For those not following the Twitter accounts last night, here are highlights from Aaron Forsythe:
As with all the big changes we've made to Magic, the recent ones were not mandated by Hasbro. They generally let us run our own ship.
That is pretty surprising to hear, and also very discouraging. One of the last things I was holding onto is that Wizards would not have done this unless via Hasbro mandate. Much stronger sign that my sensibilities and the game's are moving farther and farther apart.
I played back towards the beginning (Unlimited), and here are some of the main differences off the top of my head:
Information in general spread MUCH less quickly. It still spread, of course, but nothing like today. Most of the players I knew got the majority of their 'Magic news' from Scrye or The Duelist.
The idea of a CCG/formats was tough for people. Dudes would often show up to play with illegal decks, just because they didn't know any better. Type what?
Card availability was a much bigger stumbling block than it is now. Today if you have the cash, you can get whatever cards you want in a couple of days. This wasn't the case back then. I remember being on long waiting lists for booster packs. The damn things were sold out everywhere. Imagine that!
The judging situation was extremely primitive. Lots of the basic rules were harder to understand, and you could become a judge by answering a few questions on the DCI's website. I remember one of them was "How many Scryb Sprites" does it take to block and kill a Sengir Vampire?"
Nowadays, pretty much every donkey has a very strong deck, even if their skills are of a lower caliber. Back 'in the day' donkeys had HORRIBLE decks. People largely didn't know any better. Early on there was the idea of "dojo decking", which was a primitive version of netdecking - but a much smaller percentage of people did it.
That build is almost exactly what I came up with personally.. Is it worth trying to find a spot for Darksteel Sentinel? I haven't had a chance to play with the Sentinel yet, so not sure how effective it is.
That is pretty surprising to hear, and also very discouraging. One of the last things I was holding onto is that Wizards would not have done this unless via Hasbro mandate. Much stronger sign that my sensibilities and the game's are moving farther and farther apart.
The wedge versions of Arcane Sanctum, Seaside Citadel, etc. would be awesome. I've been waiting on those for casual decks.
1 Soul Parry
1 Abuna Acolyte
1 Sunspear Shikari
1 Revoke Existence
1 Ghalma's Warden
Blue:
1 Vedalken Certarch
1 Vault Skyward
1 Thrummingbird
1 Plated Seastrider
1 Trinket Mage
1 Steady Progress
1 Bonds of Quicksilver
1 Lumengrid Drake
1 Darkslick Drake
1 Sky-Eel School
1 Inexorable Tide
Black:
2 Psychic Miasma
1 Dross Hopper
1 Plague Stinger
1 Grasp of Darkness
1 Necrogen Scudder
1 Contagious Nim
1 Ichor Rats
2 Blackcleave Goblin
1 Skinrender
1 Carnifex Demon
1 Goblin Gaveleer
3 Assault Strobe
2 Oxxida Daredevil
1 Ferrovore
2 Vulshok Heartstroker
2 Blade-Tribe Berserkers
1 Melt Terrain
1 Scoria Elemental
1 Barrage Ogre
1 Turn to Slag
Green:
1 Ezuri's Archers
1 Wing Puncture
1 Carapace Forger
1 Blight Mamba
1 Lifesmith
1 Ezuri's Brigade
1 Molder Beast
1 Alpha Tyrranax
Artifact:
1 Flight Spellbomb
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Origin Spellbomb
1 Darksteel Axe
1 Vector Asp
1 Gold Myr
2 Silver Myr
1 Copper Myr
1 Livewire Lash
3 Echo Circlet
2 Trigon of Mending
1 Bladed Pinions
1 Perilous Myr
1 Semblance Anvil
2 Snapsail Glider
1 Strider Harness
1 Vulshok Replica
1 Darksteel Myr
1 Palladium Myr
1 Heavy Arbalest
1 Chrome Steed
1 Trigon of Infestation
1 Rusted Relic
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
1 Soliton
1 Darksteel Centinel
2 Razorfield Thresher
Any thoughts for a build of this pool? The first thing I decided to focus on was the savage Soliton / Heavy Arbalest combo
1x Juggernaut
1x Ornithopter
1x Sword of Vengeance
1x Sorcerer's Strongbox
1x Wurm's Tooth
1x Vengeful Archon
1x Blinding Mage
1x Ajani's Pridemate
2x Squadron Hawk
2x Siege Mastodon
1x Infintry Veteran
1x White Knight
1x Cloud Crusader
1x Pacifism
1x Solemn Offering
1x Safe Passage
1x Mighty Leap
1x Condemn
2x Augury Owl
2x Scroll Thief
1x Armored Cancrix
2x Maritime Guard
1x Air Servant
1x Azure Drake
1x Wall of Frost
1x Alluring Siren
2x Cancel
1x Diminish
1x Ice Cage
1x Foresee
1x Mana Leak
1x Greater Basilisk
1x Elvish Archdruid
1x Brindle Boar
1x Spined Wurm
1x Sylvan Ranger
1x Sacred Wolf
1x Duskdale Wurm
1x Yavimaya Wurm
1x Prized Unicorn
1x Birds of Paradise
1x Giant Growth
2x Primal Cocoon
1x Cultivate
1x Dryad's Favor
1x Vulshok Berserker
1x Canyon Minotaur
2x Prodigal Pyromancer
1x Boodcrazed Goblin
1x Chandra's Outrage
1x Lava Axe
1x Fireball
1x Lightning Bolt
1x Act of Treason
1x Thunder Strike
1x Combust
1x Volcanic Strength
2x Pyretic Ritual
1x Wild Evocation
1x Relentless Rats
1x Viscera Seer
2x Liliana's Specter
1x Howling Banshee
1x Nightwing Shade
2x Rotting Legion
1x Child of Night
1x Quag Sickness
1x Blood Tithe
1x Mind Rot
1x Unholy Strength