Subject: [MISC]Wizards have lost it! Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 22:43:35 +0000 (GMT) From: Christopher James Lansdell To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Frank, I imagine this is one of many emails you will get about Peter Adkison's post. Simply out, and without beating around the bush, he is mad! To refer to his quote from Dr Garfield, didn't our beloved Richard say that he never meant Magic to have the universal appeal that it does? Didn't he say that he never thought it could be a classic game? That's what I thought. Richard Garfield, along with WOTC have, in my opinion caught Bill Gates Syndrome. Microsoft had a good product that had tons more appeal than expected. So, in an effort to increase their arket, they watered down the product to appeal to a wider public, and ended up cheesing off the experts and long-time users. Please do not do this to Magic! It has its dedicated following. More players are being introduced through Portals (bad idea) and the 5th Ed pack (great idea). We do not need to make it easy so that any moron can play it. It is a game for intellectual thought. We play it and not chess or Go because of this. Now onto the hilarious yet sad bit of the post. Namely that making counterspells instants will not have a big effect on gameplay. Come again??? Allow me, a hopeful judge and student of timing rules, to present all the ways it affects gameplay. Me: "Incinerate you" Him: "Tap 4 and Ertai to counter" Me: "In response Shock Ertai. Take 3 and say bye to Ertai." You can respond to an instant with another instant. Now, unless they plan to change the timing rules totally, which would atop an incinerate in response to a Giant Growth, say, counterspells no longer bring an end to a batch of effects. Come on, judges! I'm not sure if I'm right, but let me know here! Opponent has one card in hand. Me: "Cast Hypotic Spectre" Him: "Counter that" Me: "In response activate disrupting scepter. Oh I'm sorry, did you drop something?" Laugh hideously as they never draw another card. I see a change in the game...there is a great disturbance from this farce. This is a PLEA to WOTC...please do not do this! If you must make the set more newbie-friendly, print two editions of it. Or make it non-T2 legal, let 5E stay legal and print us a BLACK BORDERED 6E Expert Edition. I am sure this opinion in particular would meet with much approval. If, as you say, there are a large number of gamers there who love the game like we do, I think they will see the merit in my opinions, which I would venture are shared by many of your players who are not on your or the DCI payroll. I remain, until 6E happens, a devoted player. Chris Lansdell Captain, deck designer and cider drinker, Team UEAwesome. Do not underestimate the mighty Scryb Sprite!