tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67470821477665008422011-12-05T15:22:42.377-08:00Card and deck reviews of the Magic the Gathering Game, including Standard, Extended, Legacy, EDH, etc.shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-77136017341587368342011-11-06T21:19:00.000-08:002011-11-06T21:19:26.805-08:00

Hey, The new site is at Flipping the Table | Magic the Gathering Rogue Decks. Still keeping this site around, just going to be doing all the main posting on the new site. Short reason is that wordpress is just more versatile. See you there, Sketch

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-74027715751150565332011-09-20T10:34:00.001-07:002011-09-20T10:34:55.486-07:00

Told you so.

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-67024737961782925222011-08-24T18:57:00.000-07:002011-08-24T18:57:55.278-07:00

Hey guys, The Magic community is in a huge celebration over the new Modern format. Comprised of the cards using the new border introduced in 8th edition onward, Magic gives cards that disappeared prematurely another chance to shine. As you may recall, when Extended was dominated by the Dark Depths/Vampire Hexmage combo, rather than ban the cards vital to the combo, Wizards responded by making

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-69331739036060556402011-08-09T18:52:00.000-07:002011-08-09T18:52:00.372-07:00

Hey guys, I was inspired to write this article after seeing someone tweet about Mental Misstep. In short, it was a post if   I realize that Mental Misstep is a powerful card, but banworthy?  I'd say it was an exaggeration on his part. So I decided to think it out and have the results to share with you.  Does Mental Misstep degenerate Legacy into a play-with-it or learn-to-play-against-it

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-75872572045422819192011-07-26T19:26:00.000-07:002011-07-26T19:26:58.759-07:00

Hey guys, With Smallpox's debut in M12, I am having flashbacks of how good Solar Pox was when Time Spiral and its surrounding sets were legal.  The deck, a control deck with combo elements, utilizes the "drawbacks" of Smallpox to put the caster at an advantage over the opponent. I'm hoping to reproduce the success with this new card pool.  Check out a bit more in-depth history and the version I

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-1913574666662179442011-07-10T22:16:00.000-07:002011-07-10T22:20:59.660-07:00

Hey guys, The full set of Magic 2012 is fully spoiled, and with it there are new cards.  Of particular interest today are the remixed versions of three of the original planeswalkers. While the original five have been landmarks of the previous two sets, the planeswalker roster gets shaken up in Magic 2012.  Black and white planeswalkers Sorin Markhov and Gideon Jura make a reappearance in

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-46088215135862050202011-06-30T06:36:00.000-07:002011-06-30T06:36:00.360-07:00

Hey all, Ding dong, the Mind Sculptor is dead.  At least in Standard. On July 1 Mind Sculptor will no longer be Standard legal.  This marks the first Mythic and first planeswalker being banned from a format. Also getting pounded by the banhammer is Stoneforge Mystic. While Stoneforge Mystic is more deck reliant due to its use of equipment, the card is powerful enough to justify its banning.

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-40700868380109947272011-02-07T07:04:00.000-08:002011-02-08T08:18:05.746-08:00

Hey, Mirrodin Besieged has been made public for around a week now so players can immerse themselves in the new set. I'm sure you're wondering what's good and what's not in the new set, so I'm doing this list. Right now this is just going on my initial thoughts and experience, so don't be surprised if a not-named card appears to dominate.  Also note that I want to represent each color in this

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-2381147601350722552011-01-24T03:29:00.000-08:002011-01-24T03:29:50.093-08:00

[Just an FYI, this contains exactly -1- Mirrodin Besieged spoiler] Dear Darksteel Colossus, I really don't know how to say this.  I've found another man. I realize that you have an extremely sexy body that can destroy a player in two turns, but I've found better at a slightly higher cost.  Indestructible.  11/11.  Trample. Sure, he costs one more to bring out, but seriously, whenever we went

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-54007205047636291582011-01-17T20:25:00.000-08:002011-01-17T20:25:57.716-08:00

Hey guys, Mythic cards are notorious for being considered overpowered.  In the past couple of seasons, you couldn't hear about a top deck without celebrities such as Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Lotus Cobra, or Baneslayer Angel.  They're just that good. Without a doubt, the latest mythic legend to enter the Magic universe is not a weakling.  She possesses decent stats for her cost, but her real

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-20645320551916310152011-01-10T08:27:00.000-08:002011-01-10T08:27:36.676-08:00

Hey guys, Long story short, I've got a job that's going to cut some time out from writing here.  I also figure it's a New Year, so I need to see where I stand with the readers. So a new poll is up: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO READ ABOUT? Some suggestions are to the right. Feel free to select more than one. And if there's something you want covered that's not up there, drop a message in either of my

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-60305313287154954962011-01-05T12:30:00.000-08:002011-01-05T12:32:29.764-08:00

Hey all, First off, Happy New Year's to you guys. Thanks for the support, both negative and positive that people who visit have provided. I wish you the best of luck for this coming 365 days. That said, I know people plan to do new things in the new year. It's tradition to make a resolution -- some change in one's life in an attempt to better it. So what if you decided to start writing

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-12174979129671015562010-12-30T04:36:00.000-08:002010-12-30T04:36:08.316-08:00

Hey, Some people will go to great lengths to fulfill their dreams of working for the company that creates Magic the Gathering.  Imagine being able to design the next Tarmogoyf, Jace, or Tolarian Academy whilst rubbing elbows with designers like Mark Rosewater.  For years you have bought the product, played the game, and encouraged your friends to try it out.  And for once, you can use your

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-37886297913754870072010-12-27T09:28:00.000-08:002010-12-27T09:29:03.510-08:00

Hey, According to the latest press release by Wizards of the Coast, the following changes have been made to the banned/restricted list in Legacy: Time Spiral is UNRESTRICTED Survival of the Fittest is BANNED Excellent news for players who are tired of seeing the same creature tutoring antics.  When games come down to a race to who gets a key card in play first (see Disciple of the Vault/

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-20993943114480422882010-12-13T03:21:00.000-08:002010-12-13T03:21:40.895-08:00

Hey all, I recently tried making a monogreen control deck in Standard.  After systematically searching the interesting card types of green: enchantment, instant, and sorcery, nothing stood out to justify running straight green.  I plan to revisit the idea with an additional color. For now, I saw an interesting card for the upcoming sets.  While I don't see much artifact action in the general

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-14320848623570887372010-12-02T10:48:00.000-08:002010-12-02T10:51:48.907-08:00

Hey guys, I'm not here to argue that Tarmogoyf is a legendary card. There's a reason it's been played heavily in all formats, justifying the $60.00 price tag for a single copy. Rather, I'm here to argue that Tarmogoyf is a mistake in terms of data management for the player. Allow me to elaborate... The problem I find is that Tarmogoyf is too complex.  The description "complex" is

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-53446481942267240732010-11-26T02:50:00.000-08:002010-11-26T02:50:52.281-08:00

Hey, I'm trying something new.  Whenever I post about an exclusive format, I'll put the format in the title in brackets ( [ ] ) so that it's easy to identify. Now to the post. My obsession with playing wizards in Legacy started when I realized how well these cards worked together... The centerpiece of synergy is Puresight Merrow.  Opposition and Patron Wizard reward you for tapping a

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-31399898106786441242010-11-18T03:37:00.000-08:002010-11-18T03:37:15.987-08:00

Hey, First off, I did a few aesthetic changes to the site. Nothing major, but it looks a bit cleaner now. Second, there's a new poll up! I want to know if you would move to Washington to work at the Wizards of the Coast headquarters. For those of you that entered the Great Designer Search 2, before diving into the contest, participants had to agree that if they won, they would move to Renton

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-23617765288674107872010-11-11T00:33:00.000-08:002010-11-11T00:33:10.280-08:00

Hey, Poison decks.  Mathematically, they appeal to players since 10 damage is easier to deal than 20 damage.  The downside is that there are significantly less sources of poison than regular damage.  Cards with the capacity to give poison counters to the opponent are in black, green, and artifacts. That hasn't stopped players from trying however. Today I will be covering a card I've seen in

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-61417860778533348902010-11-03T04:04:00.000-07:002010-11-03T04:04:46.687-07:00

Hey, The results of the poll of the best color in the Scars of Mirrodin are closed.  43 people voted, but only 1 color rose from the top.  The color that people feel is the strongest in the new set is... ARTIFACT I realize it's not an official color, but brown tops it for the best color at 17 votes.  It's no surprise since Scars of Mirrodin throws back to the original Mirrodin set, notorious

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-74172617070065617162010-10-26T15:55:00.000-07:002010-10-26T15:55:18.401-07:00

Hey, For some reason I have not been into Magic the Gathering recently. Sure, I'll hop on to forums to help players and check Twitter for news, but I don't have the spark to pump out posts like a card-slinging fool. Nowadays I just have other things to do like get a real job, go out with friends, and play another card game called Alteil. I decided to check Twitter a few days ago and woke up

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-60119679018626071472010-10-12T09:46:00.001-07:002010-10-12T09:46:57.637-07:00

Hey, Just a quick message. I've got a new section up which details custom Magic the Gathering cards I've come up with. It's only got one card right now, but expect that to change. You can access it by clicking here: Custom Magic the Gathering Cards Hope you enjoy it! @shadowsketched

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-13525347039878991282010-10-10T06:31:00.000-07:002010-10-10T06:35:18.150-07:00

Hey all, As Scars of Mirrodin starts to show up on the Standard tournament scene, players are dealing with the loss of a block of cards containing one of the most feared mechanics of recent times: cascade. Some people are happy that they'll never have to stare down a Bloodbraid Elf in the environment again. Cascade is not the only mechanic rotating out when Scars comes in. Domain will trot

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-74847238987271878092010-09-22T19:12:00.000-07:002010-09-22T19:21:38.959-07:00

Hey all, By special request of Twitterer @skepti I'm doing this article.  If there's any topic/idea that you're curious about, drop me a line.  I'll do what's in my power to make it happen.  Thanks again to @skepti. That aside, play speed. Play too fast, you're bound to a play mistake.  Missed trigger.  Damage miscalculation. Play too slow and you'll be accused of stalling.  Warning.  Game

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-61646528014286303462010-09-14T23:23:00.000-07:002010-09-14T23:23:52.950-07:00

Hey all, For the most part, decks in Magic the Gathering fall into one of three categories: Combo Control Aggro Each category has a distinct strategy that caters to a certain playstyle.  Like turning your creatures at a 90 degree angle towards your opponent's face?  You'll like aggro.  Enjoy having your opponent worry about what he can and can't play?  You'll like control.  Combo is varied, but

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-88486551965155191182010-09-14T00:49:00.000-07:002010-09-14T00:54:39.540-07:00

Hey, Just an important misinterpretation on my part.  In my previous article A look at the Scars of Mirrodin mechanics,  "The second mechanic is for fans of large amounts of counters.  Part of Doubling Season now has a keyword. In short, the keyword Proliferate doubles the number of counters of your own choosing.  That's right; if proliferating will help your opponent out (for example with

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-70949943115765284952010-09-10T14:50:00.000-07:002010-09-10T14:50:10.054-07:00

Hey all, This week starts a large influx of spoilers from the new Magic the Gathering set Scars of Mirrodin.  While there's at least 20 different cards that I can pick from to cover, I'm going to take a step back to the big picture. What mechanics drive the cards of Scars of Mirrodin?  What types of synergies are available within the Scars card pool? [BEWARE -- Scars of Mirrodin spoilers

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-62903781799637837802010-08-24T02:42:00.000-07:002010-08-24T02:51:56.002-07:00

Hey all, Fauna Shaman is one of the primary pieces of the Naya Shaman deck.  Like Survival of the Fittest, she acts as a way to fetch select creatures from the deck and pitch creatures to the graveyard at the cost of a green mana, a tap, and a creature card from your hand.  Unlike Survival, she's easy to destroy since she's a creature as opposed to an enchantment. The question is -- should you

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-52594003854356840262010-08-20T11:30:00.000-07:002010-08-20T11:35:26.206-07:00

Hey, Scars of Mirrodin introduces a new mechanic to the mix.  It isn't a 100% completely new idea, but rather a combination of two previous ideas.  What are those two mechanics?  How have they been combined? Check it out: The mechanic shows up as an easter egg when clicking on a D20 dice at the bottom of this Magic Arcana article. As far as the mechanic itself, Infect is a combination of

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-26193652017527163942010-08-17T03:47:00.000-07:002010-08-17T03:47:22.517-07:00

Hey all, Oddly enough, the second card spoiled in a primarily artifacts block is not an artifact.  If you've missed the first card from Scars of Mirrodin, check that out here:  Sword of Body and Mind As for the newly released card?  It's a black one. SPOILERS AHEAD The card is actually a functional reprint of a card minus a block mechanic. Introduced in the Kamigawa block, the arcane

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-13874649418782292512010-08-13T05:52:00.000-07:002010-08-13T05:53:03.868-07:00

The results are in! The color you guys have selected as the most powerful color of M2011 is... Ok, it's a 3-way tie.  Satan came in and marked my poll, giving a 3 way tie to black, white, and green. I'd say the major reason people picked green is because of Fauna Shaman and Primeval Titan.  Those two cards are running rampant in meta decks in standard right now.  White just has utility

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-50074577492059504652010-08-13T04:56:00.000-07:002010-08-13T04:56:54.172-07:00

Hey guys, One of the things I like about Magic the Gathering is the different paths to take to defeat your opponent.  You can swarm your opponent with tiny minions, search for lands to power out a huge juggernaut, or channel your mana to kill with a direct damage spell.  These strategies require turns to set up.  The more turns you take to use your strategy, the more turns the opponent has to

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-77022253173774031622010-08-04T15:57:00.000-07:002010-08-04T16:16:35.251-07:00

Hey all, Right now there's an uproar in the world of Magic publications. Players are satisfied with decklists as the majority of their reading material. Writers are taking a stand against it and promoting a new mantra of "teaching people how to fish rather than giving them fish". The most extreme example -- one writer calling readers "bad players". Are you a bad player? I really don't know.

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-39497970106639377992010-07-26T00:01:00.000-07:002010-07-26T00:01:42.019-07:00

Hey all, The very first Scars of Mirrodin card has been announced.  For those of you want to keep virgin knowledge of the set to come, stop reading now.  But if you're feeling bad, continue. It's good to be bad sometimes. Check out Sword of Body and Mind: Sword of Body and Mind (3) Artifact -- Equipment (Mythic) Equip -- 2 Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from blue and

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-26127727379524715362010-07-22T07:16:00.000-07:002010-07-22T07:16:16.957-07:00

Hey all, With M2011 out players have been tinkering with the cards coming up with new decks. For some, the answer lies not in creating a brand new deck archetype but rather improving a previous archetype that has had success.  What archetype am I talking about? None other than Wildfire.  While Wildfire is not in M2011, a similar card known as Destructive Force is.  Check out the side-by-side

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-50000086978939557702010-07-15T11:06:00.000-07:002010-07-15T11:06:22.953-07:00

Hey all, M2011 is in my opinion one of the best core sets in the history of Magic the Gathering.  What makes it great is that it combines both the best of previously made cards, original made-for-set cards, and updates to formerly overpowered cards.  The set caters well for all types of players, such as the planeswalker namesake cards for the Vorthos and a modified Time Spiral for Johnnies.

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-15480968258067596852010-07-08T05:30:00.000-07:002010-07-08T05:35:29.469-07:00

Hey all, First off, the entire spoiler for M2011 is up. You can find that here: Magic 2011 Official Spoiler For those of you who use Magic Workstation, you can find the official text spoiler here: Magic 2011 Magic Workstation file. I'm looking forward to trying out Triskelion. Trisk has a ton of toys to play with in the current cardpool, ranging from Basilisk Collar for deathtouch-powered

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-78985276787655746882010-07-01T22:21:00.000-07:002010-07-01T22:23:02.003-07:00

With M2011 around the corner, I surveyed readers to see which color they want to see most improved. Does blue need the boost to make up for its lackluster counter ability? Does black need some power to compete with recent control decks? The results are in... And the winner that you think needs the most improvement in M2011? BLUE At 37% of the total polled, Blue is the color most players

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-38436064527300512692010-06-29T14:57:00.000-07:002010-06-29T14:58:59.479-07:00

Hey all, First off, M2010 Spoilers!!!   That being said, take a look at this card from M2011: "When nature calls, run." -- epic flavor text The titans are a cycle of 6/6 for 6 mana mythic creatures from the upcoming Magic the Gathering set.  I already covered the Sun Titan, so if you haven't seen the power that comes with these cards, be sure to check it out. What interests me the most

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-86812611589366138162010-06-28T03:22:00.000-07:002010-06-28T03:22:13.894-07:00

Hey all, Just wanted to update that there's now a Magic the Gathering FAQ section where I put up some commonly asked questions If there's something that you think should belong there, drop a comment below. Catch y'all later! @shadowsketched

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-9147357555130341142010-06-26T18:46:00.000-07:002010-06-28T03:01:53.289-07:00

Hey all, Enter the world of Elder Dragon Highlander.  In short, EDH is a casual format encouraging players to create big decks of singletons (excluding basic lands) with a general providing sideline support.  The format is great for players who want unique play experiences for each game and enjoy delving into the realms of the color they plan to use. I'm not going to cover the basics of the

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-5871944032773116842010-06-18T02:05:00.000-07:002010-06-18T02:05:14.942-07:00

Baneslayer Angel has some competition when it comes to being the mythic rare of choice in M2011. As discussed in a previous article (Why Baneslayer Angel isn't the best), Baneslayer Angel is not the ideal choice for finishing your opponent off due to it not creating card advantage or leaving a footprint behind. Enter Sun Titan. When he enters the battlefield, he'll return any card with

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-91368182450694667972010-06-10T14:28:00.000-07:002010-06-10T14:28:04.025-07:00

Baneslayer Angel is one of the most powerful creatures in the game of Magic the Gathering. A 5/5 life-gaining, first-striking flier is something you don't want to stare at from across the table. Baneslayer Angel in her glory On paper, she looks like a great creature.  Yet many people consider Baneslayer Angel a sideboard card.  -She has mythic status and a hefty price tag, typical of cards

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-22429192327140677312010-06-04T00:01:00.000-07:002010-06-04T00:01:59.568-07:00

Hey all, One of the banes of new players is the rules of Magic the Gathering.  If you haven't taken a look at the rules, they are huge and constantly being amended.  With new sets come new mechanics for which new sections must be added to explain said mechanics. Plus, there's errors.  Hence, errata. The intention of core sets have been to serve as a gateway for new players to enter the game of

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-14900151371546989342010-05-27T09:43:00.000-07:002010-05-27T09:45:45.469-07:00

Hey all, As the release of the M2011 core set of Magic the Gathering nears, people are speculating what cards will be reprinted in the new set. Typically, cards that are printed in Core Sets are both iconic and relevant to the color slice they represent. Recent examples include red's Lightning Bolt, a classic way to deal damage, and Jace Beleren, a blue planeswalker who both draws and mills

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-11776713156262289322010-05-24T08:39:00.000-07:002010-05-24T08:47:24.046-07:00

Hey all, In a recent poll, the most popular Rise of Eldrazi card as voted is... Emrakul, the Aeons Torn the visuals Ulamog and Kozilek are tied for 2nd. My guess: Emrakul just has a place everywhere. Standard - Clarion Ultimatum decks, PolymorphExtended - HypergenesisLegacy - Sneak AttackVintage - Oath of Druids/Dragon Breath You can put use him in every format.  His "shroud" ability

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-81128607899580911172010-05-19T06:51:00.000-07:002010-05-19T06:51:15.076-07:00

Right now I want to make a deck with Beastmaster's Ascension.  The main problem is that seven counters is a large feat to overcome. Rise of Eldrazi helps counter that with spawn tokens, and I'm interested in giving Skittering Invasion a shot with it to get five counters. That leaves 2 counters remaining to acquire, and that can be achieved through  a Nest Invader or other cheap creature. 

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-9688956100801297732010-05-17T08:54:00.000-07:002010-05-17T08:58:44.830-07:00

Hey all, This is an update to the original monoblack control list I posted when RoE first came out (you can check that out here: Monoblack Control in Rise of Eldrazi).  With a more defined metagame and card testing finalized, a better version more in tune with the current format can be made. What is the metagame currently looking like?  For the most part, decks that were already established

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-67432115839170995172010-05-07T05:46:00.000-07:002010-05-07T05:46:02.432-07:00

Hey all, I'm sure you know everyone who plays Magic doesn't do so competitively. Forget the player archetypes: the Timmies, the Johnnies, the Spikes, etc. No. Today I'm writing for the average, run-of-the-mill player. The guy who doesn't bring Jund to FNM to wreck the other players. The guy who's cool with playing Raging Goblin instead of Goblin Guide, not because Guide gives land to the

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-23665518778431900372010-05-04T03:08:00.000-07:002010-05-04T03:08:52.816-07:00

Hey all, Just a quick post.  This is a deck I'm working on for Legacy: 3 Astral Slide 3 Solitary Confinement 4 Eternal Dragon 3 Undead Gladiator 4 Wall of Omens 1 Squee, Goblin Nabob 3 Grim Discovery 4 Thoughtseize 4 StP 3 Buried Alive 4 Wasteland 4 Barren Moor 4 Secluded Steppe 8 Swamp 5 Plains Pretty much wanted to try some things here.  There is no green, so there is no Wall of Blossoms

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-60265123894410656752010-04-30T05:51:00.000-07:002010-05-02T02:43:54.632-07:00

Hey all, Mythic Bant continues to grow in popularity, giving Jund a run for its money by placing at various tournaments. The basic premise of the deck is to use various mana dorks (Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch, and Lotus Cobra) to ramp up into power creatures (Thornling, Baneslayer Angel) boosted by Rafiq of the Many and Finest Hour.  For a more in-depth description of the deck, check out

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-67627288285612820422010-04-27T05:33:00.000-07:002010-05-02T02:44:42.584-07:00

Hey all, If you played around Lorwyn times, you'll remember that this card was the bane of many players: The only bad part? Art is by Rebecca Guay. Bitterblossom is the crux of Lorwyn's successful Fae deck.  Not only does the blossom provide faeries to beat down with, it also gives numbers to make Spellstutter sprite effective throughout the game. Outside of Faeries, Bitterblossom is used by

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-59357143878589806972010-04-22T06:20:00.000-07:002010-04-22T06:20:22.365-07:00

Hey all, According to the poll results (out of 25 votes): 3/25 (11%) Black 0/25 (0%) Red 12/25 (46%) Green 4/25 (15%) White 6/25 (23%) Blue 1/25 (3%) Colorless  This surprises me a bit.  Some of cards I've been hearing good things about from white are Survival Cache, Wall of Omens, and Oust.  Many of these cards are good in Standard, but that's not the only format people play. I'd say that's

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-43042814485003453422010-04-19T00:19:00.000-07:002010-05-02T02:45:16.350-07:00

Hey guys, Monoblack control is a deck that always holds the heart of a select group of Magic the Gathering Players.  Like tweenage girls frolicking at a Justin Bieber concert, MBC enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the release of a new set to see if the tools are provided to push their deck up to the top. MBC has had a few moments of glory being a top tier deck.  One of the best times to play it

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-34309788617199015232010-04-14T00:22:00.000-07:002010-05-02T02:45:34.686-07:00

Hey guys, Two decks for today.  One is for all of you ballers making six figures, using Umezawa's Jittes as coasters for your drinks.  The second deck is a more reasonably-costed deck, saving you enough money so that you can proudly supersize your meal instead of skimping out. First, the rich daddy one. Bant.  The name originates from the Magic the Gathering set Shards of Alara representing

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-80288685094269503502010-04-11T03:59:00.000-07:002010-04-11T04:02:33.228-07:00

Hey all, Two quick things. Vote in the poll in the top right. This past weekend was an avalanche of new RoE spoilers. No surprise seeing at is coming in about a week. Right now blue's leading the votes. Do you agree? Do you disagree? Also, shout out to Justin Brooke at Johnny Spike Blog. He's holding a contest for a playset of Force of Will, check it out. On that note I'm out. See you

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-87007839371757220462010-04-09T05:52:00.000-07:002010-04-09T05:52:17.691-07:00

Hey, Standard warning: RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERSRISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS RISE OF ELDRAZI SPOILERS With that taken care of, this card caught my eye: Who knew card drawing could get so ugly? While it won't be able to start beating for some cards

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-42202353659736658022010-04-08T06:27:00.000-07:002010-05-02T02:47:07.256-07:00

Hey, As Rise of Eldrazi approaches release, prices of cards yet to be released are already showing up on sites like Ebay and Starcitygames.  Those prices have the chance to go up or down depending on the demand of the card once the full set is released.  Some are ridiculously high right now to take advantage of the "fresh card smell" that a new set brings. When Worldwake was coming out, I made

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-69460680278875187512010-04-06T03:39:00.000-07:002010-04-06T03:39:40.832-07:00

Hey all, These are two ideas I came up with and don't want to lose in a whirlwind of trash and papers. Enchantress 4 Argothian Enchantress 4 Enchantress's Presence 3 Wild Growth 4 Utopia Sprawl 4 Elephant Grass 1 Replenish 4 Sterling Grove 4 Glittering Wish 1 Words of War 2 Runed Halo 1 Worship 1 Mirari's Wake 3 Solitary Confinement 1 Greater Auramancy 3 Ground Seal 2 Karakas 1 Mountain X

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-57317171540248370532010-04-02T15:14:00.000-07:002010-04-02T15:16:02.897-07:00

Hey, Once again, another guest post from B-Ric. He should be putting together a post ever week, so look out for that. Without further ado: One of the strongest effects in Magic is what is referred to as the telepathy effect. This is a condition, generally caused by the card Telepathy, that forces both players to play the game with their hands revealed. It doesn’t take a lot of in-depth

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-6030958002068905972010-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:002010-03-30T07:11:04.878-07:00

Hey all, In preparation for Rise of Eldrazi, I present a piece on Sneak Attack.  The Annihilator mechanic (defending player sacrifices X permanents when a creature declares attack) will be great with Sneak Attack.  For you Standard players, give Finest Hour a try with Annihilator; you'll be able to annihilate permanents twice a turn. Traditionally, most Sneak Attack decks I've seen are straight

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-82570154851246305712010-03-26T17:12:00.000-07:002010-03-26T18:37:29.016-07:00

Hey, Ever since Mnemonic Wall (which you can read about here), my curiosity had been peaked at the thought of using it for an infinite combo with time spells. With the incoming number of Rise spoilers, one card caught my eye today.  Check it out: I know it's Japanese.  But the art is a giveaway.  There's a mirror image of the female in the picture.  From the similarities to past cards such as

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-28787776167230334652010-03-25T02:20:00.000-07:002010-03-25T02:20:02.857-07:00

Hey all, As Rise of Eldrazi comes closer to fruition, more and more sites are covering the releases.  Some contests are even giving away free swag for supporting their websites.  Today I'm going to cover two free contests: Robot Viking Twitter Contest Prize:  Two Worldwake Intro Packs + playset of custom-painted Blightnings Starting next week, you go to the website and solve a puzzle.  The

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-7339064142528962662010-03-22T07:17:00.000-07:002010-03-22T07:17:33.455-07:00

Hey all, Today I have a guest post from another writer who also writes for the same website I do (www.tradingcardescrow.com). His pseudonym is B-Ric and you can find him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thegrizz. Without further ado, here's his writeup: ____ When I first started playing Magic, I was amazed to hear that there were actually cards that sold for hundreds of dollars. Thinking that

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-83319438790594782202010-03-21T02:37:00.000-07:002010-03-21T02:39:39.437-07:00

Hey all, Just a quick post.  Here's a draft for a manland deck in Standard: 4 Celestial Colonnade 4 Seaside Citadel 3 Creeping Tar Pit 3 Rupture Spire 2 Dread Statuary 2 Forest 3 Plains 2 Island 1 Swamp 4 Trace of Abundance 4 Ardent Plea 3 Finest Hour 3 Wargate 2 Vengeful Rebirth 4 Day of Judgment 4 Time Warp 4 Explore 3 Borderland Ranger 1 Darksteel Colossus 2 Obelisk of Alara Ok.  I

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-17363380736745432282010-03-17T01:50:00.000-07:002010-03-20T13:25:10.188-07:00

Seriously. This thing topped its price at $30.00. Now you can buy it off of Ebay at $10.00. Not saying it's worthless, but VERY few decks can utilize it effectively. Want to give it a shot? I'd recommend the following as a base: 3 x Abyssal Persecutor 4 x Smallpox 2-3 x Death Cloud Splash the color of your choice. I'd recommend white for Flagstones of Trokair and Elspeth. Blue also

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-25566688354204556552010-03-15T23:52:00.000-07:002010-03-15T23:52:27.052-07:00

I'll give you a warning:  this post contains a spoiler for Rise of Eldrazi.  If you don't want to find out about cards in that set, don't read this post. With that settled, check out this card from the new set: A 0/4 Wall with Relearn strapped to it.  A simple, yet effective recursive card.  What I like about it is that it's blue, the color of timewalking spells such as Time Stretch and Time

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-55264604091040235172010-03-14T14:36:00.000-07:002010-03-14T14:39:28.764-07:00

Hey, Planeswalkers are one of the most anticipated cards in a new set.  They are notorious for being mythic, powerful, and gamechangers.  Jace, the Mind Sculptor is currently seeing play across the formats, but don't think he's the only to come out and play.  Elspeth, Garruk, and Tezzeret have all seen play in past top decks.  The planeswalker card type packs a large amount of power, so players

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-43496450910198616102010-03-09T03:49:00.000-08:002010-03-09T03:49:40.152-08:00

Hey all, just a brief update.  Here's a list of Extended decks that I'm planning on trying out: The Favor of the Mighty + Fae & Ninja deck from last post. 5-color Zoo with Ancient Ziggurat/Pillar of the Paruns The Ultimecia deck, a 3-color Planeswalker control deck + Blood Moon + Night of Souls' Betrayal A Scapeshift/Second Sunrise/Mana Seism combo deck. Good news is I swapped to Ubuntu as an

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-80687676041851142602010-03-07T22:28:00.000-08:002010-03-07T22:54:16.084-08:00

Hey, Every so often you'll see a rogue deck do well in tournaments. Conley Woods did it a few weeks ago with a deck he calls "The Bant Wagon". From that point forward, Stoneforge Mystic has had a steady increase in popularity across the board as an equipment tutor on a slim 1/2 body. Will Ornithopter ever reach $7.00?  A guy can dream right? Without further ado, here's a deck piloted by

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-87589001041290531492010-03-03T01:51:00.000-08:002010-03-03T01:51:24.415-08:00

Hey, An interesting tweet came up courtesy of @mtgaaron: "Did you know Teferi's Moat/Propaganda don't protect planeswalkers? Should they?" I did not know this.  Take a look at the exact wording on the cards: Notice the similarity between the two cards. The word "you". "You" does not include any planeswalkers; it only affects you the player. Check out another example: Ok, so if I play

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-83608931573258833772010-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:002010-03-01T08:34:50.688-08:00

Hey, For those of you who invested in a playset of Eye of Ugin when they were a $1.00, you are smart people.  Eye of Ugin has rose from roughly $1.00 to about $5.00, quintupling in price.  In case you don't know why, check out this bad boy (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER):   The abilities are pretty self-explanatory. When you cast ~, draw 4 cards - Even if it's countered, you draw.  It's not a

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-11082184139750385812010-02-24T03:08:00.000-08:002010-02-24T03:08:21.410-08:00

Hey, According to PT San Diego results, Standard is still dominated by one deck.  The hot Jund on Jund action in the finals and the field being exactly a third Jund shows that despite attempts to knock the deck out of the top spot, it has the resilience to keep the crown. Fortunately, Extended has a bit more variety when it comes to top decks. Here is a look at some of the decks played in

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-52657194448783846792010-02-20T13:29:00.000-08:002010-02-20T13:31:50.006-08:00

Hey all, today I will be comparison shopping for the following card: And without further ado, the price comparison: TrollAndToad - $44.99 BuyMoreCard - $45.50 Amazon - $50.00 Adventureson - $50.99 MagicArsenal - $54.99 MTGFanatic - $55.99 Wizards Cupboard - $55.99 MTGMintCard - $55.99  CoolStuffInc - $56.99 CardKingdom - $59.99 ABUGames - $59.99 StarcityGames - $59.99 AnyCraze - $60.00

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-57682696993186896502010-02-17T23:26:00.000-08:002010-02-18T01:39:54.271-08:00

Hey all, With the taste of Extended in the air, many people have been coming up with ways to combat the top decks of the format.  With Thepths, Zoo, and Hypergenesis up top, innovators have been scrambling to come up with decks with a good game against all of the field. Today I have two versions of Boros.  The first version of Boros is by Petr Brodzek.  It abuses the landfall mechanic on cards

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-11017092656369985712010-02-15T21:49:00.000-08:002010-02-15T21:51:37.670-08:00

With Worldwake primed for play in the current Standard, cards that were hyped before the release can now be tested. As predicted, Jace the Mind Sculptor is making impact a great impact on Standard (Grixis decks) and Extended (Conley Woods' GP Oakland Deck).  Despite its extensive power and mythic status, Abyssal Persecutor is not making much of an impact. However, there is one card that has

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-44115632460466050952010-02-12T17:07:00.000-08:002010-02-12T17:07:58.540-08:00

Hey, The card I will comparison shop for is: Abyssal Persecutor Now the prices: MTGMintCard - $34.99 AdventuresOn - $34.99 CoolstuffInc.com - $31.99 MTGFanatic - $30.99 AbuGames - $29.99 MagicArsenal - $29.99 AnyCraze - $29.99  StarcityGames - $29.99 CardKingdom - $29.95 Amazon.com - $28.49 CCGBot - $24.99 TrollAndToad - $24.99 Prices taken as of 7:07 pm, 2/12/2010 There you have it, the

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-78064079288749388902010-02-12T16:35:00.000-08:002010-02-12T17:09:46.966-08:00

Hey, A new feature I'm doing is to comparison shop for the cheapest price for a popular card.  Are you getting the best deal for your buck? The card I will be shopping for is: Jace, the Mind Sculptor Without further ado, the prices:Starcity Games - $59.99 AbuGames - $59.99 CoolstuffInc - $57.99 AnyCraze -$49.99  Wizard's Cupboard - $49.99 Magic Arsenal - $49.99 MtGMintCard - $47.99

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-15789062441028516712010-02-11T00:54:00.000-08:002010-02-11T00:55:43.882-08:00

Right around the start of a new set being released, there are some people who will go through the entire list of new cards, note which ones are playable, and come up with drafts of decks waiting to be tested. These are your deck innovators. However, there are some people who will wait weeks, even months, for results to come in from various PTQs and tournaments.  They will lurk message boards

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-64873213891595759762010-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:002010-03-26T18:42:42.570-07:00

Important note: If you don't know the basics of Stax, I encourage you to read this: Basic Stax What is Fae Stax Fae Stax is a blue version of traditional Stax that utilizes two Fae cards to further limit the opponent's play options. Glen Elendra Archmage serves as protection against noncreature removal. Sower of Temptation is for creatures that slip through early in the game. How to play Fae

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-29913623454858522272010-02-06T01:10:00.000-08:002010-02-06T01:10:17.906-08:00

Hey all, When I wake up, I plan to reorganize the site. I'm planning on shifting to a 3 column build. I also plan to start putting up deck primers of the following: Legacy - Fae Stax Extended - Queller Mana Denial Standard - Either Mono G Control, a Roiling Terrain/Mind Funeral deck, or an all-instant deck. Whichever one works best. If there's a deck in particular you'd like to see covered,

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-402037653501500982010-02-02T17:12:00.000-08:002010-02-02T17:12:14.357-08:00

Hey, Last time I wrote about Walking Atlas in Worldwake being a potential preview of Rise of Eldrazi.  If you haven't seen it, check it out here: Click me! Here are some further speculations Rise of Eldrazi as a primarily colorless Set Walking Atlas has been errata'd on Oracle to be an artifact creature.  On Gatherer, the picture of Walking Atlas has not changed yet.  According to one poster

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-35973187537079131502010-01-31T02:24:00.000-08:002010-01-31T02:24:28.054-08:00

Hey all, As I'm looking through Standard's pool of artifacts, this card caught my eye:  From what I've been hearing, this has been called "a serious misprint".  What if Wizards intentionally misprinted this card to be a colorless creature?  It could be a hint at Rise of Eldrazi disguised as a faux pas on Wizards. Another card that could support the Eldrazi claim is the following: I have no clue

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-51177514363520280602010-01-30T01:50:00.000-08:002010-01-30T01:52:31.758-08:00

Hey all, After some heavy brainstorming, I've come up with a mana denial deck with a splash of Worldwake. In case you haven't figured out, Worldwake has some busted lands.  A land that removes a player's graveyard from the game?  A land that generates a free 0/1 plant creature?  UNCOUNTERABLY?  They are indeed great. This deck features the blue version of the spell-lands, a card which allows

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-74231734750002930392010-01-26T23:46:00.000-08:002010-01-26T23:49:27.603-08:00

YOU'VE BEEN SCAMMED. Let's take a look at the card if you haven't seen it. _______ Abyssal Persecutor - 2BB Creature - Demon Flying, trample You can’t win the game and your opponents can’t lose the game. 6/6 _______ It's a nice throwback to 4-mana, undercosted beaters such as Juzam Djinn, Grinning Demon, and Plague Sliver.  The evasion abilities plus the increased power/toughness bump this

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-73876294579985649802010-01-25T03:28:00.000-08:002010-01-25T03:32:52.694-08:00

As the previews begin to trickle off and the release of Worldwake draws closer, people are scheming ways to utilize the new cards presented in the set.  Johnnies are combining cards left and right to produce new ideas burning to be tested once the release comes out.  The most hardcore players have made proxies of Worldwake cards to get the edge on the metagame. Today I have a deck to tickle the

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-71689245511831664132010-01-20T00:11:00.000-08:002010-01-20T00:11:56.553-08:00

Hey all, First off once again, this has a Worldwake card.  If you don't want to be spoiled, don't read this post.  Simple as that. That being said, while Extended is home to many cheap, efficient combos such as Dark Depths/Vampire Hexmage, Sword of the Meek/Thopter Foundry, etc., sometimes it's just fun to come in with the jankiest combo ever.  Check it out: If you can't see the combo, here

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-12326908254304489562010-01-18T11:43:00.000-08:002010-01-18T11:44:59.003-08:00

Hey all, First off this is a spoiler, so if you're interested in finding out Worldwake at release, don't read this article.  But you'll be missing out on some sheer power. Very rarely will a card be able to make a significant impact across all formats.  The most common example is Tarmogoyf; at 1G and boasting a growing body, it serves as a popular win condition for a minimal amount of mana.  It

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-71548466762518387652010-01-11T12:38:00.000-08:002010-01-11T12:40:54.527-08:00

Hey all, In a previous poll, I had two ideas for an Ornithopter deck.  One was a combo based deck using the namesake card, recursion, and Blade of the Bloodchief/Vampire Aristocrat. However, in a close victory, the aggro version won.  First, the decklist: 2 Architects of Will 3 Clone 4 Ethercaste Knight 4 Etherium Sculptor 4 Glassdust Hulk 4 Master of Etherium 4 Ornithopter 2 Sharding

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-70512435052049143072010-01-09T06:28:00.001-08:002010-01-09T06:28:05.661-08:00

Hey all, I'm interested in finding out what you favorite formats to play in are. Vote in the top left corner of this page. Thanks, Sketch

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-87811672386552109262010-01-06T03:43:00.000-08:002010-01-06T04:13:36.819-08:00

With Standard famous for having one deck dominate the entire metagame (Dragonstorm, Fae, oh and that "J" deck), many players have been branching out into other formats.  You may have taken a look at the Extended, Vintage or Legacy formats. Take a look again at Legacy.  With an extensive cardpool starting from the beginning of the game, there is no surprise that the metagame is diversified. 

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-9994921889903150732010-01-03T05:30:00.000-08:002010-01-03T05:30:28.735-08:00

First, the card (from Worldwake, so beware of being spoiled): Comet Storm XRR Instant Mythic Rare Multikicker 1 (You may pay an additional 1 as you play this spell as many times as you choose.) Choose target creature or player, then choose another target creature or player for each time Comet Storm was kicked. Comet Storm then deals X damage to each of them. When I saw that card, the very

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-39233677833561427012010-01-01T01:59:00.000-08:002010-03-29T14:08:08.398-07:00

Hey all, Happy New Year's! Two quick decklists to be tested. I plan to test the Standard one first. Check them out: Monoblue Stax // Lands 3 [4E] Mishra's Factory 4 [EX] City of Traitors 4 [TE] Ancient Tomb 2 [DIS] Ghost Quarter 10 [CS] Snow-Covered Island 2 [CS] Mouth of Ronom // Creatures 2 [EVE] Glen Elendra Archmage // Spells 4 [TE] Propaganda 4 [SH] Mox Diamond 3 [MR] Thirst for

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-6678195570022614522009-12-29T04:59:00.000-08:002010-01-02T03:44:33.173-08:00

Without a doubt, Blightning is one of the most feared cards in Standard today. This card is most frequently seen in Jund, considered the most dominant and popular deck in the standard metagame.  Blightning is a card feared of being dropped on both turn 3 and turn 4 (through Bloodbraid Elf). As a standard player, you should be familiar with what to do when you see this card.  There are two

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-19012069096604359912009-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:002010-01-02T03:46:02.590-08:00

I find Clone to be an interesting creature.  Being able to copy another creature on the battlefield is powerful.  That's right, you can have TWO Baneslayer Angels, FOUR 4/4 Dragons with Broodmate Dragon, and 2 Akrasan Squires! Here's the gist of what "copying" with Clone entails: As a copy, the Clone copies all characteristics of the chosen creature. This includes name, color, power/

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-66001416082370343742009-12-21T01:11:00.000-08:002009-12-21T01:14:09.925-08:00

Hey, In standard there are five land cards which activate an ability upon entering the battlefield. Some of them are good enough to be included in a deck where the color is not used to cast spells or only used for colorless mana. In short, these lands can be seen as spells, hence why some people call them "Spell Lands". Check them out: All of them have the same framework: Enter the

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-74702500511871044512009-12-20T06:53:00.000-08:002009-12-20T06:53:54.756-08:00

Hey, One housekeeping thing--many people have said that they wanted to see the original decklist. While the deck has undergone changes(the removal of cards mentioned in the previous article), I will note to keep the original decklist of future decks. Feedback appreciated =). The deck started out with having many Kor, but due to poor equipment choices and weak support creatures, many Kor

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-41122865921564197522009-12-16T03:47:00.000-08:002009-12-16T03:47:22.216-08:00

Hey, I bet you're wondering what card I was talking about last time.  According to the last post's clues: I am a green card. When paired with Ranger of Eos, I can produce a 4-for-2 card advantage. Someone bravely ventured a guess at the card.  Here is his thoughts:      "This teaser bulls*** regarding a green card that pairs with Ranger is made of fail. None of the 10 green Ranger targets can

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-65649351131577115842009-12-15T01:50:00.000-08:002009-12-15T01:50:05.239-08:00

Hey, I started looking into Kor after checking out some of their cards. What attracted me to them at first were these two cards: If you've ever played with Armadillo Cloak before, then you know how powerful Behemoth Sledge can be.  However, as a consequence of it being reusable, it's equip cost is at a hefty three mana. Fortunately, Kor Outfitter circumvents the equip cost of Behemoth

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747082147766500842.post-39537968641655728532009-12-10T18:36:00.000-08:002009-12-13T22:49:39.704-08:00

There are some cards I think would do well but have yet to be discovered.  With everyone, their mothers, and their pet dogs playing Jund, it's nice to know there's something else good to play in the format.  Check it out: Ior Ruin Expedition - This is a great draw spell to use set up early game.  It takes only 2 turns to activate with a fetchland.  When compared to Courier's Capsule, this card

shadowsketchedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05737877873541140226noreply@blogger.com0