Magic: The Gathering

[Vorgot]

I wanted to build a black deck, but from what little I know is that pure black tends to be quite limited.

I've got a black control deck that's pretty fun, makes it tough for the opposition to keep too many creatures out, and forces discards as well. A Vampire deck can be effective too.

I'll have a crack at a black/green next, thats what I always seem to end up drafting as well

[Vorgot]

Have you played before?

If not it might be worth using some of the pre-constructed Planeswalker decks, they're pretty competent and once you've got to grips with some of those, take the deck building plunge.

You should be able to find them in the Planeswalker folder when you go to load a deck; you get all the required cards simply by buying the initial set so it's a good starting point for just getting straight into it.

I'd agree with this, and also consider the 4.99 deck boosting set or one of the magic 11 pre-constructed sets. I bought a few of those to get to grips with the new mechanics, and they are a good start point while you get to learn the game. Add Vorgot as a buddy, and if I see you on we have a few games. I donk think I have seen Daz or Donk on at any point yet, maybe I have buddies set up wrong

[Campfire_Burning]

I wanted to build a black deck, but from what little I know is that pure black tends to be quite limited.

Wait, have you relented and bought a subscription?

When people talk about coloured decks, are do cards of a certain colour tend to share certain powers - like, for example, blue cards having healing effects, red cards having combat buffs, and black cards allowing you to remove/destroy cards? Are they designed to work together? The different coloured cards in Ascension seem to have that, even though you don't need to play specific lands in order to play them. Only buying cards of a certain colour for your deck makes a huge difference to the gameplay. I was amazed at the difference between playing a 'green' deck versus an deck built around constructs, and both of them compared with a free-for-all deck. Is Magic similar?

[strawdonkey]

Yeah, in a way. Each colour has certain characteristics and themes (explained on the MTG site) which shape the kind of cards each colour gives you.

A rough overview:

Blue is the colour of magic, the air and sea. Typical spells give card draw, interrupts, etc.

Green is the colour of nature. Abilities are typically combat buffs, things involving getting more land, and creatures tend to be druids or wildlife.

Red is the colour of fire and lightning. Typical spells involve fire, and lightning. Lots of direct damage.

White is the colour of purity. Spells will heal you, be themed on nobility or religion... It's generally paladins and paladin stuff.

Black is the colour of death and decay. Their spells generally destroy stuff and most stuff is undead, a vampire, or something else of the sort.

Some cards require two or more colours to play and you can play any combination. Blue/black is a popular control choice, for instance.

[moosegrinder]

Wait, have you relented and bought a subscription?

When people talk about coloured decks, are do cards of a certain colour tend to share certain powers - like, for example, blue cards having healing effects, red cards having combat buffs, and black cards allowing you to remove/destroy cards? Are they designed to work together? The different coloured cards in Ascension seem to have that, even though you don't need to play specific lands in order to play them. Only buying cards of a certain colour for your deck makes a huge difference to the gameplay. I was amazed at the difference between playing a 'green' deck versus an deck built around constructs, and both of them compared with a free-for-all deck. Is Magic similar?

No, just from talking to the lad at work. They aren't useless but they aren't the most effective either.

[Vorgot]

2 colour decks seem to be the best, but an all black vampire deck can be good. I've got enough cards not to be able to build a few different things, so I'm just trying stuff out. People can be good with advice while you play too

[Jimmyzilla]

Yeah, in a way. Each colour has certain characteristics and themes (explained on the MTG site) which shape the kind of cards each colour gives you.

A rough overview:

Blue is the colour of magic, the air and sea. Typical spells give card draw, interrupts, etc.

Green is the colour of nature. Abilities are typically combat buffs, things involving getting more land, and creatures tend to be druids or wildlife.

Red is the colour of fire and lightning. Typical spells involve fire, and lightning. Lots of direct damage.

White is the colour of purity. Spells will heal you, be themed on nobility or religion... It's generally paladins and paladin stuff.

Black is the colour of death and decay. Their spells generally destroy stuff and most stuff is undead, a vampire, or something else of the sort.

Some cards require two or more colours to play and you can play any combination. Blue/black is a popular control choice, for instance.

To add to that, typical character abilities unless things have changed since I last played!

Blue: Flying

White: First strike

Green: Trample

Red: Haste

Black: ???

Also it's worth knowing that adjacent colours tend to work together and colours on the opposite side of the circle are "enemies"

[paddyo]

Black falls down as a mono coloured control deck as it is lacking in ways to deal with artifacts and enchantments, discard being your only option.

Black vamps works well as it is a powerful aggro deck with great ability to destroy opposing creatures and atrack for lerhal damage. A lot of the good vamp cards are commons and uncommons, its kalastria highborn that costs a lot of money, sure u cud build a cheap version

[paddyo]

Just remembered, for all you magic online players, do you know about -

Www.mtgolibrary.com/

It is a website that allows you to search for cards and finds the cheapest prices for those cards from ALL the bots in the trading folder of mtgo... Basicslly lets you get more cards for your tickets as you can source the chrapest prices

Also dont forget to find the bots giving out free cards, cant remember their names but if you google you should find them

[Vorgot]

Black falls down as a mono coloured control deck as it is lacking in ways to deal with artifacts and enchantments, discard being your only option.

Black vamps works well as it is a powerful aggro deck with great ability to destroy opposing creatures and atrack for lerhal damage. A lot of the good vamp cards are commons and uncommons, its kalastria highborn that costs a lot of money, sure u cud build a cheap version

My mono control black deck is a pauper deck though, and did pretty well yesterday. But I really want a nice Vamp deck, thats the plan for this week

[strawdonkey]

Momir Vig Basic is the BEST THING.

[Vorgot]

Momir Vig Basic is the BEST THING.

Its amazing. If I just need cheering up for 5 mins, I always have a go on that. It's ridiculous.

[strawdonkey]

I got an 8/8 with a converted mana cost of 4 earlier, and still managed to lose. Utterly brilliant.

[paddyo]

Momir is just so good isnt it??

I like how there is a slight element of strategy to it... do you go with a 1cc play?? I never do, as then you may end up with not enough cards in hand to make an 8cc play... I usually activate momir turn 2 or even turn 3 sometimes and save the cards for late game, i dont think that a 1 cost is worth it as they cant affect the game that much usually... unless you get a mana critter that is, they are pretty good

[strawdonkey]

I'm liking the single cost creatures so far as they're generally 1/1, as are a lot of two-cost ones. That said, your 1/1 is largely useless vs a 6/6 flier that destroys two lands on hit!

[Vorgot]

I tend to put a 2 cost in, then skip a 3. Keeps me going till I lay the smackdown at the end. I'll be on tonight for all fun loving magic peeps

[Vorgot]

Managed to win a booster pack last night in a m11 Swiss draft, as my opponent dropped out. I am such a powerhouse. To be fair, I am getting better at drafting. My second match I lost 2 1, but the third game went to turn 21, it was a real ding dong. I love the fact that it's a combination of luck and skill though. Keeps all matches interesting, and drafting is a great way to get new cards you may use. My collection is very black, green, red heavy at the moment, but am picking up commons from the free bots to bulk up the other colours for some pauper sets. Look like I've replaced WoW with a new obsession

[Mr Cochese]

Yeah, you're totally doomed now.

[paddyo]

Just realised my magic online id is:

paddyo

add me for games and stuff, probably have commons/uncommons to give away too to new players

thanks!!

[Campfire_Burning]

So for you online TCG addicts, the Pokémon TCG online is in beta . . .

http://www.pokemontcg.com/

[strawdonkey]

I had a quick play with that. It's all web-based which is interesting, and the decks they give you to start with are pretty balanced.

At the moment there's no online play, if you win a game you unlock a card which is automatically added to your deck in place of an existing card, much like Duels of the Planeswalkers. Other than that, it's basically Pokemon TCG - pretty basic but it's also pretty good fun.

[strawdonkey]

I thought I'd try a draft as I had a few hours spare.

Oh god the horror

[Vorgot]

haha, did you find it a bit tough going? It's a great way to learn the decks, but I have not done well so far

[strawdonkey]

I drafted Scars/Scars/Beseiged, should have drafted M11/M11/M11 as the cards in that are simpler and I can just draft Wurms

Unfortunately I didn't see any good removal, went for an Infect theme but could never quite push the last few bits through. Good fun though.

[Vorgot]

The mirrodin ones are more popular, but the 11 are easier to draft. Kills a few hours!

[Campfire_Burning]

There are some nice April Fools on the Magic site today, including this deck of the day:

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/deck/680

and a card of the day seemingly inspired by The Fast Show

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/cardoftheday/0411

[strawdonkey]

They've really gone all-out - The deck naming conventions one had me confused for a while as to whether it's actually real or not.

This is the best one though.

[Vorgot]

They've really gone all-out - The deck naming conventions one had me confused for a while as to whether it's actually real or not.

This is the best one though.

Like it

[Asura]

Blobcat and I managed to play a couple of games; she's still grasping the basics but she's getting it as we go along.

I, on the other hand, also need clarification to a couple of finer points, as my memory of the game is a little hazy and some things have changed since I played it back in 1997

>> Creature abilities, such as "tap this creature to deal 3 damage to a target flying creature". When can these abilities be used? Only in your main phase unless specified otherwise? Or are they like instants?

>> I have a card called "neck snap"; it's an instant that can "destroy target blocking or attacking creature". However, if I attack with a creature, my opponent blocks with a creature, then I use "neck snap" to destroy the blocker, does the other player take damage?

>> Creature toughness, after they take damage, is only "reset" at the end of YOUR turn, right? Or is the toughness of all creatures simply reset at the end of the current player's turn, regardless of who controls what creature?

>> Enchantments can only be cast in either of your main phases, right? You can't for example attack with a creature, then when it gets blocked, enchant it immediately so it can win the combat? I'm pretty sure you can't, but just making sure

>> I remember one of the more fiddly rules had to do with "banding" and similar things. I understand "banding" now is an invalid rule. However, when in combat, can multiple creatures block a single creature?

[alexander]

Blobcat and I managed to play a couple of games; she's still grasping the basics but she's getting it as we go along.

I, on the other hand, also need clarification to a couple of finer points, as my memory of the game is a little hazy and some things have changed since I played it back in 1997

>> Creature abilities, such as "tap this creature to deal 3 damage to a target flying creature". When can these abilities be used? Only in your main phase unless specified otherwise? Or are they like instants?

Tap abilities are played at instant speed

>> I have a card called "neck snap"; it's an instant that can "destroy target blocking or attacking creature". However, if I attack with a creature, my opponent blocks with a creature, then I use "neck snap" to destroy the blocker, does the other player take damage?

No. Once a creature is blocked the damage it deals is to the creature(s) blocking it whether or not they are there any more.

>> Creature toughness, after they take damage, is only "reset" at the end of YOUR turn, right? Or is the toughness of all creatures simply reset at the end of the current player's turn, regardless of who controls what creature?

The second. Toughness is reset at the end of each player's turn for all creatures. In the end phase

>> Enchantments can only be cast in either of your main phases, right? You can't for example attack with a creature, then when it gets blocked, enchant it immediately so it can win the combat? I'm pretty sure you can't, but just making sure

You're right, enchantments don't happen quick enough to be used like instants.

>> I remember one of the more fiddly rules had to do with "banding" and similar things. I understand "banding" now is an invalid rule. However, when in combat, can multiple creatures block a single creature?

Sure can, no strings or weirdness. The attacking player gets to decide where damage goes though.