MTG Salvation Article Archives: Category: General MagicHere lies the final part of my Complete Introduction to Deckbuilding series! Welcome back! Here's the second part of my Complete Introduction to Deckbuilding series, which dives into the practical details of putting a deck together and ensuring it runs smoothly. Hello! This is the first part of my introduction to deck building in Magic: the Gathering. 1 Introduction This article is a continuation of the last one, the focus here is on elements of tournament and game design that affect prices. 1 Introduction Card prices are common and hotly debated topic in the Magic community, but until now there has been very little comprehensive analysis about which factors drive individual card prices. I'm not a big fan of the double-faced cards. I had the luxury of interviewing some of the cast for the soon to be released film TAP: Max's Game. Couldn't find a proper abstract due to lack of punctuation. You're halfway through the manuscript when you set it down with a heavy thump. Months ago, in the GDS2 essay section, applicants were asked to consider an aspect of Magic that could be removed. Hey. Hey. We've been doing this for a while, right? Mother nature said 'slow down', so naturally I kicked her in the face with my Energy legs! Happy New Year! Hello, my name is Meyou and I like to punch children in the face. Finding a balance between our two greats loves can be difficult. Scars has been out for a bit now, and we've had a chance to play with these cards we've been reading rumors about for weeks before release. Thus far, we've talked about the philosophy of EDH, the timing of a game, the importance of politics, and some pop culture. Shalom, my readers! Today's article is all about stratagem and positioning yourself to make the best attacks, be they creature-based or spell-based. Heck, its about time... I'd like to apologise for my incredibly unprofessional lapse in writingness. As Magic players, I think we forget how great Wizards of the Coast is as a gaming company. Magic 101: How Creatures Die Creatures die in Magic. I hate wasting time. When I have to be, I can be amazingly patient. Magic jest grą z stereotyp. Przy ogólnej populacji o nas myśli, ale raczej pomyśleć o nadwadze, społecznie nieudolnych osób bez innych hobby, ale Magic i wątpliwych osobowych hygine. Last weekend, I was rehashing some of my old decks. Written by Daniel Solé & Daniel Mencía Translated by David de la Iglesia Originally published in Spanish @ Moxes. Recipes are for wusses. When I cook, I saddle up my trusty Hundroog and set out into the wilderness in search of rare spices, exotic vegetables, the finest meats and strange earthenware jars of condiment so arcane that they might not even be edible. Burn is one of the most straightforward deck types in the history of Magic, though its apparent simplicity is deceptive. "You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plate I awoke the other morning with ice on the windshield. It is my belief that there are a number of cards in Magic that serve as a litmus test of sorts to measure a player's understanding of Magic's various concepts. Life is just one damned thing after another. "You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. “I think the next century will be the century of complexity. Parasitology can be a very interesting field of study for people with a strong constitution. It is not all that often that we, as a Magic-playing collective, embrace a single and universal concept. Over the many years, I have relocated constantly from one town to another. Over the years, I have developed a growing interest how we, as human beings, have an uncanny desire to enhance our possessions. Good Game: Beware of the Dark Side by Andrew Hanson As cool as he seems, you don't want to be that guy. With only two weeks before Magic 2010 is released, I think everyone is at least a little excited about what cards could make their way into the new breed of core set. GAMES ESOTERICA by Stefan Lindberg Keep an eye out for hidden ancients! A few years ago, a friend of mine started having monthly Halo parties at his house. On May 07 in the year 2007, Mark Rosewater introduced us to Melvin and Vorthos. [It's been a while since we've had a good firestarter article. Learning from Lennie Small If you haven’t read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie Small is amazingly big and strong man, incredibly strong. Great Card Shops Over the last ten years, I have moved and traveled a lot. We've all seen the big news about M10 – Urza's sake, that sounds more like a vitamin than a set – and for once, the reaction to a major change has been largely positive. Robert Pirsig's classic exploration of the richness to be found in blending both "classical" and "romantic" is an exemplary philosophy to consider: taking both gestalt and rational applications in a hybrid approach to life. On the forums about a month back I started a thread asking how people figured out what lands to use in a deck. Well, 2009 is upon us, and I have but one thing to say: Where is my flying car? What does basketball have to do with [b]Magic: the Gathering[/b]? "That’s not fair!" It's a phrase we've all, at one point or another, either heard in response to something we did or was our response to something that happened to us.
Do you ever sit back and wonder exactly how you lost that last game of the PTQ? It's December, and you all know what that means. Math! Months ago, I put forward the identity of a fourth distinct player type from Timmy, Johnny, and Spike. Parts of my last articles led to rather heated replies in the forums attempting to remind us that this is, in fact, a game. It's a normal day in [b]Magic[/b] dueling. Playing to win would seem to be an easy part of gameplay. Targeting is one of those things in [b]Magic[/b] that seems pretty simple in premise, but can have a rather complicated application. You’ve heard of losing the game before you even sat down to play, but you assumed that applied to having a defeatist attitude, not facing a 3/2 creature while you’re at 11 life without having taken a single turn yet. This may surprise some of you, but I like to win. Wizards of the Coast sure does hate [b]Magic: the Gathering[/b]. Hall of Fame voting has begun, and this year there are a few wrinkles added to the mix. U.S. nationals weekend is coming upon us, and the web is teeming with articles of strategy and advice on how you can claim victory and a free trip to the City of the King, Memphis, for Worlds. I have had a bad habit since I started playing Magic back in the year 2000: I constantly go through start and stop phases. Shadowmoor is upon us. The sun has set for the first time in centuries, and dark tidings have fallen upon the formerly bright and sunny world of Lorwyn. For those that don't remember, last block I made a hypothesis about how R&D goes about doing their interblock design. Arabian Nights was a big hit, and Magic rode its initial wave of popularity into 1994. Triggered abilities are fairly simple in principle. From Kithkin to Dragons, Dragons to Changelings, Chuck Lukacs has drawn them all. Priority and the stack are two of the most important aspects of the rules of Magic. "BUTZ I HAVE 40% LANDZ!" they exclaim adamantly. Win, lose, or draw; the competitive aspect of Magic is something everybody should try out. Back when Future Sight was released, I wrote an article that made some predictions on the direction of Magic design, based on the choices found within Future Sight. The new year is upon us. Setting: Outpost Ghent, game store. Although the complexities of designing cards constantly evolve, the basics remain the same. A true MTGS Classic - back in January, we sent Mark Rosewater a pile of questions, and he answered them in February. JayC takes a step back from the technical to discuss how a player's attitude can color the Magic experience, and offers seven suggestions for improving sportsmanship. This article, besides making obscure references to old Rob Zombie songs, handles a topic often mentioned but rarely dealt with: Power Creep! *cue scary music* Lorwyn is a mechanically designed set. Throughout the years, online trading of physical Magic: the Gathering cards has been rising rapidly. Well, the Prerelease is over, and Lorwyn is officially here. [This month, MTGS' Fantasy Card Contest filled up in a record 28 hours. Planning to go to a Lorwyn Prerelease tomorrow or Sunday? Then Frank has some tips in here that you may want to read before you register your sealed cardpool. What is interesting, however, is the precedents the early cards set—and how R&D continues to be influenced by them. What can you do to get an edge on the competition at a sealed event like the Lorwyn prerelease? Sneaky bluffing is one way! Here's a classic on bluffing for advice on sneaking a win out of an untenable situation. Come Sail Away -- The new Series feature on MTGS allows you to easily find MTGS's entire series about the Weatherlight storyline! With Lorwyn kicking the powerful Ravnica block out of Standard, get ready to reevaluate card value. So, I decided that, since it is the summer, I should have my vacation at Advantage Island. For most players with little tournament experience, it's very easy to underestimate the importance of the mulligan. If you’ve played competitive Magic, you've probably been cheated at some point. Imagine if Magic had no creatures. We all know these players. A time of change is coming to Standard, as 9th Edition prepares to yield to the black-bordered 10th on this very day. (Due to the timeliness of this article, MTGCast has agreed to slip back a day. This time I’m going to talk about some more basic theory. The "Conditionality" of a card is a measure of how many conditions need to happen/be in place for the card to worth playing. Okay, so you've created several dozen cards and you've posted them on the Custom Sets & Cards forums. Errata has been a hot button issue of late with the recent new (or old) errata that has been given to Flash. If you've just started playing Magic, or if you're still relatively new to the game, then before you stretches a giant expanse of infinite opportunity. In his first article for MTG Salvation, Eliminator talks about when a player-created card isn't balanced just because it's rare, when cards do too much, and when being underpowered isn't always bad. I believe that one of the best things about the game of Magic is the fact that everyone who has been playing Magic for a while has a story they enjoy telling the people they meet. With the release of Future Sight, Wizards of the Coast has promised something they've never done before: a preview of R&D's plans for upcoming blocks long before they're released, or even decided on. Another Set, another time to look at where Wizards is taking this beloved game of theirs -- and ours. What's a bounce spell? Why is Meddling Mage called Pikula? In this January 2006 Article of the Month nominee, Francisco offers an overview of an oft-mentioned and often misunderstood concept: tempo. You begin to feel slight perspiration on your hands, some flush tingling in your cheeks, less of you is focused on the board and more is wondering what everyones talking about, why your deoderant is failing you and if you've just made a huge play mistake. If you make your own decks on anything resembling a regular basis, many of them are probably going to just plain suck. In this article originally published April 18, 2006, fadeblue encourages a bit of cross-training by learning lessons from another famous card game. The purpose of a Magic have/want list is the same as a trade binder in real life: to enable you to trade with other people. A while ago we sent off a list of questions to Mark Rosewater. Feuerdrache outlines the four fundamental elements of winning Magic and offers a tournament report illustrating the importance of maintaining focus in a difficult situation. In this article originally published April 12, 2006, Tom takes a look at cards that aren't quite broken and aren't quite junk, but are designed "just right. It’s that time again! Time to flood the Rumor Mill, time to jump up and down for joy, or sulk on the table, hitting it, and blaming Wizards for what they have done. In this article originally published Feb. Do you attack with the Bear?
Such a simple situation. After the match you go over to your friends and complain about how broken Wrath is in limited and that they should’ve never printed a card that powerful. JayC takes a step back from the technical to discuss how a player's attitude can color the Magic experience, and offers seven suggestions for improving sportsmanship. fadeblue turns the metagame from a vague concept into hard numbers with some math for calculating the relative strength of a deck. Driven yourself crazy trying to work out the answers to this fun little quiz? In this article originally published on Oct. As it's nearly Christmas, here's a little something different from Tony Boydell. The single most common reason people lose games in Magic is because of mana issues, be it mana flood, mana screw, or color screw. As you finish up your Magic-related Christmas shopping, VestDan provides some advice on applying a few criteria to determine how much a card is really worth. You know the names, you've heard the stories, and you've seen the legends in action. Trading has been, and always will be one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of Magic: the Gathering. We can learn a lot from Sir Lancelot du Lac. [This classic MTGS article has been updated with new terms. On to what I'm going to talk about today: some things that I think that every Magic player should know, some tips and tricks of Magic. The color Green has always been a fan favorite of new players, casual players and some who just take to its style of large creatures entwined with nature’s lore. You know how everybody has a different world view? Well, my world view is considerably different. Magic is a game that's based entirely on predictable concepts. For those new to this, I'm not just looking at art quality. It's finally here! Time Spiral has finally arrived and it looks like it has lived up to the hype. The end of the Weatherlight Saga, so what do Wizards do? Put Continuity, Story Flow, Basic Logic, Reason and Common Sense on indefinite sick leave. The Phyrexian invasion continues, some legendary dragons reawaken, and the Weatherlight just might crash. For three thousand years, Urza Planeswalker has prepared for this day. A fairly good primer on how to determine/build a manabase. Over the years, there have been several different definitions of card advantage. We can learn a lot from Sir Lancelot du Lac. This article first appeared in the spring of 05. Welcome to the Coldsnap Art Review, with a TWIST!
Of lemon and ice. Greetings, friend. Originally published in November 2005, this article was extremely popular for its philosophical viewpoint and talking cat, easily winning Article of the Month. What happens when a guild has to be two colours, when it has two philosophies, two meanings of life, two goals? It has to find a way to unite them all in one, clear idea, and this becomes the guild's identity. For most players with little tournament experience, it's very easy to underestimate the importance of the mulligan. If you’ve played competitive Magic, you’ve probably been cheated at some point. Magic is a game that's based entirely on predictable concepts. The coolest things about Coldsnap are the Precons. Keywords have existed from the beginning of Magic: the Gathering. One of the most exciting mechanics and also only the second major block mechanic to be reused in a later set is the Split cards. What was Marlon Brando rebelling against? It was never entirely clear. The single most common reason people lose games in Magic is because of mana issues, be it mana flood, mana screw, or color screw. This article is all about the art of Dissension. ome of you might remember my attempt to put a value to each rare in Guildpact before the set had hit general release. Hey, it's May and Dissension rolled around, finishing off the Ravnica Block as the last of the three sets, featuring three new guilds and a whole lot of new shenanigans of Magic's Research and Development team. It seems that nothing in Magic sparks more water cooler discussion than lists. While Buehler's right that they're different games, he was also speaking from the perspective of answering whether poker was a threat to Magic. Pitch black outside. Over the years, thousands and thousands of cards have rolled off the presses. Our local elementary school started a weekly "electives" program whereby parents and other volunteers could sign up to teach "anything" for the last 50 minutes of each Tuesday for six weeks. Well, folks, it seems a little controversy has spread over a recently spoiled card, and I'm here to chip in my two cents. Magic premiered at GenCon in 1993, and was a smashing success. For more than a year this debate has gone on: How bad is Kamigawa? For some reason, the approach Wizards took on the Kamigawa block didn't really appeal to the players. If you want to scare people, it helps to know what they're afraid of. Ravnica block is completely different from the other blocks in terms of the styles of the decks. It was 1993, and the mathematics professor and game designer hit upon one of those rare, genuinely new ideas -- why not make a card game where the cards used are different each time? After learning the basics of card advantage and card impact, Timmy and Jimmy have set out to improve their ability to evaluate cards and their decisions during a game. Being successful in Magic requires more than just being good at the game itself. I hope all you guys remember this little gem from Darksteel. There has been plenty of complaining in the last month or so about how underpowered Guildpact is. It is a widely known matter that the trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh! originated in Ancient Egypt. Timmy and Jimmy have come a long way from their humble beginnings. There are many good reasons to want to play the new Magic Online that just hit the 'net. For most players with little tournament experience, it's very easy to underestimate the importance of the mulligan. Hello everybody! I would like to talk about a topic that is very important to most Magic players: trading. Many people cite Blue as the most powerful colour. Yes, exactly what the title said. Basically, a Rogue deck is a deck that is outside of expectations -- in other words, a deck that is outside of the established metagame. Even without all the lawsuit talk going on now, there are a lot of voices in the forums and on some other sites that seem to be very upset with the set. The Super Bowl is the single largest sporting event in the United States and one of the biggest in all the world. As I sit down to write this, I’m feeling great. You know the names, you've heard the stories, and you've seen the legends in action. Magic used to be wonderful. At the beginning of this "Magic Theory From The Ground Up" series, our heroes Timmy and Jimmy started with the simplest form of Magic possible, and we analyzed it to build some basic game concepts. Building a good deck is as important as being able to play the deck. Last time on "Magic Theory From The Ground Up," we made the first foray into tempo. In my opinion, Ravnica has been one of the most innovative sets in the past couple years. I'm not talking about the good vs. Magic Online is a very important tool available to competitive players today. Fact or Fiction is one of the most skill testing cards in all of Magic. Then my friend Anthony told me about this card game he’d been playing. I sometimes wish Magic had been around when I was a kid. As a Magic player, I have a feeling we all have requested Magic cards from friends and family one time or another. The single most common reason people lose games in Magic is because of mana issues. I remember very well the first time I quit Magic. We can learn a lot from Sir Lancelot du Lac.
Don't have a clue what this is? Then read this. The Weatherlight Saga finally returns to the Weatherlight crew, with the highest stakes imaginable.
Don't have a clue what this is? Then read this.
Don't have a clue what this is? Then read this.
Don't have a clue what this is? Then read this.
Don't have a clue what this is? Then read this. Editor's Note: Hope you've been able to wait this long . Editor's note: don't take this article to mean that the MTGS staff appreciates or condones pranking the Rumor Mill, so please don't do it. Editor's Note: Just to keep things clear, the BOTS that is about to happen is number 7/VII.
Let's duke it out!WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE SETS (BOTS) VII!!!
This is the official BOTS tournament center.
by Tom Fowler
Sherman, set the Wayback Machine for 1993. What happens when a guild has to be two colours, when it has two philosophies, two meanings of life, two goals? It has to find a way to unite them all in one, clear idea, and this becomes the guild's identity.
I love combo decks. Hey what's up? This is Goblinboy and I am currently writing an article called Deck in 60 Seconds. Can't make it to big tournaments like Nationals or a Pro Tour?
by Dr.
Magic Theory is a topic I have long loved to discuss.
The release of Eighth Edition in 2003 marked the 10th anniversary of Magic.
So, one day I was playing sealed on MTGO and my talking cat was berating me for one reason or another and. The Weatherlight Saga pauses on a cliffhanger, flashing back to recount the story of the man who set it in motion -- Urza Planeswalker. I got home late on Wednesday night. A scientific rant about some of the more overplayed cards such as AEther Vial, Sensei's Divining Top, and Hypnotic Scepter. VestDan further explores Mental Magic, explaining some rules quandries and amusing exploits. Wondering why your Pyroclasm and Earthquake-laden Squirrel token deck doesn't seem to work? Andrew Brennan discusses the meaning and creation of synergy in a deck and shows how to make your own decks work better. The first full block of the Weatherlight Saga, the Rath Cycle, is still popular with players and story enthusiasts alike.
Designing custom cards is a fun and interactive way to put your hands on Magic. Whats a bounce spell? Why is Meddling Mage called Pikula? Come Sail Away -- In 1997, Wizards of the Coast took Magic storylines to a whole new level with what would become -- and will remain -- the most epic Magic backstory of them all.
By Tom Fowler
In a June 6th feature article on magicthegathering. VestDan explains the basics of a classic casual format, Mental Magic. A crash course for beginners in understanding the language and culture behind the world of Kamigawa. An article aimed towards beginners explaining how to compare cards and their potential power, and when and when not to use them.
It is a widely known matter that the trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh! originated in Ancient Egypt.
A while back all of you, the general Salvation public that is, said you were tired of bad deck names.
Intro
So it has come to this.
by Onikani
So with 9th Edition about to hit the shelves, a lot of people are simply wondering if it's even worth it. You know how everybody has a different world view? Well, my world view is considerably different.
By Lennie Brookes (aka Qwerty)
Well today for the first time ever on MTGsalvation, I am going to write a strategy article that’s not about strategy.
Enter: Sandman
In the year 2000, the game was struggling in one of its hardest times. A very detailed tournament report of one of the most important tournaments of the year: Regionals. Of course, this isn't your run-of-the-mill Regionals article. Johnnies unite! Combos are some of the funnest ways to win in Magic, but a poorly made combo deck won't work. Tournaments are one of the most enjoyable activities a Magic player can partake in. A fairly good primer on how to determine/build a manabase. Welcome to the fifth and final MTGS set review for Saviors of Kamigawa.
Hello and welcome to my set review of Saviors White! First of all, I hope you all had a great prerelease weekend! I can still feel the buzz from mine.
Saviors of Kamigawa has been a much-anticipated set, a major reason for this being that the first two sets of the block, Champions and Betrayers respectively, did not have the punch that characterized Mirrodin Block.
Aah, drafting Magic, there's nothing quite like it.
Introduction
Maybe you have experienced this before: You see a new card and think "That card is awesome, it will see lots of play" and even tell this to your friends. This is the MTGSalvation review of the red cards in the last set in the Kamigawa block, which mainly means that we can finally look forward to seeing good cards the next time Wizards releases a set.
Introduction
With the release of 9th Edition on the horizon, the discussions of what it will look like and what cards could be in it grows more interesting each day.
Green is undeniably the strongest color in Standard. By Tom Fowler
If you’ve played competitive Magic, you’ve probably been cheated at some point.
Everytime you buy a Core Set product, God kills a kitten. Magic theory built from scratch.
by Ron Vitale
I’ve been playing Magic for over 11 years now and I’ve read “The Duelist,” “Scrye,” “Inquest,” StarCity Games articles, and Magicthegathering. So you know the basics.
Betrayers' Flavour – Sweet or Sour? PART 2
If you joined me a while ago, you would have read my first article in a series of 3 focusing on the flavour of BOK. Yes, this deck won Worlds.
Due to technical difficulties with the sheer size of this article, please click the banner to view the article.
Gatherer, Wizards' card database, has been out for a while now.
Playing to win is one of the most important concepts in any competitive game. Magic theory built from scratch. By Ron Vitale
Why does Wizards continue to adhere to their Reprint Policy? For the uninitiated, Wizards explains that this policy was created:
“To maintain your confidence in the Magic game as collectible…. Magic theory built from scratch. A Terrible Trinket
Welcome to what is the first in a series of short articles (depending on the MTG Salvation powers that be) about, well, whatever has got my goat recently. Betrayers' Flavor – Sweet or Sour? PART 1
Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK) has been released for some time now, continuing the block theme of Japanese folklore and other tales - complete with spirits and ninjas. A while back, we were told of the news that we would not see our beloved Birds of Paradise in 9th Edition. Magic cards are a pretty diverse group, they represent spells, creatures, locations and objects in a fantasy setting. Our local elementary school started a weekly "electives" program whereby parents and other volunteers could sign up to teach "anything" for the last 50 minutes of each Tuesday for six weeks. What is the future of Magic content for the Web and how will it be created and distributed to the masses?
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