TopDeck Issue #005 - Dungeons and Dominaria

2010-03-11T20:06:34Z

Does anyone happen to have Wizard's discontinued TopDeck Magazine issue #5? It supposedly has a Magic variant in it that combines Magic with D&D.

If you do, could you scan that article and post the images? Otherwise, does anyone have the rules for it? It's called Dungeons and Dominaria. And, no, it's not anywhere on the internet!

Good Extended Combo decks?

2010-02-02T14:43:48Z

The Extended PTQ is coming soon, and I realy want to play a combo deck. I thought about playing Tooth & Nail combo (which i allready played at the past) with a few changes..

[[Tooth and Nail]] [[Painter's Servant]] [[Iona, Shield of Emeria]]

I heard about the Dark Depth's combo, and the Hive mind Combo (which is really cheap to build) but I haven't really tested them up yet...

So, what is your Extended combo deck choice?

Protection from White

2010-03-09T23:40:09Z

If a card has "Protection from white", would a creature with both a blue and white in the cost be protected from? What about a creature with a hybrid blue or white cost?

Abyssal Persecutor combos?

2010-01-19T20:58:35Z

What cards would use to get rid of your Abyssal Persecutor?

[[Abyssal Persecutor]]

What combos with Cosi's Trickster?

2009-11-17T10:17:23Z

Cosi's Trickster grows whenever an opponent shuffles their library. Granted, it's good against very specific decks, but can you build a deck where it's consistently good? In other words, what combos with it? Preferably in the Zendikar format, but I'd accept cards from other Standard as well.

[[Cosi's Trickster]]

Bloodmoon affinity

2010-03-07T22:27:59Z

I noticed that many players started to play Blood Moon in extended affinity maindeck. What's the point?

[[Blood Moon]]

If your Friday Night Magic location only ran one format, what would you want them to run?

2010-03-06T08:17:40Z

Let's make this a poll question - one option per answer please (draft/standard/two headed giant/...).

This question was taken from the Facebook Magic Page, I think this site is a better format to handle such polls :)

Also - if there's an exiting answer, please vote it up instead of writing an identical answer.

What standard deck matches well against Grixis control, Vampire and Jund

2010-03-03T13:20:42Z

Ive been playing in FNM standard constucted, but I always seem to fall just outside the top 3/4 out of about 10-15 people. This is due to my decks never being able to compete with the above deck types. Im currently running with eldrazi green, but have managed to get a couple of the new Jaces. Can anyone suggest a good control deck that would match up well with the above deck types.

When does Novablast Wurm's effect happen?

2010-03-07T20:10:24Z

If I were to use Novablast Wurm, when does his effect happen? Does this happen as damage occurs, or is it on the stack after declaring attackers?

[[Novablast Wurm]]

Can a planeswalker take damage for a player

2010-03-07T02:59:50Z

If a player attacks me and I have Jace: the mind sculpter, can i have the creatures hit him instead of me?

Will Sarkhan Vol be in Rise of Eldrazi?

2010-02-12T12:40:21Z

See this theory (note, the card is obviously made up, but this does not invalidate the question):

Dark Depths/Wind or Corrupted Zendikon/Fate Transfer

2010-03-03T22:50:57Z

With this combo, what is the fastest way to pop Marit Lage?

[[Dark Depths]] [[Wind Zendikon]] [[Fate Transfer]]

How can a player stop storm or replicate once cast?

2010-03-02T05:09:08Z

A flood of spells blocks most conventional forms of removal. Is there anything that can stop them all?

[[Grapeshot]][[Pyromatics]]

Rate/Comment on my Blue/Green Ally Deck (T2)

2010-03-03T19:03:47Z

Deck (60):

Creatures (20):

[[[Halimar Excavator]]] x 4
[[[Umara Raptor]]] x 4
[[[Jwari Shapeshifter]]] x 4
[[[Sea Gate Loremaster]]] x 2
[[[Harabaz Druid]]] x 4
[[[Turntimber Ranger]]] x 2

Spells (16):

[[[Unsummon]]] x 4
[[[Negate]]] x 4
[[[Into the Roil]]] x 2
[[[Twincast]]] x 2
[[[Rite of Replication]]] x 4
[[[Harrow]]] x 2

Lands (24):

[[[Halimar Depths]]] x 4
[[[Island]]] x 10
[[[Forest]]] x 10

The idea is that I gather enough mana by either the Harabaz Druid or Harrow and play Rite of Replication on Halimar Excavator or Turntimber Ranger. I added a little blue control to defend my allies until then.

Comments and suggestions are welcome because I am new to the game.

Rate my White/Blue Ally Deck T2

2010-02-21T10:46:22Z

Mainboard:

9 x [[[Island]]]
9 x [[[Plains]]]
4 x [[[Glacial Fortress]]]
3 x [[[Kabira Evangel]]]
2 x [[[Talus Paladin]]]
4 x [[[Hada Freeblade]]]
4 x [[[Kazandu Blademaster]]]
4 x [[[Halimar Excavator]]]
4 x [[[Ondu Cleric]]]
3 x [[[Sea Gate Loremaster]]]
4 x [[[Jwari Shapeshifter]]]
2 x [[[Clone]]]
4 x [[[Join the Ranks]]]
2 x [[[Path to Exile]]]
2 x [[[Rite of Replication]]]

Sideboard:

2 x [[[Path to Exile]]]
2 x [[[Umara Raptor]]]
4 x [[[Flashfreeze]]]
3 x [[[Dispel]]]
4 x [[[Archive Trap]]]

Do you guys think it would have any chances on a competetive T2-Standard Tournament?

Advice on a Selective Memory deck

2010-02-10T11:03:47Z

Was trying to think of a combo deck for casual play, but would like people thoughts on it:

4 x [[[Polymorph]]]
4 x [[[Inkwell Leviathan]]]
2 x [[[Mirror of Fate]]]
2 x [[[Mind Spring]]]
4 x [[[Lorthos, the Tidemaker]]]
4 x [[[Quest for Ula's Temple]]]
4 x [[[Selective Memory]]]
1 x [[[Wrexial, the Risen Deep]]]
4 x [[[Halimar Depths]]]
2 x [[[Treasure hunt]]]

Then the card below to give me some free dudes:

4 x [[[Khalni Garden]]]

I'd then put some more one drop dudes in, and lands. But my thought it to get the Quest to trigger, i can the strip out of the deck with selective memory any non monster guys and polymorph away. Or if i have the mirror of fate out, i can selective memory all my big dude set of the mirror and have 7 monster creatures and stomp in for game.

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

[[Selective Memory]]

How to enter lists of cards in Draw3Cards?

2010-03-05T16:30:07Z

This question is about decklists, and how to add card images while keeping structure. For lists in general, look here

If you have a list of cards, using double brackets to produce an image is not convenient. What's the alternative?

[[Lightning Bolt]]

How to play around Spellshock when at 1 life

2010-02-19T03:10:54Z

If I am at 1 life and an opponent casts Spellshock, is there any way for me to recover, assuming I don't already have something in play that can deal with it? Note that casting a spell will trigger Spellshock, which will resolve before the spell.

[[Spellshock]]

Elf deck suggestions

2010-01-13T11:32:15Z

Hello, this is my current elf deck selection, I just can't figure out what to throw out... any suggestions ideas?

[[Nissa Revane]]

Main

4X [[[Lys alana huntmaster]]]
4X [[[Ambush commander]]]
4X [[[Elvish Archdruid]]]
4X [[[Imperious perfect]]]
4X [[[Elvish Soultiller]]]
4X [[[Drove of Elves]]]
4X [[[Jagged-Scar Archers]]]
4X [[[Heedless One]]]
4X [[[Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary]]]
4X [[[Priest of Titania]]]
4X [[[Llanowar Elves]]]
4X [[[Wirewood Channeler]]]
4X [[[Wellwisher]]]
4X [[[Nissa's Chosen]]]
2X [[[Nissa Revane]]]
4X [[[Hurricane]]]
4X [[[Elvish Promenade]]]
4X [[[Dawnglow Infusion]]]
4X [[[Harmonize]]]
4X [[[Luminescent Rain]]]
4X [[[Elvish Guidance]]]
4X [[[Umbral Mantle]]]
4X [[[Wiredwood Lodge]]]
xx [[[Forest]]]

Sideboard

4X [[[Elvish Lyrist]]]
4X [[[Elvish Champion]]] (against green)
4X [[[Wilt-leaf liege]]] (against discard)

Ranger of Eos combos

2010-02-01T11:53:35Z

Please list some 1-CC buddies for Ranger of Eos to play with (constructed).

[[Ranger of Eos]]

What resources exist to track card combinations?

2010-03-05T03:28:21Z

The best site I've found is essentialmagic. They have a useful database, but not one that allows combo searches to the extent that gatherer allows card searches. Are there any equivalent sources for card combinations or is it a good idea to participate in coding?

Spoiler - What the fuck ?! (Or: What are Wizards thinking?)

2010-03-03T07:31:04Z

This is not a very coherent question, I'm aware.

What are the Eldrazi?

2009-11-06T19:41:44Z

This was published on MTG salvation:

(Note the images don't work for Firefox for some odd reason. Try IE/Chrome)

So what are they? wach one has a diffrent bizarre face. they all look a bit like sea cratures, crabs or cephalids. come to think of it there are 5 characters in the picture, is each one a colour of magic? are the three eldrazi of three diffrent colours? Also if sorin is a vampire, why is he in sunshine?

Which are the best "draw x cards for T2"?

2010-03-04T23:40:46Z

I've re-started to play recently, i'm building a deck but have no idea of all cards in the T2 block

Which are the best cards to "draw x cards"? I've found: Sign in blood Ponder

Which others are there? (am looking into a white+blue+black deck)

When does the signup for the Beta of Magic: The Gathering Tactics start?

2010-03-03T19:31:12Z

Is there any eta on when the Beta of Magic: The Gathering Tactics starts or when the game will be released for PC? Will there be a Xbox360 version once the PS3 version has been released?

Are there any colored Eldrazi spells except shapeshifters?

2010-03-03T12:52:16Z

Are shapeshifters and shape-shifting effects the reason the words "Colorless" is on Eye of Ugin?

[[Eye of Ugin]]

Humble and counters

2010-03-02T03:56:41Z

Ok, so given I play something like Kazandu Blademaster. Which comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it. Next round I play another ally, lets just say another Kazandu Blademaster.

[[Kazandu Blademaster]]

I attack and my opponent cast Humble

[[Humble]]

Since the Kazandu Blademaster I'm attacking with has 2 +1/+1 counters on it. It would become a 0/1 with 2 +1/+1 counters dealing two damage correct?

When in Shards or Zendikar does Magic's power/toughness layering system matter?

2009-10-26T18:21:58Z

This is hard question. The layering system that I'm talking about is Magic's power/toughness system. I programmed the program MTG Forge which has a very simple layering system but sometimes it doesn't work like it should. Layering examples include Glorious Anthem and Giant Growth, or Glorious Anthem and Nightmare. (These examples work in MTG Forge but it can't do anything more complicated.)

So are there any cards in Zendikar or Shard of Alara block that use layer effects?

613 Interaction of Continuous Effects

613.1. The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order:

613.1a Layer 1: Copy effects are applied. See rule 706, “Copying Objects.”

613.1b Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied.

613.1c Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”

613.1d Layer 4: Type-changing effects are applied. This includes effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or supertype.

613.1e Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied.

613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding and ability-removing effects are applied.

613.1g Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied.

613.2. Within layers 1–6, apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first (see rule 604.3), then all other effects in timestamp order (see rule 613.6). Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer. (See rule 613.7.)

613.3. Within layer 7, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. (See rule 613.6.) Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a sublayer. (See rule 613.7.)

613.3a Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities are applied. See rule 604.3.

613.3b Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied.

613.3c Layer 7c: Effects that modify power and/or toughness (but don’t set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied.

613.3d Layer 7d: Power and/or toughness changes from counters are applied. See rule 120.

613.3e Layer 7e: Effects that switch a creature’s power and toughness are applied. Such effects take the value of power and apply it to the creature’s toughness, and take the value of toughness and apply it to the creature’s power.

613.4. The application of continuous effects as described by the layer system is continually and automatically performed by the game. All resulting changes to an object’s characteristics are instantaneous.

613.5. If an effect should be applied in different layers and/or sublayers, the parts of the effect each apply in their appropriate ones. If an effect starts to apply in one layer and/or sublayer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer and/or sublayer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process.

613.6. Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is usually done using a timestamp system. An effect with an earlier timestamp is applied before an effect with a later timestamp.

613.6a A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later.

613.6b A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time it’s created.

613.6c An object’s timestamp is the time it entered the zone it’s currently in, unless it’s an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification that’s attached to another object or player, or it’s a face-up plane card.

Where would you use Treasure Hunt in Limited?

2010-02-05T15:32:12Z

I don't understand why some people think this card is so good.

Lands are about 45% of most decks. So (without any library manipulation techniques) you have:

55% chance of drawing one card for 2 mana
25% chance of drawing one nonland card & one land
11% chance of drawing two nonlands and one land
5% chance of drawing three nonlands and one land
...

The expected (= average) number of nonland cards you'll get is about 0.8 cards, if I'm not mistaken:

1-1/(0.55) = 0.8

So, looking at it like this, 2 mana for an average of 1.8 cards is not bad. However, the average return is not the whole story. After all, if a spell would give you 0 cards 90% of the times and 20 cards 10% of the times, it wouldn't be very good, even though the average number of cards it draws is 2. Most (55%) of the time, this card simply wastes two mana to get another card which will not be a land. In these cases, it won't fix your mana base, which is something I usually rely on card-drawing spells for.

So my question, after this analysis, is what kind of deck would you use Treasure Hunt in Limited, and when would it rest in the sideboard?

[[Treasure Hunt]]

Are there more than 9 creatures with Sunburst in magic?

2010-03-01T20:21:54Z

I just found 9 Sunburst creatures in magic. Are there more with an equivalent ability? Where can I search in such cases?

[[Arcbound Wanderer]] [[Etched Oracle]] [[Lunar Avenger]]

[[Sawtooth Thresher]] [[Skyreach Manta]] [[Solarion]]

[[Spinal Parasite]] [[Suncrusher]] [[Suntouched Myr]]

Top Questions - Draw 3 Cards - Magic Q&A