Interview with Mundisv, MPDC Season 23 Champion

- In few words, who are you in real life, Mundisv?

My name is Raimundas. I'm 18 years old with about a half of a year left before I'll finish my school.

- How did you hear of MTGO?

Previously, I played Yugioh TCG in paper and poker online. I knew about Magic from the Yugioh players and thought it's convenient  to play the game online, since here in Lithuania we don't have any high-level events and the metagame in FNMs is stale. I stopped playing Yugioh and fed my urge for card games by playing MTGO recently.

- Do you play Paper Mtg? Since when?

I don't own any paper cards and I have only played a few times with cards borrowed from my friends.

- For how long have you been playing on MTGO?

I started playing online the last summer, so it's over a half of a year.

- How much do you spend in MTGO a month?

Since I'm a student without a stable income, I try to avoid spending money on MTGO. I haven't spent any besides the initial cost for an account. Thanks to our great PRE prize support system, which allows me to keep freerolling this game.

- What is your favorite format there and why?

My favorite format has to be Standard Pauper (with Standard SilverBlack in the second place), where I can be as competitive as anyone else with a small budget. I like these formats, where card pools are smaller and it is easier to predict the metagame and innovate.

- Do you think MTGO STD Pauper Online Metagame reflects what it can be at a local store?

I believe paper players are aware of PDCmagic.com, where you could find  all the successful decklists, which should lead to similar metagames. There are no paper Standard Pauper tournaments in my country, but I believe paper ones are less competitive with only local players being able to compete.

- What kind of player are you, do you like aggro or control most?

I'm a control player by heart, but I always try to stay open and keep playing the best deck instead of locking myself in a cage of wrong habbits.

- What are your favorite colors?

I love blue due to my preference for control and the colors I pair it the most with are red or black.

- Why did you choose to join a clan on MTGO and how did that come to happen?

Standard Pauper community, and especially MyGalaxy, helped me a lot at the beginning and I wanted to become a bigger part of that community. Also, when I created my MTGO account I knew that I would be playing PREs most of the time with my low budget and I wanted to get involved into the clan activities rather sooner than later.

- What's the added value of being in a MTGO Clan from your point of view?

Our format is still small compared to others and being in a clan helps us to find similar minded people, in addition to playtesting partners. Grinding online can also feel quite lonely sometimes and  having someone to chat with is cool too.

- Are you a rogue deck brewer or do you like playing the best performing deck in the format?

I'm not a spectacular brewer and I'm playing the best deck most of the time. I prefer tweaking playable decks to brewing new ones.

- You have been performing so well all season 23 long with various lists, how would you explain that?

Lady luck was on my side and I kept abusing the most powerful decks all season long, which naturally leads to victories. In my opinion, following the metagame  and willing to switch decks were the most important here.

- Do you think everyone can make a meteoric rise to fame with the std pauper format just like you did with Mill and other lists? What would the best skill requirements be to achieve that?
Everyone can be successful as long as that person has free time on Mondays to dedicate for pauper, while also trying to step up his own game all the time.

- As MPDC Season 23 winner on points, it looks like attending a whole season is challenging for you? Why?
I'm a person up for a challenge all the time and dedicating myself to achieve something was very satisfactory for me. I liked this season and, as long as I have free time, I will always aim for the top in the upcoming seasons.

- What were your favorite 5 cards this season with Theros?

In no particular order, Tome Scour for being an amazing addition in the early days of Dimir Control, Ethereal Armor and Hopeful Eidolon for being amazing in the strongest deck, Pharika's Cure and Archeomancer for being amazing cards in the Dimir deck.

- What competitive archetypes could emerge this forthcoming Season 24 with the addition of Born of the Gods?

I'm not much of a brewer, but I think with a second Heroic creature for green and white, either white-based or green-based heroic decks could become a thing. I would also love to see something built to utilize the powers of Floodtide Serpent, Sphinx's Disciple and Servant of Tymaret but I'm not sure about that.

- What will you be playing in Season 24?

It's too early to say my deck of choice for sure, but I'll follow the metagame and always aim to play the best deck available. Also, I'll be the first one to try every control deck possible before switching to aggro.

- What do you think about Standard Pauper format for Magic in general?
I think it's a stepping stone for anyone looking to be successful in Magic. It's especially appealing online, where some people want to enjoy competitive gaming without a need to spend their money.

- What are your future plans for Magic?

In a perfect future, I want to be "infinite" on MTGO. I'm looking forward to saving up for a Block deck and grinding some Daily events.

- Would you suggest playing MTGO and MPDC for anyone else?

Definitely, it's fun and challenging. Player Run Events allows us to mimic everything competitive players do in other formats for free: analyzing metagame, tweaking and teching our decks, brewing, improving sequencing and decision making inside games.

- Are you happy about the MTGO client?

While a lot of people complain about this poor client, I think it's perfect. I never wanted fancy graphics and this client is close to minimalistic, professional poker platforms. The bugs are not really relevant for me and the only bad thing seemed to be event crashes, which is fixed right now.

- What do you think about the future of Standard Pauper?

I doubt it that Wizards would add sanctioned events for the format, but they should promote this format in the future, since it's a great way to introduce Magic to new players.

- What do you think about the future of our clan and clan blog?

If the format is getting more exposure, our clan should keep growing, which is really great. The clan blog should become a cool place for MPDC champions to publish their decks and share their ideas on our format.

- What would you want to get printed as a common in future sets?

I would love to see a cycle of underpowered common planeswalkers. ;)

- Thanks for answering, Mundisv, and Good luck for MPDC Season 24 !

Born of the Gods : it's here

Net working?

Today will be a very short post, real life is taking over.

 Major fact : Born of the gods commons are available and cheap enough now for you to gather them and have a fight in the Standard pauper Arena.


Purchase them, at least the ones you need and get ready for next Monday's

MPDC

Season 24 will be starting right away, hosted by Gwyned !!

Get ready on 24/2 February, please keep an eye on PDCMagic for further announcements.

Special Standard Pauper Singleton / Cross posting !

And there was light !

Can't wait for Born of the Gods to be released Online ?

In need of brewing something special soon?


Something Standard Pauper?

Gwyned, our great historical host for MPDC series on PDCMagic.com and clan mate has decided to host something special in order to shorten the wait before MPDC Season 24 launches the week after. He announced that on his blog, Writer Adept.

So get ready for next monday, same time same place.

Get ready for STANDARD PAUPER SINGLETON !!! 

Monday February 17 at 2.00 EST.

All details can be found here, please read it carefully  :

http://writeradept.blogspot.fr/2014/02/special-standard-pauper-singleton.html

Really hope to see you there, just proceed as normal or read Gwyned's New Player Primer.

Born of the Gods : green cheese moon ?

Born of the Gods Review time once again, few days away from Online playtesting. I was whispered by the Muses Green gets a few interesting cards from the set.Full visual spoiler can be found here again :


http://mythicspoiler.com/

MonoGreen, Selesnya Auras, Simic Permission, Golgari Bad Touch and possibly Gruul could take advantage of new gems given from the gods. Out of those 8 cards, can you see the Magnificient Seven?

So, hmmmm, here are the green common cards that caught me eye :

What a pity this small badger is not a beast, like the flavor text tells. He would have been nice with Advocate of the Beast. Without a boost, his Trample ability is useless. Not the best turn 1 play in Green, Sledge Scorpion or Elvish Mystic are better choices.

Cheese.

Bestow 5 for a +3/+1 boost, or a 3/1 body for 3 manas. No ability at all. Is that even good for a Hexproof deck?
Selesnya Auras deck surely has better picks already.

Only reason it caught my eye is a fine art, I do like wolves.

This Inspired centaur warrior is interesting. 3/3 beater for 4 manas is classic. The fact that he can get out of most Burn range once 4/4 or even 5/5 is the best part. Make him unblockabe with Aqueous Form and you have a potential killer.

Springleaf Drum reprinted as an uncommon? What a pity !

Oh, those hairy hoofs are so cute.

Here comes a good card. A 1/1 body is weak for 2 manas, but the upside is you can take benefit and get a land. Not only a Basic land, but even a gate. This guy is a great mana fixer, but not only.

Let's say you're playing Selesnya Auras and you have an Auramancer and that satyr in your starting hand, but no Aura. Get a land, mill the reavealed aura(s) in your graveyard, and get them back casting Auramancer on turn 3. Well, that's what this guy makes possible. Simply can be good in any deck playing some Green, wether monocolor or multicolor.

Devotion to Green? Maybe.
Still a bit risky, since if you play this on turn 2 or 3 it can die from a Shock or whatever. You'll have to target him twice before he reaches the out of Burn range. Perfect target for Aspect of Hydra if you're heading for a Monogreen deck.

Aggro? Devotion to Green?
Here I am, rock you like a hurricane ! (reference/quote? Say in the comments)
And the flavor text is great. There were better days at same casting cost, given Garruk's Companion, but hey, that's a fair deal for Mono Green Deck actually.












Great art !
Not a bad card, though the snake will often gain you 4 life  because a 7/7 monster is too hard to deal with. Ramp deck playing threat after threat every turn once manabase is set can be painful.  And that card can fit such an archetype.

Want to give it a try and see?

We have Giant Growth and we will have this too. Because it can be better than Giant Growth sometimes. Green Devotion is the way for that card to shine. And there can be some !
Nyleas Disciple and Aspect of Hydra are crying for some action right there. Swordwise Centaur, Setessan Oathsworn, battery !
All this and more makes it worth giving a test.

Ready?






So here we are done with the spoiler !
No Born of the Gods Artefacts or Lands review for Standard pauper, all of them being rated as Uncommons or Rares.
So what do you think?
- Will Born of the Gods have any impact on the Standard Pauper Metagame?
- What cards do you intend to play at competitive level?
- Wich color gets the most interesting cards in your opinion?

Just let us know in the comments below ! So many readers and so few feedback is weird. Let's change that !

The hidden card Mill would take advantage of still has not been guessed, check this post :
http://standardpauperplayers.blogspot.fr/2014/01/born-of-gods-blues-in-you.html

And open the golden door using the key to the mistery. Here's a hint : Dimir Mill will have to splash a third color, playing it wisely and recurrently. Post in the article comments to claim your prize !

Born of the Gods : seeing Red ?

Born of the Gods Review time once again, ten days away from Online playtesting. I was whispered by the Muses Red gets a few interesting cards from the set.

Full visual spoiler can be found here again :


http://mythicspoiler.com/

Red Deck Wins, Boros Enchantments, Izzet builds and possibly Gruul could competitively take advantage of new efficient cards in the current Standard Pauper Metagame. Rakdos is seeing very few play at the moment.

Here are the cards that caught my eye.

Removal or Burn three to the face, at sorcery speed, sounds a bit weak but the upside is you get to Scry 1. May not see much play in RDW because there are already better Burn spells at instant speed and for a lower casting cost. Red builds also currently focus more on swarming and pumping for the win. Annihilating Fire is just better in the format. One may be tempted to build a straight Burn decklist using all spells available, I don't recommand it.












One mana Aura. Triggers Heroic on turn 2, matches well with Inspired too. I guess it won't see much play but one could try it out in a Boros Enchantments Deck. The art is fine.

Red eyes seing Red !













It's like a fight without your opponent punching back ! Great removal if you have a big fatty on the battlefield. Pity that card can not target a player but hey, it's great ! Could be a good addition in an Izzet Cyclops deck. Removal, combat trick, Heroic triggering, the hammer has an incredible potential if played wisely. Some say it's one of the best commons of the set. Don't you miss that one !

Featherless Icarus, your wings are on fire !!!

Haste, Flying evasion, this guy is worth trying out. Could see play in Boros or RDW. Madcap Skills ? Two is a couple. May end up 2 for 1 yourself  if he gets removed though, sharing Icarus' mythological Fate.

Explicit art and flavor text. This Minotaur rocks !

2/3 warrior for 3 mana is a deal but what makes it really interesting is the Inspired ability. Typically the king of brute you want to swing with when there is no defense on the board. This horned beef with Madcap Skills turns into a 7/3 real threat. A nice card for RDW or Boros, even for Izzet in case you want to make it unblockable or tap defenses out with Hidden Strings.

Dancing then wrecking the party on demand !

Here's the cheapest Bestow cost. A 1/1 for one mana is what we're used to in Red. This can be a turn 1 play as well as a turn 2 bestow triggering Heroic on Akroan crusader. Yeah, let's call him "Heroic trigger happy" because it's obviously what he was created for. I don't know if he will see much play though.

Do the Crusher !

Will the giant enter the battlefield 5/5 ?
Or only 3/3 but you take 5 ?

Lava Axe and a body. 5/5 is not easy to deal with in the format if he hits the board. Standard Pauper may be the only constructed format for this giant to see play, if he does at all.
Nice art and underpants !

A body that can beat early and destroy an artefact. That's just it.
I hate Razortip Whips so i'm just glad !

Anecdotic though.








So that's what we were given in Red at common.
Is there something missing ?
Just say in the comments below and see you next time for the review of Born of the Gods Green commons !
Until then, take care.