MBtB: The Best Four Days in Gaming
Abbreviated in the title to ‘MBtB,’ my Quiet Speculation column is Magic Beyond the Box, and on today’s article we go well outside of it! Taking a look at the upcoming Gen Con convention held in in just a few weeks in Indianapolis, Indiana, I muse on the significance it once had to me in my youth. I also mention just a few of the many things to do there, and we announce the winner of the Best Four Days in Gaming Giveaway. Who got the free passes?
News: Duel Decks: Ajani vs Nicol Bolas Revealed
Today on the mothership, the box art for the forthcoming Duel Decks: Ajani vs Nicol Bolas was revealed. Also shown are the two new alternate-art planeswalker cards themselves, putting an end to the speculation as to which version of Ajani would drive the deck (hint: Boros).
Head on over and check it out!
Whispers of the Muse: Si’s Counterpunch (Commander)
Reader Si has been tinkering around with the Counterpunch deck from Commander, which features Ghave, Guru of Spores and a host of tokens and effects that use or rely upon them. He’d like to keep the general theme of the deck, but wants some suggestions on how to improve upon it.
MBtB: Our Biggest Giveaway Yet!
After a one-week hiatus (organising this contest), Magic Beyond the Box is back and helping our friends at Quiet Speculation with a massive giveaway. How big? Let’s just say that if you have even the slightest interest in attending the incredbile Gen Con gaming convention this August, you owe it to yourself to take a look!
Because what’s better than going to Gen Con for “the best four days in gaming?”
Going there free, and with an armful of prizes!
Guest Meddling: Devouring Skies (New Phyrexia)
So, here we are… the fires of war have been extinguished by the icy breath of death… all the battle cries that have planted the seed of hope into the hearts of those who charged forward have faded into a melancholic silence… all those artfully crafted weapons were exposed to decay just like the courage of those wielding them.
The plague of Phyrexia has come over Mirrodin- it has consumed another world leaving us speechless to a scenario that we explore in New Phyrexia. As corruption has spread, innovation has declined. Phyrexia’s tools for victory are fear, doubt, infiltration, and defiling what is good and noble. How do you fight an enemy that does not attack your house but your very heart? Not your home but your hope?
Inside the Ertai’s Lament Precon Library
From time to time, readers of Ertai’s Lament have asked us to post some pictures of our precon collection. Knee-deep in spring cleaning today, it seemed the perfect time. For the curious, here is our collection and how it’s stored. We like to think of it as a library of precons. Here’s a brief tour.
Deck maintenance
Each deck is sleeved in the UltraPro 5-mana sleeves and stored in the corresponding UltraPro deck box for each particular set. Here you see a Rise of the Eldrazi deck. Additionally, a laminated card is inserted into each box denoting the deck’s name, colours, and a verbatim transcript of the blurb found on the back of the box. For sets where no such deck box was released, we use a flat black UltraPro box instead.
Ertai’s Lament News & Notes 6/23/11
Two quick notes today, folks!
1. Although it’s been two days since our last update, we actually were scheduled to release that review yesterday, not Tuesday. The next article is to go up as scheduled tomorrow! I mentioned this on Twitter, but as many don’t use it it’s worth mentioning here as well.
2. The giveaway I hinted at for this week has been pushed back until next. We have a great reason for doing so, but I don’t want to give anything away. I can say this- it’s going to be a blast!
We hope you’ve been enjoying our Commander coverage as much as we’ve enjoyed providing it. We’re looking with interest today at the Booster battle Packs just announced on the mothership, and wondering if they’re close enough to precons that we might review them when the time comes. This sounds like a Thoughsieze poll waiting to happen!
Announcing the Winners of the One-Year Anniversary Giveaway!
The One-Year Anniversary celebrations and revelries have come to a close, and we’d like to thank everyone who participated. In particular, the comments section took on something of a yearbook tone, with readers offering kind words on how much they enjoyed the site. Jimi, Sam, and I were very touched, and glad that we continue to produce reviews worth reading.
As much as we’d like to have prizes for everyone, we have but nine to give out. By random drawing, the following winners have been picked:
Aaro
@billy_moreno
@cikesef
Errtu
@JoshEnke
@lansdellicious
@NoUse4AName68
@SoyElReyDelMndo
@TheSundry
Winners will be contacted for their mailing address, and will be randomly sent one of the nine prizes we’re giving away. As always, we’d like to thank Frankfort, KY’s own Moonlite Comics for their generous donation and continued support.
For those that didn’t win, don’t worry- there’s another giveaway right around the corner!
MBtB: Stoneforge Event Deck Giveaway!
When I was growing up, my favourite radio station was the pop-filled Z100 out of New York City, and like any top-level radio station for a major market they had a slew of giveaways. Whenever an ecstatic winner made it through on the phones, the dj’s would always end by asking, “And what’s the phrase that pays?” To which the caller would invariably answer “Z100 means more money!” Twenty-five years later I still can remember that, so I suppose it must have made some impression.
So perhaps I can be forgiven for feeling a bit like Z100 right now with all these giveaways as of late! Between the Time Spiral theme deck, the New Phyrexia Intro Deck, the One-Year Anniversary Giveaway (ending this Saturday), the Commander deck giveaway I’m working on (expect to see it next week), and this week’s offering: the War of Attrition Event Deck from New Phyrexia!
You know, the one with the Stoneforge Mystics in it!
If you’d like a shot at winning it, and/or would like to read about the significance of the deck, head on over to this week’s Magic Beyond the Box, where I talk about the evolution of the Event Decks, and if they have ‘painted themselves into a corner’ design-wise. Come check it out!
Announcing the Winner of the Reality Fracture Giveaway!
With the Time Spiral reviews now in our past (haw!), it’s time to announce the winner of our theme deck giveaway. By glorious random selection, MiniLuv has won a copy of Reality Fracture, the exciting suspend-filled Blue/Red deck. Congratulations to MiniLuv (we’ll be contacting you via the email you use here), and thanks to everyone else for participating!
Ertai's Lament 