Hey guys, I promise I'll get the grid up tomorrow too. This week has been a little crazy, you know? Anyway, I've got 5ish submissions so far. I'll update this page friday around 5pm EST, which is also the due date for the decks. Good luck! We're doing this format for 1 more week, so hold onto your format ideas.
The format this week:
Strawman 2 Card Blind: Rules can be found here, additionally...
Everyone must submit a deck to me by friday at 5pm EST that loses to... Battle of Wits + Worldpurge
but tries to beat everyone else! Remember cards in the strawman deck are illegal! I'm excited to see how powerful people can make their decks.
EDIT: DECKS! Get to work on your grids!
This week was great! There were very many creative and clever decks. It was a challenge, sure; but you guys came through. There were a few clear strategies, and a few ways to beat them. It was almost like a constructed format in that you had to beat a meta and optimize a deck.
1 benbuzz790 :: Creepy Doves Dovescape + Creeping Renaissance Just in case anyone could kill my enchantment... right.....
2 Error1 :: Forgotten Lich + Forgotten Ancient Lich was a good choice. It didn't even cross my mind this round
3 Feyd_ruin :: Mirror, mirror Wirecat + Lich's Mirror Losing the game is not the same as your opponent winning; i.e. if the opponent wins due to battle of wits, the mirror does nothing to help feyd. Very creative deck.
4 DragonDart :: Morbid Doves Dovescape + Morbid Hunger Nice deck. You opted for the flashback card that makes the most birds, but it doesn't make a difference in the dovescape mirror; or many other matches. Not that my choice of creeping renaissance was ever relevant either...
5 ajfirecracker :: Lich's Oath* Lich + Oath of Mages This is a great combo. I wonder how you'll do this week.
6 Reyemile :: Frazzamatazz Wirecat + Frazzle Frazzle was very clever. I can't wait to see if it paid off.
7 WhammeWhamme :: Mono-white control Opalescence + Light of Day Light of day is an interesting choice. What creatures were you expecting?
8 Personman :: Stretchy Doves Dovescape + Time stretch Dovescape version 3. Fun fact: Aladdin's lamp was the other choice for 10 mana non-creature spell
10 fnord :: Aura of Fnord Opalescence + Aurification We're all relieved to see you submitted a real deck this week. A really good one too!
99 benbuzz790 :: And the punchline Form of the squirrel + Swell of courage WOW, nice! Why didn't I play form of the squirrel!? You're so clever benbuzz790!
Card Blind Labratory (LabCB) is a weekly Magic tournament, run entirely within this forum. To compete, players submit decks which are played against each other. Scoring assumes optimal play, without randomness or concealed information.
Unlike other Card Blind formats, LabCB does not have a consistent format that players always use. Instead, each round is different, with changing rules and card counts.
1. Game Rules
1.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.2. Players' decks contain exactly X cards, where X is equal to the round's format card count, which begin the game in hand. Players do not mulligan or sideboard.
1.3. A player does not lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
1.4. A random effect produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of the effect.
1.5. Each player plays two games (one match) against each other player.
1.5a. Each player is the starting player once per match.
1.5b. If no player can win, then the game is a draw.
1.5c. Games are played with perfect information.
1.5d. Games are played optimally; players attempt to win, draw, or extend the game – in that order.
1.6 If any rules specific to the week's format conflict with the rules listed here, these rules are overridden.
1.7 If any rules disputes occur between players during a weekly format, the format's creator has the final word over the interpretation of his or her format. If the creator is not available before the beginning of the next round, the moderator has the final word.
2. Tournament Rules
2.1. Players submit their decks to the 2CB moderator.
2.1a. Players submit their decks by private message (pm).
2.1b. A player may submit multiple decks, but only the most recent deck is counted.
2.1c. An illegal deck is not counted. At the moderator’s discretion, an illegal deck may be replaced by a similar deck – in which any offending cards have been removed or replaced.
2.1d. The moderator determines the result of each match. Players may challenge results, but not after the results of the first round belonging to a new month have been posted (see Rule 2.4a).
2.1e. A player may name his or her deck. If a player does not, then the moderator may name it.
2.2. Decks are subject to some restrictions.
2.2a. A player may not submit a deck that can't win both games of a match against at least one deck satisfying all rules.
2.2b. A deck may include any number of any card that will become legal in Vintage upon release of a set that has been revealed fully and officially since the start of the round.
2.2c. A deck may include any number of any card legal in Vintage (Type 1).
2.2d. A deck may not include any cards listed on the banned list, which changes and is posted with the format of the round.
2.3. Points determine tournament standings.
2.3a. Players are ranked – first to last – in order of decreasing number of points.
2.3b. For each match, a player earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game. However, a player earns only 2 points for a split match (a win and a loss).
2.3c. The combined result of both games in a match is called a "match result". Possible match results are: 6 – two game wins, 4 – a win and a draw, 3 or 2 or S – a win and a loss, 2 – two draws, and 1 – a draw and a loss.
2.3d. A table of match results is posted each round. Its rows represent players and its columns represent opponents. A player's points are listed at the end of his or her row.
2.4. The player with the most Player of the Month (POTM) points over the course of a month is the Player of the Month.
2.4a. A month includes all rounds for which decks are due during that month.
2.4b. Each round, each player receives POTM points equal to his or her average match result for that round multiplied by 100, rounded to the nearest integer. For example, a player scoring 6-6-6-6-X-0-0-0 in a round with 8 decks receives 343 POTM points (24 / 7 x 100 = 342.8 Rounded to 343).
2.4c. Each round, for one week after the submitted decks have been posted, 50 POTM points will be awarded to the first player to post a deck that scores 6 points against each submitted deck.
Some facts of magic:
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
Some facts of magic:
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
Oh, some1 must have made an error, error1. Sometimes it is impossible not to err, or one would think. I'll definitely let that deck's creator know he must rescind his entry, ere he win unfairly.
Some facts of magic:
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
Yeah but you lose because Lich says so. (depending on Oracle text, either when it leaves the battlefield or because your life is zero and you don't control it anymore, so it stops saving you - not sure about the current wording)
It's how my deck works too.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I am the author of the "Resource Advantage in Magic" series over on EternalCentral.com
crap.
I'd meant to switch the mirror to Blatant Thievery. Forgot to do so with me moving and all. Realized there'd be opalescence decks and such, so I needed a way to steal/bounce/etc. Oh well. Maybe you'll all just have to lose to me next round
Oath of mages pings me for 1 each turn.
This gives me plenty of time to replay lich's mirror.
So every 20 turns, I shuffle up, go to 20, then drop the mirror again soon.
Ties.
crap.
I'd meant to switch the mirror to Blatant Thievery. Forgot to do so with me moving and all. Realized there'd be opalescence decks and such, so I needed a way to steal/bounce/etc. Oh well. Maybe you'll all just have to lose to me next round
do you still 0-6 battle of wits/worldpurge if you do that?
This week was awesome, thanks fnord! I'm also curious if you had Aurification in mind when you submitted last week.
Feyd, I don't see how I draw with you. You can make 9 tokens and lose to my 10, you can play Lich, make 4 tokens, die when I have 6 tokens, and I swing you to 2 before you make another 4, and then I win, or you can hit me for 6 (on the play) and then make 5 tokens, which doesn't do much at all.
WhammWhamme, I don't see how you beat me. If you opalescence, I get a 6/6 and 10 tokens and easily win. Otherwise you get 8 tokens to my 10 and I also win. What am I missing?
I had calculated Lich's Mirror against something else, since I was considering running it. When I did so, I realized most 'real' decks would be able to damage quickly enough that the shuffle would effectively kill you. I forgot that Oath of Mages wasn't nearly fast enough for that. Speaking of which, I think Dovescape + 5 or more doves should defeat Lich's Mirror this way...
This week was awesome, thanks fnord! I'm also curious if you had Aurification in mind when you submitted last week.
Feyd, I don't see how I draw with you. You can make 9 tokens and lose to my 10, you can play Lich, make 4 tokens, die when I have 6 tokens, and I swing you to 2 before you make another 4, and then I win, or you can hit me for 6 (on the play) and then make 5 tokens, which doesn't do much at all.
WhammWhamme, I don't see how you beat me. If you opalescence, I get a 6/6 and 10 tokens and easily win. Otherwise you get 8 tokens to my 10 and I also win. What am I missing?
Results:
2 6 6 2 6 6 6 X 2 2
...not missing anything. I missed something (I quickly knocked those off forgetting Dovescape was an Enchantment; this doesn't actually affect the matchup against the other Dovescape decks, who beat me just on doves).
Lich + Oath of Mages is the deck for next week, unless I've terribly botched calculating the last few matches that weren't already filled in by people's own calculations.
Thanks DragonDart, that saved me a lot of time. The grid from last week is up (has been since friday); there were a few matches involving personman's deck that I wasn't 100% sure about. Feel free to correct me and I'll update the POTM scores.
For now, let's go with Lich + Oath of Mages for the next round. I want people to have a reasonable amount of time to choose a deck, so unless a new strawman is calculated because of an error tonight, we're going to use this deck. In other words, if we find a mistake tomorrow, we're still going to use this deck; if we find it today, we'll change.
What did everyone think of this round? Too difficult? Too many splits? Challenging but fun?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Some facts of magic:
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
The format this week:
Strawman 2 Card Blind: Rules can be found here, additionally...
Everyone must submit a deck to me by friday at 5pm EST that loses to...
Battle of Wits + Worldpurge
but tries to beat everyone else! Remember cards in the strawman deck are illegal! I'm excited to see how powerful people can make their decks.
EDIT: DECKS! Get to work on your grids!
This week was great! There were very many creative and clever decks. It was a challenge, sure; but you guys came through. There were a few clear strategies, and a few ways to beat them. It was almost like a constructed format in that you had to beat a meta and optimize a deck.
1 benbuzz790 :: Creepy Doves
Dovescape + Creeping Renaissance
Just in case anyone could kill my enchantment... right.....
2 Error1 :: Forgotten
Lich + Forgotten Ancient
Lich was a good choice. It didn't even cross my mind this round
3 Feyd_ruin :: Mirror, mirror
Wirecat + Lich's Mirror
Losing the game is not the same as your opponent winning; i.e. if the opponent wins due to battle of wits, the mirror does nothing to help feyd. Very creative deck.
4 DragonDart :: Morbid Doves
Dovescape + Morbid Hunger
Nice deck. You opted for the flashback card that makes the most birds, but it doesn't make a difference in the dovescape mirror; or many other matches. Not that my choice of creeping renaissance was ever relevant either...
5 ajfirecracker :: Lich's Oath*
Lich + Oath of Mages
This is a great combo. I wonder how you'll do this week.
6 Reyemile :: Frazzamatazz
Wirecat + Frazzle
Frazzle was very clever. I can't wait to see if it paid off.
7 WhammeWhamme :: Mono-white control
Opalescence + Light of Day
Light of day is an interesting choice. What creatures were you expecting?
8 Personman :: Stretchy Doves
Dovescape + Time stretch
Dovescape version 3. Fun fact: Aladdin's lamp was the other choice for 10 mana non-creature spell
9 Antonia :: Full circle
Opalescence + Circle of Affliction
Did you know all the dovescape decks were coming? Nice choice
10 fnord :: Aura of Fnord
Opalescence + Aurification
We're all relieved to see you submitted a real deck this week. A really good one too!
99 benbuzz790 :: And the punchline
Form of the squirrel + Swell of courage
WOW, nice! Why didn't I play form of the squirrel!? You're so clever benbuzz790!
*Self named
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
1 | X 6 6 2 6 6 6 2 2 2 | 38 | 380
2 | 0 X 6 0 4 4 2 0 2 2 | 20 | 200
3 | 0 0 X 0 2 2 2 0 2 2 | 10 | 100
4 | 2 6 6 X 6 6 6 2 2 2 | 38 | 380
5 | 0 1 2 0 X 2 0 0 2 0 | 07 | 070
6 | 0 1 2 0 2 X 1 0 1 2 | 09 | 090
7 | 0 2 2 0 0 4 X 6 6 2 | 22 | 220
8 | 2 6 6 2 6 6 6 X 2 2 | 38 | 380
9 | 2 2 2 2 2 4 0 2 X 0 | 16 | 160
0 | 2 2 2 2 6 2 2 2 6 X | 26 | 260
The Winners of LabCB 2:
Benbuzz790, DragonDart, and Personman!
Monthly Standings:
1 Benbuzz790 - 367 + 380 = 747
2 Personman - 333 + 380 = 713
3 Error1 - 367 + 200 = 567
4 Parsley - 516 + 0 = 516
5 Feyd_Ruin - 367 + 100 = 467
6 WhammeWhamme - 217 + 220 = 437
7 Antonia - 217 + 160 = 377
8 VikingMetal4L - 317 + 0 = 317
9 Reyemile - 217 + 90 = 307
10 fnord - 0 + 260 = 260
11 Catmurderer - 217 + 0 = 217
12 ajfirecracker - 75 + 70 = 145
Card Blind Labratory (LabCB) is a weekly Magic tournament, run entirely within this forum. To compete, players submit decks which are played against each other. Scoring assumes optimal play, without randomness or concealed information.
Unlike other Card Blind formats, LabCB does not have a consistent format that players always use. Instead, each round is different, with changing rules and card counts.
1. Game Rules
1.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.2. Players' decks contain exactly X cards, where X is equal to the round's format card count, which begin the game in hand. Players do not mulligan or sideboard.
1.3. A player does not lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
1.4. A random effect produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of the effect.
1.5. Each player plays two games (one match) against each other player.
1.6 If any rules specific to the week's format conflict with the rules listed here, these rules are overridden.
1.7 If any rules disputes occur between players during a weekly format, the format's creator has the final word over the interpretation of his or her format. If the creator is not available before the beginning of the next round, the moderator has the final word.
2. Tournament Rules
2.1. Players submit their decks to the 2CB moderator. 2.2. Decks are subject to some restrictions. 2.3. Points determine tournament standings. 2.4. The player with the most Player of the Month (POTM) points over the course of a month is the Player of the Month.
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
More facts of magic
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
More facts of magic
Form of the squirrel is not vintage legal
Oh, some1 must have made an error, error1. Sometimes it is impossible not to err, or one would think. I'll definitely let that deck's creator know he must rescind his entry, ere he win unfairly.
(it was a joke, and is now a more obvious one)
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
More facts of magic
Worldpurge beats it single-handedly, right?
Edit: Messed up my grid. It's posted later on now.
Ouch. I got beat up pretty bad by Dovescape.
Check it out!
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part-1-one-shot-resources/
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part2-tempo/
I've also written a short primer on Manaless Dredge in Vintage:
http://www.eternalcentral.com/the-dredge-of-glory-an-introduction-to-manaless-dredge-in-vintage/
It's how my deck works too.
Check it out!
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part-1-one-shot-resources/
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part2-tempo/
I've also written a short primer on Manaless Dredge in Vintage:
http://www.eternalcentral.com/the-dredge-of-glory-an-introduction-to-manaless-dredge-in-vintage/
I'd meant to switch the mirror to Blatant Thievery. Forgot to do so with me moving and all. Realized there'd be opalescence decks and such, so I needed a way to steal/bounce/etc. Oh well. Maybe you'll all just have to lose to me next round
3 | 2 0 X 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 8 | 16 | 178 |
__
Oath of mages pings me for 1 each turn.
This gives me plenty of time to replay lich's mirror.
So every 20 turns, I shuffle up, go to 20, then drop the mirror again soon.
Ties.
No longer staff here.
do you still 0-6 battle of wits/worldpurge if you do that?
7 0 2 2 0 0 4 X 6 6 2
I think
I believe I draw. I don't play opalescence and Circle of Affliction draws against Oath of Mages.
So I believe my grid is
2 2 2 2 2 4 0 2 x 0
yeah. I'm a turn late on stealing battle.
(You could have ran 7-drop removal this round, assuming card2 plays right)
But its actually a good thing I forgot to change.
I'd lose to dovescape, instead of tying them via mirror.
No longer staff here.
Feyd, I don't see how I draw with you. You can make 9 tokens and lose to my 10, you can play Lich, make 4 tokens, die when I have 6 tokens, and I swing you to 2 before you make another 4, and then I win, or you can hit me for 6 (on the play) and then make 5 tokens, which doesn't do much at all.
WhammWhamme, I don't see how you beat me. If you opalescence, I get a 6/6 and 10 tokens and easily win. Otherwise you get 8 tokens to my 10 and I also win. What am I missing?
Results:
2 6 6 2 6 6 6 X 2 2
0 1 2 0 X 2 0 0 2 0
Total: 7
I think Lich + Oath of Mages is the next strawman.
I had calculated Lich's Mirror against something else, since I was considering running it. When I did so, I realized most 'real' decks would be able to damage quickly enough that the shuffle would effectively kill you. I forgot that Oath of Mages wasn't nearly fast enough for that. Speaking of which, I think Dovescape + 5 or more doves should defeat Lich's Mirror this way...
And... ba-derp. No Opalescence does indeed let Circle of Affliction trump triggers of Oath of Mages, for the Draw.
Check it out!
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part-1-one-shot-resources/
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part2-tempo/
I've also written a short primer on Manaless Dredge in Vintage:
http://www.eternalcentral.com/the-dredge-of-glory-an-introduction-to-manaless-dredge-in-vintage/
...not missing anything. I missed something (I quickly knocked those off forgetting Dovescape was an Enchantment; this doesn't actually affect the matchup against the other Dovescape decks, who beat me just on doves).
4 |2 6 6 X 6 6 6 2 2 2 |38|380
Check it out!
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part-1-one-shot-resources/
http://www.eternalcentral.com/resource-advantage-in-magic-part2-tempo/
I've also written a short primer on Manaless Dredge in Vintage:
http://www.eternalcentral.com/the-dredge-of-glory-an-introduction-to-manaless-dredge-in-vintage/
derp. Uhh.. Yeah. I'll recalc my grid tomorrow. >_<
No longer staff here.
1 | X 6 6 2 6 6 6 2 2 2 | 38 | 380
2 | 0 X 6 0 4 4 2 0 2 2 | 20 | 200
3 | 0 0 X 0 2 2 2 0 2 2 | 10 | 100
4 | 2 6 6 X 6 6 6 2 2 2 | 38 | 380
5 | 0 1 2 0 X 2 0 0 2 0 | 07 | 070
6 | 0 1 2 0 2 X 1 0 1 2 | 09 | 090
7 | 0 2 2 0 0 4 X 6 6 2 | 22 | 220
8 | 2 6 6 2 6 6 6 X 2 2 | 38 | 380
9 | 2 2 2 2 2 4 0 2 X 0 | 16 | 160
0 | 2 2 2 2 6 2 2 2 6 X | 26 | 260
Lich + Oath of Mages is the deck for next week, unless I've terribly botched calculating the last few matches that weren't already filled in by people's own calculations.
For now, let's go with Lich + Oath of Mages for the next round. I want people to have a reasonable amount of time to choose a deck, so unless a new strawman is calculated because of an error tonight, we're going to use this deck. In other words, if we find a mistake tomorrow, we're still going to use this deck; if we find it today, we'll change.
What did everyone think of this round? Too difficult? Too many splits? Challenging but fun?
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
More facts of magic
<3 this round
and not just because I tied for first
Are entries due tomorrow?