Magic: The Gathering,GO TEAM MS!

[bv310]

I'll admit, I'm kind of bored of Modern atm, but that's more a symptom of the MTGO meta being a shitfuck of Abzan for the past 8 months. Pod v Abzan was fun, Affinity v Abzan is dull. The fact that my matches went from being Delver/Abzan/other things to Abzan/other things is annoying as balls.

[Sudo_Nym]

Any time there's a clear best deck is a bad time for any format, to be honest. Not sure how Modern gets around that, though.

[bv310]

Honestly, I really think the new release schedule will do a lot for Modern. Less shitty third-block mechanics means more playable cards in the mechanics that we get.

[PJ.]

Is abzan the clear best deck?

Is playing Online worth the money it cost? I don't really have time to try to chase PTQs and stuff and a lot of FNM type stuff runs later than my bed time on my work nights so I'm not sure if paper magic wouldn't really be even close to worth it(and I work weekends so major events are basically out of the question) but I've had the itch to play. Is there enough prize support online to make my time worth it? How are the Legacy and Modern scenes online?

[Espeonage]

Cockatrice is your friend Panzer.

[Natirasha]

XMage is good too.

Twin is probably the ~best~ deck in modern, but Abzan is definitely the most consistent.

[Espeonage]

I never enjoyed modern.

Legacy on the other hand...

[bv310]

Is abzan the clear best deck?

Is playing Online worth the money it cost? I don't really have time to try to chase PTQs and stuff and a lot of FNM type stuff runs later than my bed time on my work nights so I'm not sure if paper magic wouldn't really be even close to worth it(and I work weekends so major events are basically out of the question) but I've had the itch to play. Is there enough prize support online to make my time worth it? How are the Legacy and Modern scenes online?

Abzan has the least bad matchups in the format.

For me, I made the transition to MTGO in September when I took my new job. I started teaching up in the middle of nowhere (800km north of the nearest LGS). I find that having the ability to jam Standard/Modern stuff at any time is really nice. Legacy is especially popular online because of the considerably lower cost of entry. Force of Will/Daze are stupidly expensive, but manabases are dirt cheap. Vintage Masters had the dual lands in it, so Tropical Islands are like $15 each. KTK fetchlands are no more than $5 each, so you can get a whole Miracles manabase for cheap. ANT, for example, costs about $450 for the entire deck online, compared to $2K in paper. Modern is also really popular because of lower cost. Goyfs suck, but everything else is about half the cost of paper. If you can consistently go 3-1 or 4-0 in Dailies, you can freeroll yourself for a long time.

For both formats, the online meta is a bit more volatile than Paper. If something unexpected does well on Sunday in an SCG Open, expect to see it everywhere by Monday evening. It really rewards consistency in play.

[PJ.]

Are there bigger events online? What is the prize for winning dailies? Just a couple tickets?

Free magic is typically not fun magic.I used to play when MWS was a thing but there was a lot of cheating and a lot of arguing about rules. It was basically pick up basketball. Also didn't cocktrice die a long time ago?

[Shanba]

Constructed dailies are the only event on mtgo that semi regularly have positive EV, assuming you can win 50% of your matches. They're tough, though, so that's not a given. 11 Boosters for 4-0, 6 boosters for 3-1. Limited dailies are worse. Additionally, since these are scheduled events, they may not fit your schedule.

Winners of events, both on demand and scheduled, give QPs, that can allow you to compete in the MOCS. Finals of the MOCS are a wizard streamed event with I think a Pro Tour invite and a bunch of stuff. Pretty prestigious tournament. It's been plagued by technical issues the last couple years, unfortunately.

MTGO also has PTQs but these are very very hard - large events, very competitive, mediocre payouts.

I really love MTGO all said though.

[PeregrineV]

OK, first Pauper for tonight's tournaments.

Thoughts? Replacements? Improvements?

I kind of wanted to prepare for anything, since this the the first at the store.

http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/19-02-15-black-pauper/

[bv310]

If you can find them, there's a bunch of really really strong mono-black cards in Pauper. I used to run this: http://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pa ... 164#online

Assuming they're letting you use Hymn to Tourach (which you should ask ahead of time), it would replace Wrench Mind and Liliana's Specter in that list.

[PeregrineV]

If you can find them, there's a bunch of really really strong mono-black cards in Pauper. I used to run this: http://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pa ... 164#online

Assuming they're letting you use Hymn to Tourach (which you should ask ahead of time), it would replace Wrench Mind and Liliana's Specter in that list.

Got 4 of right now, and an Mind Wrench in case they get all card-drawy.

[PeregrineV]

Rite of Consumption I missed the first pass. Need to see how fast the meta is, and maybe use that instead, since it's a fling with lifelink. Booldhunter Bat + Mortis Dogs could give me more bang for the buck.

[bv310]

I read the decklist, but you really need to confirm that Hymn to Tourach is allowed. If this is a group of people who only play Pauper online, they likely won't realize that Hymn is printed as a common in Paper. It's only ever printed as an uncommon online, so it isn't legal in Pauper online. You might not be allowed to run it at all.

[Shanba]

One of mono black's most appealing cards is crypt rats. Alternately, pestilence also works in that slot, but it's quite clunky.

[PeregrineV]

I read the decklist, but you really need to confirm that Hymn to Tourach is allowed. If this is a group of people who only play Pauper online, they likely won't realize that Hymn is printed as a common in Paper. It's only ever printed as an uncommon online, so it isn't legal in Pauper online. You might not be allowed to run it at all.

I asked what cards were banned, and they game me this
http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/tcg/re ... s%2Fpauper
And when I said "So as long as it's been printed as a common in a set, according to Gatherer, I can use it?"
They said "As long as it's not in this list." (and I would assume a common).

They are trying is out with a free Pauper tournament, so right now I'm going to say Hymn is legal up until someone complains.

[PeregrineV]

One of mono black's most appealing cards is crypt rats. Alternately, pestilence also works in that slot, but it's quite clunky.

That would get around hexproof. But, since I'm OK with blocking and creatures dying, not sure yet if I need it.

Problem is, haven't tested in actual match play yet.

[PeregrineV]

If Hymn gets nixed somehow, then Mind Rot, Mire's Troll, Wrench Mind and Tendrils of Despair will have to cover their job.

[Espeonage]

No garys? Strong card in mono black pauper.

Affinity looks strong in to you, but that might be because I play affinity pauper and you have no targeted hate.

[PeregrineV]

No garys? Strong card in mono black pauper.

Affinity looks strong in to you, but that might be because I play affinity pauper and you have no targeted hate.

Almost all my permanents are only towards devotion, and my mana tops out at 4 (Bloodhunter Bat and Mortis Dogs), so not sure if they fit in this one.

Lifegain will be through bats and Consume Spirit.

[diginova]

Peregrine:
Right on that page you linked:

Example: Hymn to Tourach, another uncommon from Masters Edition II, is not legal for use in the Magic Online Pauper format. Even though Hymn to Tourach was printed as a common in the Fallen Empires set, that set was never released on Magic Online

[bv310]

You should look into a few copies of Oubliette or something to deal with Affinity, because I guarantee someone is going to be packing it.

[hasdgfas]

This draft deck felt like a mess, but played gorgeously:
http://i.imgur.com/7ScrLvU.jpg

Some of the most fun I've had in the format.

[Debonair Danny DiPietro]

Finally built Modern Bogles online, went 4-0 in my first daily with it <3