I netdeck if I'm going to attend a GP or similarly competitive event in a format I don't usually play, like Standard, making adaptions for what cards I have available. For Gamedays, it's often going through my cards and brewing up something funny (the last few Gamedays I could attend, I ran stuff like Villainous Wealth ramp, Waste Not and Domain Assault Formation).
Unfortunately, no experience counters for endlessly big Endless Ones. Endless One's ability is not a triggered ability, but a replacement effect that modifies how it enters the battlefield. In this case, entering the battlefield is replaced with entering the battlefield with X counters. If you cast Endless One with X > 2, it will etb with enough counters not to trigger Ezuri.
Picked up a holiday gift box, had two slightly miscut rares (Munda and Veteran Warleader) in the boosters. Has anyone else found miscuts in those boxes?
If you unknowingly play with counterfeits, what then?
For something to fall under cheating, it's always about being intentional.
If a player has traded in some counterfeit cards, didn't realize they're fake and is playing them, it falls under deck/decklist problem.
The format is good, very good indeed. But either I'm completely incapable of drafting the stuff or haunted by a streak of seriously bad draws.
It might be because I tend to be very controllish and the format screams 'go attack someone' with all of its mechanics. Okay, except Converge.
Reaper King seems to fit the theme perfectly. Even the flavour text is quite fitting, as Halloween may have started out as a harvest festival. If you want to go deeper on the trick-or-treat theme, you could work with the 'or' cycle from Invasion (like Do or Die), split cards, Innistrad transform cards (like Civilized Scholar) or even morphs (as they're disguised as weird 2/2 crawly things).
1) How much have you played with the format, roughly?
About a draft per week since it's out.
2) Which common was better than you expected? Gust Skimmer. This little guy did a lot of work.
3) Which common was worse than you expected? Narcolepsy.
4) What's the most underappreciated card? Wildfire. At least in my draft round. People seem to be hesitant to wield this monster.
5) What's the worst common that people still play? Frogmite. If I need an artifact bear, I at least want it to come down on turn 2. And be able to jump for U.
6) What was your favorite archetype?
Red artifacts. Wildfire decks. Or red artifacts with Wildfire. Those metalcraft/affinity decks feel so much better when they run various types of lightning.
7) Which archetype wasn't as good as you'd expected?
Doublestrike. Very susceptible to removal.
8) Which colors were the best and worst?
Green is probably strongest, but people kept fighting over it in my drafts. They also often ignored red, so I made the best experiences grabbing all red I could get.
9) Thoughts on the format as a whole?
Very powerful and fun to draft.
As for Theros, definitely the scrylands. Might also be on the lookout for nice foils, to satisfy those magpie desires. As for MM15: it's nice that All is Dust is trending downwards, as its's a boardwipe that goes into nearly any deck.
It isn't this simple, I think. A lot of magic has to do with social norms. Shuffling your opponent's deck implies you think there's a chance your opponent could be cheating, and calling a judge to shuffle is an even more extreme version of that. Some people view shuffling an opponent's deck douchey.
Actually, shuffling an opponent's deck only implies you're doing your job. Normal pregame procedures always include presenting the deck to the opponent (thus declaring 'look, my deck is randomized and legal in this tournament') for extra shuffling.
Also, calling judges usually isn't douchy. Judges aren't forces of evil and oppression, but do their best in helping players and keeping things running smoothly. If you get a warning, the judge is NEVER suspecting you of cheating.
As for cheating when shuffling: it's true there needs to be more awareness for shuffling shenanigans. Few people bother getting into the maths behind randomizing a deck or have a keen eye on the opponent shuffling their decks. For experienced players that have shuffled thousands of decks, picking up some tricks befitting a stage magician isn't exactly hard.
Mighty durdly domain did a mighty good job at that GP. I have never been so close to making day 2 at a GP. Ended up running Domain Affinity (or whatever you call a deck running 15 artifacts with 2 Etched Oracles and a Skyreach Manta). Unfortunately, I lost in round 9, bringing me to a record of 6-3.
I proceeded to run some side events on Sunday. This deck pretty much sums up the week-end for me.
Drafted a super crazy Affinity deck in MM15, with only four of my spells not being artifacts. In one game, I attached two Cranial Platings to a Lodestone Myr with a board full of artifacts. Turns out pumpable 20/2 tramplers pretty good.
Alright, the last preparations are complete, the course has been plotted, accomodation has been booked and I'm now ready to brave warp space (also known as German highways with no speed limit - weeee!). By tomorrow at this time, I'll be drafting sweet sweet MM15 cards. Let all of Utrecht tremble in fear of the mighty durdly domain decks. WUAHAHA!
When it came to Invasion block, a Coalition Honor Guard backed up by Crimson Acolyte was about as bad as it could get.
One of the worst Limited offenders to me is clearly Opposition. If that thing resolves on the wrong side of the table, you either manage to keep opponent's board clear, disenchant the thing right away or die a slow, miserable death.
Endless One's ability is not a triggered ability, but a replacement effect that modifies how it enters the battlefield. In this case, entering the battlefield is replaced with entering the battlefield with X counters. If you cast Endless One with X > 2, it will etb with enough counters not to trigger Ezuri.
For something to fall under cheating, it's always about being intentional.
If a player has traded in some counterfeit cards, didn't realize they're fake and is playing them, it falls under deck/decklist problem.
It might be because I tend to be very controllish and the format screams 'go attack someone' with all of its mechanics. Okay, except Converge.
The G/W go wide deck is lots of fun, though. Grovetender Druids + Retreat to Emeria + Evolving Wilds = Tokens! Triggers! Stuff!
Well, could be interesting with Assault Formation. T1 Sidisis Faithful T2 Drifter T3 Formation swing for 10?
About a draft per week since it's out.
2) Which common was better than you expected?
Gust Skimmer. This little guy did a lot of work.
3) Which common was worse than you expected?
Narcolepsy.
4) What's the most underappreciated card?
Wildfire. At least in my draft round. People seem to be hesitant to wield this monster.
5) What's the worst common that people still play?
Frogmite. If I need an artifact bear, I at least want it to come down on turn 2. And be able to jump for U.
6) What was your favorite archetype?
Red artifacts. Wildfire decks. Or red artifacts with Wildfire. Those metalcraft/affinity decks feel so much better when they run various types of lightning.
7) Which archetype wasn't as good as you'd expected?
Doublestrike. Very susceptible to removal.
8) Which colors were the best and worst?
Green is probably strongest, but people kept fighting over it in my drafts. They also often ignored red, so I made the best experiences grabbing all red I could get.
9) Thoughts on the format as a whole?
Very powerful and fun to draft.
Actually, shuffling an opponent's deck only implies you're doing your job. Normal pregame procedures always include presenting the deck to the opponent (thus declaring 'look, my deck is randomized and legal in this tournament') for extra shuffling.
Also, calling judges usually isn't douchy. Judges aren't forces of evil and oppression, but do their best in helping players and keeping things running smoothly. If you get a warning, the judge is NEVER suspecting you of cheating.
As for cheating when shuffling: it's true there needs to be more awareness for shuffling shenanigans. Few people bother getting into the maths behind randomizing a deck or have a keen eye on the opponent shuffling their decks. For experienced players that have shuffled thousands of decks, picking up some tricks befitting a stage magician isn't exactly hard.
I proceeded to run some side events on Sunday. This deck pretty much sums up the week-end for me.
1 Gust-Skimmer
2 Blinding Souleater
2 Cathodion
1 Lodestone Myr
2 Rusted Relic
2 Faerie Mechanist
2 Mulldrifter
2 Myr Enforcer
1 Culling Dais
1 Mortarpod
2 Cranial Plating
1 Burst Lightning
1 Comet Storm
1 Boros Garrison
8 Island
2 Plains
4 Mountain
Artifacts are awesome!
One of the worst Limited offenders to me is clearly Opposition. If that thing resolves on the wrong side of the table, you either manage to keep opponent's board clear, disenchant the thing right away or die a slow, miserable death.