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Thread: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

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    Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    There is a tournament coming up in June of this year and I need your suggestions...

    The format consists as follows:

    "Nightmare '99 (or just "Nightmare") is a one-on-one Magic format, harkening back to an era that never was, but could have been, if Wizards simply printed cards and watched the destruction they unleashed unfold. It has minimal deck construction requirements, and most notably, no banned & restricted list, meaning horribly powerful decks can be built.

    Deck Construction Rules

    Players construct decks of 60 or more cards.

    Players may optionally construct a sideboard containing exactly 15 cards.

    Players may not include more than four of copies of a card in their combined deck and sideboard. Cards are considered to be copies of the same card if they have the same English name.

    Legal Sets
    Cards printed in the following sets are legal:

    Alpha
    Beta
    Unlimited
    Revised
    Fourth Edition
    Fifth Edition
    Arabian Nights
    Antiquities
    Legends
    The Dark
    Fallen Empires
    Homelands
    Ice Age
    Alliances
    Mirage
    Visions
    Weatherlight
    Tempest
    Stronghold
    Exodus
    Urza's Saga
    Urza's Legacy
    Urza's Destiny
    Chronicles
    Rivals Quick Start Set
    Multiverse Gift Box
    Anthologies
    Renaissance
    Portal
    Portal Second Age
    Portal Three Kingdoms
    Starter 1999
    All Book promos with copyright dates from 1999 or earlier (Arena, Sewers of Estark, Windseeker Centaur, Giant Badger, Mana Crypt)"

    What are some of the most broken decks you can think of?

    4 Time Vault + 4 Voltaic Key?

    4 Lotus + 4 Ancestral?

  2. #2
    The green Ancestral
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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Why did they even include stuff like Portal and Anthologies? If people try to make broken decks, it's just going to be an orgy of power nine plus other banned and restricted cards. I don't think traditionally powerful cards like Mind Twist, Strip Mine, Necropotence, or Library of Alexandria will even be playable. I don't think Timetwister would even be that desirable, due to the risk of drawing the opponent into Force of Will. Aside from Force of Will, Null Rod, and maybe Balance, Chains of Mephistophles, and Nether Void, I don't see any real answer cards, so this is very much a Turn-1 kill/die-roll format. Definitely not for me, but I'll indulge it as a thought exercise.

    Likely deck constraints:

    1) Has to have Force of Will and the requisite number of blue cards to cast it for free.

    2) Has to be running four Null Rod or have a way to kill opposing Null Rods in games on the draw when lacking Force of Will. Crumble, Disenchant, Shatter, Seal of Cleansing, Boomerang, Abolish, and Crash are the most probable contenders, and a side plan would be wise. Playing more lands is probably a worse strategy than just mulliganing to Force of Will or Academy + bounce or Tinker vs. a dedicated Null Rod deck.

    3) Has to have more than three win conditions so that you don't auto-lose to an opposing Turn 1 Jester's Cap.

    4 Black Lotus
    4 Lotus Petal
    3 Mana Crypt
    4 Mox Sapphire
    4 Mox Jet
    4 Tolarian Academy

    4 Ancestral Recall
    4 Time Walk
    4 Tinker
    4 Force of Will
    4 Boomerang
    1 Timetwister
    1 Mind over Matter
    2 Stroke of Genius

    4 Demonic Tutor
    2 Yawgmoth's Will
    1 Channel
    1 Kaervek's Torch
    1 Time Vault
    1 Voltaic Key
    1 Memory Jar
    1 Megrim
    1 Teeka's Dragon
    Last edited by ESG; 02-19-2020 at 04:01 AM.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by Fallen_Empire View Post
    There is a tournament coming up in June of this year and I need your suggestions...
    I'm not watching a video. Just tell me where the tournament is.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dice_Box View Post
    You don't get to play the most powerful cards in the format and then bitch when someone finally says no. You also don't get to bitch that it's not fun when someone finally tells you no instead of voyeuristicly watching you masturbate with Cantrips.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Seems like the format is very much a turn 1 format, and is probably secretly miserable, especially with ante cards legal.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by thecrav View Post
    I'm not watching a video. Just tell me where the tournament is.
    June 5th - Seattle during MagicFest 2020 at a brewery.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by ESG View Post
    Why did they even include stuff like Portal and Anthologies? If people try to make broken decks, it's just going to be an orgy of power nine plus other banned and restricted cards. I don't think traditionally powerful cards like Mind Twist, Strip Mine, Necropotence, or Library of Alexandria will even be playable. I don't think Timetwister would even be that desirable, due to the risk of drawing the opponent into Force of Will. Aside from Force of Will, Null Rod, and maybe Balance, Chains of Mephistophles, and Nether Void, I don't see any real answer cards, so this is very much a Turn-1 kill/die-roll format. Definitely not for me, but I'll indulge it as a thought exercise.
    Yeah it's pretty wild. Not sure how many will rock 4 sets of power but it will be quick games I'm sure. Thanks for indulging!

    There is a sweet playmat, maybe this will entice you:


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    The green Ancestral
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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by Wrath of Pie View Post
    Seems like the format is very much a turn 1 format, and is probably secretly miserable, especially with ante cards legal.
    Hmmm, I overlooked the fact that ante cards are also legal. Probably should add four copies of Contract from Below to the above deck, although I have no idea how ante is going to be adjudicated. If it follows original rules, then maybe no one will play power and the format will be completely different. Seems like everyone should play black, though.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fallen_Empire View Post
    There is a sweet playmat, maybe this will entice you
    It's a cool mat, for sure.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by ESG View Post
    I have no idea how ante is going to be adjudicated
    http://emeraldcitytrolls.com/nightmare_rules.html

    The whole thing is pretty bonkers but it will be interesting to see what happens.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    I really wish to see reports/recordings from this.
    "Want all, lose all."

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Due to Covid-19, the event will be run online "batch-style": June 5th - June 22nd.

    For more information or to sign up check out the old school players webcam group https://www.facebook.com/groups/551913338322720/ or http://emeraldcitytrolls.com/events.html

  11. #11
    The green Ancestral
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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Bummer. But to be expected, I guess.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Do you have a deck yet?

    On MTGS under the "Casual" sub a few years back there was some discussion of optimizing the turn 1 win rate for a list under no-B/R list. "Just for fun".format. But that format was allowed to run better wincons like Tendrils of Agony or Goblin Charbelcher.

    You absolutely want:
    4 Black Lotus
    4 Ancestral Recall
    4 Contract from Below
    4 Demonic Tutor


    They're just the most broken things you can do in Magic, and each one gets better as the average card quality of your deck increases.

    To round out the mana sources you probably also want these, though it depends on your wincon and need for colorless vs colored mana
    4 Lotus Petal
    4 Mana Crypt
    4 Dark Ritual
    4 Mox Sapphire
    4 Mox Jet
    4 Tolarian Academy

    Demonic Consultation is a very strong choice, but it depends if you're leaning more black or blue.

    Shahrazad is a way to troll everyone.

    Timetwister is strong just because the mana is so explosive that 3 mana for 7 cards is a very good deal.

    Force of Will is probably a necessary evil, but it has some anti-synergy with Wheel effects (you lose your Forces and they draw more). Another protection option is Defense Grid, which lets you try to go off turn 1 in peace and Wheel as many times as you need.

    You could also play Prison with Null Rod, Sphere of Resistance, and Chains of Mephistopheles. Chains is hilarious when everyone else is running 1-mana "Draw 7" and 1-mana "Draw 3". Chains is also hilarious when YOU cast Timetwister or Wheel of Fortune: "lose your hand, then mill 7". It just hoses the whole format. Chains might pair well with mass-discard like Balance/Mind Twist/Hymn to Tourach and The Rack. Chains + Anvil of Bogardan also locks them out of the game once they have no hand.

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by FTW View Post
    Do you have a deck yet?

    On MTGS under the "Casual" sub a few years back there was some discussion of optimizing the turn 1 win rate for a list under no-B/R list. "Just for fun".format. But that format was allowed to run better wincons like Tendrils of Agony or Goblin Charbelcher.

    You absolutely want:
    4 Black Lotus
    4 Ancestral Recall
    4 Contract from Below
    4 Demonic Tutor


    They're just the most broken things you can do in Magic, and each one gets better as the average card quality of your deck increases.

    To round out the mana sources you probably also want these, though it depends on your wincon and need for colorless vs colored mana
    4 Lotus Petal
    4 Mana Crypt
    4 Dark Ritual
    4 Mox Sapphire
    4 Mox Jet
    4 Tolarian Academy

    Demonic Consultation is a very strong choice, but it depends if you're leaning more black or blue.

    Shahrazad is a way to troll everyone.

    Timetwister is strong just because the mana is so explosive that 3 mana for 7 cards is a very good deal.

    Force of Will is probably a necessary evil, but it has some anti-synergy with Wheel effects (you lose your Forces and they draw more). Another protection option is Defense Grid, which lets you try to go off turn 1 in peace and Wheel as many times as you need.

    You could also play Prison with Null Rod, Sphere of Resistance, and Chains of Mephistopheles. Chains is hilarious when everyone else is running 1-mana "Draw 7" and 1-mana "Draw 3". Chains is also hilarious when YOU cast Timetwister or Wheel of Fortune: "lose your hand, then mill 7". It just hoses the whole format. Chains might pair well with mass-discard like Balance/Mind Twist/Hymn to Tourach and The Rack. Chains + Anvil of Bogardan also locks them out of the game once they have no hand.
    We will be recording decklists (with deck photos) for the internet and hopefully some match play as well, it should be a tournament for the ages. I'll post links in the future to share. We have some big guns signed up so I'm definitely expecting some number of 4x Black Lotus - Ancestral Recall - Contract from Below - Demonic Tutor. :D

    As for me I'm planning on playing some combination of budget UB prison:

    Sol Rings, Sol lands, and Lotus Petals to power out Null Rod and Arcane Laboratory. Enough blue cards to support force (ancestral, mystical tutor, intuition, mana leak, windfall, boomerang) 4x Tinker to fetch out null rods or artifact beaters (Masticore + Teeka's Dragon) maybe even some number of Serendib Efreet or Morphling... Definitely Contract's too, I just need to win die rolls and pray for the best. Still going over my 60... It's Paris mulligan and think you have to probably just mull into force on the draw.

    I really can't wait to see what people are putting into SB slots, I've very intrigued. Should be wild!

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    The green Ancestral
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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by Fallen_Empire View Post
    Due to Covid-19, the event will be run online "batch-style": June 5th - June 22nd.

    For more information or to sign up check out the old school players webcam group https://www.facebook.com/groups/551913338322720/ or http://emeraldcitytrolls.com/events.html
    So, how'd this go? Tournament report?

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    The finals are tomorrow ESG. It is going to be live streamed:

    Watch @rbuehler (Megrim Jar) and @BryanManolakos (Vault Key) in possibly the most degenerate match of Magic the Gathering ever played in the Nightmare ‘99 finals Monday, July 6, at 6PM PST/9PM EST!!! https://twitch.tv/os_stsully #oldschoolmtg

    https://twitter.com/emeraldctrolls/s...44282405277696

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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy


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    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    Quote Originally Posted by Fallen_Empire View Post
    The degeneracy was so intense that it took six months to recover from the hangover ...

    Nice cardboard for sure, though.

  18. #18

    Re: Nightmare '99 - Bring on the Degeneracy

    I'd play chaos orb for the lols.

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