WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THESE NEW OFFERINGS?

Wizards of the Coast has been trying a lot of stuff lately. Standard Showdown, Bonus Holiday Packs, and the return to the old Standard rotation schedule are some of the things they have introduced recently. It begs the question: Are they running out of money?

It seems to me that Battle for Zendikar and Shadows Over Innistrad did not really deliver on the nostalgia or bring something really fun to the table. Thus, these two sets might not have produced the profits Wizards expected so the company is constantly devising ways to make us buy packs and to play with these two sets despite their flaws. What flaws? The fact that landfall is not a key mechanic. Or that the current double-faced cards are not as powerful as their predecessors. Those glaring flaws.

I hope that I am wrong. I pray that the game is healthy and thriving, which is why we are seeing these newfangled gimmicks. Or at worse, we are seeing a normal downturn, a business cycle when Magic is not doing so well for reasons other than poor card design and development.

In which case, Wizards is not running out of money but it is no longer the cash cow it once was.

The State of Pinoy MTG

I have always wanted to write about the state of Magic: The Gathering (MTG) in the Philippines. While there are good things happening, much still needs to happen for the game and the community of players for me to say that things are truly healthy and growing. This is my opinion about the current condition of MTG here in my home country based on my experiences as an MTG player, blogger, and tournament organizer.

So first, as an MTG player, I think that local players are pretty good but lack international exposure. Sure, Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) has installed the Preliminary Pro Tour Qualifiers (PPTQ) and Regional Pro Tour Qualifiers )RPTQ) for players in smaller markets like ours to gain recognition, maybe some money, and a chance to turn professional. However, it is too hard a path to take when players who do well at these things often lack the funds to go the countries where an RPTQ is taking place, much less the actual Pro Tour. What I see and hear at these events are people negotiating as to who is able to go because he or she is willing to pay for the opportunity. It is no longer about who plays well but who pays well.

Now unlike other people who complain but do not do anything about it, I would like to propose that there should be zonal championships. There should be an Asian or European Championship for example. Technically, the RPTQ seems to be this but in reality it isn't. It just does not motivate enough people around here. An Asian Championship on the other hand seems more glamorous and attainable. I am certain Filipinos would welcome the chance to go up against Japan every year to see if they are indeed getting better or not. At this point with a Grand Prix happening in Manila on every two years, we are not competing against the very best frequently enough to improve our skills and prove that we belong on the Pro Tour as well.

As a blogger, local Magic content is woefully inadequate. We do not have stores paying people to write about strategy, deckbuilding, theory, etc. How then can we advance Pinoy Magic if we don't read, discuss, and learn from our own experiences? We cannot always be reading about the American metagame. The culture and experience of Magic is so different here. We need writers, actually, thinkers about the game who will share their ideas and help advance our game to the next level.

My suggestion is that a store or group of stores undertake this monumental task and support writers, buy decklists if necessary from tournament organizers, and get local players to innovate and grow more quickly. The undertakers of this project will earn money from advertisements, card sales, etc. This is something doable and profitable. We just need someone brave enough to initiate it.

Lastly, as a tournament organizer, I am dissatisfied with the way the distributor prices booster packs. At 160 pesos each, it makes holding tournaments very expensive. Add the fact that renting space in malls or anywhere else is prohibitive and you see why tournaments are far and few in between. With lower costs, stores can go crazy rewarding players with booster packs like in other Asian countries. 

Maybe a second distributor is necessary to bring down prices. Maybe the current distributor and the stores can work together at reducing the former's risk by buying in bulk. There are so many solutions but they are not being implemented which seems like a waste.

Filipino MTG players are skilled, motivated, and persevering. I hope circumstances change for the better in the areas I have mentioned. 

If you know of anything else that can help or there are issues that you want discussed, feel free to comment about it and I will do my best to write about it. Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

ELDRITCH MOON Cards for Sale - 09217603649 - CUBAO

ELDRAZI/COLORLESS

2 pcs. Abundant Maw - 10 each

1 pc.  Decimator of the Provinces - 300

1 pc.  Eternal Scourge - 100

1 pc.  Distended Mindbender - 250

2 pcs. Drownyard Behemoth - 10 each 

1 pc.  Elder Deep-Fiend - 400

1 pc.  Emrakul, the Promised End - 1,250

3 pcs. It of the Horrid Swarm - 5 each

2 pcs. Lashweed Lurker - 10 each

4 pcs. Mockery of Nature - 10 each

1 pc.  Vexing Scuttler - 10

5 pcs. Wretched Gryff - 5 each

WHITE

2 pcs. Blessed Alliance - 50 each

3 pcs. Borrowed Grace - 5 each

6 pcs. Choking Restraints - 5 each

2 pcs. Collective Effort - 100 each

2 pcs. Courageous Outrider - 10 each

4 pcs. Dawn Gryff - 5 each

4 pcs. Desperate Sentry - 5 each

2 pcs. Drogskol Shieldmate - 10 each

2 pcs. Extricator of Sin - 10 each

5 pcs. Faithbearer Paladin - 5 each

2 pcs. Faith Unbroken - 10 each

4 pcs. Fiend Binder - 5 each

2 pcs. Geist of the Lonely Vigil - 10 each

1 pc.  Give No Ground - 10

7 pcs. Guardian of Pilgrims - 5 each

5 pcs. Ironclad Slayer - 5 each

4 pcs. Ironwright's Cleansing - 5 each

1 pc.  Lone Rider - 25 

2 pcs. Long Road Home - 10 each

3 pcs. Lunarch Mantle - 5 each

2 pcs. Peace of Mind - 10 each

1 pc.  Providence - 25

2 pcs. Repel the Abominable - 25 each

1 pc.  Selfless Spirit - 150

1 pc.  Selfless Spirit FOIL - 400

5 pcs. Sigardian Priest - 5 each

4 pcs. Spectral Reserves - 5 each

3 pcs. Steadfast Cathar - 5 each

2 pcs. Subjugator Angel - 10 each      

1 pc.  Thalia, Heretic Cathar - 450

1 pc.  Thalia's Lancers - 75

5 pcs. Thraben Standard Bearer - 5 each

BLUE

2 pcs. Advanced Stitchwing - 10 each

2 pcs. Chilling Grasp - 10 each

1 pc.  Coax from the Blind Eternities - 100

3 pcs. Contingency Plan - 5 each

6 pcs. Convolute - 5 each

1 pc.  Curious Homunculus - 10 

4 pcs. Displace - 10 each 

2 pcs. Docent of Perfection - 50 each

4 pcs. Drag Under - 5 each

3 pcs. Enlightened Maniac - 5 each

5 pcs. Exultant Cultist - 5 each

4 pcs. Fogwalker - 5 each

2 pcs. Fortune's Favor - 10 each

2 pcs. Geist of the Archives - 10 each

2 pcs. Grizzled Angler - 10 each

1 pc.  Imprisoned in the Moon - 100 

6 pcs. Ingenious Skaab - 5 each

4 pcs. Laboratory Brute - 5 each

2 pcs. Lunar Force - 10 each

1 pc.  Mausoleum Wanderer - 200 

1 pc.  Nebelgast Herald FOIL - 100

1 pc.  Niblis of Frost - 40 

2 pcs. Scour the Laboratory - 10 each

4 pcs. Spontaneuous Mutation - 5 each

1 pc.  Summary Dismissal - 50

3 pcs. Take Inventory - 5 each 

4 pcs. Tattered Haunter - 5 each 

4 pcs. Turn Aside - 5 each

1 pc.  Turn Aside FOIL - 50

2 pcs. Unsubstantiate - 50 each

1 pc.  Wharf Infiltrator - 100

BLACK

5 pcs. Boon of Emrakul - 5 each

7 pcs. Borrowed Malevolence - 5 each

4 pcs. Cemetery Recruitment - 5 each

4 pcs. Certain Death - 5 each

1 pc.  Dark Salvation - 50

2 pcs. Dusk Feaster - 10 each

5 pcs. Gavony Unhallowed - 5 each

2 pcs. Graf Harvest - 10 each

5 pcs. Graf Rats - 5 each

2 pcs. Haunted Dead - 10 each

1 pc.  Liliana, the Last Hope - 1,500 

3 pcs. Liliana's Elite - 10 each

2 pcs. Markov Crusader - 10 each

5 pcs. Midnight Scavengers - 5 each

1 pc.  Murder - 50

1 pc.  Oath of Liliana - 100

4 pcs. Olivia's Dragoon - 5 each

2 pcs. Prying Questions - 10 each

2 pcs. Rise from the Grave - 10 each

2 pcs. Ruthless Disposal - 10 each

6 pcs. Skirsdag Supplicant - 5 each 

5 pcs. Strange Augmentation - 5 each

1 pc.  Stromkirk Condemned - 150

2 pcs. Succumb to Temptation - 5 each

4 pcs. Thraben Foulbloods - 5 each

2 pcs. Vampire Cutthroat - 10 each

1 pc.  Voldaren Pariah - 50

5 pcs. Wailing Ghoul - 5 each

4 pcs. Weirded Vampire -5 each

RED

4 pcs. Abandon Reason - 10 each

4 pcs. Alchemist's Greeting - 5 each

1 pc.  Assembled Alphas - 25

2 pcs. Blood Mist - 10 each 

4 pcs. Bold Impaler - 5 each

4 pcs. Borrowed Hostility - 5 each

4 pcs. Brazen Wolves - 5 each

1 pc.  Brazen Wolves FOIL - 10 

1 pc.  Collective Defiance - 100

2 pcs. Conduit of Storms - 10 each

1 pc.  Deranged Whelp - 10

4 pcs. Distemper of the Blood - 5 each

4 pcs. Falkenrath Reaver - 5 each 

6 pcs. Galvanic Bombardment - 5 each

1 pc.  Hanweir Garrison - 200

1 pc.  Harmless Offering - 100

1 pc.  Impetuous Devils - 25

2 pcs. Incendiary Flow - 50 each

6 pcs. Make Mischief - 5 each

1 pc.  Mirrorwing Dragon - 250 

3 pcs. Otherworldly Outburst - 5 each

4 pcs. Prophetic Ravings - 5 each

2 pcs. Savage Alliance - 10 each

2 pcs. Shred of Sanity - 10 each

2 pcs. Smoldering Werewolf - 10 each

3 pcs. Spreading Flames - 10 each

6 pcs. Stensia Banquet - 5 each

5 pcs. Stensia Innkeeper - 5 each

3 pcs. Thermo-Alchemist - 5 each

5 pcs. Vildin-Pack Outcast - 5 each

2 pcs. Weaver of Lightning - 10 each

GREEN

5 pcs. Backwoods Survivalist - 5 each

7 pcs. Bloodbriar - 5 each

1 pc.  Clearshot - 10

3 pcs. Crop Sigil - 10 each

5 pcs. Crossroads Consecrator - 5 each

1 pc.  Eldritch Evolution - 650

2 pcs. Emrakul's Influence - 10 each

1 pc.  Foul Emissary - 10

1 pc.  Gnarlwood Dryad - 25

6 pcs. Grapple with the Past - 10 each

1 pc.  Grapple with the Past FOIL - 75 

2 pcs. Hamlet Captain - 10 each

1 pc.  Kessig Prowler - 10

2 pcs. Noose Constrictor - 10 each

3 pcs. Prey Upon - 5 each

7 pcs. Primal Druid - 5 each

2 pcs. Shrill Howler - 10 each

1 pc.  Somberwald Stag - 10 

1 pc.  Splendid Reclamation - 200

6 pcs. Springsage Ritual - 5 each

6 pcs. Swift Spinner - 5 each

2 pcs. Tangleclaw Werewolf - 10 each

1 pc. Tangleclaw Werewolf FOIL - 25 

4 pcs. Ulvenwald Captive - 10 each

1 pc. Ulvenwald Observer - 25

3 pcs. Waxing Moon - 5 each

4 pcs. Wolfkin Bond - 5 each

2 pcs. Woodcutter's Grit - 5 each

4 pcs. Woodland Patrol - 5 each

GOLD

1 pc.  Bloodhall Priest - 100

1 pc.  Bloodhall Priest FOIL - 200

2 pcs. Campaign of Vengeance - 10 each

1 pc.  Heron's Grace Champion - 100

1 pc.  Mercurial Geists - 10

2 pcs. Mournwillow - 10 each

2 pcs. Ride Down - 10 each

1 pc.  Spell Queller - 600

ARTIFACTS

6 pcs. Cathar's Shield - 5 each

2 pcs. Cryptolith Fragment - 25 each

5 pcs. Cultist's Staff - 5 each

2 pcs. Field Creeper - 5 each

2 pcs. Geist-Fueled Scarecrow - 10 each

1 pc.  Lupine Prototype - 100

1 pc.  Stitcher's Graft - 50

1 pc.  Soul Separator - 50

5 pcs. Terrarion - 5 each

2 pcs. Thirsting Axe - 10 each

LANDS

1 pc.  Geier Reach Sanitarium - 100

1 pc.  Hanweir Battlements - 150

1 pc.  Mountain FOIL - 10

2 pcs. Nephalia Academy - 25 each

Growth

We've experienced a surge in attendance over the past two weeks mainly because we added other formats to our usual Standard offering. We still haven't perfected running multiple events and our customers have suffered as a result but better planning and execution should solve most of the issues. I expect Sunday to go smoothly with two Level One judges overseeing things. We're also starting earlier, one hour to be exact from 1pm to 12pm. This is to accommodate the extra rounds required by a Grand Prix Trial and Game Day.

It's also gladdening to witness our community engaging in cosplay. It has added a dimension to our weekly gathering that makes everyone smile. Hopefully we can have more people engaging in this fun activity at a future big event.

Offering new things isn't easy and success isn't guaranteed but standing still is not an option. Customers deserve fun and competition that can't be beat and we will work hard to provide both. It is up to my team to do their best in coming up with as many ideas to add value to the customer experience and to run our events professionally. Being boring and disjointed are capital sins in this business. We don't want to commit them because we love our community.

We are currently laying the foundation for growth, developing new players and judges. New blood means the game will survive longer and new judges mean the community has more leaders to take up the cudgels from us. While progress has been haphazard, the most important thing is to TRY ANYTHING AND EVVERYTHING to make Magic the most respected and played card game in the country.

Preparing for Growth

We've been getting more players the past two weeks.  This is due in no small part to the word of mouth from our homegrown community.  They talk about the raffle prizes like Mana Confluence or Athreos or the new Commander system we unveiled two weeks ago.  They're having fun experiences and they're sharing that with others.

Our responsibility is keep giving them what they want, what they deserve.  We must work hard to serve their needs for timely recognition, good rewards, and awesome events.  It is in this vein that we are concerned with the time allotment at our venue.  With more people participating, it means more rounds of play and thus an earlier start which might not be possible.  

What is clear though is a trend indicating growth and we must prepare for that or risk being surprised in a bad way and letting down our player base.

About Yesterday...

People liked the new Commander offering.  Paying P20 for a round/pod and earning five points or kills was and is easy to do.  As it turned out, it provided lots of fun times for the regulars at Padi's Point every Sunday.

The first person to win a pack (and an Opal Palace donated by Joey Hernandez) was Robert Flores.  It only took him three rounds or pods to kill five people and thus win a pack.  Following close on his heels was Kira Manaloto who secured the second pack of the day, helped by her 4-0 wipeout of a pod.  I was personally rooting for Portia Placino to be the standout player of the day especially when she was the first to eliminate someone with Bruna.  After that though she was closely guarded by the others which limited her effectiveness.

 

We were astounded by the support for this product/service.  Although only seven people participated in the three pods, there were other Commander players closely watching and cheering.  They were intrigued by the possibilities Robert's accomplishment represented: for sixty pesos he got a pack and an Opal Palace.  Better yet he still had a point leftover which meant that adding four more points would yield him another pack.

 

* * *

Modern wasn't such a good story.  In fact, we didn't push through with it as no one showed up.  We didn't know whether this was due to a lack of information dissemination and a poorly conceived prizing scheme.

 

Despite the failure, it only fueled our motivation to get it right next Sunday.

 

* * *

Draft, too, was another missed shot.  Like Modern a couple of people showed up but that wasn't enough to get a sanctioned tournament going. While the prizing scheme was attractive (one pack per win) and the cost was lower (550 pesos), the dearth of promotion activities doomed it.

Maybe replacing this with Pack Wars would be better.

* * *

Standard was an absolute hit.  We had thirty players.  Lucky for them, our generous sponsor Comic Quest provided Mana Confluence in a raffle.  Jorrell Ang won the highly coveted card and it led to people asking if there would be more surprise rewards in the future.  Knowing our home store, the answer was a definite yes.

So we've announced the addition of three new formats to our Sunday offerings.  There will be draft, whether it is an 8-man or a pack war sort of thing.  Also, Modern will take its rightful place beside Standard as the flagbearers of Magic competition.  Lastly, Commander will move out of the fringes and assume a more prominent place.

Hopefully these new wrinkles will revitalize the community and attract members.  Even if they don't pan out, we won't regret trotting out stuff that we feel gives fun experiences to our people.

More Tournaments and Formats

I would love to do more tournaments and experiment with new formats. If I am an event organizer worth his salt, then I should be willing to make mistakes as long as I learn from them.  It is time to shake up the scene and there is no one else better qualified to do the job.  (That's because I am shameless and stubborn.)

Anniversary

After I created an event on Facebook for Easter Sunday, I realized that a year had passed since I took on the role of tournament organizer for Comic Quest.  It was a moment that served as a reminder of where and when I started especially since I never expected to survive beyond the first month.  I had committed several mistakes that could have spelled the end but through it all the community of players stayed with me.  They were the reason I endured the difficulties and hurdled the challenges.

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

     I think that I have been reasonably well-behaved this year so I can ask for a couple of things from you, right?  Great!  Here they are in no particular order (and yes, they're all Magic-related):

     1.  A truly competitive Event Deck.  I don't mind paying close to two thousand pesos if something is as good as it's advertised.  So far, none of the offerings have any power so they sit on shelves gathering dust.  Please don't waste this opportunity to do something great as a lot of people want to get into competitive Magic but they can't because products like an Event Deck don't deliver as promised.  Use one and you'll get walloped at your FNM.

     2.  Enough supplies of Commander products.  Despite announcements saying that more were printed this time, the sad truth is that the format's players were unable to get their hands on the goods.  Worse, the stores sold them with huge price spikes.  In the end, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.

     3.  Not just a Grand Prix but an annual Grand Prix.  I don't know why the DCI took away the one elite tournament we all looked forward to especially in the light of Wizards' decision to increase the number of Grand Prix events.  What I want to know is how we can get it back and fast.  And better than it was before.  Please bring this back!

     4.  More coordination among the stores and tournament organizers.  In the lingering absence of a Grand Prix, the local scene should gather together and put up something to equal what was lost.  The Sparta Cup this year was a good attempt.  But what I want is in the order of a Starcity Open Series and the Invitational.

     5.  Less bickering.  Instead of fighting each other, we should be doing more to make the game's atmosphere, its culture really, as classy as possible.  No one wants to deal with crass and impossible people.  Let's elevate not just our skills but also our tolerance for differing points of view and unique personalities.

     6.  An Asian Championship.  This one's a bit of a reach but I think it can be done.  We should really promote the game among ourselves in the region and not just look up to American or European pros all the time.

      I think this is enough for now.  I know you got a lot on your plate.  But if you do this, I'll be grateful not to mention excited for the year ahead.

Yours truly,

Seafood Anyone?

     Last Sunday I played a Simic deck fondly called "Seafood" in the Standard Pauper event:

4 Shambleshark 

Fish and Crab = delicious fun!

3 Battering Krasis

4 Nessian Asp

4 Rumbling Baloth

4 Frilled Oculus

4 Drakewing Krasis

3 Crocanura

4 Cloudfin Raptor
4 Hydroform
4 Bioshift

4 Simic Guildgate

11 Forest

7 Island

     People were amazed at how it functioned.  Shambleshark and Cloudfin Raptor were world-class beaters coming out on turns 1 and 2.  They pressured the control strategies cropping up in large numbers recently.  With Crocanura, Frilled Oculus, and Drakewing Krasis serving to evolve them on successive turns, opponents were overwhelmed with the swarm strategy I employed against them. Rumbling Baloth and Nessian Asp were evolve-enablers as well as being credible threats from mid to late game.

     If the opponent decided to kill my creature with the most number of +1/+1 counters, I could just transfer the counters to another with the flexible and powerful Bioshift.  In fact, one of my favorite tricks was to make

Where's toilet paper when you need it?

the Asp monstrous and then transfer the four counters to a Drakewing Krasis.  Also, if my enemy had a guy with counters i.e. Wingsteed Rider, I could transfer those to somebody else, thus, messing up his combat step.  Then there was Hydroform which could serve as removal but most often inflicted three damage or got sacrificed to Celestial Flare or Devour Flesh.

     Although I won several matches, the deck could stand some improvements.  Battering Krasis was so-so and Crocanura was too defensive for my purposes.  I could replace them with Beetleform Mage and Frostburn Weird.  The Mage is another pump-able creature and the Weird helps my critters evolve.  Countermagic like Negate or bounce spells like Disperse could replace Hydroform to boost the deck's defensive speed against Crypt Incursion and enchantment heavy strategies.

      Going forward I would use something like this:

4 Cloudfin Raptor

4 Shambleshark

4 Frilled Oculus

4 Drakewing Krasis

2 Beetleform Mage

2 Frostburn Weird

4 Rumbling Baloth

3 Nessian Asp

4 Bioshift

2 Dispel

2 Negate

3 Disperse

4 Simic Guildgate

10 Island

8 Forest

Sideboard

2 Dispel

1 Disperse

2 Frostburn Weird

2 Annul

4 Essence Scatter

3 Sensory Deprivation

1 Fleetfeather Sandals

    

Speed Kills

While my pauper Boros was winning and serving as the perfect gauntlet for my other deck ideas, it felt slow and unwieldy. I believed that I could make it go faster by adding a turbo button, namely, this musclebound fellow with the eight-pack abs: 

However, that meant triggering his heroic ability to the max and Boros as I had built it only contained dudes and burn spells.  The solution was to use Martial Glory and for a while I tried it out.

It still didn't feel fast enough.

I needed another one-drop.  More importantly, I had to make sure that it wasn't a dead draw in prolonged games.  I searched Gatherer and came up with this: 

The issue with the card was that I would have to replace awesome creatures like Daring Skyjek, Azorius Arrester, Master of Diversion, and Calvary Pegasus.  On the other hand, the best thing about it was the combo with Akroan Crusader spitting out dudes which would in turn pump it.  Titan's Strength and Madcap Skills were the two primary candidates for triggering heroic and avoiding or surviving blockers.

I continued to look for red creatures on Gatherer.  When I found them, another epiphany hit me.  I would have to lose the white and concentrate solely on small, red creatures and direct damage spells.  In other words, I had to design a Sligh deck, focusing on the mana-curve above all else.  It was 1996 all over again.

After several days of testing and reworking my original ideas, I ended up with this list:

The Return of Sligh
4 Foundry Street Denizen

4 Akroan Crusader

4 Gore-House Chainwalker

4 Deathbellow Raider

4 Goblin Shortcutter

4 Rakdos Shred-Freak

3 Riot Piker

4 Dragon Mantle

4 Madcap Skills

4 Titan's Strength

4 Lightning Strike

17 Mountain

Sideboard

4 Shock

4 Frostburn Weird

4 Act of Treason

3 Rubblebelt Maaka

17 lands were sufficient as two Mountains enabled my deck to operate efficiently.  Gore-House Chainwalker was a 3-power threat for 2-mana.  Deathbellow Raider survived Shock and Pharika's Cure, some of the more common and cheaper answers in the format.  Goblin Shortcutter helped messed up the opponent's combat math.  Rakdos Shred-Freak was sort of Shock on a stick.  Riot Piker's first strike countered Ethereal Armor.

Madcap Skills, Dragon Mantle, and Titan's Strength combined to trigger Akroan Crusader's heroic ability and buffed the other creatures as well.  One of my favorite tactics was to cast Titan's Strength on the Crusader during upkeep to produce a 1/1 red soldier token with haste and to scry 1.  In my main phase, I would then cast Dragon Mantle on the Crusader to get another token (hopefully pumping a Denizen twice in the process) and then draw a card.  Very efficient.  Very deadly.

Lightning Strike was almost always for reach.

As to the sideboard, Shock was additional reach for control strategies and removal in a pinch.  Frostburn Weird defended against mass removal effects like Shrivel or Electrickery and provided a mana-sink.  Act of Treason answered decks with huge threats like Nessian Asp or a creature attached with Ethereal Armor and other auras.  Rubblebelt Maaka was a red Giant Growth to bolster damage capacity as well as deliver the finishing blow.

Last Friday I took down an 8-man tournament with the deck.

The opening round pitted me against Bant Hexproof.  I quickly assembled an army of 1/1's in game one and swarmed my opponent relentlessly.  He kept a questionable hand in the second game and failed to stem the tide of weenies I sent his way.  So far, so good.

Next up was a mono-red concoction centered on Two-Headed Cerberus.  I was familiar with it because I flirted with the concept myself.  In the first game, he wiped out my board by overloading Electrickery and pointing Shock at my Deathbellow Raider but I saved a Crusader with Titan's Strength.  During my turn I enchanted it with Dragon Mantle to rebuild my forces and dig into my library.  My opponent launched a counterattack with Cerberus but I killed it when he was tapped out.  He succumbed eventually to my horde when he didn't draw another Electrickery.  The subsequent game was nerve-wracking because he eliminated the men that I turned loose on him.  Worse, my Riot Pikers were forced to attack and died to a tough blocker in Frostburn Weird.  Out of gas, I defended myself from his mutant dog by topdecking a burn spell each time he cast them.  Frustrated, he swung for thirteen points of damage but since I was still at a healthy twenty life all it accomplished was empty his hand and tell me that he didn't have cheese for my face.  I won by drawing and putting more creatures on the battlefield while he drew nothing but lands.

The last round was versus Selesnya, normally a challenging strategy with Ethereal Armor, lifelink, and big, green monsters.  I lost game one when my opponent gained a ton of life with Centaur Healer and Nylea's Disciple who were both bestowed with Hopeful Eidolon.  It was impossible to race him so I conceded.  Game two he played three guildgates in succession and this allowed me to inflict plenty of damage.  I then cast Goblin Shortcutter on successive turns to prevent him from blocking my creatures with Madcap Skills.  The deciding game hinged on my decision to burn a Voyaging Satyr early on.  By doing so, I made him stumble on mana which stranded four Nylea's Disciples in his hand.  He worked hard to stem the bleeding but a pair of Goblin Shortcutters circumvented his efforts.

After the tourney, people remarked on the deck's quickness, how it applied pressure on turn one and never let up from that point onwards.  I smiled in response because it meant that I had achieved my goal of constructing a deck with blistering offense.  It also proved my belief in the age-old adage that "Speed kills."

Indeed.

More Standard Pauper Decks

Last time out, we concluded that Ethereal Armor was still the best strategy around. There were, however, several concoctions from the same tournament last Sunday that deserve a second look.

 

Here are three more brews:

Cesario Ong's Mono-Black Crap (MBC)

4 Read the Bones

"It's Gainlife Merchant, actually."

3 Basilica Screecher

4 Deathcult Rogue

4 Corpse Healer

3 Grisly Spectacle

4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel

3 Devour Flesh

3 Accursed Spirit

2 Midnight Recovery

4 Quag Sickness

3 Festering Newt

23 Swamp

Sideboard

3 Mind Rot

3 Beckon Apparition

1 Devour Flesh

3 Shrivel

1 Accursed Spirit

3 Duress

1 Festering Newt

Featuring the drain-life powers of Gray Merchant of Asphodel, the deck can easily kill an opponent when there's plenty of devotion to black.  Deathcult Rogue's hybrid cost is especially helpful in this regard.  The sideboard is terrifying with Mind Rot and Shrivel tearing up an opponent's hand and board.

Lem Francisco's Chicago Bulls

4 Foundry Street Denizen

4 Deathbellow Raider

No. 23. Stats 2/3. Bulls!

4 Rakdos Shred-Freak

3 Goblin Shortcutter

4 Skyknight Legionnaire

4 Viashino Fistblade

4 Minotaur Skullcleaver

4 Shock

4 Spark Jolt

4 Lightning Strike

3 Boros Guildgate

5 Plains

13 Mountain

Sideboard

4 Frostburn Weird

2 Riot Control

2 Celestial Flare

2 Act of Treason

2 God's Willing

3 Electrickery

Minotaurs supplement the usual Boros strategy and Spark Jolt adds a bit of scrying to smoothen out the draws.  Frostburn Weird from the sideboard is unexpected and a beating.  Electrickery as well as Gods Willing provide more defensive tools.

Alfrie "Beast" Romanes' Selesnya Armor

4 Elvish Mystic

4 Pacifism

4 Centaur Healer

2 for 1 anyone?

2 Voyaging Satyr

2 Lagonna-Band Elder

4 Nylea's Disciple

2 Pit Fight

2 Ethereal Armor

3 Observant Alseid

3 Hopeful Eidolon

2 Leaf-Crown Dryad

2 Celestial Flare

3 Nessian Asp

10 Forest

9 Plains

4 Selesnya Guildgate

Sideboard

3 Gods Willing

2 Keening Apparition

4 Deadly Recluse

2 Celestial Flare

2 Pay No Heed

2 Ray of Dissolution

Beast's deck is filled with innovations.  First he only uses two Ethereal Armor.  Second, no hexproof creatures!  Third, three Nessian Asp can come out on the third or fourth turn.  When it becomes monstrous, it's able to (gasp) Pit Fight any creature with savage glee. In the sideboard, Pay No Heed is a great card to have to nullify a creature that's too powerful for a turn.

The decks above contain many wonderful ideas to explore and exploit in the next tourney.  They also prove that there are plenty of areas still unexplored in this largely unknown format.  Nevertheless, it's very fun and we hope you try this budget-friendly way to enjoy the best card game in the world.

THE DECKS IN THE NORTH (Part 2)

In Part 1 we discussed various strategies that enjoyed success in the most recent Sparta Qualifier sponsored by Comic Quest SM North.  In this second installment, we will take a look at plenty of decklists and see what's notable among them.

Ryan Ramilo's Esper Control (designed by Rydez)

2 Aetherling

1 Obzedat, Ghost Council

4 Omenspeaker

Augur of Theros

2 Sphinx's Revelation

2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

1 Jace, Architect of Thought

2 Dissolve

4 Syncopate

3 Detention Sphere

4 Azorius Charm

2 Far//Away

4 Supreme Verdict

4 Hero's Dowfall

2 Plains

5 Islands

2 Mutavault

3 Temple of Silence

4 Watery Grave

4 Hallowed Fountain

4 Godless Shrine

Sideboard

3 Negate

2 Dispel

3 Glare of Heresy

2 Pithing Needle

3 Devour Flesh

1 Obzedat, Ghost Council

1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa

Highlights: The two Mutavaults can help defend against aggressive decks if necessary and go on the warpath against more controlling strategies.  The Omenspeakers are there to hinder the assault of weenies.  And the Glare of Heresy can deal with Elspeth.

Pong Deriquito's Kowloon House

3 Boon Satyr

BOOM Satyr

4 Scavenging Ooze

4 Experiment One

4 Voice of Resurgence

4 Soldier of the Pantheon

2 Loxodon Smiter

2 Advent of the Wurm

1 Spear of Heliod

3 Ajani, Caller of the Pride

3 Unflinching Courage

3 Selesnya Charm

6 Forest

7 Plains

4 Temple Garden

4 Selesnya Guildgate

2 Mutavault

Sideboard

1 Selesnya Charm

3 Sundering Growth

3 Fog

3 Centaur Healer

3 Glare of Heresy

2 Pithing Needle

Highlights: Ajani works well with the creatures in this deck, buffing them up.  Spear of Heliod produces an unending stream of threats.  And Boon Satyr is the unexpected power boost, flashing in when the opponent least expects it.

Argel Medalla's Maze's End

3 Ral Zarek

2 Jace, Memory Adept

4 Fog

2 Inspiration

2 Druid's Deliverance

2 Defend the Hearth

3 Supreme Verdict

1 Mizzium Mortars

4 Warleader's Helix

4 Far//Away

2 Azorius Charm

4 Saruli Gatekeepers

4 Maze's End

Daze's End

2 Izzet Guildgate

2 Golgari Guildgate

2 Azorius Guildgate

2 Gruul Guildgate

2 Boros Guildgate

2 Dimir Guildgate

2 Selesnya Guildgate

2 Simic Guildgate

2 Rakdos Guildgate

2 Orzhov Guildgate

1 Plain

1 Forest

1 Mountain

1 Island

Sideboard

3 Naturalize

2 Pithing Needle

3 Essence Scatter

3 Crypt Incursion

2 Blustersquall

1 Ratchet Bomb

1 Elixir of Immortality

Highlights: Fog, Defend the Hearth and Druid's Deliverance are the perfect tools to fight decks that want to enter the Red Zone.  Warleader's Helix and Jace, Memory Adept apply the screws on control decks burning and milling respectively.  Maze's End as the win condition is brilliant as making a land drop and activating it is game over.

Hopefully these decks give you new ideas to work with in the upcoming Theros Game Day this Sunday.  Know what the top players are doing and prepare well to defend against them.  And maybe in the next article, we'll be putting your brilliant brew in the spotlight.

Ethereal Armor is Still King

The second Standard Pauper tournament kicked off yesterday and when the dust of battle settled, Wilbert "Anton" Torres emerged the champion despite losing in the first round.  He rattled off 3 straight wins with his mono-white Ethereal Armor deck.  The list can be found below:

4 Azorius Arrester

4 Master of Diversion

2 Setesan Battle Priest

4 Wingsteed Rider

4 Hopeful Eidolon

3 Observant Alseid

3 Chosen by Heliod

4 Divine Favor

4 Ethereal Armor

Who needs hexproof? Not me.

4 Pacifism

4 God's Willing

20 Plains

Sideboard

4 Keening Apparition

3 Sundering Growth

4 Riot Control

4 Celestial Flare

With his victory, Anton proved that the number one card to beat in the format is still Ethereal Armor.  Eschewing green completely, he replaced the hexproof plan with God's Willing, which protected his heavily enchanted creatures and helped him scry through his library. Lastly, the spell could also grant a sort of unblockability to his Armored One.

It's pretty clear from the maindeck that he thought of the Boros matchup a lot, hence, the plentiful ways of gaining life via Setesan Battle Priest, Divine Favor, and Hopeful Eidolon.  Coupled with Pacifism, possibly the best removal at common, his defensive deck speed is second to none.  He also has the Hopeful Eidolon + Ethereal Armor combo to race beatdown decks as this combo represents a six-point life swing.

His sideboard is dedicated to similar enchantment heavy decks hence the Keening Apparition, Sundering Growth, and Celestial Flare in multiples.  Riot Control is for fast attack decks, a Fog and a demoralizing lifegain instant spell.

Coming in second place was Virgilio De Leon with Boros Ambulance.  Below is his deck for reference:

4 Gore-House Chainwalker

4 Azorius Arrester

4 Daring Skyjek

4 Wojek Halberdiers

4 Cavalry Pegasus

"I believe I can fly" and kill you.

3 Master of Diversion

4 Skyknight Legionnaire 

4 Shock

4 Lightning Strike

3 Celestial Flare

4 Boros Guildgate

9 Plains

9 Mountain

Even without a sideboard, Virgilio or June as he is known in the SM North Magic community racked up consecutive wins until he ran afoul of Anton in the final round.  His Boros deck featured 29 creatures and 8 burn spells.  The three Celestial Flares main were there for Ethereal Armor decks whether with hexproof or none.  

The deck is terrifyingly simple in its approach.  Summon a Cavalry Pegasus on turn two and put down as many humans as possible afterwards.  The flying horse grants attacking humans flight which avoids a lot of grounded blockers and thus delivers a lot of damage.  The burn spells can either get rid of opposing creatures or finish off the other player.

June could have probably benefited from Pacifism being in his sideboard against Anton.  A fourth Celestial Flare would have gotten around Gods Willing, too.  That said, this is still the speediest and most consistent deck around and should be in anyone's gauntlet.

Another take on everyone's white/red guild was Joey Hernandez's "NPBD" or No Playtest Boros Deck.  Check it out:

4 Hopeful Eidolon
4 Akroan Crusader

This is...Akros!!!

2 Auramancer
4 Wingsteed Rider
4 Skyknight Legionnaire
2 Lightning Strike
2 Martial Glory
2 Massive Raid
2 Rootborn Defenses
2 Pacifism
4 Ethereal Armor
2 Divine Favor
2 Dragon Mantle
2 Knightly Valor
2 Electrickery
4 Boros Guildgate
8 Plains
8 Mountain
Sideboard
2 Ray of Dissolution
2 Celestial Flare
2 Divine Verdict
2 Last Breath
2 Pacifism
1 Martial Glory
2 Lightning Strike
2 Electrickery

Joey incorporated a lot of technology in his version of Boros.  First off, he played with the heroic mechanic.  By casting enchantments on Akroan Crusader and Wingsteed Rider, he buffs them up while producing other effects like getting 1/1 hasty soldiers or +1/+1 counters.  Second, he used Ethereal Armor himself.  Third, he had Electrickery to combat other Boros decks.  There were other little tricks like Massive Raid and Martial Glory that kept his opponents guessing.

While employing less creatures, his build focuses on Akroan Crusader whose token-producing ability can get out of hand quickly.  The 1/1 soldiers can chip away relentlessly and provide blocking fodder instantly if necessary.  Finally, Rootborn Defenses can make everyone indestructible and pop out another 1/1 hasty guy because of populate.

Joey's ingenuity shows off the diverse environment of Standard Pauper even when a lot of people are playing basically the same powerful cards.

Will these decks evolve come next week?  Will new ones surface and wrest the title away from Anton?  Comment below and give your own ideas.

Thank you and see you at the Theros Game Day next Sunday where there will be a side event for this budget-friendly, exciting format. 

THE DECKS IN THE NORTH (Part 1)

The SM North Magic community has always been a hotbed of creativity when it comes to deck design.  Only a few Northern players netdeck and scarce resources lead them to make interesting card choices you won't see anywhere else.  This makes it hard to predict the Standard metagame there but it's also a lot of fun because it is never stagnant.

Let's take a look at several people who did well at yesterday's Sparta Cup Qualifier.

First up is Michael Rodriguez's Esper Control.

3 Jace, Architect of Thought

2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion

2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

Freddy Kruger is now a card.

2 Doom Blade

2 Syncopate

2 Dissolve

1 Negate

2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa

1 Aetherling

3 Supreme Verdict

2 Divination

2 Far//Away

2 Detention Sphere

2 Hero's Downfall

3 Sphinx's Revelation

4 Hallowed Fountain

4 Godless Shrine

4 Watery Grave

3 Temple of Silence

3 Temple of Deceit

1 Azorius Guildgate

4 Island

3 Plains

Sideboard

2 Duress

2 Pithing Needle

2 Jace, Memory Adept

2 Yoked Ox

2 Last Breath

1 Thoughtseize

1 Supreme Verdict

2 Negate

1 Aetherling

One of the aims of the deck is to not miss land drops so twenty-six is the right number.  In case of mana-flood, Sphinx's Revelation is there to draw cards and gain life.  With enough mana, the deck can then deploy its arsenal of planeswalkers, a couple of Blood Barons, and Aetherling to win the game.

The main weakness of this strategy is the loss of two cards namely Think Twice and Augur of Bolas from the sets that rotated when Theros came in.  Augur in particular helps absorb weenie rushes and nets a card.  This is the reason why we see Yoked Ox and Last Breath in the sideboard as 1-2 mana answers to weenies.  And while Yoked Ox doesn't kill anything, its lack of power is actually a good thing when facing Boros Reckoner.

Going forward Divination and Last Breath can probably be replaced and perhaps Omenspeaker deserves a try.

The second deck we'll examine is Kristian Sy's BWR homebrew.

4 Boros Reckoner

3 Desecration Demon

2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa

1 Obzedat

1 Stormbreath Dragon

2 Sin Collector

1 Aurelia Warleader

1 Whip of Erebos

2 Rakdos Keyrune

2 Mizzium Mortars

2 Anger of the Gods

The Anti-Voice

2 Rakdos's Return

3 Dreadbore

3 Thoughseize

1 Hero's Downfall

2 Read the Bones

1 Doom Blade

1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion

1 Chandra Pyromancer

4 Sacred Foundry

4 Blood Crypt

3 Godless Shrine

3 Temple of Silence

2 Rakdos Guildgate

2 Temple of Triumph

2 Mutavault

2 SWamp

1 Plains

2 Mountain

Sideboard

1 Wear/Tear

2 Shock

2 Anger of the Gods

1 Underworld Connections

1 Hammer of Purphoros

2 Duress

2 Slaughter Games

3 Lifebane Zombie

1 Pithing Needle

This is hell to face.  Filled with good stuff, the deck aims to win a war of attrition starting with hand disruption.  Thoughtseize, Sin Collector, and Rakdos's Return both do a good job of keeping an opponent off-balance. If anything manages to arrive on the battlefield, it will be killed or outclassed by bigger, more powerful creatures.  

While fast decks might give this hiccups, Anger of the Gods is easier to cast than Supreme Verdict and thus gives its pilot a decent chance to survive.  Dreadbore is a concession to the proliferation of 3-4 mana planeswalkers but maybe a 2-2 split between Doom Blade and Hero's Downfall is better since Thoughtseize can just nab a walker anyway.  Besides being instants, those two black removal spells also don't stress the manabase too much.

Definitely a solid choice going forward, we can expect the deck to continue doing well with minor adjustments here and there.

The third and last thing we'll examine is Benson Albayalde's Ian Monsters.

4 Mystic Elf

4 Satyr Hedonist

2 Scavenging Ooze

3 Polukranos, World Eater

4 Ghor-Clan Rampager

2 Ember Swallower

4 Stormbreath Dragon

Daenerys IS my mama

4 Domri Rade

2 Xenagos, the Reveler

3 Gruul Keyrune

4 Mizzium Mortars

4 Stomping Grounds

4 Temple of Abandon

9 Forest

7 Mountain

Sideboard

3 Anger of the Gods

3 Pithing Needle

3 Destructive Revelry

2 Ratchet Bomb

2 Mistcutter Hydra

1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed

1 Bow of Nylea

Capable of explosive starts, the deck pressures opponents with planeswalkers, dragons, and hydras.  Domri Rade can help clear the board of pesky blockers so that huge monsters can stomp people's faces.  He can also draw cards if there's abundant mana available and a depleted hand.  Stormbreath Dragon has haste and monstrous in addition to protection from white.  It's literally unstoppable and quite the clock.  Polukranos is aptly named as the World Eater because it is ridiculously powerful once you pay its monstrosity cost.  Add in the four Ghor-Clan Rampagers for a power boost and trample and it's an absolute beatdown.

While Gruul Keyrune is a nice touch the possibility for an upgrade is there.  Mutavault comes to mind.  Boon Satyr might also come in handy as a fifth or sixth Ghor-Clan Rampager.

The deck has numerous merits, thus, classifying it as another weapon worth bringing to Theros Game Day next Sunday.

We hope you like this series on deck technologies.  We'll bring you more ideas during the week.  Send in your own as well.

Thank you and watch out for Part 2.