Announcing The Miniseries Series!

Greetings one and all, to my latest proclamation! Or something like that. Over the next period of time that I feel like it, I'll be doing some random number of 3-part miniseries' about topics that you guys get to pick. There'll be a theory article, a deckbuilding article, and a deck testing article, all on the topic you choose!

Here are the (rather forgiving) rules for the topic:

The topic must relate to Magic.
The topic must be able to translate into theory and deckbuilding.
The topic cannot be supremely narrow (i.e, Black commons in Time Spiral Limited with an 'A' in their name)
The topic cannot be far too broad (i.e, Magic: The Gathering)
The topic must be submitted via blog comments on this blog, or via Twitter. My username on Twitter is mtgsalivanth.

You guys shall have 24 hours to send me your topics. You can send multiple topics, but let's not send every topic you can think of. I'm gonna make three the limit. In the unlikely event that you guys AREN'T the totally awesome dudes I think you are and refuse to send me topics, I have one lined up. I'll send out a call for topics every time I decide to do one of these (I'm thinking once a month or so).

So get cracking! The first series starts tomorrow! The series will end Wednesday, and then you'll have Fetch A Shockland on Thursday. So you guys get 5 straight blog posts, including this one. Enjoy!

Fetch A Shockland: Intermission

Due to connection problems which were only resolved today, I was unable to actually finish any matches for Fetch A Shockland. Next week will be better now that the problem is completely resolved.

How To Use Magic Workstation Part 4 - Etiquette

Hi, and welcome to the final article in How To Use Magic Workstation! In the final article, we'll be covering etiquette. These are the kind of things that a new MWS player won't know, but can seriously piss off a veteran, even though they won't even know they're doing it. They're also quite important, so let's get to it! (This is all stuff I wish I knew when I was a newbie at MWS)

Your first piece of etiquette should be before you even play a game. Go to Game -> Test Deck in Solo Mode. Then, under your name in the right side of the screen, change it from Player to whatever username you like. A lot of MWSers don't like Player as a name as it's too anonymous and also can be symbolic of a noob (or an experienced player trying to catch people out). Personally, I'll play with people named Player but a lot of people don't.

Now we're ready to play. If you decide to create a game, specify what you want. "T2" isn't a good description. "T2 2/3 sb" is. (Note: that means a game of Type 2 (Standard) 2 out of 3 games, with sideboarding: i.e, a standard tournament-style match.)

Also make sure not to be too exacting with your requirements, because it makes you look like an asshole. "T2 Tier 1 no quitters no griefers no Player no noobs 2/3 sb must be fast and use phases" is the kind of game I simply won't join, because it seems to me that that person is very likely to fly off the handle if I'm a bit too slow or even if I lag a bit.

Once you get in the game, greet your opponent (a simple "Hi" will suffice), and then Ctrl + S to shuffle your deck a few times. Ctrl + I rolls the dice to determine who goes first, and then you should say whether you play or draw. If you keep, say so, if you mulligan, feel free to simply press Ctrl + M rather than say 'mull'.

Under M10 rules, after your first mulligan, you then wait for your opponent to decide. If they are reticent (generally trying to get you to reveal further information) ask them 'keep?'. They'll then have to reply.

When you play, at the end of your turn, it is a good idea to say 'End my turn'. Your opponent will then end your turn, or say EOT and perform something in that step. You do the same for him. This gives players the opportunity to respond to the end of turn step.

As to phases, generally you use them in more complex situations (such as when you're attacking with a Putrid Leech and expect a removal spell). or if you're in a tournament game or your opponent expects it. If you're a precise kind of person, you have the right to ask them to use phases (but if they aren't used to it, they may forget).

If you have a rules question, and you can't work it out with your opponent, go to magic-league.com and join the #judges4you chat. They'll be able to answer it.

If you want to play combo, it's a good idea to become fluent at goldfishing it before playing on MWS, for the happiness of all concerned.

Last but certainly not least, if you play against a rude or abusive opponent, simply leave. There's plenty of other opponents out there: don't waste time playing against someone who abuses you. It isn't worth it.

These are all tips that I simply picked up from learning. There seems to be a lot there, but don't worry: you'll pick it up bit by bit until most of it is second nature. It's okay to be slow with the program at first (just make sure you solitaire enough to remember the basic functions before you play), and you'll get faster before you know it. And now, you people who don't know how to use MWS have absolutely no excuse:) Hop on MWS, and play some games!

Enjoy!

Zendikar Game Day (Top 8)

Today was Zendikar Game Day. I decided to go, since it was essentially FNM + 3 bucks and extra prizes. Not bad. We ended up with exactly 17 people showing up, so it was 5 rounds of Swiss into top 8. X-2 was enough to make it in by my calculations.

I got my Nissa's Chosen and gushed over it (I almost wish I was playing R/G Elves, since that Chosen looks SO DAMN COOL!) and then it was on to the first round.

Round 1 vs. U/B Mill

First round, he came out of the gates, and I drew very few creatures. I drew a Bloodbraid Elf with 8 cards left in my library, and he Mind Funeraled me. Sadly, out of those 8 cards, only 3 were land.

Game 2 I had Anathemancers in just as another guy to replace my removal. I managed to get double Bloodbraid Elf and kill him.

Game 3 I was hitting him and he played Nemesis of Reason. I swung with Sprouting Thrinax and Bloodbraid Elf (into Putrid Leech) and he killed the Thrinax, just as I planned. Sure he Doom Bladed the Elf, but meh. What happened next is something I'm not sure about.

He declared an attack with Nemesis of Reason, then said 'Wait no, play Traumatize first'. I said that he'd declared an attack, and he swung, knocked me to 14 cards (I killed the Nemesis) then Traumatized me to 7. It turned out it didn't matter in the end, as I killed him next turn, but since it was REL 1, should I have let him take it back? I'd appreciate feedback on this for next time.

1-0

Round 2 vs. Mono-White

She was running a deck with Baneslayers, Emeria, and various soldiers with Honor of the Pure. She had a fair bit of removal as well. I can't remember much of this round, but I do remember going 2-1.

2-0

Round 3 vs. Vampires

Game 1 he played some guys, but I played some better guys. Not much to it.

Game 2 I knocked him to 5, but he Tendrilled for about 8 and played Malakir Bloodwitch and was able to defeat me handily.

Game 3 I took him to 2 before he stabilised, but I had the Lightning Bolt.

3-0

Round 4 vs. Jund

I offer the ID, but he declines for whatever reason, so we end up playing it out.

Round 1 he's playing Borderland Ranger, which is odd. He eventually kills me with Broodmate Dragon.

Round 2 about the same thing happens, but I get a Bituminous Blast. It cascades into an Elf cascading into a Thrinax, but he plays another Broodmate. Despite my Deathmark, he gets through for the win.

Afterwards he tells me he runs 4 Broodmates but no Leeches. He runs Borderland Ranger as a source of card advantage.

3-1

Round 5 vs. ID

I offer the draw to him, and explain my reasoning, and he accepts.

3-1-1

I make Top 8, and we go into single elimination.

Top 8 vs. Luminarch Control

I go up against the guy who ID'ed with me last round. Game 1 I knock him down to 3, but he gets Luminarch active with 8 mana. I die.

Game 2 I manage to simply answer every real threat he plays, with Pulses for the Ascension and Wall of Reverence, and Bituminous Blast for the World Queller. My board overwhelms him.

Game 3 he draws triple Path, double O-Ring, and Journey to Nowhere. I knock him down to literally 1, but he gets Wall of Reverence and active Ascension, stifling my attempts to win.

Eliminated in Top 8.

And that's my tournament. I get a very nice-looking foil full-art Emeria Angel. The guy playing Luminarch Control ends up eliminated against the Jund guy who beat me, and the Mill deck makes the finals against Jund Guy. Jund Guy wins the whole tournament, but doesn't get his certificate since it's not in Australia yet.

I then proceed to get my prize packs, choosing M10, and out of my first pack, see a Garruk staring back at me. I show it to a couple of people, and proclaim it's going straight in my Jund deck. I then open the second pack, only to find ANOTHER GARRUK WILDSPEAKER! The whole store exclaims at my luck, and I immediately slot them both into my Jund deck. That was very damn lucky.

And that's the Game Day! I had a great time, and am definitely going to attend the Worldwake Game Day, and hopefully do better that time! I would recommend the Worldwake Game Day to anyone thinking of attending: it's like an FNM, but with more prizes! What more could you ask for?

Until next time!

How To Use Magic Workstation Part 3 - Playing The Game

Welcome back to How To Use Magic Workstation. Previously we've covered setting it up and making your deck, and today we'll cover the more common commands in a game of Magic Workstation.

When you start playing, press Ctrl + S a couple of times to shuffle your deck. You can chat with your opponent with the chat box, but most are there to just play. A simple 'hi' will suffice. Ctrl + I rolls a 20-sided dice, to see who goes first. Once you decide, press Ctrl + M to mulligan (Mulliganing from 0 draws 7 cards). until you're happy with your hand.

During your turn, you can play cards from your hand by dragging them from your hand to the field. You tap a card by right-clicking and selecting tap, or double-clicking. You can also click and drag a box to tap several permanents at once, say for a big spell or large attack.

Ctrl + D draws you a card, which you'll need sooner or later. To attack, go to the Declare Attackers step (the phases are at the top left of your half of the screen. You don't need to worry too much about them in a casual pick-up match unless the play is complex.) and right-click to choose Declare Attack.

To untap your permanents, use Ctrl + U, and to end the turn, press Ctrl + Enter. It's customary to say 'End my turn' or something similar, and your opponent will then end your turn for you assuming he has no EOT effects. You do the same for him.

Now that you know the basics, here's a rule of thumb for advanced functions. When in doubt, right-click. You need to search your library? Right-click your library and select the option. If right-clicking doesn't help, go to the Card menu on the bar at the top. That should teach you 99% of what you need to know. If you still don't know, ask your opponent.

Enjoy MWS! Next week: Etiquette of MWS. It's actually pretty important.

Fetch A Shockland: Part 1 - A Journey Into Extended

Hello, new and returning readers and welcome to my newest series: Fetch A Shockland. This series will chronicle my journeys into learning more about Extended as a format, and becoming more skilled in playing it. This first post will be all about the introduction: where I am now, and where I intend to go.

I know a bit about Extended already. I know the major players in the format and I keep a casual view of the metagame. So here's my current, immature analysis of the metagame:

The major players are Zoo, Faeries, Next Level Blue, Hypergenesis, and recently Dark Depths. Various Rock decks including Death Cloud also exist in some capacity. Dredge is a rogue deck that comes and goes in cycles. Everyone forgets about it, and it strikes. Everyone boards in hate, and it dies. People stop boarding in hate, and forget about it. It strikes again.

The deck I intend to begin with is Zoo. It's the only really Tier 1 aggressive deck, but comes in a few flavours. Here are the decks I considered:

Rubin Zoo

Pros:

•  Has controllish elements in Baneslayer and Punishing Fire / Grove of the Burnwillows.
• Good lategame: something many Zoo decks lack.

Cons:

• Noble Hierarch is a bad topdeck.
• Has to play 24 lands, thus has more chance of flood.
• A lot of people will be playing it, since it won PT: Austin.

Spectral Zoo:

Pros:

• Has random tech against Hexmage Depths
• Has Jitte, which Rubin Zoo couldn't fit in.

Cons:

• Sideboard seems weird.
• Spectral Procession puts a lot of strain on the manabase.

Landfall Zoo:

Pros:

• Abuses the HELL out of landfall. I mean, seriously.
• Has very aggressive starts.
• Has better Knights than other Zoo builds.

Cons:

• Can attack from less angles.
• Hasn't got much of a late-game.
• Can't really defend with it's landfall guys.

Hyper Aggressive Zoo:

Pros:

• 16 1-drops.
• Fastest Zoo deck ever.

Cons:

• Runs out of gas too quickly.
• NO lategame.
• Sweeper = you lose.

I decided to go with a process of elimination. I figured Hyper Aggressive Zoo simply wouldn't cut it in the mirror, so that was out. I also want a deck to start that will teach me a lot about the format, and mindless attacking won't do it. That ends the chances of Landfall Zoo.

I really like Rubin Zoo, but I also like the Jitte. However, in the end, I'm a sucker for an aggro deck that can control the game (that's why I play Jund) and the Grove / Punishing Fire combo simply suckered me in, so I decided to choose Rubin Zoo.

Here's the decklist I will be using, copied almost card for card from Brian Kibler's deck:

Lands (24)

4 Arid Mesa

2 Ghost Quarter

4 Grove of the Burnwillows

1 Marsh Flats

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Sacred Foundry

2 Stomping Ground

1 Temple Garden

2 Treetop Village

Creatures (21)

3 Baneslayer Angel

4 Knight of the Reliquary

3 Noble Hierarch

3 Qasali Pridemage

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Wild Nacatl

Spells (15)

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

4 Lightning Bolt

2 Lightning Helix

4 Path to Exile

4 Punishing Fire

Sideboard (15)

3 Ancient Grudge

3 Blood Moon

3 Celestial Purge

2 Ghost Quarter

1 Kataki, War's Wage

3 Tormod's Crypt

The only change I made (and the changes that rippled from that) was removing the Meddling Mages. I don't have enough of a handle on the format to name the right card. Because of that, I removed the Hallowed Fountain from the sideboard, and due to that was able to cut a Marsh Flats for a second Ghost Quarter (against the mirror). To make up for the missing slots, I added Tormod's Crypt as an anti-Dredge mechanism and Celestial Purge against Dark Depths.

I'm concerned about my ability to beat Hypergenesis now, so the next thing to do was to look at the match reports for an idea on how Zoo can combat the deck. I don't know too much about how it works, either.

After a read up on Kibler's beating Hypergenesis, I find that Hierarch into Blood Moon is a strong move, and Ghost Quarter is very good. (So it's good against Hypergenesis, Dark Depths AND Rubin Zoo? Why am I not playing FOUR!?)

And so this is the deck I've decided to play. I'll be playing some matchups over the next week, and that, as well as the lessons I learn about the format, will be featured next week!

Play Along At Home:

This is the Play Along At Home portion of the post. If you want to learn more about Extended yourself, you can follow along with my journey and do what I intend to do in order to improve our knowledge of the format.

Homework: Play 10 matches of Rubin Zoo (either through real-life, proxies, MODO or MWS, I'm really not picky).

Look up some articles on the current metagame and Rubin Zoo.

See you next week with Fetch A Shockland: Part 2!

How to Use Magic Workstation Part 2 - Using The Interface

Hi everyone, and welcome to part 2 of How To Use Magic Workstation! Today we'll be covering how to use the interface: i.e, building decks.

Now that you've gotten all 173 million cards in Magic, how do you sort them into formats? To do that, first press Ctrl + F2. You will then be in the Deckbuilding screen. Now, notice the row of pictures below the menu (the bar with File and Edit in it.) Click on the fourth one. You can then select Classic, Extended, Standard, or Custom. Standard or Extended may not be updated, so if so, trim the sets that are no longer legal, then you're ready to build decks.

The deck building interface is so ridiculously simple that I almost feel guilty for writing a guide about it. It seems...cheap somehow. Anyway, here's the ridiculously complicated way to add a card to your deck:

Select the card.
Click the blue arrow.

To remove the card, select it from the deck menu, and press the red arrow. To put a card in your sideboard, select the card from the left, and click the green arrow. Simple as that.

To make this post last longer than 200 words, let's talk about connecting.

Either press Ctrl + I, or go to Game -> Connect to Opponent to bring up the connection window. Choose mwsplay.net (the default one) and press Connect. From there, you can join a game by clicking Join, or start your own, and Accept players who enter it. Next time we'll cover how to play the game in MWS and go over some shortcuts you'll use very often.

See you next time!