Having peeked last week at Coldsnap in Standard, the results of the Japanese National Championships is pretty exciting. After discussing the use of Scrying Sheets, Counterbalance, and Phyrexian Ironfoot in Standard, just a day or two later we see all three in the Top 8 of the Japanese National Championships! In addition to these, we also got to see a few other trends advance themselves… some with Coldsnap cards, some without.
Evan’s budget Reanimator deck took down my budget Summer Bloom deck with embarrassing ease. Not content with simply writing about my defeat, Evan went and recorded the whole thing on video! This article sees us debut some Magic Online video content, concentrating on my profound failure… I hope you enjoy it more than I did.
When Julien made the Top 8 of Grand Prix: Hiroshima, many were surprised to see his name at the final table. Not because of his skill at the game – we all know he’s one of the best – but because of the location. His triple-Coldsnap draft strategy is undoubtedly a strong one, as Green is perhaps the strongest color in the set. Today’s article sheds some light on his performance at the event, and shares some tips and tricks for beating down with the wobbly monsters.
When drafting with a group of experienced Magic veterans, it pays to play for something more than mere bragging rights. This entertaining article tackles the subject of playing for something more… By collating the statistics behind each draft, and by introducing an interesting system of “pride-bucks,” it is possible to support any bragging with cold, hard facts. Paul also shares some drafting wisdom, with comments on what it’s like to be fed by one Jon Finkel…
Rich continues his excellent series of Coldsnap 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!
Josh continues his entertaining Daily series with a fun Standard deck built around one of the unsung cards of Ninth Edition – Polymorph.
Agent Sargent — Abe, I believe you call him — is, as we speak being mailed in a package through every last British town with a vaguely dirty name, starting with Sussex, then Essex, then Wussex, and well, let’s not bog ourselves down in how clearly filthy-minded the British are. He’s in a large brown package, wrapped with string and tied with paper. And inside that package, my army of crack ninja pirates are extracting that final tidbit of information I need.
Rivien continues his excellent Tribal Bible series, presenting decks for the popular Tribal Standard format. Today’s offering? Elementals, Soldiers, and Birds.
Jeroen turns his attention to the Hall of Fame, explaininghis five picks for this year’s ballot. He supplies the reasoning behind each choice, and shares some amusing anecdotes concerning the players in question. As usual, he answers reader-submitted queries, and sends out a plea for more! You can ask your question by sending an email to [email protected].
Dan Paskins returns to the pages of StarCityGames.com after a brief hiatus. His article today concerns a recent Coldsnap conundrum faced in a recent PTQ Top 8. Given the details Dan had, would you have made the right choice? He also shares his thoughts on the triple-Coldsnap draft format. A fine return from Mr Paskins… long may it continue.
Rich continues his excellent series of Coldsnap 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!
Blisterguy ponders the online metagame, the electronic prices of cards, and Frank Karsten’s new column. He also brings us an update on his plans to burn an Umezawa’s Jitte…
No one really cares what I study in school. People just want to see a decklist, and that is what I am going to bring you in yet another installment of Why Does No One Play This Card.
GenCon this year was a blast. I played some, judged some, saw some great Magic, and was attacked by flaming mummies and by a desert tray. GenCon hosted the Vintage and Legacy Champs, and Five-Color Worlds. I also saw Sam Black redefine “having a good weekend.”
This week, Patrick takes a break from intensive deck testing to bring us a more theoretical article dealing with the nature of luck. Is luck something we’re reliant on? Are we at the fickle whim of an angry Fate? Or is it largely mythical, a crutch used to bolster the flagging egos of substandard players? The debate, plus some excellent practical tips on improving your luck… all available within!
