Season Results (January)

Magic Arena calls each month a 'season.' At the end of each, they reset a player's ranking and distribute rewards based on the same. This post captures my January performance.

In 2020, I captured my Arena stats by hand (see this post). That was annoying, so this time, I used untapped.gg to track things for me. It's pretty handy, tracking constructed, limited, and special events. I then pull from that to create a spreadsheet. Here's my January at a glance:

And here's my Standard Ranked progress, ending at "Gold 4":

Observations:

• My Orzhov "Clerics" deck variations were horrible, going a combined 5-20 in Standard. I kept at them, though, because I like the concept. 
• My overall win percentage across all events was 39%, confirming that I am a bad Magic player. (The pro's win percentage is something like 60%.)
• Note the average time per match- it increases as decks get less powerful. 
• Constructed "Play" format draws from all card pools available on Arena, and is thus the most powerful. Average game time: 3:03
• Constructed "Ranked (Standard)" format is the most commonly played and less powerful. Average game time: 5:08
• Limited "Ranked (Quick Draft)" is less powerful still, but you get to choose cards from rotating packs, which can lead to some synergistic and potent decks. Average game time: 6:19
• Limited "Sealed" is the least powerful of all, as you have six packs and must use cards from them to construct a deck. No guarantee of synergy here. Average game time: 7:45
• I played Magic for 11.75 hours in January. That seems like a lot . . . 
• I like Limited events (Sealed and Quick Drafts being my preferred), and should play them more often

Magic is fun, even if I'm not good at it. Statistics are fun, too.

Kaldheim Sealed

With Kaldheim's release, Arena is running a Sealed event. Fun! As my favorite limited format, I participated two times.

Sealed 1

Record:2-3

I ran a black-red deck that didn't do much. I do enjoy the boast and foretell mechanics, though.

1 Blightstep Pathway (KHM) 252

1 Snow-Covered Swamp (KHM) 281

1 Duskwielder (KHM) 91

7 Swamp (SLD) 105

1 Deathknell Berserker (KHM) 83

1 Elderfang Disciple (KHM) 93

1 Raise the Draugr (KHM) 105

1 Infernal Pet (KHM) 99

1 Koma's Faithful (KHM) 102

1 Draugr Recruiter (KHM) 87

1 Return Upon the Tide (KHM) 106

1 Tergrid's Shadow (KHM) 113

1 Burning-Rune Demon (KHM) 81

1 Snow-Covered Mountain (KHM) 282

1 Fearless Pup (KHM) 136

7 Mountain (SLD) 106

1 Tormentor's Helm (KHM) 155

1 Axgard Cavalry (KHM) 121

1 Immersturm Raider (KHM) 141

1 Arni Brokenbrow (KHM) 120

1 Breakneck Berserker (KHM) 124

1 Crush the Weak (KHM) 128

1 Demon Bolt (KHM) 129

1 Shackles of Treachery (KHM) 150

1 Craven Hulk (KHM) 127

1 Smashing Success (KHM) 151

1 Squash (KHM) 152

1 Cinderheart Giant (KHM) 126

Sealed 2

Record: 2-3

I ran a blue-black-red that also didn't do much. But Mystic Reflection and Dwarven Reinforcements is a great combo- especially when your opponent has a monstrous creature on the battlefield that you can copy twice. Bwaahhahaha.

1 Snow-Covered Island (KHM) 278

1 Ascendant Spirit (KHM) 43

5 Island (SLD) 102

1 Depart the Realm (KHM) 53

1 Karfell Harbinger (KHM) 65

1 Withercrown (KHM) 119

1 Mystic Reflection (KHM) 69

1 Strategic Planning (KHM) 77

1 Saw It Coming (KHM) 76

1 Augury Raven (KHM) 44

1 Cosmos Charger (KHM) 51

1 Berg Strider (KHM) 47

1 Graven Lore (KHM) 61

1 Sulfurous Mire (KHM) 270

1 Duskwielder (KHM) 91

1 Volatile Fjord (KHM) 273

1 Jarl of the Forsaken (KHM) 100

4 Swamp (SLD) 105

1 Skull Raid (KHM) 111

1 Dwarven Reinforcements (KHM) 134

2 Mountain (SLD) 106

1 Demon Bolt (KHM) 129

2 Elderfang Disciple (KHM) 93

1 Snow-Covered Mountain (KHM) 283

1 Snow-Covered Mountain (KHM) 282

1 Hailstorm Valkyrie (KHM) 97

1 Seize the Spoils (KHM) 149

2 Breakneck Berserker (KHM) 124

1 Raise the Draugr (KHM) 105

1 Karfell Kennel-Master (KHM) 101

Sealed is a great way to explore a new set; I look forward to future events. My big takeaways from Kaldheim so far:

- I want a snow deck

- there are a lot of cool cards. I have my eye on some angels in particular

- the mechanics are fun

- I'm not sure I'll figure out how to make a good deck out of this set

Omniscience Draft

There are so many ways to play Magic. Last week, I experienced an "Omniscience" draft for the first time.

Omniscience is Magic minus mana costs or lands. The three unique rules:

1. "You may cast spells from your hand without paying their mana costs." 
2. 0: add {W}{U}{B}{R}{G}. Activate this ability only once each turn. [This gives you the possibility of playing creature abilities.]
3. You start the game with a hand of 3 cards.

What a crazy twist! It sure changes how you draft. A few observations:

• Without casting costs, most decks will have all five colors.
• Two types of cards are primarily coveted: 
• high-cost spells (creatures, etc.)
• card draw spells
• With no lands and a 40-card deck minimum, you will play with almost all of the 45 cards you draft. With a starting hand size of 3, if you end up with 'chaff' cards early, you're doomed.
• Cards that include a casting cost of [x] are worthless (as [x] must equal zero).
• Mill cards are nearly useless- games won't go long enough to make that viable.

Games go fast- often only two-three turns- if one of you can get out a few mammoth creatures on turn one, and the other has no answer for them. I did quite poorly in both drafts; decklists below.

It was a fun experience, but not something I'll do often. There seems to be less skill in drafting and still less in playing- your opening hand often determines the winner.

Draft 1:

1 Falconer Adept (M21) 18

1 Tolarian Kraken (M21) 80

1 Sanguine Indulgence (M21) 121

1 Bad Deal (M21) 89

1 Spined Megalodon (M21) 72

4 Gloom Sower (M21) 100

2 Epitaph Golem (M21) 230

2 Rambunctious Mutt (M21) 30

1 Igneous Cur (M21) 153

2 Garruk's Gorehorn (M21) 184

2 Dub (M21) 16

1 Turn to Slag (M21) 168

1 Revitalize (M21) 31

1 Teferi's Tutelage (M21) 78

1 Village Rites (M21) 126

1 Kinetic Augur (M21) 154

2 Bone Pit Brute (M21) 132

1 Pitchburn Devils (M21) 156

1 Cancel (M21) 46

1 Caged Zombie (M21) 91

2 Duress (M21) 96

1 Wishcoin Crab (M21) 86

1 Valorous Steed (M21) 42

1 Secure the Scene (M21) 35

1 Capture Sphere (M21) 47

1 Siege Striker (M21) 37

1 Masked Blackguard (M21) 113

1 Furor of the Bitten (M21) 145

1 Liliana's Steward (M21) 111

1 Vodalian Arcanist (M21) 83

1 Portcullis Vine (M21) 195

Draft 2:

1 Warden of the Woods (M21) 213

1 Finishing Blow (M21) 99

1 Turret Ogre (M21) 169

2 Mind Rot (M21) 115

1 Legion's Judgment (M21) 24

3 Duress (M21) 96

2 Track Down (M21) 211

2 Chrome Replicator (M21) 229

1 Garruk's Gorehorn (M21) 184

1 Portcullis Vine (M21) 195

2 Rambunctious Mutt (M21) 30

1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon (M21) 1

1 Opt (M21) 59

3 Spined Megalodon (M21) 72

1 Secure the Scene (M21) 35

1 Revitalize (M21) 31

1 Library Larcenist (M21) 55

1 Bone Pit Brute (M21) 132

2 Sanguine Indulgence (M21) 121

2 Thrill of Possibility (M21) 165

1 Infernal Scarring (M21) 105

1 Return to Nature (M21) 200

1 Pursued Whale (M21) 60

1 Skyscanner (M21) 238

1 Goremand (M21) 101

1 Fungal Rebirth (M21) 182

1 Gloom Sower (M21) 100

1 Unleash Fury (M21) 170

1 Tormod's Crypt (M21) 241

1 Rookie Mistake (M21) 66

Concepts and Legends (James Wyatt)

Concepts and Legends is another Magic: the Gathering book showcasing the art of the game. But here, the focus is more on conceptual art used to build out the world of a given set. (There is some finished art, but not much.) At a high level, the book covers:

• Planes (the worlds of Magic, like Dominaria, Ravnica, and Innistrad)
• Races (the sapient creatures, like catfolk, merfolk, vampires, goblins, and elves)
• Creatures (all other creatures, like angels, sphinxes, demons, dragons, and hydras)
• Characters (focusing on planeswalkers)

Unlike the last Magic book I covered (see this post), this book is much larger, improving the presentation. The writing is surprisingly good, too. This work highlights the story behind Magic as well, serving as a useful introduction and a reminder that this is more than just a game- it is an immersive world with a story arc that has spanned 25 years. Finally, it displays just how much work goes into world building for the game, producing tons of concept art to help make a given set consistent in appearance across hundreds of artists. Overall, I was impressed. (It comes with some nice art prints, too.) As with other offerings, though, I wish it had been longer.

Rating: A-

Zendikar Rising Drafting

Recently, I enjoyed the Zendikar Rising Quick Draft on Arena. It was a fun set and great for limited play.  This post recaps my five drafts; the decks presented are formated for export into Arena.

Draft 1: "Here's the Kicker"
Record: 4-3
I ran a blue-black-green deck based on the kicker mechanic. It worked reasonably well. The deck:

1 Verazol, the Split Current (ZNR) 239

2 Moss-Pit Skeleton (ZNR) 228

1 Might of Murasa (ZNR) 194

1 Tazeem Roilmage (ZNR) 84

1 Oblivion's Hunger (ZNR) 119

2 Reclaim the Wastes (ZNR) 200

3 Hagra Constrictor (ZNR) 105

1 Nighthawk Scavenger (ZNR) 115

2 Roost of Drakes (ZNR) 74

1 Gnarlid Colony (ZNR) 185

2 Scale the Heights (ZNR) 202

2 Field Research (ZNR) 58

1 Spare Supplies (ZNR) 254

1 Skyclave Sentinel (ZNR) 253

1 Deliberate (ZNR) 56

1 Cragplate Baloth (ZNR) 183

1 Vine Gecko (ZNR) 219

1 Adventure Awaits (ZNR) 177

1 Broken Wings (ZNR) 181

6 Island (SLD) 102

5 Swamp (SLD) 105

6 Forest (SLD) 108

Draft 2: "What Izzet?"
Record: 3-3
The blue-red deck was sort of a mess- kind of landfall, but not really. In a Constructed environment, I would have been roasted alive.

2 Deliberate (ZNR) 56

1 Grotag Night-Runner (ZNR) 143

2 Negate (ZNR) 71

3 Seafloor Stalker (ZNR) 78

2 Teeterpeak Ambusher (ZNR) 169

1 Ardent Electromancer (ZNR) 135

1 Spare Supplies (ZNR) 254

1 Jace, Mirror Mage (ZNR) 63

1 Into the Roil (ZNR) 62

1 Shatterskull Minotaur (ZNR) 160

1 Molten Blast (ZNR) 149

1 Stonework Packbeast (ZNR) 255

1 Spitfire Lagac (ZNR) 167

1 Merfolk Windrobber (ZNR) 70

1 Cleric of Chill Depths (ZNR) 51

1 Sizzling Barrage (ZNR) 162

1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum (ZNR) 150

1 Scorch Rider (ZNR) 158

1 Scavenged Blade (ZNR) 157

1 Living Tempest (ZNR) 65

1 Skyclave Squid (ZNR) 82

9 Island (SLD) 102

8 Mountain (SLD) 106

Draft 3: "Selesnya Landfill"
Record: 0-3
This white-green Landfall deck didn't work on any level, though it had some decent cards.

1 Scute Swarm (ZNR) 203

2 Prowling Felidar (ZNR) 34

2 Reclaim the Wastes (ZNR) 200

1 Skyclave Cleric (ZNR) 40

1 Kazandu Stomper (ZNR) 191

2 Territorial Scythecat (ZNR) 213

1 Broken Wings (ZNR) 181

1 Dauntless Unity (ZNR) 9

1 Maul of the Skyclaves (ZNR) 27

1 Makindi Stampede (ZNR) 26

1 Kitesail Cleric (ZNR) 20

1 Smite the Monstrous (ZNR) 42

1 Pressure Point (ZNR) 33

2 Makindi Ox (ZNR) 25

1 Tajuru Blightblade (ZNR) 208

1 Tangled Florahedron (ZNR) 211

1 Scale the Heights (ZNR) 202

1 Disenchant (ZNR) 10

1 Spare Supplies (ZNR) 254

1 Resolute Strike (ZNR) 35

8 Forest (SLD) 108

8 Plains (SLD) 101

Draft 4: "Rakdos Party"
Record: 7-2
This deck worked on every level. I maxed out on wins and turned it in. Felt good, especially after the Draft 3 flop.

1 Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats (ZNR) 241

1 Mind Drain (ZNR) 114

1 Relic Golem (ZNR) 249

2 Nimana Skydancer (ZNR) 117

1 Akoum Warrior (ZNR) 134

1 Demon's Disciple (ZNR) 97

1 Blood Price (ZNR) 93

1 Blood Beckoning (ZNR) 92

1 Drana's Silencer (ZNR) 99

1 Teeterpeak Ambusher (ZNR) 169

1 Stonework Packbeast (ZNR) 255

1 Base Camp (ZNR) 257

1 Shatterskull Minotaur (ZNR) 160

1 Zof Consumption (ZNR) 132

1 Scorch Rider (ZNR) 158

1 Ardent Electromancer (ZNR) 135

1 Sea Gate Colossus (ZNR) 251

1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum (ZNR) 150

1 Marauding Blight-Priest (ZNR) 112

1 Fissure Wizard (ZNR) 140

1 Spikefield Hazard (ZNR) 166

1 Tormenting Voice (ZNR) 172

1 Spare Supplies (ZNR) 254

1 Molten Blast (ZNR) 149

1 Expedition Champion (ZNR) 138

1 Inordinate Rage (ZNR) 144

8 Mountain (SLD) 106

8 Swamp (SLD) 105

Draft 5: "Just Chill"

Record: 1-3

Since I installed untapped.gg and overlaid it on Arena, this draft I used a different approach- draft the cards with the highest limited rating, a numerical value overlaid on the cards by untapped and provided by coolstuffinc. I ended up running a mono-blue 'unblockable' deck that . . . just didn't work. It was a good reminder that individually-valuable cards do not guarantee a successful deck.

2 Sure-Footed Infiltrator (ZNR) 83

3 Expedition Diviner (ZNR) 57

1 Cleric of Chill Depths (ZNR) 51

2 Glacial Grasp (ZNR) 59

2 Sea Gate Colossus (ZNR) 251

1 Skyclave Sentinel (ZNR) 253

2 Field Research (ZNR) 58

1 Into the Roil (ZNR) 62

2 Seafloor Stalker (ZNR) 78

1 Merfolk Windrobber (ZNR) 70

1 Cascade Seer (ZNR) 48

2 Skyclave Plunder (ZNR) 81

1 Deliberate (ZNR) 56

1 Stonework Packbeast (ZNR) 255

1 Cunning Geysermage (ZNR) 55

2 Shell Shield (ZNR) 79

16 Island (SLD) 102

Legends: A Visual History (Jay Annelli)

And now for something completely different: a book review.

Over its history, Magic: the Gathering has featured over 1,000 unique creatures (called 'legends'). In Legends: A Visual History, Jay Annelli covers a portion of them across many of the planes in Magic's history and explains their backstory, showcasing wonderful art along the way.

I liked the concept; the execution could have been better. As art features so heavily in Magic, a visual history is the right approach. The writing wasn't great but informative enough, and interesting for those who have played the game, giving us backstory to the cards (there is an impressive story, planned in advance, both for individual sets and across them- knowing it's not necessary to enjoy the game, but it does enhance the experience). My problem was the uneven coverage of different worlds- some planes received dozens of pages, while others had just a few. I get that it can't be a 1,000-page book and cover everyone, but I wish it were a little longer (perhaps 350 pages instead of 255) and more evenly sampled. Ultimately, I think I'm looking for a coffee-table art book that covers all of Magic's history.

Rating: B

Use it or Lose it

How I feel about minimizing, shown by Tolarian Winds card art

Happy 2021! Like many, I make resolutions to greet the new year. We look ahead in anticipation, perhaps especially so after the year we just completed. There is hope, though we're still in the pandemic . . . but on to Magic.

My Magic resolution for this year is . . . to minimize my Magic cards. I don't really want to hear that- hence my choice of art for today's post- but it is necessary. I love both collecting and playing the game, but I need to minimize the former while continuing the latter. There are so many cards I've never used, and they don't benefit me sitting around. To that end, for the past few weeks, I've been going through my cards and adjusting the collection. I'm keeping favorite sets (Dominaria, Eldraine), sleeving cards from favorite blocks for drafting (Innistrad, Ixalan), and keeping a ton of cards from core sets and other expansions for Commander or cubes. I'll still own thousands of cards . . . but I'm getting rid of a lot, too.

Such paring down is time-consuming- and annoying- but necessary to keep things contained. My collection can't get too large, or I'd have no room in my game area. But more importantly, I need to keep my collection bounded so I use what I own. If you don't keep a handle on your possessions, they'll start owning you. Focusing on having only what you use, and getting rid of the rest, increases your enjoyment and makes life easier. Optimization matters. 

Speaking of optimization, I read an excellent article yesterday about casual Commander. The author makes a number of good points. One is the tendency of even casual games to lean toward optimization, which basically means:

- players want their decks to be as good as possible, 

- so they'll sink lots of time and money into making that happen, 

- which means the game (regardless of format) moves from casual to competitive rather easily. 

As I pondered his points, I realized how I bought into this (literally); I have so many cards because I want to make competitive decks. And yet, when I analyze my physical play, I much prefer casual. I play with friends and my children- never in competitive tournaments. And that's great! But it means I'm paying for something (competitive cards) that I just don't care about in casual play. And so I need to make a change.

New Year is a great time to reflect on what you need and want, and analyze whether your resource usage (time and money) matches what you truly believe is important. And make changes when necessary. Here's to 2021.