Krond vs Ob Nixilis

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

Today's article is for all those Magic: the Gathering players who fancy playing the tall stacks - Commander, or Elder Dragon Highlander if you are an old-school purist.  Today's babble is a run-down of quite possibly the most epic Commander game we've had in a while and featured 

RStomp playing a Mono-Black Demon build with Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath as the Commander,

and

CopySix (yours truly) playing a Green-White Enchantress list with Krond the Dawn-Clad as the Commander.

First things first, let's quickly run through the two Commanders here -

• RStomp's General, the new Planeswalker Commander from Commander 2014 

Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath, 3BB+2: Each opponent loses 1 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.−2: Put a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying onto the battlefield. You lose 2 life.−8: You get an emblem with "1Black, Sacrifice a creature: You gain X life and draw X cards, where X is the sacrificed creature's power."Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath can be your commander.[3]

• CopySix's General - Krond, from the Planechase 2012 Edition.

Krond the Dawn-Clad, GGGWWWLegendary Creature — ArchonFlying, vigilanceWhenever Krond the Dawn-Clad attacks, if it's enchanted, exile target permanent.6/6

GAME ONE
Mid-Game Board states

CopySix
• able to block most threats with Bassara Tower Archer (hexproof, reach) which is enchanted by Pentarch Ward granting protection against Black (rather obviously.
• Sacred Wolf (hexproof) as well as Aura Gnarlid (+1/+1 for each Aura on the battlefield, creatures with power less than Aura Gnarlid's power can't block it).
• Boonweaver Gian tutor for Ancestral Mask, cast and immediately nerf'd with a Go for the Throat.

RStomp
• Squelching Leeches (power / toughness = # swamps you control which was 6 at the moment) just got nerf'd by Cage of Hands (aura can't attack / block)
• Also in play Vampire Nocturnus (if top card library is black, vamps you control get +2/+1 and flying).  Filling out the ranks is Vampire Nighthawk (2/1 flying / lifelink / deathtouch), and Deathgreeter (gaining 1 life whenever a creature dies).
• Commander Ob Nixilis just got cast

End Game
CopySix casts Auramancer returning Ancestral Mask, attaches to Aura Gnarlid, which also has Armadillo Cloak on it as well.  Eldrazi Conscription TOP DECK (aura +10/+10, 'annihilator 2'), and cast on Bassara Tower Archer.
Aura Gnarlid is a 19/19 ('un-blockable') with Trample and Bassara Tower Archer is a 12/11 'pro-black', attacking for leathal.

GAME TWO
Mid-Game Board states

CopySix
• Ghostly Prison (opponent must pay 2 for each attacking creature they control) down early preventing early life loss. 
• Bramble Elemental (generating a 1/1 Saproling token any time an aura is attached to it) generates a number of tokens which get eaten every upkeep by RStomp's Sheoldred, Whispering One.
• Nomad Mythmaker (W, Tap retuning aura in graveyard to play), and a Monstrous Fleecemane Lion also on board.  
• Bassara Tower Archer is wearing the Angelic Destiny aura (+4/+4 flying, first strike, Angel creature type) and Krond just gets cast - things are looking up.

Rstomp
• A number of early chump blockers eat the 'yard', with Gravecrawler coming back occasionally.
• Vampire Nocturnus and Crowd of Cinders (P/T = # black permanents you control) fill out the field.
• Halo Hunter gets cast (destroy Angel eotb effect) nerfing Bassara / Angel
• Wurmcoil Engine (6/6 artifact creature which produces two 3/3 wurms - one life link, one deathtouch) is on the field along with Sheoldred.

End Game
RStomp casts In Garruk's Wake (one-side board wiper) and is able to get the Sanguine Bond / Exquisite Blood combo out.  Gray Merchant of Asphodel gets cast for lethal damage which doesn't even matter due to the wining combo - over the top OP.

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Born of the Gods PreRelease

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Happy Friday MTG peeps,

The mothersite has now wrapped up official Born of the Gods previews with the full list of new cards now posted to the card image gallery.  Here at MTG Realm, we have also updated our own Born of the Gods Spoiler List which includes all card text as well as images for rare / mythic rares.  Now that we have the full list, we've also finalized our pre-orders and popping on over to MTG Mint Card.  Next week we will start on the task of just how awesome the cards are, which ones look like traps to avoid and some prognostication as what may be rocking your game table for your format of choice.  For today's post, we want to bring your attention to Born of the Gods PreRelease events taking place next weekend on February 1st & 2nd.

If you have not already, be sure to check in with your local gaming store to determine all the wheres and whens.  If you're unsure where your nearest LGS is, just check the handy Wizards Store & Event Locator.  Next weekend, we'll be at our fav card shop, OMG! Games in Barrie, Ontario, just across the street from Georgian College.  Expect posts, pics, perhaps gamer interviews and vids following the prerelease weekend.

If you are in the region, here's the 4.1.1. -

OMG! Games & Collectibles
130 Bell Farm Rd, Barrie, ON L4M 6J4
Tel. (705) 721-4263 

http://omggames.ca

Date & Times
Saturday Feb 1st
12:00am(Friday Midnight)
10:00 am
3:00 pm
7:30 pm
Sunday Feb 2nd
11:00am
4:00pm – Two-Headed Giant

Format - Sealed Deck — Each player receives a Prerelease Pack containing
2 Born of the Gods booster packs
1 seeded booster pack
3 Theros booster packs
1 Playable promo card
1 Master your Destiny activity card
1 Spindown™ life counter
1 Hero's Path Welcome Letter
1 Hero Card
Two-Headed Giant — Each team will receive Two Prerelease packs for constructing two decks with.

Cost & Prizes : $35 For all regular sealed events
4-0 record receive 16 packs Born of the Gods
3-0-1 record receive 12 packs Born of the Gods
3-1 record receive 8 packs Born of the Gods

$60 Two Headed Giant ($30/player) with prizes given out based on attendance.

They will also have a 5 Pre-Release Special, where $150 enters you in any five events.
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MTG Deck Builder's Toolkit

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Just an update on the Deck Builder's Toolkit.

-> Also check out the MTG Deck Builder:TappedOut.net

This is the product we mentioned way back in November. Well, it's out now and available for that special gamer whose birthday is upcoming or perhaps even you to help round out your deck development to win you more games.

Here's the skinny . . .

The Deck Builder's Toolkit, which will contain 100 land cards and 125 semi-random game cards, along with
four 15-card booster packs from a variety of recent Magic: The Gathering sets for only $19.99. It's the perfect way to start a deck-building career! The Deck Builder's Toolkit will also contain a card storage box, a guide containing dueling tips, and expert advice on how to custom build the deadliest and most effective decks possible. And since no two Toolkits are the same, each one presents its own unique deckbuilding challenges!

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We have the following information from our friend in Europe who dissected the box and now provides this mini-review :

According to the information included, this toolkit should help you to build the following archetypes :

- Red Burn (Lightning Bolt, Lava Axe, Fireball, Fiery Hellhound)

- White Weenie (Elite Vanguard, Veteran Armorsmith, Kor Hookmaster, Pacifism)

- Blue Control (Mind Control, Cancel, Divination, Wall of Frost)

- Elves (Llanowar Elves, Nissa's Chosen, Elvish Visionary, Overrun)

- Mana Ramp (Rampant Growth, Frontier Guide, Howl of the Night Pack, Pelakku Wurm)

- Blue-White Fliers ( Serra Angel, Unsummon, Wind Drake, Fledgling Griffin)

- Vampires (Gatekeeper of Malakir, Vampire Nighthawk, Consume Spirit, Vampire Aristocrat)

- Black-Red Destruction (Doom Blade, Flame Slash, Duress, Lightning Elemental)

- Red-Green Aggro (Llanowar Elves, Summit Apes, Panic Attack, Goblin Shortcutter)

- Green-White Auras (Aura Gnarlid, Savage Silhouette, Mammoth Umbra, Totem-Guide Hartebeest)

- Eldrazi (Emrakul's Hatcher, Ulamog's Crusher, Pathrazer of Ulamog, Spawning Breath)


This is what was inside my toolkit :

- 4 Booster Packs = Conflux, Worldwake, Zendikar and Magic 2010

- 100 lands from Magic 2010 ( 20 each )

The key commons and uncommons are all from recent sets : Magic 2010, Zendikar, Worldwake and Rise of the Eldrazi. Looking at the list I do believe that people new to the game will like them, but I was hoping on key commons / uncommons from older sets as well...

Here are what I would consider the better commons - without thinking about the above archetypes - out of my Toolkit :

White Common 1x Iona's Judgment, 2x Pacifism, 1x Soul Warden

Blue Common 2x Cancel, 1x Divination, 1x Essence Scatter, 1x Merfolk Looter, 1x Unsummon

Black Common 1x Blood Seeker, 2x Child of Night, 1x Disfigure, 1x Doom Blade, 1x Duress, 1x Sign in Blood

Red Common 1x Brood Birthing, 1x Burst Lightning, 3x Lightning Bolt, 1x Searing Blaze

Green Common 1x Borderland Range, 1x Explore, 2x Giant Growth, 2x Llanowar Elves, 1x Naturalize, 1x Nissa's Chosen, 1x Rampant Growth

Colorless Common 1x Hand of Emrakul, 1x Ulamog's Crusher Land Common 4x Terramorphic Expanse


I received 35 Uncommons :

11x M10 Uncommons Dragon Whelp, Fireball, Harm's Way, Howl of the Night Pack, Mind Control, Overrun, Prodigal Pyromancer, Rod of Ruin, Serra Angel, Sleep, Whispersilk Cloak

4x Zendikar Uncommons Frontier Guide, Mind Sludge, River Boa, Trusty Machete 2x Worldwake Bestial Menace, Summit Apes

8x Rise of the Eldrazi Artisan of Kozilek, Dreamstone Hedron, Explosive Revelation, Lust for War, Pathrazer of Ulamog, Pelakka Wurm, Rapacious One, Valakut Fireboar

Conclusion = Perhaps a nice product for real starters, more experienced players can use it to play a very nice and solid sealed deck.

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MTG Madness

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Good Day my peeps,

the spoiler action has been interrupted for some witty 'n' waggish humour, so strap in and enjoy. I just wanted to rebroadcast this old 4Chan post which I thought was oddly peculiar and amusing.

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Location: Sparta, the King's court

King Leonidas of Sparta and King Xerxes of Persia playing Magic: The Gathering . .

Leonidas : Playing a Plains. Passing the turn.

Xerxes : Tapping a Swamp, playing Dark Ritual, playing Delirium Skeins, each Player discards 3. I play 3 Basking Rootwallas for free. Your turn.
Leonidas : What in Hades ? ! ? ! Let me see that card !

MADNESS ! ! !

Stephen Hawking : And that Gentlemen was how the universe began . .

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