Here a Format, There a Format, Everywhere a Format

They should've sent a poet

http://wp.me/p5VSx-Jd

Editor’s Note: I’m going to be trying some small changes here on the Blog. First, WordPress has short link capability, but the only way you can get to it is by editing the post (the only spot to find it). That’s bad, so you’ll see a url at the beginning of these posts that relate to that particular post (this one is: http://wp.me/p5VSx-Jd for example). Makes it easier for me, for you if you want to copypasta the link to share with your friends, whatever.

Second, I’m going to use the Tags option more often now. I like how Flores does his “Concerning” at the beginning of his posts, so I’m going to be using the tags for that. It’ll be more humor related. If I feel like it, I’ll go back and add tags to old posts, but this is the point where I’m going to be using them more often.

Third, I’ve been planning on doing another facelift of this blog (again) and updating some of the buttons along the sides. Look for those in the upcoming weeks. Thanks.

The big “news” that came out last last weekend was not from the Rise of the Eldrazi pre-release (I hope everyone had a great time), but from MTGSalvation’s rumor board. Yes, this is a baseless rumor and we don’t know if it’s true or not, hence “the rumor” part. This is something that @Robjelf and I tweeted about a while ago (You’d get links, but until the Library of Congress starts to organize them, searching for the tweets is too much for too little effort) and while I thought it was going to take a couple years for it to materialize, it looks like it’s just happening months after the Reserved List announcement was made.

To the rumor:

First, some background.

The people at WoTC want to support Eternal formats at all levels of competitive play. Unfortunately, the format is simply too expensive for something like a Pro Tour and associated qualifier season to be economically viable. The price of key staples would be even higher they are now if they did this, due to increased demand. And because of the reserve list, they can’t simply print more.

So, a new format is coming. It will be released later this year, with high-level events next year and probably a Pro Tour in 2012, assuming the format catches on. Here’s how it will work.

1. Normal constructed Magic rules apply. This isn’t a special-rules format like EDH or Planechase.
2. All cards printed during Masques block and later blocks, plus associated core sets, are legal (except banned cards, of course).
3. Nothing ever rotates out.

One point of uncertainty. My source says they haven’t definitely decided on Masques block as the cutoff yet, but it will be around that time.

With the ability ro[sic] reprint staples if necessary, the people at WoTC hope they can make a non-rotating format which is accessible enough to use in a PT and qualifier season.

This is basically a “fixed” Legacy though starting (hopefully) with Masques Block.

And just like frilly toothpicks, I’m for Wizards doing this.

Oh, you wanted more? Fine fine.

Continue reading “Here a Format, There a Format, Everywhere a Format”

One Year Later

The only confetti worth throwing

Today is a special day for MtG Color Pie.

No, not because Rise of the Eldrazi is being released today. Today is the one year anniversary of the “new” MtG Color Pie. Horray! Happy party time, right? I guess you could say that. But instead of balloons and flashbacks to my favorite posts, I just want to talk about how I almost didn’t make it this far.

A year ago today, I almost deleted this blog and walked away.

You read that right. While I celebrate a year of blogging, I celebrate the day that this blog almost died and my decision to reverse it. While it’s not like one of those made for TV movie moments where someone comes up to me and says “No, don’t stop, think of the children,” it’s actually a culmination of events and sequences that I want to pass along to you guys. It’s a tale of excitement, adventure, intrigue, or none of the above.

This is the story of MtG Color Pie, lessons for new Magic bloggers and how Wizards of the Coast knows what they’re doing.

Continue reading “One Year Later”

Lotus Cobra is Evil – Lotus Cobra is Still Evil

For people who don’t know, I met Sixten online and asked him if I could post his comics on my site. He and I never met and it was always an online thing. That is, until yesterday at the Rise of the Eldrazi pre-release in Seattle where we met for the first time. He tracked me down and we met during one of my flights. I was so happy to met him and asked him to do something for me. He drew his Nissa one on the Planeswalker I had.

Awesome.

Now, onto today’s comic.

Taking “I’ll Tap That” to a New Low

Ironically, she doesn't tap

Editor’s Note: I wouldn’t call today’s post NSFW, but it is a little more risque than usual (More like a stand-up comedy act than a Penthouse Forum). If you went through sixth grade health, there will be nothing that will surprise you here. And yes, all of this is true.

I’m jealous of the blog Kissing Suzy Kolber.

Not because they have like a million readers, or the fact that they put out new content every day, or they’re actually funny (in a non-PC/”wow that’s really bad off-color” sort of way). But because the have a Sex-Fantasy football mailbag. Yes, every week they get letters from their readers asking about sex/relationship advice plus about their fantasy football league. It’s funny, it’s informative and it’s not like some Cosmo advice where it’s the same three questions over and over again (how do I get my man to love me?). They try to give honest (or at least funny) advice for people writing into a football blog for relationship advice for free (here’s some to get you started, those are more borderline-NSFW).

See, before my current job, I kinda wanted to be a psychologist. I would (and still do)  dispense advice to friends and acquaintances and try and help them out. That’s why I’m so nice when people honestly ask me for advice, it’s like doing something I would’ve done, only for like $100/hr less.

So, when Reinhart from GatheringMagic.com told me I was going to be getting an e-mail, I didn’t know what to expect. It turns out that Nerve.com runs a column titled: “Sex advice from…” and whatever profession or hobby or whatever they do. Reinhart referred them to me since I’m the rarest of all Magic players: one with a wife (actually, it’s more common these days since some of us who started playing Magic when we were in Middle and High School are now older.) I was like “perfect, this was my chance to be a little like Kissing Suzy Kolber and have some fun with it.” They sent me 10 questions, and I thought about it and gave them their answers. Though I always thought that some answers would be funnier, yet unpractical, I was happy to help. Weeks went by without me hearing anything.

Until last night.

See, I’m not up there. And that’s fine, I understand. They usually do three people and 2:1 ratio of men to women. I am not female, and the obvious choice was to choose GatheringMagic’s Leaf and Reinhart since they were asked first.

You think I would be mad, steaming, but I’m not. It’s fine that they didn’t chose me; it just means that this post has turned into my own relationship advice column. You get my advice to what the Nerve deemed was repetitive. You get all 10 questions and answers plus, the answers I would’ve love to use if I wanted to go over the top. I tried to focus this on more Magic type answers because that’s the fun with asking a Magic player, you get it from their perspective. This isn’t the same as the KSK blog, but maybe, if people like this, we can start doing some of that here.

If Nerve.com has a problem with me doing this then you can contact me, you have my e-mail.

  • What has Magic the Gathering taught you about dating?

Real Answer: Just like Magic, there are three psychological profile of daters (so called Spike, Johnny and Timmy in the Magic world): The ones who are serious (Spike and the ones who want to get married), the ones who do it on their own terms (Johnny and “open relationships”), and the ones who want to have fun (Timmy and casual daters). You can be a combination of any and all, but you need need to find a partner who has the same interest level or it could be disastrous.

Yes, I’m sure MaRo would be proud of me using the Timmy/Johnny/Spike model to explain relationships.

Better Answer: Sometimes, you just have to concede and let the other person win. But don’t ever give up if you’re winning; keep attacking because you never know when they might topdeck something and really screw you over.

Best Answer: In a tournament, you’ll battling other players to see if you can be the best in the room. This is a lot like dating: there’s a ton of guys who each think that they have the best tech to keep one step in front of you for getting that top prize (a woman’s attention). ‘Course, unlike Magic, you most likely don’t want to be in her “Top 8.” Continue reading “Taking “I’ll Tap That” to a New Low”