POSV v Choker: I don't think POSV pulls this out 6-0. On the draw, Ob never makes a demon because Choker is dropping Chasm on T2 no matter what, and it isn't going away by any time the demon might attack.


1. Workshop Choker. Choker at 1 and give.
1. Choker chokes (20-19). Lotus Lotus Ob; +2 Ob (19-20). Choker at 2 and give.
2. Choker chokes (17-20). Chasm; Choker at 3 and give.
2. Choker chokes (17-17). +2 Ob (16-18). Choker at 4 and give.
3. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (14-18). Choker at 5 and give.
3. Choker chokes (14-13). +2 Ob (13-14). Choker at 6 and give.
4. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (10-14). Choker at 7 and give.
4. Choker chokes (10-7). +2 Ob (9-8). Choker at 8 and give.
5. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (3-8). Choker at 9 and give.
5. Choker chokes (3-dead).

All of this didn't even need to use the extra turn Choker gets when it arranges its upkeep triggers such that the chasm prevents the choker damage before failing to be upkeep'd.

Ob on the play can choose whether to make a demon on T1 that can swing on T2 before the Chasm lands, or just use Ob's +2 all the way.

1. Lotus Lotus Ob; Make a demon (18-20).
1. Workshop Choker. Choker at 1 and give.
2. Choker chokes (17-20). +2 Ob (18-19). Swing with demon (18-14). Choker at 2 and give.
2. Choker chokes (18-12). Chasm; Choker at 3 and give.
3. Choker chokes (15-12). +2 Ob (16-11). Choker at 4 and give.
3. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (16-9). Choker at 5 and give.
4. Choker chokes (11-9). +2 Ob (12-8). Choker at 6 and give.
4. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (12-4). Choker at 7 and give.
5. Choker chokes (5-4). +2 Ob (6-3). Choker at 8 and give.
5. Choker prevented; fail to upkeep chasm (6-3). Choker at 8 and give.
6. Choker chokes (dead-3)

OR

1. Lotus Lotus Ob; +2 Ob (21-19).
1. Workshop Choker. Choker at 1 and give.
2. Choker chokes (20-19). +2 Ob (21-18). Choker at 2 and give.
2. Choker chokes (21-16). Chasm; Choker at 3 and give.
3. Choker chokes (18-16). +2 Ob (19-15). Choker at 4 and give.
3. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (19-13). Choker at 5 and give.
4. Choker chokes (14-13). +2 Ob (15-12). Choker at 6 and give.
4. Choker prevented; Upkeep chasm (15-8). Choker at 7 and give.
5. Choker chokes (8-8). +2 Ob (9-7). Choker at 8 and give.
5. Choker prevented; fail to upkeep chasm (9-7). Choker at 8 and give.
6. Choker chokes (dead-7)

That looks right-ish. My numbers were different but it looks like I still lose on the draw. I didn't originally play it out, I had it in my mind that if you could do 2 damage to a choker deck or gain 2 life against it you won...not really sure why that number is in my head.

The number I've seen is 12. It needs to be able to upkeep chasm twice (2+4) and take a 2 hit from the choker, so it loses 8 life and can only be outraced by decks that can deal 12.

there's that sleeper agent at work again

New Round: Commander
Three card deck, plus a commander. All commander rules apply: singleton, color identity restriction, 40 life, commander damage, commander banlist in addition to normal banlist.
You should definitely check the commander banlist, since it contains cards like Black Lotus and the original moxen.
Begins Friday, September 16th
Ends Wednesday, September 21st

i think that's easily a record for most rounds panoptic mirror was banned in a single season

Just looking back on what might have been. I almost ran Thalia, Guardian of Thraben instead of Lodestone Golem, but backed down in large part because of GS' damned Karakas (even though I equally feared the third card being Leyline of Singularity and neutering the Golem anyway). And because I figured Rubik for Woodlot+Mayors, not Lotus-Mayor.

Would have scored:
6+6+0+6+3+3+3+3

And won. Damn.

Yeah, I expected Thalia and counted it as a loss since I couldn't be bothered to think of anything clever this round. Pleasantly surprised to find Golem instead . I briefly thought about Frost Titan but decided against it since it lost to both Golem and Thalia.

I finished up the Vanilla Redux spreadsheet.

Wanted to mix it up a bit.

^ If I won the round let Mark have the prize.

Edit: I don't like the new round. I think it's more flawed vanilla.

This one was fun. Can we do it again next season?

And I have no idea what to do for the current round. Seems like commanders will not be cast (but I'm sure some of you geniuses will find a way). 40 life does change things a bit, prolonging the Mayorville clock by what, two turns (i'm still sleepy)?

Never mind, commander does nothing while in the command zone, right? Otherwise, there's that Elesh guy

edit: and Braids is banned. There goes that idea

Cards only do stuff in the command zone if they specifically say they do. See Oloro, Ageless Ascetic.

There are 5 actual 1-drop commanders. Those would be trivial to cast.

Thalia is a good enough card she's often seen even in vanilla 3cm. I noted above that she would have won this past round. Being able to use her as a fourth card is strong.

This no dual Lotus thing is really limiting the possibilities...but I guess Storage Lands are a thing.

there is still led, so you can attempt to cast a five-drop legend on turn 1

(still have to deal 21 commander damage before the slower decks though)

And when your Legend dies, you can't recast it. With what is in some ways four-card Magic, removal might find a place in decks.

But 40 life is interesting. Maybe I should poison people

With storage lands you surely could eventually recast your commander.

Let's catch up on prizes, shall we?

Round 1-3 Results

Vanilla Consolation Prize: Aaarrrgh (Mox Jet, Mutavault, or Nezumi Shortfang)
Vanilla Redux Consolation Prize: door (dooooooooooor) (Artifact Blast, Chancellor of the Forge, or Simian Spirit Guide)
Pick one nonbasic card to ban from a deck that placed 1st this round. Your deadline is September 24th, 23:00 PST.

Vanilla Winner: POSValkir
Vanilla Redux Winners: Aaarrrgh and Edacade
One Card Open Winner: mark777
You may each suggest a new alternate format to be added to next season's poll.

Well, I have one last place, one win, and one absence. If I hit middle in the last round I'll have succeeded in achieving the most inconsistent season in the history of the game!

I ban the Shortfang.

My format suggestion is Conspiracy: in addition to the three cards in your deck, choose a Conspiracy.

I have a weird idea for Commander, but I'm not sure if it actually works. Is there anyone with good rules knowledge who wants to bounce ideas with me?

One day left to submit Commander decks!