The guy is a joke. Bad at Magic, bad at sleight of hand, and most likely from the looks of him, bad at life. Even the most novice practitioner of sleight of hand could have pulled that move off without the camera ever seeing it. I don't think anyone should cheat, ever, but I'm always amazed when people are cheaters who don't practice the craft. Too bad it wasn't Vegas or Atlantic City, where he probably would've had his hands smashed--if he was lucky.
When I was 14 (read summer of '94), I was with my cousin and a friend playing some basketball around 10pm when a group of dudes in there early to mid 20s came up to the court and jumped us when we didn't want to play for money. My stupid cousin had picked a court that was in a really sketchy neighborhood, though I was a bit naive at the time. He left his car door unlocked in his car so after they were done kicking me and my buddy while we were down, my cousin (also the oldest and biggest of us) ran for his life, they opened his car door and grabbed my backpack. In my backpack were a bunch of cards my stepfather had given me including: Juzam Djinn, Moat, a bunch of Duals mixed from Unlimited and Beta, a Candelabra of Tawnos, Ancestral Recall, and a bunch of other stuff I don't even remember owning anymore. I had little, now Vintage/Legacy, cards left at home. I took them to my to my local LGS, along with my stepfather selling a Mox Sapphire for about a hundred bucks, to get enough stuff to play a type II tournament the next weekend.
Pretty much one of the worst days of my youth. Both getting jumped by adults and having some precious stuff stolen from me made me a bit paranoid about the intentions of others for a long time.
What do you all think about the Star City Games Sleeves? How do they shuffle, how do they hold up over time?
They are on sale right now and I was thinking of ordering some, but no one in my immediate play group has used them before and I couldn't find a decent review.
I totally agree. For WotC as a whole, acknowledging and correcting mistakes is better. If they didn't, it would make both R&D and the DCI look silly.
I agree, also. This perceived drop in customer confidence when a banning is needed sounds more like the marketing department making decision than the R&D or DCI.
I believe more customers lose interest or confidence in a product when something is wrong with it and nothing is done than when a company admits fault and fixes the issue. In games, balance is an issue. Like it or not, the more people playing and the more cards that are released the more likely there will be balance issues. I'd rather see them fixed than hear "there will always be a best deck" from those who like to work the system. It is a shame to see creativity stunted by pore balancing. Three or Four "best" decks is acceptable, but a single deck being the "best deck" and causing people to give up trying to beat and just joining the parade is telling of a broken system.
WoW had a similar issue with their multiplayer Arenas a few years back and I saw people leave the game in droves. I left, too after the frustrating realization that regardless of my time I spent, it was never going to be enough in that part of the game, because I wasn't playing the "best" class for it, a class that clearly was the best class. Many of those that didn't quit built up that broken class just for Arenas and would rave about how much easier it was.
I have been going over this Delver dilemma in my head a good bit today and had a thought about the comparison of Delver to other creatures in the format that I haven't heard.
Every agrees a 3/2 flier for 1 CMC is good; however a lot of people argue that he dies to almost any removal, which is true. There is something about this argument that has bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I think I just did put my finger on it, at least for myself.
There are two things that bother me, is that Delver is a 3/2 flier for 1 CMC and the only 1 drop besides say Champion of the Parish that actually creates a real threat. And two, when Delver is not a 3/2 flier you feel like your playing roulette with 5 in the chamber.
First, Delver is pretty much the only 1 drop in standard aside from Champion that requires an answer a removal spell. That seems inherently wrong coming from the blue color pie to begin with. Second, you can't know when is the right time to burn your removal spell on him, because even if the flip isn't pondered into, it may not happen, but do you take that chance?
Just my thoughts.
Thanks for the replies gang. It is good to know I'm not crazy thinking it was inappropriate.
All the other judges at the event were awesome and I want to say that even when I made a stupid deck list error I was treated politely by the judge who noticed and sorted the situation. I'll definitely make sure to thank him again for being a good dude the next time I catch him at an FNM. It was just a little disheartening to feel like my match was being treated as less important at the first major event I have attended since 95ish.
After this weekend's tournament results it would be very surprising if one or more cards from the Delver deck don't get the boot.
At the PTQ in Md I played against 4 Delver decks in the six matches before I dropped. I was playing Solar Flare, but unfamiliar with the deck and was making some bad decisions. Someone else from my store played against 4 Solar Flare mirror matches, in a row I believe.
Playing Delver 4/6 matches was just blah. I didn't mind losing some, but it just wasn't fun and the last one sealed the deal for me after I came in with a game loss for various circumstances, one my fault, but others out of my control. Lost the first match to a naturally flipped Delver on turn 2 followed by ponder into ML, SCM, ML, ML. We played for fun 1 more just too see who would have won post sideboard and I crushed him. Regardless, it wasn't very fun. I just didn't see much variance in the field when I walked around or talked to people. Either people played Delver or they played something they thought could beat Delver and lost to other decks. There were a few rogues running around, but mostly Delver/Anti-Delver.
Boredom has beset the stage and it might be time to move things along.
I had a judge at MD PTQ on 06/17 rush the 5 turn extension and comment: "Thanks for holding up the tournament." in a very rude tone during this weekend.
Here were the circumstances. I was matched against a UB control deck running 4 surgical extraction and Nephalia Drownyard and I was playing a Solar Flare deck. The games went long, but we were not slow playing and someone watching said "They haven't been stalling, just long games" when the judge asked if we were "Slow playing". After the judge's comment I was a little irritated and felt it was unprofessional. Judges should judge, there is no need for those comments.
Granted we weren't exactly a featured match. Hell, we weren't going to win anything at that point, but we paid our money like everyone else and we didn't do anything wrong. The whole day everyone waited 20-30 mins in between rounds to get our next pairings even when the all games finished on time anyway.
Is this common? Should judges be rude and rushing to players even when they are playing at a decently fast pace?
I find it interesting that even the players winning with Delver are reaching the point where they think it should be banned. Imagine how fast MLB would jump on the salary cap wagon if the Yankees and every other big money team said that the system was broken and a cap needed to be imposed.
Losers generally make the most noise, yet the collected thoughts of the winners usually hold the most weight. If winning players say it is the only deck to play and/or something needs to change, it is probably time for a change.
The problem is not Delver (in Standard, at least.) The problem is the absurd consistency with which Delver is able to sculpt its draws relative to other decks in the format via the Snapcaster engine.
You forgot the part where you say "except when Delver nets a free win by naturally flipping on turn 2".
I'm really excited and I hope everyone else is, too. There seems to be a healthy return to the basics of the color pie so far, with the spoiled cards for M13.
Green getting some of the biggest and baddest creatures. White getting back to creatures that help one each other with numbers and rely on synergies. Blue is going to be putting people back on the Millstone. Black is getting back to its evil selfish way, beating you down while it tears your hand away. Red is going to be making people cringe as they say "pass", expecting the inevitable to the face burn or beating from hasty creatures.
It all looks pretty awesome to me and I can't wait to see how things change when it rolls out. Anyone with me?
Pretty much one of the worst days of my youth. Both getting jumped by adults and having some precious stuff stolen from me made me a bit paranoid about the intentions of others for a long time.
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They are on sale right now and I was thinking of ordering some, but no one in my immediate play group has used them before and I couldn't find a decent review.
I agree, also. This perceived drop in customer confidence when a banning is needed sounds more like the marketing department making decision than the R&D or DCI.
I believe more customers lose interest or confidence in a product when something is wrong with it and nothing is done than when a company admits fault and fixes the issue. In games, balance is an issue. Like it or not, the more people playing and the more cards that are released the more likely there will be balance issues. I'd rather see them fixed than hear "there will always be a best deck" from those who like to work the system. It is a shame to see creativity stunted by pore balancing. Three or Four "best" decks is acceptable, but a single deck being the "best deck" and causing people to give up trying to beat and just joining the parade is telling of a broken system.
WoW had a similar issue with their multiplayer Arenas a few years back and I saw people leave the game in droves. I left, too after the frustrating realization that regardless of my time I spent, it was never going to be enough in that part of the game, because I wasn't playing the "best" class for it, a class that clearly was the best class. Many of those that didn't quit built up that broken class just for Arenas and would rave about how much easier it was.
Every agrees a 3/2 flier for 1 CMC is good; however a lot of people argue that he dies to almost any removal, which is true. There is something about this argument that has bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I think I just did put my finger on it, at least for myself.
There are two things that bother me, is that Delver is a 3/2 flier for 1 CMC and the only 1 drop besides say Champion of the Parish that actually creates a real threat. And two, when Delver is not a 3/2 flier you feel like your playing roulette with 5 in the chamber.
First, Delver is pretty much the only 1 drop in standard aside from Champion that requires an answer a removal spell. That seems inherently wrong coming from the blue color pie to begin with. Second, you can't know when is the right time to burn your removal spell on him, because even if the flip isn't pondered into, it may not happen, but do you take that chance?
Just my thoughts.
All the other judges at the event were awesome and I want to say that even when I made a stupid deck list error I was treated politely by the judge who noticed and sorted the situation. I'll definitely make sure to thank him again for being a good dude the next time I catch him at an FNM. It was just a little disheartening to feel like my match was being treated as less important at the first major event I have attended since 95ish.
At the PTQ in Md I played against 4 Delver decks in the six matches before I dropped. I was playing Solar Flare, but unfamiliar with the deck and was making some bad decisions. Someone else from my store played against 4 Solar Flare mirror matches, in a row I believe.
Playing Delver 4/6 matches was just blah. I didn't mind losing some, but it just wasn't fun and the last one sealed the deal for me after I came in with a game loss for various circumstances, one my fault, but others out of my control. Lost the first match to a naturally flipped Delver on turn 2 followed by ponder into ML, SCM, ML, ML. We played for fun 1 more just too see who would have won post sideboard and I crushed him. Regardless, it wasn't very fun. I just didn't see much variance in the field when I walked around or talked to people. Either people played Delver or they played something they thought could beat Delver and lost to other decks. There were a few rogues running around, but mostly Delver/Anti-Delver.
Boredom has beset the stage and it might be time to move things along.
Here were the circumstances. I was matched against a UB control deck running 4 surgical extraction and Nephalia Drownyard and I was playing a Solar Flare deck. The games went long, but we were not slow playing and someone watching said "They haven't been stalling, just long games" when the judge asked if we were "Slow playing". After the judge's comment I was a little irritated and felt it was unprofessional. Judges should judge, there is no need for those comments.
Granted we weren't exactly a featured match. Hell, we weren't going to win anything at that point, but we paid our money like everyone else and we didn't do anything wrong. The whole day everyone waited 20-30 mins in between rounds to get our next pairings even when the all games finished on time anyway.
Is this common? Should judges be rude and rushing to players even when they are playing at a decently fast pace?
Anyone happen to have the numerical evidence for what Dual Lands can not be printed as of now?
Losers generally make the most noise, yet the collected thoughts of the winners usually hold the most weight. If winning players say it is the only deck to play and/or something needs to change, it is probably time for a change.
You forgot the part where you say "except when Delver nets a free win by naturally flipping on turn 2".
Oh...wait...First Strike is still in? Wait, Tormond's Crypt got reprinted, too?
I feel silly now. Nothing is broken here folks, carry on.
Green getting some of the biggest and baddest creatures. White getting back to creatures that help one each other with numbers and rely on synergies. Blue is going to be putting people back on the Millstone. Black is getting back to its evil selfish way, beating you down while it tears your hand away. Red is going to be making people cringe as they say "pass", expecting the inevitable to the face burn or beating from hasty creatures.
It all looks pretty awesome to me and I can't wait to see how things change when it rolls out. Anyone with me?