I’m starting up a week off, capped off by Grand Prix: Hiroshima. Lord knows, I’ve got enough writing on my plate at the moment. The fact that my builds haven’t had actual battle testing irks me, so I’ll note that my next installment will cover a Top 8 Sealed deck helmed by myself. A little taste of victory enlivens the writer’s wit. (It has nothing to do with bragging. No, not in the slightest.)
Last article, I wrote about the cost of Magic, specifically Standard. In the forums, the debate developed two sidetracks; the “you just hate dual lands” and “play Vintage, it’s cheaper in the long run.” The first sidetrack is just stupid — read the fu- err, fine article, I don’t hate the duals. As for the second sidetrack, well, let’s do the math…
After four months’ absence, this is all I can muster. I’m really slipping. Must be all that time hanging around Tim Aten and bathing in a fountain of pure unadulterated apathy. I’ve already learnt better than to try and berate myself in the presence of The Master Himself, and without an avalanche of self-loathing I realized that my writing is completely bereft of content. But I’m assigned to a daily, so I have to try.
With Solar Flare being the deck of choice, and with Heartbeat taking its rightful place atop the metagame mountain, Mike revisits old ground to find a solution to the skewed matchup problem. White Wafo-Tapa, born from a U/R Wildfire list, attempts to harness power and consistency, proving to be surprisingly durable against the top contenders…Is it the deck that’ll win you your next Standard tournament?
Solar Flare, the worst kept secret in Magic, continues to show strong at the top tables of high-level events. This child of Magic Online held a unique position in the metagame… and sadly, it appears that Solar Flare’s day in the sun may soon be coming to an end. Will the deck surpass its shelf-life, or will it remain a mere flash in the pan?
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!
With Coldsnap entering the Constructed cardpool in a matter of days, Sean looks at a possible upgrade to the popular (and intricate) Heartbeat Combo deck. Into the North? Scrying Sheets? Does it add anything to this already-powerful deck? Read on to find out!
Historically, SCG Duel for Duals (DFD) have been dominated by Goblins and Reset High Tide (“Solidarity”), with each of those decks winning the past two DFDs. How did they do this time?
I figured a follow-up article was in order for the Atlanta House Blog. Clearly much of the excitement occurred after the blog closed, so I wanted to fill you in on that. I also wanted to impart some of the general and specific lessons I learned during the flood of gamers. Finally, I wanted to discuss my picks for the Hall of Fame.
Adam completes his daily series with a look at the Tiddy Mun, presenting some interesting views on the nature of Black in our glorious game. And before you ask… yes, we all talk like that in England…
Nick took a methodical, structured approach to Standard testing for the 2006 U.S. Nationals. His article today shares his process, step-by-step, with his thoughts behind a number of decks in the current metagame. He shares his test decks, and the list of his final weapon of choice, alongside some practical tips on preparing for large events. Invaluable advice for those working toward upcoming Constructed tournaments.
Kyle placed highly at Grand Prix: St. Louis… and this is his story. Entertaining, enlightening, and a lot of fun, this excellent report packs strategy and good times in equal measure. The Pro Tour Qualifiers for PT: Kobe are still in full swing… Kyle’s insight into Coldsnap Draft may make the difference between a Top 8 pin and a Blue Envelope.
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!
Last week’s article made me realize something important. Some players don’t understand that there is a casual metagame. If you sit down to play some random casual players, there are some things you can expect to see on a regular basis.
I don’t see any reason to rehash Centaurs, Assassins, Imps, or Skeletons. I also don’t see the need to try Thrulls after Flawed Paradigm gave it such a valiant effort in the Forums a few weeks ago. I’m left with half of the Tribes of Five list: Avatars, Kirin, Lizard, Lord, and Nephilim. Which to choose for a deck this week?
