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Friday, 28 September 2018
MTG Guilds of Ravnica - Mechanics
HOUSE DIMIR AND SURVEIL
The Dimir maintain their power by seeing everything from the shadows. They know what's going to happen before it does, and they're quick to move if they don't like what they see. The new surveilability gives you a look into—and some control over—the future of your draws.
The instruction to surveil always includes a number, such as surveil 2 on Deadly Visit. Look at that many cards from the top of your library. From those cards, put as many cards as you like back on top of your library in any order. Put the rest into your graveyard. Surveil helps you set up better draws for the future. Even if all the cards you looked at end up in the graveyard, you're that much closer to what you need.
Surveil is very reminiscent of the scry ability, but don't underestimate the difference between putting cards into your graveyard and putting them on the bottom of your library. Your graveyard is a much readier resource, and plenty of cards (not to mention the abilities of some other guilds) will be quick to capitalize. If the Dimir love anything, it's advantage, so initiate surveillance on the oblivious and outmaneuver the underprepared.
The Dimir maintain their power by seeing everything from the shadows. They know what's going to happen before it does, and they're quick to move if they don't like what they see. The new surveilability gives you a look into—and some control over—the future of your draws.
The instruction to surveil always includes a number, such as surveil 2 on Deadly Visit. Look at that many cards from the top of your library. From those cards, put as many cards as you like back on top of your library in any order. Put the rest into your graveyard. Surveil helps you set up better draws for the future. Even if all the cards you looked at end up in the graveyard, you're that much closer to what you need.
Surveil is very reminiscent of the scry ability, but don't underestimate the difference between putting cards into your graveyard and putting them on the bottom of your library. Your graveyard is a much readier resource, and plenty of cards (not to mention the abilities of some other guilds) will be quick to capitalize. If the Dimir love anything, it's advantage, so initiate surveillance on the oblivious and outmaneuver the underprepared.
THE IZZET LEAGUE AND JUMP-START
No guild is more responsible for building (and occasionally blowing up) Ravnica's infrastructure than the inventors and mad scientists of the Izzet. Their most recent innovation, the new ability jump-start, is based on a simple principle: if an experiment succeeds, do it again!
Jump-start is found on instants and sorceries. You can cast a card with jump-start from your graveyard by paying all its regular costs and one additional cost: discarding a card from your hand. Casting a spell with jump-start follows all the normal timing rules, so sorceries with jump-start are still limited to your main phases. A spell with jump-start that was cast from your graveyard can still be countered, and if it has targets, it won't do anything if all its targets disappear or otherwise become illegal. After a spell with jump-start cast from your graveyard resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in any way, it's exiled.
Let's talk about the card you discard to enable jump-start. In the late game, this is a great thing to do with excess lands or other less valuable cards. You can also discard a different card with jump-start, setting yourself up to cast it from your graveyard later. If you end up fighting alongside the Dimir (a risky proposition . . . perfect!), the surveil ability can dump cards with jump-start in your graveyard and turbocharge your options. If casting a spell once is good, casting it twice must be awesome. If the Izzet love anything, it's advantage, so get a jump-start on a dizzying array of spellcasting!
No guild is more responsible for building (and occasionally blowing up) Ravnica's infrastructure than the inventors and mad scientists of the Izzet. Their most recent innovation, the new ability jump-start, is based on a simple principle: if an experiment succeeds, do it again!
Jump-start is found on instants and sorceries. You can cast a card with jump-start from your graveyard by paying all its regular costs and one additional cost: discarding a card from your hand. Casting a spell with jump-start follows all the normal timing rules, so sorceries with jump-start are still limited to your main phases. A spell with jump-start that was cast from your graveyard can still be countered, and if it has targets, it won't do anything if all its targets disappear or otherwise become illegal. After a spell with jump-start cast from your graveyard resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in any way, it's exiled.
Let's talk about the card you discard to enable jump-start. In the late game, this is a great thing to do with excess lands or other less valuable cards. You can also discard a different card with jump-start, setting yourself up to cast it from your graveyard later. If you end up fighting alongside the Dimir (a risky proposition . . . perfect!), the surveil ability can dump cards with jump-start in your graveyard and turbocharge your options. If casting a spell once is good, casting it twice must be awesome. If the Izzet love anything, it's advantage, so get a jump-start on a dizzying array of spellcasting!
THE GOLGARI SWARM AND UNDERGROWTH
Life is a circle. And the bottom part of that circle dips into the muck and mire of the dead. The Golgari have an entire plane to feed, and they know that just because something stops breathing, it doesn't mean it stops being useful. The new ability word undergrowth is used to highlight abilities that care in some way about the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
Each undergrowth ability is different, so read each carefully to see exactly how all these corpses are going to help you. Golgari decks are highly interested in filling the graveyard. Creature combat is a fantastic way to do that, but discarding cards and dumping cards from the top of your library into your graveyard are just as effective. Undergrowth abilities provide scaling effects that may start small, but they can be dominating in the late game. If the Golgari love anything, it's advantage, so dig through the undergrowth and put the dead to good use.
Each undergrowth ability is different, so read each carefully to see exactly how all these corpses are going to help you. Golgari decks are highly interested in filling the graveyard. Creature combat is a fantastic way to do that, but discarding cards and dumping cards from the top of your library into your graveyard are just as effective. Undergrowth abilities provide scaling effects that may start small, but they can be dominating in the late game. If the Golgari love anything, it's advantage, so dig through the undergrowth and put the dead to good use.
THE BOROS LEGION AND MENTOR
Corruption and infighting threaten the heart of Ravnica, but the militaristic Boros Legion stands ready to fight for justice. In these unsteady times, they can afford no weak links. The new keyword mentor ensures a strong fighting force from top to bottom.
Mentor is an ability that triggers whenever the creature with mentor attacks. You choose another attacking creature with lesser power as the target. As the ability resolves, compare the powers of the two creatures again. If the target creature's power is still less than the power of the creature with mentor, put a +1/+1 counter on the target creature. If something happened in response to the mentor ability such that the target creature no longer has lesser power, the mentor ability won't do anything.
Attacking with multiple creatures with mentor may require some coordination to get all the bonuses you want, particularly in digital versions of Magic. For example, let's say you attack with Hammer Dropper, Barging Sergeant, and a 3/3 creature. Let's say you want both mentor abilities to target the 3/3, hoping to pump it up to a hefty 5/5. Both mentor abilities trigger at the same time, so you can put them on the stack in either order. But be careful! If you put Barging Sergeant's ability on the stack first, followed by Hammer Dropper's, Hammer Dropper's ability will resolve first. The 3/3 has lesser power than the 5/2 Hammer Dropper, so your 3/3 gets promoted to a 4/4. When Barging Sergeant's mentor ability tries to resolve, it will see the target now has equal power to it. That makes the 4/4 an illegal target for the mentor ability, and that ability won't do anything. You'll be stuck with a 4/4.
That's not optimal, soldier! By putting Barging Sergeant's ability on the stack second (so it resolves first), the 3/3 will pass its check first and become a 4/4. That 4/4 will then pass the check of Hammer Dropper's mentor ability, earning its second +1/+1 counter and graduating as a stellar 5/5. Well done! If the Boros love anything, it's advantage, so help those beneath you rise up and form an elite squad incapable of failure.
Corruption and infighting threaten the heart of Ravnica, but the militaristic Boros Legion stands ready to fight for justice. In these unsteady times, they can afford no weak links. The new keyword mentor ensures a strong fighting force from top to bottom.
Mentor is an ability that triggers whenever the creature with mentor attacks. You choose another attacking creature with lesser power as the target. As the ability resolves, compare the powers of the two creatures again. If the target creature's power is still less than the power of the creature with mentor, put a +1/+1 counter on the target creature. If something happened in response to the mentor ability such that the target creature no longer has lesser power, the mentor ability won't do anything.
Attacking with multiple creatures with mentor may require some coordination to get all the bonuses you want, particularly in digital versions of Magic. For example, let's say you attack with Hammer Dropper, Barging Sergeant, and a 3/3 creature. Let's say you want both mentor abilities to target the 3/3, hoping to pump it up to a hefty 5/5. Both mentor abilities trigger at the same time, so you can put them on the stack in either order. But be careful! If you put Barging Sergeant's ability on the stack first, followed by Hammer Dropper's, Hammer Dropper's ability will resolve first. The 3/3 has lesser power than the 5/2 Hammer Dropper, so your 3/3 gets promoted to a 4/4. When Barging Sergeant's mentor ability tries to resolve, it will see the target now has equal power to it. That makes the 4/4 an illegal target for the mentor ability, and that ability won't do anything. You'll be stuck with a 4/4.
That's not optimal, soldier! By putting Barging Sergeant's ability on the stack second (so it resolves first), the 3/3 will pass its check first and become a 4/4. That 4/4 will then pass the check of Hammer Dropper's mentor ability, earning its second +1/+1 counter and graduating as a stellar 5/5. Well done! If the Boros love anything, it's advantage, so help those beneath you rise up and form an elite squad incapable of failure.
THE SELESNYA CONCLAVE AND CONVOKE
Community and solidarity are everything to the Selesnya. They want nothing more than a unified Ravnica, but in a climate where that seems less and less likely, the Conclave resolves to be prepared for what may come. In this set, they employ a tried-and-true tactic, the returning keyword convoke.
Convoke allows you to tap your creatures rather than pay for some or all of the mana normally required to cast the spell. Each creature pays for one mana of its color or for one generic mana if it doesn't match any the spell's colors. If you tap a multicolored creature, you can choose which cost it's covering.
For example, you can cast Rosemane Centaur by paying 3GW. Not a bad deal, but nothing to write your home plane about. You could also cast it by tapping a green creature and paying 3W. Or tap a white creature and pay 3G. Or tap three blue creatures and pay GW. Or tap two green creatures and pay 2W. Or tap five creatures, including at least one green creature and one white creature, and pay no mana at all!
Some things to remember: Tapping a creature for convoke doesn't involve the T symbol, so you can tap creatures with "summoning sickness," basically ones that just came under your control this turn. Tapping the creatures for convoke happens after you're done activating mana abilities. This means if you tap a creature for mana, it will be tapped when it comes time to convoke. Essentially, it can't count twice. Also, using convoke doesn't change a spell's mana cost or converted mana cost. Rosemane Centaur has a converted mana cost of 5 no matter how much mana you actually paid.
Community and solidarity are everything to the Selesnya. They want nothing more than a unified Ravnica, but in a climate where that seems less and less likely, the Conclave resolves to be prepared for what may come. In this set, they employ a tried-and-true tactic, the returning keyword convoke.
Convoke allows you to tap your creatures rather than pay for some or all of the mana normally required to cast the spell. Each creature pays for one mana of its color or for one generic mana if it doesn't match any the spell's colors. If you tap a multicolored creature, you can choose which cost it's covering.
For example, you can cast Rosemane Centaur by paying 3GW. Not a bad deal, but nothing to write your home plane about. You could also cast it by tapping a green creature and paying 3W. Or tap a white creature and pay 3G. Or tap three blue creatures and pay GW. Or tap two green creatures and pay 2W. Or tap five creatures, including at least one green creature and one white creature, and pay no mana at all!
Some things to remember: Tapping a creature for convoke doesn't involve the T symbol, so you can tap creatures with "summoning sickness," basically ones that just came under your control this turn. Tapping the creatures for convoke happens after you're done activating mana abilities. This means if you tap a creature for mana, it will be tapped when it comes time to convoke. Essentially, it can't count twice. Also, using convoke doesn't change a spell's mana cost or converted mana cost. Rosemane Centaur has a converted mana cost of 5 no matter how much mana you actually paid.
HYBRID MANA
A hybrid mana symbol can be paid by one of its two component colors. For example, a cost of b/g (as seen on Status, above) can be paid by either B or G. A spell with a hybrid mana symbol on its mana cost is both of that symbol's colors. Status is a black and green spell, no matter what mana you use to cast it. Hybrid mana gives you great flexibility when considering what cards to include in your deck. And now, back to split cards
A hybrid mana symbol can be paid by one of its two component colors. For example, a cost of b/g (as seen on Status, above) can be paid by either B or G. A spell with a hybrid mana symbol on its mana cost is both of that symbol's colors. Status is a black and green spell, no matter what mana you use to cast it. Hybrid mana gives you great flexibility when considering what cards to include in your deck. And now, back to split cards
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SPLIT CARDS
If you've never played with split cards before, here's a quick refresher. They're essentially two cards in one. As you cast a split card, you choose which half you're casting. While the spell is on the stack, only that half is considered. The half you're not casting is just ignored. A split card is always a single card. For example, if you are instructed to discard two cards, Status // Statue counts as only one of them. While not on the stack, a split card has the combined characteristics of both halves. This means that while it's not on the stack, Status // Statue has a converted mana cost of 5. (This might be a change from the last time you played with split cards.)
SPLIT CARDS
If you've never played with split cards before, here's a quick refresher. They're essentially two cards in one. As you cast a split card, you choose which half you're casting. While the spell is on the stack, only that half is considered. The half you're not casting is just ignored. A split card is always a single card. For example, if you are instructed to discard two cards, Status // Statue counts as only one of them. While not on the stack, a split card has the combined characteristics of both halves. This means that while it's not on the stack, Status // Statue has a converted mana cost of 5. (This might be a change from the last time you played with split cards.)
Tuesday, 25 September 2018
MTG Pre-release
This weekend it is MTG Prerelease for Guilds of Ravnica, and if the idea of spending a day playing a tournament doesn't fit into how you prefer to play Magic, or if you have less time and just want to experience Ravnica on your own time, you can get involved in Open Dueling!
You get a ready-to-play 60-card Planeswalker Deck and use it to do battle against others participating in Open Dueling, including players participating in the main tournament who are between rounds.
This is a great way to dip your toe into the water if you aren't sure the Prerelease is something you want to do or if you can't commit 5 hours to a Prerelease event. You can just play games in Open Dueling at your own leisure. Plus, it's fun!
Scum and Villany Conversion Kits
Driven by their desire for profit, bounty hunters will relentlessly pursue their quarry to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Far from the uniform ranks of the Rebellion or the Empire, these mercenaries often inject their own style and flair into their work. With the Scum and Villainy Conversion Kit, you can take your own ragtag band of bounty hunters into X-Wing Second Edition right away.
The Scum and Villainy Conversion Kit contains everything that you need to take your existing colleciton of first edition Scum and Villainy ships into the game's second edition. Here, you'll find an assortment of second edition punchboard, ship cards, and upgrade cards, letting you bring the galaxy's most dangerous beings to life on your tabletop. In addition to being present in the Scum and Villainy Conversion Kit, all of the Scum and Villainy ships and upgrades found in the conversion kit will be fully implemented in the X-Wing Second Edition squad-builder at launch, giving you the opportunity to experiment with a full complement of new content. Likewise, first-time players can use the conversion kit and first edition expansions to get a feel for the game with as many different ships as possible!
Friday, 21 September 2018
Galactic Empire Conversion Kits
Our second item fro X-Wing is ...
At the height of its power, the Imperial Navy deployed a wide range of ships and exceptional pilots in its effort to bring order to the galaxy and crush the Rebellion. From the legendary Soontir Fel in his TIE interceptor to the feared TIE defender pilots of Onyx Squadron, each pilot and ship had unique skills and capabilities to offer in service of the Emperor. The Galactic Empire Conversion Kit allows you to tap into the vast reserves of the Empire at the very beginning of X-Wing Second Edition.
This kit contains all the components you need to upgrade your Imperial ship collection from the first edition to the second edition, including ship cards, upgrade cards, ship tokens, and maneuver dials. With the conversion kit, veteran and new players alike will be able to choose from a variety of Imperial pilots for each ship, then outfit those ships by selecting from more than one-hundred upgrade cards. All ships and upgrade cards contained in the Galactic Empire Conversion Kit will be supported by the X-Wing Second Edition squad-builder app at launch, giving you a deep pool of options for customizing each ship and squadron.
At the height of its power, the Imperial Navy deployed a wide range of ships and exceptional pilots in its effort to bring order to the galaxy and crush the Rebellion. From the legendary Soontir Fel in his TIE interceptor to the feared TIE defender pilots of Onyx Squadron, each pilot and ship had unique skills and capabilities to offer in service of the Emperor. The Galactic Empire Conversion Kit allows you to tap into the vast reserves of the Empire at the very beginning of X-Wing Second Edition.
This kit contains all the components you need to upgrade your Imperial ship collection from the first edition to the second edition, including ship cards, upgrade cards, ship tokens, and maneuver dials. With the conversion kit, veteran and new players alike will be able to choose from a variety of Imperial pilots for each ship, then outfit those ships by selecting from more than one-hundred upgrade cards. All ships and upgrade cards contained in the Galactic Empire Conversion Kit will be supported by the X-Wing Second Edition squad-builder app at launch, giving you a deep pool of options for customizing each ship and squadron.
Rebel Alliance - Conversion Kit
This week we have had our X-Wing stock arrive, first up is ...
From the blazingly fast A-wing to the iconic Millennium Falcon, the Rebel Alliance fielded a great number of starships during the interstellar battles of the Galactic Civil War. Between the Rebel Alliance Conversion Kit and the extensive catalog of first edition expansions, these ships are available to join your squadron from day one.
Within this conversion kit, veteran players will find all of the components necessary to upgrade their existing Rebel ship collection from the first edition of X-Wing to the second edition. The conversion kit contains a vast array of new ship cards and tokens, including iconic pilots such as Han Solo, alongside more than one-hundred upgrade cards that give you the power to customize your squad to fit your playstyle. Finally, the conversion kit also includes the second edition maneuver dials for each ship, which makes planning your actions easier than ever before.
From the blazingly fast A-wing to the iconic Millennium Falcon, the Rebel Alliance fielded a great number of starships during the interstellar battles of the Galactic Civil War. Between the Rebel Alliance Conversion Kit and the extensive catalog of first edition expansions, these ships are available to join your squadron from day one.
Within this conversion kit, veteran players will find all of the components necessary to upgrade their existing Rebel ship collection from the first edition of X-Wing to the second edition. The conversion kit contains a vast array of new ship cards and tokens, including iconic pilots such as Han Solo, alongside more than one-hundred upgrade cards that give you the power to customize your squad to fit your playstyle. Finally, the conversion kit also includes the second edition maneuver dials for each ship, which makes planning your actions easier than ever before.
Tuesday, 18 September 2018
Disney Code Names
Coming soon ...
CODENAMES: Marvel - The Marvel Edition of Codenames combines the hit social word game with the Marvel Universe including Spider Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Avengers and Doctor Strange. Opposing teams, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, compete to be the first to identify all of their team’s ‘field agents’ from 25 Code cards displayed in a 5x5 grid. A must-have for Marvel fans of all ages.
CODENAMES: Disney Family Edition - The Disney Family Edition of Codenames combines the hit social word game with some of Disney’s most beloved properties from the past 90 years. Two Cluemasters give one-word clues to help their teammates identify the Disney characters, locations and items from a 25 card game grid. Including both pictures and words, it’s family fun for Disney fans of all ages.
Tuesday, 11 September 2018
MTG Open House
Do you play or are you interested in games? Do you have friends, colleagues or relatives who would like to learn a fun game in a friendly environment? Have you ever heard about Magic: The Gathering and you’d like to start playing?
Well, now you have the chance at KD GAMES in Shoreham next Saturday the 22nd of September from 11:00 to 16:00!
We are celebrating the Open House for the newest set Guilds of Ravnica! You can learn about the game, play a demo, have your first encounter with the epic characters of the Magic multiverse and meet our amazing community.
You will get a Welcome Deck to play the demo, and keep it as a gift for participating and a way to start your Magic collection! After the demo, you can keep playing with other participants and have fun. You are welcome to spend the whole day with us or come at a specific hour. Feel free to hang out as long as you want, play your demo and as many matches as you can!
Experienced players are encouraged to bring friends and/or help us with the demos. Don’t worry, you won’t go home empty handed! You can also get a promo Boros Challenger.
If you want to have fun playing Magic, introduce your friends to the Magic multiverse, or just have a fun day at our store helping with demos, we’ll be waiting for you!
Any inquiries about the event, message us on Facebook or contact us on 07840 785885 or kidsdreams@sky.com