As fantastic as White is as a support color right now – due in large part to being the primary casting cost on Momentary Blink – it does a fairly poor job of being the backbone of decks anymore, and many worry that Damnation is going to be a rather large, if not final, nail in that coffin.
So this week, I propose solutions.
With blisterguy toddling off to a retirement home in the sun, it’s now my turn to tread the online boards and act out your MTGO metagame fantasies. This first article takes a detailed look at both the Standard and Extended online metagames this past week, and interviews a high-placed finisher in a 4x Extended event. Looking for the electronic edge? Look no further!
After waxing lyrical about Tenacious Tron for a number of weeks, Richard turned his back on his baby and rolled up to a PTQ with a new and interesting deck. Unfortunately, things didn’t go smoothly that day… but does his subpar performance mean that his deck choice was a bad one? This enlightening article looks at cause and effect in Magic, and posits that the path to success is never as clear as it first appears.
Chris Romeo, casual deckbuilder and all-round nice guy, takes the opportunity to get a few things off his chest this week. In this remarkable return to his caustic roots, Mr Romeo unleashes both barrels at the population at large. No one is safe from his vitriol and spite. Remember — you have been warned.
With the Extended PTQ season grinding towards completion, Peter breaks down the January and February PTQ results, identifying the Tier 1 and Tier 2 strategies that feed into the post-Planar Chaos metagame. He also tackles the myth of the “Local Metagame,” and presents a G/W/r Beatdown deck for folks looking for something a little different.
While Time Spiral Block Constructed is due to change with the inclusion of Planar Chaos, that doesn’t stop the MTGO wheels a-turning. Today, Mark shares a few Block decks that rely on everyone’s current favorite legend — Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. Yes folks, he really IS that good.
With Jamie’s Mid-Range Green in Extended strategy suffering a few knocks in recent articles, he decides it’s back to the drawing board. His new deck — Tramplampler — takes all he’s learnt about the format and hones it to a diamond edge, albeit a diamond edge riding on the back of flabby Green monsters. This Extended deck has done wonders for Jamie’s online rating… can it do the same for you?
With the Top 8s of the approaching Two-Headed Giant Champs events being 2HG Draft, and with a Pro Tour looming that shares the format, Nick takes a timely look at the basics of the game. It’s safe to say that you can take your Time Spiral and Planar Chaos pick orders and throw them out of the window! Urborg Syphon-Mage over Errant Ephemeron? Cancel over Lightning Axe? It’s a strange new world, to be sure…
Vintage, the broken format of Magic, is packed with turns that can make an average spellslinger explode with options. Today’s article sees Stephen walk us through a three-game set between Grim Long and Meandeck Gifts. His analysis, as always, is exhaustive — and the matchup truly defines the column title of “So Many Insane Plays.”
Back from the kitchen, seasoned wanderer Eli (standing in for The Ferrett) offers up a fresh, complex blend of convoluted tastes in Time Spiral/Planar Chaos Sealed. See how your cardboard cookery stands up in this stadium showdown!
With RidiculousHat taking the first Magic Puzzles crown, can YOU be the next winner of this prestigious award? The next competition starts here, with a tricky puzzle set in a Time Spiral / Planar Chaos draft…
Here in the States, the 2008 Presidential campaign is already in full gear, with all sorts of figures jumping in the race – Barak Obama, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton; even Britney Spears is shaving her head and getting tattoos in an effort to play to a more liberal base. In honor of President’s Day today, StarCityGames.com is pleased to interview a few of the less mainstream candidates who have either declared or are mulling over a run for President.
Standard is a wide-open field right now, but many if not most of the Tier 1 decks are powered by the trifecta of the Power Plant, Mine and Tower; the mighty Urzatron. With the release of Planar Chaos, every deck gets a few new trinkets to toy with. The Tron-based decks are no exception. But who gets the best toys? You could make an argument for my personal favorite of the Trons, TriscuitTron.
After Ervin’s breakthrough Top 8 performance at Pro Tour: LA, it’s safe to say that he faded a little from the Magical Map. Of course, a few Day 2 Grand Prix performances are nothing to be sniffed at… but the Big Time seemed slightly out of reach. Pro Tour: Geneva, however, set Mr Tormos up for greater things… and you can read about his journey to the Top 8 here!
Mike Flores, Breaker of Metagames, brings us a fresh Extended deck that took him to within an inch of success of his last PTQ. Harnessing the heady power of 4/4 monsters — a trait that would make Jamie Wakefield proud — has Mike finally achieved his seasonal goal and broken the format? You’d better be prepared to face this deck, because folk will run it come PTQ time.
