[Off-Topic] Community Chat Thread

[Lifeless]

Battle for Baldur's Gate was a %$#%$#% travesty.

[Ruiner]

They're should've been a background commander that granted initiative.

That is all.

Yeah I was really surprised this was not a thing. No background that interacts with it and no commander. So weird.

There is Rilsa Rael, Kingpin. It's not a "Choose a Background" legend but it works for an Initiative focused deck, if you want that color combo. I find my deck to be a lot of fun at least.

[duducrash]

Battle for Baldur's Gate was a %$#%$#% travesty.

Not a single battle card was printed in Battle for baldurs gate. 0/10

[TheGildedGoose]

There is Rilsa Rael, Kingpin. It's not a "Choose a Background" legend but it works for an Initiative focused deck, if you want that color combo. I find my deck to be a lot of fun at least.

I just want an initiative-enabling commander to pair with Noble Heritage for mid/low power games. Monarch and initiative are fun multiplayer mechanics and Heritage is a blast, too.

[Venedrex]

There is Rilsa Rael, Kingpin. It's not a "Choose a Background" legend but it works for an Initiative focused deck, if you want that color combo. I find my deck to be a lot of fun at least.

I just want an initiative-enabling commander to pair with Noble Heritage for mid/low power games. Monarch and initiative are fun multiplayer mechanics and Heritage is a blast, too.

May I present:

Safana, Calimport Cutthroat

She even has menace and comes down a turn after Noble Heritage. I do like the idea of combining the political aspect of Noble Heritage with the Initiative, that sounds fun as a multiplayer focused political Orzhov deck. She doesn't actually give the initiative, but I suspect you could run enough creatures or cards that do. And you only really need one to kick things off.

Not super powerful perhaps, but it has the word on it a least. And looking at the EDHREC page for the pairing, it looks pretty fun. You get to run White Plume Adventurer Seasoned Dungeoneer, not to mention Ravenloft Adventurer, AND all the AFR cards that care about venturing, once you have the initiative.

Looks like a fun Orzhov deck, I kind of want to build it honestly lol.

[pokken]

Goin to FNM with almost all new decks tonight! Bringing a few of the usuals (Breena, Varina, Feather) but I've been on a rampage

Kenrith 5c dice flippers (mana batteries and battery land tribal)
Xenagos doubling junk (man this deck is trash)
Abzan Enchantments w Froggirl at the helm (and a tiny land drop subtheme)
Tivit Artifacts (replaced Haldan & Pako artifacts)
Jorn Snow budget

Got Thrasios & Tormod Lands brewing, and also Tatyova Thawing Glaciers.dec (land untappers), and also likely revamping Maelstrom Wanderer into a different kinda Rug lands.

I finally managed to switch something in my brain that's letting me just make halfassed decks out of the stuff I have laying around, and I hope it turns out OK

[Hermes_]

Battle for Baldur's Gate was a %$#%$#% travesty.

Not a single battle card was printed in Battle for baldurs gate. 0/10

Also March of the Machine doesn't include March of the Machines 0/10

[pokken]

I wonder if there has been any set that has a card name that matches the name of the set exactly

[Rumpy5897]

Hour of Devastation comes to mind

Also I fully support venturing into the potato bracket. Matched lower power EDH is very fun.

[Venedrex]

Hour of Devastation comes to mind

Also I fully support venturing into the potato bracket. Matched lower power EDH is very fun.

Yeah, one idea I've had bouncing around was making some casual fairly budget EDH "precons" to play agaisn't each other with throwback cards and a lower power level.

Like Melek, Izzet Paragon old-school Spellslinger, Karador, Ghost Chieftain Graveyard value, etc etc. I know Karador was actually a precon, but I mean just building a new deck around him.

No infinites, no 60 dollar cards and docksides/cyclonic/dauthi voidwalkers etc etc staples.

Maybe a 50-100 dollar budget for each deck.

Just a bunch of fun lower powered decks meant to play well versus each other. AKA, an environment where Acidic Slime and Jace's Sanctum can shine again.

Nobody has to worry about deck powerlevel, everyone is on a fairly even footing, and games last a healthy amount of turns before they end. And more "precons" could be added to the mix to pick from to keep games varied.

[pokken]

Hour of Devastation comes to mind

Also I fully support venturing into the potato bracket. Matched lower power EDH is very fun.

My potato decks did ok.

Jorn snow won against legitimately powerful decks. Everyone underestimated Avalanche Caller . And then they took 40 from lands.

Repeat after me: cyclonic rift is not a board wipe

Potato kenrith made a kajillion mana but couldn't resolve a big spell. I frigging hate counterspell locks. Patron of the moon :frown:

Living plane thalia and gitrog did ok but hard folded to urzas blast from jodah. Jodah did get so salty he had to take a smoke break after o ringed Jodah the fourth time. Yep. Enjoy your trip under the stasis snare buddy .

Living plane making basics enter tapped is hilarious.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Hour of Devastation comes to mind

Also I fully support venturing into the potato bracket. Matched lower power EDH is very fun.

Living plane thalia and gitrog did ok but hard folded to urzas blast from jodah. Jodah did get so salty he had to take a smoke break after o ringed Jodah the fourth time. Yep. Enjoy your trip under the stasis snare buddy

I once had a similar experience burying najeela, the Blade-Blossom in bus tickets to Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire that I found in my garden. Isn't it glorious?

[DirkGently]

I'd be an idiot to buy aftermath singles now, right? I should definitely wait a month or so?

I do kinda want that Plargg and Nassari, ngl. Plargg might have the best hit rate of all legends. 2/2 for absolute bangers. Even Phelddagrif has its weak entries.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

I'd be an idiot to buy aftermath singles now, right? I should definitely wait a month or so?

I do kinda want that Plargg and Nassari, ngl. Plargg might have the best hit rate of all legends. 2/2 for absolute bangers. Even Phelddagrif has its weak entries.

Most of the set is cheap as dirt already, so I don't see the point in waiting for the bottom out like with other sets. I bought the two cards I wanted today and moved on.

[DirkGently]

Most of the set is cheap as dirt already, so I don't see the point in waiting for the bottom out like with other sets. I bought the two cards I wanted today and moved on.

Well, I'm buying most of the set plus it's NZ prices, so it's about 150 nz right now. Not that much really but not nothing.

[Hermes_]

it's been like a year or so since i was last in the ER due to Asthma and the fact that this past week I've been actually winning games with my voltron Akiri, Line-Slinger/Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist deck, I'm going to order the custom sleeves for it. My group also doesn't care as long as it's not actual porn/hentai.

[TheGildedGoose]

Looks like a fun Orzhov deck, I kind of want to build it honestly lol.

It's a bit similar to one of my preexisting decks: Noble Shadowheart. However, this conversation inspired me to update that deck.

Also I fully support venturing into the potato bracket. Matched lower power EDH is very fun.

Yeah, one idea I've had bouncing around was making some casual fairly budget EDH "precons" to play agaisn't each other with throwback cards and a lower power level.

Like Melek, Izzet Paragon old-school Spellslinger, Karador, Ghost Chieftain Graveyard value, etc etc. I know Karador was actually a precon, but I mean just building a new deck around him.

No infinites, no 60 dollar cards and docksides/cyclonic/dauthi voidwalkers etc etc staples.

Maybe a 50-100 dollar budget for each deck.

Just a bunch of fun lower powered decks meant to play well versus each other. AKA, an environment where Acidic Slime and Jace's Sanctum can shine again.

I've been working on a series of decks I'm lumping into a category I've been referring to as Hundred Dollar Baby. No cards over $10, $100 maximum deck limit. So you can still do a small handful of nutty things but by and large, you're restricted to fun and fair Magic.

Balmor, Battlemage Captain (still a WIP)
Kalamax, the Stormsire
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Szarekh, the Silent King

It's a fun little project. They're not really balanced to play with each other, but I think they're a combination of low power level and high quality deck construction that I really like.

[pokken]

Ok so I have a general ethos of not loam strip mining people out of the game but I keep farking getting my games ruined by blue decks. Like I'm winning and I'm gonna win but they counterspell my stuff then lose anyway and take us both out. This happens to me all the time with multiple decks.

Should I be willing to just strip mine blue decks out of the opportunity presents? Like is that a fair reaction?

I'm so godawful tired of having to play blue to resolve a teferis protection it's so damn old.

[TheGildedGoose]

OFFICIAL "WHO DO I KILL FIRST?" TIER LIST

1) Combo players
2) Kill-on-sight commander players
3) Control players
4) Literally anyone else who cares

[RxPhantom]

it's been like a year or so since i was last in the ER due to Asthma and the fact that this past week I've been actually winning games with my voltron Akiri, Line-Slinger/Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist deck, I'm going to order the custom sleeves for it. My group also doesn't care as long as it's not actual porn/hentai.

Uhhh...what are you actually saying here? Are you known for being the guy with the porn/hentai sleeves? Because that's the only way "My group also doesn't care as long as it's not actual porn/hentai" makes any sense. Barring that, why would anyone mind custom sleeves?

[Hermes_]

it's been like a year or so since i was last in the ER due to Asthma and the fact that this past week I've been actually winning games with my voltron Akiri, Line-Slinger/Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist deck, I'm going to order the custom sleeves for it. My group also doesn't care as long as it's not actual porn/hentai.

Uhhh...what are you actually saying here? Are you known for being the guy with the porn/hentai sleeves? Because that's the only way "My group also doesn't care as long as it's not actual porn/hentai" makes any sense. Barring that, why would anyone mind custom sleeves?

no, go back to the pages were i shared the AI stuff and talk to dirk who I found out gets annoyed by any sleeves/play mats beyond simple colors and mtg art work.
EDIT:@RxPhantom here's the post from dirk

@Hermes_ as far as sleeves: solid color > basic pattern > mtg official art > other good art > other bad art > stills of the garbage pail kids movie > photographs of real-life war crimes > AI generated images of pretty ladies.

I had a friend who loved his anime babe sleeves. Every time he pulled them out everyone who saw them rolled their eyes and thought less of him. You don't want to be that guy. If you want a sleeve that says something about you, let it say something besides "I like pretty ladies".

Anyone else feel free to chime in if I'm way off base here.

[duducrash]

Ok so I have a general ethos of not loam strip mining people out of the game but I keep farking getting my games ruined by blue decks. Like I'm winning and I'm gonna win but they counterspell my stuff then lose anyway and take us both out. This happens to me all the time with multiple decks.

Should I be willing to just strip mine blue decks out of the opportunity presents? Like is that a fair reaction?

I'm so godawful tired of having to play blue to resolve a teferis protection it's so damn old.

Counterspell in commander is weird. Feel like either they know what they are doing and they will use it to win or they have no idea what they are doing and they'll use in a way both of you will lose


Im currently brewing:
Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves - an excuse to play my alters
Kefnet the Mindful , mono blue midrange control, another go at control at this format, should draw and go. Try yo with either High Tide, dramatic scepter and maybeeee a a voltron wincon? One spice is Worldslayer
Danitha, New Benalia's Light - will I finally build battle cruiser deck to play and dont need to think at all, for those beer and relax kind of game nights?

[DirkGently]

Ok so I have a general ethos of not loam strip mining people out of the game but I keep farking getting my games ruined by blue decks. Like I'm winning and I'm gonna win but they counterspell my stuff then lose anyway and take us both out. This happens to me all the time with multiple decks.

Should I be willing to just strip mine blue decks out of the opportunity presents? Like is that a fair reaction?

I'm so godawful tired of having to play blue to resolve a teferis protection it's so damn old.

I mean, that's kinda the game. If someone has interaction, of course they're going to use it when someone tries to win. If someone else tries to win later and they don't have that interaction because they used it on you first, that's a bummer, but it was still correct for them to use it when they did.

Stripping someone out of the game seems pretty difficult unless your deck is built around crucible and a lot of extra land plays (I'm very confused that anyone considers strip mine recursion to be a serious threat in this format tbh, the juice seems very much not worth the squeeze). I can certainly see using strip mine to cut someone off a crucial mana they needed to interact at the right time, though. And of course there are plenty of other ways to limit interaction like Grand Abolisher or Vexing Shusher. Or you could try to bait the interaction by, for example, using your own targeted removal against one of their permanents - a lot of commander players will counterspell that sort of thing without a second thought - or waiting until someone else tries to win, so that you can be in their position instead of the other way around.

[pokken]

I mean, that's kinda the game. If someone has interaction, of course they're going to use it when someone tries to win. If someone else tries to win later and they don't have that interaction because they used it on you first, that's a bummer, but it was still correct for them to use it when they did.

Stripping someone out of the game seems pretty difficult unless your deck is built around crucible and a lot of extra land plays (I'm very confused that anyone considers strip mine recursion to be a serious threat in this format tbh, the juice seems very much not worth the squeeze). I can certainly see using strip mine to cut someone off a crucial mana they needed to interact at the right time, though. And of course there are plenty of other ways to limit interaction like Grand Abolisher or Vexing Shusher. Or you could try to bait the interaction by, for example, using your own targeted removal against one of their permanents - a lot of commander players will counterspell that sort of thing without a second thought - or waiting until someone else tries to win, so that you can be in their position instead of the other way around.

I have no objection to interaction as removal. I object to counterspells. If you go to remove my thing I can respond in various ways in every color. I can blink my dude, I can play another dude, i can reanimate my dude, or give my guy hexproof.

Countermagic specifically is my problem and specifically when I bring fair decks. It's so tedious to play against a countermagic heavy deck - the gameplay is a lot different than removal because they can both stop your proactive plays and your defensive plays and stop you from interacting all with one card type.

It's at the point where if I'm not playing blue I have to hate the blue guys out first otherwise I end up with them dragging me down with them or having to 1v1 while they have simple generic answers to everything. Blech.

I can easily drive these people out of the game in the mid game with focus fire or loam locks but I feel like a jerk for being like "sorry I can't beat countermagic 1v1 do I have to do strip all your islands now. Might want to go have a drink."

There's one at every damn table. The guy who's going to counter my inkshield so I die to craterhoof with everyone else.

-----

Edit: I want to clarify I don't object to countermagic in principle, it's just a frustrating dynamic right now for me where when I play non-blue decks they struggle to deal with "CaSuAlBro" combo-control decks preying on fair metas. "i'm just sitting here with no board state why you hate met bro lolz"

[Hermes_]

*put together counter spell tribal then goes missing after playing it twice*