40 Days Away from Magic, Part One

As I announced on Twitter yesterday, I will be taking the next 40 days away from Magic the Gathering. This means I will not play, write, or blog about Magic. This even includes staying away from my Twitter feed and the various websites that provide high quality articles and videos related to this great game. I will, however, continue to host Monday Pauper Deck Challenge.

This week, I want to explore three reasons why I believe this is the right decision and the right time for me to take this time away from the hobby that I enjoy so much. Here's the first one.

Tomorrow marks the start of the observation of Lent, a Christian religious observance that marks a period of repentance and devotion to God in preparation for the celebration of Easter. In the past, I have misunderstood Lent to be a typical "anti-world" Christian activity, rejecting so called "worldly-things" in favor of "heavenly things." Or, even worse, as a shallow religious activity designed to convince an arbitrary God to overlook past mistakes and/or earn His blessings.

However, as I read more about this ancient tradition, I discovered that it is, in fact, about something very different. All of us have a limited ability to experience things in life. We only have so much brain-power, so much attention, and so many waking hours. Lent, then, is a time to set aside lesser things to make margin in one's life for something better. A time to recognize those things that are dehumanizing and hurtful, turn from them, and embrace something better.

So for the next 40 days, I will be setting aside the time I normally focus on Magic to instead pursue more important goals: spending time with friends and family, developing my writing skills, enjoying some good literature, and cultivating love, joy, and peace. I believe that by intentionally pursuing these things over the next 40 days, I will not only experience a better, richer life; in the end, it will also free me to have a greater enjoyment of Magic in the future. More on that next time.

When a Host Plays, He Cheats

I was chatting with one of my fellow Standard Pauper players earlier today, and during a discussion about what happened to a previous Player Run Event, he mentioned that one of the issues involved was the accusation that the host was cheating. Apparently, some involved believed that it is always inappropriate for a host to play in any event he or she is running.

I thought this was an interesting perspective. For as long as I have been involved on Magic Online in various Player Run Events, the host has always been a participant. I also almost always play in the events that I run. And I have never even considered that this might be seen as cheating. Here's why:

There is actually surprisingly little a host can do to cheat. Sure, he or she can try to manipulate the pairings to get what might seem like a less-experienced opponent. The host could even make sure that he or she always received the bye whenever eligible to receive it. I suppose the host could even deliberately alter the pairings to try to improve his or her tiebreakers.

Here's the thing though. Those actions, dishonest as they are, are a very minor advantage. And they come with a huge cost. Player Run Events have always been about trust. The players trust that the host will provide the prizes advertised; all of the players assume that the other players won't change their deck or Sideboard in between rounds; the host trusts that none of the players are intentionally losing to another player to then split the prizes. Trust is fundamental to the success of a PRE. Without it, the event will lose players and eventually die out.

So for a host, it makes no sense to try to gain an edge by unfairly manipulating the pairings. The potential loss of trust is massive, and the potential gain from those actions is pretty minor. After all, the host still has to actually win most or all of his matches, and on Magic Online, there is very little you can do to cheat your way to a win.

But I'd love to hear what the community thinks. Is it improper for a host to play in an event he or she is running? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments.

Steelheart Review

I'm a little late to the party (as in, this book was released way back in September of last year), but I recently finished Brandon Sanderson's book Steelheart, and thought I would take the chance to review the book today.

But first, a disclaimer - I have never read Sanderson's Alcatraz series, so for me this is my first foray into any of this author's non-fantasy, young adult genre writings.

If you had any doubts of Sanderson's ability to craft amazing and compelling stories outside of the epic fantasy genre, this book firmly puts those to rest. It is set in a post-apocalyptic future Earth, where the world has been taken over by the rise of Epics, which for all-intents and purposes are comic-book-style superheroes - but with one decidedly important twist: these humans with extraordinary gifts are all, technically, super-villains.

This one fact goes a long way from this feeling like some sort of Marvel ripoff. Not only are all of the Epics evil to one degree or another, but their powers don't seem to have direct Marvel or DC Comics counterparts. And even more interesting, each and every Epic has some sort of fatal weakness that, if exploited, allows him or her to be defeated.

Opposing these super-villains are a group called the Reckoners. This is a ragtag group of skilled individuals, who despite the lack of any super-powers, travel the world assassinating the Epics. And when the Reckoners travel to Chicago, which is ruled by an Epic named Steelheart, they stumble across a young man who has witnessed something extraordinary - the seemingly invulnerable Steelheart bleed.

The ensuing tale is very well done. The characters are memorable, the world-building is woven in expertly, and the plot is fast-paced. In typical Sanderson fashion, it ends with an epic (no pun intended) battle, topped off with a series of surprising-yet-inevitable reveals, and brings perfect closure to the central tale, even though the book is clearly the first of several more to come.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I highly recommend this book. Even as someone who is not a major fan of the superhero genre (with several notable exceptions!), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of any of Sanderson's work, of the superhero genre, or even just the science fiction and fantasy genre, you'll love this book. Pick up a copy at Amazon today. You won't regret it.

Standard Pauper Gauntlet

I am always delighted when I see the Standard Pauper format getting attention from communities other than PDCMagic. In the past, I've mentioned Brennon's ongoing Standard Pauper article entitled Standard Deviations over at MTGOStrat.com. Today, I want to make sure everyone in the Standard Pauper community is aware of his current project: a Standard Pauper Gauntlet.

I've been hearing rumors about this for weeks, but today I finally saw that the details had been posted. You can check out the full article here, but here's the basic concept: Anyone is invited to submit a Standard Pauper legal deck. Those that are deemed "good enough" will then be run by Brennon in an ongoing Single Elimination Tournament until only one deck remains.

There will also be two prizes awarded: First, after the initial cut, anyone will have the opportunity to claim a deck; if that deck ends up winning, whoever picked it gets 10 tickets. Second, if you are the one who actually submitted the winning deck, you also win 10 tickets and get featured in an interview (and accompanying video) over at MTGOStrat.com.

Interested? Here's what it takes to submit a deck:

• Your deck must be Standard Pauper legal, with exactly 60 cards in the maindeck and 15 cards in the Sideboard.
• You must submit an explanation of how the deck works.
• You must submit a (thorough) Sideboard Plan.
• You must give the deck a reasonable name.
• Once all that is complete, simply post it in the Comment section of the originating article.

Sounds like a pretty sweet opportunity. It's absolutely free, so what do you have to lose? I certainly intend to submit a deck. In fact, I'd love to hear what you, my readers, think I should submit. Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading. See you next time!

Chapel Geist

After a long hiatus from writing, my friend and I recently decided to start meeting every week to encourage each other to write and give some feedback on our work. Of course, for that work, both of us have to actually be writing something during the week! So, for our first week, we decided to write a 1,000 word short story as a way of reestablishing some good writing habits.

So, for today's post, I thought I would share my short story for this week, inspired by this beautiful artwork from Innistrad's Chapel Geist.


Alwyn jerked back as the man screamed. He collapsed, writhing in pain, but the spirit suspended above him seemed oblivious to his pain. Then, in choking sobs he muttered words she couldn't understand. Heart pounding, she dared take another step, crouching in the long shadows. Holding her breath, only then could she make out his cries: "Thank you. Oh Piotyr thank you!"

Neither spirit nor girl moved until his sobs grew silent in death.

Then it did move, pale dirty robes rustling as if in an unseen wind. Long iron chains looped around its form clanked against one another. But the spirit merely retreated into the shadows, nearly vanishing into the darkest corner of the tower chamber.

Three times now Alwyn had slipped away from her prayers, creeping like her namesake cat through the shadowy corridors, and made her way up the long stairs into the tower. Each time she discovered another foreigner closeted inside. The dying man's sobs had been the only words she had ever heard. Then again, he was also the only one who hadn't walked out.

             

Which meant it was time to leave. If she was discovered, she would be whipped for sure.

             

You are curious, like your namesake.

            

Alwyn began to shake. There was no question. Though she hadn't heard any words, the spirit had spoken to her.

            

"Stay back," she said, standing to her feet. "I am a priestess of Piotyr."

            

You are no priest, little cat. Somehow, she heard its amusement.

            

Her first thought was to run. To flee down the stairs as fast as she could. But what if it chased her? Better to show no fear.

            

"What...what do you want from me?"

             

That is the wrong question. What do you want from me?

            

"Nothing. The...the priests sent me. To observe."

            

You do not lie well. I wish you no ill will. Tell me. Why have you come?

           

"I...I'm not sure. But I should go."

             

You came because you were curious. Why, in a chapel of Piotyr, do his servants play host to a spirit of Darkness? Don't you want to know?

             

This was a mistake. She should run. Flee. Call for the priests and curse the consequences...

            

"Yes. Yes tell me."

            

I am here to pay for my crimes. Great power and insight are mine. Travelers come from all Northland to speak with me. Whatever your wish, whatever your desire, if it is within my power, I will grant it.

           

"And what did he want? D..death?!" she asked, pointing to the corpse. The word made her shudder.

             

His tale is not mine to tell. We are speaking of yours. What of your parents who left their infant at the chapel door? The affections of the boy with whom you exchange glances? The disapproval of your sponsor? Yes, little cat, I see all that and more.

             

"Stop it! I don't care about any of that!"

           

Then speak. Tell me your heart's desire. But be quick. Even now the priests are coming to seal this chamber against the coming night.

             

Nervously she glanced back. Her mind still urged her to flee, but her heart overruled her. Well did her heart remember the long nights, whispering her prayer to the silent god, crying out for an answer that none could give. No! This was a creature of Darkness. Only a fool would trust it.

            

"I don't believe you."

           

This is your last chance. Speak your question and step into the light. And I will share the answer you've longed for.

             

Deepest darkness. She was going to do it. When else would she get this chance?

             

She stepped forward unsteadily. Her heart lurched like a wounded sparrow. Still, she focused her thoughts on one question: who am I?

             

But then footfalls echoed from the stairs. The spirit stirred, and she swore she heard a faint hiss in the air. Then Father Gerard rushed into the chamber. 

            

"Stay where you are, Alwyn!" He rushed over and gripped her shoulders tightly. "Piotyr be praised, you are unharmed. What were you thinking, girl?!"

             

Say nothing. I beg you.

            

"What is this? Why is this spirit imprisoned here?"

             

The high priest made no reply for a moment, but gazed into Alwyn's eyes. She blushed and looked away.

           

"You spoke with it." She shook her head, but hot tears burned in her eyes. He stepped towards it and withdrew the pendant hanging at his neck.

             

"What promises did you make to her, spirit? What price did you demand?"

             

No price. She will be my last.

             

Father Gerard turned to look at her, and by his eyes she knew he had heard the words too.

            

"Did you consent to this, Alwyn?" he asked gently.

             

Ask no questions. You must agree!

           

"I...I did."

             

The priest glanced at the floor, as if noticing the corpse for the first time. But he only shook his head, sighed, and spoke.

            

"Acolyte Alwyn, this is a geist. Two hundred years ago, a man betrayed this chapel. For a sack of gold, he opened these gates to enemies of the King. Only by the will of Piotyr was the chapel saved, but hundreds died in the fighting. And for his crimes, he was bound by the Chain of Remorse, one link forged for every life his betrayal ended.

             

But now my suffering can be at an end. Please.

            

"But for every life he blesses," the priest continued, "every question answered, one link is broken. Yet Piotyr demands justice, and so a price must also be paid."

             

Not this time, child. I will pay the price. And I will be free at last.

           

"Do you still want to do this, Alwyn?"

           

"I do. I must."

            

"Then step forward."

            

She did so. Her fear had vanished, replaced with longing. Once more, she whispered her deepest desire: who am I?

            

Then she felt the warm, fetid breath of the spirit. The chains burst into golden light, and with a crash fell to the floor, bearing the dirty, tattered robes with them. Just like that, the spirit was gone.

            

And Alwyn received her answer.

 If you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!

Order of the Stick

Today I want to briefly talk about what long-ago became my favorite web-comic: The Order of the Stick. Named for the "stick-figure" artwork of the humanoid occupants of the world, this comic strip tells the tale of a stereotypical band of adventures out to save the world. However, what began as a light-hearted tale to poke fun at the popular 3rd edition of the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying system quickly evolved into an epic tale of love, drama, triumph, and tragedy, all the while still retaining its comedic voice. Now, with seven story-arc books available for sale and an eighth story-arc that just wrapped up, Order of the Stick has become one of the premiere webcomics in existence, with nearly 1,000 individual strips available online and hundreds more in the print-only prequels.

But don't just take my word for it. About a year ago, the author created a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to reprint some of the older books. With an initial goal of less than $60,000, the campaign raised over $1.2 million dollars, with nearly 15,000 participants. If that's not success for a free webcomic, I don't know what is.

If you've never experienced this great series, I strongly encourage you to check it out. You can get a quick introduction to the characters here, then check out the beginning of the latest story arc here. And if you like what you see, you can't go wrong with going all the way to the beginning to see how this great comic got off the ground. You won't be disappointed.

...at least not until you find out that the comic is on hiatus until March 31st. These sorts of breaks are typical when the current arc ends. So maybe this wasn't the best time to plug it. Deal with it.

Thanks for reading!

Race for the Galaxy

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you should be familiar with my enjoyment of German-style board games such as Puerto Rico and Agricola. This last month I received several new board games, and today I want to talk about one of them - a great space-opera themed game called Race for the Galaxy.

Created by the same designer as Puerto Rico, this card strategy game essentially refines the essential mechanics of Puerto Rico into a much faster paced experience. At its essence, players develop their corner of the galaxy by playing cards that represent planets or developments. In each round of the game, each player secretly chooses a single action - such as settling a new planet, exploring the galaxy (for new cards), constructing a development, producing resources, or selling those resources.  All players play each of the chosen actions, but the one who chose it receives a significant bonus. Each planet and development gives the player certain advantages or abilities, and is also worth a certain number of victory points at the end of the game. Naturally, whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.

One of my favorite things about this game is the simplicity of the components. Other than chips that represent victory points, every other element in the game is represented through cards. Cards in hand function as currency; cards played face up represent the planets and developments, and cards played face down represent resources to be consumed for additional points or cards.

Another great thing about the game is the replay value. There are essentially four different major paths to victory - military, development, production, or trading - and since the cards you draw each game is totally random, you can't simply stick to the same strategy each and every game. Additionally, with over 100 different cards in the base game, you'll see lots of variation over time in the cards that you have access to over the course of the game.

Race for the Galaxy is widely available now, and can be purchased at Amazon.

Intrigued? You can also try the game online for free. A talented programmer known simply as mrkeldon received permission to create and distribute a working version of the game with a very robust AI as well as multiplayer support. It's a great way to learn the game and develop your skills.

If you've ever played this game, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. And if not, you definitely should check this out if you get the chance! Thanks for reading.