"Midweek Magic August 2017 #29: The Support Killer"

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #29: The Support Killer"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

When you ask Yo Castillo about how his deck would win he would often shrug his shoulders and smile. The reason is that most of his decks has no win condition. He was 100% support , doing the stat pumping for creatures , occasional countering and removal for everybody else on the board. He was the workhorse support of the group almost chanting oh la la la la like some battlepriest.That is until today.

Well for the past 2 days really ,  he had killed me with a well timed Flame Jab and on Day 2 overwhelming vampire attacks from Olivia Mobilized for War , an EDH deck that was no doubtedly fine tuned by our now notorious support Killer. 

So I guess sometimes baring your fang ain't so bad huh Yo? 

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #28: Riding the Genesis Wave!"

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #28: Riding the  Genesis Wave!"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I have often wanted to make a deck that included Genesis Wave and Craterhoof behemoth. I also wanted to make a Omnath , Locus of Rage deck and hopefully be able to have a handful of Elementals that could rampage all over the battlefield ever since I battled this particular deck against my friend Mark Abude.

I finally my chance of assembling this Mana Ramp Gruul deck. And on my road of restoring all of my EDH decks Omnath was a part of the first wave. 

On one game I was able to create the Elemental tokens I wanted via super pumped Genesis Wave that dumped a lot of lands on the battlefield with Omnath , Locus of Rage and Rampaging Baloths both birthing out killer fatties. And at the end of the wave I was able to reveal the much awaited Craterhoof Behemoth. I was just so happy to have pulled it off.

Another game featured Ram's Leyline of Singularity that was a perfect foil for tokenator decks such as mine since every nonland permanent on the battlefield becomes Legendary. Meaning all of my elemental tokens will explode. I had Omnath in Play and Doubling season as well which doubled my tokens an when one died gave Ram 3 direct damage. It even got worse since I already had 1 remaining Elemental token in play each land fall meant I was creating 2 more tokens that would explode and deal 6 damage. With the amount of Lands falling it was only a matter of time and Omnath proved worthy of the first wave of my EDH restoration quest.

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #27: Phenax showing off"

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #27: Phenax showing off"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

It was a typical EDH game for Ram , Janry , Jus and Me. A thursday where Ram debuted his Monogreen Azusa , Hapatra for Janry and Baral for Jus.

Phenax despite being gutted of some of its mana rocks and lands performed consistently again showing that it deserves all the bling that it had and should be restored to full glory.

Earlier I wanted to Rites of Replication my Grave Titan and Cackling Counter part it too. It dies to Rams well time Beast Within.

I was also the target of a Terrastodon.(I am the one usually doing this in my previous playgroup). So I copied it  with a Rites of Replication and at the end of a turn Cackling counterpart my copy of the terrastodon before it died.

I was counting Janrys library after Jus was able to Traumatize it to 50% in the previous round. I counted 21.

With Phenax in play , 1 9/9 Terrastodon and 4 3/3 Beasts. It was enough to finish the game I just had to wait for the next turn so Janry can draw to a loss but I drew an Altar of Dementia and sacrificed my token terrastodon to it so the game can be finished.

Phenax has proven to be the most consistent of my EDH decks and deserves all it's bling to be restored. And so it shall be.

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #26: Introducing Consecrated Sphinx on Turn 2!"

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #26: Introducing Consecrated Sphinx on Turn 2!"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Nobody likes  a Consecrated Sphinx appearing at any point in the game but with this scheme on just our 2nd turn the Consecrated sphinx landed on the battlefield and I was able to draw 6 cards the next turn which was too much card advantage than what my opponents actually expected. It was a couple of turns later that they decided to concede because of the overwhelming card advantage. The scheme "Introductions are in order" really made my night.

Oh just the little ways that Archenemy and my Sultai Red deck can win a game. When it does it simply does.Of course on the flip side of things when it doesn't work I get massacred and you can be betrayed by the very schemes that are meant to save you. 

This time around though it was the Consecrated Sphinx and the Scheme that won the day.

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #25 -Malabanan Jr's.:This is what oppression looks like."

"Midweek Magic August 2017 #25 -Malabanan Jr's.:This is what oppression looks like."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

In my HP/DXC Eton playgroup we have one guy  , Jus , who runs a deck that I fondly call Malabanan Jrs. It is the kind of deck that hurts you in small doses , sucks the life out of you little by little and when this life is amassed and Jus hits critical mass  that end truly comes for you with a  Massive Aether reservoir blast to the face.

Imagine every little thing that lands on the battlefield or dies there contributes a little to your demise. You play creatures Authority of  The Consuls taps it and gives 1 life point to Jus. You play a non-creature spell Kambal deals damage to you. A creature That Jus control dies? Zulaport Cutthroat is there to blade you a little. Jus plays a land? Return to Hagra sucks you a little and you lose a life point.

Malabanan Jr.s does nothing but suck the life out of you and it's controller survives even the most severe of attacks. It is always a frustrating deck to face in archenemy games because it seldom loses when it has all of it's pieces on the board.

So I rummaged for my Tranquility and Paraselene the other week. Oh and they fit in well with my current Bant Deck. I will be ready for Malabanan Jr's next time.

"3 things I have seen this week August #3: Madness"

"3 things I have seen this week August #3: Madness"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

People lose their minds sometimes in increments and sometimes in such a massive way that they do not even notice as they plunged into an an unknown precipice. This week seems like madness and  I too was a part of it.

1) I saw so many memes crying for justice for a boy who was killed by policemen in relation to drugs. - The war on drugs is a polarizing issue and if you are not on one side then you are on the other side. Madness. It is as if you cannot have a differing view before people assign you a particular color. At least to the close minded you are one color and sometimes it is not the color that they like. Madness.

2) A friend of mine seems to be finding characters that often seem to do something less significant and then goes to disparage other characters because they are involved in the grander scheme of things. Sadly I find this maddening because there is no need for this distinction. Do a little or do a lot we are just actors on the stage called life. We act our roles even if we know them or not. 

3) I saw a man lugging around boxes upon boxes of Magic cards in what can only be called Brewers madness. - This mad person was me as I tried to restore EDH decks that I have gutted in order to create Modern and Archenemy competitive decks. It feels like I have neglected them and after weeks I have finally heeded the call like a true madman listening to the voices of cards in his head. The result is that from the 4 operational decks that I kept I now have 25 with 9 or more pending decks waiting for lands and plastics to cover them. Well output is output. Spoken like a true madman. 

"3 things I have seen this week August #2 : Identity"

"3 things I have seen this week August #2 : Identity"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

We all seek it. We all ask who are we? why are we here? Do I serve any purpose? What defines me? I am my identity but in the grand scheme of things who really is that. This week I have seen things that makes me wonder about certain people and am thankful that I have friends and family.

1) ID Man - I saw a man in a SM counter complaining that he was being asked for ID. He was being obnoxious raising his voice and berating the counter lady who for all intents and purposes was just doing her job. "I do my groceries here twice a week!" "Para naman akong magnanakaw nito bakit kailangan pa ng ID?" 

Which made me pull out my Drivers License and PRC License.It made me wonder how hard it really was not to have these one hand? And if he was going to this particular SM twice a week then shouldn't he already know that they ask for ID when you use credit cards for purchases? Hmmmm

And even if he was in the store twice a week there are hundreds of people and dozens of counters. We really can't expect the counter people to remember everyone unless they were family or a really close friend. 

I looked at ID's again. It doesn't seem all that hard to pull them out.

2) The Cement Truck Crushing a Car - I saw A family of 5 in a car about to do groceries in the afternoon was crushed by a cement truck which climbed an Island and landed on them sideways killing the family patriarch instantly. 

The randomness and loss of this event shook me as it could really happen to anyone who was driving out there and it seemed that even in flowing traffic death can come for you at any time.

My wife gave me a long hug as if she did not want me to go anywhere and actually asked me where I was despite her busy schedule. I am husband and a father and even at my worst I found myself important to her and Aven.

3) Friends carrying Load - Jus and Yo. I saw them carry bags of magic cards for me as we ended our Thursday bout of EDH magic and I found myself grateful. I did not ask them for this but they did it any way and I was moved by the gesture. It would have taken me two trips to get everything down but thanks to them we all were happily chatting about decks we would be making in the future. And I am happy that I am friend to them and they are a friend to me.

"3 Things I have seen this week August #1: Dialysis"

"3 Things I have seen this week August #1: Dialysis"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

Nothing gives a family more dread than when a doctor tells you that a loved one will have to go on Dialysis. The process by which blood is cleaned because the kidney has malfunctioned to a point that it can no longer do it for that patient. Most people have the notion that this signals the end and prepare for the worst eventuality. I am saddened to know that some of the people in my immediate family and workplace have undergone the process for various reasons.

1) Dialysis #1 - Leptospirosis - When my cousin Aljem posted something online about my Cousin Alvin I assumed that he was in some sort of accident and had to be operated on.

My brother informed that Alvin was being rushed to Manila to undergo dialysis because he had elevated creatinine Levels.

My Uncle Rey told me that he had been suspected to have Leptospirosis and might have been exposed near some falls.

Such a bad fate to fall on someone who is young , kind and hardworking. Get well soon cousin.

2) Engineer  , ESRD - One of the people I work with in my lectures is a retired Engineer who has proven to be jolly and gracious with his time with me. The few jokes we shared in the lectures as a springboard when things get too serious. 

We have not seen each other for almost a month and I was just attributing that to the rotating schedules of the facilitators in the schedules until I saw him with a covered fistula on his right arm. 

His creatine had risen and he was diagnosed with ESRD. I asked him if he wanted to just quit the work and just rest and he said , "Mas lalo akong mamatay kapag sa bahay lang doc."

I shook his hand. I knew I would have probably said the same thing if I was in his predicament.

3) Young Female ESRD - S - The last case was a cousin of my wife Stephanie. She was hospitalized for feeling week and was sadly diagnosed to have elevated creatinine as well. She is just 26 years old. Some of her family members blamed it on the excessive diet that their family had , eating way too much or not eating healthy enough. I did tell them that this maybe a factor but most likely this was not the cause and her Nephro did not give a specific cause as well.Regardless of the cause the end result is the same. She will still undergo dialysis. And it is troubling that patients are getting younger and younger now.

"Lost in this summer night"

"Lost in this summer night"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

Lost in this summer night

In those eyes of amber

Bathed in the moonlight

your porcelain skin shines

II

I cannot let go of this

Now that you are here

You whisper your words

like nectar in my ear

III

Lips touching

Mind slipping

Here this summer night

Holding each other tight

IV

Lost in your soft voice

No coherent choice

No longer in control 

I let myself go

V

And you smile knowing

This will be the summer night

You say , hold on to this

And your memory sets me afire.

Shaw 08/07/2017

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #4 :Sara at Sira"

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #4 :Sara at Sira" 

by:

Virgilio F.De leon Jr.MD

Overheard in the other Medical Examiner room
Doc: Pakisara po ang pinto.
Patient: (confused and closes door too noisily)
Doc: ang sabi ko po pakisara hindi pakisira.

"The Promise to the Dragon."

"The Promise to the Dragon."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

"Anyeong" he said to her as she passed by.

"Anyeong" she said beaming with a smile that she could not control.

"Did you sleep well last night?" V asked the lead dancer. "You look well rested."

"I did sleep well.I think I am ready for anything today."

"Be careful what you wish for YuuA."

"Well whatever comes our way , you are here today right?"

"Always. Now is that all you are carrying for such a long trip?"

"Daegu isn't that far and I have this boyfriend who is willing to spend on clothes on me if I need them there."

"what makes you sure he will be spending money on you."

"Oh I don't know. I just might withhold something from him if he doesn't."

"Now that sounds like blackmail."

"Maybe he wants to find out what it is I will be withholding?"

"He probably knows."

"Good. Then he might want to look at what I will be wearing. Preferably in private." YuuA threw her small back pack at V. "Enjoy imagining."

V took the bag and grinned.

"Dragon Hoops"

"Dragon Hoops"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

V stood at the back of the 4 girls he was assigned to watch. For this broadcast for their fans they were divided into 2 groups and each would compete at a shooting hoops game in this arcade. YuuA stood excitedly with Jinyo , Bee and Seunsee. 

The latter two were looking at V with grudging respect after the events in Myeongdong but they were acting really feminine as the camera filmed. 

The 4 of them drew lots to find out who would go first and it was Seunsee who kept shooting until she got 46 points. Jinyo handed the camera over to YuuA and she shot 36. Bee who was the most boyish in the group got 56 points and a nervous YuuA didn't even think that she could score higher than 20 points. In the end she only got 9 points.

V could not help but laugh at the score which made YuuA look at him with utter disdain.

"Kpop superstar. Let us see you shoot better then."

V just nodded. "Only if you turn off the camera."

Jinyo put down the camera but she angled it in such a way that it would still catch V in action. She plans on having a laugh at their bodyguard/drivers expense later.

V stood in front of the machine and cracked his knuckles. He slammed on the bright red button in the center and the balls all came falling down. He grabbed one , bent his elbow and flicked his wrist sending the ball into an arc that swished into the chain net. The 4 girls looked on as he repeated this motion adjusting for the weight of the balls in his hand and not missing a single shot which gave him a grand total of 465 points. The machine announced , "Top Player".

The 4 girls gaped at their bodyguard/driver. 

"How in the world did you do that?" YuuA said who came next to him. "Teach us. We need to do better than the other team."

"Teach Yuua the most V. She needs it!" Jinyo joked as she looked at the camera.

"You didn't turn it off did you?" V asked

"Yeah, it makes me think that you were just showing off for YuuA."

Bee and Seunsee looked at the tall man who suddenly lost his grin.

"I'm impressed. Now teach me!" YuuA said like a cat who just found a chew toy. She was pawing at V. "Teach me  , teach me."

"Ok" V said. She positioned the lead dancer in front of the hoop and grabbed a ball and placed it in her hand. "Bend your elbow like this" , V started and Jinyo continued filming. Later they would see how YuuA smiled so much when she reached a 100 points. And behind them V just giving a thumbs up.

"The Maknae , The Dancer and the Dragon."

"The Maknae , The Dancer and the Dragon."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Binmi was pretending to eat the bagels in front of her while secretly looking at V. Besides her was YuuA who was doing the same thing and was not doing a great job of hiding it. 

"I don't know Unnie. If he loses the hairstyle and the weird clothing he does look really cute." Oh My Dolls Cute Maknae said without taking her eyes off the odd dressing weirdo who served as their driver and body guard.

The lead dancer said nothing and continued to eat. The maknae turned to face her and with a very serious face that seemed out of place for her asked."YuuA unnie if you don't like V could I have him?"

"Have him? are you asking me like he was some sort of toy that I owned?" YuuA raised an eyebrow at the bold way the younger Binmi was acting. "You seem to have some experience at this."

"I do Unnie , there were a lot of boys in my old school and I'd kiss once on a date.Have you ever been kissed by a boy before Unnie?" 

There was a prolonged silence as YuuA gathered her thoughts. She went back to the time that boys would try and kiss her one way or the other only to be met with the timely kicks of his older brother. She would be mad at him for costing her the experience but she knew better now , he was only looking out for her. "No. Not even once."

The fox smile on Binmi's face appeared again and YuuA knew that she would be up to no good again. "I kissed a lot of boys but I want to know what V Oppa's lips taste like. It is probably the least I can do after what he did for me with those 5 awful men."

YuuA turned red at the younger girls bold words. "If he wants to kiss you then there is nothing I can do about that. You just need to be careful around that one. The more I learn about him the more questions pop out."

"I'm really surprised that you would just let me have him unnie. I have seen the way he looks at you.Those long lingering stares. I want someone to look at me that way too."

"He looks at me that way? " YuuA was blushing even more. 

"I also see the way that you look at him. You can try to hide it but Fox smile Binmi sees all!" Binmi placed her hands over her head to make fox ears and made them flop up and down. "Buing Buing!"

V approached the two ladies. "And what is it that you noticed today Fox Smile Binmi?"

The two girls turned red.

"That these Bagels are great!" Binmi said while picking one and waving it at V's face. "V Oppa why do you wear the things that you wear?"

"It's a secret." the turtle necked , blond wigged weirdo said.

Yuua looked at Binmi. "I told you that whenever you ask him something he gives you more to think about."

"No I do not." V said. Grabbing a bagel himself and taking a bite at it. "It's a secret only because I am hiding from some people."

YuuA rolled her eyes. "There he goes again. He tells you the answer but it invites another question to be asked see Binmi?"

"Should I ask him or should you unnie?" The maknae said. Yuua turned silent so Binmi asked away.

"Do you like my Unnie?" 

V smiled at the question.

"I could answer that now but I want to have a bet with you."

"Sure" the cute Maknae smiled back.

"I will take you out to dinner. Anywhere you want but you have to prove that she likes me."

"Deal!" Binmi said while raising a thumb towards V. "I know she likes you because....Mmmm...mmmpph....mmmmph..."

YuuA with her almost cat like reflexes was able to cover anything Binmi had to say and dragged the younger one into another room. All the while giving V that dreaded I will deal with you later look that she had given Bee before. 

V shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the bagels left on the table. There was no sense in wasting good food. He wondered which one did YuuA's lips touched and when he determined that he could not know so he just ate them both.

In the other room One can hear the faint cries of Binmi asking forgiveness from her Unnie as the latter tries to strangle her.

"The Dragon Redeemed"

"The Dragon Redeemed"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

The night provided perfect cover for the 5 figures who was on their bellies awaiting a black van which was the designated target. The Yuu have countless such squads all over the world but this one was handpicked for this mission. While they have warriors that could go all out these 5 were known for their precision and control. 

"Why are we doing this again hyung?" The red headed man asked as he peered through his scope.

"Because the Elder ordered it you idiot." The Hyung was the oldest in the squad but only by a couple of months than the first man.

"So the head of our clan wants the princess of our clan , who represents our future to be ambushed on the road as she is on her to perform to a college?" The idiot who was not beginning to sound like an idiot asked. "And so to make it clear we are not supposed to hurt her but scare the hell out of her when it was the elder himself who sent her on this mission 2 years ago?"

"You think way too much for a soldier of the Yuu , Junsun. You carry out the order or you become a traitor to the clan."

"Hmmmm and we aren't so big on traitors right?" Junsun fingered the sleek black rifle in his hand that was only made possible by the betrayal of the Yuu against the dragons."I guess we don't expect any dragons on this expedition right Hyung? Otherwise we would not have these dragon piercers with us."

The hyung was already losing patience with the dongsaeng known as Junsun.

"Shut your mouth.It is not your place to think.Everyone is in their position. The van is approaching."

"Yes, Hyung." Junsun said without much conviction.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Encounters with dragons normally ended in two things for the Yuu. The Yuu Kills the Dragon or the Dragon kills the Yuu.When Junsun felt the punch penetrate his chest squashing his heart he knew that the latter was true. There was no dramatic pause , no blood spurting out of his mouth like he has seen in so many kung fu movies. Nothing of the sort. Just him falling on his back and him laughing at the notion of the dragon while being human form able to do this without even a drop of a sweat breaking down his brow. 

He laughed at all those hours of training , honing his skills to the point of perfection only to be killed 10 seconds into this fight. "Oh well. At least it is over." Junsun whispered to himself as he felt the ground on his side and saw the body of his Hyung fall beside him as well.

This was not death though. Junsun found his thoughts way too noisy for someone who had just died. Wasn't there a death god who was supposed to lead him to the other side by now? For all 5 of them who attempted this fool hardy mission of scaring a princess into submission but was met by a dragon body guard out of nowhere? 

A strong wind was blowing now here on the side of the road and the hollow in his chest made a sound as the air circulated in it. He reached out to this void and confirmed that he was missing a beating heart but he could still feel. And then he felt something warm beating. He removed his hand and he felt the hole in his chest close and he sat down suddenly to breathe in air and coughed.

All around him the other 5 stirred and looked confused that they were still breathing. Then he saw the disc of silver  that was on his chest that sealed his wound.He had never heard of a dragon sparing the life of an opponent. He had read about the mark of the Silver disk though. The Yuu branded their traitors with it but this was different. They had encountered a Silver Dragon. A creation dragon. Something that was not seen in hundreds of years. And it was with the princess. How in the hell did that happen?

The others were looking at their Hyung for instructions. The Hyung looked at Junsun. "We are all traitors." He said in horror. "The brand of the Silver disc."

"No Hyung. We are Redeemed. I do not know what the Elder wanted but if a Dragon would protect a princess from her own clan then that is saying something isn't it?"

"What are we supposed to do now Junsun? When we return to shrine we will be murdered as Dragon collaborators."

"Then we will be neither Yuu or Dragon collaborators. We will be Redeemed and ask this Silver Dragon the truth of why he spared us when he should have not."

The 5 rose and gathered their gear. They would need to approach the dragon a second time and this time with more caution. 

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #3 : Uber and Under"

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #3 : Uber and Under"

by:

Virgilio F.De leon Jr.MD

Patient: Doc ok naman ang BP ko. Yung Uber lang ang mataas minsan.
Me: Ano po?
Patient: Yung Uber ba. Yung taas.Yung under eh mababa naman.
Me: Ah. Ok po.

Stalking Leonin: Must...Not...Look...at...opponent:Instant revealation!"

"Stalking Leonin: Must...Not...Look...at...opponent:Instant revealation!"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Magic has introduced a somewhat sneaky mechanic this commander 2017. So when Stalking Leoning enters the battlefield you secretly choose an opponent.

I can see it now , people trying to avoid an opponents gaze as they secretly choose them. It may be a bit obvious if just one player has a significant board presence and you choose not to pick him or her. 

So what happens? At instant speed you can reveal your chosen opponent and if he or she has a target creature attacking you then you can exile that creature.

You can only choose this ability once.This is the sneaky mechanic.

So how are you going to keep track of the opponent you chose and how are your opponents going to know that you have chosen them when Stalking Leonin came into play? Should you point to them under the table? Write their name on a piece of paper? Let Jace read your mind so they all know you are telling the truth?

This ought to be interesting enough when it hits the battlefield.Time to be sneaky.

"Traverse the Outlands: Omnath's New friend."

"Traverse the Outlands: Omnath's New friend."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

I have been planning my Omnath , Locus of Rage EDH deck for awhile after I fought against a version of it that my friend Mark Abude ran in one of our Seattle's Best EDH match ups.

I like the landfall mechanic going insane here. Coupled with Rampaging Baloths , you create a hell lot of large beefy tokens.

Traverse the Outlands is something that I want to have in this deck since this 5 mana sorcery will look at the biggest creature you have in the battlefield and dump that much basic lands  , tapped into your side. So with an Omnath , Locus of Rage(5/5) and Rampaging Baloths(6/6) you are looking at  

6 lands coming in and with both of them in play 6 5/5 Elementals and 6 4/4 Beasts. Imagine if you have Urabrask in play or even an Anger in your Graveyard and a mountain. Hasty beefy tokens. 30 damage from the Elementals and 28 damage from the Beasts.

The Amulet of Vigor will have a spot in this deck as well as there is no need to let those lands coming in go to waste. They untap and you can use it to cast something else. 

I also want to look at another landfall staple.Avenger of Zendikar when triggered by the Traverse the Outlands means that all your creatures also get a +5/+5 stat pump in the process. 

I am guessing that Omnath will probably lose some of his rage when he sees this sorcery. Let's put a smile on his elemental face today.

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #2 : Exhale din po pag may time"

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #2 : Exhale din po pag may time"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

Doc:Hingang Malalim po.
Patient:(inhales)
Doc: (places steth on other side of back) Ok po hingang malalim ulit.
Patient:(inhales again)
Doc:Isa pa po.
Patient: (Inhales for 3rd time)
Doc: Puwedeng ilabas yung hangin ulit ha
Patient: Salamat doc nahihirapan na nga ako eh

"Balan, Wandering Knight: The Cat knight that was promised(to New Phyrexia)"

"Balan, Wandering Knight: The Cat knight that was promised(to New Phyrexia)"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

There have been a lot of Legendary Cats that have held the Commander spots all through the years. And some of them are very effective in the role such as Brimaz or Kemba , Kha Regent. The latter even taking advantaged of all the metal being attached to her by producing 2/2 tokens each upkeep.

Balan the Wandering Knight also takes advantage of all the steel lying around by having it attach to itself for a measly 2 mana cost. This has gotten me thinking about another "Boy Bakal" deck that takes advantage of the fact. 

I mean Balan is a 4 mana cost creature that will let you drop early equipment first and then when you are ready plop him down , get all those weapons on him and attack! 

Important equipment to have of course will be Basilisk's Collar , Strata Scythe , Lightning Gr eaves , Any of the Swords , Whispersilk Cloak. 

If you play your cards right Balan could attack and swing things in your favor right away. 

I mean there is nothing much an opponent could do about a Haste , Double-striking , Life-linking , Death touching , Hexproof and unblockable creature that could deal damage equal to the number of Plains you control.

Short of having you sacrifice a creature or  just mass removing everything Balan could wander right back into the battlefield when you have enough mana and then take on all of the weapons that you have lying around and boom. 

Imagine this guy with Exalted creatures and permanents in play. Imagine him passing through everything like butter. Imagine your victory.

I can also imagine(and this is one of my favorite day dreams so far) The Phyrexianized version of Balan when eh attaches a Grafted Exoskeleton on himself and gains +2/+2 and Infect! Why even with the Grafted Exoskeleton and Whispersilk Cloak he can deal 10 Infect damage to end one player. Unblockable , Double Striking Infect damage with Hexproof. Living the Phyrexian Dream! 

And this is why Balan is the Cat knight who was promised(to New Phyrexia). All will be one.

Of course a well timed Granulate can ruin your day here. So be careful not to be too careless in this regard.

Now back to imagining that your promised Catknight will deliver that victory you have always wanted.

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #1 : Takes Mo Pa Din"

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #1 : Takes Mo Pa Din"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Patient: May gamot na po ako kaso di ko na po tinitakes.Di ko naman nararamdaman highblood ko kaya di ko na tinitakes.

Me: Takes mo pa din.

"Veils and Chains"

"Veils and Chains"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD 

I am tired of running in place

while all the world moves around me

I will change these weary eyes

and lift was once heavily chained

I am tired of saying the things

that I should have been doing

Tired of not living the life

that I know that I should be living.

So I will 

So I will

From this day on

and on the day after that

I will unchain myself

and listen to the unseen melodies

Life would take me where I should be

So be it.

"Neheb The Eternal: Afflicting us all"

"Neheb The Eternal: Afflicting us all"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I like mechanics that give opponents choices but choices that don't feel like choices at all since there will be an effect whatever happens. So that it just ends up as choose your poison and drink it.

Afflict is one of those mechanics. And no one embodies this mechanic more than our dearly departed but now returned Minotaur Neheb the Eternal. Now in his Lazotet encased "Glorified" body Neheb wants your opponents to feel the pain by his hands or by Afflict. Your opponent's choice.

At 5 mana and 4/6 stats you would want to block Neheb when he attacks. Only he has Afflict3. Which means if he is blocked opponents still lose 3 life. That is a reduction of 1 damage but there is still damage nonetheless.

Of course Neheb thrives on this aggression and on your 2nd main phase you can add red mana for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn. It doesn't necessarily need to have come from Neheb himself but it has to happen before your 2nd main phase.

So if you attack with 2 creatures with 2/2 and both deal damage you get 4 red mana. You casted a Lightning Bolt directly to an opponents face you get 3 mana on your 2nd main phase.Afflict 3 means 3 red mana.

So what do you spend this red mana? Well to cast more creatures of course so that when they attack and damage next turn you get to have more red mana.

My dream in an EDH game is to deal 21 damage and then cast an Blaze or Fireball someone for the remaining 20 damage! 

Neheb the Eternal deserves a place in your aggressive decks. Imagine big monsters damaging and you able to cast even bigger monsters next turn because of his Red mana creating ability. I know what my next project would be. Now on to more brewing.

"So I was still and Listened."

"So I was still and Listened."

by

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

And I heard my wife talking to me about her fears and the things that she wants to achieve in the future and how it all fits into the future that we want to have.

And I heard my daughter share her day and the worries that she have about herself and how she could be better and that she is never enough though she is enough. 

I put down my phone and looked at these women in my life. I turned off my games and even in the wee hours of the morning I listened as my wife poured out her heart about politics and financial institutions and as much as I wanted to share my own thoughts on the matter , I listened and rediscovered something that I highly admired about my wife. Her own will. That strong will and say in the things that she wants in her life. So in the wee hours of the morning I found myself listening and learning.

I woke up when she came in the door. Waited for her to finish all her little rituals such as cleaning herself and changing into home clothes and keeping her things. Despite not having much sleep I went and I put down my phone and I listened. For a couple of weeks I have had to deal with a surly temperament from her.Some of which still show up in this conversation we were having but I was not out to dish out discipline or give a lecture.I was also here to listen and so I asked her the question. "How was school?"

And it was a torrent that flooded out. This need to share everything with me. How she was so busy and that all her friends were so busy that they can only see each other for a short while and end up during various things at the same time like walking while talking or exercising while talking. I smiled. They wanted to petition one teacher to teach in a particular subject and had began #justiceforSt.Bernard campaign because they feel that they could learn so much more from this one teacher over the current one. I listened as Aven told me in detail about decorative holes in the girls bathroom that a peeping tom used and that it was already reported and fixed thanks to her and her friend. I felt a lot of things but I felt proud mostly because we were raising up someone who despite being young knew what to do and kept calm in situations where others would panic. 

I put down my phone and I looked at my daughter. I remembered talking to my wife in the wee hours of the morning and I have realized that I missed talking to them this way. I will never let go of the weekends and my days off because I want to be a part of them as we continue to grow. I am thankful to have such a luxury when others cannot afford it. I will not waste a single moment of it. 

And so I will put down my phone and listen.

"Magic:The Gathering: Oh what fun we have."

"Magic:The Gathering: Oh what fun we have."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

My friend St Estrella posted something online about having fun while playing magic. And I said that this is the main reason why we play in the first place , to have fun.

Of course fun is a broad word and can be defined in a lot of different ways. It varies from player to player and every group has a small representation of the greater magic community. As I have been a part of several groups over the years here are a few of my observations and how Fun can be defined by certain players.

1) The Overkill - We used to have one player in our group who was never happy if he just barely killed you. It has to be something with ridiculous amounts of damage. It has to be big and overwhelming. Yung tipong may utang ka pa life points after several games. That was his fun and so to spoil it we usually would concede before he attacks with overwhelming numbers.

2) The control player. - In my current and former groups there would always be someone to spoil someones fun by controlling everything that is on the battlefield. It is by freezing everything via Stasis or Brine Elemental combo's or just killing everything or just countering everything important thing that was being cast. It's normally not fun for everyone but hey I know what it feels like to not be able to play for a long time and so once in awhile it is ok to be put in a Stasis.

3) Ridiculous Combo / Alternate win con player - It might be one that is so interlocking and complicated that a deck only wins once but it is(and I can attest) one of the most fun and satisfying moments that a player can feel. Something that makes people go wow and whistle or scratch their heads when they begin to understand what you have done. Just the sound alone of frustration and confusion can be enough sometimes.

4) The Competitive player - On the opposite spectrum there are players who are only having fun when they are running a deck that always wins or at least has a consistent win ratio. And I have been there myself too. I mean it is no joke amassing cards with hefty tag prices only to see you deck burn out in the competition.There are a lot of players like this and I understand it because sometimes it is in these moments that you find that all the things that you worked so hard for has been worth it.

5) Speculators / Buyers / Sellers - Since magic is a game that has a constant flow of new cards and interactions there are those among the community who have fun speculating what the latest card/s would be rising in stock and would be in demand during standard or even in EDH tables.This part of the magic community will forever be looking at spoilers and combos and current standard conditions. And this too is fun.

6) Pack Openers. - The thrill of seeing a planeswalker or Masterpiece or Invocation at the end of the booster pack you are opening is enough to give you that Dopamine boost that had Time Magazine calling Magic cardboard crack. The satisfying feeling of cracking open a pack and getting something that is worth more than you paid for is always something you look forward to and what Wizards of the Coast depends on to keep on making new sets. Let's not disappoint them and open some few more packs from our Local game store.

I know I might have missed a few more fun things but why don't you let me know about it if I have. I want to thank everyone who keeps on reading what I write. I write for fun and if you are having fun while reading what I write than my job is done. 

So keep on brewing and keep on playing. 

"For Nothing"

"For Nothing"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

I find myself chanting your name

in these dark recesses I came to know

The secret place I have met you

in the garden where Chiming bells grow

II

I wait for the clock to circle

So I will get my chance

To intervene in a fate

Just for one more dance

III

You smiled that day

knowing I will be back

I never told you how

I never said when

but you smiled anyway knowing

whatever it was in time

I will be yours and you mine.

IV

So the clock ticks to the very last

opening that tiny crack

into that sliver of time

So I could tell you all the secrets I have

V

I waited you said 

And I cannot control myself any longer

I reached out

Into that setting sun

to reach you

to feel you

V

And in those moments I crumble

Into the ashes that I always have

And the last moment I saw were the tears 

All that waiting

All that waiting

For nothing.

Shaw , 07 31 2017

"Lip Tight"

"Lip Tight"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

I guess it is alright

your dreams are a fight

I see them in your tired eyes

with your restless sleeps at night

II

I guess you made those choices

and you know your losses

Giving up on another dream

As you walk towards this dream

III

How can I blame you

walking away when you did

I had nothing to offer

Except the love I had within

IV

So I guess It is alright

when I see you on the TV screen

looking tired , looking sick

still professional through every scene

V

I guess you must be happy

with the way things have been

happy career , happy life

more than I could have seen

VI

How can I ask you

to give up all of that

even if there was a chance

I will hold my tongue

VII

Because your place is there

Not here where I am

I guess it is alright

I will close my eyes 

Shaw , 07 29 2017

"Midweek Magic July 2017 #25 - Bant Archenemy Massacre"

"Midweek Magic July 2017 #25 - Bant Archenemy Massacre"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

I have always thought that the colors of Bant represented something honorable and pure. The Shard with the color surely had Knights and beings that shared this quality. Of course in Magic the colors can be the same but maybe show up as something else.

Sun Titans , Reclamation Sages , Coursers of Kruphix along with Jace Beleren , Tamiyo , Ajani , Karametra and Heliod all made for a deck that was bought aggressive and controlling as my playgroup experienced. 

This was the first couple of wins for the Bant deck that I have labored in improving for almost the whole month of July and even with the wins there are still some key changes in Land and mana acceleration that need to be done.

I have never thought that Bant would do well in Archenemy but that night proved it to be untrue as I controlled opponents with well timed Oblivion Rings and Mass Removals. Destroyed key Enchantments with Reclamation Sages who are not afraid to die and be returned on the Battlefield by the Landing or attacking Sun Titans.

At least for that night Bant didn't stand for the Noble and the Pure. It represented a massacre. I liked it.