Announcing the Mind Games Super Secret Sale, and Other Site News
You might recall awhile back we ran a “Thoughtseize” poll asking your opinion on several possible improvements to the site. Over the past three years that we’ve been helping represent Magic’s preconstructed community, we’ve continued to try and refine the Ertai’s Lament experience as we go, both in content as well as layout. Today we’d like to let you in on some of the exciting things that are in development, including some big changes in the works!
Gatecrash: Thrive and Thrash Review (Part 2 of 2)
Now that we’ve had a chance to review both decks, it’s time to see how the fare against one another. Joining me to take the role of the Boros is- who else- Jimi, ready to champion her guild. Can my three-colour ‘Simic’ stand a chance?
Reads: Meddling Simic Synthesis
Happy Thursday! We’re up a day early over on Gathering Magic, but that just means you get to see the Simic in action one day ahead of time!
Gatecrash: Rally and Rout Review (Part 1 of 2)
For the most part, the overlap between the competitive world of the Event Deck and the more casual one of the Intro Pack has remained fairly segregated. After all, aside from the set whose banner they are released under, they really don’t have much in common. Intro Packs, aside from being an accessible point of entry for new and returning players, tend to give a fair amount of design space over to showcasing the set’s themes and mechanics. Event Decks, on the other hand, care far less for these things, instead focusing on presenting a valid option in a given competitive environment.
Gatecrash: Thrive and Thrash Review (Part 1 of 2)
Released in 1991, Morrissey’s Kill Uncle occupies an unusual place in the singer’s discography. Only his second album in four years after the breakup of The Smiths, the album ranged from the deeply sentimental There’s a Place in Hell for Me and my Friends to the quirky and pun-laden King Leer, with stops all over the map in between. Buried almost at the end of the album is a subdued little number called (I’m) the End of the Family Line. What has that to do with Gatecrash? Hopefully, nothing.
Duels of the Planeswalkers (2009) Expansion Pack 1: Relics of Doom Review (Part 2 of 2)
These are hectic days for us here at Ertai’s Lament! We’ve just concluded our review of the Intro Packs of Gatecrash, after pausing the coverage of Duels of the Planeswalkers’ Expansion Pack 1. While we’re about to kick off coverage of Gatecrash’s Event Decks, we’ve just had the perfect amount of time to squeeze in the final deck for Duels, Relics of Doom. To put the deck to the test, Sam’s joined me behind Mind of Void, Jace’s mill deck.
Announcing the Winner of the Gatecrash Intro Pack Giveaway!
It seems hard to believe, but the Intro Pack decks for Gatecrash have been fully reviewed, and now have been added to the Ertai’s Lament Preconstructed Library. We had a blast reviewing them, and delighted in reading so many comments and opinions on the decks. Now it’s time for us to do our part and pick a winner for our Giveaway!
Duels of the Planeswalkers (2009) Expansion Pack 1: Relics of Doom Review (Part 1 of 2)
“At the end,” the widow said of her husband, “there was a smile on his face.” And why wouldn’t there have been? His mother was a prostitute, and he lived in the brothel where she plied her ancient trade. His grandmother was the madam, while his father was a onetime soldier, occasional boxer, and frequent street hustler whom he barely knew, if at all. He was beaten and abused, expelled from school, and with little behind him but reasons not to look back he struck out on his own to find his fortune.
Gatecrash: Orzhov Oppression Review (Part 2 of 2)
The next time we look at a Gatecrash precon, it’s going to be an Event Deck- our review series of the Intro Pack decks draws to a close with our playtest of the much-anticipated Orzhov Oppression. We were much impressed with the execution of the bleeder strategy from the original block. Will the updated version equally impress? To find out, Sam sat down with Simic Synthesis.
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?
Ertai's Lament 