I've been playing burn for the last week or so, feel pretty good about most of its matchups except it seems pretty impossible to beat this new GW aura/hexproof deck. Daybreak Coronet on turn 3 is basically game over, and Spirit Link/Lifelink + Ethereal Armor can be just as bad even if they don't draw the Coronet.
Flames of the Blood Hand had been my lifegain hate card of choice, since its proactive, but it comes nowhere close to being good enough to swing this matchup (mostly since Coronet gives vigilance). Do I need to sideboard Leyline of Punishment or splash Rain of Gore out of the board, or is there some more elegant solution?
Thanks!
edit: aside from the black splash for Rain of Gore, I came up with the idea of a white splash including Figure of Destiny, Lightning Helix and possibly more white cards main, then Patrician's Scorn to destroy auras out of the sideboard... probably too cute.
He was most likely blaming luck for his loss rather than his poor decisions (land count in deck, bad keep etc). Players, especially bad players or casual players taking the first steps into competitive play, don't want to acknowledge their mistakes - they'd much rather blame luck and move on, making the same bad choices over and over. The best players don't do this, instead recognizing their mistakes and learning not to keep making them.
Does mana screw/flood make some games unwinnable even if you do make all the right decisions? Yes. Do poor players blame screw/flood for losses that are actually their fault? Yes.
EDIT: I remember hearing somewhere (in Richard Garfield's game design talk from the last magic cruise, I think?) that the randomness of mana screw actually helps Magic's appeal by doing just what you've seen: giving bad players an "out," or an excuse for losing, while also giving them hope of beating much better players. It's a vital part of the game, you just have to learn to put up with these complaints and try not to complain yourself
Thragtusk is fine. Don't like it? Play your own Swagtuskin deck or something else (Limited, Modern, whatever).
If that's really the case, that the only way to play is to play this card (or play a different format), then that would be a point in favor of banning it....
Play it in some games, and you'll see how strong it is. Having the choice to exchange 1-for1 with your opponent's land drop is stronger than it might first appear, since it lets you do lots of things (from holding on to an early lead, to mitigating flood/worsening their screw, keeping them off colors
wasn't Day of Judgment the prerelease (or maybe release) card for Zendikar? This sounds like a wrath effect, might be a similar effort to get an important new card into more player's hands
I think he meant more on the Ethereal Armor end of the spectrum
Your scenario is not only legal, but the usual way Smite is used.
Flames of the Blood Hand had been my lifegain hate card of choice, since its proactive, but it comes nowhere close to being good enough to swing this matchup (mostly since Coronet gives vigilance). Do I need to sideboard Leyline of Punishment or splash Rain of Gore out of the board, or is there some more elegant solution?
Thanks!
edit: aside from the black splash for Rain of Gore, I came up with the idea of a white splash including Figure of Destiny, Lightning Helix and possibly more white cards main, then Patrician's Scorn to destroy auras out of the sideboard... probably too cute.
Does mana screw/flood make some games unwinnable even if you do make all the right decisions? Yes. Do poor players blame screw/flood for losses that are actually their fault? Yes.
EDIT: I remember hearing somewhere (in Richard Garfield's game design talk from the last magic cruise, I think?) that the randomness of mana screw actually helps Magic's appeal by doing just what you've seen: giving bad players an "out," or an excuse for losing, while also giving them hope of beating much better players. It's a vital part of the game, you just have to learn to put up with these complaints and try not to complain yourself
If that's really the case, that the only way to play is to play this card (or play a different format), then that would be a point in favor of banning it....
Basically don't overextend into sweepers and play card advantageous threats, you should be able to beat monoblack
Practice for the high-value ones?