kiddies like fat creatures?

wotc wants more variance in magic?

ZJ was saying it's 11 for 1 because you took away the +3 cards opportunity would have been for the opponent and then got +8 cards for your trouble. It's one way to look at it, but it's not the traditional way to count card advantage. What would countering necropotence be? An X for 1? I don't think of it that way, you are each down one card after the exchange. WR on opp is -1 for villian and +7 for hero, in other words a 9 for 1.

I think 1-x is not the correct template to discuss this situation. It's a card advantage discussion, his opponent was going to get +3 card advantage and instead he got +7 so he created +10 relative card advantage.

If you want to speak in terms of 1-x the correct would be 1 against -7. (he nullified one card and gained him 7)

anyways is a nice play and beating for the opponent.

I think 1-for-9 is pretty simple and rational. I use 1 card, I gain 8 cards, opponent loses 1. Well, there is no "correct" way say it. Doesn't really matter anyways.

(NGE > Rahxephon, I did like the OP though.)

If you use one and gain 8 isn't the sum of this 7?

He draws 8 plus "counters" his opponents card : He spends 1 card to do it

9 for 1

Forgive my ignorance here, since I'm new to Magic, but what's the practical implication of arguing whether it is a 7:1, 8:1 or 9:1 situation?

I may be missing something, but it seems to me that you're all a bunch of pedants who are arguing over trivialities.

Is countering a divination a two for one? Obviously not, preventing someone's advantage is not giving yourself an advantage.

The whole point of card advantage is that you eventually play more cards than your opponent and if you have decks of equal power he won't be able to climb back in the game once you pull ahead.

If you counter a divination you both still have an equal amount of cards as before the spells resolved. The counterer has not gained an advantage in their number of cards over the counteree.

My advice playing mtgo is a losing proposition. If you cannot afford then don't play simple, of course not so simple without discipline.

Only the bots make any money, drafting is alway's -ev because of the ridiculous 2 ticket cost and how fast the prices drop. (Which is much faster then paper mtg.)

If you live in US you actually can redeem stuff which makes mtgo ok.

anyone going to scg cleve?

This is the correct analysis sir.

Nah not really, counting is a good thing to be able to do when you play magic.

Hey guys

Any insights would be much appreciated

I am trying to build an esper control from return to ravnica block + m14 and play in standard format. This is my deck


3 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
2 Aetherling

4 Jace, Architect of Thought

4 Supreme Verdict
4 Azorius Charm
3 Sphinx's Revelation
3 Far
3 Detention Sphere
3 Psychic Strike
2 Render Silent
2 Syncopate


SB
4 Sin collector
4 Woodlot Crawler
4 Ratchet bomb
2 Doom blade
1 Obzedat, Ghost Council


I have the feeling that something isnt working properly but i dont know why. The players here tend to play midrange aggro decks from gruul to only token while the control decks are far less but still popular.

One change -2 Render +2 Syncopate

The new Cancel + Scry 1 is so much better than either Strike or Render. You also want Sin Collectors. It hits vs every deck.

Ok new list now. Some changes are -1 land (26 total now) -3 strike +4 dissolve, -1 blood +1 Obzedat, Ghost Council

1 Obzedat, Ghost Council
2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
2 Aetherling

4 Jace, Architect of Thought

4 Supreme Verdict
4 Azorius Charm
3 Sphinx's Revelation
3 Far
3 Detention Sphere
4 Dissolve
4 Syncopate


SB
3 Pithing needle
4 Woodlot Crawler
4 Ratchet bomb
4 Doom Blade


I dont know how i can fit sin collectors in sb or main deck. Moreover i think (maybe) thoughtseize would be a decent option somewhere but i cant really remove anything from my perspective. Maybe in sb i can remove 1 needle + 3 strike for 4 sin collectors and get in with mirrors? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Another thought was to swap detention shpere with doom blade

Seems like a weird moment to make a Standard control deck, with the environment still being largely unknown.

Eh, hard to go wrong with RTR-block Esper and tweak it a little. I'd say it is much harder to build actually good midrange than control deck.

anssi do you think is better to have main doom than sphere?

I think you want some 2-cost instant removal besides charm, be it Renounce the Guilds, Devour Flesh, Ultimate Price or Doom Blade. Prob 2-of. I personally hate syncopate, it is so terrible on the draw, I'd rather play Essence Scatter. I like to run 1-of Sphere if not running Renounce just as universal answers. Detention Spheres #2-3 might be better than counters. There is not that much stuff you'll do at opponent's turn with your untapped land now that Think Twice has left the format.

I'd cut

1 Obzedat, Ghost Council
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
4 Syncopate
1 Far/Away
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Dissolve
1 D. Sphere

+3 Essence Scatter
+2 Sin Collector
+1 Land
+2 Doom Blade
+1 Revelation

+1 something, could be 28th land, Negate or some of the cards I cut.

if i get sin collector in i prefer thoughtseize Even though i agree with syncopate there isnt a single person i talked to and disliked syncopate. All control guys (even the pros) seem fun of this little thing

Thing is Collector is so much more than Thoughtseize. It is there to trade with Voice, attack the opposing Jace, block Burning Tree Emissary...

Thoughtseize is really awkward in this deck because you can't cast it t1 unless you take 4 damage blind which is the exact opposite of what this deck wants to do and casting it t2 makes it impossible to leave mana open for counters/charm.

It is great sb card vs slower decks but this deck don't want to main it.

I'm sure there are other UBx controls that do want thoughtseize though.

[IMG]http://************/image/n7wv0xy4h/[/IMG]
any suggestions for this standard highlander deck?

or