"Midweek Magic 2018# 34 - Sai , Gangnam Thopter Style"

"Midweek Magic 2018# 34 - Sai , Gangnam Thopter Style"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

There are many things that make me like artifacts but one of things that make me like them the most is that they are easy to cast and most of the time even easier to abuse.

Sai . Master Thopterist was spoiled in M19 to have a standard brawl deck combo. While I have the necessary pieces for that I wanted to showcase Sai as a full fledged EDH deck mostly because no one in my playgroups have made a deck surrounding him , that and I might have already filtered all the artifacts that I have when I improved and built 2 Daretti decks. It was time for me to go mono blue and boy did I have a lot of blue pieces that were mostly left alone.

It was time to showcase my Mirrodin side. The one that loves metal and not just my infectious side.

In a recent game I was able to enchant a Seat of the Synod with Mechanized production and the result was that I had 5 copies out of the required 8 so that I could win before my opponents were able to deal with the enchanted land. The difficulty was partly to Padeem giving my artifacts hexproof. I was two turns away from a Mechanized Production win but hey maybe next time right?

I was able to win this exciting game though as Pao and his Prossh deck were eliminated and it was up to the Artificers to duke it out till the end. It was Yo and Sydri , Sai and Me.

In the end I had the saga Antiquities War reaching it's last verse making all of my artifacts into 5/5 creatures and then being given +1/+1 counters each by my Steel Overseer.The now rampaging 6/6 creatures reduced Yo's life to 1 but I still had to finish him this turn since he most likely would have something to sweep all of my creatures. 

I had 6 mana open and I had not fully understood the interactions of my deck and I was discovering them one by one and loving them. I cast Fabricate and figured out that what to use to deal that last point of damage. It was a Walking Ballista which I cast for 2 mana and it having 1 counter that I promptly removed to end Yo!

It was an amazing game especially since we had to survive a well time Vandalblast from Cheskas now very abusive Nekusar deck. 

I am looking forward to discovering all of the interaction in my Sai  , Master Thopterist deck.

"3 things I have seen this week:The 3 Team Virulence deck deaths"

"3 things I have seen this week:The 3 Team Virulence deck deaths"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

It was one of those things that I knew would happen eventually but I never thought that it would happen so soon. It was a mini Team Virulence reunion where most of my old team mates would pay me a visit in Eton Centris and we would play several rounds of multiplayer EDH in Starbucks.

Though Mau left quite early we were able to witness his Black/Red Goblins tear a new one in Nolan's rear with a little assist from Mark. After that we had 4 rounds of EDH no holds barred matches and here are the end results.

1) Infecting the Infector

With Mark Abude playing his Jodah(Sta. Maria) deck he was able to cast Blightsteel Colossus with for a mere 5 mana and waited for us to respond. I had several blockers but I was not sure if I can respond. Nolan took that option away by activating his Nev's disc.

"Gagahasain na tayo nung Blightsteel!" I said.

And well we both died to the inky robot.

"Happy na ako na-infect ko si Doc." Mark would later say. 

2) Jhoira returns!

My fault in this is that I lost count and with Jhoira suspending things left and right that was surely very important. And if Nolan already had suspended a handful of things and the mana producers he has can squeeze out 10 mana I should have assumed what was coming.

An Obliterate that you cannot counter. Leaving us to wait for our inevitable deaths as things like Artisan of Kozilek and Pathrazer of Ulamog wanted to give Hi-fives to us and annihilate whatever it is that have left on the battlefield.

Damn. Even without most of its colored lands Jhoira still tough.

3) 1 million for you and another million for you.

What is better than 1 million thopter tokens? Well 2 million thopter tokens of course. I was finally able to use my Sai , Master Thopterist after opening him in a random pack. And with Traxos and a retraction helix I was able to bounce and re-play an Ornithopter again and again with Sai in play. There was a tense moment hence none of my creatures had haste and there was still a turn for Mark and Nolan to react to the 2 million tokens I have created. Mark searched came up with nothing. Nolan did the same and came up empty as well. And so 2 million tokens flew to their sides of the battlefield and killed them.

Sweet!

I am looking forward to more of these moments with my Team Virulence members. Maybe next time there will be more. I would not mind seeing everyone again. Time is surely short and there are more EDH games to be played.

  

"Know"

"Know"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

I will not be angry

When I tower over you like this

You try to throw me punches

I guess they have to hit me first.

II

You spit out your words

You tell me your hate

You think you reached me

But know that nothing else has changed

III

You think you hurt me

Yeah , just think of who you hurt?

You think you treat me like dirt

Well know that that turns on you instead.

IV

The problems in your head

are floating all in there.

You want me to reach out

but know that I never will.

V

You are not my problem

but I am probably yours.

I will not be angry

Know that your issues are all your own.

Notre Dame , Malate Manila, 09/07/18 2:17pm

"Underrealm Lich:Filter power!"

"Underrealm Lich:Filter power!"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Just when you think that the Golgari would not have more ways of putting cards into their graveyard in comes Underrealm Lich to shatter your expectations and give you great news about card drawing.

Underrealm Lich is a 5 mana 4/3 creature that says if you would draw a card , instead look at the top three cards of your library , then put one into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. Filter power at work! So instead of ending up with a sucky card on your first draw you now have the option of having a Sensei's Divining top effect by looking at three cards and being able to make choices that would be more beneficial to you. The only difference is that you would be keeping a card and throwing things out.

Do you need this spell in your hand? Do you need this spell in your graveyard? Would you be able to reanimate the creature you just dumped casually into your graveyard with the reanimation spell that you also casually kept in your hand?

Did you just get a Victimize with a creature in play and you just threw Triskelion and Mikeaus the Unhallowed in your graveyard? Now try to control yourself from grinning.

Of course opponents will instantly recognize that a golgari deck filtering lands to keep and dump in the graveyard is surely a bad thing. They will then plan the demise of this loved creature.

Unfortunately for them Underrealm Lich also has this ability that will let it stay on the battlefield much longer. All you need is to do is to pay 4 life and make him Indestructible!. He becomes tapped and unavailable to block or tap for anything once you activate this but heck you just protected your card advantage didn't you? So short of bouncing , sacrificing or putting -1/-1 counters on him your opponents just had their list of options shortened.

Underrealm Lich will be a welcome addition to already strong EDH decks and who knows what this will probably do in the hands of more creative people. 

"Remembering"

"Remembering"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

In her Secret Garden something wondrous grew

A hope for everyone and something new

To all let down by the world at large

A breathe of fresh air at last

She was alone except for the remnants of the party that they set for her in this now quiet apartment. There was confetti all over and the decorations of silver and well wishes still hung on the walls. Someone ought to clean it up but YuuA didn't feel like doing it just now.

Instead she sat there after all of her members had left she remembered that she was free of them , of their silent judgments , of their well meaning advise and constant pestering to find a man or to do more work with them. She should be happy being alone. It was one of the things that she had silently prayed for whenever the pressures of her work were too much.

Please give me a moments peace. A second of silence. She had gotten these wishes but the peace made her uneasy and the silence made her even feel more alone. Even the ticking of the clock hands on the far wall annoyed her somewhat. She dipper her finger in the cake in front of her and finished the icing in one fast motion. Tasteless on her tongue. The colors seemed dull. Taking off her one piece party dress she tried to go to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. There will be work in a few more hours , an appearance in a variety show and then an interview in behalf of a cosmetic brand she was promoting. Work and more work.

YuuA sighed and bumped the small table in the corridor causing an ornate box to fall on the floor. She had not remember anyone giving it to her in the party and  Oh My Dolls gifts to her were still here on this table all unopened. She felt like she did not need any of the things they were giving her.  This box however. It was covered in cut stones of Amethyst and the box itself glittered like Gold but if there was anything YuuA learned over the years what looked like Gold never was. She pictured who would give her something this beautiful. Surely not there cheapskate CEO , their manager can't afford it. One of the girls might but why would they?

"Remember me?" YuuA thought that the words came from the box and she almost dropped it.

"Hello? Anyone there?" YuuA shouted at the door but no one answered. Until she heard the voice again. And this time she thought it was familiar.

"Remember me?"

She had hated that voice all her life. Had always thought that it was no good but had learned to live with it. The voice was her own and it was indeed coming from the box.  What did she have to lose? Was why her voice in this box? Only one way to find out.

And so she opened the box and a bright white light engulfed the entire room , YuuA was blinded for several seconds until her eye adjusted and she looked at what the box had shown her.

"Remember me?"

"I hate you." YuuA said but her smile was that of pure pleasure. 

"Do you remember?"

"I do."

And the flash of light grew brighter like a sun had burst and was no longer bound by mere physics. The box dropped to the floor and closed. YuuA was gone.

"Berry Good - Green Apple MV Reaction: Johyun's Pull and their final push"

"Berry Good - Green Apple MV Reaction: Johyun's Pull and their final push"

by:

The Vole

Before Berry Good Came out with their latest song Green Apple I imagine some executives called Johyun into one of those private rooms and told her that this comeback we plan to show a lot of you to the public. Johyun must have been thrilled with the news with the additional exposure.

So show off Johyun they did and every particular way that they can show off her X-line maximized body. From the opening choreography of the song where she gyrates sexily to the opening keyboard strokes to the promotion of the MV in broadcasts wearing things that are too short , too tight or actually barely there. 

As a male I cannot complain that they chose to market Berry Good this way. It was an all out approach as they have been in the Kpop Scene for 4 years and have not gained much attention. With all the fan cams of Johyun and her crouch/butt showing moves I bet they are getting the attention now.

Something else has to hook you to the song and sadly the song is actually catchy with flashy bass lines and a really good chorus with the additional sound effects of a Mario "level up" effect here and there. It is a dance track and I am even wondering why the sexy group Waveya has not covered it at all.

The MV for Green Apple seemed like an over exposed mess where the girls actually look a lot of more paler than normal.I am not really sure if that aesthetically pleasing to certain audiences but I honestly did not like it. I cannot deny the fact that they are all pretty but the MV has no coherent story except that it does feature a lot of Red and Green Apples and some imagery of Sleeping beauty.

This song is part of their 11 song album and shows the final push coming into play. Kpop is a really harsh , eye opening world when you get to know it and it does not matter if you are pretty , sing or dance well. All the rest of the field can do that. Standing out is what matters. And I hope with Johyuns push it elevates Berry Good just a little bit more from where they are. And maybe even get better songs from them in the future.

"Emmara , Soul of the Accord: Token Smack downs!"

"Emmara , Soul of the Accord: Token Smack downs!"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Guilds of Ravnica spoilers have now begun in earnest and we are finally seeing some of those Legendary creatures that we speculated that are potentially new commanders.

One in particular is the current version of Emmmara Tandris , yeah if you remember the 7 mana legend that provides token creatures with indestructibility well please welcome her newer , easier to cast self in Emmara , Soul of the Accord.

For Selesnya colors you get a 2/2 Legendary creature Elf Cleric that produces 1/1 White Soldier creature token with lifelink whenever she becomes tapped. 

So Basically when you use her for a Convoke cost of a spell you could tap her and then use the token she just produced to help in that same spell because it is still on the stack by this time.

Of course you could also crew a Vehicle with her and she also gives you an extra creature to help in that crewing.

Probably the thing that I like the most if her combo with Intruder Alarm. You may need to have a Bant Commander with her though. Derevi seems like a cool option. Still the combo is viable and sick. You can go infinite tokens with her on just turn three! Or Infinite mana with Paradise Mantle.

Turn 1: Play Forest, Play Sol Ring , Cast Paradise Mantle

Turn 2: Play Plains , Cast Emmara , Soul of the Accord , Equip Paradise Mantle to Emmara.

Turn 3: Play Island , Cast Intruder Alarm. Tap Emmara for Mana , produce a 1/1 Soldier token. Untap Emmara because of Intruder Alarm after soldier hits the battlefield. Repeat until needed. 

The rest is up to your imagination.

I am imagining really horrible things...For my opponents! bwahahahah.   

Thanks for reading! Keep on brewing!