Same Stuff, Different Block
Our testing group stayed together for a few more seasons. Down in Chris’ basement, we prepared for Kamigawa Block Constructed. That season, we saw a few Top 8′s for our playgroup. As far as playtesting goes, this season was the best for me. Or group played out the entire PTQ season- and a Grand Prix. Gifts Ungiven really broke through a lot of my thoughts on how to build decks:
CHK Block Gifts Rock
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Click the arrow to download the above deck in .txt formatThere were a ton of decisions to be made here with the card interaction of Gifts. You had eventuality, but the deck could be bogged down with things like Hokori, Dust Drinker.
I wasn’t able to participate in the fun that was the month where Dark Confidant, Senseis Diving Top, and Counterbalance were legal in Standard, but I’m sure it was interesting.
Ravnica Block went by a bit too quickly for me, as though I enjoyed the look and feel of the set- there was no PTQ season. It wasn’t until Time Spiral Standard/Block that I really got back into the mix of things. By then, silly combos called Pickles lock revolving around Brine Elemental and Vesuvan Shapeshifter were common. I played Mono Blue control with Teferi and Guile. I also played a fun Momentary Blink deck for a block PTQ:
Blink.dek TSP Block
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Click the arrow to download the above deck in .txt format
I like your stuff. Very honest and modest and you focus on that little thread that ties us together as a community of geeks that I think gets so easily lost in the virtual spilling of golem and elf blood in our sad little world.
James I feel like this is probably a good time to inform you of my return to magic, I’m playing on my Byerton account. This article really articulates why this game has been in my life for so long, and you are absolutely right it is the formats like 5-color and then Hi-5 and the weekend roadtrips to GP’s and opens that made it so much fun, not grinding away in front of the computer. And just to touch on my last minute audible to run white weenine for 2005 regionals, I’m sure the extra sleep helped but really what it came down to was that I wanted to play a deck that I felt comfortable with and was familiar with, and I think it was somewhat of a rogue deck for that tournament that most of my opponents weren’t prepared to deal with (not playing tooth and nail a single round helped too). Also I remember you didn’t do so hot because one early round you took 19 damage from a double striker and trusted you opponents math without checking it :P, it was only 18 damage. I also think having the players like Travis, Nate Price, Nick Little, Segal, etc. really helped us as young players, I know personally that those guys played a large part in where my motivations were towards the end years of high school, and it is all because of that human connection that you emphasize so much.
-byertron