Monday, April 20, 2009

Something Old, Something New...

So, yeah. Alara Reborn looms large. So far looking good. As a fan of multi-player and now EDH, I can't help but like some of the cards that are just under tournament playability. I mean, a 1/5 for two mana. Really. And it doesn't have defender? Nice! I can find uses for that in a big way. I've also been a big fan of cheap, large-butted walls, and the 0/8 flying shroud defender is really tempting. Granted, having Terminate back in business will remind folks of just how good it has always been and still is. Ah, all the possibilities, and so little time to play and try them out. I am just hoarding cards, biding my time until Beren (my son, age 3) is old enough to start slinging cards. Then the hour or more per day I have to spend now on parenting will change into an hour or more per day I might be able to make decks and play games. At least work has been helping.

As I stated two posts ago, there is an enrichment hour that has featured a card game session that I am going to. I've got a Padawan and just last week got another young man interested in Magic. Hey Wizards employees, listen up!!!! He said he was going to go out and buy some cards. Yay me!!! I am the king of acquisition!!! Where are my Guru cards????!?!?!

As for the old I had mentioned, I just received what will probably be the last of the older sets that I will be adding to the ULCs. Onslaught. I busted 27 packs to divy up to the ULCs that are either mine or not spoken for yet, and left the rest for the players who have claimed a ULC to bust open. Got two fetch lands (Bloodstained Mire and Flooded Strand) not to mention a Blistering Firecat, Exalted Angel, Goblin Sharpshooter, Jareth - Leoninn Titan, Ravenous Baloth, and Visara. Not bad - only about $16 short of what I paid for the box on just those cards with 9 packs left to bust open. That's a Piledriver or fetch land away from getting more out of the box than I put in just on money rares. But that's it, folks. At this point in time I can't justify going after Odyssey block. Just too pricey. Hopefully things will change. Possibly, I'll look into foreign language options - there seems to be Chinese product available for an average of about $63 per box, which is cheaper than I've ever paid for a non-Kamigawa, non-Unhinged, non-Fallen Empires booster box. In the meantime, it'll be Alara Reborn up next. And then we might actually play with the collections. So far, I think mine is pretty poor, but we'll see.

Keepin' it (Freed From The) Real,
Rodolfo

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Why I Now Hate Divine Vs Demonic

So, I got packs of Legions for the ULCs. I had opened up about 9 packs and was thinking that there wasn't much in the way of good stuff busted yet. Busted number 10 - nothing special. Busted number 11 - FOIL AKROMA!!!!!!! Sweet!!!!!!. I was very happy. I finished the set of three by busting pack 12 - A NON-FOIL AKROMA!!!!!! Super sweet!!!!!!!! Then I looked to see that DvD Akromas were pre-selling for about ten bucks on EvilBay. WHAT?!?!??!?! Well crud, that's going to sap the value straight out of what was once a fifty-plus dollar foil. That's all I've got right now.

See ya!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

A lot has happened....

....and not much as well. It's been a few weeks and I have been busy. But nothing has really happened except MarsCon, for some multi-player fun, and a fun first - I got paid to play M:tG!

MarsCon was a blast. Not only did I get in to several multi-player free-for-alls, my favorite nerdcore rapper was there - MC Lars! I unfortunately missed mising another second set only draft with some CON-CON-CON action. A nice 5-color domain deck won. I saw good spells and lots of Exploding Borders, always for 5! No wonder he won. I think he also had Ethersworn Adjudicator as well.

At the middle school where I work, there is currently a program to give kids some remedial catch-up opportunities while rewarding those kids who are on task and up to snuff. It's called HOP (short for Hour Of Power). One of the activities this time around is Yugio, Card Games and Other Games. One student I am acquainted with was in this HOP and prompted me to bring my Magic cards in. I did. I sat and played an hour of Magic with him as I helped 'supervise' the classroom. So I actually got paid to do Magic. Am I a professional now? LOLOMGNB! (laugh out loud, oh my God, Nicol Bolas)

On the ULC/Limited EDH front, I am pleased, after a few more acquisitions of product, to list the sets involved as of this date:
Mirrodin
Darksteel
5th Dawn
Champions of Kamigawa
Betrayers of Kamigawa
Saviors of Kamigawa
Ravnica
Guidpact
Dissension
Time Spiral
Planar Chaos
Future Sight
Coldsnap
Lorwyn
Morningtide
Shadowmoor
Eventide
Shards of Alara
Conflux
Unhinged (only one booster, to avoid too much silliness)

That's twenty sets! Woohoo! I only wish I had started the ULCs earlier. I do have a box of Legions on it's way and have been keeping an eye on Scourge and Onslaught. I'm not really sure if I can justify to myself going back any farther with the cost of boxes. Most of the older sets I have acquired have been priced similarly to newer sets, or maybe up to $10.00 a box more. I'm not sure I want to pay much more than that at this point. Alara Reborn comes out soon as well. I am also contemplating whether or not to pick up basic sets, as some of those can be picked up on the cheap. Thoughts? Sound off!

Another great thing that has recently happened: My wife has picked up cards again. I have been stating for some time that she needs to get back to playing some and that I would help her to get up to speed. When it is not competitive, she is more willing. If it's competitive, I don't really give any quarter, so she gets frustrated as my knowledge of the rules and combat tricks, etc. seem like cheating to her. This time I am teaching her. We'll see if it takes enough for her to get in to it. I will try real hard and keep my fingers crossed.

Here's a few neat links:
Neal's blog: Lifegain is bad!
The MTGCast network where Tom does his thang
Starcitygames.com - for all your magic needs (buying and reading)
MTGSalvation.com - where there are good forumns, spoilers, nice card creation contests, and a few good articles wnow and then
Joel's blog - he does a lot more console gaming and shares his thoughts

Until next post,
Rodolfo