Quote from AzureShadow »Just because it's pyramid scheme doesn't mean it's bad, per say. It provides a service that nowhere else does, just like one could argue that Bitcoin does, albeit an illegal one in that case. It does, though, absolutely fit the textbook definition of what a pyramid scheme is. The initial referers or payees have the highest amount of value in the system, and that collectively decreases as it spreads to the bottom.
The biggest risk to pucatrade is that the owner can give himself an account with, say, a few million points and buy up a huge pile of cards, then shut the entire thing down. I don't think that's particularly likely, but it is possible.
EDIT: Actually, allow me to amend that. The biggest risk to pucatrade is that the owner(s) can give themselves any points at all, because if they exchange them for cards then that represents more loss when the system inevitably closes, period. That is the big payoff of the pyramid scheme, is that they can exchange a non-existent entity that will eventually lose all value and which they can generate in infinite quantity, which can then be traded to others for physical value. It is very easy to obscure that, and I'm sure it does happen. The question then becomes how long it's worth risking the use of the system before it shuts down and the value vanishes.
I've seen this pop up a few times--why would puca close down? I also believe enough people buy points to hurry some of the process along (thus keeping the site up). I could see everyone trying to cash out if they did announce closure, but its a hypothetical that seems to be getting more attention that it probably should (surprise surprise).
Since adding the 4th unlife and no longer cutting it week to week, the desire for the fifth ritual effect has gone away--since if you get to unlife, its kind of like ramping yourself a mana in the combo turn.
I think typically both lists are as fast as each other--we spend a lot of time as a community of pilots on this deck talking about spoils and stuff, I don't really cast them all that often. So speed differences are really only relevant in the games where you need the mystical/spoils...ultimately the difference is negligible to me, I like the relability of one, the speed and ability to hold up extra angel's graces from the other, and the alt combo potential of spoils. I think the best list is probably somewhere in between....now that I've talked this out, I'm going to cut a spoils for a mystical and keep rocking 4 unlifes (they work well together--I didn't like needing to have 6 mana in sideboard games where it matters to have a darkness AND mystical--though spoils/darkness is quite easy).
Over the last couple of weeks, I've quietly gone 9 and 2 with one split in a finals, mostly stock but I'm really happy with my sideboard--I'll post it later.
If the format slows down because of a great new removal spell--presumably infect's good match ups flourish and we can shift our build for a slower meta...pretty ideal if you ask me for a list like yours over the spoils builds.
I think Fatal push basically already is a staple, but I'm more excited about secret salvage at this point.
Couple of questions regarding a few tiny tweaks you've made to the deck that I'd love to hear more about:
1, 21 lands, one of each basic, and then 5 temples w/ a tolaria instead?
2. A slaughter pact main over another spoils/peer/teachings?
3. Any guide to how you sideboard against some common match ups? You've got a very clean concise board--do you feel like there's a 16th card you'd want?
Then--discarding vs bant eldrazi is also not what I want to be doing. Thoughtknot is annoying--but I'd rather just bring in the leylines against them.
I am scared of: abrupt decay, liliana, k-command, dispel, vendillion clique, destructive revelry, maelstrom pulse, sin collector, tidehollow sculler, hatebears in general, ect.
I tried an liked duress enough--I like that it doesn't cost life and I found myself wanting discard in general against decks duress basically would hit anything I was after post-board--I've never aimed a seize at a creature unless I was going to miss otherwise.
Seize hits more--but costs two life and I don't know what creatures I ever really need to take... hatebears but...
The question though is this: What's wrong with inquisition? What am I actually taking that costs more than 3? I don't see any hardcast leylines, I don't see cryptic being something I need to deal with via discard, I'm not worried about 4 drop creature threats--I'm not beating infect by taking a become immense anyway. IOK seems pretty ideal, especially in a fast meta.
---Right now I'm playing ANT in legacy--I'm thinking about running 4 gemstones and 4 city and playing a playset of abrupt decay in my sideboard. Will test and get back to you guys with some thoughts.
I think if you're running grave titan--I keep whatever hands look decent because you can just ramp and topdeck your way into a titan or hope they fall a little short on disruption and combo naturally. If you don't have a leyline, I aim for redundant hands with as many combo pieces as possible and try to not scry/cantrip away additional combo pieces. Nothing feels worse than scrying away an ad nauseam (because you want a land), only to have the maelstrom pulse hit your leyline and then be followed up by a seize for your AN.
That being said--wish there was an additional one or two cards with a larger impact than grave titan (cheaper really would be better) or leyline.
http://www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2014/10/silence-exile-cunning-netdecking-fnm/
In other news--after having played this deck for...dunno ages: I finally comboed by casting the drawn lab man and then grace/spoilings in the upkeep and winning off the draw step. I named siege rhino and flipped every card revealing that it was not a rhino. I think this play gets talked about often enough, but basically I've never done it before in lieu of better game play options. I guess achievement unlocked.
Not asking because I'm surprised, I would just be interested in reading you spell it out for me.
No decks in the format are gaining infinite life right now, especially game 1. Congflagrate has game as removal, is cheaper to cast than lab man, and has a whole host of upsides against BGx that I've described in previous arguments for the card.
It's ok to be new, make mistakes, or theorize incorrectly--but at some point we have to be honest about the games you're winning/not winning and adjust the plans.
Can I direct the discussion for a second to illustrate the point I'm after:
HOW DO YOU GUYS SIDEBOARD AGAINST JUND AND WHY? PLEASE NOTE ANYTHING RELEVANT TO YOUR LIST THAT ISN'T STOCK.
This is why I ultimately am giving up on this sub--it's all new people, no veterans testing. (not that I really suspected anything different). Some of the sideboarding plans you guys talk about are hot garbage and basically the total opposite of what is good, then it's justified with...no good experience that led to that conclusion to begin with.
I played this list last night and easily 4-0'd:
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=109301
It's basically go no frills, no spice. Sometimes things don't need to change.
I would say, get a second foil plains, maybe a dreadship reef, and get mines over city of brass (first at least). Wouldn't hurt to get the two foil boseiju for the sideboard either and a tolaria west. That *should* mostly cover it.