Dark Ascension Pre-release

Went 4-0. Deck list and pool for posterity. Don’t expect to ever play DKA sealed again, so I mostly want to discuss how some DKA cards will work for draft.

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#magic#dka#dark ascension

Dark Ascension Notes

Just random notes about Dark Ascension.

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#magic#dark ascension#magic set speculation
I think I made out pretty good on this one. 7 mythics (2 ‘walkers) and 33 rares is a pretty good rate. I’m assuming the flip card distribution ups the rare+mythic rate for everyone, but I have to believe this is one of the better hauls; only missing that damn Snapcaster! Outside of standard, I got a lot of good cards for EDH too: Grimgrin zombie deck here I come! Mythics (7): Angelic Overseer, Garruk, Relentless, Grimgrin, Corpse-Born, Liliana of the Veil, Mikaeus, the Lunarch, Mirror-Mad Phantasm, Past in Flames Rares (33): Clifftop Retreat, Hinterland Harbor, Isolated Chapel, Moorland Haunt, Nephalia Drownyard, Creepy Doll, Manor Gargoyle, Witchbane Orb, Angel of Flight Alabaster, Champion of the Parish, Dearly Departed, Divine Reckoning, Elite Inquisitor, Nevermore, Back from the Brink, Laboratory Maniac, Mindshrieker, Rooftop Storm, Sturmgeist, Undead Alchemist, Endless Ranks of the Dead, Skirsdag High Priest, Unbreathing Horde, Curse of Stalked Prey, Falkenrath Marauders, Instigator Gang/Wildblood Pack, Stromkirk Noble, Creeping Renaissance, Daybreak Ranger/Nightfall Predator, Elder of Laurels, Kessig Cagebreakers, Mayor of Avabruck/Howlpack Alpha, Parallel Lives Foils (9): Unburial Rites, Armored Skaab, Prey Upon, Tormented Pariah/Rampaging Werewolf, Riot Devils, Civilized Scholar/Homicidal Brute, Sharpened Pitchfork, Altar’s Reap, Devil’s Play Uncommons of note: 2x Unburial Rites, 3x Bramblecrush, 2x Invisible Stalker, 2x Ghost Quarter, Fiend Hunter, lots of other uncommons people like but I’m not convinced about, yet…

I think I made out pretty good on this one. 7 mythics (2 ‘walkers) and 33 rares is a pretty good rate. I’m assuming the flip card distribution ups the rare+mythic rate for everyone, but I have to believe this is one of the better hauls; only missing that damn Snapcaster! Outside of standard, I got a lot of good cards for EDH too: Grimgrin zombie deck here I come!

Mythics (7): Angelic Overseer, Garruk, Relentless, Grimgrin, Corpse-Born, Liliana of the Veil, Mikaeus, the Lunarch, Mirror-Mad Phantasm, Past in Flames

Rares (33): Clifftop Retreat, Hinterland Harbor, Isolated Chapel, Moorland Haunt, Nephalia Drownyard, Creepy Doll, Manor Gargoyle, Witchbane Orb, Angel of Flight Alabaster, Champion of the Parish, Dearly Departed, Divine Reckoning, Elite Inquisitor, Nevermore, Back from the Brink, Laboratory Maniac, Mindshrieker, Rooftop Storm, Sturmgeist, Undead Alchemist, Endless Ranks of the Dead, Skirsdag High Priest, Unbreathing Horde, Curse of Stalked Prey, Falkenrath Marauders, Instigator Gang/Wildblood Pack, Stromkirk Noble, Creeping Renaissance, Daybreak Ranger/Nightfall Predator, Elder of Laurels, Kessig Cagebreakers, Mayor of Avabruck/Howlpack Alpha, Parallel Lives

Foils (9): Unburial Rites, Armored Skaab, Prey Upon, Tormented Pariah/Rampaging Werewolf, Riot Devils, Civilized Scholar/Homicidal Brute, Sharpened Pitchfork, Altar’s Reap, Devil’s Play

Uncommons of note: 2x Unburial Rites, 3x Bramblecrush, 2x Invisible Stalker, 2x Ghost Quarter, Fiend Hunter, lots of other uncommons people like but I’m not convinced about, yet…

#magic#pack contents#innistrad#purchases
Cracked open a box of M12. As expected of a core set it was not so exciting (Time Reversal: really Wizards?). Not sure if I will be buying anymore boxes, but the temptation of the new planeswalkers is strong. Mythics (5): Sun Titan, Garruk, Primal Hunter, Grave Titan, Angelic Destiny, Time Reversal Rares (31): Solemn Simulacrum, Quicksilver Amulet, Druidic Satchel, Pentavus, Throne of Empires, Aegis Angel, Grand Abolisher, Honor of the Pure, Day of Judgment, Archon of Justice, Gideon’s Avenger, Jace’s Archivist, Sphinx of Uthuun, Redirect, Lord of the Unreal, Cemetery Reaper, Call to the Grave, Vengeful Pharaoh, Rune-Scarred Demon, Monomania, Sutured Ghoul, Grim Lavamancer, Flameblast Dragon, Chandra’s Phoenix, Warstorm Surge, Durgrove Elder, Arachnus Spinner, Elvish Archdruid, Rites of Flourishing, Sunpetal Grove, Drowned Catacomb Foils (8): Solemn Simulacrum, Redirect, Crown of Empires, Angel’s Feather, Blood Ogre, Assault Griffin, Chandra’s Outrage, Mountain Uncommons of note: 2x Swiftwind Boots, 1x Oblivion Ring

Cracked open a box of M12. As expected of a core set it was not so exciting (Time Reversal: really Wizards?). Not sure if I will be buying anymore boxes, but the temptation of the new planeswalkers is strong.

Mythics (5): Sun Titan, Garruk, Primal Hunter, Grave Titan, Angelic Destiny, Time Reversal

Rares (31): Solemn Simulacrum, Quicksilver Amulet, Druidic Satchel, Pentavus, Throne of Empires, Aegis Angel, Grand Abolisher, Honor of the Pure, Day of Judgment, Archon of Justice, Gideon’s Avenger, Jace’s Archivist, Sphinx of Uthuun, Redirect, Lord of the Unreal, Cemetery Reaper, Call to the Grave, Vengeful Pharaoh, Rune-Scarred Demon, Monomania, Sutured Ghoul, Grim Lavamancer, Flameblast Dragon, Chandra’s Phoenix, Warstorm Surge, Durgrove Elder, Arachnus Spinner, Elvish Archdruid, Rites of Flourishing, Sunpetal Grove, Drowned Catacomb

Foils (8): Solemn Simulacrum, Redirect, Crown of Empires, Angel’s Feather, Blood Ogre, Assault Griffin, Chandra’s Outrage, Mountain

Uncommons of note: 2x Swiftwind Boots, 1x Oblivion Ring

#magic#pack contents#m12#purchases
Cracked open a box of New Phyrexia. Not nearly as impressive as my Besieged boxes, but I can’t complain about two Karns. I’ve really been feeling the planeswalker love lately. I’m going to unload them while they still have a little value. Man, opening Praetors and Chancellors has to be the worst feeling… Mythics (4): 2x Karn Liberated, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Sheoldred, Whispering One Rares (32): Caged Sun, Lashwrithe, Myr Superion, Omen Machine, Soul Conduit, Spellskite, Torpor Orb, 3x Unwinding Clock (T_T), Blade Splicer, Chancellor of the Annex, Chancellor of the Spires, Phyrexian Ingester, Psychic Surgery, Xenograft, Chancellor of the Dross, 2x Glistening Oil, Life’s Finale, Bludgeon Brawl, 2x Chancellor of the Forge, Invader Parasite, Slag Fiend, Chancellor of the Tangle, Fresh Meat, Phyrexian Swarmlord, 2x Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer Foils (9): Urabrask the Hidden, Soul Conduit, Forest, Gremlin Mine, Surge Node, Impaler Shrike, Whipflare, Brutalizer Exarch, Mutagenic Growth Uncommons of note: 2x Shrine of Burning Rage, 2x Dispatch, 2x Deceiver Exarch, 2x Mental Misstep, 2x Tezzeret’s Gambit, Despise, 2x Dismember

Cracked open a box of New Phyrexia. Not nearly as impressive as my Besieged boxes, but I can’t complain about two Karns. I’ve really been feeling the planeswalker love lately. I’m going to unload them while they still have a little value. Man, opening Praetors and Chancellors has to be the worst feeling…

Mythics (4): 2x Karn Liberated, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Sheoldred, Whispering One

Rares (32): Caged Sun, Lashwrithe, Myr Superion, Omen Machine, Soul Conduit, Spellskite, Torpor Orb, 3x Unwinding Clock (T_T), Blade Splicer, Chancellor of the Annex, Chancellor of the Spires, Phyrexian Ingester, Psychic Surgery, Xenograft, Chancellor of the Dross, 2x Glistening Oil, Life’s Finale, Bludgeon Brawl, 2x Chancellor of the Forge, Invader Parasite, Slag Fiend, Chancellor of the Tangle, Fresh Meat, Phyrexian Swarmlord, 2x Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer

Foils (9): Urabrask the Hidden, Soul Conduit, Forest, Gremlin Mine, Surge Node, Impaler Shrike, Whipflare, Brutalizer Exarch, Mutagenic Growth

Uncommons of note: 2x Shrine of Burning Rage, 2x Dispatch, 2x Deceiver Exarch, 2x Mental Misstep, 2x Tezzeret’s Gambit, Despise, 2x Dismember

#magic#pack contents#purchases#new phyrexia
In a fit of boredom I cracked open a box of Besieged that I had been saving to draft with friends. I was surprised to find that two-thirds of the packs had two rares each. That’s 60 rares + mythics — opposed to the normal 36 — in one box! In these strange packs the extra rare replaced one of the uncommmons. Has anyone ever come across something like this before? In addition to this luck, I cracked one regular and one foil Tezzeret and finished off my playset of Inkmoth Nexuses. I also got some pretty sweet rares (and a playset of Psychosis Crawler! Sweet!). I must also note the quality of my uncommons did not drop off even though about 24 were replaced by rares. What a lucky box! Mythics (6): Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Blightsteel Colossus, Hero of Bladehold, Glissa, the Traitor, Consecrated Sphinx, Praetor’s Counsel Rares (54): 3x Inkmoth Nexus, 2x Bonehoard, 2x Phyrexian Revoker, White Sun’s Zenith, Blue Sun’s Zenith, 2x Phyrexian Vatmother, 2x Phyrexian Crusader, 2x Black Sun’s Zenith, Slagstorm, 2x Green Sun’s Zenith, Decimator Web, 2x Knowledge Pool, 2x Magnetic Mine, 3x Mirrorworks, Myr Turbine, Myr Welder, 4x Psychosis Crawler, 2x Shimmer Myr, 3x Spine of Ish Sah, Thopter Assembly, Titan Forge, 2x Phyrexian Rebirth, Cryptoplasm, 2x Distant Memories, 2x Mitotic Manipulation, Sangromancer, Hellkite Igniter, Red Sun’s Zenith, 3x Creeping Corrosion, 2x Phyrexian Hydra Foils (9): Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Knowledge Pool, Melira’s Keepers, Fuel for the Cause, Spire Serpent, Morbid Plunder, Concussive Bolt, Tangle Mantis, Forest Uncommons of note: 2x Sphere of the Suns, 3x Go for the Throat, 2x Lead the Stampede, 4x Signal Pest, 3x Goblin Wardriver, 3x Leonin Relic-Warder, 3x Treasure Mage, 3x Accorder Paladin

In a fit of boredom I cracked open a box of Besieged that I had been saving to draft with friends. I was surprised to find that two-thirds of the packs had two rares each. That’s 60 rares + mythics — opposed to the normal 36 — in one box! In these strange packs the extra rare replaced one of the uncommmons. Has anyone ever come across something like this before?

In addition to this luck, I cracked one regular and one foil Tezzeret and finished off my playset of Inkmoth Nexuses. I also got some pretty sweet rares (and a playset of Psychosis Crawler! Sweet!). I must also note the quality of my uncommons did not drop off even though about 24 were replaced by rares. What a lucky box!

Mythics (6): Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Blightsteel Colossus, Hero of Bladehold, Glissa, the Traitor, Consecrated Sphinx, Praetor’s Counsel

Rares (54): 3x Inkmoth Nexus, 2x Bonehoard, 2x Phyrexian Revoker, White Sun’s Zenith, Blue Sun’s Zenith, 2x Phyrexian Vatmother, 2x Phyrexian Crusader, 2x Black Sun’s Zenith, Slagstorm, 2x Green Sun’s Zenith, Decimator Web, 2x Knowledge Pool, 2x Magnetic Mine, 3x Mirrorworks, Myr Turbine, Myr Welder, 4x Psychosis Crawler, 2x Shimmer Myr, 3x Spine of Ish Sah, Thopter Assembly, Titan Forge, 2x Phyrexian Rebirth, Cryptoplasm, 2x Distant Memories, 2x Mitotic Manipulation, Sangromancer, Hellkite Igniter, Red Sun’s Zenith, 3x Creeping Corrosion, 2x Phyrexian Hydra

Foils (9): Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Knowledge Pool, Melira’s Keepers, Fuel for the Cause, Spire Serpent, Morbid Plunder, Concussive Bolt, Tangle Mantis, Forest

Uncommons of note: 2x Sphere of the Suns, 3x Go for the Throat, 2x Lead the Stampede, 4x Signal Pest, 3x Goblin Wardriver, 3x Leonin Relic-Warder, 3x Treasure Mage, 3x Accorder Paladin

#magic#mirrodin besieged#pack contents#purchases
Cracked open a box of Mirrodin Besieged. Not bad at all. Two Tezzerets means I can no longer bitch about opening no Planeswalkers. Getting two of the current top money rares isn’t bad either. I think my box was a bit defective since the left edges of many of the cards are slightly damaged, but still, can’t complain. Mythics (5): 2x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, 2x Hero of Bladehold, Consecrated Sphinx Rares (31): Inkmoth Nexus, Green Sun’s Zenith, 2x Spine of Ish Sah, Psychosis Crawler, Black Sun’s Zenith, Phyrexian Revoker, Phyrexian Rebirth, White Sun’s Zenith, Mirran Crusader, Bonehoard, Contested War Zone, Slagstorm, 2x Knowledge Pool, Red Sun’s Zenith, Mirrorworks, Galvanoth, Phyrexian Hyrda, 2x Shimmer Myr, Myr Turbine, Cryptoplasm, Mitotic Manipulation, Magnetic Mine, Thopter Assembly, Myr Welder, Creeping Corrosion, Decimator Web, Distant Memories, Hellkite Igniter (not pictured) Foils (9): 1 Kuldotha Flamefiend, 7 crap commons, 1 Plains Uncommons of note: 3x Sphere of the Suns, 3x Go for the Throat, 3x Lead the Stampede, 2x Signal Pest, 2x Corrupted Conscience, 3x Goblin Wardriver, 3x Leonin Relic-Warder, 2x Treasure Mage

Cracked open a box of Mirrodin Besieged. Not bad at all. Two Tezzerets means I can no longer bitch about opening no Planeswalkers. Getting two of the current top money rares isn’t bad either. I think my box was a bit defective since the left edges of many of the cards are slightly damaged, but still, can’t complain.

Mythics (5): 2x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, 2x Hero of Bladehold, Consecrated Sphinx

Rares (31): Inkmoth Nexus, Green Sun’s Zenith, 2x Spine of Ish Sah, Psychosis Crawler, Black Sun’s Zenith, Phyrexian Revoker, Phyrexian Rebirth, White Sun’s Zenith, Mirran Crusader, Bonehoard, Contested War Zone, Slagstorm, 2x Knowledge Pool, Red Sun’s Zenith, Mirrorworks, Galvanoth, Phyrexian Hyrda, 2x Shimmer Myr, Myr Turbine, Cryptoplasm, Mitotic Manipulation, Magnetic Mine, Thopter Assembly, Myr Welder, Creeping Corrosion, Decimator Web, Distant Memories, Hellkite Igniter (not pictured)

Foils (9): 1 Kuldotha Flamefiend, 7 crap commons, 1 Plains

Uncommons of note: 3x Sphere of the Suns, 3x Go for the Throat, 3x Lead the Stampede, 2x Signal Pest, 2x Corrupted Conscience, 3x Goblin Wardriver, 3x Leonin Relic-Warder, 2x Treasure Mage

#magic#mirrodin besieged#purchases#pack contents

Weekly Magic Playtesting Results

BR Vampires looks like it’s the real deal. Cutting back to 2 Mark of Mutinies from 3 looks like it was a good idea, but it does not feel good trying to Viscera Seer for one when a bomb creature hits the table. Also want to fit in Arc Trails, but that 2 extra damage from Burst Lightning has won me many games. Still very tempted to put Goblin Guides in, but the mana is so good right now I can’t justify it. Also tempted to put in Nantuko Shade, but don’t think it would play well with Kalastria Highborn (which is insane by itself, but also gives you some breathing room with Dark Tutelage). Seems like a lot of lists aren’t running Bloodthrone Vampire. If one of the major selling points of Bloodghast is Pyroclasm blowout resistance, then isn’t Bloodthrone Vampire another—albeit significantly inferior—version of that? It also gives another outlet for Mark and a way to throw vampires at your opponent via Highborn.

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