This is probably one of the last times I'm posting here. I've been growing away from the game and don't play very often, as I've mentioned in the past. My experience on this site has had ups and downs.
I was an irregular for a while, then eventually started paying attention to various eternal format decklists, particularly EDH, and Custom Set Creation. I was here for a couple years as a moderator of Debate and Vintage, looking to moderate Commander throughout the entire time I was in those positions. Moderation had some fun moments, but I was constantly being ridiculed, scapegoated, gaslit, and held to a double standard by other staff, particularly senior staff. I stepped down when I realized that it had gotten to be too much, in the middle of such a conversation with one of the admins. I dealt with serious depression throughout my time as a moderator, and while I was allowed to take a break from the site, the site staff atmosphere was still not a helpful one.
Given the closing of Debate, I made a Debate discord, which is still a comfortable and active hangout to this day for the former MtGS Debate community.
Through my staff position, I met a few people I still call friends, one of whom got me into Mafia here. I enjoyed playing in the mafia section for a while and eventually branched out to other sites. I still regularly came back to MtGS to check spoilers, post set reviews, and occasionally play or host some mafia.
This Norin thread has been one of my favourite last links to this site, even as the spoilers are no longer useful (I use Mythic Spoiler), a chunk of the community no longer posts here, and my interest in Magic has declined alongside my rate of playing the game and my opinion of WotC as a company.
All in all, though, I feel old. I feel like even if I didn't feel now like WotC is an awful company, I'd still feel left behind by Magic. The designs don't feel designed for me. I don't get that sense of excitement that I used to get from new sets and new cards. And I'm only 28 years old.
I'll check back here a bit if I have the time this month, but I don't expect to be regularly posting set reviews or anything else for a while. With the mafia community moving on from MtGSalvation, I can finally let the site go.
Mostly same for me, but I am much older than you. I still come here in hopes that Gaka makes a surprise return from exile.
I was able to actually play this deck (or magic) for the first time in 9ish years. I took this to a game store and got in 2 games.
First off, lots has changed in 9 years - the power level of decks is far higher than it used to be. I had no ways of dealing with a krark and sakashima deck copying and doubling all its spells. We don't have enough new stack interaction and I sorely missed a way to stop those shenanigans.
Game report:
Game 1:
Opponents: Scarab God, Krark/Sakashima, Nikya of the Old Ways
Just could not keep up with the strong and large number of creatures from the RG commander. Krark/Sakashima did nothing because of mana screw. Scarab God was mildly annoying with mill, but really the 8 creatures of powers 6 - 9 really did the job. Mostly it was the combo of Bane of Progress with Ilharg, the Raze-Boar wiping out all our defenses that made this game a blowout.
Game 2:
Opponents: Scarab God, Krark/Sakashima, Nikya of the Old Ways, Commander Greven il-Vec
This time around we had some defenses up, but it didn't matter 1 bit. The Greven player was running what I would call a Duel Commander. He was capable of taking out a player via commander damage through [c]Lake of the Dead]] and a Liliana of the get BBBB ability. He took out the Scarab God player, but the real issue was the Krark/Skashima player who was able to generate insane mana with treasures and rituals then have enough copies of krark to lightening bolt us all to death.
There was no way to interact with his stack based deck with ours. I don't know if there are defenses against that type of deck in RWB outside of stax like Rule of Law which is very much against the idea of this deck.
Anyway, I still love this deck, but I think it may not be able to compete with tuned decks in 2022.
Hi all,
If I have a two faced cards with type creature on one side and type artifact on the other (ie Heirloom Mirror), and the other 98 in my commander deck are either lands or creatures, will my deck qualify for Umori, the Collector as a companion, please?
This is one of my favorite decks.. I'm about to run to work, but I will respond to your comments later tonight (if all goes well). Quickly though, the idea is not to use cards/combos that lock your opponent out - one one likes that and they probably won't say 'Thank You'. I think that's why the delaying shield combo (which I do run in another deck, and no one likes it) would not be a thematic fit here. More later!
What am I considering removing from the deck for this new addition?
What does the new card offer that the old card didn't?
Do I care if my opponents have this creature/artifact/enchantment?
For me, I'd vote against Soul of New Phyrexia because it is something I DO NOT want my opponents to have, but that's just me.
Hi soapzz,
Not to reply for Rachmiel; I have a little commentary on your post.
I too run this deck (mostly the same - just a few differences that I rotate in and out to make it a surprise)... I played at a tourney and this is NOT the deck for competitive play. When prizes are on the line, cut throat decks come out. I won on turn 3 with my Karador/Hermit Druid deck. Literally no fun was had. No thanks were given.
EDH weaksauce. Another Tibalt for that format, though still much better than Tibalt the unplayable. this is why red is considered the weakest color in that format.
The fact that we constantly see these type of threads, ie Red being weak in EDH, says something.
Yep it says that players whine when they can't play something well. Or it says red is bad when MLD is banned out in playgroups.
Those are far more likely than the color being awful.
Don't over react. I didnt say the color is aweful.
...and it's not just people whing or not being able to play. It is very much a reflection on the color from the general player pool. Please don't dismiss other people's opinions so quickly. The number of these threads is higher than the number of "(insert another color) needs some love" threads. Red is harder to play and win witb in EDH in my experience.
The fact that we constantly see these type of threads, ie Red being weak in EDH, says something.
I have now mono Rex decks than any other color; in my humble opinion, is a lot more difficult to win with them than mono green or black for example. I've also noticed that my decks have a lot of cards over lap in red cards because they are must haves in mono red decks. A lot of artifacts.
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/ONcyU1J1QUuIKw39KshDkA
This deck is amazing and there have been amazing cards printed that should be reviewed for this deck.
I hope enough of the community still exists to try to update this deck (or create version 2 if necessary).
Here is my initial list of cards to review for inclusion in this deck - I have not thought about what to remove yet.
Thoughts?
Sam, if you see this, I'd love to hear from you.
Mostly same for me, but I am much older than you. I still come here in hopes that Gaka makes a surprise return from exile.
I was able to actually play this deck (or magic) for the first time in 9ish years. I took this to a game store and got in 2 games.
First off, lots has changed in 9 years - the power level of decks is far higher than it used to be. I had no ways of dealing with a krark and sakashima deck copying and doubling all its spells. We don't have enough new stack interaction and I sorely missed a way to stop those shenanigans.
Game report:
Game 1:
Opponents: Scarab God, Krark/Sakashima, Nikya of the Old Ways
Just could not keep up with the strong and large number of creatures from the RG commander. Krark/Sakashima did nothing because of mana screw. Scarab God was mildly annoying with mill, but really the 8 creatures of powers 6 - 9 really did the job. Mostly it was the combo of Bane of Progress with Ilharg, the Raze-Boar wiping out all our defenses that made this game a blowout.
Game 2:
Opponents: Scarab God, Krark/Sakashima, Nikya of the Old Ways, Commander Greven il-Vec
This time around we had some defenses up, but it didn't matter 1 bit. The Greven player was running what I would call a Duel Commander. He was capable of taking out a player via commander damage through [c]Lake of the Dead]] and a Liliana of the get BBBB ability. He took out the Scarab God player, but the real issue was the Krark/Skashima player who was able to generate insane mana with treasures and rituals then have enough copies of krark to lightening bolt us all to death.
There was no way to interact with his stack based deck with ours. I don't know if there are defenses against that type of deck in RWB outside of stax like Rule of Law which is very much against the idea of this deck.
Anyway, I still love this deck, but I think it may not be able to compete with tuned decks in 2022.
Ps- a card similar to Volcanic Torrent would be amazing..
Something like:
Mana Wake 2RW
Instant
Split Second
Mana Wake deals damage to each player equal to the number of spells that player has cast this turn.
If I have a two faced cards with type creature on one side and type artifact on the other (ie Heirloom Mirror), and the other 98 in my commander deck are either lands or creatures, will my deck qualify for Umori, the Collector as a companion, please?
Thank you.
I dint get to play anymore, but I still keep an eye out for mtg stuff.
Thanks for the link, I'll rage a peek.
How you've been well.
What am I considering removing from the deck for this new addition?
What does the new card offer that the old card didn't?
Do I care if my opponents have this creature/artifact/enchantment?
For me, I'd vote against Soul of New Phyrexia because it is something I DO NOT want my opponents to have, but that's just me.
Not to reply for Rachmiel; I have a little commentary on your post.
I too run this deck (mostly the same - just a few differences that I rotate in and out to make it a surprise)... I played at a tourney and this is NOT the deck for competitive play. When prizes are on the line, cut throat decks come out. I won on turn 3 with my Karador/Hermit Druid deck. Literally no fun was had. No thanks were given.
This deck is GREAT, but not for tournament play.
Don't over react. I didnt say the color is aweful.
...and it's not just people whing or not being able to play. It is very much a reflection on the color from the general player pool. Please don't dismiss other people's opinions so quickly. The number of these threads is higher than the number of "(insert another color) needs some love" threads. Red is harder to play and win witb in EDH in my experience.
I have now mono Rex decks than any other color; in my humble opinion, is a lot more difficult to win with them than mono green or black for example. I've also noticed that my decks have a lot of cards over lap in red cards because they are must haves in mono red decks. A lot of artifacts.