It's funny you asked about this because I posted a thread about how to protect your cards about 20 minutes after you posted this thread. I like the idea about the durable plastic trunk with padlock. I've found that a small safe is sufficient for all of your binders and decks. If you feel the need to protect the commons you will want to look into a larger trunk. Having a safe is nice because you can store other sentimental or jewelry items as well.
Over the last couple of years I have put together a list of ways to protect your cards from theft/loss that I have decided to share. I've put together this list from personal experience and from hearing about how other people have lost cards or had their cards stolen.
Although I'm no expert the vast majority of cases of cards being lost or stolen fall into a couple of broad categories.
1) Cards are lost and recovered by somebody else who doesn't turn them in to the lost and found. Some of the places this happens commonly: A) Bathrooms (people set their deck boxes down on paper towel dispensers or bathroom stalls). People hang their backpack on the hooks in the bathroom stall and leave it behind. B) Gaming areas: People leave behind deck boxes, backpacks, sideboards, tokens, dice bags etc at the site of their most recent game. C) Random areas: Cards fall out of backpacks with zippers left open, sweatshirt pockets when somebody takes their hoodie off, etc. D) Artist/vendor tables: People set down their stuff at a vendor or artist table to get money or grab their new stuff and forget to pick their original stuff back up. E) People leave their stuff with some friends. The friends then all get up to leave, grab their individual stuff and leave the original guy's stuff behind (no individual person is specifically watching out for the original guy's stuff and therefore doesn't think to grab it).
2) Organized/deliberate theft
A)People will work in teams and use distractions (trading with somebody, chatting etc) to get somebody's attention while their cohort(s) steals their property. B) Stealing somebody's backpack from behind their seat while they are playing a game C) Stealing cards from a vehicle immediately after somebody leaves a tournament. Usually happens when the victim puts their cards in their car and then leaves again on foot to go get food or similar. This can be particularly gruesome because oftentimes several people will go back to the same car and all throw their cards in the car before leaving again. D) Residential burglary: People break into your house and steal your cards. This is often just an unfortunate coincidence but the value of magic cards is relatively well known and residential burglary is common in many areas. E) Other illegal theft of opportunity: Housecleaning services at hotels, staff at airports handling baggage, etc. F) Significant other theft. A romantic relationship comes to an end and somebody is not happy. The unhappy person takes revenge on their new ex by selling/destroying cards (happens often). G) Fire/flood: Self explanatory.
How do you protect yourself from all of these things? It's actually simpler and requires less effort than you would think.
1) Buy a safe or lockable gun cabinet for your house. It doesn't need to be large or expensive, it just needs to be able to stop a typical "smash and grab" type home burglary. Smash and grab type home burglary is by far the most common type of burglary. Safes and gun cabinets can be purchased for as little as $200. Make sure somebody can't pick up the entire safe and leave with it. Some have screw holes in the back so you can screw it to a wall (make sure to hit a stud). For extra protection get a safe that has 60 minute fire protection. They make safes that have all of these features, weigh only 100 pounds, are only three feet tall and cost under $300. You can also put your jewelry and personal information in the safe as well. If things get hairy with your significant other, change the combination.
2) Take a video of your most valuable cards and give it to your insurance agent. Or, consider adding a waiver (extra coverage) if your collection is valued at more than $3,000. These waivers can cost as little as $50 a year and will insure your collection from theft, fire, flood etc. Most standard homeowners and renters insurance policies only offer $1,000 for "collectible items" so make sure to get extra coverage if you have a large collection.
3) Don't take extra stuff to events. I know, I know.. it's obvious... but don't do it! Take a lesson from the pros and only carry the bare essentials.
4) Don't leave an event and then put your stuff in your car. People watch for that. If you have to leave your stuff in your car to go eat, park the car where you can see it while eating.
5) Take a small backpack or satchel to events to keep all of your stuff in one place. Make sure it has a shoulder strap so you can use both hands for eating, purchasing or hand washing without setting it down. Don't put your water bottle in the satchel with your cards.
6) Never throw your stuff down on the table with a group of friends and then leave again without specifically asking one person in particular to watch it, and only do this as a last resort. If they are playing a game make sure to make eye contact with them and get an acknowledgement that they are watching your stuff.
7) While playing at events put your bag in between your legs in front of you. Do not put it behind your chair.
8) After each match immediately put everything back in your backpack and do a quick mental checklist to make sure its all there.
9) After opening packs immediately put the cards you want to keep away. Don't leave them in a stack because it's really easy to leave the whole stack on the table as junk.
10) If your cards are stolen file a police report. This can sometimes scare people into turning them in anonymously. If you suspect you know who it is or what they did with the cards, give this information to the police. If they sold your cards to a store go to that store and then call the police. The store is in possession of stolen property and you may have a legal right to get it back.
11) Choose your friends carefully.
12) If you stay at a hotel put all of your cards in your clothing bag with toiletries or other stuff on top of the card backpack so housekeeping won't get nosey.
13) If you store your cards in a garage or basement use waterproof Rubbermaid storage bins with lids.
I hope this list helps. I'd love to hear any other advice people might have.
Can anybody explain why Teferi is a good sideboard card to run in a modern UWR control list? I've seen some top players using him as a 1 of in the board. Giving your creatures flash is useless because most of them already have that. What is the purpose of this card ?
So I've been playing some modern lately and I can't figure out wtf Reveillark is supposed to be. It doesn't look like any kind of elemental. There appears to be some sort of nest or some ***** right in the middle. Wtf am I looking at?
As you have probably all seen and heard, anabolic steroid use has come under increased media scrutiny in professional sports over the last couple of years. Dynasties have been broken, personalities have been debunked, dreams shattered and titles rescinded. One only needs to look at the legal troubles facing Barry Bonds or the financial difficulties and title revocations of Lance Armstrong for proof. But one area that has been suspiciously absent from the anabolic steroid scrutiny has been Magic: the Gathering. Over the course of months of investigations I have found many clear links between top MTG competitors and illicit anabolic steroid use. As such, I've prepared a quick dossier so that you, the informed reader and Magic: the Gathering enthusiast, can make up your mind for yourself. I didn't expect many of these players to admit to their anabolic steroid use, but I was aghast that so few players would even comment on the issue.
Some of the most obvious signs of anabolic steroid use (besides titanic muscle growth) is increased facial hair and a sudden, unexplainable drive to succeed. For obvious evidence of steroid abuse, one needs to look no farther than top MtG player Christopher VanMeter.
Christopher has undergone a recent and explosive drive to win an SCG open contest. (For those of you don't play Magic, an open event is a large tournament where hundreds, sometimes thousands of players will enter a single cutt-throat style tournament to try and reach the top). Despite already being rated #1 on the esteemed SCG player points scoring system, Christopher has vowed not to shave his facial hair until he wins one of these events. Although his shaving habits are outside the prevue of this article, one look at his fiery, explosive, healthy, crimson mass of facial hair is very convincing evidence of steroid abuse (and magnificence). I caught up with Christopher at SCG New Jersey and when I asked (him) about how he feels regarding the impact of anabolic steroids on competitive MtG and whether he has ever used steroids to gain a competitive edge, he looked at me like I was crazy and said "what??". Whether he is a steroid abuser or just a bearded warrior on a mission, I'll let you make the call.
Although steroid use in competitive sports like MtG has likely been around since the beginning, increasingly difficult-to-detect "designer" drugs on the market are probably in use in very high, unsafe quantities. I recently asked Level 3 judge Jessie Dunks about whether existing drug testing protocols are properly equipped to detect new, "designer" drugs, and whether he personally oversees urine testing to ensure it gets safely from the collection facility to the testing laboratory. Mr. Dunks refused to comment on the issue, but issued me a stern warning, stating "your match has already started and if you aren't in your seat in the next 45 seconds I'm going to issue you a game loss." Although I expected resistance to my inquiries regarding steroid abuse, I never expected that there was a cover-up at the highest levels of judges.
This is an artistic rendition of a magic card depicting level 3 judge Jessie Dunks. When asked about steroid abuse in competitive MtG, he made no comment.
Another convincingly clear-cut example of how steroids have sculpted the minds and attitudes of the contemporary Magic player is Brian Braun-Duin. Brian was one of the only players to admit his ongoing steroid abuse. Furthermore, his attitude about the subject was as jovial as it was disconcerting. When I asked Mr. Braun-Duin at SCG Indianapolis about whether his body was evidence of his past and ongoing abuse of anabolic steroids he smiled at me before shouting "Oh yeah, bay-bay! You don't get guns like these sitting on the couch!" He then pulled back his shirt sleeve to reveal a Herculean 13" bicep. Further evidence of his recent anabolic steroid abuse can be seen in his male pattern baldness in the picture below. His gruff demeanor serves as further testament.
Brian Braun-Druin, pictured above on the left, shows signs of male pattern baldness. Here, he is about to explode into violence against his opponent. Above right, he can be seen in a graphic representation of his inner rage.
One last example of both contemporary and previous involvement in illicit anabolic agents can be found in multiple grand-prix winner William Jensen. William was enjoying a storied career as a MtG player when one day, without explanation, he dropped from the competitive scene entirely. Speculation about his departure was rampant, but the prevailing theory at the time was that his steroid abuse had caused health problems and his doctor may have given him an ultimatum: "stop playing Magic Cards and taking steroids or you could suffer from a heart attack or other cardiovascular abnormality". Many thought that Huey's days of slamming anabolic steroids right before slamming down Magic cards were over. Then, inexplicably, he reappeared on the Magic scene. And not only did he reappear, he reappeared with a bang, stringing together a very impressive resume of high profile victories. When asked late last year to comment on the speculation that he is once again involved in the distribution and personal use of anabolic steroids and whether his career resurgence can be attributed to the same, he responded pugnaciously, saying "what the f&!k are you talking about?"
William Jensen, seen above, was once considered the golden-boy of the drug-free Magic the Gathering scene. Nowadays, he appears to have joined suit with other top contenders and is, once again, thought to be using anabolic agents to bolster his performance at the card table.
I hope you have enjoyed my report on the impact of anabolic steroids on the competitive Magic the Gathering scene. Please remember, we are all role-models for younger players and we should make it a priority to leave behind a legacy of drug-free and natural Magic the Gathering, the way it was originally intended to be.
Please note: This article is for entertainment purposes. The author has no knowledge, whatsoever, of any steroid use amongst the personalities described.
Although I'm no expert the vast majority of cases of cards being lost or stolen fall into a couple of broad categories.
1) Cards are lost and recovered by somebody else who doesn't turn them in to the lost and found. Some of the places this happens commonly: A) Bathrooms (people set their deck boxes down on paper towel dispensers or bathroom stalls). People hang their backpack on the hooks in the bathroom stall and leave it behind. B) Gaming areas: People leave behind deck boxes, backpacks, sideboards, tokens, dice bags etc at the site of their most recent game. C) Random areas: Cards fall out of backpacks with zippers left open, sweatshirt pockets when somebody takes their hoodie off, etc. D) Artist/vendor tables: People set down their stuff at a vendor or artist table to get money or grab their new stuff and forget to pick their original stuff back up. E) People leave their stuff with some friends. The friends then all get up to leave, grab their individual stuff and leave the original guy's stuff behind (no individual person is specifically watching out for the original guy's stuff and therefore doesn't think to grab it).
2) Organized/deliberate theft
A)People will work in teams and use distractions (trading with somebody, chatting etc) to get somebody's attention while their cohort(s) steals their property. B) Stealing somebody's backpack from behind their seat while they are playing a game C) Stealing cards from a vehicle immediately after somebody leaves a tournament. Usually happens when the victim puts their cards in their car and then leaves again on foot to go get food or similar. This can be particularly gruesome because oftentimes several people will go back to the same car and all throw their cards in the car before leaving again. D) Residential burglary: People break into your house and steal your cards. This is often just an unfortunate coincidence but the value of magic cards is relatively well known and residential burglary is common in many areas. E) Other illegal theft of opportunity: Housecleaning services at hotels, staff at airports handling baggage, etc. F) Significant other theft. A romantic relationship comes to an end and somebody is not happy. The unhappy person takes revenge on their new ex by selling/destroying cards (happens often). G) Fire/flood: Self explanatory.
How do you protect yourself from all of these things? It's actually simpler and requires less effort than you would think.
1) Buy a safe or lockable gun cabinet for your house. It doesn't need to be large or expensive, it just needs to be able to stop a typical "smash and grab" type home burglary. Smash and grab type home burglary is by far the most common type of burglary. Safes and gun cabinets can be purchased for as little as $200. Make sure somebody can't pick up the entire safe and leave with it. Some have screw holes in the back so you can screw it to a wall (make sure to hit a stud). For extra protection get a safe that has 60 minute fire protection. They make safes that have all of these features, weigh only 100 pounds, are only three feet tall and cost under $300. You can also put your jewelry and personal information in the safe as well. If things get hairy with your significant other, change the combination.
2) Take a video of your most valuable cards and give it to your insurance agent. Or, consider adding a waiver (extra coverage) if your collection is valued at more than $3,000. These waivers can cost as little as $50 a year and will insure your collection from theft, fire, flood etc. Most standard homeowners and renters insurance policies only offer $1,000 for "collectible items" so make sure to get extra coverage if you have a large collection.
3) Don't take extra stuff to events. I know, I know.. it's obvious... but don't do it! Take a lesson from the pros and only carry the bare essentials.
4) Don't leave an event and then put your stuff in your car. People watch for that. If you have to leave your stuff in your car to go eat, park the car where you can see it while eating.
5) Take a small backpack or satchel to events to keep all of your stuff in one place. Make sure it has a shoulder strap so you can use both hands for eating, purchasing or hand washing without setting it down. Don't put your water bottle in the satchel with your cards.
6) Never throw your stuff down on the table with a group of friends and then leave again without specifically asking one person in particular to watch it, and only do this as a last resort. If they are playing a game make sure to make eye contact with them and get an acknowledgement that they are watching your stuff.
7) While playing at events put your bag in between your legs in front of you. Do not put it behind your chair.
8) After each match immediately put everything back in your backpack and do a quick mental checklist to make sure its all there.
9) After opening packs immediately put the cards you want to keep away. Don't leave them in a stack because it's really easy to leave the whole stack on the table as junk.
10) If your cards are stolen file a police report. This can sometimes scare people into turning them in anonymously. If you suspect you know who it is or what they did with the cards, give this information to the police. If they sold your cards to a store go to that store and then call the police. The store is in possession of stolen property and you may have a legal right to get it back.
11) Choose your friends carefully.
12) If you stay at a hotel put all of your cards in your clothing bag with toiletries or other stuff on top of the card backpack so housekeeping won't get nosey.
13) If you store your cards in a garage or basement use waterproof Rubbermaid storage bins with lids.
I hope this list helps. I'd love to hear any other advice people might have.
As you have probably all seen and heard, anabolic steroid use has come under increased media scrutiny in professional sports over the last couple of years. Dynasties have been broken, personalities have been debunked, dreams shattered and titles rescinded. One only needs to look at the legal troubles facing Barry Bonds or the financial difficulties and title revocations of Lance Armstrong for proof. But one area that has been suspiciously absent from the anabolic steroid scrutiny has been Magic: the Gathering. Over the course of months of investigations I have found many clear links between top MTG competitors and illicit anabolic steroid use. As such, I've prepared a quick dossier so that you, the informed reader and Magic: the Gathering enthusiast, can make up your mind for yourself. I didn't expect many of these players to admit to their anabolic steroid use, but I was aghast that so few players would even comment on the issue.
Some of the most obvious signs of anabolic steroid use (besides titanic muscle growth) is increased facial hair and a sudden, unexplainable drive to succeed. For obvious evidence of steroid abuse, one needs to look no farther than top MtG player Christopher VanMeter.
Christopher has undergone a recent and explosive drive to win an SCG open contest. (For those of you don't play Magic, an open event is a large tournament where hundreds, sometimes thousands of players will enter a single cutt-throat style tournament to try and reach the top). Despite already being rated #1 on the esteemed SCG player points scoring system, Christopher has vowed not to shave his facial hair until he wins one of these events. Although his shaving habits are outside the prevue of this article, one look at his fiery, explosive, healthy, crimson mass of facial hair is very convincing evidence of steroid abuse (and magnificence). I caught up with Christopher at SCG New Jersey and when I asked (him) about how he feels regarding the impact of anabolic steroids on competitive MtG and whether he has ever used steroids to gain a competitive edge, he looked at me like I was crazy and said "what??". Whether he is a steroid abuser or just a bearded warrior on a mission, I'll let you make the call.
Although steroid use in competitive sports like MtG has likely been around since the beginning, increasingly difficult-to-detect "designer" drugs on the market are probably in use in very high, unsafe quantities. I recently asked Level 3 judge Jessie Dunks about whether existing drug testing protocols are properly equipped to detect new, "designer" drugs, and whether he personally oversees urine testing to ensure it gets safely from the collection facility to the testing laboratory. Mr. Dunks refused to comment on the issue, but issued me a stern warning, stating "your match has already started and if you aren't in your seat in the next 45 seconds I'm going to issue you a game loss." Although I expected resistance to my inquiries regarding steroid abuse, I never expected that there was a cover-up at the highest levels of judges.
This is an artistic rendition of a magic card depicting level 3 judge Jessie Dunks. When asked about steroid abuse in competitive MtG, he made no comment.
Another convincingly clear-cut example of how steroids have sculpted the minds and attitudes of the contemporary Magic player is Brian Braun-Duin. Brian was one of the only players to admit his ongoing steroid abuse. Furthermore, his attitude about the subject was as jovial as it was disconcerting. When I asked Mr. Braun-Duin at SCG Indianapolis about whether his body was evidence of his past and ongoing abuse of anabolic steroids he smiled at me before shouting "Oh yeah, bay-bay! You don't get guns like these sitting on the couch!" He then pulled back his shirt sleeve to reveal a Herculean 13" bicep. Further evidence of his recent anabolic steroid abuse can be seen in his male pattern baldness in the picture below. His gruff demeanor serves as further testament.
Brian Braun-Druin, pictured above on the left, shows signs of male pattern baldness. Here, he is about to explode into violence against his opponent. Above right, he can be seen in a graphic representation of his inner rage.
One last example of both contemporary and previous involvement in illicit anabolic agents can be found in multiple grand-prix winner William Jensen. William was enjoying a storied career as a MtG player when one day, without explanation, he dropped from the competitive scene entirely. Speculation about his departure was rampant, but the prevailing theory at the time was that his steroid abuse had caused health problems and his doctor may have given him an ultimatum: "stop playing Magic Cards and taking steroids or you could suffer from a heart attack or other cardiovascular abnormality". Many thought that Huey's days of slamming anabolic steroids right before slamming down Magic cards were over. Then, inexplicably, he reappeared on the Magic scene. And not only did he reappear, he reappeared with a bang, stringing together a very impressive resume of high profile victories. When asked late last year to comment on the speculation that he is once again involved in the distribution and personal use of anabolic steroids and whether his career resurgence can be attributed to the same, he responded pugnaciously, saying "what the f&!k are you talking about?"
William Jensen, seen above, was once considered the golden-boy of the drug-free Magic the Gathering scene. Nowadays, he appears to have joined suit with other top contenders and is, once again, thought to be using anabolic agents to bolster his performance at the card table.
I hope you have enjoyed my report on the impact of anabolic steroids on the competitive Magic the Gathering scene. Please remember, we are all role-models for younger players and we should make it a priority to leave behind a legacy of drug-free and natural Magic the Gathering, the way it was originally intended to be.
Please note: This article is for entertainment purposes. The author has no knowledge, whatsoever, of any steroid use amongst the personalities described.
Image Leech Warning, Links Replaced -Cythare