Magic the Gathering: Arena |OT| Tapped Out of Witty Titles

[The Adder]

Mardu Aristo that can side into Mardu Flying Aggro

//Creatures (29):
2 Midnight Reaper
4 Tithe Taker
4 Orzhov Enforcer
2 Priest of Forgotten Gods
2 Judith, the Scourge Diva
4 Seraph of the Scales
3 Teysa Karlov
2 God-Eternal Oketra
2 God-Eternal Bontu
4 Cruel Celebrant

//Non-creature Spells (7):
2 Costly Plunder
2 Kaya's Wrath
1 Mortify
2 Spark Harvest

//Lands (24):
3 Dragonskull Summit
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Blood Crypt
4 Godless Shrine
2 Plains
4 Swamp
3 Clifftop Retreat
4 Isolated Chapel

//Sideboard (0):
2 Mortify
2 Rally of Wings
2 Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted
4 Dreadhorde Butcher
3 Feather, the Redeemed
2 Solar Blaze

Click to shrink...

Of the two gods I thought Oketra would be the one to get cut if either wasn't pulling their weight, but she's done more work than Bontu thus far. And Bontu's done work.

 

[Bardoon]

Why does it have to redownload every time I want to play? It's really annoying. Is there no way around it?

 

[BlackJace]

Why does it have to redownload every time I want to play? It's really annoying. Is there no way around it?

Click to shrink...

Hmm? The latest download was the WAR patch. Or are you saying that every time you launch the game, it's redownloading the whole game?

 

[Bardoon]

Hmm? The latest download was the WAR patch. Or are you saying that every time you launch the game, it's redownloading the whole game?

Click to shrink...

The latter, yeah. I redownloaded the game yesterday, played a few hours, then today come to play again and it's redownloading the whole game.

It was doing this months ago when I last played too and is one of the reasons I stopped playing. I've been into the files and tried to launch it directly from there but that just starts redownloading as well.

 

[Deleted member 28474]

The latter, yeah. I redownloaded the game yesterday, played a few hours, then today come to play again and it's redownloading the whole game.

It was doing this months ago when I last played too and is one of the reasons I stopped playing. I've been into the files and tried to launch it directly from there but that just starts redownloading as well.

Click to shrink...

An expansion came out today.

 

[BlackJace]

The latter, yeah. I redownloaded the game yesterday, played a few hours, then today come to play again and it's redownloading the whole game.

It was doing this months ago when I last played too and is one of the reasons I stopped playing. I've been into the files and tried to launch it directly from there but that just starts redownloading as well.

Click to shrink...

I looked around and found this.

Seems like there's two exes, one that launches the game, and one that launches the installer. Deleting the launcher one and then using the other exe seems to work.

 

[Bardoon]

An expansion came out today.

Click to shrink...

I played less than 12 hours ago, and I played vs someone using the new Nissa planeswalker, so I already had that update.

I looked around and found this.

Seems like there's two exes, one that launches the game, and one that launches the installer. Deleting the launcher one and then using the other exe seems to work.

Click to shrink...

Thanks a bunch. I will give it a try!

 

[Euler]

I played less than 12 hours ago, and I played vs someone using the new Nissa planeswalker, so I already had that update.
!

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There was a new update today after the expansion patch yesterday, I think.

 

[Deleted member 9100]

I played less than 12 hours ago, and I played vs someone using the new Nissa planeswalker, so I already had that update.



Thanks a bunch. I will give it a try!

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There was an update after the expansion released to fix the code redemption issues.

But I agree they need to fix the patching system.

 

[Bubble Metropolis]

I threw together a War of the Spark-based black/red deck focused on Lliliana but I haven't gotten her on the battlefield once. On the contrary, I am absolutely demolishing people with the Ilharg/Massacre Girl combo and half the time I don't even mean it.

In the game that just ended I 'misplayed' by using Tibalt's ability to create a 1/1 token, then attacked with Ilharg, plopped down Massacre Girl with Ilharg's ability, everything got -1/-1 so the Tibalt token died, everything got -1/-1 again, something else died, then something else, etc. Luckily I had Kaya's Ghostform on Ilharg or that would've been embarrassing.


Note: The creature that enters the battlefield with Ilharg's ability stays on the battlefield until end of turn, so if you Kaya's Ghostform it in your second Main Phase and it dies (for example, if you 'Thud' it), it is now on your battlefield permanently for only two mana.

 

[Draggyrider]

First time playing Sealed (managed to save 2k gems as an F2P)

I opened a nice number of bombs but not sure how to build my deck

Bombs

• Liliana, Dreadhorde General
• Timewipe
• Single Combat
• Spark Double
• Bioessence Hydra

I'm pretty sure I should be playing UB (which has a nice number of Amass cards), but not sure if I should go W or G for the last colour

W gets Single Combat and Timewipe, makes casting Kaya, Bane of the Dead easier, but has not much else besides a couple of Enforcer Griffins
G gets me the Hydra, Arlinn, Evolution Sage, Merfolk Skydiver and a bunch of nice creatures and some mana fixing. Leaning towards UBG and playing with proliferate.

 

[Deleted member 733]

I have a similar question -- I only manage to save 2k gems doing free to play (besides a prerelease event and $5 welcome pack) once in a great while so I'd like to make a decent deck if possible.

What's the best way to show the card pool without it being a big mess? I got these planeswalkers:

That made me think maybe I should run karn + green/red since that would allow me to use 4 of them. But I've also heard black/blue is really strong.

Here are the green/red cards that could go along with that.

I did get God-Eternal Rhonas which goes along with the potential green theme. But, I've also heard Vivien isn't very good.

Does this look at all feasible to make something out of, or should I dig into the other colors?

For reference here are white, blue, and black + colorless:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351207478820874/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351315763036180/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351404375965696/unknown.png

I do have a lot of blue cards and someone on Discord said they might be good. Basically I haven't even compared everything to the limited review from channel fireball yet, so I don't know what might be bombs, build-around, or whatever to even begin picking out colors.

 

[Draggyrider]

I have a similar question -- I only manage to save 2k gems doing free to play (besides a prerelease event and $5 welcome pack) once in a great while so I'd like to make a decent deck if possible.

What's the best way to show the card pool without it being a big mess? I got these planeswalkers:

That made me think maybe I should run karn + green/red since that would allow me to use 4 of them. But I've also heard black/blue is really strong.

Here are the green/red cards that could go along with that.

I did get God-Eternal Rhonas which goes along with the potential green theme. But, I've also heard Vivien isn't very good.

Does this look at all feasible to make something out of, or should I dig into the other colors?

For reference here are white, blue, and black + colorless:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351207478820874/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351315763036180/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351404375965696/unknown.png

I do have a lot of blue cards and someone on Discord said they might be good. Basically I haven't even compared everything to the limited review from channel fireball yet, so I don't know what might be bombs, build-around, or whatever to even begin picking out colors.

Click to shrink...

I don't think you should play Karn cos you don't seem to have artifacts. Green is in for sure. I would probably go GU, splashing B for removal like Ob Nixilis Cruelty

 

[The Adder]

I threw together a War of the Spark-based black/red deck focused on Lliliana but I haven't gotten her on the battlefield once. On the contrary, I am absolutely demolishing people with the Ilharg/Massacre Girl combo and half the time I don't even mean it.

In the game that just ended I 'misplayed' by using Tibalt's ability to create a 1/1 token, then attacked with Ilharg, plopped down Massacre Girl with Ilharg's ability, everything got -1/-1 so the Tibalt token died, everything got -1/-1 again, something else died, then something else, etc. Luckily I had Kaya's Ghostform on Ilharg or that would've been embarrassing.


Note: The creature that enters the battlefield with Ilharg's ability stays on the battlefield until end of turn, so if you Kaya's Ghostform it in your second Main Phase and it dies (for example, if you 'Thud' it), it is now on your battlefield permanently for only two mana.

Click to shrink...

As a massive Johnny, if you care about winning with a particular flare and not about winning in general, you have to build a deck meant to stall the game until your big drop and setting up to end the game when you get it. Owten these decks aren't very good.

 

[The Last One]

Hello everyone.

I'm kinda new in this game, which packs should I spent my gold?

 

[Serule]

Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, and War of the Spark will be Standard-Legal until fall 2020. Avoid all the other sets since they rotate out sooner (this fall). They will probably be usable in some format still but that's up in the air at this point.

You also might be better off spending your gold on ranked draft; it's more fun and you get prizes.

 

[Deleted member 733]

Hello everyone.

I'm kinda new in this game, which packs should I spent my gold?

Click to shrink...

Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, and War of the Spark will be Standard-Legal until fall 2020. Avoid all the other sets since they rotate out sooner (this fall). They will probably be usable in some format still but that's up in the air at this point.

You also might be better off spending your gold on ranked draft; it's more fun and you get prizes.

Click to shrink...

To add onto this:

* Ranked draft can be fun, but you need patience to save gold (you won't get more than 1 ranked draft a week or so).
* For War of the Spark packs, ranked draft packs will always have at least one planeswalker, but the 1000-gold small packs aren't guaranteed to.
* Ranked only gives you 1 or 2 packs as a reward so even though you get a bunch of cards and can pick which ones you want, you won't get wildcards or bump up your wildcard counters as much.

So if you really want wildcards, packs may get you there faster. If you get good at draft, it may get you gems faster. Kind of comes down to what you enjoy and what your priorities are. :)

 

[The Last One]

Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, and War of the Spark will be Standard-Legal until fall 2020. Avoid all the other sets since they rotate out sooner (this fall). They will probably be usable in some format still but that's up in the air at this point.

You also might be better off spending your gold on ranked draft; it's more fun and you get prizes.

Click to shrink...

Is ranked draft like the Arena from Hearthstone? If so I'm not sure if I would do well since I don't know most of cards.

 

[The Last One]

To add onto this:

* Ranked draft can be fun, but you need patience to save gold (you won't get more than 1 ranked draft a week or so).
* For War of the Spark packs, ranked draft packs will always have at least one planeswalker, but the 1000-gold small packs aren't guaranteed to.
* Ranked only gives you 1 or 2 packs as a reward so even though you get a bunch of cards and can pick which ones you want, you won't get wildcards or bump up your wildcard counters as much.

So if you really want wildcards, packs may get you there faster. If you get good at draft, it may get you gems faster. Kind of comes down to what you enjoy and what your priorities are. :)

Click to shrink...

I only have 3K of gold. Not sure If playing this draft will be good since it's 5K.

 

[Yeef]

From the 3 sealed events I've done so far, this format seems to be a prince format (it leans towards bombs).

 

[Volimar]

Hello everyone.

I'm kinda new in this game, which packs should I spent my gold?

Click to shrink...

As a new player, check out the redeemable codes for free packs and card styles. There's a list in the OP.

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

Is ranked draft like the Arena from Hearthstone? If so I'm not sure if I would do well since I don't know most of cards.

Click to shrink...

It's similar, but a bit more complicated. Hearthstone's Arena is based on drafting. You can read this article, though it's for paper magic: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/lo/basics-booster-draft-2014-11-03

This video is also likely good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUqPxSYPfrA&vl=en

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

I have a similar question -- I only manage to save 2k gems doing free to play (besides a prerelease event and $5 welcome pack) once in a great while so I'd like to make a decent deck if possible.

What's the best way to show the card pool without it being a big mess? I got these planeswalkers:

That made me think maybe I should run karn + green/red since that would allow me to use 4 of them. But I've also heard black/blue is really strong.

Here are the green/red cards that could go along with that.

I did get God-Eternal Rhonas which goes along with the potential green theme. But, I've also heard Vivien isn't very good.

Does this look at all feasible to make something out of, or should I dig into the other colors?

For reference here are white, blue, and black + colorless:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351207478820874/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351315763036180/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/371402051080683522/571351404375965696/unknown.png

I do have a lot of blue cards and someone on Discord said they might be good. Basically I haven't even compared everything to the limited review from channel fireball yet, so I don't know what might be bombs, build-around, or whatever to even begin picking out colors.

Click to shrink...

Did you play through this yet? Your green is pretty strong. Didn't dig into it fully, but UG looks passable. Your GR is also full of value, though you don't have much synergy there like you do in GU. Vivien isn't game-breaking, but she's good and I'd play her.

Karn is trash and should not be played in Limited. Is there a single good artifact in the whole set other than Bolas' Citadel for Limited? I'm not sure there is.

 

[The Last One]

As a new player, check out the redeemable codes for free packs and card styles. There's a list in the OP.

Click to shrink...

Oh I didn't see that. Thanks a lot, just used all the codes. One isn't working though: ShinyGoblinPIrate

It's similar, but a bit more complicated. Hearthstone's Arena is based on drafting. You can read this article, though it's for paper magic: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/lo/basics-booster-draft-2014-11-03

This video is also likely good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUqPxSYPfrA&vl=en

Click to shrink...

Thanks, will give a look at both links. I'm not a really fun of this type of draft styles like Arena in Hearthstone but I guess it's worth a try.

 

[Serule]

Is ranked draft like the Arena from Hearthstone? If so I'm not sure if I would do well since I don't know most of cards.

Click to shrink...

Yeah it's like the Arena from Hearthstone except you get to keep the cards.

 

[Avis]

Really enjoyed it, but I think I'm done with this game. Fighting creatureless control every other game is just such a miserable experience that is actively increasing my stress and making my life more miserable. Switching to Bo3 helped a bunch, but even when I win against them it isn't satisfying. The small few great games I have just aren't worth it.

 

[Volimar]

Really enjoyed it, but I think I'm done with this game. Fighting creatureless control every other game is just such a miserable experience that is actively increasing my stress and making my life more miserable. Switching to Bo3 helped a bunch, but even when I win against them it isn't satisfying. The small few great games I have just aren't worth it.

Click to shrink...

That's fair. MtG definitely isn't for everyone. Those games where you feel like there's nothing you can do once they get enough mana to get their card draws and counters can feel pretty bad. You shouldn't play if you're not enjoying yourself. Maybe it's something you can play more casually and just pick up from time to time if there are parts you enjoy.

 

[Serule]

Really enjoyed it, but I think I'm done with this game. Fighting creatureless control every other game is just such a miserable experience that is actively increasing my stress and making my life more miserable.

Click to shrink...

I kind of feel this way about constructed as well. I'm still loving limited though.

 

[Deleted member 733]

Did you play through this yet? Your green is pretty strong. Didn't dig into it fully, but UG looks passable. Your GR is also full of value, though you don't have much synergy there like you do in GU. Vivien isn't game-breaking, but she's good and I'd play her.

Karn is trash and should not be played in Limited. Is there a single good artifact in the whole set other than Bolas' Citadel for Limited? I'm not sure there is.

Click to shrink...

No, I haven't. A friend gave me a ton of suggestions with green / black, green / blue, or some mix of the three, and I'm overwhelmed with options and don't have much time. :P Thank you though!

Really enjoyed it, but I think I'm done with this game. Fighting creatureless control every other game is just such a miserable experience that is actively increasing my stress and making my life more miserable. Switching to Bo3 helped a bunch, but even when I win against them it isn't satisfying. The small few great games I have just aren't worth it.

Click to shrink...

That's fair. MtG definitely isn't for everyone. Those games where you feel like there's nothing you can do once they get enough mana to get their card draws and counters can feel pretty bad. You shouldn't play if you're not enjoying yourself. Maybe it's something you can play more casually and just pick up from time to time if there are parts you enjoy.

Click to shrink...

I would add on to what Volimar said in that in my opinion, it's definitely not just a case of "Magic isn't for everyone" -- Magic was designed with creatures in mind, and metas where creatureless control is strong or even super common actively warp and harm the game a lot. You are just one example, and I completely sympathize.

Maybe Wizards knows better than me and the game will continue to grow in popularity even if large numbers of essentially creatureless games keep being played, but it's a very bizarre sort of game that results.

 

[fuzzyset]

I believe Wizards has stated in the past that having ways to win that aren't just "hit your opponent" is important to them. Mill decks and alternate win cons are as old as Magic. It's obviously never good if a meta gets super warped to one end of the spectrum, but inBo3 there's really not much evidence of that.

That said, I also fucking hate playing against creature less decks.

 

[Deleted member 733]

Carthago Delenda Est I won't have time to play tonight but there's one attempt at it, except of course I need to do a 9/8 split with lands or whatever.

I could try putting a third color and including 2-3 black or white removal spells but I'm rather scared of attempting a third color like that.

 

[The Adder]

Brewed up a pretty solid Kiora/Vannifar deck:

//Creatures (28):
2 Biogenic Ooze
2 Prime Speaker Vannifar
2 God-Eternal Oketra
3 Fblthp, the Lost
2 Kiora's Dambreaker
4 Spark Double
3 Arboreal Grazer
2 Evolution Sage
2 Paradise Druid
3 Bioessence Hydra
3 Llanowar Elves

//Planeswalkers (6):
3 Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
3 Samut, Tyrant Smasher

//Non-creature Spells (2):
2 Vivien's Arkbow

//Lands (24):
3 Glacial Fortress
2 Plains
1 Island
3 Forest
2 Temple Garden
4 Breeding Pool
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
3 Sunpetal Grove

Click to shrink...

EDIT:
Also went and built Krenko

Click to shrink...

 

[Deleted member 16849]

Help me brew a taxes deck! Something quick and dirty i put together, i can't think of any 1 drops worth it yet.

4 Deputy of Detention (RNA) 165
6 Island (RIX) 193
8 Plains (RIX) 192
3 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade (RNA) 189
4 Hallowed Fountain (RNA) 251
4 Dovin's Veto (WAR) 193
4 Glacial Fortress (XLN) 255
2 Azorius Guildgate (RNA) 243
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (DAR) 207
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (DAR) GR6
3 Teferi, Time Raveler (WAR) 221
2 Amulet of Safekeeping (M19) 226
3 Tithe Taker (RNA) 27
2 Baird, Steward of Argive (DAR) 4
2 Tocatli Honor Guard (XLN) 42
4 Absorb (RNA) 151
2 Search for Azcanta (XLN) 74
2 Sorcerous Spyglass (XLN) 248
1 Verity Circle (RNA) 58
2 Ixalan's Binding (XLN) 17

 

[The Adder]

Affinity Super Friends

//Creatures (4):
4 Arboreal Grazer

//Planeswalkers (14):
3 Karn, the Great Creator
2 Liliana, Dreadhorde General
3 Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God
2 Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
4 Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge

//Non-creature Spells (18):
2 Arcane Encyclopedia
4 Chromatic Lantern
2 Oath of Kaya
1 Mox Amber
3 Oath of Teferi
3 Powerstone Shard
3 Treasure Map

//Lands (24):
1 Rootbound Crag
4 Overgrown Tomb
2 Temple Garden
4 Breeding Pool
2 Stomping Ground
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Woodland Cemetery
3 Sunpetal Grove

//Sideboard (0):
1 Magistrate's Scepter
1 Parhelion II
1 Bolas's Citadel
2 Mizzium Tank
1 God-Pharaoh's Statue
1 Gilded Lotus
2 Helm of the Host
1 Thran Temporal Gateway
2 Traxos, Scourge of Kroog

Click to shrink...

 

[Serule]

Had a great 7-2 sealed run just now. Ran U/R proliferate. Role Reversal is super, super good. Got to swap a 1/1 amass token for their bomb multiple times. I also had Ugin (who seems awesome but only got to play out a few times), Neheb, and Commence the Endgame.

 

[Draggyrider]

Went 6-3 for my Sealed run, that was seriously stressful. MVP was surprisingly NOT Liliana (who usually came down too late to stabilise in my losses) but Bioessence Hydra. I didn't have any cheap planeswalkers, so it usually came down as a 4/4, but I did have 3 6-drop PW (Arlinn, Liliana, Kaya) which made it an unexpected 11/11. Evolution Sage and Aven Eternal also did good work.

Time Wipe could have saved me in all my losses, but I just couldn't get the mana to work it in, it was already shaky enough at 3 colours

 

[Deleted member 29682]

Mono-black discard is only going to get more annoying with the addition of Davriel's smarmy voice mocking you for not having enough cards.

 

[Joni]

I love the addition of so many Planeswalkers. I have made a bad Black-Red Dragon deck and have enriched my green Dinosaur deck with two more Planeswalkers. Both are quite fun to play at the moment.

 

[jon bones]

Sealed is highlighting how much fun all these planeswalkers are to me

 

[Volimar]

Mono-black discard is only going to get more annoying with the addition of Davriel's smarmy voice mocking you for not having enough cards.

Click to shrink...

I've already been the victim of his taunts.

 

[Tizoc]

They started with 3 of the zombie shaman cards that give deathtouch to other zombies, but thankfully I got a Lava coil and a Domri that I used to get rid of 2 of them. I had a spell card that made my dino attack another card and using it I was able to toughen it through to victory.
They did use up their timers thinking I'd quit in advance though :V

 

[The Adder]

Aforementioned Krenko Deck

 

[Moist_Owlet]

I wish they would introduce some single player story stuff. They have lore and books and do absolutely nothing with it in Arena.

 

[Volimar]

I wish they would introduce some single player story stuff. They have lore and books and do absolutely nothing with it in Arena.

Click to shrink...

That would be nice, though even in the Duels of the Planeswalkers games the single player stuff was fairly barebones.

 

[Moist_Owlet]

opponents went first SEVEN FUCKING TIMES IN A ROW. fuck this

 

[CrimsonN0]

Huh, actually the first time I've ever managed to get 7 wins in Draft.
And just with the strategy of slowly plinking at the enemy with Ill-Gotten Inheritance and blocking with creatures with Afterlife or Deathtouch.
Though, I think I also had a full set of Final Payments to just destroy most creatures too.
Well, more importantly, now I have enough Gems to do another Sealed.

 

[Wolf of Yharnam]

Edit: Got one!

 

[Volimar]

Stop trying to make your well earned money and open up the Gold draft you cowards!

 

[The Last One]

I just got the Nicol Bolas from my random free card. This card is a big deal, right?

 

[Rutti]

I usually play ranked bo1 since I just play few games a day to clear dailies and bo3 takes too much time for that. i also like to play Izzet drakes. I know those two are a bad combo. Today I started to play bo3 in order to climb up to plat to get the card skins. It has really shown me the actual power of the deck when you can sideboard dead cards away against pure aggro and control. I think after today I'll keep playing bo3 when I play longer sessions.