Mailbag for Smmenen for SCG article

[Smmenen]

Bram has suggested that I do a mailbag article.  A large number of people seem to want that.   I can do that kind of article on a regular basis - it doesn't have to be a special. 

So, go ahead.  Ask me questions - post them here - you can ask about anything or you can PM me or email me at steve dot menendian at gmail dot com.  I'll answer or respond to all of your questions, comments, or suggestions and put them into the article.

EDIT: If you email me or pm me, and you want to remain anonymous and you think for some reason I'm going to include your name in the article, just say that you wish to remain anon.

Speak. 

Stephen

[Anusien]

As an aspiring writer, I'm wondering how you actually go about writing your articles.  How long it takes you, how much you write in one sitting, where the ideas come from, and how much editing you do.

I ask because personally I end up in a rut where an article gets shelved for a week or more and I find it difficult to come back to it.

[M.Solymossy]

How do you feel about the current team standards in vintage?  It appears to me that if you're not on a serious team, that you're considered a nobody...

Is it really 'team secrecy' if it isn't even the team's deck?

If you founded a team, but SOMEONE else kicks you off, what would YOU do if you don't have the support of others?


haha kinda personal. =-P

[Klep]

How do you feel about the current team standards in vintage?  It appears to me that if you're not on a serious team, that you're considered a nobody...

I just want to go ahead and nip this in the bud right here by mentioning that I have not been on a team for quite some time now.

[Juggernaut GO]

And you are considered a nobody by a lot of people, except that your a mod, so what's your point ?

[Jacob Orlove]

Hey, we're upholding a proud tradition of moderators getting no respect!

On a more serious note, what is your favorite casual format, and why? And what is the casual format that you've been introduced to most recently and liked, and why?

[Machinus]

When did you first get interested in "Type 1?"
What kind of tournaments were there to play in back then?
Besides gencon, where were they and how frequent?
How did/do you have time for all of this as a law student?

[Harlequin]

Try and remember back when you first started playing magic.  You ripped into your first starter (or maybe watched others play)... What was the first card that you fell in love with in magic.  Everyone has that pet card that they thought was SOOOO Amazing and basically drew them into the format. 

For me, Balduvian Hydra (then later, when I first saw it, Rock Hydra).

[Matt]

What are the top dozen or so good things you have to say about me and all that I do?

[vartemis]

As a player who has accumulated some power and the "2nd Tier Power" (drains, bazaars, etc), I have started building competitive Vintage decks.  The problem with this is that my gaming group (whom I have played with for 3 or so years) is becoming frustrated with my decks.  They complain that they "arent fun", and they always try and kill me first in multiplayer games.

I dont want to stop playing with them, but I find "casual decks" boring, and cant stand type 2 anymore.  It just seems so slow and boring for me.  I keep together a spellshapers casual deck, but I hate playing it, and only bring it out when they start to bitch.

What should I do?

j

[netherspirit]

I am more of a casual player than competetive, and nearly always play in games consisting of at least 3 other players, they all play aggro decks such as goblins, burn, affinity beats etc. However, I just can't build aggro decks, I nearly always play control/combo control, and occasionally something weird like nightmares. The problem is my non-control decks suck big time, and my play group have a thing against blue (all my fault )
What would you do in my situation, I don't want to leave my play group, but I just don't feel like I'm having so much fun any more....

[bomholmm]

Who is your favorite player to play against at tournaments and why?

Whats the best play you have ever seen in a tournament?

Who put the bop in the bop shoo wop shoo wop?

[Hi-Val]

Steve: how do you think you would look with a beard?

What's your favorite non-Will card and why? What's your favorite casual card?

What's your favorite card art?

Vartemis: it could probably be the subject of a thread on its own, but the simple answer to your problem is to build more casual decks and never, ever use expensive cards. Hell, don't use 4-ofs. I usually win multiplayer games with my casual Skittles deck with all 5 colors, no rares and no duplicates, just because I'm a better deckbuilder. If your friends start to bitch, remind them that they're playing with rares and STILL losing!

[Smmenen]

What are the top dozen or so good things you have to say about me and all that I do?

oh man, can't believe you left the door wide open for this one....  mwhahaha

[Jacob Orlove]

Vartemis: it could probably be the subject of a thread on its own, but the simple answer to your problem is to build more casual decks and never, ever use expensive cards. Hell, don't use 4-ofs. I usually win multiplayer games with my casual Skittles deck with all 5 colors, no rares and no duplicates, just because I'm a better deckbuilder. If your friends start to bitch, remind them that they're playing with rares and STILL losing!

Oh man, I love playing my skittles deck against real decks. I was like 4-0 in "T1 no p9" games on MWS one night.

[Danzig]

Stole any good Rituals lately?

[herbig]

In April 2004, Main Corp., a New York corporation engaged in the manufacturing of shoes, formed a subsidiary corporation, Sub Corp. and transferred to Sub Corp. title to Blackacre, in exchange for a $1,000,000 purchase money mortgage. Blackacre, a commercial building located in Westchester County, was occupied solely by Main Corp. Tom and Jerry were the officers, directors and sole shareholders of both Main Corp. and Sub Corp. The corporations maintained separate business records and bank accounts. Sub Corp. had no employees, held no board meetings, and had no letterhead.

In June 2004, Main Corp. vacated Blackacre, and Sub Corp. entered into a written contract with Amy, a duly licensed real estate broker, to sell Blackacre. The contract set forth in pertinent part that if Amy procured a purchaser for Blackacre, Amy would be entitled to a 6% commission upon closing of title, but that if Sub Corp. found a purchaser on its own, no commission would be due to Amy. On the day the brokerage contract was signed, Tom orally agreed with Amy that even if Sub Corp. found a purchaser for Blackacre, Amy would be entitled to a 2% commission on the sale.

Over the summer, Amy spent at least 100 hours trying to procure a purchaser for Blackacre, but was unable to do so. In October 2004, Amy advised Tom that she had found a buyer ready, willing and able to buy Blackacre for $1,000,000. However, Tom told her that he had already found a buyer, to whom Sub Corp. had sold Blackacre. When Amy demanded that Sub Corp. pay her the 2% commission, Tom refused.

Amy hired Lawyer to sue both Sub Corp. and Main Corp. to recover her commission. The written and signed retainer agreement between Amy and Lawyer set forth in pertinent part that Lawyer would receive a nonrefundable retainer of $10,000 against a rate of $200 per hour. Lawyer duly commenced an action against Sub Corp. and Main Corp. asserting causes of action against both defendants for breach of contract, or in the alternative, for recovery under the theory of quantum meruit. In her complaint, Amy claimed, among other things, that (1) Main Corp. dominated Sub Corp. to such an extent that Main Corp. was the "alter ego" of Sub Corp. and was therefore liable under the contract as if it were a signatory, and that (2) the oral agreement between Tom and Amy was binding on both Sub Corp. and Main Corp.

Amy became dissatisfied with Lawyer's representation, discharged Lawyer and demanded the return of her $10,000 retainer. Lawyer refused on the ground that pursuant to the express terms of the agreement, the retainer was "nonrefundable." At the time of Lawyer's discharge, Lawyer had provided ten hours of legal services on Amy's behalf.

 

(1) Can Amy's contract with Sub Corp. be enforced against Main Corp.?

(2) Can Amy recover against Sub Corp. (a) for breach of contract and/or

        (b) in quantum meruit?

(3) What are the ethical and monetary consequences of Lawyer's refusal to return the $10,000 retainer?

[herbig]

I'll answer or respond to all of your questions, comments, or suggestions and put them into the article.

[Smmenen]

You asked for it....

[Matt]

This oughta be good!

[Jacob Orlove]

Recommend some books.

[Moxlotus]

Approximately how many plays do you have when you play combo?  In one word, how can you describe said plays?

[pyr0ma5ta]

Approximately how many plays do you have when you play combo?  In one word, how can you describe said plays?

Lemme guess on this one.  'bout tree fiddy, and AMAZING.

O WAI--That can't be right.

[Jacob Orlove]

He's looking for "so many" and "insane".

What are you going to do now that you've passed the bar?

[Matt]

What are you going to do now that you've passed the bar?

Turn around, walk back, and order a drink!

*rimshot*

[Dante]

a post of mine from a different thread

I have a question for Stephen - it seems like in the past (2004, early-mid 2005), Paragons/Meandeck identified the best 1-2 decks for the metagame and then your whole team played that deck (e.g. Oath at that Rochester).  But recently (late 2005-present), it seems everyone seems to play what suits their style best (i.e. Kevin and Roland play Stax, you play the newest creation or Grim Long, Paul plays Grim Long, Lian plays some sort of Fish or Suicide-type deck, etc).

Whereas before, it seemed like there was more of a "this is the best deck [or two] at the moment, so we should play that" instead of now, which seems to have less coherence, so the strategy seems to be "play the deck you know inside and out as that's more important than new 'tech' "

maybe some comments on the general metagame coherence and playing the "tech" vs playing your baby (assuming it's been approrpriately updated).

[freakish777]

Having wrote an article sharing Repeal as new found tech in SX Tendrils and then playing Grim Long on day 2 of SCG Rochester, is it safe to assume that you are simply following your own advice of "play a deck you are comfortable with?"  If it is the case, what are your thoughts on playing Tendrils as opposed to playing Grim Long?  Which do you think is objectively the better deck provided a player were extremely intimate with the intracacies of both of their match-ups (ie, they played near flawlessly with both).

Have you had any further contact with Gottlieb/Forsythe/etc about Time Vault?  Have you considered contacting Hasbro corporation about Wizards seemingly going back on their own policies?

[Jacob Orlove]

If anyone can play Meandeck Tendrils "near flawlessly", then my hat goes off to them.

[carlossb]

1) Are you the only remaining Paragon who has not quit competitive Magic or retired?

((that´s it, who continues testing and creating new decks and playing to win tournaments))

2) If you were hired by WoTC, what would you do to increase Vintage´s popularity?

[Toad]

Recommend some boobs.