Messages

1

Deck Reviews / Re: Deck building Please help!

« on: October 18, 2016, 05:07:17 pm »

MTGWarrior, if you are just starting to get into deck-building it can be daunting.  I'm pretty rusty at it myself and I'm a data analyst for a living, so one would think it would come easier to me...it doesn't.   . But all is certainly not lost!

Having said that, personally I believe that there are certain perspectives and frames of mind that lend themselves to deck-building or playing, but like anything else they take time to practice and develop; unless of course you have a hideous amount of free time or your hand or you happen to be John Nash's ("A Beautiful Mind") love child.

And, I agree with Mnemosynes post.  Obviously you know the game and you grasp the strategy, so it appears you have a good grasp of those two dimensions of MTG, but grasping for the Metagame and developing responses (part improving your play, part looking for card synergy) are two more dimensions to the game.

I won't rehash what everyone else has posted; all good feedback, BUT (and hang on for the haters...) I would also encourage you to NetDeck as well with caveats.

Look at NetDecking as doing your homework; it allows you to see the metagame from many perspectives; see combos you didn't see before and helps you plug holes in your desk that hobble your playing.  But, it is just a study tool to learn with, not a master key to success.

Any shmoe with enough money, can netdeck, copy a Top 8 deck and might do ok.  But, did they put any thought, give a damn, and intent into it?  No, they were lazy...

I, myself, look and sometimes copy Top Winning deck proxies to playtest them against my deck brews and if i use any other persons deck, that i tweak and modify for my tastes, I always give credit to the person that created it. Just copying and spending the money to make a proven Top 8 deck, is practically plagiarism.

However, statistically there are a finite amount of cards in a Standard format rotation and there a millions of MTG players worldwide, so it isn't outside the realm of possibility that anyone could build a Top deck blind and not realize it, so it really comes down to what you like in MTG, what you want from MTG, and chasing it.

For me, sitting down with another player and trying to play the best game i can with the deck i have and the cards in my hand, is just the beginning of the puzzles within puzzles that is MTG.

Hope this helps and wasn't drivel!!

2

General Magic / Re: Kaladesh - (MTG) Story

« on: October 16, 2016, 03:48:41 pm »

Yeah, there is definitely more intrigue going on with the story. The revenge arch with Sorin and Nahiri is over, for the moment. As well as the Eldrazi. Only Emrakul remains, as she bound herself to Innistrad's moon using Tamiyo's iron banded mystery scrolls.
Personally, I think that the Innistrad storyline was rushed, and underdeveloped as a result. A lot happened, and you are left with unresolved holes in the story.

Anyway, I digress!
I like your reasoning, however, I must question your judgement of Tezzeret.
I am unsure that the purpose of confiscating the Kaladeshi inventions is to in fact harness/control mana, as we do not know the function artefacts which were confiscated. (Only that Rashmi, Eternities Crafter was abducted with her unidentified creation...)
Remember he is the head judge of the inventor's fair and is working with the Consulate. Assuming for a moment, that he is trying to control aether, anything that is detrimental to the plane adversely affects the consulate by proxy. I doubt the Consulate would 'willingly' participate if aether was being 'misused.' I assume that the consulate will seek to use the inventions to become autocratic military junta of sorts... What Tezzeret gets out of it, is unknown. I can only speculate that Nicol Bolas is the one pulling the strings.

I cannot believe that Tezzeret has the ability to betray Nicol Bolas. After having his memory erased by Jace and being on the verge of death, several times, it is because of Nicol Bolas's intervention, that he still lives. Tezzeret is indebted to him a sort of indentured servitude. He is a pawn and nothing more. Powerful, but still a puppet. (I assume he has finished with his mission in New Pyrexia - another part of Nicol Bolas's machinations.)

Like you mentioned, I doubt the Gatewatch will 'win' anything, but will trace the source of the conspiracy to Amonkhet. Liliana will be reunited with Nicol Bolas, I am sure.

You are most likely correct with regards to Tezzeret.  I'm playing catch-up for a 15 year hiatus from Magic, so I'm not only getting caught up on the new game mechanics, but the back stories as well.  I stopped playing during Urza's Saga, so yeah I'm a bit behind.

Regarding the Kaladeshian Inventions, I certainly think Rashmi (I was lucky enough to get her from my Pre-Release Box as the promo foil; beautiful card!) will be central to future events, like you said, but I'm not sure if her invention will be used as a straight play for unlimited mana straight from the source OR if it will be used to allow 'normal' non-Planeswalkers to move between Planes (citing the ominously ambiguous warnings from Sahilli Rai to her friend Rashmi).  I guess we'll find out.

Though, I get what you are saying about the Consulate (hence Dovin Bann) and Tezzeret working together, I'm not so sure the Kaladeshian Consulate is not being used by Tezzeret or that Dovin Baan is innately a bad character.  Dovin Bann strikes me as a purely logical, vaguely emotional, analytic mind; one who follows the status quo and hierarchy (at least until it is proven either by events or deduction that the status quo is wrong).  I guess kinda like Spock or Data (showing my Star Trek colors) except with an obsession to tinker or invent for the greater good.  So, I'm not sure HOW Tezzeret became Head Judge or why Dovin Baan doesn't question Tezzerets obvious Etherium arm (not of the Kaladesh plane), but I'm wondering if Dovin Bann isn't going to have to make a future choice: continue enabling Tezzerets objectives or choose to change the Kaladeshian status-quo; maybe not throwing in with the Rebel Faction, but being the one to facilitate an overall societal change where Aether is no longer controlled to control the masses as strict control of AEther does not "serve the many".  If that happened, imagine all of the raw talent (and AEther) that could be directed at Tezzeret, by a metric crap-ton of pissed off Rebel Inventors!

Again, I'm spitballing and I'm in desperate need of another cup of coffee!

3

General Magic / Re: Kaladesh - (MTG) Story

« on: October 13, 2016, 09:34:14 pm »

Honestly, I'm enjoying the Kaladesh story line much more than I did with Shadows over Innistrad or Eldritch Moon.

- I'm seeing Tezzeret using the stolen Inventions to either harness and control Mana itself, either for Nicol Bolas OR for himself in order to depose Nicol Bolas and get a little payback for himself.  Naturally, Tezzerets egotism and narcissism will destabilize the Mana sphere, thus the Planes, pulling in the Planeswalkers/Gatewatch in to resolve things.

I suspect the Planewalkers/Gatewatch will lose, which will set up the lead in to AMONKHET.

Those are my dart throws...

4

General Magic / Re: Crazy pulls from a Kaladesh bundle!

« on: October 13, 2016, 09:13:20 pm »

I realize this topic is referring to 'Kaladesh Bundles', but I picked up both the Kaladesh Chandra &  Nissa Planeswalker decks to start teaching my daughter how to play MtG and was stunned to crack the "Lightning Greaves" Masterpiece from one of the two Chandra booster packs included.

Congratulations on cracking a Mana Vault Masterpiece, DJF!!