Exiling Hexproof Nonland Permanents

Wednesday, I was playing a non standard white deck that Thor had built that was basically designed to make it impossible for me to attack him. It was beyond frustrating & I lost badly when he hit a win condition that if he had 40 life he won. I was at like 55 life [thanks to Devo] and he was at 46 or so when he cast the creature that gave him that attribute.

In any event, before the game developed into old school magic silliness [something I am still struggling to learn to enjoy]  I had cast my Gladecover Scout

And bestowed my Boon Satyr on her

Thor cast Detention Sphere naming Boon Satyr.

I argued that because the Boon Satyr was an enchantment on a hex proof creature it was immune. Thor laughed and I lost my Drizzt. 

Was this the correct call?

Actual Play Murder in Baldur’s Gate--D&D Encounters S15 S13

Q-Workshop Pathfinder Skull & Shackles Dice

Today I received my first package from Poland!

 It was my Q-Workshop Pathfinder Skull & Shackles Dice!

It came with a fantastic free d6!

I cannot wait to try these out on Sunday.

Murder in Baldur’s Gate--D&D Encounters S15 S13

Another wild week of D&D Encounters at Mercenary Market.

Jack went big at Subway before tonights game, but was ready for his Elf Ranger to finish things.

A poor picture of Brian's Movember contribution.

Scott and Jake are very much into the campaign. 

The barbarian bros--Thor & John were in rare form this week.

Again, I had a huge amount of space to run my character--even when we combined all the players on one table there was still way more than enough space.

Jack is using this awesome mini which he picked up at Con earlier this year.

MtA Episode 44: That’s a Spicy Gorgon!

I listened to this during a deployment. 

One of my favorite Magic podcasts goes big this week with Beatnik Card Reading Poetry Night, which may be the funniest thing I have ever heard. 

Very good episode.

Icosahedrophilia Podcast, Episode 171: From Beyond, Part 5

I  listened to this while doing an install. 

I am way behind on this right now so I am kind of hurrying to catch up. This was the end of a five episode arc that included a great battle with a medusa. DM Chris created a fun timer that the players had some random imput on which made this even more interesting. Also, the players basically have a boon/curse mechanic on them that goes over during every rest, kind of like the D&D Cards that came out that could do good or bad things to players depending on their prestige.

In any event, a very fun episode from one of the best gaming tables currently sharing.

Double Strike before School

A big crew came by for Magic this morning before South Lake Middle School late start. We had Alexander, Matt, Jack, Dylan, Evan, Andrew, Derek, and Liam--just about as many as our table can hold




























The boys come by and start games kind of in the order that they show up--we had some great match up this week.



It was Liam's first time at Tuesday Morning with Magic

so he played the Sliver deck which is just a fun way to learn Magic--lots of ramp, different effects, and smashing in the face for 30!

The boys get fairly intense while playing.

and today they were really into it--four matches going at the same time is loud & awesome.

The boys play for an hour and the time goes by very very quickly.

The boys want to spend time trading cards, but we only have one hour before school starts which is just about time for three matches--generally time runs out during a final Two Headed Giant match.

Matt has a Whip of Erbos that he wants to trade

Andrew is playing a very good GWAR Deck--Greeen, White, Agro Red named after the worlds greatest space band

Which matches up nicely with Jack GW deck

 1. Blocking with Double Strike
Jack attacked with a 5/5, Andrew blocked with a 3/3 doublstriker. Jack argued that it was a block, but that his creature did not die. Andrew asserted that Jack's creature takes 3 first strike damage & then 3 more damage during normal damage and would die having taken 6. Jack's position was that first strike was only when attacking and not when defending.

Rule 510.5 does not seem to make a distinction between Attackers and Blocker and 702.4b seems to include blockers ["If at least one attacking or blocking creature'].

I think that Jack is wrong and that a double striking blocker does assign damage two times

2. .More Blocking with Double Strike
After issue one was resolved with no one very happy, we moved to an issue that actually lead to a lot more player frustration--I need to get better and making quick well informed decisions, a skill for Level 1 Judges, perhaps because my converstaional style generally just leads to both players feeling gibbed.

Here is what happened...Andrew had Gruul War Chant out

And swung with 

who was Monstrous & had been equipped with Battle Mastery

So basically Andrew came over the top with a 20/20 Double Striker that could only be blocked by two creatures.

Jack blocks with Deadly Recluse

that has a Boon Satyr bestowed on it--arguing that it is two creatures

I agreed that the bestowed creature should count as a creature for the Gruul War Chant and he could block. Andrew was also OK with this ruling.

So, Jack takes 16 First Strike Damage from the Cake--the trample goes over the block. Andrew agrees.

Jack then argues that he does not take the additional 20 from the Double Strike. I am not sure exactly what his argument was--he was fairly upset & convinced that he was right--basically, he argued that the second twenty was not applied--I think because the Cake had already killed the blocker? which me be the case--but I am not sure.

The Glossary has:

 Double StrikeA keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage twice. See rule 702.4, “Double Strike.”

so I think Andrew's CAKE would get to assign 20 during first strike & 20 during normal. 

We agreed to disagree so that we could move to the Two Headed Giant & then time was up and the kids had to fly to school after another fun morning of Magic!

Ender's Game Extra Life Fund Raiser

As part of Extra Life, I tried to run a game of Numenera at the opening of Ender's Game.

Due to life, it did not really go as planned, but we did get in some great Magic. 

Brian bought fifteen packs and we ran a three round draft with six people.

Jack ended up coming in First Place! He beat me in the finals with his Mono Red Deck.

My path to the finals went through Chase, who had not played paper magic in a long time & did not draft that well.

And Scott, who had a strong deck that did not finish well against -- he beat me like 28-4 and I won 5-3 and 6-2. In both of my wins he had me on the brink and just did not close. 

I finally got to use my Game of Thrones kraken sleeves!

Actual Play Murder in Baldur’s Gate--D&D Encounters S15 S12

Murder in Baldur’s Gate--D&D Encounters S15 S12

The penultimate week of D&D Encounters Season 15, Murder at Baldur's Gate, at Mercenary Market was a huge success.

Jack, Brian, Scott, & I got there early and had a fun Sushi dinner with our waitress Randy, whose real name may be Brandy, but Brian is insane, so I am not really sure. In any event, there is no way that you will please her phsycially, so it likely does not matter...

Brian spent most of his time listening to Pelor [or maybe Pantera] and ranting like a mad man. Scott finds this stuff very funny, but it may just be a giant waste of valuable adventuring time!

DM Will is running a very fun game.

John is one of the greatest Role Players of all time--he is playing Ivan the Half-Orc Barbarian who is somehow Scottish and generally ranting.

Here he is in action.

It is just fun to watch a kid having this much fun at a D&D Table.

And the table is good--we have a lot of room for everything. Including snacks.

Jack scored the only Crit of the night & we are still not exactly sure how the current critical hit rules work. We went with roll damage dice twice, do not apply Ability Bonus on the second roll. So with a long bow this was 2d8+3. Please leave me a comment if you have ideas on how Crits should be handled.

MtA Episode 43: Inside Pro Tour Theros

I listened to this while on my jog.

One of the things I really continue to enjoy about this podcast is the "Theater Kids" aspect that the hosts embody. They do a lot of spontaneous improv stuff that is very funny. Actually, sometimes it is not funny and all & is just hard to listen to, but that attitude behind it is completely charming & captiviating for me.

This episode covers Pro Tour Theros in a very random way, a Pro Tour that they went to in Aimes Iowa, and some general thoughts on current cards. Not the best topics for them--the are best when they go to local stores & meet friends for late night matches or discover some weird new part of Magic. Of course, as they become more experienced with Magic those discoveries become more and more rare.

A very fun podcast, even though I do really miss the old theme song.

Haste! w/ Special guest Smiles. Gamer Wisdom, DDI Goes Dark, Tabletop SFX, and More!

Another great episode of Haste which I listened to while on my jog.

I am impressed that they are still able to be podcasting as the reforging nears completion. 

It was nice to have a special guest on this episode.

Know Direction 70 - Late September 2013

I listened to this while sitting at a table at Taco Bell across from UCI while waiting for Jack to finish up at Water Polo.

I think that this is the only Pathfinder Podcast that I am currently listening to it--I really enjoy the hosts spirit and high energy. They have a lot of system expertise and combine that knowledge with some fantastic insight into not just the rpg industry and trends, but more importantly to the games that occur at the table.

The show notes do not really match up that well with what I remember listening to, but I do remember enjoying it.