Magic 2008 November - Rant on the current state of affairs - ( Pro tour Berlin !!)

Been a while since I last typed =)

Oh I am still on magic.

I think I am likely hooked for life.



Well....



I like to think that one day my kids will play the game with me ;)



Still I have'nt really been able to play, mostly just collecting and trying to make some small profits here and there.


But this is'nt about me rambling about me, this is a quick summary of my thoughts of the latest developments in the game as of now 3rd November 2008


This season is when extended rotates. Almost three sets are rotating out. (I think... I could be wrong of course =))

And extended cards are essentially from onslaught block onwards.This means a lot of things for many cards and decks.

Go on read pro tour berlin =)

All I can say is wow....


I guess I am a sucker for content: There I was just rumaging about the site waiting for the blogs to come online. And W00T I found the link to a live webcast.

It is definitely an eye opener and really watching a real match really lets you know what can or cannot be done in a tournament =P

I am a kind ham strapped Singaporean, in that if they did'nt say, you probably can't do. So in a tournament the more season players sometimes try to cowl you into making errors. And it doesn't help when the store owner or the judge is chummy with them.

And no I ain't no sick kitty (you really need to know chinese to appreciate that), but I tend to go lawful good or lawful neutral (I dunno, a DnD classification explains it most succinctly in this scenario)about things in general. So this webcast really lets me know acceptable behaviour and norms of play. Oh about the lawful part... yah once I know the rules I go chaotic evil. So try not to piss me ;) An really shame on you if you have been trying to ruffle feathers just to get an advantage.


The latest breakout deck? Elves!


Well who would have thought =) gogo Kamigawa! I always knew you were good for something!

Suddenly glimpse of nature is a chase card! Use to be that 1-5 USD would get you a playset. I distinctively remember that I bought a few extras, as i was speculative at that time and I saw something in Glimpse of nature ... but it did'nt materialise in terms of potential. Until now =) Talk about value investment huh.

Oh what made the magic work? Well from my myopic non tournament point of view, it looks like heritage druid and the all new nettle sentinel made the difference. Of course the elves from the older set are important pieces, and its not that they are less important or less crucial to the combo. But the trigger effect for nettle sentinels compled with the mana producing power of the heritage druid put into play the last pieces of the puzzle.

What is beautiful about this deck is that it is almost all common and uncommon. Glimpse of Nature and Chord of calling are rares to be sure, but both cards have been dollar bin rares or close. (Until today of course Glimpse of Nature is 30 USD per playset)

And its Elves!

Elves as a tribe have been casual(not meant as an insult) or weak for the longest time.

And now W00T, its won a pro tour.

I was a little sad of course, as I was rooting for the Tezzerator. He crunched through what.. 3 or 5 Elves match ups. But then crumbled. I think it was his confidence that did him in in the end. If you believe in the energy thingy, I believe his confidence just withered after the 3 or 4th round. While LSV was unfettered and that allowed him to take the game and energise his deck and draw ;)


What I think was key. Thought Seizes. now duress might be as good.... but probably not in this environment as duress is non creatures and thought seizes can hit anything non-land. I am glad I have my 4 already =P


Just watch the games, thought seizes heavily disrupted the games. Why? Duress was good.

But usually not that good. I have a little theory and I think it is likely due to the power level going down, resulting in a reduction in redundancy.

Oh Tezzerator was just so chumped by Viridian ShamanViridian Shaman.... STILL the games lost were where he had to mulligan to 4 or 5. His deck chicken out. Thats sad.

Still i think Tezzarator is gonna be the next big thing or one of the next big things. I believe Elves will survive and continue on to be a archtype to watch out for. Why?

Turn 2/3 kill and the fact that it can play anything. Anytime.

Is it easily disrupted? Yes. But it also solidifies real quick.

Oh the latest tech for Faeries? Riptide Laboratory. It was real nice to see it. The trick was'nt new of course, people have been using it on occasion to bounce their Dark Confidant etc. But to use the Champion effect oh so deviously, Mistbind Clique to tap out your opponent. That was neat.

Engineered Explosives? That one was already high.


Chrome Mox? W00t baby, those are going 40 USD and rising. Its refreshing to see them going uppity up, they have been languishing at the twenties or less for the longest time. I just wished I picked up some foil ones when they were low.

I liked the fact that Faeries made top 8. It is nice to see Lorwyn make its mark in extended (and firespout from Shadowmoor).

I do not really know what to make of Shards of Alara yet. But at this point this just came to mind. ... Dear Wizards, if you are reading this. Please for the love of God (and your own body), don't EVER do a 4 block set again. It is financially and mentally straining. I get totally spaced out thinking of what to do with the cards. I really love mill, and I am glad you pushed hard. But the other strategies just kind crammed it out.

Ah screw it, if thats what it take to push Milling and poison as a strategy then just do it ;)


Oh please bring back armageddon and counterspell.


I know you won't do it, at least not now. Not when you have spent literally years cultivating the current standard and to a certain extent extended. But once you(or the fanbase) is sick of strategies that only BEGIN on turn 3/4 . Please remember that we still love lightning bolt, winter orb, counterspell, armageddon, dark rituals.... hmm while we are at it just throw in the power nine =D Seriously...