I think if Wizards got rid of the reserved list, a segment of players would be happy short term, but it wouldn't work out for Wizards in the long term.
Some people would be made happy because they can new versions of old cards...not necessarily cheaper...probably unprecedentedly expensive.
Some players would be made happy because Legacy could possibly see a resurgence, like a 10-20% growth period...but ultimately the format will become more and more dependent on the supply of Force of Will than blue duals.
It would possibly have the effect of all the over-collectors dumping most their stock because if Wizards reprints things once, they can do it again and again until and beyond the death of the game.
There is a STRONG possibility of negative backlash from players who did not receive duals, ala Commander's Arsenal/Modern Masters/FTV: Jace X100. Reprinting duals in $100 boxed sets or $30 booster packs would offend a serious amount of the player base, perhaps the immature segment of the player base, but enough to have a significant impact on the people playing the game. It will be harder for them to pass their standard stuff on people when that's just 'the cheap game', if you pay for their more expensive products your stuff doesn't rotate out on you.
I feel the problem with removing the Reserved List has less to do with offending collectors than negatively affecting the psychology of Magic players and how they assess value within the commercial aspects of the game.
I thought the article was well timed, given the 20th anniversary, since there is a need to express to players that the they are focusing on keeping the game balanced. I thought the most important thing he said was that 'your cards from ten years ago might still be good in Legacy today', and that's important. I hope wizards ensures that people playing standard now can enjoy modern in a similar way to how I enjoy Legacy (my favorite deck forever, forever?). Article mentioned Legacy more than I would have expected.
I don't think this Circle of Protection comment is big deal. I'm not sure if 'too powerful' is the right way to describe them, but just dumb and unfun for all parties involved. From old players to new players, CoPs are just so old, rehashed, and boring that there is really no point in bringing them back at this point in time.
Sideboard cards really shouldn't be color hosers. I think the game is much more interesting when people bring in cards that attack specific aspects of your strategy rather than picking on your colors. Color hosing is such a primitive aspect of Magic that should be used judiciously going forward.
They don't consider most of these 'screw-ups' as failures. Most of these aren't even screw ups, just things that happened that people complained about but the game was almost assuredly better off for it.
A combination of Urza Block/Masques Block along with Mirrodin Block/Kamigawa Block did more to kill Magic than ANYTHING on the list. They've gotten better about that lately. The only real problems are when the cards suck or the cards are way too good. Nothing outside of the game of Magic seems to hurt it's following.
I liked this article as I like most of Maro's articles/things he says/cards he designs. I think it's great that he is public with so much vision of Magic: the Gathering if look and listen for the truth.
Magic is more than a game, it's more than a collectable; it is a psychographic experience. The game is so much greater than the sum of it's parts, so much better than the things that make it suck, and has more depth than any game I can imagine.
Of all of the problems facing Magic, I feel Mythic Rarity and the Reserved list are the only two worth mentioning. They take the deepest stabs at both new era magic and and old era magic respectively. Mythic rares are much more offensive IMO because that is Wizards deliberately making it harder for people to get certain cards whereas the Reserved list exists to protect the game's collectablility. People may whine and complain that they can't afford duals, but if they're already playing without them, I don't see them quitting the game because of it as long as Wizards develops the next-gen and next-next gen of Magic as well as they have the first 20 years.
Going forward, I hope people come to peace with what Magic: the Gathering is and come to terms with what the game does to strengthen the brand. Magic is not about being what you want it to be, it's about catching your attention, playing with your emotions, and leaving such a mark on your intellect that it is extremely difficult to lose your interest of the game or to detach it from how you identify yourself, regardless of all the nonsense.
Probably not and probably not for another 10-20 years.
They just reprinted Shocklands. Shocklands are supposed to be special as are dual lands with basic land types. It's way too soon to print a cycle of lands so similar to Shocklands with a minor difference that you can avoid getting shocked every now and then.
It wouldn't be beyond them to print a cycle of Legendary lands, but I doubt they will be perfect mana-fixers, I doubt that they actually will be legendary, and I seriously doubt they will have basic land types (one at most).
I like this set because it doesn't have anything I want and it isn't likely to influence the value of my humble collection.
This set was designed for pimps and card sharks, but for me, someone who found a deck on the street in 1997 and have been playing for over ten years, the set fails to generate feelings of nostalgia with me.
FTV: Exiled was much more evocative of 'the history of magic'. This set feels to contrived - I'm sick of hearing about cards like Thran Dynamo, 'format - x' staples and such. Jace, the Mindsculptor is still something very new in the game that I've always viewed as something to hate and destroy rather than see occupying the $600 FOIL Force of Will slot in the 20th anniversary set. I don't even own/care about Force of Will, but this should have been the set to reprint it once, they were too hasty with Jace.
2) Don't build the Gate without Wasteland. If you just want to dip your toes into Legacy, get Chain Lightning, Goblin Guide and co. and build Burn. If you aren't already in a Legacy arms race with your friends, there's no point in going all out on the expensive staples.
3) Definitely go for EDH if that's what you're friends/competitors are into, but don't go crazy. Try getting cards that are good in other formats rather than spread yourself out with a dozen EDH decks with sub-optimal manabases. Don't worry about fetchlands and duals as far as this is concerned if you don't already have them, as shuffling makes EDH less fun.
Note: I often use the terms 'invest' to describe my Magic purchases for every meaning of the word. 1, the cards are silly expensive regardless of format and 2, I plan of keeping them until the end of time. I do like that they are rare and special though, even though they are not that rare and not thaat special (with exception to sentimental attachment).
I would not like limited if there weren't as much removal. I like drafting as much removal as possible every time I draft. If I do not have at least six quality removal spells, I am sad and want to drop before the first game. I like having as many options to interact as possible, and the strategic impact of having a certain amount of removal in a deck is so core to everything I believe in as far as draft is concerned. If I could NEVER draft all-the-removals, I wouldn't enjoy drafting as much (until they make draft all-the-goblins good again).
These are all my favorite removal cards I drafted in RTR block:
Common
DETAIN cards *, things like Lyev Decree. Avenging Arrow" target="blank">Avenging Arrow**, it kills things, but is the least impressive white removal. Angelic Edict***, a bit expensive, but the effect is great by the time you can afford it. Smite****, probably the better common white removal in the set. Trostani's Judgement*** to **** if you have good things to populate. Runner's Bane**, it's playabe but unreliable. Paralyzing Grasp***, similarly clunky to Avenging Arrow.
I ignore many of blue's attempts to control creatures in this block. Death's Approach*, not very good, but it CAN be played. Launch Party**, this would rate higher if it weren't for better removal in RtR. Stab Wound*****, five stars plus five. Devour Flesh" target="blank">Devour Flesh***, good in theory, bad against aggro and tokens. Fatal Fumes**, that's a strong two stars. If I drafted Fatal Fumes, it was played. Annihilating Fire*****, I don't like RR in this block, but the card is just too good. Explosive Impact****, Fireball locked in at five is still really good. Electrickery" target="blank">Electrickery***, was better in RtR-RtR-RtR, more X/1s Mugging****, owns the first few turns. Massive Raid**, didn't like this red removal, I like killing things then playing creatures. Punish the Enemy****, this could be ***** because I'd pick bad Searing Blaze over most things. Mutant's Prey*, build around removal. Pales in comparison to Pit Fight. Drown in Filth*, build around. I did get lucky once on a blind flip revealing two land. Rites of Reaping*, WORST removal in the set besides garbage like Clear a Path Auger Spree*****, I love this card more than it deserves. Someone wrote an artcile on SCG about how awesome this card is, but I already knew. Mourge Burst*, Build around. Could be better than Explosive Impact, could be worse. Excecutioner's Swing**, worse than Avenging Arrow because of the terrible casting cost. Pit Fight***, serviceable, but obivously situational/build around.
Overvalued:Rouge's Passage - Didn't work nearly as well as it did for me in triple-RtR... mostly because that was the last time I played aggressive two-color Cobblebrute (skipped GTC draft). I can't fit or pick it over solid bodies anymore.
Undervalued: Mildly-aggressive one drops and two drops (like, worse than Gore-House Chainwalker cards) and aggro tricks - In the six live DGR drafts I have participated in, I have consistently drafted drafted three-four color top-heavy control, almost always Jund.
I didn't expect people to consider this an aggro format, because I consider even 2/2s for 2 mana to be pretty weak and inconsistent in the late game, which is most of the game. Nonetheless, I've lost to aggro and I've beaten aggro...I don't think my strategy is superior, but it definitely has footing.
Undervalued: Bombs - My philosophy is rbead, not bread, so I don't like losing to bomby decks. Control has great removal and a rag-tag bunch of creatures...The removal isn't always good enough for the bombs nor are the creatures...I feel like control is better against aggro than bombs.dec...games go long and people fuse Beck//Call, play huge X-spells, etc.
Magic General - I feel controversial and weird posting here. I think about Magic enough to endlessly clutter the boards with my opinions on things, but for the sake of the community I choose not to attempt to become forum fixture. Most things that I like about Magic elicit negative responses from roughly 90% of the general player-base. I'm bad for new player because of my experience, but am too inexperienced for the pros and die-hards.
Legacy - I don't regularly post on any deck right now, but I'm up to date on most of the format thanks to this forum.
Market Street - I enjoy reading about all the crazy price spikes because I already have or don't seriously want most of the cards involved. Price spikes have quadrupled my collection of +$30 cards, so although I don't have an enormous collection and I'm not actively trading/selling, I get sick enjoyment reading about prices go up, even stuff I don't own. It just blows my mind.
Baseless Speculation - I wish there was better baseless speculation on this site. Like, if people posted all their Magic General Baseless speculation in the right forum, I'd enjoy lurking this one more.
Talking about magic is a bit of a game to me. I apologize ad generally refrain from posting for the people who take this stuff super seriously. It's important to be right about things, but sometimes I just want to be sarcastic or ironic and no one gets it and i start to think it's lame too. I just want everyone on MTGS to have a sense of good humor about the fantasy game as well a willingness to peacefully tolerate and address opinions that are so out there that the light of their essence will never actually reach the Earth. If people have a problem with this forum, make some lame, Storm-board like cool kids club.
lol, I've never heard of this happening and it hasn't happened to me. Maybe people without hardened skin (i.e. people who don't do manual labor) are at greater risk. The last and final time I sorted through my commons box, the my fingertips were sore and my back hurt, but I did not draw blood.
I personally prefer playing without sleeve. The square edges are agitating after a while, and the bulky, perfect-fitted brick of a deck can make my tendons ache if I shuffle many times in a day.
Since this is for off-topic conversation and all <.<
I just want to say, for the record, that I really really hate/dislike/etc people who are overly negative. People who will always focus on the negative aspects of things, whether it be things in the world, things in their lives, or things they are doing for entertainment, like movies, etc :p.
Not speaking about anyone here, for the record, just in general.
I like to try to focus on the positives in whatever it is that I'm doing/experiencing, while still being aware of the negatives, just trying not to dwell on them.
Anyhow, I just felt the need to share :p.
I just want to say that it's harder for some of us than others. I've always had a hard time feeling positive about things, and the things in life that make me feel positive often elicit negative responses from other people. I am a cynical person, but am well aware that it comes to my detriment. I'm defensive because I'm used to being 'me against the world' in almost every situation I've been in my life.
I'm not the kind of person who harps on and on about some negative subject. For me and possibly others, I say negative things and feel bad about them :-(, even if I'm right.
To think that I am hated because I am negative only makes me feel worse. I look at positive people and see all the reasons they have to feel that way, and it upsets me. I think it's up to the positive people to know some joy into the heads of us negative ones, but I assume the people lower on the negativity scale shake their faith in us mid-level jerks.
edit - Listening to: The Who - Behind Blue Eyes :-(
Some people would be made happy because they can new versions of old cards...not necessarily cheaper...probably unprecedentedly expensive.
Some players would be made happy because Legacy could possibly see a resurgence, like a 10-20% growth period...but ultimately the format will become more and more dependent on the supply of Force of Will than blue duals.
It would possibly have the effect of all the over-collectors dumping most their stock because if Wizards reprints things once, they can do it again and again until and beyond the death of the game.
There is a STRONG possibility of negative backlash from players who did not receive duals, ala Commander's Arsenal/Modern Masters/FTV: Jace X100. Reprinting duals in $100 boxed sets or $30 booster packs would offend a serious amount of the player base, perhaps the immature segment of the player base, but enough to have a significant impact on the people playing the game. It will be harder for them to pass their standard stuff on people when that's just 'the cheap game', if you pay for their more expensive products your stuff doesn't rotate out on you.
I feel the problem with removing the Reserved List has less to do with offending collectors than negatively affecting the psychology of Magic players and how they assess value within the commercial aspects of the game.
Wild Mongrel > Spell Snare
Psychatog > Shock
Masticore > Deep Analisys
I like the 'creature' > 'answer' thing. It never made sense to shock Psychatog though, he's looks like he's enjoying it.
I don't think this Circle of Protection comment is big deal. I'm not sure if 'too powerful' is the right way to describe them, but just dumb and unfun for all parties involved. From old players to new players, CoPs are just so old, rehashed, and boring that there is really no point in bringing them back at this point in time.
Sideboard cards really shouldn't be color hosers. I think the game is much more interesting when people bring in cards that attack specific aspects of your strategy rather than picking on your colors. Color hosing is such a primitive aspect of Magic that should be used judiciously going forward.
A combination of Urza Block/Masques Block along with Mirrodin Block/Kamigawa Block did more to kill Magic than ANYTHING on the list. They've gotten better about that lately. The only real problems are when the cards suck or the cards are way too good. Nothing outside of the game of Magic seems to hurt it's following.
Magic is more than a game, it's more than a collectable; it is a psychographic experience. The game is so much greater than the sum of it's parts, so much better than the things that make it suck, and has more depth than any game I can imagine.
Of all of the problems facing Magic, I feel Mythic Rarity and the Reserved list are the only two worth mentioning. They take the deepest stabs at both new era magic and and old era magic respectively. Mythic rares are much more offensive IMO because that is Wizards deliberately making it harder for people to get certain cards whereas the Reserved list exists to protect the game's collectablility. People may whine and complain that they can't afford duals, but if they're already playing without them, I don't see them quitting the game because of it as long as Wizards develops the next-gen and next-next gen of Magic as well as they have the first 20 years.
Going forward, I hope people come to peace with what Magic: the Gathering is and come to terms with what the game does to strengthen the brand. Magic is not about being what you want it to be, it's about catching your attention, playing with your emotions, and leaving such a mark on your intellect that it is extremely difficult to lose your interest of the game or to detach it from how you identify yourself, regardless of all the nonsense.
They just reprinted Shocklands. Shocklands are supposed to be special as are dual lands with basic land types. It's way too soon to print a cycle of lands so similar to Shocklands with a minor difference that you can avoid getting shocked every now and then.
It wouldn't be beyond them to print a cycle of Legendary lands, but I doubt they will be perfect mana-fixers, I doubt that they actually will be legendary, and I seriously doubt they will have basic land types (one at most).
This set was designed for pimps and card sharks, but for me, someone who found a deck on the street in 1997 and have been playing for over ten years, the set fails to generate feelings of nostalgia with me.
FTV: Exiled was much more evocative of 'the history of magic'. This set feels to contrived - I'm sick of hearing about cards like Thran Dynamo, 'format - x' staples and such. Jace, the Mindsculptor is still something very new in the game that I've always viewed as something to hate and destroy rather than see occupying the $600 FOIL Force of Will slot in the 20th anniversary set. I don't even own/care about Force of Will, but this should have been the set to reprint it once, they were too hasty with Jace.
That's just me though.
The removal in M14 is so pathetic that I didn't truly appreciate DGR draft until the full core set was spoiled.
Edit - Then again, you got cap draws, what can you say? No mean face, only critique :-D
2) Don't build the Gate without Wasteland. If you just want to dip your toes into Legacy, get Chain Lightning, Goblin Guide and co. and build Burn. If you aren't already in a Legacy arms race with your friends, there's no point in going all out on the expensive staples.
3) Definitely go for EDH if that's what you're friends/competitors are into, but don't go crazy. Try getting cards that are good in other formats rather than spread yourself out with a dozen EDH decks with sub-optimal manabases. Don't worry about fetchlands and duals as far as this is concerned if you don't already have them, as shuffling makes EDH less fun.
Note: I often use the terms 'invest' to describe my Magic purchases for every meaning of the word. 1, the cards are silly expensive regardless of format and 2, I plan of keeping them until the end of time. I do like that they are rare and special though, even though they are not that rare and not thaat special (with exception to sentimental attachment).
These are all my favorite removal cards I drafted in RTR block:
Common
DETAIN cards *, things like Lyev Decree.
Avenging Arrow" target="blank">Avenging Arrow **, it kills things, but is the least impressive white removal.
Angelic Edict ***, a bit expensive, but the effect is great by the time you can afford it.
Smite ****, probably the better common white removal in the set.
Trostani's Judgement *** to **** if you have good things to populate.
Runner's Bane **, it's playabe but unreliable.
Paralyzing Grasp ***, similarly clunky to Avenging Arrow.
I ignore many of blue's attempts to control creatures in this block.
Death's Approach *, not very good, but it CAN be played.
Launch Party **, this would rate higher if it weren't for better removal in RtR.
Stab Wound *****, five stars plus five.
Devour Flesh" target="blank">Devour Flesh ***, good in theory, bad against aggro and tokens.
Fatal Fumes **, that's a strong two stars. If I drafted Fatal Fumes, it was played.
Annihilating Fire *****, I don't like RR in this block, but the card is just too good.
Explosive Impact ****, Fireball locked in at five is still really good.
Electrickery" target="blank">Electrickery ***, was better in RtR-RtR-RtR, more X/1s
Mugging ****, owns the first few turns.
Massive Raid **, didn't like this red removal, I like killing things then playing creatures.
Punish the Enemy ****, this could be ***** because I'd pick bad Searing Blaze over most things.
Mutant's Prey *, build around removal. Pales in comparison to Pit Fight.
Drown in Filth *, build around. I did get lucky once on a blind flip revealing two land.
Rites of Reaping *, WORST removal in the set besides garbage like Clear a Path
Auger Spree *****, I love this card more than it deserves. Someone wrote an artcile on SCG about how awesome this card is, but I already knew.
Mourge Burst *, Build around. Could be better than Explosive Impact, could be worse.
Excecutioner's Swing **, worse than Avenging Arrow because of the terrible casting cost.
Pit Fight ***, serviceable, but obivously situational/build around.
Uncommon
Assassin's Strike ***, Expensive but otherwise perfect.
Killing Glare ****, Pretty darn good as long as you curve out/play Cluestones
Ultimate Price ***, Situationally *****
Street Spasm *****, Disintigrate or a one-sided Flamebreak is very good.
Ground Assault ****, Waaay better than it looks, but it's a socery.
Turn//Burn" target="blank">Turn//Burn *****, awesome 2-for-1s
Far//Away" target="blank">Far//Away *****, awesome 2-for-1s
Putrefy *****, Killed dead.
Krasis Incubation *****, expensive, but is the only real Simic removal
Warleader's Helix *****, on par with Putrefy, Turn//Burn, Far//Away, Krasis Incubation, etc.
Rare
Dreadbore *****+*, best pure removal in block, I think.
Abrupt Decay *****, no dreadbore, but Smother is always good.
I did not draft:
Arrest
Homing Lightning
Arrow of Justice
Merciless Eviction
Supreme Verdict
others
Point is there are many and they are good and that is the way it should be. Forever.
Undervalued: Mildly-aggressive one drops and two drops (like, worse than Gore-House Chainwalker cards) and aggro tricks - In the six live DGR drafts I have participated in, I have consistently drafted drafted three-four color top-heavy control, almost always Jund.
I didn't expect people to consider this an aggro format, because I consider even 2/2s for 2 mana to be pretty weak and inconsistent in the late game, which is most of the game. Nonetheless, I've lost to aggro and I've beaten aggro...I don't think my strategy is superior, but it definitely has footing.
Undervalued: Bombs - My philosophy is rbead, not bread, so I don't like losing to bomby decks. Control has great removal and a rag-tag bunch of creatures...The removal isn't always good enough for the bombs nor are the creatures...I feel like control is better against aggro than bombs.dec...games go long and people fuse Beck//Call, play huge X-spells, etc.
TL;DR Aggro > Bombs.dec > Control > Aggro
Magic General - I feel controversial and weird posting here. I think about Magic enough to endlessly clutter the boards with my opinions on things, but for the sake of the community I choose not to attempt to become forum fixture. Most things that I like about Magic elicit negative responses from roughly 90% of the general player-base. I'm bad for new player because of my experience, but am too inexperienced for the pros and die-hards.
Legacy - I don't regularly post on any deck right now, but I'm up to date on most of the format thanks to this forum.
Market Street - I enjoy reading about all the crazy price spikes because I already have or don't seriously want most of the cards involved. Price spikes have quadrupled my collection of +$30 cards, so although I don't have an enormous collection and I'm not actively trading/selling, I get sick enjoyment reading about prices go up, even stuff I don't own. It just blows my mind.
Baseless Speculation - I wish there was better baseless speculation on this site. Like, if people posted all their Magic General Baseless speculation in the right forum, I'd enjoy lurking this one more.
Talking about magic is a bit of a game to me. I apologize ad generally refrain from posting for the people who take this stuff super seriously. It's important to be right about things, but sometimes I just want to be sarcastic or ironic and no one gets it and i start to think it's lame too. I just want everyone on MTGS to have a sense of good humor about the fantasy game as well a willingness to peacefully tolerate and address opinions that are so out there that the light of their essence will never actually reach the Earth. If people have a problem with this forum, make some lame, Storm-board like cool kids club.
I personally prefer playing without sleeve. The square edges are agitating after a while, and the bulky, perfect-fitted brick of a deck can make my tendons ache if I shuffle many times in a day.
I just want to say that it's harder for some of us than others. I've always had a hard time feeling positive about things, and the things in life that make me feel positive often elicit negative responses from other people. I am a cynical person, but am well aware that it comes to my detriment. I'm defensive because I'm used to being 'me against the world' in almost every situation I've been in my life.
I'm not the kind of person who harps on and on about some negative subject. For me and possibly others, I say negative things and feel bad about them :-(, even if I'm right.
To think that I am hated because I am negative only makes me feel worse. I look at positive people and see all the reasons they have to feel that way, and it upsets me. I think it's up to the positive people to know some joy into the heads of us negative ones, but I assume the people lower on the negativity scale shake their faith in us mid-level jerks.
edit - Listening to: The Who - Behind Blue Eyes :-(