Hammer Time?

Sorry could help myself on that one. Mike Flores made a recent point about planeswalkers "Look at all the big planeswalkers ... The first one was Garruk Wildspeaker, adopted by the State Championships immediately after Lorwyn's release and a Pro Tour winner before season's end. Then there was the first truly format-dominating planeswalker, Ajani Goldmane—powerhouse in White-Black Tokens, excellent in all the Windbrisk Heights decks, from Green-White Tokens to White Weenie Kithkin. Ajani Vengeant. The bridge: awesome in control, awesome in creature decks aplenty against control. The clunky Lightning Helix against red decks, and the only Lightning Helix we have had in Standard. Yeah, yeah yeah ... Ajani Vengeant was red (but not really). If you look at the decks in which Ajani Vengeant was good, it was basically green and maybe blue.This year's darling planeswalkers, Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Elspeth, Knight-Errant; both allegedly the "best" planeswalker in Standard at one time or another according to different pundits / Premium deck designers. See a trend here? They all cost four. Even Nissa Revane—who surrounded herself with Nissa's Chosen, Leatherback Baloths, and Wolf tokens in the Eldrazi Green days (before blending back into the shadows)—costs four." Before reading this article I had never considered it, all the 'good' Planeswalkers cost four mana? Seems true, Jace Belern is probably the exception at his three. Now for Red comes around Koth, The Hammer now in Red Koth comes around being very toolboxy. On that turn a Mountain can come swinging as a 4/4; or Koth can hop to One Loyalty, and cast a second four cost Red card like a Cyclops Gladiator dealing something around eight damage the next turn. Flores also took the time to point out the acceleration allowing you on turn five to be able to drop an Inferno Titan without Green to accelerate. Koth also sits with a decent "Ultimate" Ability giving you an Emblem to be able to Comet Storm every turn. What is an Emblem, Emblems are nifty little things that give things you control nifty little abilities. So far only three cards deal with Emblems; Elspeth, Koth, and Venser nothing else can give, or effect Emblems. Where do they go, Emblems go into the "Command Zone" where Archenemy Schemes, Planchase Cards, Vanguards, and EDH Generals go. Thoughts of Koth toolboxing makes me happy, in a world that has long since crushed my dreams. I am currently breaking up the later half of The Darkness for YouTube upload, so new parts are sure to come soon enough.

Suddenly Thopters thousands of them.

I missed my chance to play yesterday since school's big days are Tuesday, and Thursday I blame my car for being a pile of fail, and AIDS. Anyways heres one I've been working on altering into something scarier; most people who keep up with the sport of magic know Thopter Combo, and that it got Sword of the Meek banned in Extended. Well here let's make it even worse.

Creatures: 0

Spells: 36
Thopter Foundry x4
Sword of the Meek x4
Muddle the Mixture x3
Ponder x2
Consult the Necrosages x2
Countersquall x2
Krark-Clan Ironworks x3
Faith's Fetters x3
Doom Blade x2
Repeal x3
Compulsive Research x2
Cancel x2
Negate x2
Repel the Darkness x2

Land: 24
Terramorphic Expanse x3
Plains x5
Swamp x8
Island x8

I would use more dual lands if I had them or Arcane Sanctums, but I don't. Anyways ideally on turn three we have Thopter Combo on the board which is basically game as is. Though the difference is we have the Ironworks dropped on turn four we have infinite life, and Thopter Tokens the next turn coming.
For those wondering how it works the breakdown goes something like this. Turn five pay two for a second Sword of the Meek, sacrfice one sword to Krark-Clan Ironworks adding 2 to your manapool; now sacrifice the second sword to the Thopter Foundry as per usual with the one of your two new mana when the Thopter Token hits the field both Sword of the Meek in your graveyard see this and come back equipped to the token, and Lather, Rinse, Repeat. It would be best to wait and do this in response to their attack because you can waste their creatures off, or on the end of their turn, and swing with the 1/1 tokens if they didn't scoop already. Seeing as Ravinca, and Mirrodin block are now new extended this deck is legal for its format. It is strange for me to be running nine hard counters but Muddle the Mixture is intended for Transmuting either Sword of the Meek or Thopter Foundry, or stopping opponent counters, build it and let me know how it works out for you.

To answer some questions from before, I play generally Tuesday, and Thursday weekly unless that changes next school term. Other than that whenever I'm with my friends, and we decide to play. Mass Polymorph has 31 spells, because I want to guarantee that I hit those creatures, and not something silly like an Eager Cadet I want to be the end game. As far as this deck being creatureless I was trying to move off of being creature heavy, this really helped I've seen a version with Tezzeret the Seeker, and more artifacts and artifact creatures that worked really well. People I play with usually get pissed when I play this so I don't often, and its usually because this deck tends to not lose it kinda turns on anal rape mode.

Busy days.

On vacation from [undisclosed retailer] and loving it, but working to catch up on schoolwork put off in order to unwind depression from a shitty job. That isn't why you're here though lets talk wrecking faces, Tuesday I finally put together Mass Polymorph with a stand-in proxy of Kozilek, the Butcher of Truth since the post system seems to want to hold him away from me. unimportant things aside the deck looks something like this.


Creatures: 3
Mad Rush Cyclops
Emrakul, The Aeons Torn <-- Pre-release promo
Kozilek, The Butchr of Truth


Spells: 31
Mass Polymorph x3
Explore x3
Cultivate x2
Growth Spasm x3
Spectral Precession x4
Bestial Menace x3
See Beyond x3
Ponder x2
Narcolepsy x2
Negate x2
Overrun x2
Leyline of Vitality
Leyline of Sanctity


Land: 26
Terramorphic Expanse x3
Evolving Wilds
Forest x6
Khlani Garden x2
Island x6
Halimar Depths
Plains x7




The deck goes off early as turn four unchecked, this is possible off two different acceleration patterns probably more. On my first time playing it I managed a 1v1 with someone dubbed Harry Potter because he shares my name, and it helps end confusion between us. I hit the ground running with Mass Polymorph, Bestial Menace, Plains, Khlani Garden, Cultivate, Explore, Leyline of Vitality. As planned turn four with nothing in my way Mass polymorph for three, and swinging for 30 with Annihilator 10. It could have been turn five I don't know that game wasn't more than three minutes long. So anyways Mad Rush seems out of place, but fits in I like to swing when they hit the field, and not wait for summoning sickness to wear-off. He also officially makes the deck five colors. Ideally it should Mass Poly for three, but nothing less than two on two I'm either swinging with an Eldrazi, or sitting behind two massive fatties waiting to destroy. Running two-up on Negate also seems strange, but it is mainly for the late game to counter counters; most responses where to run Dispel instead, but Negate also allows me to put a halt to non-creature spells looking to ruin myself or my plans. I was worried about defending myself, but as it seems there wasn't a whole lot of need for it in multiplayer situations I'm under the radar until I go off and 1v1 it gives false security; also it goes roughly the speed of light with that acceleration. Next on my list is a Living Death with the ability to finish off two players at once.

Long weekend.

Nothing went up over the weekend, but I blame visiting family for that one. Anyways Pro-tour Amsterdam just passed by showing a lot of interesting decks played by familiar names. Extended format all around the constructed part of the tournament saw a lot of combo decks. As a personal pick I like the UB Dredge from Ben Lundquist; with such silliness as a turn two Iona. Constructing Mass Polymorph is giving me a couple issues I have a few open slots, and no idea what to devote to them; I would like to not rely on the Polymorph to win, but don't have a great card pool for it. In my research of this issue I came across the plot of Hagra Diabolist or Halimar Excavator. Typical of allies they have 'Enters the battlefield' triggers, off the Mass Polymorph for four is an instant win causing a loss of 64 life, or milling 64 cards. Instead I saw the potential to gain more dirty looks at school, and slate up all eight of them for a Living Death, and erase two players in a group setting. The deck would function on legacy format, run Dimir colors, and look like it isn't doing anything until it kills. With nothing else interesting, check back tomorrow for a recap on kills, and plays.

Arabian nights...... like Arabian days?

Sorry I just wanted to remind you of the Aladdin TV show. Days with very few card games are very uninteresting days. Play of the day causing the death of Acidic Slime at his owner's hands; it was a three man free for all, and on turn four I cast Followed Footsteps on an Acidic Slime holding a Sword of Vengeance. As it got to his turn Acidic Slime came swinging for my unguarded face, and in order to not have me blowing up lands every turn he cast Harms Way to kill Acidic Slime dealing three to me. So I thought I would post the list for Sentai Samurai, keep in mind this deck is a year old and holds only one card from the ban list.

Creatures: 22

XX-Saber Fullhelmknight x2
Marauding Captain x2
The Six Samurai Zanji x3
The Six Samurai Irou x2
The Six Samurai Yaichi x3
The Six Samurai Kamon
Spirit of The Six Samurai x2
Grandmaster of the Six Samurai x3
Enishi, Shien's Chancellor
Great Shogun Shien x3

Spells: 16

Fissure x3
Six Samurai United
Lightning Vortex
The A. Forces
Heavy Storm
Gateway of the Six
Pot of Avarice
Reasoning
Mystical Space Typhoon
Reinforcement of the Army
Six Scrolls of the Samurai
The Warrior Returning Alive
Solidarity
Shien's Castle of Mist

Traps: 8

Solemn Judgement
Reckless Greed x2
Call of the Haunted
Negate Attack
Compulsory Evacuation Device
Bottomless Trap Hole x2

Extra Deck: 2

Goyo Guardian
Colossal Fighter

For Solidarity I tried to keep it straight Warriors for when they die, which they do, and with it out or in hand when placing on in my grave the rest of them hit for a lot more. They say Samurai are too slow for the metagame, but this can kill on the word go. Turn One Zanji, Grandmaster, Shogun attacks, Scrolls, Kill. It turns this result often and even without it the deck murders all kinds of other things. Also parts 23-25 have been posted of The Darkness on YouTube. Tomorrow I should be able to get together Mass Polymorph with a possible turn four kill on the perfect hand.

Am I late?

Not a lot of new things happened today so in sight of filler comes a decklist, this is one of my current Standard MTG decks until Scars in October I call is System C.A.I. (kudos to those who get the reference, bonus points to those who know what CAI stands for)

Spells: 31

Ajani Goldmane

Ajani Vengeant

Chandra Ablaze

Chandra Nalaar x2

Elspeth Knight Errant

Gideon Jura

Jace Beleren

Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker x2

Sorin Markov

Everflowing Chalice x2

Obelisk of Alara x2

Bant Charm x2

Naya Charm x2

Grixis Charm x2

Esper Charm x2

Vengeful Rebirth x2

Explore x2

Exploding Borders x2

Foresee x2

Creatures: 4

Birds of Paradise x3

Platinum Angel

Land: 25

Stirring Wildwood

Raging Ravine

Sunpetal Grove

Drowned Catacombs x2

Dragonskull Summit x2

Rootbound Crag

Glacial Fortress x2

Mountain x3

Forest x2

Island x3

Plains x3

Swamp x2

Terramorphic Expanse

Evolving Wilds

It runs a lot of different outlets for complete silliness, and murder possibly seeing Bolas early as turn five if my math is right. Regardless of the it has been a ton of fun to play; best in groups of three or more, but can stand in one on one. Earlier today was just such the case; I was staring down three opponents we deep in resting at turn eightish if not a little bit later. Across the board from me was Grave Pact, two Abyssal Gatekeeper plus some other junk. Mass Polymorph sitting to my right, and Five Color Cascade to my right I decided to Grixis Charm a Gatekeeper causing everybody to lose four creatures, which walked right into a Cancel from Mass Polymorph; with my open mana I had a ready Bant Charm, and was called a dick for not letting his crazy Polymorph go off. I eventually lost to a Divinity of Pride with a Mageslayer equipped, but we were all low on life by then. The whole point of the deck is to be ready for any situation which I has answers to pretty much everything that can happen in the game. Currently in work is a Grixis Color Leyline of the Void Pyromancer Acension Mill Deck, Multicolor Merfolk entitled Ariel's Revenge, which needs Lord of Atlantis, Merfolk Sovereign, and Merrow Reejerey; before it become bullshit and hurts people a lot.

That was when....

Hey looks who's back after a year, since the last post I moved south of Chicago, IL; started school, and continue to hate working for an unnamed store with red uniforms, and employees, and kids, and babies. Anyways now four terms deep into an Applied Associate's for Graphic Design, and before my BA in Game Design. The Darkness should get new episodes Wednesday September 1st, 2010 up to episode 26. I have since become reacquainted with Magic the Gathering, and can't help but spend my money on it running Over-Extended and Standard and Extended. Falling in with MTG I fell away from YGO and sold a few things I picked up and could have used. I still have Sentai Samurai, Tombkeeper's, and Fortune Ladies; which is still missing a Magician's Valkirya. Going to school for Design I've been spending time developing my "Critical Eye" as my first instructor called it so many times; as such I find myself being more skeptical of things than excited though it keeps me from blindly accepting things. Since picking Scott Pilgrim vs The World The Game last Thursday I've manage to beat it about 5 times, and am now maxing out Ramona the last character. I saw in a FAQ on gameFAQs that when the DVD comes out Knives Chau may be a DLC where I want to play as Knives I would much rather be Wallace Wells, who I believe to be the best character in the series. This franchise has really taken me by storm though, it manages to only get praise from me in all its forms. The Movies OST was pretty good, except for Beck, the game is great all the way through, the game OST is neo-retro awesome on a stick laced with cocaine, and sugar. Lastly the comic, I saw the movie first which got me hooked sadly, but the comic drew me further in whereas I don't blame the movie for being the way it is I see what they did. Certain scenes where changed to fit for time, and to not lose certain jokes they wanted to keep while keeping the same flavor and not having the characters stray too far; it did so in a fairly acceptable manner. Anyways I tend to write like I talk which could be seen as a giant text block so in honor of myself, I should have my own holiday printed on roman calendars, I will leave it in this fashion, I will get my decklists up soon, and try to make this the last thing I do close to everyday.