==ISLANDHOME #24==
August 13th 2008
==IN THIS ISSUE...==
PTQ Berlin
Madonia Minute
Rules Corner: All the rules interactions I could think of for LOR/SHM Block! This is a must read if you're playing Saturday!
==THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE==
Friday: Booster Draft at Grim @ 7 PM
Saturday: PTQ - BERLIN in NYC
Saturday: Standard Constructed at FNC @ 1 PM
Sunday: Chaos Draft at Brothers Grim @ 2 PM
==PTQ BERLIN==
Author: Brian Paskoff
==IN THIS ISSUE...==
PTQ Berlin
Madonia Minute
Rules Corner: All the rules interactions I could think of for LOR/SHM Block! This is a must read if you're playing Saturday!
==THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE==
Friday: Booster Draft at Grim @ 7 PM
Saturday: PTQ - BERLIN in NYC
Saturday: Standard Constructed at FNC @ 1 PM
Sunday: Chaos Draft at Brothers Grim @ 2 PM
==PTQ BERLIN==
Author: Brian Paskoff
New York's PTQ for Pro Tour Berlin is this Saturday! It's definitely an event you shouldn't miss, as it's your best opportunity to qualify for the Pro Tour, and for many readers, the best opportunity to play in "the big leagues". Here's the details on when and where to be:
Location: The Fighthouse in NYC at 122 W 27th St., between 6th and 7th Avenues. It's only a few blocks from Penn Station, about a ten minute walk.
Time: Doors open at 9 AM, registration starts at 10 AM. Remember, getting there early gives you time to fill out your decklist without rushing!
Format: Block Constructed (Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide).
Entry Fee: $25
Prizes: 1st place gets an invite to Pro Tour Berlin, free airfare to Berlin, and a box. 2nd-8th places get a box, and all top 8 competitors get a top 8 pin.
I'll be leaving from the Ronkonkoma train station at 6:43 AM, which will get into Penn Station at about 8:10, plenty of time for a stop for breakfast. And it's good to get there early to fill out your decklist! If anyone wants to meet at the Ronkonkoma station around 6:30, let me know. It's about an hour and a half train ride, so there's plenty of time to metagame on the train.
Location: The Fighthouse in NYC at 122 W 27th St., between 6th and 7th Avenues. It's only a few blocks from Penn Station, about a ten minute walk.
Time: Doors open at 9 AM, registration starts at 10 AM. Remember, getting there early gives you time to fill out your decklist without rushing!
Format: Block Constructed (Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide).
Entry Fee: $25
Prizes: 1st place gets an invite to Pro Tour Berlin, free airfare to Berlin, and a box. 2nd-8th places get a box, and all top 8 competitors get a top 8 pin.
I'll be leaving from the Ronkonkoma train station at 6:43 AM, which will get into Penn Station at about 8:10, plenty of time for a stop for breakfast. And it's good to get there early to fill out your decklist! If anyone wants to meet at the Ronkonkoma station around 6:30, let me know. It's about an hour and a half train ride, so there's plenty of time to metagame on the train.
==MADONIA MINUTE==
Author: John "Metagame" Madonia
Author: John "Metagame" Madonia
One could say I have a lot of free time at work, even though I'm constantly dealing with the rigours of difficult customers every minute of each day. Most customers tend to enjoy venting to me for over a half hour about how my company has shown them injustices and that we are criminals etc.. This gives me a lot of spare time while yes-ing and apologizing them to death to build a slew of Magic decks. My latest idea came from a lovely lady during Twilight Zone Thursday who said to me, "I wish I was a wizard and could make Geico disappear." My immediate reaction was I wish I could make Bitterblossom disappear forever. Honestly I wish they never printed Lorywn block(s), but since they did I decided to go against the grain and build a deck that handles the format's inner strength (Faeries, Kithkin Elementals) whilst working to beat the rogue decks people try and come up with.
Without further ado:
I have a wizard in my pants
Creatures
4x Stonybrook Banneret
4x Merrow Reejery
3x Sower of Temptation
2x Vendillion Clique
2x Shrikemaw
4x Charmelon Colossus
4x Silvergil Adept
2x Sygg, River Guide
Utility
4x Nameless Inversion
4x Cryptic Command
3x Sages Dousing
4x Vivid Creek
3x Vivid Grove
4x Secluded Glen
4x Wanderwine Hub
3x Reflecting Pool
4x Flooded Grove
2x Mutavault
Sideboard
3x Thoughtseize
3x Cloudthresher
3x Firespout
4x Burrenton Forge Tender
2x Puppeteer Clique (suggested by Dean)
Since the deck has some obsecure card choices ill evaluate the deck:
4x Nameless Inversion, 2 Shrikemaw. Being able to deal with the Elemental decks Smokebraider is a crucial part of your plan. You don't want to see a early Horde of Notions or Reveillark as that stunts your growth where the deck is the best (early mid game). Shriekmaw is also a sure removal plan to the troublesome Figure of Destiny. Just an aside you can't Mirrorweave a FOD and get your desired results with it. Paskoff explained to me there are about 492 layers that allow the initial target to stay its normal power and toughness and any copies with the Mirrorweave become a pitty 1/1. FOD figures to be a heavily played card this weekend so I made sure I was prepared for it, most players will run it out early especially against a 'Merfolk' deck only to realize its alterior removal package suite leaves some outs to the 'Pokemon' esque creature.
Chamelon Colossus - This is your mid to late game answer-me-or-die card. He gives most red deck fits and gives you an advantage against the rising in popularity BW decks, since they're limited to 3 outs against it (Oblivion Ring). He doesn't exactly have a true fit in the deck, but he does give you a answer now card that in early testing I was lacking. The mana base allows a reliable cast every game.
Without further ado:
I have a wizard in my pants
Creatures
4x Stonybrook Banneret
4x Merrow Reejery
3x Sower of Temptation
2x Vendillion Clique
2x Shrikemaw
4x Charmelon Colossus
4x Silvergil Adept
2x Sygg, River Guide
Utility
4x Nameless Inversion
4x Cryptic Command
3x Sages Dousing
4x Vivid Creek
3x Vivid Grove
4x Secluded Glen
4x Wanderwine Hub
3x Reflecting Pool
4x Flooded Grove
2x Mutavault
Sideboard
3x Thoughtseize
3x Cloudthresher
3x Firespout
4x Burrenton Forge Tender
2x Puppeteer Clique (suggested by Dean)
Since the deck has some obsecure card choices ill evaluate the deck:
4x Nameless Inversion, 2 Shrikemaw. Being able to deal with the Elemental decks Smokebraider is a crucial part of your plan. You don't want to see a early Horde of Notions or Reveillark as that stunts your growth where the deck is the best (early mid game). Shriekmaw is also a sure removal plan to the troublesome Figure of Destiny. Just an aside you can't Mirrorweave a FOD and get your desired results with it. Paskoff explained to me there are about 492 layers that allow the initial target to stay its normal power and toughness and any copies with the Mirrorweave become a pitty 1/1. FOD figures to be a heavily played card this weekend so I made sure I was prepared for it, most players will run it out early especially against a 'Merfolk' deck only to realize its alterior removal package suite leaves some outs to the 'Pokemon' esque creature.
Chamelon Colossus - This is your mid to late game answer-me-or-die card. He gives most red deck fits and gives you an advantage against the rising in popularity BW decks, since they're limited to 3 outs against it (Oblivion Ring). He doesn't exactly have a true fit in the deck, but he does give you a answer now card that in early testing I was lacking. The mana base allows a reliable cast every game.
==RULES CORNER==
Author: Brian Paskoff
This week's Rules Corner has a few repeat questions from weeks past, but with a major Block tournament coming up, I felt it was good to cover the most common questions that'll be asked.
Author: Brian Paskoff
This week's Rules Corner has a few repeat questions from weeks past, but with a major Block tournament coming up, I felt it was good to cover the most common questions that'll be asked.
Q. My 4/4 Figure of Destiny got hit by a Nameless Inversion, and now has a Peppersmoke aimed at it. What happens if I activate its first ability again?
A. After Nameless Inversion is applied to your Figure, it's a 7/1 with no creature types, so its second and third abilities can't be activated. But you can start the whole chain all over again! Activating its first ability will turn it into a 2/2 Kithkin Spirit, which will keep it alive when Peppersmoke smacks it.
Q. My Figure of Destiny is fully pumped up to an 8/8 Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar with flying and first strike. If someone Mirrorweaves their activated Mutavault, what is my Figure now?
A. Quite strangely, an unactivated Mutavault with flying and first strike. This is again thanks to layers: In layer 1, the Copy layer, Figure of Destiny looks like a plain ol' Mutavault. Layer 2 is Control effects, and layer 3 is Text. Nothing's relevant in either. In layer 4, the Type layer, Figure of Destiny's activated ability tries to make it a Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar, but since those are creature types and it's not a creature, they have no effect. In layer 5, the "everything else" layer, Figure's ability gives it flying and first strike, because these abilities don't necessarily need to only be on creatures. In sublayer 6b (see above), the Figure's activated ability tries to make it an 8/8, but since only creatures can have a power and toughness... you guessed it. So your once mighty Kithkin looks like a Mutavault with FoD's last activated ability applied to it.
Bonus: Since Mutavault specifically says it becomes a creature, if there's another animated Mutavault in play other than the one Mirrorweave targets, that Mutavault will stay a 2/2.
Q. Okay, layers again. What happens if I target my 8/8 Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar with a Mirrorweave? What does my Grizzly Bears become?
A. It'll become a Figure of Destiny that is still yet bound for greater things. Copying a creature copies its printed characteristics, plus any other applicable copy effects. The pump ability isn't a copy effect, so it's not carried over by Mirrorweave. If you have the mana, you can pump up your Bears of Destiny all the way to an 8/8, and it'll stay that way long after Mirrorweave wears off.
Q. What happens if someone kills my Thistledown Liege in response to me targeting it with Mirrorweave?
A. Since Mirrorweave's target is now illegal (on account of not being in play anymore), the spell fizzles and does nothing.
Q. My Sower of Temptation is controlling my opponent's Chameleon Colossus. If my Sower is hit by a Snakeform, what happens to the Colossus?
A. Your Snake of Temptation (no, stop giggling!) is still the same object, so you won't lose control of the Colossus. Sower's triggered ability sets up a continuous effect with a duration that lasts until Sower of Temptation leaves play, and a creature's name on the card really means "this object". So as long as the object known as Sower of Temptation remains in play, no matter if it looks like a Snake, a Mutavault, or a 1/1 Figure of Destiny thanks to Snakeform/Mirrorweave, you'll retain control of the Colossus... which is also a Snake, while we're on this topic.
Q. My Figure of Destiny is pumped up to an 8/8, and I Mirrorweave my Thistledown Liege with no other creatures in play. How big is my Figure of Destiny now?
A. Layer again! In layer 1 (the copy layer), Figure of Destiny looks like a Thistledown Liege. In layer 4 (type), it gets its Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar creature types, and in layer 5 (other) it gets its flying and first strike abilities. It becomes an 8/8 in layer 6b, then since it's blue and white and you have a Thistledown Liege in play, it gets +1/+1 for being white, and +1/+1 for being blue, both of which apply in layer 6d. Total: 10/10.
Q. Can I use a Snow-Covered Plains in my Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Block Constructed deck? It's a basic Plains, isn't it?
A. The weather reports in Lorwyn and Shadowmoor are quite boring. Lots of sun in Lorwyn, lots of dark in Shadowmoor - but it never snows in either. Even though a Snow-Covered Plains is a basic land, the legality of cards aren't checked by their supertypes and subtypes, but by the expansion they're from. Snow-Covered Plains aren't in Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, or Eventide, so they're out.
Q. I play a Demigod of Revenge, and have two more in my graveyard. My opponent slams down a Cryptic Command and chooses to counter the Demigod and tap all my creatures. Once the stack resolves, what happens?
A. Demigod is one of those "skill tester" cards where not knowing the rules can land you in serious trouble game-wise. As soon as you play Demigod of Revenge, its triggered ability goes onto the stack. Your opponent announcing Cryptic Command before that trigger resolves means they're countering Demigod before its friends in the graveyard are brought back into play. So what happens is that the original Demigod is countered, sending it to the graveyard, and all creatures you control become tapped. Then its triggered ability resolves, returning it and the rest of the Demigods in your graveyard to play. Oops! What your opponent should have done was announce that he was letting the triggered ability resolve, letting the two Demigods in the graveyard return to play, then play Cryptic Command, countering the original Demigod and tapping your creatures - which include the two freshly risen Spirit Avatars.
Q. My opponent plays a Profane Command, choosing to give -5/-5 to my Figure of Destiny and return his Shriekmaw from his graveyard to play. I only have a Boartusk Liege in my graveyard. What choices can I make if I play Wild Ricochet?
A. The first thing Wild Ricochet does when it resolves is change the targets of the spell it's targeting. If there's at least one other creature in play that is a legal target for Profane Command, you may to change the target of the -5/-5 mode to one of those creatures. If there isn't one, you can't change the target, so that part of Wild Ricochet has no effect. Your Boartusk Liege isn't a legal target for the Profane Command, because while you're changing the targets, your opponent still controls the spell. If you want to change the target of that mode, you must choose a creature in your opponent's graveyard with converted mana cost 5 or less for him to return to play under his control. The second thing Wild Ricochet does is create a copy of the spell. Since you're controlling the source that put the copy into play, you control the copy. By default, the copy has the same modes and targets chosen for it. You can't change the modes, but you can change the targets! Because you control this copy, your Boartusk Liege is a legal target for the Profane Command copy.
Q. If I Wild Ricochet my opponent's Primal Command, can I change the targets to allow me to search my library for a creature instead?
A. Primal Command's creature-tutoring mode isn't targeted, so you can't change what that does. If your opponent chooses to search, you can change the target of the other mode, but they'll still search their own library for a creature when it resolves.
A. After Nameless Inversion is applied to your Figure, it's a 7/1 with no creature types, so its second and third abilities can't be activated. But you can start the whole chain all over again! Activating its first ability will turn it into a 2/2 Kithkin Spirit, which will keep it alive when Peppersmoke smacks it.
Q. My Figure of Destiny is fully pumped up to an 8/8 Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar with flying and first strike. If someone Mirrorweaves their activated Mutavault, what is my Figure now?
A. Quite strangely, an unactivated Mutavault with flying and first strike. This is again thanks to layers: In layer 1, the Copy layer, Figure of Destiny looks like a plain ol' Mutavault. Layer 2 is Control effects, and layer 3 is Text. Nothing's relevant in either. In layer 4, the Type layer, Figure of Destiny's activated ability tries to make it a Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar, but since those are creature types and it's not a creature, they have no effect. In layer 5, the "everything else" layer, Figure's ability gives it flying and first strike, because these abilities don't necessarily need to only be on creatures. In sublayer 6b (see above), the Figure's activated ability tries to make it an 8/8, but since only creatures can have a power and toughness... you guessed it. So your once mighty Kithkin looks like a Mutavault with FoD's last activated ability applied to it.
Bonus: Since Mutavault specifically says it becomes a creature, if there's another animated Mutavault in play other than the one Mirrorweave targets, that Mutavault will stay a 2/2.
Q. Okay, layers again. What happens if I target my 8/8 Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar with a Mirrorweave? What does my Grizzly Bears become?
A. It'll become a Figure of Destiny that is still yet bound for greater things. Copying a creature copies its printed characteristics, plus any other applicable copy effects. The pump ability isn't a copy effect, so it's not carried over by Mirrorweave. If you have the mana, you can pump up your Bears of Destiny all the way to an 8/8, and it'll stay that way long after Mirrorweave wears off.
Q. What happens if someone kills my Thistledown Liege in response to me targeting it with Mirrorweave?
A. Since Mirrorweave's target is now illegal (on account of not being in play anymore), the spell fizzles and does nothing.
Q. My Sower of Temptation is controlling my opponent's Chameleon Colossus. If my Sower is hit by a Snakeform, what happens to the Colossus?
A. Your Snake of Temptation (no, stop giggling!) is still the same object, so you won't lose control of the Colossus. Sower's triggered ability sets up a continuous effect with a duration that lasts until Sower of Temptation leaves play, and a creature's name on the card really means "this object". So as long as the object known as Sower of Temptation remains in play, no matter if it looks like a Snake, a Mutavault, or a 1/1 Figure of Destiny thanks to Snakeform/Mirrorweave, you'll retain control of the Colossus... which is also a Snake, while we're on this topic.
Q. My Figure of Destiny is pumped up to an 8/8, and I Mirrorweave my Thistledown Liege with no other creatures in play. How big is my Figure of Destiny now?
A. Layer again! In layer 1 (the copy layer), Figure of Destiny looks like a Thistledown Liege. In layer 4 (type), it gets its Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar creature types, and in layer 5 (other) it gets its flying and first strike abilities. It becomes an 8/8 in layer 6b, then since it's blue and white and you have a Thistledown Liege in play, it gets +1/+1 for being white, and +1/+1 for being blue, both of which apply in layer 6d. Total: 10/10.
Q. Can I use a Snow-Covered Plains in my Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Block Constructed deck? It's a basic Plains, isn't it?
A. The weather reports in Lorwyn and Shadowmoor are quite boring. Lots of sun in Lorwyn, lots of dark in Shadowmoor - but it never snows in either. Even though a Snow-Covered Plains is a basic land, the legality of cards aren't checked by their supertypes and subtypes, but by the expansion they're from. Snow-Covered Plains aren't in Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, or Eventide, so they're out.
Q. I play a Demigod of Revenge, and have two more in my graveyard. My opponent slams down a Cryptic Command and chooses to counter the Demigod and tap all my creatures. Once the stack resolves, what happens?
A. Demigod is one of those "skill tester" cards where not knowing the rules can land you in serious trouble game-wise. As soon as you play Demigod of Revenge, its triggered ability goes onto the stack. Your opponent announcing Cryptic Command before that trigger resolves means they're countering Demigod before its friends in the graveyard are brought back into play. So what happens is that the original Demigod is countered, sending it to the graveyard, and all creatures you control become tapped. Then its triggered ability resolves, returning it and the rest of the Demigods in your graveyard to play. Oops! What your opponent should have done was announce that he was letting the triggered ability resolve, letting the two Demigods in the graveyard return to play, then play Cryptic Command, countering the original Demigod and tapping your creatures - which include the two freshly risen Spirit Avatars.
Q. My opponent plays a Profane Command, choosing to give -5/-5 to my Figure of Destiny and return his Shriekmaw from his graveyard to play. I only have a Boartusk Liege in my graveyard. What choices can I make if I play Wild Ricochet?
A. The first thing Wild Ricochet does when it resolves is change the targets of the spell it's targeting. If there's at least one other creature in play that is a legal target for Profane Command, you may to change the target of the -5/-5 mode to one of those creatures. If there isn't one, you can't change the target, so that part of Wild Ricochet has no effect. Your Boartusk Liege isn't a legal target for the Profane Command, because while you're changing the targets, your opponent still controls the spell. If you want to change the target of that mode, you must choose a creature in your opponent's graveyard with converted mana cost 5 or less for him to return to play under his control. The second thing Wild Ricochet does is create a copy of the spell. Since you're controlling the source that put the copy into play, you control the copy. By default, the copy has the same modes and targets chosen for it. You can't change the modes, but you can change the targets! Because you control this copy, your Boartusk Liege is a legal target for the Profane Command copy.
Q. If I Wild Ricochet my opponent's Primal Command, can I change the targets to allow me to search my library for a creature instead?
A. Primal Command's creature-tutoring mode isn't targeted, so you can't change what that does. If your opponent chooses to search, you can change the target of the other mode, but they'll still search their own library for a creature when it resolves.
==THE ISLANDHOME BLOG==
One of the things I wanted to do was have an archive of past issues online so I could refer people back to them as well as let new readers peruse old issues to see what all the fuss is about. So I've archived all the old issues on the blogosphere at islandhomemtg.blogspot.com. Go and relive all the past moments of glory!
If you've noticed, in the past few weeks I've been having a few more guest articles in Islandhome. With tournaments all weekend and work all week, sometimes it's hard to find time to sit down and write an entire newsletter, which is why I love it when I get article submissions! Not only does it give more introspective on the Long Island Magic community from those who are a part of it, it saves me work. ;) It's especially useful to get articles from players who are a part of the metagame, as judges are notoriously bad players.
If you've got an article you'd like to submit, send it to IslandhomeMTG@gmail.com. Try to keep it a reasonable length - there's no word limit, but look at previous Islandhome articles for guidance - and avoid bad language and personal insults. Also try to maintain good grammar and spelling; doesn't have to be perfect, but you should see how long it takes me to spellcheck the Madonia Minute every week!
I can't promise every submission will make it into the next week's Islandhome, but I'll try to get as many in as I can, especially ones that are relevant to a previous/upcoming event.
==GUEST ARTICLES==
If you've noticed, in the past few weeks I've been having a few more guest articles in Islandhome. With tournaments all weekend and work all week, sometimes it's hard to find time to sit down and write an entire newsletter, which is why I love it when I get article submissions! Not only does it give more introspective on the Long Island Magic community from those who are a part of it, it saves me work. ;) It's especially useful to get articles from players who are a part of the metagame, as judges are notoriously bad players.
If you've got an article you'd like to submit, send it to IslandhomeMTG@gmail.com. Try to keep it a reasonable length - there's no word limit, but look at previous Islandhome articles for guidance - and avoid bad language and personal insults. Also try to maintain good grammar and spelling; doesn't have to be perfect, but you should see how long it takes me to spellcheck the Madonia Minute every week!
I can't promise every submission will make it into the next week's Islandhome, but I'll try to get as many in as I can, especially ones that are relevant to a previous/upcoming event.
==UPCOMING EVENTS==
June 7th - August 31st: PTQ Season for PT Berlin
The next PTQ season starts this summer, and it's going to be Lorwyn-Shadowmoor Block Constructed! Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block consists of Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide.
September: FNM comes to Brothers Grim!
Yes, after a long wait and bugging Wizards every month, Grim is finally getting FNM sanctioning! FNM promos are coming!
PTQs in our general area this season:
The next PTQ season starts this summer, and it's going to be Lorwyn-Shadowmoor Block Constructed! Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block consists of Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide.
September: FNM comes to Brothers Grim!
Yes, after a long wait and bugging Wizards every month, Grim is finally getting FNM sanctioning! FNM promos are coming!
PTQs in our general area this season:
- 8/16 - New York, NY
- 8/30 - Edison, NJ
- 8/30 - Hartford, CT
- 8/31 - Rochester, NY
==STORE LOCATIONS & CONTACT INFO==
Brothers Grim
1244 Middle Country Rd.
Selden, NY 11784
Phone: 698-2805
Website: www.brgim.com
Friendly Neighborhood Comics
3 Grant Avenue, Suite 2
Islip, NY 11751
Phone: 470-7984
Brothers Grim
1244 Middle Country Rd.
Selden, NY 11784
Phone: 698-2805
Website: www.brgim.com
Friendly Neighborhood Comics
3 Grant Avenue, Suite 2
Islip, NY 11751
Phone: 470-7984
==FIN==
See everyone this weekend!
Got forwarded Islandhome and want to sign up? Send an email to IslandhomeMTG@gmail.com!
Got forwarded Islandhome and want to sign up? Send an email to IslandhomeMTG@gmail.com!
-Brian Paskoff
L1 NY
L1 NY
No comments:
Post a Comment