I know I can find answers to these on the MtG website, but I don’t know the address. :’<
I have a few questions that some of the MtG players might know the answers too. I started playing 4 or 5 years ago, then stopped until like, 10 days ago. I got some new cards, and wondering some stuff.
On a card I have, it says to give it a fade token. Explain.
I have quite a few cards that say Madness on them. Explain.
Some cards have no symbols to determine rarity. Why?
What is the newest set I can find Animate Dead, black Enchant Creature, in?
What is the newest set? Third Dawn?
Is the Onslaught series discontinued?
Suggest some good black-red expert preconstructed decks based in series where the cards have a black border, or some good red-blue expert pre-constructed decks based in series where the cards have a black border.
I hear they changed the way the cards look? With the text-boxes?
With my working deck, and I’ve been working on this blue-red deck for months, but never tested until days ago on an actual opponent; why do I lose ALL the time? I mean, some guy I just introduced to the game today, killed me off in like, 7 of his turns, and I made the deck for him, All-white.
How much is the average booster pack? How many are in each package? Is there a pattern? Like 5 creatures of each color, 5 instants of each color, 5 lands of each color, et cetera?
Thanks. If this is in the wrong forum; move to where it is best suited.
Fading: You remove one fading counter at upkeep. When you cannot remove a fade counter at the begining of your upkeep sacrifice the creature.
Madness: If you discard the card for any reason, you pay the madness cost and cast the spell.
Rarity: Sets earlier than the Urza block didn’t have rarity symbols.
Animate Dead: The last set it was in was 5th edition I think.
Newest Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa
Onslaught: I think it’s not being printed anymore, though you might be able to find it somewhere.
As for good precons I have no idea
Packs are $3.49 USD or something. I have no idea about the card distribution. I think it’s just by rarity.
You have Parallax Inhibitor, if memory serves. In this case, you add a fade counter to all permanents that have fading. Fading reads as such: At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this. If you can’t, sacrifice this. Cards with fading come in with varying amounts of counters.
Madness: If you were to discard that card, you can instead pay its madness cost and play the spell as if you were doing so normally.
Older sets didn’t have rarity markings. You’ll have to look them up.
Animate Dead is last found in 6th Edition (aka Classic).
That’s Fifth Dawn, and it’s no longer the latest set. After Fifth Dawn finished the Mirrodin block, Champions of Kamigawa came out, and Betrayers of Kamigawa is currently the latest set.
The Onslaught block is still in print, if my memory’s correct.
The Spiritbane constructed deck from Champions of Kamigawa seems pretty decent, although it’s mono-red. Black’s easily added, though. Dark Devotion and Rat’s Nest both seem pretty decent in Betrayers of Kamigawa.
And yes, starting with 8th Edition, the cardface changed. I forget the reasoning and list of changes, but some are larger text boxes, the emphasis of the power/toughness box, a simplified tap symbol, and loss of color in symbols (although they were brought back).
Booster packs cost about $3 + tax. They include 15 cards: 11 commons, 3 uncommons, and a rare. Sometimes there will be a random foil. Common and uncommon runs have been found, but no pattern for rares.
Fat pats and other goodies can be found, and while they cost more, you get more.
Thanks both of you for the information. About the fade counter thing; it was actually Ancient Hydra (5/1, Red Rare, from some set I don’t know; shows an axe).
Well, yeah. You give it five when it enters play, and each upkeep, you remove one, 'till none remain; then it’s discarded.
My friend traded me some of his older cards for some cards I do not use (black and green cards, ick!) and I got some cards that don’t say ‘Creature - Whatever’, instead they say ‘Summon Whatever’. Is this the older way of saying a creature? Are these cards still legal?
I have a lot of questions, just some of them I don’t recall. I usually play MtG about 7 times a day, during school. So I learn new rules, and inquire more.
On one older card I had, it said it had ‘flying and phasing’. I know what flying is, but phasing?
Oh, and Cala. About your suggestion of the mono-red precon, that’s fine. I don’t need black cards, just that my friend runs a green and black deck ('cause I gave him all my black and greens, previously ran a white and black deck), and I’ve seen some of the black cards in play. I was thinking of mixing my Onslaught Precon (now editted to form my red-blue deck), with one of the Third Dawn precons, to make two decks. A white-black, and continuing my red-blue. I might fancy a black deck after all.
Some more questions.
What is a shred counter? Cephaloid Vandal (1/1, blue rare creature) has it.
My friend who is like, teh god at MtG, said that summoning a creature can be countered by such cards as Counterspell, and Discombobulate. These cards counter <b>spells</b>. So I guess summoning is considered a spell? I’ve debated it with my friends.
Yes. They changed the way they printed creature types because they think we’re stupid. Go ahead and use them.
I have a lot of questions, just some of them I don’t recall. I usually play MtG about 7 times a day, during school. So I learn new rules, and inquire more.
Good. This is the best way to learn. And you’re talking to an expert here.
On one older card I had, it said it had ‘flying and phasing’. I know what flying is, but phasing?
Phasing. It’s quirky ability. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but…
When you play a card with phasing, nothing happens, initially. During your next upkeep phase (after you untap, before you draw), you remove it from the game. During your upkeep phase after that, you return it to play, and it’s not affected by summoning sickness. (Where creatures can’t attack because they were just summoned)
I’m guessing the card was either “Breezekeeper” or “Tolarian Drake.”
Also, if you can pick up a Teferi’s Curse (Enchant Creature, Gives phasing) you can paste it onto a creature that has a “When this creature comes into play” ability for a useful bonus. (Ie. Venerable Monk, when it comes into play, gain 2 life. With Teferi’s Curse on it, it’ll come into play every other turn, gaining you two life every second turn. I know, it’s not all that great, but there are other, nastier combos, too)
Oh, and Cala. About your suggestion of the mono-red precon, that’s fine. I don’t need black cards, just that my friend runs a green and black deck ('cause I gave him all my black and greens, previously ran a white and black deck), and I’ve seen some of the black cards in play. I was thinking of mixing my Onslaught Precon (now editted to form my red-blue deck), with one of the Third Dawn precons, to make two decks. A white-black, and continuing my red-blue. I might fancy a black deck after all.
I like to build my decks myself, and I’ve never purchased a pre-constructed deck, but, if you’re using black, you’ll want an Avatar of Woe. (costs 6 and two black, 6/5, fear, Tap to bury a creature, etc, etc)
What is a shred counter? Cephaloid Vandal (1/1, blue rare creature) has it.
I’ve actually never seen a shred counter before, so I couldn’t tell you what it does.
My friend who is like, teh god at MtG, said that summoning a creature can be countered by such cards as Counterspell, and Discombobulate. These cards counter <b>spells</b>. So I guess summoning is considered a spell? I’ve debated it with my friends.
Yes. All non-lands are spells unless the card says otherwise. A summoning spell is still a spell.
Your earlier questions seem to have all been answered, so I’ll leave them.
But don’t hesitate to ask anything else. I’m glad to help you out.
But one thing. Green is the awesomest color! What would you say if you found yourself attacked by sixty 65/65 forest-walking, untargettable elves, and their controller can freely gain over 240 life a turn? Regardless of who’s turn it is.
The Pokemon card game died very quickly. Magic endures.
I remember, back in high school, I’d go to the “Games” room at lunch, and there’d be about 10-20 people playing Magic. Granted, it was mostly a giant-sized 8-player game, but the game is a lot more popular than you might think.
Maybe it’s because it’s so much better than some of the alternatives…
Yea, Magic’s much more enduring than Pokemon. Anyway.
Shred counters a special kind of counter that refer to only one card (Cephalid Vandal). At the beginning of your upkeep, you add a shred counter to it (marked with dice or whatever), and then put the top number of cards equal to the shred counters into your graveyard. I believe it had some use for threshold decks, but never really saw play.
As for green… Green’s awesome. I personally like anything but blue, but I’ve always been a combo person, and that tends to make me lean towards anything but blue, and I especially dislike counterspells.
Pokemon…I think I played that when I was younger…Magic was more popular though. It still is, I went to visit a cousin in Florida & at his high school they were playing Magic in the library.
Shinryuu, you mentioned Fear? I had some cards (traded) with Fear on them. I didn’t know what they did. =/
I also like to make my own decks. Just that I need some precons to edit to make my own. I’m not original. If I would make some deck from scratch, it’d probably be some crummy deck. :< Besides, I find that the precons are a better way to expand your collection. If one package costs about 3$ with tax, and the precons (where I buy cards) are 11-12$ with tax. I’m saving money on cards. And, each precon is one/two/three colors (haven’t seen four or fives lately), so I don’t have to buy <b>more</b> boosters to make a deck of a certain color. I usually buy a precon, then buy 4 boosters, and try to edit the precon to my liking. Then take some of my 6th Edition cards (first set I bought… actually, bought quite a few decks) and put in what is best. So, with my Onslaught precon I bought (white-blue), I swapped out the white cards for some 6th Edition red cards, then my friend gave me a lot of red & blue cards. So uh… yeah.
I wanted to switch to a black-red deck, 'cause I’m looking for animate dead, and I have Worldgorger Dragon. :D:D:D:D::DDDdd Best combo ev0r. My nearby gaming store might sell singles, but the nearest place I know that sells singles is quite a drives away.
So uh… yeah. About phasing, isn’t that pretty pointless? It’s removed from play, then you bring it back, without beginning freeze? I don’t see how you can advantage from it. Unless the card was phasing and used fade counters. Then it’d be pretty good. And yes, the card was Tolarian Drake.
The Pokemon game is still alive, it’s just not as big as it once was (same thing for the whole Pokemon phenomenon.)
I’ve played both games, and while I realize Magic is superior in all ways (I especially like the art and the background stories) its WAY too complicated. Pokemon is easier while still being wonderfully colorful.
And (as far as I know) no Pokemon cards were ever BANNED!
Yeah. Pokemon was cool. But, after I discovered MtG, I quickly shifted.
My Disease Carriers far outstrengthens your Ho-oh!!!1 Don’t bring this too far. I still have many questions, so I don’t want it locked. But, I’ll inquire more later.
Phasing is useful for awesome leave play effects and horrible come into play effects, along with annoying the hell out of your opponent. For example, phasing 2 Wurmfang Mantra (comes into play, skip next turn, leaves play, take an extra turn) nets you infinite turns. Sexy, no?
My school sucks.