Board of Aldermen

My brain's been thinking on something of late: whatever happened to the casual Magic? There was once a time, in the ancient past, when we would get together and play Magic for fun. Now, enraged Magic players, I do not mean to say that Type 2 constructed can't be fun, but it isn't really the same thing in my estimation. Allow me to make a list, because that's apparently what we do now.

- I've got this deck ...: When we first started playing Magic, we would make decks from what cards we had. We made new decks when we got new cards, we integrated sets willy nilly. Fun was had. When someone would step up and say "I've got this deck idea," it meant that he looked through his cards, maybe got new cards, and had some idea perhaps a crazy combo and put something together to mess around with, get a feel for how the deck works. Now, Magic online brings right to our e-doorsteps the most effective decks. Yes, we make our versions of decks, but we don't make truly original decks anymore. "But LHP," you say, "what's this 'original' jibber-jabber you're talking? There's only so many cards in the set, etc." Variations on existing decks, combinations read about online, are less creative than something constructed by you, out of the cards you have direct access to.

- A Friendly Game: We don't seem to play for the fun of playing anymore. If we play when we are just hanging out, it isn't "playing a game," it's testing a deck, fine-tuning a tweaked version of a competitive deck so that come Tuesday or Friday, it has a better chance of winning. Magic is a means to victory, to win more Magic cards, to build the newer decks, ad infinitum. There's a reason we don't make truly original decks anymore. What's the point in trying to play an original deck against one that has been concieved of by Magic "professionals" and reconstituted for the sake of Type 2 play? Winning isn't everything, but why bring a soapbox racer to the Indy 500? Casual Magic, for all intents and purposes, is dead to us now.

- Moving on Up: We can talk about sophistication for a bit. We've evolved beyond the silliness of that unstructured play, tournament Magic gives a stricter format and a chance for a more competitive environment. Your talk of casual Magic is regressive, LHP; we've gone from playing basketball in the driveway to playing for a league, why go back? I can see that perspective, but I guess I'm making a "love of the game" arguement. Part of the game is making a deck, trying to come up with something fun/cool/powerful, and how removed are you from that process when you have to put together one of a handful of decks to remain competitive?

-Spreading the Love: A bit off topic, but roll with me. There are those reading this, many on the Board, who aren't Magic players. I think it's hard to attract someone to the Magic without casual Magic. If you found someone you thought might be interested in Magic and said "Hey man, I'm going to Friday Night Magic, I think you should come. [now, you have either] a) I'll let you play one of my decks. or b) Read X articles online and find something you like and we'll try to get it together (where X is the number of tapped articles)." Option a) cuts out the fun and understanding that comes from deck construction and option b) seems like a lot of homework for someone with a passing interest. How does someone get interested in Magic, and have any fun getting into it, without casual Magic?

-More than one way: Yes, I can draft. I can play sealed tournaments (though those are pretty much just pre-releases). But, those are limited, you have to pay out quite a bit for cards (and occasionally wake up sinfully early on a Saturday). If there is no casual Magic environment, what is the point of owning the cards if one doesn't want to play Type 2 in a Type 2 group of people? (NO, you cannot have my cards)


I don't really have a "point" as such. Just thought I'd throw that out to the Magicians, who all cringed when they saw me refer to them as "Magicians." Anyway you like your Magic, may the magic of the holiday (fully secularized and politically correct) be with us everyone.

does anyone besides me get a little excited when that wendy's commercial comes on with the 10-patty burger and tempts you with it's heart-wrenching goodness?

oh and to paul...don't hate the playa, hate the game

OH! WRITE VERY WELL ... THAILAND

I hate neither playa nor game; it's the format with which I quarrel. And yes ... I want to eat one of those towers of square Wendy's tastiness myself.

dude, i am shocked, SHOCKED, that you used memnarch over ashnod's transmogrant. you used to want to transmo' every thing in sight. im not so much shocked as i am schlocked.
my suggestion to you paul--if you build it, they will come. also, we should do more multiplayer.

LETO ... that is almost creepy. As I was reviewing this article, I said to myself, before seeing this, Ashnod's Transmogrant would be better b/c you get the +1/+1 and it's cheaper, but I was lazy and didn't correct. This is not me being funny, I'm completely serious ... really, hand to God. That's awesome.

But yes, I need to rip out some old decks, mix em up, put some new blood into casual, AND I'd really like some multiplayer games.