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This week in Magic: Some thoughts on Khans sealed
Thursday, September 25th, 2014
This past weekend was the first time I played in a prerelease in a long time. I’ve been pretty hesitant about them lately since I figured I can always just buy the singles I needed. However, this time was different. Of course, the fetchlands were very enticing, but the idea of playing another 3-colored themed set was a good reason as well.
So how was it you ask? I had a blast. Sealed Khans of Tarkir is a lot of fun, and a lot of people seemed to agree with me at the prerelease. Fun fact, did you know our midnight prerelease attracted 116 players that night? It went above and beyond the expectations of some that night. A quick thanks to those who came out.
As for me, I played a both events on Saturday. I picked up Mardu in the afternoon and played Abzan later that night. I have to say, both are very different, and very fun to play. I feel in the limited format, being aggressive is key, so I purposefully avoided anything with Blue.
I should mention that I’m not one of those players that puts a lot of time into their preparation going into the prerelease. I, like a lot of people, get their information via the previews done that week, and that’s it. Heading into the afternoon event, I didn’t know much. I just read the little card that’s given inside of the prerelease kit.
Mardu
From what I read, the Mardu are the really quick and super aggro clan. They try to get in there and beat their opponents down as fast as they can before things get out of hand for themselves. I don’t know if anything you take the time to read those little cards, but sometimes they can be helpful. Keep in mind, the designers of the game created the clans to work well within their colors for a reason. I did my best to stick with those three colors and apply the clan’s “way of life.” My curve was low with numerous “bears.” My game plan was to flood the board as much as I can and just overwhelm my opponent. Furthermore, the raid mechanic proved to be quite a beating.
I have to say, I was really impressed with the clan. My promo for the first sealed was Mardu Ascendancy. I have a small feeling that this card will see Standard play. With just four creatures, each one would trigger the Mardu Ascendancy and I would get four more 1/1 Goblins that came into play, tapped, and attacking. With spells like Trumpet Blast and Rush of Battle, things didn’t last long.
The downside to Mardu was that if you didn’t end things quickly, the potential to become overrun by your opponent was real. Your creatures would eventually die out to their fatter board. Keep this in mind if you ever decide to play Mardu. My Mardu MVPs were War-Name Aspirant, Mardu Heart-Piercer, and Mardu Warchief. My Mardu Super MVP was Ponyback Brigade.
Abzan
Later that night I decided to try my hands at Abzan. I had heard a lot of good things going into the prerelease, but nothing more than compliments. This is an interesting group of colors. My initial reaction to the clan synergy was that they’re a lot like slivers with an obvious catch – you need +1/+1 counters on creatures to gain the bonuses.
I struggled a bit building my initial Abzan deck. i stared a it for a long time before settling on the best build I could for my pool. The key mechanic for Abzan is Outlast. It’s quite fitting once you realize that you’ve committed to the long game the minute you select Abzan as your clan. When choosing this clan, you need to prepare yourself for early game beats. While trying to survive early onslaughts, you’ve got to figure out a way to start setting up your long game.
My Abzan promo was the Herald of Anafenza. I have to admit, when I first saw the previews of this card, I thought it was one of the worst cards I’ve ever seen. Now that I’ve gotten a chance to play with it, I’ve changed my mind. I may not think it’s terrible anymore, but I do think it’s a hard card to play with. During one of my matches, I had seven counters on him. I had put him to put him to work. Each time I made a creature through his Outlast activation, I had used it to block something big of my opponents. Thank goodness that creature didn’t have trample.
Outlast can take a little while to get going. So I had to find ways to put counters on my creatures without using the ability. This was especially the case if I were facing someone who was playing Mardu. That’s where cards like Feat of Resistance and and Dragonscale Boon come into play. Let’s not forget that Abzan Charm was one of the best spells because of its cheap ability to put a counter on one or two creatures.
Speaking of creatures, my list of MVPs include Abzan Guide and Ainok Bond-Kin. There were two creatures in particular which take Super MVP titles and they were Abzan Falconer and Armament Corps.
Wrap-up
Well, that’s it for now. I know I didn’t talk about Jeskai, Temur, and Sultai, but my hope is that I’ll get the chance to try them out when I go tok GP New Jersey. It’s a Legacy event, but Friday has a full lineup of Khans sealed events.
Don’t forget that this Friday is the Fat-Pack Challenge! What is the Fat-Pack Challenge? Well it’s simple. You buy a Fat-Pack and build a sealed deck – that’s nine packs instead of the usual six! Hope to see you there!
About the author
Simeon is now the Community Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. If you have any questions or inquiries, then you can reach him at Sims@battlegroundgames.com. He is also an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!
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Tags: Khans of Tarkir, Magic the Gathering, MTG, Simeon Cortezano
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Judge’s Chamber: Morphology 101 by Ken Briscoe
Wednesday, September 17th, 2014
Get used to seeing the back of this!
Why?
You’re probably asking yourself why I’m writing an article about Morph, the mechanic returning (for the third time!) in Khans of Tarkir. Surely it’s not so complex that it needs its own rules explanation…right?
WRONG. Read on to see why I, as a Judge, want you to know all the ins and outs. I definitely don’t want to issue any penalties, so as a favor to me, please soak this up…
What’s complicated?
Did you know that Morph doesn’t use the stack? That’s right, you can flip the card face-up and pay the cost, and your opponent can’t respond to it. In the same way they can’t respond to you tapping a Forest for green mana. Once you decide that flipping a Morph creature face-up is what you want to do, it just happens. No responses, no triggers, no instants, no nothing will cause this to not happen. No Trickbind or Stifle (even if they’re not in Standard) will stop this. IT JUST HAPPENS. PERIOD. HARD STOP.
OK, so that’s not so bad, but what is? Some cards, such as the recently-spoiled Master of Pearls have triggered abilities that trigger when they are turned face-up. While the act of turning a creature face-up does not use the stack, any abilities that trigger when that happens do use the stack and can be responded to. Other cards have effects that happen as the creature is being turned face up, such as Hooded Hydra. Take the following example:
You attack me with a 3/3 while I control a face-down creature (which, at this point, is a vanilla 2/2). I block, and you have no effects. Surprise, I do! I pay five mana and turn my creature face up to reveal that it’s Hooded Hydra. As it is being turned face up, I put five +1/+1 counters on it.
Remember, this all just happens. No stack involved, and no opportunity for you to Shock my creature. Once it’s face up, you can Shock it, but that won’t destroy it because it’s a 5/5. Once combat damage is dealt, both creatures will die. But once I said that I had effects and paid the Morph cost, it’s too late for you to respond by killing my face-down creature.
Another common question from players who’ve never played with Morph before is one similar to what we recently had with the Bestow mechanic. That is, “When I flip a Morph creature face up, does that count as coming into play?”
The short answer is no. The long answer is no, here’s why: Face-up/face-down is a status, just like tapped/untapped or flipped/unflipped (from Kamigawa-block flip cards). If that piece of cardboard was already on the battlefield and you just move it around a bit, that doesn’t count as entering the battlefield. It counts as staying on the battlefield.
What’s My Name?
Heads up, folks, we have a new token. It looks awesome, but as a judge, I have one issue with it.
This looks pretty sweet, with one exception – a Morph’s name, while face-down, is not “Morph”. Face-down creatures do not have a name. No name at all. These tokens are strictly a reminder and not a hard-and-fast representation of the game state.
Why does that matter?
I control two face-down creatures. You have Bile Blight. You want to kill one (or both) of them. You cast Bile Blight on one of them. I have no responses. What happens? The answer is that the face-down creature you targeted with Bile Blight is the only one that dies. Why? Because since Morph creatures don’t have a name (despite what that silly token may imply), then they can’t share a name. Which means the creature targeted with Bile Blight will die, its face-down comrade will not.
Face-down non-Morph
This is really the impetus for the article.You’re at the pre-release and you decide that you want to bluff your opponent. You decide to pay 3 and put a card into play face-down. Except, since you’re bluffing, you put an instant face-down, not a creature with Morph. Turns go by and you eventually win, maybe thanks to your bluff. Your opponent isn’t so happy but is none the wiser to your bluff.
DO NOT DO THIS
Not sure I can express this any other way. Only creatures with Morph should be placed face-down on the battlefield. (Ixidron shenanigans aside.)
In fact, if there is a face-down creature on the battlefield, you must reveal it to all players when either of the following things happen:
- The game ends.
- The face-down creature would move from the battlefield to any other zone. If it’s bounced to your hand, you reveal it. If it’s destroyed, you reveal it. If it’s exiled, you reveal it. If it’s put on top of your library, you reveal it.
These measures are in place to prevent the scenario of having an instant (or any other non-morph card) being on the battlefield, either by accident or by an ill-intentioned player.
Moving Morphs
“Ah ha,” you’re saying, “I won’t play my non-Morphs face down, but I will move around my face-down creatures on the battlefield so my opponent won’t know which is which!”
This is another one of those “don’t do that” scenarios. While your opponents don’t have the right to know the exact Morph creature that any particular face-down creature is, they do have the right to know certain characteristics about them. For example, they have the right to know the order in which they entered the battlefield. They have the right to know which, if any, are summoning sick, tapped, or have any counters on them.
So my recommendation is to lay out your battlefield in such a way that your face-down creatures are side-by-side in chronological order. This will reduce confusion all around.
Speaking of Counters
If a face-down creature has any counters on it, when it’s turned face up, it will retain those counters. So if you cast Hunt the Weak and choose your face-down creature to fight one of my creatures, later on when you turn it face up and reveal it to be that Hooded Hydra from earlier, that Hydra will be a 6/6, not a 5/5.
What about the other type of counter? You cast a Morph creature face-down. I decide I want to counter it, even though I don’t know what it is. What happens? Recall from earlier that if a face-down creature would go from the battlefield to any other zone, you must reveal it. That’s only part of the story. When a face-down spell is countered, it goes to the graveyard face up, like any other spell. So while it’s on the stack, I might not know what the creature is, but if I counter it, I’ll know exactly how good or bad my decision to counter it was.
In a Nutshell
So while there are a couple of non-intuitive features to the Morph mechanic, if you remember the following few things, it should get you through 99% of your interactions with Morph:
- Always remember to reveal the Morph at the end of the game, or if it would change zones!
- Keep your face-down creatures distinct and clearly separated so each player can differentiate them.
Counters, Auras, and Equipment will stay on the Morph creature even after it’s turned face up (unless the face up creature has protection from the Aura or Equipment).
And some strategic advice straight from 2002: Kill the Morph.
Thanks for reading.
Ken
About the author
Ken Briscoe is a local competitor of the Abington store and lover of all things “Magic: The Gathering.” He began playing “Magic” during Revised, and quit for about 6 years. He then picked things right back up at Mirrodin block. For real work, Ken is an IT Consultant. He is also a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. He attended Syracuse University and Bridgewater State. but not at the same time. His latest accomplishments include beating Paul Calder last week in fantasy baseball.
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Tags: judge, ken briscoe, Khans of Tarkir, Magic the Gathering, MTG, Pre-release
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This week in gaming: Revisiting the Extra Life Challenge
Thursday, September 11th, 2014
This week’s article is going to start off a little bit reflective. First of all, I can’t believe I’ve been doing this weekly since February. Now if I could only convince myself that running was like writing. Maybe I’d be in better shape. If you’ve stuck with me since the beginning, I want to thank you, and if you’re just getting here, then I hope you enjoy the rest of the ride for however long you stick around for – which I hope is for a while.
So, I bet you’re wondering why we’re starting off in such a reflective mood. Well, the reason being is that one of my first few articles was titled, “From couch to cash: Trying to redefine the gamer stereotype.” In this post, I talked about how I had read a comment that, to the effect, made gamers still sound like couch potatoes. In fact, for a while, gamers have been doing quite a bit. This even included participating in numerous charity events including, but not limited to, Child’s Play, Awesome Games Done Quick, and Extra Life.
A couple weeks after I wrote that post, I signed up to take part in the Extra Life challenge and began my campaign to raise as much money as I could for the charity.
What is Extra Life?
For those of you who don’t know, Extra Life is a charity organization that raises money to help benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The hospital I am raising money for is the Boston Children’s Hospital.
As the story goes, Extra Life got it’s first big start in 2008. Then, Extra Life was a way to honor a girl by the name of Victoria Enmon. She was then battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A small group of independant gamers known as the Sarcastic Gamer Community got word of her battle and members send in games and other gifts to try to raise and maintain her spirits through numerous visits in and out of the hospital.
Unfortunately, Victoria lost her battle with Cancer in January of 2008. Later that year, the Sarcastic Gamer Community decided to put on the first 24-hour gaming marathon to try to raise money for the hospital that treated Victoria. In 2008 and 2009, the group raised a combined $302,000, all of which went to the Texas Children’s Hospital.
Since then, thousands of gamers have gotten together every year to help raise money for kids who end up in hospitals for extended stays due to various ailments. The money raised goes towards a variety of purposes to help kids out.
Why do I Extra Life?
First of all, it goes towards a great cause which is helping kids out. I don’t have to remind you how much fun games are. I also don’t have to remind you how much fun games were when you were a kid. Imagine being stuck in a hospital with nothing to do because you’re too sick to leave. I would go crazy. Thanks to charities like Extra Life, that doesn’t have to be the case.
Another reason why I Extra Life is because I am a gamer. I have to admit, part of me is in a little competition with myself. Just like in any other game, I try to hit as many achievements as I can and score as many points as possible. Well, here I’m trying to raise as much money as I can. In every little detail I’m trying to out do myself, and this is my first year! Call me nuts, call me ambitious, but either way I’m having a lot of fun.
Plus this gives me a reason to play games with my friends for 24-hours! Does it get any better? Of course all of this work and campaigning is all leading up to the big event.
Save the date: October 25, 2014
The big event is only a little more than a month away. Admittedly, I’m scared. Scared of what you ask? Well the obvious is failure; failure to launch when the big day comes. I’m not going to lie. When you’ve invited all 600 friends on Facebook and only 15 have said they’re going, it’s a little uncomfortable. However, I take comfort in knowing that 15 have said they are coming and not zero. I also take comfort in knowing that I am half way to the goal I set at the beginning of the campaign. I also take comfort in knowing that I belong to a great local gaming community.
So, while I have my fears, I know that I also have reasons to believe. Alright, enough rambling, I’m sure you’re wondering what’s going on at this big event.
Well, I’m still working on it. I do have a few ideas in mind. I wonder, though, how much should I let you know? I can tell you this, I would definitely love to have a “Magic: The Gathering” Pauper tournament. Pauper is such a fun and casual format, but the group that plays at the store can be quite competitive. So with that in mind, I might make some special rules. For example, I’m probably going to ban Delver. That’s a pretty good start in my opinion.
Another possible, special event might or might not involve Derek Lloyd, a Wizard’s Cape, and an original Dungeons and Dragons adventure. However, if you want in on this action, you’ll need to make a donation to the charity. Oh, and the catch is that seats will be extremely limited. Did I mention it will probably be a one-time thing in the entire 24-hour gaming marathon.
There will be plenty of other things to do as well. It’s not just going to be 24-hours of MTG. We’ll have board games, and possibly even some video game consoles. We’d also love a way to stream the event to Twitch. So if you can’t be there in person, you can at least watch all of the action.
Taking part in Extra Life
I’m happily and constantly taking monetary donations. I am, of course, working on ways to “invite” donations, though. I’ve got a few things lined-up to raffle off and giveaway. These are things that I have obtained myself and through my own funds. However, I wouldn’t mind help in this category. So, if you have something that you are willing to part with, and are willing to donate to me to giveaway or raffle to raise funds, let me know.
As much as I would like everyone I know to come and take part, I get that we all have lives. I should also note, people who come to the event are not obligated to stay for the 24-hours. If you can only make it for a few minutes, that’s good enough for me. I appreciate the support.
In case you didn’t know, you also don’t have to wait until the big event to donate. Here is a link to my Extra Life profile page. On the page you’ll see my goofy face and huge button that says, “Support Me.” Just click on the button, select the amount you wish to donate (which can be whatever you are comfortable with), enter some info, and that’s it. Simple!
Oh, I forgot to mention. The big event is happening a the Battleground Games & Hobbies Abington store! We’re going to start at 12:00 AM and go until 12:00 AM the next day! So stick around after FNM if you’re there.
That’s it for now. If you have a comment or anything then leave a message down below. If you want to contact me about the Extra Life charity or for all other inquiries you can also e-mail me at Sims@battlegroundgames.com.
About the author
Simeon is now the Community Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. If you have any questions or inquiries, then you can reach him at Sims@battlegroundgames.com. He is also an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!
Donate to the Extra-Life fundraiser!
Join the Battleground Games & Hobbies community forums!
Please don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @battleground_gh!
Tags: Board Games, Card Games, charity, extra life, fundraiser, Simeon Cortezano
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This week in Magic: Khans of Tarkir previews begin
Thursday, September 4th, 2014
The Khans spoiler season is finally upon us and it’s been very good thus far. At Pax Prime we were able to get a quick sampling from each clan. We even got to meet the new Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker. This guy is pretty mean. He’s essentially a 4/4 Red, indestructible, flying dragon with haste when it comes into play. It’s second ability looks a little lame compared to it’s first ability, but I’m sure somewhere down the line, dealing four damage to a creature is going to come quite handy.
His ultimate ability is interesting. First of all, it comes at a low cost of six loyalty. Second, it’s an ability that favors very aggressive decks. When I first saw Sarkhan, I immediately figured he would be best in a Jund Walkers or Jund Monsters deck. After some thinking, this guy may even be worth it in a Mono Red Burn or Aggro decklist.
At the Pax Prime party we also got to see the new design for cards with modular options. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a look at the Sultai Charm. These cards now come in a “summarized” form using bullet points to display the player’s options. Of course, the last thing players were treated with was the announcement that the Onslaught block cycle of Fetchlands were making their return to Khans. Quickly after, the internet exploded.
I wrote in a recent article the possible implications of the fetchlands making a return to Standard. First, I’d like to address those who thought they wouldn’t make a return. I was right there with you. I didn’t think it was impossible, but I did think they’re return was slim to none. Why? The biggest reason was that Mark Rosewater had once stated that he disliked the idea of the fetchlands coming back to standard. It’s hard to argue with the guy who is in charge. His argument was that the fetchlands slowed things down too much in Standard. It makes sense if you think about it. You have to decide which land you want. Then you have to search for it. Once you’ve found the land you need to shuffle your deck. Finally, after shuffling your deck, you need to present your deck to your opponent who then has to shuffle your deck again. With all the different ways there are to shuffle a deck, you have to admit this is a valid point.
Another reason I didn’t think they would come back is that there isn’t really a big reason for them to come back; at least not in Standard. Everyone talked about a possible comeback during the mythical “Modern Masters 2.” The biggest outcry was for fetches in Modern. Almost every deck wanted or needed them. However, Zendikar was the only place to find them, legally, and due to the popularity of that set, obtaining them would cost you an arm and a leg. Scalding Tarns peaked around $70. At that price, four of them would cost you $280 – and that’s just for four lands in your 60-card deck.
Well, now they’re here, and we’ve got to deal with it. Fortunately, this will open the door for many players to experience Modern. This also means cards that used to carry a “cheap” price tag in Modern will no longer carry that tag. Why? An increase in demand will finally “balance” out prices.
As far as Standard goes, the fetchlands have already begun to make an impact. People have been scooping up Ob Nixillis, Unshackled. Also, Courser of Kruphix has gone back up to its original price of nearly $20. Aside from it’s price, the Courser is poised to be one of the most powerful cards in Standard. I had made the point that fetchlands will allow you to gain more than one life a turn. A reader of mine had commented saying that the fetchlands will allow you to shuffle away a card you don’t want off the top of your deck. Both options are viable and very good.
Did you know?
Did you know there are other cards in Khans of Tarkir besides the fetchlands? Sorin will making a return. Although, some would say that his previous form was a lot better than his current. Sorin, Solemn Visitor will be the only other planeswalker in the set. Right now, he seems unimpressive. He still makes Vampires, but at the cost of loyalty. The best part of the Lord of Innistrad was his ability to make an emblem that had a constant effect on all your creatures. The Solemn Visitor only has a one time effect. However, it does affect all of your creatures. It’s something, I guess.
Overall, this set it shaping up to be really good. However, people are saying that the fetchlands are going to overshadow a lot of the other cards in the set. I’m afraid I have to agree. This is good and bad. How so? It’s bad in the sense that the new Standard may get off to a slow start. Deck building will be slightly hindered because many of the other cards will be ignored while people are trying to complete their playsets. On the other hand, this works out well for those who know how to balance their time. For a short time, demand will be low for everything else. This will be your chance to get your hands on hard while they’re in supply and at a lower price.
On a final note, seats are going to fill fast for the upcoming pre-release events. My advice to you, if you plan on attending, is to pre-register yourself for the events you plan on attending. If you plan on coming to either one of the stores, here’s a link to the forum page with all of the information you’ll need to set yourself up.
Pre-release weekend is scheduled for September 20th and 21st.
About the author
Simeon is now the Community Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. If you have any questions or inquiries, then you can reach him at Sims@battlegroundgames.com. He is also an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!
Donate to the Extra-Life fundraiser!
Join the Battleground Games & Hobbies community forums!
Please don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @battleground_gh!
Tags: Khans of Tarkir, Magic the Gathering, MTG, Pre-release, Previews, Simeon Cortezano
Posted in Blog, Card Games, Events, Featured Author, Featured Post, Magic: The Gathering, Popular Posts | 2 Comments »
This week in Magic: Sexism in MTG
Thursday, August 28th, 2014
Edit: (Sims) Hey everyone. This can be a touchy subject and I ask that if you leave a comment below to be respective of others’ opinions – whether or not you agree with them. Thank you.
I first learned how to play “Magic: The Gathering” in fourth grade. It was during snack time, and a bunch of my friends were gathered around one person’s desk. I had no clue what was going on, but whatever it was, looked fun. There were these cards on the table, I could see images of mountains, forests, islands, swamps, and plains. I could see images of dragons, goats, bees, and orcs.
The only ones who were around the table, at that time, were boys. The girls in the classroom stayed on their side of the room and ignored us. Some of the other guys who weren’t interested thought what we were doing was boring or for nerds. It wasn’t a surprise and that was the behavior that was pretty much expected at the time.
I was in fourth grade in 1994. It has now been 20 years since I first experienced the game, and sadly, not much has changed since then. Sure, I’m older, fatter, and am only slightly better at the game then when I first started. However, from my perspective, it’s still a lot of guys gathered around a table casting spells at each other. Those who play still carry the stigma that what we do is uncool. As far as girls go, well that issue was actually touched upon today in an article published by The Washington Post.
The title of the article was, “Growing fantasy-game universe collides with entrenched boys’ club mentality.” I had to read it a couple of times before I finally understood what was being said. Let’s sit back and allow this to sink in. “Magic: The Gathering” is an exclusive club for boys. Sadly, yes. Think about it the next time you go to your next FNM. When the first round pairings go up, take a look at how many people in the tournament are female.
Blinded by the light
I’ve always thought of “Magic” as a game of non-exclusivity. In college, I was part of the “Magic: The Gathering” Club. Yes, I said club. We filled out the paperwork and everything. We could even have school sponsored drafts if we wanted to. Our club had almost 20 members at one point and we would “take over” the commuter cafe at UMass Dartmouth. One day, I had a friend come up to me. He didn’t play the game. I remember him telling me how great I and everyone else was because we just didn’t seem to care what people thought of us. If you asked me, I didn’t even think people noticed us playing.
The point is, I felt special at that moment. I thought we were making a “statement,” and doing away with the whole nerd title. We were’ actually kind of cool. Little did I know that we were still being exclusive even though it wasn’t obvious to us.
One of the guys in the club would bring his girlfriend every now and then. She would even play on some occasions. Looking back on it, every time she did play, she never seemed like she was comfortable. I didn’t think much of it. Maybe she was out of her element because some of us played more competitively than her. Sometimes all that card flicking and hand shuffling can look a little crazy and intimidating from the outside.
It never dawned on me that maybe she didn’t feel comfortable because she was the only girl at the table. Of course it was not an intention to make her feel this way, nor did any of us even think about it at the time.There is this concept of “treating her like one of the guys” or even “making her one of the guys” to make her fit in. Why do we have to make something that she’s not? We should have tried to bring in more girls to play with us.
No excuses
I have no excuses for what we did. I can go on saying that we didn’t have any ill intentions towards females, but the fact of the matter is we didn’t reach out. Sure, we were non-exclusive in the sense that if anyone wanted to join we didn’t hesitate in letting them in. The initiative was not there. While others may have thought we were this courageous group for playing a “nerdy” game in such a public setting not caring about what people thought of us, we still failed as a “community” group in that we didn’t try to pull in people to diversify us some more.
It’s always the little things that matter the most. So, what can we do about this now – in the present?
A few possible solutions
That was then, and this is now. So what can we do as a community to try to fix this? Let’s make this clear, it’s been 20 years for me in my experience, and, therefore, I do not expect this problem to go away overnight. Let’s start with babysteps.
Gaming stores used to have this promotion where if you brought a friend to an FNM (they had to be new of course; no DCI number), then your entry would be free or you got some free pack. It was different at every store. What you received didn’t matter, the point of the promotion was to encourage bringing new faces. This could be a great way to bring a friend, who is a girl. It could even make for a great date night!
Something I have been a fan of is the Lady Planeswalker Society. This is a Seattle based group that was started by Tifa Robles. She is the wife of Mike Robles who was a former Community Manager at Wizards of the Coast. I would love to see a local chapter come about. I have no idea if one exists in Massachusetts. If it doesn’t this would be a great opportunity to start one. The New England area is a very competitive area for “Magic.” Having a group here would be a great opportunity. The awesome thing about this group is that they promote themselves as “A welcoming, friendly community for women (and everyone) MTG players of all skill levels to learn and battle!” While they may be a female focused group, they make sure to mention that even guys are invited.
The wrap-up
This is a really difficult subject to tackle. I also know that this was more of a rough start to the discussion. My hope is that I did it some justice in around enough words to keep you interested, but no more to bore you to death. Once you’re done reading this, maybe you and some friends can continue the talk.
The article that was published by The Washington Post today was interesting. Do me a favor and scroll down to the comments section. Count how many of those comments actually address the issue at hand. Not many of them. In fact, many of the comments attack the writer for inaccuracies and other minor tangents.
The article addressed a major flaw with “Magic: The Gathering,” and that flaw is the lack of female attendees at major tournaments. I felt it was a bit skewed, but not at all incorrect. I didn’t know about that thread regarding Feline. Now that that I know about it, it’s just another pile of dirt from the hole men are continuously digging themselves when it comes to women.
For the women that are reading this, I like to think that there is a slight glimmer at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. The game definitely has some of it’s female standouts besides Feline. There are also Melissa DeTora, Carrie Oliver, and, most recently, Jadine Klomparens. These women have proven themselves on not just a local or national level, these women have been recognized on a world level. As a guy, let me say we know you can play the game, and you can play it well.
Speaking from my own experience, I once played against Melissa in a local tournament, and it scared me. Part of me even accepted the loss when I sat across from her. Needless to say, I won the match. I remember how mad she was (probably due to her competitive nature) and how much of a bumbling fool I was after trying to shake her hand and say, “Good Game.”
If you haven’t gotten it by now, my message for everyone is to reach out. Reach out and pull people in. It’s easy to say the door is open, but sometimes you have to show them in.
One of my favorite sayings in regards to “Magic” is that you’re only as good as those you surround yourself with. If it makes me a better gamer, male or female, I want you around me. I guess the invitation has always been in the mail. As guys, we just forgot to put on the stamp.
About the author
Simeon is now the Community Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. If you have any questions or inquiries, then you can reach him at Sims@battlegroundgames.com. He is also an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!
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Tags: carrie oliver, jadine klomparens, melissa detora, sexism, Simeon Cortezano
Posted in Blog, Card Games, Featured Author, Featured Post, Magic: The Gathering, Popular Posts | 5 Comments »
Playing in a Weiß Schwarz Regional by Carl Godon
Tuesday, August 26th, 2014
Hello everyone, this is Carl Godon giving a PSA to remind everyone that the Weiß Schwarz Regionals are coming up to qualify Nationals.
What is Weiß Schwarz?
I think the first question of most people’s mind though is ‘What is Weiß’? Weiß (German for white) is a card game origination from Japan. You choose various series from anime and video games and fight against other series. Examples of some series are Da Capo, Nanoha, Angel Beats, Evagelion, Persona, Idolm@aster, Madoka, Fate/Zero, Fairy Tale, and many more. This game has both a Japanese version and an English version, and while official tournaments at the highest level do not allow for mixed languages, many stores allow for mixed language events. Battleground Games & Hobbies is one of those stores.
Why Play?
Weiß is a great game where you can play your favorite series. Being able to build decks around your favorite characters is extremely satisfying. Your favorite series isn’t in Weiß or not into anime? Well mechanically the game is great as well. The game has a great ebb and flow where until the very end, anything can happen. Worse case scenario, a series might have a cute girl or sexy women that you just like to look at, who cares what series your playing. Having a solid game base is only half the fun though. In additional to all the above, all Weiß events are free, and most event even come with free promos just for playing. How sweet is that? Did you know you get free stuff if you play in a Weiß regional?
If you participate in a Japanese qualifier, you get one of these just for entering. If you play in an English qualifier you get a Kill la Kill Promo, a World Championship Lanyard, and a Fairy Tale play mat just for entering. Regionals qualify you for Nationals, and if you win at the national level, you qualify for Worlds. Japanese Weiß even includes a plane ticket to Japan in the winter! Battlegrounds is always looking for more players. Come down most Saturdays between 12 PM and 6 PM and join in all the fun. We have monthly promos to give to all the players who show up and play.
How to Play
Sounds like a game you want to play? Need to know how to get started? Battleground Games & Hobbies has trial decks available from all the latest English sets. Are you thinking that a trial deck is no good because you’re used to other games not having good intro product? Well stop that. In the past years, under skilled pilots, trial decks have qualified many people for nationals throughout the world. Trial decks are well built and give new players a great balanced deck to play with. You can supplement them with boosters and start making more decks. Some people like making character only decks. Some people want to make one color decks. Others just like playing with foils. All kinds of decks can be made. Build whatever you want to your liking.
Getting Ready for Regionals
Have you started to play, started playing with your friends and at your local store? Great, now the next step is getting ready for your local Regionals. Playing in a qualifier is easy, just get a deck, sign up for a regional and go play.
Where to Sign up
For those who don’t know, you can find a Japanese Weiß national qualifier near you at:
http://www.heartofthecards.com/ws/wgp2014.html
And you can find an English national qualifier near you at:
http://ws-tcg.com/en/events/worlds2014/
In case you missed it, Battleground Games & Hobbies is hosting a Japanese Weiß Schwarz Regional October 19th at the Abington store.
What Skill level Do You Need
Players of all skill levels play at Regionals. You have players who have played at nationals before, as well as players playing for their first time. Everyone has a shot. Last year at Battlegrounds, we had a player who played three times in his life Top 4 and qualify for Nationals. Don’t think that just because you are new, you cannot win. Think you need to get better? You should come play at Battlegrounds on Saturdays. Locally we have a player who has played at Japanese Nationals the past two years, and we have two players who Top’d 8 at Neo-Showdown New York earlier this year. One of them even made Top 3! As long as you’re willing to learn, everyone is willing to teach. There is still time to get ready for Nationals.
What To Do
So you are ready for your Regional? Here are some quick tip to making your Regional run smoothly.
DON’T FORGET TO PRE-REGISTER
While Pre-registering is not required, it makes sure that if there is a shortage on promos, you are first in line to receive them. It also helps the Regional coordinator plan and get ready for the event by having a rough idea on how many players will be participating in their event. Help the event run smoother by Pre-registering at one of the links above.
FILL OUT A DECKLIST (& TRANSLATION SHEET FOR JPN EVENTS)
Just like other games at high level events, Weiß Schwarz also has deck list requirements. Some notes to remember. Cards of different rarities have different set numbers. As an example, the Triple R version of “Messenger of God” Angel has a card number of AB/W31-E002R, while the RR version has a card number of AB/W31-E002. Note that the “R” was added for the Triple R version. SP Versions normally add an “S”, and Trial Deck Versions normally add a “T” to the number. Don’t get game losses for miswriting a deck list. If you are playing in a Japanese Regional, do not forget to bring your HeartoftheCards.com translations for the cards in your deck. HeartoftheCards makes it easy by having reference card links for easy printing.
BRING EXTRA SLEVES
During an event, sleeves get damage all the time. Don’t forget to bring extra sleeves in case any break. No reason to get a loss for having a marked deck because your sleeves got damaged and a pattern was created. Be on the safe side and have extra on you.
CALL A JUDGE WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG
Mistakes and accidents happen all the time. If something goes wrong during a match, call the judge or advisor of the event. They are there to make sure everything happens correctly. A lot of accidents are reversible that allow the game to continue as it should, but if the game state is destroyed such that the game cannot be undone, matches could end in a less than desirable outcome. Call for a judge as soon as something wrong happens to prevent the unreversable from happening.
HAVE FUN
Last but not least, make sure to have fun. Everyone is there to have a good time. Don’t ruin it for others by being unpleasant. Yes you are playing at the highest of level of play, but that doesn’t mean you have to be unpleasant. Remember some people might be playing for the free stuff, don’t make them have a bad day because you’re having a bad day.
Whether you are a new person who now wants to get into the game, or someone just recently introduced who wants to play at the next level. I hope you learned something about Weiß, and hopefully I will see you either at the local store, at Regionals, or even hopefully Nationals. Don’t forget, Battlegrounds runs weekly events every Saturday at the Abington store.
About the author
Carl Godon is a national level player for Weiß Schwarz. He is also a regular “Magic: The Gathering” player. His most recent achievement was a Top 32 finish at this past GP Boston-Worcester 2014.
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Tags: carl godon, regionals, Weiss Schwarz
Posted in Blog, Card Games, Featured Author, Featured Post, Popular Posts, Weis Schwartz | 1 Comment »
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