All posts by Darren

WotC start more drama!

magic, MtG

What a surprise. But what have they been up to?

Well it’s Commander 2019. To start with WotC raised the rrp of each deck. This year the price of a single Commander deck is £34.99, up from £29.99 in 2017.

That’s a pretty big price hike in relative terms. Would we see the estimated value of the decks increase, or more importantly the power level to match the price increase?

After the deck lists were put up the answer was no.

And that set the internet echo chamber into an uproar. Price increase and underwhelming deck lists was all the fuel they needed. It didn’t help when you have the YouTube “shills” or chosen ones (aka bought channels either with free product or hard cold sponsorship cash) that seemed to ignore these short falls and talk about the decks as if they were the best thing since sliced bread, or the last WotC product, just adding oil to the fire.

I can see the point of view of the online lynch mob. And to some extent I agree with them.

I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the Planeswalker commanders. From the spoilers there were some cards of interest for other decks. But no high(ish) value reprints like Sensei’s Divining Top, which people were hoping for. I’m not sure I’ll be buying extra copies to break up for deck building (sometimes the cheaper way to get the cards) or to upgrade. Which is ok. I’m happy with that. I’ll buy the singles that I need.

From the other point of view I have on these decks, the most important thing for me is “are these decks fun to play?” I think I may have mentioned it once or twice before, but for Commander I like to keep a copy of the decks in pristine condition, unchanged, ready to pull out at a moments notice so my MtG playing friends and I can play a game with out worrying if they have a deck or not. Just choose a deck they like the look of and away we go. I won’t know the answer naturally to my question for this point of view until I get my grubby hands on the decks and play some games with them.

It will be interesting to see if this years decks get a second printing like last years. The deciding factor will be has the online echo chamber captured the mood and opinion of the silent majority. And it is a silent majority who vote with their wallets. If they are representative then there will be product left unsold on the shelves, and no demand.

Oh btw we haven’t seen the end of the drama. Come the next set, WotC have increased the price of booster boxes to distributors but not the rrp, so naturally we expect that increase to be passed on to the FLGS. Which means their margins either have to take a hit, or they won’t be able to discount from the rrp. So the increase gets passed on to us. Expect to see a similar online shit storm to hit depending on reprints, and the estimated value of a booster box.

There is other ongoing drama and I may comment on that at some point, but at the moment I’ll give commenting a miss. Which most of you will be glad to hear.

Conjuring New Tricks

Deck tech, magic, MtG, MtG Deck Building

Here we are with the threatened blog post from yesterday (well I wrote this a while back apparently and only just discovered the post in my drafts folder, so not quiet the next day as I say here). Where I shared with those remotely interested the current Wizard Commander deck that I am playing based on last years Arcane Wizardry precon and a $20 upgrade (as created by MTGGoldfish) that was applied to it, which I then changed by a couple of cards.

Since I did that upgrade earlier in the year new cards have come out in the form of new sets like Rivals of Ixalan, BattleBond, Dominaria, and now Core Set 2019. Plus my adventures amongst the planes of the MtG universe have bought me into contact with old cards that are new to me, or ones I knew about and hadn’t considered until now.

It’s the nature of the game, new cards come out, and often the first thought that goes through your head is “this card will go nicely into my xxxx deck”. And that may be so but then you are left with which card does it replace? Sometimes it’s really obvious because the new card is a better version of one that you currently use. But then you have to evaluate the card, does it weaken or strengthen my decks game plan?

First up for consideration and putting pressure on the existing cards are these four creature cards. Torrential Gearhulk and Vampire Charmseeker double down on the game plan of being able to use the graveyard as an extension of my hand, and play instants and sorcery spells from there. While Spellseeker allows me to go fetch a 2 CMC or less instant to sorcery from my library. That ability alone to go fetch the spell I need is powerful. I just got to make sure I have spells that I can fetch that way.

Timestream Navigator would along with two of the other cards introduce a new tactic to the deck. That being the extra turn. I’m not a fan of the infinite loop (I have built decks that have gone infinite in the past to illustrate the mechanic to my students), they are not fun to play against, and in a casual group fun format like Commander I feel they are against the experience of the format. I don’t mind an extra turn/combat phase, but not infinite. So there is nothing in here to make these extra turns infinite. I suppose Timestream Navigator has the potential to go infinite if you are down to your last card. But I’ve not seen a game of Commander go through 98 cards yet to get to that state.

These 3 enchantments are potentially evil. As Foretold the longer it stays out on the battlefield is going to give me so much value. Rhystic Study potentially going to give me insane card draw. Omniscience although expensive if I can cheat it out will like As Foretold give me such value. But for both I need lots of cards in hand, which the likes of Rhystic Study and one or two of the cards below would hopefully do.

Search for Azcanta is probably the easiest one to put in. Even though it’s a legendary enchantment it could replace a basic land. If I don’t flip it, I have a scry effect each turn, but if I do it taps for a mana or allows me to go looking for an answer in my top 4 cards. It’s the flipped side I’m more interested in.

Only 2 Sorceries, Game Plan is a chaotic card that is just a (potentially) fun card to play in a multiplayer format. While Time Warp is the second of the cards that give that extra turn.

I have 9 potential instants to include. The first is that controversial buy-a-box promo Nexus of Fate. The third and final card that gives me an extra turn. Like Timestream Navigator this one goes back into the library and not the graveyard.

Then we have card draw, that digging for the right card at the right time. Having answers when the questions are being asked. These are cards that hopefully help me get to those answers quicker. Then we have some targeted spells to control what’s going on. The fact that all these spells can be played more than once is just extra gravy.


So those are the cards pushing on the door wanting to claim a slot. What do they replace? Do they fit in with the game plan?

Remember the Alamo

Fenland Gamers, game night

Last night Chris hosted a game of Mansions of Madness: Second Edition at his humble abode.

Real long time sufferers of this blog (hence known as the suffering) will remember the last time I played this game. That ending was running through my mind and bringing a smile to my face as I drove to Chris’s Pad.

I do like the game. But for me the thing that still stops me adding the game to my collection is the app. However I do appreciate the app also makes the game!

There were some nice touches to the scenario we played last night. I liked the changing board state. Rooms would disappear and get replaced by something else. Rooms would move around the board too.

That was pretty cool. And I can’t see how that could be done so seamlessly and quickly without using an app.

We ended up in a basement with a moving library room connected to it, holding a valiant last stand against wave after wave of horrors, before losing the game.

Somehow mine was the only character that didn’t go insane! Which compared to my only other play was a miracle and minor win in itself.

We had a great evening, and it was generous of Chris and his fiancé Jordan for inviting us into their home. Amazingly I didn’t steal their 2 lovely well behaved dogs.

As the following photo shows I’m getting back on track with the halfling wizard. Ok seeing as my character in our intro D&D campaign is called Dram, I might as well call the mini Dram.

Felt better doing the painting a second time. Still going for the full,worn, weathered feel to the look.

Read the feckin label

Uncategorized

A brief painting update.

I did some dry brushing on the mini to give it a “dirty” been living on the trail look.

I was happy with what I’d achieved. May not have been the best painting in the world. But as a first effort.

So I thought I’d finalise things by sealing it varnish.

Sadly I grabbed the wrong tin and as the photo below shows kinda ruined it with black primer!

I don’t want to add more layers of paint and lose detail. So I’ve ruled out painting over the major cockup. That leaves removing the paint and starting again.

Which after finding a UK blog post on the subject I made a trip to my local Morrison’s to get either the Dettol or own brand cleaner recommended today.

As I write this the model is in a jar of Dettol disinfectant doing its magic on the paint.

Oh well back to the drawing board.

I blame Scottish me

Uncategorized

Those of you that haven’t blotted out my poorly written ramblings with copious amounts of single malt (if you have good taste) or binge drinking white lightning or some other cheap alcoholic beverage (if you don’t), will remember the other day that I bought some more paints and primer ( I also had a couple of Zombicide paint kits ordered). I don’t think I mentioned that the other day I used the primer in anger on a halfling wizard.

This morning I was feeling guilty for doing absolutely nothing yesterday. So I set up a painting station (that sounds like I know what I’m doing) in my living room in front of the tv this morning.

Using my none existent painting skills I’ve applied my base colours to the mini.

The paint might be too diluted. And almost a wash (ooh another technical term) , as the staff shows.

But as a first attempt I’m happy with the way it’s looking. Painting with the magnifier to see what I’m doing is taking some getting used to.

Just need to let this dry before trying to get the motivation to do the next coat/touches.

Update Star Realms NOW! United Assault Now available

news, star realms


We have a new expansion available in Star Realms, once you update the app that is.

The following screen grab shows you what you get for your money.

According to the app notes on the App Store there are also UI updates, and support for new foil cards.

It’s not great value for me because I don’t play the campaign. But if I did. But we know i’m getting it just for the new cards to play with.

Read the full release HERE.

It’s the final 2018 Commander

magic, MtG, news


Yesterday was another day of Commander 2018 spoilers, so the final Commander reveal (official) and som pretty neat cards. Here are the ones that caught my eye yesterday.

There is a lot of buzz for Yuriko, The Tiger’s Shadow. If a lot of decks aren’t being planned or already up over night on edhrec (the only place to look for Commander deck listings, and card ideas) I’d be rather surprised. Heck I’d like to build a deck round this Commander.

We got the final storm card. You know how I feel about this 5 card series.

So will Friday see just more cards spoilt or complete deck-lists?

Watching paint dry

Commander, magic, MtG

In this awful lizard weather there isn’t much going on. Well most of my friends are working while I have a day or two off. Due to swapping jobs I have less holiday over this summer than normal, so I’ve used some of it this week to be around to help Mum as she recovers from last weeks dalliances with ill health.

I have sourced a booster box of Battlebond for a good price that should be with me the end of next week. So like the booster box of Conspiracy 2 I have sitting around, the plan is to draft them with my friends, play some Magic, put the cards into a cube themed on that booster box. Then I can draft that set whenever I want with my friends. Plan is to do this also with Unstable. That’s been the plan/dream I’ve talked about before on hear. The reality of getting folks together to play makes it much harder than how simple it sounds.

Yesterday also saw me buy some paints and primer. Yes that old I must learn to paint my minis has cropped up again. I’ve done the dead easy bit on one of the halfling wizards, I’ve applied the primer. Along side it I’ve primed a spare plastic model that I will use to practice techniques on before trying them for real. I just need to muster the energy and enthusiasm up to continue on with this project. Especially in this heat.

Now I’ve bored you enough with the mundane happenings of life in the super slow lane of the middle aged, here is some more Commander 2018 spoilers…

So what goodies did yesterday’s spoilers bring us?

Well the third Planeswalker along with these cards that caught my eye. Naturally these are not all,of the cards that were spoiled. Just the ones that I liked the look of and said wow that would be good in deck xxx.

I’m really loving the storm series with these decks. Much better than those curses from 2017. Taking those curses out were the first thing I or anyone did when upgrading those decks. I can see and appreciate the design/idea about them. I just think they were bad. This storm series I can see myself getting hold of extra copies of these cards.

Plus there is a card that gives me a hard decision about stepping out of the horrors from the deep deck idea being mono blue.

Adventuring in Ravnica is getting physical

magic, MtG, news

For D&D players and MtG players, and especially fans of both (like me) there has been the chance to crossover and role player in the MtG universe using the FREE pdf Plane Shift files that WotC produced. As recent sets have been released we have been treated to an art book and Plane Shift pdf. So from the WotC site you can download Plane Shift files for Zendikar, Innistrad, Kaladesh, Amonkhet, and Ixalan. Sadly since the Dominaria art book was released there has been no sign of a Dominaria Plane Shift file. Which is sad really. I think there are a lot, ok one or two people who’d like to see this.

But with falling attendances, and various hints that WotC are trying to cut back on costs and squeeze every penny (cutting out direct sales to stores, increasing prices to distributors, decreasing prize support to stores) they can out of the product (yes this game we love playing is at the end of the day a product) the recent news in the last couple of days (I think a SDCC announcement) is that come 20th November they are releasing an actual physical product that by the sounds of it replaces this free shit they were giving us.

This new physical manifestation will be for what will be the then current set Ravnica, and called in typical D&D style The Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica.

Along side this source book, there are also 2 other products being released to support it.


The first is something every D&D player, or even gamer can’t get enough of, dice. This according to the product page for your $25 get you the pretty picture container, and One d20, one d12, two d10s, one d8, four d6s, one d4, and one guild die.

The other supporting product which there are no details currently at the time of writing for other than it’s name is The Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica Maps and Miscellany. Which I’m at $20 I’m assuming is “world” maps, general maps of key locations and stuff!

So in reality the MtG loving D&D player is going to have to shell out $95 in totally to explore and go adventuring in Ravnica. You can reduce it, but until release we won’t know how necessary that guild die is. It maybe able to map it across to an existing due to avoid the purchasing of it. Unless they sell it separately, but then why should they?

I like the idea of these Plane Shift being a physical product. However I feel that WotC should also still be doing the free pdf. It’s the fans who downloaded and are playing those that showed WotC there is a demand for this. Rewarding them by removing the free and charging them instead feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Personally I’d love to see a farewell to the Plane Shift series with Dominaria released. It’s also not clear if the art books will continue. I’d like to think that these will continue, and I don’t see why they wouldn’t unless the sales don’t justify them being produced.

I’ll be pre-ordering this stuff no doubt. I’m an addict.


So here we are with yesterdays spoilers and the pick of the ones that I think could fit in one of my existing decks.

I think with Fury Storm I’m detecting a theme. Will we see one in each deck? Which colour will be left out from the theme?