Question of the Week Thread!
Added 2020-01-30 08:48:22 +0000 UTCHey All!
Post your questions for consideration on Question of the Week here and we'll pick one per show :)
Thank you as always, you are the best!
- Marshall
Comments
In Ikoria the return of cycling heralds the return of a tricky question. When and to what degree does having cycling cards allow you to reduce the land count in your deck? Could you perhaps provide some heuristics for that decision making process?
William Gross
2020-04-22 01:57:18 +0000 UTCShort answer: Yes, you can get to a pretty good level before "Arena" as such would put a limitation on your further development.
Peter Sievert
2020-04-16 21:02:07 +0000 UTCHi guys, Could you elaborate on the story Paul Rietzl hinted on CFB, when he "shrieked", that Garruk must be the pick over Triplicate Spirits? Thank you!
Peter Sievert
2020-04-16 20:59:52 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis! First, I just want to say thank you for making this show! I did my first live draft (after drafting a ton on Arena) with Mystery Boosters at PAX East, and thanks to you, I came in 2nd with a CABS style deck while everyone drafted some ambitious but fun decks with playtest cards. Anyways, my question is this: based on Ben Stark's famous article, what other things have you learned to do "the hard way"? For example, I am musician and my band is about to go in the studio, so I'm forcing myself to play trumpet the hard way by avoiding bad habits and being constantly aware of every little thing I can do to improve. How have you applied Ben Stark's advice to your life outside of Magic? Thank you guys! Clay
Clay Arroco
2020-03-11 19:00:21 +0000 UTCHi guys I draft pretty regularly and find that i often end up with a decent or good deck however I really struggle when I have 26 to 28 cards I want to play instead of the usual 23 (I feel this has got worse as you end up with more playables these days). I often find myself going "lets cut the worst cards" but then notice how that might impact my synergies (power 4 or constellation etc.) even though on its own it would be a worse card or I find myself going to less than 15 creatures. Do you have any advice on when to make a cut based on power or creature density and when to hunker down into a synergy strategy? Semi follow up question is the 17 creatures 6 other spells heuristic only for beginning at drafting or has it disappeared due to increasing power level of creatures in modern limited? Thanks for everything you do and i always look forward to the show each week. Finn
Finn Claxton
2020-03-11 09:59:35 +0000 UTCMy wife and I love the show, thank you for helping us enjoy one of our shared hobbies even more! I always seem to end up in a stable, “sensible” deck because I worry I’ll end up with a stinker, and I never really get to play the super sweet decks I hear about. For example, I could have built a really cool Enigmatic Incarnation sealed deck at a pre-release, but I was afraid the deck just wouldn’t work and instead I opted to build what turned out to be a very mediocre, and boring, RW deck instead because it felt safer. My question(s): should I be focusing on how to better self-evaluate the risk/reward of picks or strategies, so that I properly evaluate when it’s correct to take the risk? Or is it more that I should just try to adopt a mindset that “bad decks happen” and just go for the super sweet and fun deck sometimes?
David Keeton
2020-02-28 00:58:17 +0000 UTCWhat are your opinions on "5 color good stuff" decks in draft? Love the show, Patrick
Professor Miner
2020-02-21 15:22:57 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis, I've noticed in several of my favorite podcasts, magic and otherwise, a sense of exhaustion with all things modern life. To start, I just want to tell you and others I enjoy and support, to stay strong! People out there appreciate what you do and we hope you realize that your contribution to our entertainment / education is worthwhile. We have limited (resources, LOL) time on this pebble, so hopefully your impact to others is somewhat heartening. ... on to my question: from my personal experience, I notice a recent increasing pattern of exhaustion / exasperation in others, especially from those that create a lot of social media and those that consume a lot of it as well. I've heard people call it a "hyper reality" problem, an issue where the hyperspeed and democratization of information works against our limited human abilities to process and react properly to our modern environment. You've talked in the past about cognitive biases and human flaws of perception that create flawed play in MtG (and in life), ... but I was wondering how you, as media personalities, have created ways to stay sane in the hyper-reality of social media, broad(pod)cast media and the whirlwind that is the ever-changing world we live in (Magic and otherwise)? I have tips and tricks that help me, authors in particular, that give me a solid base to work from, but what works for you? Whenever it feels like it is too much, hang in there! RJ
RJ Urbance
2020-02-05 13:23:58 +0000 UTCHello Marshall and Luis. First off, thank you for doing the podcast. I've been going back and listening to all of the Luis episodes (about 200 episodes in) and they've really helped me improve my magic game and my approach to life in general. My question is this: at what pick do I start thinking that good cards are signals? If I see a first pickable card pick 2, they might have just picked a bomb rare. But what about pick 3? 4? Thanks again for everything you do!
Juan
2020-01-31 18:02:50 +0000 UTCMy local cube group is of the opinion that the Conspiracy card "Backup Plan" (which gives you a super-mulligan where you see two seven card hands at once, and because it's a Conspiracy you get this every game) is the best card ever printed in cube. They think if you're drafting vintage cube and see one, you should pick it over a Mox, Sol Ring, even Black Lotus. I disagree. What do you think? (My Analysis -- which I don't expect you to read if you pick this question, but I'd be happy if you did -- follows.) Their reasoning is that the few percentage points of free equity you get from is worth more due to the 100% consistency than the potential of having a Black Lotus start. I'd much rather be able to draw Black Lotus at all than draw the better of two hands that can't have Black Lotus, because it's a tremendous headstart that can allow me to beat draws I could never beat otherwise. Who do you think is right?
DLP
2020-01-31 05:56:20 +0000 UTCGood evening Marshall and Luis. I'm relatively new magic player and I'm trying to get better at limited. MTG arena is the only way I play magic nowadays, so my draft experience is with bots. Do you think that someone can become a good limited player only by playing arena and what other suggestions do you have? I really don't wanna invest money on MTGO and the environment at my LGS is not very friendly so I stopped going there a while ago.
Evangelos Spyridakis
2020-01-31 02:09:01 +0000 UTCThanks Freyja! This was my game 3 before I lost my 3rd match on Day 1, so I thought about it a lot lol. I have chances to get a mountain by turn 2 on the draw at more like 40% though? Chances of not drawing a mountain = 62%. 26/33 * 25/32 = 62%. But yeah I thought it was too sketchy and mulled, but then went down to 5 and lost. Just curious... not trying to be too results oriented lol
Axel56
2020-01-31 01:48:50 +0000 UTCDepends what the cards in your hand do. Given that your chances to draw a mountain by turn two aren't very good (about 25%) and it seems like you've made the SB decision because you believe your opponent has inevitability in the match, I'd be heavily incentivized to mulligan here.
Freyja Letki
2020-01-31 01:09:31 +0000 UTCSay you've opened a sweet build around (one that requires a reasonable amount of effort to make work) in pack one and things were going well. Pack two things start drying up pretty quickly. At what point do you bail on the build around to just build a normal deck, and in what situations would you stick it out and risk having a semi-functional pile of cards in exchange for the sweet payoff?
Freyja Letki
2020-01-31 01:02:05 +0000 UTCI know you’ve discussed this topic similarly in previous episodes but at what point (which pack, which pick) do you feel you’re ready to commit to a color combo in limited, and when is it still ok for a bomb to sway you - maybe a side note is how early on you feel you’re finding your deck’s synergy?
Cody Tumblin
2020-01-31 00:41:37 +0000 UTCWhat is the difference between a 10 person draft and an 8 person draft and why is an 8 person draft more desirable to Magic players ?
Michael Hamilton
2020-01-30 22:04:02 +0000 UTCMy local group has lost people recently and I haven't succeeded in 'hooking' the last few people into joining us regularly. Any suggestions on how to 'hook' people into limited magic?
Joe
2020-01-30 21:58:43 +0000 UTCIf constructed was not a concern, can you see a downside in cranking up the power level of a draftable set? In your experience, can a high power level lead to bad drafting experiences or are the two connected at all? I would be interested hearing about what kind of set you would design, if you had to design a set just for drafting, but that feels like maybe a too big of a topic for a question of the week.
Juha Tuisku
2020-01-30 20:24:12 +0000 UTCWhat's the minimum number of people you would do a traditional draft pod with? If I'm just trying to crack a box and play with friends, at what player count should we switch to sealed or a different type of drafting like Rochester etc.
William Gross
2020-01-30 19:56:05 +0000 UTCIn preparation for GP Reno, what would you say is the most important component of Theros Sealed?
Gene Chandler
2020-01-30 19:20:58 +0000 UTCSlightly off-magic, but have you two played Runeterra yet? Any thoughts on their draft format ("Expeditions)"?
Grayson
2020-01-30 17:28:44 +0000 UTCOh and am on the draw for Game 3.
Axel56
2020-01-30 17:20:04 +0000 UTCHello! I have a keep or mull from GPNJ sealed, would love your opinion. Game 3, playing gruul midrange, against a controlling sultai build. Sideboarded into a faster aggro shell adding Impending Doom, 10 forest 7 mountain. Opening hand is 5 red cards and 2 forests.
Axel56
2020-01-30 17:19:15 +0000 UTCI just went “4-3 drop” at GP New Jersey, but I regularly 3-0 drafts at FNM and break even on Arena. Is there a specific “level-up” or recommendation you would give to someone at the “almost good enough to day 2 a limited GP but not quite” level? I’ve been stuck at this level for awhile and I’m not sure what’s wrong.
Jonathan Montgomery
2020-01-30 16:44:08 +0000 UTCHello! Long time listener, first time caller. Big fan. My question is: do you value counterspells and entrancing lyre in Theros more because of an otherwise-unbeatable rare (dream trawler)? Or is the chance you play against it small enough that it shouldn’t be a consideration?
Harry
2020-01-30 16:31:06 +0000 UTCLong time listener, first time Patron; Do you ever play with a 41 card deck? Sometimes I find it really difficult to cut that last card in deckbuilding or sideboarding. Is there a time and place where 41 cards is appropriate or am I shooting myself in the foot by messing with my deck maths? Thank you
Jodry Clayton
2020-01-30 16:26:56 +0000 UTCOn a more fundamental level, how do you effectively evaluate red / blue as colors? I struggle to evaluate red and often draft in colors where I feel comfortable and underperform when Red / Blue are the open colors (not as comfortable). I know there is a lot of set context, but any insight in rating card draw, direct damage, etc, would be helpful!
James Brace
2020-01-30 16:13:57 +0000 UTCHow do theme sets (IE Theros Beyond Death and Mirridon) change ones approach to drafting? Often these themes shake up card evaluations. What would be a good methodology to evaluate how these theme impact limited magic?
Ryan F Stroud
2020-01-30 15:39:30 +0000 UTCI just had this happen on Arena yesterday. I thought that I was being clever by bouncing my Banishing Light to force them to sac to the legend rule and netting me a Banishing Light. Whoops.
Aardvark
2020-01-30 15:23:19 +0000 UTCWhat is the coolest/funniest/most embarrassing thing that ever had to be cut from the show in post recording editing?
Ryan Glinski
2020-01-30 15:18:06 +0000 UTCIt was a correct ruling. Both Annax's are on the battlefield at the same time when the legend rule takes effect, they are both at least 4 power bc their pips both raise each other's power, and they both see one of them die, so two death triggers happen (Annax triggers off himself dying).
Ryan Glinski
2020-01-30 15:17:08 +0000 UTCHave you all considered recording a draft video together? It would be fun to watch you draft as a team / discuss in real time, like when LSV guest stars on Gabby's stream.
Mike Pierce
2020-01-30 15:12:57 +0000 UTCAnd if you put another lasagna in between these two lasagnas (lasagni?) is it now a sandwich?
Aardvark
2020-01-30 15:10:53 +0000 UTCNot magic related, but I'm curious your guys' opinions. If you take a baked lasagna and put it on top of another lasagna, is it now one or two lasagnas?
Ryan Chen
2020-01-30 14:54:04 +0000 UTCHi guys, my question is: What is your favorite mechanic that has not been reprinted since its original set, or at least has not been back in the game for a while?
Chuck Boland
2020-01-30 14:48:28 +0000 UTCHi! What card has changed the most (both positive and negative) in your evaluations from your first impression? How has the format surprised you in the early days?
Sam Weinberg
2020-01-30 14:38:25 +0000 UTCHi - Here is a rules question - If you put cast a second Anax, Hardened in the Forge, do you get a double trigger and 4 satyrs as a result of the resolution of the legendary rule? I had this happen at a pre-release, however I am not sure if the judges were correct or not.
Jeffrey Mazur
2020-01-30 13:36:19 +0000 UTCHi! Once you have enough lands in play, how often do you hold an extra land in your hand to represent a card?... either a combat trick, counter, removal etc. Is this a most of the time kind of a situation if the set has enough of those cards to support this? I find this to be one of my defaults but don't want to overuse it. Thanks! :)
Andrew Flynn
2020-01-30 13:09:40 +0000 UTCGame designer time: If you could design a third titan to fold into the "cycle" of Uro and Kroxa, what would you make?
Drew Acquaviva
2020-01-30 12:43:57 +0000 UTCHelp...How to best switch mind-set between different formats? Imagine drafting vintage cube (using F.O.C.U.S. by CulticCube), then Theros (using Cabs and Uber) and chaos at the end (closest to the infamous bread). 3 drafts that have almost NOTHING in common when it comes to drafting strategy. I'm often so stuck in the draft before ...it takes me a whole 1 pack to get used to "new env". cheers from muddy (not snowy) Poland.
Janusz Okoń
2020-01-30 12:14:10 +0000 UTCGood morning. Wondering if Luis has any good non-magic drafting game recommendations in addition to any of the Sushis Go games (which I believe he previously recommended on LR). Thanks for the great shows as always. Ryan
Ryan
2020-01-30 12:03:54 +0000 UTCHey Marshall and Luis! As always, my question is music-related. Last time we found out who sings in /listens to music in the shower, but can you whistle? (please demonstrate) cheers
Anthony Morgan
2020-01-30 11:57:52 +0000 UTCHey Marshall, hey Luis, obviously a big fan, even got to draft with you once Marshall at gp sydney with tim willoughby. Anyway my question is, if you two could draft with any historical figure from any time period, who would it be and why
Santino Maher
2020-01-30 11:41:20 +0000 UTCNow that there are more playable cards in every pack, do you think Limited has gotten less rewarding for good drafters who read signals and find the open lane?
NicolaiBolas
2020-01-30 10:03:26 +0000 UTCWhat's something you wish Magic would do that they've never done before, if you could think big? Limited sets with new cards that was just for limited / casual play? Vintage chaos draft kits with non-tournament legal cards? Something else? Thanks for sending a welcome card all the way to southern Sweden just because I became a patron :-) That was a very nice suprise, I put it up on my wall.
Richard Moreau
2020-01-30 09:47:13 +0000 UTCThanks to this podcast, I have improved massively in all areas of magic, but have definitely fallen in love with limited. However, I have reached a sort of plateau where I'm having difficulty deciphering whether my wins and losses are due to bad luck where I couldn't have done anything different, or some subtle mistake that I don't realize I'm making. So How does one identify non-obvious holes in their gameplay without a coach standing over their shoulder?
Spencer St. James
2020-01-30 09:42:47 +0000 UTCA friend of mine has just moved to Westwood, LA from the UK. He is a magic fan and also a huge foodie! Can Luis give him 1 magic related place to check out in LA and one not to be missed food recommendation!? Shout out to Jay!
Chris Fisher
2020-01-30 09:29:09 +0000 UTCHow much work is put into editing each episode? If an episode is one hour long, how long did you actually record before edit?
Atipong Pathanasethpong
2020-01-30 09:21:08 +0000 UTCAliens have invaded and will destroy human civilization unless you beat them in a money draft. (Don't question the aliens' priorities). They let you choose the draft format. Who do you pick as your team mates and what format do you pick?
Daryl Weir
2020-01-30 09:20:44 +0000 UTCHi Marshall and Luis, long time listener but first time questioner here. Dreamtrawler is really killing my enjoyment of the format at the moment. Any advice on how/if to get over this feeling? I am playing original Ravnica flashback drafts over drafting the new set (for comparision i normally do 100+ drafts and track my results/decks in a spreadsheet but this time i have no motivation to do this. Is this just me? Thanks James "Tange" McGlough from UK (Lets see Ben S say my last name). PS Greater Basilisk
James McGlough
2020-01-30 09:12:16 +0000 UTCIf you had to choose to either never play 1 Magic format again or never eat 1 food again which would you choose and why?
Gene Chandler
2020-01-30 08:59:24 +0000 UTCDo you think a best-of-one environment lends itself better to aggressive strategies than a traditional best-of-three? My logic is that post-board a controlling deck gets better, so given no sideboarding a controlling strategy is worse on the whole in BO1
Michael McGuire
2020-01-30 08:57:54 +0000 UTC
