Jeb's magical school of Magic

Okay, all that shit above is very specific. Here is the most useful thing I can give to new players (or terrible players):

Magic Academy

Seriously, this article series blows all other beginner Magic strategy articles out of the water, and gives you a good basis for reading anything else written about Magic on the internet. You can skip articles 2 and 4, and possibly more depending on just how noob-y you are, and it's REALLY important to know that the rules about combat damage have changed since these articles were written (short explanation: you used to be able to "lock in" damage and then play things before the damage was dealt).

dragonstout wrote: ... Magic Academy

...and it's REALLY important to know that the rules about combat damage have changed since these articles were written (short explanation: you used to be able to "lock in" damage and then play things before the damage was dealt).

Yeah, this is the hardest thing for me to adjust to in DotP. I was around pre-6E, so I remember when combat was really fucking weird. But I have had a hard time adjusting to this. In combat I always think about Mogg Fanatic and how it sucks now (comparatively). That sentiment helps me puzzle out what is and is not possible in this new world order.

IMHO the current combat rules are much better than the post-6E rules, both in terms of making sense and in terms of providing difficult choices.

Black Barney wrote: I wasn't sexually attracted to her until the 3rd one.

. . . when she was 13. Thank you for clearing that up.

i was KIDDING, Sag

Is that what you sort call it these days, "kidding"?

edit- Heh, I totally crossed the streams...I thought I was posting in the thread where Black Barney's illicit lust for Emma Watson was exposed...hence the "kidding" joke...damn, spoiled a good one...

Also, a "bomb" in Magic is best defined as a card that can steal a victory, i.e. a card that can win the game on its own if unanswered, *even if you are behind*. Lava Axe is very very not a bomb. It's the last thing you'd want to draw if your opponent's had you on the ropes all game.

Edit: I just realized: what the hell boosters does this use for sealed? Not Magic 2014, I assume, or else the whole set would be spoiled by now.

dragonstout wrote: Also, a "bomb" in Magic is best defined as a card that can steal a victory, i.e. a card that can win the game on its own if unanswered, *even if you are behind*. Lava Axe is very very not a bomb. It's the last thing you'd want to draw if your opponent's had you on the ropes all game.

Edit: I just realized: what the hell boosters does this use for sealed? Not Magic 2014, I assume, or else the whole set would be spoiled by now.

Looking over the MtG boards, people have amassed a list that puts the sealed card pool at 180-200 cards they claim from look at screen shots and comparing notes from the Android, iOS, Xbox releases.

I have literally watched Metalface's Emma Watson GIF like a million times. And I'm not misusing 'literally' here.

I'm so confused on bombs. Fireball is a bomb yes? So how does fireball work as a bomb according to D-stout's rule that 'even if you are behind...'

If bombs are the very best thing to put into a limited format deck, I would like to be crystal clear on what that means. I totally understand Removal and Evasion. It's only bombs and aggression/advantage that i'm hazy on.

love you guys

Michael Barnes wrote: Is that what you sort call it these days, "kidding"?

edit- Heh, I totally crossed the streams...I thought I was posting in the thread where Black Barney's illicit lust for Emma Watson was exposed...hence the "kidding" joke...damn, spoiled a good one...

No no this is he right thread.

dragonstout wrote: Edit: I just realized: what the hell boosters does this use for sealed? Not Magic 2014, I assume, or else the whole set would be spoiled by now.

They are 2014 boosters, it's just not the whole card set. I read that somewhere, honest!

ok so I played in d-stout's Pauper Cube draft yesterday using BREAD for the first time and went 4-0 for the win. I honestly couldn't tell you what bombs are but I was able to identify tons of removal and evasion and made a Blue White Red deck on those lines, won with no problems at all.

We also finally did that Homelands-only constructed tournament I had mentionned months ago. It was the worst play experience ever. Our first 2v2 game took over 2 hours. In my only 1v1 game, I got decked

But yeah, BOMBS are weird. I would draft stuff like Serra Angels and 6/6 Islandwalks assuming those are bombs? I drafted 8 red direct damage sorceries, instants and creatures, assuming those are all bomb-ish (and if I'm wrong about them being bombs, they are at the very least removal so they fit the bill there too).

The first card I drafted seemed like the perfect BOMB, but maybe I'm wrong. It was 2/2 flier with Haunt. When it hits the table it direct damages for 2 and I gain 2 life. When the creature it haunts leaves the table, it does it again.

I don't think those are quite bombs, Barney. Bombs are rare cards, usually. They break the game. You got awesome cards that really helped, but they weren't bombs.

Anyway, good job on winning. BREAD owns.

I'm going to have to request the mods to rename this thread as I totally just took Jeb to school. Seriously spanked him.

Black Barney wrote: ok so I played in d-stout's Pauper Cube draft yesterday using BREAD for the first time and went 4-0 for the win. I honestly couldn't tell you what bombs are but I was able to identify tons of removal and evasion and made a Blue White Red deck on those lines, won with no problems at all.

We also finally did that Homelands-only constructed tournament I had mentionned months ago. It was the worst play experience ever. Our first 2v2 game took over 2 hours. In my only 1v1 game, I got decked

But yeah, BOMBS are weird. I would draft stuff like Serra Angels and 6/6 Islandwalks assuming those are bombs? I drafted 8 red direct damage sorceries, instants and creatures, assuming those are all bomb-ish (and if I'm wrong about them being bombs, they are at the very least removal so they fit the bill there too).

The first card I drafted seemed like the perfect BOMB, but maybe I'm wrong. It was 2/2 flier with Haunt. When it hits the table it direct damages for 2 and I gain 2 life. When the creature it haunts leaves the table, it does it again.

Hey Barney,

Lots of good questions!

First of all, how does Fireball fit into my definition: well, Fireball is awesome even among red X spells because you can kill multiple creatures with it. Something that can kill 3 of the opponent's creatures is definitely a bomb.

That said...that's a bit misleading, because first of all, when I have Fireball in my deck, it is not often used for a triple-kill like that (double-kill, sure). Second of all, every red X spell ever made has *always* been a first-pick "bomb" in draft, even something as simple as Blaze. Honestly, I wouldn't consider it a "bomb" in how I usually think of bombs, but it's more of a fudge because it doesn't matter how you classify it: it should be played in literally every sealed deck that opens it and should nearly always be drafted when seen. What makes Fireball/Blaze so good is its flexibility, really: you can use it as slightly overcosted removal or as a finisher that, except for at ONE specific casting cost, is always strictly superior to Lava Axe. This has the neat trick of making it extremely useful both early on (as removal) and late in the game.

Okay, so, the Pauper Cube: the main thing I don't like about Pauper in general as a format is that there ARE no bombs (of course, some people LOVE this fact as well). The cards I'd consider to be clear-cut bombs in your Pauper Cube are cards that, if unanswered, will absolutely, positively take over: in particular, Capsize and Sprout Swarm are notorious for being bombs EVEN in a normal booster draft format. Rolling Thunder, too, is almost certainly the best red X spell for limited ever (there might be a rare I'm forgetting), and will definitely turn a game around. The classic "4/4 flier" stats, which are always first-pick in limited, also exist in that Pauper Cube (Errant Ephemeron), but the removal is also ridiculously good in that Cube. Also, that Pauper Cube is theoretically built to make it so just taking "good stuff" isn't going to win the draft, you have to draft archetypes; but if you're applying BREAD and no one else is even aware of the concept, then yeah, you're going to kick serious ass. Congrats Barney!!!

It's funny that you bring up Blind Hunter, because the other Pauper Cube I've been following recently cut it for being not good enough! I have no idea which is correct, but definitely back in the draft format that guy originally appeared in he was totally awesome.