Manalink (and to some degree MtG thread)

[MistahBoweh]

www.slightlymagic.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=25

Along time ago, way back in history, Microprose made the first ever digital client for Magic: The Gathering, a standalone adventure game known as Shandalar that would later serve the basis for designing magic: Online.

It got two expansions and was supported until 1998, but Windows 2000/XP can no longer run the original version.

However, there's a group calling themselves Manalink that have updated and restored the game for current systems, as well as introduced new graphics, cards, game modes, and other goodies.



There are two stable releases, Manalink 2.0 and Manalink 3.0. 2.0 Has some added cards, runs on newer operating systems, and Shandalar is fully functional. 3.0 adds a ton of new cards, some new gameplay modes such as Elder Dragon Highlander, an updated deck editor that allows filtering by card name to help manage the larger pool, but unfortunately, Shandalar has been removed from this version in order for it to work.

Since many of us BPers have one version of this or the other, mostly because of me, i figure it's about time there's an official thread instead of going off-topic all the time elsewhere.

[MistahBoweh]

Some favorite (broken) decks of mine, one for each version.

2.0: Channel Fireball.

This is the original combo deck in Magic. The idea is that you can play Black Lotus for GGG, any red source, then Fireball for 20 damage on turn 1 and win. All the other cards are for resetting your hand if you don't have all three pieces in the first one, letting you try again for the combo and get consistent turn one kills.

4x Fireball
4x Blace
4x Decintegrate
4x Channel
4x Black Lotus
4x Mox Ruby
4x Mox Emerald
4x Wheel of Fortune
4x Winds of Change
4x Taiga
4x Wall of Blossoms
16x Mountain

This is the deck that teaches what a REAL combo is like, to shove down the throats of anyone who says a simple interaction like EP/Aeon counts. ZhannaX is NOT a combo deck, people.

3.0: Recurring Nightmare

Originally, Recurring Nightmare was the 1995 world championship deck. The idea is that you play with a full set of enters-the-battlefield triggers and utility creatures that serve every function you could ever want. Survival of the Fittest gets them out of your deck, then Recurring Nightmare recycles these effects from your graveyard. My personal list is different due to the increased pool of cards since 1995, made even stronger with the recent addition of Thragtusk.

4 Recurring Nightmare
3 Trinket Mage
3 Memnite
4 Vengevine
4 Survival of the Fittest
2 Garruk Relentless
2 Thragtusk
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Shriekmaw
1 Acidic Slime
1 Man-o'-War
1 Kozilek's Predator
3 Liliana of the Veil
3 Vindicate
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Island
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats
2 Misty Rainforest
4 Bayou
1 Savannah
2 Scrubland
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
1 Overgrown Tomb

Most of the deck is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll go over some key interactions.

-Discard Vengevine to Survival of the Fittest, search for Trinket Mage. Trinket Mage searches for Memnite, then Memnite can be cast for free as the second creature spell, triggering the cast requirement for Vengevine.

-Man-o'-War can be used offensively on opponent's creatures with Regeneration or Indestructable, but can also be used defensively to reset another of your creatures in lieu of Recurring Nightmare.

-The four basic lands in the deck are searchable with Solemn Simulacrum. The rest of the manabase is composed of dual-lands and fetches for those dual-lands, so it shouldn't be that hard getting the mana colors you need. Also remember that the second half of Solemn is the most important.

-Liliana does two things in this deck, both useful. Since 3.0 lacks Fleshbag Marauder, Liliana serves as the replacement, able to deal with creatures that are otherwise untargetable by your other effects. Liliana's discard ability can be used to fill up the grave for Recurring Nightmare if you don't have Survival or the mana to hardcast the creatures. This is particularly important for Thragtusk and Solemn, but Vengevine is also a good discard target.

-Garruk Relentless can serve as removal, but his main purpose is to search for creatures on top of what Survival of the Fittest can do. Remember that he can also take damage naturally to transform, so if your opponent attacks him, letting it through could save you a turn.

-Don't use the Eldrazi Spawn from Kozilek's Predator for mana unless you have to. Instead, use them as tribute fodder for Recurring Nightmare or Garruk.

Have fun destroying the AI

[Raphael Majere]

I think I am only on 2.0. Or some basic version. Don't have most of those cards.

I think I have a red burn deck with lotuses and ball lightnings and it's pretty strong too.

Then anti white and anti black decks using weenies (white knights/black knights) + crusade/black moon

[MistahBoweh]

I do still like 2.0 since it's able to play Shandalar. 3.0 doesn't have that factor and some of the cards added into it are still buggy, but the larger pool makes for more possible shenanigans. I do appreciate being able to play with more recent cards every once in a while.


EDIT: Easiest way to tell the difference - 3.0 doesn't have Manaburn, 2.0 does, and the original game set with no cards added won't have the little 'NONET' jewel in the corner.

Mono-red Burn decks are very easy to construct and abuse, but I don't even bother with Ball Lightning. Using creatures makes you vulnerable to blocks/removal. All you need is Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning, Incinerate, Shock, Shard Volley, etc. On top of the burn package and four moxes, just play 4x Lotus and 4x Wheel of Fortune as well. This will give you gas after running out of burn and you should in most circumstances be able to finish the opponent off by turn 3-5. Slower than CFB's turn one kill, but let's face it; winning every game on turn one gets old after a while when there's no reward for it.

[wreon]

MistahBoweh, you seriously are an mtg buff. I refused to touch type 1 cards many because of ridiculous combos on turn 1-3 that ended games prematurely. I played after the invasion series, a machine head deck or something.

[MistahBoweh]

I find Vintage interesting. Not fun, Power9 is just retarded, but interesting in the sense that it's the game's roots, its history. The early stages of Magic were all about testing the waters, trying new things. Some worked and some didn't, but either way it shows alot about not just Magic's current design philosophy, but design in general.

My favorite kind of decks for Magic are more derpy/interesting then serious business, for example Soul Sisters, Lord of the Rings (pictured), Mass Polymorph, Zombie Infestation. I enjoy winning too, however, so when entering in events I always try to play something legitimate (yes, I played Cawblade).

I guess when it comes to MtG I do a little bit of everything.

[Oblio]

Random question...

If someone wanted to move from a state of total ignorance to being able to follow the MtG basics...where would you recommend they start?

[MistahBoweh]

The more recent Duels of the Planeswalkers games. You can pick them up on steam or via download on 360/ps3. They have built in tutorials and (depending on the version) focus little to no on deck construction, and instead on gameplay itself.

You'll learn nothing of Magic's power curve and what playing a true, consistent deck feels like, but if you want the rules themselves, it's a good place to start.

[Raphael Majere]

Nov 23, 2012 0:51:50 GMT MistahBoweh said:

The more recent Duels of the Planeswalkers games. You can pick them up on steam or via download on 360/ps3. They have built in tutorials and (depending on the version) focus little to no on deck construction, and instead on gameplay itself.

You'll learn nothing of Magic's power curve and what playing a true, consistent deck feels like, but if you want the rules themselves, it's a good place to start.

It's on iPad too, highly recommended. Its lotsa fun. Don't neglect SE though!

There are 10 secret codes that unlock even more cards.

[MistahBoweh]

I personally reccomend the 2012 version, though, just becasue Archenemy > Planechase imo.

[Oblio]

Nov 23, 2012 2:23:19 GMT Raphael Majere said:

Nov 23, 2012 0:51:50 GMT MistahBoweh said:

The more recent Duels of the Planeswalkers games. You can pick them up on steam or via download on 360/ps3. They have built in tutorials and (depending on the version) focus little to no on deck construction, and instead on gameplay itself.

You'll learn nothing of Magic's power curve and what playing a true, consistent deck feels like, but if you want the rules themselves, it's a good place to start.

It's on iPad too, highly recommended. Its lotsa fun. Don't neglect SE though!

Haha...no...I'm not going any where. It's just that one of Abysmal's random youtube link's was related to Brian Kibler's ProTour match against Jon Finkel...which was fascinating....but I had no idea what was going on...except that they seemed to be very excited about witnessing three Galvanic Blasts in succession...

[MistahBoweh]

Both of those players are Magic Hall of Famers as well as world poker tour regulars, I can see why the commentators would get boners.

[rnxd]

i would really like to try this game (i played physical mtg when i was a kid) but i downloaded, updated it (don't know if properly yet) and i dont have a clue how to start playing it. i tried to make a deck but i have no mountains, can't find lands. the wiki page is not helpful at all. can you give me a hand please? thanks!