Lorwyn Block Sealed Deck Tutorial with Josh Ravitz - Transcript
For those of you who weren't aware of the event, this was the prize for winning the MTGOCasual March Championships - a 3 hour tutorial on any topic the winner wished. Kingritz selected LRW Block Sealed as his topic, and so with 2 sealed deck sets ready to go, Josh and Kingritz walk through each pool and the optimal decks to be played. Look for this same prize to be available in future Monthly Championships.
If you want to test your sealed deck building prowess, download the .dec files below, upload them in the deck editor screen, then build the best deck you can. After you've done this, read the transcript below to see if you ended up where Josh Ravitz did.
TRANSCRIPT TABLE OF CONTENTS:
General LRW Block Sealed Advice: 3:12 - 4:01
Sealed Deck 1: 4:02 - 4:50
Sealed Deck 2: 4:51 - 5:26
Game Played: 5:27 - 5:57 (Transcript not available)
Play Discussion and General Advice: 5:57 - 6:10
Sealed Deck 1 - Secondary Build: 6:11 - 6:26
-------------------------------TRANSCRIPT BEGINS----------------------------------
3:12 Alpha_Centauri1: so josh - I have 2 sealed sets - should I give them to you or kingritz, or 1 each?
3:12 jravitz: actually I didn't really think about the logistics
3:12 jravitz: I'm not sure the best way to do it
3:12 Alpha_Centauri1: okay - well I'll give them to kingritz and you guys can figure it out as you go along
3:12 jravitz: sure
3:13 Kingritz: okay
3:13 jravitz: so Kingritz, have you done a lot of sealed-decking ?
3:14 jravitz: online? real life?
3:14 Kingritz: i've done a few, mostly IRL a long time ago
3:14 Kingritz: i tend to prefer drafts
3:14 jravitz: well sure
3:14 jravitz: drafting is a bit more social
3:14 Kingritz: i'm poor right now so i haven't drafted lately
3:14 jravitz: but the qualifier tournaments are always in sealed deck then draft form
3:14 jravitz: so if you're trying to qualfiy it's...
3:14 jravitz: necessary
3:14 Kingritz: well for me i found drafting more skill-intensive, but it's probably not accurate
3:14 Kingritz: right, exactly
3:15 jravitz: well lots of people say that sealed deck is all luck
3:15 Kingritz: i always feel like i do poorly in those
3:15 jravitz: and some formats that is truer than others
3:15 Kingritz: i'm sure it's not all luck, but i never seem to win those
3:15 jravitz: but if you look at PTQ t8s you'd probably see.. repetitive names
3:15 jravitz: there are some things you need to
3:15 Kingritz: i'm a good limited player, i think, i got up to 1850 when i was drafting regularly
3:15 jravitz: that's good
3:15 Kingritz: okay
3:15 jravitz: what format was that?
3:15 jravitz: when you were playing a lot?
3:16 Kingritz: i played a lot of rav block, csp, tsp block,
3:16 jravitz: i really liked RRR sealed
3:16 Kingritz: lately i just haven't had the money and i was never quite infinite
3:16 jravitz: but i hated it when guildpact came out
3:16 Kingritz: ah
3:16 jravitz: yeah , it can be expensive if you're losing
3:16 Kingritz: so anyway, i'd love to sort of get some sealed advice and have a shot to "get over the hump" in PE's
3:16 jravitz: there are some rules that apply to sealed deck .. as a whole .. and there are others that are specific to each format
3:17 Kingritz: okay
3:17 jravitz: well for the foreseeable future it seems it will be Lorwyn
3:17 jravitz: format*
3:17 jravitz: unless you choose to play 10 edition
3:17 Kingritz: right
3:17 jravitz: but i really hate basic set sealed
3:17 Kingritz: how come?
3:17 jravitz: well I haven't played 10E sealed, but I remember in 9E you really had very few options for building
3:17 jravitz: almost always 3 colors
3:17 jravitz: and with mediocre mana
3:17 jravitz: like you were forced
3:17 jravitz: into this
3:17 jravitz: by the packs
3:17 Kingritz: ah, yeah
3:18 jravitz: the sealed deck distributions are
3:18 jravitz: better for building decks
3:18 jravitz: i wish i could find my old sealed deck articles and send them to you so you could read 'em in your spare time
3:18 jravitz: but i really have no idea where they are right now
3:18 jravitz: one of the most important things in sealed deck is to play your best cards
3:19 jravitz: in the past. when i was weaker
3:19 jravitz: as a magic player
3:19 jravitz: i'd convince myself NOT to do exactly that
3:19 jravitz: i remember a grand prix where I left Dromar, The Banisher in my sideboard
3:19 jravitz: even though it was my best card
3:19 jravitz: doing that really didn't give me any kind of shot at making day two
3:19 jravitz: but i had convinced myself it was correct because .. i dont know why
3:19 jravitz: needless to say
3:19 jravitz: you can't make mistakes like that
3:19 jravitz: of course, Dromar is a really obvious great card
3:20 jravitz: in Lorwyn it's different because you need to see the entire card pool
3:20 Kingritz: yeah
3:20 jravitz: like a chess board kind of?
3:20 jravitz: like Timber Protector can be really good
3:20 jravitz: or mediocre
3:20 jravitz: (for example)
3:20 Kingritz: i have had a couple times where i've felt like i open bombs in really weak colors
3:20 jravitz: some cards ... Mirror Entity, Profane and Austere Command... are practically must plays
3:20 Kingritz: right
3:20 jravitz: yeah you need to be willing to sacrifice
3:21 jravitz: you shouldn't compromise SO much
3:21 jravitz: you still need to be able to win, and cast spells
3:21 jravitz: cards like Vivid lands and Fertile ground are really helpful
3:21 jravitz: if you open them
3:21 jravitz: even something like Tideshaper Mystic
3:21 jravitz: can help a lot
3:21 jravitz: assuming you can make use of him some other way
3:21 jravitz: if you're playing UW merfolk and you have a profane command
3:21 jravitz: it becomes easier to play, for example
3:22 jravitz: if you can get most of your good cards into your deck, with fine mana
3:22 jravitz: that's where you want to be
3:22 jravitz: after that it comes down to playing and mulliganning
3:22 jravitz: which i should not downplay of course
3:22 jravitz: since it's not so simple
3:22 Kingritz: of course
3:22 Kingritz: i generally play fairly well (not a lot of play errors i can see, at least), but i probably ought to mulligan a bit more than i do
3:23 Kingritz: i tend to play on the light side with mana base
3:23 jravitz: well don't be too hasty, and im not trying to be very harsh but lots of people are makings LOTS of errors
3:23 jravitz: even top players
3:23 jravitz: Olivier Ruel plays very sloppily for example
3:23 jravitz: he still does well
3:23 jravitz: but he makes mistakes
3:23 Kingritz: no i understand
3:23 Kingritz: no offense taken
3:24 jravitz: one sec
3:24 jravitz: okay well
3:25 jravitz: in any case
3:25 jravitz: i was looking for the articles, but i cant find them they are probably gone and i dont have a brainburst account anymore so.. :)
3:25 jravitz: theres also the clock to worry about when you're building a deck
3:25 jravitz: i guess we can talk about deck building
3:25 jravitz: do you have a process?
3:26 jravitz: i actually find it pretty useful to be methodical in deck building
3:26 Kingritz: generally i'll sort of sort by color,
3:26 jravitz: otherwise it can be very overwhelming
3:26 Kingritz: pull out playables from unplayables
3:26 jravitz: yeah that sounds like a fine way to do it i wouldn't recommend another way
3:26 jravitz: with one minor
3:26 Kingritz: try out two of the deepest/strongest colors together first, check out creatures/removal/curve/bombs
3:26 jravitz: you should be paying attention to cards you can splash
3:27 jravitz: like in one PTQ i played
3:27 jravitz: in the LLL season
3:27 Kingritz: okay
3:27 jravitz: and... i hate the card.. but it's technically "good" and powerful
3:27 jravitz: i splashed a Changeling Hero
3:27 jravitz: since I had enough mana fixers
3:27 jravitz: just for example
3:27 jravitz: i was playing
3:27 jravitz: Green Black and Blue mainly
3:27 jravitz: but since i had vivid lands and fertile grounds
3:27 jravitz: and an elvish harbinger
3:27 jravitz: he was an easy card to play
3:27 jravitz: and he certainly improved my deck
3:28 jravitz: i find in Lorwyn, especially, that you can be pretty greedy with the splashes
3:28 Kingritz: makes sense
3:28 Kingritz: out of curiosity, why do you hate changeling hero?
3:28 jravitz: out of the uncommon champions (titan hero berserker) he is easily the worst
3:28 jravitz: mostly i find his interaction with the board to be minimal
3:28 jravitz: he's too small
3:29 Kingritz: 4/4 is too small?
3:29 jravitz: yeah
3:29 jravitz: well it's not just that
3:29 jravitz: because he also creates a huge negative tempo
3:29 jravitz: i mean sure, your opponent might have lignified one of your guys
3:29 jravitz: or
3:29 jravitz: zephyr netted
3:29 jravitz: or whatever
3:29 jravitz: in which case it's great
3:29 jravitz: but
3:29 jravitz: if they have even a tapper
3:29 jravitz: playing him is REALLY bad for you
3:30 Kingritz: yeah, that i understand
3:30 jravitz: anyway all of that has given him a sour taste
3:30 jravitz: for me
3:30 jravitz: i dont take him highly in draft
3:30 Kingritz: okay, so looking for splashes is important
3:30 jravitz: when i have him i play him, but i dont
3:30 jravitz: usually have him
3:30 jravitz: right looking for slpashes to increase power level
3:31 jravitz: is important
3:31 Kingritz: and you don't mind splashing double-costed cards like profane command
3:31 jravitz: i was going to say
3:31 jravitz: well profane command and austere command are SO powerful that it's an exception to the rule
3:31 jravitz: while I can't think of every single card in the format
3:31 jravitz: there aren't many *that* powerful
3:31 jravitz: but for splashing cards like Mulldrifter, Shriekmaw etc,
3:31 jravitz: (obvious)
3:31 jravitz: imperious perfect
3:31 Kingritz: yeah
3:32 jravitz: i feel like in most cases
3:32 jravitz: you'll be 2 main colors
3:32 jravitz: and then some more stuff
3:32 jravitz: its not a general rule
3:32 Kingritz: so do you find it's much harder to be tribal in sealed?
3:32 jravitz: well in draft
3:32 jravitz: when you force a tribe and are rewarded
3:32 jravitz: your deck is amazing
3:32 Kingritz: how does it affect guys who get value from tribal, as compared to drafting?
3:33 jravitz: but in sealed the best you can do is build for synergy
3:33 Kingritz: i am trying to think of an example
3:33 jravitz: which guys do you mean
3:33 jravitz: merrow reerjey?
3:33 jravitz: whatever his name is?
3:33 Kingritz: sure, say him
3:33 jravitz: well he has two abilities
3:33 jravitz: crusade for merfolk and the other, tapping thing
3:33 jravitz: i find that cards like that are usually weaker in sealed (obviously) but you still play them
3:33 jravitz: because you always have some changelings
3:33 jravitz: _and_ more often than not your opponent will misvalue the card
3:33 jravitz: and kill it
3:34 jravitz: imperious perfect they'll kill every time beause it's good by itself
3:34 jravitz: but the merfolk lord might not be great
3:34 jravitz: they'll still kill it
3:35 jravitz: its always important
3:35 jravitz: in all games of magic
3:35 jravitz: to let your oponents make mistakes
3:35 jravitz: give them the chance to make a mistake
3:35 jravitz: they do, often
3:35 Kingritz: okay
3:35 jravitz: cards like Mistbind Clique
3:35 jravitz: are harder to use
3:36 jravitz: in sealed of course
3:36 jravitz: but still worth the sacrifice
3:37 jravitz: i wish i could find some other sealed deck articles
3:37 jravitz: even just to talk about some cards
3:37 jravitz: do you have any other cards in mind?
3:37 Kingritz: hmm
3:37 Kingritz: nothing really specific
3:38 Kingritz: though i'm sure i will as i take a look at my pool
3:38 jravitz: yeah of course
3:38 Kingritz: if you find any of the articles even later,
3:38 Kingritz: could you send them to me?
3:38 jravitz: i'd ike to say i will find them
3:38 jravitz: but im not optimistic
3:38 Kingritz: okay
3:38 jravitz: sure i'd be fine to do that
3:38 Kingritz: thanks
3:39 jravitz: hmm so
3:39 jravitz: do you want to take a look at a pool maybe?
3:39 jravitz: in real life, this would be easier
3:39 Kingritz: sure, that would be good
3:39 jravitz: i think
3:39 Kingritz: i'm not sure how best to do it online
3:39 jravitz: right
3:39 jravitz: i think
3:39 jravitz: you should perhaps open the set
3:39 jravitz: and save the decklist
3:39 jravitz: it might be easier said than done
3:40 jravitz: and then we can just look at the decklist
3:40 jravitz: in the deck editor part of magic online
3:40 Alpha_Centauri1: ideally leagues would still be running
3:40 jravitz: are leagues down now?
3:40 Kingritz: yeah i think so
3:40 jravitz: that's lame
3:40 jravitz: !
3:40 Kingritz: the v3 stuff is a mess
3:41 jravitz: yeah, magic online is kind of am ess lately i've noticed
3:41 Alpha_Centauri1: they shut them off as of wednesday
3:41 Kingritz: anyway, i can do that... open, save, send
3:41 jravitz: maybe you can do it in the limited games section
3:41 jravitz: start a solitaire sealed deck game
3:41 jravitz: i dont really remember how that interface works
3:41 Alpha_Centauri1: yes, that would work
3:41 jravitz: i need about 5 minutes
3:41 Alpha_Centauri1: alternatively you could do a 1v1
3:41 Kingritz: which way do you prefer?
3:41 jravitz: i will be right back
3:41 jravitz: sorry
3:41 Kingritz: ok
3:41 Alpha_Centauri1: maybe an untimed 1v1 would be better
3:43 jravitz: alright im back now
3:43 jravitz: Well one thing I want to focus on
3:43 jravitz: is the actual deck building process
3:43 jravitz: either way, we have two pools to look at
3:43 Alpha_Centauri1: in the casual room, looks like you could set the deck construction to up to 60 mins total
3:44 jravitz: yeah i just saw that
3:44 Alpha_Centauri1: would give time to look at and discuss each pool
3:44 jravitz: that seems like it might be okay
3:44 jravitz: yep
3:44 Kingritz: so just let me know what you prefer for me to do
3:44 Kingritz: i can open and send the list, or i can make a game in whatever room you want
3:45 jravitz: well if you'd like to do the 1v1 thing
3:45 jravitz: we could play after if you think there'd be benefit to that
3:45 jravitz: if you want to send the list along
3:45 jravitz: we could still play after
3:45 jravitz: by just loading the .decs
3:45 jravitz: though i'd need to borrow the cards :)
3:45 jravitz: what are you more comfortable with?
3:45 Kingritz: i don't think i have a strong preference
3:46 Kingritz: playing depends on time for me; it's a lower priority but it couldnt hurt if we have the extra time
3:46 jravitz: okay that's fine
3:46 jravitz: in that case i think it would be better to just deal with the decklist
3:46 jravitz: the only advantage
3:46 Kingritz: okay let me open one draft pool and send you the file
3:46 jravitz: okay
3:46 Kingritz: it will take me a couple minutes
3:46 Kingritz: brb
3:46 jravitz: take your time
3:47 Kingritz: hmmm
3:47 Kingritz: i have to figure out how not to have it mix in with my collection
3:47 Kingritz: ideas?
3:47 jravitz: that was the main thing about doing it in the limited room
3:47 jravitz: in the 'tournament' setting
3:47 jravitz: it seperates the pool
3:48 jravitz: so if you go into hte casual limited room
3:48 jravitz: and then press New Trn
3:48 jravitz: and then create Sealed tournament
3:48 jravitz: with L/MM
3:48 jravitz: and hit ok
3:48 Kingritz: is it 2 MOR boosters or 3?
3:48 Kingritz: it says 2 MOR (WOTC Only)
3:48 jravitz: just two is the regular format
3:48 jravitz: oh..
3:48 jravitz: i dont know what that means ;)
3:48 Kingritz: nor do i
3:48 jravitz: 3 is for pre-releases usually
3:48 Kingritz: i clicked new trn
3:48 Kingritz: well, click and see for yourself {s}
3:49 jravitz: i think you can largely ignore that
3:49 jravitz: 'wotc only'
3:49 jravitz: thing
3:49 Kingritz: okay
3:50 Kingritz: i can't do solitaire in that room
3:50 Kingritz: how about this?
3:50 Kingritz: i will make my collection tradeable
3:50 Kingritz: the cards when i open them should be untradeable, yes?
3:50 Alpha_Centauri1: you can do a challenge
3:50 jravitz: oh
3:50 Kingritz: so i can filter for untradeable and that would work
3:50 jravitz: no, no solitaire sealed challenges
3:51 Alpha_Centauri1: i dont think that filter would change
3:51 jravitz: unlss im missing it?
3:51 Alpha_Centauri1: you'd have to challenge 1v1
3:51 Kingritz: there isn't an option for that, alpha
3:51 Kingritz: only "new trn"
3:51 Alpha_Centauri1: a direct challenge
3:51 jravitz: well if you click y name
3:51 Alpha_Centauri1: right click josh's name
3:51 jravitz: u can challenge me that way
3:51 Kingritz: and it doesn't let you choose a # of players
3:51 jravitz: yep
3:52 jravitz: so maybe the best option is to just do the 1v1
3:52 jravitz: with 60 minutes to talk about deck building
3:52 Kingritz: okay
3:52 Alpha_Centauri1: you can allow for watchers, that way, too
3:52 jravitz: we'd still get the decklists too
3:52 jravitz: and
3:52 jravitz: we could talk more after
3:52 Kingritz: alright
3:54 Alpha_Centauri1: I wonder where the challenge shows up
3:54 jravitz: well once it starts u can do /goto
3:54 jravitz: it wont be too hard
3:54 jravitz: to find
3:54 Alpha_Centauri1: but you wont necessarily be in the room
3:54 jravitz: hmm
3:54 Alpha_Centauri1: we'll see
3:54 jravitz: so the 1v1 in the Limited Games
3:54 jravitz: has watchers?
3:54 jravitz: or no
3:55 Alpha_Centauri1: you guys have the product right?
3:55 jravitz: he's gonna trade me one set
3:55 jravitz: in a minute
3:55 Alpha_Centauri1: k
3:57 jravitz: well
3:57 jravitz: this is pretty nice :)
3:57 jravitz: i think the best way to proceed from here would be to
3:58 Kingritz: okay i'm going to email my pool
4:01 Alpha_Centauri1: did the game open?
4:01 jravitz: yeah we've opened the pools
4:01 jravitz: now we're exchanging
4:01 jravitz: i've sent mine alone
4:01 jravitz: waiting for his
4:01 Alpha_Centauri1: hmm - any idea which room its in?
4:02 Kingritz: sent mine
4:02 Kingritz: got his
4:02 Kingritz: so should i look at mine first?
4:02 jravitz: yeah let's look at yours first
4:02 Kingritz: okay i'll start sorting through
4:02 Kingritz: ...
4:03 jravitz: ah
4:03 Kingritz: some good fixing... elvish harbinger, grotto, vivid creek, gilt-leaf palace, springleaf drum
4:03 Kingritz: briarhorn in green is nice
4:03 Kingritz: wort could be good
4:03 Kingritz: do you want my thoughts as i go?
4:03 jravitz: alright ive loaded yours up now
4:04 Kingritz: or not?
4:04 jravitz: taking a quick look
4:04 jravitz: yeah the first thing, as you were doing
4:04 jravitz: thats important
4:04 jravitz: is to look for mana fixers
4:04 jravitz: so you know how you're going to build it
4:04 jravitz: your deck has a lot of powerful cards
4:04 Kingritz: i am liking it so far
4:04 Kingritz: better than what i usually open
4:04 jravitz: :)
4:04 Kingritz: wow i have wort + inversion!
4:04 Kingritz: sweet
4:04 jravitz: not to mention some other very pwowerful cards like final Revels
4:04 jravitz: and
4:04 Kingritz: violet pall
4:04 jravitz: Thonrtooht Witch
4:05 Kingritz: revels
4:05 Kingritz: yeah and i have the banneret for the witch too
4:05 Kingritz: weed-pruner poplar seems like it could be good also
4:05 jravitz: certainly
4:05 jravitz: so im lookng at the rest of it
4:05 jravitz: you have some solid merfolk
4:05 Alpha_Centauri1: are any of the watchers here? maybe you guys could send them the .dec too?
4:05 Kingritz: nice, thoughtsieze
4:06 Kingritz: anyone who wants the deck i'd be find to send it
4:06 jravitz: sure, if they want to giv eme their email addresses
4:06 Kingritz: need the email address
4:06 Kingritz: right
4:06 jravitz: anyone here?
4:06 Alpha_Centauri1: I'll take it
4:06 Kingritz: is thoughtseize good in limited, or just a money constructed card?
4:06 jravitz: anthony, are you gonna send him both?
4:06 jravitz: it's quite good in limited
4:06 Kingritz: yes
4:06 jravitz: information gleaned from thoughtseize is pretty useful
4:08 Kingritz: sent to all 3
4:08 Kingritz: shaddai?
4:08 jravitz: cool
4:08 Kingritz: you want it too?
4:08 _Shaddai_: O
4:08 _Shaddai_: oops
4:08 _Shaddai_: was making food {f}
4:09 Kingritz: gosh every color in this pool has good stuff
4:09 jravitz: definitely does
4:09 jravitz: but despite that, i find it pretty easy to build
4:09 Kingritz: this is the best pool i've probably opened
4:09 Kingritz: i'm not as far along as you
4:09 Kingritz: due to emailing
4:09 jravitz: no problem
4:09 Alpha_Centauri1: I assume you are doing the first one on the email? not the one labeled 2?
4:09 Kingritz: right
4:09 Alpha_Centauri1: k
4:10 Kingritz: sent to shaddai
4:10 jravitz: e're doing the one with my name in the title
4:10 jravitz: i think
4:10 Kingritz: i edited; they both have your name
4:10 Kingritz: just labeled 1 and 2
4:11 Kingritz: there's like every good merfolk in here
4:11 Kingritz: summon the school, schoolmaster, harbinger, angler, douser, aquitects, drowner of secrets
4:11 jravitz: yep
4:11 jravitz: one sec again sorry
4:11 jravitz: interruption
4:12 Kingritz: okay let's try this: here was my first round of cuts for unplayability
4:12 Kingritz: (when you come back)
4:16 jravitz: oky sorry
4:16 jravitz: so
4:16 jravitz: it would be easy to dismiss the blue and the white
4:16 jravitz: i mean
4:17 jravitz: our attention has primarily been on the other colors
4:17 jravitz: but it's important not to make exactly that type of mistake
4:17 jravitz: but in general
4:17 jravitz: having blue and white in your sealed deck
4:17 jravitz: is an exception
4:17 jravitz: because they are the colors that dont have removal really
4:17 Kingritz: right
4:18 Kingritz: though with 9 merfolk here + a changeling there might almost be a tribal deck
4:18 Kingritz: but i'm not thinking it's best
4:18 jravitz: well
4:18 jravitz: it's true
4:18 jravitz: if you compared it
4:18 jravitz: theres no way you'd decide to play UW
4:18 jravitz: in this pool4:18 jravitz: even THOUGH it's that strong
4:18 jravitz: simply because its missing that
4:18 jravitz: the removal
4:19 jravitz: and the good cards are all tribal in UW
4:19 jravitz: like summon the school
4:19 jravitz: and drowner etc
4:19 jravitz: im sure you coud get close to 20-23 cards
4:19 jravitz: with a black splash
4:19 jravitz: we should look at it
4:19 jravitz: but our good treefolk deck will probably still look better
4:19 Kingritz: yeah, but i assume we'll end up B/G/r
4:19 Kingritz: just from first impression
4:20 Kingritz: is hoarder's greed playable?
4:20 jravitz: nah
4:20 jravitz: it's kind of a lose-lose
4:20 jravitz: you can only cast it when you're very far aead
4:20 jravitz: ahead**
4:21 jravitz: so, it's pretty easy to get up to 24 cards
4:21 jravitz: with UW and b for removal
4:21 Kingritz: yeah it is
4:21 jravitz: and it deosnt look bad
4:21 jravitz: but there are a shortage of creatures for one
4:21 Kingritz: 11 really good merfolk and filler
4:21 jravitz: and i am not convinced that summon the school and swell with courage are better than
4:21 jravitz: wort with nameless inversion and changelings
4:21 jravitz: as well as
4:22 jravitz: thorntooth witch with treefolk
4:22 jravitz: and briarhorn
4:22 Kingritz: right
4:22 jravitz: the mana would work
4:22 jravitz: though
4:22 jravitz: maybe there is some limiited-matchup where it would be better to have a defensive milling deck but i really cant think of that situation
4:23 Kingritz: how is pyroclast consul here?
4:23 jravitz: i feel like the merfolk deck would lose the games where the drowner got killed and it was being attacked by flyers
4:23 Kingritz: it's RR but it seems strong otherwise
4:23 jravitz: it's a great card
4:23 jravitz: but it really has no place
4:23 jravitz: in fact overall the red is pretty weak
4:23 jravitz: a few cards stand out
4:23 Kingritz: not worth trying to splash in?
4:23 jravitz: nah
4:23 jravitz: not at all
4:23 jravitz: might be ontrarry to what i was saying before
4:23 Kingritz: for, say, consul, spitebellows, torchrunner, since wort is going in?
4:23 jravitz: but hte fact of the matter is it isn't good enough
4:24 jravitz: spitebellow is one we're going to play I Think
4:24 jravitz: along with Wort
4:24 jravitz: but I think that's the only red we'll be playing
4:24 Kingritz: and not mudbutton?
4:24 jravitz: the torchrunner is not good enough by himself
4:24 Kingritz: hmm
4:24 jravitz: if you never see wort
4:24 jravitz: he is hard to cast (comparatively)
4:24 jravitz: and relatively weak
4:24 Kingritz: seemed like a solid defensive guy to ramp up to the higher costs
4:24 Kingritz: but i trust your judgment
4:25 jravitz: if we had fodder launch
4:25 jravitz: and another goblin or so
4:25 Kingritz: handservant with 3 changelings?
4:25 jravitz: i could see it
4:25 jravitz: but wort alone i dont think its a good enough reason
4:25 Kingritz: probably not, right?
4:25 jravitz: well handservnt is good
4:25 jravitz: because it triggers from your opponent
4:25 jravitz: but im not convinced it belongs
4:25 jravitz: i think there are like 19 cards we're definitely playing
4:25 jravitz: and then we're filling in the rest
4:25 Kingritz: weird question
4:25 jravitz: go ahead
4:25 Kingritz: would you play the off-color vivid?
4:25 Kingritz: probably not, right?
4:25 jravitz: i wouldnt in this deck
4:26 Kingritz: okay
4:26 jravitz: we hve teh GB land
4:26 jravitz: which basically gives us a free mountain
4:26 jravitz: in the land-math equation
4:26 Kingritz: i haven't played much MOR, how are thornbite and diviner's wand?
4:26 jravitz: both are really goo
4:26 jravitz: d
4:26 Kingritz: i know the battleaxe would be awesome if we had it
4:26 Kingritz: oh
4:26 Kingritz: okay
4:26 jravitz: but it isnt like we're going to play both
4:26 jravitz: they're also very slow
4:26 jravitz: -- actually -- lots of treefolks are shamans
4:26 Kingritz: would you run the off-tribe wand? or just the on-tribe staff?
4:27 Kingritz: i know the staff is on-tribe
4:27 jravitz: not the wand
4:27 Kingritz: and there's 2 changelings
4:27 jravitz: it's just too slow if you're not in wizards
4:27 jravitz: in the other deck i'd run both
4:27 jravitz: you have the Giant who gets equipment
4:27 Kingritz: yeah i saw that
4:27 jravitz: and you need removal in that deck
4:27 jravitz: so the staff is kind of removal
4:27 Kingritz: and the wand is flying defense
4:27 Kingritz: sort of
4:27 jravitz: vaguely
4:27 Kingritz: so right now i have 25 cards in plus 2 lands,
4:27 Kingritz: and i'm still trimming
4:28 jravitz: i like to do it the other way
4:28 Kingritz: i guess torchrunner goes next, giving me 24
4:28 Kingritz: oh
4:28 Kingritz: is it better or just a preference matter?
4:28 Kingritz: i almost always cut down rather than build up
4:28 jravitz: i like to find the ones I REALLY want to play
4:28 jravitz: and then add to them
4:28 jravitz: i dont know, it's always been easier for me
4:28 Kingritz: okay
4:28 Kingritz: i can try the other way with the next pool
4:28 jravitz: sure
4:28 jravitz: so
4:28 Kingritz: so here's the 24 i have right now...
4:28 jravitz: k
4:28 Kingritz: i still probably want to cut one more of course
4:29 jravitz: yep yep
4:30 Kingritz: boggart birth rite, thoughtseize, springleaf drum, handservant, nameless inversion, lignify, thornbite staff, blightsoil druid, bosk banneret, elvish warrior, woodland changeling,
footbottom feast, gilt-leaf ambush, elvish harbinger, briarhorn, final-sting faerie, wort, final revels, weed strangle, violet pall, game-trail changeling, weed-pruner poplar, spitebellows, thorntooth witch
4:30 Kingritz: i might cut birth rite but it has a lot of excellent targets
4:30 jravitz: right
4:30 jravitz: how many did you say that was?
4:30 Kingritz: so, any clear mistakes (ins or outs) you see?
4:30 Kingritz: that's 24
4:31 Kingritz: plus grotto and palace obviously will be in, as two of the lands
4:31 jravitz: right
4:31 jravitz: im just trying to see whts different
4:31 jravitz: i feell ike that should be 26
4:31 Kingritz: right now my top "out" cards are pyroclast consult, mudbutton torchrunner, thieving sprite, battlewand oak,
4:31 jravitz: ohh
4:31 Kingritz: should oak be in?
4:31 jravitz: well you certainly cant cut the oak
4:31 Kingritz: i hate that guy
4:31 Kingritz: okay
4:32 jravitz: interesting
4:32 jravitz: how come?
4:32 Kingritz: he just seems so weak to me, i have never really drafted them
4:32 jravitz: well in a treefolk deck he's actually pretty strong
4:32 jravitz: he can attack for 3 about 3 times
4:32 jravitz: in the early turns
4:32 jravitz: and then later on you can hold your forests
4:32 Kingritz: seems like half the time he's a trained armodon and the rest he's a 1/3
4:32 Kingritz: okay
4:32 jravitz: well, 3/5.
4:32 jravitz: he's hard to kill
4:32 Kingritz: so that's 25
4:32 jravitz: plus -- in this deck -- he triggers the witch
4:32 jravitz: which is most important
4:32 Kingritz: what one am i still missing?
4:33 Kingritz: everbark shaman?
4:33 jravitz: yea
4:33 jravitz: he's good too
4:33 Kingritz: really?
4:33 Kingritz: wow
4:33 jravitz: well no
4:33 jravitz: sorry haha
4:33 jravitz: he isnt Great
4:33 jravitz: like he isnt even as good as battelwand oak
4:33 jravitz: but in a tribal deck
4:33 jravitz: with thorntooth witch
4:33 jravitz: he's important
4:33 Kingritz: i guess he's synergistic with the oak and witch
4:33 jravitz: i mean, they all are 4:33 Kingritz: so now i have 26
4:33 jravitz: right
4:33 jravitz: i cut the Springleaf Drum
4:33 jravitz: already having two 'mana elves'
4:33 Kingritz: yeah i guess with only 2 high-end red cards
4:33 jravitz: and two 'mana fixers'
4:34 jravitz: and im not , to be honest, totally convinced the spitebellows belongs
4:34 Kingritz: makes sense
4:34 jravitz: because without the ability to evoke him
4:34 jravitz: he might not be great
4:34 Kingritz: hmmm
4:34 jravitz: not to mention it improves our mana
4:34 Kingritz: he could perhaps get evoked
4:34 Kingritz: though not easily
4:34 jravitz: right
4:34 jravitz: it's a rare situation
4:34 Kingritz: there's a lot of removal here already
4:34 jravitz: i like to build with the worst-case scenarios in mind
4:34 Kingritz: pall, revels, strangle, inversion, pruner
4:34 jravitz: yep
4:34 jravitz: and the witch
4:34 Kingritz: lignify
4:34 Kingritz: and witch
4:34 jravitz: controlling creatures will be not difficult
4:35 Kingritz: okay so out goes spitebellows
4:35 jravitz: yep
4:35 Kingritz: this is a 17 land deck, yes?
4:35 jravitz: because of the two elves
4:35 jravitz: yes
4:35 Kingritz: high curve, even with the two mana guys
4:35 jravitz: the curve doesnt look that bad though
4:35 jravitz: really...
4:35 jravitz: you see all the 5 mana spells
4:35 jravitz: but like
4:35 Kingritz: 5 at 5, 2 at 6
4:35 jravitz: you dont cast them on turn 5
4:35 Kingritz: and they're important guys
4:36 jravitz: you can cast them whenever
4:36 jravitz: they're just spells
4:36 Kingritz: well not the removal perhaps
4:36 jravitz: which one do you have at 6
4:36 jravitz: just the witch right?
4:36 Kingritz: oh right i put the shaman in and didn't resort
4:36 jravitz: thats fine
4:36 Kingritz: 6 at 5 and 1 at 6
4:36 jravitz: he's only a 5
4:36 Kingritz: right
4:36 Kingritz: i know that; silly oversight
4:36 jravitz: no problem :)
4:36 Kingritz: so in general
4:36 Kingritz: how many lands is lrw-mor sealed as a format?
4:36 Kingritz: i play 16 often in drafts
4:37 jravitz: in general i think you'll play 17
4:37 jravitz: i think the fewest you'd play is 15 and the most is 19
4:37 Kingritz: in sealed specifically? or also true of the drafts?
4:37 jravitz: those are extremes
4:37 Kingritz: naturally
4:37 jravitz: in draft i dont really stray from 17 or 18
4:37 jravitz: i dont like to take the risk
4:37 Kingritz: no?
4:37 Kingritz: hmm
4:37 Kingritz: okay
4:37 jravitz: some decks call for 16 lands
4:37 Kingritz: i probably play 16 most often in draft
4:37 jravitz: but more often than not the 17th is worth it
4:37 Kingritz: and the rest almost all 17
4:37 jravitz: ya
4:38 jravitz: so we have to cut one more card
4:38 Kingritz: maybe 70%/30% between 16 and 17
4:38 Kingritz: right
4:38 jravitz: hmm
4:38 jravitz: what colors are you drafting?
4:38 jravitz: all?
4:38 jravitz: i feel like the agressive white decks are the ones where you would be playing less lands
4:38 jravitz: and i dont draft it that often
4:38 Kingritz: all, though in MOR i seem to end up in merfolk A LOT
4:38 jravitz: yeah i feel like if you
4:38 jravitz: which is.. .why i dont run 16
4:39 Kingritz: okay
4:39 jravitz: and as my decks get *better* i play more lands
4:39 jravitz: because
4:39 jravitz: theres just no reason to risk losing with a good deck, that way
4:39 Kingritz: so i am struggling with the cut here
4:39 jravitz: i think it's easy
4:39 jravitz: but
4:39 jravitz: it took a second to come to the decision
4:39 Kingritz: i like handservant for the curve, and birth rite for recurring the best stuff
4:39 Kingritz: i might take out birth rite
4:39 jravitz: i'd say if we didnt have Wort
4:39 jravitz: we should cut the BR
4:40 jravitz: since it's just the inversion and two dudes
4:40 jravitz: but with worti think its a must play
4:40 Kingritz: to recur wort?
4:40 jravitz: i cut the handservant
4:40 jravitz: yeah
4:40 jravitz: extra wort
4:40 jravitz: extra inversion
4:40 jravitz: that's a lot of incentive
4:40 Kingritz: mainly?
4:40 Kingritz: oh okay
4:40 Kingritz: that was on my short list of possible cuts
4:40 Kingritz: i liked it for the curve
4:40 jravitz: the servant?
4:40 Kingritz: yeah
4:40 jravitz: well you have to consider the times when yo udont draw him for turn 1
4:40 jravitz: you dont have Lys Alana Hunt's master
4:40 jravitz: you dont have immaculate magistrate
4:41 jravitz: you dont have imperious perfect
4:41 jravitz: you dont have Lys Alana scarblade
4:41 jravitz: you have basically nothing to do with him
4:41 Kingritz: heh
4:41 Kingritz: okay
4:41 jravitz: so he's pretty bad
4:41 jravitz: but on turn 1 he is useful of course
4:41 jravitz: just important to remember all the times he will be bad
4:41 jravitz: when yuor opponent topdecks a 6 drop
4:41 jravitz: and you draw him
4:41 jravitz: :(
4:41 Kingritz: okay
4:41 jravitz: know what i mean?
4:41 Kingritz: so i seem to be about 2 or 3 cards off from building the "optimal" list
4:41 jravitz: yep
4:41 Kingritz: in some of these cases
4:42 Kingritz: which isn't awful, but it isn't "good" either
4:42 jravitz: once you got past the idea of splashing the consul you seemed to understand
4:42 jravitz: 3 relevant sideboard cards in this deck
4:42 jravitz: (handservant, lace with moonglove and the thieving sprite)
4:42 Kingritz: nath's buffoon relevant at all?
4:42 Kingritz: blocks any changeling all day
4:42 jravitz: yeah the problem with him is that once they play a non elf
4:42 jravitz: he is really bad
4:43 jravitz: he's a lot better in a gobli ndeck
4:43 jravitz: goblin**
4:43 Kingritz: also, any chance against weenies, like, say, merfolk, consul could still become relevant?
4:43 jravitz: i dont think i'd board him in throughout the course of an 8 round ptq
4:43 Kingritz: okay
4:43 jravitz: i dont think so, the counsel --
4:43 jravitz: he has a few triggers
4:43 jravitz: but hte RR is a big concern
4:43 Kingritz: shamans
4:43 jravitz: right
4:43 jravitz: i feel like it would be too much of a pipe dream
4:43 Kingritz: yeah, okay, i was mainly thinking, vs, say, UW merfolk
4:43 jravitz: to coun on him
4:43 Kingritz: okay
4:43 jravitz: it might be worth it
4:43 Kingritz: anyway, lands
4:43 jravitz: if they have summon the school
4:44 jravitz: but if they dont show that to you
4:44 Kingritz: like if they have the UWb build of this pool {y}
4:44 jravitz: i dont think it's worth it
4:44 jravitz: i think the UWb version gets crushed by this version
4:44 Kingritz: so this seems like 2 mtns and then just even between swamps/forests
4:44 jravitz: final revels is practically blank for them -- violet pall kills none of our good guys
4:44 jravitz: yep
4:44 jravitz: well
4:44 jravitz: its not even clear you need two whole mountains
4:44 jravitz: but i think its affordabe
4:45 Kingritz: wort seems pretty important and the mana ought to be good for it
4:45 jravitz: ideally we'd play 1.5 mountains, the grotto (and the 1/2elf)
4:45 jravitz: but yeah
4:45 jravitz: we can afford it
4:45 jravitz: 2 mountains grotto g/b land
4:45 Kingritz: 13 between swamps forests
4:45 jravitz: and an extra forest in the count
4:45 Kingritz: 8th forest?
4:45 Kingritz: er 7th
4:45 Kingritz: right
4:45 jravitz: because of Elvish Warrior
4:45 Kingritz: for the warrior
4:45 jravitz: yep
4:45 jravitz: you knew it
4:45 Kingritz: yeah good i was on the right track there
4:45 jravitz: yep
4:45 jravitz: against white
4:45 jravitz: with Neck Snap
4:45 jravitz: or
4:45 jravitz: in the rare case of Austere Command
4:46 Kingritz: yes?
4:46 jravitz: thieving sprite will be good
4:46 jravitz: so you'll bring that in
4:46 Kingritz: okay
4:46 jravitz: in any green-on-green
4:46 jravitz: you'll bring in lace
4:46 jravitz: (deathtouch thing)
4:46 Kingritz: and the spitebellows in green on green i assume?
4:46 jravitz: probably
4:46 jravitz: hes got 6 power
4:46 Kingritz: right
4:46 jravitz: and he's kind of annoying
4:46 jravitz: so..
4:46 jravitz: just hae to be careful
4:46 jravitz: not to set yourself to get screwed
4:47 jravitz: and the handservant will be good
4:47 jravitz: in some obvious scenarios
4:47 jravitz: either they have a multitude of changelings
4:47 jravitz: or giants
4:47 jravitz: or both
4:47 Kingritz: so there's this list done.
4:47 jravitz: so -- while we managed to spend time discussing this -- i think it was definitely something you'd come around to in your own time, and relatively fast
4:47 jravitz: do you agree?
4:47 Kingritz: pretty close
4:47 jravitz: do you think you'd play the consul
4:47 jravitz: if i werent here
4:47 Kingritz: i expect i'd have ended up in these colors
4:48 Kingritz: i might have played the torchrunner and spitebellows
4:48 Kingritz: over the two treefolk
4:48 jravitz: yeah
4:48 jravitz: definitely tempting
4:48 Kingritz: that's where i most likely would have gone off
4:48 Alpha_Centauri1: I would almost certainly have ended up in merfolk
4:48 jravitz: but im sure you can see why optimizing your main tribe
4:48 Alpha_Centauri1: lol
4:48 jravitz: really?
4:48 jravitz: haha
4:48 Kingritz: i liked the merfolk
4:48 Kingritz: but wort is sort of irresistable
4:48 Alpha_Centauri1: with the black splash
4:48 jravitz: one thing i didnt really emphasize enough is the power level issue
4:48 jravitz: overall the merfolk deck is pretty synergistic
4:48 Kingritz: i mean, wort with two ways to recur and the inversion
4:48 jravitz: and you arent even scrounging for removal
4:48 jravitz: since you have plenty to splash from black
4:48 jravitz: but the cards are so much weaker
4:49 Kingritz: we can try to build that deck later and play it against this build
4:49 Kingritz: or against the other pool
4:49 Alpha_Centauri1: by themselves, you mean?
4:49 Kingritz: in a vacuum, yes
4:49 jravitz: yeah
4:49 Kingritz: with merfolk my main concern would be playing a deck with significant amounts of removal
4:49 jravitz: ..and final revels..
4:49 Kingritz: b/c i feel like losing key merfolk would make it look AWFUL
4:49 jravitz: yep
4:50 jravitz: that deck had only one counterspell (and not a hard counter)
4:50 jravitz: and no shelter or graceful reprieve
4:50 jravitz: the shelter.. is called something else
4:50 jravitz: i dont remember
4:50 jravitz: some kind of clash thing
4:50 Kingritz: yeah that clash one
4:50 Kingritz: um
4:50 Kingritz: i can see the picture
4:50 Kingritz: in my head
4:50 Alpha_Centauri1: yeah, it is fragile - maybe almost good enough
4:50 Alpha_Centauri1: I am impartial to merfolk them, b/c I find them fun
4:50 Alpha_Centauri1: and I hate treefolk
4:50 Kingritz: like i said, we can try building it later
4:50 jravitz: its just too fragile in the end
4:50 jravitz: and it has a lot going for it
4:50 jravitz: yeah, it is pretty fun to smash
4:50 jravitz: with lots of 1/1s
4:50 jravitz: okay, you want to try my pool now?
4:51 Kingritz: yeah
4:51 jravitz: okay lets do it
4:51 jravitz: i havent ven really looked at mine
4:51 jravitz: outsode of green
4:51 Kingritz: okay i like the blue here
4:51 Kingritz: actually
4:51 Kingritz: a lot
4:52 Kingritz: but i'm just starting on it
4:52 Kingritz: it has good fliers and notorious throng
4:52 Alpha_Centauri1: well, at least you got some money rares you can sell after this kingritz
4:52 jravitz: :)
4:52 Kingritz: foil notorious throng
4:52 Alpha_Centauri1: I see doran here lol
4:52 Kingritz: {s}
4:52 Kingritz: oh really?
4:52 Kingritz: score!
4:52 Kingritz: doran and thoughtseize {s}
4:52 Alpha_Centauri1: and throughtseize
4:52 Kingritz: ah
4:52 Kingritz: redeem the lost
4:52 Kingritz: that's the shelter
4:52 jravitz: yeah
4:53 jravitz: true
4:53 Kingritz: true what?
4:53 jravitz: that is the name lol
4:53 Kingritz: ah
4:54 jravitz: anything else grabbing your attention
4:54 jravitz: in this
4:54 Kingritz: i see dreamspoilers and good cards to go with faeries in blue, white has good removal but lousy guys for the most part (though it has plover knights)
4:54 Kingritz: i am not to R/G yet
4:54 jravitz: well you certainly saw that the mana fixing in this is much more limited
4:54 Kingritz: there's actually most of the good rogue/faerie pieces in here
4:55 Kingritz: right
4:55 Kingritz: just vivid plus whatever is in green (have yet to look)
4:55 Kingritz: door of destinites seems bomby
4:55 Kingritz: i know ashling is a bomb
4:55 jravitz: ashling is quite good
4:55 Kingritz: or so i've heard; never played one
4:55 jravitz: as is thundercloud shaman
4:55 Kingritz: i know it went 1st pick at a
4:55 Kingritz: one of those pro things
4:55 jravitz: door of destinies on the other hand is not a card i think you can even play really
4:56 Kingritz: oh?
4:56 jravitz: unless you're super-focused
4:56 Kingritz: oh well
4:56 jravitz: like it would be good in a deck with 22 elves
4:56 Kingritz: giant harbinger to get thundercloud
4:56 jravitz: yep
4:56 jravitz: but not enough giants!
4:56 Kingritz: and a changeling
4:56 jravitz: red is largely disappointing
4:56 Kingritz: wow, imperious perfect AND immaculate magistrate
4:56 jravitz: yeah
4:56 Kingritz: okay so we're playing green
4:56 jravitz: the plot
4:56 jravitz: thickens
4:56 Kingritz: green is ridiculous
4:57 Alpha_Centauri1: pretty weak on other elves, though
4:57 Kingritz: i see why you only looked at green
4:57 Kingritz: there's plenty of elves
4:57 jravitz: haha i love green
4:57 jravitz: its my favorite color in this formt
4:57 Kingritz: magistrate, perfect, elite, oak makes an elf, hunting triad, branchbender
4:57 Kingritz: game-trail
4:57 jravitz: and the bowmaster
4:57 Kingritz: and bowmaster
4:57 jravitz: and nath's elite
4:57 Kingritz: plenty of elves
4:57 Kingritz: i said elite {s}
4:57 jravitz: there's a fair bit of elvish ness
4:57 jravitz: oh ok sorry
4:57 jravitz: missed it :)
4:57 Kingritz: no problem
4:58 Alpha_Centauri1: yeah, theres a few
4:58 jravitz: see here is a harder pool to build
4:58 jravitz: i am discounting the red already, in my mind
4:58 jravitz: and i am discounting most o teh white
4:58 jravitz: but that still leaves quite a bit of manueverability
4:58 Kingritz: you don't think any of the red is splashable?
4:58 jravitz: only the tarfire
4:58 Kingritz: red and white are clearly splash-only
4:58 jravitz: and given teh choice between tarfire
4:59 jravitz: or oblivion ring and weight, and possibly doran,
4:59 jravitz: tarfire isnt going to make it in this deck
4:59 Kingritz: neck snap no good to splash?
4:59 jravitz: nah
4:59 Kingritz: i know it's not super-exciting removal
4:59 Kingritz: but it is removal
4:59 jravitz: its on the lower end of cards
4:59 jravitz: like it takes so much time to use
4:59 jravitz: its better in a bue deck, also
4:59 jravitz: blue**
4:59 jravitz: which we might be
4:59 jravitz: but im not sure
5:00 jravitz: since you can leave up the 2/3 flyer
5:00 Kingritz: the black is really not making me happy outside of a tribal rogue deck
5:00 Kingritz: a lot of the stuff is pretty specific
5:00 jravitz: and if they attack with their 3/3 only
5:00 jravitz: you can neck snap it
5:00 jravitz: well the best part of the black seems to be
5:00 jravitz: the 2 changelings and the didain
5:00 jravitz: disdain**
5:00 jravitz: i seem to be lagging a bit now
5:00 Kingritz: and the dreamspoilers
5:00 jravitz: sure, the witch
5:00 jravitz: on the other hand
5:01 jravitz: if we end up playing Green black and white we get a free doran to play with
5:01 jravitz: which is a nice bonus
5:01 Kingritz: and it seems like mannequin might be pretty solid
5:01 Kingritz: right
5:01 jravitz: but im not sure it's worth pushing in that direction
5:01 Kingritz: but i like the depth of the blue
5:01 jravitz: the Mannequin has a few nice targets (nevermaker and aethersnipe)
5:01 jravitz: and some targets that are ok like perfect and magistrate
5:01 jravitz: so we can all agree surey tha
5:01 jravitz: the green is the base
5:01 Kingritz: yeah it's pretty insane
5:01 Kingritz: the only thing is
5:01 Kingritz: since it doesn't play nice with anything,
5:02 Kingritz: i'm sure i'd take a second look at UB rogues
5:02 Kingritz: but probably still end up with green
5:02 jravitz: we can do that too
5:02 jravitz: there are only about 9 good green cards for this
5:02 Kingritz: rogues is way lower power but fits together really nicely
5:02 jravitz: there is some filler
5:02 jravitz: but it doesnt really matter at the moment
5:02 jravitz: maybe it's worth going the other way then
5:02 jravitz: and playing UB splash green
5:02 jravitz: but im not sure that's better than UB splash white
5:03 jravitz: perfect and magistrate are both really insane
5:03 Kingritz: so for now, the top of the power curve is GBw
5:03 Kingritz: though it's shallower
5:03 Kingritz: so let's try that first
5:03 Kingritz: and see just how shallow it is
5:03 jravitz: maybe about 17 and we could stretch to get a bit more
5:03 jravitz: but it doesnt seem to be worth it
5:04 Kingritz: pretty shallow
5:04 jravitz: if we had more mana fixers
5:04 jravitz: we could add some blue too
5:04 jravitz: but i dont think this is gonna work
5:04 Kingritz: i could get 22
5:04 Kingritz: but not pretty
5:04 jravitz: well
5:04 jravitz: you have to play like a small rogue theme?
5:04 jravitz: or
5:05 jravitz: the bad treefolk?
5:05 jravitz: either way i dont love it
5:05 Kingritz: weight, sentry oak, o-ring, neck snap, mannequin, black poplar, dreamspoiler, pack's disdain, two black changelings
5:05 jravitz: yeah
5:05 Kingritz: stalactite
5:05 jravitz: splashing for some of those isnt that hot
5:05 Kingritz: and then all the solid green card
5:05 Kingritz: s
5:05 jravitz: oh, i forgot the stalactite
5:05 jravitz: one more
5:05 jravitz: 18 i'd be happy with
5:05 jravitz: finding the rest would be really hard
5:05 Kingritz: plus with all the changelings one could possibly play the greatheart
5:06 Kingritz: there's like 3 or 4 changelings and a stalactite
5:06 Kingritz: but this is not exciting
5:06 jravitz: nah
5:06 Kingritz: bomby but really shallow
5:06 jravitz: truthfully ive already moved on
5:06 jravitz: two good green cards
5:06 Kingritz: okay i want to look at UB core
5:06 jravitz: is not enough
5:06 jravitz: yeah im there
5:06 Kingritz: sorry; i'm slower
5:06 jravitz: thats no problem
5:06 jravitz: :)
5:06 jravitz: i didnt want to say it
5:06 jravitz: i dont want to rush you
5:06 Kingritz: thanks
5:06 jravitz: important for you to get as much as possible out of this
5:06 jravitz: etc
5:07 Kingritz: thoughts on captivating glance? playable at all?
5:07 jravitz: nah
5:07 jravitz: you only win about 30% of the clashes
5:07 Kingritz: 30?
5:07 jravitz: yeah
5:07 Kingritz: i thought it was closer to 40
5:07 Kingritz: okay, 30%, good to know
5:07 jravitz: its like mid thirties or low
5:07 jravitz: even 40 it wouldnt be great
5:08 Kingritz: it just reminded me vaguely of that red card... where the guy went to whoever targeted
5:08 Kingritz: that card was a sleeped limited hit
5:08 jravitz: it is slightly in that vein
5:08 jravitz: but that card was aesome
5:08 jravitz: and this card kinda sucks :)
5:08 Kingritz: okay, good to know
5:08 Kingritz: i knew that other card was awesome
5:08 jravitz: yeah
5:08 jravitz: it was really good
5:08 jravitz: since htere were like 5 red pingers or something
5:08 jravitz: or 3
5:08 jravitz: i dont remember anymore :)
5:09 Kingritz: i have about 20 solid UB cards
5:09 jravitz: yeah i think we're in the same place
5:09 Kingritz: could easily splash up to 23 in white or green
5:09 jravitz: yep
5:09 jravitz: since this deck has almost no removal
5:10 jravitz: i think we'd have to play teh white
5:10 jravitz: including neck snap
5:10 Kingritz: so here's my UB core (remember i tend to cut down rather than up, so i may have a couple borderline cards):
5:10 jravitz: sure
5:11 Kingritz: throng, ponder, negate, wings of velis veil, ameboid changeling, dewdrop spy, fencer clique, nevermaker, sentinels of glen elendra, silvergill adept, aethersnipe, morsel theft,
mannequin, pack's disdain, dreamspoiler witches, moonglove changeling, prickly boggart, stinkdrinker bandit, skeletal changeling
5:11 Kingritz: that's 20
5:12 Kingritz: plus neck snap, o-ring, weight for 23
5:12 Kingritz: oh and i forgot the stalactite is possible too
5:12 jravitz: yeah we're exactly the same
5:12 jravitz: although i have stalactite in automatically
5:12 jravitz: and not the negate
5:12 Kingritz: great!
5:12 jravitz: oh wait may be not
5:12 Kingritz: i heard some people didn't care for stalactite all that much
5:13 jravitz: well i dont love it
5:13 Kingritz: though i guess for rogues the typing is pretty useful
5:13 jravitz: do you have the Weirding Shaman?
5:13 Kingritz: uh, no
5:13 Kingritz: should i?
5:13 jravitz: but I love it with
5:13 jravitz: the uhh
5:13 jravitz: evasion gus
5:13 jravitz: guys
5:13 Kingritz: okay
5:13 Kingritz: should i have weirding shaman?
5:13 jravitz: yeah
5:13 jravitz: i dont have the silvergal adept
5:13 Kingritz: he seemed like a 2/1 for 2 with a pretty lousy ability
5:13 jravitz: because there simply arent enough merfolk
5:13 jravitz: nah his ability is awesome!
5:13 Kingritz: really?
5:13 Kingritz: there's like 3 golbins in here
5:14 jravitz: only 3?
5:14 Kingritz: total
5:14 Kingritz: um
5:14 Kingritz: there's the 3 changelings,
5:14 jravitz: 3 changelings
5:14 Kingritz: and there's... prickly
5:14 jravitz: the prickly bogard
5:14 Kingritz: so 4
5:14 jravitz: the stinkdrinker bandit
5:14 Kingritz: oh
5:14 Kingritz: 5
5:14 Kingritz: okay
5:14 jravitz: the amoebid changeling AND the stalactite can change other guys
5:14 jravitz: and so can the wings
5:14 Kingritz: okay okay
5:14 jravitz: so thats some synergy that might be worth keeping in mind
5:14 jravitz: often he' will be indeed
5:14 Kingritz: you've pushed me into it
5:14 jravitz: a 2/1 for 2
5:14 jravitz: and he'll trade
5:14 jravitz: and that will be that
5:15 jravitz: but some late games he'll be gg for your opponent
5:15 Kingritz: so i have 25 possibles
5:15 Kingritz: this seems very solid
5:15 Kingritz: good removal here
5:15 Kingritz: good fliers
5:15 Kingritz: okay let me try to figure out what i might cut
5:15 Kingritz: the thing with adept is,
5:16 Kingritz: there's still 4 guys for it
5:16 Kingritz: not enough i guess
5:16 Kingritz: wish there were about 2 more
5:16 jravitz: well
5:16 Kingritz: not one playable blue merfolk other than adept is sort of amazing
5:16 jravitz: it's like the handservant
5:16 jravitz: (i know, pretty rare)
5:17 jravitz: better to plan for when he is worst
5:17 jravitz: than when he is best
5:17 jravitz: the ponder makes him better, too, truthfully
5:17 jravitz: since you could theoretically search for a merfolk
5:17 jravitz: but still
5:17 jravitz: its a lot of stretching
5:17 jravitz: and not much upside
5:17 Kingritz: i just can't wait for the game where this deck prowls out throng and bandit in the same turn
5:17 Kingritz: {s}
5:18 jravitz: yeah this deck
5:18 jravitz: can do some sick damage out of nowhere
5:18 Kingritz: okay okay i guess negate would be my last cut
5:18 Kingritz: though it would make me sad
5:18 jravitz: its between negate manequin and wings
5:18 Kingritz: i liked the mannequin a lot in this deck
5:18 jravitz: mannequin has aethersnipe nevermaker and the bandit is a key guy, so yeah
5:18 jravitz: i dont want to cut it necessarily
5:18 Kingritz: wings too, actually
5:18 jravitz: i like the wings a fair bit
5:18 Kingritz: i think i'd cut negate
5:19 jravitz: yeah
5:19 Kingritz: wings helps all the type stuff, and it's at least giant growth with all the little guys in here
5:19 jravitz: yep
5:19 jravitz: i cut the Negate previously
5:19 jravitz: but i do like it
5:19 jravitz: since most often it will be countering a rmeoval spell
5:19 jravitz: which means one of your guys will live longer
5:19 Kingritz: i think it's right to be the last card out
5:19 jravitz: since it's not a control deck
5:19 Kingritz: but of course i would trust your opinion
5:19 Kingritz: maybe
5:19 jravitz: protecting your guys is pretty important
5:19 jravitz: BUT
5:19 Kingritz: cut neck snap?
5:19 jravitz: nah
5:19 jravitz: neck snap is great in here
5:19 jravitz: on the offense you attack with some 2/1
5:19 jravitz: into their 5/5
5:20 jravitz: their guy dies
5:20 jravitz: or on turn 4 they attack into 4 mana
5:20 jravitz: expecting sentinels
5:20 jravitz: and getting hit with neck sna
5:20 jravitz: p
5:20 Kingritz: yeah okay
5:22 Kingritz: so then it has to be negate i think
5:22 Kingritz: and this looks pretty solid
5:22 Kingritz: laggy
5:22 jravitz: it also gives you a chance to outplay/glean card advantage
5:22 jravitz: which this deck -- for being a blue deck -- doesnt have that much
5:22 jravitz: so i think negatie is fine
5:22 jravitz: a bit longwinded
5:22 jravitz: but yeah
5:22 jravitz: cut negate
5:22 jravitz: ...
5:22 jravitz: oh nice
5:22 jravitz: i thought it crashed
5:22 jravitz: lucky save
5:22 jravitz: so yeah this is how i'd build this deck
5:22 jravitz: it would pain me
5:23 jravitz: 3 bombs in the board
5:23 Kingritz: i know
5:23 jravitz: or 4, with doran
5:23 Kingritz: this is how my pools usually look
5:23 Kingritz: all the bombs in the off colors
5:23 Kingritz: it drives me nuts about sealed
5:23 jravitz: yep
5:23 Kingritz: so land:
5:23 jravitz: this is a good lesson though
5:23 Kingritz: i tried and came up with 8 island, 6 swamp, 3 plains
5:23 Kingritz: left out the vivid grove
5:23 Kingritz: thoughts?
5:24 Kingritz: it could switch to 7/7/3 but there was slightly more blue and slightly more double-costed blue
5:24 jravitz: you went 8/6 where i'd have gone 7/7
5:24 Kingritz: b/c of prickly?
5:24 jravitz: the only thing is that you have prickly bogart
5:24 Kingritz: yeah
5:24 jravitz: who is really demanding
5:24 jravitz: yep
5:24 jravitz: see you know this stuff :)
5:24 Kingritz: okay that makes sense, i looked at the prickly
5:24 Kingritz: i was a little in between
5:24 jravitz: i mean it's true you have fencer and dewdrop
5:25 jravitz: but those are fine later
5:25 Kingritz: but i would have gone 8/6 if i were building on my own
5:25 jravitz: yeah
5:25 jravitz: thats fair
5:25 jravitz: 8/6 isnt that bad
5:25 Kingritz: 7/7 is probably right, i mean
5:25 jravitz: in general
5:25 Kingritz: just pointing out where you're better than me {s}
5:25 jravitz: i try to have as even mana as possible
5:25 jravitz: unless i have good cause not to do so
5:25 Kingritz: okay
5:25 Kingritz: looks good
5:25 jravitz: when it's close, like this
5:25 jravitz: i'd err on being even
5:25 Kingritz: so now do you want to try a match with these decks?
5:26 jravitz: sure
5:26 Kingritz: or go back and look at the UWb build of the other?
5:26 jravitz: totally up to you
5:26 Kingritz: out of curiosity mostly, since i like the treefolk build and would have built it
5:26 jravitz: we could discuss the merfolk?
5:26 Kingritz: let's try a match so you can show me how many play errors i make
5:26 Kingritz: {s}
5:26 jravitz: lol sure
5:26 Kingritz: and then we can discuss the merfolk if there's time
5:26 jravitz: i guess i can only build one deck
5:26 jravitz: so you're gonna play the treefolk deck right?
5:26 Kingritz: right
5:26 jravitz: let me put this together
5:26 jravitz: one sec
<GAME PLAYED>
5:57 jravitz: That staff really tears my kinda deck up
5:57 jravitz: so little i can do about it
5:57 Kingritz: so on my turn 3 i had inversion, thornbite, woodland changeling, everbark, pall, gametrail, ambush (forest, swamp, blightsoil vs island, swamp, plains, moonglove in play)
5:57 Kingritz: i played staff before woodland
5:57 Kingritz: i wasn't certain
5:57 jravitz: I think that's fine
5:58 jravitz: if you know what my deck is
5:58 Kingritz: i couldve gone woodland first to try to stabilize the board, or even inversion and swing
5:58 jravitz: but most often you want to get the woodland changeling out
5:58 Kingritz: oh
5:58 jravitz: to start attacking
5:58 jravitz: 4 free points of damage
5:58 Kingritz: i tried to make the play i would make sight-unseen
5:58 jravitz: yah
5:58 jravitz: sight unseen i'd go the other way
5:58 jravitz: the staff happens to be great against me
5:58 Kingritz: you think in general better to go woodland first and not get the free equip
5:58 Kingritz: okay
5:58 Kingritz: good to know
5:58 jravitz: so.. paying "two damage"
5:58 jravitz: to equip it
5:58 jravitz: is worth it
5:58 jravitz: but against some decks it might be too slow
5:58 jravitz: and not great
5:58 Kingritz: yeah it's also the free equip i cared about
5:58 jravitz: whereas u might need the damage
5:59 Kingritz: 4 mana difference
5:59 Kingritz: right
5:59 jravitz: yeah of course
5:59 Kingritz: well okay, that was really helpful, i know you promised me 3 hours and it's about up
5:59 Kingritz: having worked with me for this time,
5:59 jravitz: well we hae some time left
5:59 Kingritz: okay
5:59 Kingritz: {s}
5:59 jravitz: i had a few interruptions
5:59 jravitz: and you came a little late
5:59 jravitz: so if theres anything else
5:59 jravitz: i'd be glad to help
5:59 Kingritz: i was going to ask if you had any tips for me in particular
5:59 Kingritz: the other thing would be to look at the merfolk
6:00 jravitz: i find humility to be pretty important
6:00 Kingritz: i mean tips/evaluations since you've seen 3 hours of my thought process
6:00 Kingritz: okay
6:00 jravitz: im not saying you're guilty of this
6:00 Kingritz: i can come across a little arrogant at times
6:00 jravitz: nah
6:00 jravitz: im not saying that
6:00 jravitz: i mean maybe
6:00 jravitz: but...
6:00 jravitz: what i'm saying is
6:00 jravitz: if you start doing well
6:00 jravitz: know you can still improve
6:00 Kingritz: of course {s}
6:01 jravitz: and when you start to do REALLY well
6:01 jravitz: dont ever start to think you DESERVE To win
6:01 jravitz: or are too good to lose
6:01 jravitz: i have a friend
6:01 jravitz: who used to disconnect on people
6:01 jravitz: because he thought he was too good to lose to them
6:01 jravitz: its a bad attitude
6:01 jravitz: and a bad trait
6:01 jravitz: also makes the game worse for everyone else
6:01 Kingritz: okay
6:01 jravitz: as for the rest.. i wish i could send you my articles
6:01 jravitz: some good lessons
6:01 jravitz: in some of them
6:01 Kingritz: that would be fantastic
6:01 Kingritz: {s}
6:02 jravitz: maybe one in particular, hang on
6:02 Kingritz: if you have time, can we look at the merfolk build really quick?
6:02 Kingritz: if not, i understand; it's past 6 pm anyway
6:02 jravitz: we can definitely look at it for ab it
6:02 Kingritz: obviously the treefolk build was really excellent, and strongest available
6:03 Kingritz: but in some cases one might not be so blessed
6:03 jravitz: right
6:04 jravitz: its hard
6:04 jravitz: i mean
6:04 jravitz: that cardpool had two very good decks
6:04 jravitz: but as many people will tell you
6:04 jravitz: its like
6:04 jravitz: you can really only make one best play
6:04 Kingritz: yeah
6:04 jravitz: only build one best deck
6:04 jravitz: etc
6:05 jravitz: grr
6:05 jravitz: brainburst is stingy
6:06 Kingritz: they won't even give you access to your own articles?
6:06 Kingritz: amazing
6:06 Kingritz: so how did you get into writing?
6:06 jravitz: i felt like they reprinted one of my articles
6:06 jravitz: as a free one
6:06 jravitz: but i can only find the pay one
6:06 Kingritz: just won a lot and someone approached you, or what? i write some small articles on a small magic site devoted to a small format (everything is very small; it's pauper)
6:06 jravitz: my friend was the editor
6:06 jravitz: of the site
6:06 jravitz: John Fiorillo
6:06 Kingritz: heh that always helps
6:06 jravitz: they really needed a writer
6:06 jravitz: at some point
6:06 jravitz: so he came to me
6:06 jravitz: offered me a decent rate
6:06 jravitz: and i started
6:06 Kingritz: lucky you {s}
6:06 Kingritz: so clearly, the moral is: get better friends
6:06 Kingritz: {s}
6:07 jravitz: its important to have good firends with magic
6:07 jravitz: like
6:07 jravitz: need people who are willing to learn
6:07 jravitz: or better than you
6:07 jravitz: or both
6:07 Kingritz: hey i'm sure it's a pretty crazy favor to ask, but if you know any groups like that, who need someone willing to learn, i'm not bad and i can get better
6:08 Kingritz: you always hear about these pro teams and testing groups
6:08 jravitz: unfortunately im pretty far removed
6:08 jravitz: from the circles now
6:08 Kingritz: okay, no problem
6:08 jravitz: i have kept minimal contact
6:08 jravitz: when you dont see the guys every few weeks at events
6:08 jravitz: its just a lot harder
6:08 jravitz: sorry about that
6:08 jravitz: but its better to do it with your own friends
6:08 Kingritz: i understand; it's okay
6:08 jravitz: if you guys all get good
6:08 jravitz: together
6:08 jravitz: it will be that much more rewarding
6:08 Kingritz: i know, it's just hard.... i don't have much in the way of friends in most formats
6:08 Kingritz: i know a lot of people who play Pauper magic
6:09 Kingritz: but that won't get me Q'ed anywhere {s}
6:09 jravitz: nah you need the bigger picture
6:09 jravitz: what city do you live in
6:09 Kingritz: right now i'm in
6:09 Kingritz: but i'm going to be moving
6:09 jravitz: that isnt exactly a small city
6:09 Kingritz: either DC or SF
6:09 jravitz: still fine options
6:09 jravitz: there are magic communities
6:10 Kingritz: i don't have any recent offline collection
6:10 jravitz: eh
6:10 jravitz: that makes it harder
6:10 jravitz: magic definitely isnt cheap
6:10 Kingritz: i couldn't find much in DC... not a single authorized retailer in the district
6:10 Kingritz: amazingly
6:10 jravitz: thats funny
6:10 Kingritz: yeah i looked on the wizards retailer list on the web
6:10 jravitz: Dream Wizards
6:10 jravitz: is where you'd need to go in DC
6:10 jravitz: it's in
6:10 jravitz: but its close-ish
6:10 Kingritz: okay
6:10 Kingritz: dream wizards, i can take a look
6:10 jravitz: i hate to give them business since i dont really like the owner/or manager/whatever
6:10 jravitz: but it's where people go
6:11 Kingritz: so i'm looking at the merfolk build and i count 18 clear ins and about a dozen filler and/or splash options
6:11 Kingritz: want to take a look?
6:11 jravitz: ok lets see
6:11 Kingritz: and then i'll let you go, and you can email me articles whenever/if ever you find them
6:11 Kingritz: so i have these 18 clear ins:
6:12 Kingritz: swell of courage, judge of currents, stonehewer giant, stonybrook schoolmaster, summon the school, broken ambitions, drowner of secrets, fencer clique, merrow harbinger, mothdust
changeling, stonybrook angler, streambed aquitects, tideshaper mystic, waterspout weavers (could be cut?), diviner's wand, thornbite staff, springleaf drum
6:13 Kingritz: plus for lands the grotto and vivid creek
6:13 jravitz: yep
6:13 jravitz: i wouldnt cut any of those
6:13 Kingritz: anything in that's questionable, or anything in-color that i ought to have in?
6:13 Kingritz: okay
6:13 jravitz: one thing though
6:13 jravitz: do you have the streams?
6:13 jravitz: they're quiiiite good
6:13 Kingritz: not yet
6:13 Kingritz: they were filler for me
6:13 jravitz: yeah
6:13 jravitz: they're one of the best bue commons
6:13 Kingritz: okay so they should be auto-ins?
6:13 jravitz: in the 2nd set
6:13 Kingritz: wow
6:13 jravitz: yep
6:13 Kingritz: really?
6:13 jravitz: yep
6:13 Kingritz: amazing...
6:13 Kingritz: why so great?
6:13 jravitz: well
6:14 jravitz: they don cost a card
6:14 Kingritz: right
6:14 jravitz: they're VERY cheap
6:14 jravitz: and they kill big guys
6:14 jravitz: u just block with a bunch of small guys
6:14 jravitz: and make their guy a 1/5
6:14 jravitz: or something
6:14 Kingritz: okay
6:14 jravitz: favorable trade
6:14 Kingritz: good to hear
6:14 jravitz: easy to use
6:14 jravitz: also good just to stem the bleeding
6:14 Kingritz: so then i'm at 20
6:14 jravitz: 4 damage for free
6:14 jravitz: 1 mana
6:14 jravitz: i mean.
6:14 jravitz: its very useful
6:14 Kingritz: and i have almost nothing left in-color
6:14 jravitz: right
6:14 jravitz: i think i was at 20
6:14 jravitz: revels inversion pall
6:14 jravitz: finished it off
6:14 jravitz: for me
6:14 Kingritz: order of golden cricket and kithkin healer are left in color
6:14 Kingritz: not good
6:14 jravitz: i like the healer
6:14 jravitz: but i dont know
6:14 Kingritz: revels inversion pall looks good
6:14 jravitz: i think if im gonna splash black
6:14 jravitz: i might as well play all 3
6:15 Kingritz: how about footbottom feast?
6:15 Kingritz: seems like some recursion would help keep all the moving parts together
6:15 jravitz: maybe its better than the weavers
6:15 jravitz: because the weavers are pretty mierable
6:15 Kingritz: yeah i was thinking about cutting it
6:15 Kingritz: as i noted above
6:15 jravitz: i saw
6:15 jravitz: they really, just dont do anything
6:16 jravitz: like useless
6:16 jravitz: especially if you have two overruns
6:16 jravitz: for your tokens
6:16 jravitz: who cares if they are flying
6:16 jravitz: if they're all 3 power
6:17 Kingritz: i like the final sting synergy with the tokens and the staff
6:17 jravitz: yeah
6:17 Kingritz: but not good enough in a splash color, right?
6:17 jravitz: but you have to be careful
6:17 jravitz: yes
6:17 Kingritz: okay, just checking
6:17 jravitz: i saw you were a bit leaning towards
6:17 jravitz: like
6:17 jravitz: splashing MORE
6:17 jravitz: i prefer to splash less
6:17 jravitz: like the consul, the spitebellows, wort
6:17 jravitz: and the torchrunner
6:17 jravitz: but i ended up just splashing wort
6:17 Kingritz: i considered splashing up to 5 cards here
6:17 jravitz: yep
6:17 Kingritz: okay
6:17 jravitz: you really just want to splash the very best, and the very useful
6:17 jravitz: you hae a good point with the feast
6:17 Kingritz: i do like splashing the footbottom
6:17 jravitz: sucks that it costs 3
6:17 Kingritz: for this deck
6:17 jravitz: but its still good
6:18 jravitz: since you have judge
6:18 jravitz: schoolmaster
6:18 jravitz: and drowner
6:18 Kingritz: and drowner
6:18 Kingritz: right
6:18 jravitz: and douser
6:18 jravitz: so that's good
6:18 Kingritz: lots of important stuff to come back
6:18 jravitz: and obviously you know
6:18 jravitz: if you have judge/angler
6:18 jravitz: you can use the angler on its self
6:18 Kingritz: yes i am aware of that trick
6:18 jravitz: to untap it continously (2 mana/1 life)
6:18 jravitz: yeah
6:18 Kingritz: i have done it before
6:18 jravitz: figured you knew
6:18 Kingritz: did you read the chris millar article
6:18 Kingritz: on his lrw commons decks?
6:18 jravitz: nah
6:18 jravitz: truthfully i only read mike
6:19 jravitz: since im so close with him
6:19 Kingritz: and then he did a followup on doing an auction of the people with them
6:19 jravitz: i dont make much time for reading amymore
6:19 jravitz: go on
6:19 Kingritz: if you get a chance sometime,
6:19 Kingritz: the followup was based on an auction i ran
6:19 Kingritz: that he played in and wrote about
6:19 Kingritz: and i got the merfolk deck
6:19 Kingritz: and sat around with judge/judge/angler all the time
6:19 Kingritz: gaining disgusting amounts of life
6:19 jravitz: yeah
6:19 jravitz: 2 judges
6:19 jravitz: is ridiculous
6:20 jravitz: so hard to beat
6:20 jravitz: if they are in play
6:20 Kingritz: yeah somehow i got the merfolk deck at 8 cards
6:20 jravitz: i bet those auctions are pretty tricky
6:20 Kingritz: anyway, nothing too important but a longwinded way of saying "yes i know that trick"
6:20 Kingritz: i enjoyed it
6:20 jravitz: :)
6:20 jravitz: i have not participated in anyt uactions
6:21 Kingritz: nor had i
6:21 jravitz: only read about the invitational ones
6:21 jravitz: back in the day
6:21 Kingritz: but you haven't done the invitational or anything?
6:21 jravitz: now who knows
6:21 jravitz: nah
6:21 jravitz: i think at the end of 2005 i was good enough at magic to go to the invitational on merit
6:21 jravitz: but
6:21 jravitz: the beginning of 2006
6:21 jravitz: was not favorable for me
6:21 jravitz: so it didnt work out
6:21 jravitz: i think i got 3rd in one category vote
6:21 jravitz: but whatever
6:22 jravitz: water under the bridge and such
6:22 jravitz: ill be back in 3 minuts
6:22 jravitz: if you have any more questions
6:22 Kingritz: sure
6:22 Kingritz: sorry to hear about the invitational vote
6:24 Kingritz: so lands in the merfolk deck, i am wondering... it's almost a double-splash since white is pretty shallow (it seems like all of my merfolk draft decks end up being U/w/b)... would you run
vivid, grotto, (springleaf drum and tideshaper mystic), and 8/4/3 islands/plains/swamps? or what? i am a little concerned about swell and stonehewer, but they're both late drops.
6:24 Kingritz: and that's the last thing i'll ask of you, i promise
6:25 jravitz: that's no problem
6:25 jravitz: i'd run at least 5 plains
6:25 jravitz: two nonbasics
6:25 Kingritz: 5 plains for 5 white cards?
6:25 jravitz: 3 swamps
6:25 jravitz: leaves 12
6:25 jravitz: 7/5
6:25 jravitz: i think so
6:25 Kingritz: that leaves only 7 islands
6:25 jravitz: like u need to play the mearly
6:25 Kingritz: is that a comcern here?
6:25 jravitz: well the creek is an island right
6:25 Kingritz: yeah
6:26 Kingritz: but still there's a lot of early blue, like tideshaper,
6:26 jravitz: ya
6:26 jravitz: its just the combination
6:26 Kingritz: adn a couple double costed
6:26 jravitz: of judge of currentts
6:26 Kingritz: i'd be concerned
6:26 jravitz: its possible
6:26 jravitz: but you cant run 4 plains
6:26 jravitz: so :(
6:26 Kingritz: okay
6:26 Kingritz: good to know
6:26 Kingritz: i seem to often be about 1 land off in my builds,
6:26 Kingritz: based on your feedback
6:26 jravitz: just takes experience
6:27 Kingritz: alright, i have each of these saved to take a look at, and i know alpha said he's going to post the transcript on his site,
6:27 Kingritz: and i'll look forward to any articles you send me
6:27 jravitz: ill try to find some
6:27 jravitz: i fear they're gone
6:27 Kingritz: thank you so very much for your help
6:27 jravitz: no problem
6:27 Alpha_Centauri1: thanks josh - this was great
6:27 jravitz: i wish you all the luck
6:28 Kingritz: do you want to trade me back those cards?
6:28 Kingritz: {s}
6:28 jravitz: yeah let me give them to you
6:28 Kingritz: thank you alpha for putting this together
6:28 Kingritz: it's been awesome
6:28 Alpha_Centauri1: no problem! chances are good josh will be doing this as a grand prize in the future
6:28 Alpha_Centauri1: a lot will depend on how v3 pans out though
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