4 Card Blind

[Wrath of Pie]

bah :)

@Wrath of pie: Please tell me that you looked at the ruling after seeing my pseudo clean sweep! at least, i'd be the only one to have think about this...

I was impressed actually until I was like "wait a minute, how is a creature producing mana" and checked the rulings.

Turns out one word is worth a lot of points.

[Asthereal]

It's actually right on the Superior's Gatherer entry.

Yup. Edited my post. When I posted that one originally, Gatherer wouldn't open due to maintenance.

6. FTW: Mountain, Inkmoth Nexus, Gut Shot, Red Sun's Zenith

7. Tylert: Myr Superion awkwardly stays in your hand. I Gut Shot you to burn Channex then RSZ you 20 times. WW 6-0

Edit: Chancellor sucks

Actually, optimal play would be T1 Nexus, T2 Mountain and attack for 10 turns, which costs less life and wins faster.

[Wrath of Pie]

Yup. Edited my post. When I posted that one originally, Gatherer wouldn't open due to maintenance.

Scryfall is basically the default card search engine now, it has all the rulings as well.

[FTW]

My whole philosophy for this round was: "don't lose to Annex or Misstep." But the round obviously needed a lot more analysis than that. It ended up being one of the more interesting rounds, with a lot of options and viable strategies.

Yeah this round was full of diverse strategies. I expected to see a lot of Mental Misstep, Despise, Dismember and Inkmoth Nexus and tried to play around all of them, but Mutagenic Growth is a great way to protect Inkmoth from Gut Shot and other Inkmoths.

I'm surprised no one played Dismember as a 1-mana removal that dodges Mental Misstep.

There was also 4xChancellor of the Forge, double Glint Hawk aggro, infect aggro (Blighted Agent + Darksteel Axe), and probably a lot of other stuff.

[Asthereal]

Scryfall is basically the default card search engine now, it has all the rulings as well.

Right. Never used that one.
I found the text on a Dutch internet shop for individual MtG cards.

(many ideas)

Indeed. Dismember could be strong (also don't need colored mana), and the infect deck also looks very interesting, as you can combine it with Nexus and Island for a second threat.

But in the end I'm quite happy with my coice for Ezuri's Archers, as it dodges Gut Shot somewhat and blocks the main threats really nicely.

[Unlif3]

1. Asthereal (TO): Inkmoth Nexus, Forest, Ezuri's Archers, Mutagenic Growth
Melira shuts Nexus down and has a nice Grizzly Bear body which is a bit too much for your Archers to handle : WW 6-0.
2. Wrath of Pie: Inkmoth Nexus, Swamp, Despise, Fume Spitter
Despise takes a Melira, Fume Spitter can't deal with the second Melira alone : WW 6-0.
3. Unlif3: Inkmoth Nexus, Forest, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Melira, Sylvok Outcast
That's me, hating on Infect since it preys on Phyrexian Unlife. This should have been a hint, guys ;)
4. GoblinSmashmaster: Memnite, Memnite, Memnite, Gut Shot
I thought about submitting this, then calculated that it would lose to almost anything. WW 6-0.
5. H: Seachrome Coast, Glint Hawk, Memnite, Mental Misstep
Mental Misstep is a blank, you're playing 3CB, but my second Melira is kinda redundant and I find myself playing 3CB too. Let's compute that.
OTP : Forest vs Hawk+Memnite // second land, Melira, U=17.
From there if I attack with Melira and block with Nexus, you can get a double block on Melira that means a draw for I can't cast the second one (Nexus dead).
On the other hand, if I leave all my blockers up, you can't attack with Memnite and if you attack with Hawk alone, it means you can't block my Melira on the backstrike and now your bird is a 1/1, which means back to the original scenario.
I also have a line where I don't block the bird on the 2nd attack but I swing with Melira and then cast a second one to give it ~vigilance. Ew.
I'm so bad at this, HALP.
6. FTW: Mountain, Inkmoth Nexus, Gut Shot, Red Sun's Zenith
Aaah that's disappointing for sure. Extra-land instead of that Gut Shot would have been so much better. Zenith can't deal with my glorified Grizzly Bear : WW 6-0.
7. Tylert: Chancellor of the tangle, Chancellor of the tangle, chancellor of the annex, Myr Superion
Well, too bad. I tried to find a deck that would actually be able to cast Superion Myr but couldn't find one. WW 6-0.

Total score : 30+H, where H is the number of points I score vs. H.

[H]

5. H: Seachrome Coast, Glint Hawk, Memnite, Mental Misstep
Mental Misstep is a blank, you're playing 3CB, but my second Melira is kinda redundant and I find myself playing 3CB too. Let's compute that.
OTP : Forest vs Hawk+Memnite // second land, Melira, U=17.
From there if I attack with Melira and block with Nexus, you can get a double block on Melira that means a draw for I can't cast the second one (Nexus dead).
On the other hand, if I leave all my blockers up, you can't attack with Memnite and if you attack with Hawk alone, it means you can't block my Melira on the backstrike and now your bird is a 1/1, which means back to the original scenario.
I also have a line where I don't block the bird on the 2nd attack but I swing with Melira and then cast a second one to give it ~vigilance. Ew.
I'm so bad at this, HALP.

I'm really got good at this either.

I think when I am on the play, I can win, because I can force the race.

H, otP, Turn 1: Land, Memnite, Hawk, Mennite.
U, turn 1: Land, go.

H, turn 2: Attack for 3, U: 17.
U, turn 2: Melira.

H, turn 3: Hawk attack, no sense in a Memnite attack. U=15.
U: turn 3: you have a 10 turn clock in the air, or a 10 turn clock on the ground. I have an 8 turn clock in the air. But if you go for your ground clock, I actually have a 5 turn clock. If you go for the air clock, I can race. If you block with Inkmoth, you can make my 8 turn clock into a 9 turn clock (I think), so you'd still lose. So, I think I win on my Play.

Now, on your play:

U, turn 1: Land, go.
H, otD, Turn 1: Land, Memnite, Hawk, Mennite.

U, turn 2: Melira.
H: Hawk attack, no sense in attacking with Memnite. U=18.

U, turn 3: Again, you have a 10 turn clock in the air, or a 10 turn clock on the ground, but still the same issue that the ground one opens up Memnite swinging in, but you can negate one of those attack with the second Melira, then chump with the Nexus.

Man, I just wrote all this, but I'm not even sure I am on the right track, since the second Melira play is "on board" before the Inkmoth chump plan. So, maybe that does make my clock into a 10 turn one, even when I am on the Play. In that case, then it's clear I'd win on the Play and lose on the Draw.

I think I am more confused now than before though...

[GoblinSmashmaster]

MemniteSmashmaster results for round Infect

1. Asthereal (TO): Inkmoth Nexus, Forest, Ezuri's Archers, Mutagenic Growth
Inkmoth outGrows my Shot 0-6

2. Wrath of Pie: Inkmoth Nexus, Swamp, Despise, Fume Spitter
I have more 1/1s! 6-0

3. Unlif3: Inkmoth Nexus, Forest, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1 too many toughness 0-6

4. GoblinSmashmaster: Memnite, Memnite, Memnite, Gut Shot
That's me!

5. H: Seachrome Coast, Glint Hawk, Memnite, Mental Misstep
You attack for 2 first 0-6

6. FTW: Mountain, Inkmoth Nexus, Gut Shot, Red Sun's Zenith
Red Sun's Zenith :( 0-6

7. Tylert: Chancellor of the tangle, Chancellor of the tangle, chancellor of the annex, Myr Superion
Your deck doesn't work 6-0

Total points: 12

[Asthereal]

3. Unlif3: Inkmoth Nexus, Forest, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Melira, Sylvok Outcast
That's me. ;)

5. H: Seachrome Coast, Glint Hawk, Memnite, Mental Misstep
Mental Misstep is a blank, you're playing 3CB, but my second Melira is kinda redundant and I find myself playing 3CB too. Let's compute that.
OTP : Forest vs Hawk+Memnite // second land, Melira, U=17.
From there if I attack with Melira and block with Nexus, you can get a double block on Melira that means a draw for I can't cast the second one (Nexus dead).
On the other hand, if I leave all my blockers up, you can't attack with Memnite and if you attack with Hawk alone, it means you can't block my Melira on the backstrike and now your bird is a 1/1, which means back to the original scenario.
I also have a line where I don't block the bird on the 2nd attack but I swing with Melira and then cast a second one to give it ~vigilance. Ew.
I'm so bad at this, HALP.

Total score : 30+H, where H is the number of points I score vs. H.

Notes beforehand: Nexus blocking Hawk only delays for a turn, as Melira stops Nexus from dealing -1/-1 counter damage.
Memnite blocking Melira would also only delay for a turn. As soon as one of the players holds back a 1/1 dude, the other can also do it.
So, as defending looks pointless for both parties, attacking asap seems the most sensible.

If Unlif3 goes first:
U: Nexus
H: Coast, cast Memnite, cast Hawk returning Memnite, cast Memnite
U: Forest, cast Melira
H: Hawk attacks, U=18

From here, if both players attack:
U: Melira & Nexus attack, H=17
H: Hawk & Memnite attack, U=15
Resulting in the following: H=14, U=12, H=11, U=9, H=8, U=6, H=5, U=3 and so H would win.
So at some point, Unlif3 has to cast the second Melira, sacrificing the first, so he can hold it back to block Memnite, while still having attacked for the turn.
I don't think it matters when Unlif3 does this, as it only influences one turn, so let's do it now:

U: Attack with Melira only (need mana), H=3, cast 2nd Melira, saccing the first
H: Attack with Hawk only, U=1 (can't block with Nexus, as lands are tapped)
From here Unlif3 has choices:
A) Attacking with both means H blocks Melira with Memnite, and wins in the return swing with Hawk.
B) Attacking with Melira only puts H on 1, and H wins in the return swing with both Hawk and Memnite, as Nexus can block only one of them.
C) Not attacking with anyone, which means H can attack with only Hawk, U has to block and lose his Nexus. Now U can't win in the attack anymore and loses to Hawk next turn.
Also, since every trick and chump block both players have only influences one turn, it never matters during which turn they do it. The race ends up with the same result anyway.

These are the options I see, and H wins them all. And of course H going first would only make things worse for Unlif3.
So if I haven't missed anything, I'd say H wins this one 6-0.

EDIT: I HAVE MISSED A THING. NEW CALCS TO FOLLOW FIVE POSTS DOWN.

[Asthereal]

Preliminary scores for round 3, assuming the analysis in my post above is correct and complete:
1. Unlif3: 31 - 5,2
2. H: 26 - 4,3
3. Asthereal (TO): 24 - 4
4. FTW: 18 - 3
5. GoblinSmashmaster: 12 - 2
6. Wrath of Pie: 9 - 1,5
7. Tylert: 0 - 0

Which leads to the following standings in season 4:
1. FTW: 10,8
2. Unlif3: 10,0
3. Asthereal (TO): 9,4
4. Wrath of Pie: 9
5. H: 7,3
6. Tylert: 6,7
7. GoblinSmashmaster: 6,4

[Asthereal]

Round 4 of 4CB Season 4, The Block Tour - part 2, has started. For this round we shall play Innistrad block (Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored)![/B]

I have PM'ed myself my deck for round 4, so you can start sending me your decks.

DEADLINE: Wednesday the 30rd of October, at 11:00AM Central European Time.
(That's my time. Pacific Time it'll probably be something like Tuesday night a bit past midnight, so keep that in mind.)

PLEASE NOTE:
The way you send your deck to me matters. Please send it in the way described below, so it doesn't cost me an hour of editing before I can post all the decks.
Please send your deck as follows: Plains, Champion of the Parish, Doomed Traveler, Midnight Duelist (so with card tags around each card, and not above eachother), with your Username and 4CB S04R04 in the topic. Many of you already did this for previous rounds. Thanks a lot, this really saves me the time and hassle of copying and pasting text and tags!

After the deadline has passed, I will post all decks on the forum here, and you can start puzzling out your scores.
If you have any questions, please read the first two posts of this thread first. If you can't find the answer there, drop a message here. We'll answer a.s.a.p.
Also, if you've been lurking on this thread and looking to join, you can step in anytime, any round. That's no problem at all. Just send me your deck before the deadline, and I'll add you to the competition.

Happy deck designing everybody!

[Unlif3]

Notes beforehand: Nexus blocking Hawk only delays for a turn, as Melira stops Nexus from dealing -1/-1 counter damage.

This is unfortunately untrue. Melira is asymmetrical and that's why it was so good in this round.

Melira, Sylvok Outcast
You can’t get poison counters.
Creatures you control can’t have -1/-1 counters put on them.
Creatures your opponents control lose infect.

Therefore, the earlier I block the Hawk, the sooner it gets a -1/-1, diminishing significantly the clock.

[H]

Notes beforehand: Nexus blocking Hawk only delays for a turn, as Melira stops Nexus from dealing -1/-1 counter damage.

That's not true though, Melira only prevents -1/-1 counters on creatures you control and only has opponent's creatures lose Infect.

I haven't figured if that changes the math yet though, I just woke up.

[Asthereal]

That's not true though, Melira only prevents -1/-1 counters on creatures you control and only has opponent's creatures lose Infect.

I haven't figured if that changes the math yet though, I just woke up.

Crap. That does change things quite a bit. I'll edit my reviewed calcs here in a minute.

So new note: Melira only hampers the opponent's stuff, so Unlif3's Nexus does shrink Hawk a bit.
Let's try this:

Unlif3 goes first
U: Nexus
H: Coast, Memnite, Hawk (bounce Mem), recast Memnite
U: Forest, cast Melira
H: Attack with Hawk (U=18)
U: Attack with Melira only (H=18)
H: Attack with Hawk and Memnite, activate Nexus, block Hawk, Hawk is now 1/1, U=17 (If Nexus blocks Memnite and trades, Hawk races Melira from here.)
Unlif3 can't cast the second Melira anymore, and has only one threat. H can now hold back 1/1 Hawk and Memnite to block and trade wth Meliaa for the draw.
Or H can keep attacking with two 1/1s versus one 2/2. Let's see how that ends up.
U: Not attacking means a 1/1 Hawk wins it, so attack with Melira, H=16
From here, we get: U=15, H=14, U=13, H=12, U=11, H=10, U=9, H=8, U=7, H=6, U=5, H=4, U=3, H=2
So on H's turn here, he can't attack with both 1/1s anymore as he would get killed on the following turn.
H: Keep back both 1/1s to block Melira, they trade and it's a draw. (Attacking with one 1/1 makes no sense as you need 3 turns, and Melira attacks for lethal every turn.)
So this looks like a draw.

Note: If H chooses to do the trick with casting the second Melira and saccing the first, he'll have to do it before he uses Nexus to block (need mana), but that allows an extra attack from a 2/2 Hawk, so both get an extra 2 damage in, which changes nothing for the race result.

Let's have H start now
H: Coast, Memnite, Hawk (bounce Mem), recast Memnite
U: Nexus
H: Attack with both, U=17
U: Forest, cast Melira
So what basically happened, is that the same lines now open as when Unlif3 started, but Unlif3 has 3 life less, which means H will win the race:
H: Attack with Hawk, U=15
U: Attack with Melira only, H=18
H: Attack with both, activate Nexus, block Hawk, Hawk becomes 1/1, U=14
U: Attack with Melira, H=16 (Note: if U doesn't attack, the 1/1 flying Hawk will just win it.)
And from here: U=12, H=14, U=10, H=12, U=8, H=10, U=6, H=8, U=4, H=6, U=2.
From here, Unlif3 keeps Melira back, but the Hawk now wins it in two turns.

So if I haven't made any mistakes (again), H wins this 4-1.

[H]

Crap. That does change things quite a bit. I'll edit my reviewed calcs here in a minute.

Off the top of my head, the situation post-chump block is much more simple, since then it is a clearer 2 power vs. 2 power case, because with Nexus dead, a second Melira can't be cast.

[Asthereal]

Off the top of my head, the situation post-chump block is much more simple, since then it is a clearer 2 power vs. 2 power case, because with Nexus dead, a second Melira can't be cast.

Yup, it was a lot easier. See above.
I may still have missed things though, so be sure to check it.

[Unlif3]

Yup, it was a lot easier. See above.
I may still have missed things though, so be sure to check it.

Hah, I was one goddamn Hawk away from the clean sweep anyhow. :(
Thanks a lot for the calculations, I can't ever wrap my head around that kind of shit.

[H]

Yup, it was a lot easier. See above.
I may still have missed things though, so be sure to check it.

Looks about right to me, it actually matches what my non-mathematical "intuition" was sort of leading me toward. Since i don't see any errors, I'd think it's probably right.

[Asthereal]

Friendly reminder here: about 48 hours until the deadline, and we're at just 2 players. Don't miss out!

Also, if you'd like to help out the host of this forum, check out Zilla's request in the Community Board section.

[Asthereal]

The deadline has passed, and I have decks from all the regulars, so here we go:

DECKS FOR ROUND 4 OF THE BLOCK TOUR Part 2 (Innistrad block):

1. Asthereal (TO): Forest, Ghost Quarter, Young Wolf, Mayor of Avabruck
2. square_two: Ghost Quarter, Forest, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Mayor of Avabruck
3. H: Mountain, Ghost Quarter, Forge Devil, Stromkirk Noble
4. Unlif3: Island, Island, Ghost Quarter, Ludevic's Test Subject
5. Wrath of Pie: Swamp, Ghost Quarter, Diregraf Ghoul, Diregraf Ghoul
6. Tylert: Ghost quarter, Cavern of souls, Gravecrawler, Gravecrawler
7. FTW: Mountain, Ghost Quarter, Pillar of Flame, Reckless Waif
8. GoblinSmashmaster: Forest, Cavern of Souls, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Mayor of Avabruck

Please post your scores and cross-check with the opponents.
I'll update the Google Spreadsheet for the season, so you can enter your scores there as well: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Also, welcome square_two to our little competition of chaos!