Hangin’ with Mr. Mind Sculptor

Sure, only 2 packs, but awesome
Sure, only 2 packs, but awesome

(Editor’s Note: multiple images in this post. Sorry dial-upers)

Oh Mark Curry, where did you go?

This past weekend was the Worldwake prerelease. I had fun, met a few friends and fellow bloggers, as well as got something so awesome done, everyone who saw it cried intently at its beauty (they should’ve sent a poet). Oh, yeah I played some cards as well.

I met up with fellow bloggers GatheringMagic.com. They had decided to come out to the 6:30 am flight to get done early and go in another flight or do whatever crazy people do when they want to do a 6:30 am flight. I got there around 10ish, signed up for my flight, and found Reinhart in the middle of one of his matches. After being a ninja, we decided that we would meet up for an EDH game between rounds.

(Awesome aside) I was called to my flight and I was seated next to Brian David-Marshall (@top8games). I don’t know if you’ve heard about him; I guess he writes for a little website called “dailymtg.com” and has done a couple of other things. Whatever. I introduced myself to him earlier when I spotted him earlier registering for a flight and boom, sitting right next to him. While we opened packs, he showed me what he opened. He needed some basic land so we traded some (I asked him to sign an island he did, which was really nice of him). We played a couple quick games waiting for our round to be called, and unsurprisingly he beat me both times with his awesomeness. (/aside)

After round 2 (where I was 2-0), I caught up with the GatheringMagic guys again and we started to play a little EDH. There were complaints that they need sunglasses because my cards were all foil. After it was pointed out by someone actually paying attention to the game that Reinhart had an illegal land in play (one that made another color besides his General), we all complained that the game was tainted. We were forced to move our game because another flight that needed the table space and I my next round was about to start. We departed our ways (Leaf and Reinhart left because they got there at 6:30 am, and I had my next round), agreeing that we would defeat each other next time.

My prize winnings for going 2-1-1 was 2 packs. In the second pack (as you can see above) was a Jace. That’s right, the card that’s pre-ordering for $50. Getting a Jace was an awesome experience; I was high-fiving people and some of the other players came and saw their first real life Jace. The look on their face when they saw it was pretty cool. I bragged to GathteringMagic, displaying my winnings. He wanted to trade his 4-0 flight for my Jace (which I think is in some violation of the DCI on so many levels), then when I refused, he called me out. Multiple times.

Well, this post is for you, Reinhart.

Reinhart is obsessed with Jace; it’s actually pretty sad, he’s got a tramp stamp with Jace’s face on it. So, after the GatheringMagic’s guys left, giving me a bad time about having to go finish my flight, it was sweet to open one of these. When I awoke the next morning, I found my Jace missing from my card box. I looked everywhere for it, thinking I might have left it at the pre-release, but then I saw something moving on my table. It was Jace.

He was moving.

Apprently, this new Planeswalker is so powerful, he can do anything.

I took some photos of Jace exploring his new surroundings. Let’s follow him.

Jace is showing his former self who's boss.

Continue reading “Hangin’ with Mr. Mind Sculptor”

Lotus Cobra is Evil – Finale

I hate to say this, but the comic has reached its finale; like all good things, this too shall come to an end.

Last week was the last new Lotus Cobra is Evil and here are the two Christmas comics that go in their rightful place. Instead of letting it end last week, I wanted to show it in its entirety with the poetic bookmark ending and its proper place in the order of the comic.

Life has focused Sixten’s attention elsewhere and I wish him all the luck in the world. It was an honor hosting his comic and as long as I have this blog (No end in sight), I will continue to do so (links to all the comics here).

Sixten said this about LciE:

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed Lotus Cobra is Evil during its short, 14-strip run…You made this all worth it.

No, thank you.

So, here’s the final two comics for Lotus Cobra is Evil (As always, and will be done by the amazing talent of HouseofSixten.com)

Next Sunday? I finally sell out and get sponsors. You won’t believe who I got.

Magic Celebrity Commercial – Now I’m Just Pandering to the Internet

(Editor’s Note: Look, if you don’t know what’s going on after the first picture there’s nothing I can do for you; stop reading the post. If I didn’t get your favorite in here, I apologize, there might be a follow-up. – MtGCP)

INT. – WIZARDS OF THE COAST MEETING ROOM – MORNING

MARK ROSEWATER, KEN NAGLE, ELAINE CHASE are all sitting at a table in a conference room staring at a blue curtain that has been set up for a presentation. The three can hear hushed voices behind the curtain, but can’t understand them.

MARO
Listen, Ken. I’m really liking your new set, Worldwake. All of us are proud for you for what you did, especially for the first time leading a set.

KEN
Well, I’m really proud of it myself.

MARO
And I find it a little endearing that you want to kind of take over everything for this set including preview cards and advertising…

ELAINE
Hey, as head of Magic Brand, he’s made my job a easier.

MARO
But why do you want to go with these guys when we already have?

KEN
Well, I have a friend from California who’s friend said to give these guys a chance. They come from a different background and they have some new ideas and how we can market ourselves differently. Apparently, one of them’s really into Magic.

MARO
Alright, we’ll give them a chance. At least it’s not those two idiots this time.

ELAINE
I never got to meet them.

MARO
Count yourself lucky.

They look at the curtain and see a hand sneak out from behind it. It presses play on the CD player and the room is filled with a horn intro. The three look a little confused.

MARO
(Cont’d)
Wow, I haven’t heard this song in forever. I can’t quite remember it’s name…

After the drum intro, the song goes into its chorus and a man rips open the curtain and jumps out. He’s got cards in each one of his hands, a knife in his mouth and dancing spasticly to the music. The three WotC employees are in horror.

Continue reading “Magic Celebrity Commercial – Now I’m Just Pandering to the Internet”

Design Class – See, This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Anymore

The only time you'll see this spell in the new border?

For anything to be called a standard means that people have accepted it and measure everything else that they come into contact with it. In Magic, it’s something that players constantly do; it helps us judge cards from the past and how they reflect on them in the present. If we accept that you can do 2 damage at a target for R at instant speed (Shock) is the standard for dealing damage you can compare every other Red burn spell that sees print. Let’s compare it to some of the other comparable burn spells from Lorywn to now (Zendikar):

  • Burst Lightning (Better, since you can kick it later for more damage)
  • Flame Jab (Worse, Sorcery and loss of a card in hand to repeat the ability)
  • Lightning Bolt (Better, 3>2)
  • Magma Spray (Worse, since it doesn’t hit players. Exiling a creature is only worth it once in a while)
  • Needle Drop (Worse, 1 damage, have had to been dealt damage earlier, but you get to draw a card)
  • Shard Volley (Mixed, you lose one of your lands, but it deals 3 damage)
  • Tarfire (Better, since it has the Tribal card type)

There have been some better and some worse cards than Shock, which is perfectly fine; the standard can’t be the best there is, just a good accepted value to compare. We’re not looking for the best card in relation to mana cost, but the common accepted standard. There are always going to be good cards, better cards and worst cards in for everything we can think of, it’s just part of the game. This is just a simplified view to get a yardstick of measurement (Don’t worry, I’m not going to go a complete Mike Flores on you. – MtGCP).

The most common complaint in today’s game is that Blue sucks. It doesn’t have a good counterspell (nor even its namesake) or instant speed drawing. Today’s standard for countering a spell is 1UU, but it didn’t always used to be that way. It’s been years since it saw legal play in Standard (and a year or two in Extended), but Counterspell is still card everyone thinks about for making sure your opponent didn’t cast that card they were hoping to use.

UU, Instant, Counter target spell.

That’s the standard for countering a spell in Magic. And you’ll never get it back.

Continue reading “Design Class – See, This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Anymore”