No Safety Net #1

Sometimes, you have to take the net protecting you from falling from the high wire and put it away.

When I write, I'm very careful.  I choose my words with purpose.  The stories that I write about show what I'm comfortable with sharing, even in cases where I'm argumentative.  But what drives me to write about my son and Magic, is always hidden behind a veil.  After listening recently to a podcast though, I found myself wishing I could share what drives me to spend time with Jacob and find time to share his interests.  The idea for this post (and probably a few more after it) is to try to put into words things about me that I feel are worth sharing.  This will be hard.  Very, very hard.  It will also undergo a bare minimum of editing - I want it to be as raw and visceral as I can be.  No safety net, in theory and practice.

All of what I'll share today has impacted how I look at my responsibilities as a parent and ultimately led me here.  I'm sorry if you came for an article on Magic the Gathering today.  In fact, you'll find very little Magic here at all.

To understand who I am know and why I write, I have to take you back in time.  Everything I'll write in this series of posts is true.  I owe that much to myself.

Broken Promises
The first thing that I need to share won't surprise some people.  My parents divorced when I was three, and my sister was one.  My father left.

I have no memory of this.  Likely I've blocked it out.  I remember the two story house we lived in.  I remember the tire swing in the backyard and the weird, crappy porch off the back of the house.  I remember the winter a blizzard piled snowdrifts taller than me while I still lived there.  But I don't remember my father and mother in that house together.

Why did my father leave?  I only found out when I was nearly an adult that he had had enough.  It was never 'my fault' or my sister's.  Rather, my dad left because he couldn't get along with my mom.  He moved back to his parents' house, about two hours away.   My parents' separation and eventual divorce was ground zero for what would be many changes for me.

I have images in my mind, brief vignettes of events that happened to me at a young age.  I don't have a clear sequence to many of them.  Most of them are negative.  Some I wish were not mine at all.

My first clearest memory was painful.  I was about 5.

Mom's New Friend
The sequence of events following the divorce is history that I have to state for the record.  I do so with no real personal memory or direct knowledge.  With the divorce came the selling of the house.  Custody was decided to be given to my mom (New Jersey courts forty years ago would always side with the mother so long as she had a pulse and wasn't on a ventilator).  My father fought for my sister and I - and would continue to fight for years, but he just couldn't win.  Dad was also introduced to a nice new lady friend - and he appeared to be very interested in her.

This is where I have to delve a bit into conjecture, but everything fits fairly well as far as timing and personalities involved.  Mom saw my dad's new friend as competition.  Not from the standpoint of affection, but as a threat in the courts.  If my dad remarried and sued again for custody - which he did - then mom would be worried that dad's status may be looked upon more favorably than hers.  The house she had us living in at the time was...well, it wasn't very nice.  No angry notes please - I recognize she likely did the best she could manage.  So there was likely a fear maintained by my mother that my dad would find a way to win custody.

Mom has never liked losing.  So she finally started dating again.  I don't know how many dates she had or with how many different men, but eventually she found someone that she could bring home to introduce to my sister and I.  To this day, I still wish that I had never met the man that would become my stepfather.

Introducing the Jerk
This history is all necessary to understand my first real memory.  It was one in which I knew the time, place, and players involved.  I don't remember the exact conversation, but I do remember the emotions.

My mother's new friend had spent the night.  They were back in her room when I got up in the morning.  Not being allowed to bother them, I went to the living room/dining room at the front of the house.  I remember the vinyl footing of my pajamas feet scraping against the large heating grate in the middle of the doorway between the kitchen and the front room.  I remember going to the television and turning it on, trying to find something to watch.  I spied, during programming breaks, something new and interesting on the coffee table.  I had no idea what it was, but it had these interesting screw caps and large letters.  One said 'L' and the other said 'R'.

As an intuitive reader, I'm sure you've guessed that I had stumbled upon a contact lens case.  I had never seen one before.  Being five, I investigate the only way I knew how to.  I opened it.  I wasn't paying close attention to it, but I must have tilted it.  I was shocked to find my fingers had become wet.  I quickly closed the cap.

It wasn't long before my mother's new friend came out of the bedroom and went looking for his contact lenses.  Unfortunately, one seemed to be missing.  He was at first concerned.  But when he put two and two together (math was never his strong suit so it took a few moments), the Spanish Inquisition started.  It only lasted a few minutes at most before he was screaming at me.  How could I be so stupid?  How could I be so careless?  Didn't I know not to touch things that weren't mine?  Why doesn't your mother teach you to leave other people's things alone?

I don't remember being hit (I'm sure it was there).  I do remember running to my room, deeply afraid, crying and upset.  I was inconsolable.  It wasn't until I fell asleep completely exhausted that I found any relief at all.

Here's the one thought that I held onto that day and you'll find as a common theme as I write about who I am now.  My mother did nothing.  She didn't intervene on my behalf.  She didn't step in and say, "Oy, that's my kid, back the hell off."  I don't even remember her being there.  She was in the house, and given the size of it there is no possibility she would not have heard and had plenty of time to intervene.

Mom failed me.

Why?
So why is it I spend what is likely a stupid amount of money on a game?  Why do I write?  What drives 'MTGDad'?

Simple.  I want to do better.  I won't fail my sons.  With my older son, I had a very steep learning curve - for more reasons than a messed up childhood.  My younger son though, Jacob (who at thirteen is starting to fill out and seem less like a 'younger son' and more like his own person everyday), is my last real chance to get this perfect.

Being a perfect parent isn't attainable.  I'm have no illusions about that.  But I can't help working towards it.  I know I've made and will continue to make mistakes.  I promised myself though a very long time ago, that there are two people I'd never be mistaken for when I interact with my kids.  I see the same behaviors in my sister as well.

I write because I want to share small successes.  I want to show people that a game can be life affirming.  For what could be seen as selfish reasons, I need to prove that I can be a better parent than my stepjerk and mother.

Want to know something funny?  Currently neither of them are allowed in my house.  Both for different reasons.  I'll share at least one of those stories soon.  My mother's current story is one that is so raw right now that I'm not sure when I'll have the strength to write about it.

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Part 1 of ??
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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

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[Special thanks and credit for the idea of this series should go to Erin Campbell and her interview of Brad Nelson on The Deck Tease podcast.]

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

It's a magical time of year (pun intended).

Presents are being wrapped.  The tree is going to be up soon - I PROMISE!  And I'm left thinking about what makes Magic the Gathering special to me.  I know that this time of year brings out the 'Top 10' lists in droves.  This isn't one of those articles.

Instead, I want to really highlight the parts of the community I enjoy the most.
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I used to drive to work listening to a particular shock jock on Sirius.  Now I load up my smartphone with a few choice podcasts and listen to them during my drive to work.  Magic has obviously improved me for the better.  In no particular order, here are my favorite podcasts:

• The Deck Tease - Erin Campbell is a little edgy, and seems to land just about every personality in Magic.  She makes me smile every time an episode comes out.  There is no better way to start a Monday.
• Limited Resources - Marshall and current assorted company break down Limited play in a very accessible manner.  I truly miss Brian Wong, but I know that Marshall will find a new co-host soon.  If you like limited half as much as I do, this has to be on your rotation.
• JudgeCast - There is only one bad thing about JudgeCast.  It's not the references to Bitty Kitty.  It's not the number of movie references they throw into every episode.  And it's never their special guests.  It's that there is only one episode every two weeks.  If Santa would leave one thing under my tree this year, I'd ask him for weekly episodes in 2015.

I don't think players fully realize how important Judges are to Magic the Gathering.  Next time you interact with one - even if you hate the outcome - say this: thank you.  It can be, "Thank you, but I'd like to appeal your ruling," or "Thank you for your explanation, even though I don't agree."  But it should always start with a thank you.  Judges are compensated for most events they are involved in, but the compensation isn't why they do it (if it was, most would either stay home or play themselves).  Judges are a breed apart who are on their feet all day - often on cement poured floors - simply because they want to help you have a better game.  They deserve your respect, if not your admiration.

I wouldn't play this game if it was 100% digital.  At least, I wouldn't still be playing it 3 years later.  I've made many friends through playing at LGSs and going to events.  The game is incredible, but the social part of it is what keeps me coming back.

Twitter.  Facebook.  Twitch.  Pinterest (or so I've heard).  Tumblr.  If you're reading this, you are already a part of the extended online community who take part in razzing Mark Rosewater about bananas or congratulating the most recent GP winner via Twitter.  And let's not forget the websites offering non-stop updates to their coverage.  I don't have one favorite here, other than to say that lately Matt Tabak's Tumblr feed has been particularly sardonic lately.  If you don't follow him, give it a try.

This past year I made it to several large events.  I love the feel of anticipation, the increased level of competition and the camaraderie.  I have hopes of getting to at least 3 next year.  I'd like to make it to Las Vegas, but I don't see me attending without Jacob.  I priced out flights and when I add in other expenses, I just don't see it happening.  I will be at GP Atlantic City and likely the Eternal Weekend in Philadelphia though, so that's two big events.

I'm a big supporter of local game stores.  I also buy from a few online stores, everything from singles to box product.  But I also started to get more into EDH this year.  Elder Dragon Highlander (or Commander for those so inclined) is not a format that rewards someone like me that has been collecting for 3 years. Let's face it, LGSs and sometimes online stores don't stock that $1 rare or penny common from Futuresight that you need.  I've found that PucaTrade is great for filling that gap.  If you're an EDH player and you're not on PucaTrade, you're doing it wrong.  That, or you have a way more impressive collection than I do.

If you didn't see it before, people in my area lost our local game store last month.  The only thing I have to say here is - support your LGS.  Go there, play, interact, and for the love of all things that is holy, buy some product.  Your LGS is the first stop in the greater, larger world community of Magic.  If you stop at that level, then fine.  But when you step up to play in larger tournaments, you'll be thankful for everything your LGS provided you.

Finding time to watch coverage on weekends can be difficult.  But when I do, I'm always thankful for the knowledge demonstrated by coverage team members.  They all make the game a little more accessible and for that they should be thanked (and this includes all the people who support the actual broadcasters).

Lastly, I have to thank my son, Jacob, for continuing to play and inspire me to do the same.  If he wasn't interested in the game, I'm sure I wouldn't play either.  It's his love for it that drives me to learn more, play better, and find a way to express myself creatively.

Thank you, son.  And thanks to all of you for reading.  See you in 2015!


-Please feel free to add what you enjoy the most about our community in the comments section.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

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Modern Masters 2: This Time, All the Monies!

Unless you live under a rock like my good friend, Patrick Starfish, by now you've heard the big announcement from Wizards of the Coast that has come out of the World Magic Championships.

Yes Virginia, there is going to be a Modern Masters 2.

Strap in, because I'm not a very happy camper today.

Mi$take$ Were Made

With the first printing of Modern Masters back in 2013, Wizards offered a format defining product.  To say that MMA was in high demand would be like like saying Bernie Madoff knew a little bit about how to make money.  From the first moment that the set was announced with its $6.99 per pack sell point, players speculated.  Who would pay that price per pack?  Would it be worth it?

Having opened a box myself, I can assure you that it was worth it to me.  Barely.  But there was that chance of opening a Tarmagoyf - a then $125 or so card.  I was nervous opening a box of the first edition of Modern Masters even given I was lucky enough to get it for MSRP.

This set?  Well, we do know that Emrakul is being reprinted.  A $50 card currently.  Surely, there will be other cool reprints to be announced during the month leading up to the set releasing.  It is almost entirely too early to jump on a band wagon decrying the MSRP of $6.99 a pack.

WHAT?  This set will list packs at an MSRP of $9.99?  A three dollar increase in 2 years?  Is someone up in Renton smoking the cards instead of printing them?

Ten dollars out of the gate per pack, for something that costs Wizards a fifth of that to produce (that's a fair and likely favorable estimate).  Most of the cards in any given pack are penny commons.  Literally no trade or collector value is assigned.

I'm sure gamers (better yet, collectors) will be lined up around the block for these boxes.  I won't be one.  At $240 for a box of product, Wizards has finally priced me out of the market.  That's even if I can find a seller with product for that price.  I look for a fair value.  Unless I have something of a chance of getting at least 65-70% that value back out of a box, I'm out.  For a product this expensive, I'd like to see that margin increase to 75%.  I stretched myself pretty thin over buying a box of product at $170 last time.  An increase to $240 means I simply can't imagine the circumstances by which I'd entertain purchasing a box - whether to save it, crack it, or share it with friends.

And I don't even want to think about what even participating in a draft will be like.  I would imagine that most drafts will run in the $45-50 and up range.  Yes, to open three packs, stores will charge us about $50 or more (once product dries up from the distribution chain, this price will go up).  Serious grinders with a lifetime of draft experience will eat up and spit out the competition.  I've got a better chance of buying lottery tickets at that price point.

A product, designed to be PLAYED, priced out of the range of a comfortable price point for many drafters.  I wonder how that will work out?

The Other $hoe
And then, the other shoe dropped from the World Magic Championship.  There will be three Grand Prixes held in May to celebrate the launch the product.  The one in the United States is going to be on the East Coast.

What?

[Jumps away from keyboard for a moment to re-read something on his phone]...[mumbles]...[takes phone and throws it at wall]...

I'm sorry, my mistake.  The Grand Prix for Modern Masters 2015 will be held in Las Vegas.  Again.

Cue rejoicing for the city in the desert with the smallest population of players within 50 square miles. (All due respect to players who live there or within 3 hours as I continue - this is a call for parity).  There are about 10 places that come to mind in the US that right off would have had a significantly larger base of players to draw from.

No, that wasn't a problem last time as the event hit about 4,500 participants.  But I must ask, where is the parity?  Why not hold it on the East Coast?  Chicago?  Somewhere near an actual population center?  Why must 80% plus participants fly to get to your event?

In 2013, I consoled myself by thinking that if they did a second Modern Masters we'd get our due out here on the East Coast next time (Washington D.C. perhaps).  I thought there was no way it would be held in Las Vegas two times in a row.

$omeone$ Got to Win
So I raise my glass.

I raise it to game store owners, those who will sell this product as fast as it arrives at a higher price point than $240.

I raise it to Las Vegas, who landed another sweet event.

I raise it to the TO running Las Vegas.  Even base entry fee is likely going to run players into $80-90 a person (practically VIP money for other other events).  It hasn't been announced yet, but it won't be cheap.

I raise it to Wizards, who found a way to ring way too much money out of this product and have created a significant fervor over it.

I raise it to the gamers, as my only non-sarcastic tip of the hat.  You guys rock.

And I'll cry in my glass over the fact that if this is the trend - in any way - for Modern Masters, that Wizards just found a way to kill it.

Why?  Sales begets sales.  I have a stinking suspicion that at this price point, Wizards made a significant miscalculation for what gamers will pay for a pack of 15 cards that mostly have no value.  Want to kill a product line at Wizards?  Nothing does it faster than having underwhelming sales.


Re$pect
This may seem like a rant.  Well, it is.  But it's not directed at the game designers and creators.  Ultimately, it's directed at sales/marketing.  People who came up with the price point for the new product.  To be fair, it is a team that I have no knowledge of but likely includes representatives from Hasbro.  So I'd be remiss in not saying a big, "Thank You, Hasbro," before I sign off this time.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

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Game Stores Aren't Forever

Today is a tough day for gamers in south eastern New Jersey.  The court clown will frolic no more.

Jester's Playhouse, a home away from home for many, shut the doors and turned out the lights for the final time today.  Jester's as it's more commonly known (or even the 'store' to many) was a survivor.  It had beat the long odds several times over its long history.

It started 18 years ago in Cape May County.  Rich Gain, and his then wife Joanna started the store with the idea that would offer comics, games, and a place to meet.  I didn't step foot in the store until it moved to its second home in Northfield.  At that time, I was at a point in my life where I couldn't well afford to support my WH40K habit and I was still years away from finding nirvana in the form of MtG.  I stopped in that space no more than a few times, but I could tell that the community established by the store was vibrant.

Some years ago, they moved to their third location, easily doubling their space and dedicating over half of it to play.  It's there that I eventually found my own place in a community of like minded individuals.  I had been introduced to Magic formally some time before, after having picked up the game for my younger son's benefit.  If I had known what I was missing, I would have been there long before.

Friends like Larry and Sarah.  Austin, Mario, and Ryan.  Preston, Toby, Robbie, Brigette, and Ryan.  Josh and Steve and John.  Rich, Rich, and Zack. Wayne, Garret, Tyler, Tricky, Christian, and Mike.  John Paul.  A hundred more names and a few hundred faces.  Jim - probably one of the people I most closely bonded with over the simple act of playing Magic.  Jim was the one guy who figured out I was writing online under the guise of Magic Dad (only a couple of people at Jester's ever knew until now - as they are reading this article).  He talked to me about my blog, offering encouragement when I needed it and served as a sounding board for a few of my more 'out there' ideas.  I think I'll miss our occasional head to head games of Magic the most.

I'm an adult.  I know that I will see many of the people I met through Jester's at other events.  But life takes weird turns, and I know there are others I may not see again.  That thought leaves me with a profound sense of loss.  It's amazing how much you can fall into a world created by a game when played on plastic tables while seated in plastic chairs.  And how much you can miss it when it is gone.

A very rare breed...

The primary owner of Jester's, Rich Gain, through all of its successes and difficulties, loved his store.  He is a gamer at heart who enjoyed introducing people to new games.  People will argue for years to come as to what led Jester's to finally close.  That argument is now academic.  The bottom line is, no matter how much you love something, life takes its toll.  Unable to remain profitable and in order to pay bills owed, Rich made the painful decision to close the doors to Jester's.  Saturday and Sunday, gamers came to pay respects.  Some bought items on sale at ridiculous prices.  One came with Scotch older than the store.  Many more came with their eyes a little red and a boardgame in hand - hoping to roll the dice one more time.  Me?  I had an unopened box of Conspiracy that I was dying to try for the first time.  So Jacob and I made our final trek to Jester's yesterday for one last draft.

I did what I always did while there.  I spent some money.  I talked to some friends.  At one point I left, taking a friend of mine from another store out to lunch.  When we returned, Jacob and I found enough friends to draft Conspiracy twice (six man pods) and it was wonderful.

Jacob and I left the store that night after one more round of goodbyes.  We drove home, mostly in silence, thinking about what was and what could have been.

The greatest sadness for us about Jester's closing is the loss of meeting up with some friends and drafting Magic until we have to peel ourselves out of our seats and stumble homeward.  The nearest store to us that supports gamers is almost an hour away.  If we're willing to drive, we are practically spoiled for choice, with great stores to the south, west and north of us.  But I know that many of our friends will be in the same boat we are.  After working a hard day, many of us will elect to stay home more often than not.

Everyone displaced by the loss of Jester's will try different stores to see if one 'fits'.  We'll all try to find new stores that feel right, that have the best make-up of friends, product and support.

If there is one thing about this experience I can count upon, it's this final thought.

Nature abhors a vacuum.  This area can and will support a game store.  Maybe it won't carry the Jester's brand.  Hopefully, when it does come it will find success.  With a local state college and a devoted base of gamers, an LGS with a smart plan and strong execution can not only succeed, but flourish.  It's a matter of establishing brand and serving to the old clientele while developing new interests.  How long will it take?  We'll see.  Our particular area is one of the few that seems to be mired in an economy that won't fully bounce back.  We're fifteen minutes from Atlantic City - and the loss of jobs here as casinos continue to close has some people scared to try something as risky as starting a small business.

But it will happen.  It has to happen.  And when it does, we'll all be there to welcome the new store.  Jacob, me and a few hundred of the faithful.

Support your community.  Support your hobby.  Support your LGS.

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Stolen Goods

I'm writing today about my favorite topic, my son Jacob.  Before I do though I'd like to share something from another family member.  During our phone calls, my father will tell me a hard luck story or another that features him prominently.  Dad will almost always close these stories with, "Well, if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any," or with, "Well, if nothing else I can always serve as a bad example."

You see, the world has been dumping on my pops in epic fashion for the better part of his life.  His ability to maintain good humor through the worst roadside breakdown story anyone has ever heard or his fight against Verizon over basic service FOR CRYING OUT LOUD (sorry, I occasionally channel my pop) doesn't surprise me.  It's so much a part of who he is that I hardly notice anymore.

As to what my father's plague of bad luck has to do with my son, let me take you back to when Jacob had finally settled on a deck to play during the new Standard season (spoilers for an upcoming article, Jacob has made a commitment to play at a higher level after some talks with the parents).

Several Weeks Ago...
...in a dining room far, far away, our young hero was seated at the family computer searching through net decks to find something he wanted to play.  This scene had repeated several times in recent days in our household.  No decision had been made yet, but it wouldn't be much longer.  It was September 29th, and in a week and a half States would be held.  It was time to pull the trigger.

Jacob and I had talked extensively over the past couple of weeks about this.  I had spent some time watching the SCG NJ coverage the previous weekend and felt I understood the current meta.

Ok, you've got me.  I didn't understand it all (this was prior to the Pro Tour).   Neither did anyone else...but I was pretty sure that I was figuring out the direction it will go in (hint, the same direction it's always gone in).  Jacob seems to like my logic.  Either that, or he's really thinks some of the cards are boss.  It wouldn't matter to me if he wanted to play U/W Control, I'd support him.  It's also possible I'd call him some names if that's what he wanted to do, but I'd support him.

Luckily, the kid seemed to be pretty smart and had picked a deck that would adjust well to the changing metagame.  Better yet, between our two collections he thought he had most of the cards necessary.

Great!  Let's build a deck.

Panic Sets In
Jacob started where he always seemed to.  He popped open his rare binder and started looking through it, pulling cards as he found them.  Just a few minutes into his search for the right cards, he started to grumble.  It's something he does while building.  I don't even pay attention to it anymore, it's just part of his process.

After a bit of time he finishes with our binders and moves into looking through his decks.  He's not a half hour into this process when I notice the tone of his grumbling has shifted into a new gear.  I start to hear what can only be described as low-level panic mixed with a hint of anxiety and a dash of, "Oh [expletive redacted because this is a family friendly article]!"  I could tell, even in another room and occupied with dinner prep, that something wasn't right.  I called out, asking if he needs any help.

"Yeah," he snaps, "Have you seen my commander deck?"  He only has three or four of them, but when he referred to it this way I knew immediately which one was missing.  He was talking about the one he was most proud of (and the one he built first).

I respond with the usual parental claptrap.  It wasn't particularly useful, but I got him moving towards looking instead of simply complaining.  He's 13.  In terms of parent/son relationships and missing items, this means he's got to solve his own problems with minimal parental oversight.  Plus, I was hungry. Since there was no blood was involved with his problem, I was going to finish cooking first.  A man must have his priorities.

Fast Forward
I'm going to spare you the details of the search.  Suffice it to say, he was more thorough than most boys his age.  I searched as well, once I had some free time and realized that he wasn't having any success.  As I mentioned before, this one wasn't just some random collection of cards that were the same color.  No, this was his baby.  His G/R Ruric Thar deck was not to be found anywhere.  This deck was the first one he had made and likely the one with the most card value, time invested, and favorable memories.

I don't know if either of us will know how valuable the deck was, but it wasn't peanuts.  The deck held cards he was going to put into a Standard Tier 1 deck which would have saved him at least $70 (lands included).  Beyond that, I won't hazard a guess.  It wasn't a thousand dollar deck by any definition.  There were no more than one or two cards that were signed and a few foils of various persuasions.  At least none were custom/altered art as far as I know.  Somewhere between two and four planeswalkers were in it as well.  Ultimately, a low value EDH deck.  But the sentimental value to him was pretty significant.

How did it disappear?  Did it fall out of his bag or did someone with nefarious purpose in mind liberate it from him?  I won't ever know how it happened.  I'm sure I know where it disappeared though, which doesn't sit well with me.

But me being upset at the financial loss, or sad for his loss of innocence (theft of personal property can be pretty jarring), or ticked off at a group of people I considered to be decent won't bring the deck back.  Me trying to teach Jacob more about personal responsibility won't do much either.  Because I was aware of some of the more publicized thefts in the past year so it shouldn't come as any surprise that I've been working with him to be more aware of what he's doing with his gear.  He acts more aware of his bag and decks than most adults carrying valuable legacy decks, so I know I'm getting through to him.

The worst part of all of this is?  Feeling more than a little helpless.

I can't watch Jacob's stuff for him.  And even the most aware individual will have moments where they are distracted, so I don't want him to become obsessed over this.  If someone wants something bad enough, as a rule they'll figure out how to take it.  Even if it is something a 13 year old treasured more than a little bit.

There is a moral for this story.  The family friendly version is this: some people are jerks, minimize your contact with them when you can, and pay attention to your gear.  Or we could always reference the wisdom of my father at the top of the page.

Be the Change
On matters of security, I have two final thoughts to share.  First, there are some interesting products out there that are worth investigating (links posted below).  Or you can do what Jacob and I will be doing in the future - only bringing the items we need to events and a guy named Biff.  Everyone needs a guy named Biff in their corner.

• TrackR
• Kensington Proximo
• DeckTracker (Project on hold, perhaps it could see the light of day).

Secondly, if you can't beat them then I recommend finding a way to have the last laugh.  This Saturday, I'm doing just that.  I'll be one small cog in the machine that will be overseeing all of security for Eternal Weekend in Philadelphia.  I may not do more than check wristbands and bags, but for me it's an important step in combating theft in the community.  So if you see me on Saturday (I'll be one of the 'older' people helping), feel free to say hi.  Just don't come to Eternal Weekend and plan to steal somebody else's deck.  I wouldn't want to pull my security ninjitsu on you and call for the Philly PD.  After Jacob's loss, there is no way I want to see anyone else lose their deck.

[Full Disclosure: I'm 99.9% sure I know when and where Jacob's EDH deck disappeared.  Unfortunately, that doesn't help me track it down for several reasons I don't want to get into here.  If you care for your gear, then pay attention to it at all times.  Make sure your bags are zipped closed when not in use.  Keep your bag on your back or under your seat with your feet on it at all times.  Don't leave your gear lying around.  And for Pete's sake, make sure you only bring what you need for the event - leave the expensive stuff at home.]

___________________________

Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

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Requiem for an Angel

My brothers and sisters of Magic the Gathering, thank you for joining me on this most solemn of

occasions.  We will be celebrating the life of one of the greatest of creature types in Magic, soon to be relegated to the role of 'Rarely, if ever, Appearing' instead of 'Beloved Mainstay'.

While many of you may not have known our friends angels well, we still welcome you to our service today.  Angels, the most heartwarming and beautiful of creatures, have been with us for many years.  The lives of Angels have touched many, from the LGS whipping boy to the tournament champion.  Angels have been around for so long that we really have no idea what our lives will be like with them.  Please, join with me in a moment of silence as we remember the many Angels that have joined with us to fight back the hoards over the years....

Yes my friends, Magic has all but killed Angels.  They are now on the endangered creatures list.

Death of the Core Set
Core Set 2016 will be the last of Magic the Gathering's Core Sets.  As of September 2017, Core Sets will no longer contribute to Standard, and no more will be made.  For some very good reasons (you can read about it here), Core Sets are going the way of the dodo.  Instead, Standard Format will rely on between 5-6 sets at a time built on a two set block format.  Any given Standard season will be comprised of three blocks and will rotate every 6 months.

This change has been met with a great deal of excitement.  Most people are very happy to see this change, as the advantages are pretty clear for gamers.  First, Standard will NOT become stale.  The faster cycle of rotations will prevent that from happening.  And secondly, it will mean greater excitement as we get twice as many new blocks over a year's time in a Large/Small development cycle.  What's not to like?

Gamers are thrilled.  Design and development at Wizards is thrilled.  This new format has the appearance of being a win-win for everyone.  But that's not the whole story.  There is a pretty large group of people that will be negatively affected by this change.

Constricting Design Space
Undoubtedly, this change will result in constricting design space within the blocks.  Current blocks are 3 sets, often in some configuration of 2 large sets and 1 small set.  Each block represents a world/story within the Magic Community.  And each of these worlds is fully fleshed out by the creative geniuses at Wizards.

Mark Rosewater has made the point that, "...the third set has always been the problem child," in his

article referenced above.  As he described some of the problems, I can see it.  Stretching a story over three sets has got to be a Herculean task.  But it does have one advantage.  Three sets gives the Design team plenty of space to be creative, offering new mechanics, spells, and creatures.

By limiting stories to two sets, one large and the other small, we'll see tighter, more efficient design.  Ideas that don't work in the first two sets can't be floated to the 'problem child'.  They'll be cut.  Reprints that some players come to love to see sneak into sets will no longer happen as often (with the likely exception of cantrips and removal spells), due to the tighter constraints placed on design by the limited card count and set size.

No longer will Design have a large bucket that it needs to fill.  Now, it will have a cup - and it will have to get the job done with that cup every six months.  Story and space will force Design to be very miserly with their set design.

This will be good for competitive players.  Arguably, it will be great for them.  But for casual players, collectors, and everyone else, this new design cycle has the potential to be disappointing.  Yes, as Mark has pointed out we will get to revisit beloved worlds more often.  The change in WotC's approach to design will have a negative affect though on things we've come to love the Core Sets for providing.

Goodbye Angels
So what does the loss of Core Sets really mean?  Aside from no more semi-regurgitated design, it means something pretty important to players.  Several creature types will be going on the endangered species list.  Of them all, I'm going to miss regular printings of angels the most.  Angels are one of the creature types that simply do not fit well into many block stories.  Yes, we saw a one in Gatecrash and a small host of them in Innistrad block - but aside from them they aren't commonly seen in blocks.

The flavor text still gives me chills.

Many angels that have been printed since Magic first started, with most of them in recent years having been consigned to Core Sets or special products (Commander products especially).  I will admit that some of my favorite cards are angels.  I loved playing Serra Angel in M14 draft and loading it up with completely unfair enchantments.  My first Commander deck (which was a very casual attempt) was based on a theme of Angels and Dragons.  Nothing was better than playing a Sunblast Angel after baiting an opponent into attacking me the previous turn.  And I can't forget what a beast Avacyn was for me in M15.  Angels have had some of the best abilities.  At face value, most were at least 4/4 fliers.  Their additional abilities though, whether an ETB pump for your side or a one time trick, always enchanted me as a gamer.

As we go forward, surely angels will make their presence known.  They'll sneak their way into the occasional Duel Deck or Intro Pack.  When angels make sense flavor-wise, we'll get them in blocks. Remember though, unless they find their way into a block they won't be Standard legal.

I know that there will be other creature types that end up relegated to the back of the filing cabinet following this change.  I'll be saddened by their loss as well.  Nothing will make me more sad though - even if I've only been playing for just under 3 years - than knowing that regular appearances by angels will be no more.  Core Set M16 will surely be a bittersweet experience for those of us that love angels in Magic.  I plan on drafting every single one I come across, as a tribute to their greatness in the game.

And if I you happen to spot me at a draft late next summer and I have a little tear in my eye, you'll know it's not allergies.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

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Prerelease, or How I Learned to Hate New Stuff

I just don't get it.

I don't even know who to blame anymore.

Here's the deal.  From my 'limited' perspective, prereleases still need more fine tuning - or maybe a great deal more.  I shelled out $120 so my son and I could do a sealed Swiss tournament and a round of Two Headed Giant together.  I left feeling slightly robbed, punch drunk, and unsatisfied.  For the amount of money I paid out, I would have thought things would have been...better.

Don't get me wrong, I do love Khans and everyone was civil at my LGS.  The problem I think stems from the continued play by WotC to package items by Clan (or color groupings) and push them that way.

Here's the thing.  I don't think that they're wrong to do this.  But I'm increasing certain that they need to find a way to improve this system.

Pre-Prerelease

People have preferences.  I prefer Red or White (but I'm starting to learn to love the other colors as well).  Wizards will not change peoples deep seated color preferences except through a long process of nerfing a color maliciously.  So, it is a give that some people feel like a nut and some don't.  In a room of a 100 players who know nothing about an upcoming set, if you ask them what colors they would choose, there is no world in which the answer would split evenly between the 5 colors.  I'm sure you'll find that there are more Blue players in the room than White.  Or the other way around.  

It is a given that Magic players have preferences for a particular color or color pairing.  Let's file that away and remember it - because it is important to this conversation.

Another part of this conversation has to do with the sharing of information, or spoilers.   Wizards has a complicated engine in place to spoil cards from new sets three to one week prior to prerelease.  It is a systematic leaking of state secrets, designed to accomplish several goals.  Of importance is the education of gamers to the new mechanics, abilities, and odd-ball cards.  Just that sentence alone justifies spoiling a set.  But it also serves to put some blood in the water.  Fans start arguing the merits of one card, one color or one group of colors over another.  Spoilers are a necessary evil, but I think they go too far.

And this is where we start to really run into some problems.

Fans start to think, "Hey, that Mardu really looks strong compared to the other sets," or "Why would anyone pick Dimir to play, the mechanic is all wrong."  These pre-prerelease preferences predicting prevalent picks proves problematic (don't think about what just happened, just move on to the next sentence).  LGS's are put in a difficult position.  Gamers don't get what they want.  Product is delivered in (arguably) the wrong quantities.  It's exacerbated when the heavy weights start to weigh in.  When LSV or Marshall talk Limited, people listen.  It's like E.F. Hutton without the stiff suits.

And everyone feels bad.  All except for that one guy that rocked his prerelease.  He can go sit on a small geyser.  [It's all good, I love you, I'm not salty.  Much.]

Feel Bads at the Prerelease

I don't do the crazy midnight prerelease.  It's not that I'm a pansy - but hey, I don't make my best gaming decisions after working all day and sitting around for seven hours before playing.  So I show up at my LGS on Saturday.  First thing I learn is that there is VERY limited Mardu available for the remainder of the weekend - good thing I had made earlier arrangements.  Instead of getting to play as my clan of choice, I'd have to pick some also ran for the 2HG event.  Sure, no problem.  How about Abzan?  Oh wait, there is limited stock there too.

As I let that sink in, I realized that I could be any of the other three clans without a problem.  Judging by the amount of product, come Sunday night I could have a wading pool full of the other three clans.

Folks, something has to give.

When an LGS has to have dice rolls to resolve who gets to be Mardu or Abzan, something is broken in the system.  Let me be clear too - I don't think this is so much the fault of the LGS as it is the entire Prerelease system.  Both parties, WotC and my LGS, probably should own some of the fault in this scenario as described.

Established love for colors or old mechanics.  New hot cards/hot mechanics in particular colors.  A feeding frenzy of spoilers.   Limited product.  An informed gamer base.  All of these pieces come together to create a perfect storm that Wizards has not navigated in an outstanding fashion since I started playing.

Oh...and don't get me started on the stickers.  I'm sure others can say a host of unkind things.  Instead, I'll be objective.  It was cheaply produced and did not add to the value of the experience in any way.

Looking Forward

I have to identify what the problem is, in plain language, to offer recommendations.  So I do apologize for the previous section.  I have suggestions to improve Prerelease.  Here they are, in no particular order.

Packaging - Kill the box packaging.  Or, only do special/box packaging for one of the five/six prereleases a store offers.  It's cool (and I don't think Wizards will get rid of it) but it is an option.

Limit Spoilers - Cut down on the number of spoilers before the full set is discussed.  Yes, this is a 'bad thing', but give me a moment.  A little bit of mystery is fine.  Don't discuss more than half of the rares and uncommons.  If you must keep sending out the full number of spoilers, do more commons.  For WotC, spoilers serve as a reward of sorts for dedicated writers/websites.  I'm not suggesting that they stop this practice.  I'm merely suggesting that the practice be potentially revised.

Move Back the Full Set Reveal - I don't know when it happens compared to shipping and other concerns.  But I would bet the Full Set Reveal can be moved a few days closer to prerelease, giving everyone a little less wiggle room in figuring out their 'preferred' clan or colors.  Even a day or two would make a difference.

Packaging (Part 2) - Whitewash the box packaging.  This will make the color or clan a random choice.  I don't think this is a bad solution...in fact, players could simply trade immediately after opening if they desire a different color.

Test ALL Product - Those stickers this time?  Lame.  Test all product before including it.  Yes, it's a small gripe, but the Prerelease is a canvas that Wizards uses to paint the next 3-4 months.  Why put something out that I'm sure even they thought was sub-par?

Instructions - Simple, but effective.  Send an email to LGS's telling them what to expect and how to capitalize.  If this means you spell out that they will be receiving a limited amount of product that is expected to be in high demand, also spell out how to divide the limited product fairly.  First come, first serve on the day of?  First paid reservation, first served?  A lottery?  Remind LGS's because they are only getting X amount of product they must share it fairly across all of their 5 or 6 events.  Is this already happening and LGS's aren't doing it?  Then please excuse me, my LGS and I have something to talk about.

Instructions (Part 2) - Force LGS's to take an online training course in optimizing their Prerelease experience.  This online training can be expanded into other areas.  It's amazing what a little bit of training can do for people.

Test Before Producing - Surely, even internal testing must indicate what couple of colors or clans will be more popular at release.  Try it out.  If internal testing with the Future Future League figures out what color or clan will be more popular - and it matches what happens at the LGS's in a year, then for future sets produce product with an extra printing of the colors that will be in higher demand.  Or, give LGSs the option to purchase Mardue or Azban by the case for example to meet expected demand.

Your Ideas?
I'm sure that some of my ideas have been spoken about before.  If you've seen an idea that I didn't list, please add it below in the comments.  Or, if you have an original idea, please share it as well.

I'll continue to attend prereleases in the future.  But I don't expect I'll be doing $120 worth of events for my son and I unless the system changes to promote more parity between players.  Sure my son and I made some interesting pulls - but no Fetches or Planeswalkers.  That probably made me a little bitter as well.  But after spending almost nine hours playing, I can't but help think that there is a better way to make sure that everyone has an equal chance to enjoy themselves.

Thanks for listening.

Magic Dad

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

We, the Undersigned, Want a 3rd Un-set

I've thought long and hard about what is going to transpire here in this article.  I can no longer sit idly by as people ask, again and again, when will there be another Un-set.  Ladies and gentle-gamers, it's time for us to take a stand!

Origins

Some say the original idea for Unglued hatched like some evil little egg from from leftover cards in

 WotC R&D department.  Some say it was a concerted effort by the WotC Illuminati to subvert the masses.  Others believe it was the brainchild of Evil Maro or Marobot.  I personally prefer my pet theory, that one day goblins tunneled up into WotC's offices, poked around and decided everything in progress was rubbish.  The leader of the goblins, one King Gutbuster Gutbuster (this was during the dark period of goblin history when monarchs held double names for twice the respect - this affect was rumored to have lasted exactly 254 days) decided the most prudent course of action would be to find the shortest person (aka, most goblin-like in stature) and hold him or her hostage until a new set was produced to their specifications.  They grabbed Mark Rosewater - and the rest is history.

Whatever the true origin of Unglued, no one is talking (don't you dare go look for Mark Rosewater's Drive to Work Podcasts #13 & 38).  The community of Magic the Gathering was not prepared for that fateful August day in 1998 when 88 new cards were released.  They weren't just any 88 cards though - they were 88 silver bordered cards.  Just over 16 years ago the world was introduced to Unglued, and fans have been clamoring for more ever since.

Un-WHAT?

Just a few short years later, in November of 2004 Y.O.O.R.E. (the year of our rotten egg), WotC dropped another silver bordered gift on the unsuspecting masses.  We received 141 new silver bordered pieces of spectacular puns, witty jokes, and inside-inside cranks.  It must have been great opening that Un-set for the first time.  Can you imagine the feeling of ripping into your box and having a bunch of spring loaded snakes fly out?

[Editor: We have no idea what the author is talking about.  Snakes?  Please.]

After the festivities in 2004, the world waited patiently for another Un-set.  Yet here we are in 2014 (some of us anyway), and it appears that Hasbro/WotC has abandoned Un-sets as possibly Un-profitable.  Or maybe they are Un-appealing to the fans.  Or perhaps they are Un-appetizing to the small, but very vocal, sub-set of Magic aficionados that survive on a diet of Commons and Uncommons.

Some Un-Believable Facts

If we're going to get an Un-set before 2017, we have to act now.  It takes time to put together a set.

 Even an Un-set.  Those crayon drawings just don't throw themselves together, you know?

The last Un-set, Unhinged, was rumored to offer less than exciting sales performance.  Also, since silver bordered cards are only allowed in casual settings it can be argued that Un-sets are a waste of developers time.

Hogwash.

What is the most important thing in life?  Yes!  Money!  And after money?  Yes!  Fast cars!  (You guys sure are smart).  And what is the third most important thing in life?  Yes!  To have a sense of humor!

Un-sets are Hasbro/WotC's way of laughing at themselves.  Since WotC already has tons of money and Hasbro has cornered the market on fast ...err... toys (those Beyblade things could take a finger), it's only fair that they now turn their attention back to what really matters most.  Humor.

Un-Real Expectations
So what can we do as gamers?  Surely, we've asked Rosewater thousands of questions on his Blogatog regarding rules interactions.  We've begged him, time and time again to let those in power at Hasbro and WotC know we want a new Un-set.  Heck, it's even rumored that in his office there is a golden filing cabinet, filled with thousands of card ideas just waiting for the right moment.

We can petition Hasbro and WotC.  I know, I know, it's a trite and boring method to make stuff happen.  But it is a way to make them realize how important the concept of an Un-set is to us.  We want a fun, supplemental, silver-bordered product.  And we don't want any durdling small set either.  We deserve the full size, extra large, Un-set treatment.

When do we want it?  NOW!

How do we want it?  FUNNY!

Who do we want to design it?  MARK ROSEWATER!

Click this link to go to the petition that will change our gaming lives for the better!

___________________

Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

Event Fees Mania

The original Judge Dredd

Step back folks, because MTG Dad is going to lay down the law, Isperia style.

The latest kerfluffle on social media is all about the $50 event fee being charged by Pastimes for their upcoming GP events.  You can read the open letter from the TO here.  Players are incensed over the $10 increase in main event entry fees.  They're even more upset given a number of statements and promises made, such as the $15 for side events credit being issued.

Let's all take a deep breath.  It's time to face some unfortunate facts.






growtH
Competitive Magic is growing at a scary pace.  From GP Vegas to GP Richmond, as gamers we're watching attendance figures jump to nearly ludicrous numbers.  As a trading card game, Magic has set new records in the past year for event attendance.  And it's not just 'special' events like GP Vegas that are seeing increases.  It's happening everywhere.  Records are being set locally by hosts of PTQs and GPs seemingly every other weekend.

Growth does come with a price.  Large events are not uncomplicated affairs to organize.  Judges and other critical staff, coverage teams (when warranted), giveaways, venue fees, and more all contribute to the overall cost of an event.  The larger the event, the more complicated all this becomes and the greater effect this will have on the basic entry fee.  Why?

Let's look at a simple example.  Tomorrow, I'm going to host a GP in my hometown.  I rent a space that will seat 1,500, but have provisions for jumps in attendance marked for every +500 that sign up.  From past experience and growth projections, I'm expecting between 1,400 and 1,800 players.  I plan that I'll need 30 total judges.  I also think I'll need 10 additional 'event staff' to handle everything from security to the 5 professional players I'm told will be attending and deserve extra attention.  I have 2 artists scheduled to sign cards and talk to fans.  I have a food vendor, but know that I can have the site open up to two more kiosks if needed.  I have ordered 900 playmats (700 for the first guests to register on site, 100 for compensation to VIPs and judges, and 100 extra as a cushion that I can sell later at a premium).

The above is an overly simplified example, there are many more variables.  People with their hands out and want to ride the GP gravy train.  And then it happens.

The local airlines are running some reduced fair garbage for my event weekend.  No other major events get scheduled within 200 miles.  People decide that yes, Southern NJ is lovely this time of year (every last one of them is nuts, but who am I to argue?).

All of a sudden, my little, manageable event goes from at most 1,800 expected to 2,700 expected attendees.  And somehow I have to smile and make it all happen.  I have to make special arrangements to get the additional space needed.  I have to scramble and find another 25 judges.  I need to arrange for 2 more artists to keep people happy.  On and on the list goes, scaling up the operation to meet demand.

Regardless of how well I prepared, my costs go up.  Agreed, the take at the door goes up as well.  I won't argue that fact.  But my frustration goes up as well.  The pressure to pull off a great event increases with each new revised estimate leading up to the event.  My personal investment of time and energy increases seemingly exponentially.

How can this be combated?  Different TO's take different strategies.  And I will admit, some of this is pure speculation on my part.  But I am willing to bet that TO's have started to plan for success by making some decisions early.  Instead of bringing in 2 artists, they decide to just go ahead and book 5.  Instead of having 30 Judges selected, they move to hire 40 with a strong contingency plan in place to have more attend.  Instead of 10 event staff, they hire 15.  It's practically self defense.

Which would you rather be known for?  Charging $10 more for the registration fee or being woefully under prepared for the masses when they all sign up in the last week before the event?  One or two bad events can kill a TO.  They don't make a tremendous amount of money on events - this is something I'm sure of.

So Let's Talk Greenbacks
An event with 2,000 people attending is becoming the norm for GPs.  Here is some quick math.  At $40 per entrant, that's $80,000.  Seems astonishing for one weekend, doesn't it?

Now, when that fee goes up to $50, we're talking $100,000 for the event.  Simply bonkers, right?

Granted, I know that there is more money involved when we start talking side events and more, but let's keep this simple for exploration purposes.

What if I told you that for all the effort of a TO for a large event, they may only personally make a few thousand dollars (this is based on a stupid amount of math, some research, and some educated guesses).  Any TO for a GP event, before it has started, has likely put in well over 100 hours of their time.  Let's say the average personal take is $4,000 for an event with 1,500 participants - but that is ONLY if they meet every projection from side events to sales on product at their booth to total attendance.  $4,000, divided by 100 hours...

It's not rocket science, but I'm pretty sure they earned that.  Phone calls.  Meetings.  Planning.  Contingency planning.  Emails.  More phone calls and meetings.  TO's put a great deal of time into events.

There is a flip side.  What if they don't plan well enough for an event and it fails to hit the target by a couple of hundred people?  Who takes the hit?  It isn't the Floor Judges, they get their compensation.  It isn't the artists, they have serious costs to consider.  It's not the event staff who gave up their day to work a door checking bags and wristbands.  The person who is ultimately responsible is the TO.  The TO is on the hook for all profit and loss with an event.

As event attendance grows (but is still difficult to predict) and when the difference between 1,800 attendees and 2,100 attendees can mean the difference between profit and loss, can we blame a TO for raising the rates of the event?

What about Free Stuff?
I felt I had to address this issue separately.  Free playmats have become and expectation.  GPs offer them as

Gold is never free...

a rule, other events offer them as special prizes.

So let's talk about these wonderful pieces of rubber artwork.

GP Richmond set a strange standard that players expect others to fulfill.  I take some exception to holding all TO's to the Star City model.  Why?

Let's look at cost and planning first.  Playmats aren't cheap.  Mass produced, yes, I'm sure they are considerably less expensive than the retail fee we pay for one at our local LGS.  Let's assume they cost $10 a unit (perhaps this is fair).  If I had to predict how many I needed for my GP that I was planning earlier and I figured I needed 2,000 to be safe, that is a commitment of $20,000 - before I've taken in dime one.

What happens when I miss my target and I only get 1,500 participants?  I'm stuck with $5,000 worth of stock I have to eventually find a way to move.  Depending on the artwork, the demand and valuation of playmats vary wildly.  I could get stuck for that $5,000.  Remember my estimate for my personal event profit?  Kiss it good-bye.

The model currently in use is that a TO plans to purchase upwards of 1,000 units for most GPs.  I already showed how that is distributed.  But what if I promise one playmat for participant?  How do I meet demand, especially when I have several hundred more people register than I planned for in the last week?

Star City Games stepped up.  They have the ability to do so.  They have the largest shipping department of any TO, and they can with little difficulty devote some of that department to sending out playmats to the additional registrants.  I doubt that in the end they made much money because of shipping fees, but at least they had the staff and the engine in place to do it.

That's not going to be the case with other TOs.  While most have shipping set up through their stores, none are the size of SCG.  In fact, many of them only have one or two store locations with 10 or fewer staff members.  We can't expect them to make the same promise made by SCG.  It's not going to happen, no matter how much we may all wish that signing up for an event meant we were guaranteed a playmat.

There is a model that would work - if players would be willing to admit something.  We, as players, are a bit lazy.  If we are willing to admit it, and furthermore willing to do something about it then TOs could change the model and everyone could benefit.

What if TO's change the model to one such as this: playmats guaranteed to any player that registers a minimum 21 days (or whatever the order window is to guarantee shipment) in advance, playmats for all VIP registrations, and playmats (or an equivalent bonus prize) for all winners of side-events costing at least $15 to register.  There isn't a TO out there that would lose in terms of having too much stock left over - the math from that point forward is simple.  Some conditions would have to apply to this new model.  None of them would be seen as a drawback by the average player.

This is a model that can be and should be adopted.  But will it?

The Hard Truth
It's inevitable.  Fees for entry into events will continue to rise.  The fact that Pastimes is the first to break the $50 barrier does not change this.  Before the end of the year, we'll likely see a few other TOs test the waters.  Players should instead of complaining should seek ways to engage TOs in conversations about what services they value most at events.  Perhaps having a help desk to refer players to local eateries?  Or maybe players would like to see more artists or a planned event 'after hours' they can attend.

I don't know what form event extras will take over the next year.  With constant growth though, it is impossible for events to remain stagnant.  The old model is no longer sustainable, so let's all find ways to participate in the discussion.

Anyone who reads this has homework.  Log into Twitter.  Find the following accounts: @misterorange, @PESman66, @sunmesaglenn, @ironchefnick, @pastimesonline, @timothypshields and YOUR TWITTER ACCOUNT HERE (just add it in the comments section and I'll update the article). Read, think, and engage these TOs in conversations about what you want to see as a player at events.  Only with your voices can we all see positive change.

Just don't complain to them about the price increases.  It's not worth your time or energy to complain, especially when you have between $400 and a few grand invested in the deck you plan to bring to the next GP.

And that, my friends, is that.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

Spike by Proxy

I like to write about a variety of topics in the Magic Community.  As things strike my interest, I take to the keyboard to hash out my thoughts.  Sometimes it's easy.  The words flow and paint pictures for me.  Other times, it can feel impossible.  My mood poisons the well, making it difficult to function - let alone find time to write.  This occasion is not one of those times.  I'm thrilled today to recap some of my memories  following GP Philadelphia.

New Friends

We've spoken through email, message boards and Twitter.  But this was the first time to meet some very smart and wonderful ladies that represent Magic at its best.  I was honored to meet Kate (Deck Tease Unofficial Fan Club Co-President), Natalie (Cardboard Nirvana on Tumblr), Jennifer (if you haven't heard of Jennisodes, I'm sorry for your loss), and Erin for the first time.  From the moment I met Erin of The Deck Tease Podcast, I knew I was in good hands - even if I felt a little bit like a fifth wheel given how well they all knew each other already.  I ended my day thinking that all four ladies are just the best, and I can't say enough positive things about them without seeming like a fan boy (I know I came off that way when I asked Erin to sign several items).  I am looking forward to the chance to see them all again, and given that 3 of the 4 are reasonably local, I'm sure I'll see them at upcoming events.

Elmer signed by Marshall

I was also able to speak briefly with Marshal Sutcliffe, of Limited Resources fame.  I was really blown away
by how approachable and friendly he was.  For those that haven't had a chance to talk with him, I encourage you to do so if you get a chance.  Richard Hagon was also on-site doing some consulting.  He was also just as personable as you would imagine.

I did miss a chances to speak with a number of people, but that is one of the problems with only attending one day of a three day event.  At the very least I wanted to meet Adam Styborski (Gathering Magic).  I honestly was unaware Adam was there until after I made it home from the event.  One day I'll get my chance though.

Excellent Judges

Now that I've worked a few events as a Judge Candidate, I feel qualified to state the following.  The judges at the event were outstanding.  Every interaction taken by the Judge staff seemed to be calculated to minimize loss of time to the players and to heighten the experience.  I left the day both amazed and pleased at the quality of the staff hired to work the event.  High fives all around.

XX

It could be just me, but I think that women in general were represented amazingly well at GP Philly.  Yes, I spent some of my time talking with some women who I consider to be important to the Magic Community so I could have a skewed outlook, but I also had a sense that there was a much higher percentage of females in the room and playing then I saw at Eternal Weekend and GP Atlantic City - combined.  I don't know if it was just my imagination - I hope it wasn't.  If it is true, it shows how far the game has come over the past year.  Just on anecdotal evidence, I can state we had at least three women playing in a 2HG event I joined late in the day out of about 50 players.  Strong stuff.

The Ride Home
On our way home, I started a couple of different conversations with Jacob to keep me alert.  It had been a long day and I didn't want to fall asleep at the wheel.  Jacob is my younger son.  He's nearly a teenager so I find his observations to be entertaining.  On an hour long car ride late at night, there's nothing better than getting the opinion of a 12 year old.

When he was done complaining that I knew too many people (he can be a little cynical at times), he started to rib me a bit about my finish in the main event.  And in the last main event we played in, GP Atlantic City.  In fact, he went so far as to say he's won two or three more matches than I have in big events.  He was giving me some serious grief.  Jacob is funny though.  Compared to my older son, who as soon as he got out of diapers would peel paint off the walls with his observations about people's shortcomings, Jacob is almost always good-natured with his teasing.  This occasion was no different.

His teasing did give me a chance to reflect.  The event, travel, parking, food and more wasn't cheap.  For the two of us, my total bill for the day likely approached $200.  There are less expensive ways to spend a day.  I didn't have one regret though.  Even my finishing 2-3 - well, 1-3 if we want to be honest, the last win was because my opponent for my last round simply forgot to drop - didn't dampen my feelings.  I will admit a small amount of tilt over my pool for the main event which included Polukranos, Purphoros, and Nylea and with my final results.  And a small amount of upset was felt on my part over losing out in the 2HG round to a game I thought we had under control early.  And I did lose the last round I entered that day, a Mini-Masters I think I should have won....  

...Wait a second, what was my point?

Even after having a run of bad luck on the day, there was something that made it worthwhile.  Jacob did battle to a 2-3 finish on his own with a pool that was a little puzzling.  He did his best with it, and showed me his fortitude.  He was admittedly a little surly around Marshal Sutcliffe earlier in the day coming off of a loss.  I think most players in his shoes would have felt the same way at the time. His wanting to rub in his combined successes during the ride home told me two things I want to share with you all.

The first is that he wants to win.  Losing hurts, and he really doesn't like the feeling.  I don't view losing the same way he does.  To be honest, personally when I lose a Magic match I almost never tilt and I don't value it in the same way.  He sees it as a way to keep score.  It's obvious he wants the tally to favor him at the end of the day.

The other point, and the more important one for me was that I want to see him win.  There are few things to compare with seeing your child to succeed.  As much as he wants to win, I probably want to see him do so 100 times more.  I love to see him mix it up with an older player with years more experience and win.  I especially love it when he does so by demonstrating a deeper understanding of the game than I have.  When we play at home, I'm constantly trying to help him improve his game by showing him things that I've seen other players do.  Nothing makes me happier than to see him emerge triumphant following a tight match.

I shared my feelings with him on our ride home.  I'm not sure he believes me.  But one day, he'll be sitting in the Top 8 of a PTQ and I'll be strutting around like I just won the Super Bowl.  Maybe then he'll appreciate how much I care how he does.  I may never personally reach the point where I'm a Spike.  When Jacob is playing though, I'm a full-blooded Spike by proxy.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

Spring Spoilers - Quit Your Bitch'n

Can you feel it?

Spring is in the air.  The flowers are blooming.  Here in the Middle-Atlantic, it has finally stopped snowing (at least we think it has).   And new love can be seen everywhere we go.  I'm not referring to that sweet little thing in a skirt or shorts that just smiled at you for the first time.  No, I'm referring to something better.

The Journey into Nyx spoilers have begun!

Same Song, New Tune
As with all spoilers seasons, the first couple of announcements made Monday were calculated to wet our whistles. Wizards of the Coast wanted to tease us with fun new mechanics and show off just a little bit of the new art.  The marketing experts who figure out when and how to release information know that they need to start slowly and build to a crescendo.  Tuesday's releases brought out some heavy hitters.  New gods were spoiled, and the world wept.

Wizards wasn't done yet.  If Monday was a warm-up band and Tuesday was the prologue (think 'Ecstasy of Gold' before Metallica takes the stage), then Wednesday was going to be the main performance.  And what a performance!

Today they released the last piece of the great planeswalker puzzle.  A Green/White planeswalker, the last color pairing missing from every fanboy's set made its big debut.  Wizards of the Coast answered finally the promise made long ago.  In Born of the Gods, we were given the missing U/G planeswalker, Kiora.  And today we have Ajani, Mentor of Heroes.

Shouldn't everyone be happy?  Well, apparently not.  No, people are most decidedly unhappy.  That is if you listen to Facebook, Twitter, and your local clutch of teenagers.  People are complaining, again.  "It's not flavorful."  "It's not original."  "It has the weakest ultimate ever."  Normally I would join in with arguing.  I love a spirited discussion about one's parentage.  But this time though, I'm not.  And I'm here to share why.

Mechanics
I have a confession to make first.  I haven't read the actual article that accompanied the newest planeswalker.  I thought it would be best to evaluate it on my own, share my findings and then, and only then, read it.  I won't think less of you if you have read it already.  If you'd like to read the full story, you can find it here.  In the meantime, let's peel back the mask and see if this PW is playable.

A very tough looking Ajani

The first thing to check is the Casting vs. Loyalty test.  This is to Planewalkers as the Vanilla test is to
creatures.  Casting vs. Loyalty answers two questions: when the PW hits the battlefield will it survive an immediate attack and is the cost fair when you look at the starting loyalty.  Ajani, Mentor of Heroes stacks up fairly well in both tests.  First, it hits the ground running at 4 Loyalty (soon to be +1).  That will survive all but an outright 'kill the Planeswalker' type of response.  And starting at 4 Loyalty for a CMC of 5 isn't bad either.  It's not stellar, but it is more than fair.

Ajani has three abilities.  Unlike most Planeswalkers, the first two abilities result in positive changes to Loyalty counters.  That's right, Ajani is all about net gain.   The first two abilities are important, flavorful, and helpful in most formats.

The first, distribute three +1/+1 counters as you choose to creatures you control is great.  In fact, it's better than that.  You get to do this (theoretically) every turn you want to.  Common Bond, a 3CMC G/W spell only did 2 counters each time you cast it.  Even if you only consider this a Common Bond for three counters that you'll get to fire twice in most cases, it seems pretty solid to me.

But wait (says the guy selling Ginsu), there's more!  The second +1 ability is not horribly awful.  In fact, when you compare it to the first ability, it is better than that.  It is downright perfect.  Boardstates generally evolve into one of two states - you could have creatures that would benefit from the counters and thus the first ability or you could have a boardstate with limited or no creatures.  While you don't get to search for and play a creature of a given CMC or less, you do get to go search for one and move it to your hand.  Or a planeswalker.  Or an enchantment.  And you get to do this card draw and selection in G/W, not the standard blue.  This is powerful juju, and I think people should step back from the cliff just based on this ability alone.

No Bitch'n?
Most people are upset at the ultimate.  I'm not, but here is their complaint in a nutshell: gaining 100 life is either the most useless or the most annoying ultimate ever.  I admit, as an ultimate it seems pretty ridiculous.  And not in the, 'Hey every turn you can make a 7/7 Flying Deathtouch Zombie Angel token,' ridiculous.  More of the, 'We have to get up to 8 Loyalty, wait one more turn and all we get is this stupid t-shirt ridiculous'.

I agree that it doesn't win games outright.  What it does do is it puts most games out of reach, which is almost the same thing.  But if you're worried about someone going ultimate with their Ajani, MoH, against you, you're doing something wrong.  I'm not upset though.  If I had this on the battlefield under my control, I wouldn't even look at the third ability.  Neither should anyone else.  Good players facing it will target and kill Ajani before it ever gets to the point.  Good players that have it on their side of the battlefield will likely never see greater benefit from going ultimate than they will from the first two abilities.

It's a -8 ability.  It's a negative 8, with no way of protecting itself (the last statement is not completely true, but it will stand up in court and I don't think it's important to explain further right now).  People who want this Ajani in their deck will want it for the +1/+1 effect.  They'll want it for the card smoothing effect.  They really won't care about the ultimate.  And neither will opponents.  Going ultimate with a PW is wonderful, but it's also not why they're played.

We play cards for the guaranteed payoff, not the perceived, best-case scenario.  Ajani's best case can be a nightmare for players in any format.  It's not to be feared though.  How often does a PW ultimate, on average?  Even the best ones?  I'll bet it's less than 20% of the time.  No one plays a PW for the ultimate ability alone.

Whether you're arguing about the 'value' of this newest planeswalker or if you're bemoaning the -8, do us all a favor.  Stop.  Your.  Bitch'n.

It's not the end of the world.  It's also way too early to determine how much of an impact this card will have on Standard or any of the other formats (I personally think it will be stupidly powerful in Limited).  People will want it and many, many will find success with it.  Until the meta changes in Standard, I think we can all sit back, grab a frosty beverage and relax.

Oh, and I have five bucks on it appearing in a Top 4 deck before the end of May....

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.


Endnotes: Coming to GP Philadelphia this weekend - April 11-13?  Feel free to look me up on Twitter.  I'll be there Saturday, slinging spells with Jacob, my son and fellow lover of Limited/Sealed.  If you'd like to hit me up during the day, my Twitter handle is @mtgdad.  If you can't find me or I'm not answering, stop in at CardTitan and ask for Nick or Miles.