Magic The Gathering

[Oddjob OTP]

In competitive constructed? It's garbage, yeah. In limited, it's one of the clunkiest, stupidest mechanics because they couldn't figure out how to succinctly word "the number of different creature types among creatures you control, not greater than the number of creatures you control" or just "unique types among creatures you control" and created a stupid gimmick that they didn't even bother to give a single throwaway card in AFR.

I will defend it, sortof, in commander. Burakos / Haunted One is one of my favorite decks, because scrounging for those four creature types among a single color really makes you dig for oddballs to make a coherent deck out of. It's a genuinely cool little restriction. Did anyone ever really play Bellowing Mauler? Or Titan Hunter? Then you can slot those oddball cards in next to Yawgmoth or Dark Confidant or Kalitas 2, and you have this aristocrats-aggro theme. Or you could build around the treasure-making stuff, because Nadier's Nightblade is a warrior and Disciple of the Vault is a cleric. Or you could throw in the typed equipment from Morningtide, and Burakos can pick up the dagger, wand, and axe on ETB and be a hexproof flying haste 7/6 that drains and makes treasures on attack.

Which reminds me of the biggest sin of Arena that I'm still mad about; them taking Baldur's Gate; a commander only set and saying "hey these cards are bad in 1v1 we should make better versions of these for alchemy/brawl" and then making a much much worse version of most cards with a new digital only convoluted and terrible mechanic tuned so badly you'd barely want to do it in limited much less constructed. Compare paper Gale and digital Gale, Paper Gale is commiting warcrimes and Digital Gale (other than his Izzet form which might be playable actually) gives you like 1 or 2 mana effects in exchange for 6 total mana and 1 additional red card/mountain. I think the only card that actually succeeded on it's goal of being better in 1v1 than the paper commander version is Tasha (paper version) whose +1 does a lot of heavy lifting in the sorts of dimir/esper control decks that want to punish go wide and sees occasional play in historic.

Also, as a fun aside, the buffs/nerfs to cards for Alchemy have been mostly forgotten because the same Devs that balance the Digital cards are also the ones adding new paper cards into the game and they (rightfully) think that's more important. Which is too bad because the only cool part of Alchemy was rebalancing shitty limited mechanics like the Zombies from innistrad's sacrifice-kicker to be playable in constructed. And now they won't even do that. Not even for Baldur's Gate which you think rebalancing those cards and putting a new limited time Draft thing would be an easy slam dunk of a cross-promotion but the devs did fuck all except put the BG character avatars on a 50% sale for a day a week or two after BG3's launch.

 

[Inafune Fanfiction]

Arena's biggest sins are that:
1. It doesn't have all the cards
2. It's "live service" and your collection will evaporate the second servers are turned off for good.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

Arena's biggest sins are that:
1. It doesn't have all the cards
2. It's "live service" and your collection will evaporate the second servers are turned off for good.

Sure, but #1 is fair because MtG is retarded and overcomplicated and writing a rules engine to make everything just work is herculean even MTGO gave up on all the cards a long time ago; it's just not reasonable or necessary. Not to say that a competent well run company shouldn't at least have half assed "all the cards people actually use" modern on Arena by now.
#2 is true of every online service ever, not even worth mentioning. I don't even know how you'd do it any other way, maybe a time machine and putting QR codes with block chain addresses on every card from Alpha on just in case the internet became relevant for playing card games on in 20 years.

 

[Retink Retunk]

#2 is true of every online service ever, not even worth mentioning. I don't even know how you'd do it any other way, maybe a time machine and putting QR codes with block chain addresses on every card from Alpha on just in case the internet became relevant for playing card games on in 20 years.

Cards printed on physical media solved that issue rather well, it also kept the meta from being solved day one even with things like Cockatrice being available and more.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Sure, but #1 is fair because MtG is retarded and overcomplicated and writing a rules engine to make everything just work is herculean even MTGO gave up on all the cards a long time ago; it's just not reasonable or necessary. Not to say that a competent well run company shouldn't at least have half assed "all the cards people actually use" modern on Arena by now.

It's funny that MTGO being hard to make cards for was one of the reasons they wanted to do Arena..because they could input cards very easily, and now that MTGO is under a new company...supplimental set cards are slowly appearing.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

Cards printed on physical media solved that issue rather well, it also kept the meta from being solved day one even with things like Cockatrice being available and more.

Physical collectable cards don't translate well to the online gaming. Especially since the most important angle from WotC's angle (ie the people fronting for the servers) is authenticity.

I think the biggest thing keeping the meta from being solved was the novelty of the TCG format. It took an embarrassingly long time for people to figure out basic bitch 101 stuff like mana curve. Past 2000 the meta got solved in like 2 weeks instead of 1 now ALTHOUGH it was less likely to disseminate to every LGS at the same rate. Now you have a bunch of nerds applying 30 years of Dorito Sweat to every card before they even get to touch them and with a few big meme exceptions (Oko, Sheoldred, Despair, Fable being recent examples) they usually figure cards out pretty well. I don't think every online way of playing Magic dying at the same time would change much.

 

[Anonymus Fluhre]

Sheldon Menery has passed away. He was the public face of EDH.

Does that mean the rules for EDH will get better and not be from salty people who lost to certain cards too many times?

Wizards has made a secret lair for the Seattle Children's Hospital Autism Center and they choose Ponies instead of kid's drawings.

I'd rather children in the cancer ward make artwork. At least when they die the value goes up.

 

[Retink Retunk]

Physical collectable cards don't translate well to the online gaming. Especially since the most important angle from WotC's angle (ie the people fronting for the servers) is authenticity.

I think the biggest thing keeping the meta from being solved was the novelty of the TCG format. It took an embarrassingly long time for people to figure out basic bitch 101 stuff like mana curve. Past 2000 the meta got solved in like 2 weeks instead of 1 now ALTHOUGH it was less likely to disseminate to every LGS at the same rate. Now you have a bunch of nerds applying 30 years of Dorito Sweat to every card before they even get to touch them and with a few big meme exceptions (Oko, Sheoldred, Despair, Fable being recent examples) they usually figure cards out pretty well. I don't think every online way of playing Magic dying at the same time would change much.

That's the thing, some things don't translate to certain mediums one to one, and they shouldn't be translated as such, rather there should be other options.

I'd disagree with that, even in the Time Spiral era with both expansions bordering it, there was plenty of surprises, think Chapin's Storm deck no one saw coming until it was unleashed and in part he was pissed one of his teammates at the time played it on MTGO as it could propagate it faster. Yes, it eventually get out, but it took a lot more exposure than anything with the current level of accessibility and this was mid to late 2000's.

In the 2010's you still had random rares and mythics that went from bulk to top dollar, such as Master of Waves after one big event that occurred when the meta was "solved". I don't think that happens these days. Probably doesn't help their new tournaments are only for strong and brave "women" with penises and darkies.

Edit: Also, one thing to keep in mind, Magic is shaped by Arena in many ways now and Arena is designed to be a grind which translates into the paper format with people not really wanting to innovate or try new things as they're being conditioned to essentially pick a deck and run their head into the wall until their experience meter fills up by sheer force of will.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Does that mean the rules for EDH will get better and not be from salty people who lost to certain cards too many times?

On one hand, I fear Sol Ring and Mana Crypt getting fucked because that would really fuck up my strongest deck.

On the other Hand...they do need Yeeted.

 

[Monolith]

Arena's biggest sins are that:
1. It doesn't have all the cards
2. It's "live service" and your collection will evaporate the second servers are turned off for good.

Does it at least have Opalescence and Humility?

 

[I'mma real anime gurl]

The people calling for Sol Ring to be banned are retards. It's a one drop mana rock that taps for two and could be found in every fucking official commander deck because it's meant for new people to get into edh without having to buy expensive ramp shit for their color. It's also one card that'll most likely stuck in the 99 as the game goes on. Banning Sol Ring is like banning a bullet because a mass shooter used it.

If Sol Ring is banned you'll see green dominating because Wizards only gives White ramp once in a blue moon. It'll most likely hurt the new player if Sol Ring is banned. If these cretins truly cared for balance they won't be targeting Sol Ring. That's why I believe that the calls to ban Sol Ring is gay astroturf bullshit.

 

[Tour of Italy]

Arena's biggest sins are that:
1. It doesn't have all the cards
2. It's "live service" and your collection will evaporate the second servers are turned off for good.

Me: A Magic 2014 Duel of the Planeswalkers enjoyer

 

[Flexo]

I don't know how much you jest, but this is probably more accurate than any of us are comfortable with.

To really prove the point...



By far the most clever part is the "age, X" in the artist credit.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

The people calling for Sol Ring to be banned are retards. It's a one drop mana rock that taps for two and could be found in every fucking official commander deck because it's meant for new people to get into edh without having to buy expensive ramp shit for their color. It's also one card that'll most likely stuck in the 99 as the game goes on. Banning Sol Ring is like banning a bullet because a mass shooter used it.

If Sol Ring is banned you'll see green dominating because Wizards only gives White ramp once in a blue moon. It'll most likely hurt the new player if Sol Ring is banned. If these cretins truly cared for balance they won't be targeting Sol Ring. That's why I believe that the calls to ban Sol Ring is gay astroturf bullshit.

You have like 20 2 mana artifact ramp sources, the majority of which are cheap as shit and the only reason Sol Ring is cheap is because it gets printed every set, it was an expensive card before the EHD precons came out, they could make Black Lotus a cheap card if they printed it as much as they have Sol Ring over the past decade.

Sol Ring getting the Yeet would be good for new players because it means you won't have established players who have tuned their decks going "Land, Sol Ring, Arcane Signet...go" occasionally" and that player wondering what the hell just happened when they get stomped.

It is funny you call people wanting Sol Ring gone to be astroturf when WOTC and Sheldon both wanted Sol Ring around so who exactly is the source of the "Astro Turf"

 

[Party Hat Wurmple]

You have like 20 2 mana artifact ramp sources, the majority of which are cheap as shit and the only reason Sol Ring is cheap is because it gets printed every set, it was an expensive card before the EHD precons came out, they could make Black Lotus a cheap card if they printed it as much as they have Sol Ring over the past decade.

Sol Ring getting the Yeet would be good for new players because it means you won't have established players who have tuned their decks going "Land, Sol Ring, Arcane Signet...go" occasionally" and that player wondering what the hell just happened when they get stomped.

It is funny you call people wanting Sol Ring gone to be astroturf when WOTC and Sheldon both wanted Sol Ring around so who exactly is the source of the "Astro Turf"

Sol Ring is fine. There's no reason for it to be banned. There's a dozen more offensive cards in this game. Sol Ring is neither making nor breaking the game or meta.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Sol Ring is fine. There's no reason for it to be banned. There's a dozen more offensive cards in this game. Sol Ring is neither making nor breaking the game or meta.

I am not against it in terms of pure power, I think it makes for very poor play patterns (again as someone who has a Sol Ring and a Mana Crypt in his deck)

When I cycle in my 4 "I am playing seriously" cards and put in weaker cards with that deck the games turn out to play better even if I don't have the ability to win on turn 3.

 

[Rich Evans Ayypologist]

making a much much worse version of most cards with a new digital only convoluted and terrible mechanic tuned so badly you'd barely want to do it in limited much less constructed

I honestly forgot they fucking did that, that's how little attention I paid to Alchemy. I think I got a free draft in that set once for some reason or other, tried it out, and thought it was total shit. I'd drafted in paper, so I had some image memory of the art, but I had to throw all of that away to try to re-learn all these stupid mechanics.

The idea of tempering the base-card into something else is a cool one, but with how abhorrently clunky it is, they should've just abandoned the idea. I remember skipping the entire drafting season for that set other than the one free one they gave me.

2. It's "live service" and your collection will evaporate the second servers are turned off for good.

There's an entire genre of games called MMOs that operate on this same business model. If you don't enjoy playing them, then don't play them.

No amount of "but I can turn around and sell some of these for pennies on the dollar" would keep me playing MTG in paper if I didn't actually enjoy playing. I suppose I also don't feel the need to impulsively buy product in paper or on Arena, so most peoples' woes with it don't apply to me. Going infinite with draft isn't that hard, and I prefer limited so much more than "netdeck the goodstuff deck".

Past 2000 the meta got solved in like 2 weeks instead of 1 now ALTHOUGH it was less likely to disseminate to every LGS at the same rate.

I think it depends on the format. When I was getting more into the game around 2010-2015, Modern was this format that was always shifting around and developing, with set archetypes that had a lot of variation but lots of oddball rogue decks. Nowadays, MH2, LOTR, and FIRE design more generally have made the formats into super-small pools of cards strong enough to play, which get figured out instantly.

That's why I believe that the calls to ban Sol Ring is gay astroturf bullshit.

Games are more enjoyable without Sol Ring, period. I don't like the card. It creates swings in the early-game that really offset the entire pace of the game, which is the only reason it's played. I don't like it, I don't like Crypt or Vault or Lotus - the only saving grace of Sol Ring is that it's cheap. It's a one-dollar way to make games more swingy and uninteresting.

People who complain about green's ramping usually run like, 30 lands + 5 rocks and get confused as to why they're stuck on 4 mana. 36 lands, 14 mana sources (rocks, ramp, or even lay of the land effects) should be your baseline, which you can pare down from if you have a lower curve. When you play like this, you realize the strength of green is not land ramp so much as color-fixing, because Nature's Lore, Farseek, and Three Wishes enable it to get whatever shocks/triomes it wants.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

Sol Ring has ruined more games than nearly any card on the banned list in commander, it's fine if 2 players get one but when one guy kept a fast hand with Sol Ring and everyone else kept hands that function but rely on jank shit like Burnished Hart to fix themselves the game is pretty much done. I think at this point every mono color is fine at ramping except non-Orvar blue and as a blue player fuck blue they disserve it.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Sol Ring has ruined more games than nearly any card on the banned list in commander, it's fine if 2 players get one but when one guy kept a fast hand with Sol Ring and everyone else kept hands that function but rely on jank shit like Burnished Hart to fix themselves the game is pretty much done. I think at this point every mono color is fine at ramping except non-Orvar blue and as a blue player fuck blue they disserve it.

Blue Still has 20 some 2 CMC mana rocks it can use.

 

[Rich Evans Ayypologist]

I think at this point every mono color is fine at ramping except non-Orvar blue and as a blue player fuck blue they disserve it.

Secret tech: Walking Atlas. Also, I guess, terrain generator. Of course, these work well with any color that draws a lot of cards, which is blue, black, and white.

Journeyer's Kite and Thaumatic Compass also work absurdly well in draw-go control blue decks. Nothing you need to react to? Snab a land, hit a drop every turn. Pair it with Atlas or Generator to snab a land and play it, too.

Blue getting access to Midnight Clock, one of the best rocks in the format (horrendously underrated), helps it out, too. Though admittedly, this card is better for aggressive or tempo styles that expect to dump their hand.

Green does have the best acceleration of any of the colors, yeah, but in my experience most of the people who say that causes green to have a stranglehold are the sorts of people who keep cutting lands and mana sources when a new shiny comes out. I know it's boring for half of your 100 cards to be dedicated to mana in one way or another, but it just works for consistency.