Limited Resources: Magic 2015 Draft #6

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Limited Resources

“We live on a finite planet. We have finite resources, and we’re running out of good, playable cards.” – Jeremy Grantham




You can follow Marshall on Twitter @Marshall_LR
or check out the Limited Resources podcast at lrcast.com

 

  1. I prefer the look without the phasebar, but it doesn’t really phase me either way and if it helps other viewers by having it, then that’s a sacrifice I’ll happily make. It also doesn’t bother me to see you send clan invites during a game, I think it’s neat being able to watch the growth of the clan. Thanks for doing this draft series and helping so many players!

  2. I don’t feel strongly about the phase bar, but I prefer seeing it to not. I like seeing the clan invites, it doesn’t bother me at all when it happens during a video!

  3. I prefer having the phase bar visible but can cope with it hidden. Graham from LRR has some tips regarding the phase bar so you could ask him next time you talk to him about it. I believe he suggests making the hand smaller as we know what all the cards in your hand are since we saw you build the deck. Love the series and the podcast keep it up :)

    Also clan invites don’t bother me at all

  4. I agree with the general sentiments above.

    I feel at this point in the format, we know most of the cards well enough that we don’t need to have them marginally larger, especially if we then have to read the turn position from the small white box, which is more easy to misread due to the lack of pictorial representation.

    Perhaps for the first few Khans drafts I could see that seeing the cards better outweighs this, but I feel that an constant graphical representation of the turn is more useful generally.

  5. I rather enjoy it without the phase bar, it feels like a more fluid aesthetic, otherwise it seems distracting. It also looks better on my tv and I can read the cards easier…

  6. I like being able to see the phase ladder, just being able to check in what part of the turn things are happening. A good example is in Round 1 at around the 17 minute mark, your opponent spends a lot of time thinking (presumably about whether or not to use the River Marshal aggressively) and while I know that was pre-combat main it would still be nice to be able to see that in the video.
    The clan invites are a lot more jarring in V4 than they were in V3 but I still don’t mind them, and I think the reason you give of showing people how to join the clan is a good one.

  7. I don’t mind the phase bar either way. It is confusing sometimes without it. Who knows maybe Wotc will get creative and implement a vertical one in a few years. Clan invites don’t bother me. It would be better if the screen didn’t switch while you take care of them but who knows maybe in a few years. :)

  8. Phase bar is very important. It is much easier to follow game especially when opponent is thinking about things for a long time in not so obvious phases of the game( in upkeep, beginning of the attack phase or end phase).

  9. My preference is to see the phase bar, the size difference in the cards is negligible. The invites and chat requests don’t bother me at all.

  10. keep the Phase bar i think it adds more than it subtract.

    I think you were a little too attached to red, you never saw anything that was better than a C/-C range in pack one and not even much of that, and you got a littel punished I deffinatly think black or blue would ahve been a better direction to move on in pack 2, your second round opponents deck looked pretty sweet

  11. Don’t really care for the phase bar, I like the extra space for the cards, but I don’t mind it either :)
    As for the invites, do it whenever you like, it doesn’t bother me at all and I’ve never even given thought to the fact that it might annoy people!

  12. If learning is the key, seeing the phase bar is better. Being a clan member I love seeing clan invites, i may be biased.

    Being selfish, because I know you (Marshall) have NOTHING going on, more drafts, half with phase bar, half without, problem solved.

    “doesn’t really phase me….” lsv would be so proud

  13. 1. I like the phase bar a bit better
    2. You passed such a sweet BG graveyard deck. As another player put it, you got way too attached to mediocre red cards way too early.
    3. Verdant Haven, Satyr Wayfinder, Nissa’s Expedition, 3x Evolving Wilds, Sliver Hivelord, AND Sliver Hive and you don’t go for it?!?! You’re dead to me. I hope you lose round one, even if I won’t know it because I refuse to watch this “meh” deck when you could have gone for greatness. 5/5 indestructibles are good on their own. You don’t NEED to draw the hive for it to be good.

  14. I much prefer having the phase bar. I cannot notice any sort of significant difference between card size with it either way, so I’d much rather have it be totally clear where in the turn we are, especially since there’s a lot of thinking done in weird phases of the game.

    Also, we already know what’s in your deck, why does your hand have to be big? It should be pretty easy to tell what they are after seeing you draft them.

  15. I am way happier with the phase bar visible; maybe it would be different if I were actually the one F2ing through the steps, but it’s very easy to get lost while watching if it’s hidden.

  17. With the phase bar, please. For the purposes of learning it is super important to see phasing and learn what it is and how to use it. I see players at FNM that will draw, play a land, then untap. Where the concept of using the end step or *gasp* second main phase is new to them. Part of that is because Magic flows well in a casual setting. But if you’re going to get into drafting, and listening to LR, and watching the great content here, and playing in tournaments, you need to know phases and steps. One of the great things MTGO does is enforce the hell out of the game flow rules.
    Now if I could only get my LGS to let me use a chess clock…

  18. If people benefit from the phase bar then its a good thing especially for new players. Even with the bar, on my screen the cards are totally legible. And the clan invites are great, your responses to them are always kind and affable which I think makes the tone of your videos the best around.

  19. I definitely prefer the phasebar and I don’t mind the invites. Your videos are great, thanks!

  20. I prefer to see the phase bar, but I’m use to not seeing it during your videos. I don’t mind the invites. You do a pretty good job of minimizing most distractions, so even when they pop up, it isn’t too bad.

  21. Phase bar – I think you need to keep it. The viewer is trying to play along with you. Seeing what steps you are on helps them to see what should, or shouldn’t be done at a specific point in the turn.

    Invites – You’re the first that I’ve seen that makes it easy to know how to join your clan. Only 2 rules to follow and you get an invite. I’m used to seeing it now, but your enthusiasm towards the invites is what drew me in to your videos. It only takes 10 seconds out of the video.

    Sliver Hivelord – Come on man! While I understand you’re trying to teach good technique, you also can’t forget that this game is about having fun. It would have also shown the viewers how likely it was to get off a combo like that if they had tried it themselves. Every set has their own Hivelord that we dream about playing, but know it’s too crazy. This deck was set up for the 1 chance to try it out. We’ve all seen the GR bear/grey ogre/hill giant deck. Go spicy, we’re trying to have fun and get a laugh too.

  22. Im fine with the occasional invite, i think it helps that you plug the clan and show folks just how accessible you are.
    I do prefer to see the phase bar though. Im not new to mtgo but it helps me track where the game is at and i like to see it in the videos as well.

  23. I have to say, I find the Phase Bar quite useful, particularly if I’m not paying 100% attention to the video. It’s nice to be able to look over and immediately know what’s going on, and the minimal size gain for the cards in hand doesn’t really seem worth it to me compared to the disorientation of not knowing what phase the game is in.

    I was more than a little bummed when you didn’t open enough sweet slivers to make Hivelord happen.

  24. I prefer the phase but i don’t ultimately care ^^
    Np with the invites either.

    BUT I’M SO SAD YOU DIDN’T GO SLIVER!! xD
    Man, I’d have wished LRR to get these opening packs, they’d have jumped into the “dream deck” xD

  25. I feel like the phase bar could be useful to people watching, I personally prefer seeing it. Also, you have at least once that I’ve seen made a play error due to mistaking the phase, so it might even help at some point!

  26. Yes to phase bar, its very easy to miss 2-3 seconds of the action, come back and have no idea what phase your opponent is tanking on.

    Really don’t mind clan invites at all. Surprised some people would be.

    Sad you didn’t go for the Hivelord, would’ve been epic. :D

  27. I like the clan invites. It’s fun to see the excited responses from new members.

    I could go either way on the phase bar but It is nice to have when I loose track of the phase of the turn.

  29. I find the phase bar useful. The clan invites are no biggie.

    Shame you had a bit of a mediocre deck this draft. It seemed to take forever before you finally saw some colours open up with some good cards, by which point it would of been risky to switch. You also never got to open any packs with a sweet rare in them.

  30. I have been watching your videos on this site for over 2 years and the clan invites have never bothered me. I don’t have a strong opinion of the phase bar, but I favor it being there; however, whatever you favor, is fine. Thank you for the videos and the podcast!

  31. Seeing the phasebar is much better, it’s sometimes confusing without. And it doesn’t bother me when you send the clan invites during games.

  32. I prefer my phase bar being on and since I rely on it while playing, not seeing it in your drafts is a little jarring. Also, keep doing the clan invites, people love being in your videos for the five seconds while you invite them.

  35. I’m pro-phase bar, and invites. I also would have geeked out on round 2 when playing you too! Thanks Marshall!

    I also would have gone for fun-factor on sliver, but I think you made the right choice for consistency.

  37. Marshall, you a such a great resource to this community! It is refreshing to see you try to find common ground with all of us fans. Unfortunately the bigger you are, the more open you are to criticism. I hope you always stay this open and accessible! This discussion makes me with there were ui mods available for mtgo…

  38. I favor keeping the phase bar. I get pumped every time I see you do a clan invite. And heck, if Kenji can do a dance every time he gets a new subscriber, you are totally allowed at least show people that folks are joining the clan.

  39. About the phase bar, Graham from LRR’s opinion and line of reasoning is that if the phase bar is open, then the hand should be kept small, because your viewers already know what the cards in your deck do since we saw you draft them, while the board state and the opponent’s cards are of much greater interest and should be kept large enough to see as much text as possible.

  40. Would prefer to see the Phase bar, really does not make a difference in viewing on a large monitor but it does on my surface tablet. Don’t mind the clan invites, or chats. there is always some dead time in a video that needs filling.

  41. 1. I prefer no phase bar just because I’m pretty used to the turn flow at this point, but it’s not a big deal if you want to keep it. I like that you hide the invites.

    2. Don’t listen to the crazy people who wanted to see Sliver Hivelord. I like to see you trying to win, and distorting your mana base that much for a 5/5 indestructible that has a nice combo if you draw the Hive clearly isn’t worth it in my mind.

  42. I used to prefer the phase bar on, may have commented such earlier as well. But I’ve gotten used to it being hidden now, with your videos.
    That said, slightly smaller cards also don’t bother me too much either, now that I know them well enough.

    Messages can be a little jarring.

  43. I like the phase bar, it helps me to keep track of the turn. I don’t mind the clan invites, although keeping them to just two or three per video is good.

  44. R2G2 why tutor up the plains when having the second forest would have helped more? I get that its ‘just in case’ for the Sunblade Elf, but would the 2/2 really have helped that much more than a forest?

  45. First time commenting. Haven’t seen all the videos, but wanted to answer your question real quick.
    1) I prefer for the phase bar to be there for my own clarity, but don’t think it is necessary.
    2) I absolutely don’t mind the clan invites in the middle of videos. It’s good for the purpose you mention and doesn’t detract from the game for me.

  46. It seemed to me the size of the cards on the board weren’t effected by the phase bar at all, just the cards in hand. Even the cards in hand didn’t shrink that much when the phase bar was turned on.
    I know in your podcasts you’ve talked at length a few times about the importance of the individual phases of the game and developing sound play by being aware of when you can and should cast spells (particularly instants.) My paper play has improved and been more consistent because of MTGO’s phase bar and seeing how passing/receiving priority works. I’m sure it will help other’s, too. Especially seeing a player of your caliber put it to good, spikey, use.

  47. I don’t mind 1-2 invites over the course of a draft. My ‘frustration’ is since I watch on my phone, I can’t read the comments you laugh at (though you reading the comments aloud is probably worse than me missing the joke.) I hadn’t noticed the misding phase bar. Generally irrelevant, but nice to see when it does matter. Again, on my phone the cards are already rediculously small, so the minor size difference doesn’t do much for me.

  50. First of all, thanks for these videos. I vote for displaying the phase bar and keeping the cards in your hand smaller since (as others mentioned) these are draft videos and we know your deck. It’s more important to have the cards in the play area visible. Clan invites don’t bother me.