IGNORE THIS POST, GET THE LATEST THEROS SET FROM THE ORACLE TOOL
External downloads:
-All sets + Theros
https://mega.co.nz/#!bI0nCDJQ!cmIXBU5n_M2MD8wK17HGYSoEvth8sWNXi4VcrNZmBw0
Alternative link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43157238/theros/cards.xml?dl=1
-RTR block, M14, Theros (Standard)
https://mega.co.nz/#!vE4EnJab!KkWufS_X_ZICMqPNMoCpwUJchyU1J62xTmIfnCK3a00
Alternative link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43157238/theros/standard/cards.xml?dl=1
I hold no responsibility for any damage caused by this unofficial patch. Use it at your own risk.
The theros set additions to the cards.xml were auto generated from spoiler data (including the MTGO Beta leak to complete the set) with a custom tool made by me.
There might be some errors and/or missing images (Although I did check as many cards as I could)
This does not include the new basic land cards.
How to use:
1. Download the cards.xml from this post.
2. Backup your old cards.xml from C:\Users\(Username here)\AppData\Local\Cockatrice\Cockatrice
3. Place the downloaded cards.xml into that folder.
Important:
This patch contains ~100 images from the MTGO leak, which are currently the only image sources for these cards and are of low-quality. Once you start using them they will be saved and will stay on your client, even if you import a new database with proper Theros image sources.
To fix this: Delete the "THS" folder in C:\Users\(Username here)\AppData\Local\Cockatrice\Cockatrice\pics\downloadedPics
once the official oracle update comes out or proper image sources are used.
(Thanks to 509 for pointing this issue out for me)
Updates:
- Corrected "Purphoros' Emissary" name and image.
- Fixed image for "Titan of Eternal Fire"
- Fixed image for "Soldier of the Pantheon"
- Fixed image for "Vulpine Goliath"
- Renamed set from "THS" to "THS_" due to the reasons in the "Important" section above.
- Temples come into play tapped.
- Fixed sorcery and instants coming in to play on the wrong section (corrected tablerow values).
- Removed "easter egg" card.
- Tormented Hero now comes into play tapped.
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4 Mana Confluence
4 Mystic Monastery
4 Yavimaya Coast
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Flooded Strand
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Island
Creatures
4 Kiora's Follower
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Rattleclaw Mystic
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
4 Dragon Mantle
2 Fate Foretold
1 Evanescent Intellect
2 Twinflame
2 Retraction Helix
2 Astral Cornucopia
Card Selection
3 Dig Through Time
4 Commune with the Gods
2 Kruphix's Insight
4 Swan Song
3 Arc Lightning
2 Voyaging Satyr
1 Burning Anger
1 Twinflame
4 Crippling Chill
The manabase is one stolen from a few pages back. It is the 6 fetch variant and I have found it to be pretty strong. I like having only 4 lands that come in tapped and feel that it speeds up the deck by a turn (or at least half a turn).
3 Dig Through Time
I personally believe the strongest card available to enable the combo is Dig Through Time. Looking at seven cards and selecting two, at instant speed when necessary, is just the best thing you can do to find the pieces you need. I think the dig for 7 outweighs the raw card advantage lead that Treasure Cruise offers. You generally aren't trying to find more cards, just specific ones. The mana cost difference between U and UU occasionally is an issue, but mostly you are not using either card until turn 3-4 after you have resolved a Commune with the Gods or Kruphix's Insight. Taking in consideration how valuable I think DTT is for the deck the other card choices become much easier.
4 Commune with the Gods
2 Kruphix's Insight
With the limited room in the deck available to fit in more card sifting I want to fit as many of these cards into the 60 as possible. The reason being, not only do they find key pieces to the combo, they also fill the graveyard which is a premium ability considering how valuable DTT is. Using these cards to turn on DTT also limits the other cards you want in the deck. Largely you want as many enchantments as possible to gain value out of KI as well as guaranteeing that they always hit. This makes other card choices much easier.
1 Evanescent Intellect
Considering I am leaning quite heavily on the green sorcery dig cards to find the pieces I need, I like having an enchantment win condition. The decision then is between EI and Burning Anger. While both cards have various scenarios where they supersede the other, I generally like the spell which costs less. While the mana isn't an issue once you are in a full blown loop, there are times where you are casting non-creature spells and digging for either a Retraction Helix or Astral Cornucopia to reach an infinite loop. EI plays better in these situations than BA.
2 Twinflame
While I think it is quite amusing that TF can be used as a win-condition by copying arbitarily large Mystics and Followers to swing for lethal, I usually use TF as an additional mana-dork while going off. There is a large amount of removal in the meta, and I believe that will be true even after it settles into it's true form. Twinflame can act as Sylvan Caryatid 5 and 6 which helps significantly versus decks capable of just killing all of the non-hexproof creatures.
4 Dragon Mantle
2 Fate Foretold
I chose these cards as my cantrips simply because they are the best cantrips that are also enchantments. I prefer FF over Nylea's Presence as I generally haven't had many mana issues, but gaining a card out of an opposing removal spell is quite useful.
The rest of the deck isn't really negotiable.
I have up to four slots available for games 2-3 to slide cards in. My current order of first remove, to last is...
1 Astral Cornucopia
1 Retraction Helix
I am generally sliding in cards which ideally slow the opposition down by a turn or two, or remove enough interaction from them that I gain at least a turn or two. I feel like these cards, while great, contribute the least to the speed of the deck. The idea is to slow myself by a turn in order to slow them by a turn. I usually only remove 3 cards, but on occasional I will go for a full 4 card cut.
4 Swan Song
This card comes in against blue decks I believe to be running a large number of counters and low cmc removal. Also against B/x control decks running thoughtseize+despise+removal.
3 Arc Lightning
Only against weenie aggressive strategies where I can reliably kill two creatures.
2 Voyaging Satyr
1 Twinflame
I group these cards together because I have been siding them in together. They are for R/x ramp decks or R/B/x decks wehre I believe I will face a ton of removal but less likely to see thoguthseize and despise. I have more time to assemble the pieces I need, just want them to survive.
1 Burning Anger
If I believe a Cranial Extraction type ability is coming, or if they have some other way to prevent self-mill being a kill. I cannot think of any off the to of my head, but insurance isn't bad.
4 Crippling Chill
For G/x decks such as Green Devotion. They generally have a smaller number of attackers which are just very large. Locking down a Polukranos, World Eater or Arbor Colossus for two turns, while also cantripping is very valuable.
Now! Wonderful people, tell me where I'm simply wrong or horribly idiotic.
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1
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Not messing with wording, cuz I'm not a rules guy. Just gave them some identity.
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While I don't neccesarily agree with your sentiment, your dedication to theme is absolutely inspiring!
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I think it's kind of a way for people to say "hey, yeah, I know I need to post my judging. I'm on it, I'm on it!" I think it's better then just no one posting anything for like a day or two after the round closes and the thread falling into oblivion.
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This deck, currently, is most known as humanimator/human reanimator. It has been called a variety of things, 4CCombo, Angel of Glorious Value, even Raisin Brand being one of them {since raisin' a Griselbrand was once a key line of play this deck featured}. What it is, is a graveyard based combo deck using WBRG. This is the deck that finished 2nd at StarcityGames Open: Atlanta
Raisin Brand's combo is an infinite loop. This loop is incredibly resilient, and can even be restarted in the case you need to repeat it. There are currently two versions of the loop, both incredibly similar, being used. I will cover the most common usage followed by the variant.
For our example Cartel Aristocrat, Fiend Hunter, and Huntmaster of the Fells are all in our graveyard. We then cast Angel of Glory's Rise. When the Angel comes into play it brings back our humans. The Huntmaster gains us 2 life, and we get a 2/2 wolf creature token. Next Fiend Hunter comes into play and will exile our Angel.
So our board is Cartel Aristocrat, Huntmaster of the Fells, his 2/2 wolf, and Fiend Hunter exiling Angel of Glory's Rise. Next we sacrifice the Huntmaster to Cartel Aristocrat. Then we sacrifice Fiend Hunter to the Aristocrat. When the Fiend Hunter's “leaves the battlefield” ability resolves it will bring back our Angel of Glory's Rise which will kindly bring back the sacrificed Huntmaster and our Fiend Hunter. The Huntmaster will give us our second 2/2 wolf, and 2 more life. The Fiend Hunter will again exile our Angel of Glory's Rise. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. You will continue to sacrifice those two creatures and bring them back until you have however many 2/2 wolves and life you may want.
If you have two Fiend Hunters you can exile all the opponent's creatures. This is done by using your first hunter on your Angel of Glory's Rise as per normal, but targeting one of their creatures with the second. This the second Fiend Hunter's “enter the battlefield” exile ability still on the stack, you sacrifice it. By sacrificing it before you actually exile their creature the “leaves the battlefield” ability will resolve first, and return nothing to play. Then the exile ability will resolve and the exile will be permanent.
If you think your opponent is going to Searing Spear, or otherwise kill your Fiend Hunter in response to you trying to exile your Angel of Glory's Rise you can protect the combo by using two fiend hunters, and simply choosing not to use the enters the battlefield ability on whichever hunter was destroyed, as it is a may ability.
First you need Fiend Hunter in the graveyard. You also need Undercity Informer either in play, or in the graveyard. Finally you need Burning-Tree Emissary in the graveyard.
For our example Undercity Informer, Fiend Hunter, and Burning-Tree Emissary are all in our graveyard. We then cast Angel of Glory's Rise. When the Angel comes into play it will bring back the three humans. The Burning-Tree Emissary gives us RG. Next Fiend Hunter comes into play and will exile our Angel.
So our board state is...Fiend Hunter exiling Angel of Glory's Rise, Burning-Tree Emissary, Undercity Informer, and two mana floating. You spend the first mana to sacrifice Burning-Tree Emissary and mill your opponent until they hit a land. You use your second floating mana to sacrifice the Fiend Hunter exiling your Angel of Glory's Rise, again milling your opponent. The Fiend Hunter's leaves play ability will return the Angel of Glory's Rise which will return your two sacrificed creatures. You get two more mana, and will again exile your Angel. You then chain sacirifice those two creatures until your opponent has no library left. You pass the turn, and win.
Traditional:
Pro: Four main-deck Huntmaster of the Fells along with up to four Cathedral Sanctifiers makes it easier to play as a midrange human deck against aggressive opponents until you find the combo.
Pro: All of your early humans have a W in the cost, making mana a little easier than the variant.
Con: You don't win the turn you combo out. While this usually doesn't matter, if they can mill you the turn before you swing it's possible you lose.
Con: Cartel Aristocrat doesn't really do much until you combo out. It's just a grizzly bear which isn't exactly efficent.
Variant:
Pro: The turn you combo out, you win. Well this isn't technically true, the turn you combo out you remove their library, they have until your upkeep to win. So if they have Door to Nothingness in play and enough mana to activate it, you are still in trouble. Pretty much any other possibility though... you just won.
Pro: Undercity Informer, while a nice chump blocker, actually helps you dig for the combo until you assemble all of the pieces. You can sacrifice the various creatures you play to stall your opponent to dig more than the traditional version.
Pro: Burning-Tree Emmisary leads to some sick starts.
Turn 1> Faithless Looting
Turn 2> BtE > Mulch
Turn 3> Flashback Faithless Looting
It's hard in the traditional version to choose between just playing out your mulches and looting or getting a key blocker out early, but with BtE you get a blocker without having to worry abut it. Do both.
Con: Your early creatures cost :symrg::symrg: or 2B which isn't exactly the most friendlily of company. Thank WotC for Cavern of Souls.
Con: Using Burning-Tree Emmisary as your main enters the battlefield enabler means you have less room for Huntmaster of the Fells which is a huge draw to the deck, and almost no room for him and Cathedral Sanctifier making your aggro matchup slightly worse in exchange for more digging.
The Core of the deck, as I am using the phrase, means the moving pieces that are absolutely necessary and should not be altered. If you are using different moving pieces to accomplish the same thing, or something similar, then you are playing a different deck.
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
4 Fiend Hunter
2-4 Cartel Aristocrat *
4-8 Huntmaster of the Fells **
4 Faithless Looting
4 Unburial Rites
2-4 Grisly Salvage
2-4 Mulch
*Undercity Informer fills the same role as Cartel Aristocrat in the varient.
**No matter how many times I ask, they won't let me actually run 8 Huntmasters
at a tournament. What I mean is creatures with enters the battlefield abilities you
are trying to cycle, so either Huntmasters/Cathedral Sanctifiers in traditional
or Burning-Tree Emissary in the variant.
I've split the matchups into four main categories. While there are more than four different archetypes being played, most can be grouped together insofar as how we play against them.
Red Aggro is the Saito-style gruul lists or similar boros/mono red lists. Basically 4-8 one drops, a bunch of two drops, hellrider and burn.
This is a draw dependent matchup. You want to keep a hand that has dig in it so you have a chance of comboing out quickly. Also any blockers you can throw out are great. Cathedral Sanctifiers and Huntmaster of the Fells are both time-walks and give you the time needed. Don't be afraid to Fiend Hunter one of their creatures, then turn around and chump block it on the same turn. You're not trying to stabilize just race. Post-board the matchup is in our favor. We board in lifegain creatures that will slow them down by turns while not actually slowing us down. The more hate they bring in against us the slower their own clocks become so they don't gain as much value as we do.
Naya Humans is the only deck I'm going to talk about specifically because it is our worst matchup. This is true for sevral reasons. First, they swarm the board for damage instead of laying down 3/3's and 2/2's each turn, they'll lay down a 1/1, a couple 1/1's a few 2/2's etc. This makes chump blocking worse as damage isn't as centralized and fiend hunter doesn't stop as much damage. Secondly, they play Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Similarly as to how Cathedral Sanctifiers gives us time walks against red decks, Thalia does it to us. Post-board (even main in some lists) we have answers to her, but like in red decks, it slows us down as well. Pre-post board this is our Achilles heel.
Midrange decks are decks trying to lay fatty after fatty. Expect Thragtusks, Olivia Voldarens, Angel of Serenitys etc. This matchup is ours for the taking. They farseek and use spot removal to try and get into mid and late game where they win by going bigger than their opponent. We get to just dig for our combo and go infinite on them. There is no bigger than infinite. Post board they bring in hate, but that's manageable. Midrange is our best matchup.
This is very similar to midrange as long as you keep one key line of play in mind...Cavern of Souls names Angel. With the very few coutners running around it's nigh impossible for them to stop us getting off some mulches and lootings to fill our yard. If they kill our humans after they resolve, we don't mind as we're just trying to fill our yard. The games usually end with us casting an uncounterable Angel of Glory's Rise after they spend much effort clearing our board of the very combo pieces we want in the 'yard. Post board they bring in hate, but again that's manageable.
Many people shy away from combo decks, and specifically graveyard based combo decks due to the ease of hate. I want to dispel that myth. Raisin Brand is incredibly resillient to all forms of hate, partially because just casting Huntmaster of the Fells and clearing the way for him with Fiend Hunter is just strong in the first place.
There are two main types of hate against us. Exiling our graveyard, and spot removal on reanimation targets. In order to play around both types of hate, you need to try and figure out which one they are using. This usually means knowing common deck lists for the archetypes and reading the opponent through playstyle and any other tells.
Playing around exiling of the whole yard takes time to learn how to do. It's not about "right and wrong" it's about reading the opponent and not over-extending. Every now and then you get lucky and someone will slam a turn 2 rest in peace but most experienced players will wait until you have a decent sized graveyard built up instead of exposing the hate to your removal.
The key is to put cards into the graveyard, making it tempting to exile without over-extending. You will want to bard in Abrupt Decays and/or Ray of Revelation against RiP but just siding them in isn't enough, you also have to not overextend. Play against it over and over and try and pick up how far to push extending in the yard.
We're lucky in that while we're trying to not over-extend we can simply hold our mulches/lootings and play out creatures attacking them from two fronts as it were.
This is the opposite of how you want to play against exiling the yard. Instead of not over-extending, just go bonkers. If they have to slowly widdle down your resources, just splurging your 'yard full is a great way to over-tax what they're trying to do. You still want to board in ways to kill the shaman, but he is by no means as scary as RiP or even Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
The best way to get around Slaughter Games in my experiance is a two-fold plan. First, play your own games and second, make sure that you have at least two targets they need to name to cripple you. A savvy player won't name Unburial Rites against you, as that is simply an accelerant, instead they will take out your Angel of Glory's Rise. In that case it's great to have a secondary reanimate and win creature. I personally like Borborygmos Enraged, also solid is Griselbrand.
This technique is brutally effective. Instead of just flat folding to a resolved games you still have a very effective, and brutal line of play that's hard to answer. Also just slaughtering their own games works really well and makes them mad.
Against Thalia...kill her. asap. That 2/1 slows us down so much... She not only time walks us but is usually accompanied by a coterie of brutish thugs. I recommend Pillar of Flames and Rolling Tremblor and Abrupt Decay It's hard to know how much hate is too much against her as you don't want to debilitate your deck. I really don't know...
3 Cavern of Souls
1 Blood Crypt
4 Stomping Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden
2 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
4 Woodland Cemetary
2 Clifftop Retreat
3 Cartel Aristocrat
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
2 Borborygmos Enraged
Non-Creature Spells
4 Faithless Looting
4 Farseek
4 Mulch
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Unburial Rites
3 Cartel Sanctifier
2 Pillar of Flame
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Rolling Temblor
4 Slaughter Games
3 Cavern of Souls
1 Blood Crypt
4 Stomping Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden
2 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
4 Woodland Cemetary
2 Clifftop Retreat
Creatures
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Undercity Informer
2 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
1 Borborgymos Enraged
4 Faithless Looting
4 Farseek
4 Mulch
2 Grisly Salvage
4 Unburial Rites
3 Cartel Sanctifier
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Rolling Temblor
4 Slaughter Games
2 Huntmaster of the Fells
All lists are 18+ points
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Clifftop Retreat
1 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
2 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetary
4 Cartel Aristocrat
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Abrupt Decay
4 Faithless Looting
4 Farseek
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Centaur Healer
2 Duress
2 Purify the Grave
2 Rolling Temblor
3 Thragtusk
4 Cavern of Souls
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
2 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetary
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
2 Cartel Aristocrat
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Undercity Informer
4 Faithless Looting
3 Grisly Salvage
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Armada Wurm
2 Cartel Sanctifiers
1 Collective Blessing
1 Gavony Township
3 Slaughter Games
4 Thragtusk
4 Cavern of Souls
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
2 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetery
3 Burning-Tree Emissary
2 Cartel Arisocrat
4 Fiend Hunter
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Undercity Informer
4 Faithless Looting
3 Farseek
3 Grisly Salvage
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
3 Aburpt Decay
2 Cathedral Sanctifier
2 Griselbrand
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Purify the Grave
2 Ray of Revelation
1 Rolling Temblor
4 Cavern of Soouls
2 Clifftop Retreat
1 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Stompnig Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
2 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetary
4 Cartel Aristocrat
3 Cathedral Sanctifier
4 Fiend Hunter
2 Griselbrand
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Faithless looting
4 Grisly Savage
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Cathedral Sanctifier
3 Duress
1 Kessig Malcontents
2 Purify the Grave
2 Ray of Revelation
2 Rolling Temblor
3 Cavern of Souls
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Overgrown Tomb
2 Rootbound Crag
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
1 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
4 Wooldand Cemetary
4 Cartel Aristocrat
1 Cathedral Sanctiier
4 Fiend Hunter
1 Gisela, Blad of Goldnight
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Dangerous Wager
4 Faithless Looting
2 Fog
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Mulch
4 Unburia Rites
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Cathedral Sanctifier
2 High Priest of Penance
1 Obzebat, Ghost Council
2 Olivia Voldaren
1 Ray of Revelation
3 Slaughter Games
1 Thragtusk
1 Zealous Conscripts
3 Clifftop Retreat
1 Dragonskull Summit
2 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetary
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
4 Cartel Aristocrat
3 Cathedral Sanctiier
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Faithless Looting
4 Grisly Salvage
4 Mulch
4 Unburial Rites
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Cathedral Sanctifier
1 Olivia Voldaren
2 Purify the Grave
3 Restoration Angel
2 Sigarda, Host of Herons
2 Slaughter Games
2 Tragic Slip
2 Clifftop Retreat
3 Forest
1 Godless Shrine
4 Rootbound Crag
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
1 Watery Grave
4 Angel of Glory's Rise
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
3 Cartel Aristocrat
4 Fiend Hunter
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
3 Thragtusk
4 Farseek
4 Mulch
3 Tracker's Instincts
3 Unburial Rites
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Restoration Angel
2 Rhox Faithmender
2 Slayer of the wicked
2 Zealous Conscripts
1. Kessig Malcontents Yes, this card enables the combo to deal infinite damage, no it doesn't do anything to help you win the game. If you are at infinite life, or have infinite 2/2's you're golden. The pieces that get you too the infinite life, and infinite 2/2's actually help you stall and get to the point where you can combo off. Malcontents doesn't. Don't play it. Conversely in BtE builds, you're not even winning with damage.
2. Nightshade Peddler Either alone or with Izzet Staticaster, it's terrible. You're trying to assemble pieces of one combo already, adding a second combo will just create draws where you half half of one combo, and half of the other, and die accomplishing nothing. You need to focus on streamlining your list and making it as consistent as possible, not on being cute.
3. Chronic Flooding The mana base is shaky enough. The only color you could possibly cut is red, but then you lose huntmaster and faithless looting. Really not a good enough reason to go blue instead. Green, black and white of course, are not even remotely removable.
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Worried about planeswalkers? Which? The scariest thing is Jace, Memory Adept and that's only scary if you're at 20 cards and they drop it after clearing your 'yard. Yet, if you're at 20 cards left in your deck and haven't won against any deck casting Jaces, your chances of winning are fairly low in the first place.
I think a humanimator tournament thread is a great idea. I am trying to figure out some form of video capture to record the tournys I play but haven't been able to get any to work. Will keep fumbling around.
I'll work on a new primer in the comming few days. Any advice?