Date: Wed, 21 Sep 94 14:41:54 EDT
From: "Jeff Boes" <J.Boes@zds.com>
To: mtg-strategy-l@wizards.com
Subject: Magic Finesse
Message-ID: <9408217801.AA780183714@ccmail.mi04.zds.com>


Let's start another new thread ...
Share with us, if you will, the simple (yet commonly overlooked) methods
of actually playing the game (not building decks) which you think give
you the edge: Magic Finesse, if you will.  This information is aimed at
fairly new players, although us old hands will doubtless learn a thing
or two as well.

I'll start ...
1) When playing Blue, always leave two mana untapped, even if you don't
hold a Counterspell.  In fact, sometimes it's worth leaving two untapped
_and_ holding at least one card in your hand, so your opponent has to
consider the possibility of Counterspell.  (Of course, your mileage may
vary if you play against someone not experienced enough to notice what
you've done.  I suppose you could take to muttering to yourself, "<and
the Counterspell takes two blue, so> OK, I'm done.")

2) If you are planning to attack, don't summon your creatures until
after the attack.  This way your opponent has no way of knowing what he
or she will face on their attack, during the declaration of blockers for
your attack!  This is especially nice if you summon up a big nasty wall,
like Carnivorous Plant or Wall of Swords.

3) Know your deck: keep in mind what the highest-cost creature in the
deck is, and stop playing land once you've reached that cost (plus a
comfortable margin, depending on the situation).  Why?  That's so a
land-wrecking spell (Armageddon) or combo (Kormus Bell/Living Lands + 
Pestilance) won't leave you completely landless.  This is especially
true if your deck includes something which requires cards to be in your
hand (short list: Mishra's War Machine, Coral Helm, Jalum Tome, Ivory
Tower).  Of course, drop this idea if you know your opponent uses Black
Vise.

4) Poke on your opponent's turn: there are several fast effects,
nicknamed "pokes" after the most famous of them (Prodigal Sorceror's
ability).  These include: Rod of Ruin, Icy Manipulator, Relic Barrier,
Mana Batteries.  (One poke, that of the Disrupting Sceptre, may only be
used on your turn [card text], and so is not covered by this sugges-
tion.) The idea is to force your opponent to execute his/her whole turn
before the poke strikes, thus leaving you with the largest choice of
targets.  In the case of Mana Batteries, leaving the "recharge" period
until the end of your opponent's turn means they won't know what you are
using the mana for until it's too late (see #1 above).

5) Don't be in such a hurry: especially during the resolution of
attacks.  For example, some players will rush through their attack in
joyous anticipation of dealing damage to their opponent (or rush through
their opponent's attack because they can't wait to start their own
turn).  If you have fast effects (pokes), take the time to plan them out
_especially_ in response to your opponent's pokes.
Example: I attack with several creatures, one of which is 2/2.  You
block some of them, including the 2/2 using a 1/5 wall.  Now you can
poke my 2/2 (Prodigal Sorceror, Desert, etc.) and kill it, but you
should wait until I've declared my damage.  For example, I may be
planning to cast Giant Growth (+3/+3) on the blocked 2/2 to eliminate
your wall, in which case your poke should be declared against some other
target or it is wasted.

6) Don't put a Continuous Artifact (for RV-only players: one with no
activation cost) into your deck unless you also have a counter for it.
At very least, some means of tapping it, if not removing it from play.
For example, you may decide that Kormus Bell is a great way of
"swarming" your opponent with a dozen Swamps (add Touch of Darkness and
Bad Moon to make them 2/2 nasties--just as an aside).  However, your
heretofore helpless Blue opponent Magically Hacks the Bell to say
"islands" and swarms _you_.  If you are playing all-Black, you may have
no means of undoing your error unless you include something to destroy
the Bell when it has outlived its usefulness (for example, Priest of
Yawgmoth or Gate to Phrexia).

OK, so the last one really _was_ a deck design finesse, but not in the
sense of color compatibility or mana shortage ...

Tell us about your finesses (finessi?) by posting to this list.
Critique mine if you must.  Please be sensible when quoting, as this is
a long post and we don't really need to distribute it every time it gets
critiqued ...

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Date: Thu, 22 Sep 94 11:29:52 MDT
From: "Bishop" <bishop@acs.ucalgary.ca>

[quote deleted]

        Excellent strategy.  I learned this the hard way not too
long ago.

        Strategy for VERY experienced and THINKER players - an
opponent of mine does this.

        In a deck involving a bunch of low-cost creatures,
especially monochrome decks, place a few off-colour mana int he
deck.  Not enough to throw off your manacount, but enough to
throw off your opponent.

        My usual opponent (Whom I have never, in 6 mo NOT played
for ante) usually adds a few Fire Sprites into a BG deck, just to
make me nervous of Fireballs.  In a usual game, he'll add Red
Mana in a White deck as well, for the same purpose.

        While disbanding the deck I'll usually ask him and he
will respond that Yes, he adds those creatures and land in there
just for the fear effect and it often works, as I have held a
counterspell in my hand since turn one.  I was just waiting for
the Fireball...

- -- 
 - Bishop       
        "Aaaand I attack you with my Double Spirit-Linked Lord of the Pit..."
         Fingerd knows ECdaemon.... finger me if you need an introduction.

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Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 10:57:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: GAUDRERO@HUGSE2.HARVARD.EDU

>Share with us, if you will, the simple (yet commonly overlooked) methods
>of actually playing the game (not building decks) which you think give
>you the edge: Magic Finesse, if you will.  

        1-Cast spells on your opponent's turn whenever possible.  You have 
better things to do with mana on your own turn, if you have some available
during you opponent's turn, that's when you want to cast Disenchants and
Lightning Bolts, leaving you the mana to summon creatures and cast artifacts
when your main phase rolls around.

        2-Always leave 2 mana to support a regenerating creature.  Nothing
is more annoying than: "I Lightning Bolt your Unholy Strengthened Will-o-Wisp."
"Okay, I tap this last black mana and regenerate it." "Okay, I Lightning Bolt
it again." "Aaaaarghhhhh!"

Roger Gaudreau
Journeyman Wizard and Vampire Lord

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Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 11:57:17 -0500 (CDT)
From: JaBbErWoCk <JRFLEMMING@ualr.edu>

[quote deleted]

I've established a mild reputation in our group as being tricky,
        I offer this advice.... don't jump to conclusions about
spells being useless in situations.
        My oponent had just summoned a Segnir_Vampire and all I had
that was semi-useful in my hand was an earthbind, which would make it
non-flying, but leave me with a 4/4 pain in the neck (pun intended).
I attacked with my Sedge_Troll, he foolishly blocked with his Vampire,
I regenerated the Troll and then Earthbound the Vampire.. total damage
5, dead Vampire.
        This is also along the lines of holding off on your spells,
If I had Earthbound first he obviously wouldn't have blocked with
the vampire.

        Secondly be aware of your opponents doing semingly stupid
things. They often aren't stupid.
        In a three player game, all of us had out 2 creatures, two
of us had out fairly tough ones, while the third unfortunate chap
had only 2 benalish heroes. On his turn he attacked each of us with
1 hero, I hesitantly decided to block it, as did the third player
(we both suspected something) and then, after his heroes had died..
BAM Balance, we both lost our creatures as well.. sneaky bastard.

****************************************************************
  JRFlemming@Ualr.Edu    " - `Twas brillig and the Slithy Toves
                              Did gyre and gimble in the Wabe
  John Flemming               All mimsy were the Borrogroves
                              And the Mome Raths Outgrabe. - "
****************************************************************

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Date:  Fri, 23 Sep 1994 16:27:00 -0400 
From: "todd (t.) sheldon" <tsheldon@bnr.ca>

Hello all,

Here are my in-game strategies:

1) Regeneration:
   Save that mana for regeneration of your critters. If your opponnent
   has something to ping your critter with (rod of ruin) make sure
   you save 2 mana to regenerate the critter.  Do this becuase your
   opponnent can 1) ping the critter at the end of your turn (you burn
   1 mana for regen) then 2) ping the critter at the begginning of his
   turn (taking your second mana for regen).
   
   Also beware of red players.  Even if they don't have something to
   ping the critter, you can never tell when they will pull a LB or FB.
   So again, save 2 mana for regeneration.  1 to regenerate after blocking
   an attacker, and a 2nd to regenerate after the LB.

2) Kill those regenerators
 
   <<Its the reverse of 1, but read on if you wish>>
   If you have fast effects to do damage (tim, rod of ruin, etc) do not
   use them during your turn.  Use them at the end of your opponents turn
   to damage his critters.  Obviously if he puts out some new nuisance critter,
   kill it.  Otherwise, look for the opportunity to kill his regenerators
   (like when he has only 1 mana left to regenerate it).  Ping
   the critter at the end of his turn, and then at the beginning of your
   turn.

   Another example if if your opponnent has an uthden troll and 1 mana.
   You have in play a minotaur, and you have just drawn a LB.  Attack 
   with the minotaur, he blocks with troll, and regenerates troll.
   Now LB the troll and it is history.

3) Count those Beans

   Before you attack, carefully look at what can damage your critter.
   Make sure you count all fast effect stuff that can add extra
   points of damage to your creature (such as tim, rod of ruin, deserts,
   D'Avelant Archers, etc).  Also count all the stuff that can 
   protect his critters (amulets of kroog, samite healers, etc) to
   make sure you can kill what you want when you attack.

4) People are not stupid

   Realize that most opponnents you play are not dumb.  If they
   do something that is obviously foolish, they probably have
   something up their sleeve.  (you have a vampire, he has
   a scryb sprite.  He attacks with the scryb sprite, do you
   think he has a Giant Growth in his hand?  You bet he does).

5) Play with your opponnent.

   your opponnent is probably aware of #4 above, try to throw a
   curve in there every now and then and see what happens 
   (from #4, attack with that scryb sprite, if he lets it through
   throw a howl from beyond on it with enough damage to kill him.
   Think he'll ever let that scryb sprite through again?)

todd

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Date: Sat, 24 Sep 1994 12:34:30 -0800
From: "Black-Robe Mage (Mike)" <FXMGS@aurora.alaska.edu>

[quote deleted]

Along these lines, if your opponent has been punished enough like
this in previous games, it then becomes possible to bluff.  I have
managed several times to get little attackers by because I managed
to have my opponent convinced that I had a Howl From Beyond sufficient
to kill their blockers..  They'll never know....

Also, cards like Howl From Beyond and Lightning Bolt are almost
always better to play on your opponent's creatures, as that will
both reduce the damage they can do each turn, and make it easier
for your own creatures to get through the lines.  

(Howl From Beyond: I meant "play it when your opponent has blocked,
instead of when your creature is unblocked, unless by so doing, you
kill your opponent.)

This advice about HFB and LB holds best in the early game where you
can surge into the lead by having 1 more creature than your opponent,
or the best HFB is a mere 3-4 point spell.  Same advice on Giant
Growth (>especially Giant Growth!<).  You will be killing a creature
and salvaging your own.  Three points of damage against your opponent
isn't generally worth wasting a GG.

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Date: Sun, 25 Sep 1994 09:28:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: "K.J. Ramsey" <u9314334@muss.cis.mcmaster.ca>

        Adding to the Scrub Sprites situation.  Even if you have the 
giant growth in your hand hold on to it.  As long as he is letting you 
through to do the one damage keep it up.  When he finally gets sick of 
taking the small bits of damage and blocks with the vampire, then cast 
the GG and kill the vampire.  Most opponents tend to expect that GG 
aattack and will often let the sprites through for fear of loosing their 
vampire or such.

