3CB War of the Worlds

[wonkey_donkey]

The 3CB War of the websites is now here!

Goblinboy (the organiser for 3CB at MTGNews.com) and I have organised this as an experiment. The idea is that we have 15 decks from each website and pair them up against each other, so that each TMD deck will play every MTGNews deck – effectively, a team match. The totals will then be compared and we’ll sort out the winning site+players. I’ll post all 30 decks so that people can have a look. Other prizes can be revealed a little later…

The rules for this competition is that we are using a banned list very similar to the TMD list. For the next tournament (assuming the idea has its supporters) we will use one more similar to the MTGNews one (<3 my negotiating skills). Important changes to notice are the banning of Glacial Chasm, Leveler, Mise-Prize decks, and all double-discard spells. These were axed so that people will have to think about what deck to play, rather than just playing something that has done well in the past. Other than that, the rules are nothing more than what we have here on TMD.

The rules as far as entering a deck for the competition is that it is almost strictly done on a first-come, first serve basis. However, the 10 of us who have won a 3CB on TMD since the re-introduction of the banned list (Kowal, Jacob Orlove, Pyromaniac, PandaPokemon, Alfred, Nibble, Erdrick, Virtual, Nazdakka, and my good self – excluding Goblinboy for reasons to be explained) will have priority; if we submit a deck after 15 have been entered, then the last deck to come in will be moved down onto a waiting list. I do, however, reserve the right to get rid of anything that is truly dreadful – this is not a right I intend to exercise, however! A further rule that needs imposing is that you cannot submit a deck to both teams – only use your ‘home’ site.

I think it’s about time to show these lotus-lovers what a real 3CB format looks like – I feel that we’ve got the home advantage, so we ought to win. We’ve got Jacob, Dutchies and a member of TSB – look at that kind of unrivalled pedigree! TMD wants YOU etc. If everyone would be so kind as to ensure that our decks are not completely awful, it’d be much appreciated. I’m still not sure as to my policy of revising decks for this as of yet, so make sure you get your first attempt right!

EDIT: Sorry, another rule that I forgot to mention - no more than 1 of any 1 deck per team. If someone else has submitted the deck, then I'll make you change it. However, I will put your next deck in (i.e. it doesn't got to the back of the proverbial queue).

Well, here we go:

Banned list:
Portal
Unglued
[card]Black Lotus[/card]
[card]Mesmeric Fiend[/card]
[card]Nezumi Shortfang[/card]
[card]Blackmail[/card]
[card]Cabal Therapy[/card]
[card]Encroach[/card]
[card]Mind Swords[/card]
[card]Anvil of Bogarden[/card]
[card]Strip Mine[/card]
[card]Wasteland[/card]
[card]Raze[/card]
[card]The Rack[/card]
[card]Wheel of Torture[/card]
[card]Balance[/card]
[card]Meddling Mage[/card]
[card]Isochron Scepter[/card]
[card]Phrexian Dreadnaught[/card]
[card]Lions Eye Diamond[/card]
[card]Evil Presence[/card]
[card]Seas Claim[/card]
[card]Glacial Chasm[/card]
[card]Leveler[/card]
Any non-mass-produced card
Any deck capable of forcing your opponent to discard more than 1 card in a turn.
Any deck that s incapable of winning under its own steam (i.e. NO MISE-DECKS!)

What is 3cb?

3-Card Blind (3CB) is a very unique game. The rules are as follows

Your deck is composed of 3 cards, all of which start in your hand.
You have no library (technically, the library exists, but starts at 0 cards) and no sideboard (Wishes fetch nothing).
Random effects always go in your opponent's favour.
You can see your opponent's hand, so you can always make the best possible play.
You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card.
You will play each opponent twice, once going first, once going second.
For each win, you score 3.
For each draw, you score 1.
For each lose, you get nothing.
Other than the aforementioned, EVERYTHING IS HANDLED EXACTLY LIKE A REAL GAME OF MAGIC!

To make an entry, PM your deck to wonkey_donkey in the following format:

Subject: 3cb WotW 1 Entry
Deck Name
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3

I’m going to open entries as of now, and they will close at this time exactly in 10 days time (Friday 15th). This will give Goblinboy and I 3 days to calculate and make sure the results are correct to the best of our ability before they are posted. Best of luck to everyone!

ENTRANTS THUS FAR:
1.wonkey_donkey (FW)
2.leviat
3.combo_dude
4.MoreFling
5.xthexpunisherx
6.Jacob Orlove (FW)
7.Machinus
8.Alfred (FW)
9.Pinky
10.BlueJay
11.Nazdakka (FW)
12.Limbo
13.theorigamist
14.Nibble (FW)
15.plecorich

If you have any questions or feedback thus far, then post or PM me and I'll do my best to answer.

Tom

[r_x_]

Any non-mass-produced card
Does this include Mana Crypt?

TDM and MTGNews both has different rules about it. Here you can donate it, and there you can't. Well, you can, but it still damages you.

From the 'news rules:

A note about random effects and similar
The random effects of cards you own will always go in your opponents favor, even if you don't control said cards. Random effects include, but are not limited to, random discards, coin flips and secret choices. Note that it isn't always necessary to win a flip or similar for it to be considered in favor. In essence, I won't let you trick the system. These kind of cards will always benefit your opponent. Do not include them in your deck if you want to win.
Clarification: Mana Crypt + Donate will NOT work.

[wonkey_donkey]

That's a good point - I hadn't considered it. The only reason that we have Mana Crypt+Donate working is because that's what would happen in a real game. I'll talk to goblinboy and let you know asap.

Tom

[Alfred]

I think that this forum should be dedicated to strategy discussion. Not really suggesting what we will play, that should be left to PMs, but really, a "what beats what" analysis would be helpful in letting people know what decks could be powerful. What would help in this regard is taking a look at what rose to the top in past tournies, and what they were up against.

For example:

In the last tournament, there were 3 dominant decks:

Show and Tell, Saprazzan Cove and Form of the Dragon
Force of Will, Saprazzan Cove and Avatar of Will
Workshop, 3Sphere and a 3/4 for 3

In this format, even after analyzing other decks, the proper metagame choice would have been:

Workshop, Serrated Biskellion and Ferropede

Which would have cooked all three top decks, and most of the others as well.

[wonkey_donkey]

Yes, but we need to remember that the same thing is happening at MTGNews - probably not a good idea to let them know what we're playing! The best (although somewhat tedious) way of looking for strategy is to look back at the previous tournaments, I'd have said. Especially the massive one, as you can throw decks at that as a fairly exhaustive gauntlet and assess the performance.

Tom

[wonkey_donkey]

Yes, but we need to remember that the same thing is happening at MTGNews - probably not a good idea to let them know what we're playing! The best (although somewhat tedious) way of looking for strategy is to look back at the previous tournaments, I'd have said. Especially the massive one, as you can throw decks at that as a fairly exhaustive gauntlet and assess the performance.

Tom

[Jacob Orlove]

Okay, I entered. I finally have a decent deck name this time.

[r_x_]

News has one thing that doesn't exist here, we/they have all 3cb's and 4cb's stored...

I have no idea witch side I woulöd play... :/

[wonkey_donkey]

News has one thing that doesn't exist here, we/they have all 3cb's and 4cb's stored...

Nope, but we've not got that many to delve through.

I have no idea witch side I woulöd play... :/

Probably play for whichever side you feel you ah... owe the greatest allegience to, for want of a better phrase.

Tom

[Alfred]

@WD

I don't want to divulge what we are playing, but rather give us an understanding as to what kind of deck arangement we should be playing. Don't say what you are going to play, but rather analyse what beats what.

[Goblinboy]

damn time difference between UK and California

The thread for War of the Worlds is now up on MTGNews as well.

Don't forget, r_x_666, you can't submit to both boards!

-Goblinboy

[Quilt]

Good luck everybody on TMD; you'll need it.

And beware of Rushwood Grove + Endless Wurm + Rancor

Q.

[wonkey_donkey]

I'm terrified. No, really, brown trousers time.

Tom

[leviat]

For clarification: Under the MTGNews rules, does a [card]Sleeper Agent[/card] deal 2 damage to the owner rather than the controller?

[wonkey_donkey]

For clarification: Under the MTGNews rules, does a [card]Sleeper Agent[/card] deal 2 damage to the owner rather than the controller?

It better had do

Tom

[Jacob Orlove]

For clarification: Under the MTGNews rules, does a [card]Sleeper Agent[/card] deal 2 damage to the owner rather than the controller?

That's only for random effects. Sleeper Agent works normally.

[r_x_]

I do play on the 'News. Just to let you know...

[combo_dude]

By the way, are you going to announce when 15 decks are in? It might save you some time from not PMing about 5 or 6 different people to tell them that they're too late...

[wonkey_donkey]

OK, having talked it over with Goblinboy, mana crypt is not allowed. Sorry to any who wanted to play with it.

Tom

[Limbo]

Hey Wonkey, maybe it would be a nice idea to post a list of the number of entries you already received, and the names of the people who submitted them (no decknames, they can give away info).

[Chifley]

Yeah, Goblinboy has such a list over at 'news, and it motivated me to send in a deck early are seccure a spot.

[wonkey_donkey]

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED.

Results up ASAP, probably on sunday or monday.

Tom

[wonkey_donkey]

I had an hour or so to spare this morning, and have done the results. I'm waiting to hear from Goblinboy as to whether he agrees with me, but provided I haven't make an enormous error, early indications would show that TMD HAS WON THE WAR OF THE WORLDS 1! You've done me proud .

There may be a slight delay getting the results up, as it's going to be oh so awkward to get this from a spreadsheet into a format that TMD will accept... should get them up around this time tomorrow, with any luck.

Tom

[Alfred]

WOO-HOO! I knew we had what it took (takes?). I hope my netherpox had something to do with the win!

[wonkey_donkey]

I'm sorry for the delay. I can promise that they'll be up tomorrow. I can pretty much confirm that TMD have won, as I'm fairly sure that I haven't had more than the 1 brain fart that's been pointed out to me.

WOO-HOO! I knew we had what it took (takes?). I hope my netherpox had something to do with the win!

Well, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?     . Yeah, it was pretty useful though, even though you didn't name it after my latest incarnation of it (The Nether Regions).   .

Tom

[Limbo]

I hope we also won the "best-dec" contest, and "most-original-name-for-a-deck" contest

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

The random rule...does that mean if I play Ravenous Rats, they chose what they discard? I was thinking of a deck for future 3CB "wars".

[theorigamist]

The random rule...does that mean if I play Ravenous Rats, they chose what they discard? I was thinking of a deck for future 3CB "wars"

1) Choosing a card is not random.  It is a choice, not the result of random chance.

2) Ravenous Rats lets your opponent choose anyway.  What are you talking about?

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

The random rule...does that mean if I play Ravenous Rats, they chose what they discard? I was thinking of a deck for future 3CB "wars"

1) Choosing a card is not random.  It is a choice, not the result of random chance.

2) Ravenous Rats lets your opponent choose anyway.  What are you talking about?

Oops, I was out of it. If I played say, Specter's Wail, what happens?

[wonkey_donkey]

The random rule...does that mean if I play Ravenous Rats, they chose what they discard? I was thinking of a deck for future 3CB "wars"

1) Choosing a card is not random.  It is a choice, not the result of random chance.

2) Ravenous Rats lets your opponent choose anyway.  What are you talking about?

Oops, I was out of it. If I played say, Specter's Wail, what happens?

Well, as it's a random effect, it will go in your opponent's favour. Hence he can discard whichever card has least value to him (i.e. choose and discard).

Tom