Magic: The Gathering (Spoiler-free)

I think there was something about how the traps were traps in the sense that not only do they keep the Eldrazi locked up, they also served to attract their attention.

While I doubt that sealing them on three planes would have been impossible, I doubt it would have been worth the time, work, or meantime destruction it would have required.

If they manage to nail down Ulamog here that might become plan B. Just wait until Koz or Em show up on another plane and trap them there.

The Gatewatch being an oath to watch out for Kozilek (if they drive him off) or Emrakul, and then drop everything to help contain them? That could do! It would also make a resolution that they could call back to in a couple years if they want to focus on another villain for a while, too.

My own personal guess is that if the next block doesn't involve one or more of the four traveling to another plane looking for signs of where the other two Eldrazi are (and likely getting caught up in some other localized problem in the process), we'll probably see the next block check up on Lilliana wherever she's gone off to.

So, I ended up winning the Saturday game day at my LGS with my Temur Monsters deck. Same deck I've been running with Khans, just been tweaking it all the way (and obviously, updating it for rotation).

Jace is fucking everywhere. It's so annoying, but I was able to deal with him pretty well. Multiple games where I had a turn 3 Crater's Claw to take out the turn 2 Jace, it was pretty great.

But aside from my distaste for Jace (and that everybody is running 4/5 colour decks) it was a lot of fun. The games were all really close for me, which was good, and I went 7-1 losing one round in the Swiss before playoffs.

The Drana playmat is so cool.

The implication seems to be that every plane's mana has its own intelligence and life. It's just more pronounced on Zendikar because most planes are not buckling and recoiling in horror and disgust at an alien presence bound to their world.

Considering Ugin considered the plane they're imprisoned on to be more or less sacrificed for the greater good, he probably just assumed it's better to have one plane sacrificed than three. Not to mention the difficulties in the logistics of separating the Titans; when they put out the lure, all three Titans came. Imprisoning only one would leave the other two to rampage and devour the plane.

Getting lucky and having only one on a world that already has the means to imprison Eldrazi constructed in advance like they have with Ulamog is great, but intentionally separating the Titans to draw them into individual traps is hard. What bait could you use for Kozilek that would leave Ulamog and Emrakul ambivalent? What are Ulamog and Emrakul even ambivalent to, if anything?

edited 26th Oct '15 8:31:10 AM by TobiasDrake

12 squirrels.

10 squirrels and 15 squirrels respectively.

Ulamog isn't all that bothered by 10 squirrels, actually.

And even if it was, those squirrels would have just killed its primary manifestation. No fuss, no muss.

Hell, it'd be good for Ulamog, if I'm interpreting the Uncharted Realms correctly.

edited 26th Oct '15 9:37:10 AM by foxmccloud4387

Not necessarily good. He'd still be injured. It just wouldn't be life-threatening or even approach such.

It would be bad for people who don't want Ulamog roaming the planes and eating things because, worst-case scenario, Ulamog would be chased away from the plane and they would have to go find him again - and they would have to confront him on a world that does not have a framework for imprisoning Eldrazi built into it. Best-case scenario he would treat it as a minor inconvenience and just come right back at Zendikar again.

edited 26th Oct '15 10:33:29 AM by TobiasDrake

I suppose that if we find out why Emrakul left, it might tell us more about them individually.

Emrakul left because she got hit by an Unsummon.

Unsumon is blue, wont work.

Damn, you're right.

What's that one cheap blue creature that has a removal ability?

No, no, Whelming Wave. Emrakul may be a horrific tentacle monster, but she isn't an Octopus, and since Wave doesn't damage, enchant, block or target...

edited 26th Oct '15 1:17:20 PM by CountDorku

And considering what there doing to the enviroment, that is a distinct posibility.

A wave so strong it can punch a hole to the Blind Eternities.

Uncharted Realms: The Liberation of Sea Gate.

In which Gideon learns that charging and yelling cannot be substituted for a battle plan*.

.* unless one happens to be running a goblin deck

Gideon has goblins in his deck but he is decidedly not running a goblin deck.

...this is extra funny to me because I actually started work on a Gideon deck today.

edited 28th Oct '15 2:55:12 PM by TobiasDrake

In Rise of the Eldrazi block, Gideon Jura was often played alongside Ulamog in Eldrazi ramp decks, so that is amusing.

Rumours that Gideon is opposing the Eldrazi because of a bad breakup with Emrakul remain unverified.

I've had it sparked in my mind the potential concept of some kind of RW Enchantment/Control Commander deck, possibly with Gisela as the would-be commander.

Is there the possibility of there being something there to look into further or is it an idea that's probably more trouble than it's worth?

I'm trying to think of good ideas for a Standard deck built around Zada.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I want Tandem Tactics. I'm also thinking about Sure Strike and Touch of Moonglove.

Not sure if I want to give her a deck to herself or just fold her in with Gideon's Rallying Allies to have two different sources of craziness.

Defiant Striiiiiike

Titan's Strength would do well there, I think.

edited 6th Nov '15 2:42:04 PM by Tojin