Ask Ken, 08/03/2004
In last week’s draft, I had a hand of: Infused Arrows, Suntouched Myr, Thought Courier, Raise the Alarm, Arcbound Worker, 2 Swamps. Do you mulligan this hand or not?
Select
Blog Fanatic: I was a Teenage Fallen Empires Box Winner, Part 2
I woke up Monday morning to find this message in my e-mail box:”My suggestion is that you not tease your readers with unfinished stories. Especially not after telling them they would only have to wait another blog to hear the finale.
Oh and you have a cute butt.”
Deck Names – You Are Not Special, Just Call It a Variation
Recently, there have been a few different decks to catch my attention, trying to pass themselves off as new archetypes despite being just slightly different from already existing or well-known decks. So today, I’m going to pull a JP Meyer and tell everyone that they’re wrong, and I’m right. (JP quotes sprinkled in to make sure you at least”heh” a couple of times.)
Rule of Law: Are you in a band?
The problem with banding is that hardly anyone understands what it does. And since Rule of Law is designed to give people understanding of the rules, it only makes sense that I at least try to tackle banding (and its ugly stepsister,”bands with other”).
You CAN Play Type I #140 – Would You Loan Your Moxen to an Eight-year-old?
Each June, I’ve taken to taking a step back and just assessing where I am, in column form. The column meter is now at 140, and this annual retreat into a written fortress of solitude has become very valuable. Though perhaps I find myself in the mood for something more mellow in 2004.
Selecting a Deck for Fun and Profit
Tournaments are rarely won by the player who had the cleverest deck. The reason rogue victories are so memorable is that they are uncommon and unexpected. We remember the Decree Deck, the Solution, Scrounger TurboLand, and so on because we expect victories in their breakout environments from other choices. Most of the time, tournaments are won by the luckiest players making the fewest mistakes, playing the best tuned versions of consistent archetype decks. But how do players select which decks, specifically, that they will bring?
Blog Elemental — The Mastermind Behind Nuts and Bolts
So last week I get an e-mail from an R&D member who happens to be the original creator of the Nuts and Bolts preconstructed deck discussing some possible additions to the deck…
Blog Fanatic: What’s in Store
Rich Jacques (one of our regulars) got the Wall deck at my deck challenge. Rich got paired up against Erhnam and Burnem in the fourth round, and complained bitterly about losing to River Boa two of the games. “He has four Boas, and I have only four Swords! I have no other way to deal with them!” I picked up his sideboard to find he had sided out Stinging Barriers. “Uh Rich, these guys are pretty good against one toughness creatures. “Oh my God!” yelled Virginia State Champion Wes Moss, one of Rich’s friends. “That’s like the best card in your deck. Why’d you side it out?”
From Right Field: All You Need is Blog
Follow Romeo as he takes you through his average Magic week, complete with awful new deck ideas, actual playtesting sections, and the usual assortment of cheesecake.
They Keep Getting Younger – Dutch Nationals *2nd*
So how exactly did the World’s newest Magic prodigy make it to the Dutch National team, home of some of the best Magicians on the planet, in his first ever Nationals event? We have the full story, right here.
StarCityGames.com Writer Lost in Desert
Our favorite Type One curmudgeon hasn’t been heard from in weeks!
The Worst Mindslaver Ever: U.S. Nationals Day 2
I swing with the Dragon, taking Mike down to eight. Then I cast Mindslaver and activate it. Mike uptaps his permanents, hands me his hand, and I draw…
From my own deck.
Ask Ken, 07/30/2004
Why is it that every time I play Journey of Discovery, I draw a land for the next two turns?
Blog Elemental – Cog-Tacularity
I probably should have done this long ago, but here is a list of all Standard-legal”cogs” (artifacts of zero or one casting cost) and some commentary from me on whether I think they have a shot at making the deck. The Forums are taking on a great community feel, and I know a lot of people are taking their own cog decks in many different directions. For that reason, I’ll make this list comprehensive by including cogs that I’m already using and have already abandoned. Consider it your own handy-dandy cog deckbuilding reference.