This thread contains the results for week 4 of All Blind Tournament #18 and is the start of week 1 of ABT#18.
Week 4 of ABT#18
This round was 'Day Trip to Rainbow Vale' - 2 cards, BLR. Whenever you activate a mana ability of a land, your opponent gains control of that land at the beginning of the next end step.
Interesting mix of approaches to this round. Certainly the decks submitted seem to bear out my suspicion that it's not as easy to solve as its simplicity suggests... although that's not to say that nobody broke it!
A quick administrative note: the idea of clarifying the names of the various land rules seemed popular, so I have renamed all three of them. The basic land rule is now called the basic land rule. I realise that doesn't sound like a change, but we were calling it that even though the rules mostly didn't. The former expanded land rule is now called the "extra land rule" because it (potentially) lets you play extra land. The former alternative land rule is not called the "draw land rule" because you have to use draws to get your lands. Hopefully these will result in less confusion in future rounds.
Last but not least, moderation of ABT 19 returns to tomsloger, who has something a little special planned. Decks (and any questions about the format) to him and not me, please!
3) piato Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith This is a really interesting deck. Superficially, Zenith seems weak in this format... but in fact casting it once and then winning with it on turn 30-something is still good!
5) tomsloger Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre Nice design. I like the fact you can chump block a lot if you need to. Still, this would have been way stronger if anyone had actually run discard.
6) WhammWhamme Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre Has the advantage over 5) that it dodges some removal, but on the minus side giving the opponent all that land slows down your annihilation.
7) Mogg Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen The speed of Mayor is a nice way to push the opponent into giving you an early Vraska and they don't have long to kill it before you have a stream of chump blockers to defend it.
9) Feyd_Ruin Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile Could it be that the solution to a format full of mana is to keep things cheap? For the metagame we've ended up with this looks like a great deck!
New record for nearly late submissions this week, with three decks reaching me only at my last PM check before putting the round up!
Next Round : Week 1 of ABT#19
Welcome to Legend Month! All of ABT19 will be on theme somehow.
its gonna be legen... wait for it...
dary
Mirror Gallery
Format Rules
Deck size: 4 cards
Land Rule: Extra Land Rule
(Any player may play a basic land of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand.)
Special Rules:
Players may only submit legendary permanents.
This means no instants or sorceries. (Changelings do not count as legends.)
What is Blind Magic?
Blind Magic is an online Magic format played here on the forums. Players play with an extremely limited deck size, such as 3 cards. Players begin with their entire deck (ie: those three cards) in hand and have no library (players don't lose when they fail to draw a card because of this). Due to the extremely limited number of play options given with their small deck size, games are calculated, rather then played, with an absolute determined winner (or a tie). Each player plays a match of two games against each other player who submitted - once going first, and once going second. Wins, losses, and ties for each of those two games are calculated by the moderator and players. The actual fun of the game comes from trying to decide which cards you will be playing.
What is the All Blind Tournament?
The All Blind Tournament is a four-week XCB tournament, which spans all card blind formats and embraces a progressive anti-metagame. For each week of the four-week tournament, a new XCB format is announced for players to enter. Players compete for points (similiar to the PotM points for previous XCB games) each round. At the end of the four-week tournament, the player who has accumulated the most points over the four weeks wins the tournament, and receives a real-world prize.
Basic Rules of All Blind Tournament
Below lies the rules of ABT written in laymen's terms for ease of understanding.
While a comprehensive rule system exists, new players and quick glances are best left for this basic explanation.
Overview
The All Blind Tournament (ABT) is a Magic tournament that consists of four rounds of X Card Blind (XCB), run entirely within this forum. To compete, entrants submit decks containing X cards which are played against each other. Scoring assumes optimal play, without randomness or concealed information.
Deck Construction Rules
1. A deck must contain exactly X cards.
2. A deck may contain any number of copies of any Vintage-legal card, but can't contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
3. A player's deck must not enable that player to win the game before an opponent's second turn.
4. A player's deck must not enable that player to force an opponent to lose any cards in his or her hand before an opponent's second turn.
5. A player's deck must enable that player to win the game.
Deck Submission Rules
6. An entrant submits his or her deck to the ABT moderator by private message (pm).
Playing the Decks
7. Entrants don't actually play their decks, because game results can be determined theoretically.
8. Each player starts the game with the cards in his or her deck in his or her hand.
9. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
10. A random effect resolves in favor of the opponent of the owner of that effect.
11. Players know all information that would normally be concealed from them.
12. Each player plays one two-game match against each other player, and each player is the starting player once per match.
Points
13. The entrant with the most points in a round is the round winner. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game. However, an entrant earns only 2 points for a split match (each player wins a game).
14. The entrant with the most points in the four rounds comprising the ABT is the tournament winner. Extra Rules
15. Some optional rules may be used; see Optional Rules.
16. The Basic Rules don't cover every issue. For in-depth rules, see Comprehensive Rules.
Optional Rules
Basic Land Rule
Any player may play a basic land of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land.
Extra Land Rule
Any player may play a basic land of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand.
Draw Land Rule
If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land card of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn.
Sanctioned Magic Format
A deck may contain only cards contained in sets legal in the specified format.
Counter Rule
Until each player has completed two turns, each player ignores any part of an effect of a source an opponent owns that would counter a spell that player controls.
Life Rule
If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game. Determine whether a deck enables the player of that deck to win the game as though this rule didn't exist.
Special Format
Other rules are specified.
XCB Comprehensive Rules
Below lies the comprehensive rules system for the ABT.
Rules are written for precision and game clarification. They are not written for ease of reading.
Game Rules
1.1. There are many versions of XCB. Each version has a name, of the form XCB 'Land Rule' 'Sanctioned Magic Format' 'Special Format' '(Bonus)' 'Counter Rule' 'Life Rule'.
1.1a. X is a number.
1.1b. 'Land Rule' can be BLR, ELR, DLR, or nothing. BLR indicates that the basic land rule is in effect, ELR indicates that the extra land rule is in effect, and DLR indicates that the draw land rule is in effect (see Rule 1.7).
1.1c. 'Sanctioned Magic Format' can be the name of a sanctioned Magic constructed format or nothing. The name of a format indicates that only cards contained in sets legal in that format may be submitted. This is an exception to rule 2.3c.
1.1d. 'Special Format' can be the name of at least one special format or nothing. The name of a special format indicates that the special format in effect (see Rule 1.8).
1.1e. 'Bonus' can be (Bonus) or nothing. (Bonus) modifies the preceding special format, indicating that an entrant must not follow the rules of that format, but that entrant will earn a specified number of bonus points if he or she does (see Rule 2.4f).
1.1f. 'Counter Rule' can be C or nothing. C indicates that the counter rule is in effect (see Rule 1.9).
1.1g. 'Life Rule' can be LF, AL, or nothing. LF indicates that the life rule is in effect and AL indicates that the alternative life rule is in effect (see Rule 1.10).
1.2. Decks are not played, but are scored as though they were. The player of a deck is the entrant who submitted that deck.
1.3. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.3a. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or the rules of Magic.
1.3b. Rules that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead (see Rule 2.3d).
1.4. An entrant's deck contains exactly X cards (see Rule 1.1).
1.4a. A player's opening hand contains the cards in his or her deck.
1.4b. Players don't draw hands or mulligan.
1.4c. Players don't have sideboards.
1.5. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
1.5a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
1.6. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid the cost or the owner of the source of the effect instead.
1.7. Some versions of XCB use a land rule.
1.7a. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land.
1.7b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand.
1.7c. This is the draw land rule (ALR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land or basic snow land card of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn.
1.8. Some versions of XCB use a special format. A special format is an extra set of rules. These rules overwrite any other applicable rules. A non-comprehensive list of special formats is maintained here.
1.8a. Some special formats cause players to draw hands. The drawn cards become part of that player's opening hand.
1.8b. Some special formats generate continuous effects. Continuous effects generated by special formats are applied in the order those formats are listed in the XCB version name, before any other effects that could be applied in a layer.
1.8c. Some special formats require an entrant to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a deck. An entrant's submission is that entrant's deck and any decisions that entrant makes. An entrant's submission must not violate rule 2.3 if all instances of the word 'deck' in that rule are replaced with 'submission'.
1.8d. Some special formats refer to decks that obtain or could obtain results. Saying that a deck obtains or could obtain a result means that the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result in a game or match against another player (see Rule 1.11). If a deck obtains or could obtain a result against another deck, then the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result against the player of the other deck.
1.9. Some versions of XCB use the counter rule.
1.9a. This is the counter rule (C). Until each player has completed two turns, each player ignores any part of an effect of a source an opponent owns that would counter a spell that player controls.
1.10. Some versions of XCB use a life rule.
1.10a. This is the life rule (LF). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game. Determine whether a deck enables the player of that deck to win a match as though this rule didn't exist (see Rule 2.3b).
1.10b. This is the alternative life rule (AL). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
1.11. Each player plays one match against each other player.
1.11a. Each match has two games.
1.11b. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
1.11c. Games are played with perfect information; players know the identities of face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
1.11d. Games are played optimally. The best outcome for a player is to win the game and the worst outcome is to lose the game.
1.11e. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
1.11f. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
Tournament Rules
2.1. Entrants compete in a competition.
2.1a. The shortest type of competition is a round. Typically, each round lasts one week.
2.1b. The ABT is a competition consisting of four rounds.
2.2. An entrant submits his or her deck to the ABT moderator.
2.2a. An entrant submits his or her deck by private message (pm).
2.2b. An entrant may submit multiple decks, but only the most recently submitted deck is counted.
2.2c. An illegal deck is not counted. At the moderator’s discretion, an illegal deck may be replaced by a similar deck – in which any cards causing that deck to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
2.2d. The moderator determines the result of each match. Entrants may challenge results, but not after the results of the first round of a new ABT has been posted, except at the moderator's discretion.
2.2e. An entrant may name his or her deck. If an entrant doesn't, then the moderator may name it.
2.3. Decks are subject to some restrictions.
2.3a. An entrant may not submit a deck that could enable the player of that deck to win the game or force any cards in an opponent's hand to change zones before an opponent's second turn. A card is forced to change zones if the owner of that card could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in either that card changing zones or that player losing the game before his or her second turn. Ignore this rule in the following cases:
i. All cards in an opponent's hand that would be forced to change zones would not be cast by that opponent and would enter the battlefield under that opponent's control. For example, a 4CB deck with two copies of Black Lotus could contain Stronghold Gambit but could not contain Wild Evocation.
ii. All cards in an opponent's hand that weren't there as a result of a cost or effect that opponent controlled that would be forced to change zones during the resolution of a spell or ability would be in that opponent's hand after that spell or ability resolved. For example, a 3CB deck could contain Timetwister and Black Lotus but an 8CB deck could not.
iii. Cards in an opponent's hand would be forced to change zones only if cards in that opponent's hand that started outside the game would cause that opponent's maximum hand size at the start of the game to be exceeded. For example, a 3CB LR deck could contain two copies of Ancestral Recall.
iv. The rule would be violated only in a game that existed as a result of an effect that resolved not before the specified turn or until each player had completed the specified number of turns that restarted the game or created a subgame. For example, a 2CB LR deck could contain Karn Liberated.
2.3b. An entrant may not submit a deck that wouldn't enable the player of that deck to win a match (see Rule 2.4d) against the player of at least one deck satisfying all rules.
2.3c. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage (Type 1). Except as modified by a special format, all cards used in a game must be legal in Vintage.
2.3d. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card that will become legal in Vintage upon release of a set that's been revealed fully and officially since the start of the round.
2.3e. A deck may not contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
2.4. Points determine round standings.
2.4a. Entrants are ranked – first to last – in order of decreasing number of points.
2.4b. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game.
2.4c. The combined result of both games in a match is called a match result. Possible match results are: 6 – two wins, 4 – a win and a draw, 3 or 2 or S – a win and a loss, 2 – two draws, 1 – a draw and a loss, and 0 – two losses.
2.4d. Some match results are also denoted by names: two wins – match win, a win and a loss – split match, two draws – draw, and two losses – match loss. An entrant wins the match if he or she wins both games, splits the match if he or she wins a game and loses a game, draws a match if he or she draws both games, and loses the match if he or she loses both games.
2.4e. An entrant earns only 2 points for a split match. This is an exception to rule 2.4b.
2.4f. An entrant may earn a number of bonus points defined by a special format. An entrant earns these points in addition to any other points.
2.4g. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Its rows represent entrants and its columns represent those entrants' opponents. An entrant's total number of points is listed at the end of his or her row.
2.5. The entrant with the most tournament points over the course of the ABT is the tournament winner.
2.5a. Each round, an entrant receives tournament points equal to his or her average match result for that round multiplied by 100, rounded to the nearest integer or some number of decimal places chosen at the moderator's discretion. For example, an entrant scoring 6-6-6-6-X-0-0-0 in a round with 8 entrants receives 340 tournament points ((6 + 6 + 6 + 6) / (8 - 1) x 100).
2.5b. If two or more entrants would win the ABT, then each of those entrants competes in additional rounds specified by the moderator, until only one entrant has the most tournament points. Each additional round contains only the entrants who have the most tournament points. The moderator may specify a limit to the number of additional rounds.
3. Prize Rules
3.1. A prize shall be given to the tournament winner.
3.1a. The winner of the tournament shall be given the prize described within the tournament, or a suitable replacement upon the tournament's end.
3.1b. If the winner of the tournament has won two or more tournaments, then the highest ranked entrant who hasn't won two or more tournaments shall be given the prize instead.
3.1c. If the winner was a moderator for two or more rounds of the tournament, then the highest ranked entrant who wasn't the moderator for two or more rounds of that tournament shall be given the prize instead. This is to ensure fair play.
3.1d. An entrant may decline the prize. If he or she does, then that entrant may designate another entrant to receive the prize.
3.1e. Entrants under the age of 18 are ineligible for prizes, due to federal laws regarding the sharing of personal information of minors.
3.1f. In the event that a prize can't be given to an entrant, the moderator will do his best to find another suitable way to reward that entrant.
3.1g. No prize is 100% guaranteed, but is assumed upon a good faith basis. Let's face it, with international customs, weird laws, etc, we can't guarantee anything. We'll do our best.
3.2. As a prized tournament, special scoring rules and practices are in place.
3.2a. Entrants are responsible for their own scoring. Assistance will be given, especially to new entrants, but it is ultimately up to each entrant to ensure his or her scoring is completed and accurate.
3.2b. Incomplete scores are considered losses, even to both players in a match if necessary. This is to make sure a winner is determined at the end of a tournament.
3.2c. The moderator always has the final word regarding scores and rules. Entrants may question any scoring the moderator does, until the moderator says that a match's scoring is final.
3.2d. The moderator may, at his or her discretion, determine a match is too difficult to calculate and give it a tie score, or his or her best guess. Again, this is final.
3.2e. Once a winner has been announced as final, that entrant shall receive the prize, even if errors in scoring or points are shown later.
Permanently Banned Cards
The following cards are permanently banned in the All Blind Tournament.
Each round will have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Tournament Prize
The prize for ABT 18 is a copy of the excellent puzzle game Sokobond.
Player Standings
Previous standings will always be posted below the opening post of each week's thread.
Standings will be updated after the current week has been completed and score checking has finished.
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
1) bateleur Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
6-0 if you dont cast smiter, you get elspeth after my turn 4. i cast ulamog soon after to destroy it.
1-7: 0-6: Mayor > Smiter. Vraska > Elspeth.
2-7: 0-6: Mayor > Summons.
3-7: 6-0: Zenith > Mayor. Zenith + Blossom > Vraska.
4-7: 0-6: Hippo gets in a hit on the draw, after I cast Mayor. Summons makes 3/3's on turn three or 4/4's on turn four, because I don't play a turn two land drop, and Mayor gets there.
5-7: 0-6: Mayor > Mentor.
6-7: 0-6: Mayor > lands.
7-8: 6-0: Braids as turn one play means Braids gets sacrificed. Mayor > Braids.
8-9: 3-3: Vraska is a turn late to be able to survive on the draw.
You didn't do too well? I don't think I get any points at all!
1) bateleur
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Embarrassing metagame misread as nobody ran discard. Drat!
vs
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
Summons seems pretty great. Needle was a risk that I suspect won't quite pay off.
0-6 I think Summons beats me on its own, but Pithing Needle saves me calculating it!
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
This is a really interesting deck. Superficially, Zenith seems weak in this format... but in fact casting it once and then winning with it on turn 30-something is still good!
0-6 On the play I cast turn three Smiter, which is immediately burned out. Casting Elspeth provides the lands to use Zenith again and she too gets burned out. The three tokens she makes are not enough to race Bitterblossom.
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
Wow! Now that's sweet tech! I had to read the card!
0-6 I need to cast Smiter to stop the Hippo. On turn four he makes two 5/5s. On his turn six I am forced to chump block, but that doesn't help me because it means the Hippo connects!
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Nice design. I like the fact you can chump block a lot if you need to. Still, this would have been way stronger if anyone had actually run discard.
0-6 If I cast Smiter then Ulamog turns up on turn seven. By that time the Smiter has attacked only four times, so I lose as Ulamog destroys it and Elspeth can't get tokens past the elves in time.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Has the advantage over 5) that it dodges some removal, but on the minus side giving the opponent all that land slows down your annihilation.
0-6 Turn three Smiter kills on turn eight. My opponent has 11 land on turn five (if I've cast Smiter). Elspeth is, as usual, irrelevant.
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
The speed of Mayor is a nice way to push the opponent into giving you an early Vraska and they don't have long to kill it before you have a stream of chump blockers to defend it.
0-6 Mayor enables Smiter, but Smiter cannot kill before being overpowered by Wolf tokens. If Elspeth shows up, Vraska kills her and the three Soldiers don't make a difference.
8) CogMonocle
Black Lotus / Braids, Cabal Minion
Ooh, sweet! This looks like it might be broken enough to win the round...
0-6 Ouch!
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
Could it be that the solution to a format full of mana is to keep things cheap? For the metagame we've ended up with this looks like a great deck!
0-6 Smiter gets exiled and all of my opponent's stuff has power 3, which is sad times for Elspeth!
On the plus side, that means my row is already filled in!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
X|
4-7: 0-6: Hippo gets in a hit on the draw, after I cast Mayor. Summons makes 3/3's on turn three or 4/4's on turn four, because I don't play a turn two land drop, and Mayor gets there.
Not sure I follow this line. This is a pretty tough match to play out, cause there are a lot of choices, but if you don't play a turn two land drop then I will just wait till turn 20 to make two 20/20 tokens.
While I originally realized I still can't braids until T2, I think this should still be fine. Are you guys sure I can't use Blacker Lotus?
Tom and Mogg, I'm pretty sure you miscalculated your matches with me
1) bateleur
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
6-0 I get Braids under Smiter
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
1-4 When I'm on the play, he can't stick a summons larger than X = 2, and he has to sacrifice a token. They have a standoff. When he's on the play,
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
0-6 so about Braids and enchantments
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
1-4 Summons again. High five for noticing the hippo! I was looking at that card too.
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
6-0
The games:
I go first:
Me: Swamp
You: Forest, Mentor
Me: Land, Braids
You: Sac the land I gave you. Forest, Make a token (I now get this land).
Me: Sac a land, land. I attack (Mentor is tapped, you only have a 1/1).
You: You have to sac either mentor or a token, then you can make a token or just play a land and pass, either way I attack with Braids. This repeats. Basically there is a cap on the total number of permanents you have because I never pass lands to you after Braids, and making a token gives me the forest it came from.
-I win on my play
You go first:
You: Forest, Mentor
Me: Swamp, Braid (Thanks to the land from Mentor)
You: Sac a land, play a land. We're now in the exact same situation as last game.
-I win on the draw
You can only add 1 permanent to your board each turn, and making a creature requires tapping your other creature. You can never have a token and the mentor available to block braids, and if you did, it would result in a tie.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
0-6
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
3-3
The Games:
Me first:
Me: Swamp
You: Forest
Me: Swamp, Braids
You: Sac land, play land, mayor
Me: Swamp, attack (mayor is a 1/1)
You: Mayor is sacced with his flip trigger on the stack. Also, wolves are made at end step. You have no other cards to play.
You first:
You: Forest
Me: Swamp
You: Forest, Mayor
Me: Swamp, Attack
You: Sac forest, mayor flips, makes wolf at end step, you just sac a land each turn, I am overrun.
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
0-6 Yeah, I suppose path to exile *is* good.
6 1 0 1 6 0 3 X 0 | 17
So next week is interesting, with a grand total of 624 legal cards, it's actually half the size of standard, but instead of 10% of cards being playable, 10% of cards are unplayable.
1. Path the Elephant on his turn for flip. I can kill Elpeth before she becomes a problem. 6-0
2. Needle doesn't touch. Path a token, easily deal with other. 6-0
3. RSZ kills Mayor. 0-6
4. Path hippo if played. Make tokens to block & kill before death. 6-0
5. Path mentor, outrace the 11 drop. 6-0
6. Path Ulamog, win with tokens. 6-0
7. Race vraska via token on play, Vraska kills on draw. 3-3
8. Path braids. 6-0
9. x
EDIT: lol
Mogg and I both got exactly 38 points last round.
Now we both get exactly 38 points again.
Not just 2 ties, but a double up of the points.
It's a conspiracy!
cogmonocle, i make a token on your end step. so on my turn, i still have the forest. and after that first one, a llanowar elf can pay the activation cost from then on.
1) Give me mana, get an Eldrazi. 6-0
2) Pithing Needle is a blank, so the question is speed.
W1: Forest, Exploration, Forest
D1: Mountain (can make 2/2's that swing 4 times for 8)
W2: Land, Land (3)
D2: Mountain (can make 3/3's that swing 3 times for 9)
W3: Land, Land (5)
D3: Mountain (can make 4/4's that swing 2 times for 8)
W4: Land, Land (7)
D4: Mountain (can make 5/5's that swing 1 time for 10)
W5: Land, Land (9)
D5: Mountain (can make 6/6's that swing into Ulamog)
W6: Land, Land, Ulamog
D6: Mountain (17 lands. Can make 2x 10/10 and not lose to Annihilator; draw)
So on the play, a draw. Stupid Devastating Summons.
On the draw, one more land = I lose outright. 1-4
vs. Piato:
exp. land land / land BBlossom
land land (4) / BB dmg (19, 1x 1/1)
land land (6) / BB dmg (18, 2x 1/1) (attack me down to 19)
land land (8) / BB dmg (17, 3x 1/1) (attack me down to 17)
land land (10) / BB dmg (16, 4x 1/1) (attack me down to 14)
land land (12), Ulamog / BB dmg (15, 5x 1/1) (win with RSZ)
0-6
vs. Reyemile: Lose to Hippo. 0-6
vs. tomsloger: Lose to better Ulamog deck. 0-6
vs. Mogg:
exp land land / land mayor
land land (4) / Swing, token (17)
land land (6) / Swing, token (12)
land land (8) / Swing, token (3)
land land (10) / swing I die
2v3 6-0 summons wins on its own. though it wouldnt if blossom didnt cost life
2v4 2-2 whoever casts first loses, so no one does.
3v4 0-6 rsz could take out hippo, but then the summons is way big.
heres a grid. it currently just shows what everyone posted and the 3 above matchups except the me vs cogmonocle correction i already made.
So, whilst further corrections may still be submitted it looks like Mogg and Feyd_Ruin have indeed won again!
And additional congratulations to Mogg, who therefore wins ABT 18!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Mogg is correct. Cogmonocle assumes that Mogg has to sac the Mayor, but this is not actually the case because he receives an extra land when Braids is cast (it's done with a Lotus and one land) and accordingly has access to three lands on his turn two, casting Mayor with two and keeping one to sac on his following upkeep.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
I'm fairly certain when I'm on the play, he calculated it assuming he'd have a wolf token to sacrifice to braids after playing the mayor, but he doesn't.
Everyone is forgetting that Mogg has to sacrifice a land the turn he casts mayor.
This means he has only 2 lands and he has to tap both to cast the mayor.
Then his lands go to Cog EOT, so he's left with a lonely ol' Mayor.
Next upkeep, he has nothing but mayor to sac.
1. Swamp.
1. Forest.
2. Swamp 2.
Black Lotus
Tap Swamp, Tap Sac Lotus: Braids
EOT: Swamp Goes to Mogg
2. Upkeep: Sacrifice:
Sacrifice the Swamp.
Forest 2.
Tap Both Lands: Mayor
EOT: Both forests will go to Cog.
3. Sac Swamp, Play Swamp.
3. Upkeep: Sacrifice:
(No Lands) Sacrifice Mayor.
Loss
* Waiting turns still keeps him locked at land count 2->1->2
* So it'll still end with an upkeep sac on mayor.
(This makes me sad since that means Mogg and I don't double up the perfect tie.)
--
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
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Week 4 of ABT#18
This round was 'Day Trip to Rainbow Vale' - 2 cards, BLR. Whenever you activate a mana ability of a land, your opponent gains control of that land at the beginning of the next end step.
Interesting mix of approaches to this round. Certainly the decks submitted seem to bear out my suspicion that it's not as easy to solve as its simplicity suggests... although that's not to say that nobody broke it!
A quick administrative note: the idea of clarifying the names of the various land rules seemed popular, so I have renamed all three of them. The basic land rule is now called the basic land rule. I realise that doesn't sound like a change, but we were calling it that even though the rules mostly didn't. The former expanded land rule is now called the "extra land rule" because it (potentially) lets you play extra land. The former alternative land rule is not called the "draw land rule" because you have to use draws to get your lands. Hopefully these will result in less confusion in future rounds.
Last but not least, moderation of ABT 19 returns to tomsloger, who has something a little special planned. Decks (and any questions about the format) to him and not me, please!
The Entries
1) bateleur
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Embarrassing metagame misread as nobody ran discard. Drat!
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
Summons seems pretty great. Needle was a risk that I suspect won't quite pay off.
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
This is a really interesting deck. Superficially, Zenith seems weak in this format... but in fact casting it once and then winning with it on turn 30-something is still good!
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
Wow! Now that's sweet tech! I had to read the card!
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Nice design. I like the fact you can chump block a lot if you need to. Still, this would have been way stronger if anyone had actually run discard.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Has the advantage over 5) that it dodges some removal, but on the minus side giving the opponent all that land slows down your annihilation.
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
The speed of Mayor is a nice way to push the opponent into giving you an early Vraska and they don't have long to kill it before you have a stream of chump blockers to defend it.
8) CogMonocle
Black Lotus / Braids, Cabal Minion
Ooh, sweet! This looks like it might be broken enough to win the round...
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
Could it be that the solution to a format full of mana is to keep things cheap? For the metagame we've ended up with this looks like a great deck!
The Grid
1 | X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 00 | 000
2 | 6 X 6 2 6 4 0 4 0 | 28 | 350
3 | 6 0 X 0 6 6 6 6 6 | 36 | 450
4 | 6 2 6 X 6 6 0 4 0 | 30 | 375
5 | 6 0 0 0 X 6 0 6 0 | 18 | 225
6 | 6 1 0 0 0 X 0 6 0 | 13 | 163
7 | 6 6 0 6 6 6 X 3 3 | 34 | 425
8 | 6 1 0 1 6 0 3 X 0 | 17 | 213
9 | 6 6 0 6 6 6 3 6 X | 38 | 475
The Results
Feyd_Ruin wins week 4!
TPnts player
475 Feyd_Ruin
425 Mogg
450 piato
375 Reyemile
350 Draco9
225 tomsloger
213 CogMonocle
163 WhammWhamme
000 bateleur
New record for nearly late submissions this week, with three decks reaching me only at my last PM check before putting the round up!
Welcome to Legend Month! All of ABT19 will be on theme somehow.
its gonna be legen... wait for it...
Mirror Gallery
Deck size: 4 cards
Land Rule: Extra Land Rule
Players may only submit legendary permanents.
This means no instants or sorceries. (Changelings do not count as legends.)
Submit decks to tomsloger
not bateleur.
Additional Ban List
Blind Magic is an online Magic format played here on the forums. Players play with an extremely limited deck size, such as 3 cards. Players begin with their entire deck (ie: those three cards) in hand and have no library (players don't lose when they fail to draw a card because of this). Due to the extremely limited number of play options given with their small deck size, games are calculated, rather then played, with an absolute determined winner (or a tie). Each player plays a match of two games against each other player who submitted - once going first, and once going second. Wins, losses, and ties for each of those two games are calculated by the moderator and players. The actual fun of the game comes from trying to decide which cards you will be playing.
What is the All Blind Tournament?
The All Blind Tournament is a four-week XCB tournament, which spans all card blind formats and embraces a progressive anti-metagame. For each week of the four-week tournament, a new XCB format is announced for players to enter. Players compete for points (similiar to the PotM points for previous XCB games) each round. At the end of the four-week tournament, the player who has accumulated the most points over the four weeks wins the tournament, and receives a real-world prize.
Basic Rules of All Blind Tournament
Below lies the rules of ABT written in laymen's terms for ease of understanding.
While a comprehensive rule system exists, new players and quick glances are best left for this basic explanation.
2. A deck may contain any number of copies of any Vintage-legal card, but can't contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
3. A player's deck must not enable that player to win the game before an opponent's second turn.
4. A player's deck must not enable that player to force an opponent to lose any cards in his or her hand before an opponent's second turn.
5. A player's deck must enable that player to win the game.
8. Each player starts the game with the cards in his or her deck in his or her hand.
9. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
10. A random effect resolves in favor of the opponent of the owner of that effect.
11. Players know all information that would normally be concealed from them.
12. Each player plays one two-game match against each other player, and each player is the starting player once per match.
Extra Rules
16. The Basic Rules don't cover every issue. For in-depth rules, see Comprehensive Rules.
Basic Land Rule
XCB Comprehensive Rules
Below lies the comprehensive rules system for the ABT.
Rules are written for precision and game clarification. They are not written for ease of reading.
Game Rules
1.1. There are many versions of XCB. Each version has a name, of the form XCB 'Land Rule' 'Sanctioned Magic Format' 'Special Format' '(Bonus)' 'Counter Rule' 'Life Rule'.
1.1b. 'Land Rule' can be BLR, ELR, DLR, or nothing. BLR indicates that the basic land rule is in effect, ELR indicates that the extra land rule is in effect, and DLR indicates that the draw land rule is in effect (see Rule 1.7).
1.1c. 'Sanctioned Magic Format' can be the name of a sanctioned Magic constructed format or nothing. The name of a format indicates that only cards contained in sets legal in that format may be submitted. This is an exception to rule 2.3c.
1.1d. 'Special Format' can be the name of at least one special format or nothing. The name of a special format indicates that the special format in effect (see Rule 1.8).
1.1e. 'Bonus' can be (Bonus) or nothing. (Bonus) modifies the preceding special format, indicating that an entrant must not follow the rules of that format, but that entrant will earn a specified number of bonus points if he or she does (see Rule 2.4f).
1.1f. 'Counter Rule' can be C or nothing. C indicates that the counter rule is in effect (see Rule 1.9).
1.1g. 'Life Rule' can be LF, AL, or nothing. LF indicates that the life rule is in effect and AL indicates that the alternative life rule is in effect (see Rule 1.10).
1.3. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.3b. Rules that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead (see Rule 2.3d).
1.4b. Players don't draw hands or mulligan.
1.4c. Players don't have sideboards.
1.7. Some versions of XCB use a land rule.
1.7b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand.
1.7c. This is the draw land rule (ALR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land or basic snow land card of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn.
1.8b. Some special formats generate continuous effects. Continuous effects generated by special formats are applied in the order those formats are listed in the XCB version name, before any other effects that could be applied in a layer.
1.8c. Some special formats require an entrant to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a deck. An entrant's submission is that entrant's deck and any decisions that entrant makes. An entrant's submission must not violate rule 2.3 if all instances of the word 'deck' in that rule are replaced with 'submission'.
1.8d. Some special formats refer to decks that obtain or could obtain results. Saying that a deck obtains or could obtain a result means that the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result in a game or match against another player (see Rule 1.11). If a deck obtains or could obtain a result against another deck, then the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result against the player of the other deck.
1.10b. This is the alternative life rule (AL). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
1.11b. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
1.11c. Games are played with perfect information; players know the identities of face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
1.11d. Games are played optimally. The best outcome for a player is to win the game and the worst outcome is to lose the game.
1.11e. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
1.11f. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.1. Entrants compete in a competition.
2.1b. The ABT is a competition consisting of four rounds.
2.2b. An entrant may submit multiple decks, but only the most recently submitted deck is counted.
2.2c. An illegal deck is not counted. At the moderator’s discretion, an illegal deck may be replaced by a similar deck – in which any cards causing that deck to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
2.2d. The moderator determines the result of each match. Entrants may challenge results, but not after the results of the first round of a new ABT has been posted, except at the moderator's discretion.
2.2e. An entrant may name his or her deck. If an entrant doesn't, then the moderator may name it.
ii. All cards in an opponent's hand that weren't there as a result of a cost or effect that opponent controlled that would be forced to change zones during the resolution of a spell or ability would be in that opponent's hand after that spell or ability resolved. For example, a 3CB deck could contain Timetwister and Black Lotus but an 8CB deck could not.
iii. Cards in an opponent's hand would be forced to change zones only if cards in that opponent's hand that started outside the game would cause that opponent's maximum hand size at the start of the game to be exceeded. For example, a 3CB LR deck could contain two copies of Ancestral Recall.
iv. The rule would be violated only in a game that existed as a result of an effect that resolved not before the specified turn or until each player had completed the specified number of turns that restarted the game or created a subgame. For example, a 2CB LR deck could contain Karn Liberated.
2.3c. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage (Type 1). Except as modified by a special format, all cards used in a game must be legal in Vintage.
2.3d. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card that will become legal in Vintage upon release of a set that's been revealed fully and officially since the start of the round.
2.3e. A deck may not contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
2.4b. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game.
2.4c. The combined result of both games in a match is called a match result. Possible match results are: 6 – two wins, 4 – a win and a draw, 3 or 2 or S – a win and a loss, 2 – two draws, 1 – a draw and a loss, and 0 – two losses.
2.4d. Some match results are also denoted by names: two wins – match win, a win and a loss – split match, two draws – draw, and two losses – match loss. An entrant wins the match if he or she wins both games, splits the match if he or she wins a game and loses a game, draws a match if he or she draws both games, and loses the match if he or she loses both games.
2.4e. An entrant earns only 2 points for a split match. This is an exception to rule 2.4b.
2.4f. An entrant may earn a number of bonus points defined by a special format. An entrant earns these points in addition to any other points.
2.4g. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Its rows represent entrants and its columns represent those entrants' opponents. An entrant's total number of points is listed at the end of his or her row.
2.5b. If two or more entrants would win the ABT, then each of those entrants competes in additional rounds specified by the moderator, until only one entrant has the most tournament points. Each additional round contains only the entrants who have the most tournament points. The moderator may specify a limit to the number of additional rounds.
3.1. A prize shall be given to the tournament winner.
3.1b. If the winner of the tournament has won two or more tournaments, then the highest ranked entrant who hasn't won two or more tournaments shall be given the prize instead.
3.1c. If the winner was a moderator for two or more rounds of the tournament, then the highest ranked entrant who wasn't the moderator for two or more rounds of that tournament shall be given the prize instead. This is to ensure fair play.
3.1d. An entrant may decline the prize. If he or she does, then that entrant may designate another entrant to receive the prize.
3.1e. Entrants under the age of 18 are ineligible for prizes, due to federal laws regarding the sharing of personal information of minors.
3.1f. In the event that a prize can't be given to an entrant, the moderator will do his best to find another suitable way to reward that entrant.
3.1g. No prize is 100% guaranteed, but is assumed upon a good faith basis. Let's face it, with international customs, weird laws, etc, we can't guarantee anything. We'll do our best.
3.2b. Incomplete scores are considered losses, even to both players in a match if necessary. This is to make sure a winner is determined at the end of a tournament.
3.2c. The moderator always has the final word regarding scores and rules. Entrants may question any scoring the moderator does, until the moderator says that a match's scoring is final.
3.2d. The moderator may, at his or her discretion, determine a match is too difficult to calculate and give it a tie score, or his or her best guess. Again, this is final.
3.2e. Once a winner has been announced as final, that entrant shall receive the prize, even if errors in scoring or points are shown later.
Permanently Banned Cards
The following cards are permanently banned in the All Blind Tournament.
Each round will have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Channel
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Chancellor of the Annex
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Barren Glory
Laboratory Maniac
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Vampire Hexmage
Land Rule Banned Cards
The following cards are often worth banning when a Land Rule is used.
They are included here for reference.
Black Lotus
Disruption
Balancing Act
Energy Field
Time Walk
Win Conditions
Beacon of Creation
Maralen of the Mornsong
Nezumi Shortfang
Red Sun's Zenith
White Sun's Zenith
Tournament Prize
The prize for ABT 18 is a copy of the excellent puzzle game Sokobond.
Player Standings
Previous standings will always be posted below the opening post of each week's thread.
Standings will be updated after the current week has been completed and score checking has finished.
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Mogg 1536
Feyd Ruin 1439
Reyemile 1376
WhammWhamme 1228
tomsloger 1038
piato 983
CogMonocle 952
aurorasparrow 853
Draco9 773
bateleur 500
knobbodi 273
Fenris 000
Mogg wins ABT 18!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
didnt do too well, but it was fun.
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
6-0 if you dont cast smiter, you get elspeth after my turn 4. i cast ulamog soon after to destroy it.
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
0-6 pithing needle pays off.
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
0-6 zenith takes out mentor. i get enough lands to cast ulamog, but rsz then kills me.
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
0-6 pretty sure you just outrace me. i may do the turn by turn breakdown later.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
6-0 my annhilator is better since you give me so many lands, and i have chump blockers.
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
0-6 you win by not casting vraska
8) CogMonocle
Black Lotus / Braids, Cabal Minion
6-0 i sac lands and make tokens on my upkeep
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
0-6 hard
5 | 6 0 0 0 X 6 0 6 0 | 18
7| 6 6 0 6 6 6 X 6 3 | 38 | 475
1-7: 0-6: Mayor > Smiter. Vraska > Elspeth.
2-7: 0-6: Mayor > Summons.
3-7: 6-0: Zenith > Mayor. Zenith + Blossom > Vraska.
4-7: 0-6: Hippo gets in a hit on the draw, after I cast Mayor. Summons makes 3/3's on turn three or 4/4's on turn four, because I don't play a turn two land drop, and Mayor gets there.
5-7: 0-6: Mayor > Mentor.
6-7: 0-6: Mayor > lands.
7-8: 6-0: Braids as turn one play means Braids gets sacrificed. Mayor > Braids.
8-9: 3-3: Vraska is a turn late to be able to survive on the draw.
BWTeysa, Orzhov Scion
GWRhys the Redeemed
GUKruphix, God of Horizons
GRXenagos, God of Revels
GThrun, the Last Troll
GStompy
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Embarrassing metagame misread as nobody ran discard. Drat!
vs
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
Summons seems pretty great. Needle was a risk that I suspect won't quite pay off.
0-6 I think Summons beats me on its own, but Pithing Needle saves me calculating it!
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
This is a really interesting deck. Superficially, Zenith seems weak in this format... but in fact casting it once and then winning with it on turn 30-something is still good!
0-6 On the play I cast turn three Smiter, which is immediately burned out. Casting Elspeth provides the lands to use Zenith again and she too gets burned out. The three tokens she makes are not enough to race Bitterblossom.
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
Wow! Now that's sweet tech! I had to read the card!
0-6 I need to cast Smiter to stop the Hippo. On turn four he makes two 5/5s. On his turn six I am forced to chump block, but that doesn't help me because it means the Hippo connects!
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Nice design. I like the fact you can chump block a lot if you need to. Still, this would have been way stronger if anyone had actually run discard.
0-6 If I cast Smiter then Ulamog turns up on turn seven. By that time the Smiter has attacked only four times, so I lose as Ulamog destroys it and Elspeth can't get tokens past the elves in time.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Has the advantage over 5) that it dodges some removal, but on the minus side giving the opponent all that land slows down your annihilation.
0-6 Turn three Smiter kills on turn eight. My opponent has 11 land on turn five (if I've cast Smiter). Elspeth is, as usual, irrelevant.
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
The speed of Mayor is a nice way to push the opponent into giving you an early Vraska and they don't have long to kill it before you have a stream of chump blockers to defend it.
0-6 Mayor enables Smiter, but Smiter cannot kill before being overpowered by Wolf tokens. If Elspeth shows up, Vraska kills her and the three Soldiers don't make a difference.
8) CogMonocle
Black Lotus / Braids, Cabal Minion
Ooh, sweet! This looks like it might be broken enough to win the round...
0-6 Ouch!
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
Could it be that the solution to a format full of mana is to keep things cheap? For the metagame we've ended up with this looks like a great deck!
0-6 Smiter gets exiled and all of my opponent's stuff has power 3, which is sad times for Elspeth!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Tom and Mogg, I'm pretty sure you miscalculated your matches with me
1) bateleur
Loxodon Smiter / Elspeth, Sun's Champion
6-0 I get Braids under Smiter
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
1-4 When I'm on the play, he can't stick a summons larger than X = 2, and he has to sacrifice a token. They have a standoff. When he's on the play,
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
0-6 so about Braids and enchantments
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
1-4 Summons again. High five for noticing the hippo! I was looking at that card too.
5) tomsloger
Llanowar Mentor / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
6-0
The games:
I go first:
Me: Swamp
You: Forest, Mentor
Me: Land, Braids
You: Sac the land I gave you. Forest, Make a token (I now get this land).
Me: Sac a land, land. I attack (Mentor is tapped, you only have a 1/1).
You: You have to sac either mentor or a token, then you can make a token or just play a land and pass, either way I attack with Braids. This repeats. Basically there is a cap on the total number of permanents you have because I never pass lands to you after Braids, and making a token gives me the forest it came from.
-I win on my play
You go first:
You: Forest, Mentor
Me: Swamp, Braid (Thanks to the land from Mentor)
You: Sac a land, play a land. We're now in the exact same situation as last game.
-I win on the draw
You can only add 1 permanent to your board each turn, and making a creature requires tapping your other creature. You can never have a token and the mentor available to block braids, and if you did, it would result in a tie.
6) WhammWhamme
Exploration / Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
0-6
7) Mogg
Mayor of Avabruck / Vraska the Unseen
3-3
The Games:
Me first:
Me: Swamp
You: Forest
Me: Swamp, Braids
You: Sac land, play land, mayor
Me: Swamp, attack (mayor is a 1/1)
You: Mayor is sacced with his flip trigger on the stack. Also, wolves are made at end step. You have no other cards to play.
You first:
You: Forest
Me: Swamp
You: Forest, Mayor
Me: Swamp, Attack
You: Sac forest, mayor flips, makes wolf at end step, you just sac a land each turn, I am overrun.
9) Feyd_Ruin
Mayor of Avabruck / Path to Exile
0-6 Yeah, I suppose path to exile *is* good.
6 1 0 1 6 0 3 X 0 | 17
So next week is interesting, with a grand total of 624 legal cards, it's actually half the size of standard, but instead of 10% of cards being playable, 10% of cards are unplayable.
2. Needle doesn't touch. Path a token, easily deal with other. 6-0
3. RSZ kills Mayor. 0-6
4. Path hippo if played. Make tokens to block & kill before death. 6-0
5. Path mentor, outrace the 11 drop. 6-0
6. Path Ulamog, win with tokens. 6-0
7. Race vraska via token on play, Vraska kills on draw. 3-3
8. Path braids. 6-0
9. x
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
1 | 6 6 0 6 6 6 3 6 X | 38 | 475
EDIT: lol
Mogg and I both got exactly 38 points last round.
Now we both get exactly 38 points again.
Not just 2 ties, but a double up of the points.
It's a conspiracy!
No longer staff here.
6 | 6 1 0 0 0 X 0 6 0 | 00 | 000
Results:
vs. bateleur: Ulamog trumps here. 6-0
vs. Draco9:
1) Give me mana, get an Eldrazi. 6-0
2) Pithing Needle is a blank, so the question is speed.
W1: Forest, Exploration, Forest
D1: Mountain (can make 2/2's that swing 4 times for 8)
W2: Land, Land (3)
D2: Mountain (can make 3/3's that swing 3 times for 9)
W3: Land, Land (5)
D3: Mountain (can make 4/4's that swing 2 times for 8)
W4: Land, Land (7)
D4: Mountain (can make 5/5's that swing 1 time for 10)
W5: Land, Land (9)
D5: Mountain (can make 6/6's that swing into Ulamog)
W6: Land, Land, Ulamog
D6: Mountain (17 lands. Can make 2x 10/10 and not lose to Annihilator; draw)
So on the play, a draw. Stupid Devastating Summons.
On the draw, one more land = I lose outright. 1-4
vs. Piato:
exp. land land / land BBlossom
land land (4) / BB dmg (19, 1x 1/1)
land land (6) / BB dmg (18, 2x 1/1) (attack me down to 19)
land land (8) / BB dmg (17, 3x 1/1) (attack me down to 17)
land land (10) / BB dmg (16, 4x 1/1) (attack me down to 14)
land land (12), Ulamog / BB dmg (15, 5x 1/1) (win with RSZ)
0-6
vs. Reyemile: Lose to Hippo. 0-6
vs. tomsloger: Lose to better Ulamog deck. 0-6
vs. Mogg:
exp land land / land mayor
land land (4) / Swing, token (17)
land land (6) / Swing, token (12)
land land (8) / Swing, token (3)
land land (10) / swing I die
0-6
vs. CogMonocle: Exploration wins. 6-0
vs. Feyd_Ruin: Lose to Mayor. 0-6
2) Draco9
Devastating Summons / Pithing Needle
3) piato
Bitterblossom / Red Sun's Zenith
4) Reyemile
Pygmy Hippo / Devastating Summons
2v3 6-0 summons wins on its own. though it wouldnt if blossom didnt cost life
2v4 2-2 whoever casts first loses, so no one does.
3v4 0-6 rsz could take out hippo, but then the summons is way big.
heres a grid. it currently just shows what everyone posted and the 3 above matchups except the me vs cogmonocle correction i already made.
1 | X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 00 | 000
2 | 6 X 6 2 6 4 0 4 0 | 28 | 350
3 | 6 0 X 0 6 6 6 6 6 | 36 | 450
4 | 6 2 6 X 6 6 0 4 0 | 30 | 375
5 | 6 0 0 0 X 6 0 6 0 | 18 | 225
6 | 6 1 0 0 0 X 0 6 0 | 13 | 163
7 | 6 6 0 6 6 6 X 6 3 | 38 | 475
8 | 6 1 0 1 6 0 3 X 0 | 17 | 213
9 | 6 6 0 6 6 6 3 6 X | 38 | 475
So, whilst further corrections may still be submitted it looks like Mogg and Feyd_Ruin have indeed won again!
And additional congratulations to Mogg, who therefore wins ABT 18!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Everyone is forgetting that Mogg has to sacrifice a land the turn he casts mayor.
This means he has only 2 lands and he has to tap both to cast the mayor.
Then his lands go to Cog EOT, so he's left with a lonely ol' Mayor.
Next upkeep, he has nothing but mayor to sac.
1. Swamp.
1. Forest.
2. Swamp 2.
Black Lotus
Tap Swamp, Tap Sac Lotus: Braids
EOT: Swamp Goes to Mogg
2. Upkeep: Sacrifice:
Sacrifice the Swamp.
Forest 2.
Tap Both Lands: Mayor
EOT: Both forests will go to Cog.
3. Sac Swamp, Play Swamp.
3. Upkeep: Sacrifice:
(No Lands) Sacrifice Mayor.
Loss
* Waiting turns still keeps him locked at land count 2->1->2
* So it'll still end with an upkeep sac on mayor.
(This makes me sad since that means Mogg and I don't double up the perfect tie.)
No longer staff here.
OK, round scores now updated! Feyd_Ruin wins the round but Mogg still wins ABT 18!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>