Travel Log of a Planeswalker

Travel Log: Welcome to Zendikar

2009-10-11T21:30:00.006+08:00

The journey started with an escape from Naya. The Nayas didn't seem to take it good when I ran off with their artifacts. The pursuit was tough but a well placed Wall of Frost spell prevented most of those who were following. They did summon the Great Sable Stag to continue on the chase as the forest spirit seemed to be immune to the cold of the walls I've summoned. It didn't take long though before I was able to find a gate out of Alara and eventually make my escape.

The gate I chanced upon took me to the humid rainforests of Bala Ged. The elves of the region did not take well my sudden appearance in the midst of their village and, once more, I was forced to flee. Reyvs, their head shaman tried to muster the blood braid elven forces and summon the power of Ajanni Vengeant but a well placed counter spell wiped the knowledge from his mind. Just as I neared the rain forest, they once more tries to summon the nature spirits to halt my escape. Another mind break spell stopped all that and eventually their pursuit.

I then made my way to the lands of Guul Draz. The humid region wasn't easy to travel upon as it was mostly swamps. I had to hire a raft in order to reach one of the swamp cities. I asked around for the location of my contact for the artifact. I did find out his location but I likewise attracted the interest of other treasure hunters. One such treasure hunter tried to take the artifact by force. The black mage named Jaynor was powerful as he likewise used, though different in application, mind magic to distract me. It was a good thing that I had my familiar with me which managed to sever the mage's link to his mana source and allowed me to leave the place.

I finally made my way deeper into the swamps where the Necromancer Gio I needed to talk to lived. The crumbling tower was easy to find once you knew where to look. The mage, however, made a show of force trying to get the artifact without sticking to the agreement. He used his undead creatures which seems to claw themselves out of the very ground I was standing on. The battle was brief and ended up in a stand still allowing the Necromancer to get his artifact and me leave with my payment.

Trapmaker's: Zen Mono Blue Mill Deck 1.0

2009-10-09T21:37:00.013+08:00

Zendirak's out and we need to cycle out most of the cards to fit in the standard format. I've been able to playtest the deck for a few games and it seems to be working well. Here's what the current deck looks like:

Lands:

Island (20)
The deck is mono blue and islands are a necessity. Since it is part control deck a good mana base is needed thus the increased number of lands.

Scalding tarn (4)
It was suggested that a set of fetch lands be added to the deck in order to easily trim the card number while in play while at the same time helping the hedron carbs in their duties.

Spells:

Archive Trap (4)
A great improvement for me compared to the card it replaced - Sanity Grinding. Not only that it deal a good amount of milling, but the fact that it is an Instant allows it to be cast during the opponent's turn allowing one to free those lands for the other counter spells. The zero (0) alternate cost is likewise a benefit now that there are fetch lands out.

Cancel (4)
The base counter spell in Standard. I find the straight forward countering of cancel better than most other counter spells available.

Into the Roil (4)
The only removal card in the deck. Primarily used against problematic creatures, artifacts and echantments which pass the counter spell cards. The kicked cost shoule be paid when one can to allow a card draw. I used to think this was just the replacement for Boomerang but kicked, this has moved up to replace Cryptic Command.

Jace Beleren (4)
The planeswalker Jace allows both as a draw engine as well as an alternative win. He's likewise a good distraction against those burn decks giving one a few more rounds to survive and mill.

Negate (2)
With the lack of selection of counter spells in the block we opted to put in Negate because of two things. First, it has a low casting cost. Second, it would be better to eliminate spells than creatures as most non-creature spells are the ones which tend to shift the balance of the game.

Time Warp (4)
This spell allows one extra turns to set up but is also great to reach Jace's ultimate ability or just to feed the Crabs.

Trapmaker's Snare (4)
The second advantage of Archieve Trap over its predecessor is that Trapmaker's Snare allows one to get it earlier in the game rather than waiting for it to come out. Mindbreak trap has likewise been searched with this card when one was facing Cascade decks.

Twincast (4)
Like in the previous decks, Twincast makes one's win condition very potent. Usually one can use it with Archive Trap to finish off the game, but a lot of times it can make things go very well for you in offbeat scenarios.

Wall of Frost (2)
We can't really be sure as to which opponent one would face during his first game and the Walls of Frost are placed inside the deck in order to handle those which depend on creatures for their win.

Creatures:

Hedron Crab (4)
The third win condition. The Crab normally just sits for me there and mills. I have so far been able only to bring out two of these in the game as sometimes that is all I need to win it together with either Jace Beleren or an Archive Trap.

Zendikar: You Just Fell For The Trap

2009-09-11T22:26:00.003+08:00

Three trap cards which most likely be in my new deck:

Whiplash trap

Defense card which would replace Unsummon, Boomerang and

Mindbreak Trap

One of the new counters in the new block. Probably replacing Cryptic Command.

Archive Trap

Good replacement for the Sanity Grinding card

Zendikar: The Races of Zendikar

2009-09-09T22:06:00.003+08:00

Vampires

Vampires live openly in Guul Draz and are famed for the decadence and perversion of their lifestyle. Bloodchiefs, the ancient progenitors of their race, control the opulent city of Malakir. Vampire society is divided by "family" allegiances, each family beholden to their Bloodchief. Each family controls a small amount of territory and routes, although the main currency of any family is in its connections and relationships. The tastes and passions of the Bloodchief tend to be imprinted on the vampires he or she creates.

There are five greater families in Guul Draz: Nirkana, Kalastria, Emevera, Urnaav, and Ghet. Dozens of other lesser families are scattered across Guul Draz, each with a contingent of undead servants appropriate to their place in vampire society.

Whenever a vampire fully drains the blood of a living creature without destroying the husk, a vampire null is created from the body. Nulls are easily commanded by other vampires, but if left without orders they will hunt and kill living things that they can find.

"I both adore and abhor my lineage. Rabid and perverse, they whine like demanding infants. But they are mine, and I would slaughter thousands before I would see them bow down and be slaves to anyone."
—Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet

Kor

The kor live a spare and nomadic existence. They travel mercilessly light, carrying with them only the essentials, valuing the portability of individual skill and strength of character over more "static" virtues. "We were not meant to put down roots," they say. "The heart is a moving organ." Despite their constant motion, the kor have a deep reverence for certain locations. They travel in small bands along one of several pilgrimage routes, visiting dozens of sacred sites across Zendikar. Each pilgrimage circuit takes decades, and many are lost to Zendikar's dangers along the way.

The kor are masters of ropes and hooks, using them to travel and to hunt, and incorporating them into their spirituality. They rarely use unreliable devices such as crossbows to propel their grappling hooks onto cliff faces or into flying game, relying instead on simple, sturdy rope and the skill of the arm. A hooked line is also a social and sacred symbol for the kor, representing their connection to each other and to the world around them.

"The drakes struck the cliff-haven as dusk was falling. They blended into stormy sky, so the scouts didn't call the warning until it was too late. Half our kitesailors plummeted into the river in the initial assault. We scrambled to string the lines across the expanse, bringing down the big bull with a razor line across his throat. But our hookmasters were the heroes of this battle. Fearless on the cliff edge, they snared the matrons, and the pups soon deserted the fight. As always, we bless Kamsa for the lines that bind us."
—Rana Cloudwake, Kor skyfisher

Merfolk

More merfolk live in Tazeem than elsewhere, but they can be found on every continent in Zendikar. Although the merfolk are born in the water, they have adapted to life on land. Thoughtful, curious, and analytical, the merfolk are natural explorers. Merfolk tend to be more solitary than other races and don't cultivate large communities. But even merfolk who spend most of their time exploring will establish a home base, a place they return to before setting out again.

Run by merfolk scholars, the Lighthouse at Sea Gate is the center of learning for explorers of all races. This library filled, with scrolls, and maps, and writings about the lost civilization of Zendikar, is a storehouse of knowledge of all the collected knowledge about the vanished ancients.

"We alone of the races can sense the Roil as it moves across the land. Only merfolk can lull this wild earth and make it still. But my kin mistake the source of such power. They put their faith in Em of the Air or Ula of the Sea. I know that my strength is from Cosi, The Trickster
—Noyan Dar, Tazeem lullmage

Goblins

Goblins thrive in Akoum, Murasa, and Ondu as well as many settlements and outposts. Although there are numerous tribes, the Tuktuk and Grotag tribes boast the largest warrens. Much of a goblin's life is devoted to finding and plundering ruin sites. The goblins choose their tribal leaders by their perceived industriousness; the leader is the goblin who has managed to retrieve the most interesting or powerful object from a ruin. In Affa, the main settlement in Akoum, many goblins hire themselves out as guides or trapfinders. Of course, the normal plan is to help find something of value, trigger a trap intentionally, steal the object, and run away.

Elves

Bala Ged is the homeland of the Joraga elves and the planeswalker Nissa Revane. The Joraga elves have little respect for any other race, or even other elves. They see the survival of their nation as their first priority and jealously guard their traditions. Many outsiders view their nomadic clans as roving bands of murderers, but there is a complex culture behind their aggressive exterior.

Large numbers of Joraga have made homes in the towering trees of the Oran-Rief forest, where they inhabit villages suspended from the treetops. After splitting from the Joraga nation, the Tajuru elves settled in Murasa and Tazeem. The Tajuru are rumored to be the best guides in Zendikar.

Using zip-lines and expert climbing techniques, the elves fearless span the gaps between branches or cliff faces.

Zendikar: The World of Zendikar

2009-09-09T21:58:00.002+08:00

Akoum

Akoum is a mountainous continent where magma glows from crevasses in the earth. Crystalline fields shimmer beneath the sun, but the sharp edges of most surfaces will slice through skin and bone. In some areas, the temperatures are extreme—burning an explorer's skin during the day and causing frostbite during the night. Gases occasionally spew from the ground, and around these vents, bizarre trees and plant life have arisen in pockets of weird biome. The region is plagued by geological instability, causing magma geysers to erupt unexpectedly and shards of rock to rain down unexpectedly.

Bala Ged

Humid rainforests cover this low-lying continent. A humid haze blankets the landscape, which is riddled with poisonous molds, fungi, and strangely colored algae. Deep within the network of limestone caves and tunnels, catacombs, sacrificial altars, and rune-inscribed chambers hide countless treasures. These are the domain of the ferocious, reptilian Surrakar and countless primordial monsters. Bala Ged is home to two tribes of elves: the warlike Joraga tribe as well as the secretive Mul Daya. Mul Daya elves can be recognized by their tattooing, and have a connection with the spirits of their elvish ancestors that sets them apart from the rest of the elves.

"The other elf tribes shun the Mul Daya. They call them bone-eaters and death-friends. But they rescued me from torture at the hands of quag vampires. I've seen them converse with spirits. They honor the jungle like a god and are connected to Zendikar's life-force in a way no one else truly understands."
—Mitra, Bala Ged missionary

Guul Draz

This is a humid region of teeming lagoons, and tangled, fetid swamps—this is the homeland of the vampires. Predators stalk the wilds, and traps are hidden in mangrove jungles and around settlements. The rancid waterways that twist into the vast marshes and swamps conceal predators and plagues. There are more ruin sites here than elsewhere, including the Hagra Cistern, a huge complex of ruins that's gradually sinking into the muck and water.

"Why do we trap the outskirts of Malakir? We have no desire to work harder than necessary. Chasing prey is for dogs and humans. A victim's blood is warmer if it's already flowing.
—Alinor of Malakir

Murasa

Surrounded by towering cliffs, Murasa is continent of jaddi-tree forests, deep valleys, and steep ridges. Vines and other vegetation wind through deep valleys, up cliff walls, and down into dank, half-lit caverns in the earth. The Kazuul Road provides the easiest access into Murasa. But Kazuul, an ogre slavemaster, controls the route and demands tribute from any explorer who tries to enter the continent.

Tazeem

Tazeem is a perilous combination of the Oran-Rief, a gigantic, twisted forest; Halimar, a deep inland sea; and the Umara, and a great rushing river that bisects the continent. Some ancient ruins have been co-opted by denizens, who make their homes in the remains of the massive hedrons. Other ruins remain hidden underground, but are sought after by both merfolk loremasters and power-hungry expeditionary leaders.

Colossal hedrons float in the sky above Tazeem. This rubble field stretches across the entire continent, obscuring direct sunlight and blocking natural rainfall patterns. The massive stones perpetually turn and tumble across the heavens. Amid the ruins, there are the shattered remains of a sky-castle. Merfolk call this Emeria, the Sky Ruin. They believe it was once the home of Emeria, the goddess of the sky.

"Awoke to a rose-colored morning. Slept well high in Vastwood canopy. Sheets of glossy rain poured down from hedron field, but I was comfortable under the cover of the crescent-leaves. Above me, two massive hedrons collided, showering the branches with gray dust and rune-covered shards. I saw two kor up there, cutting pathway stones from the hedrons. They tumbled down, breaking their necks on the limbs of the forest. They shouldn't disturb Emeria, and they paid a just price."
—The Journal of Yon Basrel, Oran-Rief survivalist

Ondu

The geography of Ondu is dominated by a sense of sweeping verticality. The precarious Makindi Trenches, the skyscraping trees of the Turntimber, and the depths of the Crypt of Agadeem all contribute to the strange sensation that travel in Ondu occurs up and down rather than east and west. Jwar, the Isle of Secrets lies near the southern coast. Huge granite heads loom half-buried in the earth, and a beam of pure blue light can be seen shooting straight up out of the island. But no explorer has yet uncovered the source of the light.

Sejiri

This polar region is like an enormous mesa with permafrost steppes, wind-blasted mountains, and impossibly tall cliffs that encircle the continent. Despite its inhospitable terrain, creatures such as felidars, griffins, and sphinxes make their home in the snow-covered wastes. There are many ruins sites, and explorers brave the cold to see what treasures lie deep beneath the snowy surface.

Zendikar: Exploring the Wilds

2009-09-09T21:56:00.002+08:00

Zendikar's intense mana and unique treasures inspires dreams of wealth and power in the bold and adventurous. Driven by tales of wondrous places of mystic power, bands of explorers venture into the wilds of Zendikar. Many such expeditions fail, overwhelmed by the world's many dangers. But a handful of elite, daring souls manage feats of discovery that have earned them riches and renown. Guides, porters, cartographers, sell-swords, lullmages, ruin-sages, and healers form expeditionary parties and team up to scour the world for treasure.

"We'll venture out from Kabira at first light. I have assembled the finest team: A porter who assures me that his hurda is stout and docile. A Sea Gate archeologist who's traversed the hedron fields before. Two sell-swords with references for loyalty. A trapfinder with both eyes and ten fingers. And a goblin guide to lead the line and 'distract' predators from the rest of us."
—Javad Nasrin, Ondu Relic Hunter

Zendikar: The Roil

2009-09-02T23:34:00.002+08:00

Zendikar's unique mana and its own fierce ecology combine to cause violent and erratic changes in the terrain. The land shudders and writhes, causing tectonic chaos, extreme weather, and sudden destruction. This volatility is known as "The Roil." Large boulders and shards of rock erupt from the earth, and then subside when The Roil shifts away. Winds generated by the The Roil turn debris and vegetation into a devastating funnel clouds. Over water, The Roil creates whirlpools that can suck a boat to the bottom of the ocean or waves that crash into high cliffs and flood the forests beyond.

For those born on Zendikar, The Roil is a natural phenomenon—just the way things are. To planeswalkers, it's obvious that this volatility is what keeps Zendikar dangerous and untamed. The trappings of civilized life are rare on Zendikar. A sturdy machete will keep you alive longer than a chest full of gold. Though hard to obtain, an accurate map can be more useful than an entire army.

There are very few settlements on Zendikar's seven perilous continents, just pockets of civilization and outposts where adventurers gather to share stories and supplies. Despite the hardship, Zendikar's resourceful denizens have devised clever ways to survive a world that seems determined to cast them off its surface. Exploration and inventiveness are crucial to surviving in this world. Powerful treasures await the adventurers who venture out in Zendikar's dangerous wilds—if only they are smart and strong enough to stay alive.

Zendikar: Lethal Dangers. Priceless Rewards.

2009-09-02T23:31:00.006+08:00

Lethal dangers. Priceless rewards. Zendikar is a wild, untamed world fabled among planeswalkers. Ancient forests conceal trapped ruins. Catacombs leak poisonous vapors into the sky. Magma bursts unexpectedly from a placid lake. The landscapes are breathtaking—if you can survive the deadly risks. Zendikar hides treasures beyond imagining, but only an elite few can survive long enough to find them.

This is a place where rules are broken: Violent forces roll across the horizon, constantly altering the shape of the land. Massive stones float on air. Vampires dwell in cultured, decadent cities. But elsewhere, the trappings of civilized life are rare. A sturdy machete will keep you alive longer than a chest full of gold.

Even Zendikar's mana is unique—more intense, more powerful, more desired by those who know how to wield it. Like other planes, the land pulses with mana that mages use to power their spells. But Zendikar is different from other planes of the Multiverse. Crackling with spell-like effects, the mana here is exceptionally potent—and sometimes unpredictably powerful. Planeswalkers flock to Zendikar in search of these remarkable—and dangerous—locales.

Ruins of a Lost Civilization

Ancient, rune-carved monoliths called hedrons are strewn across Zendikar. Up to ten miles long, some of these stones drift in the sky; others are buried in the ground, some whole, some broken. They're remnants of a lost civilization, but their original purpose is unknown. This ancient empire wielded unimaginable power—enough to suspend gravity and alter the land to suit its purposes. Trap-riddled ruins can be found on every continent. Mysterious glyphs hint at truths long forgotten. Unspeakable monsters lurk in the quiet of these hidden monuments of a forgotten past. These ruins still emanate power, and both planeswalkers and local explorers will undergo great peril to reap their rewards.

"I awoke, bloodied, on the banks of the Halimar. I don't know how I got there—face down in the mud, but alive. There must have been a passage out of the ruin, but I was out of my head and can't recall. The faceless monstrosity that ambushed us in Jade Room stalked us for miles underground. After my torch burned down, I stumbled in the darkness, hearing the death-cries of my companions. I have traveled this fierce world twice over, and I can't say what sort of creature pursued us. As I think of it, the quill shakes in my old fingers. I had no love for any of them, particularly the captain. He was a brute. Still, they died so cruelly. I must not dwell on it. Or what might have happened to me when I was not in my right mind."
—The journal of Chadir the Navigator

twInsanity: Turbo Grind 2.0

2009-08-21T12:12:00.003+08:00

Sideboard: Spells

Negate (4)
Part of the change in the deck is likewise the way it should be played. The tactic for now is to play aggressive/defensive. With no other allowace for tricks. Negate adds additional defense when against control decks.

Replaces: Vendilion Clique

Sower of Temptation (3)
When we need another source of win, we have to resort to using creature spells. The Vendilion Cliques might be useful but they are legendry creatures. The Sower of Temptation allows us to bring them out in numbers as well as removing threats from the opposing mage by bringing their own creatures to our side.

Replaces: Memory Plunder

twInsanity: Turbo Grind 2.0

2009-08-21T11:51:00.006+08:00

A few modifications to the decklist:

Lands

Reliquary Tower (1)
Since we'll be playing with a full set of Howling Mines, it would be safe to put in the Reliquary Tower so as to avoid letting go of important cards.

Replacing: Island

Spells

Howling Mine (4)
The key to the grind is to remove as much cards as we could from the opponent's deck. The Howling Mine allows just that. With Jace and the Time Warps, we should be able to likewise find the cards faster without much interference from the opposing mage.

Replacing: Sleep

Ponder (1)
It occured to me that whenever we grind, we sometimes play the risk of putting all the other grinds in the bottom of the library and that I am left wishing the opponent would path to exile my plumeveils so that the library could be reshuffled.

Replacing: Island

Travel Log: Ambush

2009-08-16T13:15:00.005+08:00

The problem with being too visible to any of the planes is that the locals seem to take notice of you and when they do they tend to be ready when you return. This proved to be true the last time I visited Lorwyn it seems my last encounter with the Kithain has reached Gaddock Teeg, cenn of the clachan of Kinsbaile, who is one of those leaders.

Gaddock is all about giving his side an advantageous playing field. White and green are famed for their strong, low-cost creatures but are vulnerable to spells that can destroy large numbers of small critters at once, such as Damnation and Molten Disaster. And, of course, a well-placed Demonfire or Dragonstorm can ruin anyone's day pretty quickly. Gaddock shuts those cards down, forcing opponents to fight on your terms. Creatureless decks may find their efforts particularly hampered, though any deck that depends on a powerful or expensive spell might find a hard time of it. Kithkin enjoy a relatively simple life; Gaddock is a fine example of putting that culture to practical purpose.

On the otherhand, it wasn't simple when another mage I encountered was able several Demigods of Revenge during one of out matches. It seems the Demigod might be vulnerable to my countering magics but that would only delay me while its brothers were coming up on me from behind. I barely escaped with my life from that encounter.

The worst battle would probably be the fact an enemy mage was able to cut me off from my own source of power. He managed to cut my access to my Sanity Grind spells and I was unable to find another means of defending myself. Being too eager likewise made it difficult as I left myself defenseless without by counterspells.

It seems I have rework my spellbook in order to catch them again off guard.

Travel Log: Zendikar Calling

2009-08-11T21:42:00.003+08:00

It will still be a couple of months before the plane of Zendikar could be accessed but for now it seems the mana of their Islands are already calling me...

Travel Log: Naya

2009-08-07T11:50:00.002+08:00

From time to time, I managed to drop by Alara in order to look for something and in a few of those planeswalk I managed to find myself in the Shard known as Naya.

Naya is a plane overrun with lush, tropical jungle that boasts the most varied forms of life of all the shards. A permanent, pale mist known as the Whitecover hangs over the rainforest, punctured by ranges of steeply sloped mountains. Naya is Alara's cradle of life, a world so fertile and abundant that the process of living is barely even a challenge—the overwhelming biodiversity of the jungle provides everything a human or elf or pip fawn could need. There are certainly dangers on Naya, but by and large, life's good here. To many planeswalkers, it's a paradise without peer.

In my forays to Naya, I always try to keep myself in the sidelines - hidden with different spells as the natives tend to be as wild like the land itself. In the couple of times I have ventured here though I keep encountering one particular elven pack. I have learned they call themselves the Alphastrike but it is their leader that has caught my eye. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch the leader away from the pact and eventually learn a bit more.

Travel Log: Bant Coup

2009-08-04T11:44:00.001+08:00

I have just picked up my spell scrolls for the Memory Plunder spells when Max, the Rafiq/Invoker from Bant, contacted me and asked for my help to set up a Martial Coup. I have to say I was intrigued by the proposition as I always thought that the Bants were an organized and loyal group. I sent him a message that I'll hear him out.

I planeswalked to Bant and found in his camp. I was *ahem* detained in one of the tents and was later confronted by the Rafiq himself. I heard his proposition and decided to not get involved. He refused and continued to hold me against my will.

As much as I would like to stay (not), I managed to put the whole camp to sleep and literally just walk out of Bant.

Travel Log: Time Sieve

2009-08-01T11:25:00.003+08:00

Part of being a good planeswalker is not only having the right spells with you but also being able to know how to use such spells. I have been in possession of the Time Warp for ages and yet I haven't been able to fully realize how to use it. So that's why I decided to planeswalk to Dominaria where my old school was located and see if I could find something or someone who could help me with it.

I was lucky enough to find some of the younger mages I used to study with. One particular mage I found interesting was Reyvs as he was currently studying island magic but, unlike me, he dabbled in other sources particulary in artifacts. I managed to catch him in action found his control over time fascinating. He not only employed the Time Warp spells that I have been using, but also that of the Time Sieve artifact which allows him to basically stop time.

When it came to test how the process goes, I had to admit that he was the better of me when it came to the control of time. I only had been able to cast a few spells before I saw the inital effects of the time spell take a hold of me. The next thing I knew was Reyvs collapsing on the floor from exhaution as as much as he was able to take control of time, I managed to cut off his knowledge of how to tap magic from the land. Eventually he didn't have enough mana to sustain his spells.

Travel Log: Exalted Bant

2009-07-29T11:04:00.002+08:00

Contacting Jace Beleren proved to be difficult as he is also a planeswalker. I was fortunate to hear from Max - one of the Rafiqs/Invokers of Bant - that he has means of getting in touch with Jace.

So I planeswalked and eventually found myself in one of Alara's shard: Bant. Bant is a world cut off from red and black mana, a haven of order, honor, and community. It's a shard of Alara where traditions have thrived, protected by innumerable knightly orders, warrior angels, and a caste system designed to support the good of the many over the good of the few. Without the magic of death and chaos there to threaten convention and stability, and with angels flying as tireless symbols of peace and justice, its community traditions have become codified into law. Its monks study the words of ancient prayers. Its mages and clerics practice magic of healing, prevention, protection, and growth. Its druids and laborers care for the rolling fields, bringing nourishment to the population. And its knights—the finest in all of Alara's shards, not that they'd know it—practice the codes and forms of martial perfection, weighed down by the medallions of honor and patronage known as sigils.

I had some trouble at first trying to convience the Bant that I would not like to join their fight. He started to withheld information. I had to resort to my spells just to get away. I forced him to purse me together with his army towards the northern portion of Bant. Unaware that during our initial talks i was already able to discern where Beleren was and managed to plant the seed of the illusion he was to chase in his mind. By the time the Rafiq realized he was misled, I was alread well on my way accross the plane with the knowledge I needed from Beleren.

Travel Log: Tournament of Champions

2009-07-26T23:55:00.002+08:00

Researching spells and gathering spell components was never easy. More so if the items you are looking for might be located in a different plane. I was currently lookign for the able to trace the Cryptic command spell and finally traced it one of the mountain mages willig to trade for it. That's what brought me to Lorwyn.

It was evident why the mountain mages would head down as some sort of festivities and a tournament was beilng held in one of the towns.

I quietly watched the proceedings, while continuing my search for the mountain mage. Even with the help of mind reading, it was still difficult to find one particular mage in the large throngs of people there.

I eventually persuaded the mage to part with his spell, which allowed me to watch the tournament itself. A lot of fights were happening but the main fight was between the smaller fold or what the natives called the kithkin.

From what I've learned, the kithkin of Lorwyn are peaceful farmers, but are fierce warriors when provoked. Their society is based on a type of collective consciousness called the thoughtweft. The thoughtweft connects the kithkin by a kind of empathic web, allowing them to share their emotions and thoughts, making them very effective in battle cooperation. They are quite superstitious, and their magic is often powder-based. Everything that is of cultural importance, like stories and customs, are found in the Book of Kith and Kin. Kithkin knights and soldiers ride into battle on springjacks, which they also raise for their wool and meat.

Physically, Lorwyn kithkin are shorter than their Dominarian counterparts, with stout bodies and thick limbs. Their faces are round and almost pumpkin-like, with highly expressive features.

One particular kithkin warrior emerged as a victor who goes by the name "Profeta". He seems to be a leader of sorts of in one of the native kithkin communities, but I did not stay to find out as I needed to head back to the Blind Eternities and back to my tasks.

twInsanity: How to Play?

2009-07-21T23:50:00.002+08:00

Playing this deck can be a little more tricky than first thought, the main thing is to keep yourself alive and disrupt your opponents plans through counter and bounce etc. Laying sufficient speed bumps along the way.

The most important thing to remember is that you only need to make sure is that you can play your Sanity grinding WITH a Twincast without any fear of interruption. Obviously against most decks, this is not a problem, however against blue control decks you have to pilot more carefully. You have to force them to tap out at their EOT, whether that’s using a cryptic command to bounce their key board pieces, or even land, you need to make them use up their counter spell, out of the board, this is easier, as Memory plunder gives you that EOT boost, which usually utilised their Draw spells etc, or just gives you a MUST COUNTER spell. However, as soon as you are open, the game is set. If you can play three sanity grindings, whether that’s two sanity grindings and one twin cast, or one sanity grinding and two twin casts etc, you will normally win the game.

Things like Runed Halo aren’t that much of a problem, as you pack enough bounce, Cryptic Command, which you can Twincast if you need to bounce several permanents.

The problem with a lot of Sanity grinding decks, is they try to up their ratio far too much in terms of blue mana symbols, without making enough control, and then play other milling cards, which is not necessary, Twincast can give any spell a two mana edge of being copied, whether it’s a double cryptic at EOT, or your game winning Sanity grinding. There is no need to pack your deck with ways of milling, when you have a five mana way of doing it pretty much in one go!

twInsanity: What's in the Deck?

2009-07-19T22:53:00.002+08:00

Creatures: Sideboard

Vendilion Clique (4)
A good way to disrupt your opponent’s hand, as well as being a good attacker if needed, can block large fliers, and is 1UU. Replaces Plumeveil in match ups with 5cc decks.

Wall of Frost (4)
With the release of M2010, this card serves to buy you time against kithkin and other aggrro decks. Normally replaces dream francture vs Kithkin decks.

Spells: Sideboard

Memory Plunder (3)
This card is truly exceptional in this deck, a must play four of in the board, most of the time you put it in, you play EOT card draw, flame javelin, Ultimatum’s, wrath, or even more potent, is having an effective EIGHT cryptic commands in your deck, WOW! Joins Vendilion Cliques against 5cc decks effectively replacing sleep.

Flashfreeze (4)
If R/G is popular in your meta, this card tends to be pretty potent indeed. Normally replaces Broken Ambitions when facing off with elves.

twInsanity: What's in the Deck?

2009-07-17T22:49:00.002+08:00

Lands

Island (24)
Obviously

Shelldock Isle (4)
Amazing in this deck. Playing cryptic command for 2 mana etc, helps you seal the game up.

twInsanity: What's in the Deck?

2009-07-15T22:17:00.005+08:00

Spells

Sanity Grinding (4)
This is our win condition. The deck has enough blue cards that Sanity Grinding will likely be milling the opponent for a good portion of their deck.

Twincast (4)
Makes your win condition very potent. Twincast is very important here. Usually you're using it with your Sanity Grinding to finish off the game, but a lot of times it can make things go very well for you in offbeat scenarios. Imagine if your opponent ever plays a Cryptic Command—this card becomes absolutely absurd. I think playing a full four of this is extremely important to the archetype.

Cryptic Command (4)
Best control card in the format, also is triple blue.

Dream Fracture (4)
Control that helps your opponent draw more cards, bringing you closer to milling them.

Broken Ambitions (3)
Good counter spell, that also mills your opponent. Broken Ambitions is a very reasonable counter in any deck. It's especially strong in this deck because the clash actually becomes relevant.

Time warp (4)
This spell gives you that extra turn to set things up.

Sleep (4)
Slows your opponent down.

Jace Beleren (4)
A very important card, it helps you draw two cards a turn, and distracts your opponent, as the game goes on, he gets easier to protect, and can win the game with his ultimate, or stop them from winning in their upkeep with a burn spell, by making them draw in your turn.

twInsanity: What's in the Deck?

2009-07-13T22:06:00.005+08:00

Creatures

Plumeveil (4)
Effectively a kill spell, flashing it in as a blocker big enough to kill most early game creatures, then sits back as a brilliant defender. Plumeveil is probably our best anti-aggro tool. It slows the game down to a crawl. Conveniently, it also has three blue mana symbols in its mana cost, it helps make our Sanity Grinding extra juicy.

twInsanity: Grindin'!

2009-07-11T21:50:00.001+08:00

What is twInsanity?

twInSanity is one of the most powerful milling decks that T2 has seen for some time. Utilising the powerful Sanity Grinding and copying it with Twincast, the result is milling your opponent for upto forty cards in one go, enabling you to play cheap spells from your Shelldock Isle, and finish the match.

Origins

As soon as the Eventide spoilers rolled round to show us the card that was Sanity Grinding, my mind leapt at the prospect of it’s new best friend Twincast. A match made in ‘rogue-deck builder’s’ heaven. As soon as the full spoiler came out, I threw together the deck, and tested in on MWS. After a few tweaks, I ended up surprising myself with the ability that the deck had to actually win games. Before long, I had built up a lot of good results via testing, then it was time for FNM. At FNM, the deck was amazing, and made me everybody’s hero for a day, and since then, the deck has grown in stature and popularity, claiming FNM’s across the globe, waiting for it’s chance at the big time!

Blue: Deceit / Intellect

2009-07-09T21:11:00.005+08:00

Islands provide blue mana—the magic of the deep sea and the endless sky. Blue magic is about deceit, logic, and illusion. To a blue mage, information and knowledge are paramount. Blue mages want to know everything, and they'll go to any lengths to do so. When a blue mage fights, tidal waves crash against rocky cliffs, the wind whips out of stormy skies, and an enemy's spells fail as their creatures vanish into thin air.

Knowledge, manipulation, wind, and wave: These are the blue mage's tools.

Blue magic is reactive, calculated, and methodical. Its strength lies in patience and intelligence. Blue mages work behind the scenes, scheming and stealing secrets. They control their environments completely before making a move. Blue spells and abilities focus on prediction and illusion. Blue is also the color of technology and artifice. At their best, blue mages are inventive and progressive. At their worst, they are manipulative and treacherous.

Examples of blue spells include crashing waves, whirlpools of Æther, and even manipulations of time itself.

Blue-aligned creatures try to deceive their opponents or trick them into using magic in a way they didn't intend. Blue-aligned creatures often confuse, disguise themselves, or steal things from their enemies. Blue mages call wizards and weird beasts of the air and oceans to serve them. They summon crafty sphinxes, ferocious drakes, and elusive sprites. Titanic leviathans surface from the depths of the ocean to do their bidding.

Each of the five colors of magic has two ally colors and two enemy colors. Blue is allied with white and black. Blue and white mana share values of thoughtfulness, structure, and progress. Blue and black mana share values of secrecy, manipulation, and desire for omniscience.

Blue mana opposes red mana through the conflicts of water vs. fire, logic vs. emotion, and thought vs. action. Blue mana opposes green mana through the conflicts of the artificial vs. the natural, illusion vs. reality, and stultification vs. growth.

The Life of a Planeswalker

2009-07-07T21:08:00.003+08:00

After the planeswalker spark ignites, one has the power to dedicate one’s life to a personal mission, whatever that may be. A planeswalker’s life is consumed with the exploration of the Multiverse, the discovery of strange secrets and experiences, and the plumbing of the depths of one’s own mystic soul. The life of a planeswalker is a life of choice and self-determination, unrestricted by the boundaries of world or fate. With the freedom to travel and the power of magic, each planeswalker has the power to carve his or her name on the face of history.

The Blind Eternities

2009-07-05T21:07:00.002+08:00

The “Blind Eternities” is a somewhat poetic term for the space between planes. The Blind Eternities are a chaotic, logic-defying place of quasi-existence filled with raw potential called Æther. Only planeswalkers can survive there, and only for a limited time. Mortal beings without the planeswalker spark are soon destroyed by raw entropy and uncontained mana that suffuses the Blind Eternities.

The Spark: One in a Million

2009-07-03T21:07:00.001+08:00

One in a million sentient beings are born with “the spark,” the ineffable essence that makes an individual capable of becoming a planeswalker. Of those born with “the spark,” even fewer “ignite” their spark, enabling them to realize their potential and travel the planes. Most planeswalkers have their spark ignited as the result of a great crisis or trauma, but every awakening is different. A near-death experience might ignite a planeswalker’s spark, but so could a sudden, life-changing epiphany or a meditative trance that enables the mage’s grasp of some transcendent truth. There are as many such stories as there are planeswalkers.

You are a planeswalker

2009-07-01T21:02:00.002+08:00

In Magic: The Gathering, a planeswalker is a powerful mage who is able to travel across the planes of existence. There are infinite worlds across the Multiverse, and planeswalkers are unique in their ability to move from one world to the next, expanding their knowledge and power through the experiences they collect there.