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Izulde · 07-06-2015, 02:57 AM

Went to an informational meeting about learning to be a judge today. The shop is still closed due to AC issues, so it was held elsewhere. Very interesting, and while I'm probably not ready for that step, it's a cool option to keep in the back of my mind.

Played a couple games of Judge Tower. The rules of that format are everyone shares a library. Infinite mana, infinite life. If it's possible for you to perform an action, you must perform that action immediately. You lose if you don't perform the action when you can, or when you're asked about the game state and don't answer correctly.

First game I lost because I cast something during my draw step. I wasn't sure if it was still draw step or main phase. At first I thought it was main, then the judge was like "Are you sure?" And then I debated aloud with myself as to when exactly the draw step ended - was it when I drew the card, or was it when the stack resolved, with the card draw the last step of the stack? I stuck to main and was wrong.

Second game I lost because I didn't immediately tap a land after playing it. Simple mistakes, but provoking.

So everyone is still playing Judge Tower, and after a couple guys drop out, I ask if they want to play EDH/Commander. One says sure, but has a couple things to do first, so asks me to meet him at another table.

I go to the table, and am set up and shuffling, when another guy comes by and says, "Hey is that an EDH deck?" "Yeah." "Wanna play?" I hesitated a moment, but first guy was on the phone still, so said sure. We start going through the mulligan phase when first guy comes by and asks if he can join, since we haven't started play. I say sure. Then a fourth guy sees what's happening and asks to join as well. No problem. *Then* a fifth guy says, "Wait, you guys are playing EDH?! I want in!"

So it went from me setting up from a 1 v 1 to a 5 way EDH game.

As luck would have it, I draw Leyline of Sanctity in my opening hand, and Leylines in your opening hand can be played without having to pay the mana cost before the game. I happily put it in play (it would later save my bacon in preventing my creatures from getting sacrificed).

Accorder Paladin is my first actual play, and Loxodon Warhammer hits the board next turn, to the uh ohs from the rest of the group. Next turn, I equip it to the Paladin and start swinging at open boards (ie no creatures in play for those opponents). I gain 6 life every turn as a result, and get up to 68 life at one point. My girl Monastery Swiftspear is in, as Heliod, and while the Swiftspear never gets huge, she gets to 3 power a couple of times. Iroas makes an appearance as well, and Heliod is officially online.

Then a guy I've whittled to 7, who has Child of Alara as his commander, but refuses to play it despite the table's advice. Then he Black Sun's Zeniths for 2 to kill my Paladin and Swiftspear, thereby taking Heliod offline, and keeping himself alive.

More board wipe stuff happens as a result of a Norin player, and I'm able to play Mob Rule for the first time ever, knocking 8 life off the guy I view as the biggest threat (running a Wizards deck). The Wizards guy eventually wins, and though I scooped when his combo went off, I essentially took 2nd, because he couldn't kill my 68 life in one turn - only knock me down to 20something.

He would have wiped me out next turn, because his hand was full of counterspells and it'd have taken me a few turns to build back up (I only had 6 mana available at the time - missed a lot of land drops despite 38 lands in the deck).

I bought a couple Avacyn Restored packs and a Conspiracy pack. Nothing too exciting in those, but then I saw an Avacyn Restored sealed box for $150, and the temptation proved too much.

I've only opened 5 of the 36 packs so far, but I've already gotten some interesting cards that could cause a remodel of the Iroas deck - but we'll have to wait and see what happens once the other 31 are opened.

I also drew one of the mythic rares on pack 5, which made me quit for the night on a great note:

In certain cases, she can be a wincon if she survives long enough to Ultimate. But I need to research more for the best possible ways to use her for that, and decide what colors I want to build with her other than blue. Blue/White control and blink is a possibility, but so is Blue/Green with ramp fun - plus Doubling Season, which is $30ish, means I can ultimate her the minute she hits the board if she's not countered or removed. Doubling Season would also allow me to ultimate Vraska, the Unseen and Garruk, Apex Predator incidentally, so would be a fit in either my Glissa deck, or the hypothetical deck built with Tamiyo as a core piece.

So... stuff to think about.

07-06-2015, 02:57 AM	#155
Izulde Head Coach Join Date: Sep 2004	Went to an informational meeting about learning to be a judge today. The shop is still closed due to AC issues, so it was held elsewhere. Very interesting, and while I'm probably not ready for that step, it's a cool option to keep in the back of my mind. Played a couple games of Judge Tower. The rules of that format are everyone shares a library. Infinite mana, infinite life. If it's possible for you to perform an action, you must perform that action immediately. You lose if you don't perform the action when you can, or when you're asked about the game state and don't answer correctly. First game I lost because I cast something during my draw step. I wasn't sure if it was still draw step or main phase. At first I thought it was main, then the judge was like "Are you sure?" And then I debated aloud with myself as to when exactly the draw step ended - was it when I drew the card, or was it when the stack resolved, with the card draw the last step of the stack? I stuck to main and was wrong. Second game I lost because I didn't immediately tap a land after playing it. Simple mistakes, but provoking. So everyone is still playing Judge Tower, and after a couple guys drop out, I ask if they want to play EDH/Commander. One says sure, but has a couple things to do first, so asks me to meet him at another table. I go to the table, and am set up and shuffling, when another guy comes by and says, "Hey is that an EDH deck?" "Yeah." "Wanna play?" I hesitated a moment, but first guy was on the phone still, so said sure. We start going through the mulligan phase when first guy comes by and asks if he can join, since we haven't started play. I say sure. Then a fourth guy sees what's happening and asks to join as well. No problem. Then a fifth guy says, "Wait, you guys are playing EDH?! I want in!" So it went from me setting up from a 1 v 1 to a 5 way EDH game. As luck would have it, I draw Leyline of Sanctity in my opening hand, and Leylines in your opening hand can be played without having to pay the mana cost before the game. I happily put it in play (it would later save my bacon in preventing my creatures from getting sacrificed). Accorder Paladin is my first actual play, and Loxodon Warhammer hits the board next turn, to the uh ohs from the rest of the group. Next turn, I equip it to the Paladin and start swinging at open boards (ie no creatures in play for those opponents). I gain 6 life every turn as a result, and get up to 68 life at one point. My girl Monastery Swiftspear is in, as Heliod, and while the Swiftspear never gets huge, she gets to 3 power a couple of times. Iroas makes an appearance as well, and Heliod is officially online. Then a guy I've whittled to 7, who has Child of Alara as his commander, but refuses to play it despite the table's advice. Then he Black Sun's Zeniths for 2 to kill my Paladin and Swiftspear, thereby taking Heliod offline, and keeping himself alive. More board wipe stuff happens as a result of a Norin player, and I'm able to play Mob Rule for the first time ever, knocking 8 life off the guy I view as the biggest threat (running a Wizards deck). The Wizards guy eventually wins, and though I scooped when his combo went off, I essentially took 2nd, because he couldn't kill my 68 life in one turn - only knock me down to 20something. He would have wiped me out next turn, because his hand was full of counterspells and it'd have taken me a few turns to build back up (I only had 6 mana available at the time - missed a lot of land drops despite 38 lands in the deck). I bought a couple Avacyn Restored packs and a Conspiracy pack. Nothing too exciting in those, but then I saw an Avacyn Restored sealed box for $150, and the temptation proved too much. I've only opened 5 of the 36 packs so far, but I've already gotten some interesting cards that could cause a remodel of the Iroas deck - but we'll have to wait and see what happens once the other 31 are opened. I also drew one of the mythic rares on pack 5, which made me quit for the night on a great note: In certain cases, she can be a wincon if she survives long enough to Ultimate. But I need to research more for the best possible ways to use her for that, and decide what colors I want to build with her other than blue. Blue/White control and blink is a possibility, but so is Blue/Green with ramp fun - plus Doubling Season, which is $30ish, means I can ultimate her the minute she hits the board if she's not countered or removed. Doubling Season would also allow me to ultimate Vraska, the Unseen and Garruk, Apex Predator incidentally, so would be a fit in either my Glissa deck, or the hypothetical deck built with Tamiyo as a core piece. So... stuff to think about. __________________ 2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)