I entered Star City Comics & Games for the first time. I walked into the smallish room that’s now used as storage or accounting or something. There were a handful of people there ready to compete in the weekly Type II tournament. I was packing my only deck: a Blue/White control deck featuring TONS of super tech including Peackeeper/Flickering Ward and Phyrexian Dreadgnought/Unstable Shapeshifter. My favorite creature besides those two already mentioned? Staunch Defenders! My 170 card deck and I were ready to compete.
I don’t remember a lot of this tournament. I remember being beaten by another scrub like myself. However, she was using a deck that a GOOD player had built. My "friend" had "accidentally" reminded her about the Hammer of Bogardan in her graveyard she could recur, not that it mattered because I was feeling Femeref and Viashino beatdown. I also remember actually WINNING a match! You wouldn’t believe how happy I was to cast a Phyrexian Dreadnought while having an Unstable Shapeshifter out to attack for twelve. (Back then, it was perfectly legal.)
Needless to say, I went 1-3. Also needless to say, the local legend (to scrubs like me) one the tournament. This "legend" got my friend started in Magic, and he, in turn, got me started. So, in a roundabout way, I owe all of my Magic card to this legend (though I hardly intend to repay him!). I asked the "legend" to help me with my deck, and BOY, did he help me! He slimmed my deck to about 70 cards and introduced me to my favorite blue enchantment until Soothsaying: Propaganda.
"Who was this man?" you ask. Well, it’s our soon-to-be-departed editor-in-chief, Omeed Dariani. For years, this man has been devoted to Star City. He judges (well, judged) all the big events down here, and he’s been working on the website since it first emerged (as far as I know).
I thought about writing an article devoted to Omeed, but I know that my words would be insufficient. (Hey, yeah, that’s a good excuse!) Just let me say that Roanoke will miss you, Omeed, and so will Star City. Your e-shoes will be extremely hard to fill.
Thinking about Omeed got me thinking about the past. I have one flash of memory about Star City’s website. I believe that I saw written on a dry erase board in red ink "Come visit our website at" and it gave an ANGELFIRE address. Star City has grown from a member site to a site read worldwide.
But, Star City’s not all that’s changed. Magic has undergone major changes itself. I started playing when Tempest fist came out, and, since then, major things have happened.
I started playing in at the beginning of the extremely powerful formats. When I began playing, speed was the key. As the Rath Cycle unraveled itself, speed became more and more important. Cards like Carnophage and Sarcomancy were everywhere! The Artifacts Cycle didn’t help slow things down with cards like Tolarian Academy, Pouncing Jaguar, and Wild Dogs. But now, with the Masques Block, things are starting to slow down again.
But, I’ve already talked about all of that, so I’ll move on in this article. Many other changes have occurred in Magic. For instance, the appearance of cards is changing. Foils were an excellent idea! They’re excellent for collectors, and they give a deck that certain "edge" that makes it seem like it means business. Every Magic player dreams of playing with an all-foil deck, and I hope that Wizards continues the tradition into Seventh Edition.
Also, the artwork on cards has evolved. Personally, I think that the artwork has steadily increased in quality since Tempest. Prophecy’s art is just breathtaking! It makes even commons worth looking at. Every card has something special to it that can be found in the picture. Occasionally, I’ll take out my binder and just examine the pictures; you’d really be amazed at the details!
Of course, the play mechanics have changed as well. Sixth Edition was a revitalizing shock to the rules. The introduction of the stack made things much more simple (if less logical), and other changes were put into effect to help simplify the game as a whole (though some people would disagree). New abilities such as Buyback, Cycling, ACC (although it’s not really new), untapping lands, and rhystic abilities have been introduced. I look forward to seeing what Wizards has in store for us in the future.
The future. Thinking about the past can naught but formulate thoughts about the future. Every Magic player wonders if he’ll celebrate the ten-year anniversary. I’m constantly wondering if I might one day be considered an "oldie" of Magic. Will my Tempest rares one day be like Legends? Will my Time Spiral one day be regarded as legendary? We can only wonder if Magic will one day be as widespread as other popular games such as Monopoly or Risk (never Chess). If Wizards keeps up its innovations, I don’t see why not.
Another note on the future is about the storyline. Anybody who follows my writing can tell you that I’m a big advocate of the Magic storyline. I’m really looking forward to Invasion as a set, but I’m worried about the storyline. I can’t help but shake the feeling that we’re in store for a major cliché. Phyrexians invade, Gerrard stops them, Urza gets rid of Phyrexia, and everybody lives happily ever after. I really hope that that doesn’t happen! Now, I don’t know if I necessarily want Phyrexia to completely take over everything. However, wouldn’t it be cool if the invasion SUCCEEDED? Then, we could have a slew of rebellious freedom fighters upon which to base our next few expansions. (Speaking of freedom fighters, Crovax would DEFINITELY have to have Gerrard killed.) I’m a total advocate of Urza’s character, so he should stay around. As a matter of fact, wouldn’t it be interesting for him to lead the rebels among the Phyrexian overlords? I think so.
But, we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we? Not enough people are interested in the story for Wizards to spend a whole lot of time on it as far as I know. But, if I do happen to be wrong, drop me a line.
Anyway, that’ll do it for this week. That brings up another question? How long am I going to be posting redundant articles on this website? Well, that’s easy: as long as I have something to say (i.e., FOREVER!).
Until next time!