GP Kuala Lumpur

Well I did'nt go =P


But my friends did and they got me some cards signed by Winona Nelson and Antony Palumbo

Thanks YH and Norman ;)

I don't really have much love for Winona's work... I think mostly cos I don't really know many of her works well =P but I thought the Voice of Resurgence was very nicely done. Both in the technique as well as the idea. The idea is really simple yet beautiful. Just take a walk on a sunny day, walk under the canopy of trees and Voila! Voice of Resurgence =) Its really just the mottled play of sunshine with the various umbras of the leaves. Gorgeous. As for Chandra. Well its Chandra. Seriously I like the Champion playmat art for M14 games day better than the one by Winona. Mostly because Winona's rendition looks too soft. But still its a pretty piece of art. And hey its Chandra. =D 

But one thing I totally missed was this: Bruna, Light of Alabaster. I totally missed that! I have a soft spot for Bruna, because I opened her in the Avacyn prerelease and built an angel deck from my pool. I only lost one match and in many games the angels came in the nick of time, Bruna featured lots. So I had a soft spot for her =) Oh well. I'll have to be happy with having the playmat I guess =) (Actually for a long time I thought Antony did Bruna. I am so confused.)

As for Antony. I totally forgot Firedrinker Satyr. Which was a bit of a shame since I thought one one of the best things about Theros is that it brings Satyrs into mainstream Magic. Something I wished they had done ages ago lol. 

Escapee from Digby!!!!

New Library research with a new mouse and 2 new skins!

Read more here!

Mogis in Love ... or Rage of the Minotaurs!!!

Cognitive dissonance.

Thats what happens when you think of how someone wild and woolly like Mogis can be in love.

What has that got to do with anything? Nothing. As always =)

Well that and I like the song Shakespeare in Love. Again that has nothing to do with anything, so dead end again huh.

hur hur

Hurloon!

Onward.

So I wanted to build a deck around Mogis, since I like the card Abyss alot! However Mogis is NOT Abyss. And its not just the spelling. 

Mogis gives you an ultimatum: sac a critter or take two to the face. 

Every turn. 

Only problem is the opponent gets to choose the lesser evil to implement. Meaning you will always get the sub optimal option. I believe the common term is punisher cards. Few do well, and the ones that see some action are often maligned in someway. But thats magic right?

So back to Mogis. Given this situation, I tried to build a deck that either causes damage fast enough that my opponent does not want to take damage or destroys creatures fast enough that my opponent has no choice but to take damage. I think I failed and there are several reasons why.

1) I probably suck at this.

2) Now that we have that out of the way. I always felt that god cards are singletons in a deck. A singleton does not a theme make. Now. So far that assessment has borned out to be true. The only exception being Thassa, and only because she is 3cc and is highly relevant (in a fast deck) and can scrye herself away. Few if not none of the other gods do that.

Mogis had the same problem. So I ended up with a minotaur deck instead. Hey they are his faves no? I'll probably try to give Mogis another shot later, I kinda got caught up with the minotaur theme and left mogis for dead. He just does'nt fit too well in multiples, but is nice to have as a singleton.

Oh and another observation on the way gods function. Yes, they seem to be only good as a one or two of. However, you can mix and match the gods. In this case, I mix Purphoros with Mogis. I haven't actively considered what other gods may be useful in this deck, but I just want to point out that synergistic gods make up for the fact that you can only have one god of a kind out at any point in time.

So i did'nt really fail in making a deck around Mogis, not really, I just made a deck that can use Mogis =P

So on to the deck.

i wanted some burn. So there are eight of em' burn.

Chandra, Pyromaster. Much maligned planswalker is here for card advantage. (As always you need to build a deck that Chandra can thrive in)

Purphoros to have another relevant god. He burns whenever critter comes in. Critter comes in often in this deck? Check.

Hammer of Purphoros is interesting. It gives haste, so it makes your critters hit faster. But too many will reduce the density of critters (as well as clog your hand, remember they hit on the board not in your hand --- I am so sorry for that one haha) And importantly, as with all aggro decks, late lands become a liability, but Hammer solves that in a pinch, and those golems are hasty to a fault!

Butcher just is. I'm trying him out. He was very mean in limited. Lets see if he is as badass in standard.

Boros Reckoner! Defender of ... your side i guess =P

Fanatic of Mogis, is nice burn. Too bad he can't hit creatures... but I think its too much then. face is good.

Ragemonger is quite nice actually. You like free Reckoners? I reckon you do.

Fellhide Spiritbinder? meh, he seems good, so I am trying out. Obviously (I think) not a four off, as his cc is high and he does'nt rip a new one like Fanatic can. However, he allows you to hit with a copy of say.... Rageblood Shaman?

Oh Rageblood shaman! Cows love beef not. Mabbe thats why the minotaurs are so mad.

Deathbellow. is so cheap! But attacking every turn might prove a huge liability. But I am trying to see if tactical usage of combat damage can assuage the drawback somewhat. Well that and generous usage of Jedi mind trick bluffs too!

20140209_mogis_in_love

Instant
4 x Lightning Strike
4 x Searing Blood

Planeswalker
2 x Chandra, Pyromaster

Enchantment
1 x Purphoros, God of the Forge
1 x Hammer of Purphoros
1 x Mogis, God of Slaughter

Land
10 x Mountain
4 x Blood Crypt
4 x Temple of Malice
4 x Swamp

Creature
4 x Kragma Butcher
4 x Boros Reckoner
3 x Fanatic of Mogis
4 x Ragemonger
2 x Felhide Spiritbinder
4 x Rageblood Shaman
4 x Deathbellow Raider

Have fun!

The Great Spill

Well. i am not sure what to put it as. So I will just all it the great spill =)


I will probably put the spill notification on the "Year of the Noble" post (I can only guarantee that I will update it when I am active =P), but I will put progress of the spill in particular here =) The "Year of the Noble" post is more to track the overall progression of the "Year of the Noble" ... which we are still not sure what it is about =P



[20140211 00:00]


Whoo Hoo! so Dukes are now in and this is my first snapshot of the place!

and whoa! its valentines!


And of course the MOST important piece of information:


The recipe to to craft Rancid Radioactive Blue Cheese is:

2 Radioactive Curd + 1 Radioactive Sludge + 1 Ionized Salt = 1 Rancid Radioactive Blue Cheese!

To get Radioactive Curd you need to SMASH! 1 Radioactive Blue Cheese


The points seem pretty nutty!

My first catch!


This is a most informative site!

I like this guide too!

[20140214 00:23]



So.


I myself was rather confused when should I use the rotten charms.


I think it goes like this:

use rotten charms for Lab Technicians and  SUPER! Rotten Charms for the Hazmat mice. AND, apparently you should use it at the later stages of the spill (when the lower ranked Hunters move in) this is to maximise your points and gold. From the Dave himself on the MH forums!

[20140217 21:03]



So wow.


Like totally wow.


Its now almost the end of of 2015 and I make a post on the Toxic Spill :)

This will remain the main Toxic Spill related post, but I will like my asides here has well!


Here is my current hunting in the TS

[20151105 01:10]




Annnnd..... I am still stuck on trying to get bigger and better Waste Barrels lol

I think the problem was always the canister rings :p


I am oh so slow......


At this point of the game, i am not so sure if its worth it to get the polluted base....

But I guess it is something I need to think about, sort my thoughts through and probably post about later this week :p


I guess i could think about it now ... but sleep deprivation does things to one's processing speed and power :p


For some reason I really dig this song right now :)  Oh and it was released in march this year.... I am oh so slow... lol



[20151105 01:33]

Foggy Kiora

This is a recent decklist I am messing with.

20140209_kiora_fog

Instant
4 x Sudden Storm
4 x Simic Charm
3 x Opportunity
3 x Ætherize
4 x Fog

Planeswalker
3 x Kiora, the Crashing Wave
3 x Jace, Architect of Thought

Sorcery
1 x Whelming Wave

Land
10 x Forest
4 x Temple of Mystery
6 x Island
4 x Breeding Pool

Enchantment
4 x Courser of Kruphix

Creature
4 x Sylvan Caryatid
3 x Prognostic Sphinx



The whelming wave is pretty iffy, the worsepart being that it returns all creatures including yours. It is bad enough that it is sorcery, but that it is subpar to things like Aetherize and sudden storm is just sad.

Still. 

Whelming wave is a free hit if you ever amass an army of Krakens. Well that and if WOTC decide to print good quality cheap Krakens, octopuses, Leviathan, or serpents.

The problem with that thought is often a timely fog or aetherize or sudden storm should leave the opposition board empty anyways.

Courser of Kruphix together with Prognostic Sphinx is pretty nasty, as the scry for 3 can present the free land more often than not.

Still this is all untested so it may be too slow for all I know =)

Still it does look somewhat viable.



[20140227 2259]


If you have tried this deck you would have noticed it has a serious flaw. It can fog for pretty long, but eventually it has no way to deal with the opponent's creatures. This is very risky. Hence I have tweaked the deck to this:

20140227_kiora_fog

Instant
4 x Polukranos, World Eater
4 x Simic Charm
3 x Opportunity
3 x Ætherize
4 x Fog

Planeswalker
3 x Kiora, the Crashing Wave
3 x Jace, Architect of Thought

Sorcery
1 x Whelming Wave

Land
10 x Forest
4 x Temple of Mystery
6 x Island
4 x Breeding Pool

Enchantment
4 x Courser of Kruphix

Creature
4 x Sylvan Caryatid
3 x Prognostic Sphinx

I have changed the Sudden Storms to Polukranos. The reason being that polukranos serves as both removal as well as threat. It also stabilises your board.

Sudden Storms are nice, but not that great against a swarm. For reference I goldfished the deck against a regular Blitz deck. Yes its a modern deck, but it is just representing aggro with a four turn clock, something I feel a deck should be able to have a 50% chance against if it is to be competitive.

[20140305 23:53]

20140209_kiora_fogv3

Legend

4 x Polukranos, World Eater

Planeswalker

3 x Jace, Architect of Thought

3 x Kiora, the Crashing Wave

Sorcery

1 x Whelming Wave

Creature

3 x Prognostic Sphinx

4 x Sylvan Caryatid

4 x Courser of Kruphix

Instant

3 x Opportunity

3 x Ætherize

4 x Fog

2 x Cyclonic Rift

2 x Simic Charm

Land

4 x Breeding Pool

10 x Forest

4 x Temple of Mystery

6 x Island

Sideboard

1 x Pithing Needle

1 x Ætherize

2 x Simic Charm

3 x Gainsay

1 x Jace, Architect of Thought

1 x Kiora, the Crashing Wave

1 x Dispel

4 x Nullify

1 x Opportunity

Actually the only change I made is the exchange of simic charms for cyclonic rifts. Cyclonic rifts were found accidentally, its very nice for finishing your opponents off in an alpha strike (since you are Mr Fogman himself, you no fear the counterstrike!!)

Lucky Golden Horsey

This being the year of the horse and the fact that it is my zodiac and all... well, that plus the fact that it is the year of the wooden horse. Or horse zodiac with the wood element. It makes the Akroan Horse all the more amusing to yours truly who is already bemused about his zodiac and the current year. (For the lost. Akroan Horse refers to the Trojan Horse, which was made out of wood)

To put it in a nutshell, its all about horsing around.

I think I am trying too hard with the punts here. Right.


Anyways.


It being Lunar New Year, I present to you!

The Lucky Golden Horsey!


20140201_lucky_golden_horse




Land
9 x Mountain
14 x Plains

Enchantment
3 x Heliod, God of the Sun
4 x Chained to the Rocks
1 x Spear of Heliod
4 x Pacifism

Instant
3 x Last Breath
3 x Brave the Elements

Creature
4 x Soldier of the Pantheon
4 x Akroan Horse
4 x Dryad Militant
4 x Favored Hoplite

Planeswalker
3 x Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Sideboard
1 x Brave the Elements
1 x Madcap Skills
4 x Hundred-Handed One
3 x Legion's Initiative
3 x Spear of Heliod
3 x Gift of Orzhova




------------------------


The main focus was to build a deck around Akroan Horse.


So I made a deck with lots of little soldiers.

Tokens to pile on.

And Heliod and Elspeth add to the numbers!

Heliod's viligance granting is also good.


Elspeth and pacifism takes care of the big boys in the skies.

The deck's plan is pretty simple really.

Hit early and fast if possible (but not very hard).

Then just hope you amass enough of an army for alpha strikes with Heliod and Brave the elements online (preferably).


Oh the tokens by Akroan Horse are white soldier tokens.

(Too bad they are not human =P, can't ask for too much I guess).


On a funny note, Bitter Blossom has been unbanned!


I bring this up becos, Akroan Horse is like a bad Bitter Blossom.... I just wished they pushed Akroan Horse harder. Right now, it is iffy if it is even standard playable (I actually think it is). But Modern wise it has a snowball chance in a Rakdos hell of surviving. Besides, its made of wood no?


Anyways... Have fun and have a good year!!

[Edit]

It just occured to me that I should explain the silliness of the name of the deck. For CNY dishes (or chinese dishes in particular, especially in restaurants), names often are exaggerated to have a auspicious name, usually golden something or lucky something and so on =)

[20140206 00:33]

Calamity Carl's Cruise

So for Chinese Lunar New Year, it will be back to Calamity Carl's Cruise.


How it works:


1) If you have Firecracker charms, use those if not
2) Just hunt with cheese (something you are comfortable with will do), using a setup with more attraction will help if you are not using super brie!
3) When you hunt with Firecracker charms you will get Nitropop potions, use these to convert firecracker charms to nitropop charms.
4) Hunting with Nitropop charms allows you to catch mice which drop Horsepower charms

Now why bother to switch charms. You notice there is a progression in the cost of the charms. the costliest charms allow you to travel further on the cruise. Horse power charms allow you to travel 25km per catch. Nitropop charms allows  9 km per catch and firecracker charms allow 3 km travelling distance per catch.

Note that it is by per catch.

You will need to travel 1350 km to complete the cruise. On completion of at least one time, you will get access to the trapsmith and you can buy the horse jade base.


The horse jade base has 25 more power than the snake jade base but has a stale cheese effect.

Also past "in-year" charms will also travel 25 km (e.g. last years snake bite charm should trave 25 I think)


That is the gist of this CNY/valentines event =)

oh on a side note you can catch olympic mice using runny cheese!

[20140203 01:38]