Before we start, I want to thank”The editor of this here site here” for the StarCity credit that goes to people who related their coolest multiplayer story. We will have to wait and see who gets handed the e-Pen the coming weeks, but there should be a chance for everyone – because I was once told that you know the whole world in seven steps. So there; that’s something nice and philosophical to think about now; let’s get on with this madness that is multiplayer.
This week’s story will be told by Anthony Alongi, he of”Casual Friday” fame. Anthony shouldn’t need an introduction – not on StarCity, anyway – so I won’t…
Do I Hear A Buzzzz Somewhere? by Anthony Alongi
Since Gis is a good deal taller than me, which is saying something, I found I couldn’t refuse his offer to join in this effort. The problem is, of course, that a good deal of stories that I would use here are already up in articles, and I don’t want to bore readers with repeats. So I’ll pick one that’s fairly spectacular, but also far enough back in time that I don’t think it hit Casual Fridays… At least not to my memory.
Seven people, playing Highlander format (only one copy of each card, beyond basic lands, in your deck). From the early to mid-game, a rebels deck (Toim) and a mercenary deck (Theo) both go down, as well as a green beef deck (Dave) and a blue-red control deck (Pete). Left on the board: Jake, with a mono-white Angel deck; Carl, with a Grave Pact recursion deck; and me, with a red-green deck using stuff like Weatherseed Treefolk, Shivan Phoenix, etc.
I’m at three life, sporting a Shard Phoenix and some reasonable red/green fat on the ground. Jake is at four or five life, with several large angels dominating the air. Carl is at a bit more than Jake, but most importantly has a Grave Pact out… And about ten creatures, all on the ground, nothing regenerable, all two toughness or less.
Jake plays Armageddon. This is problematic, but it’s not like I’m holding a Counterspell, or anything. So the lands go.
Then Jake decides to attack me. I don’t really blame him; there’s no good answer, here. What I’m about to do, I’d have done with lethal damage on the stack facing Carl, as well; there’s no other way for me to win.
In any case, I sack the Phoenix. The Phoenix lays down its ground fire, ripping apart Carl’s fragile black weenies. As each one plunges into the graveyard, Jake and I each sacrifice another creature. Eventually, the board is purged of angels, thrulls, birds, and anything else… And none of us have any lands to play a damn thing.
Carl recovers first – Jake had lands ready, but nothing else to play – and finishes Jake off with a Dauthi Slayer. After the Slayer is done with Jake, I Bolt it, grateful for the sole mountain I’ve managed to pull.
Then Carl lays down a Fog of Gnats.
This is a terrifying closer, of course; who can withstand the Fog of Gnats? Sitting at three life, I knew I had three chances to pull something that could help me – land to put down a more impressive counterattack, Incinerate to blow it off the board, even a Hurricane to commit noble suicide – but alas, it was not to be. After shaking the board mightily with my Shard Phoenix, I dribbled enough blood from gnat strikes that I succumbed to Carl’s superior, insect-based strategy.
Well, what did you expect? Not every story in this line is going to have a happy ending! Just a weird one.
Next Week:
The person Anthony handed the e-pen to hasn’t yet accepted it. So for now s/he will stay a mystery. It might happen that the pen won’t get accepted. If that happens (or they can’t handle the deadline), I will need another story – so I ask you to write down the coolest multiplayer play (is that a word?) you ever saw or made (game-finishing moves would be nice), and if it gets posted you’ll get $5 in StarCity credit. This will only happen if the e-Pen structure fails! So send those stories and any other comments to [email protected]. Let’s just wait and see….
Until then, take care –
Gis