In the second of today’s articles in the Spotlight on States series, Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin concentrates on his strengths. He’s been busy tweaking and testing his latest version of Relic Control, priming himself for States competition at the weekend. Aggressive decks tend to come out in force for this tournament… if you’re looking to run with a controlling strategy, look no further!
Continuing our Spotlight on States series, Kyle Sanchez walks us through three distinct Standard strategies, two of which are currently fighting for final favor regarding his 75-select this weekend. He also takes the opportunity to say goodbye, as this is his final Monday article for StaCityGames.com… but don’t worry, Sanchez fans, I’m sure he won’t be gone for long…
Today, Chris talks about the combo season that never came, and where the Combo archetype is currently sat. He also discusses the effect this has had on Goblins and what that deck might look like post-Lorwyn.
Still unsure what to play at States? Here are a few suggestions from our StarCityGames.com Premium staff…
Spotlight on States: The Ghosts of States Past (Mono-Green and Rakdos in Standard) by Mike Flores
Spotlight on States: The Siege by Richard Feldman
Spotlight on States: Blue-Based Beatdown by Steve Sadin
Spotlight on States: Beating Down With Gaddock Teeg by Benjamin Peebles-Mundy
Spotlight on States: Stupid Green Deck by Adrian Sullivan
Spotlight on States: Red Aggression in Standard by Dan Paskins
Spotlight on States: Grim Teachings by Patrick Chapin
Blue/White Flying Control by Mike Flores
Wren and Stompy by Tim Aten
States is fast approaching, and it’s time to buckle down and choose our decks!. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike share an U/W Control build with which he hopes to defend his crown at the end of the month. Flyers, board control, and ridiculous card drawing… what’s not to love? Is this deck the next big thing in Standard? Even if we don’t play it, we can’t afford to ignore it… so read on!
Going into Pro Tour: Valencia, Tiago Chan had nothing more than a vague idea about his weapon of choice. After a prolonged chat with Frank Karsten, he took up his seventy-five select and attempted to bring home the big check. Sadly, things didn’t go well for Portugal’s finest… and believe me, after some of the bad beats, that’s definitely an understatement! For more tales from Tiago’s table, read on!
Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week we’re in Spain for Pro Tour: Valencia where I talk to a huge number of pros, show you what really happened when it flooded the entire venue, and give you behind the scenes access to the Top 8. Ready to join in the fun? Let’s go!
We all know what it’s like to go on tilt. It’s just one of those things that happens sometimes, often feeling entirely beyond our control, and at its worst it can pervade how we look at and feel about the game. I’ve been on tilt for a few weeks now, and the game has really been all about minimizing the damages I do to myself outside the game (i.e. financially) because I am going to make these blunders…
Grand Prix winner Steve Sadin takes us through his Pro Tour: Valencia deck step by step, a deck which he believes will still; be a contender in the post-Lorwyn Extended environment. He updates his build with the new cards, and suggests some goblin-based beatdown strategies for the new Extended… Goblins with Tarmogoyf? Is no deck safe from the attentions of the two-drop green goliath?
Mister Aten doesn’t write often, but when he does… it’s party time! Today he shares some of his more acerbic and humorous views on the Pro Tour (and PT: Valencia in particular), breaking down the runners, riders, and high finishers in his own inimitable style. He then brings us an intriguing Mono-Green Beatdown deck for States… one that doesn’t run Tarmogoyf! If you’re looking for something a little off-the-wall, then read on!
Extended, it seems, is a wide-open format. The variety of the stronger decks in Pro Tour: Valencia was staggering, and new strategies sat proudly alongside format stalwarts like Domain Zoo and Dredge. One such innovative deck was the Feldman, Hill, and Lybaert offering, Rock and Nail. Today’s Deep Analysis takes us through the concepting and initial design of the deck, which place both pilots in the money when the final cards were flopped…
So, when last we met I was 2-5 in the Mockvitational and about to play four rounds of Standard. The interesting thing is that three of my remaining four opponents — Christian Calcano, Asher Hecht, and Gabe Carlton-Barnes — were 1-2-3 in the standings at that point. So much like baseball’s Washington Nationals, I would get a chance to spoil the dreams of some New Yorkers in October. Calcano was even wearing a Mets jersey, it was just too perfect. I would also have to play Mike Flores, who was my main competition for the ignominious last-place finish…
Every once in a while, I get an e-mail or StarCityGames.com in-box message asking about this deck that I mention which inspired my very first Magic column. The deck was called Ants in the Pants, and I wrote about it for a defunct web site called 7Towers.net. Given that people still seem interested and that I couldn’t finish any of the sixteen article ideas I had this week, I decided to reprint the piece here…
Hello again, my friends. It’s been a while since my last article in which I simply build decks for you. I figure that you are due. Additionally, I historically write an article with decks featuring the newest cards directly after my Five Color set review. Let’s keep that history intact and build a few decks for your consumption.
Tribes, tribes, tribes… in Lorwyn Draft, you must pledge your allegiance early. Yesterday saw Nick Eisel walk us through some of the finer points of Goblin drafting. Today, it’s the turn of Benjamin Peebles-Mundy, championing the Faerie tribe. While their synergies may not be as eye-pokingly obvious as some of the other tribes, their raw power when combined cannot be denied. Removal, evasion, and trickery… it’s all here!
