I was a little mean at some points earlier this week, but today’s article is going to be all sunshine and cuddles. I’m not really a vicious, angry person, and the few people who saw me drunk can attest to this. You really have to take what I say with a grain of salt, which of course means it’s what I really think, but I don’t want to suffer the consequences of saying it. Thus, if I insulted you in some way – this week or ever – then I was kidding. Ha ha!
I guess for me the moral of this whole blog is that if you want to be a serious gamer, you really need to play as many games as possible. Zelda, Poker, Draft, Worlds Decks, Megaman, Survivor, Standard… they all expand your capacity for strategic thought. The more strategies become second nature to you, the faster you can make correct decisions.
This week, Wizards of the Coast has given the community a chance to select one of eleven dragons for Selecting 10th Edition. I give you the straight rundown on each of the contenders, including the order they will finish in the vote, and the order they should finish in the vote, all things considered.
With U.S. Nationals starting tomorrow, Josh looks back at an old control favorite that has dropped from the limelight… U/R Tron. It’s a strong control option, to be sure… but are the versions splashing Green for the dangerous Simic Sky Swallower strictly superior to the two-color versions? Can the plain ol’ Blue/Red take the title of Strongest Control Deck in Standard? The answers lie within…
Jeoren rounds out his comprehensive Coldsnap rundown with a look at the Green, Gold, Artifact, and Land cards. We all know that Ohran Viper is one of the best cards in the set… but does it take the top spot? If not, what does? As usual, Jeroen evaluates the cards with one eye on Constructed and the other on Limited. Tomorrow, he brings us a wrap-up article full of strong opinions… be sure to tune in!
Rich shares his Drafting technique in today’s installment of “Drafting With Rich!” As usual, he runs through a complete RGD draft from pick one to pick forty-five, and adds a brief commentary on his performance and final build. If you’d like some more detailed deconstruction, come visit the forums!
Abe takes a mighty stab at producing a Snow Matters Five-Color 250-card deck. While not designed to be competitive, it is certainly a lot of fun for the casual player…
After thoroughly destroying Ben Goodman in the previous round, Talen turns his laser eyes toward fresh meat. His opponent this week? Josh Claytor.
NOTE: This match has been moved to Saturday July 29th, 7pm EST, in the Anything Goes room on MTGO. Be there!
Dear Talen Lee,
Hi.
I hope things are going well.
I know last week you took a tight match with Goodman, but this edition is going to be awful for you. I’m going to beat up on you like so many a fattie before me has beaten up on an all-you-can-eat buffet.
NOTE: This match has been moved to Saturday July 29th, 7pm EST, in the Anything Goes room on MTGO. Be there!
From the time he was a mere pup, Fang knew he wasn’t like the other dogs. While his friends enjoyed fetching sticks, burying bones, and chasing cars, Fang found himself more interested in posting blogs and listening to Panic! At the Disco…
It’s been a couple of days since I got to the Atlanta House, I think. I’m actually not sure if it is Tuesday, Wednesday, midnight or noon. So much happens; with so many monitors my brain is on stimulation overload. Here are some things that I think have happened, but can neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of them.
Stephen takes a look at the more esoteric skills needed to succeed with the powerful Grim Long deck. He examines the stronger cards in the deck, and provides some sample hands to demonstrate various thought processes and plays. While the science of Magic is something Stephen excels at, the art behind this particular deck is what makes it so rewarding. Looking for an edge at your next Vintage showdown? Look no further.
John Friggin’ Rizzo takes his Nearly Mono Black in Standard deck and throws it at a number of tournament fields. While sporting some fine results, it didn’t quite take him all the way to the top. However, there are gems to be found here, with various Nationals tournaments fast approaching. Will Yukora make a splash on the World stage soon? Only time will tell…
Rich continues his excellent series of RGD Draft walkthroughs, presenting each pick as it happened and highlighting each card chosen. He shares his final decklist, and gives us a brief overview of his results and processes. As usual, for more detailed draft deconstruction, come visit us in the forums!
Stuart Wright, one of England’s finest deckbuilders and players, takes a romp through the Standard metagame in time for the approaching Nationals tournaments. He presents a breakdown of the more popular archetypes (with sample decklists) and provides some handy hints on how to play against these powerful, proven workhorses. A fine article, packed with solid advice.
