3CB #9: Enter the Furnace

[Death_By_Beebles]

3CB #9 is a special round!

Let's get this show on the road people! One new thing this round, the rules of the game have been modified. This round, a third party watching player controls a Furnace of Rath.

Also, City of Traitors has been permanently unbanned, unless I feel it gets out of hand.

Please submit your decks in the usual fashion, and good luck!

3CB:

Rules:
These are the rules for Vanishing 3 Card Blind:
Your deck is composed of 3 cards which all start in your hand.
Your library contains 0 cards and you don’t have a sideboard (Wishes fetch nothing).
Random effects always go in your opponent's favor.
You can see your opponent's hand, so you make the best possible play.
You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card.
You play each opponent twice; once going first and once going second.
For each win, you score 3 points.
For each draw, you score 1 point.
For each loss, you score 0 points.

Two rules restrict the kind of deck you can send. They are:
1.You may not submit a deck that can win before the opponent's first main phase.
2.You may not submit a deck that can force an opponent to lose more than one card from his hand per turn.

Other than the aforementioned, everything is handled exactly like a real game of Magic.

If you want to play, PM me a message with a heading similar to "Vanishing 3-Card Blind tournament". The format for the message should be:
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3

The "Vanishing" part is the twist. After each round, the cards in the winning deck and any cards in at least 1/3 of the decks for that round will be banned for all future rounds.

One exception to this rule: Moxes, Basic Lands, Depletion Lands, and all Storage Lands will never be banned.


------------ Winning Decks so far: ------------

Round #1: Pingele_Pats - Black Lotus, The Rack, Smallpox

Round #2: guest1234 - Mishra's Workshop, Mana Vault, Leveler

Round #3: Mogg and Pingele_Pats - Mishra's Factory, Mesmeric Fiend, Mox Jet

Round #4: SenorClown - Thallid, Blackmail, Bayou

Round #5: Shteev - Durkwood Baloth, Chain of Vapor, Tropical Island

Round #6: Mogg and zu_faul - Karakas / Mox Pearl, Mox Sapphire, Meddling Mage

Round #7: Halinn and Shteev - City of Traitors, Isochron Scepter, Lightning Helix, Form of the Dragon, Show and Tell, Lotus Bloom


Round #8: Shteev - Strip Mine, Reckless Wurm, Lion's Eye Diamond
--------------Current banned list--------------

All Ante cardSUL
All Promo cards not available on Gatherer/Autocard
All Unglued and Unhinged Card (excluding basic land)

Balance
Blackmail
Black Lotus
Chain of Vapor
Durkwood Baloth
Eldamari's Vineyard
Form of the Dragon
Isochron Scepter
Lightning Helix
Leveler
Lion's Eye Diamond
Lotus Bloom
Mana Vault
Mesmeric Fiend
Mishra's Factory
Mishra's Workshop
Reckless Wurm
Show and Tell
Smallpox
Strip Mine
Thallid
The Rack
Karakas
Meddling Mage
Eladamri's Vineyard


Season Standings:
Winner of:
Rounds 1-4 SenorClown - 159 pts
Rounds 5-9 ??????????? - ??? pts

Current Points:

1) Shteev - 126 pts
2) Mogg - 111 pts
3) Halinn - 81 pts
4) Death_By_Beebles - 72 pts
5) SenorClown - 59 pts
6) Zu_Faul - 55 pts
7) Niv-Mizzet_Rulez! - 47 pts
8) Cashew - 34 pts
9) Slobad23 - 24 pts
10)guest1234 - 12 pts
11)kenibus - 6 pts
12)FuDaWg45 - 0 pts


Decks will be due midnight EST on Tuesday, March 13.

The initials of my decklist are hidden somewhere in this post. Good luck everyone!!

[Mogg]

I'll play.

[Death_By_Beebles]

Players:

Mogg*
SenorClown*
Death_By_Beebles*
Shteev*
FuDaWg45*
Niv-Mizzet_Rulez!*
TinVision*
Halinn*
Cashew*

[shteev]

I'm in.

That Furnace of Rath is really going to help out the Lavaborn Muse and Nezumi Shortfang that came second last round... :ahem:

Just to be clear, is the Furnace a card in play, or just a glbal effect? Can we affect it with cards that we play (like Simplify or Disenchant)? Does it pump up a Yavimaya Enchantress?

[Death_By_Beebles]

Let me be a little more clear.

The Funace is an actual card, in the game. You can affect it with Disenchant, etc.

Also, Shortfang isn't empowered by this card, since the 3 it deals every turn is actually a loss of life.

[FuDaWg45]

I'm in, gotta do better than last time...

[Niv-Mizzet_Rulez!]

I'll play again.

[shteev]

Let me be a little more clear.

The Funace is an actual card, in the game. You can affect it with Disenchant, etc.

You know, I've been thinking about this, and I don't think the Furnace actually being a card in play is such a good idea. I mean, it won't make much difference in this round, but if in a future round we have a global effect which affects mana production, such as Mana Flare, some bright spark will play Erase and shut down everyone's decks...


Also, Shortfang isn't empowered by this card, since the 3 it deals every turn is actually a loss of life.

Yeah, whatever... It's now capable of dealing 9 damage a turn instead of 6, and 3 of it is (un-damage preventable) loss of life that isn't done through combat. Show me another 2 mana permanent that can do that! Plus it can now block and kill a 6/6.

The Lavaborn Muse still deals 12 damage a turn, of course.


The initials of my decklist are hidden somewhere in this post. Good luck everyone!!

I had a thought about this, too... you could encrypt you deck with an online javascript encryption program (e.g. http://www.psi.toronto.edu/~vincent/blog/jscrypt.html), post the Cipher Text at the start of the thread, and then post the key to the Cipher Text at the end.

[Death_By_Beebles]

You know, I've been thinking about this, and I don't think the Furnace actually being a card in play is such a good idea. I mean, it won't make much difference in this round, but if in a future round we have a global effect which affects mana production, such as Mana Flare, some bright spark will play Erase and shut down everyone's decks...


Duly noted. The next time we have a special round like this, the global effect will not be able to be affected.

[FuDaWg45]

Did you not get my deck?

[SenorClown]

Duly noted. The next time we have a special round like this, the global effect will not be able to be affected.

I think it's fine unless it severely impacts gameplay to allow it to be destroyed. For something like Mana Flare, I can understand why we wouldn't want to allow it to be destroyed, but for an effect like Furnace of Rath, I think it's fine, since I don't think any decks need it to win.

Oh, and I wonder what deck you're playing with the initials SUL...

[TinVision]

I'd like to be /in. :)

[Death_By_Beebles]

Just a reminder to everyone that your decklists are due to me tomorrow, at midnight EST.

[Death_By_Beebles]

This post goes *bump* in the night.

Anyone who would like to participate has until midnight tonight to send me a decklist.

[Death_By_Beebles]

Using the new and improved XCB Assistant v.1, I have created all the deck and score content on this page. :) After a few slight bugs are fixed, and a help file is generated, I'll be distributing this to help any moderator of a XCB game.

Now, onto the decks!

#1 - Cashew
Darksteel Citadel
Myr Servitor
Myr Servitor

#2 - SenorClown
Granger Guildmage
Swords to Plowshares
Undiscovered Paradise

#3 - FuDaWg45
Swamp
Funeral Charm
Carnophage

#4 - Death_By_Beebles
Storm World
Undiscovered Paradise
Lightning Bolt

#5 - Niv-Mizzet_Rulez! - "10 to 1 I lose"
Swords to Plowshares
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Plains

#6 - Halinn
Hickory Woodlot
Channel
Platinum Angel

#7 - TinVision
Ivory Gargoyle
Island Sanctuary
Fountain of Cho

#8 - shteev
Ghost Quarter
Forest
Rogue Elephant

#9 - Mogg
Ghost Quarter
Sheltered Valley
Soldevi Sentry


X| 1 2 3 4| 5 6 7 8| 9 Total | % Win
1| X 0 6 2| 2 0 0 6| 6 22 | 45.83 %
2| 6 X 6 2| 2 0 2 0| 0 18 | 37.50 %
3| 0 0 X 2| 0 6 2 0| 0 10 | 20.83 %
4| 2 2 2 X| 2 2 2 2| 0 14 | 29.17 %
5| 2 2 6 2| X 6 2 2| 2 24 | 50.00 %
6| 6 6 0 2| 0 X 6 0| 0 20 | 41.67 %
7| 6 2 2 2| 2 0 X 0| 0 14 | 29.17 %
8| 0 6 6 2| 2 6 6 X| 2 30 | 62.50 %
9| 0 6 6 6| 2 6 6 2| X 34 | 70.83 %

Congrats to Mogg for winning round #9 of Vanishing 3CB!

Soldevi Sentry proved to be worth it's weight in removal this round, and Ghost Quarter did an amazing job against decks of all types, as Shteev and Mogg were apt to notice. There's a reason why Ghost Quarter is banned in most stable XCB formats, and this round shows the reason why.

In an interesting note, my deck

Storm World
Undiscovered Paradise
Lightning Bolt

could never win a game. This is because Storm World could deal the damage and kill someone, provided they had played part of their hand. If I had ever played Storm World, and the opposing player had not played any card, I would loose before they would. So, even if I could beat them, they still tied because they could circumvent all of my winning games. Boo.

As always please check for clerical and logical mistakes, as I was rushed to input the numbers this round.

[Niv-Mizzet_Rulez!]

wow. I didn't lose a single game. ITS A SIGN OF THE END OF THE WORLD! :ahhh: :ahhh: :ahhh:

I got 50%. Yay for just being lazy and doing a very simple deck with boring cards.I should do that more often.

[Mogg]

So, DBB requested that I check the matches, and I did. I found a few differences. Apparently, he overvalued my deck. :) I tie SenorClown for first place, narrowly beating out Shteev because of my draw against Cashew (go Sheltered Valley!)

X| 1 2 3 4| 5 6 7 8| 9 Total | % Win
1| X 0 6 2| 2 0 0 6| 2 18 | 37.50 %
2| 6 X 2 2| 2 6 6 2| 2 28 | 58.33 %
3| 0 2 X 2| 0 6 2 0| 2 14 | 29.17 %
4| 2 2 2 X| 2 2 2 2| 0 14 | 29.17 %
5| 2 2 6 2| X 6 2 2| 2 24 | 50.00 %
6| 6 0 0 2| 0 X 6 0| 0 14 | 29.17 %
7| 6 0 2 2| 2 0 X 0| 0 12 | 29.17 %
8| 0 2 6 2| 2 6 6 X| 2 26 | 54.17 %
9| 2 2 2 6| 2 6 6 2| X 28 | 58.33 %

The individual match changes are listed in the spoiler.

Cashew 1 vs. Mogg 9
6-0 > 2-2

SenorClown 2 vs. FuDaWg45 3
6-0 > 2-2

SenorClown 2 vs. Halinn 6
0-6 > 6-0

SenorClown 2 vs. TinVision 7
2-2 > 6-0

SenorClown 2 vs. Shteev 8
0-6 > 2-2

SenorClown 2 vs. Mogg 9
0-6 > 2-2

FuDaWg45 3 vs. SenorClown 2
0-6 > 2-2

FuDaWg45 3 vs. Mogg 9
0-6 > 2-2

Halinn 6 vs. SenorClown 2
6-0 > 0-6

TinVision 7 vs. SenorClown 2
2-2 > 0-6

Shteev 8 vs. SenorClown 2
6-0 > 2-2

Mogg 9 vs. Cashew 1
0-6 > 2-2

Mogg 9 vs. SenorClown 2
6-0 > 2-2

Mogg 9 vs. FuDaWg45 3
6-0 > 2-2

[SenorClown]

Me (Paradise, Granger, STP) vs. #7 (Cho, Sanctuary, Gargoyle)
Current: 2-2
Should be: 6-0

Even with the life STP gains him, I still deal damage quickly enough with Granger to counteract it, in this fashion:

Him: Cho.
Me: Granger.
H: 1 counter.
M: Swing, 20-18.
H: 2 counters.
M: 20-16.

Now, next turn he plays Sanctuary, but I can ping him to death with Granger for the win. Again, even if I STP the Gargoyle, I still am beating him by 2 life.

vs. #6 (Woodlot, Channel, Plat)
Current: 0-6
Should be: 6-0
I can only assume this is a mistake. I STP his Angel. That's it.

vs. #8 (Quarter, Forest, Elephant) and #9 (Quarter, Valley, Sentry)
Current: 0-6
Should be: 2-2
Same with this. You marked #5 for this one correctly. I can hold my land back until they play a creature and STP it.

That brings me up 14 points to 32. Since Mogg's points are reduced by 4 from our match, that should hopefully put me in 1st. :D

Heh, I posted this at the same time as above.

[Mogg]

Our scores for you differ by 4 points. I assume you agree with me that you should draw your games against FuDaWg45, because he can Funeral Charm your guildmage.

[SenorClown]

Yeah.

As a side-note, I have taken 1st in all three XCBs for the last round of each.

[FuDaWg45]

I think I should tie with SenorClown since my Funeral Charm kills his guildmage. Right? Same thing with Mogg. Sure he gains life, but he can't kill me.

Edit: Whoops. Should read the whole thread before posting. Sorry guys.

[shteev]

Actually, Mogg, I think you lose against Cashew, and I draw. I think you may have forgotten about the Furnace of Rath.

Cashew(1) v shteev(8)
was: 6-0
should be 2-2
If Cashew attacks with both Servitors, I take 4 damage, and then counter attack for 6. I've got a 4 turn clock, and he's got a 5 turn one, so I win; If Cashew attacks with a single Servitor, then I have to hold back the Rogue Elephant to block each turn, so it's a draw; If Cashew holds back BOTH his Servitors to block my Rogue Elephant, everything dies, and it's a draw again.

Cashew(1) v Mogg(9)
was: 2-2
should be: 6-0
If Mogg attacks, then Cashew takes 2 damage per turn (10 turn clock), but then Cashew can counter attack with both Servitors for 3 damage per turn (4 from attacking, but Mogg gains a life from Sheltered Valley). 7 turn clock wins. If Mogg holds back, then Cashew attacks with both Servitors and deals 1 damage per turn (2 from the Servitor that isn't blocked, but gaining 1 life per turn from the Sheltered Valley).

[Death_By_Beebles]

Silly me for forgetting that Funeral Charm had other abilities besides the discard. :p

As soon as points are determined, I'll declare a R5-9 champ. Until then, you can check out the new thread that's going up soon.

[Mogg]

Yeah, somehow I doubled the servitor's power but not Rogue Elephant's. You're right that that's a draw. As for my matchup with Cashew, it's also a draw. Cashew attack with both, I block one. I take 2 damage. During my upkeep I gain back one. On his turn, his servitor comes back, but it has summoning sickness, so he has to wait another turn to attack with both. On my upkeep I gain 1 life again, neutralizing the attack. So, I guess there' a 3 way tie for first. Yay!

Here's the updated chart. Wow, there's a huge concentration of scores at 28 and 14.

X| 1 2 3 4| 5 6 7 8| 9 Total | % Win
1| X 0 6 2| 2 0 0 2| 2 14 | 29.17 %
2| 6 X 2 2| 2 6 6 2| 2 28 | 58.33 %
3| 0 2 X 2| 0 6 2 0| 2 14 | 29.17 %
4| 2 2 2 X| 2 2 2 2| 0 14 | 29.17 %
5| 2 2 6 2| X 6 2 2| 2 24 | 50.00 %
6| 6 0 0 2| 0 X 6 0| 0 14 | 29.17 %
7| 6 0 2 2| 2 0 X 0| 0 12 | 29.17 %
8| 2 2 6 2| 2 6 6 X| 2 28 | 58.33 %
9| 2 2 2 6| 2 6 6 2| X 28 | 58.33 %

[shteev]

Wow, there's a huge concentration of scores at 28 and 14.

You'll notice every match went either 6-0 or 2-2. Two reasons for all the draws, I think. Firstly, Furnace of Rath made creature threats comparatively deadlier to each other. Secondly, decks in this popular format:
Land
Creature
Creature Removal Spell
are always going to 2-2 against similar decks.



In an interesting note, my deck

Storm World
Undiscovered Paradise
Lightning Bolt

could never win a game. This is because Storm World could deal the damage and kill someone, provided they had played part of their hand. If I had ever played Storm World, and the opposing player had not played any card, I would loose before they would. So, even if I could beat them, they still tied because they could circumvent all of my winning games. Boo.

Not strictly true. Storm World deals 1 damage to an opponent with 3 cards in hand (whereas The Rack deals 0). Of course, it's going to deal at least 2 damage to you every turn, so it certainly isn't very likely that you'll win :)

Your deck actually comes pretty close to beating an opponent who plays no cards in this Furnace of Rath round; Lightning Bolt burns your opponent for 6 but they don't take 20 damage until a couple of turns after you do. Glitterfang, perhaps??

[Halinn]

vs. #6 (Woodlot, Channel, Plat)
Current: 0-6
Should be: 6-0
I can only assume this is a mistake. I STP his Angel. That's it.


That's an illegal play. Killing my angel would cause me to lose the game. The angel says I can't. Thus it is not valid.;)

[Death_By_Beebles]

That's an illegal play. Killing my angel would cause me to lose the game. The angel says I can't. Thus it is not valid.;)

I lol'ed. :D