MTG Salvation

I dont know if it was exactly a date. I dont want to make something out of it that wasnt there.... but im not opposed in the slightest if thats what it was.
Anyways, my knee is completely fine. It was only a minor tweak and nothing I couldnt walk on.

On the topic of Star Wars, Star Trek, & Fantasy/Sci Fi, I enjoyed the prequal trilogy but felt that the Anakin/Padma (padmah? whatever) plots were terrible. I enjoyed the end goal to tie things together with the orginal triology, but the acting was just bad (cept for McGregor). Didn't sink into the Star Trek at all. Thought the reboot movies were great. Watched Wrath of Khan and it was good too. No motivation really to watch the series though. And I hadn't really thought about Fantasy and Sci Fi. I like Starcraft and its lore. I love Mass Effect. And I love LotR. I like the hybrid of both (Mass Effect 'space magic!'). :addingtotheconversation:

Played 2 games of EDH before seeing Robocop on Saturday. Got 2-Punch Steve'd using my Wrexial deck. And then I played Braids to have some fun. Academy Ruins pulled its ******* weight. My friend played Omen Machine and that made things silly. I attempted to put Memnarch back on top of my library with Ruins but my friend exiled it. What I got instead was Tidespout Tyrant. Which meant my Vensur, Shaper Savant became a Capsize for 2 less mana! =D I then realized I have Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir on the field with the Omen Machine which prevented my opponents from doing anything. Which then prompted a "Ya. Teferi's a dick. Brian's deck has a ton of dick cards in it." I responsed back with "Well maybe shouldn't have played Omen Machine with Teferi on the field you dumbass! You locked yourself out!"

Typical EDH night went well. Braids didn't get out of hand, power shifted back and forth and I was able to not die to token swarm (stole a Windborn Muse with Blatent Thievery). And then grinded out a win. =)

Quote from ajacobik

Quote from Aquajolt

Played 2 games of EDH before seeing Robocop on Saturday. Got 2-Punch Steve'd using my Wrexial deck. And then I played Braids to have some fun. Academy Ruins pulled its ******* weight. My friend played Omen Machine and that made things silly. I attempted to put Memnarch back on top of my library with Ruins but my friend exiled it. What I got instead was Tidespout Tyrant. Which meant my Vensur, Shaper Savant became a Capsize for 2 less mana! =D I then realized I have Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir on the field with the Omen Machine which prevented my opponents from doing anything. Which then prompted a "Ya. Teferi's a dick. Brian's deck has a ton of dick cards in it." I responsed back with "Well maybe shouldn't have played Omen Machine with Teferi on the field you dumbass! You locked yourself out!"

Typical EDH night went well. Braids didn't get out of hand, power shifted back and forth and I was able to not die to token swarm (stole a Windborn Muse with Blatent Thievery). And then grinded out a win. =)

Wait... someone called Teferi a dick card after you got Sphinxed? What a load of nonsense.

I got sphinx'd in my first game. I played Wrexial vs Nekusaar (friend), Sen Triplets (Esper good stuff), & Mimeoplasm.
2nd game was me playing Braids vs Ruhan (friend), Silver Queen (good stuff.deck), & Nylea (ramprampramprampramp, Genesis Wave =p)

My friend and I skirt the 'spirit of EDH' where we don't play dick cards unless we are ending the game. I don't play mass land destruction because 1) I don't own armageddon and 2) It would devolve into the same strategy: play your indestructible dude (or more threathening dudes that your opps) and then nuke the board. I try to avoid playing with a bunch of hard tutors (as oppose to Expedition Map and Trinket/Treasure Mage) to avoid making the deck's strategy too linear.

Pretty much I was doing a pretty good job in my 2nd game with Briads (I'll post a decklist up after work). I Austere Command was taking out my artifacts and fatties leaving only Nylea's 28 4/5 plant tokens. >_> So I popped my Nev's Disk and that pretty much reset the game. However, I was able to build back with Thassa and Academy Ruins. It was then I played Teferi so I could flash in Kozelik and swing with him (Nylea had played 15/15 RTR wurm now enchanted with Pattern of Rebirth and Ruhan was played and then enchanted with Righteous Authority and had a Darksteel Plate. Also 10/10 monstrousity Colossus was played by Ruhan too). This is when Ruhan played Omen Machine. I got a free cast of Tidespout Tyrant which made my cards ridic, but with Teferi ALREADY on the field he locked him and Nylea out of the game.

He was just a bit bitter. He wasn't playing much and only had about 8-9 lands by the end of the game.

I just got smacked around for the first time in a standard tournament in a while. I went 0-5. (1-2, 0-2, 0-2, 0-2, 1-2). I played esper control, which has been doing fairly, as my monob build is in dire need of an update. Gruul, Gruul, some weird naya build, Gruul then MonoU devotion. Two of those gruul builds were rogueish/budget too.
Sooooooooooooooooooo lame.

Quote from Aquajolt

"Ya. Teferi's a dick. Brian's deck has a ton of dick cards in it." I responsed back with "Well maybe shouldn't have played Omen Machine with Teferi on the field you dumbass! You locked yourself out!"

That made me laugh pretty hard.

Quote from Digi

I just got smacked around for the first time in a standard tournament in a while. I went 0-5. (1-2, 0-2, 0-2, 0-2, 1-2). I played esper control, which has been doing fairly, as my monob build is in dire need of an update. Gruul, Gruul, some weird naya build, Gruul then MonoU devotion. Two of those gruul builds were rogueish/budget too.
Sooooooooooooooooooo lame.

Post a list, I'll show you what I'm running on MWS. Firgured I'd try it out to see how I like it, and to be completely honest, I wish I hadn't built Mono U irl instead.



Here's my take:
1. Pack rat is awesome, but never dump your hand(I've seen people drop a D. Demon, Gary, or Underworld Connections to make a rat), instead use connections card draw to get extra cards and drop dead cards like a Blight with no killable target, the land you didn't need, or a TS when your life is low or your opponent has no hand.

2. Scry lands are for scrying. And they work great for that. That's is, and that's good enough for 4. Occasionally people think you're holding a Negate or Dissolve to protect Gary, which is fun.

3. Mutavault is a hoss, especially when you can basically go : All creatures you control named Pack Rat get +1/+1 until end of turn. Having 4 is too many that you can't use for black mana in a deck with a ton of double .

4. The Whip is amazing. Life gain and Unearth a Specter to prog the Gary in your hand, or to Unearth the Gary that got countered? Yes please!

5. 1 Nykthos is not enough to hit it, 3 gives you too many, I'd rather have teh other 2 swamps. On the rare occasion I get on on the field and 1 in my hand. I tap 2 and the Shrine, ramp mana, drop the other shrine and sac the tapped one, add more, and proceed to dump hand until a Gary punches face or Pack Rats overwhelm.

6. The 6 of Combo of Devour Flesh and Bile Blight gives you kills for basicaly everything. Downfall is in there for Planeswalkers and the occasional need to Target an x/4 or bigger guy.

7. I'm Thinking that because of Drown in Sorrow and Bile Blight, Pharika's cure is no longer Necessary at all. Probably going to replace them with a pair of Gild. I really like that card, and I soooooo wanna sac a Gold Token for mana. I mean gods all cost 4 or more, Gild costs a net 3 mana, because you get a Lotus Pedal as a reward for punching a god to oblivion.

So far I'm 4 - 0 with it, one match I won a solid 4 - 1, which went win loss win "Let's go again" win "One more" win.

What does your current list look like Digi?

Hello digi and other such members of the clan. I am Mindslavor from the Tolarian Academy just stopping by to say hi. Digi I resolved my issues we spoke about in likely the weirdest possible way, remind me to PM you the details sometimes. Also since I am returning to magic from hiatus, I should be on the forums more, and thusly come by to say hi more.

Quote from Bur

I accidentally managed to find yesterday Mind Seize for 35€, and now I'm only missing 1 TNN from my Legacy Ub-fish.
Just wondering, does any of you guys play legacy? I've been really pondering about my upgrade from U-fish to Ub-fish and the changes...

Check Digi's blog, he plays Legacy Fishies. May or may not be updated, though.

Quote from ajacobik

Can we see that Braids list?

Nope. I ate it. =p
Or more to the point, I'd have to remember to actually do it. I suffer from 'being a lazy bum' syndrome aka procrastination. I'll see what i can do tonight.

Quote from Bur

I accidentally managed to find yesterday Mind Seize for 35€, and now I'm only missing 1 TNN from my Legacy Ub-fish.
Just wondering, does any of you guys play legacy? I've been really pondering about my upgrade from U-fish to Ub-fish and the changes...

I don't play Legacy. I have a TNN that im not using if you're interested. lmk.

Had some more luck with my Phenax EDH deck last night.

Won a 5 player game by milling out 2 players and swinging for 20 unblockable damage in one turn.

Assembling this deck has been super fun. The break out performer last night was the Wight of Precinct Six.

I'll post my deck list tonight.



So the key cards are Phenax, God of Deception, Consuming Aberration and Thousand-Year Elixir.

The Elixir really makes this deck explode with speed allowing our creatures to use Phenax's gifted ability right away. Consuming Aberration really grows exponentially after a few uses. Use the Elixir and Puppet Strings to activate the Mill effect multiple times in a turn. You can also abuse these untap effects with Hell's Caretaker during your upkeep phase to swap several ETB creatures in and out. It occurs to me that my Kokusho is not in this deck, I'll have to fix that!

So yeah, basically just cast some creatures get Phenax in play and then start milling yourself until you get some sweet reanimation targets (clone such targets for even faster mill killing action). Once you get a beefy mill creature into play you can really go to town and mill your opponents.

I'd love to hear any suggestions or comments. If you'd like me to explain any of the choices, just ask!

@Xander, that list looks beast. =) Beefy creatures + elixir/untapping makes for easy milling with Phenax. I'd only advise to be mindful of graveyard decks (Mimeo/Karador). Pack Bribery or Sadistic Sarcament to pull out Eldrazi so it doesn't stop your milling plans (if you wanna primarily win with mill).


As promised to ajacobik, here's my Braids list.



I'm 1 short atm. I put in an altered Jace Beleren, then drew the original printing the other night. >_> Opps. So I'll see what I wanna add. Just did a count and only 16 cards can NOT be put into play with Braids. Seems good. =) I originally had Extraplanar Lens to give me the only bonus for my snow-covered lands, but I hate replaying it and/or losing the land when it got destoryed. Time Stretch was in, but it's a "dick" card, but it might see a return.

The main issue with the deck from the start was dumping my hand and not having a follow up if it met resistance. Temple Bell was a boon in my last game. Also added Thassa for sweet top decks, Sphinx to get all the card draw (and be a fatty late game), and Rush of Knowledge to draw me a new hand as well. Addtionally, I've had games where I don't play Braids. I either have 1-2 things in my hand or none at all and it would benefit me to play her. However, it's a political gesture to play her to give a free gift to the other players allowing them to kill each other while I set up.

Putting this up gives me the chance to look over the list in full and see what performed well and what underperforms. Tidespout is a BAMF. (last game I misplayed. With Tidespout & Kira in play, I cast Vesner to use his own trigger to bounce himself. However, I'd have to break the Kira 'shield' to let the trigger resolve. I could have done it correctly [I had a Thassa in play as well]. Just something I overlooked). I haven't played Tidal Force enough to warrant a promotion to 'he stays' so i'll keep him in. Might swap out snow lands + Scrying sheets for regular lands. Should relook my non-basic package. Include Maze of Ith and probably Crucible.

Gonna look into more appropriate fatties to include, non-basics I could utilize and maybe some metalcraft I could use. I have plenty of it. O! Also some artifact lifegain. I find Nekusaar and others are putting me dangerously low and I'd like to stick around to the late game. Especially if I stumble out the gates or I turn the game into Archenemy (with me as the target).

Critiques welcome! Suggest whatever you want! Love to hear what cards I may have overlooked!

Thanks for comments Aquajolt! Definitely need a Bribery and I could really use a Memnarch too, that's a great card! My deck can win by swinging with big creatures and board control as well, Mill is just one of the win cons. Duskmantle Guildmage can also turn Mill into massive damage in the case of Eldrazzi users. We only have one person who uses Eldrazzi in our meta, but your point is well taken for sure!

I like your deck. It's a lot of super fun cards and looks really enjoyable to play. It's so boss you don't even run a Sol Ring.

Quote from Xander

Thanks for comments Aquajolt! Definitely need a Bribery and I could really use a Memnarch too, that's a great card! My deck can win by swinging with big creatures and board control as well, Mill is just one of the win cons. Duskmantle Guildmage can also turn Mill into massive damage in the case of Eldrazzi users. We only have one person who uses Eldrazzi in our meta, but your point is well taken for sure!

I like your deck. It's a lot of super fun cards and looks really enjoyable to play. It's so boss you don't even run a Sol Ring.

Gotcha. My Wrexial deck has a Phenax in it, but I have yet to see/play it (it probably gets self milled a lot). The goal of my mill deck is to mill. If I draw Consuming Abberation and need to kill with it, then so be it. But it wins through mill or dies trying. =)

Should check those eyeballs of yours Xander. Sol Ring is there, under the Ramp section. =p
In other news, I read up on how the **** phasing works and I am gonna work in Vanishing and Vodalian Illusionist into Braids somehow. Also pondering the following:

Clone
Consecreated Sphinx
Diluvian Primordial
Inkwell Leviathan
Lorthos
Quicksilver Gargantuan
Shipbreaker Kraken
Sphinx of Uthuun
Thada

Bribery
Karn, Liberated
Time Stretch
Treachery

Maze of Ith
Temple of the False God

Like, comment, subscribe. I'm just posting/talking out loud. =p

Phasing is fun. Cards that tell the game that they're not there. Also, I love sticking Leyline of the Void into any mill-related EDH deck, to break anyone who tries to use his graveyard as a resource. It's a bit counterproductive with Consuming Aberration (although you can live off the stuff that ended up in the grave before the Line hit ...), but if I get 3 out of 4 people on a table to absolutely hate that black enchantment (nr. 4 is myself), I think I did my job right.

Also ... DRAFT!

It all began with me landing on Theros and meet a familiar face. He had taken up new hobbies since I last time I met him ...

I AM XENAGOS, GOD OF SEX, DRUGS AND ROCK'N'ROLL! PRAISE ME!
Wait. If you're a god ... you're unkillable, right?
HELL SURE I AM!
And you kick people's asses, provided I get enough worshippers for you?
I'M ALL FOR THE ASS-KICKING.
And no leaving when on 0 loyalty, right?
RIGHT ... UH ... WHAT?

With the course of the draft pretty clear just after the first pick, I soon realized no-one nearby was in red. Time to profit!



Game plan: play dudes, turn them sideways. Turns out haste is quite a good mechanic in Limited ...
Yes, it worked. I won the FNM and got to take home one of those shiny new Llanowar Elves. Even if I prefer U/B, partying with Xenagos wasn't so bad at all.

@Nate, I have the deck still, but have no interest in updating it or reconfiguring it. I'm just going to fix MonoBD or run MonoBD, (as I have all the pieces), or maybe even Gruul, (as I have 90% of the pieces). Shoot me a text sometime so we can play again:)

@Mindslavor, welcome to the thread, as always:) No one ever really quits or goes on hiatus from magic, imo. Once you start playing it is just something one always kind of thinks about. Still, good to see you around. And good to know you've started playing again. Any particular format you're jumping back into?

@Bur, I play UB Fish in legacy:) My blog has not been updated. I will pull and post the list when I get a chance. If I were you, I'd hold off on the TNN purchases, (sorry Aqua, not trying to step on a trade), but I have seen a lot of unfair play in legacy myself because of it, and if I think something has an unfair power level, you know I'm probably not the only person noticing. If it sticks early game with a lord or two, it's pretty hard to play around. I am mding TNN right now, but TNN allows me to pick up the games I hadn't been winning in an almost absurd way. I see it on the chopping block soon.

I just can't get over and get remotivated for MTG after having to sell a good chunk of my collection (the new site isn't helping either), so my activity here will probably be pretty sporadic for a while, I apologize in advance.

Quote from Digi

@Nate, I have the deck still, but have no interest in updating it or reconfiguring it. I'm just going to fix MonoBD or run MonoBD, (as I have all the pieces), or maybe even Gruul, (as I have 90% of the pieces). Shoot me a text sometime so we can play again:)

I'm confused, you have the deck, but you have no interest in reconfigure/updating, but you're going to fix it? I know I'm reading something wrong or misunderstanding you. I playtested both my idea's, and neither of them are anywhere near worth trying again, lol. I'll still play whenever you have a chance, but I'll be work 3pm - 1am through Saturday this week, so Sunday is open for me.....maybe. lol.

Quote from 'd hold off on the TNN purchases, (sorry Aqua, not trying to step on a trade), but I have seen a lot of unfair play in legacy myself because of it, and if I think something has an unfair power level, you know I'm probably not the only person noticing. If it sticks early game with a lord or two, it's pretty hard to play around. I am mding TNN right now, but TNN allows me to pick up the games I hadn't been winning in an almost absurd way. I see it on the chopping block soon.[/quote]

I honestly believe that TNN is a great card, but not banned list great. Even after it hits, it can be dealt with. The GP in Paris on Valentines day had TNN in 4 out of the top 16 decklists, and the winner geared the deck against TNN and, obviously, won the GP. TNN can be dealt with, and as soon as you see a blue mana source somewhere, you can expect it as a possibility. While he's in a handful of 2nd place finishes, TNN hasn't won a tourney that I can find since Starcity Open Legacy 12/15/13. I mean, I'm seeing Delver just as much as True Name, and it's getting the same results. It doesn't seem to me like TNN is anything degenerate and unbeatable.

[quote from="Bur" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/outside-magic/clans/543801-the-truth-is-irrelevant-we-make-our-own-facts?comment=74" rel="nofollow">Digi

Oh, and don't worry about that trade. (Nothing personal Aqua.) I've noticed that with only 4 words, 90% of trades get canceled: "I live outside USA".

I wouldn't count that out, I've seen some international trades from people in here before. Dunno if you or Aqua have contacted each other since that post, but It's not been a "count me out" factor that I have seen in here.

Quote from Ayu

I just can't get over and get remotivated for MTG after having to sell a good chunk of my collection (the new site isn't helping either), so my activity here will probably be pretty sporadic for a while, I apologize in advance.

MWS has tided me over during my lapse in magic that began in November and lasted until the BNG prerelease and Gameday. And not to mention, we're here to shoot the S, not necessarily about magic. The cards won't disappear from the world, You'll be able to get them back. Chin up.

After a brief lapse, I'm painting cards again! I definitely want to step up the pace in production.

Also, the owner of my LGS said he could probably put some in the display case as a consignment, and even supply me with cards to paint. So I may take him up on that. I am going to alter a bunch of the new commanders from the preconstructed commander decks and see if those sell well.

Spirit Link and Nekusar, the Mindrazer.

@Digi I am diving headlong into my favorite format, STD. The ever changing pace is something I love, and fresh draft and sealed formats give me wo....well I enjoy them a lot.....Whats new around these parts ?

@Bur, that is very similar to my mainstay main deck. Switch a few numbers around and add a couple commanders and we're looking mirror. I will still post the list when I have time, but before I comment on your sb, you have to realize that sbs and even to some extent, mds are completely meta based. I said mainstay fish because if I'm going into a tournament where I know a bunch of fools are running combo I will adjust the maindeck accordingly. So what exactly does your most frequented event location's meta look like?

@Ayu, this new site is a total bummer because the non-mobile friendly design. And I'm still bummed to know you had to sell your cards. We'll be here whenever you come back around. If it wasn't for the new site lameness I'd suggest we talk about something else to ease your unwanted transition from playing a lot to playing not so much. Maybe some wrestling talk or something. Or maybe who you think the best space cowboy in anime is....

@Nate, I was talking about not wanting to readjust the esper build I played. I'm almost done reconfiguring MBD. I should be done by tomorrow, even if I can't go play.

@Xander, tell me when you start taking commissions. Especially for character alters or sick playable stuff in full/extended art.

@Yomammako,

@Arctursa, at first glace I read this as:

Quote from ArctursaMISREAD »

@Digi I am diving headlong into my STD.

I'm like, "REALLY, NOW?", lol.
What are you thinking about playing? Assumably some kind of control? I've been hitting the dating scene pretty hard when I can. It's kind of rough to find an actual person worth sharing extended emotional contact with my standards and who isn't a flake coupled with having kids all the time and working. Other than that it's pretty much: Kids, work, gaming. Same old same here.

@Yomammako, did you get anything cool at said con, especially from said artist?

@Bur, then check out some localish top eights and see what folk are running:)