How Four Zeniths Became Two Grims (and Then Came Back Home)

 

Back in January 2025, right after Green Sun’s Zenith (GSZ) was unbanned in Modern, I moved my four Mirrodin copies. Card Kingdom graded them EX (their graders are notoriously strict) and gave me $29.75 each + 30% trade credit, totaling $154.70 for the playset.

I combined that with other stock I already had on hand and used the whole bundle to pick up two Grim Monoliths, which were priced at $315 each at the time.

When you break it down, those four Zeniths alone made up 24.4% of the value of the two Monoliths. The rest came from bulk/value I was happy to clear.

And honestly, during the entire time I didn’t have the Zeniths, I never thought about building a deck that needed them. Not once. I didn’t miss them — they were just cardboard I converted into something sturdier.

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This Week: The Loop Completes Itself

Fast-forward to now: I reacquired all four GSZ again on CardSphere for about $11 in trade value each.

That means:

Four GSZ → $154.70 → 24.4% of two Grim Monoliths → reacquired all four again for $44.

But here’s the kicker:

Those same Grim Monoliths are now $450 each.

That’s a +$135 jump per copy, or +$270 on the two I acquired in that trade — before even counting the fact I re-bought the Zeniths at a massive discount.

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Why This Feels Insanely Clean

• Monolith appreciation. The two I picked up at $315 are now $450 each — a huge gain just by holding.

• GSZ depreciation → opportunity. Selling them high and re-buying them low is the dream scenario.

• No deckbuilding FOMO. I didn’t need the Zeniths for anything during the time I didn’t own them.

• Value equilibrium achieved. I kept the rising assets (Monoliths) and recovered the falling ones (GSZ) cheaply.

This is basically a perfect example of how natural market swings can reward patient, non-forced trading.

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Closing Thoughts

I love when MTG finance lines up like this. No speculation, no hype-chasing — just:

1. Trade out a newly relevant card when the market is hot

2. Convert into something stable

3. Wait

4. Reacquire the original cards for pennies

5. Watch the stable asset climb

Now I’m sitting on four Grim Monoliths total, two of which massively appreciated, and I’ve got my four GSZ back without ever needing them during the gap.

I’ll happily take that outcome every time.

Getting caught up, several weeks of the league

Okay, I’ve been a bit lax keeping up with these blog entries—but I’ve only missed one week of league play in the last month, so I’ve been solid on playing. Just bad at writing. Progress?

Let’s start with something I’m proud of: I haven’t spent a dime on store play since February! I didn't pay cash/credit for one $40 tournament and picked up a couple singles—a $5 Stock Up as a 4th copy, and a playset of old-bordered Griselbrands from Innistrad Remastered. (I’m a sucker for old borders.) But overall, I’ve been sticking to the plan: play weekly, play for free.

Am I crushing the league with 3-0s? Not really. Am I going 2-1 more often than 1-2 or 0-3? Yes—and that’s the real goal.

Will I make the season-end playoffs? Probably not. The odds aren't great, especially with a vacation coming up. But who knows?

 Recent Match Results

4/23: Went 2-1
4/30: Went 1-2 (played S&S, fizzled after round one)
Leyline Binding continues to be the bane of Show and Tell. Oof.

Most recent week: Took OmniTell, G/U for a spin, and I think this might be what I run for the 5/17 local tournament. Auroral Procession is sneaky good, and the Cunning Wish package gives the deck more options.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 1 vs. Doomsday (Danny)

• Game 1: Wasn’t 100% sure he was still on Doomsday, but once I saw the BUG colors and some cyclers, I had a feeling. Brought out the beatstick and OmniShowed him. (Couldn’t resist.)

• Game 2: Tried to keep him off mana early with counters, but couldn’t find my combo. He resolved Doomsday and that was that.

• Game 3: Managed to hardcast Omniscience not once, but twice. A clutch counter on Jace, Wielder of Mysteries saved my life. Wild game.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 2 vs. Nadu (Brady)

• Game 1: Missed a crucial counter on Green Sun’s Zenith and that was basically game.

• Game 2: Drew nothing relevant. Nadu stomped me.

  
  

  Post-match chat with another player confirmed it—Nadu is Omni’s matchup by far. So... I don’t feel too bad.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 3 vs. Boros Energy (Dylan)

Dylan had just made Top 8 at a BQC event, so I was definitely not excited about this pairing.

• Game 1: He curved perfectly into a field full of cats. No chance.

• Game 2: Thank goodness for Cunning Wish. I dropped Omni off a Show and Tell, he dropped Static Prison (main deck, seriously?). I grabbed Krosan Grip, cleared the way, went into top-deck mode. Found Atraxa, got Swords’d, then drew into Emrakul for the win.

• Game 3: Similar story—Omni, Sublime Epiphany to bounce and draw, eventually found the win. Felt slick.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I’ve been cleaning up the box of playables a bit. Originally got the Masters version of Wasteland for D&T when I was getting my first fully paper-legal deck together. Then I grabbed the Secret Lair Mark Poole versions—signed, because that art is too good.

And finally, picked up a set with the original art. At this point, I think it’s safe to dump the Masters ones. I don’t need three sets of Wastelands. Set and forget.

61 Cards vs Combo

[Let me just say, I started doing research via Chat GPT, and well- I wound up having it help me write this darn entry.]

 

Legacy is a format of inches, percentages, and gut checks. So what happens when you dare to play 61 cards? Well... sometimes, it just works.

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Against the Grain, In Red We Trust

In the land of Legacy, where Brainstorms flow like wine and Delvers flip with smug confidence, I’ve planted my flag firmly in the camp of Mono Red Stompy. Lock pieces. Explosive mana. Big threats. And yes—61 cards.

Wait, what?

Let’s talk about that extra card, why it’s not the end of the world, and how I’m currently tuned to take on a combo-infested meta full of Sneak & Show and Oops All Spells degeneracy.

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The Math of 61 vs 60 Cards

Let’s squash the age-old debate right up front.

Q: Does adding a 61st card make your deck worse?
A: Technically yes... by about 1%.

For example:

• A 4-of card like Blood Moon shows up in your opening hand approximately 39.9% of the time in a 60-card deck.
• In a 61-card list, that drops to around 38.8%.

So yes, you’re giving up a tiny bit of consistency. But in exchange for what? That’s where things get interesting.

---

The Deck: Prison, Pressure, and Pyrogoyfs

Here’s the main deck I’m running:

4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
6 Mountain
4 Chrome Mox
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Shatterskull Smashing
3 Sundering Eruption
4 Blood Moon
2 Magus of the Moon
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Trinisphere
4 Broadside Bombardiers
4 Pyrogoyf
4 Fury
4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
3 The One Ring

Sideboard:

3 Dead/Gone
1 Disruptor Flute
4 Faerie Macabre
3 Fiery Confluence
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast

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Why I’m Okay with 61 Cards

Because Shatterskull Smashing and Sundering Eruption are lands when I need them to be. Under my own Blood Moon, they’re not dead weight — they help me cast Trinisphere, deploy threats, or finish a game. That kind of flexibility is worth the minor consistency hit.

I’ve already cut Magus for more consistent lock pieces and a third copy of The One Ring. Every card has a job. Nothing is filler. Cutting to 60 would hurt the deck’s functionality, not help it.

---

The Combo Meta Is Real

Right now, Legacy is full of combo:

• Sneak and Show
• Oops All Spells
• Doomsday, Reanimator, and more

And what do these decks absolutely hate? Trinisphere.

It shuts off Lotus Petal, LED, Brainstorm, cantrips, and makes rituals basically unplayable. Combine it with Chalice of the Void and Blood Moon, and you’re presenting an impossible board state for combo to fight through.

Sideboarding vs Sneak & Show

• In: 3 Dead/Gone, 2 Pyroblast, 1 Red Elemental Blast
• Out: 3 Fury, 1 Shatterskull Smashing, 2 flex slots (usually Pyrogoyf or Eruption)

Sideboarding vs Oops All Spells

• In: 4 Faerie Macabre, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 1 Disruptor Flute
• Out: 3 Fury, 1 The One Ring, 2 other flex cards

Your maindeck already plays the best anti-combo suite in Legacy: Chalice, Trinisphere, Blood Moon. Sideboarding just tunes the angle of attack.

---

The Verdict: Play What Wins

Yes, a 60-card deck is technically more consistent. But when that 61st card is doing something —like being a land under a Moon, or pushing through a stalled board—then the math gets overridden by the momentum.

Every card in my 61 is earning its slot, and the meta is rewarding that flexibility. Mono Red Stompy is a deck that can:

• Lock you out of the game
• Kill you in three turns
• Outdraw control with The One Ring

Legacy rewards precision. But sometimes, you just need that one extra piece of firepower to get the job done.

---

Dragonstorm pre-release

I had to skip this week's Legacy event—life happens, right? But what I did learn is that I won a DMV pin for snagging a spot in the top 4 for points at a Gold-level store league. It was for a month's worth of gameplay, and I’ll be picking it up next week when I’m back in action.

As for what to run when I return—still undecided. Do I stick with my tried-and-true S&S (the powerhouse that just doesn’t quit) or venture into the wild lands of mono-red Stompy? Heck, even OmniShow is making a comeback. People are actually winning with it! Wild times, indeed.

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

So, I packed up my lands, my bag, and my trusty playmat, and headed off to Gritty Goblin Games. No idea what to expect with this new set—Dragons, probably?

The store let everyone grab whichever color-coordinated box they wanted, so naturally, I snatched the one on top. Turns out, it was Jeskai. No clue what that meant for pre-seeded packs, but hey, it worked out.

I crushed it, finishing 2-0-1. In the final round, I just split with my opponent and played for fun—and let me tell you, I stomped him.

Apparently, opening two Mythic rares in color was a sign of good things to come (for those wondering: Shiko, Paragon of the Way). I lost the first game in my first match, then proceeded to steamroll everyone after that. I was drawing, filtering, and unleashing dragons. Huzzah!

The only real value I found was in a prize support pack—pulled a Mythic planeswalker: Elspeth, Storm Slayer. Not quite what I was hoping for, though; my inner colorless Legacy player is still yearning for Ugin... But, I didn’t let that hold me back. I traded Elspeth to CardSphere and sent her off to England for a nice little chunk of change to offset my pre-release costs. All in all, happy I went.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 

I finally decided it’s time to complete my Tempest Wasteland set. I've got the Eternal Masters version, and the Secret Lair drop from Mark Poole, but I need the original printing. The old frame… chef’s kiss.

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 

Speaking of prices, I noticed something interesting—Card Kingdom really cranked up their prices on Grim Monolith. Back in January, I grabbed two VG-condition copies for $314.99 each. I grumbled a bit about the price hike at the time, but decided against picking up a third.

Well, turns out I should’ve pulled the trigger. This week, the same VG copy went up to $399.99. It's since retracted a bit to $383.99, but still... A $70 price jump in just three months on a card that’s already over $300? Yikes.

Week 4 of the DMV league

After grinding mono-red Stompy for what felt like an eternity, I knew it was time for a change. I needed something that could give me more agency against certain decks. *cough* Oops *cough*

I’d been watching some league games featuring Sneak Attack with Stock Up, and I thought, why not? The idea of swapping it in was tempting, though I was still a little hesitant to sleeve it up. But I made some tweaks to the sideboard to suit my needs, and off I went to Level Up.

And I know, I know... I previously said Show and Tell was in time out.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Match 1 vs Dredge

Okay, I really felt bad for the Dredge player. I don’t think I could have been any more brutal if I tried.

• Game 2: Turn 1 Cage, and they literally had nothing. I mean, nothing to answer it. It was like I was watching a car crash in slow motion—just painful.

Chris W told me after round 2 that he pre-gamed a Leyline for the second game, and that was pretty much it for my opponent. That's the thing with pet decks sometimes—love 'em, but if your sideboard doesn't have a way to deal with hate, you’re just asking for trouble. RIP Dredge.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Match 2 vs Kevin King (Delver expert)

• Game 1: Kevin worked his Delver magic and barely squeezed out a win. This game was tighter than a drum. A timely Wasteland caught me off guard, and that was all it took.
• Game 2: Oh, now this felt good. Ran him out of cards—just drained him dry. Dropped a Sneak Attack, and bam, Atraxa hit the board. Found my Fury, pitched a second Sneak Attack to clear most of his board, replayed the first one, and that was that. House job.
• Game 3: Same story as Game 2. Ran him out of cards again, Atraxa came down, and he had to attack with DRC, which I gobbled up. Dropped an Emrakul, and, well, his life total was looking real low. No hope left.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Match 3 vs Dan

• Game 1: Yeah, I made a rookie mistake. No Force of Will in my opener to deal with his Karn. Of course, he slaps down Ensnaring Bridge and Lattice, and well... game over. Chalice of the Void on 1 didn’t do much, but you know, it is what it is.
• Game 2: I did some dumb things, but it worked out. He mulligans, and my keep feels pretty solid. Didn’t even care about his Trinisphere. I Show and Tell’d, kept my Island and Sol Land up, and just attacked. Ready for anything he tried to throw at me.
• Game 3: Basically a repeat of Game 2. He had more threats, but eventually ran out of steam. Never saw Karn or Ring, which was huge. Kept my counters up, Fury’d his Goblin Shaman after I got Atraxa out, and he scooped when I dropped Show and Tell #2 for Omniscience. Felt like a boss.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Deck Thoughts:

I’m telling you, the synergy between Atraxa and Stock Up is INSANE. This deck feels so much better than the old A+B with Griselbrand. Griselbrand had its moments, but drawing cards in a world full of Bowmasters? Hard pass. Atraxa and Stock Up? Not even draws—they're straight-up game-changers. It's stupid how good this feels. Honestly, I’m in love.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

MVP: No contest—Atraxa. She’s the star, hands down.

Sideboard MVP: Fury, of course. With Atraxa and Stock Up filtering through cards like nobody’s business, Fury has been absolutely clutch. When it’s good, it’s really good.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

And that’s a wrap. Another week in the books. What a ride.

Week 3 of DMV league, including a 1.2k

Oh, my dear, I am most certainly behind the curve—admittedly so! Life decided to take me on a whirlwind of family obligations, leaving me with just enough time to show up at the weekly and not much else. A bit of a social media hermit, I suppose! Oh well, what can you do?

On March 19th, I found myself back at it with my trusty mono-red stompy. A few tiny tweaks, a little more testing, all to prepare for the weekend’s 1k at Level Up. My buddy Andy came down with a concoction he’s been brewing for weeks, swearing it’s just a couple of tweaks away from perfection. We had 31 players at the weekly, people! THIRTY-ONE! I almost had to pinch myself.

I did manage to go 2-1 again, which is my standard for the week. A solid outcome in my book.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 1 was... something, but I’m honestly drawing a blank. I think I lost to OOPS All Spells? I might’ve dropped 1-2, but who’s to say how to approach that with my deck? A bit of a messy affair, to be honest. Still, I got a game in, so there's that.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 2 was a delight! I faced Evan, who was playing some b/u Ninja concoction of sorts.

Game 1, I have to say, he got completely color-hosed. Poor guy couldn't find a black mana source, even though he was digging through his deck like a man possessed. I honestly had no clue what he was on—he scooped before I could figure it out.

Game 2—or maybe Game 3, the details blur—a true rollercoaster of a match. By the end of it, he had FOUR Wastelands in his graveyard, while I had one land left. I won, thanks to a Goblin Shaman and a pile of treasures. It was a real close call; without those treasures, I would've been toast long before that!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 3, I faced Robert and his hybrid Lands deck.

Game 1, I got an early Moon out, followed by a lock piece or two. Beat sticks ensued.

Game 2, I found myself helpless as he made a 20/20 creature, and I just couldn't answer it. Sometimes it just happens.

Game 3, however, was one of my best sequences ever. He had an Elvish Reclaimer on the battlefield, and I knew I had to deal with it. I cast Fury, and he responded with a Doorkeeper Thrull. I cast Dead//Gone, killing the Doorkeeper, and he activated the Reclaimer. With that, his board was wiped, and I had 2 cards in hand. The following turn, I dropped a One Ring and took control. Sweet, sweet victory!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Now, onto the 1k and season qualifier, where the stakes were higher than ever!

I was fortunate enough to play for free, thanks to $40 in credit I had built up—perfect!

Andy and Rob joined me for some fun, and we had an excellent time.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 1, I faced Bobby on StifleNaught. Bobby had just won a 1k in PA the week before, so he was feeling pretty confident!

I took the match in 3 rounds, but I couldn’t take too much satisfaction since Bobby was clearly not feeling well—poor guy was ready to pack it in and head home!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 2 was a rematch against Ford (I think?), also on StifleNaught. Really? Again?

I lost 1-2 this time. I can’t remember much except that when I got my locks down, things went well... but when I didn’t, the match spiraled out of control. I couldn’t find a Trinisphere in the first two games, which would’ve been such a game-changer. In Game 3, I managed to bounce his Dreadnaught, but he found a way to bring it back thanks to another Stifle effect. If only I’d drawn a Chalice or Trinisphere... Oh well, c’est la vie!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 3, I faced Farmer on Blue Painter.

I won in 3 games, but I have to admit, I think Blood Moon was my secret weapon, even if it wasn’t exactly part of my grand plan. Game 3 came down to me topdecking a Pyrogoyf, and with only two in my deck, I swung for lethal when he didn’t have enough blockers. Phew, that was close!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 4 was against Jack on Red Painter.

What do I remember? He had the luck of the gods, topdecking EVERYTHING he needed and utterly crushing my hopes and dreams. Sigh.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 5 was against... someone, on a u/b/w "good stuff" deck.

I won 2-0, but the most memorable part was when my opponent picked up my One Ring, read it, and went, “Man, that is one heck of a card.” I couldn't help but wonder how long they’ve been playing Magic if they didn’t already know about the One Ring...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 6... and here's the dreaded "Oops" match.

I lost 1-2 again. I still can't figure out how mono-red can beat Oops All Spells without aggressively mulliganing and praying for a good hand. The deck can win, I’ve seen it happen, but I just loathe that matchup. It’s like trying to punch through a wall with a toothpick. Ugh.

Week 2 of league, and an MTGO realization

Back at the DMV Legacy League for week 2, still running my trusty Moon Stompy. Made a couple of tweaks to the deck, because why not shake things up a bit?

#1 Removed two Magus of the Moon and swapped them for Trinisphere main.
#2 Swapped out Laelia for a Cursed Mirror.

And yes, I run a 61-card deck. That’s the space we’re living in, folks. But honestly, I’m cool with it. Gives me a "flex spot," like I’m some kind of deck-building yogi.

Why the changes?
Well, after last week, I realized I was sideboarding in Trinisphere every match, and honestly, it just felt right to bring it to the main. It’s super useful, especially in those nasty combo matchups. Even with Chalice, it’s just a solid fit.
As for Laelia, turns out she has about as much synergy with my deck as a fish has with a bicycle. Sure, I could pitch a card to evoke Fury, but that’s not really what I’m going for here. Enter Cursed Mirror: it does some cool stuff, takes a different angle, and, at worst, it becomes a mana rock. Which, for a Moon Stompy deck, is actually pretty nifty. I’m totally fine with it being a one-of. Not every card needs to be a superstar, right?

 Here we go, the match results, served with a side of spice:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Match 1 vs R/U Delver
So, we sit down and the opponent casually announces, "I’m fairly new to Legacy and expect to go to time." Okay, no pressure, right? I win the die roll, and by turn one, I drop a Chalice on 1. They try to cast Delver—countered. They pause and ask, "What does Chalice do?" Oh, sweet summer child, you have no idea. They then offer, "We can just go to game 2." To which I proceed to repeat the process on my turn. They scoop, defeat in their eyes, and say, "Nope, I’m done with this."
I felt a little bad, but hey, they signed up for Legacy, and it’s not my fault they’re more of an EDH player. In Game 2, they nearly draw their first turn. Yikes.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

2-1 vs an interesting R/U Affinity list
I'm pretty sure this guy was a Modern player dipping his toes into Legacy. At one point, he picks up my City of Traitors and asks, "What does this do?" I mean, at least he’s asking, right?
Game 1, I was on the play, but he countered my early pieces and just beat me down with recursion and value. Classic.
Game 2, he mulligans to 5 to avoid going to 4. I drop Blood Moon, Chalice on 0, and Trinisphere. He tries to hold on, but once I get my Ring down, I’m cruising.
Game 3, he does the exact same thing as Game 2, and once again, he gets locked out, followed by a parade of beaters. Classic rinse and repeat.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

0-2 vs R/W Initiative (Chris W)
Well, this one was a bit of a slog. My lock pieces were about as effective as a paper shield, and he just dealt with my threats like it was a casual Sunday stroll.
Chris is a great guy—love chatting with him, as we’re both the grizzled "old fogies" in the room. But his deck is one of those that mostly just ignores everything I’m trying to do. It’s kind of a rough matchup for me, but that’s the game sometimes. You win some, you lose some… but mostly, you lose to Chris W.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Alright, here's my take on MTGO for the foreseeable future. So, I was all hyped up to dive in and really hone my skills—like a mad scientist of Magic. The plan was to just jam game after game, experimenting with different decks, and then tossing them aside like a bad relationship when I got bored. I even created an account, checked all the boxes, and got myself all set up to rent decks from the online services.

Then, reality hit me like a ton of bricks—or should I say, a ton of mana? I took one look at the prices, and I could already hear my wallet screaming for mercy. The "value" rental at $45? Yeah, no. If I wanted to play the decks I was eyeing, I’d need to bump up to the $50-$65 tier. And let’s be honest, that made me pause harder than a counterspell. Could I really afford that every month, especially when factoring in time for the return on my investment? Spoiler: probably not.

Then, add in a delightful tax bill (which, you know, is never a fun surprise), plus the small matter of braces for a child—suddenly my wallet is about as empty as my hopes for an easy Magic budget. So, I had to face facts: unless the Magic Gods are going to bless me with a magical tax refund or free braces, I’ll have to put my MTGO dreams on hold.

That being said, I would love to play games if it were cheaper, like a "oh, this is a fun hobby, not a second mortgage" kind of deal. But right now? I'm living my best "weekly bowling league" life of Magic. Maybe in a couple years when the kids are old enough to fend for themselves and I can reclaim some of my free time... who knows? Maybe the MTGO gods will smile down upon me again. Until then, I’ll stick to low-cost hobbies like... watching Magic content.

Welcome back to the DMV league

 Last year I missed a couple of the months to start the DMV league year. I was determined to make it this year to as many Wednesdays as I could. I just wanted to finish ahead of my buddy Andy, as we have a 6 pack of beer as a side bet. 

I ran Moonstompy as I got my final old boarder Chalice in the mail this week. (Anyone looking for a set of M25 Chalices?)

Here is my list from the first night. 

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Round 1 vs r/u/g Delver, Brady (season 1 champ)

Game 1- I missed a critical damage to be able to kill his big Murktide, by saying pass when I could have evoked a Fury to kill it. Sigh. 

Game 2- I mulliganed to 4 because I literally didn't see lands until then. Second hand had some sources, but they were too slow I thought. Well, I ripped off lock piece after lock piece to keep me around and then pressure a plenty. I felt good about that.

Game 3- Chalice into Moon into threats. Stomped good. 

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 

Round 2 vs r/u Delver, Dsitt

Game 1- Chalice into Moon into threats. Super quick to the point that I almost felt bad. 

Game 2- Nearly as quick, but when I see them playing Stock Up- I feel good. Also, when he countered my Chalice, I felt ok because I had 2 Red Blasts in my hand that would have been pointless. But he didn't know that.

  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 Round 3 vs b/u good stuff, Paul 

Wasn't sure what he was on, but almost assured it was something blue/x. 

Game 1- Similar issue to first round game 1, he blocked with a big old Nethergoyf that I could have killed but messed up the damage with a Fury before hand while I was cleared out a Bowmaster and army. Also- double Thoughtsieze to start, and Bowmasters with Ring activation is a bitch. Sigh.

Game 2- Stompy things ensued quickly and scoop encountered. 

Game 3- More of game 1 with Bowmasters being the critcal problem. Also, I ran into a bunch of lands at the wrong time. Sigh... 3-0 was not meant to be.

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 I still think Unstoppable Plan will be a very good card in the long run. I have an open acceptance of copies on Card Sphere.

  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 As mentioned a couple weeks ago, I got a nice King Suleiman from a trade to Card Kingdom. Literally no deck will it ever go in. More than pleased to apply it to a future trade or hold.

 

Adding to the pile

 As hinted at from last post- I added a couple Reserve List cards from a trade-in/up via Card Kingdom. What I can say about CK is that they grade VERY harshly. What I think EX is in their terms is a VERY good LP for most else. I am not even sure what might be wrong other than some minor edge chipping on the black boarder. They are fantastic copies.

 I still had some money leftover from the trade-in. I had thought was to maybe get a 3rd copy. But that was completely shot to hell when I looked up the cost of the same condition- they raised the cost by $30 in the week it took for the cards to show up! DAMNIT.

So there goes my next set of trade-ins I had thought to do because of my auction wins. Welp- what to do with the remaining balance I had? I tell you what I did, I opened CK, went to Arabian Nights, and found anything that fit the bill in terms of cost and being on RL. I nailed it with King Suleiman at EX. Its a long term hold for me. Never going to play it, and I know its a RL thing that likely will at least hold its value and be a VERY nice copy. I'm basically playing with house money at this point.

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I have a problem. A basic problem.

 Let me introduce you to my alpha and beta basics pile. This isn't all of them... just the current unused pile. According to my count, I have 11 alpha basics, and at least 60 beta. Oof. 

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I attempted to run a friends build of mono-red last night and I went in thinking bad about it and just got stomped. My data points was a grand total of 5 games so it was tiny sample size... but it felt like I was playing with a ham-sandwich. Ick.  

I SERIOUSLY doubt I am gonna be able to play next week due to family priorities and quite possibly a large snowstorm. So I will be back at the weekly in two weeks either with mono red stompy or MAYBE with a Boros initiative. It is tempting.

Seems to be doing something

I've been playing Moon Stompy at the local for the past few weeks, and it has served me well. To the point that I have a decent credit at the store. Not sure what to do with it yet- likely pick up some cards I want. But I want to make sure I am still playing for free for a bit. So after next week I will know where I stand with things and be able to figure out what to pick up.

At last nights event, there were at least 4 others on Mono Red stompy versions. I am sure each was slightly different than the other.  So I am glad I didn't audible to playing Eldrazi like I thought about on the way over. The amount of moon effects floating around in the room was higher than I expected.

On the flip side- I was battle an illness and I had a mask on. I had at least two people say thank you for wearing a mask. After dealing with being sick in January for a couple years running- I might just start wearing one for Dec/Jan when I go to the weekly. For my own health.

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Rd 1 vs Canadian Threshold (Danny)

Game 1, Felt like I was off to a decent start with Tomb, Mox, and a Fable. He Dazes my Fable and wastelands my Tomb. To which I do not find another mana source. At all. Nada.

Game 2, Turn 1 Trini, he goes- "oh no." Turns out, he kept a very mana poor hand dependent on filtering for more mana. I dropped turn 2 Rabble, and a turn 3 Rabble which gets the scoop. 

Game 3, He found like all his lands in his deck I think. Which is not much. I found just enough pressure, and dropped some lock pieces between Blood Moon, and Magus he couldn't cast his answers. Kinda felt bad for him, but I get it.

Rd 2 vs Scott W on Delver 

Game 1, he was a turn ahead of me the entire game. I didn't find any road bumps to slow him down. My hail mary was answered and that was that. He was just better.

Game 2, Again didn't find any road bumps and he had all the answers. Yeah- it was a mercy slaying.

Rd 3 vs Brady on Nadu 

Game 1, I knew what he was on, which is fine. He knew what I was on. My game plan was to kill all the idiots than came out before the Nadu. Which mean Nobles, Bristly Bill, etc. I didn't want him riffling through his deck. I found my answers, he removed some of mine, but I felt more controlling and rolled through with damage.

Game 2, I found an early Moon which he was ready for, but turned out he fetched for the wrong land ultimately. He needed white, not green. Welp, whatcya gonna do? I kept up answers for things, feigning not having various answers... but he did get a Nadu down but didn't have the many to cast the answers he found. So Win.

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In other news- I sent my largest sell order off to Card Kingdom. Packed up a bunch of things I just don't see myself playing any time, and got a fairly juicy list of trade material. I have goals if things work out, but fall back if they do not. I lost some value on some things- but got plenty of value back from others. I don't feel bad for shoving off what I did. I can still play just about every deck I want to without problem. Plus I don't see myself in a paper legal tournament until............

Very excited. 

Still debating if I want to send a second tranche of cards off to add to the value train.

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Card Sphere news- I threw a bunch of things back into the mix and had over $200 in credit. 
One thing I didn't realize was the collapse of value for Chalice. Guess I will be getting a set of retro-frame Chalice for use. Like it. (two already shipped)

Do I need 2 sets of Chalice? Probably not, but I can wait for the value to go back up if I want to dump the other set.

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I did watch someone buy 3 masterpiece Mox Opals last night. Sure- why not.

Stompy...

 While I am a self admitted Timmy at heart, god I love a good Emrakul, I realize that stompy seems to my play style of choice. Whether it is Moon stompy, Eldrazi stompy, etc.  I like the pace, I like the pressure and faster games... I generally like most things about it. 

Ancient Tombs, and belching my hand out is a common theme for all these decks. Its mostly, "here, you figure it out." 

What I have found the is opposite of play style- slow, plodding, thinking about lines, ducking/weaving, etc. I don't want to draw 15,000 extra cards to find THE ONE answer to everything. Not my thing... Crushing hopes and dreams with a 3/3 flyer is not my style. (I'm looking at you Delver and DRC)

There are several friends I know who love nothing better than to cobble decks together. Spend time tinkering around card lists, finding obscure answers to their deck's woes... They will spend HOURS and hours crafting ideas.

Thats never been my thing since I started playing and found places like The Dojo where deck lists were posted. I HIGHLY dislike crafting my own deck. Never been my thing. Which is odd because I like to draft... which is EXACTLY that. Sorta. Kinda.
I love to find a deck that speaks to me, and build it from what I have. Half the quest for me at times is getting all the cards I need. Acquisition/trading for the missing pieces. Or part of the time saving up for larger pieces like a dual, or reserve list card that makes the deck sing.
What I equally despise is spending over $20 for a currently in print rare/mythic. That really grinds my gears. 

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Speaking of finding cards for the collection- I think I found some bargains to add to the war chest for trading. Found an auction with a serious of 9 card pages they were selling. Some were silly cheap for like $1, while another I think I might have overpaid at the top end at $35.
All in for like $85. If I can sell that Sliver Overlord for $40, I'd be very happy with that result. But we shall see what condition everything is in when it shows up.

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Lastly- I was getting some cards from a LONG LONG time player. He has minty Beta basics I love to add to the collection. I thought he was sending me a Revised Mind Twist along with a couple Beta Mountains, because- why not. Its an iconic card from the early days. And its like $6. Anywho, I get the cards and I am looking at the minty Mind Twist and I realize its Unlimited. (could tell for sure because of the text layout) The price difference between an Unlimited and Revised is about the value of the Unlimited- lets say $150. Needlesstosay, I reached out to him to alert him to to the error and he paid for it to be sent back. While I could have EASILY just kept it and pocketed the value- not how I operate. I understand errors happen, and I'd rather be honest than greedy.