Ingrid, my wife, was out of town for a few days. I had Thursday off, and nothing but some chores over the weekend. I had a couple dozen tix, a virtual pile of unopened packs, and some ideas for new decks I wanted to try out. I was ready to play Magic — what could possibly go wrong?
Engines in Magic are relative to the cards around them. They are, at their best, pure synergy. The cards in an “Engine,” whether that is a combo, aggro, or control deck, work best when they’re all in play. When you draw all of them, you almost always win. Your “engine” is running. Your “game” has begun.
While Grand Prix Torino is naught but a distant memory for most, it still lingers in the darkest depths of Craig Jones’s fractured psyche. Luckily for us, the format is still very relevant – the qualifiers for Pro Tour Kobe are all RGD Sealed Deck – and so the Professor’s take on the Limited format is welcome. Add to this the fact that Craig’s report is packed with the usual good times and excellent writing, and we have a sure-fire winner!
Another day, another draft from the Canadian Limited master! As usual, Rich presents his full 45 picks, and shares the decklist and some brief analysis on both build and performance. For more detailed description on the thoughts behind each choice, be sure to join us in the forums!
In today’s edition of Magical Hack, Sean looks back at the results from Grand Prix Tolouse. As we know, the Japanese ran rampant through the field… but does their deck construction technique follow the pattern of four-color “greedy” madness that others espouse as the Great Way Forward?
It was, charitably, a disaster. Though my venture at the Two-Headed Giant Limited State Championship ended in the Top 4, the Individual Limited Championship last Saturday saw my Two-Headed teammate David and I collectively going 2-7-1 over the course of the main event and two side drafts, with our friend Chris contributing an additional 2-3. I myself managed to play two rounds in the main event and another in a side draft without winning a single game.
Troll Ascetic is one of the finest Green creatures ever printed. Ravenous Baloth is also one of the finest Green creatures ever printed. Why should you vote Troll over Baloth? The answer, my friends, is freedom of design constraint. Read on!
Teddy Card Game, fresh from his glorious victory with the mighty Paladin en-Vec, is convinced that this vote is a complete no-brainer. In the battle between Beasts and Trolls, it’s Boom Boom all the way…
“I am not a bum. I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. Now I only have two things: my friends, and my thermos. My story? I was born a poor Green child…”
Mike returned from his nearly-man Pro Tour with a clear goal in mind: play more Constructed Magic. Armed with a number of viable decks, he cut up the floor of the MTGO 8-man Standard queues… and came to a Blue/Red conclusion. Magnivore, powered by Steam Vents, is still the deck to beat. With strategic deconstruction and game walkthroughs, he pitches the case for the so-called Strongest Deck in Standard.
Mark rounds off his Week of Lists with a look back at the articles that have particularly pulled his chain. He presents his very own Top 10 Non-Tournament Report Articles… have you read them all?
This week, Jeroen answers a range of questions on both Limited and Constructed formats. He offers us the best deck in Ravnica Block Constructed, and assists out Limited thinking by running through a scenario involving an early Gigadrowse. Plus, he shares his views on draft articles, and has some advice for France in the soccer World Cup!
Since Pro Tour Honolulu, life on Heezy Street hasn’t been packed with rum and roses… Prague took a toll, and Mark has learnt that a PT winner’s lot isn’t always a happy one. In this entertaining report, he stands toe-to-toe with Reality, attempting to sucker-punch his way back to the top. With a forward from Jeff Cunningham, this report is sure to raise a smile.
Today’s edition of “Drafting With Rich” sees the Limited maestro lean heavily on the Red cards. As usual, the article lists each pick as it was made, with decklist and brief analysis supplied. For more detailed commentary, visit the forums!
In addition to sitting on the Five Color Ruling Council, I’m also on the Peasant Magic body. I’ve been looking for an article idea for Pez for months now, and the recent explosion of conversation has given me an excellent idea to give some updated Pez decklists and discuss the format.
