Favorite Format?

[G. Moto]

  Now that's a cool combo right there. Basically you're playing a (5/5) creature for only two mana. What do you think decides the meta? IS it just the popular tournament decks that do well or is it just the overall appeal in a certain or local play group?

[Drunk Cynic]

Yes, is the answer to how the question is phrased. Depending on how strongly a local group is connected to the professional circuit affects how the appearance of the decks dominating the tournaments.

The professional groups do an extensive amount of evaluation of the card pool and the strengths of cards. The cards that offer the best chance will be put into decks, and the best decks will be played. This is reflected the dominance of Abzan, featuring Siege Rhino, at the monoblack of Rat Pack. Standard devolved into top decks, decks designed to beat them, and a few others. If there are players in the group following tournaments, there is a strong chance they'll xerox the decklist. Things that win get played.

The diversity of decks represented will usually increase the more detached the play group is from professional tournament.

[G. Moto]

I understand, so really the LESS professional a player is the higher probability that they'll have a more ORIGINAL deck design will be. I see how this trait applies to many other games as well.

[ladof]

I understand, so really the LESS professional a player is the higher probability that they'll have a more ORIGINAL deck design will be. I see how this trait applies to many other games as well.

Funnily enough, those less professional players sometimes surprise the pros with their odd decks. I remember going to a modern tourney a little after starting and taking a completely homebrew deck. First round I got paired against one of the gus that goes to the GP when it's local (the game store guy thought it'd be a good learning experience for me). He had a deck that (eventually) finished 10th (I think) in the GP, but he lost 2-1 to me (he was NOT happy.) I had just lucked into a deck that countered his, but not in the normal way, so he wasn't prepared for it.

Thank god for cheap infect decks.

[G. Moto]

   I have a B/G  infect and I choose not to let it see the light of day. It's too broke and would be unfair; first strike and trample for days.

[GeekMagicWarp]

    I tried playing 4-player EDH a few days ago. Big thing about your decks, make sure that you get the mana that you need. I was running a Meren of clan nel toth B/G sacrifice deck and I couldn't even get 10 mana out the entire game. I had no board state most of the game but I surprisingly came out 2nd. Tips for everyone, have at least 30-45 lands in your EDH decks please (unless you have enough mana ramp). It looks bad to get mana screwed against a W/U, Mono Red artifact and Naya decks.

I LOVE my Meren EDH deck. However I've never had mana issues. I run 36 lands with a little ramp in too. Sakura-Tribe Elder and Burnished Hart are excellent in that deck. Also Veridian Emissary, Veridian an Sakura you can just attach Skullclamp to and get a land plus draw 2 cards.

[G. Moto]

  Honestly I'm not sure how much mana was in the deck, I literally just showed up and my friends asked me to play. Meren's my favorite too but the way that I build my deck is different than his. If you look at my main profile page you'll see what mine looks like after being shaped up,

[ladof]

My infect deck routinely has turn 2 or 3 wins; if I draw the right hand, there is literally no way to stop it in time. I don't play it often (and it was one of my first modern decks, so I didn't know any better) but it is fun to frustrate high-level players that take the game very seriously.

[G. Moto]

 Dude that's disgusting, for the sake of all magic players lock that deck in a cage and never let it out please.

[GeekMagicWarp]

My infect deck routinely has turn 2 or 3 wins; if I draw the right hand, there is literally no way to stop it in time. I don't play it often (and it was one of my first modern decks, so I didn't know any better) but it is fun to frustrate high-level players that take the game very seriously.

A buddy of mine has a U/G Infect like this. It's ridiculous the only hope is to be able to have Spellskite on the field when they go to pump up Glistener Elf or be able to Path to Exile it or some other form of quick removal. Everyone gets pissed when he plays it.

[G. Moto]

   I got beat by a 10yr old with a G/U infect deck at a modern tourney once, never again do I show mercy to the young, feminine or elderly at a tournament again.

[ep1cn00b]

Speaking on EDH I have a question. Would Mina and Denn, Wildborn a good basis for an EDH Deck? I also have Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet. Which would you recommend between those 2

[ladof]

Speaking on EDH I have a question. Would Mina and Denn, Wildborn a good basis for an EDH Deck? I also have Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet. Which would you recommend between those 2

Mina wouldn't be terrible in a ramp deck, but there are definitely more interesting options. Kalitas is a solid mono black option. Again, there are 'better' depending on what you want the deck to do, but he's a good choice.

[ep1cn00b]

Speaking on EDH I have a question. Would Mina and Denn, Wildborn a good basis for an EDH Deck? I also have Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet. Which would you recommend between those 2

Mina wouldn't be terrible in a ramp deck, but there are definitely more interesting options. Kalitas is a solid mono black option. Again, there are 'better' depending on what you want the deck to do, but he's a good choice.

You see I attempted to build a Commander deck with Kalitas and it didnt work. Of course that may have been because I was still totally new to the concept and had only seen one Commander/EDH match when I made it.

[WWolfe]

Which rule is that? I think Force of Will (another TCG) received a similar rule change.

How mulligans are handled changed in EDH a few months ago.