The General Magic: The Gathering Thread

[Fantazme]

I'd definitely strip Angel. Then after that, Huntmaster/Sideboarded creatures.

[AzureAngel17]

If you can handle his other creatures, take out the Informer. Seems like the lynchpin of the mill part.

[Kapol]

So here are my current decks. Here are the versions I'm considering post rotation. Opinions?

[tamaness]

So I did my first paper draft today. It was triple-DGM. Here's the deck I ended up building:
Creatures
2 Wind Drake
3 Haazada Snare Squad
2 Deputy of Acquittals
3 Steeple Roc
1 Jelenn Sphinx
1 Boros Mastiff
1 Ascended Lawmage
2 Murmuring Phantasm

Spells:
3 Runner's Bane
4 Hidden Strings
1 Lyev Decree

Lands:
2 Azorius Guildgate
7 Plains
8 Islands

Sideboard
2 Goblin Test Pilot
2 Fluxcharger
2 Maze Glider
1 Restore the Peace
1 Rubblebelt Maaka
1 Smelt-Ward Gatekeepers
1 Morgue Burst
1 Viashino Firstblade
1 Blaze Commando
1 Wear//Tear
1 Boros Battleshaper
1 Blast of Genius
1 Dragonshift
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Give//Take
1 Boros Cluestone
1 Azorius Cluestone
1 Izzet Cluestone
1 Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker
1 Orzhov Guildgate

Mirko was pack 3 pick 1, and I grabbed the Orzhov gate in case I wanted to splash for him.
I went 0-2 in round 1 because I punted pretty hard in game 2: I could have stabilized at 4 and had him for lethal in 2 more turns had I not screwed up the first three of my blocks; and 2-0 in round 2 (my opponent was what we describe as a "new player"). Round three didn't happen because it was 10PM and the organizer wanted to go home, so he split the prize packs evenly among everyone who hadn't left.

Drafting in-person is a lot more fun than drafting on MTGO, I've decided. Also, the entry fee was only the cost of the packs drafted.

Also, earlier at the exhibition hall (This was all at Phoenix ComiCon), I picked up a signed artist's proof of Emmara Tandris. The guy opposite me drafted Emmara, so I traded from my prize packs for her. I plan to get her signed tomorrow.

[Drecon]

I made my first draft video. Just thought I'd share it here.

Drafting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJrJETXsaiE

Match 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJVAHVNQHKI

Would be nice to get some comments on it. I love to get feedback on stuff like this.

[Fantazme]

Just watched. (On the game video the Audio and Video was really out of sync for me.)

Main couple notes is that at the start you say in the video you're not very good at Magic- I can't speak to that, but if that's your belief then you shouldn't be in 8-4 drafts, it'd be much better to be in Swiss. As for the draft, as you mentioned later on, you should have been Blue. The Sphinx v Punish pick I felt was a clear pick for Sphinx- it's a very good card and fit your colours at the time, and the fact that had come through to you was a good sign and blue ended up being very open later on. Also, I would very rarely play Lyev Decree, it's just not a very good card. There was also a pick- I can't remember what it was against, but you took something over Edict which I thought wasn't the right choice. Edict is one of the best removal spells in the set, it's very hard to pass I find.

Hope that isn't too much negativity!

[Lord Hosk]

Can anyone who has been to a GP and done side events give me a little more detail about what it is? I have heard "its fun you play lots of magic, you can draft or do sealed what fun!"

But anytime I try to look up information it just says something to the effect of "you dont have to be in the main event or if you get knocked out of the main event you can do side events for fun!" followed by 10 pages of detailed instructions on how to enter the main event and what the rules are for said main event.

[Jenelmo]

As my GP was Legacy it was different side events but normally there is 8mans, draft sealed and more check wizards own side for more information
http://wizards.com/Magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/events/schedule

[Lord Hosk]

I watched the video it said "But dont think the main event is all there is, there will also be numerous side events"

the page for each gp at most says there will be side events most dont even talk about them.

[Fantazme]

They tend to release the schedule closer to the GP with times and such, so that may be why.

[Drecon]

Just watched. (On the game video the Audio and Video was really out of sync for me.)

Main couple notes is that at the start you say in the video you're not very good at Magic- I can't speak to that, but if that's your belief then you shouldn't be in 8-4 drafts, it'd be much better to be in Swiss. As for the draft, as you mentioned later on, you should have been Blue. The Sphinx v Punish pick I felt was a clear pick for Sphinx- it's a very good card and fit your colours at the time, and the fact that had come through to you was a good sign and blue ended up being very open later on. Also, I would very rarely play Lyev Decree, it's just not a very good card. There was also a pick- I can't remember what it was against, but you took something over Edict which I thought wasn't the right choice. Edict is one of the best removal spells in the set, it's very hard to pass I find.

Hope that isn't too much negativity!

Thanks for the feedback, really helpful.

The sound was indeed out of sync in the second video. I've tried to fix it but was unsuccessful. Hopefully further videos will be better.

As for me not being very good, I might have been overstating a bit. Let's just say I'm a long way from going pro. One reason to go into 8-4's is that signaling is a lot better there usually and with better competition come better lessons learned.
I'm currently tracking my results for the 8-4's to try and find out if I have the required level. I could compete for triple Gatecrash so these might work out as well. Not sure about it yet though.

I'll look at your feedback and try to find some good lessons for myself. Most of it seems pretty much on point, so I'm sure it's going to be a great help.

[JQuill]

Looks like we'll be able to draft some Modern Masters on MTGO, for the low, low price of 30 tickets or 3 boosters (which are $7 in the store) and 9 tickets. http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/other/05282013d

I get the packs being the price they are, but that high a premium to draft? Especially a normal, non-premier draft? Seems way too high to me. And with how prices are on MTGO, there won't even be like tons and tons of huge money cards to open. I was expecting a normal 2 ticket cost, or maybe since it's a "special set" like 4 tickets. But 9? Certainly won't be playing these very much, outside of maybe once just to check it out.

I do like that the phantom drafts will let you use Cube tickets though.

[Kapol]

The reason why it's a higher cost is due to the prize being more valuable. Assuming they're paying out Modern Masters packs, that means they're giving out about $84 worth of packs (averaging ~12 packs a draft). At 9 tix per person, with 8 people per draft, that means they're getting $72 worth of tix for each draft. Mind you, they're still getting quite a bit more per pack, but they are more limited-edition type packs I think.

[Utilitarian]

Someone explain to me why Terramorphic Expanse is in Modern Masters?

[Kapol]

Alright. Modern Masters is a set that was meant to be drafted. I have a feeling that's one of the reasons they ended up going with a 24 packs-per-box layout for the set. As such, it still needs the basic drafting equipment. In this case that's Teramophic Expanse for some mana-fixing. It's not exciting by any means. But it's in there for a reason.

[JQuill]

The reason why it's a higher cost is due to the prize being more valuable. Assuming they're paying out Modern Masters packs, that means they're giving out about $84 worth of packs (averaging ~12 packs a draft). At 9 tix per person, with 8 people per draft, that means they're getting $72 worth of tix for each draft. Mind you, they're still getting quite a bit more per pack, but they are more limited-edition type packs I think.

I get the prizes are more valuable, but that's more than offset by everyone having to buy those same prizes to enter on top of the 9 ticket premium. In normal drafts, they make roughly a $64 ($112 in, $48 out,) profit, in these drafts they will be making roughly a $156 ($240 in, $84 out) profit. Obviously that's simplified but that's a very sizable difference.

My only guess is they figured this to be the "sweet spot" where they get enough people to play to maximize profit and experience the set, but they also keep somewhat of a limit on how many packs ultimately get bought/opened. Which is fine, but my problem is I think there are far better ways to hit that sweet spot. They designed this set to be drafted, yet actually drafting it is very unappealing given the cost. That's what really confuses me given that with a different approach they could get the same results but make drafting the set much more appealing.

[Kapol]

You're taking into consideration the price into the grand scheme of things. It's possible that they view it differently, working off the assumption that the product would be sold anyways separately from the draft. Now, on MTGO, that's not as much the case since drafting goes on all the time for only a couple bucks more than the packs. But in terms of the overall Magic structure of buying packs, I don't think this is unreasonable to think of. Especially for a set that people would likely actively buy and hold onto without the desire to draft.

That said, I don't disagree that it's too much. I think 4 tix would have been better, making it $25. Perhaps they're trying to make it closer to real-world cost for drafting? After all, physical packs are going for quite a bit right now.

[korvys]

I get the prizes are more valuable, but that's more than offset by everyone having to buy those same prizes to enter on top of the 9 ticket premium. In normal drafts, they make roughly a $64 ($112 in, $48 out,) profit, in these drafts they will be making roughly a $156 ($240 in, $84 out) profit. Obviously that's simplified but that's a very sizable difference.

Unless you don't value the cards drafted at all, I don't know what you don't include them in the "out" calculation. In theory, everyone gets 3 boosters worth of cards for their 3 boosters in. Only the entry fee needs to be compares to the prizes.

In any case, you're right, it does seem a bit off. $9 entry when you're expecting prizes in the form of $7 boosters means you need to win an average of 1.3 boosters per draft to break even. Compared to $2 entry to win $4 boosters (store prices, obviously they are worth less in trade) where you only need to win 0.5 per draft to make it cheaper than just buying and opening them.

[ZePancakes]

I'll give it a try on MTGO but only once just to say I did it. I'd rather be wanting to do some more older format drafts that are reasonably priced than MM. I'd love to draft original Mirrodin block.

[Fantazme]

Anyone else get those weird streaks where you draft great decks and don't do so well...then when you draft a really bad deck you somehow 3-0?

[Professor Steve]

Anyone else get those weird streaks where you draft great decks and don't do so well...then when you draft a really bad deck you somehow 3-0?

It seems to pop up everywhere I go. I think it might have something to do with playing smarter because one doesn't have the added security of a deck that feels good.

[JQuill]

I get the prizes are more valuable, but that's more than offset by everyone having to buy those same prizes to enter on top of the 9 ticket premium. In normal drafts, they make roughly a $64 ($112 in, $48 out,) profit, in these drafts they will be making roughly a $156 ($240 in, $84 out) profit. Obviously that's simplified but that's a very sizable difference.

Unless you don't value the cards drafted at all, I don't know what you don't include them in the "out" calculation. In theory, everyone gets 3 boosters worth of cards for their 3 boosters in. Only the entry fee needs to be compares to the prizes.

In any case, you're right, it does seem a bit off. $9 entry when you're expecting prizes in the form of $7 boosters means you need to win an average of 1.3 boosters per draft to break even. Compared to $2 entry to win $4 boosters (store prices, obviously they are worth less in trade) where you only need to win 0.5 per draft to make it cheaper than just buying and opening them.

I was just looking at it from WotC's perspective. To them, it doesn't matter what you open (directly at least). Obviously from a player's perspective the value of the cards can be a huge factor in things. But just to WotC, the cards opened are irrelevant.

Basically, I don't have any issue with the packs being the cost they are, or that the drafts cost more than a normal draft. My issue is just how much more. At 4 tickets plus product, I'd still think they were expensive, but not unreasonably so. And I'd definitely do a few more drafts at that price. I'm especially confused at how normal drafts are the same price as the Premier ones. The 9 tickets makes some sense for a Premiere draft, but not for a normal queue draft.

I will give WotC credit in that they seem to respond when there's a lot of criticism over a certain issue. I hope that they see the complaints over this price and adjust it accordingly. At the very least I'd like to see them given an explanation for the much higher cost, knowing their perspective might makes this whole thing make more sense.

[Kapol]

Again, from WotC's perspective, they likely look at the packs used for drafting as being, in essence, already sold. So they likely don't consider them in the value of 'in' segment. That's not to say they don't realize people buy packs specifically to draft. But those people would normally buy packs anyways at one point or another. The draft is just a method to increase the sales of packs.

[Lord Hosk]

I dont think the cards opened are exactly irrelevant, more that who opens them is irrelevant. Sure they dont care if YOU open a $200 card but the reason they made this as a draft format rather than like a commanders arsenal or a intro pack is that they want that $200 card to be opened in front of other people so that those people will think "oh gee wiz, I want one of those too and clearly they are in the packs so I will buy some"

The disconnect is that Modern is a format designed and supported much like commander was, to support the secondary market and the LGSs that the secondary market supports. Stores dont make money on sealed product, they make money buying a foil mythic for $10 and selling it for $24.99

The problem is this doesn't translate to MTGO, I hope they react like they did with limited prereleases, they cost more in paper because prereleases are a event with stuff going on, on MTGO a prerelease is just a time to make a little extra money based on the new card smell. They try to make MTGO "just like the paper game" a little too much some times.

[Drecon]

Anyone else get those weird streaks where you draft great decks and don't do so well...then when you draft a really bad deck you somehow 3-0?

I've thought about that a lot actually.

One factor that could make that happen is that everyone is drafting from the same packs. Sometimes the packs are just all bad and you have a bad deck, but everyone else has a bad deck too.
Sometimes the packs are stacked and everyone has an insane deck.

Just a small theory, but there might be something in it.