Prerelease Aquisitions, On the March

In ancient times, I posted my best guesses on what cards I would hope to get (and benefit from!) at Scars of Mirrodin prerelease.

The randomness of pack distribution made my speculation and predictions useless. Especially in a larger set, we must face the eternal truth…you just don't know what you're going to get.

There are many kinds of shrimp, and all of them are MINE!

I'm not a big fan of buying packs. I spent too many years (what?) opening Homelands boosters in search of another Serrated Arrows. Prerelease is one of my only times to let the compulsive portion of my personality get ahold of my wallet. The two exceptions:

1) I used to get a lot of Amazon gift certificates. Then I tend to hunt things down like this Scars of Mirrodin Fat Pack. (who am I kidding, I'd still buy the Guildpact one).

2) I am constantly tormented by an imp more commonly known as the dreaded Target Extreme Value Pack. Never fall for their cleverly packaged delusion, folks.

3) Other random moments of weak will?

But at prerelease, I always get satisfaction. Having a venue to actually USE all the cards, even the "limited" fodder in a no-holds-barred contest of pure skill makes opening the packs much more worthwhile.

Unfortunately, this release's distribution was stymied due to a shared Two Headed Giant sealed pool, untouched for two weeks due to my own Howard Hughes-esque unavailability. If there are any young adults reading this, let it be known that you have more time now than you will at any other point in your life, use it well! Of course I'm pretty sure I have a better deal overall…just ask my son.

Off to school!

So what did I finally get? A big pile of cards, pulled from a stack of 8 randomly assorted Scars of Mirrodin Packs. If I had to call out 4 notables…here's what I'm seeing now.

Chimeric Mass

Better than the Coils. Better than the Egg. And most of the time, better than the Staff. No matter what time you draw Chimeric Mass, it offers up a way to maximize your existing mana for the turn. He might be a 4/4, a 6/6, an 8/8 or even a 10/10. Who knows, especially if there's a Sol Ring in the mix somewhere.

I've had a high-than-average opinion of Chimeric Staff, and now the Mass seems to offer almost the same results in a less mana-intensive package. You might dump a lot of investment into it at the beginning, but the recuring 1 mana activation is akin to free in turns going forward.


Lux Cannon

Misunderstood genius Charles Morrison piloted a Lux Cannon-themed control deck in the Indiana 2010 States Championship. Even without the use of proliferate, he was able to ramp up his superweapon for amazing destructive capability, taking him all the way to 3rd place.

Me, I'm thinking how great it will be to vaporize troublesome enchantments, planeswalkers and utility land in EDH. Lux Cannon + Filigree Sages should eliminate normally hard-to-kill targets on a fairly regular basis. In a pinch, Voltaic Key will also help.

Dopo mee gusha, peedunkey? BWAH HA HAW!

Let's continue:

Strata is the plural form of Stratum, which means a layer of rock or series of rocks in the ground. So does "Strata" mean a "series of series"? Just how much rock does Strata Scythe hope to dig up?

In Two-Headed Giant, it gave me a 12/12 Insect token at one point (only to be destroyed by Turn to Slag). In EDH there are complications…the number of non-basic land.

Say I pick "Island". There will certainly be other Islands spread out over a random number of multiplayer opponents, but how many? Could be a lot, or it could be very tiny…diluted by everyone's Minamos, Breeding Pools and Creeping Tar Pits. Unfortunately the lands it counts must all have the same name, not the same type.

No matter what plane we're in, it seems like the Vedalken are always causing trouble. To my eyes Vedalken Certach is a 1 mana 1/1 drop with a very relevant "Wizard" tribal type. Late game, he must either be destroyed (using up an effect) or threaten opponents as another Icy Manipulator. Will I have 3 artifacts on the field? I sure hope so.

The receiving of these Scars cards is a tipping point of sorts. I've had a lot of ideas come and go during my day-to-day activities. My glorious EDH decks have mutated, and now they only vaguely resemble the decks I originally listed here.

The time has come to tear down and forge anew! First up will be my Niv-Mizzet deck. I will tear it apart until not a single card sits atop another. Then I will put them together and post the contents.

why are sleeves so shiny?

When will I do this? Try Friday of next week. Between now and then, I predict more inane ramblings. See you THEN.