Magic: The Gathering (Discussion)

[Dimir]

Magic: The Gathering is a trading card game created in 1993 and distributed by Wizards of The Coast. The player is known as a Planeswalker, a being that casts spells and creatures to aid you in battle against your opponents. The cards are based off the storyline of the series. Each set of cards originate from the planes of the world, different universes with different characters. The only characters that can travel through the different planes are the planeswalkers, very rare characters who gain significant powers from a spark being released inside them.

I prefer to play as pure-black or blue/black. There are also green, white, red and colorless variants of decks. It would be impossible to list all the noteable cards here, so below is the search feature of the mtg website. You can play either in-person or online, I use Cockatrice to play online.

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Advanced.aspx

[Blythe]

Hey, Dimir, I moved your topic from the Cardboard Heroes section to Off-Topic. The CH&WB section is for ongoing board/card games or interest checks for such. Discussion would be for here in Off-Topic.

That being said, I used to play MtG years ago. I think I favored black (swamp) and green (forest) cards. I bought a few decks here and there, but for the life of me, I can't remember what I've done with them. I vaguely recall using a Nezumi-themed deck at one point. I haven't much played in recent years, though.

[Dimir]

Hey, Dimir, I moved your topic from the Cardboard Heroes section to Off-Topic. The CH&WB section is for ongoing board/card games or interest checks for such. Discussion would be for here in On-Topic.

That being said, I used to play MtG years ago. I think I favored black (swamp) and green (forest) cards. I bought a few decks here and there, but for the life of me, I can't remember what I've done with them. I vaguely recall using a Nezumi-themed deck at one point. I haven't much played in recent years, though.

Appreciated it Blythe. You could always play online and make an older-variant deck if that would interest you.

[Madame Professor]

I have played MtG longer than I should probably admit, simply because it makes me feel old to say so... >.>

So I have played every color combination under the sun, but lately, I have been favoring my Green/White populate deck. I took a break from Magic for a while and returned with the released Return to Ravnica and fell in love with Selesnya.

Back in the day, I favored my Black/Blue discard deck, which was a lot of fun for me, but not so much for my friends. I think a few of the cards I have in that deck aren't even Legacy legal any longer... But, with a lot of the new mechanics they are coming out with.. my older deck was just too slow to keep up with most of them. Especially a scavenge deck.  >.>

[Inkidu]

Used to play, quit, sold my cards at a major loss. So I'm a bit jaded about the whole TCG thing.

Love them, don't see them as a good investment. Used to be a major straight-white, white-blue player.

[Hemingway]

I only started playing during Gatecrash, but, man, I love it. I haven't played it in a while now - probably should.

I have more decks than I can count, but my favorite one was probably my standard deck during RTR/Theros: A Dimir ( blue/black ) midrange/control deck loaded up with Thouhtseize, Doom Blade and lots of counterspells. I took it apart after RTR rotated out, to use some of the Theros cards for a new deck, but I do miss it ... I can definitely relate to the 'not fun for my friends' part, though, as this deck ( as you can probably imagine ) was based on denying my opponent the chance to do anything.

My current standard deck is a hilarious aggressive Mardu ( red/white/black ) deck. It usually finishes fights by turn 4. It's part of why we usually play Commander around the house - no one here plays decks that can actually deal with mine one-on-one - and mine can't do multiplayer at all.

[RubySlippers]

My favorite deck and only one I kept is a Blue/Green/White deck with low mana demands most cards need two mana and six three mana. And has 21 basic lands 7 of each, 19 monsters all with some kind of advantage but not to powerful and 20 enchantments that ONLY locked down monsters (Pacifism for example). It was elegant use the weaker critters to keep my life points safe until I get three of each land or more then lock down anything that might be a threat.

Few decks are ready for this onslaught unless a swarm tactic, those depending on big monsters usually can't do much of they toss out a 8/8 dragon I just toss two enchantments on it if needed to assure it can't attack or block as I pinged them. And among my monsters several cant be or had limited options to block (unblockable, fly, can't be targeted by spells with first strike of can't be targeted by spells or blocked by non-fliers) to keep an offense going.

Of course if some had the right spell it tended to blow the deck up but it cost me with the sleeves $15 and could give most decks a run for their money that cost far more money. I kept this deck just to play with for fun and always take it to conventions.

[Dimir]

My favorite deck and only one I kept is a Blue/Green/White deck with low mana demands most cards need two mana and six three mana. And has 21 basic lands 7 of each, 19 monsters all with some kind of advantage but not to powerful and 20 enchantments that ONLY locked down monsters (Pacifism for example). It was elegant use the weaker critters to keep my life points safe until I get three of each land or more then lock down anything that might be a threat.

Few decks are ready for this onslaught unless a swarm tactic, those depending on big monsters usually can't do much of they toss out a 8/8 dragon I just toss two enchantments on it if needed to assure it can't attack or block as I pinged them. And among my monsters several cant be or had limited options to block (unblockable, fly, can't be targeted by spells with first strike of can't be targeted by spells or blocked by non-fliers) to keep an offense going.

Of course if some had the right spell it tended to blow the deck up but it cost me with the sleeves $15 and could give most decks a run for their money that cost far more money. I kept this deck just to play with for fun and always take it to conventions.

It makes me smile to see people use lower-powered creatures to win matches. Just goes to show that with the right construction, any type of deck can be successful.

[Madame Professor]

I love counterspells.

I had taken a bit of a break from Magic and came back with the RTR block. I decided to give drafts a try, because it seemed like a great way to see new cards and work on my deck building skills. It was my first draft, and trying to build a 40 card deck was tough. But with my pulls, I tossed in a few counterspells to help my tiny creatures. One of my opponents pulled a Vraska and when he played her, I countered it. It was quite funny. I lost, but it was a fun play.

I've not had the pleasure of playing Commander, but the idea intrigues me. I've always wanted to try.

And I have to agree. Stronger doesn't necessarily mean better. I love the deck idea, Ruby.

[Hemingway]

Commander is an amazing format! It lets you pull out cards that aren't necessarily great in standard, the size of the decks ensures you don't always play the same hand, and it's generally more laid-back.

[Madame Professor]

The idea of 100 card deck is interesting, especially considering none of the cards can be the same. I may have to look into it more.

[Hemingway]

Considering Wizards put out ten premade Commander decks in the past two years ( the five most recent have Planeswalker commanders, too! ), it shouldn't be difficult to get into at all. While the decks are quite playable as they are, with lots of good cards ( including some unique to those decks ), they're also excellent because they provide a varied land and artifact base, including the one artifact no Commander deck could ever be without: the Sol Ring.

[Geeklet]

For fun, Commander is where it is at. Nothing better than getting a group of people together and all having a game and having a good time talking while you do it. Not so much the super serious 1v1 stuff.

[RubySlippers]

It makes me smile to see people use lower-powered creatures to win matches. Just goes to show that with the right construction, any type of deck can be successful.

Its basic to me how can I build a kick butt deck for the least money, and that means thinking how to best focus destruction in fact I'll post my current decks current version.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Cheapskate Creature Lockdown

Land
Forest x4
Island x4
Plains x4

Creatures
Azorius First-Wing x4
Deft Duelist x4
Jhessian Infiltrator x4
Silhana Ledgewalker x4
Wormfang Drake x3

Enchantments
Crystalization x4
Curse of Chains x4
Pacifism x4
Recumbent Bliss x4
Utopia Vow x4

[Madame Professor]

I'll have to look into the premade decks, then. I am usually a fan of building my own but for a starter, it sounds like it might be helpful.

[Drake Valentine]

I play modern red land-hate competitive.

Earliest land pop is potential turn one. By turn two I will be popping land and given most of deck is center on blowing up land(with few creatures) and artifact to lock a player down from casting spells with a certain mana cost for all. Otherwise they will be dealing with big nasties that are four drops. Trying to remember if other was five drop, but I think Magnivore(sp) is four drop as well. Hilarious for land destruction. ;)

For side I run alternative special land destruction/removal. Given most modern decks run variety of and or dual/tri lands, that is for them. Burn and destroy or just exile their sets.

In essence, I am mainly hated in modern tournaments and my friends refuse to play that deck for casual. 'Watcha gonna do without all that land?'

Edit: The best satisfaction I get is beating net-deck players. I don't care bout your pod, your counter, your combo, your storms, or your super friends style decks. Creature weenie decks are annoyance, but I beat them using other side all burn spells.

Is it perfect? No. Can it troll and win? Most of time, yes.

[Hemingway]

And this, kids, is why I don't play Modern. ;D

I actually do have a modern deck. Two, come to think of it: I got lucky and won the Modern event deck at a pre-release event.

I also made a Puresteel deck. I can't really play it competitively, though, as it contains a banned card, Stoneforge Mystic. Now I just need a few $100 artifacts, and I'll be able to pull off the best knock-knock joke in the Multiverse:

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Mystic.

Mystic who?

Mystic into Batterskull - next round?

[Drake Valentine]

Eh, I just got tired of all the little rich kids buying decks online(or getting their parents to buy them,) and showing up FNM.  Or people swooping in to copy whatever once won a world tournament. It isn't just modern, this happens in standard format as well, people copying other decks to win.

I have a Jeskai standard aggro deck and few other modern decks due to them falling off block. Red land-hate has became my answer to most the modern nonsense in tournaments these days(plus it is just hilarious for maybe less than a 50 dollar deck beating 200+ dollar decks.)

I enjoy the present standard set and am looking forward to whatever else comes out with the expansions, of course, MTG standard is going to change after this block as well. No longer will there be core sets and I think they will be doing things in a three cell block format for rotation. Not sure how the Takir(sp) block will remain with the new rotation they are doing, maybe it will stay and the core will fall off, which I am fine with, cause it will just mean it may stay standard for longer.

[Dimir]

Yeah top tier decks copied off the Internet take out most of the fun of playing a match against someone.

Fate Reforged isn't looking half bad so far.

[Drake Valentine]

Oh? They already got spoilers up to it? I kept checking while back and didn't see anything, guess time to take another gander.

Edit: The only one that stands out to me so far is the token jeskai baby maker of monks(Monastery Mentor.)  Hopefully they may make instant spells to make Monk tokens as well, that way I will make my Jeskai deck a complete monk token deck instead of monks with warrior/soldier tokens. ;\

[Geeklet]

They've got about half the set spoiled so far. At least the site I use to view spoilers.

[Mathim]

I've never played the game nor know anything about it, but I thought those who do would appreciate one of the newer South Park episodes, Cock Magic, which...well, it's not making fun of the game exactly, but...well, you'll see. It's hilarious, I'm sure you'll all enjoy it if you've ever appreciated the show's style of humor.

http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s18e08-cock-magic#source=2b6c5ab4-d717-4e84-9143-918793a3b636:63a32034-1ea6-492d-b95b-9433e3f62f8d&position=3&sort=airdate

[WindVoyager]

Eh, I just got tired of all the little rich kids buying decks online(or getting their parents to buy them,) and showing up FNM.  Or people swooping in to copy whatever once won a world tournament. It isn't just modern, this happens in standard format as well, people copying other decks to win.

Happens in every format, Modern and T2 mostly.  Its called Net Decking, basically copying wining decks and making only very minor changes to it. In T2 around here its net decking and snobby players who net deck and then take it to the local FNM and wining. Red burn decks and land hate are the usual answers to most the net decks since almost all of them are running shock lands.

This is why I prefer casual. Its more laid back and you don't have to have 200$ decks

[Hemingway]

I don't know about net decking where I usually play. I know we have some ridiculously good players at the store, though. As in, a team of people I regularly play with won the 2014 World Cup. I remember playing against one of them at FNM ( before the world cup ) using my then decent-but-unremarkable Dimir deck. It was pretty awful.

But, yeah. If I do play, it's mainly sealed. It eliminates the chance for players to simply buy the best cards. I don't do terribly well, but during M15 I at least got enough wins to go home with some additional boosters ( and I got randomly selected to win the Modern Event Deck, hell yeah! ).

[Geeklet]

The good thing about people net decking though, you know what they are playing, and how you can play around it.