Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope this column hasn’t grown stale. I am looking forward to doing some fun things with it in the coming weeks, but for today all I will be doing is answering a little Reader Mail! Hey!
Today’s letter comes to us from Nick Halgren. Nick asks:
Hey, I’m a bad Magic player, but I draft on Netdraft every now and then. In a recent online draft I took Fireball over Barbed Lightning (which is obviously correct,) but I think the main reason it’s better is because it can hit two creatures at once instead of a creature and a player. It always seems correct to split a Fireball in the early game. Six mana kills two creatures with two toughness each, which is very powerful. So… splitting seems right to me usually, especially since it can kill two decent creatures for 6 mana.
What do you think?
My answer to this is in the vein of my answer to the omission of Shrapnel Blast from so many of the Kobe decks. The temptation to gain card advantage is strong, but I truly believe that the game ending capabilities of Fireball are too much to pass up on. If it is in your opening hand it allows you to play the game very differently squeezing through damage at seemingly low percentage moments.
I am not saying the card is exclusively for that. There will be emergencies that require the Fireball to be aimed at creatures, but it is indisputable to say that killing an opponent is strictly better than killing a creature or eight.
You always want to be looking for the best way to win, and with Fireball it will more often than not be aiming it at your opponent’s nugget.
The source for lighting up your opponents like a Christmas tree,
KK
Come back tomorrow when I clear the air about my future marital status. G’night everybody!
03/29/04
It’s a brand new week here at Ask Ken. Soon we will be celebrating my one-month anniversary of giving you all you wanted to know about everything. You will all be invited to the gala affair that will inevitably ensue, but in the meantime I am just going to read a little Reader Mail! Hey!
Today’s question comes to us from Nick Hamilton. Nick writes:
Ken,
What ever happened to Team AlphaBetaUnlimited?
-Nick Hamilton
Well Nick, this is an intriguing question. This team was arguably the most successful team for the amount of time it was together. The powerful team included such luminaries as: Chris Benafel, Ryan Fuller, Noah Boeken, Phil Freneau, and Brian Hegstad and wore the shirt of their sponsor to many events. Their”A-team” (in team competition) was made up of the first two members on that list. They also brought in hired guns such as Dan Clegg, Dave Williams, and Bob Maher to team with them.
As powerful as this team was, they one by one stopped playing the game we all love. Most left for poker. Here is an update on each of these members (this isn’t an Osyp update, so no matter how hilarious you find these they are all true):
Chris Benafel – Poker player and part-time card dealer. Everyone once in a while you will find him at events, rarely playing.
Ryan Fuller – MIA
Noah Boeken – Grinded into Pro Tour: Amsterdam, but failed to make any noise. Last seen dating a super model and playing semi-professional poker on the side.
Phil Freneau – The most active of the group in Magic, but also a semi-professional poker player.
Brian Hegstad – Moved to LA to attend flight school and pursue a film career. Also a semi-professional poker player.
The source on life after Magic,
KK
I hope you enjoyed learning about the current exploits of Team AlphaBetaUnlimited. Join me tomorrow when I discuss the merits of splitting Fireball. G’night everybody!