Reality has a funny way of slapping your face when you least expect it. Today, JFR shares some of the more recent developments in the rollercoaster of life. He also presents some interesting decks, spanning Legacy to Standard to Limited and beyond… The usual cast are here, as are the jokes and the jibes and the angry rants. Mr Rizzo is an acquired taste… and if you’ve not acqured it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!
Yes folks, it’s true… Geordie is back! Lured into our addictive game by a nearby Grand Prix, Sarnia’s finest returns to the pages of StarCityGames.com with an epic tale of Magical mayhem. With Jeff Cunningham recently raising the bar in the Tournament Report arena, Geordie straightens his back and squares up to the challenge. This is an excellent reintroduction to the works of Mr. Tait, and promises to be a wonderful series.
Terry is offically in love with the Red/Blue/Green draft strategy in Ravnica Block… so much so that he’s not played a sanctioned Limited match without forcing everyone’s favorite archetype. Today, he runs through some sample drafts – those he faced while making his most recent Grand Prix Top 8 – and mentions some interesting cards that have raised or lowered in value.
In a complementary article to Mike Flores, Steve looks at the G/W versus R/G matchup from the Gruul perspective. While the results were the same, and the strength of the Elephants was paramount, the R/G beatdown staple is one deck that can simply destroy anything. Block Constructed promises to be a fun and varied format… but when the dust settles, with the beatdown machine remain triumphant?
Stephen took the powerful Grim Long deck to the SCG Power 9 events in Rochester, and came away with a Sunday Top 8 performance. His report examines the strengths and weaknesses of both his deck and his playskill over the two days, and shares a massive amount of matchup and scenario data. In July, the next SCG Power 9 events are being held at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC… is Grim Long the deck for you?
Josh rounds off his excellent series on Ravnica Block Constructed by examining some possible Control builds. Firemane Angel, Savage Twister Control, and the ever-popular Niv-Mizzet get their five minutes of fame… combine this with a look at some of the possible sideboard options against the promised and expected strategies.
Pro Tour Charleston kicks off today, and teams of eager players prepare to slam their Ravnica Block decks head-to-head against all comers. Today, Mike Flores and Steve Sadin share their testing results and decklists for the popular R/G Aggro archetype, and a G/W Glare deck that routinely wins on the back of Three Stupid Elephants. These articles break the back of this matchup, and are perfect preparation for the weekend ahead!
While conventional wisdom tells us that a three-color deck is the RGD Draft path of choice, there is merit in ignoring such advice. Nick believes that utilizing a two-color strategy, while sacrificing power, can reap considerable benefits in tempo and consistancy. He breaks down two of the more successful two-color archetypes, providing pick choices and sample decklists, and does so without touching a drop of Blue mana!
The Pro Tour hits Charleston this weekend. The format? Team Ravnica Block Constructed. Online, the Ravnica Block Constructed metagame consists largely of BGW Control variants… but in team, those cards will be spread pretty thin. Mike examines the cards and archetypes that’ll make waves in the team format, and while such stalwarts as Loxodon Hierarch are a given, is Simic Sky Swallower really overrated? This is a must-read article for those doing battle this weekend!
Mark concludes his tale from Grand Prix Toronto, sharing in-depth draft analysis and game runthroughs. His Top 8 match versus Jelger Weigersma was a mammoth encounter, and Mark experienced both highs and lows while marching towards his outstanding finish. With zero byes, he nearly went all the way… an excellent and enlightening read.
Adrian returns with his second article in two days. Not content with “merely” creating a tournament-winning Vintage deck, Mr Sullivan has focused his considerable deckbuilding talent on the Ravnica Block Constructed metagame. He presents Lasik.dec, a combo build that packs one hell of a punch. Undecided on what to play at Pro Tour Charleston? Maybe Adrian has the answer…
Jeroen returns for his usual Wednesday column, answering questions from tournament players and casual spellslingers across the globe. Today sees the Dutchman tackle the subject of Draft picks. What are the cards you should be seeing in picks five through eight? How do you maximize your splash mana? And which pro player has the worst taste in music? All this, and more, available with a simple click of the mouse…
As we all know, RGD Draft is still a mightily confusing format. Today, we present Rasmus Sibast, fresh from his Top 8 performance at Pro Tour Prague, giving us the highs and lows of his PT experience. His preparation for the tournament was lacking, yet he managed an excellent finish nonetheless. His report is fun of match data and good times… the Oots have never been bigger.
In last weekend’s SCG Power 9 Rochester tournaments, Day 1 saw a rogue deck, designed by Adrian and piloted by Tommy Kolowith, take the top honors. Adrian is no stranger to deck success. Both Eminent Domain and Kooky Jooky made a splash in their respective Standard scenes. Want the lowdown behind this fresh and funky Vintage creation? Card analysis, decklists, and matchup info… only a mouseclick away!
Last week, Jeff began an epic narration of his wonderful run in the 2006 Magic Invitational. Today, he rounds off the report with his usual skill and grace. With the ultimate in Magical glory on the line, he faces all comers… and documents each and every thought along the way. A sublime conclusion to an incredible series.
