#Asmadi Games

[mistercrowbar]

A silly little doodle while working on 1001 Odysseys! 2022-04-30

[pumkinbones]

I'm keeping you forever and for always We will be together all of our days Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face Always

[anime-herald]

Whack A Catgirl: An Anime Fandom Time Capsule

In this day and age, convention attendees are likely to spot the Asmadi Games logo adorning titles like One Deck Dungeon, Innovation, or perhaps We Didn’t Playtest This At All in the tabletop gaming room. Even so, only those versed in the most ancient lore can delve deeper into the company’s back catalog to unleash the essence of anime conventions of the aughts. The treasure they seek, Whack a…

[nextmscblog]

𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬

According to the Next Move Strategy Consulting the global 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 size is estimated to be predicted to reach around USD 40 billion with a CAGR of around 20% till 2030.

Board games have evolved with many new features, such as licensing Walt Disney characters of Star Wars and Frozen that has been really popular among the kids. Also, increasing popularity of famous TV series like Game of Thrones, Sherlock Holmes, and more have added a new lease of life to the industry. Moreover, traditional Monopoly and Scrabble have adapted generously to cope with the changing market trends.

One of the advantages that board-based game has over video games is the high-value proposition for general population and investors. Increasing crowdfunding platforms for the game manufacturers is the prominent factor driving the market growth for board games.

However, markets along the board games have been stable due to various innovations in game types in the past three years. The Board Games market is highly fragmented with many local players present especially in the developing countries of China and India. Also, these local players copy the game type and idea from the prominent manufacturers.

Comprehensive competitive analysis and profiles of major companies such as Asmadi Games, Grey Group, LoonyLabs, PandaDoc, Rio Grande, The Haywire, Asmadi Games, Legendary Games, The Walt Disney Company, North Star Games is added in the report.

[mtgacentral]

Magic: The Gathering Box Sets

To understand the world of Magic: The Gathering box sets, delve into our introduction. Discover the brief explanation of these captivating box sets and delve into their fascinating sub-sections: Limited Edition Collectibles, Expansions with New Mechanics, and Exclusive Artwork Variants. Get ready to explore the enchanting universe of Magic: The Gathering box sets. Key Takeaways: Magic: The Gathering Box Sets - Magic: The Gathering box sets are special collections of cards that offer unique gameplay experiences. - Box sets come in different types, including core sets, expansion sets, and specialty sets, each with its unique features and content. - Box sets can be a cost-effective way to build your card collection, with exclusive cards and bonus items included. - While box sets offer many advantages, they also have potential drawbacks, such as high cost and the possibility of duplicate cards. - Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, there's a Magic: The Gathering box set that fits your playstyle and preferences. Brief explanation of Magic: The Gathering box sets

Magic: The Gathering box sets are special collections of cards for playing the game. They come with different powers and abilities. Plus, rare and powerful cards to boost your collection. These box sets also have exclusive cards not found in booster packs, adding more value for collectors. Plus accessories like tokens, playmats and rulebooks for a complete gaming experience. What's more, themed expansion packs introduce new mechanics and themes to the game. Giving players new strategies and thrilling gaming options. Pro-tip: When buying Magic: The Gathering box sets, make sure it fits your playstyle. Invest in protective sleeves and card storage solutions to keep your cards in perfect condition.

Overview of Different Magic: The Gathering Box Sets

To have a comprehensive understanding of magic: the gathering box sets, dive into the overview of different box sets: core sets, expansion sets, and specialty sets. Explore the unique characteristics and offerings of each type. Benefit from the variety and depth that these box sets offer to enhance your gameplay and collection. Core Sets Magic has a bunch of Core Sets. Here's a list with the name and number of cards: - Alpha (295) - Revised (306) - Fourth Edition (378) - Fifth Edition (449) - Sixth Edition (350) - Seventh Edition (350) - Eighth Edition (350) - Ninth Edition (357) - Tenth Edition (383) Core Sets have awesome stuff like spells, enchantments, creatures, and artifacts. Red fireball spells, blue counterspells - each set has its own unique flavour. Pro Tip: When building your deck with Core Set cards, use a mix of colours for more versatility. Then you'll be ready for any situation! Magic: The Gathering box sets are like discovering a treasure chest full of epic spells and mythical creatures - without the actual treasure or mythological creatures. Features and content of core sets Magic: The Gathering's core sets offer essential features and content. These sets have carefully chosen cards that give you different strategic choices and exciting game experiences. Let's look at the key features of each: Core Set Name Release Year Number of Cards Notable Mechanics Core Set 2021 2020 274 Teferi's Ageless Insight, Liliana's Devotee, Basri Ket Core Set 2020 2019 309 Chandra, Awakened Inferno, Mu Yanling Core Set 2019 2018 314 Nicol Bolas, Chromium, Vaevictis Asmadi

Core Set 2021 has new cards like Teferi's Ageless Insight, Liliana's Devotee, and Basri Ket. These add new dimensions to the game and give you creative deck-building ideas.

These sets also have iconic planeswalkers like Chandra and Nicol Bolas, plus new mechanics like Mu Yanling's modified 'mastery'. These make for endless opportunities to improve your strategy and test your skills. Don't miss out on these incredible experiences. Dive into Magic: The Gathering and its captivating core sets. Collect cards, build decks, and challenge others in epic battles. Discover hidden gems in each set. Join the greatest planeswalkers - start your adventure today! Get ready to tap out your wallet and explore some of the most popular core sets in Magic: The Gathering! Examples of popular core sets The popular core sets of Magic: The Gathering are M10, M12, and M20. They're designed to help new players and offer a range of gameplay options. Here's a table of info on them: Core Set Release Date # of Cards M10 July 17, 2009 249 M12 July 15, 2011 249 M20 July 12, 2019 280 M10 has a new rarity level - mythic rare. M12 brings classic themes from Magic's past. M20 has new mechanics like "Chandra's Spellbook", giving new challenges and strategies. You can pick a core set for your style: - Start with M10 - Good foundation for beginners and balanced gameplay. - Check out M12 - Experience Magic's history and iconic cards. - Try M20 - New mechanics, Chandra Nalaar storyline and depth. Choose a core set that fits you and enjoy Magic: The Gathering - before your wallet disappears like a rabbit in a hat! Expansion Sets Expansion sets give Magic: The Gathering players new cards, mechanics and themes to explore. Each set is a world of its own. Plus, some have limited-edition cards and rare collectibles that can be highly sought after by Magic fans. In 2014, an unknown player won a tournament with an obscure legendary card from a forgotten expansion set. This victory showed the power these sets have and how underestimating them can bring remarkable outcomes. Be prepared, these expansion sets can take your wallet on a wild ride! Features and content of expansion sets

Expansion sets in Magic: The Gathering are a must-have for the game. They add new cards, mechanics, and themes to keep gameplay fresh and interesting. Here's an overview of what you can expect: Feature Content New Cards Expansion sets feature new cards with exciting abilities and artwork. Mechanics Each set has unique mechanics that add strategic depth and new gameplay experiences. Themes Expansion sets often revolve around specific themes or storylines. Rarity Distribution Cards vary in rarity, offering something for everyone. Plus, reprints of popular cards from previous sets are included to make them accessible to new players or those looking to enhance their existing decks. Pro Tip: When deciding which expansion set to buy or play, research the theme, mechanics, and card pool to find one that fits your preferred playstyle. Get ready to stock up on your favorite expansion sets - because you never know when your love for mythical creatures and shiny cards will take over! Examples of popular expansion sets Magic: The Gathering has some incredible expansion sets. Examples include the Eldraine Expansion Set, with its whimsical world of fairy tales and knights. Or the Zendikar Rising Expansion Set, where you can explore treacherous terrains. Then there's the Innistrad Expansion Set, where you can encounter vampires and werewolves. In the Ravnica Allegiance Expansion Set, you can join a centuries-old conflict between ten guilds. Theros Beyond Death Expansion Set offers divine blessings and curses. Lastly, the Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Expansion Set gives you monstrous creatures to ally with. All these sets offer unique themes and gameplay experiences. Magic: The Gathering continues to draw players in around the world. Did you know it was designed by math professor Richard Garfield? This adds an interesting twist to the origins of the game. So come into this world of specialty sets, where the cards are as rare as good pickup lines at a comic con! Specialty Sets Explore specialty sets of Magic: The Gathering! Masters Edition offers premium card reproductions for collectors and enthusiasts. Commander Legends provides a multiplayer drafting experience with commanders and legendary creatures. Unsanctioned offers a wacky, casual play atmosphere, combining different eras and styles. These sets cater to different play styles and offer players new strategies and card interactions. Plus, they often contain highly sought-after cards that can enhance your collection or bolster your deck! Features and content of specialty sets Specialty sets in Magic: The Gathering offer features and content that make them stand out from the regular sets. They are designed to enhance the gameplay experience and provide something new. Let's explore these remarkable features and content!

Masters Editions have a limited print run of reprints of popular cards from different expansions. The From the Vault Series has pre-constructed decks which showcase rare and powerful cards. Conspiracy sets are multiplayer-focused, with new mechanics and hidden agendas. Duel Decks provide a two-player experience with decks inspired by iconic conflicts from MTG history. There are also other specialty sets for various themes, formats and game modes, featuring alternate art styles, unique card designs and exclusive cards. Players anticipate each new specialty set, in fear of missing out on the unique cards, mechanics, and gameplay experiences. So don't miss your chance to enhance your Magic: The Gathering collection! Dive into the magical abyss with these popular specialty sets, where even the cards have a taste for mischief. Now it's time to choose the box set that fits your playstyle and preferences. Happy gaming! Examples of popular specialty sets Popular specialty sets in Magic: The Gathering include the "Masters" and "Signature Spellbook" series. They offer unique and powerful cards for experienced players and collectors. Check out the table below for some of the popular sets! Specialty Set Description Masters 25 Celebrates 25th anniversary, with reprints of iconic cards. Ultimate Masters Limited print run, includes sought-after reprints. Modern Horizons New, powerful cards for Modern format. Signature Spellbook: Jace Features 8 different versions of Jace Beleren's spells. More than just these specialty sets exist. Limited edition sets like "From the Vault" focus on themes or mechanics, while Commander sets cater to multiplayer gameplay. Don't miss out on the excitement - explore these unique expansions in Magic: The Gathering. Ready to choose an ally? Loyalty to your deck is all that matters.

Comparison of Magic: The Gathering Box Sets

To compare various Magic: The Gathering box sets effectively, the focus lies on highlighting their similarities, differences in gameplay mechanics, and the cost comparison. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the unique features each box set brings to the table. Similarities among different sets Magic: The Gathering box sets offer an appealing and strategically challenging experience. Each set contains creatures, spells, and artifacts with unique abilities and powers. Plus, they come with various themes and mechanics for building decks and engaging in thrilling battles! Let's look at the similarities among these sets: - Stunning illustrations - Creatures, spells, artifacts - Unique powers and special effects - Common, uncommon, rare, mythic rare - Represented by five color combinations - Various gameplay mechanics and themes - Sought after by avid collectors These features bring an immersive experience to players. From admiring the artwork to strategizing with the cards, each box set has something unique. Magic: The Gathering has a long history, starting from 1993. From the Alpha and Beta editions to the present-day releases like Innistrad Crimson Vow and Adventures in Forgotten Realms, the box sets have evolved to meet changing demands. This continuous development helps keep the game's core principles while adding fresh dynamics. In conclusion, Magic: The Gathering box sets have stunning artwork, diverse card types with unique abilities, and great rarity distribution. They have a rich history of innovation and adaptation, making them enjoyable for both new and veteran players. Whether you like summoning creatures or destroying friendships, these box sets have enough gameplay mechanics to make your opponents cry. Differences in gameplay mechanics Let's dive into the different box sets! Core Set 2022 focuses on classic gameplay. Modern Horizons 2 introduces new cards and themes. Adventures in the Forgotten Realms combines Magic with Dungeons & Dragons. And Strixhaven: School of Mages emphasizes spellcasting and academia. It's more than just a focus, though. Each set introduces new mechanics, abilities, and strategies. This keeps the game dynamic and makes sure each set provides something special. Don't miss out on these wonderful adventures! But be warned - your wallet may not survive! Cost comparison of box sets Magic: The Gathering offers a range of box sets with varying prices. Let's look at the cost comparison of these sets to help you choose one that fits your budget and preferences. Box Set Cost Number of Cards Core Set 2021 $36 274 Commander Legends $126 361 Zendikar Rising Bundle $42 263 "It's noteworthy that despite the higher price, Commander Legends offers the most cards. This makes it ideal for card collectors and players seeking a larger card pool." Source: Magic: The Gathering official website For those who love a challenge, the Ultimate Thrills Box Set is like playing a game of Russian roulette with their opponent's hopes and dreams!

Best Box Set for Different Types of Players

To find the best box set for different types of players in "magic: the gathering," explore box set recommendations for beginners and experienced players. These sub-sections will provide you with solutions tailored to your skill level, enabling you to enhance your gameplay and enjoy the Magic experience to the fullest. Box set recommendations for beginners

Starting box sets? Here are some tips! - Pick a popular show, like "Game of Thrones" or "Breaking Bad." They're amazing intros to the world of box sets. - Look for ones with multiple seasons. That way, you can dive deep into the story and characters over a long time. - Test different genres to find what you like. From crime dramas to comedies, there's something for everyone. For beginners: - Check ratings and reviews to see if it fits your taste. - Try streaming platforms with free trials - you can test out box sets before committing. Oh, and one more thing: Ask friends & family for suggestions - they may have the perfect show for you! For experienced players, box sets are like trophies of conquered realms - they feel accomplished and worried about their real-life achievements. Box set recommendations for experienced players Boxed sets are perfect for experienced players. They provide loads of exciting options to upgrade gameplay. There's a huge choice of sets to fit each veteran player's preferences and needs. Here are some recommended box sets: Box Set Description XYZ For advanced gamers. Tactics and strategies, new game modes and missions. ABC Exclusives and add-ons tailored to veterans. Unique characters, weapons, storylines. DEF Perfect for cooperative play. Challenges and collaboration mechanics. Plus, more options! From sci-fi to historical battles, they'll immerse you in the game. Boxed sets started in board games then made their way to card games and video games. They keep gamers ahead in this quickly-changing landscape. With these sets, experienced players can enjoy hours of thrilling gameplay. Exciting storylines, missions, and features make every move count. Can't decide if Magic: The Gathering is a gift or a curse? Don't worry, it'll keep you guessing for years!

Pros and Cons of Magic: The Gathering Box Sets

Read the full article

[goriaucom]

Hattrick Emas di SEA Games, Zigi: Bukan Saya Hebat

PNOM PENH - Atlet karate Indonesia, Ahmad Zigi Zaresta Yuda meraih medali emas di nomor kata perorangan putra cabang olahraga karate SEA Games 2023 Kamboja. Tampil di Chroy Changvar International Convention & Exhibition Center, Phnom Penh, Kamboja, Sabtu (6/5/2023), Zigi tampil sempurna dan mendapatkan nilai 39,6 poin sekaligus mengalahkan saingannya Aiqal Asmadie dari Malaysia yang mengatongi 39,4 poin. http://dlvr.it/Sncrnl

[kritikapatil]

Tabletop Gaming Market to Witness Excellent Revenue Growth Owing to Rapid Increase in Demand

Advance Market Analytics released a new market study on Global Tabletop Gaming Market Research report which presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Tabletop Gaming Forecast till 2027*.

Tabletop gaming is a broad term that refers to playing games on a surface or table. It involves using game pieces and/or accessories, such as dice, tape measures, battle markers, miniatures, game boards, cards and more. Some games are group-oriented, many are geared for 2 players, and some you can play by alone.

Key Players included in the Research Coverage of Tabletop Gaming Market are Hasbro (United States)

Mattel (United States)

Ravensburger (Germany)

Asmadi Games (United States)

Bezier Games (United States)

BoardGameDesign.com (United States)

Buffalo Games (United States)

Clementoni (Italy)

CMON (United States)

The Walt Disney Co. (United States)

Opportunities: The Growth Opportunities from Developing Countries

Market Growth Drivers: The Emergence of Social Media Coupled With Raising Awareness of the Hobby

Increased Campaigns Leads To Lots of Marketing for Board Games

The Global Tabletop Gaming Market segments and Market Data Break Down by Type (Miniatures & Miniature Wargaming, Role-playing Games (RPGs), Board Games), Application (Childern, Adults, Family, Party), Sales Channel (Online, Offline) To comprehend Global Tabletop Gaming market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Tabletop Gaming market is analyzed across major global regions. AMA also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. • North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. • South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Brazil. • Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. • Europe: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Russia. • Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. Presented By

AMA Research & Media LLP

[topknotstrunk]

Brumigum for Asmadi Games By blix-it

[qaantar-tea]

At PAX in Philly for the board game convention... Lots of fun and awesome games, like #plumplim here from Asmadi Games... #pax #paxunplugged #boardgames https://instagr.am/p/ClrSREROrZK/

[mistercrowbar]

A pretty pony pal properly prepared for plundering perilous passageways! A new hero for an upcoming expansion to One Deck Dungeon from Asmadi Games.

I had a lot of fun designing her, this totally came about because the client saw my centaur gal Liliwyn and was like, “so wanna draw a centaur hero for us?” and I was like OF COURSE. I put a lot of that “big & friendly” energy into this gal too, but I like to think she’s also the mom friend -- those saddlebags got snacks and water satchels to keep her fellow adventurers energized and hydrated!

[markrosewater]

It's my 21st birthday today. For birthday trivia, can you tell me anything about Vaevictis Asmadi?

I believe all five of the Elder Dragon Legends were characters from role playing games played by the set’s design team. The five Dragons would also be the original inspiration for the Commander format.

Happy Birthday!

[fellwar-finch]

Double Vaevictis Asmadi, double protection boots. …pretty decent showing for the first (more than 2 person) game with this deck

[danco110]

If you ever start thinking “Hey, maybe I have too many Commander decks,” let me tell you: you don’t. I do:

WARNING!!! EXTREMELY long post below, describing each deck and a brief summary of its strategy in overly abbreviated and nerdy Commander lingo. I mean, I’m talking a real wall of text, here. I mean it! Read more at your own risk!

——

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THE A-TEAM: These decks have all been around for a while, and have all seen their fair share of wins.

-Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain. Artifact storm, and probably the closest I’ll ever come to cedh. WARNING: my Mana Crypt is in here!

Gisela, Blade of Goldnight. OHKO tribal. Seeks to blast people wide open with either Embercleave, Kaya’s Onslaught, or Uncaged Fury.

-Bruna, Light of Alabaster. Voltron that can either play nice and fetch Eldrazi Conscription, or not, and grab Spectra Ward.

-Sigarda, Heron’s Grace. Human tokens tribal, and the rightful recipient of my only Doubling Season.

-Admiral Beckett Brass. Pirate tribal. Taking commanders and wincons is fun. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Gishath, Sun’s Avatar. Dino tribal.

-Hallar, the Firefletcher. Kicker tribal.

-Syr Gwyn of Ashvale. Knights and equipments and equip 0 Colossal Hammers.

-Nikya of the Old Ways. A creatures-only deck that probably has more interaction than most of my other decks!

-Atemsis, All Seeing. Azor’s Gateway / Twiddlestorm / Untap shenanigans. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Gnostro, Voice of the Crags. Flicker tribal with a non-Narset commander so as to not draw too much heat.

-Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty. Cascade / big spells / Simic is broken change my mind / tribal

-Aragon, Roar of the World. Cat tribal, and my first-ever Commander deck!

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THE B-TEAM: My decks with fairly good performance across their games, independent of wins and losses

-Halana, Kessig Trapper and Alena, Kessig Ranger (Partner). Big bodies / EtB tribal.

-Khorvath Brightflame and Sylvia Brightspear (Partner). Knights and dragons tribal.

-Virtus, the Veiled and Gorm, the Great (Partner). Quietus Spike / force block shenanigans. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate. Azorius party aggro.

-Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats. Phantom Rakdos party control.

-Tazri, Beacon of Unity. 5C party +1/+1 counters.

-Kazarov, Senior Pureblood. “I can’t play against Krenko anymore today” Pyroclasm tribal.

-Liesa, Shroud of Dusk. Angel and demon tribal (NOTE: no synergy there, I just wanted to stick to the flavor of “alliance with a demon lord”)

-Orah, Skyclave Hierophant. Clerics tribal that always tries for an Angel of Destiny win before it (always) defers back to aristocrats.

-Bruna, the Fading Light. Angel tribal that tries to meld Brisela every game.

-Anafenza, the Foremost. +1/+1 counters tribal, and the deck that made me realize Outlast really should’ve been instant-speed.

-Samut, Voice of Dissent. Exert tribal with vigilance, untap, and extra combats.

-Juri, Master of the Revue. Sacrifice tribal, with a burn subtheme.

-Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas. Big tribal, and the deck that made me realize Experience counters were busted. Run Suncleanser, people!

-Quintorius, Field Historian. Reanimate and blow up your graveyard. Also, Purify the Grave is hilarious!

-Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire. Chaos warp tribal, and a Primal Surge deck that doesn’t have Primal Surge because that card is extremely boring.

-Ishkanah, Grafwidow. Spider tribal that seeks to make opponents forget about Ishkanah’s activated ability until it’s too late.

-Omnath, Locus of the Roil. Landfall and elementals.

-Savra, Queen of the Golgari. Grave Pact tribal. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Feather, the Redeemed. Haha, combat tricks go brrrrrr!

-Adeliz, the Cinder Wind. Wizards spellslinger aggro. Also one of the few decks of mine that actually uses cantrips!

-Aryel, Knight of Windgrace. Knights tribal with a removal/control subtheme.

-Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice. Mentor + Double Strike tribal. I only built this deck because I pulled a borderless Outlaws’ Merriment, ok?

-Araumi of the Dead Tide. Self mill encore, and the deck that made me appreciate the singleton rule in Commander.

-Kaza, Roil Chaser. Big spells. BIG! I mean, Electrodominance for 10, into a Karn’s Temporal Sundering, big!

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THE C-TEAM: My decks that just don’t cut it at a lot of pods, sometimes even against those at appropriate power levels. That being said, however, these tend to be my more storied decks, that I still enjoy playing.

-Syr Alin, the Lion’s Claw. Mono-White go wide, with commons and uncommons only. Part of my cycle of Eldraine uncommon legendary knight decks, 1/5.

-Syr Elenora, the Discerning. Mono-Blue Voltron + draw power, with commons and uncommons only, 2/5.

-Syr Konrad, the Grim. Mono-Black aristocrats...kind of...? It’s complicated, but with commons and uncommons only, 3/5.

-Syr Carah, the Bold. Mono-Red storm, with rares and mythics for Underworld Breach and Past in Flames, because I feel like storm needs those, 4/5.

-Syr Faren, the Hengehammer. Mono-Green infect, with rares and mythics for Phyrexian Swarmlord, because I really wanted a deck that could run that, 5/5.

-Jodah, Archmage Eternal. Avengers Assemble! legendary tribal. I had a lot of bulk legends at the time, and wanted to make something of them!

-Abomination of Llanowar. Literal elf ball. Built in response to my irritation at someone’s Lathril, Blade of the Elves deck.

-Licia, Sanguine Tribute. Lifegain is good, I swear, built in response to my disbelief at the $200 price tag on a store-built Licia deck. Mine costs maybe $100, if you count the sleeves and box?

-Thalisse, Reverent Medium. Tokens tribal that breaks Anointed Procession even further, which made me wonder why green gets all the token doublers *cough*adrixandnev*cough*

-Hamza, Guardian of Arashin. +1/+1 counters, with commons and uncommons only, built because someone at my store wanted to play commons and uncommons only with an uncommon Commander. Thanks for getting me into Artisan Commander, Will!

-Siona, Captain of the Pyleas. Enchantress, with a tokens subtheme. Built because I and a friend both commented that she looked like Wonder Woman.

-Mina and Denn, Wildborn (NOT Partner). Landfall aggro, with all the creatures that pump on landfall.

-Ghired, Conclave Exile. Populate and tokens. Built because I was bored one Saturday and saw I had an extra set of sleeves.

-Obuun, Mul Daya Ancestor. Landfall tribal, (again? Sheesh!) built the same lazy Saturday as Ghired, above.

-Armix, Filigree Familiar and Eligeth, Crossroads Augur (YES Partner). Artifact tribal, with a super janky 4-piece Marionette Master loop wincon! Built because Eligeth turns Preordain into “Draw 2 cards, then draw a card.”

-Akiri, Fearless Voyager. Equipment tribal, with an asymmetrical boardwipe subtheme. Built because I pulled an Akiri from a pack, and someone said “ooh, sorry,” from over my shoulder.

-Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch. Unleash counters tribal. Built because I found a Chaos Imps in my bulk!

——

THE MEME-TEAM: These decks...are. Yeah, they are. Not necessarily good or bad. Just...are.

-Kenrith, the Returned King. The game plan is “Get to Trostani’s Summoner, and either flicker it or make a bajillion copies of it.” One day, I found a card named Trostani’s Summoner, and it was love at first sight! My Demonic Tutor went in here!

-Phylath, World Sculptor. Landfall tribal...with 99 basic land cards.

-Rograkh, Son of Rogahh and Keleth, Sunmane Familiar. (Partner) Kill one guy and die tribal.

-Etrata the Silencer. The “I wanted a non-Koma Mirror Gallery deck” deck. Also with a guest appearance from flicker!

-Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. Literally just “Oops! All Control!” Draw, counter, and remove. WARNING: don’t play against this.

-Ravos, Soultender and Livio, Oathsworn Sentinel. (Partner) War of attrition, etb and control. WARNING: don’t play against this. It has like 15 boardwipes!

-Valki, God of Lies / Tibalt, Cosmic Imposter. (NOT Partner) “I want to piss off the table” tribal. It mills your opponents, it plays their stuff, and it removes the stuff it doesn’t play. WARNING: don’t play against this. It runs Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and Decree of Annihilation!

-Svella, Ice Shaper. Colossal Dreadmaw tribal, as in, anything that’s roughly 6/6 makes the cut! It’s actually won games!

-Brion Stoutarm. Hijack and fling tribal. “You know, I’ve never had an Eldrazi titan before. Can I borrow it? Well, see, I wasn’t exactly...asking...?”

-Grumgully, the Generous. Non-human “uno mas” tribal. Tries to run all the counters cards like Renata and the Rhythm of the Wild.

-Subira, Tuzuldi Caravaneer. Small tribal. Just think “mono-r blitz in Commander,” and you’ll get the gist.

-Neheb, the Worthy. Minotaurs and discard tribal. Not as oppressive as Tinybones, or as explosive as Nath, and that’s a good thing. Trust me.

——

THE ALL-RAVNICAN REJECTS: These decks are... *sniff* no longer with us. They were broken down for pieces, for sleeves, or because I slept through each time I played them.

-Najeela, the Blade Blossom. Boring warriors extra combat steps. Broken because I wanted her tri-lands, and I wanted some of her warriors for my party decks.

-Golos, Tireless Pilgrim. Maze’s End lands. Golos is broken and we all know it. Broken for sleeves, and because my first land tutor was always Field of the Dead because of the incoming hate, and not Maze’s End, and I wasn’t happy with that.

-Arcades, the Strategist. Walls. As it turns out, not a lot of decks can contest 3-mana 8/8’s. And against those that could, the deck was put in the ground extremely quickly. Broken because it just wasn’t fun to play.

——

THE DRAWING BOARD: These decks are in the works. Will they see the light of day, and the protection of sleeves? Well, we’ll see, will we not?

-Borborygmos. Go wide and SMASH! My first attempt at a pile of cards; I’m trying for a goblins/saproling hybrid tribal, because both make lots of tokens, but we’ll see how well that translates into actual play.

-Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer. Thopters and artificers and myr, oh my! All joking aside, I just wanted a deck that wants to run cards with Fabricate, because I thought it was a really cool mechanic!

-Garna, the Bloodflame. Reanimator/sacrifice, AKA corpse carousel. It’s a revolving door between the graveyard and the battlefield, yknow, and most of my store’s meta does not run graveyard hate.

I tried to warn ‘ya!

[radramblog]

Elder Dragon Highlander

 Commander is a format of Magic the Gathering that has become almost completely detached from its original premise. Much of what the format is is built upon the concept of Elder Dragon Highlander- 21 Commander damage is lethal because that’s 3 hits from an Elder Dragon, the slow grindy format built to accommodate the original 5’s heavy mana investment and limited effects.

But that was a long time ago, and the designers at WoTC have opted to attach the moniker of Elder Dragon to a number of additional cards. 21 total cards hold the name, 4 cycles of 5 apiece with one straggler at the back.

What is considered “elder” is largely to do with lore, I think, but due to its association with such iconic cards, it’s interesting to see how and what the label is attached to.

I’ll, uh….do cube something next week? I dunno. But this is the Elder Dragons.

 The original 5

The first elder dragon cycle is kind of iconic of Magic in general. Released in Legends, they were the first tricoloured cards in the entire game, were I believe the biggest and most expensive cards of the time, and all represented characters from the comics that I think just about everyone forgets existed.

They do not even remotely resemble modern design. Clunky is one thing, but the quintuplets are almost aberrant to what would be considered attractive Magic cards. A monstrous investment of mana in multiple colours that has a continuous upkeep of more mana, all for an arguably understatted flying creature with one extra ability. Chromium gets Rampage, a keyword that started in Legends, ended in Mirage, and doesn’t have reminder text despite being arguably confusing. Palladia-Mors gets Trample, making it arguably one of the best ones. Vaevictis Asmadi gets Firebreathing in all 3 of its colours, in case 8+3+3+3… wasn’t enough mana-shaped eggs in one basket for you. Arcades gets a bonus ability in toughness-breathing, to make up for it’s deliberately mediocre ability- the “oh cool I can use this with vigilance” eureka/fun brain moment quashed by its pointless limitation.

And then, of course, there’s Nicol Bolas. Somehow one of the game’s most iconic characters, in an art rendition that makes a powerful villain look like a gentle draconic geriatric. (EDITORS NOTE: still Rad here but I just now noticed this mf has a fucking dragon nipple, wtf?) I suppose Bolas becoming so well known was inevitable, if only because it was the only one of the most popular cycles with an actually cool and powerful ability. There are currently 210 more Bolas decks than any other member of this cycle, and that difference also happens to be twice what the other four have combined.

Bolas is arguably the only one that stood the test of time, the only one to ever show up independently of the other 4. I suppose we’ll see if any of the rest do the same, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

(Elder) Dragons of Tarkir

The titular Dragons of Tarkir’s third set (Dragons of Tarkir) were a set I was excited to see as the cards were being spoiled. The lore of the plane was interesting, with Magic stepping into a plot with time travel and finally showing us what Ugin looked like after almost 10 years of curiosity. The dragons that would become the Clan leaders had appeared previously in Fate Reforged, and the editions that we’d see as Elders- 10,000 years older and in some cases even wiser- presented a powerful and exciting cycle. Unlike with the Legends dragons, I’m pretty sure all of these saw play somewhere.

Ironically, though, I’m pretty sure these were deliberately tuned for Standard rather than the format named after their typeline. Even outside of Kolaghan’s line of text that….doesn’t do a whole lot in the format, Ojutai and Silumgar were pretty obviously built to be the finishers in the Esper Dragons deck that ran them, Atarka a clear top-end for Gruul Monsters (and, eventually, Eldrazi Ramp), and Dromoka a potential menace in Dromoka’s Command-backed Midrange lists. These cards are all quite powerful, but they’re built for a different kind of game.

That’s I suppose the biggest issue with the Dragons of Dragons of Tarkir, they were underwhelming. The set as a whole was fairly middling, though I did truly enjoy the draft format. I’m pretty sure the most played card in the set is fucking Collected Company, one I kind of despise, followed with Kolaghan’s Command which is just a traumatic experience for me. And while 3 of these 5 are seeing more play than their past counterparts, including Dragonlord Ojutai being literally 10 times more commonly seen than Soul of Winter, that difference is largely a matter of power (or lack thereof), the Mythic Dragonlords being obviously stronger than their Rare originals. The rare ones are arguably more fun, though, and that’s what matters to me.

 Legends…2! (aka core set 2019)

Part of the theme of Core Set 2019 was the story (read: retcon so the ending of War of the Spark makes more sense) of Bolas and Ugin in their youth, which meant that we got to get updated, modern designs of the original Elder Dragons (not Ugin tho lmao). And by Modern, I kind of mean postmodern, because we’re at the point where Commander cards start getting absurd All The Time.

Each of the Elder Dragons of Core 2019 (copyright WoTC 2018) have the benefits of updated design practices with 24 extra years of experience, as well as not having to have a million words on them for silly reasons like extra mana sacrifice triggers. Even Palladia-Mors, probably the weakest of them (and still pretty threatening!), gets to have flavour text hinting at a potential return (which hasn’t happened yet).

When you’re designing cards like these, though, it’s inevitable that some are going to be overshadowed by others. Baby Bolas, of course, was one of the flagship cards for the set, being a transforming Planeswalker with lots of abilities that wins the game in just the most classy way I’ve seen in a minute. And Arcades took a fun niche deck people liked and blew it wide open, making Defenders into one of the most disgusting Offensive decks in a minute.

But then there’s Chromium, a fairly powerful Voltron/Control finisher but not one that leads you in any particular direction. Vaevictis does lead in fun directions, but would then be completely dwarfed by the absurdity that is Lord Windgrace the same year and Korvold the next one.

Outside of a few, this cycle feels like it got kind of lost in the shuffle, and I think that’s not really that much a reflection of the cards (except maybe Palladia, the Naya Problem rearing its ugly head again), and more the greater issue with Magic as a whole just shitting out cards constantly faster than most can catch up.

Welcome to Strixhaven School of Magecraft and Sideboardary

Our final cycle is the new kids on the block, the Strixhaven dragons. I suppose one way to make the definitely not Hogwarts Houses (they’re colleges, Clearly) seem important is attach a giant Fuckoff Dragon next to them.

A thing I like a lot about Strixhaven as a set is how it was introducing a new Thing for each of the enemy colour pairs to do- Golgari Lifegain, Boros Graveyard, Izzet Spells But Big Ones Instead Also Treasures?. The set came with loads and loads of cards supporting each of these themes, and having Commander 2021 alongside it and associated with it means they’re well supported by that as well. But, and this is the important part, the Elder Dragons aren’t as overshadowed because they too are doing something different, even if its rather slight in some cases, on their own- but each supporting or being supported by the Dragon in question.

Beledros is a Big Mana Golgari commander (normally seen in Mono-Green or Gruul) whose huge life cost is assisted by the Lifegain cards Witherbloom got. Galazeth helps ramp into the giant spells associated with Prismari while also making the alternate discard into treasure option some of those spells have a lot better. Tanazir doubles the power of Quandrix’s Fractal tokens, and makes them even more huge when attacking due to then natively being 0/0s. And I don’t really know what the idea in Silverquill is other than “Politics”, but Shadrix looks fucking cool and probably plays really nicely. It’s just a really fucking solid cycle.

It’s not really possible to tell how these 5 are going to play out- Strixhaven is still the latest Standard Set to release at time of writing. But I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the most successful Elder Dragon cycle as a whole assuming you’re looking at, like, mean Decks.

And then there’s The Other One

As part of Modern Horizons 2, cards for a set of characters from alllll the way back from those Legends stories were created- a new Dakkon, a Geyadrone Dihada, and the Elder Dragon that showed up in their story- Piru.

Piru is, obviously, a reference to the original cycle of Elder Dragons, but in a Wedge colour rather than a Shard. And with an extra keyword, which is something I missed, because it makes all the difference. I had written this card off, until I realised that Lifelink triggered from the death trigger, and when this thing dies it isn’t too hard to gain dozens of life points. That’s a lot and combined with clearing the board it’s not too hard to get virtually unkillable. I love leaning into the downside from the original dragons by adding a powerful death trigger like this.

Piru released very recently, and already has 112 decks to her name. I wouldn’t be surprised if that plateaus, but it’s still rather promising. 8 mana is a lot in non-green colours, but I like Piru, and I’d be happy to see her see lots and lots of play going forward.

While 2021 has so far had more Elder Dragons than any other year, they’ve been a very promising cadre with a lot of interesting ideas going on. With that said, I’m not sure that I want the trend to continue, because the more they make (the more Elders in general, really), the less special they get. But for now at least, it looks like we’re finally getting to a good place for Elder Dragons. Only took us 27 years.

[doctor-roman]

What are some cards that you are very fond of

Jeleva is a commander who is very near and dear to my heart, and I don’t think I could ever bring myself to take her apart for any reason.

My deck for her has actually garnered quite the reputation at my LGS, and I’ve had to shelve her as a “one-and-done” deck when playing with friends; because when she gets going, she can be downright miserable to play against.

As for non-commanders, Primal Surge FINALLY got to do its thing in my Vaevictis Asmadi deck a couple weeks ago, and I feel I’ll be keeping that deck for a long time too.

Lastly, I played a game with Kykar who did phenomenal as a Sunforger deck. I feel like the deck still needs some fine tuning in certain areas, but it’s really made me enjoy playing Jeskai where Sevinne failed.

So I guess that’s my list for now; Jeleva, Primal Surge, and Sunforger

[housebeleren]

Random Commander Challenge: Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire

Aaaand back to Magic. I’ve gotta say, I really love doing this random commander thing. It really gives me a chance to stretch my deckbuilding muscles, and keeps the games fun and casual, since I can’t have too high a budget. It’s even inspired some of my playgroup to do similar things, building offbeat commanders with restrictions, so I highly recommend trying it out. For October (I’m way behind), the wheel landed on Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire from Core Set 2019. I feel like the 5 Elder Dragons from M19 were all super exciting when they landed, but were quickly cast aside in the excitement of the Ravnica guilds. But back to M19 it was, and with a deck I was really excited to try out, particularly since I almost never build these colors.

Art: Steven Belledin

Theme

Vaevictis Asmadi, at least on his second time at the rodeo, has a really interesting mechanic. He wants you to swing, and every time he does, he polymorphs something of your choice of every single player’s board. So right there, that presents us with a few clear jumping off points to work with. We’ll definitely want things to sacrifice to him, and we’ll want to hit a permanent as many times as possible, since it’s really painful to have all your opponents flip big creatures into play and have you whiff on a non-permanent. So with that in mind, I thought, “What if I made the deck almost all permanents?”, which naturally led to the follow up, “What if I made this a Primal Surge deck?”

Naturally.

So that’s the direction I went. This deck is very much about the mechanical identity, and very little about the flavor or lore identity. Sorry, Vorthoses, this one is for the Mels out there. (Though to be fair, there’s very little actual lore on the Elder Dragons besides Bolas.) But yes! Ramp to get to Vaevectis Asmadi, lots of sacrifice Fodder to feed his ability, and some payoffs, plus the lone spell Primal Surge to serve as an alternate path to victory. Let’s look at them in order.

Card Groups

Ramp - We definitely want plenty of ramp in this deck, as Vaevictis Asmadi is a 6 drop who needs to swing before he does anything, so chances are we’ll be casting him at least once to have any shot of winning. However, given his restriction, we don’t want lots of spell ramp like Cultivate in the deck. Instead, we want Creature and Artifact based ramp. I particularly like some of the Creatures that go find Lands to put on the battlefield, since they increase your chance of hitting actual cards with your commander’s ability. Of this group, Farhaven Elf, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Ondu Giant, and Solemn Simulacrum all made the cut. I also added Khalni Heart Expedition and Curse of Opulence as more off the beaten track ways to ramp (the latter of which can also be used as sac fodder). Lastly, I included 10 rocks and dorks, and which ones you prefer don’t really matter, as long as you have plenty of acceleration.

Haste & Protection - Vaevictis Asmadi is great, but has one major challenge. He’s a 6 drop without Haste that needs to attack before he’s useful. Normally, I’d say don’t stress it or wait until you have 8 or 9 mana to hold up protection after you cast him, but this deck is so tuned around his ability, we really need to get him attacking. For that reason, I think some Haste enablers are basically mandatory for this deck. Rhythm of the Wild and Fires of Yavimaya are fantastic, and feel right on with the flavor as well. I also included Anger, Bloodsworn Stewrd, and Urabrask the Hidden as additional redundancy. Lastly, as silly as it is for dragons to wear boots, I included Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots, which both also have the advantage of protecting him from targeted removal.

Sacrifice Fodder - Now that he’s attacking, we need something to sacrifice. It’s all well and good making your opponents sacrifice their big bombs they’ve just put out, but we want expendable things. Token makers are essential. Grismold, the Dreadsower is one of my favorites, since he not only creates sac fodder, but grows off of them when they die as well. Tendershoot Dryad and Verdant Force make tokens consistently as well, though they are costlier to get going. One of the cheapest is Genesis Chamber, but that can backfire if an opponent has a deck with lots of Creature ETBs, so play it carefully. I rounded out my options with Endrek Sahr, Curse of Disturbance, and Slimefoot, among a few others. Also, don’t forget your land-fetching creatures can be sacrificed for value after they’ve done their initial thing.

Big Payoffs - Now comes the fun part: flipping your tokens into some giant monsters and things. I started with all three Cavaliers from Core Set 2020 that fit in the Jund colors, and they’re all great hits off the ability. The Red one can also grant Haste, so he serves double duty on that count. Sepulchral Primordial is also a fun hit, since you can reanimate creatures you just forced your opponents to sacrifice, or anything else they may have thrown in the bin. It’s definitely worth including Avenger of Zendikar, Craterhoof Behemoth, and Purphoros as good hits that can easily turn into win conditions. Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest fills a similar role, as does Kokusho, especially when paired with Haunted Crossroads. Probably the granddaddy of all hits, however, is It That Betrays, which will completely dominate the game if you untap with it and Vaevictis on the board, as you slowly take control of everything. It’s the only Eldrazi I included, but the important thing is mix & match your favorite giant monsters and have fun.

Removal & Other ETBs - Lastly, there are also lots of creatures with useful ETBs that are good hits off of Vaevictis, so you’ll want to include some of those. Several of them are removal, like Ravenous Chupacabra, Reclamation Sage, and Loaming Shaman (yes, that’s removal against Graveyard strategies). I also included Plaguecrafter and The Eldest Reborn as punishment against decks with low creature counts. Several other good ETBs are graveyard retrieval, so you’ll want to include at least a few, like Eternal Witness and Gravedigger. And finally, I threw in Dire Fleet Daredevil for both the name (yes, I’m that ridiculous), but also because its ETB effect is really sweet. Pick your favorites and make room for them.

A few final one-offs that are worth including. 

Haunted Crossroads - I already mentioned this one, as it’s a great way to buy back big creatures that die by flinging them on top of the library in response to Vaevictis’ ability trigger (though you can’t return the same thing you sacrifice, sadly). 

Warstorm Surge - Good Purphoros redundancy

Aid from the Cowl - Basically lets you double up your hits each turn. 

Bonds of Mortality - Since Vaevictis does target, and this allows you to get rid of pesky Hexproof creatures at a low cost.

Possibility Storm - This is a must-include here, since you won’t really care what you’re casting, but it can completely screw up your opponents’ game plans.

Primal Surge - If you’re going all-in on permanents, why not? Most of the time, this card simply says “Win the game.”

Win Conditions & Lines of Play

I feel like the win conditions in this deck pretty much speak for themselves, so I’ll go through these pretty quick:

Avenger-Craterhoof  - I mean, duh. This is the classic combo for Green, and it works great here. With all the Haste enablers in the set, these two can come down on the same turn (say, from a Primal Surge?) and just immediately win you the game.

Purphoros/Warstorm Surge - These two cards are basically redundant, and your goal is just to get them out then either drop an Avenger of Zendikar, or Primal Surge into your deck. But, even if you get one of these early, you can still win pretty quickly off them just through creating tons of tokens off Verdant Force, so don’t sleep on that option.

Primordial Betrays Everything - Use either Sepulchral Primordial or It That Betrays to just take everything. You can amass a huge army of your opponents best stuff after only a couple turns with these guys. For the Primordial, you’ll need to sacrifice it and reuse it, probably with Haunted Crossroads. Oh, that works for Kokusho too, how convenient.

Stompy Dragon Mode - Use your giant commander and many of the other giant creatures in this deck and just smash. This deck can go really aggressive really fast, and it’s often hard for other decks to keep up when you’re removing their best stuff every turn. Definitely think about winning through good old fashioned face smashing.

If it wasn’t clear, you should basically always win dropping Primal Surge, because you’ll flip into some combination of the above. The only time it might not work is if you have an opponent who truly has an obscenely high life total, in which case you may have to try to win through commander damage, or attrition them out by slowly taking their entire deck over the course of every turn. The good news is, you can prevent yourself from decking, so this isn’t actually completely unreasonable, it’s just annoying. (But honestly, if someone gains “infinite” life, are they not the unreasonable ones?)

Conclusion

Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire has been awesome. He was always one of my favorites from the cycle, but I actually think there’s a competitive Commander build here as well. There’s tons of potential to make this deck really solid, though I prefer my kinda jank one. The deck played pretty consistently, thanks to all the ramp, and I actually won 2 out of 4 games with it, which is pretty good.

I went a touch over budget for this (as usual), but this was about the closest I’ve ever come to staying within the budget, thanks to already having Craterhoof & Purphoros on hand. But I did need to get a copy of It That Betrays, and plus a few other odds and ends for the deck, ended up spending about $30 on new cards for it. Still, not bad considering my theoretical $25 budget for new cards. 

So yeah, fun commander, and a blast to play. Would 100% recommend, both for veteran players looking for something a little different, and for newer players as a way to introduce them to some really great combos, but still have fun doing big splashy things.

For November (yes I know I’m, to quote Sex and the City, about a fucking month late), I got Medomai the Ageless, so apparently the universe decided that nobody else was allowed to have fun after this one. I’ll post that one here soon, after I get to play it one more time this week.