Core Set Changes, Divine Vs Demonic, Conflux, and Battlemage February 28, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Battlemage, Conflux, Core Set, Divine, Divine vs Demonic, Eleventh Edition, M10, Magic 2010
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You could say I’ve been recovering form a kick ass birthday party or you could say that I’ve been playing so much magic that I haven’t one moment to post. There has been a lot happening this week. I’ve got some cool projects happening at work that have me running around. There is one that I’m particularly excited about but I can’t talk about it for a few weeks yet. With that said it has been a pretty busy week in the world of magic.
Core Set Changes
First of we saw the announcement of core sets and “Eleventh Edition.” Now core sets will be called Magic: the Gathering 2010 core set, or Magic 2010 for short. This is perhaps the biggest bit of news this week. I was kind of surprised at first to read Aaron Forsythe’s Article about Magic 2010. Changing the core set structure seems really bold. Core sets have been a staple of the game and these changes are pretty significant. New cards in core sets? Really they are discontinuing the core set and replacing it with the Magic 20xx structure.
The greatest surprise to me is actually the addition of new cards in these releases. To me this fact is where this shouldn’t be considered a core set anymore. I’ve seen a lot of talk about how this is just a money making scheme to release magic core sets annually and pump new exotic cards into the system. I’ve also read comments that this is a good thing because the old system is broken. If you think about it that thought makes sense. How many packs of 10th edition have you opened where you already had a copy or four of every common card. People need the interesting rares and uncommons but on the whole why spend your money on cards that you don’t really need. What has people up in arms is the frequency of the rotation. I do think that there are too many releases and too many new cards in a year. Magic is an expensive hobby and in this economic crunch all the new cards might not be what people will be able to spend. As for the professional world there might be different thinking there. It seems more rotation is a good thing, especially for people looking to break into the pro tour.
I’ll spend more time with the new cards later, but of the returning cards I’m most excited about black knight.
Overall Wizards is looking to use M10 to bring new players into the game in a way that is both exciting an low risk. I’d avise that we as seasoned players work to helping them accomplish this goal. Not only will the core base of Magic players grow stronger but you’ll get points for teaching people the game. I love sharing the game with new people and hope Wizards provides some tools for vets to use to bring in the noobs.
First conflux draft
This week I participated in my first draft with Conflux. We drafted Shards, Shards, Conflux. I had a good time drafting Bant with double Rhox War Monk. It was ok but not as competitive as I would have liked. I was having fun playing some different cards and venturing into more of a control game. A style I don’t usually play or draft. I missed FNM this week otherwise I would have more to report on my experience with conflux draft.
Divine vs. Demonic
Next up we have the Divine vs. Demonic packaging preview. I think I saw a few places that had lists of other cards in these precons, spefically Luminous Angel. MTG Realm has a pretty good review of the news so I’ll let you read about it there.
Random Pack Limited
After we opened packs for our limited, limited league night some friends wanted to recreate the experience. So we dug up some old booster packs and basically had a night of deckbuilding with the following booster list:
- 2 x Dessention
- 1 x Coldsnap
- 2 x Shards of Alara
- 1 x 9th Edition
Which made for an interesting card pool. There were three of us who ended up making roughly 50 card decks and playing a chaos match. It was a lot of fun with fairly even balance to power. This odd format has been a lot of fun for my small “kitchen table” group so I suggest it for anyone looking to spice up an evening.
Magic Battlemage
Finally, yesterday I went to our local Exchange and saw a copy of Magic: the Gathering Battlemage for PS1. I snatched it up for $8 and played it for about 15 min last night all while wondering how the heck do you play this game. It is really bizarre and not intuitive at all. I’m going to look at the instruction book and maybe poke around online for some help.
Tap To Laugh Artist Interview February 20, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Artist Interview, FART, Lumengrid Warden, Obelisk of Esper, Protomatter Powder, Shoe Tree, tap to laugh
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Over the past few months Cory from Tap to Laugh and I have been in regular communication about the comic and other ideas. One of those ideas is an artist interview series he is dubbing FART (Friday Artist Interview – it is a name you won’t forget). I’m a big fan of this idea and kind of kicking myself for not thinking of it first.
Anyway, today is the inaugural week, with an interview with artist Francis Tsai. You can check out the full interview under Artist Spotlight. Francis is responsible for cards: Obelisk of Esper, Protomatter Powder, Lumengrid Warden , and Shoe Tree. Enjoy.
Affinity Say Wha? February 19, 2009
Posted by Norm in Constructed, Organized Play.Tags: affinity, Arcbound Ravager, Extended, grand prix, Magic: The Gathering
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I can has Arcbound Ravager?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not really an extended player. I enjoy the limits of standard and current meta game, which is more than enough magic for my schedule. But, I was looking over the Affinity deck list Mike Flores posted the other day and I thought to myself, I have most of those cards. When building my Megatog deck, I was looking over a bunch of commons from the Mirrodin block so I was familiar with most of the cards in that list. Sans two or three cards I came up with most of the list completely. I was impressed with my self for sure.
So why do I start this post out with I’m not an extended player. Because all of the Grand Prix events are extended right now. I’m not planning on going to any of them because of that. I’m a little tickled I can make one of the decks and now that I realized it isn’t too difficult to come up with some of the deck lists I may consider the format more in the future. I hope to sit down with some of the guys practicing extended at my shop though.
For everyone who is getting competitive during this extended season I’ve got a thought about what some of the review sites are doing. Now I could be wrong but keep this in mind. Sites that are sharing the virtues of X deck maybe trying to hype a specific deck type, I’m thinking this could be their way of influencing the meta game. Getting players stoked about a specific deck and then showing up with just the right amount of hate. That is just a hunch and all. I believe what effects the meta game more than anything are the top 8 deck lists. Anyway good luck to everyone playing extended this year.
Casual Magic Birthday February 17, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: 9th Edition, Birthday, Casual Magic
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Today Casual Magic is one year old!
While I’m not sure exactly what I should do to celebrate I thought I would start with sharing the first post. Since I bet very few of you were around for that one.
I may have mentioned this before, but in the first month of Casual Magic I had 50 views. Most of them were my friends who I had to tune in myself. They were great and really supportive. I really started to get more traffic with the dawn of Shadowmoor. That is when I realized how much hype surrounds a prerelease. A simple post about a new card can go a long way. So by the time Shards of Alara was released I had the formula down.
However it isn’t as simple as reposting spoiled cards. It takes time and dedication to writing a blog. Thanks to everyone who has commented and shared my site over the past year. I would still be at the 50 hits per month without you.
To celebrate I called some friends over this evening and we opened some 9th edition. I made a quick video of the whole thing. (It isn’t very polished so don’t be too critical).
Megatog – One Rare and a Prayer February 16, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual, One Rare and a Prayer.Tags: Magic: The Gathering, Megatog
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This week I was able to get my act together and build my Megatog deck. I was only able to test it once so far (at least I have the cards together), but it was a lot of fun to build. In retrospect I think that it would be better to add artifacts or spells that would get my Megatog in with some sort of evasion. I’m thinking maybe running fear or are there any artifacts that give fear?
Anyway check out the deck list and if you are planning on playing against me this week, maybe wait until after Tuesday to take a look.
The deck is on MTG Vault.com: Megatog.
Random Magic Videos February 15, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Magic: The Gathering, Videos, youtube
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I was just doing some general YouTube surfing and I came across all these MTG videos. Enjoy.
Ice Age
Lorwyn
Odyssey
This one is pretty funny.
MTG Vault Back in Action February 11, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Deck Lists, MTG Vault
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Just everyone knows MTG Vault is back online. I got an email from Gary this week letting me know the site is back. There is now an increased level of security and best of all you can recover your account.
Under the Weather and New Formats February 10, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual, One Rare and a Prayer.Tags: new casual formats
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Someone resolved an Exotic Disease when I wasn’t looking this weekend, because I’ve been under the weather the past few days. I’m still in recovery mode although from what I hear it will get worse before it gets better.
The shame is that tonight The Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s club, The Arcane Order, is meeting and playing a format I initiated. We’re calling it one rare and a prayer (biased on that deck building series I’ve been flakey with). Last week I passed out random creature rares and everyone has to build a deck around that card. Since I’ve been sick I didn’t build my deck. I know I suck for trying.
Anyway I hope that everyone else put their decks together I’m excited to see this format take off. I’m looking for a way to engage new or broke players who have older cards and can’t draft every week. The club has seen a decline in members over the past few months for one reason or another and I’m hoping some creative casual formats will go a long way. Here is a link to the rules we devised for One Rare and a Prayer, let me know what you think. Keep in mind four or so people came up with this in a short amount of time and we haven’t tested it yet.
Oh and my card is Megatog. Maybe I can get it together for next week.
New Marketing Campaign for Magic February 5, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: 6-Card Booster Pack, Conflux
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I just checked in with you tube and saw a series of videos posted by the Wizards account. It is a pretty cool commercial, in a somewhat grand theft auto style, about playing Magic. Except there was no english version or at least yet. Check it out.
So to investigate I went on over the the Magic Arcana and saw this new promotion for big box stores.
Thats right 6 Card Booster Pack that will cost $1.99. Here is the catch. You might not get a rare. Umm ok I understand the 6 card pack thing for 2 bucks but seriously no rare. Heck I’d rather open a two card pack with at least one rare (ok maybe two cards for 1.99 isn’t realistic but you get the idea). As far as I see this is just for Conflux.
So let me ask. Since they are reducing the number of cards in a set do you think they will be reducing the size of booster packs moving forward? Honestly I think the $1.99 price for 6 cards is lame. One card is going to be a land so you are really only getting 5 new cards. That is less than half of the cards you get in a 15 card booster pack at $3.99, almost one third of a full booster pack for half the cost of a regular pack, rip off. Especially when you might not even get a rare card.
Thoughts on Conflux February 3, 2009
Posted by ricsta in Casual.Tags: Conflux, Constructed, limited, Nyxathid, path to exile
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One of the beefs I had with Shards of Alara was that in limited formats there were few cards that could kill the fatties. Conflux, on the other hand, has multiple ways to deal with your opponent’s win conditions. Some of them are situational, white got some good removal and my favorite is Banefire as it can go to your opponent’s dome.
In limited the 1BB 7/7 guy, Nyxathid, is insane. I played against him twice at the prerelease and I had to stop playing spells and lands for two turns to kill him. I hope he’s even better in constructed as I like cheap 7/7 monsters.
Some people thing Path to Exile is better than Swords to Plowshares, others think it’s the second best removal spell comparable only to StP. I think in the Eternal formats StP will still be the go to removal spell and if you need a 5th-8th copy you’ll throw PtE in your sideboard. There are quite a few decks that run eight or less win conditions in Legacy, therefore having the option to run a total of eight Sword effects is very nice. No doubt in T2 PtE will be insane, especially with 5-color control sleeving up no basic lands! Then in extended white has a turn one answer to Heritage Druid! Woot!
When I heard about the land that comes into play tapped and you need to pay one mana or sac it, Rupture Spire, I was sure it was an uncommon or rare. When it was leaked in the spoilers as a common I was waiting for the prerelease to see if they got it wrong. When my friend opened up three copies of it in his pool I was shocked it was a common. It may not be a automatic 4-of in a 3+ color deck as you don’t want multiples in your starting hand, but my G*d is that one powerful common land.
How much will Dramatic Entrance go up now that Progenitus is around?
