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 Alfndrate wrote:
You are doing a sealed tournament, they're fun most sets do these as a pre-release a week before the set hits retail.

Yeah I am really looking forward too it, it will test who actually can put a deck together well against those who just have more disposable income lol

I have disposable income but still get smacked lol!

So someone at my pre release got all five Gods in one box, and then the three Planeswalkers in the next.

How lucky can you get?!?

Eight different mythics from twelve packets? I don't believe it.

Yeah, unless your store is selling the full boxes of boosters a week before they're allowed to, I call complete and utter bullcrap.

That'd be some crazy luck right there.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
Eight different mythics from twelve packets? I don't believe it.

I pulled 4 mythics, including a foil, from five packs before, so I can see it.

So I made this gruul devotion deck. Is there any way to make it standard and just as good?

http://www.mtgdeckbuilder.net/Decks/ViewDeck/873502
Lands:

12 Mountain
12 Forest
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Boartusk Liege
4 Rubblebelt Raiders
4 Deus of Calamity
4 Karametra's Acolyte
4 Fanatic of Mogis
4 Nylea's Disciple
4 Zhur-Taa Druid
4 Savageborn Hydra

-I need to find a substitute for boartusk liege and deus of calamity.
-Zhur-Taa druid is nice for that little bit of ramp, and turn 2 i can use a burning tree emissary to mana fix into a zhur-taa druid, which was a big thing in test games I ran.
-Savageborn Hydra is there for leftover mana.
-Fanatic of Mugs and Nylea's Disciple are both beautiful. Fanatic will easily do 10+ damage, while Nylea's will regularly heal me for at least 10.
-Rest is pretty self-explanatory.

I ran some test games with it and the deck is horrific. With an average draw the deck will turn 4 or turn 5 someone, and will either have an excess of health, huge creatures, or plenty of cards in hand to keep the game going if need be. I just need a way to make this standard legal and just as good.

EDIT:
Perhaps I could throw in ghor-clan rampagers. Either xenagos or domri rade would also fit really nicely. Perhaps kalonian hydra as well?

You guys don't have to believe it, but it happened.

As for me, this is the deck I was able to put together via pre-release, was able to trade/got lucky with my rares:

http://mtgdeckbuilder.net/Decks/ViewDeck/875955

And this is a scene inspired by them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdNn5TZu6R8

4 Battlewise Hoplite
4 Phalanx Leader
2 Setessan Battle Priest
1 Daxos of Meletis
1 Medomai the Ageless
2 Fabled Hero
4 Cavalry Pegasus
2 Meletis Charlatan
4 Aqueous Form
4 Hidden Strings
4 Hands of Binding
4 Trait Doctoring
1 Battle Mastery
2 Ordeal of Heliod
1 Spear of Heliod

4 Azorius Guildgate
8 Plains
8 Island

I did the release today to get that foil Bident of Thassa. In a draft I won three and lost won, so got some prize boosters. I played red-white and was passed so many rares in this colours, I had a legendary spear and two hammers, a chained to the rocks, the invincibility enchantment and the Minotaur lord. Not opened my prizes yet but I did well today

How do you think this deck would work as a competitive standard deck?

http://www.mtgdeckbuilder.net/Decks/ViewDeck/890899

4 Temple Garden
4 Sacred Foundry
6 Plains
6 Forest
3 Mountain

4 Fabled Hero
3 Anax and Cymede
4 Phalanx Leader
4 Favored Hoplite

4 Phytoburst
4 Coordinated Assault
3 Warriors' Lesson
4 Giant Growth
3 Gods Willing
4 Ranger's Guile

 The Bringer wrote:
How do you think this deck would work as a competitive standard deck?

http://www.mtgdeckbuilder.net/Decks/ViewDeck/890899

4 Temple Garden
4 Sacred Foundry
6 Plains
6 Forest
3 Mountain

4 Fabled Hero
3 Anax and Cymede
4 Phalanx Leader
4 Favored Hoplite

4 Phytoburst
4 Coordinated Assault
3 Warriors' Lesson
4 Giant Growth
3 Gods Willing
4 Ranger's Guile

I think control would give you fits, and you have the issue of being chump blocked, since you have no trample. Blood Baron and Stormbreath are also an auto-win if they stick.

I think it would probably be a 2-2 deck, as Mythic Mid Range, Esper, and any token decks wouldn't have much problem with it.

You're missing out on a great deal of the better spells and creatures for this color choice. Voice, Fleemane Lion, Chained to the rocks, etc etc.

So question; does the act of Ciphering in and of itself trigger Heroic?

It doesn't specifically say Target Permanent, but it does say encode on a creature you control.

Honestly, it sounds like it would work more like Sacrificing (I.E. not actually targeting/destroying) but I wanted to get some second opinions.

No, the cipher does not trigger it, but the spell does. The cipher does not specifically target the creature, so the heroic won't trigger. (just going off the top of my head)

the act of ciphering does not target (does not say target in the description of the keyword cipher) but some cipher spells can be cast onto target creature (trait doctering for one) which would trigger heroic because it has the word 'target' in it.

I guess Theros is just rolling in rares and Mythics...

I bought my first ever box of magic cards, and pulled the following:

 Alfndrate wrote:
I guess Theros is just rolling in rares and Mythics...

I bought my first ever box of magic cards, and pulled the following:

Spoiler:

Elspeth
Thoughtsieze
Purphoros, God of the Forge
Hammer of Purphoros
Thassa, God of the Sea
Nylea, God of the Hunt
Whip of Erebos
Polukranos, World Eater
2 Fleecemane Lions
Temple of Triumph
Temple of Silence
Temple of Deceit
Soldier of the Pantheon (foil)
Prophet of Kruphix
Hero's Downfall
Abhorrent OVerlord
Psychic Intrusion
Gift of Immortality
Triad of Fates
Boon Satyr
Rageblood Shaman (foil)
Shipbreaker Kraken
Arbor Colossus
Reaper of the Wilds
Daxos of Meletis
Chained to the Rocks
Akroan Horse
Steam Augury
Celestial Archon
Titan of Eternal Fire
Hundred-Handed One
Meletis Charlatan
Firedrinker Saytr
Colossus of Akros
Agent of the Fates
Swan Song
Ember Swallower

Nice. Thoughtseize is still running about $40. You got a lot of good cards. Did you draft them, or just pop open the packs?

Popped open the packs lol I don't know how to pull packs like that.

I'm trying to figure out what I can do with my current decks or if I should look at doing something different

I was just curious if you got a group of friends and everyone drafted the packs from the box. I've found it's usually cheaper to just buy the cards themselves online than going through booster boxes[although I do still usually buy one to draft(and I love opening those packs...)]

i try my best to not buy a box .. but it is fun opening packs ... normally if i can find a good enough deal i will pick up a box per set ... and use the unwanted rares to trade off for cards that i do want using a site called pucatrade.com (i am not affiliated with them btw)

drafting can be fun ... maybe once a month me and my wife will go to our LGS and participate in a draft there .. costs 15$ each ... but we basically get to pick 45 cards we want out of the packs for that 15$ ... a better avg value then buying a box (boxes can be so random, but you do occasionally luck out with a good card money wise from them) ...

if you still insist on buying a box .. best way to do it is you and a friend each buy a box ... and open the packs in whatever way you see fit ... then trade cards with each other (to get rid of ones you dont want for ones you want) ... doesn't work as well if you trade for value of the cards .. but i have a friend that i will do that with and we go more on the cards we want then the value of them ...

 Sinful Hero wrote:
I was just curious if you got a group of friends and everyone drafted the packs from the box. I've found it's usually cheaper to just buy the cards themselves online than going through booster boxes[although I do still usually buy one to draft(and I love opening those packs...)]

I picked up the box because I had never done it before. If this turned out to be a dud, I wasn't going to do it, if it turned out okay, I might do it again in the future.

 Alfndrate wrote:

 Sinful Hero wrote:
I was just curious if you got a group of friends and everyone drafted the packs from the box. I've found it's usually cheaper to just buy the cards themselves online than going through booster boxes[although I do still usually buy one to draft(and I love opening those packs...)]

I picked up the box because I had never done it before. If this turned out to be a dud, I wasn't going to do it, if it turned out okay, I might do it again in the future.

I understand, like i said i try to get a bix for each new set. So, was it a dud, or a winner?

I love opening packs myself, even if it is cheaper to buy just the cards.

Of course, I also like being able to consult my collection for what I want, on hand.

That is a really good box though Alf, you more than made your money back with that sucker.

Anyone know a good deck to play Red/White/Black? They're my favorite colors. I'd also prefer to use some mechanics like Act of Treason.....

Act of treason is a very weak card unless you have a sac outlet. Kaalia decks are always tons of fun.

 DemetriDominov wrote:
Anyone know a good deck to play Red/White/Black? They're my favorite colors. I'd also prefer to use some mechanics like Act of Treason.....

Which format are you wanting to play it in? For Commander, like The Bringer said Kaalia is a good choice. Not too many RWB commanders. (unless you count the 4 and 5 color ones too, which then there are quite a few)

Commander would be nice. I was thinking Tairel, Reckoner of Souls.

 DemetriDominov wrote:
Commander would be nice. I was thinking Tairel, Reckoner of Souls.

Also a great option. Why not both?

I updated my Rakdos Deck. I still need to acquire a few cards.

While I know Sasori is for/would suggest Anger of the Gods instead of Lightning Strike (and I would agree), the lack of big heavy hitters would see parts of my board disappear. I still need to get my hands on the Desecration Demons and 2 of the Blood Crypts

Edit: It's going through some/a lot of changes so it'll be in a state of flux for a bit. I'd love to run some of the aggro builds out there atm, but when I price out all of the cards, it turns in to a tank of gas which is more important atm than 4 or 5 cards.

Edit the Second: Thoughts on Tymaret?

I haven't ever played no the competitive scene, and certainly haven't done much post-theros. So here's a question who all you guys who are actively playing competitively, what are some decks that are emerging as competitive post-theros? I've been looking at the decks that are being played, and it looks like Esper control has been doing well - but really I have no idea.

 The Bringer wrote:
I haven't ever played no the competitive scene, and certainly haven't done much post-theros. So here's a question who all you guys who are actively playing competitively, what are some decks that are emerging as competitive post-theros? I've been looking at the decks that are being played, and it looks like Esper control has been doing well - but really I have no idea.

While I don't have a pulse on the competitive scene, and a lot of it depends on your local scene, but here is what I've 'learned'.
1) Mono-red aggro will be on top for a little bit because it's hard to mess up, easy to update, and it's pretty consistent cycle to cycle.
2) Watch what is in your local play scene, even if you don't play, ask your local tournament guys (ya know the guys that tend to win FNM) as they tend to have a better judge of what is good and what might be good (Sasori is my resource for this, though we have two wildly different play scenes many times)
3) Check Start City Games Tournaments They list the top x players as well as their deck lists. If you start to see trends popping up, you can either capitalize on it and build that style before it hits your local scene or build counters to it.