Entry 12: New Adventures
~ Into the smothering dark, Sera spoke a single word: "Hope." ~
(Abiding Grace) There’s something comforting about a game of magic. Beyond the game, beyond the socialization, there is an elemental of control you possess, and simultaneously a lack of that same control. Magic is a game full of variance, commander even more so. The singleton nature of the format, the multiple players, and the more than 20,000 cards in magic all assist in wrestling our control of the game and situation away. Despite those odds, for many of us, it isn’t overwhelming. We continually try to control the variance we can, and accept, even embrace, the randomness we can’t. The last month of my life has been especially chaotic, and the lack of control I can exude over those elements of my life became increasingly clear. I continue to struggle with this lack of control, but I’ve also come to realize how magic can act as a safe place to explore those same concepts. Magic has allowed me to deal with the unknown and the unexpected in a context free of real life consequences. Similarly, the game allows me to focus on the things I can control — deck building, card choices, and play decisions. It also allows me to see the results of those decisions, right or wrong, and learn from them. So, despite the frustrations that can exist in this game, it’s been a comfort for the past month and really the past year. For the last eight months, I’ve been working on this deck diary, and while at first it started as a deck building challenge, it’s impossible to ignore the parallel of this deck growing and changing as both I, and Magic: The Gathering, grow and change. As such, I decided pretty quickly, that upon some of the uncertainty in my life wrapping up, I’d change the commander to my deck. In the same way this project was a spiritual step away from the year that was 2020, so too would my next set of changes be a spiritual uniting of my new life ventures.
It’s probably obvious that the use of the word venture wasn’t an accident. Last month, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms released and with it came the introduction of the venture mechanic which allows you to journey into some of D&D’s classic dungeons. As an avid D&D and RPG player myself, I was extremely excited for this mechanic, and specifically captivated by Nadaar, Selfless Paladin. In fact, I was so excited to play with the new Dragonborn I fired back up Arena and built a standard deck while I waited for the set to release in paper.
As for changes to the 99, there’s a huge chunk of cards coming in from AFR. The set is extremely budget friendly with solid white designs like Flumph and Loyal Warhound being extremely affordable and powerful additions. Rather than break down each individual swap this time, I’ve included an image here with the exchanges being made. Some of these changes are close to a one for one — Loyal Warhound for Burnished Hart, Plate Armor for Loxodon Warhammer, or Gloom Stalker for Fencing Ace — but many of these additions are simply in an effort to accomplish the long term goal of constructing deck with only new printings.
The remaining reprints to be replaced are of two specific card types — removal and utility lands. Neither of these categories will be a struggle to replace, but their contributions to the deck are critical for functionality. As such, I’m being a bit more targeted with these updates. I already have a list of cards I’m looking at to take the spot of these remaining reprints. I expect to have the last of the reprints replaced in short order, at which point the project will refocus again to replacing some of the weaker commons and uncommons with new and more interesting cards. Long term, I could see the deck existing and being updated each new year or even each new set as a home for testing new printings. I seriously cannot recommend this type of deck building project enough. Having a home to buy new and interesting printings without having to build an entirely new deck has been an absolute blast and given me a chance to play with more cards than I ever normally would. If spoilers feel like they are coming too fast or are overwhelming, take a look at some of my early posts and create your own deck to fill a similar role, and low yourself to use magic to take control of what you can.
1 Comment
Chris von Doom
8/9/2021 02:23:07 pm
I love this concept and I’m ashamed that it took me this long to actually check this out.
Reply
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AuthorMonoWhiteBorder -- A man who loves MtG and his small dog. Archives
June 2021
Categories"MonoWhiteBorder" and corresponding content is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
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