DemonDragonJ on Mark Rosewater Considers the Fetchlands …

2 days ago

In this post, Mark Rosewater stated that he considers the fetchlands (Windswept Heath, Arid Mesa, and so forth) to be design mistakes, because of how easily they can fix a player's manabase, and, while I do not use the fetchlands in any of my decks, I know that many players are very fond of those lands, for that reason, so I am wondering how everyone else may feel about Rosewater's words.

What does everyone else say, about this subject? Do you agree that the fetchlands are design mistakes, or do you believe that Rosewater is being too critical of those cards? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Why Has WotC Changed the …

4 days ago

When I first began to play MtG in 2003, WotC would announce new sets or other products in articles on their website, announce only a single product at a time, and make such announcements seemingly at random, but, recently, they now announce new products in a video, announce products only once per year, and announce all products for the upcoming year, which I severely dislike, since I found the previous manner to be better at building anticipation for the upcoming products, because announcing all products for the upcoming year means that players shall forget about some of them, before they are released, so I am wondering why WotC decided to change the manner in which they announce new products.

What does everyone else say, about this? Why did WotC change the manner in which they announce new sets or other products? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Mark Rosewater's Comments About Defensive …

6 days ago

In this post, Mark Rosewater commented that WotC has emphasizing offensive cards over defensive cards, because games need to end, and I understand that perspective, but I still dislike and disagree with Rosewater's words, because waiting out one's opponent is a legitimate strategy in real warfare, so I dearly wish that WotC would again emphasize defensive strategies in addition to offensive ones.

What does everyone else say, about this? Do you wish that WotC would emphasize defensive strategies, in addition to offensive strategies? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Why Does WotC Dislike "Lure" …

1 week ago

In this post, Mark Rosewater stated that WotC is not fond of "Lure" effects, so I wonder why that is, since I do not see any reason to not use effects such as that.

What does everyone else say, about this? Why is WotC not fond of Lure or similar effects?

DemonDragonJ on Why Not Simply Use a …

1 week ago

In these two posts, Mark Rosewater stated that cards cannot have excessive amounts of text, as that text would not physically fit on the cards, so why can WotC not simply use a smaller font, to allow greater amounts of text to be printed on a card?

What does everyone else say, about this? Why does WotC not simply use a smaller font, to allow additional text to be printed on cards?

DemonDragonJ on Grim Feaster and Orzhov Pallbearers

2 weeks ago

I find both Grim Feast and Proper Burial to be fascinating cards, but they both are rather underpowered in that they cannot do anything on their own (especially since the latter costs 4 mana to cast), so I have created creature versions of each of them, as seen, here.

For a mere 1 mana more over Grim Feast, this card is a 3/3 creature, and it made sense, to me, for it to be a zombie. This card likely could have been mono-black, as neither of its effects are particularly green, but the original card was black/green, so I made this card those colors, as well. I contemplated giving this creature deathtouch, to trigger its second ability more easily, but I decided that that would make it too powerful, so I did not give it such an ability.

I gave this creature vigilance because pallbearers are supposed to be watchful and careful as they carry the casket of the deceased to their grave, and I initially did not wish to give it a name that associated it with a specific faction, but I could not think of a better name, and the artwork of Proper Burial, the card that inspired this one, clearly depicts members of the Orzhov guild, so I decided that that was acceptable, in this case.

What does everyone here think about these creatures? How well did I do, with them?

DemonDragonJ on How Are Black, White, and …

2 weeks ago

Black, white, and green all focus on the concepts of rebirth and renewal, but each color has their own distinct approach to those ideas, so I would like to discuss that subject, here.

How do black, white, and green differ in their approaches to rebirth and renewal, in terms of both flavor and mechanics? I have been playing MtG since the release of Eighth Edition in 2003, so I hope that I do not sound like an amateur by asking this question, but I am very interested to discuss this subject, and hear what everyone else has to say, on this matter.

What does everyone else say, about this? How do black, white, and green different in their approaches to the ideas of rebirth and renewal? I certainly am interested to receive your responses!

DemonDragonJ on How Can Tutor Effects Remain …

2 weeks ago

In these two posts, Mark Rosewater stated that WotC is very careful about printing tutor effects, as such cards decrease variance in gameplay, and I understand his perspective, on that matter, but tutors have been a part of the game from its very beginning, so I believe that it would be wrong to stop printing them, and I would like to see tutors with creative effects that require the players to use them strategically, such as Beseech the Mirror or Grim Servant, both of which require proper deckbuilding to be used to their fullest potential.

What does everyone else say, about this subject? How can tutor effects remain interesting and not too powerful? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Why Does Black No Longer …

2 weeks ago

In this post, Mark Rosewatwer stated that black shall no longer be able to steal permanents that are currently on the battlefield, and I am wondering why that is the case.

I presume that the reason for that change is because black can steal creatures from an opponent's graveyard, so it would be intruding on blue's territory if it could steal permanents that were currently on the battlefield, so what does everyone else say, about this subject? Why can black no longer steal permanents that are currently on the battlefield?

DemonDragonJ on Why is Mark Rosewater so …

3 weeks ago

In this post, Mark Rosewater expressed a lack of enthusiasm for the fortification subtype returning, which I find to be very disappointing, since I believe that fortifications have much unexplored potential.

I likely have already asked, about this subject, before, but what does everyone else say, about this matter? Do you believe that there is room to explore fortifications in greater detail? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Alchemist’s Refuge or Kessig Wolf …

3 weeks ago

I have a copy of Reliquary Tower in my Riku of Two Reflections EDH deck, but I am contemplating replacing that land with another land, one that better matches the theme of that deck, and my first choice was Mirrorpool, but that land specifically requires colorless mana for its abilities, so I now am considering either Alchemist's Refuge or Kessig Wolf Run, but I am not certain which land I should choose, so I shall ask everyone else here for advice, on this matter.

Which land, between Alchemist's Refuge and Kessig Wolf Run, should I put into my Riku deck, or should I keep Reliquary Tower in that deck? What does everyone else say, about this subject? Should I replace Reliquary Tower with Alchemist's Refuge or Kessig Wolf Run?

DemonDragonJ on What is "Do the Thing …

3 weeks ago

In this article, the writer accuses many of the cards in Tarkir: Dragonstorm of having "do the thing syndrome," but does not explain what that syndrome is, so does anyone here have any guess as to what that syndrome is?

DemonDragonJ on Which Sets Would You Like …

3 weeks ago

Recently, WotC has released Dominaria Remastered, Ravncia Remastered, and Innistrad Remastered, all of which I believe were excellent sets, so I am wondering which sets WotC may remaster in physical form next.

Since the previously-remastered sets reprinted cards from planes that had been featured in numerous sets (seven for IR, nine for RR, and too many to count for DR), I shall presume that any future remastered sets would also reprint cards from planes that have been featured in numerous sets, so I believe that the two most likely candidates for future remasters are Mirrodin and Zendikar, as each plane has been featured in a minimum of six sets, at the present time, and both planes are very popular with the players.

Since WotC has not yet announced any future remastered sets in physical form, I believe that there is no point in speculating about what cards that they may reprint in such sets, so what does everyone else say, about this subject? Which sets would you like to see remastered, in the future?

DemonDragonJ on Astro Creep 2000: the 30th …

3 weeks ago

This year is the 30th anniversary of Astro Creep 2000, the fourth and final album by heavy metal band White Zombie; compared with the swinging and groovy sound of their previous album, La Sexorcisto, this album had a much heavier and more industrial style, which was an excellent and natural match for the horror-themed lyrics for which the band had become famous (or, infamous, to some audiences), as exemplified on songs such as Supercharger Heaven, Creature of the Wheel, or More Human than Human, which audiences came to regard as the band's signature song, and is one of the few White Zombie Songs that Rob Zombie still preforms regularly at his own concerts, but the music on the album still had the same dark and danceable beat that was characteristic of White Zombie's sound, making it heavy metal music to which listeners could actually dance, which made it very popular for clubs and parties in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Astro Creep 2000 was the band's best-selling album, but tension had been building between the band members during the recording and touring for the album, so the members were not able to record any further material; in 1996, the band released an album comprised of remixes of previous songs, but that was their final output, and the members disbanded in 1998, which led to vocalist Rob Zombie beginning his solo career, which he is still pursuing, to the present day, while the other members have largely retreated from the public scene; they are still active as musicians, but they typically maintain a lower public profile than does Mr. Zombie, and that does not seem to bother them, at all.

Astro Creep 2000 was released several years before I began to develop an interest in heavy metal music, but I do own the album, and listen to it, and White Zombie/Rob Zombie's other material, every year, around Halloween, as their music perfectly suits that holiday and its season. Zombie and the other former members of the band have stated that a reunion is very unlikely, since they simply are not able to work together, any more, which is unfortunate, but I do fully expect that Zombie, himself, shall do something to commemorate the 30th anniversary of this album.

What does everyone else say, about this subject? How do you feel about this year being the 30th anniversary of Astro Creep 2000? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

DemonDragonJ on Mesmerize and Hypnotize: the 20th …

3 weeks ago

This year is the 20th anniversary of Mesmerize and Hypnotize, the fourth and fifth albums by American alternative metal band System of a Down, and, to date, their most recent two albums.

Mesmerize and Hypnotize were recorded during the same studio sessions, but released several months apart, akin to how Metallica recorded Load and Reload during the same sessions, or how Guns 'n' Roses recorded Use Your Illusion I and II during the same sessions, and these albums demonstrated an evolution of the band's sound. While SoaD's previous three albums all followed a very similar formula, these two albums saw the band experimenting and exploring new styles and ideas. The anger and defiance of their previous albums are still very much present in these two, but Mesmerize and Hypnotize also contained numerous songs with quieter, more melodic passages, including Soldier Side, Old School Hollywood, Hypnotize, and Lonely Day. Also, Daron Malakian had a much greater role as secondary vocalist to Serj Tankian; on the previous albums, Malakian only occasionally provided vocals, but, on these albums, Malakian sang backing vocals on nearly every song, and was even the lead vocalist on several songs, such as Lonely Day and She's Like Heroin. An even further example of the band expanding their horizons was with their lyrics; Tankian wrote the majority of the lyrics their previous albums, but Malakian was much more strongly involved with the writing of the lyrics on these albums, as made evident with the nature of the lyrics; while the band still spoke against social and political injustices, these two albums contained numerous songs that had more personal and introspective lyrics, reflecting upon internal matters and their own personal conflicts.

Mesmerize and Hypnotize are, to date, System of a Down's final two albums, as the members disbanded shortly after releasing them, but the band has reformed, and is still touring, at the present time, but they have not yet released a new album, which is very disappointing, but they did recently release two new songs, which both were amazing, so I am maintaining hope that they shall eventually produce a new studio album, at some point.

What does everyone else say, about this? How do you feel about this year being the 20th anniversary of Mesmerize and Hypnotize? I certainly am eager to hear your thoughts, on this subject?

DemonDragonJ on To What Mechanic is Mark …

3 weeks ago

In this post, a user asked about the return of spike as a creature type, and Mark Rosewater responded by saying that spikes use a mechanic that he is skeptical about using, again, so to what mechanic is Rosewater referring, and why is he skeptical, about it?