Gatecrash: Orzhov Oppression Review (Part 1 of 2)
In our last review, we took at look at the Gruul and the difference between their first Theme Deck, Gruul Wilding, and their Gatecrash update. As the joint-bottom deck from the original Ravnica block, it’s certainly true that there was nowhere to go but up, but Gruul Goliaths redeemed the guild in a big way. Can a similar magic be worked on a guild who ended their first run near the top?
Gatecrash: Gruul Goliaths Review (Part 2 of 2)
Primal fury time! Though Jimi’s Dimir Dementia may prefer to keep to the shadows, the Gruul have forced them out into the open for a titanic showdown. Will it boil down to who has the biggest club, or will a knife in the back settle the score?
Gatecrash: Gruul Goliaths Review (Part 1 of 2)
As we’ve seen both in Gatecrash as well as Return to Ravnica, Wizards felt in some cases that designing new mechanics for the guilds was a chance to do justice to some that may have gotten the short shrift in the first go-around. While there were some obvious hits, such as convoke for the Selesnya and replicate for the Izzet, there were also some that fell somewhat short of ambition. The Azorius Senate’s forecast was deliberately underpowered, the Golgari’s dredge was dancing on the line between fair and broken, and radiance for the Boros was “the big miss of Ravnica block” according to Mark Rosewater. But guild mechanics weren’t the only things getting a second chance.
Gatecrash: Dimir Dementia Review (Part 2 of 2)
The Boros are back, this time in the role of foil in the capable hands of Jimi. Meanwhile, I’ll be piloting the shadowy DImir Dementia, as we look to give it a thorough stress test to see how well Blue/Black cipher-mill holds up!
News: Gatecrash Event Deck Decklists Revealed!
Fresh off the excitement of last night’s game, the mothership today has some pulse-quickening news of its own this morning- the Gatecrash Event Decks have been spoiled!
Gatecrash: Dimir Dementia Review (Part 1 of 2)
At times, Magic can seem a rather paradoxical game. Take the much-derided mana screw, for instance. A source of eternal criticism and feel-bad moments for players from novice to professional, it is by turns also credited with assuring the longevity of the game. This unpleasant, frustrating experience has been looked at as a design problem to be overcome in other games, offering more stable and consistent resource development- and yet many of those games are consigned to the halls of history while Magic flourishes still.
Gatecrash: Simic Synthesis Review (Part 2 of 2)
Life- not unlike guild warfare in Gatecrash- is about the survival of the fittest, and the Simic have a new trick in their quest for biological perfection. Can they evolve past Sam’s Gruul Goliaths, or will the Gruul show who the real apex predator is?
Gatecrash: Simic Synthesis Review (Part 1 of 2)
In the Autumn of 2010, Wizards of the Coast kicked off the Great Designer Search 2. The first one, held four years prior, had proved a tremendous success, and had resulted in the hiring of some tremendous creative talent. It had been won by Alexis Janson, who’s first lead design (Dragon’s Maze) is the third set in Return to Ravnica block. In addition, Wizards also scooped up the runners-up Ken Nagle (who we’ve covered before), Graeme Hopkins, and Mark Globus (who has led design for Magic 2012 as well as the most recent Planechase release). As we touched on in our review of Boros Battalion, this was the “Fourth Age” of Magic design.
Gatecrash: Boros Battalion Review (Part 2 of 2)
It’s our opening tilt for Gatecrash, and we’re excited to begin tearing into the set’s precons. Joining me at the table is the lovely Jimi, and she’s selected a deck close to her own heart. Can Boros Battalion impose order onto the chaotic battlefield, or will it fall prey to Orzhov Oppression?
Gatecrash: Boros Battalion Review (Part 1 of 2)
Mark Rosewater notably once wrote that 1998’s Urza’s Saga was “the only time in the eight years that I’ve been working at Wizards that R&D as an entirity got pulled into the president’s office and was yelled at.” As we covered in our review of The Plague, the set suffered from some very serious shortcomings in terms of mechanics and power level, and is likely uncontested in claiming the dubious honour of most broken block of all time. To those of a more optimistic mindset, however, crises can be regarded as an opportunity in waiting, as often one has the opportunity to address the problem head-on. For Wizards, this meant acknowledging the core problem and fixing it.
Ertai's Lament 