Monthly Archives: January 2019

Getting in the mood for the Android Universe

netrunner, RPG

By now I think I’ve established that I’m a fan of the Android universe, and cyberpunk in general.

This post is nothing but notes for myself to remind me of films and tv shows that are in the cyberpunk genre, or touch relevant themes, that I want to rewatch.

One or two of the movies will have been I’m sure a major influence on the Android Universe.

I’m not claiming these are the best examples of the genre, they are ones I’ve seen (apart from Alita Battle Angel – which isn’t out yet, but I love the manga and really looking forward to this) and enjoyed.

There is even a troll poster amongst them, because I meant to put the original in not the remake.

Which movies would you recommend to add to this list?

Android Story Ideas Part 1

RPG

During the past week I joined a Facebook group for running Genesys Android Universe Games.

I was hoping that there might be illicit copies of the two part scenario that FFG ran at GenCon and Pax Unplugged showcasing the Android Universe and the upcoming source book.

Alas I was disappointed.

If I have one complaint about the Genesys system, particularly once they have released a source book is the lack of scenarios.

I understand why there are none for the actually Genesys Core Rulebook. After all it’s a generic rule set. The intention is that using the generic rules you go off and build worlds and run your campaigns in those.

However when they release source books for Terrinoth (their fantasy setting) or the upcoming Android Universe (their cyberpunk setting) they put out a “taster” scenario on the website as a pdf (I’m making the assumption FFG will put up the two part scenario they have been using), and that’s it.

It almost seems like bare minimal support for the systems compared to the likes of WotC and D&D.

Are FFG caught in a chicken and egg situation? More people would use the system if there were more readily available campaigns/scenarios. But FFG need more people playing before they produce more campaigns/scenarios. A vicious circle.

I’m not even going to mention about GM screens, or range of miniatures. Ok the Terrinoth one is easier to do, re-use D&D/fantasy stuff or use models from Descent. But Android? It’s much harder to find cyberpunk miniatures. However there are some out there.

Anyway back to the Facebook group I joined. I came across the following post:


Genius and so obvious!

So I decided to look at the other none lcg Android games to see if their premise would potentially make a good setting for a scenario/campaign in the Android Universe.

The most potential in my opinion out of the remaining games was…

Android the Board Game

“In the futuristic city of New Angeles, five detectives are investigating a vital murder case. They are:

• Caprice Nisei, Psychic Clone

• Floyd 2X3A7C, Doubting Bioroid

• Louis Blaine, Corrupt Cop

• Rachel Beckmann, Estranged Bounty Hunter

• Raymond Flint, Troubled P.I.

In Android, three to five players each take on the role of one of these detectives, and are given two weeks to solve the case. They investigate the murder by traveling around the map and following up leads to discover evidence that they can use to convict the suspect who they believe is guilty. In addition, they attempt to uncover the conspiracy behind the murder and deal with problems that spring up in their personal lives.”

This gives you a party structure for the campaign (I probably wouldn’t use the characters, just the roles), plus if you have a copy of the game, or can get one there are cards etc within the game that can be used for ideas for the victim, suspects etc.

Mainframe

The abstract game Mainframe is all about hacking/running during a particular event in the Android universe. The implications were explored in the card game in the Flash Point cycle.

“For twenty-three seconds, the world’s largest bank and backer of the world’s most important currency goes dark. Trillions of credits are lost, stolen, or simply erased. Each corp blames the others. Economies, industries, lives collapse. And that’s just the beginning.”

Until the source book becomes available, with I’m assuming it’s enhanced hacking/running rules, I’m not sure how viable a scenario of a group of runners hacking a server is. So the twenty-three seconds event may or may not be a viable setting.

However the Flash Point cycle could make a great back drop to a campaign. I’d like the flavour sheets from the data packs for this to help flesh it out. But also the FFG webpages for the data cycle could help out on this front.

New Angeles

This is too high level. “New Angeles is a political game in which four to six players assume the roles of the megacorporations of the Android universe. The players cut deals and forge temporary alliances to gain leverage and financial superiority over their corporate rivals, all while trying to maintain order and profitability in their home city of New Angeles.”

I think the only take away from this game is you could have the players part of a corporate team going on missions to protect and advance their employers.

One thing all these games have in their rule books is a nice introductory bit of flavour text that can be read to the party at the start of the scenario/campaign to help set the scene.

In the second part of this post I’ll look at the Netrunner cycles and deluxe expansions.

Ravnica Allegiance Prerelease

Game day, magic, MtG

Prerelease day starts just like any other. Wake up. Let loose the attack chihuahuas on the world. Who show their usual contempt and utter disregard for the world by emptying their bladders on the scattered remains of long departed post and waste disposal persons. Bath. Coffee and choc chip brioche, while watching tv. The mornings visual entertainment was the second season of The Punisher on Netflix.

At an appropriate stopping point in the current episode, pause, dig out my clothes and get dressed.

Count out fifteen of each land type. Find forty sleeves plus some spares. Although, either or both of these steps often get forgotten. Only later to be remembered once at The Hobbit Hole. But today I’m lucid and remember both.

Pack a small bag with dice, battery extender and cables, plus the remembered lands and sleeves. Put in a small bottle of hand sanitiser. Stuff cheese and onion sarnies into hoodie pocket. Select play mat to use for the day. I decide on the following one.

Then hit the road.

I remember to pick the cat litter for mum’s cat up on the way out of Wisbech. I don’t have to worry about finishing in time to buy it now. I mentally give myself a pat on the back for that. It removes a source of stress and distraction while playing later on.

The drive from Wisbech to Chatteris is uneventful. I arrive in good time. I see friends already there and say hello. Money exchanges hand between myself and the store.

While waiting I mingle and chat with my friends.

So far the morning leading up to the Prerelease is as perfect as I could want.

In the dying minutes before the official start the prerelease kit for each guild are handed out. Naturally I had already said I was having Simic.

11am we are given the go ahead to open our prerelease kits and start building our forty card decks based on the cards inside.

I like sealed events like this and the Magic League. They are great levellers for new and old players. It’s all about the luck of opening the pack, and your ability to build a deck.

My promo in the kit was Zegana, Utopian Speaker.

Looking at my cards I decide to stick with my guild and build a Simic deck for the tournament.

Round 1 – Thomas S (Rakdos or Gruul)

Despite the final result of this match up, the games were pretty close. My undoing in the second game was Mirror March. My opponent had a run of six heads before I conceded. That was six copies of the creature he’d just played (can’t remember which, it was a 2/2 or 2/3 something like that power wise). I had no way stopping that much damage swinging in and killing me.

Result: Loss 2-0

Round 2 – H (Rakdos)

This was an easy win. My opponent was a young girl newish to MtG, more intent on interacting with her none playing friend who was there, and a boy they had invited to the shop, who was turning up any second while we were playing.

It didn’t help that she kept a starting hand with high cost cards in our first game that she was unable to cast. The second game wasn’t much better for her with the added distraction already discussed.

Her deck needed work I thought. So I left her getting help from the on duty store expert, who also happened to be running the Prerelease.

Result: Win 2-0

Round 3 – Nathan Hall (not sure of guild)

This round started off well with me doing my thing and getting the win. Second game Nathan pulled it back and had a reasonably comfortable win. The deciding game I went into feeling confident. Nathan had gone down to five cards. I was going first. But still despite me having that early card advantage, I ended up losing.

Result: Loss 2-1

Round 4 – N (Azorius)

The final round saw me against the elder sister of the young girl I had beaten in round. two.

I took the first game comfortably, and lost the second game. In our decider it was in the end an easy win. Although I was made to work for it.

You could see the difference between the two sisters. This one was more into playing MtG. A lot more focused.

You won’t see this too often but I kind of felt a little guilty about my two victories. I must have been feeling ill or something.

Result: Win 2-1

Overall record 2-2

During the final round everyone was given two participation booster packs from Ravnica Allegiance.

Final position 13th out of 24

Naturally I’m not going to list all the cards from six booster packs here. It makes sense only to share with you the deck that I built.

The other nice thing about sealed events like this that I didn’t mention earlier, is that you play cards you probably wouldn’t in a constructed format.

The star card for me was wilderness reclamation. Being able to untap your lands at the end of your turn is massive. Especially with blue counter spells in your hand. I think the games I won were the ones that was out early.

I liked the Adapt mechanic. Being able to beef up a creature is nice. Plus there are cards that interact, or do something if you have creatures out with +1/+1 counters on. The only drawback for me is that you can only use Adapt once on a creature.

So here is my Simic deck that I built.

Creatures:12

1 Saruli Caretaker
2 Faerie Duelist
1 Growth-Chamber Guardian
1 Aeromunculus
2 Coral Commando
1 Gatebreaker Ram
1 Steeple Creeper
1 Sylvan Brushstrider
1 Zegana, Utopian Speaker
1 Scuttlegator

Spells:15

1 Incubation // Incongruity
1 Open the Gates
1 Stony Strength
1 Applied Biomancy
1 Essence Capture
1 Growth Spiral
2 Quench
1 Slimebind
1 Sagittars’ Volley
2 Simic Locket
1 Thought Collapse
1 Wilderness Reclamation
1 Biogenic Upgrade

Lands:13

5 Forest
1 Gateway Plaza
5 Island
2 Simic Guildgate

Flocking together!

Fenland Gamers, game night

During yesterday there was a discussion on the Wingspan Facebook group about pinks powers and when they triggered. A kind soul in the group posted the following extract from the rule book.

Jonathan responded with the following:

Which sparked a bit of friendly banter in the comments for yesterday’s post.

But let’s be honest and raw here. This is badly written, or not thought out, the rule book that is. I don’t care how well your eyesight is, you can not read the pink card from across the table. And I think it’s unreasonable to pass the responsibility of remembering on to the other players. If the player who has the ability forgets it, or misses it, tough. However I do think that a better solution would be that each player announces the action they are taking, and when they are taking any when activated abilities, and the outcome. Then the responsibility is put back on the player with the triggered ability. The other players have done their bit to help, by making sure everyone knows what they are doing. If then a player doesn’t announce their actions and when activated abilities, then I would agree with Jonathan you could assume that player is trying to cheat.

And yes there was more banter later that evening. Naturally this part of the post will spark more banter and discussion.

Last night saw five members of Fenland Gamers meet up at The Luxe to play Wingspan.

I wasn’t going to ever play at the full player count. But here we were about to play the game with five players. For the evening Ice Blast drinks were banned from the table. They drip everywhere. It’s the ice that forms on the outside. It melts and drips everywhere.

The Luxe are currently doing the branded/themed drinks for the Spider-man into the Spider-verse movie they are currently showing. Jonathan and I both had one, and I got a couple of the character toppers. I wasn’t going to get any, I knew I’d want to get them all. Katie arrived, I paid the extra to upgrade her drink, and get myself a third character topper. So from having zero, I’d got three in a single evening. Later in the evening near the end I had another drink, and got a fourth. I’m so weak willed sometimes. But now I just need the final one to finish the set.

Back to Wingspan. I was pleasantly surprised that it worked really well at the maximum player count. I’d like to say there was a lot more downtime between actions. But I try and use that productively planning my turns, adjusting plans. Plus once engines were starting to work, even on others turns you got to do stuff sometimes, like collect food, get a card. And turns are fairly quick.

In this game there was more group hug cards out. Which meant that I hardly had to do a draw card action, because I was getting enough cards from other people’s turns. Jonathan has an activated ability that gave everyone a worm token from the supply, plus The Usual Suspect also had a bird that gave people a resource.

Ollie grabbed the win by five points. But more importantly I was first loser, and beat Jonathan by a whole point.

It was a great evening. A great hosts. Let’s do it again in two weeks.

That’s my weekend taken up

Uncategorized


Yep this morning the second and final season of The Punisher hit Netflix. We all know within days that Netflix will announce there will be no further series of The Punisher. Just as they did after the other Marvel licences hit. We all know why they are being dropped. And we all hope that Disney/Marvel pick up the shows and run with them.

But in the meantime we get to enjoy the show and cry at the end that we want more, knowing we won’t get them.

Although I’m not attending the midnight one today, it’s the start of Prerelease weekend for Ravnica Allegiance tonight. I am attending the Prerelease tomorrow morning. Which starts at 11am, and runs to about 4pm. It’s looking like there will be over twenty attending the session I’m going to. It will be good to see some faces that I only get to see at these events, and hopefully the WotC tournament software will give us a chance to play against each other.

Plus there is the fortnightly Fenland Gamers meetup this evening at The Luxe. It’s promising to be a good one with plenty of banter. Especially between Jonathan and myself over a rule in the Wingspan Rulebook that some-one asked about this morning on Facebook. I hope Jonathan is going to be wearing fireproof underwear and clothes because he is getting burned tonight.

So that’s my current weekend plans, what’s yours?

Commander Deck Ideas Update January 2019

Commander, magic, MtG

Long time sufferers of this blog will recall that from time to time I like to update my list of Commander deck ideas.

With the arrival of some cards to use in Commander decks I thought I’d share with you the new cards that have arrived and latest version of the list of deck ideas.

These first three cards I want to find homes in existing decks. Waste Not can slot into two of my decks. The first will be the Death and Taxes deck. I think it would also be good in the Scarab God Zombie deck I have. My only concern is that I don’t remember having cards in the deck to force opponents to discard. So most of the time I don’t think it would be doing anything. I’ll have to revisit the deck list.

Return to the Earth definitely will be going in decks that have green. Big Green Stompy needs more flying removal, and the fact it can target artifacts or enchantments also. I like it.

Murmuring Mystic will be going into my upgraded wizards precon, I can’t remember the Commander, but I went in the spellslinger direction. So getting a 1/1 body each time I cast a spell, I’ll take that. Plus a 1/5 as a blocker, so hard to remove and can block. Sweet.


Rooftop Storm, how did I not know about this card? Thanks to Dean (he also put me onto some of these other cards also) I now do. This has to find a place in the Scarab God zombie deck. Cast them for free? Yes please. Only time I wouldn’t want to do this is with an X cost. But I don’t think,I had any zombies like that.

Pitiless Plunderer is in for a new deck idea. That idea is an artifacts deck. It will hopefully combo with Revel in Riches and Mechanised Production. I’m also looking at using it in a standard deck, that will either be blue/black or possible black/white.

I so wish Kaya, Ghost Assassin had blue instead of white in it’s casting costs. It would have been nice to have the card in the ninja/assassin deck. But she will go nicely into the planned abuse etb deck.

The final card to arrive was Profane Command. This has to be a prime candidate for a Commander staple that should be in every deck that splashes black. It’s a card that should go alongside Torment of Hailfire.

Here is the updated list of deck ideas:

Trostani token spam
Infect/wither deck (Atraxa as the commander possibly)
Atraxa deck upgraded
Death and Taxes
Care bear
Abuse etb
Saproling and fungus (go wide or go home!) possible Commander Slimefoot, the Stowaway
Ninja/Assassin
Artifacts deck
Eldrazi
Demon tribal

Up the beanstalk!

netrunner, RPG

I have a soft spot for the now deceased Android Netrunner lcg, despite having sold out of it at what retrospectively looks like the right time.

I loved the game play, it was so thematic. The whole runner aka hacker vs the big mega corporation. Trying to infiltrate their way into the corporate servers and steal their agendas. And it really felt as the runner that was what you were doing. Whilst as the corporation you were trying to stop the runner and protect your agendas.

The whole Android universe that it was set in was so rich, and dystopian. It had the whole Bladerunner aesthetic to it. Classic cyberpunk. Which I’ve been a big fan of since the mid eighties.

At some point in the near future (hopefully) FFG will be releasing their Genesys RPG source book for the Android universe, Shadow of the Beanstalk. I’m rather excited about having the opportunity to visit the Android universe again. Especially if I can convince some-one else to GM. But in reality it will most likely be myself being the GM. So I thought I would do a post about sources of background information (or should that be inspiration?) for the world of Android that GM’s and players a like can use.

We’ll start with the published fiction. I think all these are available digitally. FFG have been producing these rather nice novellas (read short stories). The physical versions of you can find them are hardback, and nicely produced. The stories are around 90-100 pages in length, with a short author bio. Then a few pages of background info about the Android universe relevant to the setting of the story. Which is rather nice for what we want. I’ve got Monitor and Exodus and they are quiet enjoyable stories. Oh and it should be noted Undercity isn’t out yet, but available to pre-order.

The novels are much older, I’ve not got hold of physical versions (which I’d love to do at some point). Plus I’ve only read Strange Flesh and Free Fall. Which I found very enjoyable.

But the one book you do want is The Worlds of Android. FFG describe it as the

“…definitive guide to the Android setting and its unique vision of the future. A beautiful, 272-page hardbound setting guide and art book, The Worlds of Android features full-color art, stunning gatefolds, and a polyphony of narrative voices that convey the immense diversity of human experience in the rich, fictional universe made famous by Android: Netrunner and the Android board game.”


I totally agree with that description. Naturally I haven’t seen the Shadow of the Beanstalk. But I’m assuming this will be the perfect companion to it.

With the data packs and deluxe expansions (iirc) there were flavour inserts. Which might be useful. One or two were extracts from the novels. They might be worth trying to track copies down. I do regret not keeping the ones I had.

Plus there was some great flavour text on the cards. It would be worth googling for card images and making notes of ones you like. Especially for npc’s that your players might come across.

So there you have it some sources for extra background information for an amazing universe. I hope that helped.

MtG: Arena – Dead To Me

magic, MtG, rant

Apparently if the rumours are true, then I will never ever, ever, ever play MtG: Arena.

The rumour started over on Reddit via a post from a disgruntled just made jobless customer support person, who spilled the alleged plans WotC have for Arena, and then removed that part of the post minutes after putting up for the world to read.

Naturally 10 minutes is an eternity on the Internet, and that was more than enough time for some folks to read those words, and take copies as evidence.

Any hoo, yesterday MTGLion on YouTube, shared this rumour with the rest of the world, along with his thoughts on it’s implications.

For me I was gobsmacked that WotC would even consider doing this. And it doesn’t make sense.

WotC have been spending lots of money to push Arena to the masses and get Hearthstone players. They have paid Hearthstone streamers to do Arena content on their channels. They are even trying to push it as an esport. WotC are also supporting Arena streamers with stuff like free packs, promoting them via their social media, etc.

All that money spent, which must be in the millions of dollars to get people playing the game and take on the 800 pound gorilla that is Hearthstone.

It doesn’t make sense to restrict yourself to what is basically the smaller market, while your competitor is on all the platforms. You’ll never get the same numbers or better them that way. There is a reason why AAA game developers are prepared to upset their PC owning fans and go for the bigger mobile market with their next releases (I know it’s much more complicated than that, but the simplification supports my point).

According to the rumour, there is a new mobile only product currently being developed instead. Why?

Well I’ve seen it mention by some (like Mike Hatcher on YouTube) that the Arena interface isn’t particularly mobile friendly. And that is the reason why we won’t see it on mobile. I’ve not played it, can’t because it’s not on Apple platforms (iOS and MacOS). However the videos I’ve seen, or the bits of the game looks very Hearthstone like. So I’d imagine or hope that the deck building etc is also similar. Well we know that the Hearthstone interface works across platforms, so, if I was developing a new card game I’d be learning from that.

So because of a poor mobile interface, WotC are handicapping Arena and spending the what will be a lot of time and money to develop a new mobile friendly MtG game? Surely considering that Arena is technically in beta, they should be tweaking the interface, or even redesigning the “broken” bits to work across platform.

It doesn’t seem right to me.

Developing a mobile app isn’t cheap, especially with all the supporting infrastructure that it will need (servers for starters). Then they will have to spend even more money promoting it. And then I feel the mobile app would potentially impact the numbers playing Arena. It all depends on what the mystery app offers.

But we have to remember these are rumours. Until announcements are made, or hard evidence surfaces, we have to take them with a pinch of salt. Naturally WotC haven’t said anything yet, and I don’t think they will until they are good and ready. Why would they want to effect the uptake of Arena and the amount people invest in the game financially and time wise? But if the rumours are not true wouldn’t they just come out and straight deny them?

WotC have announced that they have a solution to the fifth card problem. Which is nice, I still have a problem with the economy and redeeming codes given in boosters and the handicapping of that.

But while Arena is not on iOS, it will remain dead to me. I’ll keep an eye on developments. But my advice even to fans of MtG that own PC’s I’d be advising to hold off. See how this rumour plays out, and then decide where you want to spend your time and money on digital MtG.

So if you are on Hearthstone, I play casual, and you can hit me up for a game on the following id.


I’m also on the Epic the Card Game Beta as the same name. Yes Epic looks uglier, but boy is that dark draft a lot of fun.

Ravnica Allegiance Prerelease This Weekend

magic, MtG


This coming weekend starting at midnight Friday, many MtG players will be opening up the guild kit for their favourite guild. After assessing their cards for value, they will then build a 40 card deck, play some MtG, get some participation packs, and go home. Or hang around and repeat the whole thing again.

Also at the prerelease your FLGS will be able to sell you a booster box a week early, or the two Planeswalker decks for this set. The booster box comes with a buy-a-box promo (see below) that is only available while stocks last from buying a booster box.

I like prereleases, they are great fun. There is a buzz of excitement in the air. You play decks that you would never play normally.

Personally for new players I think they are a step too far. The deck building side too early in the players journey with the game. I know prereleases are more casual and friendly than other organised play. But still having time to help a new player and building your own deck is near on impossible. You might be able to help if you get finished deck building early. But in reality there isn’t usually that much time to help.

But it doesn’t mean the new player won’t have a great time. I think they can. It’s just the deck building might be a little daunting.

I’ll be at the Saturday day time Prerelease at my FLGS, and I’ve chosen the Simic guild. Hope to see you there.

Ravnica Allegiance Open House @ The Hobbit Hole

Game day, magic, MtG

Yesterday was the Ravnica Allegiance Open House at my FLGS The Hobbit Hole. Yep free Welcome deck, promo card, learn and play MtG. For a new and returning player doesn’t get better than that. For an existing player there is still a lot on offer as well.

You get to teach the game to new players, and share in the start of their journey into addiction and madness. The sweet sweet promo card. Playing with unsleeved cards. It’s so rare that we get to play with unsleeved cards. Tournament play requires sleeved cards, sleeves protect your more valuable cards while playing, and insert any other reasons you sleeve here. So it’s refreshing to play with cards in their natural state.

I took my spellslinger decks with me (to teach with) and last years 2018 Commander decks (in case of any new players wanting to try Commander also). Plus I had my Muldrotha and my dinosaur Commander decks.

I went with the red deck box, that was a red/blue or Izzet deck if we are going with the Guilds theme of the current and the imminent set.

Games 1 & 2 – Paul (white/blue aka Azorius)

I’ve played Paul before at Standard Showdown. Paul is an experienced but casual MtG player, and always fun to play against.

Our first game I was able with the blue side of my deck to delay the inevitable of the game with cards like Uncomfortable Chill, Waterknot and Sleep. But unable to get any real presence out. I did some direct damage with a lightning strike and shock, and used them to remove a couple of threats. My Hostile Minotaur hit once then became the victim of Paul’s Waterknot. I held on for as long as I could but Paul built up a formidable flying attack of angels and sphinxes that did me in.

The second game was better for me. For starters Paul was only putting out plains, so I knew there was no blue shenanigans coming my way. I was also getting my creatures out like the Hostile Minotaur, while being able to stop Paul building up any real threat. I don’t think I took any damage in this game at all.

Result: 1 – 1

Game 3 – Dean (can’t remember Dean’s deck I think it was black something)

Now I knew my red side of the deck had a Shivan Dragon. Which was the card I was expecting to trigger the flying ability of Kargan Dragonrider. So I was pleasantly surprised to see Sparktongue Dragon and Volcanic Dragon show up. It was even better because I had a Goblin Motivator out that meant any creature played could be given haste. So even my Snapping Drake’s when they hit the battlefield were an immediate threat.

By the time Dean had started to build up a board state, it was too late. I had dragons and drakes out, plus a dragonrider. He was unable to stop the final killing blow from above.

Result: Win

Game 4 – Glen (mirror match)

I’d already got my required number of games to get the days reward. But Glen still needed games. So I kindly obliged.

This was a game of who got to their good cards first. Sadly it wasn’t me.

Result: Loss

The days reward…

I didn’t keep my Welcome Deck I gave that away to one of Dean’s nephews.

Dean sat next to me, he was looking through a trade folder that belonged to Glen. One or two cards caught my eye.

So I got the following three cards to go into the Horrors from the Deep Commander deck. They looked like fun cards to try out, and well fitted the theme of the deck.


I also got another assassin for the slow brew ninja/assassin deck I’m brewing. Plus a card that would combo with others in the Death and Taxes deck, and could go in a potential demon deck I’m thinking of.

I did buy three Guild packs (Golgari, Selesnya, and Dimir). These are a themed booster built around one of the five Guilds containing 35 cards for that Guild, plus a MtG Arena code to give you three free in game boosters.


I’m going to rant here. This is useless to me. I don’t have a PC. I’m an Apple fanboy. MtG Arena isn’t available on iOS or MacOS. Plus I bought three of these decks, yet would only be able to redeem the code once! Yeah WotC aren’t very generous on this front. Yet sitting on the stores shelf’s are Pokemon product all proudly proclaiming on the packets/boxes that I could get that booster or deck to play free online.

I’ve said before considering the engine WotC are using, there is no reason why MtG Arena can’t be beta tested on these platforms also. It would make sense to be testing in these at the same time.

But then I think about how stingy WotC are being with the redeeming of codes. The stuff I hear online about it’s in game economy and it the deck building, 5th card issue, and I’m thinking maybe I’m lucky it’s not on my iPad.

I’m currently playing Hearthstone again, and keep dipping into Epic the card game beta to play it’s dark draft (I love that format). WotC are throwing ridiculous amounts at marketing MtG Arena, and even trialing best of one in certain unlucky FLGS in an attempt to attract digital players to the physical game.

WotC have lost me as a MtG Arena player when they do eventually release on the iPad. I’d have invested too much in the game they want to knock off it’s throne.

Anyway back to these guild packs. £6 for 35 cards, is not bad value. You are getting 5 more cards than if you had bought 2 boosters. Plus they are cards in colours you want. So you are improving the odds of getting something useful for building a deck for that Guild. I pulled another Assassin’s Trophy in the Golgari pack.

The days MtG was finished off with a 6 Player Commander game. Glen used his competitive deck and toyed with us all. We were just twiddling our thumbs before Glen was in a position to combo off and kill us all in a single go. I’ve talked before about using competitive decks against lesser decks. It still holds true, and I stand by my words. It’s not really a fun experience.

It was a fairly successful Open House for the FLGS. There was a constant stream of people wanting to play. It was a good day of MtG.

My Welcome Deck List

Red Side
1 Shivan Dragon
1 Fire Elemental
1 Goblin Motivator
2 Hostile Minotaur
2 Onakke Ogre
1 Sparktongue Dragon
1 Volcanic Dragon
2 Kargan Dragonrider
1 Fiery Finish
1 Electrify
1 Lightning Strike
1 Shock
1 Trumpet Blast
1 Radiating Lightning
13 Mountain

Blue Side
1 Riddlemaster Sphinx
1 Aven Wind Mage
1 Frilled Sea Serpent
2 Snapping Drake
2 Tolarian Scholar
1 Wall of Mist
1 Air Elemental
1 Mist-Cloaked Herald
2 Divination
1 Sleep
1 Uncomfortable Chill
1 Befuddle
2 Waterknot
13 Island