Messages

16

Off-Topic / Writers Strike to Effect Video Games

« on: September 03, 2023, 07:16:05 pm »

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/sag-aftra-video-game-industry-strike-rockstar-insomniac-games/

SAG-AFTRA, the guild that hundreds of thousands of actors belong to (including major movie and TV stars), is preparing for a potential video game industry strike. Earlier this year, the Writers Guild of America went on strike after being unable to negotiate terms for better pay and conditions with studios. The writers have been on strike since the start of May and as of right now, it looks totally unclear as to when the strike may be resolved. In July, SAG-AFTRA authorized a strike against major Hollywood studios, putting a stop to massive film and TV productions such as Deadpool 3. However, some exceptions have been granted for studios that aren't being struck.

With that said, it looks like the video game industry could be next. SAG-AFTRA's Board has voted unanimously to send out strike authorizations from its members for the video game industry. This means members would vote on whether they would want to strike or not should negotiations with the video game industry fall through. Notable companies that would be struck include: Insomniac Games, Warner Bros., Disney, Activision, EA, Epic Games, and Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company). SAG-AFTRA is seeking better wages, protections against AI, and better working conditions such as vocal stress protections for those in the gaming industry. Negotiations with the aforementioned companies will start on September 26th, so the chance of a gaming industry strike will start to become more of a possibility by the end of the month.

17

Commander Discussion / Re: Tier List: Tutors

« on: September 03, 2023, 07:01:58 pm »

I like Razaketh but I think it depends on the deck. In my Shadowborn Apostle deck it pulls its weight since I'm almost always playing it for the cost of sac'ing some Apostles in a deck that wants to sac creatures, but when I tried it in my Sidisi deck it was usually something I didn't want to see because of it's mana cost and it would have no value at all in my Skullbriar deck- again due to its cost.

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Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Trying to make an azorious freeze commander deck that is relatively affordable.

« on: September 03, 2023, 06:55:47 pm »

Prairie Stream would be a decent land to consider that's under a dollar. With the amount of basics you run it would almost always come in untapped.

19

General Magic / Re: Games you've enjoyed

« on: September 03, 2023, 06:44:46 pm »

Karador Shadowborn Apostles- Ayara, First of Locthwain with Thrumming Stone out, cast a Shadowborn Apostle and Ripple 4 through the rest of my deck putting out 17 Apostles, dealing 17 from Ayara. I got destroyed after that the one remaining player but it was a fun little sequence that I never thought I'd pull off (I thought either Ayara or the Stone would get removed on site because people would see it coming). I forgot how much I enjoyed playing that deck.

20

Commander Discussion / Re: Weathered Wayfarer

« on: September 03, 2023, 03:34:29 pm »

I'm actually debating it for my Shadowborn Apostle deck even though the deck has green (Karador is currently the commander- though there's the outside possibility I cut it to Orzhov). I like the thought of being able to search up my Reliquary Tower or Urborg or Crypt of Agadeem. It's a plus that it's a Cleric so Edgewalker would make it free to cast. It seems like a gem in the early game but I'm not sure how I would feel drawing it late in the game.

21

General Magic / Re: MDFC side preference

« on: September 01, 2023, 09:53:18 pm »

Necro'ing this because it's relevant to the conversation I was thinking about...

Do you find yourself using these now? More or less than you did? What about the Pathways?

I'm still really only using the one (Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt), but I'm more and more interested in the Pathways (guess I'm late to the party). I think they're a good fit in some of my decks. Anyone else?

22

Deck Reviews / Re: New at deck building was wanting some feedback

« on: September 01, 2023, 06:34:43 pm »

Kalonian Hydra is nice in these sort of decks.

23

Commander Discussion / Re: Best Card In Your Deck

« on: September 01, 2023, 06:28:23 pm »

I love seeing peoples' thoughts on their own decks so seeing this has really been enjoyable.

24

Commander Discussion / Re: How many cards to splash a color

« on: September 01, 2023, 06:26:29 pm »

I appreciate the feedback. I've decided to leave Bloodbond March and keep splashing green. I may also add in Assassin's Trophy to upgrade the removal package. I will probably reduce the number of Forests in the deck (I was only running four anyway) and replace one of them with Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth.

25

Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Atraxa, Praetors' Voice SALTY

« on: September 01, 2023, 06:23:14 pm »

My laptop cord came (woot!) so I came back as promised.

I would think you could probably cut one or two of the protection effects (Flawless Maneuvers or Unbreakable Formation). You're in a creature heavy deck but at the same time you have a lot of artifacts so Heroic Intervention and Teferi's Protection are the better two as they will protect your entire board. I ran four or five in my Sliver Overlord deck and whenever I would draw more than one or two of them, it was a feel bad moment. With the tutors your running you could easily find one to protect your board.

26

Commander Discussion / Re: Opinions on Wilds of Eldraine Cards

« on: September 01, 2023, 12:34:50 am »

I like Beseech The Mirror but the decks I would want to run it in I wouldn’t be able to guarantee the bargain for so it would just be an expensive tutor.

27

Commander Discussion / Re: How many cards to splash a color

« on: August 31, 2023, 06:55:25 pm »

Out of the hundreds of games I’ve played with the deck, I think I’ve cast Karador maybe a handful of times at most. Mostly picked her as the commander at a point where there wasn’t many good options in those colors.

The lone green card the changes leave is Bloodbond March. It’s a good enabler but I’m not sure keeping the third color for one card is worth it. I’m leaning towards just going Orzhov and going Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim as the commander. This would open up two slots in the deck and I’m pretty sure I already know what I’d slot in.

28

Commander Discussion / How many cards to splash a color

« on: August 31, 2023, 03:11:24 am »

So opinions wanted…retooling my Karador shadowborn apostle deck and with the changes I’m making, I literally will only have one green card left in the deck. Now it’s a really good card in the deck but in a deck with only one tutor, is it worth splashing a color for one card?

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Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Atraxa, Praetors' Voice SALTY

« on: August 31, 2023, 01:45:08 am »

Hard to do this on my phone (new puppy chewed my laptop power cord and naturally Best Buy has to order one). I’d start with Grim Monolith (really only good when you have a way to untap without paying the four), Lotus Petal (great card but a one time buff of one mana, I’d rather have a land that I can use every turn unless I’m playing cEDH), and the Sword (I’ve used it in a +1/+1 counter deck and most times the opponent will block that creature regardless just to keep you from proliferating).

That’s really the best I can give from my phone. When my laptop cord comes in I’ll try to circle back and see if there’s anything else.

30

Commander Discussion / Re: Combos You Really Want to See Work

« on: August 30, 2023, 01:40:52 am »

Mortuary + Narcomoeba + Altar of Dementia. I've put it into my Sidisi, Brood Tyrant deck multiple times and have never been able to pull it off. I don't run the tutors in that deck to find more than one piece of it while Mortuary & Narcomoeba don't do enough on their own in the deck to justify a place in the deck. I really want to hit it one day but it's such a clunky combo...