Questions for Q&A Episode!
Added 2021-05-27 06:31:04 +0000 UTCHey All!
We are going to do a Q&A episode this week for the show which means it's your chance to ask us the questions you want to know the answer to! Anything goes, can be about Strixhaven, Limited, Magic in general, food, life, anything you want. Fire away in the comments and we'll get to as many as we can.
THANK YOU!
Comments
Hi Marshall and Luis, During your last episode (with Tom Ross) Marshall answered a listener question concerning the grind to Mythic on Arena. I was interested in knowing a few more details on the topic that did not come up then. For those whose most limited resource is not time, it's inevitable to get to Mythic sooner or later like Marshal previously said, but if you can only spend so many hours a month playing on the ladder, it can seem tough getting to Mythic. So I would like to know 1) how many drafts on average does it take you each (considering the starting level on the ladder, naturally) to get to Mythic when a new season starts and 2) do you make it directly to the top 1,200 once you get there or do you spend some time grinding in the percentiles before making it to the top? For someone like me, who tries to squeeze a few limited games here and there so as to finally make it to Mythic during the last few days of the season, variance in success can mean a lot and the starting level also makes a big difference. After reaching Mythic you get to skip some levels on your way back there and heaven forbid you skip a month of two ranking up, you'll end up starting from bronze/silver level and face many drafts' worth of extra grind. Earlier the grind didn't seem too appealing but since I made it to Mythic the first time and noticed that the next time I got there quicker, it has made sense to try and not skip a month of getting there. Also getting straight to top 1,200 each time has made it worthwhile to try to make it even when time's running short, though missing the cut by literally half an hour (a few wins) stings. I've always wondered what the biggest factor in skipping the lower Mythic percentiles is and if it is better to reach Mythic during the last days. Perhaps you have some insight on this. Thanks!
Antti Koivisto
2021-05-27 21:02:52 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis, Actually not a long time listener (for shame!) having got back into Magic over lockdown after putting my cards down when Lorwyn was new. One thing I've noticed since falling back in love (hard) with Magic is that the most recent sets seem to make much more effort to have interesting, thematic new mechanics like foretell, magecraft and ward - could be that I'm misremembering how the old formats work though, as I was a good few years younger! Do you think there's a risk with the new mechanics that they just fizzle as sets rotate? Are there any of the new mechanics which aren't currently evergreen which you think add enough to the game that you'd be sad to see them go? Thanks! Cameron from London Ps - I listened to your podcast covering the end of pro Magic as we know it and was really moved by what you both had to say. You had a great perspective and handled what must have been a big shock very gracefully and with a really interesting perspective. I imagine that must have felt hard to do and Im sure I'm not alone in saying I admire you guys for being so professional and optimistic.
Cameron Spittal
2021-05-27 19:48:27 +0000 UTCA question about early-game sequencing: How much value do you put on playing creatures in order to draw removal ahead of your better creatures? For example, Quandrix Pledgemage seems to be considered a high-priority kill by many people in the format before it gets out of control. Do you consider playing a decoy creature (for example a 2/3 Vortex Runner or 3/2 Springmane Cervin) to draw removal and give your Pledgemage a better chance to survive? Or do you look at it as one you still run out on curve, and if it dies, it dies? Does playing a more aggressive or controlling deck change the equation, or not really?
Michael Rawdon
2021-05-27 18:08:03 +0000 UTCI posted this question on the general comment thread, but I'll put it here, too. I'm doing okay in quick draft (nearing 50% win rate) but abysmal in premiere draft (30% win rate ;_;). I've only ever drafted in arena. Do you have a hypothesis for what could be going on? The experience doesn't seem much different to me, so I know I'm missing something.
Carrie Miller
2021-05-27 17:45:41 +0000 UTCDribbling Resources?
Tabletop Tycoon
2021-05-27 17:35:40 +0000 UTCIf somebody gave you $5000 and said “you have to spend this on Magic product,“ what would you do with it?
Luke Johnson
2021-05-27 17:34:16 +0000 UTCDo you think there's an opportunity for high-profile Limited tournaments with big prizes sponsored by someone other than Wizards in the new world of competitive Magic? Could be sponsored by any of the Magic marketplaces (TCG Player, Channel Fireball, etc), or a Magic dealer like the SCG events. Given the popularity of limited Arena opens I wonder if limited events could generate enough interest to be sustainable if not subsidized by Wizards.
Tabletop Tycoon
2021-05-27 17:34:09 +0000 UTCTo LSV: as a casual player who’s never aspired to play competitively above FNM and never lived in areas frequented by Pro Tour competitors, it was a pretty nerve wracking experience when on Arena, I happened to get paired against Sam Black, Martin Juza, and Ben Seck. Who was the first “big name” pro you played against in a high level competitive setting and what was that experience like?
Eric Wong
2021-05-27 17:26:15 +0000 UTCI’m finding it hard to figure out which college I should be drafting in STX. More specifically, I’m having trouble identifying signals. Which cards coming around pick 5-8 are good signals that a color is open? Other than Bury in Books and Heated Debate, I don’t know.
James Shearer
2021-05-27 17:13:03 +0000 UTCHey guys - longtime listener and huge fan of all the content that both of you do. Listening to the show has gotten me through some of my toughest times! Two quick questions: first, any chance we'll get another run of LR sleeves, deckboxes or playmats so I can rep the show at drafts? Second, I know neither of you are actively trying to build a big paper collection, but what are your thoughts on offering old-border reprints in supplemental sets, as they have with Time Spiral Remastered and now Modern Horzions 2? Cheers, keep up the fantastic work! - John (aka DirtyCurdy27)
McNerdy27
2021-05-27 16:41:51 +0000 UTCHello, Long time listener, first time caller. How do you handle the cognitive dissonance when pointing out cards or archetypes at either side of the spectrum(good:bad)? When you call out a certain archetype like +1/+1 counters being poor, you cause most listeners to pass those cards making it somewhat better as the player in that type now has access to more of the key/good cards. Same with good archetypes that now may be 'over-picked' thus making it a 'poorer' archetype to draft because of limited resources. Basically the fact that you both have the unique ability to drive which archetypes see more play vs not. Thanks
Dan McKinney
2021-05-27 16:13:49 +0000 UTCHi guys, thus far I've had success drafting all of the schools in Strixhaven with the exception of Lorehold. Even when I feel like I have a good deck with some solid uncommons and rares I still quickly find myself out of the draft at 1-3. What cards should I be prioritizing in my draft in order to make a proper Lorehold deck?
James Gardiner
2021-05-27 15:51:02 +0000 UTCBiggest surprise from Strixhaven limited? Biggest Disappointment? Mythic uncommon? Thanks for everything you do on here. Love the streams!
David Bruno
2021-05-27 15:46:53 +0000 UTCHey guys! Thank you so much for everything you do! I love these episodes so much! Marshall, Louis is always sharing great tournament stories. Do you have any? Louis, I am struggling with Strixhaven draft and this is right after Kaldheim, where I had some of the best success I ever had with a set. Have you ever had this happen? And what did you do to get over it? Did you keep drafting the set until you figured it out? Or just wait for the next set to come out?
Jeremy Church
2021-05-27 15:34:15 +0000 UTCSometimes drafting a seat that's wide open can also be a challenge. How do you balance you deck's needs as you're drafting? (i.e. knowing when you have enough of a specific type of card or if adding more would be stronger vs taking something else—there are a lot of other examples I could add but I hope the question is clear; I'm just looking for guidance on balance) Thanks!
Nate Brunette
2021-05-27 15:29:17 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis, What would the following Magic characters get in their burritos? - Kaya - Elesh Norn - Chandra - Trostani - Yawgmoth - Karn - Squee - Fynn the Fangbearer - Dack Fayden (the greatest thief in the Multiverse)
TheySeeMeDurdling
2021-05-27 15:29:03 +0000 UTCI'm curious, Marshall, -- how did it feel to switch between two similar hobbies that are perceived so differently? What were people's thoughts as you traded the cool, mysterious poker tables of James Bond for a spot with the smelly nerds?
Dr. Ace Manliness
2021-05-27 15:09:13 +0000 UTCWhat games other than magic have you played recently that you really enjoyed? I discovered Slay the Spire through LSV’s stream a while back and enjoyed that quite a bit. Any other games you would recommend?
Robert Mercer
2021-05-27 14:04:36 +0000 UTCProbably a broad question but: if you were tasked with creating the new version of OP, how would you do it? (Could be directed at either host) Easier one: If you could make any couple changes to MTG Arena, what would you fix/improve/implement? Thanks for all you do, love the show.
Alexander Pacheco
2021-05-27 13:38:20 +0000 UTCI really enjoy it when LSV talks game design. Is there a Dire Wolf developer blog or some other place where he talks about that stuff, or is it just the occasional bonus in his Magic content?
Marshall Chaney
2021-05-27 13:29:09 +0000 UTCHey Marshal and Luis. If Wizards of the Coast organized play came to you to ask you to put together their new organized play system, how would you build it? How would you address the flaws of the old Pro Tour and the MPL? Thanks!
Dnd Northwest
2021-05-27 13:26:21 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis, thanks for the great content. I’m trying to understand how matchmaking works in Arena Premier Draft and some sources say your matchups are partially based on MMR. Do you think it would be unethical for Arena to charge you money to play in Premier Draft, but to also pair you based on player MMR rather than current deck record? Thanks!
Travis Woodward
2021-05-27 13:23:44 +0000 UTCMagic aside, what is a "Mt. Everest" that each of you have? Some people might say that they'd like to smoke a whole brisket, others might want to build a cabin in the woods using only hand tools. What would this be for you guys?
Phil Poppe
2021-05-27 13:21:15 +0000 UTCGreetings Marshall and Louis! I find I too often lack cards that ensure I make land drops and/or cards to mitigate flood. What is the power rankings of mechanics to help in this regard in limited, and how highly do you prioritize cards that do this? All the best and a million thanks for the great show.
Lennart Köhler
2021-05-27 13:20:04 +0000 UTCI've been playing Magic for only a few months--but when I fall for something, I fall *hard*, and I've been diving into as much strategy content as I can. While I've been able to do well in constructed, in draft I quickly hit a plateau. I’m sure I have blind spots when it comes to my game—because we all do, and we don’t know where they are, because that’s what “blind spot” means. It strikes me that the biggest “level up” moments each of you talk about arise from seeing an angle in the game you’d utterly missed before—that is, from discovering your own blind spots. So, the question is, how do I self-diagnose? What’s the best way to figure out what I’m *failing* to pay attention to, so that I can start paying attention to it? How do you find *your* blind spots? Many, many thanks for this show and your amazing content—having starting playing Magic as a distraction from COVID quarantine, I’ve unexpectedly found “the Gathering” through your streams, CFB Pro, discord communities and the like, and that has meant a lot to me. (And Marshall, if you can, let Ryan, Jon and Brian know that they’re *still* helping new players level up.)
Chris Stafford
2021-05-27 13:11:05 +0000 UTCWhy are Magic players generally the nicest, smartest, and most accepting people on the planet? I am a middle-aged woman who started playing Magic a few years ago with my sons. They stopped playing but I can’t quit. I love it so much. At my local gaming stores and even at GP’s, I am usually the only “old lady,” but the people I play against - mostly teenage boys and young men - treat me like just another player. They beat me or I beat them. It doesn’t seem to matter that I am as old as dirt. My question isn’t rhetorical. As a group, Magic players are pretty awesome: open-minded and accepting. Why is that? Any theories? And thanks for a great show. Michelle (aka Jaya B)
Michelle Valois
2021-05-27 13:04:10 +0000 UTCIn the vein of Gaby's and LSV's cube release on MTGO, what is your favorite Cube memory or play?
Benjamin Ketel
2021-05-27 13:00:52 +0000 UTCThanks for being a quarantine sanity preserver. I've noticed after my worst draft trainwrecks, that I focused a bit too much on getting "good cards" and at the end I have particularly weak set of two-drops. What is your philosophy on the two-drop slot, is it as important as my weak (likely results oriented) internal pattern recognition software suggests?
RJ Urbance
2021-05-27 12:45:30 +0000 UTCIf you had a magic wand, what one change would you make to Magic?
Westin Whitlock
2021-05-27 12:28:46 +0000 UTCPiggybacking on Peter S.'s question, how much extra value to you give Test of Talents for being able to see their whole library and figure out their plan (Arena could do that without letting you see, and in paper play it would be obvious if they hadn't binned any from their library). Also related, would your opinion of Bury in Books go up or down if it put the card on the bottom of their library or shuffled it in as opposed to putting it second from the top? Thanks!
Hoyt Battey
2021-05-27 11:56:56 +0000 UTCHow many good draft decks are available in an 8-person pod? Do you feel the no matter what seat you’re in there’s a good deck to draft?
Brandon Housman
2021-05-27 11:54:27 +0000 UTCCombat sports like the UFC have traditionally been organized around a matchmaking system, where the league intentionally makes matchups that the fans want to see. Then they just have a champion at the top and everyone else trying to earn a match against them by beating other highly ranked competitors. Do you guys think there’s a place in Magic for a league structured this way and what would that be like? Btw, I know this is not the solution to our OP problems.
Jake M Ott
2021-05-27 11:45:12 +0000 UTCHow much value is there in seeing the opp hand on cards like "Humiliate" ? If somehow it could be, that the opp discards their best card on their own instead of you seeing their hand, how much worse would it be? Thank you.
Peter Sievert
2021-05-27 11:35:20 +0000 UTCWith competitive magic potentially losing support from wizards (since we dont know their post MPL plans), do you think magic could work as a 3rd party run competitive scene? My other love besides Magic is Super Smash Brothers Melee for the gamecube, another extremely old competitive game (20 years!) We never got support from Nintendo and they have actively hurt our scene, but being grass roots has really helped foster a wonderful community of people who are passionate about the same game. I see a lot of similarities to Magic this way. Thoughts? Love the show and thanks! 😊
Ben Ferrara
2021-05-27 11:05:45 +0000 UTCLove the show y'all. Luis, any Memorial day weekend food plans? I'm planning on making a big barbacoa nacho platter for a cook out. Marshall, when you got into wristwatch revival as a hobby, what was most daunting? Often hobbies like that feel like looking over the edge of a cliff with the amount of time and/or money that can be easily dumped into them without even realizing. Thanks!
Ben Ferrara
2021-05-27 11:02:15 +0000 UTCHey Marshall and LSV! I'm going to use a great question I heard which happens to parallel a question that should be asked after every game of Magic. The question is: What will you do differently next pandemic? In other words, what did you learn about yourself or about the world from going through COVID-19 and all the changes it wrought to your life, and how will this impact your practical decision-making the next time it looks like something similar is on the horizon?
Matt Schneeweiss
2021-05-27 11:01:22 +0000 UTCHi Guys - firstly thanks for the awesome show. I love the chemistry between Marshall and LSV. I enjoyed the review of the older sets (Homelands FTW!) so hope you guys will continue those. I'm a long term Magic player but only recently realized how awesome draft is (how dumb is that?). I would love to be able to draft one of these older sets and having to scramble for playables. LSV, do you miss those days, or is Modern era draft just superior in your view?
Martijn van Beelen
2021-05-27 10:48:04 +0000 UTCIn our friend group, we often can not get 8 people for a draft. How is drafting with 6 people different? Would you change the structure of the draft (e.g. number of packs, picks per pack) to accomodate for the difference? How about a 4 player draft?
spawnia
2021-05-27 09:56:00 +0000 UTCHi Marshall & Luis! Two Strixhaven inspired questions for you. The first question is, if you were both teachers at a magical academy, what would you teach? The second one is a little more rooted in the real world. What do you think of the concept of official MTG qualifications? I for one would love to take a sealed exam, for example! Thanks for all the content! Jasmine
princessboggy
2021-05-27 09:15:03 +0000 UTC(Not that Matt Sperling) I've found when I'm drafting silverquill that some versions want to be hyper streamlined aggro, play 16 lands, and top out at Owlin Shieldmage, while others are ok grinding and want to close out games with value from Rise of Extus. Going into pack 3, what should I be looking for in my deck to pick between premium beat down cards like study break and combat prof vs rise?
Matthew Sperling
2021-05-27 09:12:59 +0000 UTCI haven't listened in a while, lgs magic wasn't happening and I don't like online play. Now that stores are opening, what'd I miss? Which sets should I be asking lgs to host limited events? Which was the best pandemic limited set? The worst?
Trini Santos
2021-05-27 08:52:42 +0000 UTCIn some sealed pools, I find myself quickly limited to only a couple of color combinations that allow me to assemble my desired number of 12-15 playable creatures, potentially leaving solid (non-bomb) rares or premium uncommons in the sideboard. Am I being overly inflexible with a heuristic? How can I judge when to shoot for a medium, flat power curve deck vs one that is spiky either in mana or card quality? Much love.
Alex Adams
2021-05-27 08:02:36 +0000 UTCYour limited deck can contain only basic land and multiple copies of any one common from Magic's history. What common do you choose to battle with in this hypothetical format? What are the pillars of the meta?
Max Brett
2021-05-27 07:39:43 +0000 UTCI always love the food signoffs, and I want to have a better collection of every-daily dishes. What are your go to meals to quickly throw together for your households? What would be your pack 1 pick 1 if you saw the following spices / herbs: Anise, basil, cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, saffron, turmeric, or wasabi?
Kyle T Buck
2021-05-27 07:30:41 +0000 UTCSince you have commented on Strixhaven being an all-time great Sealed format, what do you think makes a good Sealed format?
tgva8889
2021-05-27 07:17:43 +0000 UTCCan you explain a little why Bury in Books is better than frost trickster. I get that Bury removes the creature from play longer and they have to respend the mana, but Frost Trickster adds a body to the board that can attack in the air and block. I know Bury is better but I think understanding this would help me level up.
Andrée
2021-05-27 07:15:33 +0000 UTCLuis, as a profound enthusiast of delicious food which regional cuisine do you prefer as something to eat daily? And which one you find most intriguing?
Timofey
2021-05-27 06:50:11 +0000 UTCMarshall, have you ever considered doing commentary for another game/esport? What would be your dream commentary gig outside of MTG? P.S., I absolutely love Wristwatch Revival.
Josh
2021-05-27 06:49:54 +0000 UTCHow do you recommend getting better in BO3? I have a small child and usually only have time to play a bit of BO1, because it is more flexible time-wise. I am decent in BO1, but sometimes struggle with BO3 (for example Day 2 of the Arena Open or the recent Draft Challenge). If I try to play BO3 I usually only get one match in and have to wait for the next day for the next match, which kind of hinders me getting a feeling for the deck. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks
Angela
2021-05-27 06:49:22 +0000 UTCFor Marshall: Luis has long said he would announce the end of his Limited Resources run in a sign off. How worried are you that he will use a Constructed Resources sign off for that announcement? Do you listen to every CR sign off to make sure you will still have a co-host that week?
Sebastian Brown
2021-05-27 06:48:47 +0000 UTCI often do Premier Drafts on Arena. Sometimes it will happen that I feel like the draft went poorly and I’m not happy with my deck, and then I end up going 7-0 and can’t quite figure out why that deck worked. What should I be looking for to try to evaluate what I did “right”?
Christopher Brown
2021-05-27 06:47:41 +0000 UTCWhat are your guys' thoughts on the Quick Draft format? Does drafting against bots and playing outside of a pod's pool of cards feel too removed from the traditional game? Personally, I primarily play this format so I don't have to abide by time restrictions. Does drafting strategy differ much between Quick versus Traditional?
Jeremy Bock
2021-05-27 06:43:33 +0000 UTCFrom my perspective the last years of limited have been really awesome, thus I feel it has been a positive trend (which in the near future hopefully will continue with fan favorite Forgotten realms and epic draft format MH2 on the horizon). In your best estimate, where will limited in Magic be in 2-3 years if they continue on the path they are now. What steps do you think they should take to trend even more positively in the coming years?
Jørgen Berg Lauvsnes
2021-05-27 06:42:01 +0000 UTCMarshall, have you ever considered completing the trifecta and doing a podcast with BK? I’d love to hear you two talk basketball. Seriously! Also - who are you rooting for in the playoffs this year? Hopefully by the time you read this the Blazers will be up 2-1 over the Nuggets, and also hopefully Seattle will have a team again soon. Thanks guys. Love the show.
brian
2021-05-27 06:40:02 +0000 UTCHow do you two divide the payment for the show? Is it by height, PT top 8s, or some third method? (I don't need to know amounts, I'm just curious about the ratio)
Fromaginator
2021-05-27 06:35:29 +0000 UTC
