D20 General Gaming

February 10, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Thu, 02/09/2012 - 18:18
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An A–Z of the Fantastic City by Hal Duncan
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February 10, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Thu, 02/09/2012 - 18:18
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An A–Z of the Fantastic City by Hal Duncan
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Deep Thought: Caring About Characters

The Community - Thu, 02/09/2012 - 12:39

I’ve been playing video games most of my life. I could say that I’ve enjoyed most of the games I’ve played. But I’ve always felt a bit disconnected after starting a game. Even though I enjoy nearly every aspect of a game, there’s almost always a feeling that something is missing. While I thought on this, I realized what was missing: I don’t care about the characters.

Nearly every game I’ve played I haven’t felt a connection to any characters. At first, I thought this was the fact that in the back of my mind, I was aware they weren’t real. But that wasn’t it; I have no problem connecting with T.V., book, or comic/manga characters.

It still gets me...

Yet, game characters, never. My Pokémon can die, and then I’m simply upset if they were near leveling up or evolving. Because that’s more work. The Little Sisters in Bioshock? Sure, I saved them, but that’s because in the end, you earn more from saving them than killing them. So it served me better. I dislike having to go through protect missions, because the A.I. gets killed easily and that spoils my fun. So I began wondering: am I heartless? Is it because there aren’t enough gingers in games or characters I look at and think, “Sure, they’re like me,” in their personalities, beliefs, or goals?

He gives me hope that soon the jokes will end and the healing will begin.

After I thought back through countless games in my repertoire, I found one character that I actually developed an emotional connection with. All because of two words.

So here, one of the guidelines for spoilers is that it has to be five years before you can go on without a Spoiler Warning. So for anyone who hasn’t played Portal 2, you’ve been warned.

Last chance to go to another wonderful article on the site. You've been warned.

So…3,2,1…Spoiler!

This Turret.

So yeah, once you’ve fallen deep down in Aperture Labs. Getting ready to take out GLaDOS and replace her with Wheatley to ensure your escape. As you find yourself surrounded by incinerators, you find one little turret on the conveyor.

Yep, this little turret, better known as the Oracle Turret, broke my heart, all from two words it says. “I’m different.”

Of course you can live

And that got me. I originally planned on just leaving him. It’s a turret. They’ve shot at me since way back in the first game. At the time, I was unaware that saving Oracle would get me any sort of achievement. And once I saw I had earned one, it mattered more to me to make sure that Oracle was safe. If you’re wondering what made me decide to save it, here goes. A turret, a machine whose partners have lent me their fair share of bullets in the past, was able to pull a Grinch three-size-increase on my heart? Like I said, it’s all because of what it said. “I’m different.” That’s something I can understand. Everyone can. We’ve all had those moments where we’ve felt different. That time you were dragged somewhere by a friend and you don’t know anyone, the family party where there’s nobody you can have an actual conversation with about something you care about. It’s not easy to feel so distant when you’re in a crowd. I’ve had that feeling. So when I stumbled on something that admits that feeling I’ve felt and I know others have, too, that’s something I can connect to in a game. Once I made that connection with Oracle, my experience in the game grew and my gameplay felt deeper.

Only in fanfics...

I don’t expect every game to have some little oddball that makes me think “I identify with them,” but I like seeing a character with a unique appeal to them. Someone that doesn’t quite fit into the normal molds that we’re so used to in games and makes you think and take notice. I know I’ll never be the macho man, suave assassin, or eye-catching female lead.

But Portal 2, you made me care a little more about you. Even now, I look back to the Oracle Turret I left guarding one of the hallways in the Aperture basement, and I’m glad to know he’s safe.


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League of Legends Review: Sejuani, The Winter’s Wrath

The Community - Wed, 02/08/2012 - 20:50

It’s been a while, so I figured I’d fire up the ‘ol League of Legends review generator.  I have the pleasure of introducing to you: Sejuani, The Winter’s Wrath.

Yeah, she likes to ride alright. Giggity.

To begin, I gotta say, I’m in the middle of the road with this champ.  Before I say more, though, let me enlighten those of you who don’t know what she does.

Sejuani’s Passive: Frost: Sejuani’s basic attacks apply frost, reducing enemy movement speed by 10% for 3 seconds.  Not much to say here, other than hory shet slowing machine.  She just has to get to her target first.  Good thing she doesn’t have a charge or anything.  Speaking which…

Q: Arctic Assault: Sejuani charges forward, dealing 60/90/130/170/210 (+40% of ability power) magic damage and applying frost to enemies. Sejuani stops upon colliding with an enemy champion.  Range 700, Cooldown 19/17/15/13/11 seconds, Cost 70/80/90/100/110 mana.

Oh look, a gap closer.  Well, gg to whomever you hit with this.  Melee champs without a gap closer often find themselves at a slight disadvantage in the laning phase or ganking from the jungle, but Sejuani solves this quite nicely, especially paired with her passive.  And yes, it can go through terrain.  Look at that.  An escape mechanic!  Yay!

W: Northern Winds: Sejuani summons an arctic storm around her for 5 seconds, dealing magic 12/18/24/30/36 +(10% of ability power) + ( 1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2% of maximum health) damage each second to nearby enemies.
Damage is increased by 50% against enemies affected by frost or Permafrost.  Cost 40 mana, cooldown 10 seconds.

Good for extra damage when chasing down enemies, and great for clearing the jungle quick.  Though as much as I do like it, I kinda wish it was something else, just because this is almost exactly like Shyvana’s W.  A change of pace would have been nice.

E: Permafrost: Sejuani converts frost on nearby enemies to Permafrost, dealing 60/110/160/210/260 +(50% of ability power) as magic damage and increasing the movement speed reduction by 30/40/50/60/70 % for 3 seconds.  Cost 55 mana, cooldown 11 seconds.  THIS is why sejuani is a walking slow machine.  Go jungle sejuani, gank with q, auto attack a couple times, wait for the enemy to flash away, and, oh look, pop E and they’re moving slower than molasses on Sejuani (get it?  Winter?  Winter’s Wrath?  Gaah, I just can’t connect to kids these days…).  Which, should conveniently give your ally the time they need to get close enough to blow the enemy away.

R: Glacial Prison: Sejuani throws her weapon, stunning the first enemy champion hit for 2 seconds and all other nearby enemies for 1 second. All affected targets take 150/250/350 +(80% of ability power) as magic damage and are affected by frost.  Cost 100 mana, cooldown 150/130/10 seconds, range 1150.  Not too bad, not too great.  I mean, for as much cc as sejuani does have, this does cap her off nicely.  Damage isn’t great, but I see Sejuani’s role on a team more of a support, anyways, so this is great/amazing for a support ult.  And the area of effect is pretty decent, specially for team fights.  Though I think what makes this a great ultimate is the synergy with her other abilities.

All in all, her abilities are quite a nice package.  Synergy between them is great, and I can see her either supporting bottom or jungling.  I did have the experience of playing a game with a good sejuani jungle once (I was ziggs…just wait for my review on HIM!!  Gahaha!), and her ganks, if coordinated right, are pretty stellar.  That, and he’s used to playing in the 1400+ ELOs anyways, so.  That may help.

I think if she is found on a team, it should be in the jungle.  I’d be careful picking her to jungle, though.  Don’t pick her too early, she can be counter jungled pretty easily, considering her damage output isn’t great.  Yeah, she’ll probably live long enough for a teammate to get there to help, but I mean, I just wouldn’t pick her to jungle unless you need that tanky support champ and she’s one of your last picks.  Her team fighting potential is great, though.  I mean, let’s compare her to some champs that have some similar abilities.  Her ultimate, for instance.  Amumu has a similar ultimate, and so does Leona.  They’re both tanky, and they can both potentially jungle, so let’s compare.  Leona’s ultimate hits about the same radius, if not a little smaller, and stuns the center target, and slows everyone around it.  Same damage with the same ability power ratio, costs incrementally more mana, but on a lower cooldown.  And amumu’s is…well, ‘special’ (damn emo kids).  His has a radius is decently small, but snare/stuns his targets.  Well, let’s just say he emo’s them to stillness.  Emo.  You can’t interrupt a cast with it, but they can’t move or auto attack for a time, two seconds to be exact.  Same damage, but a 100% ability power ratio, and he needs to be in the center of a team fight to make full use of it.  Which, isn’t too hard for amumu.  Sejuani, you get to throw it into the distance, get that nice stun on everyone.  And then, once the 1-2 second stun wears off, pop your E, and everyone gets a 70% slow, on top of that team stun.  Pretty damn nice for me, even compared to those other two abilities.

If you’re jungling, there’s a pretty specific skill order early game, and then it goes back to the priority list.  Priority is as follows: R > E > Q > W.  Although, like I said, if you’re jungling, you’re going to want to grab a second level of W before starting to grab E, just to make your jungle clears quicker.  Build wise, I take her into the tanky stuff, and the gp5 items; Heart of Gold, philo stone, merc treads.  I do like the new item on her, Locket of the Iron Soldari, or whosyourmama.  Masteries are almost always twenty one into the defense tree, and the other nine are truly based on what/who you’re going up against.  Other than that, try to feed your carries kills, and you’ll definitely ride your way into victory!


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February 9, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Wed, 02/08/2012 - 18:21
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Goblin Fruit Winter 2012
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February 87, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Tue, 02/07/2012 - 18:54
Signal-boosting Worldbuilders.

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 Under the Moons of Mars edited by John Joseph Adams
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Damien’s Games of the Year

The Community - Tue, 02/07/2012 - 08:15

Okay, so I’ve been tasked with talking about my game of the year and, truth be told, I have pretty much been avoiding this for the last few days…Though I think at this point my procrastination and lack of substantive things to say have pushed that up to a week. Ah well, that’s never stopped me before, though there are a number of other reasons I’ll get into when I give you my definitive answer. That said, I’m going to at least list a few solid games that came out this year and why I’m not giving them the “prestige” of game of the year. So without further ado I suppose I should just bang it out and call it a night…Which in retrospect is about how most of my Friday nights go.

Ha ha, ha...god I'm lonely.

Skyrim

Obviously this is going to be here. I don’t even know why I’m bothering to explain it…Though the fact someone was inspired enough by the game to make that thing is a good start.

Creative bacon uses aside, I put it here because it really does deserve a spot at the very least on everyone’s top x games of the year list. It’s well constructed and like it’s predecessors is chalk full of so much lore I can’t imagine reading all of it. It’s even got some extraneous bits thrown in that aren’t  at all grand just for the sake of saying, yeah, normal dudes live around here too. I can’t stress enough how important it is for a game to create an effective atmosphere. Skyrim definitely succeeded on that front.

In regards to gameplay, I’m still positive on it. I thoroughly enjoyed the combat system despite magic and stealth being broken as hell. Then again as a long time D&D player, the magic thing is pretty much what I’m accustomed to. That said, as a heads up to anyone who hasn’t played the game, if you hear about the magic college for the love of god do not try to hoof it there by foot at level bloody three. It will not end well. Well actually, if you make it you’ll feel rather accomplished. That is until someone mentions the cart that goes directly there and cuts out all the dying.

Pretty much explains my disposition afterward.

Really the only reason I didn’t put it at number one is because I haven’t played it much. That’s mainly due to my computer. If you listen closely you can hear the vacuum tubes straining under it’s normal workload. I realize that’s a cop-out, but since this is in no way an objective list, well, that means I get to do that. Ha! Professionalism is for suckers and people who haven’t been off their pills for 70 hours.

2) Portal 2

Another obvious one. I really did enjoy this game. I felt the single player was a bit “meh,” but I think that may only be me comparing it to the first game. It was still fun just not particularly stellar. The two player however was a ton of fun. It’s a great way to spend an evening, though heads up, some of the puzzles end up being harder than initially thought and others end up with much simpler solutions. Odds are good at the end of some you and your friend will either feel accomplished for completing the level, frustrated because you had an issue getting over one last bloody obstacle, or feel like a drooling moron because you just spend half an hour trying to solve a problem only to find that hey, two steps to the right and aim up a section further.

This sums up my feelings on co-op well.

Really it’s just a ton of fun and I’d recommend the co-op to anyone who’s even remotely a fan of puzzle/platform games. Incidentally, I’ve got to say the little robot dudes have a surprising amount of personality despite not really speaking. They’re just adorable. I’m actually impressed with how much thought was put into the co-op section as a whole considering I see most publishers giving it a brush-off. It was a pleasant change of pace to actually enjoy that gameplay mode over the single player section. Then again I’ve always been a sucker for playing games with my buddies. One issue, pretty much the only issue, is that the game lacks some replay value. If you have any kind of memory retention when it comes to solutions to puzzles you’re going to remember the solutions for quite a bit. Still, that’s barely an issue and if it comes up just wait a few months between playing. By that time the memories should be near gone or hazy from all the mountain dew abuse.

3) Terraria

This is without a doubt my number one of the year. I can’t rave about this game enough. The graphics are endearing and effective, the gameplay is solid and addicting, and it really drives you forward. You want to find everything there is to find, kill everything there is to kill, and at the end you’re left wanting even more , in a good way though. I put this at the top for a bevy of reasons, not just because how much fun i had playing it.

First, it clearly shows that graphics do not have to be AAA polished grey-brown 3d. Terraria harkens back to the heyday of gaming. It’s 2d, filled to the brim with color of every variety, and the pixels are large and in charge. I find the current market leaves a sour taste in my mouth because of the over reliance on graphics as a selling point. Terarria looks that viewpoint straight in the eyes and then laughs all the way to the bank.

Possibly this one.

The gameplay is also seductively relaxed…and then a giant eye swings out of nowhere and smacks you upside the head, or a goblin army falls into your lap and hey-oh, spellcasters shoot through walls. What I’m getting at here with my tangent is that the game has a rather relaxed feeling for the most part, until it doesn’t. Most of the time that change comes entirely at your whim, and even when it isn’t, it doesn’t feel intrusive. Although I will say this, the balancing of corruption and hollow (Think evil dark-bad area and rainbow fruit-loop unicorn town) is a tiny bit of an issue. Really though it’s such a small thing that I only mention it because on one map I had started near the corruption…and having a giant eye-worm suddenly pop through my house was disconcerting/kill it with fire!

In summation I actually think all three games were solid as hell and when I get the chance I intend to play them some more. Even though I gave one the top spot, I’d still wholeheartedly recommend going out and playing them all. I actually wanted to write more then figured it’d be better to give a bit of info and just let you people enjoy the games and the surprises they’ll have in store for you…but seriously, don’t run to the magic school in Skyrim at low levels.


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February 7, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Mon, 02/06/2012 - 18:06
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Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
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Review: The Dream Machine

The Community - Mon, 02/06/2012 - 11:49

Ever wonder what makes old-time sci-fi shows like Twilight Zone so good? They’re visually dated and lack the flash and special effects of some newer programs, but something about the Zone just gets under your skin and stays relevant as the years go by. I think it has something to do with that aspect of the mundane woven into every episode that really speaks to the diehard sci-fi fan. The idea that just around the next corner in that simple, boring little town you live in you could be transported to a world of wonder and mystery is enough to keep the average viewer paying rapt attention.

See Above: World of Wonder

This is the essential appeal of The Dream Machine, a point-and-click adventure being serialized for the Internet by Cockroach Inc., brainchild of Swedish developers Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring. For those unfamiliar with the genre, this is a throwback to Monkey Island-style games, where you’re presented with a backdrop and a limited number of items, objects and/or people to interact with. Some combination of the available items will allow you to solve a puzzle, remove an obstacle or progress to a different area. TDM has a little something extra working for it, however, particularly in the art aesthetic and storytelling focus it’s chosen to adopt.

Since I’m such a sucker for it, let’s start with the story. In TDM you play as Victor Neff, for all intents and purposes the quintessential “average Joe” who has just moved into a new apartment with his wife Alicia. While settling down, getting acquainted with their surroundings and unpacking their belongings, Victor makes a disturbing discovery that launches him on a journey from the hidden secrets of one family of scientific researchers to the very fringes of human consciousness that can only be reached through our dreams. See what I’m saying about those aspects of the mundane giving way to the truly extraordinary? This game could be a case study in that principle.

This quality carries through into the art style, a series of backdrops and character models created out of materials like clay and cardboard. The effect is interesting, especially where the characters are concerned. Their models are distinctly human and inhuman simultaneously, leaving you with the impression that as you hop back and forth between the “real” world and the dreamscape, it becomes harder and harder to judge what is distorted by the surreality of your surroundings and what is simply a result of the outlandish art style.

These images will haunt you...

Point-and-click gameplay is far from the most sophisticated way to interact with a game, but it’s an excellent way to enable to player to enjoy the puzzles, characters and settings the developers put so much time and effort into without overstimulating a player to the point of making problem solving impossible. The puzzles themselves are in-depth and engaging. I won’t lie, I had to refer to an online guide more than once in the interest of progressing through the game. It’s nothing I’m proud of, but I had become so engrossed in the story that I was too impatient for trial and error.

The difficulty curve is pretty manageable. If you’ve ever played anything similar, you may find the prologue portion of the game unpleasantly easy, but this is just a tutorial. As you progress, you’ll find that an imaginative mind, a keen eye and a good memory are vital for getting through the game. The simple act of collecting items and combining them in unique ways is broken up by dialogue and exposition sections that cast a foreboding air over even the otherwise mundane aspects of the experience.

Chapter 1 of the adventure is available free-to-play, and you can get the other installments for just under 5 Euros apiece. By my estimation, the game is definitely worth it, a breath of fresh air in an environment dominated by shooter clones, reboots and remakes. An uncharted world of dreams could be just a few clicks away for you, too, so what are you waiting for?


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February 6, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:15
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Eyes Like Leaves by Charles de Lint
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Dark Ascension Pre…aw, hell. The one you’ve been waiting for.

The Community - Fri, 02/03/2012 - 09:29

This is it!  The one you’ve been waiting for!  No sense putting it off any longer, so I’ll just go through the cards I think will make a difference in all formats.  Obviously, there will be cards I don’t mention, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to judge for yourself (after reading my other reviews…YOU DID READ THEM, RIGHT?) which are good and which are not.  Let’s begin!

Going for the throat on this one (though I really can’t…’cause he’s a planeswalker.  Get it?  Oh you’re no fun…).  There’s a reason this bad boy is still sixty dollars on starcitygames.  Four cost walker that starts with three loyalty; mkay, I’ll take it.  Pretty typical.  First ability, puts out a dude with lifelink.  Fantastic!  He can protect himself two ways the turn he comes out!  Sweet!  Second ability, put out an emblem that makes your dudes more powerful.  Hmm…a way to pump my dudes without you being able to do a thing about it?  Seems kinda…oh, you know: GOOD.  Alright, whatever, that’s just aggro-ey.  Ultimate is…remove six and destroy up to three target creatures and/or planeswalkers.  HOLY SHIT HE DOESN’T PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS.  And by others, I mean your dudes.  Wow, walker removal is grea- what?  What do you mean there’s more?  Return each card put into a graveyard in this way back into play under…your….control.  OH DEAR GOD WHY.  WHHHHYYYYYYY??!?!  Well, because Wizards thought having a set without at least one card over $30 is preposterous.

There you have it.  Constructed play, he’s either aggro’s best friend or control’s best friend…and your opponent’s worst nightmare.  I don’t think I have much more to say here, pretty sure you all get the picture.   ONWARD!

CAPTAIN CAPTAIN CAPTAIN!

Oh, and captain.  Sorry, didn’t say it FOUR TIMES.  Apparently, lords are being taken down a notch.  Uncommons for lords are popular right?  Yeah, since all of you remember playing in Scourge, when the warchiefs were popular.  Damn youngins…

I’m assuming I can just show you guys the value of the three drops here and I don’t have to explain why they’re good?  Or which are better?  Ugh, fine.  First strike is great, and giving others is even better, though probably more suited in limited than constructed.  Zombies may now see competitive play because of their sheer efficiency and ‘disciple’ effect (still too young?  Disciple of the vault…look it up.  And weep).  Drogskol captain, although giving your spirits the most broken ability in the game (well, standard at least) is great, he’s also competing with that three slot with one of the most broken creatures in standard right now: Geist of Saint Traft.  I mean, yeah, he pumps him, but I’d rather play geist almost always.  Though Phantasmal image just found a new toy essentially.  I don’t think it has the back up right now, but we still have one more set to go.  Immerwolf is practically a must have if you’re doing r/g werewolves (remember from last article?  Yeah, it may be your time to shine now), though he really don’t play well with the new mythic werewolf dude.

Speaking of which…

Once again, I think StarCityGames.com may know what they’re doing when it comes to card prices; there’s a reason this guy’s almost twenty bucks right now.  When you play him, you get four power for four mana.  Oh, and you gain two life, essentially for free.  I’ll take it.  Typical werewolf flippy thing aaannd…oh.  He becomes an efficient four drop with trample…that bites things.  Multiple things.  Two damage to your opponent and two damage to a creature he controls…wait, UP TO one creature he controls.  Yeah, I think that’s the epitome of efficiency right there.  And, of course, the drawback of ‘oh, you cast two spells, damn, I go back to my lame side’…OH WAIT.  His ability states if he flips back, I get another wolf and two life.  Hmmm…a really efficient werewolf that has two incredibly useful sides?  Yeah.  If I had it, I’d run it.  Maybe not in r/g werewolves, but a r/g aggro deck…OH YEAH.  Kessig fodder maybe?  Either way, complete and utter bomb in limited, and quite possibly a power house in standard.  We’ll have to see, but if it can see play, I’m positive it will.

Next up…

Wowzers.  Will this card make an impact?  Yeah.  Though I think this may be one of the only cards that I review that won’t make as large of an impact in limited as it will in constructed.  And by constructed, I mean pretty much EVER FORMAT.  Let’s go through some decks that have been popular.  Legacy, we have reanimator.  Typical, dump stuff into yard, get stuff out of yard.  Oh wait, guess I can’t now.  Yes, I can remove the cage.  But you know what?  Until you do, you ain’t doing crapola.  What else have we got in legacy…oh, I know!  ANY DECK USING SNAPCASTER MAGE.  People I think seem to forget the part that they can’t cast cards out of the yards, either.  Everything with flashback?  Gone.  Your efficiency with snapcaster?  Whoops, gone.  Hope you’ve got some removal for this sucker, on top of whatever other hate I’ve packed in against you.
Now, let’s talk standard.  Solar flare was a pretty good deck archtype, did well for a while.  Same applies here that applied in legacy; no yard utilization for you!  What else…Birthing Pod!  Yes!  That was a decent archtype, though it didn’t live long, it still flares up every once and a while.  People seem to also forget that you can’t get creatures from libraries, either.  Hope you really didn’t need that pod to ramp with.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there are definitely ways to easily deal with this card in all formats.  But, like I say with Goblin Charbelcher: “You can only deal with it if you draw it.”

Now that we’ve discovered the hate, let’s see a reason to use it…

Ahh yes.  That’s a good reason.  Combo time everybody!  Not only is it a pretty nice card overall, but it’s got some pretty heavy combo implications.  Necrotic Ooze already reared it’s ugly, misshapen head once.  I think it has a chance to do it again.  Having this guy in the yard pretty much guarantees you can play what you need.  Or, you can just play a blocker and not worry about losing the blocker’s ability for the ooze.
Or, you can do what I really want to do with him: Heartless Summoning + Perilous Myr.  Folks have been trying desperately to fit these two cards into a deck (not the same deck, of course…until now).  Tempered steel variants see the myr in their sideboard every once and a while, and heartless summoning has shown up in Birthing Pod lists occasionally, but none have ever really seen play.  I think the idea of curving from heartless to lich on turn three is a good idea.  Grixis may have some work to do here, but I think it’s at least somewhat manageable.  But, that’s just the Johnny coming out in me.  Either way, it’s a good card to keep your eye out for.

And now, the honorable mention goes tooooo:

With the amount of time that tokens have seen play, I do honestly expect these two cards to see at least some play.  Giving all my little dudes that got big thanks to enchantments/emblems deathtouch and lifelink?  Me like.  Me likey lots.  Or, you know, sac’ing the one that didn’t get through to gain a card.  That works, too.  Either way, I could definitely foresee these two cards getting use.  Use your imagination.

So, there you have it.  TheScourge’s review on Dark Ascension!  Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the cards I mentioned, and take heed to the limited tips I’ve given you for the release this weekend!


Categories: Blogs, D20 General Gaming, Dungeons and Dragons

Dark Ascension Preview Part Three: Insert Witty Title Here

The Community - Fri, 02/03/2012 - 08:57

At this point, you’re probably waiting for me to get to ‘the other cards’/'multicolor’ cards, but alas, we still have red and green to get through.  So, bear with me, this will be the last post before we get to the true bread and butter of the set.  Let’s get down to business!  To defeat…the Huns……..yeah, okay.  Anyways…

RED:

What can I say?  For constructed, red is a steaming pile of garbage.  For lack of about one card.  Yes, one.  No, you’re r/g werewolf aggro decks don’t count (feel free to prove me wrong).  This card will be making a hit in (I predict) EVERY constructed format.

Yup.  A common.  Best card in red, if you ask my opinion.  Right now, in modern, there are literally ZERO cards for one mana that will net you two cards (if I recall correctly).  And, some decks love ditching cards.  I’m predicting pyromancer’s ascension might get some love here soon, folks.  This here is one hell of an addition.  Other than this card….yeah.  Nothing here is catching my eye.  Only other possible I see is Mondronen Shaman in r/g werewolf aggro decks (happy now?  You at least got a mention).  Even then…pretty sure they won’t get to the competitive level.

Limited, however, is a different story.  I think red is pretty strong for limited.  Two different cards that burn on their own, with flashback, even.  And then there’s three cards that attempt to wipe out your opponents creatues.  Yeah, costly.  But hey, removal is removal in limited, and the more you’ve got, the less creatures you have to beat through to get to your opponent’s squishy, squishy face.

And, what would red have to offer if it didn’t come with a bomb?  Who knows, because it definitely DID come with a bomb.  And a great bomb at that.

All I’ve got to say, is THANK GOD IT’S A MYTHIC.  Evasion?  Check.  Big power/toughness?  Check.  That’s all you really need for a bomb.  But wait!  There’s more!  Oh, you mean the creature filled deck that I just made because it’s limited gets a pump for each red mana I get?  Oh, that’s meh.  OH WAIT.  Giving each creature you control a steady fire breathing effect is, you know, kinda good.  And by kinda, I mean holy crap in a hat.  The only thing I really have to say about this devious dragon is the mana cost.  It’s a pretty big commitment on red, but even that’s counter-acted by it’s ability.  Oh, you need at least three red mana to cast?  Sweet, that means I’m hitting you for at least 8 next turn, plus however many creatures I have x3 plus their powers, too.  Yeah.  GG.

So, red in constructed: Meeeehhh…one power house card, and it’s a common.  Red in limited?  You bet your ass.

GREEN:

What can I say about green in constructed….meeeeehhhhh.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are some decent options.  For instance, strangleroot geist will DEFINITELY see play.

In some iteration of some deck or another, it will see play, whether it be mono green efficient aggro, or some deck we have yet to face.  A 2/1 for two with haste is always nice.  Being able to survive a board wipe/kill spell and come back STRONGER is even better.  Maybe birthing pod will come back…

Everything else is just…gravy.  I mean (once again, giving hopes to you silly r/g werewolf players out there), wolfbitten captive gives werewolves another one drop that’s kinda nice, but I’d never want it to flip.  When are you going to have a spare four mana to pump it?  Oh wait, you’re not.

Limited, once again, is a somewhat different story.  We’ve got some neat options here.  For instance, young wolf is quite a nice one drop for green.  One for a 1/1 is cool.  It dying and becoming a 2/2 is great.  Trade twice shall we?  And then there’s vorapede, which, again, thank god it’s mythic.  These for draft are quite the issue to deal with (thinking back on it, these may also see play in that silly deck that strangleroot geist could be in, who knows).  Increasing savagery can turn the tide of a game (as it did for me several times in the pre-release).  Morbid triggers are awesome when you get an 8/8 trample for six (Gravetiller Wurm).  And, of course, briarpack alpha is always nice.  An instant speed creature with a pump?  Sounds good to me…I liked Village Bell ringer in the last set, I’ll like pseudo similar effects in this set; surprise factors are always great.

But, we can’t mention green limited without our bomb.  Yeah, I mentioned Vorapede.  He could work.  But I’d rather not stare down a 10/10 on an early turn.

Go go gadget second intro pack rare that I’ve discussed.  Turns out, in a format with really limited removal, having a straight up dude-that’s-bigger-than-yours is a winning scenario.  No evasion needed on this guy, his ass is full of cushioning.  And, he comes out sooner the quicker you trade up.  Curve well with your dudes and sacrifice them to save face?  Maybe you’ll play this guy turn five.  I like 10/10s on turn five.  Don’t you?

Don’t worry, even if you just skimmed through this guide, the one you’ve been waiting for is coming up next!  Stay tuned!


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Top 10 D&D Civilizations

dungeonmastering.com - Fri, 02/03/2012 - 08:46
Welcome back to the column that breaks down gaming into what’s really important, ten things at a time! The best civilizations in D&D have a very different feel from anything in the real world. A...

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February 3, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Thu, 02/02/2012 - 19:13
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Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole
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February 2, 2012 Links and Plugs

Bibliophile Stalker - Wed, 02/01/2012 - 19:15
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Clarkesworld February 2012

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    2012 January World SF Releases

    Bibliophile Stalker - Wed, 02/01/2012 - 19:00
    I'm attempting to build a database of World SF releases in English--and to a certain extent, work by POC (since there's overlap). This isn't a comprehensive list, so if you have any suggestions or corrections, feel free to comment (which is moderated) and I'll the recommendation to the final list at the end of the year.

    To a certain extent--and there's something ironic in this--I'm basing the list on works first published in the US (when applicable) so these should theoretically qualify for next year's Hugo and Nebula Awards. For translated work, only new translations are included (these don't necessarily qualify for the Hugo).

    Novels (40,000 words or more)
    Anthologies
    • Three Messages and a Warning edited by Eduardo Jiménez Mayo and Chris N. Brown (see Short Stories below)
    • The Weird edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (US eBook now available, US print in May; previously released in 2011 in the UK; see Short Stories and Novella below)
    • Diaspora Ad Astra edited by Joseph F. Nacino (see Short Stories below)
    Novella (17,500 ~ 40,000 words)
    • Interim Goddess of Love by Mina V. Esguerra (eBook)
    • "The Other Side of the Mountain" by Michel Bernanos, translated by Gio Clairval (The Weird)
    Novelette (7,500 ~ 17,500 words)
    Short Stories
    • "The Last Summer" by Ken Liu
    • "What Everyone Remembers" by Rahul Kanakia
    • "Scattered Along the River of Heaven" by Aliette de Bodard
    • "The Stoker Memorandum" by Lavie Tidhar
    • "Birth Story" by Joyce Chng
    • "Remains of the Witch" by Tony Pi
    • "Story with Pictures and Conversation" by Brontops Baruq, translated by Christopher Kastensmidt
    • "Endless Life" by Nadia Bulkin (Phantasmagorium #2)
    • "Under a Mount of Earth" by Celestine Trinidad
    • "The Tower And The Kite" by Matthew Jacob F. Ramos
    • "Recognizing Gabe: un cuento de hadas" by Alberto Yáñez
    • "Cosmic Love" by Harry Markov
    • "Clay, Cast, Cats" by TCA Lakshmi Narasimhan
    • "Maxwell's Demon" by Ken Liu (Fantasy and Science Fiction January/February 2012)
    • "The Guest" by Amparo Davila, translated by Anna Guercio (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Murillo Park" by Agustin Cadena, translated by C.M. Mayo (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Hour of the Fireflies" by Karen Chacek, translated by Michael J. Deluca (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Waiting" by Iliana Estañol, translated by Joanna Tilley (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Hunting Iguanas" by Hernan Lara Zavala, translated by Eduardo Jimenez Mayo (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "1965" by Edmee Pardo, translated by Lesly Betancourt-Gonzalez (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Variation on a Theme of Coleridge" by Alberto Chimal, translated by Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Photophobia" by Mauricio Montiel Figueiras, translated by Jen Hofer (The Weird)
    • "The Last Witness to Creation" by Jesus Ramirez Bermudez, translated by Eduardo Jimenez Mayo (The Weird)
    • "Rebellion" by Queta Navagomez, translated by Rebecca Huerta (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Future Perfect" by Gerardo Sifuentes, translated by Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Luck Has Its Limits" by Beatriz Escalante, translated by Stephen Jackson (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Stone" by Donaji Olmedo, translated by Emily Eaton (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Trompe-l’œil" by Monica Lavin, translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Lions" by Bernardo Fernandez, translated by Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "A Pile of Bland Desserts" by Yussel Dardon, translated by Osvaldo de la Torre (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Amalgam" by Amelie Olaiz, translated by Armando Garcia (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Nahual Offering" by Carmen Rioja, translated by Emily Eaton (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Pachuca Second Street" by Lucia Abdo, translated by Emily Eaton (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Wittgenstein's Umbrella" by Oscar de la Borbolla, translated by Sara Gilmore (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Mannequin" by Esther M. Garcia, translated by Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Mr. Strogoff" by Guillermo Samperio, translated by Steve Vasquez Dolph (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Mediator" by Ana Gloria Alvarez Pedrajo, translated by Anisia Rodriguez (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Pin" by Leo Mendozza, translated by Armando Garcia (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Nereid Future" by Gabriela Damian Miravete, translated by Michael J. Deluca (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Pink Lemonade" by Liliana V. Blum, translated by Toshiya Kamei (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Return of the Night" by Rene Roquet, translated by Armando Garcia (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Three Messages and a Warning in the Same Email" by Ana Clavel, translated by Elsy Jackson (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The President without Organs" by Pepe Rojo, translated by Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Transformist" by Horacio Senties Madrid, translated by Eduardo Jimenez Mayo and Jose Alejandro Flores (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Drop" by Claudia Guillen, translated by Leah Leone (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "Wolves" by Jose Luis Zarate, translated by Bernardo Fernandez and Chris N. Brown (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • "The Infamous Juan Manuel" by Bruno Estañol, translated by Anisia Rodriguez (Three Messages and a Warning)
    • “The Dissection” by Georg Heym, translated by Gio Clairval (The Weird)
    • “The Vegetable Man" by Luigi Ugolini, translated by Anna and Brendan Connell (The Weird)
    • "Mister Taylor" by Augusto Monterroso, translated by Larry Nolen (The Weird)
    • "Axolotl" by Julio Cortazar, translated by Gio Clairval (The Weird)
    • "The Ghoulbird" by Claude Seignolle, translated by Gio Clairval (The Weird)
    • "Oplan Sanction" by Alexander Marcos Osias
    • "Ina Dolor's Last Stand"  by Raymond P. Reyes
    • "The Cost of Living" by Vince Torres
    • "A List of Things We Know" by Isabel Yap
    • "The Keeper" by Audrey Rose Villacorta
    • "Ashes/////Embers" by Dannah Ruth S. Ballesteros
    • "Rizal" by Eliza Victoria
    • "Gene Rx" by Katya Oliva-Llego
    • "Robots and a Slice of Pizza" by Raydon L. Reyes
    • "Lucky" by Raven Guerrero
    • "Space Enough and Time" by Anne Lagamayo
    • "Taking Gaia" by Celestine Trinidad
    Categories: Blogs, D20 General Gaming, Dungeons and Dragons

    Dark Ascension Preview Part Deux: Leaving you Black and Blue

    The Community - Wed, 02/01/2012 - 18:03

    So, last week I spoke about white and what I thought about it, today I’ll touch up on what’s going to leave us black and blue from Dark Ascension.  Let’s get to it!  BLUE:

    I’m not exactly sure on what I think on how blue will perform.  On one hand, there really isn’t too much that I can see that will really change standard too much.  Really what I can see MAYBE hitting standard are two cards; first card is Curse of Echoes.  Not necessarily a main board card, but I can see it in control decks for the mirror match up.  Turns out, I love copying your counters.  The other card I do actually want to discuss: Thought Scour.  This card is a throw back to Mental Note, from Judgment.

    Just wanted to show where the game has gone.  Same cost, same speed, same cantrip.   Difference is, of course: Choice.  The game has gone quite a ways since the time of Judgment.

    With those cards possibly showing up in Standard, I feel I must make some comments on another two formats before I get to Limited play; EDH and Modern.  For modern, I feel that Mystic Retrieval MAY find a place in Pyromancer Ascension decks…provided the format slows down a bit.  It’s a decent alternative to Call to Mind, and it could work better for strategies that involve self milling.  And as for Commander, I wanted to point out that Beguiler of Wills is most definitely going in my Azami Wizard deck as soon as I get my grubby paws on one.

    Now for what you all were waiting for: Limited aspects of Blue.  Well, once again, not anything too startling.  Geralf’s Mindcrusher is quite a bomb, and can really help out your pool if you pull a Chill of Foreboding or two.  Thought scour is always great for that draw, and Dungeon Geists can lock down your opponents bomb permanently if they can’t find a way to deal with it.  Artful dodge can be quite a nice little top deck or card to keep track of in the yard, in case your blue decides to go aggro.  And, of course, any of the efficient zombies that require you to remove another from the yard to cast are quite good.

    But, let’s get down and dirty with it!  Paint it Black!

    For constructed, we’ve got a couple possibles: Geralf’s Messenger, Gravecrawler, Mikaeus, and Tragic slip.  Tragic Slip will see play in your typical U/B control decks, making quite the awesome replacement for Wring Flesh.  Mikaeus could definitely go into Solar Flare as another bomb, or it could just as easily make it’s way into Birthing Pod.  I like sac’ing stuff to get bigger creatures on the board, and then getting what I sac’ed back.  Mikaeus also makes it much easier to overextend into that Day of Judgment and not get punished as hard for it.  Geralf’s messenger has been heralded as the anti Kitchen Finks, though I’m not sure what presence he’ll make in standard just because of the black commitment.  And Gravecrawler?  Well, a certain GrimGrin would like to talk to you.  Several times over.  Like, as many times as you have black mana.  Just sayin’.

    For limited, all of the above would be quite decent.  If you can, even Geralf’s Messenger if you can handle the heavy black commitment.  Gravecrawler is really the only ‘iffy’ one, but if you can back him up, he’ll be phenomenal.   Another couple decent mentions I think should be included: Undying Evil and Death’s Caress.  Undying Evil can turn the tide of combat, and can even increase your later game.  Death’s caress is just point blank spot removal, and has an added bonus against humans, god forbid.  And, last mention: Mikaeus is making me want to build an EDH deck around him.  Seems to be a bit powerful to me.

    Well, that’s all for now.  Next article, I’ll discuss what I think Green and Red have to offer.  Leave me a comment if you think I forgot anything!


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    February 1, 2012 Links and Plugs

    Bibliophile Stalker - Tue, 01/31/2012 - 11:45
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     Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan
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    January 31, 2012 Links and Plugs

    Bibliophile Stalker - Mon, 01/30/2012 - 18:22
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    The Lam-Ang Experiment

    Bibliophile Stalker - Mon, 01/30/2012 - 06:48

    Mina V. Esguerra, me, and Michael Co

    I was abducted last Saturday to attend The Lam-Ang Experiment announcement (it's a graphic novel by Michael Co) and the Pintakasi celebration (Carljoe Javier is one of the writers for the film).
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