Weekly 3CB: #11 (entries close 12/14/07)

[Illissius]

3CB #11 is open for entries! Congratulations to Anusien, winner of 3CB #10! TheCramp, Maveric78f, freakish777, and georgjorge were only one or two points behind (out of over a hundred), so it's practically a five-way tie.

Decklists and results for previous 3CBs can be found at the wiki (http://thesource3cb.pbwiki.com/). Edit your results in for 3CBs #3-5 and #10 if you played in those (password is 3cbthesource). We have full results up on the wiki for all the other rounds, and 3-5 are just a big, ugly hole; it'd be great if we could fill it, and it only takes a minute to copy your results in from the thread, to which -- how convenient -- there's a link right there at the wiki.

Entries for this round close at 23:59 EST on Friday, December 14th (extended to the 21st). To enter, either PM me, or send your deck by email to thesource3cb at gmail. I'm not accepting second decks this week. Preferred format for submissions:


3CB #11 Entry (title of PM or email)
ThisIsMyUsername - Shandalar Stompy
Forest
Nafs Asp
Timber Wolves

Notes, comments, etc.


Please try to follow this format; reformatting close to 30 entries by hand is a bigger pain in the ass than you'd think.

If you're paranoid about me seeing your deck (I won't), I'll be posting the MWS security code for my own deck within the next few days and you can wait for that.



-- What is 3CB? --

3CB, which stands for Three Card Blind, is a unique format of Magic play, quite unlike any other; sort of like a very (very, very -- in the way a government bureaucracy is an advanced form of a pickpocket --) advanced form of Rock, Paper, Scissors. As per the name, you have three cards, of your own choosing. They are your deck and your hand. Your opponent also has three cards. All normally hidden information is visible to both players, and nothing happens randomly, so the optimal play for each player is always known -- meaning you don't actually play any Magic, per se. You submit a deck, so does everyone else, and all outcomes (all decks versus all other decks) are determined deterministically, usually by a moderator, or (as we do here) group effort. Unless you can break the format in half, it often comes down to metagaming.


-- Rules of 3CB --

Your deck is composed of 3 cards which all start in your hand.
Your library contains 0 cards and you don’t have a sideboard nor own any cards outside of the game. (Wishes fetch nothing.)
Random effects always go in your opponent's favor. (This includes Chaos Orb and Falling Star. If controllership of something with random effects changes, they go in favor of the player who doesn't own it.)
You can see your opponent's hand, so you make the best possible play. (If both players' taking an action would cause that player to lose the game, then neither player takes any action, and the game is a draw.)
You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card. (If cards are put in your library, you draw them as normal. Effects which require you to skip a draw work as normal.)
You play each opponent twice; once going first and once going second.
For each win, you score 3 points.
For each draw, you score 1 point.
For each loss, you score 0 points.

Three rules restrict the kind of deck you can send. They are:
1. You may not submit a deck that can win before the opponent's first main phase.
2. You may not submit a deck that can force an opponent to lose more than one card from his or her hand in a single turn.
3. You may not submit a deck that uses a card on the 3CB banned list.

Other than the aforementioned, everything is handled exactly like a real game of Magic.


-- 3CB Banned List --

All Ante Cards
All Promo cards not available on Gatherer/Autocard
All Unglued and Unhinged Cards (excluding basic lands)

Creatures:
Magus of the Moon
Mesmeric Fiend
Nezumi Shortfang
Voidstone Gargoyle

Lands:
Ghost Quarter
Glacial Chasm
Strip Mine
Wasteland

Artifacts:
The Rack

Enchantments:
Barren Glory
Form of the Dragon

Instants:
Force of Will

Sorceries:
Abandon Hope
Balance
Blackmail
Cabal Therapy
Coercion
Pulse of the Dross
Restore Balance
Thoughtseize

[etrigan]

What's the deal with Nezumi Shortfang? Is it really that good? It needs, to produce 1B on two turns. It can only force a discard second turn. And for all that, it's only on-par with Lavaborn Muse. I dont get it.

[Illissius]

To be honest, I'm not sure. You do have to consider that it's both discard and a Rack effect (whereas Muse is only the latter), and it causes loss of life rather than damage. (The 1B on multiple turns is easily accomplished with Mox+Factory or something, so that's no obstacle). I'll have to ask around with people who've been doing this longer than I, though, maybe it could come off.

[Illissius]

Security code for my deck is EB40B159.

[Illissius]

I only have two entries by PM so far, why the lethargy?

[georgjorge]

Everyone's still busy calculating the results of the last one...:wink:

[Illissius]

Day and a half left, and I still only have two decks. Come on guys, this is pathetic.

I'd help with calculating #10, but I really need to study right now.

[Wallace]

Day and a half left, and I still only have two decks. Come on guys, this is pathetic.

I'd help with calculating #10, but I really need to study right now.


I'll do it, I have some free time, if anyone has a problem with this speak up.

[Illissius]

Sacearuse: Would be great, as I already replied in the other thread. If you keep waiting for someone to wander into the thread and approve, though, you end up waiting a while (as you've seen)... I'm pretty sure the only reasonable reaction anyone can have is "wow, thanks".

In other news, I'm extending the deadline by a day, to 23:59 on Saturday, December 15th, because I still only have five decks. If I don't get 8-10ish I might end up extending it right up until next Friday and have it merge with next week's. It seems close to 30 decks is something we have real trouble handling, so I'll try to avoid that in the future. (P.S. If you submit two decks and then can't be assed to figure out the results, you suck.)

[georgjorge]

Yea, I think it's pointless with less than 8-10 decks...good decision, thanks.

[Tao]

cool i will send you a decklist asap

[Illissius]

I just finished the remaining results for #10, which cost me several hours of my life. If I don't get another two decks (yeah, we're up to 6 now) in the next 7.5 hours, you all suck sweaty buffalo balls.

[Illissius]

If I don't get another two decks in the next 7.5 hours, you all suck sweaty buffalo balls.

So yeah. Not even one. New deadline is 23:59 Friday, December 21st.

[freakish777]

Er... I don't think I won the last one. I miscalculated 3 matches I believe, which turns into an 18 point swing. Basically, I'm a bit busy to re-calculate and re-adjust the wiki...

[Giles]

For 3CB #10:
7 vs 14
14 wins both games since they can win the suspending race.

[Illissius]

I now have 8 decks. That's enough to hold a tournament with, but still not very much. Bit over a day and a half left to get some more in.

[Wallace]

I now have 8 decks. That's enough to hold a tournament with, but still not very much. Bit over a day and a half left to get some more in.


Can the 8 of us who submited a deck, submit another due to the lack of
Participation?

[etrigan]

Or use metagame decks. One Workshop aggro, one Tabernacle, one Energy Field, one Show and Tell. Something like that.

[Illissius]

Alright, here we go.

1. Illissius - Black Scavenger of Rage
Black Lotus
Anurid Scavenger
Misguided Rage

2. Sacearuse -
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Wheel of Torture
Mishra's Workshop

3. georgjorge - Biggest thing in the history of #3CB
Leveler
Black Lotus
City of Traitors

4. Giles - Not Karoo: Coming back in to action
Black Lotus
Dust Bowl
Lavaborn Muse

5. etrigan - Longest Type Line Ever
Black Lotus
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn
Naturalize

6. SpatulaOfTheAges - I Hate Workshop
Black Lotus
Black Lotus
Rakdos the Defiler

7. Tao - 666666
Black Lotus
Channel
Crush of Wurms

8. tyrcho - mangara karakas
Mangara of Corondor
Karakas
Aether Vial

9. GreenOne - ETWins
Conjurer's Bauble
Black Lotus
Empty the Warrens

10. Maveric78f - The ninth deck
Mishra's Workshop
Wheel of Torture
Chimeric Idol

Add your results to the wiki (http://thesource3cb.pbwiki.com/). (Password is 3cbthesource.)

Things to note:
#2 wins the Mise Prise, as it can never get better than a draw.
#7 doesn't work.
#9 can't use the Bauble to return the Bauble, only the Lotus. (it's not in the graveyard yet when targets are declared)


Can the 8 of us who submited a deck, submit another due to the lack of
Participation?

Nah, don't like changing the rules midflight.



Or use metagame decks. One Workshop aggro, one Tabernacle, one Energy Field, one Show and Tell. Something like that.

I've thought of gathering all the classic decks of 3CB in a tournament and seeing what happens. Maybe sometime.

[Tao]

crap


Who could know that Channel does not produce Green Mana.

[SpatulaOfTheAges]

Only one entry this time?

1. Illissius - Black Scavenger of Rage
Black Lotus
Anurid Scavenger
Misguided Rage

DL -1

2. Sacearuse -
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Wheel of Torture
Mishra's Workshop

DD - 3

3. georgjorge - Biggest thing in the history of #3CB
Leveler
Black Lotus
City of Traitors

WL - 6

4. Giles - Not Karoo: Coming back in to action
Black Lotus
Dust Bowl
Lavaborn Muse

WW - 12

5. etrigan - Longest Type Line Ever
Black Lotus
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn
Naturalize

WW - 18

7. Tao - 666666
Black Lotus
Channel
Crush of Wurms

WW - 24

8. tyrcho - mangara karakas

Mangara of Corondor
Karakas
Aether Vial

LL - 24

9. GreenOne - ETWins
Conjurer's Bauble
Black Lotus
Empty the Warrens

WW - 30

10. Maveric78f - The ninth deck
Mishra's Workshop
Wheel of Torture
Chimeric Idol

WW - 36

[Bovinious]

7. Tao - 666666
Black Lotus
Channel
Crush of Wurms

WW - 29


I LOL'D, can this deck even do ANYTHING???

[GreenOne]

I's the first time i do tht thing, so please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Illissius - Black Scavenger of Rage
Black Lotus
Anurid Scavenger
Misguided Rage

LL - 0

2. Sacearuse -
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Wheel of Torture
Mishra's Workshop

DD - 2

3. georgjorge - Biggest thing in the history of #3CB
Leveler
Black Lotus
City of Traitors

WW - 8

4. Giles - Not Karoo: Coming back in to action
Black Lotus
Dust Bowl
Lavaborn Muse

WW - 14

5. etrigan - Longest Type Line Ever
Black Lotus
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn
Naturalize

WW - 20

6. SpatulaOfTheAges - I Hate Workshop
Black Lotus
Black Lotus
Rakdos the Defiler

LL - 20

7. Tao - 666666
Black Lotus
Channel
Crush of Wurms

WW - 26

8. tyrcho - mangara karakas
Mangara of Corondor
Karakas
Aether Vial

WW - 32

10. Maveric78f - The ninth deck
Mishra's Workshop
Wheel of Torture
Chimeric Idol

WW - 38

[Illissius]

Alright, here's my own results:

1. Black Scavenger of Rage
Black Lotus
Anurid Scavenger
Misguided Rage

01. N/A
02. 2-2
03. 0-6
04. 6-0
05. 6-0
06. 4-1
07. 6-0
08. 4-1
09. 6-0
10. 3-3

Total: 37

I think I just barely squeak a win against the EtW deck. It goes like this:

- Warrens deck makes 8 tokens
- Scavenger deck makes Scavenger
- Warrens swings, gets through for 7 (13), loses a token (7 left)
- Scavenger gets back the Lotus, and Rages a token (6 left)
- Warrens swings, gets through for 5 (8), loses a token (5 left)
- Scavenger gets back the Lotus
- Warrens swings, gets through for 4 (4), loses a token (4 left)
- Scavenger gets back the Rage, Rages a token (3 left)
- Warrens swings, gets through for 2 (2), loses a token (2 left)
- Scavenger gets back the Lotus
- Warrens swings, gets through for 1 (1), loses a token (1 left)
- Scavenger gets back the Rage, Rages the last token, starts swinging

If Warrens sits back instead of attacking, then Scavenger just recurs the Rage and grinds the army down anyways.

I see that only two people have calculated their results, and a grand total of zero have added it to the wiki. This is not encouraging.

[tyrcho]

8. tyrcho - mangara karakas
Mangara of Corondor
Karakas
Aether Vial
total 33

1. Illissius - Black Scavenger of Rage
Black Lotus
Anurid Scavenger
Misguided Rage
DL

2. Sacearuse -
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Wheel of Torture
Mishra's Workshop
WW

3. georgjorge - Biggest thing in the history of #3CB
Leveler
Black Lotus
City of Traitors
LL

4. Giles - Not Karoo: Coming back in to action
Black Lotus
Dust Bowl
Lavaborn Muse
WW

5. etrigan - Longest Type Line Ever
Black Lotus
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn
Naturalize
DD
(if he plays shizuko I unsummon it with karakas, if I play vial he naturalizes it, so we both stay doing nothing).

6. SpatulaOfTheAges - I Hate Workshop
Black Lotus
Black Lotus
Rakdos the Defiler
WW

7. Tao - 666666
Black Lotus
Channel
Crush of Wurms
WW

9. GreenOne - ETWins
Conjurer's Bauble
Black Lotus
Empty the Warrens
LL

10. Maveric78f - The ninth deck
Mishra's Workshop
Wheel of Torture
Chimeric Idol
WW
(if he starts :
1. he plays workshop and wheel, 17. I play karakas and vial
2. he plays idol, 14. 1 counter
3. attacks for 3. 8, 2 counters
4 attacks for 3. 2, 3 counters
5 attacks. I vial mangara, block and then target idol and return mangara to my hand. I stay at 2 forever, removes all his permanents from the game, and beats with managara.

[Tao]

10. Maveric78f - The ninth deck
Mishra's Workshop
Wheel of Torture
Chimeric Idol
WW
(if he starts :
1. he plays workshop and wheel, 17. I play karakas and vial
2. he plays idol, 14. 1 counter
3. attacks for 3. 8, 2 counters
4 attacks for 3. 2, 3 counters
5 attacks. I vial mangara, block and then target idol and return mangara to my hand. I stay at 2 forever, removes all his permanents from the game, and beats with managara.


if he starts:

1: he plays workshop, idol (wheel would not do any damage because you still have 3 cards); you play karakas vial
2: attack, wheel, 15 life; 1st counter in upk
3: attack, wheel, 10 life, 2nd counter in upk
4: attack, wheel, 5 life, 3rd counter in upk
5 attack, you have to vial mangara to stay alive but you can't use his ability yet because he is summoning sick
chump and bounce with karakas will make you lose against wheel in a few turns and not chumping will make you lose in your next upkeep

so it is a loss on the draw; on the play you are able to win on 2 life



4. Giles - Not Karoo: Coming back in to action
Black Lotus
Dust Bowl
Lavaborn Muse
WW

This is a LL.

On the draw he is clearly too fast. On the play you get into the same situation like against the Workshop.dec. You have to chump to stay alive and then you lose against her rack.

[Wallace]

So I see that I get a draw against everyone but deck #8:

8. tyrcho - mangara karakas
Mangara of Corondor
Karakas
Aether Vial

Does anyone want to explain how this works? I still think I win if he plays anything and draw if he doesn't.

2. Sacearuse -
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Wheel of Torture
Mishra's Workshop

[etrigan]

I believe he can Mangara-Karakas you with the Tabernacle trigger on the stack.

Results!

1. LL - 0
2. WW - 6 (I use my uber techy Shizuko, Caller of Autumn to pay for Tabernacle upkeeps and Naturalize your Wheel.)
3. WW - 12
4. LL - 12
5. Smash.
6. LL - 12
7. DD - 14
8. DD - 16
9. LL - 16
10. LL - 16

What ever happened to all the Tabernacle and Energy Field decks I was supposed to beat up on? Next week.

[Tao]

7. WW - 18


You can't beat me. If you play Shizuko I'll Crush of Wurrms you :p

So it is DD

[etrigan]

Heh. Noted.

[georgjorge]

3. Lotus / Workshop / Leveler

1. WW
2. WW
3. --
4. WW
5. LL
6. WL
7. WW
8. WW
9. LL
10.WW


...for 39 points, taking the lead - not that it means much, with people being so close together. Go Leveler Go (although I had hoped for more Tabernacles). A great round, with some pretty original decks showing up. Also: The Warrens deck would have at least 6 points more (I think) if he had used Leonin Squire instead of Bauble for that extra 2/2.

[GreenOne]

Also: The Warrens deck would have at least 6 points more (I think) if he had used Leonin Squire instead of Bauble for that extra 2/2.

Yeah, i thought about that too... after PMing the deck :tongue: it should have caused 2 less DMG from manaburn too. Well, props anyway at me for bringing a storm spell to 3CB.

Team STORM FTW!

[tyrcho]

if he starts:

1: he plays workshop, idol (wheel would not do any damage because you still have 3 cards); you play karakas vial
2: attack, wheel, 15 life; 1st counter in upk
3: attack, wheel, 10 life, 2nd counter in upk
4: attack, wheel, 5 life, 3rd counter in upk
5 attack, you have to vial mangara to stay alive but you can't use his ability yet because he is summoning sick
chump and bounce with karakas will make you lose against wheel in a few turns and not chumping will make you lose in your next upkeep

so it is a loss on the draw; on the play you are able to win on 2 life



This is a LL.

On the draw he is clearly too fast. On the play you get into the same situation like against the Workshop.dec. You have to chump to stay alive and then you lose against her rack.

OK, my mistake, I was a bit optimistic and not doing all the math or forgetting summoning sickness on Mangara.

Fixed in the wiki.

[georgjorge]

Having filled in the missing entries in the Wiki myself, here are the results...

1. georgjorge (Deck 3 - City of Traitors / Lotus / Leveler)
39 points

2. GreenOne (Deck 9 - Empty the Warrens / Lotus / Conjurer's Bauble)
38 points

3. Illisius (Deck 1 - Anurid Scavenger / Lotus / Misguided Rage)
37 points


Go Lotus decks Go ! The top 3 decks only separated by two points, and none of them have been played on The Source #3CB before. Great results !

As to Leveler, his size DOES matter sometimes, allowing to race a Rakdos or Energy Field on the play for example. But I was wrong - he wasn't the biggest thing, as someone played Dreadnought in a previous round (but it didn't do well thanks to Tabernacle, I think).

[Illissius]

Thanks a lot!