Welcome back to the Wednesday Edition of All Things Deck here on SCG. This week I’m randomly selecting cards to build decks around. When I select a happy card with my trusty dice, I am then forced to build a deck around it, no matter how boring the card may be.
So you’ve been slinging the paper cards for awhile, but just downloaded the Magic Online software. You might be under the illusion that Magic skill will translate directly to Magic Online skill… And unfortunately, you’d be wrong. You’ll dominate those who are remarkably worse than you are, of course – but all other things being equal, the person with more skill at navigating the Magic Online interface will win. So what tips and tricks does the beginning Magic Online player need to know to win?
England’s finest Constructed mind, Stuart Wright, turns his eye to triple Coldsnap draft. Today’s article sees Stu share a number of winning strategies that have served him well at high-level events and on Magic Online. There’s something for everyone in this comprehensive article… is there a deck style for you?
Vintage is the oldest and grandest format sanctioned by the DCI. It has a history as rich and varied as the game itself. Despite that background, it is in a constant state of growth and flux. In today’s article, Stephen reprises his Ten Principles of Vintage, investigating the very cornerstones that underpin Magic’s most broken format.
Chris submits his entry for the Longest Article Name competition, with a natty little piece discussing a Standard deck based on everyone’s favorite fat green beatstick – Protean Hulk. Actually, I thought the Hulk in question was Ronom Hulk, but I’ve got Coldsnap on the brain…
Josh embarks on an epic series examining the current decks in the Standard metagame, looking at what they’re set to lose in the next rotation. He shares some skeleton builds that could make up the metagame come Standard Champs; excellent preparation for those wanting an edge on their local field.
One of the recurring comments about Legacy is the non-viability of Combo or Control in this format, supposedly because of the dominance of Threshold or Goblins. Combo is indeed quite absent from the metagame, and Control is limited to weak board control decks which cannot do anything else other than crushing creatures (R/W Rift or Mono-White Control, for example) and are thus usually relegated as pure metagame decks. Oddly enough, the four decks I have been playing after Grand Prix: Lille with a good success are all either Combo or Control decks…
Volrath is mean and nasty. He personally sacrifices hidden creatures (in your hand) in order to pump himself up. He has nasty shapeshifters that are designed to look like the dead. His evil laboratories create new, twisted life. His Stronghold breathes new life into the unliving. Where in here is Volrath a gardener?
Joe Black has been absent of late… he faced a writing conundrum. What does a self-confessed Constructed junkie write about when mired in a sea of Limited Magic? Thankfully, Osyp found solace in a 100+ player Legacy event… today he shares his thoughts on the format, plus his decklist of choice. As if this weren’t enough, he also shares some of the aborted articles he began in his creative drought, with his customary irreverent style…
In a break from high strategy, this week’s Moreno Monday chronicles Billy’s formative Magical years. He details his ascension from kitchen table player, to Pro Tour Qualifier attendee, to Pro Tour mainstay, in an evocative and honest style. While not loaded with top tech tips, this is a fine companion article that captures the beauty of our wonderful game.
With the change of time comes a re-evaluation of decks. I don’t play my Glare deck any more, having sold my Yoseis. My Zo-Zus have found a better home, my Meloku and my Shining Shoals having raked me in quite a tidy sum compared to what I paid for them, and I am as we speak idly picking my way through the trash bins of Coldsnap, seeing what might one day be worth something, and what, in the meantime, will be fun to play.
Hello and welcome back to another set of daily decks brought to you by the Deckmaster General. Reading too many Magic articles may be hazardous to your health.
According to Josh, Coldsnap is “a Constructed format in which you have to draft your decks.” With many broken strategies made possible by the odd slanting of card numbers, it is hard to disagree with his convictions. Today, he examines one such Constructed Draft archetype – the Icefall deck. This strategy has reaped rewards on Magic Online… can it do the same for you?
Sean investigates Time Spiral, with the aid of the Orb of Insight, and predicts what trends the coming set will introduce for Limited play. Can the information revealed thus far serve as a sufficient barometer to predict the overall style we can expect to see played out? Sean reveals all…
Home stretch now. You’re only three days away from seeing my face replaced with Tim Aten’s, or Billy Moreno’s, or, you know, someone people who dislike me want to see. Never going to quite grok how this works out. I mean, you can stop my stuff from existing – stuff you “didn’t pay for” – by just waiting a few days and looking again. Who knows, there might be something that you like put up here… though god knows if you’d tell them.
