Also, as much as a fan of Star Trek as I am... is anyone else getting a little nervous about the amount of yelling that is probably going to be happening around them at the prerelease?
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
I'm worried that it's going to be hard to get 23 playables in this set, with all the fixing running around. My plan for this set was to start off drafting 2 color decks, but now it looks like getting forced into 3 is going to happen a lot.
What do you guys think of the set so far? Too early to ask for drafting advice?
The new MODO client... while I don't think it's as bad as other people, Hearthstone has really showed how huge Magic could be if only Magic Online was attractive, high-performance, and easy.
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Edit: A thing I'd rather have over the Banners? Enemy-colored borderposts. Maybe later in the set.
Remember Deathrite Shaman existed fairly recently. I don't think they're too shy about printing 1 cmc mana dorks with a high power level.
I'm also not super pleased with RUG guy. He definitely isn't making my "add to Maelstrom Wanderer" EDH hunt, which I go through every set. I'm assuming that I'll get some interesting cards, this being a wedge block, but I've yet to see anything good enough.
I like the idea of unmorphing him and going nuts, but the turn three investment is too much, just for a turn 4 ritual. I'd rather play Lotus Cobra, which is currently also on the outside of the deck looking in.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
How do you feel about the accusation that block formats tend to only be solved by pro teams? I've seen people post things like, "none of my friends play block, how can I expect to seriously test it compared to Channel Fireball?"
I guess there's always MODO, but that's definitely not going as deep as renting a beach house and playing block for two weeks.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
There are two arguments here, that I see. The first being that 8 sets gives more opportunity for innovation, and a balanced experience, and the second being that it gives cards more lasting value.
To the first, I don't really see that it bears out. 3rd sets rarely have much to offer except refinements to the decks that are already the best, which narrows the metagame more often than anything.
To the second, I see the point. We'll have to see whether that affects enthusiasm for picking up new cards by much. Hopefully people's new excitement over the format rotating twice as often will make up for a lack of excitement about the shortened lifespan of their purchase.
I am a little worried about Block as a format. I don't think two sets is really enough to keep supporting it as an interesting experience. 3 was already pretty few.
I agree with most of what you said, especially being worried about block.
As for third sets not affecting standard much, I at least partially disagree...
I mean, you aren't going to see too many people switching decks right before rotation, but Bloodbraid Elf was an incredibly powerful card for Jund and 5CC. Two other heavy hitters are Splinter Twin and Birthing Pod.
Tarmogoyf, Eldrazi Conscription (and the Eldrazi), Batterskull, Coalition Relic, Aetherling, lands in many cases, Bonfire/Entreat/Miracles... Tamiyo and Gideon.
I feel like third sets tend to really swing things in control's favor. They push midrange decks into aggro/control variants, and often enable random metagame control decks to find the bomb, removal, land, or combo piece they were missing. Maybe they are a few factors in this - not just the availability of the third set, but also the "settling" of the format, but I feel like third sets have had their impact in more than a few standard formats.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
Regarding white - hasn't it been kind of the nuts in a lot of limited environments, in the last 3-4 years? It certainly feels that way.
Also, how come whenever I start building a Modern deck, it turns into "I'll use Simic Guildmage to slide Genju of the Realm across all my lands and make an army of 8/12's..." What's wrong with me.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
I do love the feeling of a full-set block, holding those varicolored packs. The idea of a complete block, of one pack per set being the fullest realization of a draft format, always appealed to me. But it was only ever an idea.
When was the last time a full set outshone a triple fall set? RGD? Maybe TPF, but I'd argue that triple Tsp is just as fun. My favorite formats have been triple Innistrad and triple ROE, so no great loss here.
I'd say that this is bad for reprints, but... it might not be. Time will tell. Right now the thing we're most hurting for are Fetchland reprints, and those could certainly come in a block. In fact, I'd expect them to come from a block way more than from a Core Set. At the end of the day, reprints and magic-finance aren't my priority.
I have to say, I'm really excited, surprisingly excited.
It's too early to tell, but I might even play standard again.
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Edit: Also MaRo's huge article on the change was adorable. Pages of "oh god please don't hate me... I promise I have the best intentions..." So cautious.
@Smelly Rebel - You can of course discuss non-Arena! I know we've been on Hearthstone a lot, but just to be clear, this is still a Magic-related clan, whose primary purpose is to be a place where Draft/Sealed enthusiasts can interact. I know we all have varies interests, including Magic, Videogames, Hearthstone, Youtube, etc, so feel free, all of you, to discuss multiple topics at once. You aren't spamming at all - I trust you guys.
I don't want to scare off the non-Hearthstone players. I know I've been talking about Hearthstone a lot. The game just has a lot going on, right now, with its first ever expansion, while Magic is in the middle of a core set. I am assuming that things will balance out when Khans hits.
@What to do with 1600 dust - It's true that Bloodmage Thalnos is in a lot of decks, but it's just kind of an unexciting value two drop. I'd personally rather have Ysera, because I think it's fun. You could also just go get whatever epics you think you might need, like Faceless Void or Ancient of Lore.
(I tagged all those like Magic cards, for those of you with no idea what's going on.)
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
So I am listening to a video where three highly respected Arena players are discussing Hearthstone cards... the "Pros" in this game seem terrible at card evaluation. They draft based on pick-order spreadsheets, and are almost always incorrect when they try and explain statistics.
Right now they're discussing Stampeding Kodo and Lava Burst. In magic terms, it's a pick between a 5 mana FTK and 3 mana removal/burn spell that essentially has Echo 2. The pick is close, but their discussion... makes me wonder how these are pro players.
"Well, they're both five mana spells." This is not the first time I've heard these guys talk about Hearthstone's echo mechanic (overload) in this way. It's like listening to a brand new Magic player trash the leveler mechanic.
Why does this matter? It doesn't, really, but I really wish we could see some of the great MtG teachers turn their skills to Hearthstone. It would be so cool to watch someone do an Arena draft and actually explain their decisions intelligently. (And not rush through untimed Arena picks like their house is on fire.)
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
Hm, I never would've thought of BHG or Blood Knight as especially swingy... unless you're holding it forever. If they were 1/1's for 3, I could see it, but they're 4/2's and 3/3's for 3. BGH trades with most non-yetis in the early game, which is sometimes all you need. I view him almost like a card with kicker.
It does feel a little counter-intuitive that the big finishers in this game, the 8/8's, usually trade with a 4/2 and a 4/4 and... they're more like guaranteed turn-eaters than finishers. (Edit: This isn't necessarily a bad thing. In Magic's draft/sealed, there are so many bombs you just lose to. I guess it's kind of cool that not every efficiently-costed big creature in Hearthstone is a bomb.)
One of my favorite cards in the game is actually that priest spell that changes the hero ability, because it can't be answered. It's still perfectly beatable, but once it's down, they have a considerable edge in the late game. Jarraxus is equally exciting. It's unfortunate that he's not good enough to be a popular control finisher, but he's still really cool.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
OP, I started exactly when you did, and I can relate.
I was 11 years old, and I remember walking into stores and seeing packs of Ice Age for 2.99, with packs of Revised for 4.99. I made the obvious choice for a kid with some loose change.
By the time I was 14, I'd spent maybe 300 dollars on Ice Age, 4th-6th Edition, Mirage... all garbage, financially.
But maybe it's for the best? If I'd had a bunch of dual lands, then I'd probably just have sob stories about trading them away for Serra Angels, as a lot of people a few years older than me have.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
The first thing I would advise is taking the Rules Advisor test. That will give you a good idea of what your current rules knowledge is, and whether you'd need to study more before going for your L1 Judge or not.
Another thing to consider... most competitive Magic players (PTQ Grinders and up) have roughly the rules knowledge of an RA or L1, but not all seek out the Judge title. To be a judge, you need a higher level judge to mentor you, and that takes time - yours and theirs.
Ask yourself why you might want to become a judge. If the answer is "to help people run events," then go for it. If you just want the prestige, I'd honestly recommend not asking an L2 to put in that kind of time training you.
Regardless of the outcome, enjoy being good at the game! There's plenty to be done with good card recall and rules knowledge. The first thing that comes to mind for me, is playing Magic well.
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I'll be sad if people don't start calling The Chain Veil "Fleetwood Mac."
Funny you should say that, I actually summed up hero abilities to someone as feeling kind of like having a good enchantment into play, or maybe one of those Trigon style cards from Scars.
Yeah, I'd love enchantments. It's a tightrope walk, for sure, because right now this game has an insanely easy barrier to entry, at the cost of missing mechanics.
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What do you guys think of the set so far? Too early to ask for drafting advice?
The new MODO client... while I don't think it's as bad as other people, Hearthstone has really showed how huge Magic could be if only Magic Online was attractive, high-performance, and easy.
-----
Edit: A thing I'd rather have over the Banners? Enemy-colored borderposts. Maybe later in the set.
I'm also not super pleased with RUG guy. He definitely isn't making my "add to Maelstrom Wanderer" EDH hunt, which I go through every set. I'm assuming that I'll get some interesting cards, this being a wedge block, but I've yet to see anything good enough.
I like the idea of unmorphing him and going nuts, but the turn three investment is too much, just for a turn 4 ritual. I'd rather play Lotus Cobra, which is currently also on the outside of the deck looking in.
I guess there's always MODO, but that's definitely not going as deep as renting a beach house and playing block for two weeks.
I agree with most of what you said, especially being worried about block.
As for third sets not affecting standard much, I at least partially disagree...
I mean, you aren't going to see too many people switching decks right before rotation, but Bloodbraid Elf was an incredibly powerful card for Jund and 5CC. Two other heavy hitters are Splinter Twin and Birthing Pod.
Tarmogoyf, Eldrazi Conscription (and the Eldrazi), Batterskull, Coalition Relic, Aetherling, lands in many cases, Bonfire/Entreat/Miracles... Tamiyo and Gideon.
I feel like third sets tend to really swing things in control's favor. They push midrange decks into aggro/control variants, and often enable random metagame control decks to find the bomb, removal, land, or combo piece they were missing. Maybe they are a few factors in this - not just the availability of the third set, but also the "settling" of the format, but I feel like third sets have had their impact in more than a few standard formats.
Also, how come whenever I start building a Modern deck, it turns into "I'll use Simic Guildmage to slide Genju of the Realm across all my lands and make an army of 8/12's..." What's wrong with me.
I do love the feeling of a full-set block, holding those varicolored packs. The idea of a complete block, of one pack per set being the fullest realization of a draft format, always appealed to me. But it was only ever an idea.
When was the last time a full set outshone a triple fall set? RGD? Maybe TPF, but I'd argue that triple Tsp is just as fun. My favorite formats have been triple Innistrad and triple ROE, so no great loss here.
I'd say that this is bad for reprints, but... it might not be. Time will tell. Right now the thing we're most hurting for are Fetchland reprints, and those could certainly come in a block. In fact, I'd expect them to come from a block way more than from a Core Set. At the end of the day, reprints and magic-finance aren't my priority.
I have to say, I'm really excited, surprisingly excited.
It's too early to tell, but I might even play standard again.
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Edit: Also MaRo's huge article on the change was adorable. Pages of "oh god please don't hate me... I promise I have the best intentions..." So cautious.
The recent Twister expansion's emphasis on spin-heel kicking the opponent in the face really made the prerelease awful.
I don't want to scare off the non-Hearthstone players. I know I've been talking about Hearthstone a lot. The game just has a lot going on, right now, with its first ever expansion, while Magic is in the middle of a core set. I am assuming that things will balance out when Khans hits.
@What to do with 1600 dust - It's true that Bloodmage Thalnos is in a lot of decks, but it's just kind of an unexciting value two drop. I'd personally rather have Ysera, because I think it's fun. You could also just go get whatever epics you think you might need, like Faceless Void or Ancient of Lore.
(I tagged all those like Magic cards, for those of you with no idea what's going on.)
Right now they're discussing Stampeding Kodo and Lava Burst. In magic terms, it's a pick between a 5 mana FTK and 3 mana removal/burn spell that essentially has Echo 2. The pick is close, but their discussion... makes me wonder how these are pro players.
"Well, they're both five mana spells." This is not the first time I've heard these guys talk about Hearthstone's echo mechanic (overload) in this way. It's like listening to a brand new Magic player trash the leveler mechanic.
Why does this matter? It doesn't, really, but I really wish we could see some of the great MtG teachers turn their skills to Hearthstone. It would be so cool to watch someone do an Arena draft and actually explain their decisions intelligently. (And not rush through untimed Arena picks like their house is on fire.)
It does feel a little counter-intuitive that the big finishers in this game, the 8/8's, usually trade with a 4/2 and a 4/4 and... they're more like guaranteed turn-eaters than finishers. (Edit: This isn't necessarily a bad thing. In Magic's draft/sealed, there are so many bombs you just lose to. I guess it's kind of cool that not every efficiently-costed big creature in Hearthstone is a bomb.)
One of my favorite cards in the game is actually that priest spell that changes the hero ability, because it can't be answered. It's still perfectly beatable, but once it's down, they have a considerable edge in the late game. Jarraxus is equally exciting. It's unfortunate that he's not good enough to be a popular control finisher, but he's still really cool.
I was 11 years old, and I remember walking into stores and seeing packs of Ice Age for 2.99, with packs of Revised for 4.99. I made the obvious choice for a kid with some loose change.
By the time I was 14, I'd spent maybe 300 dollars on Ice Age, 4th-6th Edition, Mirage... all garbage, financially.
But maybe it's for the best? If I'd had a bunch of dual lands, then I'd probably just have sob stories about trading them away for Serra Angels, as a lot of people a few years older than me have.
The first thing I would advise is taking the Rules Advisor test. That will give you a good idea of what your current rules knowledge is, and whether you'd need to study more before going for your L1 Judge or not.
http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=judge/resources/rulesadvisorprogram
Another thing to consider... most competitive Magic players (PTQ Grinders and up) have roughly the rules knowledge of an RA or L1, but not all seek out the Judge title. To be a judge, you need a higher level judge to mentor you, and that takes time - yours and theirs.
Ask yourself why you might want to become a judge. If the answer is "to help people run events," then go for it. If you just want the prestige, I'd honestly recommend not asking an L2 to put in that kind of time training you.
Regardless of the outcome, enjoy being good at the game! There's plenty to be done with good card recall and rules knowledge. The first thing that comes to mind for me, is playing Magic well.
It's been a long time since I've had a reason to do sprite art, so I thought do some little pixellated monsters.
Yeah, I'd love enchantments. It's a tightrope walk, for sure, because right now this game has an insanely easy barrier to entry, at the cost of missing mechanics.