World Championship

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

A lot of Magic: the Gathering players we know are (or had been) tuned into Day One of the 2013 Magic World Championship being held in Amsterdam.  We know MTG Realm caters to the Kitchen Table and FNM crowd but it's very hard not to see what the rock stars of MTG are doing. Anywhoos - here's the blurb about MTG World Cup from the mothersite -

The 2013 Magic World Championship showcases the best players in the world battling against one another for the title of World Champion. Sixteen players will be invited to compete across three formats for the title and $40,000 first prize, with a total cash purse exceeding $100,000. In addition to the prize money, players earn one Pro Point for each match win during the first two days and two points per match win on the final day.

The 2013 Magic World Championship takes place on July 31, August 1, and August 4 in Amsterdam, with the 2013 World Magic Cup being run August 2-4. All five days will be live streamed.

 

The big names battling for the prized world cup are from almost every corner of the globe (that is if the globe were actually a cube) and include - Dmitriy Butakov, Stanislav Cifka, Reid Duke, Willy Edel, Eric Froehlich, Martin Jůza, Brian Kibler, Tom Martell, Shuhei Nakamura, David Ochoa, Shahar Shenhar, Lee Shi Tian, Ben Stark, Josh Utter-Leyton, Yuuya Watanabe, and Craig Wescoe.

Day One included a Modern Masters draft.  It's still not too late for you to pick up Modern Masters singles from MTG Mint Card.

Also - you can check out the re-cap of Day One on this video from Wizards - We're hoping Wizards does a Theros spoiler at some point during the coverage - and as soon as they do, expect us to get it up here lickity-split.

 
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Tuesday Tumblr Time

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

Welcome to yet another MTG Tuesday Tumblr post were we collect the latest 'n' greatest posts from our sister site, MTG Realm on Tumblr.  Expect a lot of Magic: the Gathering  miscellanea, as well as news / rumors (especially those concerning the next set Theros.  In other news, one MTG Realm member (R.Stomp) is should be receiving an order of singles from MTG Mint Card shortly and claims to have a kick-butt deck idea but won't elaborate - more on that perhaps latter.

Anywhoos - let's get on with it - 

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Photoset

July 29, 2013

44 notes

Magic: the Gathering - Theros Buy A Box Promo

The Buy A Box Promo for Theros is ‘SYLVAN CARYATID’

The first 20 (for Core locations) or 30 (for Advanced locations) people that preorder or purchase a Magic: The Gathering Theros booster box at your local retail store, will get an Alternative Art Sylvan Caryatid promo card.

Booster box promo cards (or Buy-a-box promos) are cards given away for purchasing a booster box at certain local stores. They are foil cards with alternate art, and bear the five mana symbols arranged in a circle as a watermark.

SPECULATION - Caryatid is the name given to an architectural column which takes the form of a standing female figure.  Perhaps an artifact which animates, or produces mana similar to Birds of Paradise.

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Photoset

July 30, 2013

25 notes

 

 

Magic: the Gathering - MTG IRL
Tree Nymph Pashley Manor, East Sussex by joel bybee  (via Flickr) bears a sort of resemblance to Dryad Arbor (From the Vault: Realms Mythic Rare).

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Photoset

July 30, 2013

12 notes

 

Magic: the Gathering - Epic MTG Showdown

Posted by @TheRealNanMan - Who will win ?

Maze’s End

versus

Assemble the Legion

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Photoset

July 28, 2013

49 notes

 

Magic: the Gathering - Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters

Hitting a LGS near you 6 September, 2013

Everything for an epic two-player battle — all in one box!
Duel Decks™ are a great way for two players to experience the thrill of Magic: The Gathering® by facing off against each other with decks that contain some of the best cards in Magic™ history. Heroes vs. Monsters lets players experience the eternal conflict between mighty heroes and terrifying monstrosities.

Catch a glimpse into the world of Theros™!
Heroes vs. Monsters offers players the very first chance to play with brand new cards from the upcoming Magic expansion — Theros. Six new cards from Theros are inside, including the jaw-dropping legendary hydra; Polukranos, World Eater.

Exclusive content for players and collectors!
These two ready-to-play 60-card decks include ten rare cards and two mythic rare cards: foil alternate art versions of Sun Titan and Polukranos, World Eater. In addition, there are seven other cards carefully selected from past Magic sets that appear with never-before-printed artwork.

For an MSRP, here’s what you get !
•  2 ready-to-play 60-card decks
•  2 deck boxes
•  2 creature tokens
•  1 strategy insert
•  1 learn-to-play guide

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Photoset

July 28, 2013

81 notes

 

Magic: the Gathering - Conspiracy
Wizards of the coast filed this with the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week (22 July, 2013).
Wonder what this could be ?  A new multi-player format ?

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Photoset

July 28, 2013

18 notes

 

 

Magic: the Gathering - RW Tokens
M14’s new Young Pyromancer seems just too good to be ignored.  Here’s a rough deck idea we are now considering - rew / white tokens.  Red and white human tokens, red & white soldier tokens perhaps with Assemble the Legion or Blaze Commando, the elemental tokens from Young Pyromancer, and red goblin tokens.
Some anthem effects could include Intangible Virtue, Legion’s Initiative and Ogre Battledriver for pump and haste.  We’ll investigate this further.  Anyone out in Tublr-Land consider building something similar?

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Magic 2014 Intro Pack

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

For today's post, we wanted to get along to a review of a Magic 2014 Intro Pack.  These preconstructed theme decks are possibly the best way to get into Magic: the Gathering if you are new to the game, or if your more seasoned, a lot of players we know battle each other with Intro Packs which makes for a lot a fun as Wizards of the Coast makes all efforts to attempt to balance the power of these decks.

MTG Realm grabbed a new Magic: the Gathering Magic 2014 core set Intro Pack and a handful of M14 booster packs for this brief unboxing and review.


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For a MRSP of only $15, here's what you get -

• Premium foil card
• A full 60 card deck
• Two M14 booster packs
• Learn to play insert
• Strategy guide

We got the M14 'Lightforce' Intro Pack (white / green just happen to our fav colours) - Here's some descriptive text off the box -

Wield the power of light, booster your creatures with powerful enchantments.  If your opponents don't crumble under the first wave of your assault, they'll be primed for defeat when your larger beasts hit the battlefield.

With enchantments being hinted as being a thingy in 'Theros', the next set  this fall, we're certain to be well prepared to modify and take this Intro Pack to the next level.
 

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Friday Miscellaney

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Happy Friday MTG peeps,

As it is Friday, and we have our M14 singles now in hand from MTG Mint Card, we're heading off to Friday Night Magic this evening to OMG! Games here in Barrie and try to get to Top 8 to get one of those lovely Rakdos Cackler FNM promos. For today's post, we want to yatter about the new M14 Event Deck as well as drawing you attention to some stunning Magic: the Gathering wallpaper.  Let's go!

New Magic 2014 core set Event Deck - Red / Green "Rush of the Wild".  Available on 9 August 2013 for a MSRP $25, this competitive list features 8 rares and a host of other solid card choices.  Here's what you get -
• 1 x 60-card deck
• 1 x 15-card sideboard
• 1 x Spindownlife counter
• 1 x  strategy insert
• 1 x  card box

With your horde of warriors, shamans, and wild beasts, your goal is to put your opponents on the back foot, then smash through their defenses. This deck lets you take the offensive, dominating the battle and denying your enemy time to execute a strategy.

24 land : 4 Gruul Guildgate, 1 Rogue's Passage, 1 Stomping Ground (R), 12 Forest, 6 Mountain

27 creatures : 4 Elvish Mystic, 2 Rakdos Cackler, 2 Dryad Militant, 2 Kalonian Tusker, 2 Skarrg Guildmage, 2 Burning-Tree Emissary, 1 Pyrewild Shaman (R), 3 Slaughterhorn, 1 Wild Beastmaster (R), 1 Ogre Battledriver (R), 1 Deadbridge Goliath (R), 4 Ghor-Clan Rampager, 1 Rubblebelt Raiders (R), 1 Wrecking Ogre (R)

9 other spells : 3 Shock, 1 Mizzium Mortars (R), 1 Gruul Charm, 2 Flames of the Firebrand, 1 Clan Defiance, 1 Armed & Dangerous

15 sideboard : 1 Savage Summoning, 3 Skullcrack, 2 Naturalize, 2 Gruul Charm, 2 Act of Treason, 3 Annihilating Fire, 2 Enlarge
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Here's the latest offering of MTG wallpapers from the mothersite -
Rise of the Dark Realms, by Michael Komarck

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Goblin Diplomats, by Izzy

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Jace's Mindseeker, Greg Staples 

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Archangel of Thune, by James Ryman

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UPR Deck Box

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

Now that we have our Magic 2014 pre-orders from MTG Mint Card, we will shortly get to some new standard and modern constructed ideas we have but not until we have a few Friday Night Magic events to test these.  For today's post, we wanted to yatter about a new deck storage box we're sure that gamers will be interested in.

We first told you about the new Ultra PRO 3-Compartment Pro-Tower Black Deck Box on our sister site MTG Realm on Tumblr a few weeks ago and thought it so very cool, we went ahead and  grabbed one of these.

The box features :
• 25 Oversized Planechase or Commander cards
• Bottom Tray for 80 sleeved cards or Dice
• Top Tray 100+ sleeved cards
• Mag-Snap closure

Anywhoos - here's a short video tour of this - 


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The Pro-Tower deck box is designed with swinging front door which has room to accommodate up to 25 over-sized sleeved cards like your General's card for Commander / EDH or Planechase cards if you play that format. Inside, the bottom tray is designed hold all your dice, tokens, or 80 sleeved cards laying flat.  

 

You can use the attached ribbon to easily lift the cards out - or like us,  simply secure a petit sachet of potpourri.  The top compartment can hold 100+ sleeved cards.  Top flap closes the entire thing with a magnetic button.  The material appears to be a plasticized fiber and durable.  We'll be using this when we go gaming and will report back as to how this new Ultra PRO box works for us, but for now, we're going to give it two thumbs up.
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M14 Fav Non-Rares

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

For today's post, we wanted to yatter a bit about our favourite non-rare cards from the latest Magic: the Gathering set, Magic 2014.  If you are new to this great game, here's the low-down - Each year, Wizards of the Coast publishes a Core Set. There is a blend of new cards as well as a few returning favorites.  For players who love to brew up new ideas and strategies, this may very well be the best time of year as it contains the largest set of cards with which to build until the fall rotation.

As is our custom here at MTG Realm, we've picked up from MTG Mint Card, a 4x Uncommon and Common set.  As there is 101 commons and 60 uncommons, that's a grand total of 644 cards - and for just $42.99 - not to shabby!  Here's our video run down of our play group's Top Five favorite M14 commons and uncommons (weighted for constructed play).  Mind you, this may not reflect one could expect to see these in a decklist at a professional level tournament - these are just what we liked at our kitchen table.  
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Favorite Uncommons
#5 - Sentinel Sliver
#4 - Striking Sliver
#3 - Predatory Sliver
#2 - Elvish Mystic
#1 - Shadowborn Apostle

Favourite Commons
#5 - Doom Blade
#4 - Kalonian Tusker
#3 - Panisher Preist
#2 - Manaweft Sliver
#1 - Young Pyromancer
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We had a tough time to reach a consensus with these lists - the only two 'shoo - ins' were Elvish Mystic and Young Pyromancer.  Oddly enough when the dust settled, we were surprised how many Slivers made it onto the list - odd we say as only one out of the four of us here at MTG Realm is even thinking about building a Sliver deck.
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M14 Fat Pack UnBox

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Happy Tuesday MTG Peeps,

As is our custom here at MTG Realm, we've popped over to our fav game store, OMG! Games, here in Barrie, Ontario, Canada-Land, and picked up the latest set's Fat Pack.  Fat Packs are not only rather useful for beginners getting into the game, but also a target of affection for collectors such as ourselves.  We've been collecting for quite some time and even remember a time when a short novella was included to get your vorthos on.

For an MRSP of $40, here's what you get.

• Player's Guide with complete visual encyclopedia
• Learn to play insert• Magic 2014 Core Set card box
• Box sleeve with a mural art poster
• Nine Magic 2014 Core Set booster packs
• Eighty-card basic land pack
• Special edition Spindown life counter
• Two 'fold 'em yerself' deck boxes


Of course you want to see what glorious cardboard we got in the Fat Pack . . . Here's the video, so grab some pop-korn :


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Fat Pack Pulls
• Lilliana of the Dark Realms
• Ajani, Caller of the Pride
• Sanguine Bond
• Strionic Resonator
• Goblin Diplomats
• Domestication
• Silence
• Planar Cleansing
• Into the Wilds

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MTG Commander 2013

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

The big Magic: the Gathering news is of course the announcement of the next installment of Commander over the weekend at San Diego Comic-Con and officially on the mothersite today.  With the success of previous Commander products and the growing popularity of this format (we still call it EDH or Elder Dragon Highlander), players can expect a new product offering each year. 

Commander (2013) will consist of five preconstructed 'three-color shard' decks, each 100 cards strong, that are ready-to-play Commander decks out of the box, with the option of choosing one of the three legendary tri-colored creatures (which each deck will also include) as the commander. There are to be at least 15 new cards in each of the five decks deck for a total of 51 new cards in total.  These new cards new cards will be legal to play in Eternal formats (Vintage / Legacy) but not legal in Standard, Block Constructed, or Modern.  Where the first release had five decks which were wedges from the mana pie (that is one color and its two enemy colors.) These five decks all follow are a central color of mana and its two allies, what we refer to as shards of the color pie.  Look to modify or adjust to taste any of these builds by dropping by MTG Mint Card and picking up a few MTG singles.

Anywhoos - Here's the corporate 4.1.1. -
Release Date: November 1, 2013
Three-Letter Abbreviation: C13
Twitter Hashtag: #MTGC13
MSRP: $29.99 (per deck)
Languages: English, Japanese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish
Initial Concept and Game Design: Mark L. Gottlieb (Lead), Dan Emmons, Ethan Fleischer, Scott Larabee, and Steve Warner
Final Game Design & Development: Billy Moreno (lead), Ethan Fleischer, Ron Foster, Mark Globus, and Dave Guskin, with contributions from Matt Tabak

. . . And here's two new cards -
 Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge, 1ubr
Legendary Creature - Vampire Wizard, Mythic Rare
Flying
When Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge enters the battlefield, each player exiles the top X cards of his or her library, where X is the amount of mana spent to cast Jeleva.
Whenever Jeleva attacks, you may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with it without paying its mana cost.
1/3

Previewed at San Diego Comic Con - A fyling 1/3 for four ain't bad and the little mill / self-mill effect is nice.  Expect to mill more as you recast this general again and again from the command zone.  Being able to cast an instant or sorcery you've exiled without paying for it is nuts.
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Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, 3brg
Legendary Creature - Dragon, Mythic Rare
Flying
When you cast Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, put X 0/1 red Kobold creature tokens named Kobolds of Kher Keep onto the battlefield, where X is the amount of mana spent to cast Prossh.
Sacrifice another creature: Prossh gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
5/5

Previewed at PAX Australia - Really can't wait to see those Kobold tokens (from either Wizards or another player / artist).  Similar general re-cast effect we've just seen with the milling Vampire above which allows for dialed-up effects as the game progresses.  The sac effect for power spike is lovely.
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Theros Spoiler

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Happy Saturday MTG peeps,

This evening post is meant to catch up with all the Theros news and spoilers from PAX Australia and San Diego Comic Con, all compiled in one spot for your convenience.  Theros is the next large Magic: the Gathering set to be release by Wizards of the Coast in late September, 2013.

Here's the summary along with a buffet of amazing new arts you could expect . . .
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Theros Block
• Greek mythology based.
• Theros is a large set, Born of the Gods is small, Journey into Nyx is small. Classic draft format.
• Theros block has an enchantment theme supported by M14.
• Not just "enchantment matters". Game play needs to part of the set. Found a way to take enchantments and bring gods to life.
• five gods which adhere to the color wheel: Heliod (white), Erebos (black), Nylea is the god of the hunt (green) shown in that order below.

 • Another theme of Theros will be Heroes
• What is the mood and tone of Greek myth? Adventure, achievement, accomplishment. Hero's journey.
• Monsters are another theme. Heroes need something to fight.
• If you like Minotaurs this set is for you.• Polukranos, Worldeater (Mythic Hydra)
• Three new mechanics. One for the Heroes, Monsters, and Gods. Five total mechanics in Theros. Including something people have been asking for
• Also Gorgons, Hydras
• There will be a handful of gold cards but it is NOT a gold set.
• There is a Future shifted card in Theros.
• Three Planeswalkers; one of which is Elspeth with two new ones.
 • Story: Elspeth doesn't want to be a hero. Elspeth does not believe she will be called on to be a leader in a world of gods. Gods can take multiple forms and walk among mortals.
• Theros is very dangerous land outside of the cities. Elspeth will fight a Hydra which attracts attention of Heliod.

 

• Gods live in Nyx.  Nyx is the night sky, and also the home of the pantheon of Gods.
• Three major walled cities. Meletis, Akris, Setessa (shown in that order below).

 • Confirmed at the SDCC Panel are God cards for each color with a mechanic also titled God. These cards will have a different border from regular cards.
• Minotaurs are the rampaging savages of Theros.
• Krakens were added because the film "Clash of the Titans" changed the public perception.
• Many existing creature types will be getting reworked to match the Greek flavor.
• No elves on Theros! Green's races will be Centaurs and Satyrs.
• Thassa is the goddess of the sea. Image attached.


Thero PreRelease
• Theros will have pre-release packs, similar to the Return to Ravnica block guild packs! You will pick your color, and receive a pre•release pack of that color.
• Complete the nine quests on the Hero's Path to earn Hero cards to use at Game Day.
• Both "Born of the Gods" and "Journey into Nyx" will feature similar Pre•Release, Release, and Game Day events.
• Prerelease activities: a Hero's Pack for Theros that will continue through whole block.
• Bringing back Prerelease packs.
• Players will get Hero cards in their prerelease packs.
• Hero cards act like a Vanguard.
• The hero cards not have Magic backs and do not go into the deck.
• Quest 1 is Choose a Path.
• Second step is at the Release weekend. Get a second hero card. 

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Here's the round-up of new Theros card arts - we already want to pre-order the full set from MTG Mint Card . . .

 

 



 

 

 







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