[Free Article] The 2011 Vintage Year in Review

[Smmenen]

http://www.eternal-central.com/?p=2481

Check it out.  Read it.  Share with non-Vintage players.  Spread the word.  Enjoy.

- Happy Holidays.

Stephen

P.S. For a list of previous 'Vintage Year in Reviews' going back to 2004, look at the bottom of the article.

[Troy_Costisick]

It's free?!?  Thanks, Stephen, and a Merry Christmas to you too!

[Kiriyuu]

Thanks for the article, was a great read! : )

One thing though, what do you mean by (about phyrexian mana) "It can even be played under a Trinisphere."? I've been told by judges that you can't pay life instead of mana for it under trinisphere.

[Smmenen]

Yes, that is an error and I told JACO to correct it.  Brainfart on my part.

[JACO]

Thanks for the article, was a great read! : )

One thing though, what do you mean by (about phyrexian mana) "It can even be played under a Trinisphere."? I've been told by judges that you can't pay life instead of mana for it under trinisphere.

It's been updated in the article. Thanks!

[Womba]

Nice article Steve. I always enjoyed your yearly reviews. Kuldotha MUD is slowly making its way state-side and I think might be poised for a breakout year. Any deck that runs four reusable "Tinkers" definitely warrants some consideration.

[Troy_Costisick]

Nice article Steve. I always enjoyed your yearly reviews. Kuldotha MUD is slowly making its way state-side and I think might be poised for a breakout year. Any deck that runs four reusable "Tinkers" definitely warrants some consideration.

What surprised me is that it didn't have Time Vault in it anymore.  Did I miss it?  What do they fetch with Forgemaster now?

[Smmenen]

Kuldotha MUD is really good at playing the control role against so many of the answers that people typically run for MUD.  It's frustrating how little an Ingot Chewer or a Nature's Claim can do with an active Kuldotha on the table.   Ditto Trygon Predator.   

[Womba]

Nice article Steve. I always enjoyed your yearly reviews. Kuldotha MUD is slowly making its way state-side and I think might be poised for a breakout year. Any deck that runs four reusable "Tinkers" definitely warrants some consideration.

What surprised me is that it didn't have Time Vault in it anymore.  Did I miss it?  What do they fetch with Forgemaster now?

They can fetch a Myr Battlesphere or a Blightsteel Colossus depending the situation (how low opp life is, vs a smokestack, etc...). The biggest difference when it comes to tutoring Time Vault vs Blightsteel is that one tutor activation gets what usually is a lethal Blightsteel on board, where as you would need potentially 6 artifacts and two activations to threaten lethal if you don't have Time Vault and/or Voltaic Key anyway; not to mention a potentially way to activate it each turn if you only have Workshops out and sac'ed your moxes to tutor. It's just seems more stable to rely on Blightsteel.

[Smmenen]

There is also an interesting tempo function to Kuldotha.

A resolved and active Kuldotha generates a kind of board stasis, much like Spheres, except that it discourages the opponent from playing spells like Nature's Claim until a more opportune moment (like when a MUD player might be foolish enough to tap a Kuldotha).   Consequently, it plays right into the MUD player's plan, since each turn gives the MUD player more time to deploy more lock parts.   

[Ten-Ten]

Sweeeeet! 
Thank you so much for the gift!
...Oh, btw. At the end of the article where it says"Article by Stephen Menendian" at the very end it says,
"...and he doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis."
Shouldn't it be..."and he doesn't always play Magic, but when he does, he prefers Vintage"

just sayin'

Thanks again Steve.

[Smmenen]

Sweeeeet! 
Thank you so much for the gift!
...Oh, btw. At the end of the article where it says"Article by Stephen Menendian" at the very end it says,
"...and he doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis."
Shouldn't it be..."and he doesn't always play Magic, but when he does, he prefers Vintage"

Yes, yes it should

BTW, this article is also intended to be an introduction to Vintage for new players, and to get new players excited about the format by demonstrating how dynamic it is.   

You'll notice that this article serves the double function of also being a deck gauntlet, with about 6 decks listed throughout the article (MUD, Cat Stax, ECW, Dredge, Turbo Tez, Delver Gush, etc.)

Please spread the word!  Tweet, 'Like," and otherwise share this article!

Please spread the word! 

[Metman]

Excellent job on the article Steve.  I enjoyed as I usually do your articles. 

[Odd mutation]

Hi Steve,

This was an exellent article! I liked the tone and the info.
Great stuff!

Hope to see/read you in 2012.

Happy holidays to everybody!

Robrecht

[yankeedave]

Hey Steve

Thanks for another great article! I miss your weekly Vintage outings!

One question tho! No love for Ben Carp's Demon Oath lists?

Dave