Since Block Constructed season has just officially gotten underway, I’ve decided to split this article. The first half will be me finishing the Designing Decks piece I started last week. The second half will be some pondering on TSP Block including bits and pieces of information from the first couple of PTQs and GP: Montreal thoughts. That’s a lot to tackle, so let’s get started!
It’s time for another Magic Puzzles article! Last time out, we looked at a ridiculous game state in which there were enough errors to make any judge’s head spin. This time, we’ll look at a couple of the situations that are not quite errors, even though they shouldn’t come up in your average game of Magic. Can you make sense of all the red herrings?
Of all the decks in Standard today, I personally feel that Dredge is the most difficult to design correctly. This mainly stems from the fact that each matchup plays completely differently, and you must know your most effective gameplan against each deck. Certain cards are MVPs in certain matchups, and it’s not always clear why until you have logged many games. I see a lot of play mistakes, even in premiere event Top 8 replays. Knowing the matchups inside and out is key.
One of The Ferrett’s old pals showed up in Cleveland last week, and they got together at La Casa McJuddMetz to crack open some packs and critique each other’s plays. What did The Ferrett learn about Time Spiral Sealed this week when facing down not one, but two buddies in the Pit Of Death?
Tim Aten, that far-too unfamiliar firebrand, presents us with an in-depth look at a single game from an 8-4 TPF draft. While Rich delivers a daily dose of Draft delight, Tim’s tactic takes is through two troublesome games play by play, and fills our heads with high-level in-game strategy. Seriously, as I was reading this I felt my brain expand. Welcome back, Mr Aten… you’ve been missed.
At Grand Prix: Columbus, the world and his wife were gunning for Flash. Now that particular bugbear has been banished from the format, the search is on for the next defining Legacy deck. Today, Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin brings us the deck that he claims is the strongest, most resilient Legacy deck in the format today.
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analysed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
The goal of this article (and the following one tomorrow) is to provide you with a thorough analysis of the Dredge archetype as it exists in today’s Standard. This articles will start off by discussing some of the general cards used in the dredge decks, followed by a thorough matchup analysis tomorrow. I will also present an overview on how to design your own Dredge deck based on the strengths of each card in each matchup. This way, you will be able to build a Dredge deck LEGO-Style, and reap some benefit from my extensive playtesting, to put you a step ahead of the average Joe playing Dredge.
This week’s Flores Friday sees Mike answer his critics with a detailed explanation of his recent Vectors argument. By fighting a Magical battle on the expected front, a player puts himself in the unenviable position to be outclassed come games 2 and 3. However, with a little canny repositioning, the numbers can be dragged back into the winning column. If you’re serious about improving your chances at your next Constructed tournament, you can’t afford to miss this.
In perfect time for the PTQ season, and Grand Prix: Montreal, Tiago Chan uses his first Friday slot to showcase a spicy little Reanimator deck that pushes all the right buttons. Swinging with turn 4 Akromas seems quite the value, as does burning the aggro armies into bite-sized little chunks. If you’re after something slightly off the beaten path, then Tiago has the sventy-five cards for you!
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analysed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
Sean follows on from his excellent web article last week with a practical theory that attempts to break down the Time Spiral Block metagame. Wiffle balls, mattresses, and footprints in the sand… Sean also brings us three solid-looking decks that incorporate the format’s favorite two-drop — Tarmogoyf, the Little Lhurgoyf That Could.
Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of The Magic Show. This week we’re taking a look at the upcoming Tenth Edition, my thoughts on the Invitational, my deck choice for the StarCityGames PTQ this weekend, and we cover a very special debacle that occurred at Indianapolis Regionals.
Legacy is home to a surprising number of decks that can kill on the first turn, with Belcher at the forefront in speed and reliability. In contrast, U/W/B Fish has all the tools it needs to shut down combo decks like Belcher and contain their secondary attempts. See how tactics change when the most important decisions happen before either player has a turn!
Adrian Sullivan, deckbuilding guru, takes a look at three of the winning Regionals decklists, and examines their particular strengths in the emerging metagame. He looks at the theory behind certain card choices, and offers what he considers to be beneficial changes to the seventy-five select. The Standard metagame is in a state of constant flux — With the help of Adrian, the choices become a little more straightforward.
