Hope you guys enjoy them, some of them are at least entertaining and while not the best displays of high level magic play at least they display magic played under high levels of sleep deprivation and silliness. Enjoy and take it easy
Unfortunately, I can't make it to the CSM today, but wanted to wish everyone luck I hope to see Abzan Midrange (true midrange though, no N.O., E evolution, etc, ie no combos, just solid beats and disruption) or Sultai Midrange take down the tourney today, think they're both in a good position to beat the White Aggro decks that have been taking it down for 3 weeks and they both have a lot of tools to beat control, and they're fine in the midrange mirror you just have to play well Have fun you all and I'm sure I'll see some of you around during next week.
Congrats to Sensei on today's win (again; bow to your sensei); kind of felt like it was midrange's time to shine and I'm glad he was able to take it down with a lovely build of Bant (excepting Bribery, tsk tsk :P, Negate's better main). Hope to see you all next week
As a tribute to the Sensei for having won the most tournaments by far, could I request that the card Sensei's Divining Top be unbanned for 2017? (it can be reviewed at the end of 2017 to confirm that it didn't break anything, which would seem very unlikely). I don't think Wizards were justified in banning this card in the first place.
When you're not racing against the 25 minute clock, it is one deliciously sweet card to have on your side.
That seems like irrefutable logic to me; in with the top to honor the many victories of SenseiRob As far as one drops go it's likely only second to Mardu War-Reaper and Dryad Militant in power level over the whole history of Magic: The Gathering.
But, in all seriousness, I agree, that card is extremely good, but it's not a birthing pod; over time it can command games in the right build, but does require build around and a specialized mindset to play it well. The one interesting thing about this card, is that it does not per se, but generally so, forces players to utilize lands that facilitate shuffle effects, which could preclude some players from using it effectively due to disparity in available card pool and, more so, money. But, yeah this little fellow should get in there; it's a storied piece of Magic History and I'd love to cast it again in 100 card.
I know that we have recently voted on bannings and un-bannings, but I recommend allowing Sensei's Divining Top as an exception to the rule, because it is a fitting "Invitational Card" for the Sensei, in honor of him entering into the Chainsaw Massacre Hall of Fame
Since we won't ever see the Sensei's face on Dark Confidant or Shadowmage Infiltrator, the closest thing we have to honor him is this sweet little 1 mana artifact.
Lowman, do you really believe that it is better to main-deck Negate over Bribery? What is your thinking behind that?
Bribery is powerful: in the right matchup; that matchup from my play experience and looking through the meta is about 20-30% of the field and even then for 5 mana and a card, I'm hoping to get something that wins me the game. Is my U deck running lands that make primeval titan good, is a thragtusk really worth it. Outside getting something truly silly; like getting an Emrakul (ask SugarDaddy about this) on my board, I don't think the card tends to be worth it. But, I also build to embrace efficiency, I like my curves to stop around 5-6 mana (and even then only playing about 3-4 of these), do they always, no definitely not, especially if I need cards for combos that I don't intend on resolving by paying their mana cost etc. So, I don't tend to respect this card with most of the decks I run, and actually the commentary itself was in reference to a game Sensei and I played where I was playing the beat down on that deck or a deck very similar to it with my Abzan build and he bribed me while I had 4-5 critters and a man land in play, the best card for him to grab was like my thragtusk and after passing it back I swung in and won the game. That aside look how well monocolor (RDW, WW) has done this season do you really want to bribe those types of decks? Negate is a boss by my estimate, sure it doesn't stop critters but it gets everything else (including PW's and wraths which beat up Sensei's deck, and hey it stops geddon too). The biggest reason is efficiency at the end of the day, negate is just a more powerful effect when you consider it costs 2 CMC. Just my 2 cents thought.
I unfortunately played combo control today, so I wasn't able to get as much coverage of other folks matches, but got a decent bit in between rounds. Additionally MTGO crashed during my recording of finals, so the recordings have lost round two between Sensei and totalhate. However, if you didn't get a chance to watch the finals, then I'd recommend watching it...let's just say it was down to the wire and an event occurred that I've only seen three other times in playing a lot of MTGO over the last 7 years.
Wanted to post a quick link to some "fun" matches I played against ML_Berlin; and, well, let's just say one of them was fun, but the other was complete nonsense (alright, at least I had fun, the trolling/mean-spirited kind). If you enjoy infinite turn loops, cards that say 7 card mindtwist + I draw 7 then you'll probably enjoy the first match in this set where I play 5C "I do what I want" Reanimator (or as I call it The Cheater's Prosper). If you don't enjoy that sort of thing, then there's a secondary match that is replete with its own form of nonsense as I try to outrace a Venser's Journal while playing a threat light BUG deck. And as a caveat, ML did hose me today two matches in a row, but I wasn't recording at the time, he pulled this off in hat-trick fashion after taking down the Gatherling hosted Battle Frontier format tourney with a sweet Boros Vehicles Deck. Congrats on the win again ML, I was happy to see you take it down with a cool rogue deck that was aggro but didn't contain a copy of the best (second best?) red one drop critter of all time--Vroom, Vroom
Nobody wants to see you destroying me again, especially in a hopeless match-up!
But everybody wants to see how I crushed you twice after another with 2 different decks!
I attached a few new videos of three matches played between myself and ML_Berlin, the matches played were MonoBlackAggro Vs WW; AbzanMidrange vs MonoWMidrange; and D&T vs MonoGStompy. Hope you guys enjoy them.
ExpoMatches
Did a recording of two matches today against S&R, RDW vs. GrixisControl and UMoon vs. AbzanMidrange. The second match is actually far less interesting than the first, as we acquired early locks on his mana with our moon effects; however, the third game in the first match is actually quite interesting as I think it tends to display a way to effectively play the RDW given a very mana intensive draw (we keep a two lander with all gas, and then proceed to draw 5 lands in a row off of the topdeck :/). We manage to pull a victory out of our hats regardless of horrendous mana flood, and in a way it speaks to the power of the deck to manipulate opponent decision making because of RDW's ability to play most of its spells at all points in the game. I think a subtler point to mastering the deck (and I'd never say it's a difficult deck to play, but like anything the devil's in the details and playing it perfectly requires more patience than I think is initially apparent, and sometimes it just wins regardless of how well you play it) is understanding how it beats other decks through mana efficiency to gain advantage at a critical time to acquire its kill. I think in this specific 3rd game, we may have made one error (the casting of our keldon marauders should have likely been done a turn later to eschew advantage through mana based counters [mana leak for example]). Anyway, hope the first match is at least interesting the second was a rout due to variance and the pairing of cards in hand (ie luck on my part).
Interesting that Storm won the 60 Card Singleton side event at Brisbane GP. They follow the 7 point system rather than our ban list, but there were only 4 cards used by the top deck which are banned in our format (although admittedly those 4 were very impactful ones to this deck's strategy, and 60 vs 100 cards is a huge gap).
Link here. (Scroll down to Point 3: The Australian 7 Point Highlander Tournament.)
Doesn't shock me that much; in playing a list in compliance with our ban list I've often felt that the deck is only 3-4 cards off from being a tier one deck in the format (much like entomb, reanimator). Albeit, it requires solid play and luck (in pairings and draw). The presence of yawgmoth's will (3 points) and cheap artifact mana (black lotus [4 points, for all the points total allow, thus why snapcaster isn't in the deck it costs a point] and lion's eye diamond) as well as access to mind's desire take this deck to the next level. At its core it appears his build was still based around hightide (you can see this in the build of his mana base, which he likely came to based upon the fear of moon effects as well as knowing you really only need to have one B [likely 2 B mana in his build] or one R mana to start off game winning sequences with the deck), but had the additional out to yawgwill which upon resolution should generally win you the game. A card that I've interestingly come back too, because I'm still exploring storm in 100card as a side effort, is lim-dul's vault. It's not in his build because it costs one point in AUS highlander, and I initially eschewed it because it is card disadvantage for selection, but in any matchup outside of control it likely wins you the game the turn after you cast it, as the deck is full of tutors and getting either a 2 card combo pile with a tutor and past in flames (the yawgwill we've got available in the format) or doomsday plus a draw card in hand can just win you the game against decks that do not interact with your ability to cast spells. I think another interesting route that could be explored with storm in our variant of 100cs is a U/B/r/g build that includes hermit druid (plus regrowth effects) and a lot more non-basic islands to ensure heavy mill to set up game winning past in flames into tendrils (or using lab maniac, I mill myself; interestingly if oath of druids was legal I'd run it in this build as well and likely reduce my critter count from like 7 to 3 or so, snapcaster, griselbrand, lab maniac), but this build eschews protection from non-basic hate and its mana base is a lot more risky in such a land light deck.
Thanks for sharing Michelle, and one day the storm will ride again
March 18th & 25th- CMS 3.23-24 US players: this event starts one hour later, 4:30 Eastern Daylight Non-US: This starts at your usual Standard time
April 1st (NO JOKE!!) CMS 3.25- Worldwide: This starts ½ hour later than it does in the winter. 4PM EDT specifically and XX:00 not XX:30 generally.
TIME CHANGES AHEAD !!
The starting time of Tribal Apocalypse is now just 2.5 h before Chainsaw Massacre( instead of 3.5h ), this is only the 2 weeks, we have different 'summer times'. This week is Pure in tribal, so I expect only 3 rounds and that we could start punctually afterwards. However, if necessary( because Tribal did not finish) we would start 15-30 min later.
For all non US players: event start would be 1 h earlier in your local time! Sry, it's really complicated.
So, I think it's best to start 1 h later, anyway! This way nobody misses the event through the early start or because he is still playing Tribal.
I change the start now
OH it's so confusing! US players will start 1 h later 4:30 PM EST, all other players will start at the same local time as usually!
I've uploaded yesterday's tournament, had a fun time playing what I'd consider the first fair deck I've played in a while (D&T is ostensibly fair, but Armageddon and Ravages of War are not very fair).
A few notes on card mechanics:
1. Sorin, Solemn Visitor is slightly bugged. The card's +1 ability (provision of +1/+0 and lifelink to the team until your next turn) does not work as it should. The ability only lasts through your current turn, but does not stay active, as it should, through your opponent's turn (the funny thing is Liliana, The Last Hope does work correctly, but it's still in standard, a pattern, hmm...). So, if you're using this card defensively, well then don't; it doesn't work correctly. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is likely a suitable replacement and still a strong card for a creature heavy build; although it's less effective at winning races or board stall.
2. Likely more applicable, as I think it's more commonly played in the format, Dromoka's Command is slightly bugged too and has been for a few weeks. The card will work correctly in all instances that it can be used excepting one: when you cast this spell to add a +1/+1 counter and fight one of your creatures and an opponent's the card works until your creature is targeted and killed prior to resolution of the spell (and in both of my cases my critter technically wasn't killed it was exiled, so it may require more testing to verify if being killed has the same effect). This should cause the spell to fizzle as it will no longer have a target to add the +1/+1 counter and both critters will not be available to fight. What actually happens, is your critter will die (or be exiled) as expected and the opponent's critter that was chosen to be fought will receive the +1/+1 counter. The good news is, when this happens regardless you're likely losing, as you've just been 2 for 1'd, but it's certainly insult to injury that it's bugged this way. I had this happen a few weeks back in tourney play and figured I just targeted incorrectly with the card, but when it happened during this tournament, I went back to verify my targeting selection with the card and verified I had done it correctly, such that I had targeted my critter for the +1/+1 counter. It's unfortunate that the card has issues, as multimodal cards such as this tend to be very strong inclusions for the decks that can run them (ie Golgari Charm, I don't see many people play this, but the card is stellar, kills TNN, beats WW by either getting their critters or their pump enchantments, and nails control when you regenerate your team, if you can run this thing put it in there), but I can also see how a card such as this would get broken, in this specific selection, the targeting process involves three logical choices for selection of targets, so the algorithm likely has a small error in it that loops back to an alternate targeting choice if one choice becomes moot.
Anyway, I uploaded the tourney to YT if anyone is interested in watching: CSM 11 MAR 17; I did manage to catch quite a few of the other games, but when Michelle_Wong Scapeshifted for a win it crashed my mtgo
Also, Michael, I love you man, but you gotta just kill them when you got the lethal. Checkout your turn 11 combat step; the combat step prior on dawts' turn you blocked a Lavaclaw Reaches with a Savannah Lions that was equipped with a Veteran's Armaments, during the combat step the Lions became a 6/5, dawt's made the decision to pump the Reaches to kill the Lions but trade in the combat. You were brought to 3 life during this combat step, but he was tapped out, literally all lands and all critters tapped out. Your board upon resumption of your turn was mirran crusader, benalish trapper (tapper, Wizards sometimes get's the names right), Master Decoy, Porcelain Legionnaire, and an unequipped Veteran's Armament, you also had 5-6 available mana (1 Karakas, 4-5 plains). Your opponent is on 17 life at this point in the game, which may seem out of reach, but you actually have lethal given he can do nothing about it (excepting slaughter pact, this could get you, but you can't play around it anyway). The play here is to equip the mirran crusader with the armament and attack with all 4 critters. Because veteran's armament is all attacking critters for assessment of pump (not all other attacking critters), your mirran crusader would become a 6/6 (or a 12 power attacker, accounting for all but 5 of your opponent's life total) the remainder of your attackers 3 power off legionnaire and the two tappers (1 power each) actually kills him. I really hope this doesn't come off as rude, but I was rooting for you because I tend to believe that white has the best aggro deck in the format, even if everyone thinks it's RDW (which is better vs control, but has to get very lucky to beat midrange, white does not and if you build it right it can beat wraths), and mirran crusader and silver blade paladin can do some truly miraculous things in the combat step with small pump effects or equipment.
Sorry, I was just rooting for blood that turn and didn't feel very sated
Sorry for getting behind on trophies. Totalhate's is included below, don't know if you follow the forum man, but let me know if you'd like a different card art, figured promo Valakut was pretty good, but I can change it to anything else you'd like. Also included is my own with an image I'm still waiting on artist Jason Chan and WoTC to pay me back for stealing from my family photos for my invitational card, damn you icloud, even my bad hair days don't go unnoticed. Oh well, at least with a face like that his mother can still love him, oh wait--guess even momma's gone buddy--Suppose he'll have to settle for his ward: Melira, could be worse fates, reference Brushwagg (this poor SOB never got a chance: the art is gloriously bad, the name is something I can only equate to some weird slang for that which you use for sanitation after defecation in a forested area, the card is just unplayable, and flavor-wise it is nonsensical...at least it could be good like tarmogoyf and then no one would notice how the artist just lifted a Georgia O'Keeffe painting for reference...basically my kind of card)
You are absolutely right, I played bad that day. All depends on how much (undisturbed!) sleep I got. However, my personal record in your videos is 0, in words: ZERO, victories ! I didn't count exactly , but I guess my real statistics vs you is about 25-30%, which is definitely not great, but better than 0%
We'll have to fix that, I'll roll the camera all the time from now on
No, in all fairness I tend to play better when I record, explaining everything forces a bit more reflection through plays, likewise I tend to make stronger deck choices when I record as well because I tend to want to show players how and why something works (the sad truth is most people don't care how you got to that conclusion they just want the answer, for me as I've stated before I love building, learning, and hopefully teaching, but I also know that most folks just enjoy the results or want to see the "flash" in how a thing works, i.e. do you really want to know how your Liquid Crystal Display works vice a photoelectric tube television, no, not really, you just enjoy the sharp, crisper image provided). Sometimes, when I'm not recording I'll deliberately choose decks that should lose to certain matchups to study how and why they lose (ideally beyond the apparent, and in a lot of ways that's how I built my first and I think one of my strongest (flexible over a wide range) decks to where it is now [D&T]; through brutal iterations of losing to control and midrange, I found the cards and play technique to beat them, and I've likely jammed over 5K games with that deck, over 4-5 years, although a lot of them include games against 60 card decks etc, and in the beginning there were many losses), then I go into reflections on how they could win...In the case of a recent unrecorded match of WW (you) vs. RDW (me), I'm still at about the same conclusion that my best course of action is to hope the opponent keeps a greedy hand and gets mana screwed, or I mise anarchy But at the end of the day I make them to be informative in nature.
I haven't recorded with the 100CS storm deck in a while, mostly because that deck takes about 30-40 fishing trips to revalidate one's ability to play it correctly (it's a fairly challenging deck, although, maybe if we unbanned some cards, I'd jam a Barren Glory/The Cheese Stands Alone deck, easily the most difficult deck I've played). But, I bring it up because the unfortunate truth is most content out there is kind of crap, and although I think most people watch to be entertained, I do it mostly to inform and share findings, but hold the former truth to heart and cut out most of the conceptual backing (ie 30-40 fishing trips) because I think it just puts most people to sleep (I think if anyone has watched my first videos, which are of lower quality, audio wise, from start to finish, you'd get a better idea of the ideology that I put into building decks, but my guess is, and actually I know [youtube tells me], that no one has watched those videos to completion, although I'd attest they're the most informative by far, but with most humans it's a stretch to expect 1.2 hours of listening to another human talk card by card through a deck) and it'd be hard to debate that when I can flip on a TV and see Honey Boo Boo on the Discovery Channel (what are we really discovering here [psst...that many humans assess personal validation through attribution of wretchedness more greatly apparent in others...gulp...and going a bit deep on an mtgo post, but that's what we do :P]).
Anyway, I know you were joking, but I had to the do the math to uphold Thrun status: it's 23.4% man (back 2 yrs, although I did randomly play you a few times before that when V3 and the 100CS filter was a thing, but only 3-5 times back then and unfortunately those matches are lost to time [although I know I beat your venser's journal control deck by entombing an ichorid in mono fair mode like 4 years ago or something :P]).
All jokes and trolls aside man, the music you sent over is stellar, I definitely appreciate it, hope the sleep situation has righted itself, and no big deal we all misplay, or play poorly some days, or at least I know I do, and if I ever point it out it's not in any spirit other than one of learning from it. Although, I can definitely see how it can be taken many ways as most people, and mtgo players are probably of a higher demographic to fit this bill, tend to point out misplays in order to...well reference the Honey boo boo double parenthetical
Take it easy everyone, and if it interests you I met up with the elusive SugarDaddyofWizardy aka the Nercomancer, and we battled it out as captured here on video: 100CS vs. SugarDaddy
I feel totally confirmed after your count, 23.4% ! I just was guessing from my guts that it would be 25-30%. A deviation of only 1.6% from my estimation!
Honey Boo Boo on Discovery channel
Discovery channel..., that must be an animal, I thought. Used a translator, found only Boo Boo. Still made no sense.
Used Google, and found a reality tv-series about a fat girl on TLC. So I guess you mixed the channels!?
After reading a short description of the content, I would rather listen to a 1.2h monologue about the pros and cons of Lightning Bolt.
Music is stellar
Great that you like it! I'm glad that I could do you a favour, too. But you must go more into detail
Which songs are already in your top ten of ML tracks?
Or if you like the most, which are the few, that you did not enjoy as much?
How about the medieval songs, do you dig them, too? All of them?
Give me names!
I'm much better than the Amazon algorhythm, but I need a feedback also
The more I get, the better I'll be.
For example, Devendra Banhart's A sight to behold, is definitely different to the powerful forward rock songs you usally prefer, but nevertheless a masterpiece of folkmusic. If you give it 4 or 5 out of 5 stars, I have much more stuff in mind like that, if it's just 1 or 2 stars for you, why should we bother about it.
Of course, this all applies for you, too, Michelle!
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Been doing quite a few VoDs this week on the format:
D&T and Abzan (lowman02) vs Jeskai, Sultai, and Esper Control (S&R)
EsperHelm and D&T (lowman02) vs G/W Enchantress (Iniksbane)
Abzan (lowman02) vs Sultai Control and Reanimator (SugarDaddy)
Abzan (lowman02) vs Boros Enchantments (Iniksbane)
Abzan (lowman02) vs Grixis (dawts)
Abzan (lowman02) vs Grixis (dawts) (another match)
Abzan (lowman02) vs MonoGStompy (ML_Berlin)
Hope you guys enjoy them, some of them are at least entertaining and while not the best displays of high level magic play at least they display magic played under high levels of sleep deprivation and silliness. Enjoy and take it easy
--KB
Unfortunately, I can't make it to the CSM today, but wanted to wish everyone luck I hope to see Abzan Midrange (true midrange though, no N.O., E evolution, etc, ie no combos, just solid beats and disruption) or Sultai Midrange take down the tourney today, think they're both in a good position to beat the White Aggro decks that have been taking it down for 3 weeks and they both have a lot of tools to beat control, and they're fine in the midrange mirror you just have to play well Have fun you all and I'm sure I'll see some of you around during next week.
Take it easy
--KB
Congrats to Sensei on today's win (again; bow to your sensei); kind of felt like it was midrange's time to shine and I'm glad he was able to take it down with a lovely build of Bant (excepting Bribery, tsk tsk :P, Negate's better main). Hope to see you all next week
Undefeated : The_Sensei -4
Lost once:
alawrence -1.5
dawts -1.5
totalhate -1.5
iniksbane -1.5
Doorprize: frycek -1
As a tribute to the Sensei for having won the most tournaments by far, could I request that the card Sensei's Divining Top be unbanned for 2017? (it can be reviewed at the end of 2017 to confirm that it didn't break anything, which would seem very unlikely). I don't think Wizards were justified in banning this card in the first place.
When you're not racing against the 25 minute clock, it is one deliciously sweet card to have on your side.
That seems like irrefutable logic to me; in with the top to honor the many victories of SenseiRob As far as one drops go it's likely only second to Mardu War-Reaper and Dryad Militant in power level over the whole history of Magic: The Gathering.
But, in all seriousness, I agree, that card is extremely good, but it's not a birthing pod; over time it can command games in the right build, but does require build around and a specialized mindset to play it well. The one interesting thing about this card, is that it does not per se, but generally so, forces players to utilize lands that facilitate shuffle effects, which could preclude some players from using it effectively due to disparity in available card pool and, more so, money. But, yeah this little fellow should get in there; it's a storied piece of Magic History and I'd love to cast it again in 100 card.
Take it easy everyone
--KB
4 lowman02
3 Yokai
2 Michelle_Wong
2 The_Sensei
dawts
totalhate
Garlan
Sugar_Daddy
stsung
iniksbane
RDW 1
White Aggro 4
Mono Blue 0
Green Ramp 3
0
Mono Color 8
Bant 1
RUG 1
Abzan 1
0
Esper 2
3 Color 5
Azorius 2
4+ Color Dudes 3
2- 4- 5- Color 5
Since we won't ever see the Sensei's face on Dark Confidant or Shadowmage Infiltrator, the closest thing we have to honor him is this sweet little 1 mana artifact.
Lowman, do you really believe that it is better to main-deck Negate over Bribery? What is your thinking behind that?
Bribery is powerful: in the right matchup; that matchup from my play experience and looking through the meta is about 20-30% of the field and even then for 5 mana and a card, I'm hoping to get something that wins me the game. Is my U deck running lands that make primeval titan good, is a thragtusk really worth it. Outside getting something truly silly; like getting an Emrakul (ask SugarDaddy about this) on my board, I don't think the card tends to be worth it. But, I also build to embrace efficiency, I like my curves to stop around 5-6 mana (and even then only playing about 3-4 of these), do they always, no definitely not, especially if I need cards for combos that I don't intend on resolving by paying their mana cost etc. So, I don't tend to respect this card with most of the decks I run, and actually the commentary itself was in reference to a game Sensei and I played where I was playing the beat down on that deck or a deck very similar to it with my Abzan build and he bribed me while I had 4-5 critters and a man land in play, the best card for him to grab was like my thragtusk and after passing it back I swung in and won the game. That aside look how well monocolor (RDW, WW) has done this season do you really want to bribe those types of decks? Negate is a boss by my estimate, sure it doesn't stop critters but it gets everything else (including PW's and wraths which beat up Sensei's deck, and hey it stops geddon too). The biggest reason is efficiency at the end of the day, negate is just a more powerful effect when you consider it costs 2 CMC. Just my 2 cents thought.
Take it easy everyone
--KB
I unfortunately played combo control today, so I wasn't able to get as much coverage of other folks matches, but got a decent bit in between rounds. Additionally MTGO crashed during my recording of finals, so the recordings have lost round two between Sensei and totalhate. However, if you didn't get a chance to watch the finals, then I'd recommend watching it...let's just say it was down to the wire and an event occurred that I've only seen three other times in playing a lot of MTGO over the last 7 years.
18 FEB 17 CSM Main Matches
18 FEB 17 CSM Finals (minus R2)
Enjoy and take it easy
--KB
Wanted to post a quick link to some "fun" matches I played against ML_Berlin; and, well, let's just say one of them was fun, but the other was complete nonsense (alright, at least I had fun, the trolling/mean-spirited kind). If you enjoy infinite turn loops, cards that say 7 card mindtwist + I draw 7 then you'll probably enjoy the first match in this set where I play 5C "I do what I want" Reanimator (or as I call it The Cheater's Prosper). If you don't enjoy that sort of thing, then there's a secondary match that is replete with its own form of nonsense as I try to outrace a Venser's Journal while playing a threat light BUG deck. And as a caveat, ML did hose me today two matches in a row, but I wasn't recording at the time, he pulled this off in hat-trick fashion after taking down the Gatherling hosted Battle Frontier format tourney with a sweet Boros Vehicles Deck. Congrats on the win again ML, I was happy to see you take it down with a cool rogue deck that was aggro but didn't contain a copy of the best (second best?) red one drop critter of all time--Vroom, Vroom
Reanimator//BUG vs JUND//IzzitControl Matches
Enjoy and take it easy!
But everybody wants to see how I crushed you twice after another with 2 different decks!
I attached a few new videos of three matches played between myself and ML_Berlin, the matches played were MonoBlackAggro Vs WW; AbzanMidrange vs MonoWMidrange; and D&T vs MonoGStompy. Hope you guys enjoy them.
ExpoMatches
Take it easy
--KB
Did a recording of two matches today against S&R, RDW vs. GrixisControl and UMoon vs. AbzanMidrange. The second match is actually far less interesting than the first, as we acquired early locks on his mana with our moon effects; however, the third game in the first match is actually quite interesting as I think it tends to display a way to effectively play the RDW given a very mana intensive draw (we keep a two lander with all gas, and then proceed to draw 5 lands in a row off of the topdeck :/). We manage to pull a victory out of our hats regardless of horrendous mana flood, and in a way it speaks to the power of the deck to manipulate opponent decision making because of RDW's ability to play most of its spells at all points in the game. I think a subtler point to mastering the deck (and I'd never say it's a difficult deck to play, but like anything the devil's in the details and playing it perfectly requires more patience than I think is initially apparent, and sometimes it just wins regardless of how well you play it) is understanding how it beats other decks through mana efficiency to gain advantage at a critical time to acquire its kill. I think in this specific 3rd game, we may have made one error (the casting of our keldon marauders should have likely been done a turn later to eschew advantage through mana based counters [mana leak for example]). Anyway, hope the first match is at least interesting the second was a rout due to variance and the pairing of cards in hand (ie luck on my part).
RDW and UMoon EXPO Matches
Enjoy!
--KB
Link here. (Scroll down to Point 3: The Australian 7 Point Highlander Tournament.)
Doesn't shock me that much; in playing a list in compliance with our ban list I've often felt that the deck is only 3-4 cards off from being a tier one deck in the format (much like entomb, reanimator). Albeit, it requires solid play and luck (in pairings and draw). The presence of yawgmoth's will (3 points) and cheap artifact mana (black lotus [4 points, for all the points total allow, thus why snapcaster isn't in the deck it costs a point] and lion's eye diamond) as well as access to mind's desire take this deck to the next level. At its core it appears his build was still based around hightide (you can see this in the build of his mana base, which he likely came to based upon the fear of moon effects as well as knowing you really only need to have one B [likely 2 B mana in his build] or one R mana to start off game winning sequences with the deck), but had the additional out to yawgwill which upon resolution should generally win you the game. A card that I've interestingly come back too, because I'm still exploring storm in 100card as a side effort, is lim-dul's vault. It's not in his build because it costs one point in AUS highlander, and I initially eschewed it because it is card disadvantage for selection, but in any matchup outside of control it likely wins you the game the turn after you cast it, as the deck is full of tutors and getting either a 2 card combo pile with a tutor and past in flames (the yawgwill we've got available in the format) or doomsday plus a draw card in hand can just win you the game against decks that do not interact with your ability to cast spells. I think another interesting route that could be explored with storm in our variant of 100cs is a U/B/r/g build that includes hermit druid (plus regrowth effects) and a lot more non-basic islands to ensure heavy mill to set up game winning past in flames into tendrils (or using lab maniac, I mill myself; interestingly if oath of druids was legal I'd run it in this build as well and likely reduce my critter count from like 7 to 3 or so, snapcaster, griselbrand, lab maniac), but this build eschews protection from non-basic hate and its mana base is a lot more risky in such a land light deck.
Thanks for sharing Michelle, and one day the storm will ride again
Take it easy --KB
Thanks for the games everyone and take it easy
Undefeated and final winner: The_Sensei -4
Undefeated in rounds: totalhate - 3
Lost once:
DrPringles -1
alawrence -1
dawts -1
lowman02 -0 (lowman donated his tic to Golden_Lin)
Golden_Lin -1
Doorprize: RedRush92 -1
Event 3.20 25th of February
Undefeated : C4R1S -4
Lost once:
AEFabricio -1.5
dawts -1.5
lowman02 -0 (lowman donated his prize to blkdrgn18)
blkdrgn18 -1.5
RobertZdar -1.5
Doorprize: DrPringles -1
Undefeated and final winner : totalhate -4
Undefeated in rounds: ML_Berlin -3
Lost once:
pokemonych -0.8
alawrence -0.8
dawts -0.8
C4R1S -0.8
lowman02 -0 (lowman donated his prize to lordsampaio)
Doorprize: lordsampaio -1.8
April 1st (NO JOKE!!) CMS 3.25- Worldwide: This starts ½ hour later than it does in the winter. 4PM EDT specifically and XX:00 not XX:30 generally.
Make sure to check gatherling.
I've uploaded yesterday's tournament, had a fun time playing what I'd consider the first fair deck I've played in a while (D&T is ostensibly fair, but Armageddon and Ravages of War are not very fair).
A few notes on card mechanics:
1. Sorin, Solemn Visitor is slightly bugged. The card's +1 ability (provision of +1/+0 and lifelink to the team until your next turn) does not work as it should. The ability only lasts through your current turn, but does not stay active, as it should, through your opponent's turn (the funny thing is Liliana, The Last Hope does work correctly, but it's still in standard, a pattern, hmm...). So, if you're using this card defensively, well then don't; it doesn't work correctly. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is likely a suitable replacement and still a strong card for a creature heavy build; although it's less effective at winning races or board stall.
2. Likely more applicable, as I think it's more commonly played in the format, Dromoka's Command is slightly bugged too and has been for a few weeks. The card will work correctly in all instances that it can be used excepting one: when you cast this spell to add a +1/+1 counter and fight one of your creatures and an opponent's the card works until your creature is targeted and killed prior to resolution of the spell (and in both of my cases my critter technically wasn't killed it was exiled, so it may require more testing to verify if being killed has the same effect). This should cause the spell to fizzle as it will no longer have a target to add the +1/+1 counter and both critters will not be available to fight. What actually happens, is your critter will die (or be exiled) as expected and the opponent's critter that was chosen to be fought will receive the +1/+1 counter. The good news is, when this happens regardless you're likely losing, as you've just been 2 for 1'd, but it's certainly insult to injury that it's bugged this way. I had this happen a few weeks back in tourney play and figured I just targeted incorrectly with the card, but when it happened during this tournament, I went back to verify my targeting selection with the card and verified I had done it correctly, such that I had targeted my critter for the +1/+1 counter. It's unfortunate that the card has issues, as multimodal cards such as this tend to be very strong inclusions for the decks that can run them (ie Golgari Charm, I don't see many people play this, but the card is stellar, kills TNN, beats WW by either getting their critters or their pump enchantments, and nails control when you regenerate your team, if you can run this thing put it in there), but I can also see how a card such as this would get broken, in this specific selection, the targeting process involves three logical choices for selection of targets, so the algorithm likely has a small error in it that loops back to an alternate targeting choice if one choice becomes moot.
Anyway, I uploaded the tourney to YT if anyone is interested in watching: CSM 11 MAR 17; I did manage to catch quite a few of the other games, but when Michelle_Wong Scapeshifted for a win it crashed my mtgo
Also, Michael, I love you man, but you gotta just kill them when you got the lethal. Checkout your turn 11 combat step; the combat step prior on dawts' turn you blocked a Lavaclaw Reaches with a Savannah Lions that was equipped with a Veteran's Armaments, during the combat step the Lions became a 6/5, dawt's made the decision to pump the Reaches to kill the Lions but trade in the combat. You were brought to 3 life during this combat step, but he was tapped out, literally all lands and all critters tapped out. Your board upon resumption of your turn was mirran crusader, benalish trapper (tapper, Wizards sometimes get's the names right), Master Decoy, Porcelain Legionnaire, and an unequipped Veteran's Armament, you also had 5-6 available mana (1 Karakas, 4-5 plains). Your opponent is on 17 life at this point in the game, which may seem out of reach, but you actually have lethal given he can do nothing about it (excepting slaughter pact, this could get you, but you can't play around it anyway). The play here is to equip the mirran crusader with the armament and attack with all 4 critters. Because veteran's armament is all attacking critters for assessment of pump (not all other attacking critters), your mirran crusader would become a 6/6 (or a 12 power attacker, accounting for all but 5 of your opponent's life total) the remainder of your attackers 3 power off legionnaire and the two tappers (1 power each) actually kills him. I really hope this doesn't come off as rude, but I was rooting for you because I tend to believe that white has the best aggro deck in the format, even if everyone thinks it's RDW (which is better vs control, but has to get very lucky to beat midrange, white does not and if you build it right it can beat wraths), and mirran crusader and silver blade paladin can do some truly miraculous things in the combat step with small pump effects or equipment.
Sorry, I was just rooting for blood that turn and didn't feel very sated
Either way, take it easy everyone.
--KB
Sorry for getting behind on trophies. Totalhate's is included below, don't know if you follow the forum man, but let me know if you'd like a different card art, figured promo Valakut was pretty good, but I can change it to anything else you'd like. Also included is my own with an image I'm still waiting on artist Jason Chan and WoTC to pay me back for stealing from my family photos for my invitational card, damn you icloud, even my bad hair days don't go unnoticed. Oh well, at least with a face like that his mother can still love him, oh wait--guess even momma's gone buddy--Suppose he'll have to settle for his ward: Melira, could be worse fates, reference Brushwagg (this poor SOB never got a chance: the art is gloriously bad, the name is something I can only equate to some weird slang for that which you use for sanitation after defecation in a forested area, the card is just unplayable, and flavor-wise it is nonsensical...at least it could be good like tarmogoyf and then no one would notice how the artist just lifted a Georgia O'Keeffe painting for reference...basically my kind of card)
Enjoy folks and take it easy.
--KB
We'll have to fix that, I'll roll the camera all the time from now on
No, in all fairness I tend to play better when I record, explaining everything forces a bit more reflection through plays, likewise I tend to make stronger deck choices when I record as well because I tend to want to show players how and why something works (the sad truth is most people don't care how you got to that conclusion they just want the answer, for me as I've stated before I love building, learning, and hopefully teaching, but I also know that most folks just enjoy the results or want to see the "flash" in how a thing works, i.e. do you really want to know how your Liquid Crystal Display works vice a photoelectric tube television, no, not really, you just enjoy the sharp, crisper image provided). Sometimes, when I'm not recording I'll deliberately choose decks that should lose to certain matchups to study how and why they lose (ideally beyond the apparent, and in a lot of ways that's how I built my first and I think one of my strongest (flexible over a wide range) decks to where it is now [D&T]; through brutal iterations of losing to control and midrange, I found the cards and play technique to beat them, and I've likely jammed over 5K games with that deck, over 4-5 years, although a lot of them include games against 60 card decks etc, and in the beginning there were many losses), then I go into reflections on how they could win...In the case of a recent unrecorded match of WW (you) vs. RDW (me), I'm still at about the same conclusion that my best course of action is to hope the opponent keeps a greedy hand and gets mana screwed, or I mise anarchy But at the end of the day I make them to be informative in nature.
I haven't recorded with the 100CS storm deck in a while, mostly because that deck takes about 30-40 fishing trips to revalidate one's ability to play it correctly (it's a fairly challenging deck, although, maybe if we unbanned some cards, I'd jam a Barren Glory/The Cheese Stands Alone deck, easily the most difficult deck I've played). But, I bring it up because the unfortunate truth is most content out there is kind of crap, and although I think most people watch to be entertained, I do it mostly to inform and share findings, but hold the former truth to heart and cut out most of the conceptual backing (ie 30-40 fishing trips) because I think it just puts most people to sleep (I think if anyone has watched my first videos, which are of lower quality, audio wise, from start to finish, you'd get a better idea of the ideology that I put into building decks, but my guess is, and actually I know [youtube tells me], that no one has watched those videos to completion, although I'd attest they're the most informative by far, but with most humans it's a stretch to expect 1.2 hours of listening to another human talk card by card through a deck) and it'd be hard to debate that when I can flip on a TV and see Honey Boo Boo on the Discovery Channel (what are we really discovering here [psst...that many humans assess personal validation through attribution of wretchedness more greatly apparent in others...gulp...and going a bit deep on an mtgo post, but that's what we do :P]).
Anyway, I know you were joking, but I had to the do the math to uphold Thrun status: it's 23.4% man (back 2 yrs, although I did randomly play you a few times before that when V3 and the 100CS filter was a thing, but only 3-5 times back then and unfortunately those matches are lost to time [although I know I beat your venser's journal control deck by entombing an ichorid in mono fair mode like 4 years ago or something :P]).
All jokes and trolls aside man, the music you sent over is stellar, I definitely appreciate it, hope the sleep situation has righted itself, and no big deal we all misplay, or play poorly some days, or at least I know I do, and if I ever point it out it's not in any spirit other than one of learning from it. Although, I can definitely see how it can be taken many ways as most people, and mtgo players are probably of a higher demographic to fit this bill, tend to point out misplays in order to...well reference the Honey boo boo double parenthetical
Take it easy everyone, and if it interests you I met up with the elusive SugarDaddyofWizardy aka the Nercomancer, and we battled it out as captured here on video: 100CS vs. SugarDaddy
Enjoy and take it easy!
--KB
Honey Boo Boo on Discovery channel
Discovery channel..., that must be an animal, I thought. Used a translator, found only Boo Boo. Still made no sense.
Used Google, and found a reality tv-series about a fat girl on TLC. So I guess you mixed the channels!?
After reading a short description of the content, I would rather listen to a 1.2h monologue about the pros and cons of Lightning Bolt.
Music is stellar
Great that you like it! I'm glad that I could do you a favour, too. But you must go more into detail
Which songs are already in your top ten of ML tracks?
Or if you like the most, which are the few, that you did not enjoy as much?
How about the medieval songs, do you dig them, too? All of them?
Give me names!
I'm much better than the Amazon algorhythm, but I need a feedback also
The more I get, the better I'll be.
For example, Devendra Banhart's A sight to behold, is definitely different to the powerful forward rock songs you usally prefer, but nevertheless a masterpiece of folkmusic. If you give it 4 or 5 out of 5 stars, I have much more stuff in mind like that, if it's just 1 or 2 stars for you, why should we bother about it.
Of course, this all applies for you, too, Michelle!