Hi guys.
Im a strictly competitive player nowadays. Last night I was out to get some cards and decided to play magic. Havent play ed much limited because theros block is to swinggy and too luck based.
...anyway the new set is out and I decided to play.
It was fun and reminded me of the time I started playing in 97. Casual, group games, political.
This set is built really well with heaps of threats and fantastic answers.
I liked the relaxed game pace as a break.
They are getting better at these draft special products.
They really are getting better. I met a number of people tonight who fell off the Magic bandwagon, including one who hasn't played since Mirage. They all agreed that they could not have possibly picked a better time to show up at the LGS. I even heard that a number of them will be coming back tomorrow to play some more before the packs run out. It was probably the most fun I've ever had playing multiplayer as well, and I left with a number of cube and legacy staples in tow.
The draft format itself struck a perfect tone. I drafted a deck with 5 beefed up, hasty, cost-reduced Twisted Abominations, a Spiritmonger, and multiple Fact or Fictions and Brainstorms. And yet I lost in a down-to-the-wire match to a silly Vent Sentinel deck that concocted some harebrained political deals and cleaned up at the table. Even without the draft shenanigans, the format itself has a lot of different strategies and fun stories, and actually was relatively speedy for a multiplayer game.
To anyone skeptical of the format, it comes highly recommended.
I posted my first experience with Conspiracy (quite positive) in another thread, and went to a second draft tonight. I am absolutely hooked. The actual draft is such a blast, with the face-up cards and all the shenanigans that can happen. Tonight, as we went into pack 2, the guy to my left cracked Lore Seeker and added another pack of Conspiracy. He rips Dack Fayden AND a foil Selvala, Explorer Returned! He had used his Cogwork Librarian early in pack 1 as well! The anguished smile on his face as he passed me the foil was hilarious and the table was just loving all the good feels, me especially of course.
The game itself was tons of fun, and I curved turn 3 Marchesa's Infiltrator into turn 4 Marchesa's Emissary. Man, those Dethrone creatures can be nasty, the Infiltrator especially. Absurd Ophidian is absurd. My powerful start set me up as a prime target, but two other players got knocked out before I went down. Selvala kept me in the game for a while with her Parley lifegain, and the extra green mana let me power out my card draw while also being able to cast the spells I drew. I checked the top of my deck as I died - MAGISTER. Damn! Ah, such fun times.
I drafted CNS for the first time tonight and I have to say I liked drafting more than the actual game. Maybe my deck was just grossly overpowered because nobody knew the format, but I ended up with 2 Fact or Fiction, 2 Compulsive Research, 3 Sakura-Tribe Elder, 5 Screaming Seahawk, 2 Echoing Courage and an Edric, Spymaster of Trest just to round things out, as well as the haste, +1/+1, and cost reduction conspiracies, all set to the Seahawks. My game was a rofflestomp, and was over before the 6th or 7th turn, despite keeping a poor hand and missing on a third land for at least a turn.
Hopefully this isn't a common occurrence, because when you only get one game and 20 life, it's hard to self correct and identify the actual threat. Once I flipped my conspiracies and played the first Seahawk it was too late for even a 2v1 to stop me. This isn't like EDH where you can durdle for 5 turns and not do anything, and that makes me kind of sad. I don't like the idea of spending all of this time drafting an awesome deck only to get blindsided by a hyper focused strategy that just crushes the table before they can do anything. I actually felt really bad afterward, like I'd just ruined the experience for 2 other people despite doing nothing wrong.
I might have bought three boxes and constructed an 80-pack ratio-perfect Conspiracy set cube today. I can now draft Conspiracy whenever I want to and the cube is large enough to host a 24 person event. Life is good.
Totally agree. Format's amazing. Especially since our entire table decided to concoct the weirdest decks possible. We had 4 colour green (with Spiritmonger, Magister of Worth and a horde of Gnarlid Packs), mono-W lifegain (that's apparently a thing), R/W Dethrone guys with Vent Sentinel, and me on 4 colour control wannabe with 3 Dream Fracture and 2 Split Decision.
Game took about an hour. Had it all: silly plays, politics, treason, a player incindentally decking himself (sacrifices Gamekeeper to Altar's Reap - unfortunately, the creature he hits is the second last card in his library), and me eventually winning with Phage the Untouchable teaming up with Marchesa's Smuggler.
Absolutely loving the set. It was a really interesting draft format, that made for some fantastic political (and silly) plays.
The two crowning moments of the night were when my friend managed to cast mana geyser for fifteen, then play deathforge shaman to instantly take one player out of the game. The same player managed to draft 3xbrimstone volley and a double stroke in the same draft, so the next turn after someone destroyed his measly critter, he retaliated with 2 volleys for 20 damage to the face. The shenanigans!
This format is so fun. Last night I did an 8 person draft and at some point in the draft we decided to use 4 boosters each. So I ended up with the nuts Vent Sentinel deck and like 8 Conspiracies, including:
2x Brago's Favor set to Vent Sentinel & Rousing of Souls
2x Secrets of Paradise set to Cinder Wall and Pride Guardian
Immediate Action set to Vent Sentinel
Unexpected Potential set to Reckless Scholar
Double Stroke set to Rousing of Souls (I had 4)
Muzzio's Preparations set to Wakestone Gargoyle
Basically every game I would get a turn 1 Cinder Wall or Pride Guardian into turn 2 Vent Sentinel or duplicated Rousing of Souls, which would usually get me 5-6 tokens since we did 4 player games. My flyers would get some early damage in and then clog up the board while I set up a bunch of Defenders and started to Vent Sentinel for 5-10 damage per Sentinel. The techest play was probably using Vent Sentinel, blinking it with Glimmerpoint Stag, and then using it again (since it had haste from a conspiracy).
I think the conspiracies were definitely undervalued by the people I drafted with. In a multiplayer format you want to be doing really unfair things and conspiracies help push a fairly normal deck into unfair territory, especially Double Stroke and Brago's Favor.
Wow, i am just so impressed with the responses on this thread. I'm sure there are those who didn't enjoy it, but I certainly wasn't expecting to see this much love for this set. Really excited to get my boxes in the mail and start drafting. Anyone find a foil brainstorm?
Next time, try to find a 4 player table and you will probably enjoy it more.
It's not like I chose to play a 3 player game. We were the odd table with 7 people instead of 8 and that's the way it broke. Regardless, I played some 4 player games afterward with friends but because I had showed them my deck immediately after the draft (different pods and all) it was 3v1 every time, which was boring but understandable as I could still easily kill at least one person before I died.
Not to mention when you competitively play multiplayer you run into the awkward situation of the tactical scoop. Overall I like the draft matters cards, and I want to keep cracking CNS packs because there is sweet stuff in the set, but I'm not a fan of the multiplayer aspect.
"Not to mention when you competitively play multiplayer"
There is the rub, this set begs to be played for fun not for competition. My pod last night decided to split the prize pull and get 2 packs each and just play for fun. It was a blast.
I am a competitive limited player and not relay a fan of multiplayer but was just blown away how fun the set is!
I played on a 9 person Table witch split into 2 games and drafted a Red Green fires of yavimaya deck with lots of ramp big guys and burn (3 Volleys 1 sulfuric Vortex 1 Heartless Hidetsugu) and got to draw a game with Orcish Cannonade!
"Not to mention when you competitively play multiplayer"
There is the rub, this set begs to be played for fun not for competition. My pod last night decided to split the prize pull and get 2 packs each and just play for fun. It was a blast.
One of my pods today did that. I rofflestomped them, but it didn't bother me. We each got a draft set of Conspiracy, and all plan on drafting later in the week so it all works out for the better anyway.
What I found was that some of the best drafters and players for regular formats just got curbstomped. I was almost always one of the first ones to start chatting at the table, and always discussing the changing board state with players, and using politics at every possible turn. One player was frustrated because he didn't get any good cards for politic plays. I spent a good while trying to explain to him that you don't *need* specific cards, or even types of cards, to play politics. There is a reason why I've won 3 drafts of conspiracy in a row, and it has only somewhat to do with my pool's card quality. It has more to do with that I'm constantly deal brokering, explaining the declining board state to other players in a way that seems bad for all of us, and attempting to convince other players that my suggestion to them is the best course of action for them to take.
But, alas, it was to no avail. And several others were complaining about how they didn't get any Will of the Council cards or what have you to "play politics" with. Just couldn't explain to them that those cards only help facilitate the politics that exist, but aren't what creates the politics of the game. Every action someone takes is a potential political moment, and those who take advantage will do well.
I also had one of the best drafters say that he won't care what anybody says, and will just build a deck to win. Which is fine in a 2-player game, but with 4? Not so certain about that. It's a great way to just die, as most of the better regular drafters found out. You have to be willing to give and take, and make (As well as break) deals.
That said, you can't afford to just play big dudes and do nothing for 4-5 turns. You need to build some sort of board presence early, or else you will just be destroyed. Building some sort of board presence is necessary, even if it's only 1-2 2/2s or 3/3s. Most players won't be willing to attack into you even if they can power through with large creatures, as the backswing will destroy them from the other players (Potentially 3 turns of attacks).
And Cogwork Librarian is just plain good. As are most of the conspiracies.
At my LGS, the drafts were all for fun - no prize support. After you finished, everyone got the promo. 1st time drafting. Loved it. My LGS usually re-drafts the rares based on who wins, etc. This time, draft it, keep it. They even did the FNM promos all random this time. Really bent two people out of shape going random on all the FNM promos. Oh well, if you're hyper competitive in Conspiracy, you're missing the point of the entire format.
With my 4 person group, at one point, all but 1 guy had a Squirrel's Nest out.
"You get a Squirrel's Nest! and You get a Squirrel's Nest! and You get a Squirrel's Nest! and not you.."
Will be playing this format some more over the next few months.
I had a blast, and will certainly do it again. The last game, there were three people left. I and another guy were both at low life, with strong board presences, but the other guy was definitely winning. However, this didn't matter, as it was the third guy's turn. He had no cards left in his library and a 9/9 demon out. He could kill one, but not both of us, and had no hope of winning. He essentially could choose the winner right there. So the other guy offers him one of the three packs the winner receives. I offer him one pack and the uncommons from the second. He meets me and adds the commons from the second. I offer him two packs, and so it goes until we both have offered to give him all but one rare. He went with the other guy. In hindsight, I should have turned to the guy next to me and offered to split the prizes with him if he agreed to do the same, which would have been better for both of us, but that didn't occur to me at the moment.
Tl;DR: Our game created a prisoner's dilemma, and it was awesome. (Sort of)
Bought a box and played it with some friends tonight. Red defenders (Vent Sentinals and Cinder Walls) along with Mana Geyser and Deathforge Shaman is quite the kill switch.
Overall, it was a blast! I want to play this set again and again.
On top of that I walked out with a Dack Fayden and a FOIL Exploration.
The box had another Dack Fayden, two Misdirections and a 2nd regular Explorations as well. It was pretty crazy to see.
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Decks: Legacy UR Dracoplosion
Modern R Goblins G Combo Elves
EDH RKrenko, Mob Boss BRGKresh, the Bloodbraided XKarn, Silver Golem RZirilan of the Claw
That was the funnest format I've drafted in a long while. In my first pod (3 man), I went with RG and won at the end following a Magister of Worth boardwipe with Scourge of the Throne. It was so sweet because I had been doing nothing all game and had just hidden the Haste Conspiracy the entire match until it was only me and one guy left. He was at 9, I was at 11, then with my board clear of flyers he tapped out and also swung at me with Magister, dropping me to 7. I slammed Scourge my next throne, flipped the haste Conspiracy, then smacked him twice (he was at 9, I was at 7) for the win. Epic.
2nd pod (4 man) ended in an even crazier board state. I had picked around 4 copies of Howling Wolf and the +1/+1 counter conspiracy and two of the haste conspiracies. I used one of each on the Wolves, then named Hydra Omnivore with the 2nd haste conspiracy. The game came down to a crucial turn where one guy used Rout at instant speed to clear the board and I had a Wrap in Vigor to save my board which was pretty decent. Two turns later I unleashed a hasty Hydra and killed the other three guys at the same time. So sweet.
I love this format. There is so much value from pack to pack and you can build sooooo many cool decks. Conspiracies are awesome, drafting experience was pretty cool with those constructs making it wacky, and again SO MUCH VALUE. I was passing Brainstorms and Sword to Plowshares just to get even cooler stuff. I came out with a playset of Brainstorm, another copy of Fact or Fiction, a Swords to Plowshares, a copy of Stifle, a Mirari's Wake, Rout, and so many other cards that would be great in various other decks.
Wizards knocked it out of the ballpark with this set, I'll be drafting it as often as I can. It's amazing!
Three more drafts today. In addition to pulling some sweet stuff (Misdirection and Stifle being the headliners), the games themselves were sweet. I went deep in a couple of drafts with four- and five-color decks, and another one with a "bleeder" strategy (just take all of the "each player" effects). Most of the decks performed really well; I won half of the games (we played two games in one draft) and just had a blast the whole day.
Great set. It's a breath of fresh air, and a fun palate cleanser before Vintage Masters hits.
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It's not your job to win games of Magic where you're mana screwed.
It's your job win every game of Magic where you're not.
This set is a blast to draft and play. I'm usually a very competitive player and don't enjoy casual much but I had a great time drafting and playing with this set. It is a great change of pace and the politics involved make for interesting gameplay.
Bought a box and played it with some friends tonight. Red defenders (Vent Sentinals and Cinder Walls) along with Mana Geyser and Deathforge Shaman is quite the kill switch.
Overall, it was a blast! I want to play this set again and again.
On top of that I walked out with a Dack Fayden and a FOIL Exploration.
The box had another Dack Fayden, two Misdirections and a 2nd regular Explorations as well. It was pretty crazy to see.
Heh, my box has also two Misdirections, two Explorations, and in one pack, Dack Fayden AND foil Exploration.
I had a blast on today's release. Two drafts, went GW tokens in the first (and opened Dack in 3rd booster, that I did not play). Another Dack was opened by another guy by the table in the same draft round, and he played him in GB deck through Unexpected Potential.
Went BR for the second, with three Grudge Keepers, three Tyrant's Choices, Vent Sentinels, Cinder Walls with Secrets of Paradise, and Barbed Shockers with Power of Fire (its ability surprisingly works for ALL damage, not only combat).
The most fun I had with magic in last half a year
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100% Vorthos Spike and Storyline Expert
Former Fact Prospector of the Greek Alliance.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
I love seeing the usually very competitive players at my LGS struggle with certain aspects of multiplayer
The fact that sometimes a board state can evolve to the point where you just can't win and it seems very hard to accept for some of them. Then they just blame politics rather than themselves for playing too defensive
I really wonder how things are going to evolve going forward, as was already said, conspiracies now go very early once people catch on to the fact that they are the wincons a lot of the time
I love seeing the usually very competitive players at my LGS struggle with certain aspects of multiplayer
The fact that sometimes a board state can evolve to the point where you just can't win and it seems very hard to accept for some of them. Then they just blame politics rather than themselves for playing too defensive
I really wonder how things are going to evolve going forward, as was already said, conspiracies now go very early once people catch on to the fact that they are the wincons a lot of the time
I actually notice that the competitive players lose largely *because* of politics, which they view as being an "unfair" portion of the game and not how it's meant to be played. Which means they completely miss the point on one of the most integral portions of a multiplayer format. You have play to all your possible postitions, and winning through politics is still winning. In fact, Conspiracy was specifically designed to involve non-game rules related posturing. If you just try to build a great deck and rely on that to win you will find yourself at the back end of a 3-player beat down.
Of course, having a good deck is step 1. But you can't rely on that just to carry you home. Just as important, if not more important, is playing other players against each other and for you. If you can convince a player to do something *you* want it means that you are very closely playing 2 turns for every one your opponents take.
One of the best things you can do is convince another player to suicide into another, convincing them you will mop them up on your turn. The defending player will lose some things, hopefully the other player will as well, and you finish off the defending player with little to no loss on your part. Meaning that when the dust settles you have one less player to worry about and another with a weakened board position. If there is a third player still at the table, they will likely take the moment of weakness from the other player to beat them down. This, in turn, makes *that* player focus on the one that just attacked them. And when things get to your turn, you untap and can choose to go for the stronger player if you so choose, leaving the one with the weakened board position as an easy pick-off later on.
Honestly, the format rewards playing politics early and often, and utilizing your opponent's board position to your advantage. I've found that one of the best cards to have is Vow of Duty. Putting pressure on your opponents while ensuring you have no pressure on you, coupled with you not actually attacking (Thus meaning that you aren't drawing as much attention to yourself as a target) is just a brilliant play at times.
The game came down to a crucial turn where one guy used Rout at instant speed to clear the board and I had a Wrap in Vigor to save my board which was pretty decent.
Not that it matters now, but I suppose you both missed the "can't be regenerated" clause.
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Im a strictly competitive player nowadays. Last night I was out to get some cards and decided to play magic. Havent play ed much limited because theros block is to swinggy and too luck based.
...anyway the new set is out and I decided to play.
It was fun and reminded me of the time I started playing in 97. Casual, group games, political.
This set is built really well with heaps of threats and fantastic answers.
I liked the relaxed game pace as a break.
They are getting better at these draft special products.
The draft format itself struck a perfect tone. I drafted a deck with 5 beefed up, hasty, cost-reduced Twisted Abominations, a Spiritmonger, and multiple Fact or Fictions and Brainstorms. And yet I lost in a down-to-the-wire match to a silly Vent Sentinel deck that concocted some harebrained political deals and cleaned up at the table. Even without the draft shenanigans, the format itself has a lot of different strategies and fun stories, and actually was relatively speedy for a multiplayer game.
To anyone skeptical of the format, it comes highly recommended.
Cubetutor Link
We had 10 people drafting tonight, and eventually split into two 5-person groups. I had started the draft with Academy Elite and ended up heavily in blue along with a Pelakka Wurm and Sakura-Tribe Elder. I opened Magister of Worth in an otherwise relatively empty pack 2. I wasn't worried since it's a multiplayer format with some decent fixing available, and slammed the angel without hesitation. I just knew I'd have to pick up more Elders and maybe a Spectral Searchlight (got one). When the guy to my left passed me the foil Selvala I knew I was ALL IN. The Magister & Selvala were the only black and white cards I played, and I ended up with 2 Elders (named by Secret Summoning), the Searchlight, and a Grixis Illusionist as fixers. My blue was just savage though, with Academy Elite, Plea for Power, Split Decision, Fact or Fiction, Breakthrough, Air Servant, Jetting Glasskite, and 2 copies each of Marchesa's Infiltrator, Compulsive Research (named by Brago's Favor), and Dream Fracture.
The game itself was tons of fun, and I curved turn 3 Marchesa's Infiltrator into turn 4 Marchesa's Emissary. Man, those Dethrone creatures can be nasty, the Infiltrator especially. Absurd Ophidian is absurd. My powerful start set me up as a prime target, but two other players got knocked out before I went down. Selvala kept me in the game for a while with her Parley lifegain, and the extra green mana let me power out my card draw while also being able to cast the spells I drew. I checked the top of my deck as I died - MAGISTER. Damn! Ah, such fun times.
I can't see myself drafting this as much as I have JBT though, maybe once every two weeks just to spice things up
Got a Stifle and an Exploration from two drafts that went till 4 AM
Good times
Hopefully this isn't a common occurrence, because when you only get one game and 20 life, it's hard to self correct and identify the actual threat. Once I flipped my conspiracies and played the first Seahawk it was too late for even a 2v1 to stop me. This isn't like EDH where you can durdle for 5 turns and not do anything, and that makes me kind of sad. I don't like the idea of spending all of this time drafting an awesome deck only to get blindsided by a hyper focused strategy that just crushes the table before they can do anything. I actually felt really bad afterward, like I'd just ruined the experience for 2 other people despite doing nothing wrong.
Check out my expected lands table at:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Airj6A6lYAz_dG05T2JETnVTak1xQ0tqOHNSdEJLWVE&hl=en_US#gid=0
Game took about an hour. Had it all: silly plays, politics, treason, a player incindentally decking himself (sacrifices Gamekeeper to Altar's Reap - unfortunately, the creature he hits is the second last card in his library), and me eventually winning with Phage the Untouchable teaming up with Marchesa's Smuggler.
L1 Judge
The two crowning moments of the night were when my friend managed to cast mana geyser for fifteen, then play deathforge shaman to instantly take one player out of the game. The same player managed to draft 3xbrimstone volley and a double stroke in the same draft, so the next turn after someone destroyed his measly critter, he retaliated with 2 volleys for 20 damage to the face. The shenanigans!
Might have to get another box now...
2x Brago's Favor set to Vent Sentinel & Rousing of Souls
2x Secrets of Paradise set to Cinder Wall and Pride Guardian
Immediate Action set to Vent Sentinel
Unexpected Potential set to Reckless Scholar
Double Stroke set to Rousing of Souls (I had 4)
Muzzio's Preparations set to Wakestone Gargoyle
Basically every game I would get a turn 1 Cinder Wall or Pride Guardian into turn 2 Vent Sentinel or duplicated Rousing of Souls, which would usually get me 5-6 tokens since we did 4 player games. My flyers would get some early damage in and then clog up the board while I set up a bunch of Defenders and started to Vent Sentinel for 5-10 damage per Sentinel. The techest play was probably using Vent Sentinel, blinking it with Glimmerpoint Stag, and then using it again (since it had haste from a conspiracy).
I think the conspiracies were definitely undervalued by the people I drafted with. In a multiplayer format you want to be doing really unfair things and conspiracies help push a fairly normal deck into unfair territory, especially Double Stroke and Brago's Favor.
Not to mention when you competitively play multiplayer you run into the awkward situation of the tactical scoop. Overall I like the draft matters cards, and I want to keep cracking CNS packs because there is sweet stuff in the set, but I'm not a fan of the multiplayer aspect.
There is the rub, this set begs to be played for fun not for competition. My pod last night decided to split the prize pull and get 2 packs each and just play for fun. It was a blast.
I played on a 9 person Table witch split into 2 games and drafted a Red Green fires of yavimaya deck with lots of ramp big guys and burn (3 Volleys 1 sulfuric Vortex 1 Heartless Hidetsugu) and got to draw a game with Orcish Cannonade!
I will never again draft Theros, Conspiracy is just better! I got to play a turn 2 Charging Rhino followed up by a turn 3 Scourge of the Throne with 3 Skitter of Lizards + Secret Summoning + Secrets of Paradise!
Oh and I got to Troll my table by adding a Russian 9th Edition Booster to the draft with Lore Seeker.
One of my pods today did that. I rofflestomped them, but it didn't bother me. We each got a draft set of Conspiracy, and all plan on drafting later in the week so it all works out for the better anyway.
What I found was that some of the best drafters and players for regular formats just got curbstomped. I was almost always one of the first ones to start chatting at the table, and always discussing the changing board state with players, and using politics at every possible turn. One player was frustrated because he didn't get any good cards for politic plays. I spent a good while trying to explain to him that you don't *need* specific cards, or even types of cards, to play politics. There is a reason why I've won 3 drafts of conspiracy in a row, and it has only somewhat to do with my pool's card quality. It has more to do with that I'm constantly deal brokering, explaining the declining board state to other players in a way that seems bad for all of us, and attempting to convince other players that my suggestion to them is the best course of action for them to take.
But, alas, it was to no avail. And several others were complaining about how they didn't get any Will of the Council cards or what have you to "play politics" with. Just couldn't explain to them that those cards only help facilitate the politics that exist, but aren't what creates the politics of the game. Every action someone takes is a potential political moment, and those who take advantage will do well.
I also had one of the best drafters say that he won't care what anybody says, and will just build a deck to win. Which is fine in a 2-player game, but with 4? Not so certain about that. It's a great way to just die, as most of the better regular drafters found out. You have to be willing to give and take, and make (As well as break) deals.
That said, you can't afford to just play big dudes and do nothing for 4-5 turns. You need to build some sort of board presence early, or else you will just be destroyed. Building some sort of board presence is necessary, even if it's only 1-2 2/2s or 3/3s. Most players won't be willing to attack into you even if they can power through with large creatures, as the backswing will destroy them from the other players (Potentially 3 turns of attacks).
And Cogwork Librarian is just plain good. As are most of the conspiracies.
With my 4 person group, at one point, all but 1 guy had a Squirrel's Nest out.
"You get a Squirrel's Nest! and You get a Squirrel's Nest! and You get a Squirrel's Nest! and not you.."
Will be playing this format some more over the next few months.
Tl;DR: Our game created a prisoner's dilemma, and it was awesome. (Sort of)
Overall, it was a blast! I want to play this set again and again.
On top of that I walked out with a Dack Fayden and a FOIL Exploration.
The box had another Dack Fayden, two Misdirections and a 2nd regular Explorations as well. It was pretty crazy to see.
Legacy
UR Dracoplosion
Modern
R Goblins
G Combo Elves
EDH
RKrenko, Mob Boss
BRGKresh, the Bloodbraided
XKarn, Silver Golem
RZirilan of the Claw
2nd pod (4 man) ended in an even crazier board state. I had picked around 4 copies of Howling Wolf and the +1/+1 counter conspiracy and two of the haste conspiracies. I used one of each on the Wolves, then named Hydra Omnivore with the 2nd haste conspiracy. The game came down to a crucial turn where one guy used Rout at instant speed to clear the board and I had a Wrap in Vigor to save my board which was pretty decent. Two turns later I unleashed a hasty Hydra and killed the other three guys at the same time. So sweet.
I love this format. There is so much value from pack to pack and you can build sooooo many cool decks. Conspiracies are awesome, drafting experience was pretty cool with those constructs making it wacky, and again SO MUCH VALUE. I was passing Brainstorms and Sword to Plowshares just to get even cooler stuff. I came out with a playset of Brainstorm, another copy of Fact or Fiction, a Swords to Plowshares, a copy of Stifle, a Mirari's Wake, Rout, and so many other cards that would be great in various other decks.
Wizards knocked it out of the ballpark with this set, I'll be drafting it as often as I can. It's amazing!
Great set. It's a breath of fresh air, and a fun palate cleanser before Vintage Masters hits.
It's your job win every game of Magic where you're not.
Heh, my box has also two Misdirections, two Explorations, and in one pack, Dack Fayden AND foil Exploration.
I had a blast on today's release. Two drafts, went GW tokens in the first (and opened Dack in 3rd booster, that I did not play). Another Dack was opened by another guy by the table in the same draft round, and he played him in GB deck through Unexpected Potential.
Went BR for the second, with three Grudge Keepers, three Tyrant's Choices, Vent Sentinels, Cinder Walls with Secrets of Paradise, and Barbed Shockers with Power of Fire (its ability surprisingly works for ALL damage, not only combat).
The most fun I had with magic in last half a year
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
The fact that sometimes a board state can evolve to the point where you just can't win and it seems very hard to accept for some of them. Then they just blame politics rather than themselves for playing too defensive
I really wonder how things are going to evolve going forward, as was already said, conspiracies now go very early once people catch on to the fact that they are the wincons a lot of the time
I actually notice that the competitive players lose largely *because* of politics, which they view as being an "unfair" portion of the game and not how it's meant to be played. Which means they completely miss the point on one of the most integral portions of a multiplayer format. You have play to all your possible postitions, and winning through politics is still winning. In fact, Conspiracy was specifically designed to involve non-game rules related posturing. If you just try to build a great deck and rely on that to win you will find yourself at the back end of a 3-player beat down.
Of course, having a good deck is step 1. But you can't rely on that just to carry you home. Just as important, if not more important, is playing other players against each other and for you. If you can convince a player to do something *you* want it means that you are very closely playing 2 turns for every one your opponents take.
One of the best things you can do is convince another player to suicide into another, convincing them you will mop them up on your turn. The defending player will lose some things, hopefully the other player will as well, and you finish off the defending player with little to no loss on your part. Meaning that when the dust settles you have one less player to worry about and another with a weakened board position. If there is a third player still at the table, they will likely take the moment of weakness from the other player to beat them down. This, in turn, makes *that* player focus on the one that just attacked them. And when things get to your turn, you untap and can choose to go for the stronger player if you so choose, leaving the one with the weakened board position as an easy pick-off later on.
Honestly, the format rewards playing politics early and often, and utilizing your opponent's board position to your advantage. I've found that one of the best cards to have is Vow of Duty. Putting pressure on your opponents while ensuring you have no pressure on you, coupled with you not actually attacking (Thus meaning that you aren't drawing as much attention to yourself as a target) is just a brilliant play at times.
Not that it matters now, but I suppose you both missed the "can't be regenerated" clause.