Category Archives: On the Tabletop

Adventures from cards, miniatures, pencil and paper RPGs, and other old fashioned games from before the internet ruined everything.

On the Tabletop

Between the Numbers – Grand Prix Shanghai 2015

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Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 -5/16/2015 (Standard)

Top 8 Deck Types

3 Green Devotion

2 Gruul Dragons

1 Abzan Aggro

1 Abzan Control

1 Abzan Midrange

I found it interesting that the balance of power has started to shift in Standard. Although Abzan is still the deck to beat, R/G has crept onto the scene taking 5 out of the 8 spots.

1st Place Deck (Abzan Control)

24 LANDS
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Temple of Malady
4 Windswept Heath
4 Llanowar Wastes
3 Temple of Silence
2 Plains
2 Forest
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
22 CREATURES
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Siege Rhino
4 Deathmist Raptor
4 Den Protector
4 Satyr Wayfinder
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
12 INSTANTS and SORC.
4 Abzan Charm
4 Thoughtseize
2 Crux of Fate
2 Hero’s Downfall
3 OTHER SPELLS
3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion

Top 8 Singles Breakdown

Card Total
Elvish Mystic 20
Temple of Abandon 20
Wooded Foothills 20
Rattleclaw Mystic 15
Sylvan Caryatid 15
Abzan Charm 12
Sandsteppe Citadel 12
Siege Rhino 12
Temple of Malady 12
Whisperwood Elemental 12
Windswept Heath 12
Dragonlord Atarka 11
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 11
Thoughtseize 11
Den Protector 10
Llanowar Wastes 10
Temple of Silence 10
Hero’s Downfall 9
Polukranos, World Eater 9
Xenagos, the Reveler 9
Courser of Kruphix 8
Fleecemane Lion 8
Stormbreath Dragon 8
Thunderbreak Regent 8
Deathmist Raptor 7
Draconic Roar 7
Haven of the Spirit Dragon 7
Boon Satyr 6
Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 6
Crater’s Claws 5
Rugged Highlands 5
Anafenza, the Foremost 4
Ashcloud Phoenix 4
Goblin Rabblemaster 4
Mana Confluence 4
Rakshasa Deathdealer 4
Satyr Wayfinder 4
See the Unwritten 4
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon 4
Arc Lightning 3
Caves of Koilos 3
Dromoka’s Command 3
Genesis Hydra 3
Hornet Queen 3
Nissa, Worldwaker 3
Roast 3
Tasigur, the Golden Fang 3
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 3
Wingmate Roc 3
Bile Blight 2
Crux of Fate 2
Heir of the Wilds 2
Sorin, Solemn Visitor 2
Surrak, the Hunt Caller 2
Murderous Cut 1
Outpost Siege 1
Valorous Stance 1

 

On the Tabletop

Between the Numbers – Grand Prix Toronto 2015

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Grand Prix Toronto 2015 – 5/3/15 (Standard)

Top 8 Deck Types

4 Abzan Midrange

2 Bant Aggro

1 Mardu Aggro

1 Selesnya Aggro

1st Place Deck (Abzan Midrange)

26 LANDS
4 Temple of Silence
4 Temple of Malady
4 Windswept Heath
3 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Llanowar Wastes
3 Forest
2 Caves of Koilos
2 Plains
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
14 CREATURES
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Siege Rhino
3 Fleecemane Lion
3 Den Protector
16 INSTANTS and SORC.
4 Abzan Charm
4 Thoughtseize
3 Hero’s Downfall
2 Bile Blight
1 Read the Bones
1 Crux of Fate
1 Dromoka’s Command
4 OTHER SPELLS
3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1 Nissa, Worldwaker

Top 8 Singles Breakdown:

Card Total
Windswept Heath 28
Fleecemane Lion 27
Courser of Kruphix 22
Den Protector 22
Thoughtseize 18
Abzan Charm 16
Deathmist Raptor 16
Siege Rhino 16
Temple of Silence 16
Sandsteppe Citadel 15
Temple of Malady 15
Dromoka’s Command 14
Caves of Koilos 13
Llanowar Wastes 12
Temple of Plenty 12
Elvish Mystic 11
Hero’s Downfall 10
Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 8
Flooded Strand 8
Yavimaya Coast 8
Mana Confluence 7
Seeker of the Way 7
Bile Blight 6
Dragonlord Ojutai 6
Valorous Stance 6
Sylvan Caryatid 5
Anafenza, the Foremost 4
Bloodstained Mire 4
Collected Company 4
Crackling Doom 4
Draconic Roar 4
Goblin Rabblemaster 4
Mastery of the Unseen 4
Nomad Outpost 4
Rakshasa Deathdealer 4
Stormbreath Dragon 4
Thunderbreak Regent 4
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 4
Warden of the First Tree 4
Brimaz, King of Oreskos 3
Disdainful Stroke 3
Temple of Triumph 3
Ajani Steadfast 2
Battlefield Forge 2
Foul-Tongue Invocation 2
Haven of the Spirit Dragon 2
Kolaghan, the Storm’s Fury 2
Sorin, Solemn Visitor 2
Soulfire Grand Master 2
Surrak, the Hunt Caller 2
Ultimate Price 2
Wingmate Roc 2
Crux of Fate 1
Kolaghan’s Command 1
Murderous Cut 1
Nissa, Worldwaker 1
Rattleclaw Mystic 1
Read the Bones 1
Stratus Dancer 1
Temple of Malice 1

 

On the Tabletop

Between the Numbers – Grand Prix Paris 2015

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Welcome to the newest addition to our article family! Between the Numbers is exactly that: numbers. Hey! I hear you yawning from here. This isn’t Trigonometry kind of numbers..this is MTG numbers. These articles will be focused on breaking down the Top 8 decks from major MTG tournaments card by card so we can see what cards saw the most action and which ones didn’t make the cut. Who knows? This might help you decide which cards you should include in your FNM deck and which ones you should leave at home. Enjoy!

2015 Grand Prix Paris 5/9/15 (Standard)

Top 8 Deck types:

4 Abzan (3 aggro, 1 control)

2 RDW

1 G/R Devotion

1 G/W Collected Company

1st Place Deck List (Abzan Aggro)

Main Deck:
4 Anafenza, the Foremost
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Rakshasa Deathdealer
4 Siege Rhino
1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
2 Warden of the First Tree
2 Wingmate Roc

2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor

4 Abzan Charm
2 Dromoka’s Command
2 Hero’s Downfall
4 Thoughtseize

2 Caves of Koilos
2 Forest
3 Llanowar Wastes
1 Mana Confluence
2 Plains
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Temple of Malady
3 Temple of Silence
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

Top 8 Singles Breakdown:

Card Total #
Windswept Heath 21
Fleecemane Lion 20
Sandsteppe Citadel 16
Siege Rhino 16
Abzan Charm 14
Temple of Malady 13
Thoughtseize 12
Deathmist Raptor 11
Den Protector 11
Dromoka’s Command 11
Hero’s Downfall 11
Llanowar Wastes 11
Temple of Silence 11
Anafenza, the Foremost 10
Caves of Koilos 9
Courser of Kruphix 8
Elvish Mystic 8
Lightning Strike 8
Monastery Swiftspear 8
Stoke the Flames 8
Warden of the First Tree 8
Lightning Berserker 7
Rakshasa Deathdealer 7
Wild Slash 7
Eidolon of the Great Revel 6
Wingmate Roc 6
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 5
Sorin, Solemn Visitor 5
Temple of Plenty 5
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 5
Zurgo Bellstriker 5
Collected Company 4
Dragon Fodder 4
Foundry Street Denizen 4
Genesis Hydra 4
Mana Confluence 4
Rattleclaw Mystic 4
Sylvan Caryatid 4
Temple of Abandon 4
Thunderbreak Regent 4
Whisperwood Elemental 4
Wooded Foothills 4
Dragonlord Atarka 3
Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 3
Flamewake Phoenix 3
Hidden Dragonslayer 3
Hordeling Outburst 3
Mastery of the Unseen 3
Polukranos, World Eater 3
Searing Blood 3
Titan’s Strength 3
Bile Blight 2
Blossoming Sands 2
Brimaz, King of Oreskos 2
Goblin Heelcutter 2
Goblin Rabblemaster 2
Valorous Stance 2
Xenagos, the Reveler 2
Courser of Kruphix 2
Crux of Fate 1
Hall of Triumph 1
Hornet Queen 1
Read the Bones 1
Rugged Highlands 1
Surrak, the Hunt Caller 1

 

On the Tabletop

Lessons from the Kitchen Table: Vol.4 The Proxy Paradox

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It's real..I swear.
It’s real..I swear. <cough, cough>

Yes, I’m fully aware that my cohort already wrote an opinion piece on the seedy world of MTG proxies, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the subject as well. As Shawn wrote in his article “My Case for Proxies”, he has brought up the subject of proxies to me a few times in the last couple of months. Each time I briefly thought about it before I shelved the idea thinking to myself, “What fun is that?” You see, I’m a collector at heart. My dad raised me on sports cards, which is basically one big stock market. It’s all about opening that pack or box and getting that big money card to flip for a profit. I try really hard to not see Magic that way. It’s just a game. Right? Despite that belief, I have to admit that I’ve always been remotely aware of the value of singles. I still remember standing in my local game store during the days of Gatecrash, buying 5 boosters, listening to the clerk say that he still hadn’t pulled a Boros Reckoner (which was selling for $15-$18 back then), opening one pack in front of him and pulling a Boros Reckoner out. There was a rush that I hadn’t felt since my sport card days. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about: we’ve all opened that one pack and got that rare that we were looking for.

My point is that when it comes to proxies..there is no real excitement. There is no mystery of “what’s in the pack?” And there is absolutely no monetary value. It took me looking back at my banking statements and seeing just how much I spent last year on the hobby before I decided that the rush of possibly pulling a high value single was not worth the dent my bank account was taking. Shawn had been talking about proxies for Vintage and Legacy, but I decided to take it to the next level and say that I was completely done with buying actual Magic cards and I would proxy everything. I justified it by pointing out the fact that literally Shawn is the only person I play the game with. None of my other friends have an interest in it. If I’m only playing it with one person, why spend so much? At this point, the money I save can be put towards other games that we need to report on for our podcast. The decision was made. I was out.

After talking about it with Shawn and finding a rather useful proxy site, we agreed to split the cost of a printer and would begin our adventure into the world of fake cards. I found a nice printer on sale and eagerly drove home beyond excited at the prospect of finally playing a Time Walk or a dual land. Needless to say the first batch I printed consisted of the Power 9. I took land cards and pasted the proxies over them. I took a step back to inspect my work and thought to myself that they looked good. Real good. Too good. I sent Shawn a text with a pic of my Black Lotus and a Mox Sapphire . He agreed. They looked real. He was thinking more along the lines of printing in black and white (I didn’t get that memo). I’m an artist and half the appeal of MTG is the artwork so I didn’t want to sacrifice it just because I wanted to save some money. Besides I was riding the high of every single MTG being available to me for playtesting. I quickly put together the control deck of my dreams that consisted of vintage and modern staples and printed it out.

After a couple of hours of arts n’ crafts, I had a deck. I decided to play-test it against my Modern RDW. It was like a dream..turn 1 Black Lotus, Ruby Mox and a Volcanic Island right into a Monastery Mentor. The game only lasted 4 turns. My vintage control had out-aggro’d my aggro deck. I couldn’t believe how great the deck played. Easily the most dominant deck I have. I guess that’s to be expected though. It was a rush to play..but that rush was followed by a creeping feeling of guilt. Was what I was doing okay? I had basically declared that I was going to stop supporting the game that I love. In a way I felt like I broke the game. After playing the most powerful cards you can possibly play, how can you go back to playing whatever the flavor of the month is?

I had to take a step back and start working on some modern decks with my *actual* cards to get back into the swing of things. After a couple of conversations with Shawn and a few nights of deck-building, I came to the conclusion that Proxies are *needed* in the Vintage/Legacy format. There is no place for them in Standard/Modern..for the most part the singles are cheap enough and If I really want to save money, stop buying sealed product. Stick with singles. Yes, I lose the excitement of opening a booster pack, but to me it’s worth it to not feel like I’ve broken the game. Plus, I get to scratch that collecting itch that has stuck with me throughout my life. Will I proxy Vintage? Yes. Will I feel guilty? No. There is a huge difference between creating a proxy of Mana Drain or a Mox, and a proxy of Brimaz, King of Oreskos. What’s your opinion of proxies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

On the Tabletop

My Case for Proxies

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(Editor’s Note: TLDR: Don’t counterfeit Magic cards, but proxies definitely have a place in the community.)

We went to our “usual” place on Saturday for Free Comic Book Day. I put usual in quotes because this has only be a tradition for two years running but we have gone to the same place both times. After getting our comics last time (we were the dorks in line before the place opened), we watched some of the parade. If you know Northampton, then you know what kind of parade. If you don’t know Northampton, then I will just say that there were many rainbows and the mood was quite festive.

Happy people parading!
Happy people parading!

An article about Free Comic Book Day is coming tomorrow. I justwanted to set the stage. Bear with me just a little longer. You have to admit that this exposition makes for a better story. Now, back to that story.

I noticed during one of my morning commutes that the sign on the highway warned of potential traffic because of a parade scheduled again on the same Saturday as Free Comic Book Day. I filed the notice away, mentioned it to Christine because she’s usually better at remembering these things than me, and proceeded to hype myself up for a weekend of not seeing the Avengers, but making up for it with free comic books and Lego sets for the boys. Perfect nerdy guy weekend on the week before Mother’s Day. I also suggested the idea to ride bikes, and we had a party to attend, so Christine would not feel left out completely.

It’s a good thing that bike riding came up as Plan B. Not that I forgot about the parade, but I tried to circumvent the warning and the traffic. I failed spectacularly on both fronts and we ended up on quite the detour through downtown Northampton in search of a parking spot during one of the busiest days of the year. We never found that spot and decided to ride bikes instead. As we pulled into the parking lot for one of our new favorite trails, someone pulled out of their spot. I glibly remarked that it was meant to be. While the rest of the family went to the bathroom and otherwise got ready, I used the time to see if another, more accessible, store was offering the free books. Nothing materialized from the Google search, but I did find a link for Worlds Apart, a gaming store in Amherst.

I’d seen the store but never went in. Intrigued as to why Gogole wanted to send me to a store without comics (as far as I know) for Free Comic Book Day, I clicked the link. No comics as I suspected, but several other ideas grabbed my attention. After the bike ride and finally getting to the store for our comics, we came back home. I did more research into the store. What I found blew me away.

Drafts on Monday and Saturday, Modern on Thursday, EDH on Wednesday, Standard on the other days. What caught my attention the most and convinced me that this might be my new favorite store was their Tuesday event. They offer unlimited proxy Legacy. Chris and I play Legacy. Well, I think that it is technically more Modern, though we place no actual restrictions on card use other than trying to limit the damage on our bank accounts. Legacy or Modern, proxies open a whole new realm of possibilities at a reduced cost.

I got so excited by the news that I wrote to Chris first and then posted to the Magic group on Facebook. I got several responses. As I hoped, many of them expressed support and I got more excited by the prospects. Chris inquired more into the nature of proxies. He found a page that lets you print proxies. It is the same page that I’ve used in the past.

Perhaps it is time for disclosure. I have used proxies for Magic. I have not bought nor sold them under any pretense, but I have created my own. I made proxies for Liam’s and Aiden’s commanders because I didn’t want to pay the prices that people wanted for those cards. I’ve been trying to convince Chris to use them over the last few months, but he has resisted. After our conversation in which we agreed that it might be worth the investment to get a printer, he realized the potential savings. We excitedly discussed creating no limit Legacy Decks and I suggested Vintage because why not? He sent me a picture of his first creation, a Black Lotus and I almost fainted from the image. He then printed a Mox Sapphire and finally a full Vintage deck. I’m still in the process of narrowing down 20 years of Magic into a workable 60 card deck plus 15 card sideboard.

This also gives me and Chris the chance to try out of the ordinary (or completely net decked) standard decks without having to pay a penny. Our group nearly expanded to feature more players but it is still just the two of us. Spare me the Will Smith, please. Oh, all right, but I insist on the Austin Powers version.

I will still buy my usual box and fat pack for each set to support the game. I have also been thinking about dipping my toe into the competitive scene (which often frown upon proxies for obvious reasons), so I will need to fill in cards for those decks. Those purchases will be a drop in the bucket, though, and proxies will result in massive savings.

Additionally, the no limit on proxies in the Legacy weekly at the store is a good starting point to see if I have the chops to compete with other players besides just Chris. I am also planning to join some drafts at another store now that school is out, so that will be another relatively cheap way to test my skills against other people. However, the most tempting is definitely Legacy with no limit on proxies. You can make a deck for free. There’s no initial investment other than the entry fee and that is minimal when compared with the price of the cards required to build some of these decks.

I am, by no means suggesting that you buy or sell counterfeit Magic cards. However, some formats of Magic shut out a large percentage of the player base due to the sheer cost of entry. This might seem like a good thing and it might even be a good thing, but I argue that it is not. Sure, you want to have gated content in your games, but they should be skill gates. I might not be the best Vintage player in the world (in fact, I’d argue that I’m not even close), but I won’t even get a chance to prove that I’m not because I refuse to spend upwards of $10,000+ on pieces of cardboard. It feels like the worst case of pay to win I’ve ever seen in any game. Sure, some tournaments offer 10 or 15 proxies, but why not have more unlimited proxy events at local stores? It would pull more players into the game, give new players who weren’t lucky (because, really, that’s all it is) enough to have played when these powerful cards were released a chance to play the cards, and improve the experience overall. All a pipe dream, I’m sure, but one worth dreaming.

On the Tabletop

Dudes Playing Magic

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(Editor’s Note: Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, as they say.)

I have expressed my admiration for the Star City Games stream on the page more than once. Some of the play leaves a bit to be desired and can be painful to watch, especially in the early rounds. To be honest, all around the play is pretty loose and might frustrate you for one reason or another. Notice that I said that I admire the coverage. When I want to watch great gameplay, I watch the official Magic channel. Though it’s getting better, their PT and GP still lags behind SCG. Therefore, when I am in the mood to just watch Magic and be entertained, as I usually am, I tune into the SCG broadcast.

During the many streams I watched, I saw several advertisements for shows that were going to happen locally. There was one in Worcester and one in Providence. I eventually succumbed to the pressure of advertising. Okay, okay, as soon as I learned of them, I put the events on the calendar. Since our family has the habit of committing to things and then deciding last minute that we’d rather sit around our house in PJs, I needed something to solidify the commitment and force me to follow through.

Luckily, the Providence event was scheduled for only a few weeks after the release of Dragons of Tarkir. For the last three sets, I wanted to order an intro set from SCG. I think that’s what they call it. It is a booster box, a fat pack, and one each of the intro decks. I always buy a booster box and fat pack for each set, so it is a good deal for me. But, I’ve never had the money to get one before they sold out. This time, I finally did. I took all of this as a sign that it was meant to be. I put in the order, chose pick up in Providence, and jumped on the hype train.

Choo, choo!

The Dragons of Tarkir release was still two weeks away and the event about a month after that. It gave me plenty of time to psych myself up. Being the good marketers that they are, the fine people of SCG helped. They kept advertising the events. During one of these ads, the commentators went on about how Magic events were becoming more like conventions.

Chugga, chugga!

The weeks passed. Chris ordered and received the singles for his decks. I started to regret my decision to pick up the cards instead of delivery. Christine reminded me that the scout camping trip was that same weekend. The regret deepened because now there was real possibility that I would not even be able to go. Life and literature are nothing without conflict, and we have a doozy one on our hands, dear readers.

*sounds of the hype train derailing*

Those of you who follow us on Twitter already know the outcome, but don’t spoil it for the rest of us. Up until now, the story has lacked something. Now, though, it’s riveting and I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next and how (er, if) I make it to Rhode Island. Okay, let’s get this train rolling again.

*chuff, chuff*

*whoo, whoo*

I came up with the plan to only stay one night at camping and come home late on Saturday. That left Sunday free to go to Providence. It meant a ton of driving on top of the usual insane amount of driving I do during the week, but I’m a survivor. I will persevere. Even so, true to our reputation, I started to waffle before the weekend in question. Luckily, the boys kept me honest on camping and the cards did the same for my plans on Sunday.

I’m glad that we went camping. I was able to get some articles written, go on a hike, fish with both Liam and Aiden, play some cut throat Uno, watch an epic game of capture the flag, and just relax in general. The trip helped to put me in the right frame of mind for the drive to Rhode Island.

I woke up Sunday morning early and ready to go. I loaded some of my favorite podcasts on to my tablet, made a breakfast of champions, took a shower (this is an important step from what I’ve heard), hopped into the van, fired up the GPS, and drove. As an aside, can I just say how much I like GPS. I would have loved to have been a part of the programming teams. Well, I’d have rather been exploring all of the places to help build the maps and take pictures. Either way, it speaks very loudly to my explorer spirit and they did a great job. It has gotten to the point that it is almost foolproof.

Okay, here it is. The moment that I’ve been anticipating for over a month. I’m pulling into the garage. Oh, crap, there’s a parking fee. Not entirely unexpected (it was an expense that I hadn’t considered), but a bit of a disappointment. Part of the reason for travelling was to save on shipping. With this expense plus gas, I’m pretty sure that plan has gone out the window. Oh well. There’s one reason that I am a mathematician and not an economist.

I’m in the garage, parked, and on my way to the event. This is a big place. How will I find it? Oh, good, there’s an information desk. I’ll ask him. No, never mind, I found it. I’ll just follow all the guys wearing hoodies and back packs. Up the escalator, take a right, stop to read the rules and guidelines, and finally, I am here.

And…it’s just a bunch of dudes playing Magic. Well, that’s also disappointing. I’m not sure what I expected. No, that’s not true. I know exactly what I expected. The comments from the SCG crew stuck with me that these things are becoming more and more like conventions. I’ve been to several conventions, both big and small. All of them have been much more than just dudes playing Magic. Damn. Oh well, I’m here. Might as well make the best of it.

I check out the feature table. Hey, that’s Jim Davis! (Not the Garfield guy, that would be too cool for words.) Let’s see what he’s playing. Oh, Andrew Boswell is here, too. He went undefeated yesterday. Okay, so it’s dudes playing Magic, but these are dudes that are pretty damn good at playing Magic. That makes it less disappointing. I can come back to this. I have a bunch of cards to pick up. Also, where are Patrick and Cedric?

I got to the place that looks like a place to pick up cards. No, those guys are buying. No, these guys are selling. Oh, customer service. I travel back over there. They point me to the guys buying, who point me to the guys selling. I finally grab my product and go back to the feature tables. Jim Davis is till there. Boswell is still there. Some guy with what looks like Jeskai aggro sleeved in pink is destroying his opponent. No sign of Fabiano. (I later learn that he was playing in the Modern side tournament.)

CC9Zl_IW8AAS1Oy

Well, let’s see some of what is in this box. I I find an empty seat at a table and crack open the box. So…many…cards. Oh, hey, look over there. That’s Patrick and Cedric! I open the intro packs and the boosters inside. Nothing too noteworthy in the packs, but I did get a Dragonlord Dromoka and Dromoka’s Command. I resist opening the booster box and fat pack because I’m saving them for a video.

217221

To bolster my restraint, I go back to watch more of the feature matches, but I’m more or less done. Damn. 3 hours driving for about 2 hours of watching dudes playing Magic. Yep, definitely not an economist. Oh well, lesson learned. If I do go to Worcester, go as a competitor. The only problem is that the main event in Worcester is Legacy. While Chris and I are Legacy players (technically, I’m mostly Modern), I don’t have a single competitive Legacy deck. There is a standard side event, though, and I have a couple of standard decks that could to some damage with a tweak here or there. Oh, what’s that I hear? Is that the hype train warming up again?

All aboard!

On the Tabletop

Mini Marvel Masters

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(Editor’s Note: ‘Hulk Smash puny….wait, what this? ‘Hulk puny!)

Our other major topic of this weekend’s episode of the podcast was Heroclix. ‘Bear in mind that Chris hasn’t played a game and I’ve only (basically solo) played against a very young Aiden. ‘The segment is more about our reasons that the game interests us and this article will follow suit. ‘We will play some Heroclix (both constructed and sealed, if those are the same official designations) and return in a couple of months with our thoughts on the actual game.

I learned about the game thanks to Aiden. ‘Having kids really brought out the kid in me in a big way. ‘Liam’s discovery of (and subsequent obsession with) Pokemon got me back into Magic, gave Chris and I another outlet for our monthly “nerd nights” and ultimately led to the podcast and web site. ‘Aiden is younger than LIam by about two years. ‘As a result, he was unable to play Pokemon until recently when he learned to read. ‘He’s still not as interested in the game as Liam, but he will play. ‘Therefore, a couple of years ago, when we were in a local game store and Liam bought a new Pokemon deck, Aiden wanted something, too. ‘I steered him away from Pokemon and found the Heroclix. ‘I thought they were just miniature action figures and he really liked super heroes. ‘I never suspected the complexity of the game associated with these tiny guys.

Ostensibly marketed as a game for kids, it had a comprehensive rule book. ‘Thankfully, it also came with a quick start guide because I wanted to try the game. ‘Aiden still couldn’t grasp a majority of the rules, but he liked picking his team, moving the pieces, and pretending to battle. ‘ I liked being able to take control of my favorite comic book characters, using their powers, and the minor bit of strategy involved.

Heroclix appeals to a wide range. ‘When Chris and I started the podcast, I knew that we would have to be more than just Magic, fighting games, and Gears of War, so I started researching other games to cover. ‘I didn’t know how he’d respond to Heroclix, with its reputation as a kiddie game, so I initially looked into Warhammer and Hordes as options.

I had seen both games played at some prereleases that I attended. ‘I also have a friend who at least collects the figures, so they seemed like a more natural choice as an adult game. ‘I did some research. ‘Most gamers agreed that Hordes was the better game. ‘That might just be my hipster confirmation bias that everything popular is lame. ‘Nevertheless, I found a PDF of the rule book (because I’m cheap and the book is $70) and started reading the rules. ‘The game interested me since it shared fantasy elements with some of my other favorite games, most notably D&D and WoW. ‘I researched more.

Boy, was I wrong about either game as a better choice than Heroclix. ‘Sure the games are intended for a more adult audience. ‘They are to Heroclix as Magic is to Hearthstone. ‘They are more complex in rules and interactions. ‘They are also more expensive. ‘Much more expensive in some cases. ‘I may invest in an army later, but those games are certainly not entry point.

We went back to Heroclix. ‘Both Chris and I experienced a lull in our Magic interest near the end of last year. ‘We planned to play Heroclix to combat that and for the purpose of adding variety to the podcast. ‘Then, as it does, life got in the way. ‘We weren’t able to meet, record, or game for several months. ‘After things calmed down, the podcast came back, and Heroclix grabbed our attention again.

I’ve purchased two booster packs (Incredible Hulk and Guardians of the Galaxy) and the Age of Ultron starter pack. ‘Look for break videos on the Hulk and Avengers sets. ‘I’m saving the Guardians for a draft that we have planned for our next get together. ‘While Heroclix might not contain the same complexity as Warhammer or Hordes, it is by no means an easy game. ‘The rules are quite complex and I understand that deeper strategy awaits than when I played a five year old Aiden. ‘I’m excited by the prospect s of playing a new game that is completely different from card games.

Don’t get me wrong. ‘I still enjoy cards and spend an absurd amount of money on the hobby. ‘My discovery of streams, Chris’s idea to branch off into standard, the seeming break neck pace of new sets, and the boys showing renewed interest have all led to me finding new joys in cards. ‘Heck, even taking a break to play the dead and buried World of Warcraft gave me new reasons to continue collecting and playing.

Even so, it is good to try new things. ‘Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. ‘I don’t know who they are, but I’m sure somebody says that. ‘Heck, I’m somebody and I just said it. ‘How’s that for circular logic?

The price for Heroclix is right. ‘While Hordes and Warhammer cost 70 to 100 dollars for a starter set, you can get a booster brick (essentially a case) for 40 dollars for at least one set. ‘The Age of Ultron was 37 for 6 model. ‘Per piece, that is more expensive than Hordes starter sets. ‘You have to consider that Heroclix models are already finished and that you have to buy paint and potentially books that go for 30?/50? dollars each. ‘Plus, I don’t know how competitive those starter decks armies are for the other games. ‘There is definitely one competitive piece in the Age of Ultron set and maybe one fringe piece, too. ‘Worth the investment.

The rules are intuitive and easy to learn. ‘Kids can easily pick up and play the game with the basic rules. ‘The full rule book offers more of a challenge. ‘the strategy differs significantly from cards and the variety will lead only to good things. ‘It gives me and Chris another game to play. ‘I can try again to play the game with my boys now that they are older and better able to handle some more strategy and complexity.

Stay tuned to the page for more on Heroclix as we learn the games, play a few rounds of various formats, and attempt to teach the kids. ‘If you’re like us and don’t know much about the game, please join us in our journey and learn. ‘If you’re more familiar with the game, feel free to leave comments, emails, and more advice and suggestions.

On the Tabletop

Booster Break! Vol.2

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It’s been a few months since we’ve done one of these booster break articles, partially due to the fact that I’ve pulled nothing noteworthy out of the boosters I have bought since the last one back in January.’ Also, we really want to start recording our booster breaks. Unfortunately,’ that didn’t happen today, but I still wanted to share the 2 Heroclix boosters that I bought with you guys.’ One Fear Itself,’ and one Amazing Spider-Man. What makes these two boosters so damn special?’ Well, today my friends, Lady Luck, instead of crapping on me, like she usually prefers to do, instead decided to smile upon yours truly.’ First up is the Fear Itself pack:

Prodigy (C)

Thule Society Priest (C)

Red She-Hulk (C)

Speedball (U)

Greithoth: Breaker of Wills (R): I love the sculpt on this guy..one of the best I’ve seen so far, and I also really like his Extreme Absorption ability. This allows him to use Impervious, Invincible, or Invulnerability for the rest of the game when he hits a character who possesses one of these powers. Too bad, he is a little too expensive to play at 200 pts.

Okay, so you’re probably shaking your head saying “Woop-dee-effin’-doo”.’ I completely agree with you; all in all a pretty underwhelming booster of Fear Itself. I was really hoping for a Kuurth, but the odds of that happening with my luck were not good.” So now, things get interesting as we move on to the Amazing Spider-Man booster:

Werewolf (C)

Daimon Hellstrom (C)

Dracula (U)

Now things get good…..

Alyosha Kraven (Prime Rare)

Spider-Man 2099 (Super Rare)

I was blown away.’ A prime and a super in the same pack?! And in the first booster of ASM that I’ve ever bought?! Hmm, maybe my luck is changing………….

…………..

………nah, probably not. What’s that saying?’ “The sun even shines on a dog’s ass occasionally”.’ Sounds about right.

Thanks for reading, and I know that I said we would have videos of our breaks before, but it’s coming, I promise.

On the Tabletop

The Death of Wolverine, the Walking Dead, and the State of Comics

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(1st Editor’s Note: This is a repost from our now defunct Entertainment Compendium site.)

(2nd Editor’s Note: Spoiler Alert: Wolverine dies’.or he already died.)

Either way, you would think that the death of one of Marvel’s most popular characters would cause more of an uproar than I’ve seen. Granted, I’m not as involved in comics as I used to be, but through my various social media outlets I’m connected enough to know that giving Thor a sex change over the summer created quite a fuss. Heck, when Kirkman killed off Glenn in The Walking Dead (spoiler alert!) last year, people went nuts and were going to boycott pretty much everything. Why, then, does nobody seem to care that Wolverine is either going to die or already dead? I talked about this with Chris and his theory was that comic book (and soap opera, if that’s your thing) deaths rarely stick for very long and that they will most likely bring him back in a year or so. I have heard that theory mentioned elsewhere and admit that it holds some water. However, I think that there’s more to it than just comic death fatigue.

There are two reasons that I think this and they are essentially the same. I will first go back to a lesson from history, The Death of Superman. This story is now over 20 years old and has since been reversed at least twice, but at the time it was a huge deal. DC was killing one of the faces of their franchise and the symbol of truth, justice, and the American way. Comic fans counted down the issues until the big event, the news covered it like it was an actual celebrity death, and DC even followed up with a tribute called Funeral for a Friend. Everyone knew that the death would be temporary. Sure, they faked it well by introducing four new ?Supermen? to take his place, but no way would DC actually allow Superman to stay dead. Still, everyone played along and enjoyed the ride.

The other example is more recent and I mentioned it earlier. Last year, the creator of The Walking Dead Robert Kirkman killed off Glenn in a very violent and (some would say) unnecessary fashion. Relax, fans of the television show, he said that the character is much too popular to do the same on TV. That statement speaks to the point of this article, but you must know by now that it will take a bit longer to get there. The internet became very angry about Glenn’s death. Fans threatened to never buy the comic again. Some went as far as to call both Kirkman and those who didn’t join the boycott sadists and far worse. Internet rage is not a new thing, but given the lukewarm reception of Wolverine’s death, I find the juxtaposition interesting. Especially when you consider that the title of the book is ?The Walking Dead? and that doesn’t refer just to the zombies.

Superman dies and he gets national coverage. Glenn dies and he is supported by the combined rage of the internet. Wolverine dies and his legacy is met with a collective yawn. Heck, even Thor’s sex change got more play than poor Wolvie. So, what gives? I think that a big part of it lies in Robert Kirkman’s assurance to everyone that TV Glenn is safe. Comic books were big in the 1990s. They have their roots in counter culture and blossomed through the love and admiration of young awkward boys who wanted to be heroes themselves. Those boys grew up and had their own money and comic books became so popular in the 1990s that several of the lesser known companies became big names and one company even sprouted from the ire that several artists and writers felt towards the big two. While collecting and reading comics might have still been considered a nerdy hobby, the internet showed that there were many nerds and some of theme were even conspiring to change the world.

Nerds grew up more and got married (sometimes to other nerds) and had nerd babies that are now growing up and discovering the wonderful worlds available to them. I ask the rhetorical question again in a different way. What happened? Comic books should be more popular than ever. This strange off shoot of comic book ?culture? is more popular than ever. Movies and television shows based on the most obscure heroes become huge successes. Two coastal comic conventions (that have little to do with actual comics other than the ?culture?) do huge business along with countless other local and cousin, like gaming conventions, draw massive crowds and continue to grow.

What happened to comics that even a die hard fan who collected as recently as Civil War (admittedly not all that recent) has completely given up on them? The 90s were the best of times for comics, as illustrated (pun intended) above. They were also the worst of times. All of those companies vying for what is ultimately a niche marked caused oversaturation of the market. The same happened with baseball cards. I was burned by the promised collectability of both and both have since been recycled. The quality of writing and art suffered as they tried to find more artists for the new titles and it seems that they never learn their lessons and repeat this pattern every 10 years or so. Comic books ahve also become very expensive. I often joke that it’s no wonder that half of this country is illiterate because nobody can afford to read. Seven years ago when I collected last, books were $1.99, sometimes $2.49 and the ?big? issues were $4.99. A quick check of the Midtown Comics web page shows that many of the books now retail for $3.99 and $4.99. That’s twice as much as I used to pay for a paper back novel (When I was your age’) and more than a booster pack of Magic cards. I can buy a comic that I will read once or 15 cards that I will use on a monthly basis. As the prices rise, other hobbies rise to capture those dollars, and the ?culture? is able to more accurately capture the spirit of the comics in other media, comics sadly decline.

Superman died during a resurgence of the Golden Age of comics. Glenn died and is a part of a show that isn’t shy about killing some of the most loved characters, but he had a rabid television audience. The feminine side of Thor could easily pollute the next movie that comes out. Wolverine is dying in a medium that has been slowly dying for years, but few seem to care. I’m a bit of a doomsayer when it comes to all print publishing (especially textbooks, those *******s need to die), but I honestly believe that print and all associated need to change or go extinct. As long as people are confident that Hugh Jackman (or someone else, if they decide to reboot since that’s big now) will pop those claws in the latest summer blockbuster, then nobody will care than he’s being killed for a year or so in the funny pages.

On the Tabletop

Abzan Cards I Own (Standard, Take 2)

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(Editor’s Note: As with many of my decks, you will notice an underlying theme.)

This deck is inspired by Gerrard Fabiano and his “Sultai Cards I Own Deck” from the first SCG.com Modern open that I watched. ‘Not being on his level as a player, I don’t have nearly the cards, so it is considerably more on the pauper end, but still strong. I went 1-1 in games against two different decks with it last night against Chris.

Main Deck ‘(60 Cards)

Creatures (23)

Abzan Battle Priest (2): Outlast and gives all other creatures with +1 counters lifelink. A bit of overkill depending on the board, but still helpful.
Abzan Falconer (2): Outlast and gives all other creatures with +1 counters flight. Good for all of the potential dragons if you don’t get the Longshot Squad.
Abzan Guide (3): Expensive, but the lifelink is nice and it can be a cool morph trick.
Abzan Skycaptain (2): I only have purchased one fat pack of Fate so far and got 2 of these guys. Bolster is stronger than Outlast and plays well with the other guys who buff +1 counters.
Ainok Bond Kin (3): First strike to dudes with +1 counters. If you can combo with one of the other guys, you can really trade well.
Disowned ancestor (3): Nice, cheap chump blocker that can become more with Outlast and combo players.
Longshot Squad (2): These guys might be the first to go because of the Falconers, but good right now just in case.
Voyaging Satyr (4): Underrated mana dorks, in my opinion.
Wardscale Dragon (2): Dragons finally made it into one of my decks. They are pretty powerful. Who knew?

Spells (10)

Dragonscale Boon (3): +1 counters and untap for unexpected up trade on your opponents turn.
Feat of Resistance (3): I can see why this card is so popular on the open and pro circuits. It also fits well with the theme.
Pacifism (2): My favorite Magic Card.
Murderous Cut (2): Strong Removal fed by the other spells and Evolving Wilds with Delve.

Artifacts (2)

Abzan Banner (2): Mana plus potential card draw. Sounds good to me.

Legendary Enchantment Artifact (1)

Bow of Nylea (1): I had one of these lying around and it seemed to fit pretty well.

Land (24)

Blossoming Sands (2)
Evolving Wilds (4)
Forest (4)
Jungle Hollow (2)
Plains (8)
Scoured Barrens (2)
Swamp (2)

Sideboard (8)

Drown in Sorrow – 3
Bile Blight – 3
Grim Contest – 2

I’m still working on the deck and the side board. ‘I might work in some End Hostilities, but I don’t know what else right now. ‘Picking up my Dragons of Tarkir cards next week, so the deck will most likely look very different. ‘Isn’t that what Standard is all about, though? ‘Finding the cards that work for you and your deck playing them. ‘Stay tuned as this one evolves. ‘Click the Outlast tag below to see former iterations and that evolution.