***** Invigorate: Essential for Your Poison Deck

Essential for Your Poison Deck, December 15, 2012 By  Craig Nelson Hamilton "Craig Nelson Hamilton" = Durability:  = Fun:  = Educational:  This review is from: Magic: the Gathering - Invigorate - Mercadian Masques This is a card to deck your opponents with. Jesus Christ! You only need to own a single forest, and you don't even have to tap it. Forget that you give your opponents life. That is meaningless, when they have to take 4 poison counters. If there is any doubt that giving your opponent life in return for dealing poison counters, let me assure you that this life you deal is but mere smite as you flush your opponents down the drain.

1st Legacy Deck Version 3.1 A Infect/Poison Deck

The following is my newest Legacy Infect deck:
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-fairly-casual-poison-legacy-deck-30.html
1/2/2013 last update

The Original Title Was:  A Fairly Casual Poison Legacy Deck That Doubles as a Poison Pauper Deck

The Legacy Deck Is as Follows:

Land: In Legacy 22, In Pauper 22

4 Inkmoth Nexus

4 Breeding Pool

2 Verdant Catacombs

2 Watery Grave

1 Guilt-leaf Palace

1 Darkslick Shores

4 Forests

2 Islands

2 Swamps

Green Cards: 22 In Legacy

4 Mutagenic Growth (2 In Pauper)
3 Giant Growth

4 Groundswell

3 Rancor

4 Invigorate

4 Glistener Elf

Blue Cards: 10 In Legacy

3 Distortion Strike

4 Blighted Agent

3 Spell Pierce

Black Cards: 6 In Legacy

4 Plague Stinger
2 Virulent Swipe
Having 4 Melira, Sylvok Outcast is a good idea for a sideboard, especially since via the law of Legendary Creatures, one destroys another, such that if your opponent is playing poison, then you will have some really good defense.

 

1st Legacy Deck Version 2.1 Win In 2 Turns Poison/Infect – Thanks for Those Who Helped

This is the newest Legacy Infect Deck of Mine
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-fairly-casual-poison-legacy-deck-30.html
Updated 11/2/2012

Land: 23

4 Inkmoth Nexus

4 Breeding Pool (Forest Island)

4 Overgrown Tomb (Swamp Forest)

4 Watery Grave (Island Swamp)

2 Island

3 Forest

2 Swamp

Sorcery, Instant, Enchantment: 25

3 Spell Pierce

4 Invigorate

4 Mutagenic Growth

4 Groundswell

3 Rancor

3 Giant Growth

4 Distortion Strike

Creatures: 12

4 Plague Stingers

4 Blighted Agent

4 Glistener Elf
 

This is an update from the following blog linked to below:
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2012/10/poison-legacy-deck-green-black-and-blue.html

Commentary on My Poison Legacy Deck - Response to a Complaint

“12 creatures is not enough” – That is why I have 4 Commune with Nature in this deck.

Not all games end without a fight.  The reason for the higher mana costing cards is to have a strong response toward the end of the game.  True it may already be over, but not necessarily.  In the event of a hard fought game, even with poison, it can be very useful to have a few cards that cost more mana to cast.  If you notice, I don't have many high mana cost cards, and there is good reason for that.

Inkmoth Nexus creates a land problem.  I have to be able to tap for various colors to play my other cards, such that this card becomes a nonstarter.  I don't know of any single card that taps for blue, green, and black at the same time to date, such that I might even think of including Inkmoth Nexus.  My 12 colored creatures, either blue, black, or green, and my boosters make it so that I need either a fetch land or a land that taps one way or another in order to get a creature out on turn 2, or to slam my opponent with a booster or two or three on turn 3.  That is, I have too many colored spells in my deck in order to include an Inkmoth Nexus.

With respect to land, it is hoped that I get a 1 land that comes in tapped on turn 1.  Thus, turn one is only creates a foundation for play.  It is on this turn that I am more likely to fetch, or play a land that comes into play tapped, and then pass a turn only doing that.  The odds are good that I will be able to do this.  2/3 of my land is this way.

The way this works is that the land that comes into play tapped or the land that makes you go fetch is contains a necessary color that you can use a basic land on your second turn, or 3^rd turn.  On the second turn, you play a land that does not come into play tapped, such that you can play a creature.  Then, on turn 3 or 4 its balls to the walls with the instant booster cards.

I have Seaside Citadel in there because I live in a house that is practically on the waterfront, like a Seaside Citadel.  It’s a card relative to my legacy that works in my deck.  That it can tap for white is virtually inconsequential to play.  Sure, there are other cards I could use, but this is the card I wanted to use.  The same is true with, “Salt Marsh.”

That attitude seems like you are seriously worried that my deck is a threat because if it wasn’t actually a threat, then you probably wouldn’t have even bothered to comment.  For example, this deck that I recently posted is stronger and more competitive than my others, and that is why I am not surprised that it is getting more attention from folks like yourself.

1st Legacy Deck Version 1.1 – Win In 3 to 5 Turns

This blog is out of date.  Here are the updates from newest to oldest:
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2013/05/1st-legacy-deck-infectpoison-version-50.html
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-fairly-casual-poison-legacy-deck-30.html
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2012/10/improved-poison-legacy-deck-black-blue.html
http://craig-hamilton-mtg.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-fairly-casual-poison-legacy-deck-that.html


Land: 24

4 Forest

2 Island

2 Swamp

4 Evolving Wilds (Sacrifice and search for a basic land)

4 Terramorphic Expanse (Sacrifice and search for a basic land)

2 Gilt-Leaf Palace (Black and Green)

Seaside Citadel (Green, Blue and White)

Salt Marsh (Blue and black)

2 Jwar Isle Refuge (Blue and black)

1 Arcane Sanctum (Blue and black {white})

1 Dark Slick Shores (Blue and black)

Instants and Sorcery: 22*

4 Mutagenic Growth

3 Groundswell

2 Titanic Growth

1 Monstrous Growth

3 Giant Growth

1 Might of Oaks

4 Distortion Strike

4 Commune With Nature

*The essential goal is to boost creatures

Artifacts: 1

Strider Harness

Enchantments

2 Tricks of the Trade

Creatures: 12**

4 Plague Stingers

4 Blighted Agent

1 Hand of Praetors

1 Corpse Cur

1 Putrefax

1 Blight Mamba

**Because of “Commune With Nature,” it is as if this deck has 16 or more creatures though it actually only has 12.

This blog is out of date. 

Green and White Pauper Deck Updated: Adding More Offensive Punch

The first green and white pauper deck  lack some offensive punch.  This deck reflects my effort to chance this short coming of the previous Green and White Pauper deck.  The primary changes were to include creatures that cost more mana, and that could do more damage to an opponent, especially those with trample.

Instants and Sorceries

Vines of Vastwood                          4

Untamed Might                                                2

Titanic Growth                                  4

Monstrous Growth                         2

Double Cleave                                   2

Raise the Alarm                                                1

Enchantments

Journey to Nowhere                      2

Arrest                                                   3

Pacifism                                               3

Creatures

Moss Kami                                          2

Lone Wolf                                           1

Elvish Visionary                                 1

Craw Wurm                                        1

Thundering Tanadon                      2

Bull Aurochs                                       2

Vault Skirge                                        1

Stampeding Rhino                           1

Rotted Hystrix                                   1

Alpha Tyrranax                                  1

Lands

4 Kabira Crossroads                         4

Sejiri Steppe                                      1

Forest                                                   12

Plains                                                    7

***** Pacifism - A Totally Awesome and Often Overlooked Card

Pacifism often has the power to shut down your opponent.  It’s a great card, because if you have one of these in your hand on turn 2, you can start locking up your opponent.  Additionally, Pacifism is capable of essentially slaying creatures that cost 6 or more mana.  And, for added help with Pacifism, I’d also recommend the card, Arrest.
In nearly every game of MTG, there are creature cards.  These creature cards are essential with most people I've played in their strategy to win.  Put out a few lock up cards, and your opponent will probably have his offense shut down.

***** Arrest - Keep A Couple of These in Your Pauper Deck Along with the Card Pacifism

Want to shut down your opponent, especially in a game of Pauper?  I keep 4 Pacifisms and 4 Arrests in my green and white Pauper deck.  Green and white are excellent colors to combine.  With Green, you just grow, grow, and grow against your opponent.  With White, you can lock down your opponent and keep him or her out of commission.

***** Ultra Pro Black Deck-Box – Quality that Didn’t Break the Piggy Bank

In general, I am pleased that Ultra-Pro sells very high quality products without overcharging for them.  That is good business.  I could probably guarantee you, that if you buy a product from Ultra-Pro, you won’t be disappointed.

***** Ultra-Pro Green Deck-Box – Quality that Didn’t Break the Piggy Bank

In general, I am pleased that Ultra-Pro sells very high quality products without overcharging for them.  That is good business.  I could probably guarantee you, that if you buy a product from Ultra-Pro, you won’t be disappointed.

***** Ultra Pro – When It Comes to Card Collecting, Ultra-Pro Is Tops

Thanks!  Ultra-Pro is a name that I have consistently associated with quality.  The service was excellent.  I got free shipping, and I am very pleased about how soon the products arrived.

***** Hobby Goblins – First Rate Service That Indicates This Business Watches Their P’s and Q’s

My order was filled and sent off ASAP, such that it was in my hands practically the next day.  The cards were well protected, especially meaning that if it had rained on the mail, the plastic protector was sealed, such that no water could get in.  I would definitely consider choosing Hobby Goblins again.  Thanks so much!

*** Mtg Deals Amazon.com - Service Worried Me that Potential Showers Could Have Destroy My Purchase

Glad to have done business with you.  However, my rating is 3 stars instead of 5 because the packaging did not seem to be waterproof.  Luckily, the cards were dry when they came.  However, if it had rained then they probably would have been soaked.  Other card sellers on Amazon that I have done business with send the card in a plastic sleeve that somehow seems to be sealed.  Therefore, through my rating I hope that I am able to be of assistance, such that if I buy cards from Mtg Deals again, I can be assured that rain will not soak them, and that this sealing should be quick, inexpensive and rather easy for Mtg Deals to improve their business system through.

8th Pauper Deck – Green, Red, and Colorless

Colorless Creatures

4 Hand of Emrakul

Green Creatures

4 Nest Invader

4 Kozilek’s Predator

Green Enchantments

2 Spider Umbra

Green Sorceries

4 Commune With Nature

4 Ancient Stirrings

Red Creatures

2 Emrakul’s Hatcher

Red Instants

2  Spawning Breath

4  Sonic Burst

Red Sorceries

4  Blood Birthing

1  Book Burning

Land

13 Forests

12 Mountains

1.       The strategy is to play Hand of Emrakul using Eldrazi tokens, which in essence is like paying 4 mana for a 9 mana card.

2.       Blood Birthing, Spawning Burst, Emrakul’s Hatcher, Nest Invader, and Kozilek’s Predator are in the deck so that hopefully Hand of Emrakul can be played.

3.       Since Hand of Emrakul will not likely be played with mana by itself, Spider Umbra is used to protect Hand of Emrakul.

4.       Commune With Nature, and Ancient Stirrings are in the deck to make sure that a Hand of Emrakul is drawn for play at some point in the game.

7th Pauper Deck: Green and Colorless

Green Creatures

4 Timbermaw Larva

4 Overgrown Battlement

3 Skyshroud Ranger

1 Sakura-Tribe Scout

Colorless Creatures

2 Steel Wall

3 Wall of Tanglecord

4 Ulamog’s Crusher

Instants/Sorceries

4 Commune With Nature

4 Kodama’s Reach

2 Cultivate

2 Unnatural Predation

Land

27 Forests

Game Strategy:

1.       Get 2 or so winners of a cards, Ulamog’s Crusher or Timbermaw Larva with the assistance of Commune With Nature.

2.       The deck has lots of defense: 9 Wall’s, 4 of which are great for mana acceleration.

3.       The deck has lots of cards that play forests, such that more than one land will be available to be played after the first turn each turn.

4.       The deck has plenty of land.

** Ancient Stirrings – Search for Land or Colorless Creatures

Published 6/24/12, Updated 11/5/2012

This card comes from the Eldrazi set,  which seemed to focus on colorless cards.  Eldrazi are colorless.  That said, when this card was made it might as well have said, “Look at the top 5 cards and if you reveal a colorless Eldrazi…”  This card is a hooker.  It works great with Eldrazi, but most likely will be of no use in other decks that do not have several Eldrazi.

Ancient Stirrings also works with lands, as lands are colorless permanents.  That was something that seemed odd to me, but nevertheless it is a rule, as who has ever heard of a colorless forest, but alas that is a digression.  Even though I have only heard of green forests, in MTG forests are colorless.  Also, perhaps I should consider autumn and winter, where the real land has less color.

That said, I did find a use for it in one of my pauper decks that focuses on playing Hand of Emrakul through sacrificing four Eldrazi tokens.  I increased my odds of drawing a Hand of Emrakul through including 4 Ancient Stirrings, and 4 Commune With Nature in the Pauper deck.

I am a fan of cards that cost 1 mana, and this is one that is a 1 mana card that is good, especially if you are playing Eldrazi.  In that way, Ancient Stirrings might even work well in both the Legacy and Pauper formats, because chances are for spending 1 mana, you will get something good.  Why?  Because my guess is that you have lands, and colored cards in your deck, such that actually revealing a colorless card after drawing 5 cards is not much of a gamble.

** Boar Umbra – Might Able to Fit Into a Deck that Contains a Card That Boosts Umbras

The main reason why Boar Umbra is only a two star card as I am writing this is that it is an uncommon card instead of a common card.  Boar Umbra might have been good if possible to play in the pauper format, and it might be good if MTG decides to create a format that revolves around the use of uncommon cards.  However, my guess is that a format that revolves around the use of uncommon cards will most likely fail to gain any sort of popularity, where if MTG wants to sell cards it seems as if currently it would be that I would be more eager to see what common cards I got, as opposed to the uncommon rarity.  Totem armor is pretty cool as far as abilities go.  However, if totem armor is what you want, then I suggest going for a card that gives totem armor that costs only 1 mana to cast.  The reason totem armor is so cool is that through using it with say a card that cost 6 or more mana, it is almost as if you had cast 1 and a half of that card, in my opinion.  As far as +3/+3 goes, for a cost of three mana, that is definitely something to sneeze at.  Thus, it takes the combined effect of totem armor and +3/+3 to make Boar Umbra a decent card.  All hail the wisdom of Madden.  lol

***** Blighted Agent – Take Your Opponent Out on Turn 3

Blighted Agent is an unblockable card that deals its damage as poison counter.  Stop and think, if that doesn’t sound like this card is one of the best that there is, I will explain.  In the past, before this card came out, blue and green decks were rarely played.  Thus, I can understand why some people didn’t see how great this card is at first.  In fact, I have still yet to find someone who thought of using Blighted Agent, a blue card, in combination with a card such as Might of Oaks, a green card, such that through using this combo, you can blast 8 unblockable poison counters on your opponent in one turn, such that in some formats, with the use of Blighted Agent it is practically easy to win by turn three.  In fact, with Blighted Agent there are so many ways to blast 10 poison counters on your opponent by turn 3 that this common card might even be considered for the Vintage format.  If you are able to cast this card on turn 2, or even possibly turn 1 depending on the format, the only major obstacle with this card is that like most creatures it is subject to summoning sickness.

*** Prey’s Vengeance – One of the First I Ever Owned, and Possibly Capable as a Winner Using Poison

Prey’s Vengeance predates the idea of dealing damage via poison counters, and at the time it came out is was not a very useful card.  Likewise, all the reviews of cards I write are dated, of course.  That is all MTG cards are usually to a certain extent, as MTG can seemingly resurrect any card it wants and make it an awesome card, especially as later sets come out, which of course is subject to the idea that Magic the Gathering will always continue to put out newer cards.  Paying 1 mana to deal 4 damage is a pretty good deal.  If you are using poison, then it is a fairly awesome deal.  The problem with this card is that it deal the damage over 2 turns, and if you are using poison, you should be thinking of winning during turn 3, where Prey’s Vengeance may be consider of falling short of that, as it will most likely require at least 4 turns to win if you are playing poison.
Using the formula I discussed in my review of Contagious Nim, if you are playing poison then it is possible to consider that Prey’s Vengeance is a card where it is as giving +4/+4 for 1 mana over the course of 2 turns, a total of +8/+8.  That’s really good, but if you are not playing poison, then currently this is not a great card.  It would have been awesome if it were a common, and thus could be played in the Pauper format.  However, it is an uncommon, and to my knowledge MTG has yet to create a format that focuses on the use of uncommon cards.  However, this card is likely to become more useful if a format evolved to focus around playing uncommon cards, but in my opinion there is already enough formats though I might consider making a deck for another type of formats than the ones that currently exists. 

6th Pauper Deck – 3rd Green and White Pauper Deck Updated

Creatures

Bull Aurochs                                     2

Lone Wolf                                        1

Elvish Visionary                                2

Vault Skirge                                     3

Nip Gwyllion                                    2

Slippery Bogle                                  2

Defiant Elf                                         1

Pygmy Razorback                             1

Lone Missionary                               1

Sorceries

Revoke Existence                             2

Instants

Raise the Alarm                                1

Vines of Vastwood                           4

Titanic Growth                                  4

Double Cleave                                  2

Untamed Might                                 2

Enchantments

Pacifism                                            3

Journey to Nowhere                         2

Arrest                                               3

Lands

Kabira Crossroads                            4

Sejiri Steppe                                      1

Forest                                                13

Plains                                                 8

*** Gold Myr – A Decent Mana Accelerator That Is Most Likely Worth Holding On To.

I have heard it through the grapevine that green is soon to become the only color that uses mana acceleration.  Thus, this might be a card that you want to hold onto, especially as time progresses, and cards like this are no longer possible to be played in say Extended format.  Usually, I don’t like artifacts, but this one of the Myr series is particularly a good one although the same could not be said of the similar card Copper Myr for the reason that there are better green mana accelerators than colorless or the other colors.  Thus, if you are playing a multicolor deck without green or a monocolor deck with only white, this makes for a great card.  However, I will say this, Gold Myr probably won’t cause you to win by turn 4, such that its primary use would probably be in Commander format where it is practically impossible to an opponent out by turn 3.  I will admit that I don’t think metal craft is a great ability, and as far as artifact creatures go, Myr tend not to be exceptionally good, so far as I know.  However, the primary advantage to this card in a multicolor deck is that it is colorless to cast.  And, thus, while I think 1 mana for a card that accelerates a single mana as an ability is a great deal for a colored card, for a  colorless card, even at the cost of 2 mana, as a mana accelerator, this one is pretty good.  However, this card may lose a star if white or colorless continues to have mana acceleration.

* Review of Kor Skyfisher – This One Is a Loser of a Card, but It May Have Educational Value

Though Kor Skyfisher may work in a Kor or a Soldier scenario, and it has flying, but the fact that it makes you return a permanent to your hand totally ruins any use of this card that is notable.  Unless, a new format is created, most games if played well are over in a few turns.  That is, if you want to win, then you need to make every turn count, and that means every permanent should count, such that you don’t have to take any back to your hand, unless something makes that card an exception to this idea.  Likewise, there are plenty of other Kor cards, Soldier cards, and flyers, such that there is nothing that makes this card exceptional or special.  Of course, this idea of taking a permanent back to your hand as a bad thing may be subject to change.

Hidden Hobbies in Wareham, MA Has Free Internet and Is a Great Place to Play Games

Increasingly there are fewer and fewer reasons to pay for wireless internet.  It is everywhere.  Hidden Hobbies in Buzzards Bay, MA has it at their recently changed their location.  The new store is much bigger and much better.  Like the original store it is on the Cranberry Highway, except it has moved to be between the Pro Team company that is where I go for car maintenance, and Wal-Mart.  That said, since Hidden Hobbies is near Wal-Mart, they have to have competitive prices.

The other day I was deciding over whether or not I would use the free internet at McDonald’s Restaurant in Buzzards Bay or check out the wireless at Hidden Hobbies.  The service provided by Hidden Hobbies was great, and likewise I made a couple purchases, and offered that I would write this blog as a thank you to the owner.

The real question as to where you go to get free internet is becoming more relative as to where a customer might like to make a purchase.  The purchase I, myself, made was a deck box for my Legacy deck, and new plastic sleeves for my Legacy deck, when I used the internet there.  However, what makes Hidden Hobbies a great business is that at that location you can play games and hobbies of all sorts.

I, myself, often play the Legacy, Pauper, and Commander formats of Magic The Gathering, where MTG is played with a trained judge from Wizards of the West Coast. 

Competition is available for prizes of store credit for winning at MTG on Thursday nights and Friday nights.  Entering tournaments costs $5, so that even if you don’t have a lot of money there is probably something available for you to.  Likewise, Hidden Hobbies has a judge for Magic the Gathering, which is the game I prefer to play, and it is sanctioned as a Magic The Gathering store.  However, there are other hobbies that one may get involved in.  No purchase is required for internet use.

Also, I had originally titled this post about Hidden Hobbies location as being in Buzzard's Bay, and not Wareham.  That was a mistake.  

5th Pauper Deck - 4th Pauper Deck: Blue and Green Updated

Green Creatures

1 Defiant Elf

1 Lone Wolf

3 Deadly Recluse

2 Ambush Viper

1 Bull Aurochs

Blue Creatures

2 Zephyr Sprite

4 Metathran Soldier

4 Aven Envoy

1 Sage Owl

Green Instants/Sorceries

4 Titanic Growth

4 Vines of Vastwood

2 Untamed Might

Blue Instants/Sorceries/Enchantments

1 Turn Aside

2 Disperse

1 Distortion Strike

3 Narcolepsy

Land

12 Forests

10 Islands

2 Halimar Depths

Offering People a Place to Stay: Churches as Models for a Way Crack through the Corporate Crust

In my years on earth, I have seen more businesses come and go enough to scare me from ever wanting to go into business.  However, I have noticed one trend, as far as businesses that have been able to able to compete such that they are able to stay in business despite that big box stores have put so many Ma and Pa stores out of commission.  As far as I can see, big box stores may offer everything but the atmosphere that may enable other businesses to succeed.  The fact is, if you sell items only and provide to place to stay for an extended period of time, chances are that your days are numbered even if your business may be considered as a part of corporate America.  Sports store, computer stores, pet stores, office supply stores, appliance stores, and stores like these probably have their days numbered, and that is because they usually can’t compete with big box stores.  Large stores can offer everything except having the feel of a small store, well maybe.

Church is probably the first example of a successful business, though it may have been a restaurant, etc, I don’t know if anyone really knows for sure, but so far as I know the drive to worship Gd is essentially what created civilization as we know it.  When I say worship, I mean houses of worship that might be called temples that have priests or other religious authorities that facilitate religious experiences, such as going to church on Sundays.   Most religions seem to like to designate at least one day of the week as special day of the week where one goes to visit a pastor, priest, rabbi, or some other religious figure.  Religious training that occurs at these churches is usually centered of the offering of euphoria by the church through the worship of Gd.  For example, Christianity teaches people how to have a euphoric experience through having faith and a relationship with Jesus.  The names of the deities change in religious circles, but the idea essentially remains the same.  For example, if you are a Jew then generally the name rof Gd is forbidden to say, especially in certain instances, such as if one is defecating.  One possible way Christianity may branch off is to have some people refer to Jesus as Yeshua, should its popularity wane.  There are all sorts of ways of getting people to worship the Gd that they like best, and some religions even say that evangelism is forbidden.

Based upon the model of churches, taverns that specialized in the sale of alcoholic beverages is another example of the same type of business that a church offers.  For example, at church euphoria is often sold through psychological conditioning, and in the same way at bars alcohol provides a religious experience for an alcoholic.  The use of drugs to facilitate a religious experience is common to many religions.  Another way places like churches, synagogues, and taverns are sometimes attempt to provide a religious experience is through providing music.  Even at a Orthodox synagogue where music may be forbidden during a service, the rabbi’s voice might be likened to a musical instrument.  And, as such there is usually special holidays which provide a special excuse to worship.  For example, perhaps the most important religious day of the year if you go to taverns is New Year’s Eve.  If you are Jewish, then the Torah teaches that Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, which may vary in the secular humanist denomination, such that it is difficult to use words like all.  If you are Christian, then you have probably designated Sunday as a special day of worship.  For Christian’s the explanation of Jesus is like that of a drug, where if you accept Jesus into your heart, then at sometime in the future or perhaps immediately you will experience euphoria.  If you are Satanic, then perhaps Halloween provides that excuse to dress up and achieve euphoria through wearing a costume.  Thus, taverns are similar to what churches provide, especially for those that may not believe in Gd and may be seeking a euphoric experience while not having to be concerned about Gd.  For example, taverns and restaurants generally don’t make people drink alcoholic beverages, or smoke cigarettes, or maybe watch prostitutes take off their clothes but often those options are available should one want to participate in them.

Coffee shops are generally considered to be more respectable places of worship by people that attend church, but nevertheless all coffee shops that I know of deal in selling euphoria in a social setting, which is essentially the idea of a church.  Thus, the religious officials at a coffee shop might be called cashiers, trainers, and managers, etcetera.  The particular type of euphoria sold is often the drug caffeine, which is a mild stimulant, and or sugar, such that the use of these drugs is usually less harmful if not beneficial compared to drinking alcohol, especially on a regular basis in large quantities.  There may even be some forms of prostitution at these areas as well that might tempt men to sin.  Thus, there is the concept of the coffee shop as a place where people can congregate and have a fun time, much like they might at a restaurant, especially where most of these stores have some sort of vice that a religious person might indulge in so that they can get the religious experience of being forgiven by a God, depending on what God.

One of the more recent ideas, as far as I know, that has the same modal as a church are game stores.  Some games stores are arcades, where money can be paid in order to play a video game, while others are more comparable to hobby stores, such as stores that provide space for people to play card games like Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, and Yu-Gi-Oh and other games.  These stores are primarily the descendents of chess clubs, bridge clubs, and card games associable with casinos.  Thus, the concept of store which has space for playing games is very comparable to the experiences offered or sold by churches, but that belief in Gd is not required in order to play.

Of all the businesses above, generally what they provide that makes them special is a unique atmosphere.  For example, it would be very difficult for a big box store to compete with one of these chains because usually what makes these businesses special is that they are unique and also provide ways for people that are generally like minded to associate with each other.

On the Expense of Printing MTG, Especially With Respect to the Colors Red and Black

Strangely, MTG chose red to be the color of mythic rare card’s instead of black.  As far as I know, black ink is more expensive than red ink.  Of course, it still may cost more to produce a mythic rare due to the cost of the artwork placed on the card.  That is, though quality of art is subjective, it may cost MTG more to purchase the artwork that the company uses in the production of cards that are of mythic rarity.  Thus, it is such that the cards of the color red, are generally the cheapest for a company to produce, and as such if you are playing red as a color, as I am writing this, most red cards have increased pervasiveness of red, and thus on the whole are most likely to be the least expensive to make although this idea may be compensated for due to the amount MTG pays for art on the cards themselves.  Thus, due to the unknown cost of purchasing the original piece of artwork, if is a painting, then it is really impossible to ascertain how much any card costs to print.  For example, MTG might have a certain amount of allotted money for cards according to rarity or some other factor, such that there are other variables that may be considered.  For instance, a card that is red may cost more to produce because those in charge of the red color are less able to be efficient with their money.  As I recall reading, each color has its primary person in charge of it, and each of these people are not equal and thus it is as such that a red card may cost more to produce that an black card depending on the efficiency of those that produce red cards as opposed to producing black cards.  However, the intent of this blog is to state that as a general rule, the color black is generally more expensive to produce than red, although this difference in cost may not be significant for the production of any particular card, it is likely that these production costs add up over the production of multiple series, such that they become very significant.  For example, just considering the ink of a card, these difference are almost certainly only fractions of a penny in difference, but even fractions of a penny add up.

My actual hypothesized reason that red is chosen as the color to represent mythic rarity is that in the Christian Bible, the words of Jesus are commonly in red print.

**** Contagious Nim – Not a Better Infect Creature but Possibly Not a Total Loss in Commander Format

Of all the cards with infect, if you are playing a format other than Commander at the time I am writing this, there are better choices than Contagious Nim.  The reason this may be a good card if you are playing Commander is that there are not many cards with poison, and it is likely to remain that way.  That said, there is not much difference between a 2/2 and a 1/1 even you are using poison.  The best way to think about poison is to mentally double the power and toughness, in my opinion, such that changing from the concept of playing with poison verse cards without poison is fairly easy.  That is, if you can win by dealing an opponent 10 poison counters or win by dealing 20 of the original kind of damage, just consider that when playing poison 10 equals 20.  Thus, to properly view Contagious Nim in my opinion in comparison to the other way of dealing damage consider this rather than as a 2/2, but a 4/4.  Using that formula, the transition between playing poison, and the existent ways of dealing damage, as I am writing this Contagious Nim is as a card that is a 4/4 that costs 3 mana to cast, say the Legacy format.  That is not a bad deal, but in most instances, that conversion is not sufficient to consider Contagious Nim as one of the better cards from any perspective.

Also, I’d like to mention that I am unfamiliar with the use of playing rats.  However, to my knowledge Nim was first invented in a story book called, “The Rats of Nim.”  It used to spook me as a child, but I kind of liked it when mom read it to me.

***** Plague Stinger – One of the Nastiest Poison Dealing Creatures

I only know of one card that deals damage in poison counters better than this one, and that is Blighted Agent.  Though this is a black card, and Blighted Agent is a blue card, combining the these two cards in a deck along with a green card or cards makes it easy to blast 10 poison counters on your opponent by turn 3.  That is mostly because Plague Stinger is a low mana cost card, and a flyer, where flyers are to my knowledge the next best thing to unblockable when it comes to dealing damage through boosting their power and toughness, especially if you are trying to take your opponent out by dealing poison counters, as damage.

4th Pauper Deck: Blue and Green

Creatures

2 Zephyr Sprite

4 Metathran Soldier

4 Aven Envoy

1 Cloud Sprite

3 Stomper Cub

1 Daggerback Basilisk

1 Kozilek’s Predator

1 Llanowar Elves

1 Silver Myr

Enchantments

3 Narcolepsy

Instants/Sorceries

4 Vines of Vastwood

4 Titanic Growth

4 Untamed Might

1 Turn Aside

4 Distortion Strike

2 Disperse

Lands

2 Halimar Depths

11 Islands

9 Forests

***** Review of Gigantiform: This Card Is the Bomb!

5.0 out of 5 stars This Card Is the Bomb!, May 22, 2012

By 

Craig Nelson Hamilton "Craig Nelson Hamilton" (Sandwich, MA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

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This review is from: Gigantiform - Zendikar Rare - Magic the Gathering

I use this one with my Silvos, Rogue Elemental Commander deck, and a few others, such as Extended. I even think this card is Legacy quality. It's a really good card. One turn a card seems like a harmless 1/1, then the next turn you make it and 8/8 w/trample and pulverize your opponent with it.

3rd Pauper Deck Green and White

Instants and Sorceries

4 Vines of Vastwood

4 Untamed Might

4 Titanic Growth

Sylvan Might

2 Double Cleave

Raise the Alarm

Enchantments

2 Revoke Existence

2 Journey to Nowhere

3 Arrest

Pacifism

Creatures

2 Stomper Cub

Lone Wolf

2 Elvish Visionary

3 Daggerback Basilisk

2 Nip Gwyllion

2 Slippery Bogle

2 Gold Myr

2 Copper Myr

Lands

4 Kabira Crossroads

Sejiri Steppe

10 Forest

6 Plains

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