Mana Screwed - A Saga that can cause a stir

One of the new card types from Dominaria will be Saga's.  They come into play and create an effect, then after each of your next two draw steps it does an additional effect before being sacrificed.  Some aren't all the great, some are more Lore than anything else. However this one has caught my eye.

Being a big fan of artifact decks this will be going into the next one I build.  Usually most of the creatures I run in those decks are already artifact creatures.  But decks like that aren't super common and tend to have a slow build along with a weakened sorcery/instant game.  However this changes that up a bit.  A creature wipe for only four mana that, if you build a deck right, won't affect you at all.  On top of that it cleans out your opponents graveyards on it's farewell... but not yours.  Not to mention that graveyard cleanse is only one turn after the wipe so it limits how many cards a player can save. For the price you pay it is well worth it.

Of course other artifact creature heavy decks won't be affected except by the graveyard flush.  But honestly you don't really see people playing many of those.  So honestly for me I see this as more useful than Urza's Ruinous Blast.  Now if only it wiped Planeswalkers as well....

Mana Screwed - The new limited board wipe

With Dominaria comes a few cards that change things around a bit.  This is a board wipe that does just that.

While I do like this card there are some limitations to it that any player needs to be aware of.  Especially in the first few months following it's release. 

Mainly Dominaria is a legendary heavy set, really heavy.  So that means most people will be loading their decks up with them.  Thereby limiting the damage this card can do.  I mean if you are running all legendary stuff it does cut down how bad your board wipe can hurt yourself but if everyone has stacked their decks the same.  It just won't do much good over all.

My advice would be if you see people starting to do this very thing then you need to change up tactics really quickly. *cough*sideboard*cough*  Toss in some old fashioned board wipes that don't care about the legendary status along with a few cards to help you recover from the wipe.  So when people are popping of Ruinous Blast and doing next to nothing you are taking them to the cleaners.

But this card is obviously useful.  Either to start with and switch out when it's not viable or to keep in your sideboard for when you go up against the guy who is legendary light. 

Mana Screwed - the new Mox is not so Mox

With the new expansion for Magic ramping up a lot of excitement with the return to it's original world people have been jumping at all the spoilers and leaks.  I'll admit that I have as well.  But sometimes I don't think the cards people are raving about are really all that special. 

Take for instance the Mox Amber.

While I'll admit it is a useful card people are freaking out about it being an all new Mox.  When really, it isn't.  It has that casting cost that made the original Mox cards really popular but unlike those of old this one is absolutely useless on the first couple of turns.  Which was pretty much what everybody loved about the originals when the game first came out.  First turn you had the chance to draw up a Mox or two and drop them in addition to a basic land and start pumping out mana faster than you opponent could.

This one absolutely does not do that.  It can be dropped on the first turn BUT it can't produce any mana until you get a legendary creature or planeswalker out on the battlefield.  Most of which cost more than a couple mana.  Later in play it can become useful as a generator for different colors but it is also weakened by the fact that a board wipe taking out creatures could render it, yet again, useless.  Especially with more and more cards targeting planeswalkers. 

Now if I get one I'll use it (or sell it if the price gets stupid high on it for some reason) but I don't see it becoming a stable in many of my decks.  Maybe those with a lot of legendaries or in Commander deck or two.  I'm not sure how many people will be making it a staple once the new and excitement wears off.

Just my two cents.  Your mileage may vary.

DnD Rules Cyclopedia POD

Got in a copy of the hardback POD version of the DnD Rules Cyclopedia today.  This copy will be going to my step son for his birthday... sadly I don't get to keep this one.  But I do have to say it looks pretty good.  Here are some snapshots of the cover and inside. 

Oh you can buy it: Right Over Here.

Now for the pictures.

Roll a D20 - Magic potion side affects.

Roll a D20. This potion has gone bad what is the side affect?

1. You go blind for one hour
2. Everything you say is amplified three times louder than it should be.
3. Your bowels immediately empty.
4. You suddenly lose all sense of balance and cannot stand upright for twenty minutes.
5. You begin to bleed from your nose, eyes and ears, this lasts for fifteen minutes.
6. Your finger and toe nails suddenly grow two inches longer it the process is very painful.
7. Your spoken language is changed to that of an ancient dead language for two days.
8. Immediate projectile vomiting while screaming uncontrollably.
9. For now on whenever you close your eyes you become invisible.
10. Your skin color changes to that of a bright red.
11. Your body changes to that of the opposite gender, this lasts for a full week.
12. Your knees scream in agony for ten minutes, then stop hurting but now they bend the wrong way.
13. Touching gold now causes second degrees burns to your skin.
14. The skin of your face goes smooth and stretches tightly rendering you unrecognizable.
15. Rashes of blisters now appear all across your body. Goes away after a week or two.
16. Your hair falls out and when it regrows it is thin and transparent.
17. Your strength is doubled for next ten hours.
18. Your hands swell and become to large to use for anything. This lasts for an hour.
19. Any injuries you have heal up a bit, if this was a healing potion to begin with the effect is doubled.
20. You lose all since of touch for the next twenty four hours.

Jaded Gamer Diary - Magic shitheads moaning

Recently there was a big blowout online about some Magic the Gathering players harassing and causing other players to leave.  Typically it was a bunch of guys saying various things about female players.  Evidently it was enough of a blow up that Wizards actually stepped forward and issued some DCI bans on those guys involved. 

Here is some light reading for those interested.

https://www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2017/12/jeremy-hambly-aka-mtgheadquarters-suspended-dci-mtg/
http://epicstream.com/news/Magic-The-Gathering-Pro-Travis-Woo-Suspended-by-The-DCI-For-1-Year

Now of course those who have been banned have a fan following.  Now those fans are up in arms and bitching about what happened.  I've never seen a bigger bunch of whiny babies in all my life... well except some GamerGate folks when somebody wrote a review they didn't like.  But these folks are really pushing for the number one spot of 'Dumbass of the Internet'.  So many claiming they are leaving Magic as well and have already sold off their stuff. Yeah right.  Those card board crack addicts aren't giving up anything. 

They are even going around spreading lies and bad reviews for game shops who back WotC's decision.

Damn people at least try to act like you have some sort of spine.  Not happy with the rulings, fine, make a well written and straight forward argument for reversal and go out and get support for that.  But they won't they just try to string five words together just long enough to call it a sentence and then gnash and curse all day long.

Not that I have anything against somebody brightening up their fucking dialogue with something colorful.  But damn, these losers come across like grade school kids trying to look cool for somebody who is a few grades above them.

Fuck all.  These guys remind me of some of the reason I stopped playing Magic myself years back.  Now if Wizards is kicking these jackasses to the side and moving on without them... hell I may have to get back into the game beyond the once a month casual level.

Roll a D20 - Magical Masks.

Sometimes a mask is more than a mask.  Roll a twenty sider and give a mask a special ability that is occasionally a bit outside of the norm of most magical items.  Presented system free so charges, uses, etc are not listed.

1. Silent and forgotten. Whenever you are wearing the mask and being silent nobody notices or remembers you as you pass through.
2. The Thieves Friend. Anyone who is a trained thief has their ability to detect traps and secret passages increased.
3. Word of God. Any person of strong devotional faith (cleric, priest, etc) who speaks to the flock while wearing this has the ability to sway them to do whatever they say.
4. Relax. While wearing the mask anybody is automatically calmer, doesn't panic and succeeds automatically at any tests of morale, fear, etc.
5. Nightmare Fuel. Those around you that gaze upon the mask are filled with a since of fear and dread. They will avoid you at all costs and have nightmares about you that night.
6. You Again. People see you as someone they saw previously that day
7. Readers Delight. When you view other written common languages they are translated over in to the language you are most fluent in.
8. Golden Voice. You gain the ability to sing extremely well, equal to that of many famous bards. It does not, however, help you remember the lyrics.
9. Listen Well. If you concentrate you can listen in on any conversation within the room you are in.
10. Death Is Among Us. When you look upon something undead you see a black thick smoke pouring from them.
11. Loving Memories. Whenever you talk to somebody they suddenly have memories of you being their long lost lover who they will do nearly anything for.
12. Watch Your Back. You can see as if you have eyes in the back of your head along with your regular vision. Will require some practice to get used to this.
13. Finely Dressed. An illusion is cast and you appear to be dressed in the finest clothing.
14. Steady On. You cannot be disoriented, magically confused, or lose your sense of direction.
15. Easily Rested. Any time you are able to relax or simply not be physically active counts as sleep and helps you feel refreshed.
16. Silence The Lies. When anyone tells a lie all you can hear is muffled noises.
17. Not So Silent. You hear the sound of singling bells whenever anyone is trying to sneak up on you.
18. Open Mouth. The mouth of the mask can be opened up and acts like a bag of holding. Only works while you are wearing it.
19. Side Stepped. People who look at you actually see you a few inches off from where you really are. Makes it very hard to be hit with missile weapons.
20. Memory Bank. You can focus and store a memory into the mask, the next person who puts it on then gains that memory.