Random Magic Discussion Thread

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Blissful
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Blissful » Tue Feb 01, 2022 2:56 pm

Plague spitter :wub:
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:19 pm

is ninjitsu the weebiest mtg mechanic?
u gotta skate

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Blissful » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:00 am

Crunchums wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:19 pm is ninjitsu the weebiest mtg mechanic?
Bushido is because unlike ninjutsu they're too ashamed of it to bring it back
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:01 am

:lol:
u gotta skate

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:53 pm

why did wotc decide to get rid of blocks?
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Rylinks » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:15 am

attackers are more fun

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:16 am

gdi Rylinks >: 3
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Rylinks » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:19 am

afaik they had some world ideas which they thought were good but didn't have enough material for three sets, and it's easier to design self-contained limited formats than it is blocks

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Skeletor » Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:48 am

spending a whole year in the same theme and drafting the same cards seems super outdated with how fast stuff moves now
wow, [you]. that all sounds terrible. i hope it gets better for you

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:15 am

how does drafting XXX compare to drafting XXY or XYZ? my thought is in terms of how good formats are "on average" but the variance also seems important (like maybe XXX is much better on average, but the highest peaks are from XYZ?)
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Khaos » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:29 am

i dunno

VOW was garbage, NEO is a lot of fun

log on in the evenings and come draft with us!

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:43 am

nah, i haven't played magic in years and i don't want to start again
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Blissful » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:07 pm

you can just spectate a draft without playing magic yourself
i do it all the time
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by groff_enthusiast » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:12 pm

Crunchums wrote: Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:53 pm why did wotc decide to get rid of blocks?
Because defenders is a more evocative keyword.
Ashenai wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:08 pmoh no

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Doug » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:39 pm

I believe it's because second and third sets just don't sell very well relatively
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by KingRamz » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:29 pm

When blocks were a thing I still tended to enjoy drafting XXX more than XXY, XYZ, YXX or ZYX.

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Crunchums » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:49 pm

KingRamz wrote:YXX or ZYX
people did this?
(thanks for your thoughts)
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Ashenai » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:53 pm

Crunchums wrote: Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:49 pm
KingRamz wrote:YXX or ZYX
people did this?
(thanks for your thoughts)
It was the official way to draft sets near the end of the block thing

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Skeletor » Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:00 pm

i think the reason they switched to YXX and ZYX was to make it so your base your deck around the new cards rather than drafting the same decks you'd been drafting all year in the first pack(s) and then adding something new to it. basically a baby step toward trying to solve the same issues that getting rid of blocks was trying to solve
wow, [you]. that all sounds terrible. i hope it gets better for you

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Skeletor » Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:05 pm

it's hard to imagine year long blocks in a world where it's normal for people to do multiple drafts a night, or to watch a very strong player do multiple drafts, and to get online and talk with other people doing the same thing and look at aggregate stats
wow, [you]. that all sounds terrible. i hope it gets better for you

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Ashenai » Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:07 pm

Yeah although the aggregate stats only became a thing after blocks were abolished (and I wish the stats were also abolished).

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Khaos » Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:27 pm

i dont mind the stats. they only help so much

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Ashenai » Sun Mar 06, 2022 6:07 pm

I agree with that, but it still takes away from the fun of discovering a set.

If it wasn't for stats we could have cool arguments about whether Imperial Oath is any good or not. I don't even know which side of the argument I would have been on! And our understanding of it could have matured over weeks and months, instead of 17lands going "yes, it's great, very high winrate".

Winrate isn't everything, and there's certainly stuff to discover that isn't reflected in the stats. But it still diminishes the amount of uncharted territory.

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Skeletor » Sun Mar 06, 2022 6:11 pm

Ashenai wrote: Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:07 pm Yeah although the aggregate stats only became a thing after blocks were abolished (and I wish the stats were also abolished).
right, arena is also after blocks were abolished, basically all the things i listed were niche back then. i was just musing that the world really did continue to follow the trajectory that would have made blocks worse
wow, [you]. that all sounds terrible. i hope it gets better for you

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Khaos » Sun Mar 06, 2022 7:46 pm

i dont think we'd be arguing about oath. but yeah maybe stuff like suit up and the like

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by KingRamz » Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:02 pm

There's a handful of formats that were improved by the small set. I liked CCB better then triple Champions of Kamigawa. I think I liked OG Ravnica draft better with Guildpact. I have often heard the opinion that MMD was better than triple Mirrodin, though I was on a break from the game until right after Darksteel released so I don't have firsthand experience

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by KingRamz » Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:03 pm

I remember Planeshift making Invasion draft worse but then Apocalypse making it better again. That was the first block I ever drafted though

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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Doug » Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:50 am

Both Nemesis and Prophecy made miserable Masques Block drafts much better
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Blissful » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:05 pm

Ashenai wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 9:11 amImage
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Re: Random Magic Discussion Thread

Post by Blissful » Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:08 pm

https://scryfall.com/card/c21/21/promise-of-loyalty
The creature you put a vow counter on will remember its promise if another player gains control of it.
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