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MTG Salvation Forums - Blogs http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php en Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:30:13 GMT vBulletin 15 http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/images/misc/rss.jpg MTG Salvation Forums - Blogs http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php BloodQuake - 3.0 http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3073 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:11:06 GMT

Bloodquake
Creatures 4 Hellspark Elemental 4 Hell's Thunder 4 Bloodghast 4 Vampire Nighthawk Spells 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Volcanic Fallout 4 Blightning 3 Burst Lightning 3 Terminate 3 Earthquake	Lands 4 Dragonskull Summit 4 Akoum Refuge 8 Swamp 7 Mountain	Sideboard 4 Black Knight 4 Malakir Bloodwitch 4 Deathmark 3 Thought Hemorrhage

]]> subrosian http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3073 My Deck Ideas (part 1) http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3072 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:59:28 GMT I just posted this for the download decks thingy
you can judge but I won't care

Type 2 Mill
Spells 4x Archive Trap 2x Whiplash Trap 4x Day of Judgement 2x Haunted Echoes 4x Twincast 2x Traumatise 4x Tome Scour 2x Mindbreak Trap 2x Jace Belren 4x Path to Exile	Creatures 4x Nemsis of reason 4x Hedron Crab Lands 4x Drowned Catacombs 4x Jwar Isle Refuge 4x Arcane Sanctum 2x Island 1x Plains 1x Swamp

Type 2 Dragon
Creatures 4x llanowar elves 4x Dragon Broodmother 4x Hellkite Overlord 2x Hellkite Charger 4x Druid of the Anima 2x Flameblast Dragon 4x Broodmake Dragon Spells 4x Crucible of fire 4x Blightning 2x Sarkhan Vol 4x Soul's Fire Land 4x Savage Lands 4x Kazadu Refuge 4x Akoum Refuge 4x Dragonskull Summit 2x Mountain 2x Forest 2x Swamp	Side 2x Predator Dragon 2x Scavenger Drake 2x Bloodthorn taunter 2x Minion reflector

Hydra
Lands 4x Fire-lit Thicket 4x Gruul Turf 4x Shivan Oasis 4x Stomping Ground 4x Kazandu Refuge 2x Forest 2x Mountain Creatures 4x Izzet Guildmage 4x Llanowar Elves 4x Protean Hydra 4x Feral Hydra 4x Apocalypse Hydra 4x Rosheen Meanderer	Spells 4x Rite of Flame 4x Fireball 4x Naturalize 4x Banefire

Type 2 Angel
Creatures 4x Empyrial Archangel 4x Baneslayer Angel 4x Lotus Cobra 4x Noble heiarch 4x Iona, Shield of Emeria 4x Stoic Angel 4x Jenara, Asura of war Spells 4x Path to Exile 4x Luminarch Ascension 4x Honor of the Pure	Land 4x Misty Rainforest 3x Sunpetal Grove 3x Glacial Fortress 4x Seaside Citadel 2x Forest 2x Island 2x Plains

]]> MagicShroom http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3072 new card template.. what do you think? http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3071 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:16:20 GMT I did not make this template, I am just using it, what do you think? I did not make this template, I am just using it, what do you think?

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]]> kburts http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3071 MWS EDH Tournament Report http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3070 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:17:42 GMT I was playing Braids, Cabal Minion, partly because I wanted to see if it really was... I was playing Braids, Cabal Minion, partly because I wanted to see if it really was banworthy in 1v1 and partly because I didn't have time to get my Vorosh, The Hunter deck where I wanted it. Of course, I didn't have time to get Braids optimized and miss-evaluated some things.

I totally forgot Helm of Possession. Big lapse on my part :P (Hell, I almost forgot Sinkhole and Sensei's Divining Top...) I completely misjudged how important graveyard hate would be, as Crucible of Worlds was banned. Both matches I lost (two the same person :P ) were to graveyard interactions and there was 1 other game I had no right winning because of a Regrowth. I needed at least a Relic of Progenitus. I hate Lake of the Dead in this deck. There was a surprising number of times where I was mildly color-screwed.

Round 1 vs Mayael the Anima
Game 1:
He opens with Sacred Foundry. I had a land-heavy hand so I turn 1 popped Wasteland. He was off red for the rest of the game which at the very least kept him from playing his general to maintain position for a turn. He did get turn 2 Hunting Grounds but Nezumi Graverobber kept him off of Threshold and Nether Void locked him out of any potential topdeck.

Game 2:
I had a slow hand this game as well, but he couldn't find white in a timely manner (even with Divining Top). He had a turn 2 Bloom Tender, so if he had drawn color he would've had a lot of mana available.

Round 2 vs Vhati il-Dal
His deck was a transcription of his offline deck and seemed very geared for multiplayer.

Game 1:
I Imperial Seal for Entomb to get Nether Spirit. However, I didn't have turn 3 Braids, and he had turn 3 Coalition Relic. He made an odd choice in saccing Coalition Relic instead of a land, but then he plays Solemn Simulacrum. At this point I figure I've lost. He has 6 mana, and does nothing. Next turn he plays Regrowth on Simulacrum, plays it the following turn, but then doesn't do anything else as his board presence is slowly eaten away. He could've played his general on two consecutive turns to maintain 6 mana, and Simulacrum could've gotten him to seven.

Game 2:
I have turn 2 Dark Ritual Braids. I didn't have token generation in hand, but I had the cards to maintain 4 mana for about 5 turns (2 drop and Grim Discovery). He concedes.

Round 3 vs Iname, Death Aspect
This was disastrous and really showed the weaknesses I had in my deck.

Game 1:
I have Swamp, tutor for Ancient Tomb, turn 2 Bitterblossom, and don't draw a third land for the rest of the game. He basically goldfishes, but he had a slow enough hand that drawing a timely mana source would've likely won me the game.

Game 2:
He gets turn 2 Bloodghast and a Library of Alexandria soon after. I do not have an amazing hand and lose to the Bloodghast.

Round 4 vs Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Game 1:
I win the roll, and go turn 2 Dark Ritual Braids, Chrome Mox (imprinting nothing, just to hold mana for a turn), turn 3 Nether Spirit. He doesn't recover.

Game 2:
He has an awkward hand, but I have a slow one as well. He plays Wickerbough Elder locking me out of the Chrome Mox in my hand (and any token generation really). I lose to my own Lake of the Dead. The actual kill card he has is Umbral Mantle.

Game 3:
On the play I go Swamp, Chrome Mox, Entomb Nether Spirit, Vampiric Tutor for Ancient Tomb. Turn 2 Braids maintained by Nether Spirit. My actual kill card was Phyrexian Processor.

Round 5 vs Gaddock Teeg
I know going in he has a good amount of token generation, which worries me. Combined with a CMC 2 general (gets him a jump on mana) I'd probably need good starts to win. I win the roll. Like the Rofellos matchup, I this was probably a big deciding factor in the matches outcome.

Game 1:
He's actually color screwed with Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree and Nantuko Monastery, but he does have a 2 drop artifact. I have turn 3 Braids followed by Bitterblossom. To help his decline, I Demonic Tutor for same-turn Sinkhole. Next turn I play Liliana Vess and tutor for Nether Void (which was on top of my library anyway...).

Game 2:
I open with Mana Vault for a turn 2 Braids, but he played turn 2 Teeg and gets his 3 mana for Mobilization. I need to rip a Wasteland, Strip Mine, or Sinkhole to keep him off activation mana, and don't. We both spend a few turns spending all our mana on token generation, and I figure I'll switch to aggro and play Kokusho, the Evening Star. He drops Survival of the Fittest and Heartbeat of Spring, which allows me to entwine Promise of Power for an 8/8. Sadly, the turn before I'd beat him he infinite combos my board out with Acidic Slime and Duplicant.

Game 3:
He opens with Krosan Verge, which is awesome but keeps him off Teeg mana. I get turn 2 Nether Traitor and rip an Ancient Tomb like a champ for a turn 3 Braids before he could get play Teeg or activate Krosan Verge. When he does play Teeg the following turn I have Chainer's Edict to keep his mana in decline. I don't have sustainable creature generation for several turns (when I draw Breeding Pit), but he doesn't get anything relevant in that time. He missed that Pit triggered at EoT (not upkeep) and that enchants couldn't be fed to Braids, but ultimately I don't think either mattered.

Top 8 Round 1 vs Iname, Death Aspect.
Grrrr. My only match loss in the swiss is my first pairing in Top 8. I do win the roll though, which gives me an outside chance.

Game 1:
I Imperial Seal for Bitterblossom. Turn 2 I play Ancient Tomb, Chrome Mox, and Braids. He never hits 2 mana, and I Grim Tutor for Nether Void.

Game 2:
Soldevi Adnate and Nether Traitor scare me into what's likely a missplay with an early Damnation (he missed the trick that would leave him with Nether Traitor in play though). He had Phyrexian Arena though, which I was pretty much buried under. Dark Ritual and Songs of the Damned gave him combo mana while his Null Rod set me back several turns (including stopping my Divining Top).

Game 3:
On the play I'm looking a Swamp, Voltaic Key, Grim Monolith, Gilded Lotus, Coalition Relic, Breeding Pit, Decree of Pain. I've basically got a 51% chance of topdecking ridiculous for turn 2 (77% chance by turn 3). The only mana souce I draw for 7 turns was an Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (to mirror my opponents that was already in play), but a Hymn to Tourach and a Persecute had already ruined any chance of recovery. In retrospect, I probably should have shipped the whole, but I figured I needed a nutty hand to win either way.

Final verdict? Braids is definitely a competitive 1v1 general, but anything from StP to Arcane Denial can wreck it's plan completely. ]]> therestless http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3070 Haroon Preview http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3069 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:34:09 GMT Alright, next cycle is ready to be revealed. Hurray for Brokkam! Today's guild is Haroon (

), lead by the ever so fearless Avara:

This is the first planeswalker spoiled so I thought this one particularly would be fun to reveal. But for it to be fully understood, we will have to know what reincarnate does, and how it works. Next we will go to one of the first Aura's revealed. This is is an armadillo cloak with some recursion.

Now, we can see what this reincarnate ability does. It in effect allows us to exile the card to replace it with a copy of one that remains in our library. Now the concern you might be asking your self right now is, Wait wait wait, this will be the least drafted in limited! Why purposefully destroy a whole theme for the limited players. Well I have a solution for you.

This guy is our basic mana fixer in Haroon. Plus when he dies you have a way to get him back and get your self a basic land to fill out what you're missing. In this case you would probably want a plains, or maybe.... (thinks of the possibilities)

For this next card might be good for you if you're a fan of thalids, When else can you get a thalid that just wont go away. Sadly there are no saprolings in this set. They got replaced with insects, but thats a tangent.

However this next is my personal favorite in this set. I'm just absolutely in love with this one. I just think of all the amazingness this common has.

Since reincarnate can be played as an instant effect, you could block, and then reincarnate, and take out a x/5 with this guy. or 2 smaller creatures. Plus you get him back!

Thats it for Haroon, a little bit about graveyard recursion and a bunch of fun creatures and interactions. Hope you enjoyed this next installment, only 2 more to go!

Please leave comments, as they help us adjust the set in it's finality. ]]> ohmusama http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3069 CCL Story - November http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3068 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:10:48 GMT The sun slipped gently down the mountain slop, and the roil was fading to the blues and... The sun slipped gently down the mountain slop, and the roil was fading to the blues and purples of night as Morogoth mounted the ridge. He looked down at the lights just beginning to stand out in the growing darkness of the small village, Semir Farr. He breathed in, drawing up strength, and pressed forward. It had been a long journey from Turm'nadar, and the leather armor was chafing, and it had been some time since he had had a chance to bath.

It was the Orb of Mergrif that drew him. Or at least that's what he claimed to the infrequent others he communed with. It was supposed to be an Orb of legendary power that could control the roil, allowing the weilder to master the shifting and bend it to their own desire, causing mountains to fall into oceans, or forests to decay into horrific bogs in moments. It was also rumored to be hidden somewhere in shadowmaze.

Shadowmaze lay just beyond Semir Farr, somewhere deep in the shifting roil. It was deep within a forest today, but tomorrow it could be at the foot of a volcano, or some other treacherous terrain, but the truth of the mater was that most that went in, didn't come out. It was probably this that it drew its common place name from, shadowmaze, as in it's secrets were deeply hidden within, and its mystery kept it shrouded in shadow. It wasn't always called shadowmaze, but that is another story for another time.

Morogoth entered Semir Farr. It was a small village and tonight it was full of people. Probably more than it was used to. There was a festival of Humn'numan the God of Pleanty, which drew in farmers from the local region. A great statue of the Elf God was erected in the center of the town and a bounty of offerings of food and crop wreathed its feet. Morogoth knew of this Humn'numan religion, but where he came from, the harvest was attributed to Garruk.

There was another brewing crowd besides the farmers and the peasants making offerings to a cold dead statue. These were a varied and unpleasant folk who were drawn by the shadowmaze and the lure of its secrets. Morogoth knew these shady characters were needed for his upcoming journey into the dark maze, but he regretted coming here immediately upon entering the tavern. It was full of dark and loathsome folk. There was gambling in some of the corners and what appeared to be a dancing prostitute on stage, barely covering the necessities, but there was no way that one could enter the shadowmaze alone and expect to return.

Morogoth sat down at one of the few unoccupied tables and began watching the others, ordering a doublepint of Ale when prompted by the attractive bar maid. A group of sourly men were enraptured by the dancing *****. Several shady fellows were gambling in what appeared to be some sort of dice game. A riotous bout of laughter erupted from another table of drunkards. It seemed very likely that finding a good ally in this establishment would be neigh impossible.

As Morgoth was brooding over the dark journey ahead, and succumbing to the despair of the future, an argument began to boil at a gambling table. A young man, no, his appearances continued to shift, maybe an illusioner, was arguing with the other men at the table. Morogoth could tell by the stances that the other men had decided the young illusioner was cheating. He did look quick on his feet, his eyes darted back and forth surveying possible exits, while denying his involvement. One of the men drew his sword while the others moved into a flanking position preventing the trapped illusioner from escape. Morogoth watched with interests. If the illusioner could escape this, he might be a candidate for his dangerous quest. The men surrounding the illusioner moved forward slowly, a step at a time. The dancer had stopped dancing, and all were watching and waiting to see the outcome of this four on one match. The air was heavy, and smelled of stale ale and fear. The man with the sword dashed forward into a lunge. A clash of steal broke the silence and the sword was diverted. The illusioner was armed. Then all chaos broke out. The three other men moved forward to pin the illusioner and a slash of the blade with the flash of blood crumpled one of them to the ground. Morogoth continued to observe as the illusioner began to dance with his three remaining foes, making deft strikes toward his assailants while dodging and parrying the strikes from the sword. A table was overthrown upsetting another party, and they joined the brawl. Soon the whole tavern was in chaos. Morogoth stood, dodging a flying chair, and batting down a petty strike as he made his way to the door where he caught the illusioner leaving the tavern as well, unharmed and grinning like a fool.

Morogoth stopped him, "What is your name, deft illusioner?"
The illusioner stopped short, and looked up at the overgrown stature of Morogoth assessing if he was an enemy or ally. Deciding at last that since Morogoth wasn't wielding a weapon against him, he was probably safe at least to talk to, "Humn'glimor. I'm a local here, but you don't appear to be. Are you another foreigner who's here to explore the depths of the shadowmaze?"
"Indeed I am. I am Morogoth and I am no local. I have traveled great distances, even from the forests of Lorywin. I am interested in this shadowmaze as you call it, would you care to leave this place before any of those others come to assume your debt."
"Oh so you overheard," Humn'glimor babbled freely as they began to walk away from the tavern still filled with noises of breaking tables, chairs and bones, "I have never been much of a fan of these local thugs who have spoiled our village. Ever since the roil moved the shadowmaze here six years ago, it's been nothing but trouble. Murders, gambling, prostitution. It's sad really that we've been infested by these fools. Not to say that I don't gamble a bit my self."
Morogoth listened and nodded occasionally and Humn'glimor continued on, "Thats why I was there tonight really. I do enjoy the bit of gambling, and I'm very quick with my hands. It helps keep the odds in my favor if you know what I mean," he winked, "Plus, there had been a rash of robberies recently and I thought I might fleece some of that plunder back out of their hands back into ours, well mine at least."

The air was crisp and it was dark now, enough that without the torchlight around Humn'numan it would have been an almost unnavigable darkness. The moon was not anywhere to be seen. Humn'glimor was still talking away without end, when the torchlight glinted off a flash of steel. Morogoth pushed Humn'glimor down as the singing steel sunk into Morogoth's armor piercing it enough to let Morogoth feel it. It was a dagger of fine make, white steel with a bone handle, but it was no time to asses as several more daggers flew out from the darkness, one missed, the other landed in a weak spot in his vineweave armor. It was a deep pain, one not usually associated with the sharp bite of a dagger. It was much darker. Dark magic Morogoth thought as the assailant stepped out of the darkness, revealing a cloaked figure. Even under the cloak and loose robes of black, the figure looked unhuman.

"Who are you," Morogoth demanded as he stood his ground.
"I," the figure chuckled, "I am the demise of that idiot fool at your feet that you so irrationally tried to save. I suppose I could deal with you also, but maybe you might leave, and I can be alone with the fool."
"He is a comrade," Morgoth conceded, "I stand aside for no man."
Humn'glimor was getting to his feet, looking about ready to run.
"It doesn't look like he shares the sentiment," the shadowy figure chortled, and removed his cloak, "But I am no man. Will you make an exception now?"
The figure was that of a demon, a contorted humanoid form summoned by some unsuspecting human foolish enough to think they might control these dark creatures. Usually they were free willed and not grateful for their human summoners, whom seemed like delicious treats.
"I stand aside for no demon either," Morogoth spat, "What aught you against him anyway?"
The cloaked figure considered the skittish Humn'glimor behind the massive Morogoth, "He stole something from me, something valuable. If you return that to me, I will spare his life, and yours as well."
Morogoth turned to his companion, "What have you taken from a demon, and how could you be so stupid?"
"It was a game, just a game of dice," Humn'glimor complained.
"Its never a game with demons, and you never win against them. You best return what you took."
Humn'glimor slowly revealed a golden pendant that was of intricate work, but not of a celestial quality. It was covered with dark marks and symbols, skulls and appeared etched with blood contrasting the bright gold flickering in the torch light. Morogoth took the pendant and held it out for the Demon to take. As the demon stepped forward to retrieve his property, Morogoth held it back.
"Now, we make a deal," Morogoth announced in a mater of fact tone. He had dealt with demons before, and the only real way to get them to somewhat abide by their word was a blood oath.
"What sort of deal," The demon asked? Morogoth was close enough to see the demon's red eyes shine in the darkness, and his elongated teeth glow in the darkness.
"You help me acquire an item I also lost, and I will return this, and reward you in a way of your choosing."
"I choose the life of the illusioner," the demon bargined.
"That is not for negotiation, choose something else."
"Then I choose the life of another, someone innocent," the demon grinned.
Morogoth knew that this was what the demon wanted. They always did, and they loved to bargin for it, but one could sometimes outsmart them.
"I will deliver to you, the blood of an innocent, and this pendant of darkness in exchange for your assistance in acquiring my lost item in the shadowmaze," Morogoth stated the terms of the agreement. Sometimes you could get tricked also, but it was always a risk when dealing with demons.
"I agree to your terms, by the rite of blood," the Demon drew a dagger and cut his hand drawing blood and offered it to Morogoth. Morogoth tasted the sour acidic blood of the demon, and then responded by cutting his own hand, and letting the demon drink of his blood. The blood rite had been performed, and the demon was bound to do as per the oath, but, so also was Morogoth.
"My name is Morogoth."
"Mine is Zelothix, pleased to taste you elf."

The next morning both Humn'glimar and a cloaked Zelothix were waiting. Morgoth lead them into the roil toward the shadowmaze with his unlikely allies. An illusioner thief and a blood bound demon. Morogoth was contemplative as they traveled into the dark forest that bordered Semir Farr. ]]> ohmusama http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3068 Loldeck... Spellbound Dragon http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3067 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:32:29 GMT Lands 4 Scalding Tarn 8 Mountain (2) 8 Island (4) 2 Arid Mesa 2 Misty...

Deck
Lands 4 Scalding Tarn 8 Mountain (2) 8 Island (4) 2 Arid Mesa 2 Misty Rainforest Creatures 4 Spellbound Dragon 4 Darksteel Colossus 4 Progenitus Spells 2 Polymorph 2 Essence Scatter 4 Double Negative 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Negate 2 Volcanic Fallout 2 Burst Lightning 2 Dragon Fodder 4 Howling Mine		Sideboard 2 Negate 2 Volcanic Fallout 2 Burst Lightning 2 Dragon Fodder 4 Swerve 3 Nyxathid

rate it, hate it... so on ]]> kburts http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3067 Eldrazis Monuments ... should go up! http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3066 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:48:10 GMT Got playset of Eldrazi Monuments for $11 in Chineese after I saw decklists from Nashville... Got playset of Eldrazi Monuments for $11 in Chineese after I saw decklists from Nashville 5k.
Prices for them should deffinitly go up since it's a Mythic, despite tons of Zendikar being opened.
I would buy 2 more, but I don't have enough money at the moment on y bank account. I will work on it tomorrow though.

The reason, why i don't buy 10 of -name- to get profit out of it is because community in my city s rather small, and mail-buisness ain't being that good lately for me. ]]> t$yat$ya http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3066 <![CDATA[Myznomer's Journal November 7th, 2009]]> http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3065 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:36 GMT Opened Pack today. Slowly thumbed through cards. Zendikar still new, still interesting.... Opened Pack today. Slowly thumbed through cards. Zendikar still new, still interesting. Then, found strange thing. Looked like card at first, further examination revealed $20 bill disguised as card. "Lotus Cobra" Looked around, no music, no cheering, no ticker tape parade. Just the card, staring with soulless, beady eyes. Suspect it must be foil for spontaneous congratulation from universe. Will try again later.

But in all seriousness. I'm sitting there, looking at it, and I keep thinking, "Well, do I want to use it, or sell it?" And then upon reexamination I found this is how you should read Lotus Cobra:

Quote:

Lotus Cobra

Creature- Snake (MR) 2/1
Lanfall- Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
If you are a casual Magic player, treat Lotus Cobra as though it were a $20 bill (maybe thirty if find someone desperate enough).

Seriously, since it's being lauded as an efficient gamebreaker, and obviously needs to be built around, it has no place on the kitchen table.
My only regret is that I'm determined to sell this card that will probably be difficult to get again, but I also want to keep it, because the art is by Chippy, who is my second favorite artist. ]]> Myznomer http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3065 Masters for Elf Monument http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3064 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:48:57 GMT Have just bought bunch of Master of the Wild Hunt at $3 each. Have plans for major rise... Have just bought bunch of Master of the Wild Hunt at $3 each. Have plans for major rise of price for this card after Nashville 5k.
Mythic + M10 (only) + M10 not being opened any more = should work

need two more actually ... ]]> t$yat$ya http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3064 <![CDATA[[EDH] Kami of the Crescent Moon]]> http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3063 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:45:19 GMT I don't expect to be read or anything, this is mostly to have a decklist somewhere online. Kami of the Crescent Moon is by far my favorite general in EDH. It's incredibly cheap to cast, and others usually ignore you (or even help you in order to keep the card advantage) until it's too late for them to do anything.

Deck
General 1 Kami of the Crescent Moon PlanesWalker 2 Jace Beleren 3 Tezzeret the Seeker Creatures 4 Viseling 5 Trinket Mage 6 Silent Arbiter 7 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir 8 Kederekt Leviathan 9 Man-o'-War 10 Gomazoa 11 Roil Elemental 12 Soramaro, First to Dream 13 Jushi Apprentice 14 Drift of Phantasms Artifact 15 Iron Maiden 16 Black vise 17 Spellbook 18 Ebony Owl Netsuke 19 Skullcage 20 Thought Prison 21 Meekstone 22 Ivory Tower 23 Font of Mythos 24 Howling Mine 25 Grim Monolith 26 Ivory Crane Netsuke 27 Anvil of Bogardan 28 Misers' Cage 29 Storage Matrix 30 Ward of Bones 73 Sculpting Steel Enchantment 31 Mana Maze 32 Arcane Laboratory 33 Control Magic (or Mind Control) 34 Meishin, the Mind Cage 35 Propaganda 36 Words of Wind 37 Forced Fruition 38 Paradox Haze 39 Dream Tides (?) 72 Copy Artifact	Sorcery 40 Braingeyser 41 Rite of Replication 42 Distorting Wake 43 Prosperity 44 Fabricate 45 Merchant Scroll 46 Windfall 47 Skyscribing Instant 48 Mystical Tutor 49 Hinder 50 Cryptic Command 51 Force of Will 52 Counterspell 53 Pongify 54 Gather Specimens 55 Muddle the Mixture 56 Desertion 57 Arcane Denial 58 Whiplash Trap 59 Call to Heel 60 Twincast 61 Vision Skeins 62 Capsize 63 Dizzy Spell 64 Dream Fracture 65 Sunder Land 66 Reliquary Tower 67 Magosi, the Waterveil 68 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea 69 Tolaria West 70 Tolarian Academy 71 Vesuva 74-100 Island

]]> Darkdawn http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3063 Star City 5k result and total ZEN results http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3062 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:05:43 GMT Winning FNM and winning a big event are 2 completely different things. Before yesterday,... Winning FNM and winning a big event are 2 completely different things. Before yesterday, I was 17-2 at FNM with Soldiers! Yesterday I went 3-3 at the StarCityGames.com 5k event in Nashville. There was certainly alot of unexpected decks for me there, and hell I didn't even play the deck that won (Elf Monument).

Before this tournament, I had a constructed rating of 1875 and am one of the top players in my area, definatly the top in my metagame. I have won 2 states in my life (2hg), but on the big singles stage my top were 13th (PTQ Austin: Indidanpolis) and 11th (2006 Indiana states: Standard).

Deck
Creatures 4x Elite Vanguard 4x Kazandu Blademaster 4x Kor Aeronaut 4x Veteran Armorsmith 4x Knight of the White Orchid Spells 4x Path to Exile 4x Brave The Elements 4x Honor of the Pure 3x Conqueror's Pledge	Planeswalkers 3x Ajani Goldmane Land 2x Emeria, The Sky Ruin 2x Marsh Flats 2x Arid Mesa 17x Plains	Sideboard 4x Devout Ligthcaster 4x Celestial Purge 4x Lapse of Certainty 3x Kor Sanctifier

Round 1: 2-0 win against Grixis Control (Cruel?)
This was a cake walk. I hate to say it but all I saw literally the whole match was a Negate, a Lightning Bolt, and a Terminate. I Lapse of Certainty twice game 2 and that kinda set him off. He says there was something he wanted to say to me but I was polite during the match so he was going to keep his mouth shut? Anyway, I was 1-0!

Round 2: 2-0 win against Jund
This is a deck we should be like 85% of the time. I let my opponent use the Putrid Leech 3 times in both games before using removal. He bolted alot of my critters, but I held back just enough, frustrating him that he had to use Pulse on my Conqueror's Pledge tokens and not my 2 Honor of the Pure in G1. G2, After the Conqueror's Pledge, I have Brave the Elements backup to my dudes when he went to Pulse and that was GG. Knight of the White Orchid was amazing in here getting me accelled just that one turn quicker I needed.

Round 3: 1-2 loss** against BGW Lotus Cobra/Baneslayer
**This match should have been a win, as denoted above by the stars. First off, I had been deck checked in all 3 rounds so far..... so much for random! This put us on a time extension so alot of people are watching our match since we were at table 3 of 180-some. I am not saying I was nervous, but the distraction and the fact a judge is looming overhead to call time at the extension time screwed me.**
G1 he got wrecked and didn't get a Baneslayer Angel and G2 he got one... on turn 3!
Game 3 is how I get screwed. The board was as follows:
him - Noble Hierarch, Lotus Cobra, Knight of the Reliquary (7/7), Baneslayer Angel
me- Honor of the Pure, Elite Vanguard, Kazandu Blademaster, Knight of the White Orchid and all 3 creatures had a +1/+1 counter from Ajani who had died to a Baneslayer Angel
my hand- land, Lapse of Certainty, Path to Exile
My opponent cast Thornling and I really don't know exactly what it does, so I ask to see the card. I look and the croud around is at a stir because they only see his side of the table. As I am setting the card down I say "wow, ok"..... meaning wow that card is crazy..... He then says "I will pay a green to make it indestructable"..... and I say "wait, I have response" then tap 3 "i gotta lapse it". He goes to put it on top and the judge watching says "you cannot do that, you passed priority". I asked "when" and he said "when you said ok". I told him "you just cost me the match" because then I had to Path to Exile the Thornling and take Baneslayer Angel. This put me at 4 and I couldnt draw an answer for Baneslayer Angel. I know I could have appealed to a higher judge or something.... I guess as I write this I am just now thinking that but the croud really played into it and I actually asked the judge to have then all leave us. Having some dudes hitting you with backpacks as you are trying to make a big desicion is stupid and in my anger of the ruling I got on tilt and it cost me the rest of the day.

Round 4: 1-2 loss** to Planeswalker/Cruel.... jank?
Game 1 lasted close to 35 minutes. I activated Emeria, The Sky Ruin 21 times this game and had 14 land on field thanks to Knight of the White Orchid coming back every turn, hoping to thin my deck to draw good cards. Day of Judgement and Maelstorm Pulse kept me without guys and Sorin killing my 2/2's every turn didn't help either. The score was 35 him-15 me when he plays Ajani Vengant. It gets to 7 but I then play my Ajani Goldmane. He Naya Charm to get it back and gets to 7 and I scooped....... BIG MISTAKE!
Game 2 we boarded quickly as we had about 14 minutes left. The game was over by 10 minutes left as I just swarm him with 2 Elite Vanguard, a Knight of the White Orchid, and a Honor of the Pure out. 4, yes 4 timely Lapse of Certainty stopped him as he cast Sorin, Cruel, Cruel, Cruel..... all of which were countered! The third would have been devistating but the Lapse of Certainty topdeck FTW!
Game 3 was another long, slow match. Jace, Sorin, and Vengant on my opponents side as we go to turns and me only having 2 guys and 2 Honor of the Pure. He Sorin me to 10, Cruel my hand, Ajani the other guy and Ajani was at 3 at that point. I drew lands 2 turns in a row but do get a Emeria, The Sky Ruin online. He Cruel's leaving me with no guys, and Ajani turn has 6 as time is called on my turn. I lose turn 3 of turns when he Ajani's tap ability, Sorin's my face, has Wall of Denial to block the guy if I had anything he left. Next turn he Ajani's everything, Cruel's TWICE! and Sorin my face for the win.
** I am not an advocate of slow play AT ALL, but the bad beat the last round caused me to be a little impatient. I know the blowout potential this deck has, so I took the chance on 2 quick, blowout like games. I am not the person that ever.... I mean ever scoops unless it is totally over. So, normally I would have played out until he won in Game 1. He would have had to Sorin me ALOT to win (atleast 6 turns) or atleast cast Cruel a few times. If I just take it an extra 2-3 turns in that game, this may end in a draw.**

Round 5: 2-1 win over Jund
No real analysis here. His one win was triple Blightning, one off a Bloodbraid Elf He had the nuts with Putrid Leech and Lightning Bolt on T3..... lost by T5.

Round 6: 1-2 loss over Jund
Basically this was the 15% and it was becuase he was not playing your "normal" Jund build. Maindeck of 4 Blightning and 3 Mind Rot ment I was in Top deck mode by turn 4. Discarded Ajani, Pledge, Path, and Land game 1 and tried to hold onto Lightcaster and Purge G2 but had to use those on Thrinax. All was for not as neither game did his discard leave me anything to answer his Broodmate Dragon.

I dropped after this round.

THINGS I LEARNED:
- My local FNMs, Gamedays, or even PTQs have a really aggro metagame which doesn't fully prepair me for the big events.
- Ajani, while good here and good in Kitkin back when me and Cedric rocked that deck for close to a year..... may not be as good as Elspeth in here. +3/+3 to a Blademaster or making a dude seems better than the Vigilance, especially in a more control enviroment.
- While the threat of Volcanic Fallout is still there, nobody is playing it right now! Jund Charm is all over the place and so is Lightning Bolt and even Pyroclasm. While Armorsmith gives you some good blocking options and saves you from burn alot (especially combo with Honor), but the reason it was in here, atleast for me, was that it was your Fallout plan. I may need to rethink that plan!
- You have to have an answer for Baneslayer right away, or we LOSE!
- This is the most diverse Standard I have ever played in. Wizards has really brought the game back from Mirrodin and made it very easy to play 4-5 different decks in 6 rounds.

Hope this leads to some insight....... but I will say that I do not believe any T16 (cash prise places) were playing either of the 3 builds of Soldiers going around right now! Being in the lower tables for the last 2 rounds of my day, I saw alot of this deck floating around down at the 2-2 and 3-2 tables.

Post ZEN T2 Record

Soldiers 20-5-0

Spoiler:

Deck
Creatures 4x Elite Vanguard 4x Kazandu Blademaster 4x Kor Aeronaut 4x Veteran Armorsmith 4x Knight of the White Orchid Spells 4x Path to Exile 4x Brave The Elements 4x Honor of the Pure 3x Conqueror's Pledge	Planeswalkers 3x Ajani Goldmane Land 2x Emeria, The Sky Ruin 2x Marsh Flats 2x Arid Mesa 17x Plains	Sideboard 4x Devout Ligthcaster 4x Celestial Purge 4x Lapse of Certainty 3x Kor Sanctifier

Weenie Whacker 4-1-0

Spoiler:

Deck
4 Goblin Guide 4 Steppe Lynx 3 Goblin Bushwaker 4 Plated Geopede 4 Hellspark Elemental 4 Kor Skyfisher 3 Ranger of Eos 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Burst Lightning 4 Path to Exile	4 Arid Mesa 3 Marsh Flats 3 Scalding Tarn 4 Teetering Peaks 4 Mountain 4 Plains

Vampires 0-0-0

Jund 0-0-0

Ob's Baneslayer 0-0-0

Eldrazi Elves! 0-0-0

Eldrazi Goblins! 0-0-0

Bant Aggro 0-0-0 ]]> truRAR http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3062 The flaws in the plan... http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3061 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:52:27 GMT Source (http://thehill.com/homenews/house/66841-healthcare-bill-clears-house) Nice to... Source

Nice to finally see some action on this stuff. The one thing that pisses me off about the reform bill is that they had to promise that none of this money would pay for abortions. Say it with me now (you should know what's coming by now): ********!!! I know that the article glosses over this fact, so there's no way to know if: A) this means no money would go to abortion at all, ever; or B) this means that simply getting an abortion because of a failure to use protection or other mistake leading to a pregnancy would be prohibited, but using the money in order to save the life of the mother would be all right. For the sake of comedy, and my own sense of outrage, I'll go with choice A there. Because we all know that that's exactly what the pro-life *******s are shooting for. I want each and every pro-lifer out there to have to personally go through this catch-22: either the mother alone lives, or both die. Because there's still situations where a choice like this arises, but "HOLD EVERYTHING!" they say, it's against God's plan to kill a living thing. There was even a piece in the local free newspaper yesterday about the pro-lifers lifting their ballot strategy straight from the creationist/ID morons: they're moving forward with bills that would pretty much ban abortions outright by saying that a person's life starts at fertilization/"biological development". I'm not ******** you, that's the wording they're using. And it'll probably work, too, since the average American voter has cheese curds for brains. Of course, there's some idiotic statements on my side of the debate also. In the same article, the spokesperson for the local Planned Parenthood said, "the crushing defeat of Colorado's initiative last year by a 3-to-1 margin coupled with the fact that they're coming back, it begs the question: do they have the Colorado voters' best interests at heart, or is there a national agenda going on?" Gee, I don't know!? Do the pro-lifers have a national agenda? They're trying to get this bucket of ******** on the ballots of all 50 states (which would in theory make it a federal law in all but name). ****ING OF COURSE THEY HAVE A NATIONAL AGENDA! Why the **** does it bother you that a woman might need an abortion. How's about this for a solution: If we outlaw abortion, we FORCE these *******s to care for each and every one of the kids that THEY force life onto. You want to force mothers to have these kids? Then YOU care for 'em! Either that or we just institute a stupidity tax and an evil tax, and the money from these taxes all goes to the new mothers. But then that doesn't solve the issue of the new mothers maybe wanting to go to college, get a great job, and have a life that would allow them to care for a kid in about 10 years. So I'm more partial to forcing the unwanted kids on the pro-lifers. I guarantee you, after the 6th kid they're forced to raise, they'll be running SCREAMING for abortions again. And we should ALWAYS value the life of the mother over the little parasite growing within her. If the mother is in danger of dying if she continues with the pregnancy, instant abortion. Right there. **** you pro-lifers and your holier-than-thou attitude. You don't really care about these women who might need abortion. It's like the old saying goes: they care about you right before you're born and right before you die, but they tell you you can go get ****ed during all the years in between.

I also just caught this little gem from Michelle Bachmann: ""Generations unborn are crying out to us tonight to preserve their freedoms,". No, no they're not. They're not "crying out" for ANYTHING! Because they CAN'T ****ING TALK! And what about the freedoms of the mothers, huh you ****ing ****bag!? That's it! The first 20 unwanted children born all go to Bachmann. And before I forget, nannies and other help? OUTLAWED! Make these ****nuggets raise the kids THEMSELVES!

To end this rant, I'm gonna have to defer to the brilliant wisdom of the late, great, Bill Hicks. ]]> CrovaxtheCursed http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3061 <![CDATA[Today's stuff]]> http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3060 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:56:45 GMT my soccer team lost 0-4 I won R1 of a ML tournament, then dropped (I was playing Jund... my soccer team lost 0-4

I won R1 of a ML tournament, then dropped (I was playing Jund T2)

I won R1 of a ML tourney, same deck, then lost R2 to STUPID misplays :'( ]]> kburts http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3060 Bittersweet 16... http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3059 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:39:17 GMT Like most people who first glanced at Tarmogoyf, I dismissed it. Too many words! I... Like most people who first glanced at Tarmogoyf, I dismissed it. Too many words! I ignored the fact that it could be an 8/9, instead focusing on the worst-case scenarios. The 'goyf seemed like a "build around me" card that encouraged the player to play "bad" cards just to fulfill the card type requirement. Unfortunately, I hadn't read any articles on average case in my career at that point. Even so, I managed to Forest Gump my way into ownership of the best creature of all time (I went there!) in an FNM draft. I had drafted it earlier in the evening and didn't even play it in my deck! I picked it up around 16th pick overall. It was worth $1. Then people read the card a second time. The price began to climb steadily as more and more players fit it int their decks. Soon it reached the $16 mark. I thought surely it wouldn't go much higher, being simply a big dumb creature with no abilities.

So I traded it.

Then the 'goyf started winning tournaments and actually forcing its way into decks of every variety. It was even adopted into Extended and beyond. Do you know what happens to the price of a card that is played in EVERY available format? In Tarmogoyf's case, its price rose to a potentially permanent $50. That's a lotta Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers.

Fast forward two odd years. M10 had just released and the new dual lands, Great Sable Stag, and the new Wrath were all the rage. With the blue menace (Faeries) and Five Color Control dominating the metagame like Mike Tyson fighting a four year old, Baneslayer Angel was left sitting on the sidelines. She had the "good-looking girl syndrome." All the boys wanted to ask her out, but they were too intimidated. After all, why take a risk when you can get the sure thing with Susie from your math class (Bitterblossom) or Jenny from English class (Cryptic Command)? And so Akroma's little sister looked all doe-eyed and forlorn, waiting for the day those other girls would graduate so she'd finally have a chance. She had just recently had her sweet [$]16 and the whole world was ahead of her, after all.

I, of course, was also too afraid to take my chances with Betsy. Sure, she was a great beat stick, but she died to everything! So I--the prestigious Blind Fremen--traded her.

He was a boy. She was a girl.
Can I make it anymore obvious?
He was a punk.
And she did ballet.
What more can I say?
She wanted him.
He'd never tell.
Secretly he wanted her as well.
And all of his friends
Gave up inspection.
And they had a problem with her lack of protection.
She was an Angel gurl, he said see ya later gurl.
She wasn't good enough for him.
She had a pretty face but her head was up in space.
She needed to come back down to earth.
Five weeks from now he sits at home, feeding the draft ques, he's all alone.
He turns on the forum and guess who he sees.
Angel gurl rocking up SCG.
He calls up his friends.
They already know
And they've all got tickets to see her show.
He tags along, stands in the crowd . Looks up at the woman that he turned down.
She was an Angel gurl, he said see ya later gurl. She wasn't good enough for hm.
Now she's a superstar, slammin on her guitar to show pretty face what she's worth.
Sorry boi but you missed out. Well tough luck that gurl's mine now. We are more than just good friends. This is how the story ends. Too
bad that you couldn't see.. see the woman that gurl could be. There is more than meets the eye, I see the soul that is inside.
She's just a gurl, and I'm just a boi.
Can I make it anymore obvious?
We are in love.
Haven't you heard how we rock each other's world?
I met the Angel gurl I said see ya later gurl.
I'll be backstage after the show.
I'll be at the studio building the deck he wrote about a girl he use to know.
I met the Angel gurl, I said see ya later gurl.
I'll be backstage after the show.
I'll be at the studio building the deck he wrote about a girl he use to know.

With the obligatory Avril Lavigne reference out of the way, I'll get to the point. Why did I and many other poor saps make the mistake of mis-evaluating Hans' worst enemy and the girl next door? One reason:

The are both "just" beatsticks.

After all, isn't the point of Magic to play spells and not creatures? Who summons those things anyway? Well that was back in the old days, m'boy. In my day, creatures had to walk uphill both ways through the snow with no shoes just to get in the red zone. (Gratuitous lip smacking and gum-sucking ensues.) Nowadays, however, Wizards is really pushing the creature combat element of the game. Did you know there is this thing called "blocking?" While both Baneslayer and 'Goyf can block with the best of them, their main purpose is obviously to get the opponent from 20 to dead as quickly as possible. And they do just that.

It is a new dawn in the world of Magic. The creatures have begun to ascend beyond tyranny of the ruling spells. The Age of Enlightenment has passed. We are in the Age of Reason.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Do not trade cards that are worth $16! ]]> B1ind Fremen http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=3059