Magic the Gathering on Xbox Live Arcade

[URABAHN]

MtG for XBLA (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/pax-2008-hands-on-magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers/)

[caiomarcos]

Looks really good.
Why isn't MOL like that?

[DeathwingZERO]

Strange, that looks nothing like Shandalar. Anybody heard whether or not it's going to actually have the world simulator, or just the vs system with updated gameplay and cards?

[Ebinsugewa]

Seems like it will be just like the Starter CDs. Boring.

[kicks_422]

It looks like it would only run with starter decks. It's a waste of time if that's ture.

[technogeek5000]

They said they were going to have online multiplayer, and they suggested that they were going to do packs so it looks like we will have starter sets for a little while, but it will get more advanced as time progresses.

I like it.

[Sanguine Voyeur]

I, for one, like the dynamic lighting and particle effects. Gotta' make that Xbox work.

[MTG Guru]

It looks like it would only run with starter decks. It's a waste of time if that's ture.

It's probably still fun as hell, though. I'd buy the game just becuase I'm a devoted Magic fan.

[Pinder]

They had a demo running at their booth during PAX. It actually runs very smoothly, and looks really great. Unfortunately, it has a limited card pool specific to the game. The little starter deck they loaded up for me played Raging Goblins and Shocks. According to what the demo guy told me, though, you'll be able to collect and cusomize your deck in game.

Basically, they need to make MTGO look and function like that, with the card pool it currently has.

[DeathwingZERO]

But does it actually have the Shandalar world game? If not, it's absolutely useless. That's what MADE Duels of the Planeswalkers so great.

[Shugyosha]

Yep, if MTGO would look like this I would dash out some cash for Boosters, even if you could only draft/seal and play Standard.

[URABAHN]

For the low, low price of 800 MS Points, MtG on XBLA will be yours WED. (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/15/this-wednesday-magic-the-gathering-sam-and-max-hit-the-xbla/)

[Pinder]

I'm really curious as to whether this will function with the M10 rules, or if they're going to update it when M10 comes out.

[Nihil Credo]

We came up with the idea of shared priority. It's first-come, first-served. If you can get in there quicker than your opponent, then great—you get to play the spell or ability.

[...]

To resolve issues with two and three colour decks when paying for colourless costs, the game has to work out what land to tap for you. To do this, it looks at your hand and your activated abilities and tries to leave as many things still playable as possible for you—but it can't always get it right. If tapping a Forest (javascript:autoCardWindow('Forest')) would still let you play card A, but tapping a Plains (javascript:autoCardWindow('Plains')) would let you play card B, which does it do? It can't read your mind, but in most situations it will tap your lands as well as you would.

Yeah.

[jimmerz213]

Wow...that just sounds....terrible.

They want this to teach new players how to play the game...and they arent even using responses or teaching proper land use...thats fantastic. So do they even have counterspells in the game?

[Maveric78f]

Don't take it as if it was magic. You would be disappointed with probability = 1.

Take it as a new card game, and you'll probably enjoy it.

[jimmerz213]

Don't take it as if it was magic. You would be disappointed with probability = 1.

Take it as a new card game, and you'll probably enjoy it.

Its not so much my enjoyment Im worried about. If I want to play Magic Ill go on MWS or just get out some decks and test all night. Im more concerned that they are exposing a whole new batch of people to the game without a remotely similar set of rules. You know there are going to be people who play this game, think they know how to play cards, go spend money on a deck and find out its nothing like what they have on the xbox. It all sounds kind of sleazy to me, I dont know.

I probably will try a demo out (if its available) but I seriously doubt ill sink the 800 points or whatever into it.

[URABAHN]

The things I'm reading about this game make it sound awful. (http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/gentopic.php?board=956484) Screwed up priority, auto-tapping lands for mana, zero deck customization, and unlocked cards are automatically added to your deck. 77 card deck FTL!

[stuckpixel]

I paid the 800 points for the foily garruk, and I got the game for free.

I really dislike how you cannot remove cards in the deck editor - rather just add in new ones. Plus, you cannot cusomize the lands you run (it automatically adds lands for you).

If this was an avenue to getting new players on board, you'd think they'd want to at least re-enforce good magic habits - such as keeping your deck a managable size.

[Sims]

The deck editor part sucks, i'll admit, but in the actual duels the gameplay really isn't too horrible. Yes it butchers our known sense of stack and priority, but it does mimic how most people play the game casually pretty well. So, I dunno.... Game sucks but it's a decent timesink.

I'll echo the 800MS points for the garruk thing, if the game would give me my fucking promo code.

[Goaswerfraiejen]

Is there any reason to prefer this to Battlemage? Battlemage had many of the same problems, but it was also a pretty good introduction to deckbuilding and pre-sixth edition rules. Hell, I still like it, and bust it out occasionally.

[Sims]

Anyone notice that the page for redeeming the garruk says it will be sent in 6 to 8 weeks?

6 to 8 weeks for delivery? really?

[Bourgeoise]

If the second to last planeswalker casts blightning on you you are screwed, locks up on me in that it doesnt allow me to select cards to discard, jsut says you can't play that atm or "the game is busy"

[Pinder]

People are really paying 800 MS points ($10) for this?

http://ihatemtg.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/41j_garruk.jpg

I was thinking about it, but honestly that card is fuck ugly. Xbox controller set symbol, and mediocre of art? I realize it's cheaper than what Garruk normally goes for (http://www.magictraders.com/cgi-bin/query.cgi?list=magic&target=garruk+wildspeaker&field=0&operator=re), but if you're looking for resale value I highly doubt it will be easy to move these things.

[Sims]

You'd be surprised... I've already got a few people at my cardshop that are interested in trading for mine when it comes in. Doesn't matter that it's ugly as hell. It's shiny and has a pimpness factor to them in the sense that it's an unusual thing to see, so they think it's cool.

[JeroenC]

A. It's foil.
B. It's promo.
C. It's only available in some parts of the world.

I think $10 is going to be a good investment and you'll get it back. Of course, you might not, and then you just have a "cheap" Garruk with a free game. For the few lucky people who can get their stuff this way.

[Pinder]

A. It's foil.
B. It's promo.
C. It's only available in some parts of the world.

I think $10 is going to be a good investment and you'll get it back. Of course, you might not, and then you just have a "cheap" Garruk with a free game. For the few lucky people who can get their stuff this way.

Eh, you have a point. And the game is certainly a worthy time sink, and $10 isn't really too much to lose even if it sucks.

[TheAardvark]

It doesn't actually suck. I mean, it's not amazing because you are forced (at the beginning, anyway) to play cards like Wall of Wood, but it's actually a lot of fun in the manner that playing bad Limited decks is fun. I actually like the Challenges, but I wish there were more of them.

Oh, and pick Garruk's deck when you first start, because Chandra's is the nut low. God, it's so bad. At least Garruk's has multiple Overrun.

[Pinder]

Oh, and pick Garruk's deck when you first start, because Chandra's is the nut low. God, it's so bad. At least Garruk's has multiple Overrun.

"Multiple" here meaning "two". But in any case you're correct. I won a few games with the green deck, then switched to the red deck to shake things up a bit, lost 1 game, and never touched the thing again. Then I beat Elspeth 3 times in a row.

[rockout]

The most savage play so far is t2 grizzly bear, t3 blanchwood armor, win. The one thing I wish the Garruk deck had was naturalize. There's a few times where t1 rack gets there.

Funny things I've lost to: Multiple Holy Days. Lava Axe x2 + Furance of Rath.

I'll be honest, 1 or 2 of the challenges I messed up on the first try. The one where Platinum Angel is in play and I was scratching my head trying to figure out why my opponent was at -2 life and still alive.

The second time you face Garruk watch out for the surprise t6 Loxodon Warhammer + Equip.

[TheAardvark]

The most savage play so far is t2 grizzly bear, t3 blanchwood armor, win. The one thing I wish the Garruk deck had was naturalize. There's a few times where t1 rack gets there.

I agree regarding Naturalize, mainly because I couldn't beat the final Tezzeret after about 10 tries with Garruk. He landed Razormane every single game when he hit the appropriate mana (5, or 4 with Sculptor, etc.); literally, every time. I had 0 answers to that. So, I took Jace and beat the living shit out of him and his fucking Glaze Fiends.


Funny things I've lost to: Multiple Holy Days. Lava Axe x2 + Furance of Rath.

Holy Day is ridiculous. I got hit with Holy Day back to back 2-3 times in various games vs. Elspeth. It was stupid.


I'll be honest, 1 or 2 of the challenges I messed up on the first try. The one where Platinum Angel is in play and I was scratching my head trying to figure out why my opponent was at -2 life and still alive.

Yeah, they can be tricky. I mean, they're not overly difficult, but most of them have one or two lines of play that invariably leave the opponent at 1.


The second time you face Garruk watch out for the surprise t6 Loxodon Warhammer + Equip.

Also watch out for him to runner-runner double Overrun. That sucked a lot.

[rockout]

Also watch out for him to runner-runner double Overrun. That sucked a lot.

The computer has more savage top decks then me in real life.

[Pinder]

So I took the plunge and bought my foil Garruk (free game included!). I gotta say the Puzzles are pretty inventive. It usually doesn't take more than 1 or 2 tries on even the harder ones, but they did a really good job of including a lot of red herrings which look good but don't win, so you have to keep track of your shit.

I really really really really hate that you can't remove original cards from the deck, only the ones you earn. It means that if you want to change the deck at all, you have to go above 60 cards, and also that I can't take out shitty cards like Natural Spring or Grizzly bears for my extra Blanchwood Armors and Wurm's Teeth and such.

Other than that, though, it's actually a pretty solid game. Easy to farm achievements, at any rate.



Also watch out for him to runner-runner double Overrun. That sucked a lot.

I've done that :D. It seems like the green deck is far and away the best metagamed for this weird inbred game meta they have. I only had time to play against the first three planeswalkers, but the red and white decks just never seem to get there.

[Soldar]

I've played through the game with the green deck, winning the majority of my games to Overrun and Blanchwood Armor. And every time I'm forced to draw a Wall of Wood, I cringe.

What my main question is - what rules exactly are they using? I can understand all the modifications they have to do to generate interest in the console community, that's cool; I don't mind that (shared priority, etc). But I can't respond to damage on the stack, but I have to regenerate multiple times through a deathtouch creature.

Has anyone been able to generate an instance of double lifelink?

[Nho]

It means that if you want to change the deck at all, you have to go above 60 cards, and also that I can't take out shitty cards like Natural Spring or Grizzly bears for my extra Blanchwood Armors and Wurm's Teeth and such.

Really? You want to put in Wurm's teeth for grizzly bears? When the best play in the game is T2 bears, T3 Blanchwood Armour? The Garruk deck has some pretty absurd plays in it though... T2 Rampant growth, T3 Elvish Piper, T4 put Verdant Force into play, play Blanchwood armour on Verdant Force. On the play. Brutal.

=Nho=

[TheAardvark]

I've played through the game with the green deck, winning the majority of my games to Overrun and Blanchwood Armor. And every time I'm forced to draw a Wall of Wood, I cringe.

What my main question is - what rules exactly are they using? I can understand all the modifications they have to do to generate interest in the console community, that's cool; I don't mind that (shared priority, etc). But I can't respond to damage on the stack, but I have to regenerate multiple times through a deathtouch creature.

Has anyone been able to generate an instance of double lifelink?

The game, as confirmed on Salvation before it became available, uses the M10 rules. That is why no damage on the stack tricks, etc.

[boris13]

Yeah playing online is pretty fun somehow I am in the top 30 for 2 player games. The deck editor is the worst thing about it, but it is worth the ten dollars.

[Soldar]

The game, as confirmed on Salvation before it became available, uses the M10 rules. That is why no damage on the stack tricks, etc.

That's why I provided the instance of deathtouch - I want to confirm how this works under the M10 rules, since I thought I had a full grasp of how it worked, but instead I lost out.

I had a Troll Ascetic attacking, and he blocks with a Tidehollow Strix.

Before damage, I activate the regeneration ability, and after damage I lose the Troll. Is this a misunderstanding by me about how deathtouch works with the new rules set, or something else?

[rockout]

There's 2 things killing your Troll. The 2 damage from Strix and Deatouch, so you need 2 regen shields to save your troll. Deathtouch no longer uses the stack in M10 rules. So you have to put 2 regen shields on before you even go to damage because once damage happens, troll takes 2 = lethal and deathtouch = lethal and there is nothing you can really do during the damage step.

Another savage play. I was playing 4 player on xbox live and this guy dragon roost which is an enchantment that puts 5/5 dragons into play with flying for 7 mana. I have a 0/3 defender POS and a giant growth in hand. I proceed to rip howl of the night pack and next turn overrun. Eat 7x 5/5 tramplers. I ended up winning that game a few turns later.

[Hoojo]

There's 2 things killing your Troll. The 2 damage from Strix and Deatouch, so you need 2 regen shields to save your troll. Deathtouch no longer uses the stack in M10 rules. So you have to put 2 regen shields on before you even go to damage because once damage happens, troll takes 2 = lethal and deathtouch = lethal and there is nothing you can really do during the damage step.

Another savage play. I was playing 4 player on xbox live and this guy dragon roost which is an enchantment that puts 5/5 dragons into play with flying for 7 mana. I have a 0/3 defender POS and a giant growth in hand. I proceed to rip howl of the night pack and next turn overrun. Eat 7x 5/5 tramplers. I ended up winning that game a few turns later.

According to the article (http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/42a), M10 makes it so one regeneration shield is all you need to save a creature blocking a deathtouching creature.


Second, if your creature is dealt lethal damage by a source with deathtouch (for example, if Drudge Skeletons is blocking Moonglove Winnower), a single regeneration shield is enough to keep it alive. Two state-based effects are trying to kill the Skeletons (one that deals with lethal damage and one that deals with damage from a source with deathtouch). Since all state-based effects are processed simultaneously, one regeneration effect will cover them both.

[Pinder]

So, I just wanted to pop in and tell everyone that I just beat Garruk by swinging for 7,991 damage. Lys Alan Packmaster + Coat of Arms + Imperious Perfect + Immaculate Magistrate + 4 Elvish Champions + a fuckton of other random elves + Overrun + 4 Giant Growths = some good, I hear.

Basically it got to the point where Garruk wouldn't even do anything. Every one of his turns until he drew every card in his deck was draw, discard, go. And at the end of every one of his turns I would make a token, them pump a single Elvish Champion with my Magistrate.

Said Elvish Champion's P/T:
http://imgur.com/TitQY.jpg

The numbers run out of the little box, so for those of you that can't read it, it was a 1,725/1,725. At the end of it, the 1/1 tokens were coming in as 77/77s (as it turns out, the game won't let you have more than 50 tokens).

Lol, 4 Giant Growths on the stack:
http://imgur.com/aIePB.jpg

My alpha strike:
http://imgur.com/e8MO8.jpg

That big huge bar in the middle? That's the +1/+1 counters on the Elvish Champion. It started to run off the screen.

His final life total:
http://imgur.com/roKia.jpg

It's sort of hard to tell, but that says -7977. Since he started my turn at 14 life, that means I swung for just shy of 8,000 damage in a single turn. I was swinging with Rhys, so I also gained 81 life, but whatever.

Just wanted to share.

[rockout]

Savage.

[troopatroop]

Does anybody still play this? The leaderboards are pretty easy to move up, especially if you have a second Gold account and can play Two Headed Giant. The decks are pretty balanced, but Elves and Black are probably best.

[rockout]

I gave up on the game. I just sold my promo garruk for 22 bucks with 5 bucks shipping but I have to ship it to china. I have a feeling I am going to get screwed on the deal.