Seriously though, He was easily one of the most influential game designers...ever. He helped shape an entire generation of kids, and the effects of his work will be felt for years to come. Rest in peace, Mr. Gygax; you have changed the world.
Trinketrust Woods needs some kind of drawback. As it is, it's better than a basic Forest.
Pharmalade covered my issue with Duplicix.
Steel-Sinew Mauler is broken. 4/4, maybe 5/4.
I have no issues with Hunting Gruthra.
Memnarch's Workshop is SICK. Imagine what this looks like in Affinity or Academy decks.
Reformat is misworded. This is clearly intended to be Tinker for yourself, so make it a sacrifice; blue doesn't really destroy opponents' artifacts. Also, this and the Workshop make me wonder if you've simply been playing Affinity lately, and want fun new tools to break the deck even further; it'd be easy to turn this into a 2-mana Tinker.
Makeshift Warren has been done, they just called it Artifact Mutation.
I have no issue with Archer Squad-Mate.
6. Win with class. It's just as satisfying and you won't create a weird tension between you and your newly defeated opponent. "Good game". Sincerely, say good game. It doesn't matter if they played well, or if you played well. It doesn't matter if you made mistakes or they made mistakes, say it. If your opponent is okay and wants to talk about situations, great. You might be able to make suggestions for one another on card choice, play choice, etc. If your opponent doesn't look talkative, be perceptive and let them be. Sign the slip and turn it in.
Actually, I've had plenty of opponents take offense to this one when they got mana-screwed, and some even when I got mana-screwed.
Forced Alliance :3mana::symw::symw::symw:
Enchant Opponent
Remove Forced Alliance from your deck before the game if you do not have at least two opponents.
Enchanted player can't win the game unless you win the game.
If you lose the game, enchanted player also loses the game. We're best friends now. GET USED TO IT.
Next: A variant on Grinning Totem that would make it less unreliable.
Every so often, I see a PSA 8 this or a PSA 7 that rated card. I understand that such a rating is intended to indicate the overall condition of the card. My questions are...
1) How much does it cost to get a card PSA rated?
2) How does one go about getting one's card PSA rated?
3) Is it usually worth the cost?
4) Is there a website with more information? If so, where?
Any help would be appreciated - I'm thinking of getting my beta Time Vault PSA-rated, but if it's really pricey to do so, it might not be worth it.
P.S.: I got the question right. Huzzah! Of course, I DID assume that the Boars had been turned black AFTER being turned face-down. If not, I think D would be right, as the original would no longer be black anyway.
1) If I have an Urborg Syphon-Mage creating a large life swing between me and my opponent, I'll take Assassinate over Temporal Isolation any day.
2) The list I posted was comprehensive, not meant to indicate the cream of the crop. (And yes, I meant Scout, not Seekers.)
3) Some people - Tahn, I'm looking RIGHT AT YOU - really need to stop being such utter tools, get down off of their high horse, and maybe try to see other peoples' viewpoints without dismissing them out of hand. Have you ever considered that I might actually be RIGHT, or...be honest...have you prejudged what I've said simply because of what your opinion already is without actually giving my point of view any thought?
If you can draft a deck full of amazing cards where everything is a top 5 pick and you roll over every opponent you face, awesome, more power to ya. But the fact is, virtually ALL drafters wind up playing with "sub-par" cards. And when you're sitting on 7 mana, ready to drop your Ith, and your opponent has a Spiketail Drakeling in play, Temporal Isolation is not the card you want to have in hand to handle it.
I've actually played this format quite a bit. I'd like to clarify a point.
I NEVER SAID THAT LIGHTNING AXE WAS BAD.
This seems to be the assumption under which everyone is operating; that I think Lightning Axe sucks, and I wouldn't play it. That is, of course, stupid. I like Rift Bolt more for its flexibility; I see lots of creature stalemates in the late game, and the ability of Rift Bolt to go to the dome for those last few points sells me on the card. You say Lightning Axe is a madness enabler? Well, Rift Bolt is a storm enabler.
And you know something? I clearly posted that I wanted peoples' opinions. Not "Your opinion differs from mine, therefore you must not play Magic and you must hate removal and you are wrong, WRONG, WRONG!". Well, guess what? I would often rather have an Assassinate than a Temporal Isolation, or a Durkwood Baloth, or a Lightning Axe. I dislike having to splash a third color to flash back a spell with limited applications. (And going maindeck red/black...I should be so lucky.) I'm not telling you that you're wrong for liking the cards I mentioned; I'm telling you that I like my picks more.
I guess some people just aren't secure in their opinions unless they try to tear down the opinions of others.
Try not to be such dickholes, huh? In the interim, since this has deteriorated into an Istanbul Sucks thread (despite the fact that I agree with almost all of you on almost all of the mentioned cards), you guys can trash me in peace; I'll move on to greener pastures. You guys keep patting yourselves on the back about how awesome you are.
This is a list of commons against which Temporal Isolation has partial or no effect. Keep in mind - this is just the commons. (And naturally, I left out non-creature spells.)
I'm sorry, I just don't 'get' Soot. Is it playable? Sure, it's nice to take out a little dude, and removal is always good in draft. But after that, it's six mana and another color to do it again...and IMHO, that makes the second casting worse than Dark Withering. And while I hear you shouting "card economy" and "just splash red", do I really want to dilute my mana base so that I can make a card be better than mediocre? Bah.
Additionally, while Lightning Axe is a lot of damage, it 1) can't go to the dome and 2) requires either card disadvantage or a very large investment of mana. In a pack with Rift Bolt and Lightning Axe, I'd still take the Bolt.
And finally, while Temporal Isolation is a great way to deal with an attacking creature, it doesn't really do much against utility creatures, and it provides a capable shadow blocker.
And c'mon. Terramorphic Expanse? Cute mana diversifier and deck thinner, but a game-winner? Hell no. Durkwood Baloth? Random McFattie? I'm not buyin' it. Castle Raptors? Definitely an honorable mention...that's really the only common where I might consider pushing one of my picks out of the running, since a 3/5 flyer really is tough to deal with.
Seriously though, He was easily one of the most influential game designers...ever. He helped shape an entire generation of kids, and the effects of his work will be felt for years to come. Rest in peace, Mr. Gygax; you have changed the world.
I got 7 out of 11 right. Missed #5, #6, #8, and #9.
Pharmalade covered my issue with Duplicix.
Steel-Sinew Mauler is broken. 4/4, maybe 5/4.
I have no issues with Hunting Gruthra.
Memnarch's Workshop is SICK. Imagine what this looks like in Affinity or Academy decks.
Reformat is misworded. This is clearly intended to be Tinker for yourself, so make it a sacrifice; blue doesn't really destroy opponents' artifacts. Also, this and the Workshop make me wonder if you've simply been playing Affinity lately, and want fun new tools to break the deck even further; it'd be easy to turn this into a 2-mana Tinker.
Makeshift Warren has been done, they just called it Artifact Mutation.
I have no issue with Archer Squad-Mate.
Actually, I've had plenty of opponents take offense to this one when they got mana-screwed, and some even when I got mana-screwed.
Enchant Opponent
Remove Forced Alliance from your deck before the game if you do not have at least two opponents.
Enchanted player can't win the game unless you win the game.
If you lose the game, enchanted player also loses the game.
We're best friends now. GET USED TO IT.
Next: A variant on Grinning Totem that would make it less unreliable.
Fly free, my friend. Your work here is done.
1) How much does it cost to get a card PSA rated?
2) How does one go about getting one's card PSA rated?
3) Is it usually worth the cost?
4) Is there a website with more information? If so, where?
Any help would be appreciated - I'm thinking of getting my beta Time Vault PSA-rated, but if it's really pricey to do so, it might not be worth it.
Maro
P.S.: I got the question right. Huzzah! Of course, I DID assume that the Boars had been turned black AFTER being turned face-down. If not, I think D would be right, as the original would no longer be black anyway.
1) If I have an Urborg Syphon-Mage creating a large life swing between me and my opponent, I'll take Assassinate over Temporal Isolation any day.
2) The list I posted was comprehensive, not meant to indicate the cream of the crop. (And yes, I meant Scout, not Seekers.)
3) Some people - Tahn, I'm looking RIGHT AT YOU - really need to stop being such utter tools, get down off of their high horse, and maybe try to see other peoples' viewpoints without dismissing them out of hand. Have you ever considered that I might actually be RIGHT, or...be honest...have you prejudged what I've said simply because of what your opinion already is without actually giving my point of view any thought?
If you can draft a deck full of amazing cards where everything is a top 5 pick and you roll over every opponent you face, awesome, more power to ya. But the fact is, virtually ALL drafters wind up playing with "sub-par" cards. And when you're sitting on 7 mana, ready to drop your Ith, and your opponent has a Spiketail Drakeling in play, Temporal Isolation is not the card you want to have in hand to handle it.
I've actually played this format quite a bit. I'd like to clarify a point.
I NEVER SAID THAT LIGHTNING AXE WAS BAD.
This seems to be the assumption under which everyone is operating; that I think Lightning Axe sucks, and I wouldn't play it. That is, of course, stupid. I like Rift Bolt more for its flexibility; I see lots of creature stalemates in the late game, and the ability of Rift Bolt to go to the dome for those last few points sells me on the card. You say Lightning Axe is a madness enabler? Well, Rift Bolt is a storm enabler.
And you know something? I clearly posted that I wanted peoples' opinions. Not "Your opinion differs from mine, therefore you must not play Magic and you must hate removal and you are wrong, WRONG, WRONG!". Well, guess what? I would often rather have an Assassinate than a Temporal Isolation, or a Durkwood Baloth, or a Lightning Axe. I dislike having to splash a third color to flash back a spell with limited applications. (And going maindeck red/black...I should be so lucky.) I'm not telling you that you're wrong for liking the cards I mentioned; I'm telling you that I like my picks more.
I guess some people just aren't secure in their opinions unless they try to tear down the opinions of others.
Try not to be such dickholes, huh? In the interim, since this has deteriorated into an Istanbul Sucks thread (despite the fact that I agree with almost all of you on almost all of the mentioned cards), you guys can trash me in peace; I'll move on to greener pastures. You guys keep patting yourselves on the back about how awesome you are.
Children of Korlis
Flickering Spirit
Icatian Crier
-
Fathom Seer
Screeching Sliver
Spiketail Drakeling
Tolarian Sentinel
-
Basal Sliver
Deathspore Thallid
Gorgon Recluse
Mindlash Sliver
Pit Keeper
Urborg Syphon-Mage
-
Bogardan Rager
Flowstone Channeler
Goblin Skycutter (if I'm not mistaken)
Mogg War Marshal
Viashino Bladescout
-
Gemhide Sliver
Greenseeker
Nantuko Shaman
Savage Thallid
Thallid Germinator
Thallid Shell-Dweller
This is a list of commons against which Temporal Isolation has partial or no effect. Keep in mind - this is just the commons. (And naturally, I left out non-creature spells.)
Additionally, while Lightning Axe is a lot of damage, it 1) can't go to the dome and 2) requires either card disadvantage or a very large investment of mana. In a pack with Rift Bolt and Lightning Axe, I'd still take the Bolt.
And finally, while Temporal Isolation is a great way to deal with an attacking creature, it doesn't really do much against utility creatures, and it provides a capable shadow blocker.
And c'mon. Terramorphic Expanse? Cute mana diversifier and deck thinner, but a game-winner? Hell no. Durkwood Baloth? Random McFattie? I'm not buyin' it. Castle Raptors? Definitely an honorable mention...that's really the only common where I might consider pushing one of my picks out of the running, since a 3/5 flyer really is tough to deal with.
I think that's my big issue. I always play red, OR I always play black, but I never wind up playing red AND black.