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[Devaryn]

Time to fully embrace the inner nerd...

I know a lot of you, myself included, play Magic, and do so at events from time to time.  I'm just starting to get back into the game (played from Revised through Urza then quit, and came back briefly during Mirrodin and Kamigawa), and would like to find out who plays, and if there would be any interest in playing at an event here and there?  Also, I just love talking about Magic, so we could use this thread to discuss the formats, fun card combinations, whatever.

I recently learned about the new format, EDH/Commander, and am intrigued.  Who are considered the best generals to use?

I mostly play Legacy, since I have so many old cards, and am in the process of making some fun decks.  I just finished my "Call of Cthulhu" deck, which uses Dark Depths (a legendary snow land that comes into play with 10 counters on it, and when all counters are removed it transforms into a 20/20 flying indestructible Great Old One of tentacles and death), and Vampire Hexmage (two mana for a creature that can be sacrificed to remove all counters from target permanent), to basically bring out Marit Lage (Magic's version of Cthulhu) on the 2nd or 3rd turn.  Add in Rite of Consumption (two mana to sacrifice a creature and deliver its power as damage to someone's face) as an alternate means of victory, and Aether Snap for redundancy with removing counters, and then mix in some searching/drawing/deck-manipulation abilities and you're golden.

Anyone playing in the Standard Constructed tournament scene this year?  I'm considering making the monetary investment with the new expansion so I can compete.

[Siguric]

I haven't actively played in YEARS. Much like you, I played from early Revised through about the time "phasing" was introduced (not sure which block that was, but I hated it).

I'd like to get back in to it, but I definitely can't throw money at it like I did when i was younger. I wish I could find my old cards, tho. They've been lost for years.

On a fun note, last night on Storage Wars one of the people found a **** load of M:TG cards, including an Alpha Black Lotus, Mox Emerald, and Mox Pearl.

[Devaryn]

Oh my god, I both love and hate that show so much already...it's a Magic player's wet dream to find a stock of old cards like that...sigh.

Hivemind hooked me up with a really cool website, Deckbox.org, to use to organize my cards.  It's slow going though since I have so many, but it's awesome to see the value of each card as you type it in and see your total collection value as well.

[Magnus]

Money: The Wasting

[Devaryn]

Hardly.  People make entire careers being collectors who don't even play.  The value and power of the newer cards lately is ridiculous.  If you jump on a set and can spot the cards that will be powerhouses, get a playset, and then hold them for a few years, you'll see an incredible return on your investment.

Just imagine if you had obtained 4 Tarmogoyfs when Future Sight first came out a few years ago.  Now they're valued at $85 each.

Right now, in the current Standard Block, there is a good amount of cards valued over $20, and several are worth even more than that (Bonfire of the Damned at +$40).

[Tooka the Gangly Goblin]

I just got back into it, mostly drafting for now to build up cards.

The upper level standard scene is really reliant on the Mirrodin block and M12 right now, most decks can't compete without at least 8-10 cards from those, and usually those cards are like $10 cards. I'm kind of waiting for Return to Rav. to get serious about standard since that's when M12 and Mirrodin will rotate out (Coming in October/Pre-release end of September).

If you're getting back into it, and are a huge deck building guy (like me) then you'll enjoy playing around on sites like http://tappedout.net to build\test decks before you invest in cards.

I like playing Magic at Dag events for fun, some people wager tokens or coins or braids and stuff to give it that pub game kinda feel.

[Garret Ironshield]

I play casually with my friends, nothing major. Picked up a new Sorin Planeswalker in a booster pack, and I was very excited.

And the "monstrously powerful cards nowadays" is thanks to a power creep, as always. Cards will get stronger and stronger on average, since that was the trend of the past few editions (in any gae, btw). It's going to be very hard for old stand-bys to stay relevant, although you have some rock solid choices (You Llanowar Elves for example) that are going to be staying for quite a while, which is why they keep making new and updated artwork for such cards.

Although it is unfortunate sometimes that such old and revered cards can lose their value in a deck, the power creep helps maintain a consistently-changing metagame, which had its own merits. Competitive Pokemon battling is in the same situation as MtG, with the newer generations' mons becoming more and more powerful. Of course, to try an off-set this, Game Freak updates old Pokemon with newer moves, so they can at least be /somewhat/ relevant. Maybe MtG need to take a page out of GameFreak's book and start updating old cards with relevant abilities, or a revised ability for the card.

Two cents.

[Magnus]

Oh, I think Mind Twist is still PLENTY powerful enough, at least for my deck it is.

[Tooka the Gangly Goblin]

And the "monstrously powerful cards nowadays" is thanks to a power creep, as always. Cards will get stronger and stronger on average, since that was the trend of the past few editions (in any gae, btw). It's going to be very hard for old stand-bys to stay relevant, although you have some rock solid choices (You Llanowar Elves for example) that are going to be staying for quite a while, which is why they keep making new and updated artwork for such cards.

A lot of people in my local games (and online) were pissed at Dark Ascension, Innistrad, Avacyn Restored, and M13 for not having those crazy powerful cards that you see in Mirrodin. I hope this is a sign of the power creep slowing down a bit. Hopefully Ravnica stays on this course.

[Devaryn]

Of all the blocked websites...I can't get onto Tappedout.net from work, LOL.  Damn.  Guess I'll check that one out at home, since in some ways I prefer collecting and building decks over actually playing.

I can't wait for Return to Ravnica.  It'll be the first expansion I'll be able to pounce on from day 1 and start collecting.  I love drafting too...

Garret, you are absolutely correct.  When you look at the most common archtypes right now from tournament results in both Legacy and Standard, like the Delver and Maverick decks, for example, they utilize a lot of the same cards.  It seems the more modern sets are printing a good amount of useful cards even for Legacy, which is kind of awesome, actually, because it gives incentive to invest in the newer sets and play in both Legacy and Standard.

The cards from the old days which retain their value seem to be the lands.  The price of dual lands has steadily increased and is showing no sign of slowing down.  I'm so glad I almost have a full playset of them, I'd hate to be spending over $100 on just one card.

There's rumors of one day having them reprint the original dual lands, but honestly I don't see it happening.  Too many collectors would commit suicide.

[Lady Krystal]

I just play for fun with the hubby and some of the guys in my unit. My husband used to collect -way- more than he has now, but he's sold off his collection several times before.

I've got a friend of mine who plays tournament style though, so he's helped me parse down my gigantic decks to make them more format friendly xD

[Tannhäuser.]

I've been getting back into it recently, a cycle I seem to repeat every few years or so.  The main thing bringing me back in is how awesome EDH is - I LOVE it as a reason to go back through old cards and find fun ways to play that don't involve 4x of a card.

For single color Commander decks, I liked White or Green, using Crovax Hero and Multani respectively.

WotC has put out some commander decks which give a decent basis to start from, and aren't too difficult to improve with some legacy cards.  Personally, my favorite card to include in ANY commander deck that uses green is Willow Satyr.  I just have too much fun with it not to play it.

My favorite commander deck (still under construction) is Karador, Ghost Chieftain.  I might never win with it, but I enjoy it all the same.  I've seen great Animar decks and Phelddagriff decks if you have the cards as well.  I usually start with the color I want, then find the best commander I can with that pattern in the backlog of cards.

[Meager]

I just got into magic when Dark Ascension came out and it's a blast. My favorite format is EDH and I usually bring at least one EDH deck to events I go to. I didn't get a chance to play at Summer Slaughter a couple weeks ago, but I was down by the kitchen at Ides for a good couple hours playing and teaching EDH with/to my fellow Dagorhirim. I'll most likely have whatever EDH decks I have at the time and my T2's at Winter War this year.

As far as commanders go, I love Ob Nixilis, the Fallen as a general. My monoblack is essentially a giant Voltron deck designed to pump him up to swing lethal. An alternate general, who is always a huge hater-generator is Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. Infect damage only requires ten points of damage to kill the opponent rather than the traditional 21 general damage/40 regular damage.

Another cool guy for all the Jund players out there is Kresh the Bloodbraided.

Also, I use Cockatrice to build and test out decks. It's a free program, my name on there is Meager, just as it is here on the boards.

[Garret Ironshield]

Infect damage only requires ten points of damage to kill the opponent rather than the traditional 21 general damage/40 regular damage.

OKAY, we need to get something straight here:

Does anybody else think that Infect is overpowered? Because my friends and I see Infect as incredibly OP.

On a side note - Primarily play blue-control decks (I started playing seriously in Dark Ascension as well), but there is a special place in my heart for Instant-Sorc-Dominated Red Decks (AKA PEW PEW). I especially like infuriating opponents with a red/blue combo, split between counters and firing off Pyromatics/Lava Axes/Flame Slashes/etc., and watching the opponent just give up.

If I'm playing to win, Green Mana Whore is the way to go. Grow big, Swing Large.

Though I also like running the new Dark Sacrifice White/Black Pre-Made Deck. Revolves around you sacrificing monsters and things dying, which is very fun with the Sorin I got from the booster pack (btw, Sorin's valued at $60 last time I checked).

[Rafiq's Slightly Used Camels]

I hope this is a sign of the power creep slowing down a bit. Hopefully Ravnica stays on this course.

Power creep definitely slowing down a b--


RED BLUE SNAPCASTER AHOY

[Devaryn]

I admit I have very little knowledge of EDH so far, aside from the very basics of deck construction, but it sounds like a lot of fun.

I just found this article, it's a really good primer for getting into the format: http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/multiplayer/18188_Embracing_The_Chaos_EDH_Deckbuilding_Theory.html

I'm wondering if there would be any interest in doing a tournament or something like that at Ragnarok next year...seems there's a good amount of us who play.

[Tooka the Gangly Goblin]

I hope this is a sign of the power creep slowing down a bit. Hopefully Ravnica stays on this course.

Power creep definitely slowing down a b--


RED BLUE SNAPCASTER AHOY

Guess I'm making a red-blue snapcasting goblin deck. Burn baby burn!

Honestly though as long as there are fewer decks like this: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/zandls-wolf-run-blue-fnm/ I'll be happy. Seems like every Top-8 deck on Tappedout currently has at least 20 cards from Mirrodin Besieged and Scars of Mirrodin. Or it's a Delver/Snapcaster deck. >.<

[Siguric]

I hope this is a sign of the power creep slowing down a bit. Hopefully Ravnica stays on this course.

Power creep definitely slowing down a b--


RED BLUE SNAPCASTER AHOY

I would have KILLED for that card about 13 years ago...

Maybe one of these Fridays I'll go up to the local game shop for some FNM, if it's a booster draft. I can't really go all gung-ho with deckbuilding at the moment, but I might be able to swing a few bucks for a booster draft.

[Garret Ironshield]

My red/blue was Izzt. It was pretty average.

[Siguric]

My red/blue was freakin' GODLY.

[Kali]

I Play a few styles.

I'm thinking bout making a blue-red deck. I've got an elf deck, another mono-green deck. 2 edh decks, a black/green and a mono-white. If I happen to bring my decks, i'd be up for a match sometime, somewhere.

[Rafiq's Slightly Used Camels]

I've got a downright stupid green combo deck that spits out 6/6 Avatar of the Wild tokens in droves. When everything goes right, I manage to get the combo started on turn 3 or 4.

[Bear]

I wouldn't say infect is over powered. But if they hit the nut draw, it's pretty much game over. The best bet is to SB Melira, Sylvok Outcast(Stops the poison counters) or Thalia, Guardian of Thraben(Pump spells are more expensive) But any of the good decks can win like that. I find Delver to be the most overpowered deck in Standard. It can counter anything, set up Miracles with Ponder, and still comes out swinging as hard and fast as any aggro deck can.

I'll be happy to sit down for a few games with anyone I meet up at an event though. It actually used to happen quite often down here at the smaller events/campouts. There'd be 5-8 guys sitting at the pavilion table playing EDH or whatever else.

I'll be building my first EDH deck here soon using Omnath, Locus of Mana. The deck focuses on getting lots of big nasty beaters out very quickly.

[Tualarc]

I got into M:TG right when the Ravnica block was released and its probably still my favorite block.  Looking at the return stuff makes me want to find a local store for FNM.  I still play online a couple times a month but sitting down and hitting someone with my blue/green stomp is always fun.

[Thrush Svartehjertet]

So, I've never so much as watched an entire game of this played...  I know **** all about it.  I do know that Skvisch is sitting on multiple books and boxes of cards.  Is anyone somewhat near Maryland in a financial situation to, and with a desire to purchase a **** ton of old Magic cards?  Otherwise they will probably be shipped to a dude in Denver who sells cards...

Thrush
berserk

[Devaryn]

Dibs.

[Thrush Svartehjertet]

Neat...  Is there a price guide like for Baseball cards?  We play Philly this year, you should come down for the Ravens/Eagles game.

Thrush
berserk

[Devaryn]

There are plenty of price guides online, but the value listed is generally used in trade values only since you'll never be able to sell a card for that amount to a dealer.  I usually consider 50% of the trade value to be the actual cash value you can expect when selling a card rather than trading it to someone for other cards or selling it for store credit.

I'd be interested in knowing what she has before committing to buy, of course, but if she has that many I can't expect her to catalogue it all.

When's the game?

(edited for he/she, totally didn't know who it was we were talking about, I was corrected, sorry!) 

[Thrush Svartehjertet]

****, the game is on the 16th of Sept, I'll be at the beach...  we'll work this out.  I'll see what Skvisch says.

Thrush
berserk