk + gemstone cavern + one random card + SSG (Simian SG) or ESG (Elvish Spirit guide) in hand.
Step 2: When game begins you begin with gemstone card and remove one card.
Step 3: During your opponent's upkeep, you play flash with a spirit guide giving you the second mana. and flash out the hulk.

Now for a turn 0 kill you need 5 cards of a particular kind.

Post FS basically give you 8 Hulks via summoner's pact
or 8 of the spirit guides (effectively 12)

Mystical tutor gives you effectively, 12 Hulk and 8 flash 16 SG. Those are very pretty numbers.

Which are very much aided by the fact that summopner's pact is an instant and 0cc

Pre FS does not have this luxury.


A sample pre FS build is below



Mana (22)
4x Lotus Petal
4x Elvish Spirit Guide
2x Simian Spirit Guide
2x Polluted Delta
2x Flooded Strand
1x Tropical Island
1x Underground Sea
2x Island
4x Gemstone Caverns

Combo (8)
4x Protean Hulk
4x Flash

Manipulation (10)
4x Mystical Tutor
2x Worldly Tutor
4x Brainstorm Combo Creatures (10)
4x Disciple of the Vault
3x Phyrexian Marauder
3x Shifting Wall

Protection (10)
4x Force of Will
3x Daze
2x Misdirection
1x Chain of Vapor Sideboard (15)
2x Stifle (in place of 2 Shifting Wall in the mirror)
4x Leyline of the Void (in place of 3 Phyrexian Marauder and 1 Shifting Wall in the mirror)
4x Phyrexian Negator (in place of 4 Disciples in the mirror)
2x Chain of Vapor (for Leyline and Meddling Mage)
2x Echoing Truth (for Leyline, Meddling Mage and Chalice)
1x Merchant Scroll (for Meddling Mage and Chalice)

This can be found in page 11 of the link posted by Puzzle.


You have almost the same deck.


But Worldly tutor is a turn slower.
Cost a mana.
And only puts it on the top of your library.


Big Difference.


This really slows the deck ALOT.


Not in terms of whether it can do turn 0,1,2 kills.


But whether it can do so CONSISTENTLY.


With the Worldly tutor, you will average 0 turn kills alot less. But you will get a nice numbers of first second turn kills.

But being "slower", you also open yourself to disruption in the form of duress and counters.

So it is alot slower and less consistent than one might think.

And goldfishing for pre FS really counts for less because of this point.

Goldfishing results for post FS is truly scary as there is NO WAY an opponent can react except via FOW or Pact of Negation. And really if you use PON you have won already =) So the only counter to be afraid of is FOW.

Pre FS, the opponent has much much more options.

Also pre FS is alot less stable. Why?


Pact of Negation thats why.


FS not only gives this deck an accelerant in the form of Summoner's Pact (and the 0cc has alot more impact than people give it credit for).

It also give the deck PROTECTION.

So not only 0 turn consistency but also counter coverage!


Hence in my view, the pre FS version is still manageable, I would give the control and discard decks out there more credit =)


The post FS deck is another story.


I do not mind if they nerf it in legacy. But I do hope they keep it for Vintage. Heh I like to be able to beat power without power =) And I am not sure if that was'nt what this deck was meant to do. FS seems custom made for this deck to go CRAZY!

If it stays in legacy, I think it provides the format with alot of randomness. The thing about this deck is that, if it does not win in the first 2 turn (the post FS version) it just dies.

Hence it may not have any impact overall due to consistency. Is making players lose randomly good? I dunno, WOTC came up with mana screw. =) Hence there is a slight chance that they might let it live in legacy. I do not really mind if they do. We'll just adapt I guess.


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