Good At This – Magic: The Gathering April 26, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual, Learn to Play Magic: the Gathering.Tags: Magic: The Gathering, review
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Yesterday I received a comment linking to a youtube review of Magic. Thought I’d share as it is pretty funny.
Alara Reborn Prerelease Today April 25, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Alara Reborn, prerelease
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Have fun everyone playing in a prerelease today. I’m planning on heading to the event in Cannonsburg this afternoon.
Feel free to send me a message or say hi if you see me.
Alara Reborn – Additional Videos April 21, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Alara Reborn, cycling, Hybrid, Magic: The Gathering, Videos
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Hybrid and mana cost videos from yesterday’s primer post on the Wizard’s site. These videos are really basic so you can skip them if you are familiar with basic mechanics.
And here is the Cyclin mechanic explanation, again very basic.
Alara Reborn – Cascade April 20, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Alara Reborn, Cascade, magic, Magic: The Gathering
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Today we get a look at Wizards official how to videos regarding new mechanics for Alara Reborn. Check out the video on Cascade.
Alara Reborn – Glory of Warfare April 17, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Alara Reborn, Glory of Warfare, magic, Magic: The Gathering, Spoiler
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I was just checking my google reader and saw Glory of Warfare for the first time on Top8Magic.com. Wow. This is a must have for my Kithkin deck that I’m probably going to take to regionals. Glory of Warfare makes token decks rethink themselves for sure. Springjack Pasture anyone?
Actually I’m really glad I’ve been collecting Goblin Assault. Whew, Glory of Warfare just made my day!
Alara Reborn – Time Sieve April 15, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Alara Reborn, magic, Magic: The Gathering, Spoiler, Time Sieve
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I knew for Alara Reborn to be awesome it was going to have to pack a lot of cards and abilities that really up the anti for the block. So far I’ve been impressed with a number of cards. After viewing today’s spoiler card I am once again in awe of Esper.
I have a feeling Esper is going to be a force and while the ability cost isn’t cheap this card is really going to mix things up. Time Sieve probably has the best chance of any card in recent history of becoming broken. While taking an extra turn doesn’t mean you’ll win the game hands down it does help you set up a number of things while your opponent can only sit and wait. I can’t wait to see what good things are in store for this card.
Polling the Pittsburgh Magic Community April 14, 2009
Posted by Norm in Casual.Tags: Magic: The Gathering, Pittsburgh, Where to play
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This is a post for Magic Players in Pittsburgh.
I’m wondering if anyone else is feeling the lack of locations to play Magic in the greater Pittsburgh area. It seems crowds come and go at my local shop, CCG’s, in Bloomfield. Currently we are are going through a drought of reliable places to play on my side of the city. Phantom of the Attic used to be the place to go but it seems that their lack of comfortable game space and commitment to magic is a problem. With the history of players in this area and local of all the colleges I’m surprised there isn’t a definitive magic shop in the city. However there are new stores and places to play cropping up all over. From casual games or drafts to the best place to play constructed, there is a lack in information flow(in my opinion).
So to all gamers reading this I’m wondering if you would find a resource useful that is a collection of where to play magic in Pittsburgh? I’m talking about a pretty simple and straightforward website that can keep an up to date calendar and list of stores in the burgh. From FNM to DCI events this would break it all down.
I’ve wondering if people would use a site with this info. So leave a comment with your thoughts. Or if you are interested in working on a project like this let me know.
Alara Reborn Official Spoiler Week 1 April 14, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Alara Reborn, Dragon, Dragon Broodmother, Lavalanche, magic, Magic: The Gathering, Spoiler
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Welcome to official Alara Reborn spoiler week. My personal facorite card in the new set is hands down Dragon Broodmother. Revealed in Kelly Digg’s article today.
I cannot wait to build around this card! I’ve now got a use for those Goblin Assault and Crucible of Fire cards that have been collecting dust in my binder. I’m thinking that overall this is going to be an awesome card at the kitchen table. I doubt there are going to be a lot of comptitive builds around this guy. Maybe if the dragon tokens had haste.
Another card we get to see today is Lavalanche spoiled on Robot City.
A more inexperienced version of myself would probably have gone nuts over this card. I’m think that the three mana cost is a good one here, especially to keep this Chandra esk ablility from going nuts. There could be some cool applications with this in a deck that can ramp to huge amounts of mana and sweep your opponent and board in one fell swoop. I think this is a really good card and will be a great addition to limited formats. Time will tell regarding its constructed application.
Shards of Alara Block Constructed April 12, 2009
Posted by Norm in Block, Constructed.Tags: Exalted, magic, Magic: The Gathering, Mark of Asylum, Shards of Alara Block, Weenie
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Happy Easter folks. As I said before I’m back in my hometown this weekend visiting my parents and my old haunts. Last night I was able to meet up with Rick for a few games of constructed and Jace vs. Chandra. We went 2-2 with the duel decks, whoever played first seemed to have the advantage.
Well as I promised earlier I took a look at a few block constructed ideas. My first thoughts were to organize a plan around Master Transmuter or something Nayaish, but I got distracted by the idea of using Necrogenisis to swarm your opponent. If there is a good build with Necrogenisis I didn’t find it yesterday, too much of a plan b card. So after spending some time with deck building my best strategy is white weenie exalted. The main problem is that there are no one drops I want to play in this build. So version one of this deck has creatures that I think will work well together with some protection from noncombat damage in the form of Mark of Asylum. I don’t think that naturalize will be main deck or even in the board for a lot of decks in this format. Since it is so early and we don’t even have the full list of Alara Reborn I could be wrong.
On a side note I’m going to be very interested to see a format where counterspell has very few cards. Control is going to be hurting in this format, a lot. So we may see a shift from the fast past of the current standard to a slower longer game. Maybe games were turn one and two aren’t as important because they will be about setting up your mana. I know that sounds really bad but I’m kind of thinking out loud here.
So back to my deck. Here is the list, keep in mind this is v.1 untested.
Creatures
2x Battlegrace Angel
4x Aven Squire
4x Knight of the White Orchid
4x Sigiled Paladin
4x Akrasan SquireEnchantments
4x Mark of Asylum
4x Oblivion RingPlaneswalkers
3x Elspeth, Knight-ErrantSpells
4x Path to Exile
3x Martial CoupLand
24x Plains
So like I said I think I can get away with this list by running Mark of Asylum. Oblivion Ring and Path are the spot removel I’ll need to keep my attacking path clear. Otherwise I’ll just fly over with the Squire and Angel.
Alara Reborn – Sphinx of the Steel Wind April 11, 2009
Posted by Norm in Alara Reborn, Spoilers.Tags: Akroma, Alara Reborn, Sphinx of the Steel Wind, Spoiler
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Sphinx of the Steel Wind just in via twitter and a heads up from Jacob of Gathering Magic.
The artifact version of Akroma, Angel of Wrath, although we are trading trample and haste for lifelink. Finally a Mythic rare that we can really sink our teeth into. Sphinx of the Steel Wind costs two more than Sharuum and is equal to Sphinx Sovergn. Both of those cards have seen play and are sought after in limited. So by that comparison I would much rather have the Alara Reborn Sphinx over both of those two.
Since this is the equivilant of an artifact Akroma, the casting cost is a lot more difficult. Master transmuter is going to be a huge asset in getting this Sphinx in to play early. Can you imagine a turn 5 Shpinx that need some specific tech to remove. I’ll be surprised if we don’t see this combo at competitive tables as soon as Reborn is legal.
