Thran Utopia #40: How I Met Your Gutter

Episode 1: Blasphemy of Mediocrity

Cards, ever since I saw that card on the Innistrad card image gallery, I was sold. I just knew there could be something good there, somewhere. But before I met her in her final incarnation, there was a long way before me. This is the story of how I met your Gutter.

The Grinding Stone – Standard Post M12

Hello!  Welcome to the second edition of “The Grinding Stone.”  This week I will be going over the post M12 Standard format.  While it will be short lived, the format will be relevant for the upcoming Starcitygames.com open events and US Nationals.  Comprising of the Zendikar block, Scars block, M11 and M12, the New Standard is shaping up to be quite interesting.

With Jace and Stoneforge banned, the format really feels fresh.  There is still the Splinter Twin/Exarch combo looming, and while the old bad guy Valakut will be making a comeback, there is still quite a lot of design space.  Many creatures and strategies that were completely neutered by Jace have been given a new life.  Titans are good again.  Cards like Consecrated Sphinx and Wurmcoil Engine rise in value as there is no “Jace Test” anymore.  There is also another reason these creatures will be standing out, but we will get to that in a bit.

Thran Utopia #13: TezzeREDRUM, revisited

What most of you don’t know is that I started writing for Red Site Wins only after I did so for my own site, Stidjen’s Magic. I started writing before Mirrodin Besieged came out, so I was all over Tezzeret once he got spoiled. There was a bit of holding back, however, as I did not want to geek out over a card that could end up out of my price range. A four mana blue Planeswalker? Hold your horses, gentlemen! I did, however, end up with a playset shortly after the set was released and eventually ended up with one of my most favorite decks. Today, I am going to recap the entire journey up until the point where the deck resides today.

Thran Utopia #7: Self-fulfilling prophecy

“Let my sealed pool just be bomby, that’s all I’m asking.”

These were among my closing words from last week. They did prove to be correct, but that was about as much fun as I had last Saturday. I went to Eindhoven with Robert, to battle with an above-average group of players. For example, renowned pros Frank Karsten and Jeroen Remie visit each prerelease, while there is also a whole slew of up-and-comers and grinders there to slug it out. So while the competition would prove to be fierce as usual, and while my deck seemed above average as well, things all went downhill from here.

Thran Utopia #6: New Phyrexia, Old Decks

Hi all and welcome back to another installment of my writing attempts. This week I want to take a look at the New Phyrexia spoilers, a lot of cards which we’ll be seeing in flesh for the first time tomorrow. At least I am! However, my article today will not be a 1 to 175 card-by-card set review. Instead, I’d like to focus on the cards that got me excited, cards that can supplement old decks or cards that will inspire new ones. Strap your goggles on real tight, ’cause we’re diving straight in!

Thran Utopia #3: Tainted and touched by death

Welcome back to Thran Utopia, your weekly fix of casual decks and techs. Today’s decks are two decks you have already seen: Galvanotherapy and Sisters Of Life And Death. You see, after I finished my article last week, and even before I played against Rick the next day, the deck had already changed in a few slots. And after our games, it became even more clear that changes had to be made, much to my dismay.