#FF Blog - Follow Friday, Spoilers, and Pick the Deck!

Happy Friday!

Sorry I couldn't post last week, I know many of you were in great dispair with out me. First, I have to give a shameless self plug, to check out my latest from Quietspeculation.com, its in the insider section, so sign up, and read it. Also lots of other great stuff on there, like @chosler88, and @mtgstephenmoss. The free section has some of my favorite twitter 'pals' like @cavemankellen and @bgardnerdurbin. So #FF all them peeps.

Also, always #ff to the Limited Resources Podcasters, @marshallLRcast and @modogodot. I really want to take a moment to pat Marshall on the back. He has attained the level of troll, that only I (and maybe @semisober) can appreciate. He trolls ever so subtly... jussssst enough to get you to nibble. I love when he rakes @smi77y through the coals... (not so much when I'm the recipient, but win-some-lose-some).

This week I asked some of my new-ish followers to introduce themselves, and both @mtgtroll (an employee of @card_kingdom) and @gamedoll said hello. I can already tell I'm going to enjoy @mtgtroll's humor, and @gamedoll is a chick from texas who is into MTG and swings a katana! she promised to post a picture when she gets a chance...

Also want to reccomend that everyone follows @two_eyes... He's an Econ student who's sharp and prepared to jump in on any give twitter topic. You'll find him in various forums around the interwebz as well.

Also a quick shoutout to the san diego peoples, @hobbesq, @josephlocascio, @gkstull and our own local Level 2 judge @dzimet who is just getting the hang of twitter (and doing so much more swiftly than he admits).

On a local note, some of the guys from my LGS started up a website/blog about commander at http://www.thecommandzone.com/ Check it out, they'll be posting videos of matches, among many other things there. I've been watching them work on things for quite a while over at the ol' gaming shop.

There's a bunch of people I highly reccomend following, and there's literally no one on the 250+ people I follow that I wouldn't reccomend. If i haven't gotten to you yet, remind me why you're awesome!

So, on to some chit-chat. Spoilers. Yeah, so leaked... godbook... lawsuit... whatever, drama. I have mixed emotions about the spoilers, and I've heard a lot of the same sentiment around the twitterverse. I really just feel bad for the smaller sites that depend on spoiler season to draw traffic to their sites. Boo. As much as I'm always clamoring for spoilers, i think WotC does a good job of doling them out responsibly, and this is quite literally, shooting the wad.

But now, the highlight of the day, Pick the Deck!
Tommorrow , i'll be playing in a WPN Nat Qualifier, that offers one bid to Nationals. I'm letting YOU pick the deck I play. Which ever deck receives the most votes, either here or on twitter, I'll run tomorrow.
Sorry, no Caw-Blade or Valakut here... you have to choose between my awful homebrews... MUAHAHA.

1- Pyromancer Ascension aka #JustPlayPA
I've written about this deck at length on this here blog, I'm taking @dtlerch's suggestion in removing treasure hunt in favor of 2x Jace Beleren and 1x Call to Mind. The Sideboard is TBD.

2-  Tezztructive Force aka #carbrew
This is a pretty standard Tezzeret Grixis deck, similar to what @thepchapin played in paris, but less lands, more artifact ramp, and destructive force. Game plan is to ramp with artifacts, armageddon, and win by making 5/5's or by jace-fatesealing off lands, or casting a wurmcoil of artifact mana. It's really fun, and REALLY swingy. Can simply win a game out of no where, but can totally fizzle with a board of mana artifacts...

3- MBC aka #getinthevat
This deck is a mono-black control deck, that revolves around abusing mimic vat, and tons of card advantage. Cards like Liliana's specter, (and liliana herself) phyrexian rager, skinrender, inquizition, massacre wurm and wurmcoil, all come together to produce medium sized bodies that no one wants to kill, because they can't survive them under the vat! Specter+vat lockouts, Skinrender+vat destruction, Massacre Wurm+vat hilarity!

To place your vote, do so in the comments below, or by tweeting at me with the corresponding hashtag.
Presuming the experience isn't a total nightmare, and more than 2-3 of you vote, i'll do a write up on the the tournament that i will guilt all of you into reading .

Goin to the padres game tonight, should be cool, don't be jelly.
Happy friday!

#FF Blog Entry

This was a somewhat quiet week on twitter for me. Doing a lot of testing for #scgLA this weekend, and also battling a lot of Ascension. A friend and I play for $0.25/point, doubles on a skunk (games won by more than 20). It's led to some late nights, and a lot of gaming. Good times.

Anyway, on to the new tradition of #FollowFriday...

@modogodot and @marshallLRcast (and their sponsor @card_kingdom) are always on my list, check their Limited Resources podcast over at mtgcast.com
Last week they were kind enough to plug my blog, and I really appreciate that.

@fatecreatr is playing in a PTQ this weekend, and I know he's been putting in some work, so here's to "Getting There" He's also provides amazing content over at QuietSpeculation.com on the Insider section. (Shameless plug: My latest is up at QS Insider here)

Lately I've stopped plugging the pros and most recognized writers for #ff. The reason for this, is most of you follow them already, or are aware of their existence, and choose to not follow them. The ones who engage with players (not just other pros) are the ones I'd like to give a quick shoutout to: @thepchapin @semisober @fivewithflores

I'm giving a shoutout to @mr_friday He engages all sorts of people on everything, and has great insights.
I have a feeling he's somehow connected to the 'cool crowd' of pros, but i haven't figured out how (or really tried). In either case, he's certainly worth following.

Big ups to Nina @cardboardwitch Really funny and snarky. and she *dodges* like a champ.

@hobbesq avid edh'er but gives good insights on any magic format, has a deep knowledge of cards (and statistics and sports)

I have to include @wrongwaygoback He always has the wittiest MTG related commentary. He's got a bajillion followers, but if you aren't following him. Do it.

QS Crew that i interact with daily: @dtlerch (spike editor) @joshjmtg (Spike author "justice league) @chosler88 (Finance guru)  @cavemankellen (spike author)

@metaknightmare talks alot about life as a student, which i enjoy, as i miss the "good ol days" but he also talks lots about cubing, constructed, and video games.

@two_eyes started dabbling in the MTGO draft scene, and its been interesting to see what comes easily to him and what he struggles with. but he also comments on all the "hot issues" on any given day.

@vrazix Doesn't poke his head out too often, but when he does its usually an astute comment about what ever topic is on the table.

If you're not on this list, engage me! If you follow me, and I don't follow you, tell me why i should, and I will! (just ask @grant_champion, who is a great person to follow for pauper info)
Thanks for reading, happy weekend!