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 Featured
Article:
Endeavor: Joy and
Netdecking.
11/5/09 - "Maggot Carrier; good game." I smiled – proudly
– to affirm my only win, as I pored half-briskly through my teacher's
decks, to see each and miss no use. At once, I savored Magic – in
fervent and perfect impatience. At once, I was defeated and exalted by
its infinite facility of discovery and perfection. I hastened to a card
shop, where – overwhelmed – I bought the cheapest packs from sets I'd
never heard of and left. Magic enthralled me; but quite nearly, it
killed me. ~Mogg~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Magus of the
Bazaar: It's All There in Black and White.
10/29/09 - Recently I posted an article on
Merchant Magic, a new format that
allows casual players to build decks with a mix of cards at all
rarities, but with limits imposed at the higher end. If you haven’t had
a chance to read that article, check it out. What I’ll do in this
article, and likely in others, is approach the deck concepts from the
point of view of Merchant Magic as a casual starting point.
The release of the Magic 2010 Core Set (M10) and Zendikar
recently put two decks in particular in the forefront of many people’s
minds. While I’m keen to explore many of the possibilities that the
current Standard format holds, I find if there’s a deck that is begging
to be built, I’m best served by building it so that at the very least I
can get it out of my head. In addition, the first decks built help to
set the bar for future decks. Of particular interest for the budget and
casual player is that these decks are mono-coloured. The obvious
advantage of mono-coloured decks is that there is no need to spend loads
of money on rare dual lands, saving that money for cards that, you know,
actually do something.
With the Tribal theme of Lorwyn no longer around to
limit our deck building creativity, the field is wide open. So, let’s
start with...Tribal! Yes, the two most obvious decks involve tribes in
White and Black.
Let’s take a look. ~Amadeus~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Zendikar Limited
Guide.
10/20/09 - Disclaimer: This is a limited format guide. At
times it'll seem like I'm talking a lot about drafting and not at all
about sealed deck. It doesn't take a stretch to realize that when I say XXXX is a good early pick, it also means that XXXX is a smart card to put in your sealed deck. This is a limited guide to key cards that will dominate or fall flat in all limited Zendikar formats. I'm not focusing on deck construction as much as I am on key cards and deck strategies. So please don't complain about me ignoring sealed decks, I'm not. It is pure happenstance that I like drafting more.
~Cashew~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - Lands and Artifacts.
10/19/09 - Zendikar is full of delicious, decadent, and
delightful goodies for casual players and tournament players alike. In
particular, it has some phenomenal and diverse land cards that are sure
to propagate themselves naturally into all of my casual decks. For
instance, cards like Valakut and Emeria can fit very nicely into
pre-existing decks without a lot of thought, much like Kor Haven,
Volrath’s Stronghold and Yavimaya Hollow do. One-of lands that provide
variety to your deck but that fit into your mana base are awesome in my
book.Despite there only being a handful of
artifact cards in Zendikar, there are still some unique cards worth
talking about. Two such cards are Eternity Vessel and Eldrazi Monument.
We are also receiving some diverse equipment cards of which the best, in
my opinion, is an uncommon! Curious? I strongly encourage you to keep
reading!
~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
 Featured
Article:
Interested in Writing? Submit your
articles to Magic Deck Vortex!
10/19/09 - If you are interested in writing and
seeing your unique perspective, opinion and/or writing style on the
front page of a Magic Deck Vortex, this blurb is a great place to start.
There are a lot of topic holes to fill within the Writers Guild of Magic
Deck Vortex including talking about the new cards in Zendikar and how
they affect various casual and tournament formats. Oh how about
some storytelling of how you beat your nine other people in a chaos
multiplayer game with one Triskelion and a bunch of elves. Or hows
about an editorial about the current state of Magic? There are
many options -- and you can help cover them!If you think you have a knack at writing and want to get your opinion
out there on something other than a blog, let us know! I would love to
see your writings on MDV. Check out
this thread for more information. Thank you for visiting Magic
Deck Vortex! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - White.
10/16/09 - Hi there. Remember me? I'm the guy that wrote
about Zendikar Black a few days ago. I was awestruck by its
magnificence, and I am hoping that Zendikar White will be a match for
its evil counterpart. Just like Black, Zendikar White has a new tribe
too: the Kor. Sure, they've been around for a while, but they haven't
had a Kor lord until now, and I have to say he's pretty sweet. Check it
out, he's the first card on my list, then check back in with me at the
end to see how White did in the epic battle of good versus evil.
~potatobrain~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - Red.
10/15/09 - I know what you like about Zendikar. You like
the Vampires, don't you! You want to know if they crumble to dust, or do
they just sparkle in the sunlight? Are they expert brooders that fall
for petite blondes with super powers? Do they extract all the salt from
your body with their shape changing suckers? I bet you want to know if
there is a secret war raging on Zendikar between the Vampires and the
Werewolves. What accent do Zendikarian Vampires have? Do they say
Vampire like we do, or do they pronounce it "wom-PEER?" Well, today I'm
looking at Zendikar cards... ~Drathro~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - Blue.
10/14/09 - Hello my loyal fans, and welcome to another
exciting edition of First Impressions.
*Crickets chirp, and tumbleweeds tumble.*
Um okay?
*Aside* Who let the Cricket in here? Never mind.
Well, moving on. I'm your host AlasterEisaroh.
*Holds for applause. Cricket chirps again.*
O...K... Well, today with the help of...
*Looks for Co-Author*
Where's the Co-Author?
Some random crew guy:
You're doing this one by yourself AE.
AE: Son of a... ~AlasterEisaroh~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - Black.
10/13/09 - You know what I like? Black cards. You know
what set I really like? Torment. You know why? Because it has Black
cards that are CRAZY! Think about it: Nantuko Shade, Cabal Coffers (not
really Black, but you know what I mean), Mutilate, Chainer's Edict,
Ichorid... the list goes on. Torment also happened to be Sengir
Vampire's first reappearance since Beatdown, and he did so sporting a
new and sexy suit.So what does this have to do
with Zendikar? Well, let's face it, Black hasn't exactly been the cream
of the crop since the long lost days of the Odyssey Block, and I'd like
to hope that this set is Black's time to shine once again. Zendikar has
many great cards of the dark persuasion, some reminiscent of random
oldies, some as a throwback to Torment, as well as a creature type
that's been dying to be turned into a tribe since Alpha. But does it
have what it takes to dethrone its spooky predecessor?
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what we are here to
find out today, so without further ado, I present to you my First
Impressions of Zendikar Black. ~potatobrain~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Zendikar - Green.
10/12/09 - Zendikar, Zendikar, Zendikar... how I love
thee. The beautiful landscapes, the full art land cards, the adventuring
motif found in card names, art and execution... all of it seems amazing
at a quick glance. Except for the "priceless treasures"... that's just
insane! Insanely amazing!It was an
intense rumor season, with cards coming from all over the internet. When
will Magic Deck Vortex get it's own Magic card to spoil? I mean, MDV has
been around for over seven years now. Is it not deserving? I think MDV
is intense enough for the challenge.
But even more intense are Zendikar's Green cards that
I get the pleasure of reviewing. And despite my attentive eye towards
cards spoiled this season, these really will be my first impressions. At
the time of writing this, I haven't even attended the prerelease or
midnight draft sessions! ~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Sarpadian
Empires, Vol VII: Foreword.
10/9/09 - Come, sit down a spell. Take any seat you like; today we're
going to take a journey back in time. Make sure you open up your mind and
prepare to understand things you thought you already knew or are learning for
the first time. It's time to look back on a set long since released, and today
we're heading all the way back to November 1994, a time when America and the
world were searching for identity, having shed themselves fully from the 1980's.
Generation X was declared lost as Generation Y became the first generation to
truly explore and foster the Internet en masse. The mood of the nation as a
whole was gloomy—Kurt Cobain had ended his life, Ronald Reagan's fate was sealed
in Alzheimer’s and practically the entire nation was enamored with the first
media-extravaganza scandal: OJ Simpson.
In the world of Magic, the release of its fifth expansion
and the largest period of growth for the company were experienced. Scours of
people joined the devoted fans during the Revised to Ice Age period. The media
even likened it to the D&D trend of the 1980's. However, Magic was still young
and finding its footing. It made mistakes that angered the fans such as
under-printing sets and reprinting cards in a fake set called Chronicles. This
week a few special guests and I will take you through one of the sets of this
era: Fallen Empires. So sit back and enjoy a chapter from Sarpadian Empires, Vol
VII, only recently unearthed from the past. ~Cashew~
Discuss here. |
 Forum
Profile Pages Updated!
10/7/09 - I updated a few things in the forums yesterday
which caused a chain reaction of events that finally fixed the user
profile pages and unlocked a plethora of new options for the forum
community. I posted a very quick blog about it (see link above).
If you are interested in blogging on Magic Deck Vortex, please let me
know in the discussion thread for that blog post. Thank you for
visiting Magic Deck Vortex! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
Featured
Article:
The Science of
Magic: Genetic Engineering.
10/7/09 - We humans have always affected our environment, shaping it
according to our will in order to improve our chances of survival. As a species,
we have moved from hunters and gatherers to herders and farmers, domesticating
both plant and animal species that had once lived out their lives in the wild.
Unsatisfied with dominating that which God deemed fit to populate the Earth, we
unlocked the secrets of genetics and DNA, creating plant species that produced
greater yields and animal species that produced more milk or wool or meat. But
what if this knowledge was used not for the good of the species? What if a
single species was created to dominate all others? ~Amadeus~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Reaper Kings
and Pretty Things!
10/6/09 - You
know what I noticed recently? Everyone needs a king. Wait, scratch that, wrong
choice of words: everything needs a king. Think about it for a second: countries
have kings (sometimes called the President), rock & roll has Elvis, the jungle
has the lion, fairytales have Old King Cole, mattresses have a King size, and
menus have Chicken à la King.
So why do I bring this up? Well, Magic also has a king like no other. A SPECIAL
king... a DARK king... a SCARECROW king, and his name is Reaper. That's right
boys and girls, you've guessed it, this article is all about that special
Scarecrow sovereign, the one you all know and revere: the Reaper King. This new
king is a wonderful card. He has a big body, a crazy casting cost, a powerful
ability, and is extremely hard to keep in play (being an artifact, and thus
vulnerable to Disenchant and friends). That’s why this article is all about him.
That’s right folks, playtesting is over, and the deck is finally ready... But
I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s go back to the beginning, to the fateful day
when my fascination with Scarecrows began: Shadowmoor. ~Potatobrain~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Legacy of the
Planes - Part #2.
10/1/09 - There are certain components that almost every
deck, good or bad, consists of. The following is a very generic list of
these components. The first is threats, in the form of creatures,
spells, or a combination. Another is support; tutors, draw, disruption,
burn, etc. Last, but arguably the most important, is lands. Lands allow
you to play the other components and are so important that they often
take up more than 1/3 of a deck. ~Swords to Factories~
Discuss here.
|
All
Foil Booster Packs?
9/28/09 - Wizards of the Coast recently announced it
would be selling all foil booster packs with cards from the Alara Block.
Each of these boosters contains 15 black-bordered premium cards and will
be available for a limited time. The price tag is $11.99 per pack!
They go on sale in January of 2010! Discuss this in MDV's Forums
here! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
Actual Priceless Treasures in Zendikar! Join the MDV Discussion.
9/28/09 - As many of you know by now, there are literally
priceless treasures to be opened within Zendikar booster packs! Black
Lotuses, Sliver Queens, Moxen, Arabian Nights rarities and more! In
fact, no one is really sure exactly how much more. If you want to talk
about it or talk about what you received, join the discussion in the
Magic Deck Vortex forums! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
Featured
Article:
Magus of the
Bazaar: Merchant Magic.
9/25/09 - For casual players, the whole point of playing
Magic: The Gathering is to have fun. Obviously, what each player finds
fun is personal. However, one common issue that comes up from time to
time is the question of what constitutes a fair and fun casual format.
What is the definition of a budget or casual deck? The answer, I think,
is that there is no single answer. However, I’ve stumbled upon a format
that meets many of my criteria and that I’ve found to be a great deal of
fun. Allow me to introduce you to Merchant Magic. ~Amadeus~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Legacy of the
Planes - Part #1.
9/24/09 - Legacy is like casual… except competitive. I
know that sounds somewhat like an oxymoron, but it’s very true. Let me
explain. Most people agree that when playing casually you can use any
card that you have access to, often with some restrictions similar to
the Vintage or Legacy banned/restricted lists. Casual players generally
do not have the money for Power Nine – Black Lotus, Ancestral Recall,
Time Walk, Timetwister, and the original Moxen - and therefore, just
like Legacy, there is a nice big black hole in the meta where power
could be. You still have access to all sorts of cards that older players
love but have rotated out of Extended like Swords to Plowshares,
Mishra’s Factory, and the most expensive uncommon that I can think of,
Force of Will. ~Swords to Factories~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Exit 267:
Zendikar: Deadly Perils, Hidden Agendas?
9/17/09 - It's the long awaited return of Exit 267, MDV's
very own series aimed at pulling together all the little tidbits from
the spoiler season together! However, this won't be like previous Exit
267 articles, for a couple of reasons: 1. Between the Wizards of the
Coast website and our own forum
Rumor Mill, you get all the spoiler info you are going to need. I
plan on a quick overview, rather than an all-encompassing report. 2. I
have my own hidden agenda all lined up for this spoiler review, and I
like to do things my way! Still, I guess I'd better start with a little
introduction for those of you who live under rocks. ~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Perspectives from
the Vault: Exiled.
9/5/09 - I love my wife, my truck, overpowered cards, shiny cards,
and cards with good alternate art. Therefore I get very excited when you combine
any of those elements, let alone three of them. I thought From the Vault:
Dragons was cool because it had shiny cards with cool alternate art, but most of
the cards themselves didn’t entice me enough to actually acquire a set. The same
cannot be said of From the Vault: Exiled. ~Swords to Factories~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Memories of an
Old Magic Player: The Old Switcheroo!
8/21/09 - I saw something today that made my day stop. I
had to compose this article. It was something that I was not expecting,
but something that I needed to express my feelings for. No, it was not
the fact that Wrath of God finally received the big flying elbow from
the top rope. No, it is not the fact that Ball Lightning returned…
again.It is the [TEASE! ~ Keep reading for
more. Don’t you hate when other sites leave you with this click me to
read entire article?] ~Chris Newton~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Parasitm:
Revisited.
8/19/09 - Once more, attention must be paid to the common
parasite, a lesser breed of the Magic player, using what isn't its own
to succeed, essentially reaping the benefits of somebody else's hard
work. Why, oh why, should there be more discussion of such creatures?
Upon dissection of their grotesque cadavers, a discovery has been made.
There actually exists two different species of these parasites. There is
the parasite in casual Magic, and the parasite in tournament Magic. ~Kozy~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Memories of an
Old Magic Player: The Black Summer.
8/11/09 Editor's Note: Magic
Deck Vortex (MDV) didn't start publishing articles until April of 2005,
almost three years after the creation of MDV. Chris Newton started off
the articles section with this excellent piece that eventually turned
into a 26-plus article series. Notice the file name of this one:
mdvarticle0001.htm. Since this was originally published over four
years ago, MDV has published 521 other articles. That's impressive
for what started off as just a deck database. In the mealtime,
please enjoy this article. If you would like to read up more on
this series, click
here.
~John Streetz~
First of all, don’t call me old. Secondly, the intention of this article
is not to give a detailed history of everything that happened from point
A in time until point B. It is to give a series of stories that might
help the younger generation of players to get a grasp on the history and
tradition of the game of Magic: The Gathering. These are personal
thoughts, memories, stories, and sometimes rants (and even when I do
rant don’t call me old!) about the way Magic was and up to what it is...
~Chris Newton~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Magic 2010 Casual
Top Tens!
8/7/09 - Let me be straight with you. I'm not a
multiplayer maven or a Pauper perfectionist, but it would be a crime if
Magic Deck Vortex (What the Casual Players Use!) missed out on the
opportunity to look at Magic 2010 (M10) from a Casual player's point of
view. M10 is bursting with flavor for the Casual player, but what cards
are really going to make a difference when you play some of those Casual
and budget formats with your friends? I'll get right down to business
with my top ten multiplayer favorites from M10, considering only new
cards from that set. ~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - Lands and Artifacts!
8/6/09 - Welcome to the Artifacts and Lands installment
of First Impressions: Magic 2010! While this part of the tour may be
small, it is by no means any less interesting. Along the way, you will
see some returning favorites, some new toys, a few decklists, and even a
guest speaker! Let's get started, shall we?~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - Green!
8/5/09 - Coldstone: Continuing MDV’s look into Magic 2010
(M10), Sir Streetz and I are going to be bringing you some opinions and
impressions on M10 cards from the wacky color full of big things and
bears with runes on them. At a quick glance it appears that Green was
given some extremely flavorful cards this time around, a variety of
excellent reprints, and some interestingly designed replacements. Lets
get right into that new stuff now, shall we? ~Coldstone & Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - Blue!
8/3/09 - Here we are again, back for another First
Impressions article! It is I Alaster Eisaroh(AE), and this time I had
the pleasure to work with final_press (fp). Today fp and I will be
looking at the new Blue cards from Magic 2010 (AKA M10). Without further
ado, I give you First Impressions: Magic 2010: Blue. ~AlasterEisaroh &
final_press~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - Red!
7/31/09 - Hello spellcasters! It's time again for the
review of a new set. Changes in reminder text, combat rules, and release
schedules have some in a tizzy, but the excitement of crisp, new cards
remains constant. Also constant, or hopefully so, is the flavor behind
Red spells and Wizards' dedication to strengthening single colors with
each core set. Though our multi-color appetites were fed with giant
shovelfuls of gold cards and uber-powerful hybrids during the Shards
block, M10 is bringing Magic back to its roots, or so they say.
Today we'll be looking at Red and gauging whether the
excitement it's generating in the rumor mill with reprints like
Lightning Bolt is really all that. ~hamsandwich & Coldstone~
Discuss here. |
 Three
Authors Added to the 'by Author' Archive: AE, Coldstone and fp!
7/30/09 - Three authors have reached the three or more
article mark and thus have their own page in the articles archives of
MDV. This hopefully means we will be seeing lots more from them in
the near and distant future! If you are interested in writing for Magic
Deck Vortex, check out this page.
~Streetz~ |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - Black!
7/30/09 - Hello faithful readers, and welcome to MDV's
M10 First Impressions! On today's menu, we have 17 brand spanking new
cards for you, and guess what, they're all Black. Some of them are
great, some are pathetic, some are totally new, and some are modern
updates of old classics that will hopefully tickle your happy bones as
much as they tickled ours.
I must say, Wizards' idea of putting new cards in a
core set really makes us happy campers, especially since many of the new
cards are tip top quality. So prepare yourselves for something old,
something new, something borrowed, and something that looks like the
beginnings of a Vampire tribe!
Oh, and check out the M10 article by AlasterEisaroh
and final_press for something blue coming sometime next week.
~potatobrain & final_press~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Magic 2010 - White!
7/29/09 - Streetz: 11th Edition, I mean Magic 2010 (M10
for short) is now available on shelves of hobby shops all across the
world. Nothing is more exciting than purchasing and opening CORE Set
product that has been announced as 50% brand new! ...even if most of the
'new' cards are new functional reprints (read: not really new at all).
But that topic is not the focus of our article today.
Drathro and I are here to entertain you with our First
Impressions of M10, limited to one color: White. I'm sure you have some
thoughts of your own, especially if you went to the prerelease or
release events. "Baneslayer Angel is power creep at its best..." "Elite
Vanguard has it out for Savannah Lions..." "the Armorsmith and
Swordsmith are too powerful for a common..." "Righteousness is where it
should be in the uncommon slot..."
These are all things I've heard at the various tables
at the prerelease and release events. Are these the same things Drathro
and I will be saying about the White cards in M10? Looks like you'll
have to find out for yourself. Keep reading and look forward to First
Impressions articles this week and next! ~Streetz & Drathro~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Memories of an
Old Magic Player: Recrossing the River Jordan.
7/20/09 - The other day found myself casting a Violent Ultimatum, which
is seven mana, on turn four - crippling my opponent who had gone second
in the match and only had three permanents in play. This is not meant to
be impressive, instead it is meant to be a notice to people. It is a
notice that First Impressions of a card by a person can be really
damaging to someone else’s first impression.In
this article I will tell you a little about an annoying trend that runs
Rampant in MDV's
forums. ~Chris Newton~
Discuss here. [This is reprint]. |
 The
Roof is on Fire!
7/14/09 - [BLOG] Inspired by hamsandwich's Spellbound
Dragon deck, I've been tinkering with a Red-Blue deck of my own lately.
One of the more interesting decisions I've had to make was whether it
should run Incinerate or Puncture Blast.
Obviously, both deal the same amount of damage at instant speed, but
Incinerate does it for one less mana, which, in the abstract,
immediately makes Incinerate the correct choice. However, I'm not
designing the deck for a wide-open casual field. I'm designing it for an
FNM that is full of net-decked aggro! In this environment, there are
some very good reasons to run the more expensive Puncture Blast, thanks
to its ability to put -1/-1 counters on creatures to which it deals
damage... [Keep
Reading] ~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
MDV
VS Changes, 7th Year Anniversary, M10 and MORE!!!
7/12/09 - [BLOG] As of this afternoon, the MDV visual
spoiler for Magic 2010 (M10) is complete. Well, 99% complete. I'm
missing a few token images, but I'm sure I'll get that squared away very
quickly. In fact, someone has already sent me the beast token, so I plan
on updating that tonight.
This M10 Visual Spoiler (VS) marks a new trend for Magic Deck Vortex.
I've taken a few comments I've received from various people over the
years and decided to make the change. I am now going to be keeping
separate folders for each set with the card images and thumbnails so
that the card pics remain true to the set (and don't overlap)... [Keep
Reading] ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Lands
and Lands Again...
7/10/09 - [BLOG] A few days ago I ranted about how aggro
gets a huge bonus by the omission of Wrath of God from M10. However,
aggro decks are also losing some of the tools that once helped them
survive those Wraths: man-lands! As long as Tenth Edition has been
legal, a few of the five Urza's Legacy man-land cycle have seen a fair
amount of play. Treetop Village is an obvious choice to stomp around
with in Green aggro. Faerie Conclave tribally supported Mistbind Clique
and friends. Even Ghitu Encampment, with it's first strike, was a
player!
What makes these man-lands so useful? Look at it from the point of view
of a mid-game control deck: Your opponent has been dropping big nasty
threats with his BG aggro deck: Wren's Run Vanquisher, Putrid Leech,
Chameleon Colossus. You have to Wrath this turn, or you are dropping to
dangerously low life points. Bye bye threats, right? Not quite - BG
aggro untaps, activates Treetop Village, and hits you for three
anyway... [Keep
Reading] ~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Editorial: The
Magic of Friday Night.
7/10/09 - They're all there: four cats, two dogs, two
beautiful little girls, and their even more beautiful mother. They all
want something, whether it's food, a walk, help with a puzzle, or just a
good old fashioned hug. I spend the time on my long walks home from work
just picturing their faces and wondering what new and interesting things
we'll talk about each day. I thank my stars for having such a wonderful
little brood and such a warm and welcome home. Sometimes it can ease the
everyday angst I feel living in modern America and its fast-paced,
dog-eat-dog atmosphere. My heart lightens a bit when I turn the corner
and see the light on the porch, and my loved ones at the door, waiting
to welcome me back from a hard day's work.But
they can wait. Because it's Friday, and the kid in me is busting loose
and heading to the mall. ~hamsandwich~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Two Cards To Rule
Them All: Forced Fruition & Enduring Ideal!
7/9/09 - Whether you are a tournament or casual player, a
Johnny, Timmy or whatever, you should be able to see something good in
Forced Fruition. Unless, of course, your name is Amadeus. Forced
Fruition is one of the crazy, wacky, Johnny enchantments Wizards of the
Coast released (from Lorwyn anyway) and you shouldn’t be fooled. There
are endless possibilities with this card; possibilities that are beyond
just milling your opponent.Some of you may have
already read about how it combos with Megrim or Underworld Dreams.
However, did you stop to think for a moment what other cards might work
well with it? In just reviewing the Gatherer card database for fifteen
minutes I was able to find over ten other cards and/or strategies that
will work really well with the card. If you were even slightly
interested based on my intro, I would encourage you to read on. After
all, this is a One Card to Rule Them All article...
Oh, and Cashew will rounding out the second half of
the article with a second One Card to Rule Them All!!! ~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Interested in Writing about Magic: the Gathering? Submit your
articles to Magic Deck Vortex!
6/30/09 - If you are interested in writing and
seeing your unique perspective, opinion and/or writing style on the
front page of a Magic Deck Vortex, this blurb is a great place to start.
There are a lot of topic holes to fill within the Writers Guild of Magic
Deck Vortex including coverage of the spoiler season, alternate formats,
storytelling, magic issues, editorials, card critiques, talking about
art, tribal, 5-color, pauper, etc, etc.
If you think you have a knack at writing and want to get your opinion
out there on something other than a blog, let us know! I would love to
see your writings on MDV. Check out
this thread for more information. Thank you for visiting Magic
Deck Vortex! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
The
Panopticon: Messing with the Rule of Four.
6/26/09 - ***SPOILER WARNING: I will be talking about a
new M10 card, so if you don't want to know yet, go away.***
Everybody knows you play sets of four cards in your constructed deck
whenever possible, right? Well, I've begun to notice a little sub-theme
in Standard MTG lately that almost begs you to break this rule... [Keep
Reading] ~Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Parasitism: The
Devolution of Magic Players.
6/16/09 -Evolution: The natural process in which one organism turns
into a greater form of itself. This process takes time. Over time, even humans
see themselves advancing with increased average height, longer lifespan, and
elevated immunity to disease. Even Magic evolves. There was once a time when
people thought Black Lotus was a perfectly well rounded card, and that it was
surely okay to make a land produce two different types of mana without any
drawback. Obviously, Magic: The Gathering has evolved since then. This raises
one very significant question, has the Magic player became an advanced human
from the ape that it once was?
I say no. In fact, it is just the opposite. Devolution. ~Kozy~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Everything you know about Magic... Is Changing!
6/11/09 - ...sort of. Wizards of the Coast recently
divulged several M10 cards and coupled it with a host of major and minor
rules changes that will go live once M10 hits the shelves. Check
out
this discussion thread for a summary of the changes along with card
images for the recently spoiled cards. Shout out your opinions on
the changes - whether good or bad. Just keep them civil and
constructive. Thanks for visiting Magic Deck Vortex! ~Streetz~
Discuss Here. |
Featured
Article:
Potatobrain's
Guide to Token Decks!
6/4/09 -Hello, hello, hello my faithful readers. It is I,
Potatobrain, king of tribal decks, scion of rogue decks, and master of crap rare
deckbuilding. I would like to begin today's article by finally revealing my
secret origin story. Today you all shall learn how I went from mild-mannered
Rami the small-time economics student to Potatobrain, king of tribal decks,
scion of rogue decks, and master of... well, you get the idea. ~Potatobrain~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
The Duel* of
Brownies! #2
5/27/09 -Ryuzaki:
See Mal, I told you some coffee would do you good...
Maleficent: Coffee! Coffee coffee coffee,
cappucino! JAVA!
Ryu: Easy Mal...
Mal: It's COFFEE TIME!!
Ryu: No Mal, Coffee Time is over.
Now it's time for another duel!
Mal: A Duel of... Coffee? COFFEE TIME!!!!
Ryu: Yes! Wait—NO! This time, we
shall duel with... alternate formats!
Director: Ok, cue epic music, pan out a
bit, and--wait, what is this? I said EPIC music, EPIC. Not ELEVATOR
music. Elevator music is NOT EPIC. You're fired. Get out of here. Go on,
get. Can we get some epic music in here please? Now?
*epic music plays*
That's better! Ok, pan out some more, keep
panning, more, more... MORE! There you go, aaaand CUT!
~Ryuzaki & Maleficent~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
MTG Theory: Card
Design 101.
5/19/09 -Anyone can make a Magic card, just like anyone
can paint a picture. But, just like pictures, custom-made cards tend to
run the gambit from fifth grader's fridge art to striking masterpieces.
Sadly a vast majority of custom cards tend to be the
former. Luckily a neutral eye quickly reveals how much thought has gone
into a card's design. Take for instance these two strikingly different
cards before we even go any further... [keep reading to see the cards]
~Cashew~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Naya.
5/12/09 - Today we'll be looking at the Alara Reborn
spells that are part of the now-defunct "Naya" shard, as well as
reviewing the Blue-Black spells that are Naya's polar opposite. This
should be interesting, so let's get ready to rumble!
Drathro: Whew! Writing this review up was
a challenge - I'm used to reviewing the more-control oriented Black and
Blue colors, so aggressive Naya is new ground for me. Fortunately, with
this crazy ally/enemy article structure, I got to both broaden my
horizons with Naya reviews and also check out the new cards in
Blue-Black, Naya's natural enemy and my favorite color combination! ~Tekkactus
and Drathro~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Grixis.
5/8/09 - final_press: MMMmmmm, sandwich press!
Huh, what? Oh right, Grixis. Yeah... I like Grixis. It's
got zombies, and graveyard mechanics... both of which I'm a big fan of.
This meant that before Shards of Alara was launched, I was excited about
Grixis on principle. Alas having played some casual games with Grixis
themed decks, I found I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. So
why the hang-ups? I came to realize that the main problem I have is with
Shards in general, and the three-colour system itself. On a personal
level I don't much care for three-colour decks; two is enough for me! As
a result, even some of the better cards in these sets fail to excite me,
purely on the basis that I don't see myself ever getting much use out of
them outside of a specific "Shard Deck".
But hark, for soothe, what's this?? Alara Reborn is
going to be full of 2-colour goodies? Hhhmmmm... touché, WotC, you might
just win me over yet! After all, this is the shard responsible for one
of my new favourite cards, "Rotting Rats", so let's see what else it has
in store for us! ~hamsandwich and final_press~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Jund.
5/7/09 -
CS: Jund. The land of Goblins,
Berserkers, and things that eat both. Jund's my favorite aggressive
shard, thanks to its hasty creatures and removal effects. Looking at the
cards Alara Reborn has introduced us to, I must say my love of the shard
hasn't changed. So, what're we waiting for? Let's dive right in!
~Coldstone & Hooah_Pepper~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Esper.
5/6/09 - Welcome to Esper. A world of metal; and secrets.
A world where everything is controlled down to the smallest of clouds.
However, with the merging of the shards, Esper is no longer the world it
was. So lets see what happens to a world of metal when you add the
impulse, and ferocity of nature. ~AE & Skrit~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Bant.
5/5/09 - Not only am I happy to be reviewing Bant again
in this round of First Impressions, but I'm even happier to be writing
this with Cashew. Cashew is a fantastic writer, deck engineer, thorough
critic, and has one of those writing styles I really enjoy. As I'm sure
you will too.
I can't say that all of the cards this time around are
getting an A+ from me, but there are some great cards in this bunch. If
there is one thing I really like about Bant, its the exalted mechanic.
Awesome-ness. At the prerelease I built an exalted deck that worked
reasonably well. I didn't win anything, but the exalted fun with
unblockables and evasion creatures was casual bliss. ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
First
Impressions: Alara Reborn - Top 10 Multiplayer Cards!
5/4/09 - Welcome ladies and gents! It's First Impressions
week for Alara Reborn, and what a week it's going to be. Wizards of the
Coast has decided to satiate our multicolor hunger with an all gold set.
Who would've thought? The introduction of the cascade mechanic and the
inclusion of hybrid multicolored gold cards are just two of the
multi-player highlights in this set. I have been charged with choosing
the FI Top Ten Multi-player card list and I have to say it was difficult
to whittle down to size. For those of you who know the sandwich, you
understand that the MFFA (Multi-player Free For All) is what it's all
about for this lunchmeat. Though I have spent some time dabbling in
Standard and enjoy the limited formats now and again, the staple of my
Magic diet is sitting around the kitchen table trying to kill multiple
mages all at the same time (or at least in successive order).
When we talk about multi-player, we are generally
referring to casual games between friends, where budgets are low,
grudges live forever, and it's almost as fun to be killed in a new and
interesting way as it is to win. So what do we look for in a
multi-player card? ~hamsandwich~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
A Day in the Life
of MDV: Visual Spoilers and Art Catacombs.
4/29/09 -
In honor of the unofficial visual spoiler theme week on MDV, I figured
this article was appropriate. Originally published during MDV
Theme Week from mid-2008, Michael_Zeora(MZ) talks about the Visual
Spoilers and Art Catacombs on Magic Deck Vortex in a fun style of
writing. MZ isn't part of the MDV Writers Guild anymore, this is still a
fun and applicable piece. ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Kicking a Bad
Habit.
4/24/09 - Today I’m kicking a bad habit. A really bad habit that’s
cost me pain, sweat, and tears. A habit that, if continued, would certainly
cause me to self-destruct.
And what may that habit be? I’ll give you two hints. One:
It involves spending money. Two: It involves spending countless hours perusing
items online. Keep reading if you want to find out.
Also, I’ll be talking about one of my favorite mechanics:
kicker. I’ll talk about kicker a little bit, and then present my own top ten
list of kicker cards. Within the top ten list you’ll find a plethora of decks to
peruse right in the article. Keep reading! ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
An Interview with
a Poison Counter.
4/23/09 - Hello everyone
I'm your host AlasterEisaroh, and we have a very special guest today on
the premier edition of An Interview With. Our guest today is something
that has been around for a long time, and yet isn't that well know. So
without further ado our special guest is.......
...
Where the heck is the drum roll?
*Drum roll plays*
That's better.
It's Poison Counter! ~AlasterEisaroh~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
London Calling.
4/22/09 -
“Wrath of God!!”
“Uh, wait! Hold up…” taps two
Islands and two Plains and plays Broken Ambitions. “I counter unless you
pay 3.”
Looks at board. “Okay,” puts Wrath of God in
graveyard.
“Okay, now we clash.”
“Now we what?”
“Clash, reveal the top card of
your library and…”
“Oh, yeah, yeah, whatever.” Looks at top card of
library. “Now what?
“Reveal it, what’s the converted
mana cost?”
Reveals Knight of Meadowgrain. “Two.”
“Okay, I got a land.” Puts land to
bottom of library.
“Now what?...” ~hamsandwich~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Life Down Under.
4/21/09 -
There are very few ways to play Magic. For the most part you draw a
card, then you cast it from your hand. While there are ton of a
variations to the style of cards you use - control, combo, aggro - there
really isn't much beyond drawing and casting. You might do it fast, you
might do it slow, but, in the end, the flow of the game is the same -
draw and cast.
Then Ravnica came along and revolutionized the way
many people play Magic. It was no longer so much about drawing as it was
about massively expanding your graveyard for dredge players. The era of
the graveyard had officially begun, and dredge was its king. The fact
that Leyline of the Void would often be mainboarded at tournaments was a
sign of just how powerful the graveyard monster was. ~Cashew~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Offering Up
Mechanic Week!
4/20/09 - This week we're
looking at one of the aspects of Magic: the Gathering that
differentiates a set or block from the previous one - Mechanics (and not
the automotive kind)! While it is true that the setting and flavor of a
set is the most easily identifiable characteristic of a set or block,
think about what those sets would be like if the game mechanics never
changed. That would be like getting a cool Simpsons themed chess set -
sure, the pieces all look new to you, but the bishop still moves
diagonally, and pawns just move forward. It's still just chess. If
Magic: the Gathering were like that, we might get bored with it pretty
quickly, and there would certainly be very little reason for new sets.
Fortunately for us Magic players, this is not the case.
With each new set that is released, we get a mix of tried and true
standbys like Trample, new block and set-specific mechanics like
Exalted, and every once in a while even a favorite block mechanic
returned for another go around, like Cycling. This week we'll be running
a themed series of articles, focusing on some of our favorite(and not so
favorite) mechanics. Right this very moment, you are reading the
combined intro and my article on Offering, but be sure to check back
each day this week for another helping of mechanic mayhem! ~Dan Wright (Drathro)~
Discuss here.
|
 Mechanic
Week on Magic Deck Vortex!
4/20/09 - Drathro starts us out on the latest theme week to hit MDV
Main: Mechanics! Check out the page linked above for all of the
content associated with this week! ~Streetz~ |
Featured
Article:
Pauper
Chronicles: A Pauper Primer.
4/17/09 - If
you have been playing Magic: the Gathering for any period of time, you know at
least one thing – that Magic: the Gathering is expensive. Constructing a deck
can consume allowances and salaries, and you still have to be able to play the
deck well to win your FNM or local tournaments. For a lot of players, the cost
of making a deck can keep people from playing the game. If you look at the
majority of Magic players, and see how many are interested in the game and in
playing fun Magic, many are not interested in paying $40 for a play set of Wrath
of God just to do well in their next FNM tournament.
With all that in mind, what if I
told you that you could build an extremely competitive deck for fewer than two
dollars, could play in weekly tournaments for free, and win prizes? If you
weren’t interested in buying expensive cards, would you be interested in that?
For that matter, are you interested in a new and challenging format where budget
doesn’t constrain your game? If so – welcome to the world of Pauper. ~Death_By_Beebles~
Discuss here.
[REPRINT] |
Featured
Article:
Raiding the
Dollar Bins: The Writing on the Wall.
4/16/09 - Magic is a sport for many, and a way of life for some - the
drive to win and be competitive can take all the fun out of your game. This
week, I invite all you headstrong cardslingers, all you tournament jockeys, all
you stressed out Magic players to cool down, relax, and play some Magic for fun,
and on a budget that's right for the most casual to the most extreme.
And if you're going to cool down and play some Casual Magic
for a change, what to play? Well, a Raiding the Dollar Bins deck, of course! So
riddle me this: What’s the most complicated card that rewards nothing? And how
can it be used in a deck that will rock your opponent’s face? I hope you’re
curious, because this week’s deck is going to knock your socks off! Check it out
in this edition of Raiding the Dollar Bins. ~Death_By_Beebles~
Discuss here.
[REPRINT] |
Featured
Article:
Going Blind: A
First Look at Lands.
4/15/09 - Welcome
to the first article in the Going Blind series. In this series, we’ll be looking
at some of your favorite cards in a way you’d never imagine, and we’ll be
looking at cards you’ve never heard of before, all in an attempt to take a look
at three, four and five card blind. For all those semi-concerned readers out
there, have no fear. Raiding the Dollar Bins isn’t being cancelled. With all
that being said, let’s take a look at non-bas… wait, you’re not familiar with
the card blind games? Then let me illuminate the path for you. ~Death_By_Beebles~
Discuss here.
[REPRINT] |
Featured
Article:
Raiding the
Dollar Bins #2: Urn Yearning!
4/14/09 -
Death_By_Beebles has recently announced he is leaving the admin staff of
the Magic Deck Vortex forums. While it saddens me to see him leaving the
admin staff and the writers guild, I can appreciate all of the work he
has done for the site. He was one of the first authors to ever be
published on Magic Deck Vortex, and also a great influence on the site
and community. Please wish him well in his future endeavors. I will be
running DBB's material all this week as a means to thank and remember
his great works during his four years working with Magic Deck Vortex. ~Streetz~
In the meantime, enjoy MDV's second formal article
ever, by Death_By_Beebles.
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
One Card to Rule
Them All: Skarrgan Firebird.
3/30/09 - Today’s card is inspired by a private contest I held in the
forum last month that didn’t have a whole lot of participation, but
spawned a variety of fun decks. And that’s what Magic Deck Vortex is all
about, right? Decks, decks and more decks.I
will be honest to say that the Firebird isn’t a card I would normally
feature in this series, as I didn’t think the card had enough potential
to write an entire article about. However, the deckbuilding contest
submissions, along with some decks I found online, proved me wrong. This
card is capable of some fun interactions, great synergies and, for sure,
deserves a second look.
Today I’m going to take a look at the deckbuilding
contest submissions, some other decks I found online, and my own
creation built around Skarrgan Firebird. Curious what I come up with?
Keep reading! ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
|
Featured
Article:
Random Knowledge, Random Decks: "How to
Keep an Idiot Busy"
3/27/09 - NOTE FROM
STREETZ: Given the recent computer drama I've dealt with I was unable to
get anything brand new up for Friday this week. Instead I'm going
to throw a treat from 2007 at you in the form of "How to Keep an Idiot
Busy!" Below is a quick intro from the author, LSoR!Umm... Sounds mighty fun, don't you think? Keeping idiots
busy has been one of my greatest joys in Magic ever since it was made possible
(since like... always). There has been nothing more fun than seeing my opponent
squirm, sigh, and cry all in the same 50-minute game we have been playing. ~LSoR~
Discuss here.
[This is a Reprint] |
Featured
Article:
BLOG: MDV
League First Monthly Tournament.
3/24/09 - So
the First MDV League Tournament is finally under wraps. Congratulations
FuDawg. You are the Ext EDH Champion! Fudawg landed on top of 6 man
Double Elimination tournament, Claiming the B side and going on to face
Lionden in the grand finally. ~Haggis~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
One Card to Rule
Them All: Sunken Hope.
3/24/09 - I
have a problem. Perhaps there’s an Anonymous group somewhere I should seek out
and join – because I can’t stop picking Blue cards to feature for this series.
Blue Obsession Anonymous (BOA)? Anyway, today I’m dipping into the Invasion
block and grabbing a Blue rare enchantment called Sunken Hope.As usual, I’ll feature a few decks from around the net and
then present one of my own. However, this time around I will be presenting a lot
more decks, one of which uses a card from Planar Chaos. Curious what card? Keep
reading! ~Streetz~
Discuss here.
[This is a Reprint] |
Featured
Article:
BLOG: Down
goes another computer. Quick Update!
3/23/09 -
If you were wondering why the main site wasn't updated last week, it was
a combination of things including the fact that I, Streetz, was on
vacation.
The other things include problems with publishing to MDV's FTP via a
laptop using wifi. I had a laptop with me that I was prepared to make
updates with but due to the problem with publishing to the FTP site, I
abandoned the idea of making main site updates while in Florida in
vacation. On a positive note I was able to play lots of Magic with my
sister's friends and family... ~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
BLOG:
Exploring a "New" Format
3/23/09 - This blog
by Drathro is actually from last week but was supposed to be featured on
the main site while I was on vacation. For more on why it wasn't
posted last week, check out my blog from Monday. ~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Join
the MDV Forum Community!
3/10/09 - So you visit Magic Deck Vortex often... checking out its combo
pages, the deck database, the visual spoilers, the set rumors, the
featured links, the art catacombs, the blogs... but you haven't joined
the forums yet? What's keeping you from saying
hello?MDV has a diverse community for you
to explore beyond the red and black walls of MDV Main. I would
highly encourage you to check it out. There are contests, forum
games (both mindless and thought provoking), a casual deck submission
forum and even forums for tournament decks and limited discussions.
You can comment on articles, check out some of the user submitted
artwork, post something in the fiction or avatar sections or even
discuss Magic storylines and history. Maybe you want to submit a
suggestion about the site or post a combo -- there's subforums for that
too!
Whatever your joy is, join the forums and start off by
introducing yourself in the
Introduce Yourself forum. First,
click here
to register! ~Streetz~
|
Featured
Article:
BLOG: Ooze
Garden!?
3/7/09 - I'm sure you'll be hearing a
lot about the Pro Tour Kyoto decks (check out Gabriel Nassif's Deck:
Wall of Reverence maindeck and Wydwen, the Biting Gale (finally!) in the
sb), but how about a few other lesser known, but still interesting
Standard decks for your perusal? ~Drathro~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
BLOG:
Introducing the MDV League Blog!
3/7/09 - Just
letting you all know that the MDV League now has a Blog (Clearly as you
are reading it) I will be using this Blog to update the MDV community
about all the happening in the MDV League. From New tournaments, to just
giving some of the players some praise. So stay tuned. ~Haggis~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Tribal Coffee:
Dragons. We don't need no stinking Dragons
3/5/09 - Dragons are stupid. They're large, bulky, and everyone
seems to play them.
"Here's my Dragon collection, look how awesome it is!" "This is my favorite
Dragon it can kill you in one turn!" So much pro-Dragon love out there, but not
from me. I'm stating it loud and proud I'm a Dragon hater. Chant with me now: Hate, Hate, Hate.
You over there, do the Braves chop and bellow out "OOOOOOVVVVVVVEEERATTTTTTED OOOOVERATEDDDDDDDDD"
Someone heckle that Dragon player over there for me,
please:
"We want a creature, not a crappy feature!"
I mean come on! There are so many cooler things out there
than the same big ole nasty Dragons we've seen. Heck, there are things close to
them too that still have that edge. Let's check out a few examples... ~Cashew~
Discuss here.
[This is a Reprint] |
Featured
Article:
F[W]
Deckbuilding Contest Results!
3/5/09 - The
other day I posted a blog about a Deckbuilding Contest I hosted within
the Forum Wizards Clan Private Forums. In the blog I talked about
the contest, the prize, the decks and the winner. If you want to
see the decks the fellow Forum Wizards made around Skarrgan Firebird,
check out the blog. You might be surprised! ~Streetz~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
The Spaghetti
Incident...
3/4/09 -
[This is a Reprint] I recently was finishing up my basket of articles and
needed to take them to Streetz for publication. As I got up from my desk, I
decided to take one last bite of spaghetti before going. Unbeknownst to me, as I
put the fork down, a meatball escaped the plate and made a mad dash across the
room. I took the pages of articles and departed the desk only to find myself
flipping backwards in the air. Upon landing on the ground, I looked up and saw
all the pages of the three articles flipping and fluttering through the air.
I laid on the ground for five minutes. "What the heck am I going to tell
Streetz? I am limping because I slipped on a meatball and about broke my
tailbone? The articles are mixed up because I was eating on the job? What the
heck am I going to do now?" ~Chris Newton~
Discuss here. |
Featured
Article:
Design on a Dime:
Death_By_Beebles vs. Cashew!
2/26/09 -
[Death_By_Beebles]
Right after the first Design on a Dime contest, I was hankering for a
rematch with Luther, but that didn't pan out. Instead, he got into a
fight with a sandwich, and as interesting as those little squabbles tend
to be, I wasn't really a part of their little battle... so I decided to
take fate into my own hands, and challenged some people to a contest.
At first, I didn't think anyone would accept; but
Cashew accepted the challenge and threw his hat into the ring. This was
going to be a challenge for me. Unlike Luther, Cashew wasn't someone I
could easily predict. Would he build a control deck or an aggro deck? I
had no clue... ~DBB & Cashew~
Discuss here. |
|
