WELCOME TO THE WEEKLY TIBALT'S TIRADES!

Inspired by this post by u/NecessaryBug6662

Any standard combos for Invigorator?

Hey Reddit, last week was the Historic Pauper Metagame Challenge on Arena. It's my favorite format on the platform, and I was excited to grind it just to have the chance to play (I even held off playing new Reality Fracture draft formats, which are my second favorite format). I decided to track the results to examine the outcome from playing as many events as I could. The tl;dr: I made a small profit. Some things to know:

• I played RUG Storm for each event, with no changes to my decklist
• I'm a former professional MTG player, so I have a lot of competitive experience
• I worked at WOTC for 15 years, and was a producer on Arena in the very, very early days

You can view the data I tracked in this spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HKQOABuWlk-K9KRWHGpjofJ6Ar_-S5jarHPpX6ND-18/edit?gid=0#gid=0

The end results at a high level:

• I was able to fit in 16 total events, in part because of how quickly Storm can finish games
• I spent 8000 gems, and earned 8830 (this includes gems I won in booster packs)
• In total I was 89-35 for a win % of not quite 72%
• I won 36 boosters in total

Thoughts on the format
I love Pauper because it reminds me a lot of the Magic I grew up with in the 90s. I think Historic Pauper is too far from IRL Pauper to be a meaningful comparison between the two formats. I believe Storm needs action taken on it; a 72% win rate against the field for a dad of 2 who works full-time is a bad sign. The card I would ban is First Day of Class; this is the card that puts the deck over the top. Making a bunch of 1/1s has lots of answers in the format, but turning them into 2/2s that have haste shuts off too many of those solutions. Also, it truly is the card that makes the deck feel unfair, and as a tutor to boot for some meaningful Lesson targets it's too good.

Some cards that are potentially problematic for the deck: Trespasser's Curse, Soul Warden, and Echoing Decay (to my friends from the WOTC Arena team reading this: sneak Echoing Truth into a reprint product to further help in this space). There are many more answers, of course, but none is a silver bullet and the deck is flexible enough to manage any of them particularly when not under a clock.

Thanks for reading!
-Bill Stark

Decklist

Deck

4 Empty the Warrens (DMR) 118

4 Island (SLD) 64

2 Chatterstorm (MH2) 152

5 Mountain (SLD) 66

4 Goblin Electromancer (GRN) 174

1 Forest (SLD) 67

4 Frantic Search (TLE) 159

4 Pentad Prism (5DN) 143

4 Seething Song (MRD) 104

4 Treasure Cruise (KTK) 59

4 First Day of Class (STX) 102

4 Glimpse the Impossible (MH3) 124

4 Faithless Looting (SIS) 40

4 Bountiful Landscape (MH3) 217

4 Peculiar Lighthouse (DSK) 265

4 Bleeding Woods (DSK) 257

Sideboard

1 Octopus Form (TLA) 66

1 It'll Quench Ya! (TLA) 58

2 Waterbending Lesson (TLA) 80

1 Lost Days (TLA) 62

1 Firebending Lesson (TLA) 138

2 How to Start a Riot (TLA) 140

2 Abandon Attachments (TLA) 205

1 Fractal Summoning (STX) 187

2 Aang's Journey (TLA) 1

1 Introduction to Prophecy (STX) 4

1 Introduction to Annihilation (STX) 3

Deck

4 Empty the Warrens (DMR) 118

4 Island (SLD) 64

2 Chatterstorm (MH2) 152

5 Mountain (SLD) 66

4 Goblin Electromancer (GRN) 174

1 Forest (SLD) 67

4 Frantic Search (TLE) 159

4 Pentad Prism (5DN) 143

4 Seething Song (MRD) 104

4 Treasure Cruise (KTK) 59

4 First Day of Class (STX) 102

4 Glimpse the Impossible (MH3) 124

4 Faithless Looting (SIS) 40

4 Bountiful Landscape (MH3) 217

4 Peculiar Lighthouse (DSK) 265

4 Bleeding Woods (DSK) 257

Sideboard

1 Octopus Form (TLA) 66

1 It'll Quench Ya! (TLA) 58

2 Waterbending Lesson (TLA) 80

1 Lost Days (TLA) 62

1 Firebending Lesson (TLA) 138

2 How to Start a Riot (TLA) 140

2 Abandon Attachments (TLA) 205

1 Fractal Summoning (STX) 187

2 Aang's Journey (TLA) 1

1 Introduction to Prophecy (STX) 4

1 Introduction to Annihilation (STX) 3

One of the things arena can’t do, is have access to older sets for the most part, there’s just too many, however one of the most unique things this game can offer, is the ability to let you open out of print packs, which means it’s the ideal way to allow people to play old inaccessible draft formats from this games history.

I would love to occasionally be able to draft original Theros block, or heck even magic origins again for example, to make sure resources aren’t being wasted, have a community run poll every month to decide which one we’d get, and that also gives a real incentive to add some cards that won‘t have a use otherwise.

I am looking for format suggestions.

I am not good. I don't care to get good.

I really just want to play within a set. I like the interaction and the way the cards, effects, and aesthetic within a set are limited.

I obviously love draft and sealed but you have to be good (which I am not) for it to be sustainable.

Any suggestions as to where to play in-between draft/sealed. Are more or less single set decks survivable for brawl or standard? There is always jump in but i don't like how you sometimes get stuck with sets I don't like.

Thanks!

I downloaded MTG Arena on my PC last night to give it a third try. The previous two times, I lost interest after playing for a few days and ended up dropping the game.

This time, I genuinely want to learn and get into it, but everything feels so complicated and overwhelming at the moment.

I’ve played other digital card games like Marvel Snap and Pokémon TCG Pocket, but MTG Arena seems to offer so much more strategic depth and deck-building variety, which is exactly what attracts me to it.

What would you recommend to help me stick with the game this time? Which game modes should I focus on as a beginner? Are there any simple, beginner-friendly decks that are fun to play and can help me learn the game without feeling overwhelmed?

I also really love animals, dinosaurs, and similar creatures, so decks built around those themes would be especially appealing to me.
I’d appreciate any general advice, deck recommendations, or tips for making the learning experience more enjoyable. I really want to get into this game properly this time!

I haven't seen it mentioned here, but this event has got Midweek Magic rewards and is free to enter. Not a huge alchemy fan and the decks are wildly imbalanced, but there are a LOT (every alchemy precon released) and I'm having fun trying them out! Always nice to get two free rares and a cosmetic.

I've been playing B01 standard for a few years. I dont know if it was mostly out of stubbornness or not having older cards for other formats I just stuck with standard. Last night I got sick of playing against the same four decks over and over.

So I decided what the heck, I'll use my wildcards and make a commander deck and try some brawl. Guys...I played for over an hour and didn't play against a single repeat deck, everyone was playing something different and interesting and no games ended on turn 3. I'll still probably play standard but I feel dumb for not trying other formats earlier.

I went to go look at the new RF achievements so I could 1. Verify I have done all I can and 2. Mope about how I won't be able to get the others in the first category, but above each section (including the first) is line if text: "~MORE TO DISCOVER LOC HERE!!~"

I am assuming this means something akin to 'there is more to discover located here' but given there is no more asterisk next to the numbers in the secret 10 I am also pretty sure there is in fact not more to discover....

Am I missing something?

I thought there were only 10 secret achievements for Reality Fracture Achievements?!? Am I missing something???

Mulligan down to 5 and 2 lands, and no more lands. Then played against perfect draws and great tempo deck with more mythics than myself to finally keep a 3 lands hand and only draw lands until death. Anyway, at least it was a quick draft. Anything really awful in my deck? I am still learning the format.

I really thought all my opponents meant it when they said “Nice Deck” and said “Thanks”

Anyway - just thought I would share that. 🤣

So, yeah, it's an jank sac deck built around the slow engine of Phoenix Fleet Airship. Don't expect to win any games in ranked but I really want this card to be an legit wincon just because of the whole shebang with 8 flyers.

Any tips on improving? I saw lists with other mythical or rares but most of the key cards are here.

https://moxfield.com/decks/8RW3duF5dUKyPA0Zms4Kiw

Newbie here. About 2 weeks playing everyday.

Went to play the last two days and my progress is gone and it's taking me back to the tutorial.

Samsung 26 user.

Logged in and out a few times. No luck

Any suggestions?

For the last like week any time I try to log in on mobile, Arena goes through the usual startup and the gets stuck on the black "waiting for server" screen for like 15 minutes. Anyone else having issues like this?

E: I know it isn't my general connection because I'm not having problems with anything else.

Every MTG player seems to have at least one opinion that would get them downvoted into oblivion on Reddit. What's yours?

Here's Part 2 of my Reddit Hot Takes series if you're interested:
https://youtu.be/lgsfqcRlPvQ

Hey folks!

That was the first time, I felt I had many choices on which things to cut and what to add.
Something you would exchange here?

Happy for every advice. :)

Doing a Quick Draft and can choose between blue or red Chandra. Sounds like red is better in Draft, but which one is more likely to get more use in Standard?

FYI I'm a casual beginner just trying to collect cards to build a decent deck with the cards I have without having to craft too much using wildcards. Which one has more potential in Standard?