Josh turns his back on the usual strategy this week, instead concentrating on some of the more intangible measures of success. Be recounting his own experiences, he looks at the importance of player attitude and team (and community) testing. Just how far can one’s desire propel us in the pro arena? And is a healthy test group a sure-fire way to succeed? Read on to find out…
According to Josh, Coldsnap is “a Constructed format in which you have to draft your decks.” With many broken strategies made possible by the odd slanting of card numbers, it is hard to disagree with his convictions. Today, he examines one such Constructed Draft archetype – the Icefall deck. This strategy has reaped rewards on Magic Online… can it do the same for you?
With RGD Sealed entering its dying days, Josh turns his eye to the decks from the Japanese Nationals. His article research led him into duel after duel with Mike Flores, throwing the Top 8 decks against the strong 8StoneRain.dec. While Mike makes some bold claims for the metagame, Josh’s agreement isn’t absolute. Read on to find out how the matches progressed…
Today, Josh takes us through a mock PTQ for Pro Tour: Kobe. He shares an RGD Sealed cardpool, explaining his personal methods of card choice and deck construction. Then he moves onto a triple-Coldsnap draft, and shares his picks from one to forty-five. Indeed, the draft he presents is an alternate look at today’s Drafting With Rich! This is an excellent article with some interesting Limited tips…
While Coldsnap Limited is the new kid in town, qualifiers for Pro Tour: Kobe continue unabated. Today, Josh looks at an intricate RGD Sealed pool, and offers his thoughts on the format as a whole. RGD Sealed seems like it’s been around forever… but there are, as always, fresh insights to be learned. Plus, for those who enjoy building Sealed pools, Josh adds a bonus pool for discussion in the forums…
Solar Flare, the worst kept secret in Magic, continues to show strong at the top tables of high-level events. This child of Magic Online held a unique position in the metagame… and sadly, it appears that Solar Flare’s day in the sun may soon be coming to an end. Will the deck surpass its shelf-life, or will it remain a mere flash in the pan?
Josh takes an introspective look at his own personal performance at U.S. Nationals. While his Standard deck was undoubtedly powerful, both Coldsnap and RGD draft supplied hidden pitfalls that prevented him going far in the tournament. So, what went wrong? And in the harsh light of day, what steps can be taken to put things right?
With U.S. Nationals starting tomorrow, Josh looks back at an old control favorite that has dropped from the limelight… U/R Tron. It’s a strong control option, to be sure… but are the versions splashing Green for the dangerous Simic Sky Swallower strictly superior to the two-color versions? Can the plain ol’ Blue/Red take the title of Strongest Control Deck in Standard? The answers lie within…
Josh presents an overview of triple Coldsnap draft. This past weekend saw fireworks at both Grand Prix St Louis and Grand Prix Malmo, the first events to see the format in high-level action. With US Nationals on the horizon, the format is open for examination. Josh shares his picks for the top cards in each color, and discusses a number of interesting archetypes presented by the fabled Lost Set of Ice Age Block…
StarCityGames.com are proud to announce a new addition to our Featured Writer staff… Josh Ravitz! In his inaugural address, Josh looks at the popular Green/White/Blue Glare Dovescape deck that’s currently attacking the Standard metagame. This deck has a superb matchup against the omnipresent Vore deck… but just how robust is it against the rest of the field?
After failing to get any TOGIT teammates this year and after attempting but failing to qualify with another team, there was only one PTQ left that I could conceivably play in. I didn’t have a team or many good prospects until the Monday before the PTQ… the end result is the following:
Me: (6:53:44 PM): and when we win
Me: (6:53:47 PM): will you go to Seattle?
Chris Pikula: (6:53:49 PM): yes
