Besides all that, the first time you crack 3 fetches in 3 turns and don't have to shuffle, or find the commons you need to finish your deck in 3 minutes for under a buck, or decide you want to draft at 2:00 AM and can, you'll be sold.

quote:

---

Originally posted by DarkMaster_MX:
Does MTGO register tournamen0t/draft plays via DCI like regular live events?

---

You have an online rating that is completely independent of your real life DCI rating. But yes, you do still get the same sort of rating as the DCI gives (start at 1600 and go up/down based on performance). My problem with MTGO is that it's too addictive. Seriously, I had to sell all my stuff because it was just too time-consuming...

__________________
3rd most references in Kentucky; 3rd most posts in Kentucky

+ Only 4 copies ever needed of any one card.
+ Cards are generally cheaper online than in paper
+ Players can be found anytime of the day
+ Drafts and events around the clock
+ All rules are programmed so it will enforce them itself
+ Playing without pants!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by iliketrain:
online is pretty good, and sometimes the lack of social interaction is a good thing, people complain more online compare to irl though, but you can just ignore them.

---

and the deck I'm playing right now I don't have to do the math or remember anything! So I sac quest for pure flame, Attack with chandra's spitfire and goblin arsonist. They both trigger raid bombardment and I'll also lightning bolt you. Okay so you take uh... 3, wait 6, plus uh... can we just say you're dead and move on? Thanks!

quote:

---

Originally posted by DerFisch:
Also, watch out for the rules screwing up every now and then.

---

While that is true, the ratio of MTGO programming rules errors to real life paper magic players mistakes is infinitessimal.

IRL, I can't go one FNM without multiple rules questions or debates over how cards work. If someone plays Bloodbraid Elf, Mana Leak alone won't stop the Cascade trigger. If you let Bloodbraid Elf resolve, but Mana Leak Sprouting Thrinax, Vengevine still comes back. If your opponent plays Bituminous Blast and cascades into Abyssal Persecutor, he does not have to cast it if he so wishes. If you Lightning Bolt the Fauna Shaman in response to its ability, your opponent can still discard Vengevine and get a Fauna Shaman; the ability isn't stopped by removal. If you Maelstrom Pulse your opponent's Saproling token, yours will be destroyed as well. You can play Pithing Needle naming Noble Hierarch, but that won't do anything useful to either its activated ability nor to the fact that it has Exalted. Vampire Hexmage can send an Ajani Vengeant to the graveyard, but not before your opponent has the chance to deal 3 damage, assuming he uses it right away.

Not having to deal with these issues alone almost makes it worth playing MTGO sometimes. You can also compare the number of rules debates while playing MTGO versus MWS and you can see why it's very nice having the rules programmed into the game itself, rather than having to explain to people that Force of Will probably doesn't stop you from dying if your opponent played 10 spells before casting Tendrils of Agony that you want to counter (unless you're at 22 life).

quote:

---

Originally posted by yakusoku:
While that is true, the ratio of MTGO programming rules errors to real life paper magic players mistakes is infinitessimal.

IRL, I can't go one FNM without multiple rules questions or debates over how cards work. If someone plays Bloodbraid Elf, Mana Leak alone won't stop the Cascade trigger. If you let Bloodbraid Elf resolve, but Mana Leak Sprouting Thrinax, Vengevine still comes back. If your opponent plays Bituminous Blast and cascades into Abyssal Persecutor, he does not have to cast it if he so wishes. If you Lightning Bolt the Fauna Shaman in response to its ability, your opponent can still discard Vengevine and get a Fauna Shaman; the ability isn't stopped by removal. If you Maelstrom Pulse your opponent's Saproling token, yours will be destroyed as well. You can play Pithing Needle naming Noble Hierarch, but that won't do anything useful to either its activated ability nor to the fact that it has Exalted. Vampire Hexmage can send an Ajani Vengeant to the graveyard, but not before your opponent has the chance to deal 3 damage, assuming he uses it right away.

Not having to deal with these issues alone almost makes it worth playing MTGO sometimes. You can also compare the number of rules debates while playing MTGO versus MWS and you can see why it's very nice having the rules programmed into the game itself, rather than having to explain to people that Force of Will probably doesn't stop you from dying if your opponent played 10 spells before casting Tendrils of Agony that you want to counter (unless you're at 22 life).

I think MTGO is totally worth it, as other people have noted, you can play on Labor Day morning when your shop may be closed. You can draft on Fridays if your shop only holds Standard tournaments. You can draft on Saturdays if FNM hasn't given you your Magic fix. If the nearest shop is 1.5 hours away, MTGO is as close as your nearest internet connection. I've played MTGO at my friends' houses, apartments, the local library, and between classes on campus. It's not as easy to say, "Oh, you guys go watch that movie and go to a restaurant without me. I'm just going to play a draft while you're doing that, and we can play poker when you get back."

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by DarkMaster_MX:
[B]I've been debating starting up an account and playing on MTGO but I can't decide whether it's going to be worth while. Typically from the fall till beginning of spring I wont be able to attend most FNMs and maybe some odd events on the weekends so I was thinking MTGO would get me my fill of playing.

---

With MTGO you can play anytime you want.Be it work/school or whatever prevents you from playing paper magic MTGO will fill your magic need.Pauper is a great cheap format.If your any good at sealed deck i recomend the 2X or 3X prize events.

Start with a 4 land hand
playing first:
turn 1: play a land
turn 2: drawn land - play land + sylvan ranger for a land into my hand
turn 3: drawn land - play land + Cultivate
turn 4-10: Draw land

I ran 17 land... and basically had every land in play but couldn't draw a single card. I've been finding similar situations extending for several turns and then others where I start with 3 land hands assuming its great then can't draw a land to save my life.

quote:

---

Originally posted by DarkMaster_MX:
So I picked it up and I definably enjoyed it having done several drafts so far but am already considering giving it up. I'm finding their shuffler system is terrible and, being serious, 75%+ of the games I play I find that I get either land flooded or land screwed. I usually play green and have fast ramp ups and cards that pull land out of my deck but as a recent example from yesterday...

Start with a 4 land hand
playing first:
turn 1: play a land
turn 2: drawn land - play land + sylvan ranger for a land into my hand
turn 3: drawn land - play land + Cultivate
turn 4-10: Draw land

I ran 17 land... and basically had every land in play but couldn't draw a single card. I've been finding similar situations extending for several turns and then others where I start with 3 land hands assuming its great then can't draw a land to save my life.

I understand that magic is never guaranteed to be perfect draws but having played for 10+ years I have had more land screwed games in the past week and change of MTGO than my entire time playing. ( I played A LOT of drafts on MTGO ).

---

People are constantly complaining about the shuffler.Ive had some very bad experiences with the shuffler also.In fact ive quit drafting because of the shuffler.The straw that broke the camels back was when 2 drafts in a row i drew 8 land in a row,2nd game: 9 land in a row.Both Opening hands consisted of 4 land (40 card deck/17 land)
Second match (40 cards/17 land) no land,mull,no land,mull ect..down to 2 card opening hand before i see a single land,then 6 draws in a row without seeing a land.Second game:3 land opening hand,no land drawn in 8 draws.
Ive heard all the arguments for and against the shuffler but the bottom line is: as a consumer im not happy with their product (the shuffler) so therefore i no longer draft
Lets for the sake of arguing assume the shuffler is flawed:WOTC would NEVER EVER admit it.From a buisness standpoint it would be stupid.Would you spend 3 packs +2 tix on a flawed product?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scopes13mtg:
There. Is. Nothing. Wrong. With. The. Shuffler.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by squirrel overlord:
In fact ive quit drafting because of the shuffler.

---

unless you're cheating, you should experience mana problems with paper magic form time to time as well. If you're not experiencing any mana problems ever with paper magic, remind your opponents to shuffle your deck for you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by squirrel overlord:
People are constantly complaining about the shuffler.Ive had some very bad experiences with the shuffler also.In fact ive quit drafting because of the shuffler.The straw that broke the camels back was when 2 drafts in a row i drew 8 land in a row,2nd game: 9 land in a row.Both Opening hands consisted of 4 land (40 card deck/17 land)
Second match (40 cards/17 land) no land,mull,no land,mull ect..down to 2 card opening hand before i see a single land,then 6 draws in a row without seeing a land.Second game:3 land opening hand,no land drawn in 8 draws.
Ive heard all the arguments for and against the shuffler but the bottom line is: as a consumer im not happy with their product (the shuffler) so therefore i no longer draft
Lets for the sake of arguing assume the shuffler is flawed:WOTC would NEVER EVER admit it.From a buisness standpoint it would be stupid.Would you spend 3 packs +2 tix on a flawed product?

---

I also accept that MTG is somewhat luck for situations like that. You will get land screwed or flooded it happens it sucks. I'm just saying the frequency in which it happens online vs when I play my local FNMs or tournies is very noticeable. I've tried various different systems of more and less mana and using more cards to pull land out of my deck so it doesn't happen but it still manages to happen more often than not which is the frustrating part.