Latest posts of: Philatio

You look short on lands; keep in mind you can use lands which just say "add any color mana to your pool" as long as they have no mana symbol on them. Gemstone Mine, Forbidden Orchard, Urborg Tomb of Yawgmoth and the like are all legal. The last one is a little nutty, but technically it taps for a mana. Also you should find a slot for Uba Mask in a deck with so many perms.

Quote from: jp22102000 on October 04, 2010, 11:39:06 pm

Has anyone tried this format with rares? I always wanted to play Prismatic but I am unable to get anyone to try it (I assume the deck 250-300 card deck puts people off) and this seems like a good alternative, but the pauper aspect may turn off potential players.

Check out Elder Dragon Highlander, which is now called commander. Nomad has a Scarecrow King deck which adheres to the Skittles color-distribution rules.

I've built some pretty damn good skittles decks in my day, and in my experience, even the best ones shit their pants as soon as a rare hits the table. You just keep knocking your library, praying for that one StP. And dying one draw at a time.

Quote from: AmbivalentDuck on December 07, 2010, 11:18:17 am

It would be interesting if they reprinted Loyal Retainers or Imperial Recruiter. There are a whole lot of uber-expensive EDH staples that are't on the reserve list. For power level reasons something like Mana Crypt could never be reprinted even though it's almost universally played in EDH. The same applies to cards like Force of Will and Tarmogoyf.

Also, we'll finally have a non-Vorosh UGB general!

In my opinion, 'goyf is a mediocre creature in this format. He's a vanilla creature once he hits the battlefield, and not even that large by EDH standards. And I think planeswalkers get used in EDH more than any other format, so he gets that tip of the hat, but his cost ($) just isn't worth it. I'd rather play the original 'goyf over tarmy.

The only effective use I've seen for tarmy is to drop him post-wrath, because his cheap mana cost makes it easier to float and then cast him after the sweeper has resolved. Lastly, a vanilla creature is not all that great in a removal heavy environment.

Thank god I've got a recruiter and an Retainers! they are pretty good from my observation.

FoW is good at times, but in a slower format card disadvantage is seldom worth the chance to counter something with no mana open. This isn't Vintage after all, and with Rofellos banned as a general, I can't think of much you need to keep off the board before you have the lands to cast a real counter.

Quote from: CorwinB on December 02, 2010, 03:01:54 am

Format name change, brand new Eternal-legal cards, new official site name :

http://www.mtgcommander.net/

The official announcement :
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/119k

This may or may not be a backdoor for WotC to release Eternal cards that wouldn't have to be legal in a given Standard format.

I like the flavor and colors a ton, but I feel like he should either have first strike, vigilance or trample to fit the flavor and the huge cost. I think his ability is pretty solid at first glance, but *casting* a creature isn't that amazing, given all the graveyard hate running around these days. It's no sneaky way to cheat anything into play.

Quote from: MaximumCDawg on December 09, 2010, 11:42:08 am

If you don't want EDH to be "competitive," just ban all cards that allow you to tutor. That's the plan at one of my local shops. Other than that, game on. You really want to try a combo deck in a large multiplayer match? As long as everyone else isn't stupid, that should go over like a lead balloon. Everytime someone uses Zur, Sisay, or similar combo generals, the rest of the board just nukes that player first.

I think this is a poor blanket rule; while you might be right when it comes to offensive tutors, cast for the sole purpose of comboing out, you essentially kill toolbox control decks, which a great foil for combo decks. Slow control decks like this can be fun but not abusive in this format. It's my favorite type of deck to play. A good aggro deck is very difficult to build in multiplayer, and combo is usually unsocial.

I see no reason not to run Tithe or Gift of Estates. If you're running Land Tax, Wayfarer and Knight of the White Orchard, these are pretty swell, too. And if you really wanted to, you could run the ole Parfait engine of Scroll Rack.

Ugh, this might be a pretty bad necrothread, but if the amazing Eternity Vessel is in the, I think the cheaper, less spectacular Sun Droplet should get a nod.

Quote from: Nomad on October 31, 2005, 05:59:08 pm

Since Phil and I generally try to talk at least one person at each Waterbury into playing our favourite "Skittles" format, and I'm running a local tournament for it this weekend, I've done a quick webpage with a description of it. This is a 5 colour highlander style format, with no broken cards. Except maybe Orim's Thunder.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/swcooper/skittles.html

PM me if you want to come down to Jersey to play on Saturday...I doubt it'll be quite as good as going to Samite Healer's tournament, so go there first.

Hooray for Memnite! Another Kobold to clamp! plus most of the things which return clamp from the grave work on this, too. Go Stormin' Norman!

Quote from: Delha on July 19, 2010, 02:04:56 pm

Quote from: Philatio on July 16, 2010, 09:45:12 pm

I think it would be both more flavorful and balanced if the black one had a significant life loss, a la Death Wish, Doomsday, etc. Possibly also exile it on resolution like the original versions. Ditto for the others. Being able to Yawg Will or Regrowth them is just dumb.

Are you talking about the spell itself? It seems unlikely that anyone would keep 8 Wish-Gifts targets in the first place. The slots eaten by having targets to resolve it once already seems rough.

The wording says "up to". So yes, I'd have it remove itself, a la Time Spiral, Restock and All Sun's Dawn.

Quote from: DubDub on July 23, 2010, 01:48:10 pm

Currently only one effect produces an emblem in magic: original Elspeth's "Ultimate" ability.

Will we see more emblems in the future (yes, as the article linked above teases future planeswalkers with emblem creating abilities)? What about outside of planeswalkers?

Premonition - U
Sorcery
You get an emblem with "You may look at the top card of your library."

Having emblems be linked to Planeswalkers makes sense for now, because the planeswalker uniqueness rule and their fragility limit how often one could activate Elspeth's ultimate anyway, whereas the second copy of an emblematic spell is usually useless (as with the above), though not always:

Raw Emotion - 1GG
Sorcery
You get an emblem with "If a creature you control would deal damage, it deals twice that amount of damage instead."

(I don't know if the above is correctly worded to compound with multiples, as I intend it to, but I assume it could be done.)

This is an absurdly cool idea. I think the second card is more of a red effect.

Also, I doubt sorceries which make emblems will be too overpowered because there is nothing you can do about them. The power creep for this mechanic is just bonkers.

Also, the first one is undercosted, but more importantly, absurdly annoying to the other players. It is always hard to keep the card you can always look at confused with the ones in your hand.

Quote from: vartemis on July 10, 2010, 03:19:38 pm

Quote from: Philatio on July 10, 2010, 02:17:54 pm

You are aware that you necro'd a thread from Dec 2009, right? For a period of time, Rof was taken off the banned list, and was just recently put back on with the newest B/R announcements.

j

Oops, I did not. Well this is a heads up that the rules have changed since then. Perhaps the author found out on his own.

Quote from: Anusien on January 29, 2010, 01:31:27 am

White's prison elements have really fallen off late. I know Back to Basics was blue, but it's the kind of effect that seems like it's more white. White now gets Kismet and Winter Orb, so this seems very white.

Magus of the Basics - {1}

Creature - Wizards
Nonbasic lands don't untap during their controllers' untap steps.
2/3

For 1WW, which makes a little more sense, he can afford to be a little more defensive.

Kismet is pretty old, my friend. Frozen Aether is far more recent, and is essentially a blue functional reprint.

These lands are pretty broken; they need to CIPtapped or something.

Quote from: BruiZar on May 04, 2010, 02:52:01 am

I sort of like this card. I wanted to call it Chemo Therapy first but thought it was probably a bit nasty for a card name. The idea is that you get really sick first but survive. This card is probably really good in extended and standard. Vintage as you say has Tendrils and Time Vault.

What do you think about the colors? First I wanted to make it black due to Lich, Nefarious Lich, Necropotence, Greed and Yawgmoth's Bargain, but than I thought white has Divine Intervention, Shahrazad, angel's grace, barren glory, felidar sovereign, near-death experience (combos nicely with this card) and Test of Endurance.

The green part was because it uses poison counters and i thought making it {G}

was too much.

I think that's hilarious and I'm about to go on my 7th chemo drug. I wouldn't worry about offending anyone unless it actually sees print.

Quote from: BruiZar on June 04, 2010, 05:11:03 pm

Covetous Wish
{2}

Sorcery
Choose up to four cards with different names you own from outside the game and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Exile the chosen cards and put the rest into your hand.
The generous wish only for others,
The covetous wish to fill their coffers.

OR

Prayers Unanswered
{3}

Instant
Choose up to four cards with different names you own from outside the game and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Exile the chosen cards and put the rest into your hand.

Chances Untaken
{1}

Sorcery
Flip a coin. If the coin comes up tails, search your library for four non-land cards with different names, otherwise search your library for four land cards and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Put the chosen cards into your graveyard and the rest into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

Latest Version:
Prayers Unanswered

Instant
Choose up to four cards with different names you own from outside the game and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Exile the chosen cards and put the rest into your hand.

Quote from: Philatio on July 16, 2010, 01:51:59 am

Seism is a really narrow. It should draw a card or something.

I slo think Atomize is a great idea, but is it red?

Quote from: Wagner on July 09, 2010, 01:37:54 pm

Quote from: BruiZar on July 09, 2010, 12:27:42 pm

I would remove the +3/+3, that seems way too green. Being able to hit back when your opponent is tapped out is good enough as it is.

Well, I gave a +3 attack for red and +3 defense for white, I had in mind that with this version, probably not a lot of your blockers will still be able to strike back, so a boost would be welcomed, because hitting back with a bunch of 1/5 isn't really worth it.

For your pumping logic, it should make RED creatures have +3/+0 and WHITE creatures +0+3. Like Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran.

The sole problem I see is that it has the same problem as Sliver Overlord; you can threaten it, Ray of Command it, Your Will is not your own (scheme) it, Act of Treason it, Bringer of the Red Dawn it, Disharnony it, Mark of Mutiny it, or use overtaker on it, Sarkhan Vol it (2nd ability), Spinal Embrace, Temporary Insanity, Traitorous Instinct, Unwilling Recruit, or any blue control magic effect on it; then use its ability targeting itself, and you get to keep control of it. Then proceed to take one goblin after another from you. So "Goblin Brainfuggler cannot change controllers." is an essential clause not to be removed under any circumstances. So he sits in play, allowing you to momentarily send a goblin over to someone else until his triggered ability kicks in and gives it right back to you with haste? Why not just have it give a goblin haste? The replacement effect isn't really needed at all, though I guess it keeps someone from sacrificing the goblin you give them.

In a nushell, I don't know what this is trying to do - there's too much that has to be put on it just to protect it from itself. Is there a way to template it with less rules text and gives an obvious sense of what it's supposed to do? Right now, it just looks like it hastes your own goblins or gives your non-goblins away Is it supposed to be donate-with-legs? So you play Illusions of grandeur and say, "here ya go". There are few cases I can think of where you want to give something away for free.

Seism is a really narrow. It should draw a card or something.

I like it. Just how Gather Specimens snags all creatures, this snags all the spells on the stack. Is it undercosted at 4?

The more and more I think about this deck, I realize how busted Abundance is in a deck with so many draw triggers. That kind of of hand sculpting is just superb.

Welcome to the format, Ben. A casual pile is the best way to start - I love cramming all of the "oh this looks fun"cards into a deck. This format seriously cleans out your binder of all the stuff you'd never play in another format. I remember yanking out Blatant Thievery and Time Stretch and being thrilled because I would never get rid of those cards. Plus, like me, you started in vintage, so you have tons of dual lands, fetches and artifact mana left over (like extra Sol Rings, crypts, plateaus, badlands, etc.) I'm sure you put together hulk smash and worldgorger, so berserk and bazaar make for some interesting fodder in a properly themed decks. You'll have to pick up staples like Eternal Witness, etc., but your current collection will have tons of great cards for the format, especially the expensive ones. I second whispersilk cloak. I've seen so many general damage wins on the back of this guy.

Have you given any thought to Upwelling, now that manburn is gone? Wellwisher and Hurricane for 40!

You are aware that this general is banned on the official banned list, right? That really only matters in untrusted games, though; if members of your playgroup don't mind him, go bonkers. I know he warped the living beejesus out of my metagame - we had to play crap like Force Spike, Mana Tithe and Acid Rain. But there's no doubting his raw power and the happiness he gives to Timmys. FYI, Staff of domination is also a banned card, Mainly because in decks like this goes infinite far to easily.

Quote from: Duncan on March 29, 2010, 10:21:38 am

Hi there!

After playing with my Jenara, Asura of War (formerly Crovax, Ascendant Hero) +1/+1-token-based EDH deck I am going to make a second deck for this fun format. I've been tinkering with the idea of some sort of mill deck with Oona, Queen of the Fae as my general. Because we all know milling alone won't get you there, especially in multiplayer I thought about taking advantage of all those cards put into graveyards.

For bringing back the creatures from the grave I've come up with:
Reanimate
Necromancy
Animate Dead
Dance of the Dead
Dimir Doppelganger
Diabolic Servitude
Makeshift Mannequin
Memory Plunder

Also I'm looking for ways to put permanents on top of player's libraries, so I can follow up with a mill effect to get rid of them. For now I've got:

Vedalken Dismisser
Submerge
Time Ebb

And then there's of course the flashback/unearth cards that do not mind being put into the graveyard. For these I'm currently running:

Corpse Connoisseur
Grixis Slavedriver
Think Twice
Deep Analysis

I'm looking for more cards that would work well in such a deck, so if you have any suggestions, shout them out loud!

Are you looking for something competitive or something more fun? If the latter, Exhume is pretty decent.

Quote from: DubDub on June 30, 2010, 06:56:54 pm

Was able to pick up some foils for Radha, as well as a Library that will be housed with her when I'm not using it for Vintage.

Here are the upgrades I'm considering currently:

IN - OUT
Regal Force - Chandra Ablaze
Cultivate - Magus of the Moon
Primeval Titan - Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
Cloudstone Curio - Vengevine

Regal Force seems like a much better card-drawer than Ablaze, especially considering Ablaze's ultimate is pretty horrible in the deck currently. It can also be tutored for with Survival.
Cultivate is a much better card to cascade into than Magus, especially since the deck is increasingly dependent on non-basics. Magus also doesn't play well with the new Primeval Titan, who should almost always fetch the two hideaways first.
Titan is ridiculous. Kamahl never really hit play, sniping lands was a pipe-dream and the overrun effect isn't that great without a dedicated token theme.
Cloudstone Curio - combos mostly with Bloodbraid Elf and Eternal Witness, but also with the Regal Force and Titan I plan to add, as well as the Eldrazi titans and artisan. Acidic Slime and Woodfall Primus give me a bit more removal. Vengevine is efficient, and pitches to Survival in a pinch, but it's really just a dumb animal.

Edit:
Clearly spoke too soon, since a creature-Survival was just spoiled this morning. Now I need to find another under-performer to take out, 'cause that's obviously going in.

Library is banned. I know, right? I would so play the hell out of mine, too.

In my first metagame, there was a guy with an elf deck, and his general was Patron of the Orochi. Now, you've chosen your general, but I think this guy deserves a spot - he is nuts in multiplayer. You do all your tapping during your turn, tap this guy, which untaps all of your forests, your elves *and himself*. Since he is untapped you can use him during the next players turn, the turn after that, etc. In that vein, I think Seedborn Muse deserves a slot. Possibly Awakening, if you don't mind the symmetry.

Bloodline Shaman is a pretty solid draw engine. Quirion Ranger is a great tempo boost if you play him or use his ability prior to your land drop for the turn. No Coat of Arms?

Depending on your metagame, you may want graveyard hate. Krosan Reclamation can fill that spot. Epic Struggle can win the game out of nowhere; ditto for Helix Pinnacle.

I don't think I've seen Dark Depths activated before, but I believe this deck could do it.

Quote from: Matt on April 01, 2010, 12:52:45 pm

Quote from: Anusien on April 01, 2010, 12:34:15 am

I was very disappointed with Wolf-Skull Shaman. It never did anything relevant for me.

Eladamri gives shroud, which I'm not sure I like. It turns off Wirewood Symbiote, Quirion Ranger, Timberwatch Elf and the equipment.

You're also more afraid of sweepers than spot removal.

I so love wirewood herald -> Caller of the Claw as an answer to boardsweep. Chord of Calling into Herald in response to wrath is so hot. I'm glad this in in here.

If you're playing 1,000 elixir an d C. Crossroads, may I suggest Lightning Greaves and the new 11th edition sword for even more hastiness?

Drove of Elves, Jagged-Scar Archers and Timberwatch Elves are so sick. Primordial Sage, while costly, is a glimpse with legs.

I think exploration effects would go a long way since you are drawing so many cards (don't forget Burgeoning!)

Chameleon Colossus is an elf - you make lots of mana - YOU WON'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M ANGRY!

I'd play every fetch available for thinning as well as Skyshroud Claim, Gaea's Bounty and the two forest cycling elves.

Quote from: Cyberpunker on March 12, 2010, 02:17:00 pm

General: 1   Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon" (haha)

4 Fetchlands
1   Mutavault
1   Mishra's Factory
1   Strip Mine
1   Wasteland
23   Plains
1   Blinkmoth Nexus

1 Serra Avenger
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
1   Order of Leitbur
1   Shu Cavalry
1   Order of the White Shield
1   White Knight
1   Leonin Skyhunter
1   Lantern Kami
1   Soltari Foot Soldier
1   Suntail Hawk
1   Stormfront Pegasus
1   Elite Vanguard
1   Celestial Crusader
1   Blade of the Sixth Pride
1   Soltari Monk
1   Ronom Unicorn
1 Soltari Trooper
1   Soltari Visionary
1   Soltari Champion
1   Exalted Angel
1   Kami of Ancient Law
1   Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1   Savannah Lions
1   Soltari Priest
1   Mirror Entity
1   White Shield Crusader
1   Jotun Grunt
1   Pianna, Nomad Captain
1   Kor Skyfisher
1   Kor Aeronaut
1   Emeria Angel
1   Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1   Kor Duelist
1   Icatian Javilineers
1   Mistral Charger
1   Knight of Meadowgrain
1   Burrenton Bombardier
1   Mangara of Corondor
1   Silver Knight
1   Stoneforge Mystic
1   Kor Firewalker

1 Divine Sacrament
1   Parallax Wave
1   Journey to Nowhere
1   Mox Diamond
1   Chrome Mox
1   Seal of Cleansing
1   Battle Screech
1   Sword of Fire and Ice
1   Honor of the Pure
1   Swords to Plowshares
1   Ajani Goldmane
1   Glorious Anthem
1   Cataclysm
1   Crusade
1   Enlightened Tutor
1   Steelshaper's Gift
1   Sword of Light and Shadow
1   Path to Exile
1   Armageddon
1   Mask of Memory
1   Winter Orb
1   Umezawa's Jitte
1   Oblivion Ring
1   Prison Term
1   Raise the Alarm
1   Spectral Procession

This is my experimental EDH deck that resolves around me playing all my favorite white creatures Very Happy

. When is the last time you guys swung with a Soltari Priest?!

Any suggestions? (looking for card suggestions of course) The cards I highlighted are the ones I am open to replacing if anyone has something better in mind...

Thank you

Since you're playing white aggro, you might want to play Zheng Fei (I used to run a weenie/rebel aggro with him as a general; he used to win via 21 damage fairly quickly). I found myself running out of gas too often, so like I said, I played rebels as well as Tithe, Gift of Estates, Land Tax. Knight of the White Orchid and Eternal Dragon for pseudo card draw. Like with classic WW/parfait, I used scroll rack.

Quote from: Harlequin on September 15, 2009, 01:21:25 pm

I was playing Arcum Dag combo (sorta a multiplayer-deathsentence to start with) in a 4-5 man game. I forget exactly what happened, but I was able to plop down a Possessed Portal out of hand by sacing a bunch of permanents to Ironworks. I had few things in play, and a few cards in hand. No way to abuse portal on the board. I basically was just looking to stablize the board a bit, and sac the portal before it came back around to my turn.... a more or less semetrical effect - basically nuke the weakest part of everyone's board, and draw maybe 1 more card than everyone else.. for 8 mana (and half my board).

But yeah, needless to say, Possessed Portal threw everyone into a bloodlust and I was obbliterated as soon as it left play. GG.

I usually try to lock the game out with Savra or Sek'kuar using Possessed Portal and Life From the Loam. That gets groans.