Vampires Suck Dead in Thay--D&D Encounters S18 S4

We started this Wednesday by dropping Kate off at a Book Club party--they read Three Muskateers.

Then we took out my Father-in-Laws trash cans.

We got food at Pei Wei--I got the veggie lettuce wraps which were roll your own & I did not see the secret sauce until too late--not a good order. The Lemon Salad was recommended by the women sorting Reaper Mini's at the shop, so I will try that next time.

Scott was planning on DM'ing this week, but Brian, Chris, Jordan, John, & Trevor did not show--so we only needed one table this week. 

DM Alan ran a fantastic game & there was tons of space.

Thomas was back! He played the Bard and seemed to have a lot of fun.

Jack's pyromancer wizard was killed by a vampire--37 points in one round-- a straight up slaughter!

John & Bobby were back this week--they were the guys who decided to attack the vampire who was fine with letting us pass--evidently the vampire had our stuff.

Victoria is back as well--she is playing an elf ranger who choose to pitch a tent during battle.

Graph paper notes--I am out of paper on my legal pad.

There are still a lot of Magic players at the shop. Legacy Wednesday.

But we really did have a fantastic amount of space.

Bobby did get a crit, but I did not get a picture of it.

Community Cup Nominations

I have entered Jack in the Community Cup. 

I think you can nominate him as well.

Here is what I submitted:

13 year old Jack Schwarm does not have a Magic the Gathering Online account.
Jack started playing Magic in 2013 and brings a fantastic youthful enthusiasm to the game while playing at four game shops in Southern California, a weekly home game for 12 Seventh Graders, or doctor’s offices waiting rooms. Jack has brought friends & family to events & created a lot of new magic players.
When diagnosed with Uveitis, Jack was forced to drop Water Polo, Fencing, and most of his social activities. He has missed a lot of school due to his illness— appointments with three Eye specialists at UCLA,  Rheumatologists, Pain Management, & General Medicine doctors in Irvine, Infusions at CHOC, etc. Through all of this, he has been able to use build a community of support around Magic the Gathering which has greatly added to his recovery.

Here is the automatic response:

Thank you for submitting a nomination for the Community Cup. All submissions will be read and considered.
Have a great day and enjoy Magic Online!
The Magic Online Community Cup Team

Kicking the Kids Out!

The back packs piled up again this morning for another Tuesday Crew Magic Session!

I started my first game with Liam with this

Of course, he did not do much better!

But it was enough--my WW Deck was able to defeat his WG Rage Deck

The boys continue to collect the tools of the trade

Alexander, Cassidy, Evan, and Derek

Jack was at the head of the table--only playing when Matt's dominance had to end.

Matt, Preston, Evan, and Jack

Evan is doing well

Preston has all the cards, but has not yet hit his groove

Matt is really playing well.

Andrew is back--still dominating with Monsters!

The kids spent a lot of time crashing out on the sofa's

And there was a rule question, that I am not sure I got right.

Liam casts Gift of Immortality

On his Celestial Archon

Which attacks. I respond with Celestial Flare

 Celestial Flare has

Target player sacrifices an attacking or blocking creature.

which I assume means that the Archon dies [sacrifice equals death], which triggers the Gift of Immortality:

When enchanted creature dies, return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control. Return Gift of Immortality to the battlefield attached to that creature at the beginning of the next end step.

which means the Celestial Archon comes back on the battlefield untapped.

I attacked with my Nyxborn Shieldmate, Liam blocked with Celestial Archon, and I  Celestial Flare'd it again--he had to sacrifice his blocking creature & now the Gift of Immortality goes to the graveyard for good:

• 9/15/2013: If the creature is no longer on the battlefield at the beginning of the next end step after it’s returned to the battlefield, Gift of Immortality will remain in its owner’s graveyard.

Did I get that right?

D&D Encounters Back Pack.

Recently someone asked about D&D Next Rules Binders, so I made a quick video of how I had organized mine.

While making that video I shot some pictures of my D&D Encounters back back.

It is the backpack that Jack used in Third grade

It has a container for dice, notes, & character sheets. The D&D Next Binder, a Magic mat, some WotC Schwag [season 1 coaster & season 2 drink holder], & a book I am lending to Brain.

My tripod & old camera.

A magic deck, dice, life counter, mark, coffee bag, scissors, hand sanitizer, wet erase pen, and extension cord. 

Here is a close up of the binder.

The order of the sections are:

1. Graph Paper
2. Read First
3. HOw to Play
4. DM Guidelines
5. Characer Creation
6. Multiclassing
7. Races
8. Classes
9. Feats
10. Skills & Backgrounds
11. Spells
12. Equipment
13. Magic Items

Pockets have a second copy of Spells to share & the Pre-gens.

Icosahedrophilia Podcast, Episode 189: The Road to Madness, Part 5

DM Chris returns to lead the crew of the Broken Promise further up the frozen river in this episode of what I consider the best 4E Actual Play out there.

There is a very lengthy discussion of the feasibility of a arcane canon, I guess is the best description, that has been built during the voyage. Common Sense indicates that it is a very bad idea & common sense seems to prevail--testing the device is ruled out & if it ever gets used remains to be seen.

There is no combat in this episode--just some general discussion and exploration. The have arrived at a city & I assume the next episode will be really awesome.