Blog Elemental — I Did That! ME! MEEEEE!
Here is the list of cards for which I can take credit in Fifth Dawn.
Blog Elemental – Writing Envy
On Monday I’ll list my Fifth Dawn names and flavor text credits. Today, though, I thought I would comment on an unexpected reaction I had to Fifth Dawn’s release… Card names and flavor text I didn’t write, but wish I had.
Blog Elemental – The Unblinking Eye
The deck started out as a Bloodshot Cyclops deck, but that proved too slow with all of the Skullclamps and Arcbound Ravagers running rampant. Now it’s more of a Synod Sanctum deck than anything else. Stealing, hiding, and then keeping an opponent’s creatures has held my interest for a long time, but I personally can’t wait for banning and Fifth Dawn to shake up people’s decklists.
Blog Elemental — Ban-Aid
Thank Goodness. I don’t know if it was a collective whoop or sigh that passed through the competitive Magic community yesterday with the DCI Banned and Restricted Announcement. For me, the announcement signaled that it may be safe to start creative deckbuilding again in the Casual Constructed room of Magic Online.
Blog Elemental – Let’s Get This Party Started
One of Magic’s favorite mad geniuses has decided to experiment with a daily column, and we’ve decided to let him. Take a peek inside for all the goings on.
Why Green Loves Fireshrieker
No clear consensus emerged from my last article about where to go next. Some folks wanted me to try and turn one of my Betrayal of Flesh decks into something worthy of Friday Night Magic, others wanted me to do the same kind of pseudo-brainstorming I did with Betrayal but using another one of my Mirrodin Class I cards. In the end, there seemed to be slightly more people wanting me to move on from Betrayal of Flesh (due in large part, apparently, to people thinking Betrayal is a pretty boring card), and more people mentioned Fireshrieker than any other choice.
The people have spoken. Fireshrieker it is.
Mostly Better Than a Flesh-Eating Virus
It took me exactly three Mirrodin boosters before I found one of my Class I cards. Sitting in an uncommon slot was Betrayal of Flesh, laughing at me in its dancing-and-steaming-undead sort of way. “No one uses me outside of Limited,” it cackled,”what makes you want to give a try?” I blinked.”Oh. Well. See, I think I’m crazy,” I said to my little digital card.
“Proceed,” it replied merrily.
Waiter, Menu Please! The Return of DoctorJay
I’m writing for you folks who gather regularly around dining room tables for one-on-one duels and who think competitive thrill is a 3-2 Friday Night Magic record with a deck of your own creation. I used to think my target audience was too small to matter, but writing for MTG.com changed my mind. I know you’re out there, so sit back and enjoy yourself.
The Second Age Of Super Creatures
Recently, I’ve begun to fall in love with Magic’s Super Creatures again – oh, not Morphling, Masticore, and Spiritmonger. There’s too much pain associated with those three for real love. Besides, I still think decks with them lack imagination. No, I’m talking about Magic’s new Super Creature.
The Diary Of doctorjay: The Marksman’s Final Report
Truth be told, I’m still not entirely satisfied. I still wish I knew a way to fit Krosan Tusker in the deck. I still wish I could feel more comfortable with the deck’s mana situation in general, actually. I still wish I knew a card – something like Centaur Glade or Flamewave Invoker – that could help me better abuse the large amounts of land along with Seedborn Muse. I still wish I had another month or two to hammer out these issues. The Marksman is far from perfect, even for a casual deck.
The Diary Of doctorjay: The Seedborn Cometh
The suggestions for changes to the Marksman, my Kamahl/Goblin Sharpshooter deck, since my last”Diary” installment have been flooding in – why not Pitchstone Wall? Use cycling lands! Wooded Foothills, dummy! Far Wanderings and Living Wish! Well, I checked out some of those changes, and here’s the next thirty games or so with this sucker as it gives people the ride to Scoopville.
The Diary Of doctorjay: 25 Games In The Casual Room
Since switching to Lava Dart, I haven’t felt completely out of a game with The Marksman at my side. I don’t get that this-deck-is-too-good-for-the-casual-room feeling yet, but I’m closer to it than when I started…. And you know what janky card has been working surprisingly well?
The Diary Of doctorjay: The Marksman Takes Aim!
I am painfully aware that further writing about my Kamahl/Goblin Sharpshooter topic is silly; It is a deck no one but me will play nowhere except the”Casual Constructed” room of Magic Online. However, one thing I never get to do in my writings on Magicthegathering.com is really dissect a pet deck and follow its evolution. So how where do you go with Sharpshooters and Kamahl Mark 2?
Starting From Scratch: The Key Points Of Building A States-Worthy Deck From Nothing
Here is a depressing little fact: Almost no rogue decks win major tournaments. Jamie Wakefield’s PTQ win with Secret Force is legendary partly because of Jamie’s writing skill and partly because he was like the Little Engine That Could – failing repeatedly with the same deck before finally qualifying. I’m the king of rogue decks, and if I really wanted to win, I wouldn’t go rogue… But if I did, here’s the basic steps I’d take towards making a competitive deck.
The Diversity Of Magic: Player Types
Ever wonder why every change by anybody in the Magic community produces a torrent of bitching? Jay, returning to his old digs for a while from his stint at Magicthegathering.com, tries to break down the four styles of players in a way that’s not just”Casual/Pro” or”Spike/Johnny/Timmy.”