Magic the Gathering's next set is starting to be spoiled...

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

In case there are any Magic players out there that somehow missed this, the next set has it's first card spoiled over at Wizards of the Coast's site. Feast your eyes on this:

 

 

Absolutely broken. They're already selling for $50+ per playset on Ebay... can't wait to see what the rest of the set is all about...

Edited March 2, 2010 by Scrappy McSlap

[Barristan 14]

Heya,

 

I tried once... long ago. Not my game it seems! I DID however like how the cards all looked

 

Greetz

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Yeah, they do a good job on the artwork for sure.

 

Um... what happened to the pic that was there? Eh... I'll fix that....

 

Fixed!

Edited March 2, 2010 by Scrappy McSlap

[gogoblender 3,071]

hmmm, I don't understand ... scrappy what do you mean this set is broken... it's not properly printed or something... like a stamp that goes super valuable when first printing doesn't come out perfect?

 

 

gogo

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

hmmm, I don't understand ... scrappy what do you mean this set is broken... it's not properly printed or something... like a stamp that goes super valuable when first printing doesn't come out perfect?

 

 

gogo

 

Sorry gogo, the word "broken" is a slang term. Definition of broken:

 

"In reference to a game (e.g. video game or collectible card game,) "broken" implies there is some rule, character, method of play, or specific card that wields so much power it effectively "breaks" the game."

 

The card shown here is potentially broken in that, at a minimum, it lets you draw four cards when you play it (this is really good and works in any color, since the card is colorless to play). For reference, each player only draws one card per turn normally, so this card puts you ahead by four turns right away.

 

If the card makes it to the table and isn't somehow killed, your opponent has to sacrifice four cards in play each turn it attacks (also really good!).

 

If your opponent manages to kill this card, you get to shuffle all of your discarded or dead cards back into your deck, including this card itself (also really good!).

 

It has 12 power and 12 toughness, which is really big and hard to kill (for reference, players life totals start at 20 in this game, so this creature is HUGE)...

 

So if I were to play this card and attack with it once, I'm guaranteeing myself an advantage of 8 cards to 1 (the four cards I drew plus the four cards my opponent is loosing when I attack in exchange for the one card that I played). In terms of game theory, this is rock solid.

 

The only downside of this card is that it costs 10 mana to play. That's easy enough to get around, and like I said... you can play this dude in any deck, regardless of color.

 

Also, the game has all kinds of cards that allow you to "cheat" cards like this into play, in order to get around paying 10 mana.

 

Long story short: Pretty broken.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Scrappy McSlap

[gogoblender 3,071]

Amazing, detailed explanation. Thank you for that. I dabbled with Magic cards a tiny bit when younger, but never found the right crowd to get into it with. Always knew it was wonderful for everyone that played, and still love to read good info on it.

 

 

Great breakfast work-read you put together there for me Mike, thanks!

 

 

gogo

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

You're welcome, gogo! Always happy to help.

 

I too started playing when I was much younger, and just never quit... It's a fantastic game, if you can wrap you brain around all of the rules and mechanics (it does eventually become instinctive, like anything else you do repeatedly).

 

This game is pretty much a culmination of everything that I like about video games + a little extra. It's a huge creative outlet that allows for basically limitless customization and is almost infinitely expandable. Plus there's a very big social element to it as well (I've met some of my best friends through playing this game).

 

And hey, if I were to ever become really good at the game (or really dedicated haha!) I could alway take a stab at the Pro Tour and wind up like this guy:

 

 

[Rusto 0]

I loved this game when I was younger, but never got to play it much. Is the live arcarde version any good?

[dreeft 9]

hmmm, I don't understand ... scrappy what do you mean this set is broken... it's not properly printed or something... like a stamp that goes super valuable when first printing doesn't come out perfect?

 

 

gogo

 

Sorry gogo, the word "broken" is a slang term. Definition of broken:

 

"In reference to a game (e.g. video game or collectible card game,) "broken" implies there is some rule, character, method of play, or specific card that wields so much power it effectively "breaks" the game."

 

The card shown here is potentially broken in that, at a minimum, it lets you draw four cards when you play it (this is really good and works in any color, since the card is colorless to play). For reference, each player only draws one card per turn normally, so this card puts you ahead by four turns right away.

 

If the card makes it to the table and isn't somehow killed, your opponent has to sacrifice four cards in play each turn it attacks (also really good!).

 

If your opponent manages to kill this card, you get to shuffle all of your discarded or dead cards back into your deck, including this card itself (also really good!).

 

It has 12 power and 12 toughness, which is really big and hard to kill (for reference, players life totals start at 20 in this game, so this creature is HUGE)...

 

So if I were to play this card and attack with it once, I'm guaranteeing myself an advantage of 8 cards to 1 (the four cards I drew plus the four cards my opponent is loosing when I attack in exchange for the one card that I played). In terms of game theory, this is rock solid.

 

The only downside of this card is that it costs 10 mana to play. That's easy enough to get around, and like I said... you can play this dude in any deck, regardless of color.

 

Also, the game has all kinds of cards that allow you to "cheat" cards like this into play, in order to get around paying 10 mana.

 

Long story short: Pretty broken.

I wasn't quite sure what you meant by broken either. This explanation is excellent. Detailed, but not complicated.

[Rusto 0]

I take the term to mean overpowered.

[cloudblade70 0]

That card is pretty broken indeed...get some fast mana and nice enchantments for that badboy.

 

That's also why I love Swords to Plowshares

 

Oh my, just saw this card:

 

Now that's even tougher to kill O_o

[Genenut 8]

I think these might become very limited or restricted and not allowed for certain kinds of play (like elder dragon).. that card is just sick and twisted. (yes lord and I still play quite a bit as does the eldest ...)

[FrostElfGuard 9]

One of the classes of cards that gets players really really excited is the big creatures.

 

This big creature comes with tons and tons of special abilities that makes it amazing to play.

 

However, if the set is not structured for quick mana, then such cards may never hit the table.

 

I played here in my province with fellows who were serious--they intended to win at provincials, hope to win nationals, and then go to the Pro Tour. Me. Well. I was, though experienced, a n00b.

 

My eye in drafting cards was always drawn to the big hulking monster that cost 6 or 8 mana. Such guys never hit the table since all of these guys played Sligh. Sligh means you play the mana curve... you play so that every turn (including all important turn 1) you can cast a spell. There is no dead time where you have no land to play and no spell/summon to play.

 

Look at the math: Turn 1 they cast a 1/1, I'm at 20.

Turn two they cast another 1/1, attack for 1, I'm at 19.

Turn 3 they cast a 2/1 or 2/2, attack for 2, I'm at 17.

Turn 4 they cast a 2/1 or 2/2, attack for 4, I'm at 13.

Turn 5 they cast a 1/1 (they're out of 2 powered monsters), attack for 6, I'm at 7.

I cast a big monster, a 4/4, they nuke it with a creature killing card before combat... or during combat if it's a weak nuke. They attack 4 gets through (I blocked, they were unlucky and had a weak nuke). I'm at 3.

I cast another big 4/4, they cast another 1/1, They attack with remaining 4 creatures... even though I block and kill, I (the player) am dead.

 

So, about 6, maybe 7 turns, and you're dead. Without accelerated mana, a 10 casting cost item won't make it out until turn 10.

So. Not so broken probably... providing there are enough 1 casting cost creatures, and 2s.

 

In Sligh, you play with a min sized deck (to cut down on bad randomization of cards), 17/45 are land (exactly---to mathematically maximize the chance of 1 land in your first 7 cards, so you don't have to redeal with 1 less card), Of the remaining cards 12 are creatures and 10 are removal. You want to silence their threats with the removal cards--but make sure you use them on the real threats.

 

A 2/2 flyer you can get out on turn 2 usually does about 10 damage before it can be blocked... so it is a very serious threat. If you can draft several of these cards you're going to be way ahead of the player who goes for the big strong cards (they call that fat).

 

A sligh deck allows for 1, maybe 2 fat cards. That's all. In Sligh you plan to use all your mana every turn. You swarm the opponent to death.

 

 

---The opposing kind of deck is called a Control Deck. It seeks to stall until it's big cards and creatures can come out. Usually such a hand includes some draw mechanism to get more cards. Traditionally red is sligh and blue is control... but every set is different... they try to add new twists to keep the game fresh. (And to keep retail of new cards valuable, and to keep the value of old cards low.)

 

--Can you tell I'm a closet magic the gathering players?

Edited June 2, 2010 by FrostElfGuard

[Rusto 0]

Not as closet as I was, I even had a whole excuse story ready incase anyone I knew seen me coming out of the shop where I sometimes played at.