So I have a bunch of store credit (~approx $100 US) saved up at a store I no longer can easily get to, so I'm looking at using it to grab a bunch of cards. What sort of cards do you think it would be best to get?
I only have 1 Modern deck (and still a long way from completing more), don't play standard and only occasionally play other formats. I was talking with someone and they were liking the idea of grabbing some reserve list staples (possibly even a dual land), but I thought I'd get some more ideas and see what might be best?
Picks:Sinister Concoction, Sin Prodder, Lambholt Pacifist MVP:Howlpack Resurgence was a complete beating at all stages in all games. The card really is incredible with this amount of wolves. Quilled Wolf is an excellent 2 drop Underperformers:Geistblast didn't seem very good at all, there were multiple games where it got stuck in my hand unable to be used effectively. a 3 mana shock probably isn't good enough. Briarbridge Patrol also didn't seem great but I only played that once. Record: 6-1, lost a game to Accursed Witch, Kindly Stranger and multiple tap effects. The quote that summed up the draft was when I played the Wolf of Devil's Breach onto a board with Silverfur Partisan and Howlpack Resurgence and my opponent exclaims "That's a f***ing wolf too?"
Picks:Port Town, Tamiyo's Journal, Fiery Temper
In the draft itself, I only ended up playing the Port Town of my first 5 picks, as I got a big signal that white was very open mid-late pack 1. And I ended up being the only white drafter at the table, getting a P2P8 Bygone Bishop. MVP:True-Faith Censer did some serious work, only about half my creature were humans but they made combat a nightmare for my opponents. Underperformers: There really wasn't anything that performed badly. I mean I guess Paranoid Parish-Blade was basically a vanilla 3/2? Record: 6-1, only game I lost because of colour screw, and I found out that Port Town is not strictly better than a Plains.
MVP(s): All the uncommons were insane, apart from Murderer's Axe which I never got to play. Out of the commons, obviously the removal spells were great, but Voldaren Duelist was just a complete beating every time I played it. Underperformers: Nothing really, everything performed well. The Bloodmad Vampire is likely the worst card in my deck, but the Duelists made sure that they'd get at least 1 attack in. Overall record: 6-1. The only game that I lost was when I couldn't outrace a Farbog Revenant equipped with a Slayer's Plate. Turn 5 kills were not infrequent with this deck, with the most explosive game leaving the opponent at -7 even though they had played a 3 and 4 drop on the draw. First Picks:Murderous Compulsion, Tooth Collector, Skin Invasion
GP Melbourne has pretty decent attendance for an Australian Modern GP. October 2013's GP Brisbane had only 466 players. March 2014's GP Melbourne (Standard) had 902 players. October 2015's GP Sydney (Limited) had 996. This weekend, Melbourne is at 1101. We need to factor in things like travel time around Australia, but at first glance, that seems like a really healthy growth from previous events.
The event was actually capped at 1100 players, I saw many people that were turned away after this point.
Here's my 3-0 deck that I drafted earlier today. I felt like I was in a really good spot at the table, I was getting quite late good green and white in packs so ended up with the below deck.
Rating before Round 1: about an 8/10 or so.
MVPs: Ondu War Cleric, Spawnbinder Mage, Saddleback Lagac, Munda's Vanguard (but this was expected)
Underperformers: Nothing really, everything fell like it performed how it was meant to. Even the filler allies did their job well enough.
Record: 6-1. I just crushed aggro in it's path. 4-0 combined against the RW aggro (finals) and RG aggro. The closer match was against a good U/B control deck, they were able to take it late every game against me and the games I won were mostly due to the combination between Ondu War Cleric, Spawnbinder Mage, Munda's Vanguard + other allies. The game I lost I got crushed by multiple fliers + multiple bounce spells + Roiling Waters
First Picks: Munda's Vanguard, Scion Summoner, Felidar Sovereign
I feel that some of the later picks were actually much more interesting. P2P3 I picked Ondu War Cleric over Zendikar Resurgent (had nothing over 5 at this stage) and think it's correct. I feel I mispicked P2P4 where I took a Seed Guardian over Joraga Auxillary (I hadn't actually drafted GW before and I already knew that Seed Guardian is a very good card) whereas P2P6 showed that Green AND White were very open, where I picked a Nissa's Judgment over an Isolation Zone.
Not true on the shocks, the majority of them are still lower priced than what they were when they rotated out of Standard. Only Steam Vents, Sacred Foundry and Breeding Pool are higher with Watery Grave being level (And the only one significantly higher is Steam Vents).
How likely do you think Zendikar Manlands will be reprinted in the next 6 months, whether in Modern Masters 2015 or Battle of Zendikar? I'm looking to pick some up for some decks fairly soon and am wondering the chance of them getting reprinted.
R1 - Was versing a G/W/u deck (dunno what the blue was for though) that seemed bad as I destroyed him in about 5 turns in both games. W 2-0
R2 - Decent Silumgar deck with double Rakshasa Gravecrawler, Sidisi, Undead Vizier and a Supplant Form that actually copied my Kolaghan in game 2. But I just had too good removal to deal with all his good threats over 3 games. W 2-1
R3 - A decent Kolaghan deck in terms of aggro creatures, but it did't really seem to have much removal as I only saw a Coat in Venom and Ultimate Price in that regard from him. Meanwhile he could barely keep any creatures on the table. W 2-0
R4 - Dromoka Aggro is apparently a thing, as he was beating me down just as fast as I could him. He later told me he had 13! 2 and 3 drops and had double Aerie Bowmasters for any fliers I could scrounge together. Although I did mana flood in 2 of the 3 games, and one of those games being a mull to 5 in game 3. Nevertheless it was the best deck I faced for the day, considering he had powerful early stuff like Avatar of the Resolute, Den Protector, double Epic Confrontation, double Sandcrafter Mage, Silkwrap and an Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit. L 1-2
So 3-1 overall, and some first impressions
Rakshasa Gravecaller was amazing every time I saw it cast (including the opponents side). Triple Dragon Fodder meant I usually got 6 power extra out of the deal, and the 6 toughness of the card meant I couldn't even Roast them.
The removal in the set seems plentiful and decently cheap, with green looking like it has the least (although some decent pump spells) Ambuscade Shaman was great with all the dash cards, assuming he didn't die on sight which was the most common occurence. Roast is very very good as expected, but there are ALOT of flyers in this format. Pitiless Horde was fine and nice to hit for good chunks of damage when ahead, but seemed quite bad when behind.
Yeah I'd definitely dump the scrylands, but I've kept a couple of Abandon's and Mystery's, just because they are so cheap already, and there will be some EDH demand for them. And then if you do want any of the others, pick them up after rotation.
I only have 1 Modern deck (and still a long way from completing more), don't play standard and only occasionally play other formats. I was talking with someone and they were liking the idea of grabbing some reserve list staples (possibly even a dual land), but I thought I'd get some more ideas and see what might be best?
Cabal Therapy
Swords to Plowshares
Ancient Tomb
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Reanimate
Won't be Reprinted
Scalding Tarn
Pithing Needle
Thoughtseize
Counterbalance
Stifle
2x Hinterland Logger
1x Lambholt Pacifist
1x Breakneck Rider
1x Silverfur Partisan
1x Sin Prodder
1x Gloomwidow
2x Solitary Hunter
1x Briarbridge Patrol
1x Sage of Ancient Lore
1x Wolf of Devil's Breach
1x Gastaf Arsonists
1x Moonlight Hunt
1x Rabid Bite
1x Geistblast
2x Howlpack Resurgence
1x Inner Struggle
8x Mountain
Picks: Sinister Concoction, Sin Prodder, Lambholt Pacifist
MVP: Howlpack Resurgence was a complete beating at all stages in all games. The card really is incredible with this amount of wolves. Quilled Wolf is an excellent 2 drop
Underperformers: Geistblast didn't seem very good at all, there were multiple games where it got stuck in my hand unable to be used effectively. a 3 mana shock probably isn't good enough. Briarbridge Patrol also didn't seem great but I only played that once.
Record: 6-1, lost a game to Accursed Witch, Kindly Stranger and multiple tap effects. The quote that summed up the draft was when I played the Wolf of Devil's Breach onto a board with Silverfur Partisan and Howlpack Resurgence and my opponent exclaims "That's a f***ing wolf too?"
1x Devilthorn Fox
1x Kessig Forgemaster
1x Bygone Bishop
1x Paranoid Parish-Blade
1x Dauntless Cathar
1x Spectral Shepherd
1x Nearheath Chaplain
2x Avacynian Missionaries
1x Apothecary Geist
1x Mad Prophet
1x Voldaren Duelist
1x Incorrigible Youths
1x Emissary of the Sleepless
2x True-Faith Censer
2x Angelic Purge
1x Fiery Temper
1x Geistblast
1x Bound by Moonsilver
1x Port Town
7x Mountain
9x Plains
Picks: Port Town, Tamiyo's Journal, Fiery Temper
In the draft itself, I only ended up playing the Port Town of my first 5 picks, as I got a big signal that white was very open mid-late pack 1. And I ended up being the only white drafter at the table, getting a P2P8 Bygone Bishop.
MVP: True-Faith Censer did some serious work, only about half my creature were humans but they made combat a nightmare for my opponents.
Underperformers: There really wasn't anything that performed badly. I mean I guess Paranoid Parish-Blade was basically a vanilla 3/2?
Record: 6-1, only game I lost because of colour screw, and I found out that Port Town is not strictly better than a Plains.
Also, is Angelic Purging an enemy Sigarda, Heron's Grace a flavour win or a flavour fail?
1x Ravenous Bloodseeker
1x Pale Rider of Trostad
1x Bloodmad Vampire
1x Tooth Collector
2x Crow of Dark Tidings
2x Voldaren Duelist
1x Gisa's Bidding
1x Accursed Witch
1x Stromkirk Mentor
1x Skin Invasion
1x Tormenting Voice
2x Murderous Compulsion
1x Call the Bloodline
3x Fiery Temper
1x Murderer's Axe
8x Mountain
MVP(s): All the uncommons were insane, apart from Murderer's Axe which I never got to play. Out of the commons, obviously the removal spells were great, but Voldaren Duelist was just a complete beating every time I played it.
Underperformers: Nothing really, everything performed well. The Bloodmad Vampire is likely the worst card in my deck, but the Duelists made sure that they'd get at least 1 attack in.
Overall record: 6-1. The only game that I lost was when I couldn't outrace a Farbog Revenant equipped with a Slayer's Plate. Turn 5 kills were not infrequent with this deck, with the most explosive game leaving the opponent at -7 even though they had played a 3 and 4 drop on the draw.
First Picks: Murderous Compulsion, Tooth Collector, Skin Invasion
The event was actually capped at 1100 players, I saw many people that were turned away after this point.
1 Stalking Drone
1 Ondu War Cleric
1 Makindi Aeronaut
1 Makindi Patrol
1 Shadow Glider
2 Kor Sky Climber
2 Scion Summoner
1 Seed Guardian
2 Saddleback Lagac
1 Spawnbinder Mage
1 Tajuru Pathwarden
1 Munda's Vanguard
1 Felidar Sovereign
1 Tajuru Beastmaster
1 Ondu Rising
1 Gideon's Reproach
1 Immolating Glare
1 Sheer Drop
1 Isolation Zone
1 Nissa's Judgment
Lands
9 Plains
8 Forest
1 Smite the Monstrous
1 Pulse of Murasa
1 Plummet
1 Loam Larva
1 Lead by Example
2 Mighty Leap
1 Natural State
1 Dazzling Reflection
Rating before Round 1: about an 8/10 or so.
MVPs: Ondu War Cleric, Spawnbinder Mage, Saddleback Lagac, Munda's Vanguard (but this was expected)
Underperformers: Nothing really, everything fell like it performed how it was meant to. Even the filler allies did their job well enough.
Record: 6-1. I just crushed aggro in it's path. 4-0 combined against the RW aggro (finals) and RG aggro. The closer match was against a good U/B control deck, they were able to take it late every game against me and the games I won were mostly due to the combination between Ondu War Cleric, Spawnbinder Mage, Munda's Vanguard + other allies. The game I lost I got crushed by multiple fliers + multiple bounce spells + Roiling Waters
First Picks: Munda's Vanguard, Scion Summoner, Felidar Sovereign
I feel that some of the later picks were actually much more interesting. P2P3 I picked Ondu War Cleric over Zendikar Resurgent (had nothing over 5 at this stage) and think it's correct. I feel I mispicked P2P4 where I took a Seed Guardian over Joraga Auxillary (I hadn't actually drafted GW before and I already knew that Seed Guardian is a very good card) whereas P2P6 showed that Green AND White were very open, where I picked a Nissa's Judgment over an Isolation Zone.
4x Mox Opal (MM2, All NM)
Pile B
Italian Mana Drain (SP+/NM-)
What does everyone like here?
My Promo was Pitiless Horde, which seemed fine and got 3 bombs in Archfiend of Depravity, Rakshasa Gravecaller (yes this card was THAT good) and Dragonlord Kolaghan.
Had 11 2 and 3 drops including triple Dragon Fodder, Ambuscade Shaman, double Reckless Imp, Blood-Chin Rager, Kolaghan Skirmisher and Screamreach Brawler. Backed up by 8 pieces of removal including double Roast, Defeat, Flatten, Douse in Gloom and Death Wind.
R1 - Was versing a G/W/u deck (dunno what the blue was for though) that seemed bad as I destroyed him in about 5 turns in both games. W 2-0
R2 - Decent Silumgar deck with double Rakshasa Gravecrawler, Sidisi, Undead Vizier and a Supplant Form that actually copied my Kolaghan in game 2. But I just had too good removal to deal with all his good threats over 3 games. W 2-1
R3 - A decent Kolaghan deck in terms of aggro creatures, but it did't really seem to have much removal as I only saw a Coat in Venom and Ultimate Price in that regard from him. Meanwhile he could barely keep any creatures on the table. W 2-0
R4 - Dromoka Aggro is apparently a thing, as he was beating me down just as fast as I could him. He later told me he had 13! 2 and 3 drops and had double Aerie Bowmasters for any fliers I could scrounge together. Although I did mana flood in 2 of the 3 games, and one of those games being a mull to 5 in game 3. Nevertheless it was the best deck I faced for the day, considering he had powerful early stuff like Avatar of the Resolute, Den Protector, double Epic Confrontation, double Sandcrafter Mage, Silkwrap and an Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit. L 1-2
So 3-1 overall, and some first impressions
Rakshasa Gravecaller was amazing every time I saw it cast (including the opponents side). Triple Dragon Fodder meant I usually got 6 power extra out of the deal, and the 6 toughness of the card meant I couldn't even Roast them.
The removal in the set seems plentiful and decently cheap, with green looking like it has the least (although some decent pump spells)
Ambuscade Shaman was great with all the dash cards, assuming he didn't die on sight which was the most common occurence.
Roast is very very good as expected, but there are ALOT of flyers in this format.
Pitiless Horde was fine and nice to hit for good chunks of damage when ahead, but seemed quite bad when behind.
Watery Grave (GTC)
Godless Shrine (GTC)
Pile B
Geist of Saint Traft (INN)
What does everyone like here?