This was an enjoyable read Steve. Old School magic interests me a great deal. Unfortunately I'm unlikely to be able to play it any time soon, but if I had the opportunity I would gladly take it.

Round four is now available. Check it out and leave let me know how you would have handled the game three situation.



http://mtgvintageadventures.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/gpmelbourne-vintage-round-4-headinginto.html

Bumping this to the top since I think some people have forgotten about it. 

This is still happening!  Come out tonight and sling cards in preparation for this weekends monthly event!

Such little activity.  It makes me sad.

Opponent can see half the card on top, just as confidant. Confidant allows getting all, this only half (rounding), but this allows burn in your face, confidant damages yourself (which is often relevant). Confidant puts a 10 turn clock, prodder 7 at most, probably 5 seems more reasonable. Confidant is killed by *any* creature or token, Prodder must be blocked by at least 2, trades with more creatures.

Another random comparison (sorry Lance) is Keranos: every turn you draw or bolt. Prodder can do both: draw a card and then attack for 3. Yes, keranos is indestructible, prodder is not. Prodder has to connect, card drawing is optional... Well, it's not comparable at all.

@MaximumCDawg: If you are playing silver bullets, this is not your card. if you cannot manipulate what you are drawing, this is not your card. If 1 damage here, 2 damage there does nothing for you, this is not your card.

It could be useful for a Gifts list? Use cards like Accumulated Knowledge? Gush, Force, Thirst? Jace, Misdirection, Dack etc. three damage plus the threat of a 3 damage menace is not horrible. Card draw or a decent clock.

This is Chapter 1 (of 10)

http://www.vintagemagic.com/blog/back-to-the-future-an-introduction-to-old-school-magic/

This article is primarily about Old School Magic, but has a good deal of Type I (Vintage) content, including some banned and restricted list information, historical Type I decklists, and Type I format history and discussion that illuminate features of the contemporary Vintage format. 

The images are also worth checking out the article alone.  Purty.  

Enjoy!

Going to try to make this. Some logistics questions:

Getting to Long Island - It appears that my options are fly into New York and take a series of trains or pay a a bit more and fly direct to ISP. How bad is that series of trains?

Getting around Long Island - The closest hotel is around 4 miles away. The airport is around 10 miles away. I assume calling $local_cab_co is the way to go. If so, what's the pricing like up there?

Doing stuff: I'm probably going to make this a vintage-only weekend. IE, I'm coming in Friday night and leaving Sunday morning. No going into the city for me. Is there anything going on Friday or Saturday night that an out-of-towner like myself might participate in?

I don't think this card is pure upside. 

First off, it costs you a card and 2R for a 3/2 Menace.  That's not objectively terrible, but spending that much mana and a card is potentially downside all by itself.

Second, I don't think the draw-mill ability is all upside, except perhaps in an aggro or burn deck with maximum redundancy.  You're letting your opponent see your topdeck once a turn, and if they don't like it, giving them a chance to mill it.  Let's re-phrase the card a bit:

"At the beginning of your upkeep, your opponent Fateseals 1. If the opponent puts the card the bottom of your library, put it into the graveyard and he or she loses life equal to its casting cost.  If the opponent leaves the card on top, put that card into your hand."

So, yes, you are trading one random card on top for another.  Sure.  But, your enemy is getting to Fateseal every other card.  Kind of.  You get past the card either way, and you won't lose your regular draw step. They can't stop you from drawing your card normally, no.  But, they can influence your draws by kicking away any critical cards coming up.  In a deck with silver bullets or tutors, this gets potentially more serious. 

If your opponent is mill Lightning Bolts in a burn deck, then that's gravy; this guy acts a lot like Pyrostatic Pillar on-a-stick (the name escapes me).  But in a Vintage deck, I think the free Fateseal is actually kind of problematic.

And costs 3 mana...  and doesn't cost you life... I love comparisons of cards that are worlds different.