Also, does anyone know why the swiss queues are now 6 rounds instead of 4? Seems bad for people who don't have 6+hours for an event?
They aren't on-demand swiss queues. They seem to be doing this prerelease like the old ones pre-zendikar where they only have a handful of sealed events and if you can't make it on for one of the scheduled times then sucks to be you.
The only difference here is those old events had a variable # of rounds based on attendance while this event has a flat 6 rounds, which is actually an improvement in that front because the old pre-releases would sometimes have enough players to go 8+ rounds.
I do agree however that the on-demand 16 player queues were pretty effective at allowing more people to play regardless of their personal schedule.
So, XBOX version gets you the printable coupon for Grave Titan.
PS3 version gets you the printable coupon for Inferno Titan.
PC(Steam) version gets you the printable coupon for Frost Titan.
Considering it's all "print off a coupon, then take it to the B&M retailer", this seems wide open to abuse--meaning stores will run out very quickly, as people run off 20x coupons each (copied from some kind soul who scans their coupon onto the internet--no purchase actually happens), then go to all the B&M they can to redeem as much as they can the first day. Two things then happen--first, people who legitimately buy a copy ( I might buy the steam version, for example) find the store either out of their promo (could I get a Grave if they're out of Frost?), or out altogether. Second, most of them immediately go up on Ebay--crashing the price, whether Titans are reprinted or not. This just seems a bad plan, inviting almost Guru-redemption levels of abuse.
For reference, they used the same coupons for the Nissa promo as well. The coupon has a code printed on it that is unique to your purchase. The store is supposed to log onto the website and enter/redeem that code, removing it from the list of valid codes. The only room for abuse here is stores that neglect their duty and just sell the promos outright on eBay instead of using them for their intended purpose.
when was the last time that white got the Ice/Freeze mechanic of tapping/keeping a permanent tapped, hasn't this been clearly put into a blue ability on (frost titan, permafrost trap).
Let's assume I have Quest for Pure Flame on the board with 2 quest counters on it.
I now play 2 Lightning Bolt so I add 2 quest counters. So my Quest for Pure Flame has 4 counters. Do I have to sacrifice it at this point or can I wait until next turn?
You can use it whenever you wish. It does not force you to sacrifice it when it obtains the correct number of counters.
Assuming I can wait until next turn, if I play a Lightning Bolt along with Reverberate and I sacrifice my Quest for Pure Flame, do I do 12 damage or 9 damage? Presumably the 1st lightning bolt does 6 damage, but does the copy also get the double from the Quest for Pure Flame?
This depends on the order in which you cast your spells and sacrifice your quest, but the best case scenario is to pop the quest first, let it resolve, and then go to town with your spells. All damage you do after the quest's effect resolves will be doubled for the rest of that entire turn, so it will affect both the bolt and its copy as well as any other damage you might cause that turn.
Kicker is an additional cost you may pay when you CAST a spell. Mimic vat only creates copies of the creature and puts them on the battlefield. No casting and no spells are involved. So to answer your question, mimic vat does not allow you to use the kicker ability in any way at all.
It's vengeance versus guile to decide the fate of a shattered plane.
The leonin Ajani Goldmane scours the shards of Alara with a single thought in mind: revenge.
Filled with rage at the murder of his brother, Jazal, Ajani searches for his killer. Leaving no stone
unturned, his wrath grows along with his power as a Planeswalker, leading him to an ultimate
showdown with the Multiverse's master manipulator.
Nicol Bolas is beginning to feel effects of the eons of time and knows it will take the mana of an
entire plane to rejuvenate his ancient power and set his new schemes in motion. As he expertly
maneuvers the pieces of his interplanar game into place, he encounters an indomitable will bent
on retribution.
The battle of Alara's Maelstrom is in your hands. Determine the fate of an entire plane and the
outcome of an epic conflict between two rival Planeswalkers.
Deck Design and Development: Chris Millar and Mark Gottlieb Languages Available: English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish Release Date: September 2, 2011 MSRP: $19.99
This. All of these promo arts are amazing, but especially that Wall. I hope this comes to paper magic, and soon.
The promo card arts discovered on MTGO have always been paper promos that are coming soon. Rest assured, I don't think they will be commissioning art for online-specific promos any time soon (aside from the pre-release avatars)
Confirmed: the war tokens are just how you pick which faction you are during the prerelease events. They have beta events up now with two entry options: "30 event tickets + 1 mirran war token" or "30 event tickets + 1 phyrexian war token"
The only question now is how the player will obtain the marks in the first place.
They aren't on-demand swiss queues. They seem to be doing this prerelease like the old ones pre-zendikar where they only have a handful of sealed events and if you can't make it on for one of the scheduled times then sucks to be you.
The only difference here is those old events had a variable # of rounds based on attendance while this event has a flat 6 rounds, which is actually an improvement in that front because the old pre-releases would sometimes have enough players to go 8+ rounds.
I do agree however that the on-demand 16 player queues were pretty effective at allowing more people to play regardless of their personal schedule.
For reference, they used the same coupons for the Nissa promo as well. The coupon has a code printed on it that is unique to your purchase. The store is supposed to log onto the website and enter/redeem that code, removing it from the list of valid codes. The only room for abuse here is stores that neglect their duty and just sell the promos outright on eBay instead of using them for their intended purpose.
Kor Hookmaster
You can use it whenever you wish. It does not force you to sacrifice it when it obtains the correct number of counters.
This depends on the order in which you cast your spells and sacrifice your quest, but the best case scenario is to pop the quest first, let it resolve, and then go to town with your spells. All damage you do after the quest's effect resolves will be doubled for the rest of that entire turn, so it will affect both the bolt and its copy as well as any other damage you might cause that turn.
If you're going to answer, please make an effort to answer in your own words. Spam warning issued. -Carsten
It's vengeance versus guile to decide the fate of a shattered plane.
The leonin Ajani Goldmane scours the shards of Alara with a single thought in mind: revenge.
Filled with rage at the murder of his brother, Jazal, Ajani searches for his killer. Leaving no stone
unturned, his wrath grows along with his power as a Planeswalker, leading him to an ultimate
showdown with the Multiverse's master manipulator.
Nicol Bolas is beginning to feel effects of the eons of time and knows it will take the mana of an
entire plane to rejuvenate his ancient power and set his new schemes in motion. As he expertly
maneuvers the pieces of his interplanar game into place, he encounters an indomitable will bent
on retribution.
The battle of Alara's Maelstrom is in your hands. Determine the fate of an entire plane and the
outcome of an epic conflict between two rival Planeswalkers.
Deck Design and Development: Chris Millar and Mark Gottlieb
Languages Available: English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish
Release Date: September 2, 2011
MSRP: $19.99
Set symbol, found by Tezzeret (the poster)
1 Firemane Angel
1 Fleetfoot Panther
1 Loxodon Hierarch
1 Marisi's Twinclaws
1 Spitemare
1 Qasali Pride Mage
1 Kird Ape
1 Canyon Wildcat
2 Ajani's Pride Mate
1 Loam Lion
1 Nacatl Hunt-Pride
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Jade Mage
1 Ageless Entity
2 Sylvan Ranger
1 Essence Warden
1 Pride of Lions
1 Briarhorn
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Searing Meditation
1 Ajani's Mantra
2 Recumbent Bliss
1 Griffin Guide
SORCERIES (2)
1 Titanic Ultimatum
1 Lead the Stampede
INSTANT (4)
1 Naya Charm
1 Lightning Helix
2 Sylvan Bounty
1 Ajani Vengeant
Artifact (1)
1 Behemoth Sledge
LANDS (25)
2 Evolving Wilds
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Graypelt Refuge
2 Jungle Shrine
8 Forest
6 Plains
3 Mountain
1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
1 Sapseep Forest
1 Moroii
1 Jhessian Zombies
1 Dimir Cutpurse
1 Igneous Pounce
1 Blazing Specter
2 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Slavering Nulls
1 Ogre Savant
1 Nightscape Familiar
1 Shriekmaw
1 Morgue Toad
1 Steamcore Weird
1 Brackwater Elemental
1 Surveilling Sprite
1 Elder Mastery
1 Rise / / Fall
1 Pain / / Suffering
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Slave of Bolas
1 Profane Command
1 Deep Analysis
INSTANT (7)
1 Spite / / Malice
1 Recoil
1 Countersquall
1 Grixis Charm
1 Undermine
1 Agonizing Demise
1 Vapor Snag
Artifacts (3)
1 Icy Manipulator
2 Obelisk of Grixis
LANDS (26)
9 Swamp
5 Mountain
7 Island
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Crumb Ling Necropolis
1 Rupture Spire
New arts:
The planeswalkers, Lightning Helix, Behemoth Sledge, Countersquall and Deep Analysis.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=302480
The promo card arts discovered on MTGO have always been paper promos that are coming soon. Rest assured, I don't think they will be commissioning art for online-specific promos any time soon (aside from the pre-release avatars)
The only question now is how the player will obtain the marks in the first place.